Discussion Post: I Just Can't Seem to Get Enough - Books - Or When Should I Quit Entering Giveaways for Books?

As I mentioned in my discussion post earlier this week, about how you write your reviews, I am behind on my discussion posts.  So I got this second one done during my Mini-Blog Ahead that I participated in at the end of June.  I'm actually on my way to Orlando for my family vacation, probably while you're reading this.  So, I will definitely reply to all comments, but maybe not until I get back home on Tuesday. 

A reminder that the 2017 Discussion Challenge is hosted by Feed Your Fiction Addiction and It Starts at Midnight.

The title of this discussion posts comes from a Depeche Mode song, Just Can't Get Enough.  If you're not familiar with it, enjoy the video:

I'm guessing that a lot of you are pretty much similar to me, self-proclaimed book addicts.  I have a TBR list on Goodreads that has almost 3,000 titles on it.  I have another TBR shelf on goodreads that is made up of the books I physically own or have free e-book copies of that is almost 1000 titles long.  Yet, whenever I hear about new books coming out by my favorite authors, or even debut authors that sound just like books I already love, I seem to HAVE to have them.  I have a physical book shelf at home, a five shelf tall bookshelf, packed full of books.  I now have three shelves on a smaller bookshelf in my bedroom packed full of books as well.  I will never get through all of these books.  And yet, I want more.  I can't seem to get enough!

 

While I've discovered in the past year the awesome $1 finds at the Dollar Tree stores, that keep me stopping into them every couple of weeks, all of the ones around where I live, I have realized it is a bit of an addiction just that.  I tell myself that since so many of the books I get are ones that I donate to the high school library where I work, it is okay.

 

I used to enter every single giveaway I could.  But then I started winning.  I quit doing that on Goodreads unless I knew I was going to read it. But I still like to enter giveaways on blogs.  Often it will be for a book that I want to read, but also know my students will want to read, and even though I know I might not be able to get to it right away, I go ahead and enter, and then I can put it in my school library for my students to enjoy, and when I get time, it will be there ready for me.  And whenever I win, this is me below!

 

But I wonder sometimes if maybe a blogger as well-established as I am, one who holds their own giveaways, should stop entering other blogs' giveaways?

What do you think?  Do you still enter giveaways for books?  Do you think there is a time when people should stop entering and just accept what they have, or just buy instead of hoping to win a book?

Sunday Post #51 and Stacking the Shelves March 13th, 2016

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted  @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news ~ A post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme.  
Last week on the blog:

• Reviews:  The Great Hunt by Wendy Higgins,  The Greatest Zombie Movie Ever by Jeff Strand, Blackheath by Gabriella Lepore (with giveaway), and Relic by Gretchen McNeil
• Cover Characteristic:  Hands
•  Waiting on Wednesday (and giveaway):  Lady Renegades (Rebel Belle #3) by Rachel Hawkins

Wow, I got four reviews done this week!  Now, to be fair, one of them, Blackheath, I think I finished a week ago, but had to wait to post the review as I was part of a blog tour.  But, as you can tell by this past week, I didn't have a ton of extra posts scheduled, which was really nice.  I've kept up with my Instagram challenge, although I don't have yesterday's done yet, need to get that done, and then the one for today has to do with multiple copies, and I don't know that I have much for that, because I don't really keep more than one copy of a book.  I try to keep my house a little neater because of that.  But I'll have to go wander around my bookshelves later today to see for sure.  I did reach my exercise goal this past week, so that was a good thing!  I'll talk more about that down below.

