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What is your absolute favorite part of blogging?

I think its when you get that one comment that just makes everything you do all worth it. — Yara at Once Upon a Twilight
Getting to know other bloggers! Although I should also mention, getting book recommendations, then falling in love with the book. I can't be eternally grateful enough to the blogosphere for introducing me to a TON of amazing books. — Audrey at holes In My brain
The people, all the way. Both bloggers and authors. I've contemplated giving blogging up a few times, but in the end I never want to lose the community aspect of it all. So I keep going. — Amanda, Another Book Junkie
Reading others posts and reviewing books. — Kate at Ghost of the still
Honestly, it would have to be all the awesome people that I have met! The book blogging community is the BEST! — Missy at Two Readers Reviews
I love getting to know authors, many that I have met are fans like me and just enjoy reading and creating something for everyone to enjoy. I have had two major fan-girl moments and I know all have many more to come. One was meeting Laurell K Hamilton at comic con one year, she was super sweet and was so happy I enjoyed her writing. The other was Sherrilynn Kenyon, my goodness she was such an awesome person and we chatted a bit about those awesome Dark Hunters in her books.
- Kristen at Seeing Night Reviews

My favorite part of blogging is getting to network with a bunch of awesome people.
- Darla at DforDarla's Definite Reads
Easy! Sharing our passion for books! I love sharing my excitement with others, and I find most of my wish list reads through other bloggers. It's so amazing to be surrounded by other book lovers! — Tynga at Tynga's Review

I love everything about blogging, but mostly I love knowing that people share my same crazy interests & obsessions. The contests are fun too; -) — Jane at At Random

Finding new books and bloggers. I have added tons of new books to my TBR list because of blog memes, blogger recommendations or reading reviews from other bloggers. The reason I started blogging was, of course, because I had a huge love of reading. So gaining new book recommendations is one of the best parts. I also love meeting new bloggers. It's fantastic to be able to talk books with someone who shares that love of reading.
- Aimee at Coffee Table Press
My favorite part of blogging is when you get people excited about
something that they've never been excited about before, like getting a
non-book-lover to enjoy reading, or when mentioning a relatively
unknown book suddenly puts it on people's radar. — Alethea at Read Now Sleep Later

I put a lot of thought into my reviews, so I feel a strong sense of accomplishment when I post them for the world to see. — Jessica at Brief Book Reviews
Reading and writing and getting to know fellow bloggers!: ) — Shirley at My Bookshelf
Being able to share things I've learned about or been a part of with my students. When I share that an author dropped by the blog or the release date of a new book, they get excited and that's wonderful to me. — Jill at The O.W.L
It's a toss up between discovering new books that I never would have heard of otherwise, AND talking with this group of people who get my love of books in a way that no one else does. — Ashley at Book Labyrinth
The discovery. Before I started blogging, I was an avid reader, but in a very limited way. I stuck to the tried-and-true, the familiar authors I knew I'd like before I even picked up the book. After blogging, I realised that I ought to branch out more and give new things a try. I found free books online (legally free, mind you), and took chances on authors I might not have looked twice at before but because the price was right, I figured it couldn't hurt to give them a chance. I wasn't disappointed. I've discovered new and awesome authors this way, bought their books, and become a fan. I love discovering new and good things!
I also love that blogging gives me a chance to exercise my writing muscles, so to speak. I love writing, and here's a little excuse to do it regularly! — Ria at Bibliotropic
Oh, gosh. I can't choose my absolute favorite. I love getting to squeal over pretty, shiny new books (especially the ARCs), interviewing fabulous authors, giving away (and receiving) swag and new books, and just hanging out with bibliophiles like me. — Lucia at iLive, iLaugh, iLove Books
The interaction between the other bloggers. It's often hilarious, sometimes emotional, but always friendly. — Rie at Mission to Read
Argh, just one?! Um… the people and the community. While I (obviously) love books, reading and writing about books and reading, I don't think it would anywhere near as fun if I was doing it by myself. I also think it's amazing that people out there care what I think! I've found more fantastic books in the past 6 months from book bloggers than I would normally find in years. It's astounding how quickly my TBR list has grown… — Lisa at BaffledBooks
Coming across little known books I wouldn't have stumbled on otherwise and getting to sing their praises to all my readers. Also pet chatting with other bloggers is pretty funny. — Rhiannon at The Diary of a Bookworm
I love sharing my feelings about books that I love, and adding onto that, I absolutely love when I get comments about how my review or something I said about a book made someone else want to read it, or add it to their to-read pile. To me that feels amazing, it's the same feeling I get when I convince my friends to read a book. It feels good knowing that I'm spreading the love for a certain book, and that someone else will get to enjoy it just like I did. In the case of books, sharing is most definitely caring.: ) — Ambur at Burning.x.Impossibly.x. Bright
I love comments. I know it sounds weird and maybe stuck-up, but knowing that someone out there is actually reading your blog is the most amazing feeling. When someone says they want to check a book out because of a review I do, that is great too. — Katie at Books are Dreams
My favorite part of blogging so far has been the relationships I have built with other bloggers. I have definitely made some lifelong friends and I am extremely grateful. — Kate at I Just Wanna Sit Here and Read!
My absolute favorite part of blogging is getting to meet all the other bloggers and being able to talk with authors. I always knew there were people out there who loved books and reading as much as I did but I was never really able to connect with them like I do now. — Emilie at Emilie Book World
My favourite part of blogging, whether on my book review/author interview site, or on my personal blog, is making connections. Also, writing forces me to examine my opinions and subjects with a lot more depth than I would if I were just spouting off my opinions at a family dinner or at the staff room table. Blogging for the public forces me to be more accountable. — Kim at Fresh Fish and Foolishness
COMMENTS! They make me feel so special and can seriously make my day.: ) — Jackie at Teen Book Guide

*Part 2 of 3 will be posted soon.
USE GOOGLE if you want to know more about the blogoversary celebration.

What is your absolute favorite part of blogging?

I love checking out other people's blogs and reviews. Waiting on Wednesday is where I get most of my new books to read, and if a blogger says a book is a must read I usually go out and buy it.
- Kayla at Midnight Twilight's Book Blog
Surprisingly, actually writing posts. I like feeling productive and like I'm accomplishing something. Next to that? Just talking with everybody! I really love just gossiping about books. Some people talk about celebrities; I talk about authors. Some people talk about television; I. also talk about television, but more than not I talk about books. — Nicole at WORD for Teens
My favorite part about blogging is getting to introduce people to books or authors they're not familiar with. It's so fun to spread the bookish love: ) — Heidi at YA Bibliophile
The writing. I have wanted to be a writer/author for a very long time but have lacked the follow through. Blogging is my first test to myself. I figure if I can start and maintain a blog consistently, I can spend the money on a class for writing too. So once I hit the 1 year mark, I'm going to sign up for a writing course to hopefully get the world I've thought up over the last ten years out of my head and onto the page, even if it is only for me! — Kelli at Scarlett's Scraps
Getting comments from my readers, its really interesting to know what they think about the books I've read and what I've written. — Abigailann at The Story Factory Reading Zone
I love the blogging community, I love sharing my love of books with others and when someone finds out about a book that they hadn't heard about, that's always very nice to see. — Cynthia at A Blog about Nothing
My absolute favourtie part about blogging is hearing back from my followers and other bloggers about my posts. All the hard work I put into them is appreciated and for someone to say they enjoyed my review and for them to go and read that book is an awesome feeling. — Megan at Reading Away the Days
The wonderful authors and bloggers, you get the opportunity to work with. Reagan at Star Shadow Blog
My favorite part of blogging is when someone comments on my posts. I love it when they like what I have to say, or the way that I wrote a review, or just if they agree/disagree with me. I guess the interaction with other people is my favorite part of blogging. — Lisa at Bookworm Lisa
My favorite part of blogging is writing everyday. I love to write and I even used to write a few stories when I was younger. Now I get to write everyday and even after a few years, I'm still loving it! — Gina at The Bucket List
Beyond the bookish friends and working on my blog it would have to be being able to help others find great books to read. I love getting an email or DM from someone telling me they picked up the book I've recommended to them and that they loved it. — Stacey at Flippin' Fabulous — A Reader's Record
I love sharing my thoughts with others and getting their opinions in return. I also enjoy reading other reviews and getting different takes on books--I love when a blogger shares my feelings on a book! I also really, really love learning about new books--I have learned to always have paper and pen nearby when I'm going through my Google Reader, to jot down new titles. My to-read list is ever-growing! -Christi at Christi the Teen Librarian Meeting people from all over the world. It's amazing to talk with people you may never meet in person. (Of course, I hope to meet them all in person one day!) — J.L. at J.L. Jackson
Sharing what I think with others and seeing if they share the same thoughts or think differently. A discussion about a book or characters in a book is always fun. — Ellen at Silver Tabby Books
Honestly, I love blogging because it provides me a forum to write and share my thoughts. It may be about something as silly as my infatuation with the Twilight series or raving about my favorite band, having a proud-mama moment about one of my children or even sharing something tremendously personal. I have never felt such liberty to be so free, and it has made me more self-aware and more forthcoming in my job and in my personal life. I feel a sense of independence that I have never felt before. This freedom and liberation is my absolute favorite part of blogging. In a close second is the community because without their support, I wouldn't feel as comfortable expressing myself as I am. — Michelle at That's What She Read
My favorite part of blogging is when I get new followers and comments, and I realize people are reading what I write on my blog. — Thia at Through the Book Vine
I love the connection with so many people in different areas and hearing about what was special to them that day. The days when I come across a new author in a genre that I enjoy is an added bonus. — Ann at Cozy in Texas
Knowing that someone out there is reading my stuff, and maybe will pick up a good book because of something I said and enjoy it. Most of my friends are not readers, so this is a great way to share all my bookish thoughts without boring them to tears. — Cat at Cat's Thoughts
Aside from the awesome bloggers and authors that one can interact with, it would have to be all the new books I have been introduced to. Since I started blogging I have read a lot of books that in the past I wouldn't have even bothered to pick up. — Orchid at The Haunting of Orchid Forsythia
When I blog about an under-appreciated, little-read book and then have a reader write to tell me they purchased that book based on my recommendation. I love nothing more than putting good books in the hands of readers. — David at Quivering Pen Blog
Meeting people who share my passion for books and sharing recommendations. I love it when readers come back and tell me how much they loved a book I recommended or found a post of mine helpful. That makes my day. — Small at Small Reviews
Ugh, I have to pick? Honestly, I love most of what is involved in book blogging. If I didn't love it, I wouldn't do it. My time is too precious to waste on doing things I hate. But even if the internet crashed tomorrow (knock on wood), I would still be as much of a bookworm as I am now, talking about and recommending books to whomever will listen. That is probably the most exciting part — when I discover (from comments) that someone is actually reading my blog! — Rachel at Jacob's Beloved's Books
Writing reviews! I always love to share my thoughts on books that i've read. Then getting some comments/feedbacks. I also enjoy reading others' reviews of books I've read before so I'll get another person's view on it. — Len at Musings of a Reader Happy
My favorite part of blogging is seeing how my reading has changed, now I have a much broader spectrum that I read instead of the very small nitch that I was reading. — Kristin at Kritters Ramblings
My absolute favorite part of blogging? Hmm.there's so much that I love about it! I really do enjoy getting to voice my opinion about books in reviews and comments. It's such a sense of freedom and not to mention so awesome when someone answers you back whose on your mental wave.
- Nora at The Bookery
The community. Books are great, but I'd be reading them with or without the blog. What I like is how many people are out there who enjoy the books I do, and that through our blogs I'm able to discover/ get in contact with them. The next best thing to reading a book is talking about it with someone. — Kim at Book Munchies
Hm. My absolute favorite part of blogging is hearing from someone that my thoughts on a book has encouraged them to give it a try. That or knowing there are other people out there just as excited as you are about a release date. — Lindsay at Just Another Book Addict
The Community! I feel like I have made great friends even if I never will meet them in real life. — Shannon at Books Devoured

*Part 3 of 3 will be posted soon.
USE GOOGLE if you want to know more about the blogoversary celebration.

Kristie Cook is here today to show us the brand new covers for her Soul Savers series, Promise and Purpose.

Leave a comment below telling us what you think about the new cover and enter for a chance to win some awesome swag!

Can you talk a little bit about the old covers vs. the new covers and how the change came about?

The old covers are pretty. The new ones are gorgeous. ‘nuff said. Haha! Okay, I’ll be serious. The old covers are symbolic, but no one gets the symbolism until I explain it, so it’s pretty much lost on everyone. And for some reason, the flowers seem to give the impression that the books are Young Adult, but they’re not. I also didn’t know how to carry the look out through the entire Soul Savers series. I’d hoped to find a professional cover artist by now who could take my vision and turn it into art and I did – author Brenda Pandos. She did an amazing job and we now have a theme to work with for the rest of the series.

What’s your favorite thing about the new covers?

Oh, so not fair. I love everything about them. One thing that’s important to me is not giving the reader a pre-conceived idea of what the main characters look like. I want the reader to take the basics I give them and make them their own. But I still wanted people on the covers, so I’m really happy with how the people are there, but not. The whole scene for each one just really encapsulates the stories. What’s your favorite thing?

It’s amazing that each book has some additional content; can you talk a bit about those changes and how it’ll impact anyone who’s already read the first two books in the series?

Promise – By the time PROMISE went to publication, it had been manipulated a lot, always in the best interest of the story. But in my heart, I always felt a little dissatisfied with it because, for me, it wasn’t “what really happened.” The order of events was changed up and scenes were altered or deleted when they shouldn’t have been. One scene has a change that isn’t huge but comes up in future books, the events have been returned to the order in which they really happened and a scene that had been deleted is now back in, providing some character insight that I think is much needed. There are some other minor changes, too—bringing back a sentence here or there that had been deleted and getting rid of others that shouldn’t have been added.

