Feature and Follow Friday #16

Feature and Follow Friday is a weekly event sponsored by Parajunkee and Allison Can Read. The purpose is to expand your blog following by a joint effort between bloggers. This week's question is:
The New Year is here - and everyone wants to know your New Years Blogging resolution! What are you going to try to revise, revamp, and re-do on your blog for 2012?
Well, that's a hard one. While I'm considering moving my blog or maybe re-doing the background (adding another dog to the header now that I have a puppy too), the main thing I want to do more of this year is scheduling blogs. I only learned about doing that this past fall. I know, I know, I'm behind. But I plan to use this to make sure that I am blogging once a week for sure. I can get my Waiting on Wednesdays set up ahead so that I know I will always have one once a week. Also, according to NetGalley, some of the publishers want you to wait until about a month before a book's actual release before you post a review. So I can use the scheduling for that, and actually already have one scheduled for a book that doesn't come out until August! So I've already started.
So, what are your resolutions for your blog?

Feature and Follow Friday

Feature and Follow Friday is a weekly event that helps you expand your blog following by a joint effort between bloggers. It is sponsored by Parajunkee and Allison Can Read. This week's question is:

Keeping with the spirit of giving this season, what book do you think EVERYONE should read, and if you could, would you buy it for all of your family and friends?

Again, this is a really hard question this week! I think that I would actually have to pick a book that really touched me because of what I personally deal with in my own life, as well as family members I've had do this. The book 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher. I especially want to recommend it to all middle school age kids. I know it is really about high school students, but I see my students saying these mean things to each other all the time. And I think the way the girl in the book describes how these little things that people say affect her, after all she's been through, is very realistic. It's so easy to just let your bad mood cause you to be rude or short with another person, not thinking about how it affects what they're already dealing with in their lives. And I guess along with this book, I'd also recommend the book How Full is Your Bucket by Tom Rath. This taught me a long time ago to think about how when another person doesn't say hi when you walk by or smile, or whatever, it's not necessarily anything to do with you, so don't take it personal, and also, realize how what you do or say can be taken personal by someone else, and do your best not to fall into these traps. I think the 2nd book is something to help you live by, and the first is good for those who are either suffering from depression, or who maybe are bullying, to see what they are actually doing to someone.

Okay, I think this post is kind of depressing for me today! Sorry about that! What books did you pick?

Follow Friday #14

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

What is your biggest pet peeve when it comes to books? Maybe you don't like love triangles or think plots. Tell us about it!

Wow, this is kind of a hard question this week! Just because I'm not sure what pet peeves I have with books. I either like them or I don't. I know that with realistic type fiction, I have trouble when I can't relate to the main character, especially if there is any romance. As someone who is in their late 30's and single, never been married, it is hard for me to read about women who are unhappy in their marriages. I'm not saying I don't think those kind of stories aren't realistic, they just don't speak to me. So, not sure if that is a pet peeve, but that is something that I do think about a lot when it comes to choosing books to read.

What are your pet peeves? Surely you have better, more thought out ones than I do.

Follow Friday #13

It is time for this week's Feature and Follow Friday, hosted by Parajunkee, and Allison Can Read. This is a blog hop that expands your blog following by a joint effort between bloggers.
This week's question is:

It's Thanksgiving Day in the U.S., so we want to know what you are thankful for - blogging related, of course! Who has helped you out along the way? What books are you thankful for reading?

First I am thankful for all the years I have been employed by the Barnes and Noble book company. It is through them that I got my first ARCs. I also met my friend Charlotte, who has her own blog: Charlotte's Web of Books and kind of inspired me to start blogging about books. Along my journey, I've learned lots about book blogging from people like The Story Siren, and even Parajunkee. Even non-book bloggers have helped, like another of my friends from the bookstore, Greg at The Confounded Cook, inspired me with his consistency and dedication to his blog. So many authors that I've met and talked to online through Twitter keep me going too. I also am a big fan of Netgalley.com, another site I learned about from my friend Charlotte, that helps me get to read egalleys of books. And finally, I have to once again thank my bookstore job, as they allowed me to have a table in the store this past summer and fall that had my book recommendations as well as a sign advertising my blog. So that was really cool! And I want to thank Parajunkee for letting me be a featured blogger, and helping me to increase my blog following. I'm thankful for all the great bloggers I meet who share new book titles that I may not have heard of before.

So, what are you thankful for in your book blogging world?

Follow Friday #12

Feature and Follow Friday is a weekly event that expands your blog following by a joint effort between bloggers and it is hosted by Parajunkee and Allison Can Read.

This week's question is:

In light of 11/11/11 and Veteran's Day, tell us about your favorite soldier and how he or she is saving the world. Fictional or Real life.

This is a hard one. I don't actually know any specific soldiers out fighting right now. So I am going to go back to my grandpa and my uncles. All served in the military in foreign countries. My grandpa Moritz during the Korean war. So he is my favorite soldier, and he passed away several years ago, but I thank him for what he did in the past.

Who is your favorite soldier?

