Hosted by Miz B at Should Be Reading

Today’s question:
What is the most recent book you purchased, or brought home from the local library? What made you pick it? Have you started reading it, right away, or will you wait for a bit?

My answer:
Since I started reviewing, my purchases and trips to the library aren’t as frequent as it was before blogging.  However, the last book I purchased was Web Of Tyranny, by Laurel-Rain Snow, author and blogging peer.  I have been following Laurel-Rain for the past 3 years and have had her book on my TBR list since finding her blogs.  I have wanted to read her novel for a very long time and hope that once I get caught up with some of my requested reviews, I can pick it up and enjoy.

What about you?  What was the last book you either purchased or checked out of the library.

November is being hosted by Edgy Inspirational Romance

Mailbox Monday was created by Marcia of A girl and her books and is now on tour.
According to Marcia, “Mailbox Monday is the gathering p

lace for readers to share the books that came into their house last week. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.”
Click on title for synopsis via IndieBound and Amazon  (I am an IndieBound Affiliate)

Wed:  A Bullet For Carlos by Giacomo Giammatteo from Author for PICT
Sat:   Dancing at the Shame Prom, Amy Ferris & Hollye Dexter, Editors from Seal Press for WOW 

Hosted by Miz B at Should Be Reading

Today’s muse:
Do you have people online that you often discuss the books you read with? Not just book groups, but individual readers who share the same taste in books? If so, what do you like best about this? If not, do you wish you did?

My thoughts:
Absolutely.  That was one of the reasons I became involved in this community.  Since I am not surrounded by readers, in real life, I was so excited when I stumbled upon a book blog.  At the time, I didn’t even know what a blog was.  But after stalking a few for some months, I wanted to become a member.

I have found some blogs that our reading likes are very similar.  And other blogs that I feel are very credible, and wait for their reviews, to see if I should add books to my TBR list.  The only problem with that is. since becoming a book blogger and reading the thoughts on books by those bloggers, my TBR list is now called “hopefully in my lifetime TBR list”.

Before blogging, I would read books, and wished there was someone I could start a discussion about it.  Since I didn’t have that option, if I was out and saw a random person with a book, I would start a conversation about their likes and dislikes in books.  Now, after blogging,  I love to read reviews especially if it is of a book that I have read and compare notes.

What about you?   Do you have book bloggers that you discuss books with?

October is being hosted by Parchment Girl 

Mailbox Monday was created by Marcia of A girl and her books and is now on tour.

Mailbox Monday was created by Marcia of A girl and her booksand is now on tour.

According to Marcia, “Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.”
Click on title for synopsis via IndieBound (I am an IndieBound Affliate)

          

           

Thursday:  Where Angels Rest by Kate Brady ARC  from Forever/GCP

Thursday:  Double Danger by Dee Davis ARC from Forever/GCP

Thursday:  The Midwife of Hope River by Patricia Harman  ARC from Harper Collins

Friday:        Barefoot in the Rain by Roxanne St. Claire from Forever/GCP

Hosted by Miz B at Should Be Reading

Today’s question:
Do you ever get crushes on fictional characters? Name one (or a few), and tell what you liked…

My response:
I’ll admit….I sure do.  And with each book I pick up by one particular author, I know I will “swoon” with his male characters.  What author am I speaking of?  Michael Baron!!  I was introduced to this author 3 years ago, and every book he has written since, I have read.  His characters are kind, loving, compassionate, romantic, sensitive, endearing and the list goes on.  How could a female not be enamored by those qualities?  If you have never read a Michael Baron book, then it’s time.  I guarantee you will be swept off your feet!!!!  Here are just a few of his books that I highly recommend:  Leaves,  Spinning,   A Winter Discovery, When You Went Away,  The Journey Home.   