Purpose – The changes in PURPOSE are much less extensive than those in PROMISE. When I first wrote the books, they were actually one book and the middle section, the bridge between the two, was a series of letters Alexis had written Tristan on each of their anniversaries. Although she couldn’t send them, this was her way of keeping him updated on her and Dorian’s lives – and also bringing the reader up to speed. When I split the books, I took the letters out and tried to weave those things into the story. However, a lot of readers have the wrong impression of what Alexis had been like over the years and why she’s such a mess in the beginning of PURPOSE. The reason is not what everyone seems to think! I haven’t put the letters back in, but I’ve made some tweaks to the first few chapters to give the reader a better understanding of the past and the present. I may post the letters on my website or blog one of these days.

For the last year, I’d had a secret fantasy to go back and make all these changes. With the new covers and a few other additions – such as adding an excerpt of the next book – we had to obtain new ISBNs, which is basically the new bar code that says “this is a different book.” Since we have to go through all that anyway, we figured we may as well make it worth it. So my publisher let me fulfill my fantasy. Isn’t she awesome?

If you’ve already read PROMISE and PURPOSE, you don’t have to read the new releases to understand the future books. The one change in PROMISE that comes up in later books isn’t major enough to throw you into a big state of confusion if you haven’t read it. But if you’re up for reading them again, I think you’ll get a better grasp of Alexis and Tristan and what motivates their behavior in these two books. Also, PURPOSE has an excerpt of DEVOTION, Book 3, at the end.

When will we be able to purchase the books with the new covers and content? And for those of us with eReaders, when will they be available for download?

They’ll go live on Kindle hopefully by early next week and on Nook about the same time. It might take a week or two before they’re up on the other ereaders. They’ll be available in paperback format on my publisher’s store website ( http://www.readourwrites.com/ ) and Amazon in the next week or so and on other retailer sites in a month or two (sorry, but those guys just take longer to update their sites).

And lastly, can you go over some dates with us? For the novella, Genesis and the third book in the Soul Savers series – Devotion? When will we get a chance to see those covers and when will they be available for purchase?

GENESIS comes out October 28, 2011. The cover will be revealed later this month. I can’t wait!

DEVOTION comes out February 10, 2012. I expect the cover to be ready to share in September or October. I know it will be gorgeous, too.

Kristie, Thanks so much for stopping by both — A Life Bound By Books & Confessions of a Bookaholic — and for sharing the new covers with everyone. We can’t wait to re-read the first two books and the new content and to read Genesis & Devotion!

Thank you so much for having me! It’s always a pleasure to visit both of you and all your followers. I can’t wait to hear what you think. And seriously – what is your favorite thing about the new covers? Fill out the form and enter to win a Soul Savers Series swag pack. Two chances to win – one on each blog — here and at A Life Bound By Books!

Kristie has another giveaway going on over at her blog. Be sure to visit, check it out and enter to win some amazing prize packs! ~USE GOOGLE~

Kristie is giving a lucky winner a Soul Saver Series swag pack! Two chances to win — one here and one on Lisa's blog!! So enter here and over at
A Life Bound By Books!

Now, are you ready to see the new cover?!? Promise (Soul Savers #1)

OLD COVER

NEW COVER To see the cover of Purpose (Soul Savers #2) check out A Life Bound By Books.

Giveaway Prize:

• 1 winner will receive a Soul Savers swag pack.

• You must be at least 18 to enter.
• Name and email must be provided and counts as 1 entry.
• Extra entries are possible and links must be provided.
• Contest is US Only and ends August 22nd.
• Once contacted, the winner will have 48 hours to respond.
• The form must be filled out to enter.

Find Kristie Cook
Kristie Cook | Soul Savers Series | Goodreads | Twitter

I think the new covers fit the story perfectly! I can't wait to see what the next cover will be like. I think that now people can glance at the cover and get an idea of the story. Plus, it doesn't look YA anymore (especially Promise!). Great job Kristie and Brenda!! Now I'll have to add these to my collection!!

2. What are some of the favorite features you see bloggers do?

I really enjoy a chance to interact with book people. I was even invited to do a live chat in Spanish! Another thing I've been grateful for is the chance to donate books to charity auctions and literacy campaigns. We all love books, stories, movies, and talking about the arts. I like hearing about new books to read, which I get from bloggers. — Nancy Holder

Contests and giveaways are great, of course, especially when I get the opportunity to share my books. I’ll often peek at the IMM’s and WoWs just to see what bloggers are getting and what they’re looking forward to. I really enjoy discussions, though. Whether it’s about covers or characters or whatever, it’s fun to see two or more bloggers go back and forth on a particular topic. It doesn’t matter if they agree or disagree with each other, I just enjoy the conversation. It’s like being a fly on the wall of a kitchen where two reader friends talk about what they just read, a character they hate or love, a plot twist that really threw them, comparing books, etc. I would love to be able to sit in on these conversations that go on all over the world at any given time. They’re fun and I learn a lot as a writer. I’d love to see these done more often on the blogs. — Kristie Cook

As an author I do interviews for a lot of blogs. It can be difficult to come up with new and interesting answers. I adore those bloggers who ask me off-the-wall ones, they make me work for it (LOL).
I also like blogging as one of my characters. Again, it’s something different and fun. And my characters get to chance to “show off.” — Jana Oliver

The Challenges are cool. Of course, I love the Historical Fiction Challenge. The In My Mailbox meme is exciting – it has that ‘new car’ feel to it. I love when a great idea catches fire, and you see — Julie Chibbaro

Oh, wow, that is so hard. I would have to say that I love character interviews. I also love traditional reviews, though. There's nothing more satisfying than reading how a book emotionally impacts a reader in his or her own words. — Janenifer DeLucy

What especially impresses me is when bloggers do something off the beaten track, or generate deeper discussions about books and other YA topics. Creative and interactive posts are always fun, and I’ll confess… it never fails to make my day when I see someone’s “Waiting on Wednesday” featuring one of my books.: ) — Holly Cupala

I love interviews, especially the ones that really go in depth about writing or books, something more than just"Where did you get the idea for this novel?" I also am rather fond of the"Waiting on Wednesday" meme--I've found several new books that way. — Beth Revis

Bloggers do so many wonderful features. “Waiting on Wednesday” and similar features are great, because they spread the word about upcoming titles. Interviews and guest posts are also fantastic, as they give authors an opportunity to discuss their novels and to share their thoughts with readers. I have seen so many other fun and informative features that I have enjoyed, too. I’m quite impressed with bloggers’ insightfulness and creativity! — Lorraine Zago Rosenthal

There are so many fun aspects of books that bloggers have picked up on, making it difficult for me to choose. I love cover art, and I love the mailbag segments that you do where you show off what's come in the mail. As much as I like reviews of specific books, I like to hear from bloggers about how how they feel about common elements in many of today's popular books. Reading thoughts on what makes a good love triangle, villain, or fantasy world would be fun. One thing I would like that I don't think I've ever seen anyone do would be to choose a short excerpt from a book and describe why you like it. Doing some close reading in the way would be a nice way to think deeply about a book. — Jason Letts

The blog hops, waiting on wednesday, in my mailbox come to mind. — Brenda Pandos

* The third question for the bloggers will be posted tomorrow in 3 parts. USE GOOGLE if you want to know more about the blogoversary celebration.

What is your absolute favorite part of blogging?

ISALYS: Ooh, this is a toughie! Meeting bloggers and authors? Oh, I said that already. How about… being able to compare & talk about books with other bookworms. Bloggers and word-of-mouth are really the best form of advertising so I've really come to trust the opinions of my fellow bloggers when it comes to what to read or what not to read. If it wasn't for them, my scope of reading material would be much smaller.

VANESSA: Yeah, I'd have to agree with Isalys. I love being able to chat about books with my fellow book worms. It's thanks to them that I find new and exciting books to read. I love their suggestions. Especially when it starts with"OMG you HAVE to read this book!"
- Isalys & Vanessa at Book Soulmates
The absolute favorite part of blogging — Well, when I find a new book or author that I love is always a HUGE favorite part of it all. I think I’d have to say meeting my best friend – Jessica from right here at Confessions of a Bookaholic would have to be one of the best parts to everything. She keeps me sane and is there to squeeeee over books and authors and listens to all my crazy ideas. Without the great friends you find in the blogging community it would be a lonelier place. So, I’d have to say the people I’ve met are right up there with finding a great book and author. — Lisa at A Life Bound by Books
Discussing my favorite books with other enthusiasts, finding new books and turning others onto my favorites. Right now, a blog friend is reading Jane Eyre for the first time and tweeting about it. It's so exciting to see her fall in love with a book I love. — Chris at Chrisbookaram
What is your absolute favorite part of blogging? Knowing that someone has picked up a book I've recommended and liked/loved it! — Janenifer at YA Book Nerd

Other than getting to talk about books all the time? The comradery. It really is amazing. I now have friends all over the world and we became friends because we love books and love talking about them. I have met some of the neatest people and it's all because of blogging. It's just really awesome to think about. — Jessica at The Firefly Book Loft
Hands-down, the community! With the other bloggers, the authors and most especially my blogging partners. I just love it! — Andye from Reading Teen
My favorite part of blogging is most definitely voicing my opinion. I am a quiet, shy, reserved girl, but once I am behind my computer screen I let my opinions flow. To have the ability to convince someone to read a book, a book that could potentially change their life, is such an honor. — Katelyn at Kayelyn’s Blog
The people. Above all else, the people. I have met so many amazing people and this year at the Book Blogger Conference in NY I can hardly wait to meet more of them in person! — Emma at Emma Michaels
I love everything about blogging! The other book bloggers are just so great, talking with authors is always awesome, and hearing what others think about my blog posts is interesting. If I had to pick one aspect to be my favorite, it would probably be the tight knit community that I was welcomed into with open arms. I have made better friends through blogging than I have offline, and I'm truly thankful for that. — Theresa at Fade Into Fantasy
My favorite part of blogging is being able to share pieces of me with readers. I blog on everything, so someone who visits my blog will learn a little about me. I also love being able to read and review books so that others can share in my love for reading.
- Raenice at Life, Love, and the Pursuit of Publication
Hmmmm, mine is not about blogging in particular but instead other bloggers activity, which jus happens to be the weekly meme: In My Mailbox. On Saturday (which is when most people make their In My Mailbox posts) I spend the majority of my evening constantly refreshing my homepage checking out people In My Mailboxes and then on Sunday when the IMM Mr. Linky is up I go through almost everyone's posts. I love looking at everyone's books. — Kayleigh at OnceUponABookNerd
Hmmm, it’s difficult to pick just one aspect. I actually quite enjoy the satisfying feeling of writing a solid review or discussion post that expresses my thoughts really clearly. And I love receiving meaningful comments that spark a conversation with another blogger. — Danya at A Tapestry of Words
My favorite part of blogging is when I get comments. Is that silly? It's just that you already know how much I love having people to talk about books with so the next thing on the list would be comments. That feeling you get when you open your blog page in the morning and find an encouraging comment is just great. Even when I get negative comments I’m happy because, even if there negative someone still took the time to read my post and tell me their thoughts. — Khadija at Black Fingernail Reviews
To be honest, I don’t know if I could name a favorite part. Maybe it’s the community or the exposure to new books and genres. But I really think it’s all of it. Most of the time, blogging is just a good experience. Sure sometimes I have writer’s block and can barely put together a coherent sentence but, most of the time, blogging is a joy. — Grace at Books Like Breathing
I think blogging, like writing, is a way to get your thoughts out there, even if you don't get any comments (or you don't know how to check your stats to see how many times your post has been read!) it's great to release what's on your mind. I was never much of a secret diary person, more of a chatty gossiper so blogging works well for me. — Kirsty from Kirstyes
Finding out what others are reading and raving about! — Michelle at Hooked on Books
Learning about books that probably won't be on my radar without the blogging community. Talking with others about our favorite books, genres, and anything else that comes to mind. Chatting with authors like they're everyday people (which they are).
- Page at One Book at a Time
I love connecting with other writers. It's the best!
- Bridgid at Inky Fresh Press
Talking with other bloggers and readers is my absolute favorite part! Twitter is amazing for this. I'm slightly obsessed with it (@KaitorTot) and I love talking with the other bloggers on there. I also like how blogging helps me develop my writing voice. — Kaitlyn at Kaitlyn in Bookland
Being able to share my opinions on books with a bigger audience. And letting my favorite authors know how much I appreciate them! Meeting so many interesting people around the blogosphere. — Alex at More Than Just a Book
Being able to share great books with others and having interaction with readers through comments on blog posts.
-JL at An Avid Reader's Musings
Definitely conversing with other bloggers. I have such a lovely and warm relationship with some. Bloggers who I adore and consider true friends and cherish. These are the blogggers that I instantly click with, and before I know it we have been friends for months — then years. It's why I wouldn’t change anything about my experience. I have met the most amazing people through blogging. People who have made me a better person whether they know it or not. — Aly at Fantasy4eva

*The fourth question for the authors will be posted tomorrow.
USE GOOGLE if you want to know more about the blogoversary celebration.

Are you ever surprised by the large book community bloggers are apart of? What part of that do you enjoy the most?

