January 2017 Book of Choice Giveaway Hop

Thanks to Lonna at FLYLeF for hosting this giveaway.  I'm opening this giveaway up internationally to anyone who is able to accept a book from either The Book Depository, or else an Amazon gift card.  You can enter in the Rafflecopter below, and then hop along to the other blogs listed underneath that. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Book Blogger Hop #12 and Follow Friday #11

The Book Blogger Hop is sponsored by Jen at Crazy For Books. Just read at her site that this will be the last one of these for a while. So sad! But I understand, it does take a lot of time I'm sure to do all of this, as I know I've not been able to keep up with doing this every week. But this is basically a place to connect with other book bloggers and readers.

This week's question is: What is your favorite Halloween costume? Even if you don't celebrate, what kinds of costumes do you like?

Well, I actually dressed up last Saturday night for a friend's party. On Monday night I'll be at home, with a big bowl of candy, hoping to have some trick or treaters. Last year I didn't have very many, which was disappointing, as that is one part of Halloween I've enjoyed as an adult. My favorite costume is one that I can't fit into anymore, but still have. Even when I lost weight last year, I believe certain parts of my body have either not lost weight, or have settled to a different postion that made me unable to zip the dress all the way up. Probably almost 10 years ago, my mom sewed me the famous pink Marilyn Monroe dress, the same one Madonna wears in her Material Girl video. That is my favorite costume. I wish I could wear it at least one more time. But because it is homemade, and so fitted, there was no way for my mom to "let it out" in the bust area, so I was unable to wear it.

Follow Friday is sponsored by Parajunkee and Allison Can Read.

This week's question is: If you could have dinner with your favorite book character, who would you eat with and what would you serve?

Hmm, that is kind of a hard question. Because I think I'd like to have dinner with Edward from Twilight, and of course, he wouldn't really be eating anything so I wouldn't have to serve anything. Or, I would like to have dinner with Jacob, and we'd go to a nice steak house for dinner. I know, that is probably a cliche answer, but it is what it is. My best answer.

So, do you have a favorite Halloween costume? And who would you choose to have dinner with?

Book Blogger Hop #12 and Follow Friday #9

Seems like I'm only able to fit this in about every other week now that school is getting started again. So let's just get started! Book Blogger Hop first:

The Book Blogger Hope is put on by Crazy For Books. It's a place for book bloggers and readers to come together over the weekend and chat about books. This week's question is:

What's the longest book you've ever read? (Other than the bible or any other religious text.)

Well, there are several that I would have to say, not sure which is the longest, either one of Stephen King's books, or one of the longest Harry Potter books, or maybe Breaking Dawn. Those were all pretty long. Another really long one was Swan Song by Robert McCammon. Also Gone With the Wind and its sequel Scarlett were both really long. As well as maybe North and South. I'm thinking probably the longest is Stephen King's The Stand, I think I found it has 464,218 words.

Next is Feature and Follow Friday.

This is sponsord by two sites: Parajunkee.com and Alisoncanread.com. This is a blog hop that expands your blog by a joint effort between bloggers. This week's question is:

If you could write yourself a part in a book, what book would it be, and what role would you play?

Hmm, I feel like I've answered this one before somewhere else, and I'm not exactly sure again what to say. Maybe I would write myself into the Twilight series before Breaking Dawn, and be Jacob's girl that he imprints on before Renesmee comes along. While I love Edward, I kind of feel he is supposed to be with Bella. But I think I would love a guy like Jacob. So that's my quick answer to the question.

What are your answers to those questions? I looked up the top 10 longest novels, and one of them, Les Miserables is sitting in my pile of books to be read, but have you read any of them?

Book Blogger Hop #11 and Follow Friday #8

Wow, the past week has been really busy, haven't had time to blog. I hate that! And, kind of busy today and tomorrow. Today my sister leaves to move to New York. Sad, I'll miss her, but kind of exciting because it's something she's always wanted to do, and I can't wait to go visit her! Then tomorrrow, well, I'm thinking of getting a new puppy. I still have my dachshund that you can see an image of on the top of my blog, but she's getting older, and everyone seems to think a puppy will kind of give her a little bit of life back. I'm just worried about her being jealous or sad. But I think I'm going to try it. But I decided to go ahead and jump into my normal Friday hops to get back in and meet some new people. I'm guessing a new puppy will also take away from blogging time, as well as school starting again in a couple weeks, but I'm dedicated to this blog, so I'll do my best to not let it. Let's get on with Book Blogger Hop.