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?

200th Follower Giveaway! (A little late, but better late than never!)

I reached over 200 followers thanks to Parajunkee and Alison Can Read featuring me a couple weeks ago on their Feature and Follow Friday. But with being so busy back to teaching my darling middle school science students, I haven't had a chance to do this. And, also thanks to being so busy, I'm going to just do a plain old comment type entry. This week I'm planning to go see Scott Westerfeld when he comes to town. I plan to get his latest book in the Leviathan series, Goliath autographed by him and give it to the winner of this contest. So, if you are interested in winning this book, all you have to do really, is be a follower of my blog and then comment that you would like to win this autographed copy. On Wednesday at 3 pm CST, I will choose a winner from the comments by putting their names on a piece of paper and throwing it in a cup and pulling out a name. I will email that person and ask what name they would like to have it autographed to, as well as their mailing address. If I don't hear from the winner before I head down Thursday night, I will just get a generic autograph. I hope people are interested in getting this. Can't wait to see him myself!

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All You Desire (Eternal Ones #2) by Kirsten Miller

First I want to say welcome to all my new followers! I am working on going through all my comments and visiting all of you, but it's slow going as I try to work it in between my Labor Day activities, grading, and trying to read. But I intend to get to all of you in the next few days if I haven't stopped by yet. Also, now that I've reached 200 followers, I believe it's time for another giveaway, and I'm thinking a Barnes and Noble gift card. So be on the look out for that in the next week or so.
I was so excited when this book came out because I loved the first one, Eternal Ones. But since I read the first one as an ARC, it seemed an extra long time since I'd read it. So when I first picked up the book it took a little bit to remember the whole story exactly. But once I got into the story it all started coming back, and I got sucked right into the story. And it got to where all I wanted to do was read, but as seems to be happening since school started back up, I didn't have as much time. My adorable little puppy Dora, also kept me from reading as much. So it took me much longer than it should have, because if it wasn't for the puppy, I'd have probably finished it late one night in bed.
We start off with Haven and Iain in Italy, Iain is thought to be dead, which they did because he was wanted for a murder, that he didn't commit. Also, Adam, the guy who has loved Haven in all her lives, but is evil, has promised Haven one lifetime in which he will let her live her life without his interference. Her childhood friend Beau, who she learned also was with her in past lifetimes, calls to let her know that he has met someone who says he is Beau's soulmate from a past life, and Beau is going to meet him in New York. Shortly after Beau becomes incommunicado, and Haven receives a call from another friend back home, Leah, who can see the future. She tells Haven that Beau is in trouble, and there is a woman in NY that can help her. When Haven tells Iaian who this woman is, he tells Haven this woman is really a fake. But she has to go anyway as she will do anything to save Beau. As Haven is really sure that Adam must have something to do with Beau's disappearance, she accepts the woman's proposal to try to entrap Adam to get him to help her, and maybe find out what he's done. The woman is part of an ancient group of women called the Horae, also reincarnated, who are trying to get Adam away from the world so he will quit causing so many people to die.
But as Haven hangs around with Adam, he tries to show her how he is changing to be a better person for her. Haven is warned that he's opened a school to make zombies out of the young reincarnated kids to make them his slaves. So she goes to visit the school, and is instead very impressed by what is being done for these kids, so they are not made to feel freaks for the very things she had to go through as a child. She begins to really believe Adam has changed for the better, and is not sure she wants to help the Horae imprison him anymore. There are some twists and turns, and the story keeps you guessing till the end on who is really the bad guy in keeping Beau hidden.
As with the first book, I loved again going back to read about the past lives and how history was worked into them. A great book, and I now can't wait to see what happens in the next one as this left off with another cliffhanger in a way.

Feature & Follow Friday #10

Follow Friday is sponsored by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read. And this week the Featured blogger on Parajunkee is ME!! I'm very excited about this, and am looking forward to all the new bloggers I will meet this week! Over on Alison Can Read the featured blogger is Once Upon a Prologue. This week's question is:

If you could change the ending of any book (or series), which book would you choose? Why and to what?

My answer to this might be a little different than what you normally see me blog about. I would have to say the first book I thought of is A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks. It is the first and only one of his books I ever read. I read it because I heard the movie was coming out, and I like to try to read the books before I see the movie. Anyway, if you've read it, or seen the movie, you know what happens at the end. This book was such a feel good book to me. The popular boy has to make up for mistakes he's made and he ends up having to work with the town's nerdiest girl. But as he works with her, he begins to really get to know her, and even fall in love with her. I loved this story, because I always felt in school like I was the nerdiest girl there. But then, it turns out she has cancer, (I think it was cancer, some deadly disease anyway), and she dies! I was so mad. I hated that this book made me feel all good inside and then jerked the rug out from under me. So I refuse to read anymore of his books.
One other book that I wasn't quite pleased with the ending was Delirium by Lauren Oliver. I didn't like that the ending wasn't any more of a happy ending. I know most dystopian novels are not, but I'd would have liked to see it with this one.

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 #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!