Book Blogger Appreciation Week: Day 3 and 4

Hi, Guys!! 

So, I couldn't post yesterday (Day Three of BBAW) so I'm adding a little bit here, and then tackling Day 4's topic.

Day 3 - Community Part II

In BBAW's words: The world of book blogging has grown enormously and sometimes it can be hard to find a place. Share your tips for finding and keeping community in book blogging despite the hectic demands made on your time and the overwhelming number of blogs out there. If you’re struggling with finding a community, share your concerns and explain what you’re looking for–this is the week to connect!

I've made it a policy of mine to only follow the blogs I can see reading on the long run, and I've sort of have this core-group of blogs I read every day and comment on three or four times a week because I'm genuinely interested in what they got to say - because they are funny, because we got similar taste in books, because I love a feature of their blogs etc - and that makes it easier to keep up.

That's my advice: follow the blogs you like. Don't do it nilly willy. You might not develop relationships with everyone you follow, but at least will help you keep on top of your blog roll.

Day 4 - Reading and Blogging

Today, is basically about the books we read and how blogging has changed the way we approach books. I'm going to answer the questions BBAW asked.

Has book blogging changed the way you read? 

Yes and No. I am more ruthless these days. I used to be one of those people who ALWAYS finished whatever book I started, now I don't do it so much. If a book doesn't grab me quickly, I'll cut it and be done with it. I need to do so because I have an insane TBR pile and because well, life is too short to make reading a chore. 

On the other hand, my rating and grading process still pretty much goes as far as how much I enjoyed the book and how likely I am to re-read. That's still the standard I hold my books up to, rather than more technical stuff.

Have you discovered books you never would have apart from book blogging? 

Absolutely! There are certain bloggers I've come to trust, like Small of Small Reviews,  because though we might not always go after the same books, there are some basic elements that we both love in a story. Maybe she likes fantasy more than I do, and maybe I avoid dystopian, but I know when it comes to the enjoyment value, we have similar likes and pet peeves so I feel reasonably confident in follwing her recs, even if it's a little out of my comfort zone. 

She totally recommend The Ghost and the Goth, a series I was convinced was not for me, but it turned out I loved.

How has book blogging affected your book acquisition habits? 

I don't think so. I do buy more books now but that's has more to do with a slight lowering of exchange rates, The Book Depository starting to deliver to my country, and the fact I got a job. Blogging hasn't affected the amount of books I buy exactly, but it has had an effect on the actual books I buy.

Have you made new connections with other readers because of book blogging? 

Yes. For me book blogging is a labor of love, we all love books we all want to share our thoughts on the books we read, that's why we got into this in the first place. I used to drive my RL-friends nuts with my incessant book chatter. Through blogging I found people who actually love talking about books, which is just awesome. 

It has made reading less lonely.

And that's it for today!!!

Love, Alex.

Book Blogger Appreciation Week: Day 2 - Interview Swap!

Day 2 of BBAW means... Interview Swap!

I'm happy to welcome Kristin of Beneath the Shinning Stars, I Read. She was sweet to answer all of my questions and has a really lovely blog.

So, without further ado, I give you... The Interview!

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Why don't you tell us a little about yourself?
Where do I even begin? I've been a bookworm for as long as I can remember and if I'm not reading a book, I'm probably writing down plot ideas for potential stories. I'm a native Californian, definitely not an outdoor sports sort of person, and I'm a Doctor Who fan. I'm known for my ability to be exceedingly random and my penchant for wearing headbands while reading, writing, or eating (because I value my ability to see).


And a little about your blog?
Beneath Shining Stars, I Read is definitely a handful to say. However, it got its name due to the fact that I'm mildly obsessed with stars and because I'm always reading at night. The main focus of my blog is on YA literature although there are also (on occasion) adult level literature reviews on my blog as well.

Would you mind doing a lighting round of Bookish questions? All right...
Tell me...
...what's your favorite genre?
It's a tie! I really adore books that are paranormal or dystopian.

...Your favorite book of 2011, so far?
Hourglass by Myra McEntire! (But The Emerald Atlas by John Stephens was pretty awesome too--and it's a middle grade book!)

... the book you're looking forward the most?
Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins! I absolutely adored Anna and the French Kiss, so I can't wait to see what Stephanie Perkins has done with Lola and the Boy Next Door. Also, I can't wait to get my hands on a hardcover of Shatter Me by Tehereh Mafi!

... a book that really surprised you?
Across the Universe by Beth Revis. By surprised, I mean that there were several plot twists that I did not see coming and as a reader, I love that authors can still surprise me. There's also Divergent by Veronica Roth which surprised me simply because I wasn't expecting to love it as much as I did! If you haven't read it yet but enjoyed the Hunger Games trilogy, definitely do so!

