BBAW 2011: Monday

Welcome to the start of something wonderful: Book Blogger Appreciation Week 2011. I do very much appreciate all of those in the book blogging community who have helped me to get wider exposure to the beautiful body of literature.

Today's meme theme is, "Highlight a couple of bloggers that have made book blogging a unique experience for you..." I'm going to grab a couple of the sample prompts that the BBAW group provided and feature three bloggers who have helped me in one way or another.

1. First Comment

I am ashamed to say that the first book that I reviewed, nay fawned over, was Twilight in 2008. What can I say? At the time, I was smitten with a summer crush who later left me quite unsatisfied. But, that doesn't deny the fact that Liam (of Liam's Alternate Reality) was the first person to comment on a post. He proved the fact that someone was reading the drivel that I was putting out into the 'sphere. Liam doesn't appear to be blogging now (no post since 2009), but he still claims a little piece of my history. Even if he is now history.

2. Most Recommendations

In doing a quick scan of the books that I've read and reviewed (157+), the blogger(s) who recommended the most were the fellas over at The Enthusiasticast... [which is really a podcast] with 5: The Financial Lives of the Poets, The City & The City, Daemon (with Freedom), and His Majesty's Dragon. I also read and loved (but was too lazy to review Masked, which I really should review because it's A-W-E-S-O-M-E). This is in addition to the other books I have bought, but not yet read, because of their recommendations (Matterhorn, The Brief Wondrous Live of Oscar Wao, All-Star Superman v.1, Machine of Death, and The Stars My Destination). I also bought Shop Class as Soul Craft as a gift, based on their recommendation. Those guys are money in the bank.

3. First "Freebie"

I've received a few freebies, although not many, which makes them all the more memorable. Thanks to J. Kaye Oldner for the book Chasing Windmills. You were my first.

Thank you so much to the bloggers, podcasters, readers, writers, editors, agents, publishing house staff, book store sales people, librarians and library staff, and pick-packers ('cause we buy 'em from the 'net now too) for all you do to help make reading so awesome.

BBAW - Thursday's Post

Today's Book Blogger Appreciation Week question is:

But let’s talk about that book you know, the one you discovered only because you read about it on a book blog and then you realized you couldn’t live without it! And then you read it and you loved it so hard! Tell us about it and about the blogger (or bloggers!) that introduced the book to you!

For me that would be City of Bones by Cassandra Clare (Mortal Instruments Series Book #1). I read about that on E.B.'s blog The Reader's Quill. She's recommended a couple of other books I've picked up for my TBR (Perks of Being a Wallflower, The Historian, Certain Slant of Light), but not everyone will necessarily love her--she definitely has a proclivity for YA Science Fiction/Paranormal/Fantasy. (If that's not your thing, move it along, little doggie.)

What about you: who has turned you on (to a book)?

BBAW - Wednesday's Post

Today's Book Blogger Appreciation Week post is a meme to get into the reading habits of book bloggers. Many of these I've answered here on What Was I Reading? before, so I'll link as needed (for more insights and interesting quirks about me).

Do you snack while you read? If so, favorite reading snack?
Not usually. I think it's the one time I'm not eating.

Do you tend to mark your books as you read, or does the idea of writing in books horrify you? How do you keep your place while reading a book? Bookmark? Dog-ears? Laying the book flat open?
I readily write in books (that are mine); have a firm reliance upon book mark; and routinely crack the spines of (my) books by laying them flat and/or opening them big and wide for easy reading.

Fiction, Non-fiction, or both? Hard copy or audiobooks?
I definitely read more fiction than non-fiction (although I do hold a soft place in my heart for Jon Krakauer) and pretty much only read hard copy. (I find my mind wanders too easily with an audiobook.)

Are you a person who tends to read to the end of chapters, or are you able to put a book down at any point?
Have to come to a stopping point--usually want that to be the end of a chapter, but I'll settle for a paragraph break in a pinch.

If you come across an unfamiliar word, do you stop to look it up right away?
I can usually figure it out from context. (Although George Eliot did stretch me pretty far in Middlemarch.)

What are you currently reading?
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield.

What is the last book you bought?
Peace, Love & Baby Ducks by Lauren Myracle which I bought (and read cover to cover because it was delish) last night.

Are you the type of person that only reads one book at a time or can you read more than one at a time?
I routinely keep multiples going: A book club selection, a library loaner, and one from my TBR shelf.

Do you have a favorite time of day and/or place to read?
I really like to read in the car if I can get my sister (who I carpool to and from work with) to shut up.

Do you prefer series books or stand alone books?
I have a "thing" for series, but really well written stand-alone books have their place in my heart as well.

Is there a specific book or author that you find yourself recommending over and over?
I have a little stable of authors that I'm pretty much good to go on: John Green (despite my thoughts on Paper Towns), Chris Crutcher, Barry Lyga, and (soon to be) Lauren Myracle for Young Adult. Jon Krakauer is the hands-down king of non-fiction. And my literary fiction faves are Jane Smiley, Anne Tyler, Richard Russo, and Jonathan Franzen. (So many fantastic authors and not nearly enough time.)

How do you organize your books? (By genre, title, author’s last name, etc.?)
My TBR shelf is organized by original date of publication (and I allow myself a little lee-way to put the books I'm more "excited" about reading at the beginning of the year) and I read in reverse chronological date of publication (because I figure those older books have waited this long, and I'll get to them eventually). My books that I keep (rather than selling to 1/2-Price Books because I loved them so dearly) are split into YA Fiction, Adult Fiction, and Non-Fiction and then are put in regular book store alphabetical order by author's last name, then by title (or chronologically for a series because I hate that they aren't put in that order in the store or library).

That was tons of information about me. I'm sure it was riveting to read. Link up your post over at the BBAW meme.

BBAW - Tuesday's Post

Book Blooger Appreciation Week has hosted a round-up of blogger-on-blogger interviews. I didn't participate, but the reading of other bloggers' opinions and takes on what other bloggers are doing successfully is pretty interesting. There are 142 interviews posted thus far... some light reading for your sunny Tuesday (sunny if you're in Indianapolis).

(And if you're in Indianapolis, that's so cool because I am too and really awesome people are in 'Nap Town.)

BBAW - Monday's Post

This week is Book Blogger Appreciation Week, and today's post prompt is:

"What book blogs mean something to you? Who are your most trusted sources for recommendations, your greatest help, the blogger you turn to for a laugh or to vent? Whose writing do you admire or who introduced you to a whole new genre you didn’t know about?..."

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I'm not going to get all personal with people I love, admire, respect, dream about, aspire to be, etc., because--in keeping with the spirit of the blog I'm going to feature--let's keep it real.

I have fallen in love with Forever Young Adult. These gals that are more A than Y, but are addicted to YA reading (so close to my heart) are laugh-out-loud funny. And really responsive to comments. Be-Yoo-Ti-Ful Blog! (See that? I just gave them an exclamation point. What high praise.)