This week on the blog:

• Cover Characteristic:  Doorknobs
• Waiting on Wednesday
• Reviews:  Firstlife by Gena Showalter
• Possible Reviews:  Harmony House by Nic Sheff, The Inn Between by Marina Cohen, You Were Here by Cori McCarthy, Monsterland by Michael Phillip Cash, Broken Trust by Michelle Sodaro
• Possible post about meeting Cassandra Clare

This is my spring break week.  My goal is to read a book a day, at least for the 5 week days if not for all 9 of the days, which I'm probably already out of since I didn't finish a book yesterday because I had to work all day at the bookstore.  My audiobook reviews are way down as I continue to listen to the After series because I can't help myself.  Speaking of that series, let's talk about my plan for this Friday due to reaching my walking goal last week.  My reward was to get my next tattoo.  Well, originally I wanted a dachshund tattoo around my ankle.  However I have now decided I'm going to get the little infinity symbol that is on the After covers on my wrist.  I've already made the appointment, and can't wait to do it!  I'm a little nervous, as my other tattoo is a place that no one can see unless I show them, on my back, so there are people in my life that don't know I have it.  On my wrist however, it will be out there and they will know about that one at least.  With my walking goal, I've set a new level, although I haven't decided on the reward for this one.  But I'm going to start making sure to get to the gym or walk at least twice a week up until summer break from school.  Maybe I'll set a reward for something during my annual family trip to Branson on Memorial Day weekend. We'll see.  

I've also got to get my OTSP Secret Sister gift sent out.  I had one sent through a website, but now I need to send something more personal.  Now, before you move on, I've got a couple other giveaways going on that you should check out:

• Any book from the After series by Anna Todd, ends March 14th, tomorrow at midnight!
•  Either book from The Haunting of Sunshine Girl by Paige McKenzie, ends March 17th.

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews.  It is a way for us to share the new books we have collected.  Hmm, didn't do quite as well with not buying books this week, but it is partly because my tax refund came this week. 

Physical books:

I noticed that the last little coloring book I'd bought was more winter/Christmas, and then I saw this Easter one at the bookstore and thought it was a good one, especially in case I don't get to actually color Easter eggs this year, something I love to do.  Miss Mayhem by Rachel Hawkins was a wonderful gift from the publisher, Penguin Teen.  Tell the Wind and Fire was a booksfortrade that came just in time since I heard that the author, Sarah Rees Brennan, was supposed to be in Kansas City this week with Cassandra Clare, more about that later.  The next three books were finds from The Book Outlet,  Embers and Echoes and  Afterglow by Karsten Knight,  the final books in a series that I really enjoyed the first book, Wildefire, but never got ahold of these two.  The last one from this same purchase is one that I've been waffling on whether to read due to different reviews, but when a counselor from the last school where I taught told me that she really liked it, I had to go ahead and buy The Book of Ivy by Amy Engel with the great deal.  Next is another book I've been curious about, so had to use my tax refund to buy at work yesterday, Calendar Girl Vol. 1 by Audrey Carlan.  The author is a writing partner for our manager's sister, so I thought I'd give her a try!  And the last book in that pile is one I've been waiting for since I first read the final book in the Mortal Instruments series and have needed to know what happens next, Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare.  I had to purchase it from Rainy Day Books, not the bookstore where I work, because that was the only way to get an autograph and get to meet the author when she comes to my town on Tuesday of this week.  

E-galleys:

I got the top two books from Edelweiss.  Now, I'm unsure about reading the egalley of Lady Renegades, just because I listened to the first two as audiobooks, and wonder if I should wait and listen to the 3rd one. But I probably won't be able to wait for the library to get it, so will go ahead and read it.  The next one, Losing It, well it just sounds so good that I emailed the publishers and almost begged for an ARC, and I think they're sending it!  It just sounds like such a fun read that I can't wait to get to it.  The bottom two books are from Netgalley.  I was so excited to get the approval email for Blood of the Hydra, as I am a big fan of the author and am looking forward to see where the series goes after the first book.  And the final one, True Born, just sounds really good! Even though there are a ton of other books that are coming out that week that I can still get egalleys of.  

Free e-books:

  The first one, Destined to Fail,  I got free from a blog.  The 2nd one, Genius of Jinn, I found and got from Barnes and Noble when I was looking at the 2nd book in the series, and thought a free novella would be a good bet!  The third one, The Scionless House, I found on another blog last week for their Stacking the Shelves, and I picked it up for free from Amazon.