I love reading a review about a book that I didn't even know existed and thinking,"I have to read that now!" I also love sharing new releases with others in hopes of giving debut authors a boost on their"book birthday."
-Jessie at The Daily Harrell

ISALYS: Oh God, yes!! I used to think that bookworms were an dying breed and if you were lucky enough to find another one, that you had to grab them, put them in a glass bottle and protect them from the world. It makes me so happy to know that there are still LOTS of us who love to read for the simple joy of it. Hands down, my favorite is meeting new people; bloggers and authors. I love that most authors are so connected with their fans. They're not like the typical celeb that lives in this far-away land called L.A. and are completely unreachable. I love it when you chat or meet with an author and be reminded that they're a real person. Oh, and I loveee to meet bloggers that I can just gab about books with all day long: )

VANESSA: I'm amazed EVERYDAY! Especially on twitter. I've found thousands of new blogs and absolutely love browsing through them. I honestly never thought the book blogging community was so huge! — Isalys & Vanessa at Book Soulmates
The book blogging community grows everyday and with it I meet great new people all the time. It does surprise me often at how great bloggers are, with everything from coming to the aid of others, donating their time and effort and so much more… This is a huge part of what I love about the community as a whole. If not for all the kindness I’ve found from everyone it just wouldn’t be the same. I think besides all the amazing books, this would without a doubt be the part I enjoy the most. I’ve met some great people and we’ll be friends for a long time to come. — Lisa at A Life Bound by Books
All the time! I keep finding 'new' blogs, some who have been blogging for years, but because I book blog world is so big, I never found them before. — Chris at Chrisbookaram
I love being a part of the community. I love hearing about new books — bloggers often have the inside scoop months in advance, which is great. It certainly makes my TBR pile out of the world both in length and awesome books to read. — Janenifer at YA Book Nerd
Before I started blogging I had no idea such a community even existed. So I was pretty surprised that what I thought was just a little hobby of reading, was really not that little at all. I had no idea that there were thousands of book blogs out there, or that you could talk to authors and publishers, or that their were book conferences where you could go and meet all these people. I just love being a part of this community. And the internet has made it so easy to be connected with everyone, which is probably the best part. — Jessica at The Firefly Book Loft
Yes! I had no idea this community existed until a couple of months after I started blogging. What I love the most is the support, and the love that we all share. If I'm reading something amazing, and try to talk to my IRL friends, they look at me like I'm crazy. But if I blog or tweet about it, I get tons of"I know exactly how you feel" responses! I love that! — Andye from Reading Teen
I am stunned by the book blogging community! There is such a huge range of bloggers out there; I don’t think there enough days/months/years to keep up with them all! However, the ones I do follow (there’s a big list on my blog) are all fantastic. They are all so supportive and generous! — Katelyn at Kayelyn’s Blog
Yes. I thought I was one of very few who loved books as much as I did and the internet proved me wrong! I am just so thrilled that there are others out there who share my love of all things literary! — Emma at Emma Michaels
Oh my gosh, YES! I'm amazed at the book blogging community on almost a daily basis. Everyone is so wonderful and I'm honored to be a part of it. — Theresa at Fade Into Fantasy
I think at first, I was surprised, or maybe"in awe" is a better way to describe it. The community is HUGE. I enjoy getting to know other bloggers as well as the authors. — Raenice at Life, Love, and the Pursuit of Publication
Honestly yes I am quite surprised. I had always seen reading as unique and that kind of made me feel special, which was something that was basically shot into oblivion when I started my blog and realised how many people also blogged, even today I'm still surprised by the amount. I guess it is nice that the blogging community is so large, for me it gives me the opportunity to write a negative review without particularly feeling bad because there will always be someone who writes a good review on that particular book. — Kayleigh at OnceUponABookNerd
I was really amazed when I discovered just how vast the book blogging community is – even the number of strictly YA book blogs astounded me! I really love connecting with other readers and discussing our reactions to books (whether or not we agree!) — Danya at A Tapestry of Words
I don't think I am really. I went into blogging knowing that it was a huge community because I'd been reading blogs for a while. I'd say I'm surprised at how fast the community continues to grow. The part I enjoy most is the collective voice of bloggers, alone we reach out to the number of followers who actually read our blog, but together we make an impact on the bookish world. It's nice to know you’re a part of such a close knit community. — Khadija at Black Fingernail Reviews
I’m not really surprised by the community of bloggers but more surprised by how welcoming, kind and protective bloggers are of each other. My blog started out as a very solitary thing. I had no idea there was this community of book bloggers out there but they are my lifeline. They are a constant source of recommendations and advice. I don’t read magazines or newspapers for books recommendations, I go directly to other bloggers. They have never steered me wrong. — Grace at Books Like Breathing
The list of people I follow on Twitter grows everyday as does the list of blogs I follow. But I can't possibly keep up with all of them as well as read, write and oh yeah the day job again.
I enjoy connecting with people and the sharing of hints and tips. Sharing in people's success is fun too. One book blog I really enjoy is 'Diary of a Bibliophile' — I enjoy Jesi Lea's reviews and have purchased a number of books on her recommendation (that I hope to get around to reading one day). Also the sexy angel photos are quite nice too; o) — Kirsty from Kirstyes
Yeah, it is surprising how big it is — I didn't realize it until I started blogging myself. I enjoy the convos on Twitter the most I think — some of these bloggers are hilarious and so friendly and willing to help with anything! — Michelle at Hooked on Books
I'm surprised everyday by it. It continues to grow. I love that so many people love to read and want to share it with someone else. I enjoy discussing books with people who feel the same way I do. I like meeting with people from all walks of life.
- Page at One Book at a Time
Yes! I love that there are so many people with a passion for books. There is such a phenomenal network of book readers and writers, and I love being a part of it. The best thing about book bloggers is that they are helping authors get the word out about their book. It gives authors another (cooler) option when it comes to book marketing. Pus, it is a more personal approach to book marketing, which I love.
- Bridgid at Inky Fresh Press
I really am! I mostly enjoy the support book bloggers offer each other. I'm sure it's out there, but I have never seen anything catty or obnoxious going on. — Kaitlyn at Kaitlyn in Bookland
Oh, yes! I am very surprised at the large book community, I didn't think these many people shared the same passion that I do. Mostly, I enjoy the interaction with both bloggers and authors on media sites. I love sharing my love for books for so many people and embarrassingly having"fan girl" moments when I talk to my favorite authors. — Alex at More Than Just a Book
I was very surprised in the beginning. I attended BEA last year as a new blogger and was impressed with the amount of bloggers who also attended and the enthusiam they had for blogging and reading. I enjoy most meeting new bloggers through Twitter and/or following new blogs I find through recommendations. I also like learning more about bloggers I have already met, whether it be personal or through their reviews.
-JL at An Avid Reader's Musings
Not really, maybe at first but it's been over a year now, and although I love seeing new bloggers it doesn't surprise me at all because I can completely understand why blogging is so popular and loved by many because most of us are blogging for the very same reason. Apart from sharing my thoughts on books and movies I just love talking with other book — lovers and bloggers. Finally being able to share my thoughts on books has to be the highlight of blogging for me. — Aly at Fantasy4eva

*The second question from the authors will be posted tomorrow.
USE GOOGLE if you want to know more about the blogoversary celebration.

Are you ever surprised by the large book community bloggers are apart of? What part of that do you enjoy the most?

I don't think I'm really surprised that there are so many people that want to share their love of books. I really like that there are now so many other people I can look to for book recommendations!
- Kayla at Midnight Twilight's Book Blog
Books bring people together; I think that's one of the reasons I love them. Even though reading is a solitary activity, it inadvertently creates a community. I've made some good friends within the community, and it's just a lot of fun to talk to everybody. — Nicole at WORD for Teens
When I first started blogging I had no idea that there was such a large community of book bloggers. I had read a few blogs but that was it. I really didn't look in to it much! It was really overwhelming when I first realized how many bloggers were out there. I've loved getting to know people on twitter and at author events. It's so great to know others who get my obsession! — Heidi at YA Bibliophile
The book community is truly amazing to me. Every time I start to lose my faith in humanity, I can turn to them and they reaffirm how wonderful people can truly be. My favorite part of this amazing group is being able to share the worlds we read about and the discussions we can all have about them. There is nothing better than a good book and good people to share it with! — Kelli at Scarlett's Scraps
Yes, the number of book community bloggers often amazes me. I love looking through their reviews to find new books, and seeing the range of opinions about books I've loved. — Abigailann at The Story Factory Reading Zone
Yes! There's so many out there and so many that I don't know about, it's a lot of fun and they're all very supportive at least most of the ones I've talked to. I love that I met some really great friends through the blogging community and we have a lot of things in common. — Cynthia at A Blog about Nothing
Yes I am surprised I didn't realise how many bloggers there were to start of and that the community stretches around the world from the UK, to Austrailia to the US and place I have never even heard off. The part I enjoy the most is talking other bloggers and sharing are excitment of books that are out soon and being able to particpate in each other blog in some way either leaving a comment on a great post or even doing a guest post. — Megan at Reading Away the Days
I love the community that we are all a part of and proud to be part of it. I would have to say my favorite part of this community is the support system thats out there. How bloggers will pull together to help there fellow bloggers out in hard situations. It makes me very proud and happy to have been part of this and looking forward to more time with them. Reagan at Star Shadow Blog
Yes! I did not realize the community that was out there. Before I started blogging I did not pay attention to the blogging world. I love getting to know the many wonderful people out there who are all doing the same thing. We are sharing our love of reading and inspiring others to find great books. — Lisa at Bookworm Lisa
I'm always surprised and that community never stops growing. I love it. I definitely love the book discussions. I try to talk books with my friends at school and no one, except Nora (my blog buddy) knows what I'm talking about. I love it that someone knows what I am talking about. — Gina at The Bucket List
Yes, like I said, I was surprised. I didn't know this existed. The world of bo extends much further then the shelves of my local B&N and now I've found it. As for what I enjoy the most… the many bookish friends and authors I have met and all the fabulous books they have recommended to me. — Stacey at Flippin' Fabulous — A Reader's Record
I am constantly surprised at how large the book blogosphere is, and so happy to be a part of it. I don't know that I have a favorite part, but I would love to meet bloggers who are local to me and put a face to the name. I also love that I follow blogs from all over the world, but we're all reading the same types of books (in many cases, at the same time!), and we're all pa ssionate about them. I also love how *nice* everyone is--I felt so welcomed as a new blogger. -Christi at Christi the Teen Librarian Yes, I am surprised that so many people are apart of the book blogging community. I enjoy reading recommendations, reviews and author interviews. — J.L. at J.L. Jackson
Sometimes I am, I've got some book blogs I like to look at, and they make me wonder sometimes, but it's all fun. I will admit that my main reason for poking around the community, is to see what's coming up and what others think of it. There are some books that I wouldn't think twice on, that I end up getting because of what someone blogged about it. — Ellen at Silver Tabby Books
I came into the blogging community when it was already quite large. Granted, it has absolutely exploded over the past year, but I never expected that it would remain small. We all want to be heard in life, and blogging provides that forum for millions of people who used to be silent. I enjoy the sense of community and camaraderie that we have as a book blogging community. We may have our dramas and issues, but if there is someone who needs help, we will come together in a huge way and help that person. The support the community provides is amazing and never fails to perk me up on a bad day. — Michelle at That's What She Read
I was surprised at first that there were so many people online of all ages who loved reading the same books I do. I love discovering books I probably wouldn't of from other people's blogs and goodreads. — Cole at Through the Book Vine
I have been surprised with the book community, but what has surprised me most is how friendships have developed through these blogs. I posted some pictures when my grandbaby was born and received so many congratulation comments. I love that people jump in and share happy moments or offer encouragement during tough times. — Ann at Cozy in Texas
Oh my gosh I was astounded when I realized what a community this was! I love the exposure to books I might not have found on my own, or wouldn't have picked on my own, both through reviews posted on the blogs and the cool resources like NetGalley that I've discovered through other bloggers. — Cat at Cat's Thoughts
Yes! when I first started I had NO idea that the blogging community was so big, or that I would meet so many nice people who share my love of reading. — Orchid at The Haunting of Orchid Forsythia
When I started, I was aware there were book bloggers out there, but it wasn't until about six months into this gig that I realized how deep and broad that book blog universe really is. So, yes, I was very surprised by all the passion that's out there. It's so gratifying to know that all around the world, people are logging on, and spending hours upon hours writing about reading. Each new blog post written about books keeps the spirit of literature alive. It's like the flame of the Olympic torch being passed from runner to runner--we'll never let the love for books be extinguished. — David at Quivering Pen Blog
Yes, all the time! I rarely knew people in real life who enjoyed reading like I do. It’s amazing getting to know so many people in the blogging community who are as enthusiastic about books as I am. Gushing over our shared love of books and swapping recommendations are my favorite parts of blogging. — Small at Small Reviews
Oh yea, I was amazed that, as much of a bookworm as I am, I had been totally blind to the vast community of book bloggers there are on the internet. What I probably like the most is the fact that it is so big. It is so easy to find new book bloggers, even if they are not new to the community, and it is incredibly easy to locate a dozen or more reviews on just about any book that I am interested in. — Rachel at Jacob's Beloved's Books
When I realized how active the book blogging community is, I was a bit overwhelmed. How can little ol' me contribute? But everyone I met was helpful and very nice. So I was inspired to take part and interact w/ other bloggers as well
as authors, which is one of the things I enjoyed the most. Next is finding good books to read and even movies and music! — Len at Musings of a Reader Happy
I am surprised every day at how big and active the book blogging community is. I love knowing that through the good times and the bad times that there is a group I can lean on for book recommendations, a listening ear or just to share the same hobby. — Kristin at Kritters Ramblings
I am actually very surprised by the sheer size of the book community! Everywhere you turn, every book you see, there's a reviewer and a blog. I love going on Twitter and seeing all the talk about this book or that movie. The community is the biggest questionaire for all things books! The part I enjoy the most is finding out that other bloggers are just like me! You know, the"I have no idea what to write about,""why is this book that amazing?,"this series rules!" kind of people! — Nora at The Bookery
I was both astounded and more than a little daunted by the large book community of bloggers. It almost made me question whether to go forward with my blog or not. But no matter what, my opinions are mine alone. And that is what I want to share, so why not make a blog? (: — Kim at Book Munchies
I am surprised. Being in a small town, only about 6 of us teens love to read. The part I enjoy the most is being able to talk about books with a bunch of people with a bunch of opinions and discovering more and more books each day. — Lindsay at Just Another Book Addict
YES! I find new blogs on a weekly basis and I love that. I love finding new ones that have a great point of view or a book taste that is similar to my own. — Shannon at Books Devoured

*Part 3 of 3 will be posted soon.
USE GOOGLE if you want to know more about the blogoversary celebration.

