Hosted by Miz B at Should Be Reading

This week’s question:
What attracts you to a book blog? What puts you off in a book blog? Do you share personal stuff on your book blog?
My answer:
For me, first and foremost, is if the blog has similar reading likes of genres that I enjoy and content.  At least once a week, I search the internet and visit many blogs, looking for hosts to invite to Partners In Crime Tours.  I am amazed at the number of book blogs that there are now, as compared to when I first started in this community.  Thousands.  A large majority being YA/MG.  The next is if the blog has a pleasant look and easy to navigate.  To me, that says that they put in a little extra for their readers since we are the ones who see the main page.   Things I don’t like are, and there seems to be less of it now than before, and that is music on the site, difficulty navigating, and word verification.  However, and it happened to me on blogspot, I understand why since there are those people/bots that fall under the category of spammers and one has to protect their site.

I do share some personal events in my life and also enjoy seeing the same on blogs that I visit.  I believe it gives one a little window into the blogger behind the screen.

August is being hosted by 5 Minutes for Books

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 more information/synopsis.

Monday:    The Last Innocent Hour by Barbara Taylor Sissel (gifted from Author)
Monday:    A Slice Of Death by Bill Walker (from author)
Tuesday:   Cabernet Sauvignon for Beginners by Sara Fasolino (WOW-Author)
Thursday: The Outlaw Among Us by Nathan Dodge (Simon & Schuster)

Hosted by Acting Balanced

I saw this meme on Vicki’s blog, I’d Rather Be Reading At The Beach, last week and thought it might be fun to participate.  So here goes….and btw…if you want to join me, just click on the link above to play along.

Rules:
Here are FOUR QUESTIONS that everyone can answer and then you have the option to add a fifth question of your own for those who are visiting your blog to answer in the comment section, along with commenting on the four standard questions you answered!

1. Finish this sentence – The thing I dislike most about shopping is….
is at the check out and seeing how much I spent lol.
2. What is your favorite flavor of jello?
Strawberry Banana
3. If you could trade places with anyone in the world for one day who would you be and why?
Oprah Winfrey.   She appears to be such a down to earth person with an unending amount of energy in everything she does.  Would love to see and participate in a day in her life.
4. Who changes the lightbulbs at your house?
Both my husband and myself.
Bonus question:
5.  What time do you start your day?
Usually 6am

 Hosted by An Island Life

From An Island Life:
In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that we take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So I thought that on Fridays I would take it easy on posting, too. Therefore, I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing that requires a lengthy response.
If you’d like to participate, visit An Island Life answer the question and then post your own question on your blog and leave your link below. Don’t forget to visit the other participants! It’s a great way to make new bloggy friends!

As some of you know, my son recently got engaged and he proposed with a Princess cut diamond ring.
So my question today is:
What is your favorite diamond shape?
My Answer:
I like a round  diamond.

http://btt2.wordpress.com

This week’s questions:
A while ago, I interviewed my readers for a change, and my final question was, “What question have I NOT asked at BTT that you’d love me to ask?” I got some great responses and will be picking out some of the questions from time to time to ask the rest of you. Like now.
Two questions about selecting your books.
Pooch asks:
Overall, what factor most influences your choice of your next read?
Sefcug asks:
What is it that makes you want to read a book by an author you have never read before?

My answers:
Two questions today and both good.

1.)   This question, at least for me, is more difficult since there are a couple of factors that go into choosing my next read and all of them important.

When I first started accepting requests, my policy was to read a book in the order that they arrived in my house, however, after doing this for quite some time,  I  found myself going into frequent slumps because I would read books that I just wasn’t in the mood for but felt an obligation to read and felt that, after a while with this system, I was reading in a robotic manner whereas I wasn’t really enjoying a book,  it was more a a chore than pleasure.  I have since changed that policy.  Now what determines my choice of what’s on deck,  is still the time frame of  “requested reviews” but since I am still having the HUGE problem of saying NO to certain books that sound like something I would enjoy, there are still quite a few to choose from within that pile, including my “priority” novels that have been booked for a tour with Partners In Crime Tours, which lately are many, which is a good thing and something I am very proud of.  But overall, choosing a book from these piles is definitely my mood.  Now what I do is, I skim the synopsis of those TBR books, and what “hits” me is the one I will start.

2.) When it comes to deciding on a book by a “new to me” author, there are 2 reasons why I would choose to read the book.  The plot and recommendations from reviews that I will read/see from other bloggers/reviewers.  And I have to say, because of those 2 reasons, over these past 2+ years, I have found some really great authors that are now on my “TBR authors” list.