Book Blogger Hop is a place for readers and bloggers to connect over the weekend and chat about books. It is sponsored by Crazy for Books. This week's question is:
What is the one ARC you would love to get your hands on right now?
This is hard because there are so many. But I think there are 3 main ones, Fever, the sequel to Wither by Lauren DeStefano; Crossed, the sequel to Matched by Ally Condie; and The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson. The first two are books that I read as ARCs in the first place. And so when you do that, (and LOVE them), you have to wait even longer for the sequels to come out because you read them early in the first place. And those two books were so awesome, I just can't wait to read on! The third, well, I love Maureen Johnson, and I've been hearing about this book for so long that I just can't wait to read it either!

And now for Follow Friday.

This is hosted by two blogs, Parajunkee.com and Alisoncanread.com. This week's question is:

Talk about the book that most changed or influenced your life (was it a book that turned you from an average to avid reader, did it help you deal with a particularly difficult sitation, does it bring you comfort every time you read it?).

I choose to talk about Twilight. I had been reading YA books for awhile, few and far between, mostly to read my state's award nominees so I could help promote them to my students. This was suggested to me by my librarian at the time. And when I picked it up, I was sucked in, couldn't put it down. Had to get New Moon the very next day because I'd swept through it so quick. And at the time, New Moon was only available in hardcover, so I gave my copy of the paperback to someone else and bought Twilight in hardcover as well. And that was it. I was sucked back into the world of teen books, in my 30's. I also love these books because I feel that they also really connected me and my sister who I mentioned at the beginning of this blog that is moving to New York. We'd become friends since she'd graduated college and come back home, but even though for her, it took seeing the first movie to really get her reading and sucked in, this series really connected us. We both can read them over and over, and our love of them lead us to both get tattoos based on the books, my first tattoo. And now, it may be the first excuse to get me to save money and go visit her in New York, as I'm planning to go visit her the week Breaking Dawn part 1 comes out, since we have been to all the midnight premieres together, but I'll have to go there, because she probably can't come home that week before Thanksgiving, and then come home again for Thanksgiving.

Those are my answers. Can't wait to hop over to other people's blogs and check our their answers as well.

Book Blogger Hop #10 and Follow Friday #7

The Book Blogger Hop is sponsored by Crazy for Books and is a place where bloggers and readers connect over the weekend and chat about books. This week's question is:

What is the one genre you wish you could get into, but just can't?

I guess I'd have to pick steampunk probably. I would say some fantasy, but I do read some types of fantasy, so didn't think that would really count. I don't really get into Fairy stuff, but have read books with fairies, so again, don't feel I can really count. I know that SteamPunk is getting to be such a big thing, so I feel as if I should try to read it. I have friends who are kind of into the whole SteamPunk thing, don't know if they read the books too, but feel like I should be able to. Maybe some day.

Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read. It is a blog hop where you can expand your blog following by a joint effort between bloggers. This week's question is:

Name 3 authors you would love to sit down and spend an hour or a meal with just talking about either their books or get advice on writing from?

First I would love to sit and get a chance to talk to Stephenie Meyer. When she came to Kansas City a couple years ago, she said one thing that helps me whenever I get stuck with my writing. She said she wrote the story for herself. Sometimes I get bogged down thinking, would other people like this? But when I just think about writing the story I want to tell, it helps me to get through a little more of my story.

Second would be JK Rowling. I just want to know did she have the whole thing planned out when she first started?

Third would be Dean Koontz, because I would love to talk to him about dogs and writing stories.

So, what are your answers to these questions? And check back in the next day or so I'm going to have a giveaway for reaching 100 follower finally!

Book Blogger Hop #9 and Follow Friday #6

Book Blogger Hop is sponsored over at Crazy for Books. It's a place for book bloggers and readers to connect and share our love of the written word. This week's question is:

How/where do you get your books? Do you buy them or go to the library? Is there a certain website you use like paperbackswap?

Good question. If you read my blog you'll know that I work at a bookstore, Barnes and Noble. So most of the books I buy come from there. I also own a Nook, B&N's e-reader. So far I've only actually purchased a couple books for it, most of them I've gotten free from a website called Netgalley.com. Every year when I participate in my state's school librarain association award nominee group, I tend to just check those books out from either the library at the school I work at, or the public library, or I can even check out hardcover books at the bookstore where I work as well. I've also been getting some books through the RAK over at Proud Book Nerd.

Follow Friday is sponsored by Parajunkee. This is a blog hop that expands your blog by a joint effort between bloggers. There is also a featured blogger each week. I'm so excited that I've gotten on the list to be a future featured blogger! This week's question is:

What do I do when I are not reading?

Okay, not sure if the incorrect grammar is to be cute, as a teacher who has to grade for those things, it bothers me to post it like that. :-) But anyway. When I'm not reading, I'm either watching tv, playing on the internet, at the movies, or hanging out with family. Or last, because it's my least favorite, working, which right now includes teaching 8th grade science, working at the bookstore, and teaching an online class for a career college. And I guess there's some sleeping added in each night as well. I actually tend to read even while I'm eating since I live alone. And I even read sometimes while watching tv. I like to shop as well, but that costs money. Reading would be a cheaper habit, if I didn't keep buying new books, because I have 300 to read sitting in my office. Oh yeah, and from the header on my blog, you can see I have an adorable mini dachshund, her name is Sydney, but as she's older, she just sleeps most of the time. Considering getting a puppy to see if that would making perk her up a bit.

