I've Been Book Tagged!

This is a fun new way to meet

and get to know other bloggers!

I've been tagged by Stephanie at

Five Alarm Book Reviews!

How this works:

1.  You must post the rules.

2.  Answer the questions the tagger set

for you in their post and then

 create ten new questions to

ask the people that you have tagged.

3.  Tag ten people and link to them

on your post.

4.   Let them know you’ve tagged them!

These are Steph's questions:

1.  What made you want to start blogging?

Interestingly, I had never given a thought to this.  Then one day, back in 2010, a new coworker suggested I start doing it.  "You never know", she said, "when you might be discovered by some big publisher or magazine!"  I thought this was a little ludicrous, but the idea of writing my own thoughts about books, and publishing them online, did intrigue me.  So I began my blog, and now it's an addiction!  I need my blogging fix every week! 

By the way, Stephanie has commented that she'd like to thank my coworker for introducing me to blogging.  (Thanks, Steph, for being so sweet!)  I'd love to publish this coworker's name, but have decided not to, for reasons of privacy.  I would, however, like to add that she encouraged me tremendously!  Although I've since lost touch with her, I will always be grateful for her cncouragement! 

2.  How long have you been blogging?

Since September 22, 2010. 

3.  Who are some of your favorite book bloggers?  Why?

I'll answer the second part of the question first, and then give a list of my favorite bloggers. 

I love blogs with visual appeal combined with great content.  However, I will not be interested in a blog that's eye candy for me, but has poor-quality content.  Additionally, my favorite bloggers are very nice people who will return comments and follows.  I realize that time is limited for many bloggers (including me), but still, commenting and/or following back are simply the courteous thing to do.  This is especially true if a fellow blogger has complimented you about any feature of your blog, whether it be your blog design, your header, or a post you've written. 

I also love well-written reviews that analyze all fiction elements, such as plot, characterization, and setting. 

I can't stand reading reviews with lots of typos and/or poor syntax and grammar.  I also dislike very short reviews that basically just say that the reviewer enjoyed the book.  I want to know exactly why a reviewer liked a book.

Without exception, these bloggers shine in the reviewing department! 

Here are my favorites:

Steph @ Five Alarm Book Reviews

Ron C. Nieto @ Stories of my life

Ao @ Aobibliosphere

Kat @ A Myriad of Books

Katie @ Legacy of a Writer

Jessie @ Ageless Pages Reviews

Amy @ Amy's Book Den

Cherry @ Cherry Mischievous

Jamie @ Mithril Wisdom

Kimberly @ Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer

Lucy @ Moonlight Gleam's Bookshelf

Cambria @ Cambria Hebert

4. What series have you not even started that you would still like to dive into? 

The Mortal Instruments!  I've heard so many great things about these books!  I'd also like to get into the Vampire Academy series.  That's another one I've heard a lot about!

5. What are your other passions besides books?

Art (although I haven't drawn or painted in years), music, and movies.

6.  How many books on average do you read a year?  Do you review them all?  Is it hard to keep up?

This is a rather unpleasant thing for me to admit to, but...I'm lucky if I get 70 books read per year.  Yes, it's hard for me to keep up, because, unfortunately, I hold down two jobs, so my time is pretty limited.  My day job schedule is from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday to Friday.  My night job schedule is from 7:00 to 9:30 PM, Monday to Thursday. 

I attempt to review all the books I read, but, given my time constraints, I don't always do so.

7.  What are you reading right now?  What do you think of it so far?

I've been reading Forsaken, by Jana Oliver, off and on.  (This is the British title of The Demon Trapper's Daughter.)  Although I really like Rylie Blackthorne, the novel's female protagonist, I'm not very comfortable with certain elements of the book that are a bit too macabre for me.  For one thing, there are necromancers involved, so, of course, there are zombies, as well.   I don't like these creatures!!  The zombies are not really featured that much in the book, but they are mentioned.  Besides, the necromancers do have a direct connection with Rylie pretty early on in the plot.  I won't say what that is, so as not spoil the story for others.  

I don't know if I'll be able to finish the book.  I'm trying to, though, because it's on my TBR list, and my intention was (is?) to review it for the 2012 TBR Pile Reading Challenge...(see my sidebar) 

8.  What is your favorite series?  Why?

I have three favorite series.  Perhaps my very favorite is The Twilight Saga.  I love the romance between Edward and Bella.  I love the characters, the plot, the originality of it all!  My three favorite characters, besides the main ones, are Carlisle, Jacob, and Alice. 

Next are the Harry Potter series and The Lord of the Rings.  Both of these series have wonderful characters, great originality, and beautiful fantasy settings.  I can't really say whether I prefer one over the other; I love them both!  The most memorable characters, in my opinion, are Harry, Hermione, Hagrid, and Dumbledore, from the Harry Potter series.  As for The Lord of the Rings, I love Frodo, Aragorn, Gandalf, Arwen, Merry, Sam, Pippin, and Legolas.

9.  What one book are you always eager to talk about?

Twilight, which is the first book of The Twilight Saga.

10.  Where is your favorite reading spot?

I live in a very cluttered apartment (there are books everywhere), so I don't really have such a spot.  There are two armchairs in the living room, but I can't really concentrate in either one of them, because hubby is usually in the living room at the same time, either watching TV or playing a video game.  I guess I would have to say my bed, but I would much prefer a nice little nook somewhere, especially one of those bay windows that are mentioned so much in historical romance novels...

The bloggers I'm tagging are those listed above, except for Steph @ Five Alarm Book Reviews, who's already been tagged, and Kat @ A Myriad of Books, who's currently so busy with schoolwork, she has hardly any time for blogging.  I really miss her, too!  

These are my questions:

1. What do you enjoy the most about blogging, or do you like every aspect of it?

2.  How do you balance your blogging with your reading?

3.  What kind of blogging issues did you have to deal with when you first started out?

4.  Do you prefer to read fiction or nonfiction?  Alternatively, do you enjoy both?  Please explain, either way.

5.  Would you read a blog that you did not find visually appealing?  Why or why not?

6.  Have you changed your blog design or header at all since you first started blogging?  Why or why not?

7.  If you were ever unable to finish a book because you didn't like it, would you still review it, and mention the reasons you couldn't finish it?  Why or why not?

8.  Would you read a book on the basis of the opinion of literary critics, or popular appeal?  Please explain either way.

9.  Young adult fiction has become very popular in recent years.  What do you think could be the reason for this?

10.  Do you like to review indie books?  Why or why not?