October is being hosted by Parchment Girl

Mailbox Monday was created by Marcia of A girl and her books and is now on tour.
According to Marcia, “Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.”
Click on title for synopsis via IndieBound. (I am an IndieBound Affiliate)

Sunday:  Falling In Love by Stephen Bradlee from Author
Monday: Extraordinary Rendition by Paul Batista from BlueDot Literary
Monday: Blackberry Summer by RaeAnne Thayer from The TBR Pile-Won from BlogFest
Monday: Woodrose Mountain by RaeAnne Thayne from The TBR Pile-Won from BlogFest

Hosted by Miz B at Should Be Reading

Today’s muse:
This week’s musing — courtesy of http://cmashlovestoread.com — asks…
Do you have a system as to which books to read from your “requested review pile? What is it? What about when there are too many to read in a certain time frame? {apologies to those who don’t review}

My thoughts:
Before I answer my own question lol I want to share my reaction this morning when I saw today’s question. I booted up, got all my pages opened, and then went to copy/paste today’s muse. And thought, what a good question! lol  And because I had just grabbed my coffee mug, it took a few minutes to realize it was one of my questions I had submitted, don’t remember when, but there it was lol.  Thank you Miz B for choosing my question.

Over the past 3 years, I have tried different policies when it comes to “requested review books”.  When I first started to review, I would read novels in the order that I received them.  This worked out for a while but I then found myself going into “reading slumps” since  I’m a mood reader and felt that I was reading in a robotic fashion.  I then tried to guarantee 2-4 books per month that I would guarantee a review posting.  That also worked for a while.

Now, because of the tour companies, Partners In Crime Tours and Providence Book Promotions, and medical issues,  my reading time has been affected.  My first priority are books that are being toured, then the 2nd tier are for those publishers and publicists that I have been reviewing for since the beginning and the 3rd tier are the books that sit on my TBR shelves of my bookcase, but those that are chosen depending on my mood.

I receive many requests in a week and I know, and have been trying my hardest, to say that 2 letter word NO, but I don’t have it in me.  I read a synopsis, knowing it is something I would enjoy and I accept it adding it to my “TBR requested review shelves, which are the top 2 shelves of my bookcase, not counting what’s in my EReaders.  However, since I am now starting a 3rd shelf, I have been trying so hard to say NO, but I admit, I have an addiction to books.

What about you?  Do you have a review reading system?

October is being hosted by Parchment Girl

Mailbox Monday was created by Marcia of A girl and her books and is now on tour.
According to Marcia, “Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.”
Click on text for synopsis via IndieBound (I am an IndieBound Affiliate)

Monday:  Into The Dark by Stacy Green from Author for Partners In Crime Tours
Monday: Lone Wolf by Jodi Picoult from Simon & Schuster
Thursday: The Walnut Tree by Charles Todd from Harper Collins
Thursday: Breaking The Code by Karen Fisher-Alaniz from Sourcebooks for WOW!
Friday: Villa Triste by Lucretia Grindle from The Hachette Book Group ARC

Hosted by Miz B at Should Be Reading

Today’s question:
Do you have a favorite series? Do you have a favorite book out of that series?

My response:
If you follow this blog, then you probably know what I’m going to say.  No thinking needed with this week’s question. at least for me.  The series is The Left Behind Series by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins, a 13 book series written as a contemporary fictional story based on The Revelations in the Bible.  It was such a page turner that I went through all 13 books within a month or so.

What is your favorite series?  Have you read The Left Behind Series?  If so, what were your thoughts on the series?

October is being hosted by Parchment Girl 

Mailbox Monday was created by Marcia of A girl and her books and is now on tour.
According to Marcia, “Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.”

                        Simon & Schuster                  Author

Hosted by Miz B at Should Be Reading

Today’s question:
Do you have any hobbies outside of reading?
Or do you collect anything?

My answer:
I do have other hobbies, but reading has always been my number 1 hobby for as long as I can remember.  I used to do needlepoint but stopped due to eyesight changes.  Hard to see those little x’s.  I also like to crochet, having made many afghans, ponchos and a few sweaters.  And since finding the book blogging community, I have to say I really enjoy blogging.

And to the second question, I collect Hallmark dated Christmas ornaments.  This started in 1981 when friends of our’s, bought us one for our 1st Christmas.  They went on to tell us how they collect them for every year married and we then started that tradition.  Steve and I now have 31 collectible ornaments with 1983 and 1986 being my favorites.  The one for ’83 is of a cradle for the year our oldest son was born and the ’86 is of a mobile for our second son’s birth.  I love unwrapping them every year, hanging them according to the year, and remembering that year of our life.

What are your hobbies?  Do you collect anything?