Book Blogger Hop #6 and Follow Friday #3

Okay, joining in to Book Blogger Hop by Crazy for Books.

This week's question is: How many books are currently in your To-Be-Read (TBR) pile?

Wow, I don't know the exact number. About a year and a half ago I did actually go through and count, and it was over 300 at that time. Now, since then, I've read some, added more, and even decided to give away some, so I'm not sure. Plus I have some egalleys waiting to be read as well. So I'm sure the number is still in between 200 and 300. I'll never run out of anything to read. If only I could retire right now and just spend all my time reading.

Next is Follow Friday hosted by Parajunkee. This is the 50th week of the Follow Friday, and there is a giveaway over at Parajunkee's site, so go on over and check it out!

This week's question is: Genre Wars! What's your favorite genre, and which book in that genre made it your favorite?

Honestly, right now YA, paranormal romance type are my favorite. And I really have to say it went back to when I first read Twilight by Stephenie Meyer and got sucked back into YA. Before that I'd been really into what I called Chick Lit, but soon after Twilight I got drawn into all things YA. So whatever you think of Twilight, it is a big pull for me.

Book Blogger Hop June 11th, 2011

Didn't think I had time to do this right now because of the blog tour, but then I saw the question this week and knew I had to participate. Won't be doing Follow Friday, because I missed that and it's now Saturday. This week's hop is being hosted by another blogger due to Crazy For Books being really busy. So it is at Lori's Reading Corner instead at this link: http://www.lorisreadingcorner.com/2011/06/book-blogger-hop-being-hosted-here-this-week-610-613.html. (Sorry for long link, blogger is being difficult again.) This week's question is:

Who is the one author that you are dying to meet?

Well, I'm very interested in answering this question because it fits in with my quest this year of meeting 12 authors, one per month. I'm one author behind, as it's June and I've only met 5 so far. I intend to put a slide show on my blog as I meet each author to keep track of my quest. So far I've met, in order: Jasper Fforde, Jay Asher, Heather Brewer, Meg Cabot, and Ryan Buell (also the star of the A&E show Paranormal State). I'm intending to meet Maggie Stiefvater next month when she is supposed to come to town through one of our local bookstores for her book Forever. I met Stephenie Meyer a few years ago, and Rick Riordan, and Ellen Hopkins. I've also met Roland Smith and his wife Marie Smith. And at a Children's Book Workshop put on through University of Central Missouri a few summers ago, I got to meet some children's authors, Cheryl Harness and Carolyn Mulford, as well as Veda Boyd Jones, who actually critiqued my writing!

Okay, those are who I have met in person. Who I would love to meet most? Well I'd have to say Maureen Johnson, I love her tweets and think she must be a really fun person to hang around. I'd also love to meet Stephen King or Dean Koontz as some of my all time favorite authors. Then I'd love to meet several YA authors, Cassandra Clare, Robin Wasserman, Carrie Ryan, and so many others. But I guess that would be my list for now. I almost had a chance to meet Charlaine Harris, author of the Sookie Stackhouse novels in May, but had a meeting at that time and didn't get to make it.

Who would you like to meet?

Book Blogger Hop #4 and Follow Friday #2

First off is the Book Blogger Hop hosted by Crazy for Books at Crazy-for-books.com. (Sorry, still having issues with blogger posting correctly, so can't link sometimes.)

This week's question is:

Share your favorite blog post from the last month and tell us why it's close to your heart.

I guess it would have to be from May 15th, my blog about Abandon by Meg Cabot, because it reminds me of getting to meet her when I got that book. It is also when I decided that I was going to try to set a goal to meet 12 authors this year, one a month, because I met her in April, and she was the 4th author I'd met this year.


And for the 2nd time, I'm going to participate in Follow Friday hosted by parajunkee at parajunkee.com.





This week's question is:

What are you doing to prepare for the upcoming zombie apocalypse and/or the return of Mel Gibson to the silver screen?

Well, I have been reading a lot of zombie books in the past year or so it seems. And seen a few zombie movies. I must admit that I often think about how could I survive in my house if this happened. There also used to be a house in the city I live in that I always thought I'd go to during a zombie attack because it's like the whole house was up high, with just a small side of it that I assume had an elevator or stairs above a garage. I figured it'd be safe. Not easy for zombies to climb, but lots of windows so you could see what was going on outside. Not quite sure about Mel Gibson, I will have to think about that one.