.. a book you think it's unappreciated?
Michelle Zink's Prophecy of the Sisters trilogy. I adore this series and Michelle Zink's writing style is just wonderful. If you enjoy historical fantasy, you might want to check it out.

... your ultimate book rec?
I read so many genres that it's ridiculously tough to give an ultimate recommendation! If you enjoy historical mysteries then perhaps you'd enjoy Deanna Raybourn's Lady Julia Grey series or if you enjoy contemporary YA (and haven't read it yet) then you definitely need to get your hands on Ten Things We Did (and Probably Shouldn't Have) by Sarah Mlynowski.

... what's your favorite book quote?
"You don't forget the face of the person who was your last hope." (The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins)

Now, tell me something you have learned about yourself while blogging?
I've learned that I'm terrible at writing reviews at the last moment--unless the book was absolutely amazing. It's such a bad thing to say, but it's completely true! To counter this, I've begun writing my reviews immediately after I finish reading and schedule my reviews well in advance. Also, I'm actually pretty good at social media! I know it doesn't sound like much, but I really didn't expect to be good at it (I'm really shy in person).

Do you have any advice for new bloggers or people who are thinking of staring a blog?
Be yourself, don't feel obligated to post every day of the week, and have fun with it! Honestly, that's the best advice that I can give you. Also, know that blogging takes work. Yes, work. After all, you can't expect people to find your blog on their own! It's up to you to get your name out there!

Any parting words?
Keep reading and party on! :D

..000..

That's it!

Thanks again to Kristin for the interview! And Keep enjoying BBAW!!!

Love, Alex.

PS - You can check out my interview over at Beneath the Shinning Stars, I Read.

Book Blogger Appreciation Week: Day 1 - Comnunity

Alright! I know I'm way, way late but work was just nuts today. However, today's theme is so good I just didn't want to pass it up.

So, according to BBAW's site, today we are supposed to:

Today you are encouraged to highlight a couple of bloggers that have made book blogging a unique experience for you. They can be your mentors, a blogger that encouraged you to try a different kind of book, opened your eyes to a new issue, made you laugh when you needed it, or left the first comment you ever got on your blog. Stay positive and give back to the people who make the community work for you!

So, I've been thinking about the bloggers I know and love, the ones that keep me going and who have really made me feel welcome in this massive playground that is book blogging. And here they are (in no particular order).

Small of Small Review - This girl always makes me laugh. I love reading her reviews (she writes these amazing, long reviews that are just so much fun) and I run over to her blog each time I see her opinion pieces because not only the content is always great, but the images she finds to illustrate her points are always, always, beyond awesome. Smalls always makes me laugh when I need it the most. And she has this whole section where she answers techie questions about blogging, how sweet is that? Plus I love that we have somewhat similar tastes but not exactly, so she's always pointing me in the way of books I wouldn't notice otherwise.

Kylie of The Talking Teacup - Kylie is my blog buddy extraordinary. We are always talking to each other and obsessing over our blogs together. She's one of the kindest people I've ever known and I love how she gets my craziness, and how obsessive I can get and she still puts up with me. We all need someone to listen to us, even at our most crazy, and in both life and blogging, Kylie is that person to me. And she's always coming up with cool things in her blog - like, it was her idea to do the Movie Challenge which I ended up loving.

Rowena of The Book Scoop - I love that Rowena loves fluffy books like me, and I love reading her reviews. I know I can trust her when she recommends me a book I haven't tried yet, because our tastes are very alike - though she's far more open to new authors than I am. I love her Book Watch feature and even her grading system, and how she always has something positive to say about the books she reads. She's one of the nicest, classiest reviewers out there.

Carrie of In the Hammock Book Reviews - Carrie has introduced me to some seriously awesome books. Some that I loved instantly - like the Goddess Girls Series - and others that I wouldn't have noticed otherwise. She's a big reader of romance like me, with more adventurous tastes, so I always know where to go when I want to try something different in romance.

Anyway, :) These awesome ladies have made blogging such a nicer experience for me, so thanks!!!!

Love,

Alex.

I feel BAD!

...Mostly because I couldn't participate more in this year's BBAW.

This was my first year participating and I was so excited about it but then, as it often happens in my life, my sister Boo got her way and convinced my parents to go to the beach for half the week - we just came back this morning - and I didn't get to participate as much as I wanted because I was dragged about (and actually had a very horrific experience while on a boat, which reinforces my dislike of boats).

And OK, it wasn't much of a hardship but vacation time just wears me out.

Anyway, now I'm back to writing, back to typing and to reading and reviewing - which I wasn't allowed to do while at the beach, my family totally doesn't get that I'm completely happy sitting by the pool in my pjs, drinking icy coke and reading. Really, other than swimming laps, I don't like getting wet, let alone sandy - and ready to catch up with everything.

In any case, it was great fun to do BBAW, I hope next year I can participate more.

