Feature and Follow Friday

Hi there, I'm happy to be participating once more in Feature and Follow Friday!

To join the fun and make new book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules:

1. (Required) Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Hosts {Parajunkee & Alison Can Read}
2. (Required) Follow our Featured Bloggers
3. Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing. You can also grab the code if you would like to insert it into your posts.
4. Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say "hi" in your comments and that they are now following you.
5. If you are using WordPress or another CMS that doesn't have GFC (Google Friends Connect) state in your posts how you would like to be followed
6. Follow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don't just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don't say "HI"
7. If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers
8. If you're new to the follow friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!

This weeks Question:

Recommend some of your favorite back-list books – books that are at least a few years old (I’m thinking 5-10 years old rather than classics)

Looking back at my "favourite" list from Goodreads, it appears that my taste has changed a lot in the last few years.  I read more YA/NA these days than literary fiction, but these are some books that I always remember as being the best of the best!

What's on your list of favourite backlist reads?  I'd love to hear about it in the comments, and if you decide to follow me, I'll love you forever and follow you back!

Feature and Follow Friday

Hi there, I'm happy to be participating once more in Feature and Follow Friday!

To join the fun and make new book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules:

1. (Required) Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Hosts {Parajunkee & Alison Can Read}
2. (Required) Follow our Featured Bloggers
3. Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing. You can also grab the code if you would like to insert it into your posts.
4. Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say "hi" in your comments and that they are now following you.
5. If you are using WordPress or another CMS that doesn't have GFC (Google Friends Connect) state in your posts how you would like to be followed
6. Follow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don't just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don't say "HI"
7. If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers
8. If you're new to the follow friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!

This weeks Question:

What was the last book that made you cry?

I don't normally cry when reading books.  There are a few exceptions, like the Book Thief and A Road to Remember, but my most recent read where I couldn't help but shed a few tears was "The Good Mother Myth".  

This is an anthology, and some of the stories really struck home.  I think it was the second last one where the tears started rolling as the mom who had grown up in such abusive homes worried about her ability to be a good mother.  Agh, brutal, so emotional!!!

What was your most recent tear-filled read?  I'd love to hear about it in the comments, and if you decide to follow me, I'll love you forever and follow you back!

Feature and Follow Friday!

Hi there, I'm happy to be participating once more in Feature and Follow Friday!

To join the fun and make new book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules:

1. (Required) Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Hosts {Parajunkee & Alison Can Read}
2. (Required) Follow our Featured Bloggers
3. Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing. You can also grab the code if you would like to insert it into your posts.
4. Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say "hi" in your comments and that they are now following you.
5. If you are using WordPress or another CMS that doesn't have GFC (Google Friends Connect) state in your posts how you would like to be followed
6. Follow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don't just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don't say "HI"
7. If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers
8. If you're new to the follow friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!

Question of the Week: What books are you looking forward to reading in 2014?

"Scarlet" was one of my fave reads of 2013, so "Cress" is definitely at the top of my list for 2014!

I just finished reading "Secret" by Brigid Kemmerer, the fourth in the Elemental Series, so I'm really excited to read "Sacrifice".  It won't be released until October, though, sniff.

"Fangirl" is another one.  I just finished "Eleanor and Park", and I loved it, so I'll definitely be checking this one out in the near future.

That's just the three at the top of my head, but I know there's a couple of hundred more on my TBR!  What's on your list?

Anyway, I would love it if you decide to follow me!  If you do, be sure to leave a comment and I'll follow you back!!!

Feature and Follow Friday #183

Hi there, I'm happy to be participating once more in Feature and Follow Friday!

To join the fun and make new book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules:

1. (Required) Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Hosts {Parajunkee & Alison Can Read}
2. (Required) Follow our Featured Bloggers
3. Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing. You can also grab the code if you would like to insert it into your posts.
4. Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say "hi" in your comments and that they are now following you.
5. If you are using WordPress or another CMS that doesn't have GFC (Google Friends Connect) state in your posts how you would like to be followed
6. Follow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don't just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don't say "HI"
7. If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers
8. If you're new to the follow friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!

Question of the Week: Resolutions: Put together your blogger resolution list for all of us to see!

1.  Read more "real" books!  I'm actually taking part in a challenge for this one, if you'd like to join the fun.  

2.  Request FEWER Netgalley books!  I think I was sucked into the whole Netgalley novelty, and now I have waaaaay too many books to review - it's taking me away from some other books I really want to read.

3.  Make my blog really pretty!  I might need some outside help for this.

Other than that, I just want to have fun and not get too hung up on stats and blog tours, etc.  I think if there's too much stress to review or post a certain amount, I'll probably freak out, and that's not what blogging should be about for me.  