Are you ever surprised by the large book community bloggers are apart of? What part of that do you enjoy the most?

I think its amazing! I have met so many great bloggers and authors because of this community. — Yara at Once Upon a Twilight
Yes! Like wow, it's pretty crazy now, there's so many bloggers out there. I like discovering new blogs, especially discovering bloggers who have the same taste (like, Melina Marchetta-worship). Then it leads to a bit of blog-stalk, then blog-love, then blogger-stalk, then blogger-love. Then I *hopefully* have a new internet friend xD — Audrey at holes In My brain
Yes! I had no idea going into this, that there were so many book blogs out there. My favorite part is talking to everyone. Some of the people I talk to on a daily basis are book bloggers who live on the other side of the country. I consider them friends. Is that weird?: p — Amanda, Another Book Junkie
Yes I am I'm more surprised at some of the ages because in school I was always the bookworm and almost no one else was so its nice to see that I'm not the only one in or around my age who reads. I enjoy reading the reviews the most I love getting other peoples opions on books before I read them or even just because its nice to see what someone says about a book — Kate at Ghost of the still
The book blogger community is HUGE! I love it! I have made so many new friends it is unreal. It is so fun to be able to talk about books and have people understand what you are talking about! People in my everyday life thing I am a nut when I gush continuously about a book, but other bloggers with gush right along with me! — Missy at Two Readers Reviews

Over the years I've noticed the growing population of book bloggers and it doesn't surprise me because the books that have been written lately have been spectacular. I enjoy the most getting to know fellow bloggers who have the same genre interest as I do, then I have someone who gets excited about those particular books like me. Also because with more bloggers, more and different books are promoted that I might not of heard of and now I'll find out about them,
- Kristen at Seeing Night Reviews
It always surprises me by the number of bloggers are in the book community. I always enjoy talking to fellow bloggers about anything really. It's always fun to make new friends. — Darla at DforDarla's Definite Reads
I was actually very surprised when I started blogging to find so many book lovers like me! What surprised me even more was the amount of people signing-up to read my ramblings lol I really love the community and I actually met someone from my area through blogging and I'm very thankful for it =) — Tynga at Tynga's Review

Heck yeah! I’m amazed every day! It’s a never ending supply of book bloggers! I most enjoy finding bloggers that share similar tastes in books! I have quite the list of blogs that I follow and I know I’m not even skimming the blogosphere surface!
- Jane at At Random

I was at first, but I have learned that book bloggers stick together and seem to be great people who get along fanastically. Of course, I've run into a few people who weren't nice or who only associate with other bloggers that are extremely successful (tons of followers, etc) or authors only. But I've made tons of friends through my blog and the community and I've been very happy ever since.
- Aimee at Coffee Table Press
Occasional enmity really surprises me--like that recent brouhaha about
the"YA Mafia". But the best part of this community is when you find
someone who loves a book that you love too--you almost don't have to
use words to express that love because they've internalized the
material just like you did! — Alethea at Read Now Sleep Later

When I first started out I never imagined there were so many book bloggers. I became a little disheartened to realize that this would make attracting readers even more difficult, which is something I'm still struggling with. The fantastic thing about the community is the plethora of books I learn about on a daily basis. I always have dozens of books at a time that I'm excited to read, and that is thanks to the amazing blogs out there. — Jessica at Brief Book Reviews
I love that so many people are out there blogging about books!!! I am part of a community of book lovers and being able to share that love, discover new books and authors, and write about it, are all things that I enjoy. — Shirley at My Bookshelf
I love the sharing that happens! People are so friendly! — Jill at The O.W.L
I'm happily surprised by how many people there are taking an active interest in reading, but I think it's even more surprising how insular the community is as well. The thing that I enjoy the most about the book blogging community is how, for the most part, everyone is so supportive and kind. — Ashley at Book Labyrinth
Not surprised, but definitely impressed. I enjoy getting to meet new people, since I'm so freaking bad at that in real life, so getting to meet so many people with so much in common is pretty novel for me, if you'll excuse the pun. I also like seeing just what book-lovers can do when they put their minds and heart together, like awareness that can be raised and the support given in times of crisis. We start off as common bibliophiles, and in the end, we're a bunch of friends. It's pretty cool. — Ria at Bibliotropic
Yes, I was very surprised by the size of the book community, but sometimes now when I read a book's praise quotes in the front I'm like"Hey, I know that person!" or"I've visited their blog before!" It's very cool. And everybody's super nice. I love how we're just so tight *raises crossed fingers* with authors and their books. — Lucia at iLive, iLaugh, iLove Books
There are so many friendly people that I've gotten to know. Everyone is always willing to help others. My favorite part would most likely be twitter. People are on at all times of the day and night talking about what they are reading and what they like about the book they are reading. — Rie at Mission to Read
Going into it, I had no idea that there were so many book bloggers out there! I'm constant amazed by the lovely, supportive community that has been formed by the shared love of books, it's truly amazing and I am proud to count myself in as a member of it! I most enjoy the friendships that spring up over a twitter conversation or a comment left somewhere, I have made some great friends this way. — Lisa at BaffledBooks
Always. It transcends age, location and book preferences. Right now I'm looking forward to the BEA so that I can meet some of these great people in person. — Rhiannon at The Diary of a Bookworm
I was very surprised when I started blogging to see how big the book blogging community was and how friendly too. I love that when you ask for advice from other book bloggers they're extremely gracious and just want to help you out. I think I enjoy that most about blogging, it's not about who reads the most books or who gets the most ARCs, it's about the love of reading, and that's something that we all share. — Ambur at Burning.x.Impossibly.x. Bright
It was definitely surprising at first because I had never known about the community and than the next day there were a bunch of bloggers that I found. I enjoy talking to fellow bloggers because everyone is so nice and we all have the same goal in mind: getting the word about books out. — Katie at Books are Dreams
I am surprised that the community IS so large. I love meeting people that share the same love for books as me. — Kate at I Just Wanna Sit Here and Read!
I am always surprised by the size of the book blogging community. I have a number of blogs that I follow and visit regularly but every so often I stumble across a new blog that I had no idea even existed. The part I enjoy the most about the book blogging community is how friendly everyone is. There is always someone out there ready to help even if they don't really know you. I have yet to come across a book blogger that was mean to me. — Emilie at Emilie Book World
I'm not really surprised at the size of the book community bloggers take part in. Readers love to share good books they've discovered. Blogs and Twitter have made it even easier for like-minded book fiends to connect. — Kim at Fresh Fish and Foolishness
Absolutely! I am very impressed with all of the connections! How cool is it that people who love books can get together so easily! I love the Memes that people do. I haven't done any of my blog, due to some inconsistencies in the past. But I'd love to get started! They are fun to read. I also love giveaway hops! I think they are so clever and it's like a book-lover's Christmas. — Jackie at Teen Book Guide

*Part 2 of 3 will be posted soon.
USE GOOGLE if you want to know more about the blogoversary celebration.

1. Why did you originally start blogging? Has that reason changed any as time has progressed?

ISALYS: Originally, I thought it was just a cool way to learn more about books and maybe get my sticky fingers on a few free ones. However, in the near 2 years that we've been blogging, it has gone wayyyy beyond that. Free books are now just one of the many, MANY joys of blogging. It has truly grown into a labor of love. Blogging has expanded my reading horizons by introducing me to genres and authors that I may otherwise never have known about. It's given me an outlet to be able to share my love of reading with others and help expand other people's reading horizons as well. I've met some incredibly kind & talented people that, although I've never met in person, I consider friends. And although Vanessa & I were BFF's when we started blogging, it's been really great having something that we can share & do together.

VANESSA: I started blogging b/c it just seemed like such a cool thing to do! I couldn't believe I could have my own little place in the cyber world dedicated to talking about books! Who better else to have this site with than my own bestie? Thanks to this little site, I've made a ton of new friends who share my same passion and have met some wonderful authors. My experiences have been amazing and they just keep getting better! — Isalys & Vanessa at Book Soulmates
I started blogging because I wanted to pay it forward. Those first few blogs I had come across brought so many new books and authors to me, I wanted to spread the word about books and share my love for reading with anyone I could reach. It took me awhile to get my blog going but once I did and I met people within the blogging community, I knew I wanted to be part of things. I know my blog still needs a lot of work. There’s always room for growth, but I couldn’t pass up the chance to share a book or author with someone new or even talk about books. My reasons have changed a bit overtime, but at the core of things it’s still and will always be about sharing books with people – new and old. — Lisa at A Life Bound by Books
Four years ago, I just sold my house and was temporarily living in the basement of my mother-in-law's over the winter. Blogging gave me something else to focus on. I didn't know anything about blogging or what a blog was until my book club buddy Stephanie said she started one. I thought,"Hey that sounds like fun!" — Chris at Chrisbookaram
I first started blogging on myspace as a way to connect with other readers and as a librarian to hook teens from my library. I moved to blogger in October of 2008 and have been blogging ever since. I blog regularly, every week day instead of a few times a week. — Janenifer at YA Book Nerd
I started blogging because no one in my real life likes reading as much I do. I needed somewhere to talk about the books that I read and loved. So my blog was born. And I still love going on and on about the books I love, so no, the reason has not changed. — Jessica at The Firefly Book Loft I originally started blogging to promote our Parental Book Reviews website. Yes, that has changed a lot. Now I blog because I love the community, the people I blog with, the authors and most especially the amazing books I get to read. — Andye from Reading Teen
I originally started blogging out of bordem. I had a severe knee injury 7 months ago and was holed up in my room a lot. I thought blogging about random events in my life would be fun. Little did I know that it would become so much more than that. My blog is centered around books and reviews now and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Yeah, it’s been fun, but I love being able to share my passion of reading with others. — Katelyn at Kayelyn’s Blog
I originally started my review blog because I wanted a way to keep track of what I was reading and to look back to see what I had really thought about a book right after reading it. Soon after creating it, I realized how many other readers were out there and it really changed my life and perspective. Now I blog because I love sharing anything and everything about literature with others; my followers and fellow bloggers have really come to feel like family to me. — Emma at Emma Michaels
I originally started blogging so that I could share my thoughts. In the offline world, I'm a homebody who rarely goes out and I really don't have any close friends. My blog is the place where I can be myself, share my thoughts, and truly be"me". — Theresa at Fade Into Fantasy
I originally started blogging to get my name out there… in hopes that, when I become an author, people would already know my name. It's changed a little over
time. I still want my name out there, but I also blog as a way of journaling and also to share books I've enjoyed with other readers. — Raenice at Life, Love, and the Pursuit of Publication
The main reason I started my book blog was because out of my large group of friends only one or two actually read and even that is rare. After reading a book I love to share my thoughts and opinions with others and my blog gives me that opportunity. Blogging for me seemed like great fun before I started and I wanted to take the next step in my whole reading obsession. Also blogging seemed like a great way to communicate with people who share my interest and obsession. — Kayleigh at OnceUponABookNerd
I first started blogging after I’d stumbled across some other YA book blogs, was using them to get reading suggestions, and thought to myself, “Hey, I could do that!” I liked the idea of sharing my thoughts on books I read with others, and that’s still the case. — Danya at A Tapestry of Words
I started blogging so that I could talk about things I love. Since I'm homeschooled I don't really talk much to people my own age (other than my brother… but we argue more than talk) and I've never been the best at talking because I'm a bit introverted. I went into blogging just wanting some people that I could talk to about writing and reading and movies and music. I don't think my reason has changed so much as now that I have people I can talk to, I've changed a bit. Blogging isn't just sharing the things that I love it's also my outlet. — Khadija at Black Fingernail Reviews
I started my little blog as an offshoot of my reading journal. I didn’t actually expect anyone to read it or even to know it was there. I almost had a coronary when I got my first comment and probably had a slight one when I got my first review book offer. I don’t think my reason for blogging has changed much—as I don’t use my reading journal anymore—but blogging has changed my reading tastes quite a bit. I was a strict literary fiction/classics reader before I started blogging but now I am all about the YA and romance. — Grace at Books Like Breathing
I starting blogging as I got more into writing and started to take that more seriously and to develop a web presence for myself. At the same time I branched out into other forms of social media such as Twitter (and I've just discovered Goodreads). Over time I have expanded my blog topics to include my day job and profession and have signed up to review products (and books) relevant to me and my life. — Kirsty from Kirstyes
I always read blogs but never had time to blog since I was in Grad school. Once I finished, I decided to start my own. I just thought it would be fun and, being a school librarian, a great way to share what I was reading. — Michelle at Hooked on Books
I originally started blogging to try and keep track of the reading challenges I decided to try. But, I found Goodreads and it was easier to keep track there, so blogging feel to the side. But the more time I spent on Goodreads, the more it irritated me that I couldn't remember if I read a book or not, details about the plot, and generally if I liked it. Plus, I enjoy talking about books and in real life, not the many people love to read as much as I do. — Page at One Book at a Time
I created my blog, Inky Fresh Press, in 2009 to connect with other writers, improve my writing skills, and gain exposure. Now I am more focused on putting the spotlight on other writers, but still blog for the same reasons. — Bridgid at Inky Fresh Press
I started book blogging because I love to read and not a lot of my friends who live close read as much as I do. I started finding book blogs that were amazing and I loved reading them. I always wanted to talk with people about books and bookish things, so I thought,"Why not blog?". Now I blog because I truly enjoy it. I'm starting to become more serious about it and it is a really nice change. — Kaitlyn at Kaitlyn in Bookland
I started blogging because ever since I was little, I loved books. Not the thick kind that I read now, but the usual Junie B. Jones and Goosebumps series. Eventually I knew what kind of books to look for (age appropriate), what were the kind of books that I would enjoy. I recommend books to all my friends, they read them and loved them. Then other people started coming to me to recommend books that are good for them. I loved the feeling I got when people came to me after they finished the book with a satisfied smile on their face. So one day I discovered Goodreads, and I started reviewing books there. Eventually I found about blogging and I was hooked. I now recommend books outside and inside the blogosphere. I don't think the reason for me blogging has changed, and I hope it never does. — Alex at More Than Just a Book
I started blogging because I wanted to share my enjoyment and excitement of reading and books with others. I also want to encourage the importance of literacy in young readers and to bring to their attention great books for their age group.
-JL at An Avid Reader's Musings
Originally I started blogging because I always had this passion, this hobby and no one understood it; I had no one to share it with. Never would I have thought all those years back that I could turn to someone and gush about a certain book I was in love with. As long as my passion for books will remain so will my reason to blog, but there is another reason now. It’s like a second home to me. Something I look forward to coming home to after a long day of college.When I feel upset, happy or unwell I turn to blogging. Blogging is almost therapeutic for me; it feels wonderful and so right. There is so much I feel for blogging, much more than I could have ever imagined before joining. It takes a big chunk of my time, yes, but I wouldn't have it any other way. And I mean it. — Aly at Fantasy4eva