So those are the things I added to my shelves this past week, as well as a list of what is coming up on my blog this week.  What is new on your shelves?  Will you be stopping by my blog for anything this coming week?

Sunday Post #50 and Stacking the Shelves March 6th, 2016

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted  @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news ~ A post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme. Last month things were so crazy busy that I didn't do any of these posts, but this month I want to get back to them.  So here goes.  

Last week on the blog:

• Author Interview and Giveaway:  Nora and Kettle by Lauren Nicolle Taylor
• Promo post and Giveaway:  Steel and Stone series by Annette Marie
•  Waiting on Wednesday:  The Countdown (The Taking #3) by Kimberly Derting
•  Reviews:  Into the Dim by Janet B. Taylor, The Awakening of Sunshine Girl (The Haunting of Sunshine Girl #2) by Paige McKenzie (with giveaway)
• Cover Characteristic:  Gargoyles

 I've read some really great books so far this month, although one or two won't be reviewed till later this month. Something that's been going on for a few weeks is my obsession with the After series with Anna Todd.  I can't seem to stop thinking about it, or now, listening to the audiobooks as I download them from the public library.  I feel like I need to just give in and buy the digital copies myself, like from Audible, but then I'm afraid I'd never listen to anything but those.  I also have decided that I think my next tattoo will be the infinity symbol from the book covers, if I complete my goal which was to go to the gym at least once a week up until my spring break.  I've got one more week to complete it.  Then possibly, during my spring break, I may go do it!  The coolest thing?  When I tweeted asking if any of the other fans had tattoos, the author herself said she was going to get one this weekend, and today I saw a picture of her tattoo!  :-)  

I've also begun another Instagram Book Challenge hosted by @swoonyboys and @jamiearkin.  So far I'm caught up pretty much.  

This week on the blog:

• Reviews:  The Great Hunt by Wendy Higgins, The Greatest Zombie Movie Ever by Jeff Strand, Blackheath by Gabriella Lepore (part of tour)
• Waiting on Wednesday
• Cover Characteristic:  Hands

As you can see, I am doing well with scaling back on how much I actually post.  It helps with stress for sure!  

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews.  It is a way for us to share the new books we have collected. I'm trying really hard not to buy or download too many, doing somewhat okay.  Here is my haul for the week.

Physical books:

I had been eyeing the little Complete the Story journal we'd had on our bargain shelves at the bookstore where I work for awhile.  Went ahead and bought it this week.  Now to use it to work on my writing.  The next two books are ARCs that I got from the bookstore where I work:  Lifeboat Clique by Kathy Parks, and The Serpent King by Jeff Zentner.  I won an ARC of Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld from the publisher.  And the bottom book, After Dead by Charlaine Harris, are short stories that go with the Sookie Stackhouse world, and it was on the bargain shelves at work as well!

E-galleys:

  The top two I got from Netgalley, the bottom two from Edelweiss.  I've got to hurry with Relic though!  Even though it just showed up on Edelweiss on Thursday or Friday, it expires on Tuesday!  So really I should be reading much quicker and skipping other books until I finish it.  

Free e-books:

I've been trying hard not to look at all the free ebooks that I see in the emails I get almost daily, but somehow this one slipped through and I went ahead and downloaded it.

So, those are my books this week, what did you add to your shelves?  Oh, and while you're here, I do have one other giveaway going on, for any book in the After series by Anna Todd, HERE.

Sunday Post #46 and Stacking the Shelves December 20th, 2015

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted  @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news ~ A post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme.  I had a busy week last week!

