15 Day Book Blogger Challenge: Day 15

Day 15:  Who are your book blogging mentors? 

Mentors?  Well, I don't have a one-on-one relationship with an experienced blogger, but I do have blogs which I think do it right, and visit almost daily.  As I said in an earlier post on the challenge, one of my blogging goals this, my second year of blogging, is to find some of that mentoring love out there in the blogosphere.  So, here are my go-to blogs and why:

I've got egg on my face, after writing the above paragraph a day ago, I woke up in the middle of the night and realized I do have a mentor! First off, I have to apologize to Alexis over at Alexis @ Reflections of a Bookaholic because it actually took me a day to realize my big boo boo.  Back when I first started blogging and it felt like no one even knew by blog existed Alexis was leaving comments. She gave me a big boost to my blogging ego when it was most needed. So, yes, I do have a mentor and it would be Alexis over at Reflections of a Bookaholic. Thanks Alexis. I knew when I wrote this post I'd forgotten something!
 
So, here are my go-to blogs and why:
Reflections of a Bookaholic-Adult Fiction, Great Reviews, and Commenter Extraordinaire
Leeswammes' Blog Adult Fiction, Great Reviews, Challenges, Hops

Film English Writing Ideas and use of shorts

Roof Beam Reader Adult Fiction, Great Reviews, Challenges, Read-Alongs

Book'd Out Adult Fiction, Reviews
Silver's Reviews Adult Fiction, Reviews
Unabridged Chick Adult Fiction, Reviews
Rose City Reader Adult Fiction, Reviews, Challenges, Hops

Nerdy Book Club Random Thoughts on Children's Literature 
 

I'm sure I'll think of a few more, but these came to mind immediately!  Like I said earlier, personal relationships with folks out in the blogosphere is a priority this year!

  

Happy reading to all! ☮ 

Additional Resources:

Day 1 and 2 of Challenge

Day 3 of Challenge

Day 4 of Challenge

Day 5 of Challenge

Day 6 of Challenge

Day 7 of Challenge

Day 8 of Challenge

Day 9 of Challenge

Day 10 of Challenge

Day 11, 12 & 13 of Challenge

Day 14 of Challenge

How would you answer any of these questions?  Let us know here at The Things You Can Read!

Happy Reading☮ 

The Things You Can Read!

Believe In Truth, Beauty, Freedom, Love, and the Power of Books!

15 Day Book Blogger Challenge: Day 14

 

Day 14:  Describe one underappreciated book EVERYONE should read. 

Okay, you may have noticed, I got day 13 and 14 backwards...oh well...I don't know if I know of an underappreciated book EVERYONE should read, but I AM reading a book that according to some very big literary gurus, like novelist Ian McEwan, it is a novel that should not be looked over, in fact, they are praising it up and down. What novel is causing such a commotion? The novel is Stoner by John Edward Williams, which was published in 1965. Some of these literary giants have gone so far as to say it is one of the great novels of the century.

A little-known book called Stoner has caught the imagination of readers and writers alike. Written by American writer John Williams, it was first published in 1965, and is now being hailed as one of the great novels of the century. Author Ian McEwan explains the book's appeal to the Today programme's Sarah Montague on the BBC. He said: "As soon as you start reading it you feel you're in very, very good hands. It's a very authoritative prose. The story, just to list its elements make it sound rather dull, and a little too sad, but in fact a small life out of which John Williams makes a very, very beautiful novel. "It is the most extraordinary discovery for us readers." BBC

 

Happy reading to all! ☮ 

Additional Resources:

Day 1 and 2 of Challenge

Day 3 of Challenge

Day 4 of Challenge

Day 5 of Challenge

Day 6 of Challenge

Day 7 of Challenge

Day 8 of Challenge

Day 9 of Challenge

Day 10 of Challenge
 
Day 11, 12 & 13 of Challenge
 

How would you answer any of these questions?  Let us know here at The Things You Can Read!

Happy Reading

The Things You Can Read!

Believe In Truth, Beauty, Freedom, Love, and the Power of Books!

15 Day Book Blogger Challenge: Day 11, 12 & 13

 

Day 11:  Show off five of your best blog post. 

Here are links to five posts I'd like to showcase:

Active Readers

Hunger Games Review?

Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald Review

The Rosie Project

Psychopath Test Review

Extra Show offs:

The Book of Secrets

Maryand Lou and Rhoda and Ted


DAY 12

How do I fight blogger fatigue?

I just keep reading.  Eventually, I'll want to write about something, whether it is a review or something interesting I've found related to the book world.

Day 13

Tell us your deal breakers.

I'm still thinking on this one.  I try to be open minded about the blogging world.  I know I'm not interested in reading erotica type blogs or books (no judging here...it just not for me).  It would simply be a waste of my time, since I don't read in that genre...its not my thing, so I guess that would be a deal breaker for me.

Happy reading to all! ☮ 

Additional Resources:

Day 1 and 2 of Challenge

Day 3 of Challenge

Day 4 of Challenge

Day 5 of Challenge

Day 6 of Challenge

Day 7 of Challenge

Day 8 of Challenge

Day 9 of Challenge

Day 10 of Challenge
 

How would you answer any of these questions?  Let us know here at The Things You Can Read!

Happy Reading

The Things You Can Read!

Believe In Truth, Beauty, Freedom, Love, and the Power of Books!