*The first question from the authors will be posted tomorrow.
USE GOOGLE if you want to know more about the blogoversary celebration.

Thanks everyone for taking the time to fill out my blog survey. First, I'll go over the feedback then announce the winners below.
Overall, you all said you really enjoy my blog. THANK YOU! That means so much to me!

REVIEWS — All responses were either great/average.which is wonderful to me. I sometimes struggle with reviews and, oddly enough, the more I liked a book, the harder the review is to write. I feel like I'm not doing it justice. I had some people say they wished I'd add a section to my reviews that said if I recommend the book or not, or who it would be recommended for. That is a great idea! I will start doing this. I'll try to either add (Recommended for ALL/PARANORMAL/CONTEMPORARY fans), something like that and I'll add an age range when needed.

INTERVIEWS — Most of you enjoy my author interviews. Some said they didn't read those, which I completely understand. Typically, I add interviews when I'm giving away a book by that author. I feel it's a way to explain the book better to the readers and introduce them to the person who wrote it. I always alter the questions to fit the author/book. Sometimes they are the same questions you will see on another interview, but I try really hard to not just use the same questions over and over. I'm still trying to expand on this and come up with new post ideas for authors.

GIVEAWAYS — Responses ranged on this question. A majority said the giveaways were great, some said average, and a few said bad. Which is fine. I wanted honest opinions. According to blogger (and this number isn't completely accurate), I've hosted around 193 giveaways. Most of the time these giveaways are made possible by the author or publisher. I try whenever possible to include International readers by giving away ebook copies. Giveaways are one of my favorite parts of blogging because it's nice to give people the chance to read a book they may not have been able to pick up. I would love to host giveaways more but it is expensive to package and ship the books. People may not realize it, but many times bloggers do pay for those things (any time it doesn't come directly from the publisher/author). I'd love to have more giveaways, open to everyone, but it just isn't possible. Even an event like Haunted Halloween costs us (Lisa and I together) about $400 for shipping and supplies alone during that 1 month.

EXPLORING NEW YA — This was a new feature this year and I wanted to know if people liked it. The reason being because it takes an incredible amount of time to set up: ) I post it twice a month. Some people said they haven't seen it, and others said they read it, but normally don't add any of the books to their lists. Just a note, if you haven't seen the feature at all, you can click on FEATURES then EXPLORING NEW YA at the top of the blog. Lots of people said they love it and do use it for book recommendations too. I do enjoy having a place where new releases can be featured. I'm just glad most people do see it and may find some books they'll enjoy.

MOVIE REVIEWS — This part was kinda even around the board. Some liked it, some didn't, some didn't care.: ) This is a new feature that I do think I'll have on, but only occasionally. Maybe 1-2 posts a month related to movies. I liked this idea because we all watch movies. Sometimes these movies will be related to books (like Water for Elephants). When I got the opportunity to review movies for Fox Entertainment I didn't want to pass that up. Especially since they do offer giveaways for many of these movies. This is something I'd really like to offer to readers. Plus, I really need more features on here. I know people get tired of reviews and interviews so this will give me something to break that up. Hopefully people like it!

LEAST FAVORITE POSTS — This one had a wide range of answers but a majority picked either YA NEWS, INTERVIEWS/GUEST POSTS or IN MY MAILBOX. YA News is something I post occasionally just to highlight some things going on in the YA book world. Sometimes it's cheap books/ebooks, author news, book covers, or other bookish news. It's sort of a"misc." place to put things. I would like to make it a more enjoyable thing to read, but it all really depends on what's going on right at that time. I'll try to include more interesting things as we go along. Interviews/Guest Posts are kinda part of the norm for bloggers. I mentioned interviews above and I do want to make these posts more interesting as well. Sometimes these posts are part of a tour so they are out of my hands but I do want people to enjoy what they read. In My Mailbox will be mentioned below.

FREE/CHEAP EBOOKS — Most of you said you do want to know about free or cheap ebooks. This is something I've had in YA News most of the time. I'm going to keep a look out for these books and hopefully post about them more frequently. For now, they will be with other YA news though. I don't find out about them enough to have a separate thing so be on the lookout for those.

INDIE/SELF-PUBLISHED BOOKS — A majority said yes, they do read these books. I try super hard to feature these books for a few reasons. 1- the books can totally rock! Some of my all-time favorite books are self-published or from a super small publisher. 2- the authors rock! 3- the books are normally much cheaper. This is especially true if it's in ebook form. So, an awesome book for only.99 or $2.99? Yes! And 4- because these awesome books from these fabulous authors are often overlooked. I'm not someone who will ever turn down someone just because their book is self-published or from a publisher I'm unaware of. That isn't fair. Every book deserves a chance and if it's something I think I'll enjoy, I'll read it. That's the fun part of reading. You never know where your next favorite book will come from. At the same time, it really makes me happy to know that the readers enjoy these books as well. I honestly wasn't sure if people did so I'm sure this makes a lot of the authors very pleased.

WHAT IS NEEDED? — This had a wide range of answers. CONTEMPORARY/HISTORICAL/FANTASY/MYSTERY. And this is why I loved the survey. I hadn't realized how neglected certain genre's were on here! Especially contemporary. I love contemporary books! I admit, when I first started blogging paranormal was my go-to type. Over time, I've tried to expand that a bit. This can be difficult because I'd say around 60-70% of the review books I receive are paranormal. But I will be changing this! I'm even thinking of having a contemporary week in a few months. I'm reading more and more contemp. books so you guys are in luck! I'm not a huge fan of historical and I really don't get many of those for review. Same goes for fantasy or mystery. But, I will still try to feature those books in some way. I do want to have a nice balance on here.

WHAT IS NOT NEEDED? I didn't have a ton of answers here but PARANORMAL was a common answer.: ) Sorry guys! I do have lots and lots of paranormal. Expanding my own book preferences is a goal of mine for this year. I've been surprised in the past by the books I've liked so I think it will be nice to get out of my comfort zone.

WHAT NEEDS IMPROVED? Some people commented here about the blog appearance. I do realize there is a font problem. I'm not sure why it's like that and my blog designer isn't sure either. It is small and usually I have to go back and resize each post (but then that throws the formatting off). This is something I plan to work on. Along with that, I hope to de-clutter a bit and change things around in the next few months. But it's good to hear from readers because I'm not sure how things show up or load for you guys. Others said NOTHING, so thank you!!: ) I'm so happy to see that many of you enjoy my blog and like coming here. I did see a comment about using more social media and YES, I need to do this badly. I'm naturally introverted. I do have twitter but rarely get on there. I lurk a lot: ) I do want to become more social on twitter and even have more conversations take place on the blog. Actually I'm working on this part right now (stay tuned for details on that!).

FAVORITE PART OF THE BLOG — You guys had such nice answers here! Many said reviews, that I think of international followers, that I seem to care about my readers (I do, lots!), that I'm nice (*blush*). Thank you! Sometimes it's hard to know how things come off when we are just typing them out. I never want anyone to feel ignored or like I don't care about what the majority would want. Yes, I blog for myself but I enjoy it because of you guys. Honestly, I would never do this if no one read what I wrote. The enjoyment comes from knowing that maybe at least 1 person will get joy out of a book I recommend, or out of reading about a new author. That is what makes everything worthwhile.
HOW OFTEN DO YOU COME HERE? Most said a few times a week, which is great! I know I've been slacking since October. Haunted Halloween sort of gives me a blogging hangover: ) I want to pick things back up again and I do have lots planned!

LAYOUT — Most people said they loved it or it was average. Personality, I do love the overall look of the blog but I do plan to change things up a bit because I know it can get boring. But the design will stay the same for a while, little things may change.

IN MY MAILBOX — I know IMM is something people either love or hate. Some people picked it as a favorite post and some suggested I stop doing it. I don't do IMM each week. I'm lucky to do it once a month.: ) So if you see a ton of books on here, that's why. I DO like to do IMM occasionally because it's a way to mention books that may otherwise not be noticed. I can't read everything I get, and I'd feel bad for getting a book that never gets viewed on my blog. IMM gives me a way to show the books where hopefully some people will see them and add them to their lists. I personally love seeing people's mailbox posts because I get a lot of good book ideas myself. Plus, it's nice to see an actual copy of the book (I'm all about book covers!). So I guess I'll be somewhere in the middle. IMM won't be something you'll see here each week, but I won't be cutting it out completely. But I did want to mention it so people know why I personally do it.

RATING REVIEWS — Everyone said yes or that it doesn't matter. I wasn't sure if people liked this fact or not so I was glad with the results. I pay much more attention to reviews that are rated but I didn't know if people agreed with that or hated if a book was rated. This will be staying the same. I will continue to rate books and will be adding the recommendations I added above.

Again, thank you guys so much for participating! You all had such nice comments and suggestions. Another survey will be posted in the near future related to Haunted Halloween. Lisa and I will give more information about that soon.

Also, be on the lookout for some new features coming up!: )

Winners!
US Winner (Wins Damon.uhh, I mean Vampire Diaries season 2, UNLEASHED, and AMPLIFIED) theatredreamer@…

INTERNATIONAL Winner ambiepie@…

Other Winners from past giveaways
UNTRACEABLE Kelsey D.

HUSHED Ashley
OBSIDIAN (ebook) Kristin A.

Today is my birthday!!

Yes, my blogoversary and birthday are that close together because I started my blog as an early birthday gift to myself.: ) So, to celebrate I thought it would be fun to have a personal post. I wanted to talk about the books that made me love reading.

One of the first books I read was The Babysitters Club.
I read several of them throughout my childhood but it took me a while. I remember my friend and I would pretend to be in a babysitters club.although we had no kids to watch.
Ohhh, to be that young again!

Then, like so many other kids, I loved Goosebumps. Although I was completely scared of everything, I still read these books. Why? I have no idea! R.L. Stein is just an amazing author and his books always gave me nightmares, but I couldn't put them down.

And remember those chapter books where you pick where the story goes? I can't remember any of the titles now but I loved those! Sometimes I would cheat and look ahead but it was still so much fun! Anyone know if they still make those?

Then there was my first ever series. The first series that I followed. The first one that I looked for at wal-mart every time we went there (I lived in a small town with no bookstores). I would get so excited to see a new book on the shelf. I remember spending my entire summer reading these books. I think that this started my true love of reading. I read these books long before they were turned into a TV show so I was able to really connect with the characters and imagine who they were.

Here is the amazing part of this story. I now know Melinda Metz, the wonderful author of this series. Okay, maybe not"know" but I have talked to her AND she sent me a signed copy of Roswell High: The Outsiders. This is priceless to me! Priceless!! I will get to show my daughter this book and tell her how I have spoken with the author! How cool is that!? Not many people get that opportunity and I will treasure this gift forever.

That is the part of blogging that amazes me the most. We get a chance to talk with authors we have"known" for years. We can spread our love for their books and hopefully help others develop a love for reading as well. What better thing to share with people than a passion for something?

After that amazing summer of reading, I picked up several other books and slowly built a collection. Once in high school, I wasn't able to read as much but I always missed it. I didn't start reading again until July 2008. I went to the bookstore wanting to find a great book and what do you think I picked up? Twilight. I didn't know anything about the series but the cover grabbed my attention and the summary peaked my interest. I fell in love! I immediately grabbed New Moon, and Eclipse, and thankfully Breaking Dawn had just been released so I read it too. I read all four books 2 times and then decided to go to the bookstore to find more amazing reads. I did find several books that I loved. The Evernight series, Vampire Academy, House of Night; pretty much anything vampire related. I admit I was stuck on paranormal for a while.

Now, I read anything I can get my hands on but my love is still in young adult books. I still enjoy paranormal, but now I love dystopian, contemporary, romance, and more! I'd much rather read than watch TV. It's interesting to see how our reading habits change over time.