Book Blogger Hop #3 and Follow Friday #1

Book Blogger Hop is a place just for book bloggers and readers to connect and share our love of the written word. It is sponsored by Crazy for Books. This week's question is:

If you were given the chance to spend one day in a fictional world (from a book), which book would it be from and what would that place be?

This is a hard one. I almost feel like I would like to be in the world in the book Delirium by Lauren Oliver or the world in Matched by Ally Condie. You may ask why, as these are both dystopian books. However both have something that I think I might like. In the first one, all humans are "cured" of the disease of love. I think, since I'm alone and single and getting pretty old, that if I didn't feel I needed love, then my life might be easier. Also, in both books you are usually set up with someone else that is your "match". And in that case, instead of not minding being alone, I wouldn't have to be alone. Kinda depressing reason, I know, but that's what I first thought of with this question. On a sillier note, I would like to be Bella in Twilight for a day, but when she's enjoying Edward, like their honeymoon in Breaking Dawn, as opposed to one of the battles or dangerous scenes. :-)

New this week! I keep seeing everyone who does the Blogger Hop tend to do Follow Fridays, so I thought I'd join as well. I'd like to find more book blogs, as well as get some more followers. I know because I have under 100 followers, that sometimes the Net Galley publishers won't let me have their books, so I thought I'd work on getting my followers up through this. So here goes.


Feature and Follow Friday is a blog hop that expands your blog following by a joint effort between bloggers, they also have a feature blogger chosen randomly, and to participate you must follow them as well. This is sponsored by Parajunkee. They also have a question to answer, and here is this week's question.

It's circle time. Time for us to open up and share. Can you tell us FIVE quirky habits or things about you? We all have them...

1. I keep a journal where I keep track of all the books I've read, and when I started them and when I finished them. Even if it's a book that I've read before, if it takes up reading time, it goes in the book. I like to keep track of how many books I read in a year, and I started it before I found Goodreads.com.

2. I prefer to use the bathroom at home as much as possible, because I feel like if I can't read during that time, it's such a waste of time. Silly, and weird, I know. But I hate to give up any minute that I could spend reading, when it seems sometimes I have so little time to read.

3. I have to have the light switches in certain positions. There is a light switch panel in my downstairs living room that has a switch for the light, the ceiling fan, and the stairway light to go upstairs. During the day, I need the stairway light switch to be down if the light is not on. I have a similar preference for the light switches at the top and bottom of the basement stairs. Don't know why, just prefer it that way.

4. I like to write, or at least start stories, but I never seem to finish them. I always want to put my daydreams down on paper, if not to publish, just so I could read them again when I want to enjoy them.

5. I talk to my dog and pretend she's talking back. I live alone, give me a break. :-)

Welcome to any new followers I get from this! Leave me a message and I'll come follow you as well!

Book blogger Hop May 13th, 2011

Haven't had time to do this in so long! But home today so thought I'd join in. The Book Blogger Hop is sponsored by Crazy for Books. This week's question is:

Are you going to Book Expo America (BEA) and/or the Book Blogger Convention (BBC) this year?

My answer is unfortunately no. I've known about BEA for years from working at the bookstore. But I just heard about BBC this past month or so. Since I may be giving up on my search for a job as a school librarian, maybe next year, instead of saving money for the state library convention, I'll save money to go to the Book Blogger Convention, something I can do without having to have someone hire me. Sorry, a bit of bitterness there, because I love reading, and I love sharing books and reading with students, but don't get much chance in my science classroom, and can't seem to get a chance to get in a library to do it.

I've got 2 books to blog about, I'll try to do it this weekend, Abandon by Meg Cabot, and Bumped by Megan McCafferty.

Book Blogger Hop February 25th, 2011

So I found this on another blog I follow and thought it would be fun to do as well. It's sponsored by Jennifer at Crazy-For-Books.com. It's a place for bloggers and readers to connect and share our love for the written word. And each week there is a question, and here is today's question:

Do you ever wish you would have named your blog something different?

Why yes, I do, all the time! That is a great question. I have a friend named Charlotte who has an awesome name for her blog: Charlotte's Web of Books. The best I could come up with was an alliteration type title: Lisa Loves Literature. And in a way, my title is a bit misleading. Normally people think of literature as the classics, the award winning books. And not that I don't read those, but my tastes run to a bit quirkier titles as well as tons of YA books.

Book Blogger Hop

So I found this on another blog I follow and thought it would be fun to do as well. It's sponsored by Jennifer at Crazy-For-Books.com. It's a place for bloggers and readers to connect and share our love of the written word. And each week there is a question, and here is today's question:

What are you reading now? And why are you reading it?

I am reading Crashed by Robin Wasserman. I am reading it because I had 3 snow days this week and as I was finishing my 3rd book of the week I saw it when I went to pick a new book from my unread shelf and was in the mood. I've really been in the mood for mostly YA books lately.