Anyway, I would love it if you decide to follow me!  If you do, be sure to leave a comment and I'll follow you back!!!

Feature and Follow Friday #180

Hi there, and welcome to Feature and Follow Friday!  Gain new followers and make new friends with the Book Blogger Feature & Follow!  Well, I'm pretty new at this, so I'm all in!!!  

To join the fun and make new book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules:

1. (Required) Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Hosts {Parajunkee & Alison Can Read}
2. (Required) Follow our Featured Bloggers
3. Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing. You can also grab the code if you would like to insert it into your posts.
4. Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say "hi" in your comments and that they are now following you.
5. If you are using WordPress or another CMS that doesn't have GFC (Google Friends Connect) state in your posts how you would like to be followed
6. Follow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don't just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don't say "HI"
7. If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers
8. If you're new to the follow friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!

Question of the Week: Pick a book in your favorite genre that you’d recommend to a reluctant reader.

Ooooh, this is so hard!  I don't know that I have a favorite genre - I love 'em all!  But let's just go for Contemporary YA.  Here is one of my favorite reads of the year:

Have you heard of "Jellicoe Road" by Melina Marchetta?  It's one of those books that stick with you forever, and I think it would appeal to a wide audience.  If you haven't read it, or heard of it, you are missing out - go get in NOW!  

I would love it if you follow my blog!  Leave me a comment in the comments section, and I'll be sure to follow you back!!!

Feature and Follow Friday #179

Hi there, and welcome to Feature and Follow Friday!  Gain new followers and make new friends with the Book Blogger Feature & Follow!  Well, I'm pretty new at this, so I'm all in!!!  

To join the fun and make new book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules:

1. (Required) Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Hosts {Parajunkee & Alison Can Read}
2. (Required) Follow our Featured Bloggers
3. Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing. You can also grab the code if you would like to insert it into your posts.
4. Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say "hi" in your comments and that they are now following you.
5. If you are using WordPress or another CMS that doesn't have GFC (Google Friends Connect) state in your posts how you would like to be followed
6. Follow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don't just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don't say "HI"
7. If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers
8. If you're new to the follow friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!

This week's feature is a question:

Q: Bookselling Time: Go to your biggest bookcases. Go to the second shelf from the top and pick out the sixth book from the left. Handsell that book to us - even if you haven’t read it or if you hated it. (if you don’t have bookcases, done have six books on one shelf, etc, pick a book at random)

All right, here's a picture of my bookcase:

I loooooove this bookcase!  I need a couple more, because now it's obviously full to capacity.  It's nice and deep, so I can fit my big 12x12" scrapbook albums in there, and that's what I have on my second shelf.  The third shelf has some of my husband's books, so I skipped that one as well, and went down to the fourth from the top.

 And the sixth one is "Left Neglected" by Lisa Genova.  

Sarah Nickerson, like any other working mom, is busy trying to have it all. One morning while racing to work and distracted by her cell phone, she looks away from the road for one second too long. In that blink of an eye, all the rapidly moving parts of her over-scheduled life come to a screeching halt. After a brain injury steals her awareness of everything on her left side, Sarah must retrain her mind to perceive the world as a whole. In so doing, she also learns how to pay attention to the people and parts of her life that matter most. In this powerful and poignant New York Times bestseller, Lisa Genova explores what can happen when we are forced to change our perception of everything around us. Left Neglected is an unforgettable story about finding abundance in the most difficult of circumstances, learning to pay attention to the details, and nourishing what truly matters.

I read Lisa Genova's "Still Alice" a few years ago as a book club pick, and I absolutely LOVED it!!!  Since then, I've also read "Love Anthony"  (sniff), but I haven't got around to reading this one.  Sounds pretty good, doesn't it?  Maybe I should get on it.  Have you read this book?  I'd love to hear what you think of it in the comments section.  And, if you want to follow me, leave me a comment letting me know, and I'll be sure to follow you back!

Feature and Follow Friday #178

Gain new followers and make new friends with the Book Blogger Feature & Follow!  Well, I'm pretty new at this, so I'm all in!!!  

To join the fun and make new book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules:

1. (Required) Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Hosts {Parajunkee & Alison Can Read}
2. (Required) Follow our Featured Bloggers
3. Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing. You can also grab the code if you would like to insert it into your posts.
4. Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say "hi" in your comments and that they are now following you.
5. If you are using WordPress or another CMS that doesn't have GFC (Google Friends Connect) state in your posts how you would like to be followed
6. Follow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don't just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don't say "HI"
7. If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers
8. If you're new to the follow friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!

This week's feature is a question:

Q: Tell us at least one new or unusual thing you’ve done in 2013.