Last week on the blog:

• Blog tours:  The Concealed by Sarah Kleck (Giveaway),  Ascendancy by Karri Thompson (Giveaway),  Half in Love with Death by Emily Ross (Giveaway)
• Reviews:  Until Beth by Lisa Amowitz, Evertrue by Brodi Ashton
• Cover Characteristic:  Snakes
• Waiting on Wednesday:  Wax by Gina Damico

Last week was really busy with it being the last week of school before our winter break.  Not only that, we got our huge delivery of the books our library ordered to refresh and update our collection.  Over two thousand books, in 99 boxes.  Yeah, all week I was singing:  "99 boxes of new books in the library, 99 boxes of books, open one up, shelve all the books, 98 boxes of new books in the library."  Try to get that out of your  head now.  I've still got sign ups for my "It's New to Me" Challenge going, as well as the giveaways for even just promoting it for me.  I'm thinking of maybe even changing the rules of the challenge so that it's not just new series, but maybe it could be new authors as well.  For new, I mean authors that you keep hearing about, and keep meaning to read, but have yet to start.  Just an idea.  Here are the links to the challenge and other giveaways I've got going till the end of the month.

• It's New to Me Challenge
• Debut author:  Lance Rubin
• Debut author:  Holly Bodger

This week on the blog:

• Waiting on Wednesday
• Top 10 of 2015 Challenge:   Best books read, best covers, Best -------of 2015(haven't decided, maybe bad boys), Best book boyfriends, Top 10 I'm looking forward to in 2016
• Reviews:  HEAR by Robin Epstein, The Wicked Will Rise by Danielle Paige (audiobook)
• Possible Review:  Every Last Breath by Jennifer L. Armentrout
• Possible Challenge Sign-ups:  2016 Bookish Resolutions,  2016 TBR Reading Pile Challenge, 
• Possible Christmas GIF post

Looking forward to doing the fun top 10 lists.  A couple reviews, although one book I'm reading right now I probably won't be reviewing till it comes out later as part of a blog tour.  No school this week, although I'll still be working at the bookstore Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.  I don't really want to work so much, but I'm happy for the money.  Plus, most of the time the hours are night, or if they are day, it's not till like 10 am, so definitely sleeping in, which is nice for staying up late and reading.  I actually don't have any tours I signed up to be a part of this week for a change.  Of course with the holiday this week, Thursday I'll be celebrating Christmas with my mom, stepdad, brother, sister-in-law, and my sweet 3 year old niece.  Then on Christmas day I'll celebrate with my dad, stepmom, and two sisters. 

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews.  It is a way for us to share the new books we have collected.  Once again I had a major book haul this week.  And some awesome ones at that!Physical books:

These four books came from the Scholastic Warehouse sale.  All were half price.  I now, or as soon as one more trade comes through, will have all the Lunar Chronicles books ready to sit down and just read all the way through!

The first book you see is a book that was self-published by the Young Writers group at the high school where I am a librarian last year.  It contains poems and short stories that they wrote.  I finally got a copy for myself, as well as a copy for my library.  The second book is the final book in the Rot and Ruin series by Jonathan Maberry.  I would like to read it before the end of the year to add to my Series Ender Challenge goal.   

These two books I won.  The first one was through the Titans Thursday giveaway that Author Victoria Scott held.  I got to pick any book I wanted from the Book Depository.  The 2nd one I won from Britt at Please Feed the Bookworm.  However I now have two copies of this ARC, so one of them will probably be going up for trade on either Twitter or the Facebook group I've been trading in lately.

These two I got through trades.  I hadn't heard of Newt's Emerald until I saw it on a list the person had for trade.  I'm interested to see how it is!  Ice Kissed I've already read, and loved.  But I read the whole series as e-galleys, so I now need to own them, especially with those beautiful covers.  I still need the first and last books.

And the most exciting of all the books I got this week:

The box showed up and said "Ready to Ride".  I knew right away what was inside, an ARC for Victoria Scott's upcoming book Titans.  I can't wait to pick it up and get started!  The ARC itself had a plain white cover, so there was a poster in the box with it.

Netgalley:

Edelweiss:

Now I know I said I was going to try to calm down on egalleys.  But what I've done, is write them down in my calendar, and then if I get time to get to them, I will go download them.  They are all ones that I was auto-approved for, so don't have to request them.  They'll be there until a certain date for me to download if I want to.  

So that is all I added to my bookshelves this week.  And also what I've got coming up.  I'm hoping to do another holiday post on Christmas with lots of Supernatural and other awesome gifs.  What did you add to your shelves this weekend, and what are you looking forward to this week?