So, what is my new book obsession? Divergent, by the amazing Veronica Roth. This book is everything I enjoy wrapped up in a nice, pretty package. If you haven't ordered this book, do it! It's out now.

Many books are all amazing in their own way. But it takes a lot to really grab a reader. Certain books always seem to stick with me and it's impossible to get the story and characters out of my head. But isn't it great to feel so much passion towards a story? I'm amazed at the talent writers have and I'm thankful for all the work they go through to share their stories with me.

What were some of your book first-loves? What book are you obsessing over now?

4. In what ways do you feel bloggers make a difference in the book community? Have you ever been surprised by their influence?

It feels like they make a big difference, or at least I’d like to think so. They definitely can help make an author look good to their publisher, which is always nice.

I’m not sure how much they affect book sales on a grand scale, because I see some books adored by bloggers that don’t sell well, and some huge bestsellers that bloggers give very mixed or negative reviews. I guess that’s the case with anything, though—like movies that do great at the box office despite really bad reviews.

That being said! If a reader sees ten good reviews for a certain book, even if they just glance at them and don’t follow the links to read more or buy, that tenth good review might be the one that makes them pick up that book when they see it in the store or library. So even though Reviews 1-9 didn’t directly result in a sale, that doesn’t mean they weren’t necessary.

I would love to hear readers talk about what it is about certain reviews that puts them over the edge between, “Hmm, that sounds good, I might want to read that some time,” and “I must buy that book now!” — Jeri Smith-Ready

It was a little difficult for me to realize how many people are reviewing my books, and keeping track of my publications. I was a bit self-conscious for a while, but I've gotten used to it over the years. I'm delighted that bloggers have so much influence. They help me get the word out about what I'm doing, and what's coming up soon. — Nancy Holder

Bloggers have found a way to bridge the ravine between author and reader. Professional reviewers who write for the big newspapers and magazines are at arm’s length of both writer and reader. They serve a purpose, but they’re just talking heads giving a static opinion. Bloggers make the connection and create the personal relationships. They are real readers who read for fun, get excited about authors and books and enjoy sharing their passion with others. Instead of getting the opinion of some person sitting in a sky-rise office, we’re getting the opinion of a friend whose tastes we know and usually tend to agree with.

Bloggers also provide a way for authors to reach out to readers through interviews and guest posts. They help to make authors feel more like real people to readers, as well as the opposite – give authors names and faces of their fans. A good blogger can have such a positive influence on the book community. I can’t say that I’m surprised by their influence, but I’m glad for them to have it. Actual readers deserve to have a say in what they want to read instead of choices being dictated by a handful of decision-makers. Bloggers represent the readers and serve as their voice. It’s really an awesome position to be in and one bloggers shouldn’t take lightly. — Kristie Cook

I’m still amazed by the truly global nature of many of these blogs. People from many nations all gather in one location to share their words, their stories and talk about what’s important to them, be it real life, books, movies, whatever. Wow. Talk about shrinking the world to fit on the head of a pin. I have met many new friends via blogs from as far away as Israel and Australia. They share with me books they enjoy and I do the same. That global community of readers is truly awe inspiring, at least for me. — Jana Oliver

Bloggers open up a completely new avenue for communication with readers. They’re like friends telling you their opinions of things. I think the whole internet is like that. We’ve fallen in love with judging things, which I think comes pretty naturally to us. I’m not sure bloggers always realize how powerful they are. — Julie Chibbaro

Bloggers, in so many ways, are more focused on good books… not necessarily highly commercialized ones. I've seen many an indie author being recognized for their work thanks to bloggers, and I absolutely know they impact other readers. I think people can relate well to how real bloggers feel about a story more than anyone else, and these bloggers are right there in the thick of novels, reading like it's going out of style. They're some majorly dedicated people. — Janenifer DeLucy

Definitely. After Kristi blogged about Tell Me a Secret, suddenly it was everywhere. Bloggers helped spread the word about the book launch and later the trailer launch party, which spread like wildfire in just a couple of days. I often read my favorite blogs to find out about the latest book obsessions, what interests readers, and their thoughts about the future of YA. — Holly Cupala

I think bloggers do a fantastic job about getting the word out about books. I've found countless books from bloggers, some of my favorite reads. The blogs I like best are the ones that really embrace books. I'm not at all surprised by their effect because really, the best thing you can do for a book is tell a friend about it. Blogging is telling a friend--and the rest of the online world. — Beth Revis

I think that bloggers make a huge difference in the book community. I honestly have no idea how people knew about new novels before book bloggers came along! The internet is an efficient way of spreading information, and bloggers do a phenomenal job of publicizing literature. The book blogging community is filled with intelligent people who love reading and writing, and their passion for books is evident. It’s fantastic that there is a thriving community of people who enjoy discussing and promoting books in a productive and positive way. The existence of this community is also great for young people, especially high school and college students. Reading and writing used to be such a solitary activity—it wasn’t as if young people could join a team of readers and writers. But now they can, because book bloggers provide the same support and synergy as a team, which is fabulous! — Lorraine Zago Rosenthal

Book bloggers are the cornerstone of the book community. It's not an accident that the biggest fans of any book are usually bloggers, because they're the ones who are most interested in spreading the word about great, new stories and most eager to get their hands on new ones. There's an interesting kind of trust in the relationship between bloggers and other readers. It's more like hearing from a friend who liked a book rather than reading a review published in a newspaper somewhere by someone whose tastes might be completely different than yours and who you'll never meet. Most bloggers are very accessible and eager to talk. That's where the community feel comes from. — Jason Letts

Totally. They create such a great buzz and tell their friends, it's really helped my sales tremendously! — Brenda Pandos

* The fifth and final question for the bloggers will be posted tomorrow in 3 parts. USE GOOGLE if you want to know more about the blogoversary celebration.

With the release of New Moon, so many young adult (and adult) readers are getting excited and having a great time. Unfortunately, the "nay-sayers" (as I like to call them) are being more negative than ever. I recently wrote an article about it for the University's newspaper and I thought now would be the ideal time to share it with you.

Literary Snobs Beware

On November 20^th, thousands of ‘tweens’ will flood the cinemas to see New Moon, the highly anticipated sequel to Twilight. The Twilight franchise, both the books and the movies, is the newest fad – even Walmart would agree. But with any new fad, there are always the nay-sayers; as easy as it is to find someone reading one of the four Twilight books, it seems it is even easier to find someone bashing these books. Personally, I’ve read the books and have seen the first movie. I don’t own any stickers, shirts, or other Robert Pattinson merchandise, but I did enjoy reading the books. And while I am not in complete support of Twilight’s Walmart domination, I can’t argue with it.

The Twilight phenomenon has put good books in students’ hands (by choice), much like what Harry Potter accomplished while I was in high school. You can argue that the writing is less than perfect, the heroine is slightly ridiculous, and that Edward Cullen is a little “too” brooding and may, in fact, be a stalker. You can’t, however, argue with the fact that both young adults and adults are reading recreationally. Those who have read the books, generally speaking, like them. It is the people who haven’t read the books that are making all the ruckus.

With the release of the new movie, ‘Twilighters’ are glowing with excitement – and why shouldn’t they be? I’ll be the first to point out the flaws of the novels (and the movie), but who am I to judge someone else’s reading preferences? It is extremely detrimental to society to have all these Anti-Twilight people laughing at, humiliating, and pointing fingers at those who have read, liked, and even became obsessed with the novels. To publically criticize another’s choice of literature instills in the recreational reader the idea that reading a particular book, Twilight in this case, is “uncool.” Then the reader begins to question what else they’ve read, and liked, that was, according to society, ridiculous. At this point, the reader is humiliated and ready to give up recreational reading entirely. This, of course, applies to other genres that are labeled as less than ‘popular’ or acceptable by literary snobs such as graphic novels, comic books, the Harlequin Romance novels (and others as such), chick-lit, fantasy, or sci-fi. I have personally witnessed on several occasions, as have most people, the verbal abuse that occurs once the Twilight topic is raised amongst peers. Ironically, these abusive nay-sayers, stereotypically, don’t read their homework assignments, much less for recreation.

To those who publicly humiliate anyone who has read and enjoyed the Twilight series or any of the other ‘unpopular’ genres: who do you think you are? What gives you the right to judge what others read to the point of embarrassing them? Who gives you the authority to say such hurtful things? Yes, Twilight has seemingly taken over the world, but at least people are reading. Please think twice before you even joke about how ridiculous Twilight is, reading has already become an almost taboo subject. Those who read recreationally are, occasionally, ashamed of this behavior (why, I don’t know) – but they definitely don’t need your discouragement.

To those who are self-proclaimed Twilight (obsessed) fans or book lovers in general, do not be afraid of reading recreationally and displaying your love of literature. If anything else, come up with a witty comeback using big words, after all, you are the literate one. Either way, I'll see you in the theaters.

For the second week in a row, I'd like to welcome this week's Guest Reviewer Kath.

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From Amazon.com...

"First published in 1992 and even more relevant now, Daniel Pennac's quirky ode to reading has sold more than a million copies in his native
France. Drawing on his experiences as a child, a parent, and an inner-city teacher in Paris, the author reflects on the power of story and reminds us of our right to read anything, anywhere, anytime, so long as we are enjoying ourselves. In a new translation with a foreword and illustrations by Quentin Blake, here is a guide to reading unlike any other: fresh, sympathetic, and never didactic, it is a work of literature in its own right."
Cast your mind back. You're seven years old and you've just got your very own library card. Surrounded by silence and the smell of words and promised adventures, you run giddily towards the children's section. You run your hand over the shelves of books, some smooth, some bumpy, all tagged with some weird and unfathomable code. Before you know it, you've picked up something that has caught your attention and you've settled into the bright red beanbag for the long haul. You forget where you are, consumed by the voices and exploits of Asterix or the Famous Five and you can't believe it's time to go already when, an hour later, your Mum comes round the corner to find you.

Every week you come back and you always leave with a pile of books, one of which you're usually half way through by the time you get home. The need to read consumes you: you sneak off to the toilet to get in a few pages, you read late at night with a torch under the bedcovers. You are, in fact, a veritable addict, looking feverishly along the shelves to find your next hit.
Then, somewhere along the line, something happens. Reading loses some of the joy it once held — it becomes, unthinkably, a chore. A task that has to be completed by next Monday, with an 800 word essay to boot. High school literature studies have come home to roost. English class is now peering over your shoulder, pointing out that you shouldn't be reading that book, you should read this one, the required text. You know, the one sitting ominously on your desk, unreadable and daunting.
This is where the education system, according to Daniel Pennac, fails our kids. I recently read his amazing book The Rights of the Reader (translated by Sarah Adams) as part of a bookring through Bookcrossing and was very pleasantly surprised. I was expecting something completely different — a fun and lighthearted look at reading as a hobby — but was met with an entertaining and brilliantly written manifesto on the importance of teaching our future generations to love reading and not make it a "should" — a word sure to kill any desire to do something.
Pennac points out that as kids, we loved to hear stories and would beg our parents again and again to read us our favorite books. It is in this tradition of oral storytelling, he argues, that reading is based. It's our desire to hear new stories and follow new heroes on new adventures that drives us from one finished book to the next new one. But as soon as interfere with our child's relationship with books and we disturb the private "alchemist's voice" in their minds, we start to suck their joy out of their reading experience. This, claims Pennac, is a crime of epic proportions. A relationship with books is one of the most consistent and satisfying ones that most people will have in their lives, after all.
The solution? Simple, claims Pennac. Take it back to the basics — oral storytelling. Read to those who have become disenchanted by the hard slog of required textbooks and compulsory reading. Re-introduce that spark. Draw them back in. Before you know it, they'll have rediscovered that "alchemist's voice" and they'll be off in their own private world of books again.
This book was a really fascinating read for me as I recognized that I had suffered a period of book fatigue until pretty recently. As a kid, I was the one hiding under the sheets with a book and a torch. I read an insane amount of books from all sorts of genres, right up until the age of 15 — that's when it started for me. Required reading to be completed within a ridiculously short period of time, essays to write and not to mention maths homework and geography study... Luckily, I've rediscovered that old spark and have come back to the ranks of the voracious reader — one "right" at a time. If there's anyone out there that has lost their spark, or knows someone who is struggling with reading — I highly recommend this book. It'll surely help you bring them back from the brink of a world without books.

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Big thanks to Kath for this wonderful review. Please stop by, share some book love, and read the original review.

I feel like sometimes all my weekend posts are memes. I don't have a problem with memes, I don't want it to consume my blog with 3/6 posts I do a week (rough estimate). So, with a new year of blogging resolutions, I'm going to try something different: smash In My Mailbox, Sunday Salon, and It's Monday into one post. Let's see how it goes.

Hosted by The Story Siren. If you want to find out more about it in my blog. Anyway, these are books I got this week at the bookstore, library, and in the mail, of course. So far, I've held true to my word and haven't purchased a book this week! I've read three so far (so that's another three off my shelves). I did go to the library (dangerous deal) to return the keys to the computer lab, and accidentally walked out with three books. For Review: Won: From the library:

• "Inside Out"
• "The Twin's Daughter"
• "White Cat"
• "Definitely Dead" (Audio)

I won't lie, I'm pretty proud of myself this week. As I stated earlier, I've stayed focused and haven't purchased a book (although my trip to the library did put me back a bit). I've also been reading a lot, but it's easier now that D reads with me. I finished four books this week — "Delirium, " "Wake," and "Change of Heart." I've contacted two authors about author interviews and I've been diligent about my Google Reader and commenting on as many posts as possible — my new goal is for any post about a book I've heard of, read, or want to read = COMMENT! It's been working really well so far. I've found that it's not so impossible to stay on top of my Google Reader as long as I don't let it get so large. I've been checking it when I wake up 5:30 am, during my lunch break, after school, and before bed. It sounds like a lot, but it's only ever for fifteen or so minutes at a time. I'm really proud of my blogging attitude this week! I feel like I've done everything I can to be supportive to others and an active member of this awesome community. I know not every week will be like this one, but I feel like this New Year is off to the right start.

