Blog Hop!

It's been a while since I participated in the Book Blogger Hop (hosted by Crazy for Books), but I suppose I just felt like it today.

This week's question is, "What very popular and hyped book in the blogosphere did you NOT enjoy and how did you feel about posting your review?"

Fortunately, I haven't come a whole lot of books lately that I really disliked. Obviously there have been some that I enjoyed more than others, but most of the books I've read recently have been pretty enjoyable, and I generally choose not to review ones that I can't come up with something good about unless I have specifically agreed to review them. The most recent one that I can think of was Extraordinary by Nancy Werlin. It just was not my cup of tea. I can see what other people would have enjoyed about it, but it didn't work for me. And I felt okay with putting that review up, because hey - not every blogger likes every book, and I wasn't trashing the book or anything; I said why it didn't work for me and why I think somebody else might like it, and it did kind of redeem itself a bit at the end.

And that is my rather long-winded answer to this week's blog hop question! See you later, blogosphere!

Book Blogger Hop and Some Excitement!

The Book Blogger Hop is hosted by Crazy for Books. This week's question is:


Do you judge a book by its cover?

My answer: sometimes. I try not to let covers that I dislike prevent me from reading a given book, but when I'm just browsing the shelves for books that look interesting, it's covers that get my attention. The publishing industry is all about people judging books by their covers. Covers are marketing. We all do it sometimes.




And now for the excitement part!

I'm really excited because I have reached fifty followers! I've only been blogging for about two months, so I think it's cool that so many people are interested in what I have to say about what I read. It's pretty awesome. You guys rock!! Thanks so much!! ♥

I wish I had something awesome planned for this like a giveaway or an author interview, but for right now you'll have to make do with knowing that I think you're all very awesome. :)

~Becky

Book Blogger Hop!

The Book Blogger Hop is hosted each weekend by Crazy for Books. I really meant to get this post up Friday, but it's technically Saturday now. We'll pretend it's Friday in terms of postingness. (Yes, that's a word in my universe.)

This week's question is: Do you use a rating system for your reviews? If so, what is it and why?

I do in fact use a rating system for my book reviews. I rate books out of 5 stars (and I have yet to rate anything below a 3, because I can usually find at least something that I liked about a book and if I really didn't like a book that I haven't agreed to review, I'll usually just not review it here). Honestly, I set up my rating system when I was getting started (I'm still very new to this blogging thing) because it seemed to be the convention, but it really works for me. I do use a lot of ".5"s on the end of stuff, though, because I'm frequently too indecisive to choose "4" or "5" for a good book.

In other news, I haven't had much time for reading lately because of homework and a science fiction story I'm working on with a friend of mine and more homework, but I'm hoping to finish Extraordinary this weekend so there should be a review of that up before long!

Book Blogger Hop + Awesome News

It is once again time for the Book Blogger Hop, hosted by Crazy for Books. This week's question is: Do you listen to music when you read? If so, what are your favorite reading tunes?


My answer: I have two younger brothers who like to make a lot of noise, so having noise while I'm reading doesn't bother me at all - but having music on usually does. I love music, and I'll tend to get distracted and pay more attention to the lyrics (or the actual music, if it's instrumental) than what I'm reading.


And now, some awesome news!


One of my favorite series is the Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare (if you haven't read them, go do that now. Seriously. Don't finish reading this post, go read City of Bones). And she announced the night before last in a web chat that there are going to be more TMI books!


City of Fallen Angels, a Simon-centric fourth book, was already in the works, scheduled for release on April 5, 2011. But now there are going to be two more after that. City of Lost Souls will be released in May of 2012 and City of Heavenly Fire in September of 2013. The Infernal Devices trilogy, a prequel series to TMI, is also going to be released during that timeframe, beginning with The Clockwork Angel at the end of this month.


I am so excited. *fangirl joy*

Book Blogger Hop!

I know, I know, all of my posts this week have been memes. But I haven't had time to read much of anything -- except for a 600+ page monster of a book that I'm reading in preparation for AP Lit. So, I am joining the Book Blogger Hop! This is a weekly meme hosted by Crazy for Books.

This weeks Book Blogger Hop question is "Tell us about the book you are currently reading." I'm actually between books right now, because ten minutes ago I finished reading John Irving's A Prayer for Owen Meany (the 600 page AP Lit book) and in those ten minutes I have not started a new book. Owen Meany is about a very small boy who thinks he is the instrument of God; it got a bit tedious in places, not really my cup of tea, but it actually wasn't bad.

I'm considerably more excited about the book I'm about to start reading: The Demon's Covenant by Sarah Rees Brennan. I loved, loved, loved The Demon's Lexicon and I'm so excited to finally get to read the sequel!

What are you guys reading right now?