What about you?  How do you choose your next read?  What makes you want to read a book by a “new to you” author?

Hosted by Miz B at Should Be Reading

What are you currently reading?

Shop Indie Bookstores

What did you recently finish reading?

Shop Indie Bookstores

What do you think you’ll read next
   

Hosted by Miz B at Should Be Reading

Before I share my Monday memes, I want to wish a special someone a very Happy Birthday!  She has been part of our family for quite a few years and both my husband and I consider her our daughter.  She has the biggest heart of anyone I know, is caring, funny, sweet and is the love of my oldest son’s, Paul, life.  My other daughter, Heather!!  Isn’t she beautiful?

Have a very Happy Birthday Honey!!  Hope your day is wonderful and that you and Paul have a fun day!!!

Hosted by Miz B at Should Be Reading

Today’s question:
What question(s) would you like to see asked in future Musing Mondays posts?

My answer:
My Monday routine has been altered today.  Usually I boot up my computer, grab my coffee, set up and open the windows of sites I will need, and head on over to Should Be Reading to get Monday’s Musing question to answer.  However, today we are asked to ask questions for future musings, which also means more coffee to get the brain cells to wake up and think lol.  Since I am behind in my “requested review TBR reading schedule”, I am going to ask for hints in this area.  So my questions are:

1.  Since we are all avid readers with an addiction to books, do you accept more books even though you know you are behind in your reading?  Does it then cause anxiety when you receive them knowing you can only read so many books?

2.  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?

3.  Something I would like to know since becoming part of this community, is how one manages between the necessities of daily RL, blogging and computer to-dos, and reading all the books in one’s TBR pile.  Do you allocate a certain amount of time to each?

July is being hosted by Mrs. Q Book Addict 

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 below for more information via IndieBound

07/27  Friday:  The Serpent’s Bite by Warren Adler from Brianne @ Media Connect
07/28  Saturday:  Play Him Again by Jeffrey Stone from Author
07/28  Saturday:  The Shoulders of Giants by Jim Cliff from Author

Hosted by An Island Life

From An Island Life:
In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that we take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So I thought that on Fridays I would take it easy on posting, too. Therefore, I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing that requires a lengthy response.
If you’d like to participate, visit An Island Life answer the question and then post your own question on your blog and leave your link below. Don’t forget to visit the other participants! It’s a great way to make new bloggy friends!

MY QUESTIONS:
Will you be watching the opening ceremony of the Olympics?
What sport(s) of the Summer Olympics is/are your favorite(s)?

http://btt2.wordpress.com

Today asks:
A while ago, I interviewed my readers for a change, and my final question was, “What question have I NOT asked at BTT that you’d love me to ask?” I got some great responses and will be picking out some of the questions from time to time to ask the rest of you. Like now.
Two questions about your reading habits that just seem to go together.
GigiAnn asks:
Do you have a favorite season of the year that you read more? (Example: during snow storms, rainy weather, or sunny and warm weather) Sorry, that was the best I could come up with.
Lisa asks:
Where is your favorite place to read? On the beach? Inside/outside?

My answer:
In response to GigiAnn’s question:
Great question!!  I never really thought about my reading habits compared to the 4 seasons.  But now that I think about it, I think I do read more during the colder months.  I  do enjoy, especially when the nights seem so long due to the changing of clocks, the cold weather and definitely when it is snowing, I love to sit in my recliner, which faces a window so that I have the view of it snowing, with my fleece throw and read.  And even when I was young, and to this day, I love to read during a T-storm.  However, when my boys were young, I would have answered that I read more in the summer.  Our house was like summer camp during the summer because every day by 10am, most of their friends would start showing up to spend the day in our pool.  Because it is an inground pool, 10 feet deep, we had strict rules regarding the use of our pool.  One of them being that they weren’t allowed in the pool unless I was outside supervising.  So everyday I would get my chores done early, grab my book and iced coffee and head out to be poolside and read.

In response to Lisa’s question:
I have 3 favorite places that I read.  Since becoming empty nesters, we turned one of the extra bedrooms into my office/reading/blogging room.  I have a very comfortable, sometimes too comfortable that  at times I doze off, recliner in this room.  It faces the window, so I have the view of the 4 seasons, where I can see our pool or watch the rain, T-storms or the snow falling.  Plus I am surrounded by my books in 3 bookcases.  The 2nd place would be on the beach in Aruba, which we visit every year.  And the 3rd place would be sitting on my “reading”  float  while in our pool.

What about you?  Do you read more  or less during the 4 seasons?  Where is (are) your favorite place to read?