Love,

BBAW: You and Your Reading Habits

This is a meme - which I actually meant to do yesterday but my connection was sketchy - from BBAW regarding reading habits.


Answer one of the following questions or all of them in as few words as possible.


Do you snack while you read? If so, favorite reading snack?
Yep. Ginger Ale & Chips

Do you tend to mark your books as you read, or does the idea of writing in books horrify you?
Dog-ear favorite passages, highlighter only for school.

How do you keep your place while reading a book? Bookmark? Dog-ears?
Both, often at the same time.

Laying the book flat open?
Guilty-

Fiction, Non-fiction, or both?
Fiction.

Hard copy or audiobooks?
Hard copy.

Are you a person who tends to read to the end of chapters, or are you able to put a book down at any point?
Can put it down any moment, doesn't mean I will.

If you come across an unfamiliar word, do you stop to look it up right away?
Depends on the word.

What are you currently reading?
The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart.

What is the last book you bought?
Death by Denim by Lisa Gerber.

Are you the type of person that only reads one book at a time or can you read more than one at a time?
Usually, two books at a time.

Do you have a favorite time of day and/or place to read?
Anytime is good, places: the bus.

Do you prefer series books or stand alone books?
Shortish series or stand alones. Don't like LONG series.

Is there a specific book or author that you find yourself recommending over and over?
The Bard Academy Series by Cara Lockwood, those books don't get enough credit!

How do you organize your books? (By genre, title, author’s last name, etc.?)
By how much I like them, books I didn't like too much go to higher, harder to reach shelves. Fave books go within arm reach, usually grouped by author, series and chronological order.

BBAW Blogger Interview Swap

As part of this year's BBAW, I participated in the Interview Swap, and I got to meet the lovely Hazra from Advance Booking and interview her. This is my first year participating on BBAW, so I was super excited about doing this interview with Hazra. Enjoy!

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Describe yourself in 10 words or less.
Talkative, fun-loving, sarcastic and quite crazy.

What made you want to blog? And, why books?
Well, I first started blogging because everybody I knew had a blog (you can’t really escape peer pressure anywhere, can you?). I didn’t want to have a journal-style blog or anything, because that seemed a little narcissistic to me. So I thought I’d blog about books because I read a lot. My conversation starter is usually “What book have you read lately?” And since there is only so many times you can tell your friends about what you read and how you found it, I thought the blog would be the best place for me to discuss about books at length without other people changing the subject.

What’s the last book you read that made you think ‘I have to tell someone about this book’?
That would be “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time”. I loved the book; the voice of the character was unique.

From your blog, I gathered you also like movies, what’s the best movie you have seen in the past year?
I’d say Wolverine and Star Trek; I’m a huge action movie fan. Among Hindi movies, it would be Kaminey.

Besides Movies and Books, what other hobbies or interests do you have?
I like listening to music, especially Indian classical music, which I find very soothing. I write a business blog Acerbiz, where I write about the latest developments in the corporate world. I also enjoy fiddling around with electronic circuits.

What are your favorite and least favorite book genres and why?
My favorite genre would be fantasy. I think that fantasy is a area where the author’s creativity is free to run amok. I really love reading about different worlds the authors think up. I also like literary fiction, because most of the books I’ve read have been very well-written.

I fall asleep over self-help books; I just find them very boring. I also don’t read much romance. I wouldn’t say I dislike the genre, but the few romantic books I’ve read disappointed me. There are exceptions, of course, I enjoyed Nicholas Sparks and Nora Roberts.

As to why, I grew up amidst male cousins, reading a lot of “guy” books: thrillers, mystery and the like, so romantic books haven’t been around. But you’ve given me quite a lot of recommendations which I must check out, so I’m not writing off romance as my least favorite.

What author, dead or alive, would you most like to meet?
I’d love to meet Roald Dahl; he’s one of my favorite authors.

Right now, what book are you eagerly waiting for?
Among new releases, I’m waiting to read Fire by Kristin Cashore (I haven’t read Graceling, but since this is a prequel, I don’t think there will be any loss of continuity), Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger and The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown.

Among other recent books, it would be The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Annie Barrows and Mary Ann Shaffer, The Hunger Games and Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins.

What’s the part you like the best about blogging?
I think I love meeting new people. The blogosphere has booklovers from around the world; talking with them and hearing what they have to say gives me a new perspective of things. And looking at how prolific some readers are, I’ve been inspired to read more.

Over all, how has your blogging experience been?
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

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Well, that's pretty much it for this post. Again, it was great fun to do this and I want to thank Hazra for the interview.



PS - Let me know about your own interviews by saying Hi! to Mr. Linky

BBAW

The Second Book Blogger Appreciation Week is now accepting nominations of your favorite book blogs. You don't have to have a blog to nominate, btw.

So go now and nominate your favorite blogs.