In my classroom I've "bitten the bullet" and loaned two of my "be careful, it's signed" books to students: "Knightley Academy" and "Delirium." I know, I know — I can't believe it either. I gave both of the students the lecture: "This book is signed. I know the author. It's important to me. Please don't break the spine, dog-ear the pages, wipe your buggers on the pages, etc." For "Delirium" it was a bit more involved: "This book isn't even out yet. It's signed to me. It's my favorite book. Please... treat it well."

I don't normally have a problem with my students using my books, but it seems like three students later and the books are in super bad shape! Again, this doesn't normally bother me (even with signed copies of "Shade" and "The Dark Divine"), but "Delirium" was one of those books I hate out my hands. When the book is released (in 23 days), I'll buy a copy to put in my room. This one is special! It's signed to me — most times I have authors write "To Miss Remmers' Class" or the "BVHS students." It means a lot to me and I wouldn't have loaned it out if this student wasn't extremely trustworthy, but it is still hard. When to loan and when not to loan books? Most of the times I justify loaning (even signed) books by saying "what good are they doing on my shelves?" But again, sometimes I struggle giving up a book.

Hosted by Sheila — Thank you!

This week I finished "Delirium," "Wake," and "Change of Heart," — which means that I did what I said I was going to do! Seems like forever since I've been so productive!

Review Books: "When the Stars Go Blue"

My Books/Recreational Read: "How to Say Goodbye in Robot" and "Inside Out"

Class Books: "The Odyssey"

If you could share any thoughts or feelings with authors, what would you like to tell them?

That we truly appreciate them and everything they do. Authors are people too, and they work so hard on their books, they deserve some praise for a job well done (especially since the work they did is giving thousands of people joy when they read it). — Kayla at Midnight Twilight's Book Blog
Don't get pissed at a bad review, and sure as hell don't pick a fight with the reviewer. I've seen it happen a few times — it's rare, but it's happened. Relax. One person hating your book won't kill you. If they bash it, they bash it. Take the higher ground. — Nicole at WORD for Teens
I hope the authors of YA lit know just how incredibly important they are. The dedication they put in to their books literally changes lives. Teens need books that they can connect with. Not only does it get them reading but it helps them to see that they are not alone. During a time of life that can be so confusing YA authors help their readers to find acceptance. — Heidi at YA Bibliophile
Responding to your readers is one of the greatest things you can ever do. That little bit of interaction not only inspires me to bring others into the worlds you have created but just may make me a fan for life. The five minutes spent on one email could equal 20+ new readers through my word of mouth. Debbie Macomber is one of those amazing writers and the first I ever wrote to 15 years ago now. While I haven't read anything by her lately, I would recommend her in a heart beat,,, and speaking of, I think I'll go pick up her latest! — Kelli at Scarlett's Scraps
Just keep writing- there are lots of people out there desperate to read your work. I'd also like to tell them about bookcrossing and encourage them to think about how it can increase their number of potential readers. — Abigailann at The Story Factory Reading Zone
That they are fantastic, inspiring, and they make my life so much better by writing these amazing creative fictional worlds that I can escape to from my normal life. — Cynthia at A Blog about Nothing
I would just tell them how awesome they are. I would love to have the imaganation to write wonderful stories that draw you in. Without great authors writing wonderful books life would be very dull. — Megan at Reading Away the Days
I would thank them for the opportunity of sharing there stories, and lives with us through there books, and social media. Reagan at Star Shadow Blog
I would love to tell authors"thanks for following your dreams and for sharing them with us." Honestly, authors are inspiring whether their books are good or bad, they have put themselves out there. There share their thoughts and ideas with us through the power of the printed word. Anyone who puts themselves out there to be praised or criticized is pretty dang awesome in my book. — Lisa at Bookworm Lisa
I would love to just be in ultimate fan-mode with them. I want to let those authors out there how much I love them! They are so clever and awesome. All authors need more love! — Gina at The Bucket List
As an overall comment I'd tell authors it really is cool that they are so involved in social networking. It really gives the whole blogging and reading experience something extra fabulous. — Stacey at Flippin' Fabulous — A Reader's Record
I have such a deep admiration for writers, and wish I had that kind of talent and determiniation. Thank you for continually providing us new worlds to explore, and new characters to connect with! -Christi at Christi the Teen Librarian I admire authors with perseverance. I enjoy seeing success stories and I would like to thank all those wonderful authors who have inspired me to keep writing. — J.L. at J.L. Jackson
I started blogging about books, simply because it looked like fun. I was already doing reviews for stuff I got on Amazon, so I decided to make my own spot for my thoughts and share them with others. — Ellen at Silver Tabby Books
Tough question! I think the one overarching theme I would like to share with any author is my sense of gratitude. Through their words, I have been able to explore worlds, visit times and places that I would have never dreamed possible. At the same time, I have discovered more about myself — my likes, my dislikes, my values, and so forth — that most people struggle to discover because their books and words afford me the opportunity to learn. I am who I am because of their words, for which I am forever in their debt. — Michelle at That's What She Read
Keep writing! I'm sooooo thankful to all the authors writing books, because without them I wouldn't be able to read. I love discovering new favorite books that stick with my and that I lie in bed thinking about at night. — Thia at Through the Book Vine
Keep writing. I love a good movie, but there is nothing like making a cup of tea and curling up with a good book – preferably a cozy mystery. — Ann at Cozy in Texas
I don't think anyone has an obligation to like what you've written, just because it's published. Personally, I do think there's an obligation to be respectful, but that's a two way street.
-Don't turn down free publicity! — Cat at Cat's Thoughts
That I am absolutely amazed at the time and energy that they put into their books (and interacting with the online community), and just how unbelievably nice the mass majority of the are. — Orchid at The Haunting of Orchid Forsythia
"Thank you." That about sums it all up for me."Thank you for getting up every day, sitting down at the keyboard and spending hours upon hours, pouring yourself onto the page, tapping deep into your imagination, all with no promise of reward or compensation, but fueled by the belief that telling a story is the most important thing in the world. It is, and for that we're grateful for what you do." That's what I would tell every author I meet. — David at Quivering Pen Blog
THANK YOU! Also, I swear I’m not really as dumb as my tongue-tied babbling fangirly state makes me seem! — Small at Small Reviews
Give the book blogger community more credit — most of us take this as seriously as any high-paying job should be, and we operate with a veracity that can be hard to find in many paying jobs. Our work can and does impact book sales, even if those numbers are difficult to track. — Rachel at Jacob's Beloved's Books
Thank you for sharing your gift of storytelling and writing to us. Know that you are changing or have changed someone's life. — Len at Musings of a Reader Happy
I would share with any author that when they travel and take time to visit with their readers, it makes a reader even more excited to go out and read their previous works or future works for that matter too. — Kristin at Kritters Ramblings
I just want to let you know that you are awesome! Though some of your more obscure books may be hard to locate, you have fans! Also, many bloggers, myself included, love a simple recognition. So, shout-outs or even"likes" go a long way in the fan-girl screaming categories! Mainly, I commend you for having the guts to write down what you feel and for having the courage to hand it over to a publisher to be ripped apart and criticized. It takes a lot of bravery, but you succeeded. — Nora at The Bookery
First, I'd thank them for taking their thoughts and using words on a page to create these works of arts. Then I'd want to know about their specific processes and/ or inspiration. A bit of a bland response, but I'm a simple person looking for the answers to simple questions. — Kim at Book Munchies
I would probably say thank you. They take me to another world that can't be compared to TV and movies. The way you play with words truly amazes me each time I read a book. Therefore, thank you so much for writing. — Lindsay at Just Another Book Addict
I hope that you never run across a blogger who treats you unkindly or unfairly. If you do, please do not let one bad experience ruin your opinion of us all. I have met some amazing bloggers who wish nothing but success to authors and their books. — Shannon at Books Devoured

*Part 3 of 3 will be posted soon.
USE GOOGLE if you want to know more about the blogoversary celebration.

1. Can you tell us a little about your experiences with bloggers?

It’s been great! I’ve been overwhelmed at the “blogosphere’s” response to SHADE in particular. *blushes* A writer friend of mine compared YA book blogdom to science fiction/fantasy fandom, because they’ve formed a friendly, passionate community around the thing they love most—books! — Jeri Smith-Ready

I love bloggers! They have really helped me get the word out about my new books. I've made a lot of friends all over the world--Spain, France, New Zealand--and we stay in touch. They've helped run contests, review my books, and connect me with other bloggers and fellow bookophiles. — Nancy Holder

In one word, bloggers ROCK! My experience has been almost 100% positive. As a debut author without the backing of a major publisher, I’m responsible for all of my marketing. One of the first things I did was look for bloggers who might want to review my book. I contacted 10 at first and received 9 yes’s. One or two didn’t get the reviews done, but I really was overwhelmed with the kindness and excitement everyone else had about reading my story. Then others contacted me, asking me to please, please, please send them a copy. No book that’s been read by a decent amount of people is going to get all glowing reviews – there’s just no way everyone is going to love our books – and I’ve had a few that were not so stellar. But they’re usually written well and make great points, whether the reviewer liked the book or not. There have been a couple that seemed to be written just to hurt the author and these just make me sad for both the author (me or someone else) and the reviewer because they’re not helpful at all and only create bad feelings. Most bloggers, though, give so much heart and soul to their reviews and to their blogs that you know they’ve really considered what they’re writing and how it will affect both writers and readers. — Kristie Cook

I’ve had really good experiences with bloggers. Even if I don’t fully agree with a review, I respect the fact that someone took the time to read my book and write about it. Sometimes a blogger will pose a question, and I’ll follow up in the comments section. I seem to startle bloggers when I do that, which leads me to believe there are some that don’t have the time to post. I hope I will continue to be able to follow and contribute to the blogs. I figure if you took the time to write the article or a review I will take the time to thank you. Even if you spelled my heroine’s name wrong (wink). — Jana Oliver

When my first book, Redemption, came out in 2004, I wasn’t aware of bloggers. This time around, for Deadly, I realized that bloggers were really, in essence, rabid book lovers. Being a book lover myself, I could identify. Actually communicating with bloggers to ask for reviews and interviews was a bit scary for me (I feel a little funny promoting my self/book.) Some bloggers were highly receptive and communicative, and some less so. It was important to pair my book not just with the bloggers who’d be receptive, but also with bloggers who were interested in my kind of work, this historical medical mystery type thing. It took me awhile to understand how important that was. — Julie Chibbaro

I count bloggers as some of the best experiences I've had since being published. I had no idea such a community of women existed before. Some of my most joyful moments came from reading their reviews, because they are the real reader. These are true representatives of the people buying and reading my books. — Janenifer DeLucy

I went to my first kidlit blogger conference a few years ago, but honestly I had no idea the YA blogger community was so vast until Kristi at The Story Siren chose Tell Me a Secret for her 2010 Debut Author Challenge. Since then I’ve met some of you in person at events, had coffee with others, and have happily visited your blogs as a guest and on tour. You are celebrities to me! — Holly Cupala

I love bloggers! They have been so wonderful--they care about books and about spreading the word on good books. They're like the librarians of the online world. — Beth Revis

My experience with bloggers has been absolutely amazing! I first learned about book bloggers when I joined Twitter last year. I was very flattered by the warm welcome they gave me, and I continue to be so grateful for their excitement and enthusiasm about Other Words for Love. — Lorraine Zago Rosenthal

The funny thing about bloggers is that most of the time they are indistinguishable from readers. I can be talking to someone about books on twitter, goodreads, or wherever, and I'll be completely surprised to hear that person's a blogger. It just goes to show that anyone can develop strong opinions about literature and present them in a convincing way via a blog. As a result, I've come into contact with such a wide variety of opinions about different books that it's really helped broaden my sense of what readers are looking for. Because we're all a little different, I have a theory that no two people ever really read the same book, and so it's wonderful to read reviews on a number of blogs to see the variety of ideas and perceptions. — Jason Letts

Bloggers in general have been nothing but ah-maz-ing to me! Without their undying promotion and love of books, getting word out about great novels would be harder to come by. Many of these bloggers (including you) are now my closer online friends and they warm my heart with their kindness. — Brenda Pandos

* The second question for the bloggers will be posted tomorrow in 3 parts. USE GOOGLE if you want to know more about the blogoversary celebration.

In preparation for the beginning of Bloggiesta on Friday, I've compiled a list of everyone who is participating who has a Twitter account. Now, this list isn't perfect because not everyone has Twitter or I couldn't find it. Furthermore, next time I do this I'll put the direct link to their Twitter page. But because I didn't think about it until I was done, you just have to go your twitter.com page, find people, and search the username.

I've tried to keep up with this list, but if you recently signed Natasha 's Mr. Linky then you may not be on this list. If you aren't and would like to be added, please email me, google (at) gmail (dot) com, your Twitter username and the link to to your blog (like everyone elses) and I will add you immediately. Also, if your Twitter username is listed and you don't want it to be for privacy reasons — please email me and I'll remove it. I don't want to intrude on anyone's privacy by posting their usernames for any one to read. I didn't put up anyone's username that wasn't publicly visible on their blog. If the name wasn't visible — I emailed or commented. But still, if you want your name removed, please let me know.

If you see a mistake (spelling or whatever), again, let me know and I'll fix it.