September is being hosted by BookNAround

Mailbox Monday was created by Marcia of A girl and her books and is now on tour.
According to Marcia, “Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.”
Click on title for synopsis via IndieBound and Amazon

Monday:  The Next Best Thing by Jennifer Weiner–won from Booking With Bingo
Saturday:  The Disappearance of Grace by Vincent Zandri–from author (Partners In Crime Tours)

Hosted by Acting Balanced

1. What room in the house do you try your hardest to keep clean?
There are 2, the bathrooms and my office/reading room, since that is where I spend the majority of my time working, blogging and reading.
2. How do you describe your blog to someone you just met?
I say it is a book blog that has my thoughts about books I read, hosting Guest Authors and book giveaways with a little of real life thrown in.
3. What was your lie from last week? (If you didn’t play last week, What was your favorite cartoon you watched as a kid?)
Had a few but my favorite would be Bugs Bunny.
4. What is your favorite kind of salad? (post a recipe if you got one)
Chicken Milanese from Uno’s.
5. And my bonus question. Did you watch the Emmy’s last night?

Hosted by Miz B at Should Be Reading

Today’s muse:
What is your least favorite book? Why?

My Thoughts:
I am a bit confused by this question, but then so is the host.   Does it mean that the book is a favorite, but in ranking, on the last rung?  Or does it mean what is the book, of all read, that you liked the least?

I’m going to answer the latter.  However, even that is a tough question.

If it was a book that I didn’t like,  of all the books I have read (at my age that’s a lot of books), I still don’t know the answer.  If it was a specific book, that I didn’t like it, then I have no memory of it.  The only books that make a memorable mark, are the good books.  I know I have read many books, that I have put aside because I didn’t like or DNF, but once I put it aside, I never think about or recall it unless I look at my spreadsheets.

 I would have to say, generally, my least favorite books are those that are by authors that are on my “authors to read” list, books that I can’t wait for publication so that I can read it, and then it turns out to be a disappointment.  Now that has happened on many occasions.  And if it does, I tend to take a break from that writer.  For example.  I HAD to read Danielle Steel’s books as soon as one came out.  I don’t remember the titles, since it was years ago, but I do recall that I read 2 of her subsequent books and both seemed to be written in a rushed manner, not like the early Danielle Steel books, like The Ring, which I do remember  was the first Steel book I read and which was the book that that made me put her on “authors to read list” and that was eons ago (approx. 40 years ago).  Maybe it’s time to pick up one of her recent books since it has been years since I have read one of her novels.

What about you?  Do you have a least favorite book?

 September is being hosted by BookNAround

Mailbox Monday was created by Marcia of A girl and her books and is now on tour.
According to Marcia, “Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.”

No books this week, but then, it is a good
thing.  I need to get up to speed with reading.

Hosted by Miz B at Should Be Reading

Today’s question:
This week’s musing — courtesy of http://abookandashortlatte.wordpress.com – asks…
Do you take notes while you read?

My answer:
Yes.  I started taking notes when I started reviewing requested reads.   Prior to finding this book blogging community, I never did.  And the notes are always written on a notepad, never in the book, if I’m reading a print.

My notes usually will contain facts about the characters, especially if there are a lot of them, emotions and thoughts that I feel about certain scenarios as I’m reading, will note the page numbers if there is a quote or paragraph that I feel I will need in writing my review, where the book takes place for one of the challenges I signed up for, etc.

I usually write my review as soon as I finish one book and before starting my next book.  I feel that I want all the content to be fresh in my mind plus not getting anything confused between books.  Guess that is why I don’t read multiple books at the same time.

What about you?  Do you take notes?  Anything specific?

September is being hosted by BookNAround

Mailbox Monday was created by Marcia of A girl and her books and is now on tour.
According to Marcia, “Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.”
Click on title for synopsis via IndieBound.

Tuesday: 
*The Prophet by Ethan from The Story Plant
*Leaving the Hall Light On by Madeline Sharples from Dream of Things
Thursday:  EBooks from Authors via  author, Melissa Foster, for Thriller Event
*Last One Chosen by Stephen Woodfin
*A Death on The Wolf by G.M. Frazier
*Omar: A Novel by Craig Thompson 
*Chasing Innocence by John Potter
*After The Fog by Kathleen Shoop
*River in the Sea by Tina Boscia
*Project Moses by Robert B.Lowe
*Pegasus Falling by Wm E. Thompson
*The Fall of Billy Hitchings by Kirkus MacGowan