15 Day Book Blogger Challenge: Day 10

 

Day 10:  How do you choose what book to read next? 

How do I choose what book to read next?  Well, it used to be a lot easier before I started to blog, but now it is often influenced by the ARCs (Advanced Reader Copy) I have been given from various publishers.  I try and read one ARC a week, since my ARC list is really starting to grow, so this list is the first "go to" spot, in order to make a new "what to read" book selection. 

The next list I peruse is my Samples list.  The samples are from Amazon, and they vary in length depending on how much the author or publisher wanted to share with a potential purchaser.  These books tend to be books I just heard about or could not, for whatever reason, obtain an ARC of the full book.  Sometimes I might read these simultaneously while having already started another book.  

After that comes library Ebooks, which I either have already checked out or the book is on my list to be checked out.  I only check out Kindle books because they return themselves without a trip to the library.  I have trouble enough remembering due dates for the humongous number of children's books we check out (not to mention the children's videos).

Then comes the physical books I already own.  However, I have a terrible time with physical books because my son loves to look at books, and he is very physical with them.  In other words, he destroys them, which is why I moved to reading on an Ereader.  Let me give you an example.  I purchased Joyland by Stephen King, I had to purchase the book because Stephen King decided not to release it in Ereader form.  You can only read a hardcopy, so I bought it.  I planned on starting it the other night, but didn't, so I hid the book in the sideboard railing of my bed, and now this morning, I found it all bent up on the floor.  I can't believe he found it, but he did.  Now, my brand new books doesn't look so new anymore, which again is why I use an Ereader.

Well, I'm sure I've left something out in my quest to get this post up and running , but I do recognize the ARCs jump to the top of my TBR pile, but I'm not complaining because I am very lucky that so many publishers are trusting me with an ARC to review.  THANK YOU PUBLISHERS...wherever you are!

Happy reading to all! ☮ 

Additional Resources:

Day 1 and 2 of Challenge

Day 3 of Challenge

Day 4 of Challenge

Day 5 of Challenge

Day 6 of Challenge

Day 7 of Challenge

Day 8 of Challenge

Day 9 of Challenge

 

How would you answer this one?  Let us know here at The Things You Can Read!

Happy Reading

The Things You Can Read!

Believe In Truth, Beauty, Freedom, Love, and the Power of Books!

15 Day Book Blogger Challenge: Day 9

 

Day 9:  Why do you blog about books? 

Why do I blog about books?  Well, because I've always loved a good story.  As a child it was fairy tales.  I was lucky enough to have a mother who took me to the library and read to me, and she, in turn, passed on her love of reading to me.  Where did she learn to love books?  She learned from having her mother read fairy tales and Bible stories to her.  Like all family traditions, I hope to pass on my passion for reading to my almost three year-old twins, Samuel and Irene, and their almost two year old sister, Lillian Marcella.  I read to them, and they see me read, which makes them interested in the printed word.  Books and old movies are my passion.  I don't have time for movies any more, and I can't imagine giving up books, so I read and blog about what I know best, BOOKS.

"Are you the art teacher?" That's the question I get all the time. No, I'm not the art teacher, but I am a frustrated artist trapped inside the body of an English teacher, and my blog also allows me to express myself visually.  So by day, I'm an English teacher who spreads her passion for reading to her students, where I often use my visual extension of myself, my blog, in my lesson, which is why during the school year, I have more teacher oriented posts mixed into the bunch.  Like my blog says, I want to be a "Book Whisperer" to those who find me in the classroom or out in the blogosphere, therefore, I blog!  Happy reading to all! ☮ 

Additional Resources:

Day 1 and 2 of Challenge

Day 3 of Challenge

Day 4 of Challenge

Day 5 of Challenge

Day 6 of Challenge

Day 7 of Challenge

Day 8 of Challenge

 

How would you answer this one?  Let us know here at The Things You Can Read!

Happy Reading

The Things You Can Read!

Believe In Truth, Beauty, Freedom, Love, and the Power of Books!

15 Day Book Blogger Challenge: Day 5

 

Day 5:  Recommend a tear jerker.

I respond emotionally to books all the time, but rarely do I cry. More often then naught, I laugh out loud. However, with that said, there is one book I read back in the 90s, which did make me cry buckets. I cried because issues in the book related to me on a very personal level. I cried many, many times reading this book. At the time, I cried most for the Love that is shared by the couple in the book because it is a love, I knew, I did not have in my own life. I read the book in one night, after finishing, I continued to cry. The next day, I woke up with a big old swollen face and puffy eyes. What book made me react so emotionally? The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks. It is the only Nicholas Spark book I have ever read. The book simultaneously struck many emotional cords, I still can see myself, in my minds-eye, laying on the sofa downstairs reading and crying, not just crying, but heaving big old snot sobs is more like it. I know if I read the book today it would not cause the same reaction. My life is so different now, and I did find the love I longed for, but at the time, all the stars aligned in just the right way to create this once in a lifetime reaction.

Additional Resources:
Over at the Nerdy Book Club the post today is entitled Top 10 Crying Books.  Check it out!

Day 1 and 2 of Challenge

Day 3 of Challenge

Day 4 of Challenge

 

How would you answer this one?  Let us know here at The Things You Can Read!

Happy Reading

The Things You Can Read!

Believe In Truth, Beauty, Freedom, Love, and the Power of Books!