The whole point to this was so that for the next couple days we can all check each other's updates and get to know each other a bit better (don't forget to use the hashtag #bloggiesta). Also, by posting reviews/blog links to Twitter, we can all see what everyone else is up to, participate in more mini-challenges, and be more of a 'team.' I'm really excited about this — but I completely understand if you want your name removed. I'm excited for Bloggiesta in general, and compiling this list and seeing blogs that are new to me and already connecting with these readers has really 'lit the fire' for Bloggiesta and I hope that you all get the same feeling I did.

Good luck everyone!

1. Rebecca @ The Book Lady's Blog — bookladysblog
2. Miss Remmers — google
3. Deborah (Books, Movies and Chinese Food) — readerbuzz
4. Nicole (Linus's Blanket) — NicoleBo
5. Melanie @ Melanie's Musings — MelanieMFoust
6. Vasilly — 1330v — Vasilly
7. Katie (Read What You Know) — katietweetsya
8. Michelle (Michelle's Masterful Musings) — jmchshannon
9. Chris@ bookarama — Christbookarama
10. Shona's Book Shelves
11. Pam (Bookalicio. us) — bookaliciouspam
12. Suey — SueySays
13. Sandra (Fresh Ink Books)
14. Ann @ Books on the Nightstand — AnnKingman
15. Amanda (The Zen Leaf) — pookasluagh
16. Lindsay — lindzsmile
17. Avis (she reads and reads)
18. Kate (The Neverending Shelf) — neshelf
19. Cindy( cindysloveofbooks) — cindyloveofbook
20. Tracie @ Yule Time Reading — YuleTimeReading
21. Bibliofreak — bibliofreakblog
22. The1stdaughter (There's A Book) — the1stdaughter
23. Florinda/ The 3 R's Blog — florinda_3rs
24. christina (Reading Thru The Night)
25. Laura W
26. Sharla — WinterWrite
27. Tam @ Bailey's and Books — BaileysandBooks
28. Jennifer @ Reading with Tequila — TequilaReader
29. Marquetta (Love To Read For Fun) — Loves2Read4Fun
30. Colleen
31. Michelle (galleysmith) — galleysmith
32. Aarti @ Booklust — aartichapati
33. christine( booktumbling) — booktumbling
34. Shellie (Layers of Thought) — layersofthought
35. melissa @ 1lbr — melissa1lbr
36. Nan (Nan's Corner of the Web
37. Robin of My Two Blessings — My2blessings59
38. Lexie/ Poisoned Rationality — lexilewords
39. Ashley @ Ashley's Library — GirlThatReads
40. Callista (SMS Book Reviews) — callista83
41. Beth F (Beth Fish Reads) — BethFishReads
42. KyleeJ @ Kylee's Journal — KsJournal
43. Kristen (Bookworming in the 21st Century) — bookgoil
44. Stacy's Books – stacybuckeye
45. alisonwonderland (So Many Books, So Little Time) — utahalison
46. Monica (Bibliophilic Book Blog) — bibliophilicboo
47. Helen (Helen Loves Books) — lovesbooks81
48. Emily @What Book is That? — heynocupcake
49. debnance at readerbuzz
50. Susan (Bulging Bookshelves)
51. Susan (Bulging Bookshelves)
52. Grace — bibliophile23
53. Lauren (Reading Comes From Writing) — blondierocket
54. Julie — faithfulgirl
55. Sheila (Journey Through a World of Books) — bookjourney
56. Emma (Booking Through365) — SekritEmuSister
57. Bitsy (Fabula: A Book Blog)
58. Brittany Landgrebe — light_aurora
59. Zee @ Notes from the North — Zommie
60. Karin (Karin's Book Nook) — kperry
61. Karin (The Book Jacket) — thebookjacket
62. Alethea (Read Now Sleep Later) — frootjoos
63. Kathrin (Secret Dreamworld of a Bookaholic) L3
64. Suzanne (Chick with Books) — ChickwithBooks
65. Ash (English Major's Junk Food) — ashbrux
66. Gnoe's Graasland — graasland
67. Sabrina
68. I Heart Monster
69. Drea (Book Blather) — awaitinserenity
70. nomadreader
71. Patricia — PatriciaAltner
72. Lisa A
73. Sherry at Semicolon
74. tanabata (In Spring it is the Dawn) — tanabata2000
75. Margot (Joyfully Retired)
76. Kim @ Good Clean Reads
77. Tasha B. (Heidenkind's Hideaway) — heidenkind
78. Chelle (Tempting Persephone) — persephonereads
79. Justine (A Bookful of Thoughts) — justeena
80. Jaime (Denim Debutante. com) — denimdebutante
81. The Kool — Aid Mom — thekoolaidmom
82. Liz B (Tea Cozy) — LizB
83. Honey (Coffeespoons) — fantaghiro23
84. Dawn — She is Too Fond of Books — toofondofbooks
85. Mother Reader
86. Jennie from Biblio File
87. Laurel — Rain Snow — laurelrainsnow
88. Alexia561 — alexia561
89. Alison (Alison's Book Marks)
90. Vicki ~ Reading At The Beach — Readatthebeach
91. Sally Hanan — inksnatcher
92. Debbie's World of Books — DebWorldOfBooks
93. Marion (Books & Fiber) — tattoocats
94. Sara (The Hiding Spot) — http://twitter.com/thehidingspot
95. Charlotte
96. Lisa
97. Molly (My Cozy Book Nook)
98. Joyful@ New Horizon Reviews
99. Dana (Rantings of a Bookworm Couch Potato

100. 5 Minutes for Books (Jennifer & team)
101. Meg (A Piece of Evidence) — jbbmegan
102. Sherrie( Just Books)
103. Caridad Pineiro — CaridadPineiro
104. Marci (Serendipitous Readings)
105. Sharon (Sharon's Garden of Book Reviews) — SharonChance
106. Becky
107. Dani (YA All The Way) — Danidlion
108. Erica (The Book Cellar) — thebookcellarx
109. Jen — Devourer of Books
110. Erika (Reading with Momma)
111. Bart's Bookshelf
112. Intense Whisper — intensewhisper
113. Jenn's Bookshelves
114. Gayla
115. Sarah (My World of Books)
116. Amyloves Bud
117. Melissa (Betty and Boo Chronicles)

118. Nicole @ Book — Wyrm — Knits
119. Sue (Books, Books, Magical) — froggyfitz
120. Bea (How Novel!)
121. Julie (My Book Retreat)
122. Kris
123. Joyful@( The Sacrifice — Book Review)
124. melydia — melydia
125. Laura (The Calico Critic)
126. Karey Shane (er, K.S.R. Kingworth)

127. Savvy Verse & Wit — SavvyVerseWit
128. lena
129. cindy
130. Amused (Amused by Books)
131. Gina @ Book Dragon's Lair
132. Marg (Reading Adventures) — MargReads
133. KyleeJ @ Kylee's Journal — KsJournal

134. Heather (Capricious Reader) — capriciousreadr

135. Sandra (Musings of a Book Addict)

Top Ten Books that Inspire Me
1) The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
This book made me fall in love with the idea of storytelling. The first time I read it, I discovered that many of the bedtime stories my father told me were actually inspired by the world that J.R.R. Tolkien created. I thought it was so cool, and I decided I wanted to write stories that could inspire people the same way. It was also where my love of fantasy started, a love that inspired me to write and publish my first book, Beckoning Light.

2) Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
I'm a huge Jane Austen fan, and I've read Pride and Prejudice countless times. It inspired my love of romance and flawed characters. If I could travel back in time, I'd love to meet Jane Austen.

3) Portal by Imogen Rose
This YA Time Travel Romance inspired me to self- publish. I loved the story and knew it was something that probably wouldn’t have been traditionally published originally because it was so unique, and it didn’t fit within the traditional categories. I was so impressed, that it gave me that final push to take the indie plunge.

4) Flat-out love by Jessica Park
This is my favorite NA book. It inspired me to try writing in the NA category, and it reminded me of how great books with a twist are. I'd been reading almost exclusively paranormal and fantasy, and Flat-Out Love rekindled my love of contemporary.

5) Moby Dick by Herman Melville
This is my favorite book. Melville captures obsession like no one else. You feel the emotion even though it's a book that takes place almost entirely on a whaling ship. Moby Dick inspires me to challenge myself to play with genres and to experiment with my writing.

6) Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
I love Agatha Christie, and this is my favorite mystery of hers. She instilled in me a love of mystery and intrigue. I especially love how timeless it is, it’s still so great after all these years.

7) Harry Potter by J. K. Rowling
I read the first five books on my honeymoon. Reading the series was the first time I discovered Internet fandom. I used to read Muggle net with my friends when we were supposed to be listening to law school lectures. It’s such a fantastic world that never leaves you.

8) Twilight by Stephenie Meyer.
Twilight reintroduced me to YA, and paranormal. I Loved Bella and the voice. It made me feel confident about writing first person even if it isn't what you were"supposed to do."

9) Fablehaven by Brandon Mull
Mull is the king of writing a series where all of the books tie together perfectly. Hints he drops in book one, tie together in the final book. I strive to do the same in my series, and I aim to make every detail count. Chances are if it’s in my book, it's there for a reason even if it takes a few books to see it. The same goes with my characters.
10) Let Me Call You Sweetheart by Mary Higgins Clark
I picked up one of her books at the library in sixth grade, and read every book of hers within a few months. This was the one that stuck with me longest. Mary Higgins Clark was one of my early transitions into adult fiction, and I still have so many fond memories of curling up with one her books.

Wrecked by Alyssa Rose Ivy
Published: April 30th, 2013
Reading Level: New Adult
ebook edition: 285 pages
Series: Clayton Falls, #3
Summary:
When your past catches up, it's time to stop running.

Jake Mathews messed up yet again— but this time his misstep lands him in the hospital. He wakes up to find the girl of his dreams and the memory of having his deepest secret revealed.

Emily Taylor needs a break. She's been working double shifts as a nurse just to pay the bills while trying to heal a broken heart. The last thing she needs is to fall for a patient.

Strapped with community service and the knowledge that he's disappointed everyone in his life, Jake is determined not to let Emily slip through his fingers. Emily wants Jake, but can she really open herself up to heartache again?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Author Bio:
Alyssa Rose Ivy is a Young Adult and New Adult author who loves to weave stories with romance

and a southern setting. Although raised in the New York area, she fell in love with the South after moving to New Orleans for college. After years as a perpetual student, she turned back to her creative side and decided to write. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and two young children, and she can usually be found with a cup of coffee in her hand.

Links:
Website: http://www.alyssaroseivy.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlyssaRoseIvy
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AlyssaRoseIvy
WRECKED Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16208128-wrecked
Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5047249.Alyssa_Rose_Ivy

Wow, I need to get better about doing my SS posts. These are my favorite posts of the week and I've totally been neglecting them!

I started Student Teaching last week and wrote up my first post (more to follow today and tomorrow).

Blog related — I've added a "label cloud" (see right sidebar) as well as a search bar (see left sidebar). So that's exciting. I've got a great contest going on for Alphatudes — make sure to check it out! This week, due to a prep period everyday and a study hall everyday, I've finished quite a few books (for me anyway): "Alphatudes," "The Bubble," "Mia the Magnificent," and "Girl Made of Cool." Reviews will be up soon!

I went to Sioux Falls yesterday to try on my bridesmaid's dress and listened to "Confessions of a Shopaholic" the whole way there and back. Verdict is still out — but I totally forgot how much I love listening to audio books. Plus, the narration made me want to move to Europe spontaneously. It also got me really excited about entering the working world.

On that note — no word yet on the dream job. I was supposed to know on Friday, so any day now really.

I'm having kind of a rough time. While in SuFu, I of course went to the Barnes and Noble — I haven't entered one of these in forever! There are several books I really want (coming from the girl who never buys books). I would interlibrary loan them, but either they are too new and libraries don't have them or they won't give them to me because the hold list is too long. I ended up purchasing "The Power of Now" because T really liked it and I want to read it and "1000 Best New Teacher Survival Secrets," but I also really REALLY want:

• "Hex Hall"
• "Hush Hush" — I've wanted this one FOREVER
• "The Hunger Games" — Read and loved. I want this for my own classroom!
• "Beastly"
• "Before I Fall"

Also worth mentioning: it's Spring Break. That means everyone has left campus for home. Except me (and the other Student Teachers). Student Teachers must stay and abide by the cooperating school's schedule. Thankfully, I don't have class Thursday or Friday this week and next (so that's nice). So with my residents gone, no campus activities, and T is in Arizona for baseball, I'm excited to relax and enjoy my week. I plan on blog hopping and catching up on some much needed "down time." Also, I need to study for my GRE (I'm taking it on Saturday — eek).

I have gained a new follower and now have 46 amazing followers. Welcome and thank you!

This week I need to start/finish "The Postmistress" and "Embellish."

My running "To-do" list:

• Make a Blogaversary button and link it up in the sidebar
• Finish posting all the Guest Reviews sent in from my campaign for reviews
• Read through posts to make sure that they are ready to be looked at by perspective employers (every single post) — Make them professional
  
• Look at Reviews for spelling/grammar
• Organize Reader (even though I have NO idea how)
• Review "New Moon"
• Review "A Christmas Carol"
• Order bookmarks
  
• Order business cards
• Add customized header
• Empty Old Reader — Starred Items
• Transfer contacts from old to new email address
• Add tags/labels to posts
• Create a Cheat Sheet
• Get rid of "dead" links
• Write my Disclosure Statement
• Update "Series" (Suggestions on good series?)
  
• Manage Bookmarks (Hot mess! Woa!)
• Add a retweet button to posts — BIG thanks to Emily (@heynocupcake)