I thought long and hard on this one, and at first I thought I'd had a very boring year!  But, eventually I came up with three things that are new for me:

1. I started a new job in February, and it's a job that's actually in my field.  I'm a Rehabilitation Assistant, and it's pretty perfect in that I only work 20 hours a week while the older two kids are in school.  I like the people I work with, and I have a good variety of tasks to do.
2. I started a book review blog!
3. I started an art journal.  I've only completed one full page, but I've played around a lot with backgrounds and different techniques - so much fun!

So what have you done this year?  I'd love to hear from you, and if you'd like to follow my blog, just leave me a comment and I'll be sure to follow you back!

Feature and Follow Friday #177

Gain new followers and make new friends with the Book Blogger Feature & Follow!  Well, I'm pretty new at this, so I'm all in!!!  

To join the fun and make new book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules:

1. (Required) Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Hosts {Parajunkee & Alison Can Read}
2. (Required) Follow our Featured Bloggers
3. Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing. You can also grab the code if you would like to insert it into your posts.
4. Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say "hi" in your comments and that they are now following you.
5. If you are using WordPress or another CMS that doesn't have GFC (Google Friends Connect) state in your posts how you would like to be followed
6. Follow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don't just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don't say "HI"
7. If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers
8. If you're new to the follow friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!

This week's feature is a question:

Q: What’s your favorite Thanksgiving Day food? If you’re not American or Canadian, what is your favorite holiday food?

I'm not really a turkey lover.  The leftovers are decent, but overall, I think they're highly overrated.  HOWEVER, stuffing is DA BOMB!  I don't know what happened this year, but there was NO leftover stuffing, and I was choked!!!

Pumpkin pie also sucks.  Seriously, I will gag if I'm ever forced to eat pumpkin pie.  So this year, I made an apple pie, and it was sooooooooo easy and really good.  Thought I'd share the recipe (there's even a video to go with!):  http://allrecipes.com/recipe/chef-johns-easy-apple-pie/detail.aspx

I would love it if you followed me and let me know what your favorite holiday food is!  I'll be sure to follow back!!!

Feature & Follow #176

Hey, happy Friday!  One of my favourite days of the week!!!  It's time for another Feature and Follow Friday!  This week is all about spreading the love!

To join the fun and make new book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules:

1. (Required) Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Hosts {Parajunkee & Alison Can Read}
2. (Required) Follow our Featured Bloggers
3. Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing. You can also grab the code if you would like to insert it into your posts.
4. Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say "hi" in your comments and that they are now following you.
5. If you are using WordPress or another CMS that doesn't have GFC (Google Friends Connect) state in your posts how you would like to be followed
6. Follow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don't just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don't say "HI"
7. If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers
8. If you're new to the follow friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!

This week's prompt:

You Are It! We are playing #FF tag this week. Comment on as many blogs as you can, even if they aren’t participating in #FF. Just say Happy #FF! At the end of your comment. Keep a running total if you want and update your post with it. The bigger the number the more impressed we will be!

If you would like to follow me, I would LOVE it!!!  And I'll be sure to follow you back!

Feature and Follow Friday #175

Gain new followers and make new friends with the Book Blogger Feature & Follow!  Well, I'm pretty new at this, so I'm all in!!!  

To join the fun and make new book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules:

1. (Required) Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Hosts {Parajunkee & Alison Can Read}
2. (Required) Follow our Featured Bloggers
3. Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing. You can also grab the code if you would like to insert it into your posts.
4. Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say "hi" in your comments and that they are now following you.
5. If you are using WordPress or another CMS that doesn't have GFC (Google Friends Connect) state in your posts how you would like to be followed
6. Follow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don't just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don't say "HI"
7. If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers
8. If you're new to the follow friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!

This week's feature is a question:

Q: Are there any book to movie adaptations where you think the movie is better than the book?

Oh man, that is so hard!  Rarely can a movie adaptation even equal the book, but surpass?  The one that comes to mind for me is:

This is one movie I can watch over and over, and I've only read the book once.  I remember the book being good, but come on - Renee Zellweger sliding down that fireman's pole?  That image is completely PRICELESS!

And the casting is pretty much perfect, too!  Now it's time for you to join in on the fun!

Feature and Follow Friday

Hey, all!  I've decided on a whim to join Feature and Follow Friday, hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read.  The point of this exercise is to meet new bloggers, find new blogs to follow, and gain new followers of my blog!  Kind of a win-win, right?

If you decide to follow my blog, please leave me a comment, let me know a bit about yourself, and where I can follow you back!  You can follow me any of the ways over in my sidebar, but probably my favorites are GFC and Bloglovin'.