Welcome to the Book Blogger Hop,
hosted by Billy @
This Week's Question
Do you follow other book blogs,
and if so, who are your
top 3 bloggers?
(Submitted by Amber @
My Answer
Most of us book bloggers do follow other book blogs. Bloggers in general do this, whether their blogs deal with books, crafts, gardening, pets, kids, or some other topic. I am no exception to this blogging 'custom'. It's a nifty way to get to know other bloggers, as well as share ideas and book recommendations!
In my early blogging days, I went CRAZY following blogs left and right, lol. As time went on, though, I came to realize that I could not realistically visit each and every one of these blogs and comment on at least ONE post, every single week. So nowadays, I don't follow that many blogs. Ironically, I have built up a large following myself, because blog tour companies want to see a lot of followers on those blogs where their authors' books are being promoted.
There are different ways of following blogs, of course. Those of us who use Google's Blogger blogging platform usually follow other blogs with the GFC widget (Google Friend Connect). Those who have Wordpress as their blogging platform, on the other hand, need to use other following methods, as GFC does not apply to Wordpress blogs. (A couple of years ago, there were Internet rumors that Google was retiring the GFC widget, but that hasn't happened, thankfully!)
Other following options include Bloglovin', Networked Blogs, and, of course, following by email. There's also the Linky widget. I use this one, too, but, unfortunately, it doesn't show up in a blog's sidebar if that blog uses "https" in front of their URL. With the recent privacy law being enacted in Europe, I now use "https" in front of my URL. I'm not taking any chances on being fined! Lol. But then the Linky widget doesn't appear in my sidebar..... Well, I'm currently in the process of finding a solution to this little glitch. Until I do, my Linky followers are not visible in my sidebar. :(
So, when I follow a blog, I usually do so with the GFC widget. If they don't have that, then I use Bloglovin'. I NEVER use the email option, though, because my inbox tends to get a LOT of spam. I sure don't need to get MORE emails! Lol.
Now, on to my three top bloggers..... And what are the criteria for a blogger saying that they have"three top bloggers"? I would say that it would be interesting content, great blog layout, and willingness to reciprocate with comments back, and/or replies. In my honest opinion, I believe all three of these are important. However, if a given blogger has the first two, but is not willing to either reply to my comments on their blog, or to comment back on mine, then I can't really say that they're one of my "three top bloggers". I understand that everyone is very busy (yours truly included), and sometimes, there just isn't enough time to reply to comments left on your blog, or to comment back on the blogs whose bloggers left a comment on yours. I do the best I can, myself. Sometimes I do fall behind.....
Anyway.... I think book bloggers tend to interact more with other book bloggers whose reading tastes are similar to theirs. This is very understandable, although, in my case, there's at least one book blogger who LOVES the horror genre (I don't), and yet, she's SO nice and friendly, we're able to interact very well.
I really prefer to mention several -- not just three -- book bloggers with whom I interact pretty often, and whose reading tastes are similar to mine. But again, included in that list are book bloggers who, like the one I've referred to above, are just very nice people. They will interact with me, even though we don't quite have the same reading tastes. This is something I GREATLY appreciate!
So here are the bloggers, in NO particular order:
Sarah @ Brainfluff: Totally fascinating posts, mostly about fantasy and SF, but including book cover posts, too. I LOVE interacting with her, as she's also very nice. Additionally, she's an SF writer!! :)
Brian @ Babbling Books: He writes fascinating posts about classics, literary fiction, and nonfiction. Brian makes very interesting observations on the books he reads, and I greatly enjoy his comments, as well as his posts! Besides, he's a very down-to-earth, nice person. :)
Stephanie @ Bookfever: She has a wonderful mix of reading genres, including historical fiction, and historical nonfiction. She also hosts giveaways and participates in blog tours! Last but not least, she's a very nice person! :)
Barb @ Booker T's Farm: She LOVES dogs (she and hubby have two very cute Boxer pups), so she features many dog-themed books, especially funny ones. She's also a horror fan, but we both did enjoy reading Dread Nation, by Justina Ireland. (I called this book "horror lite", though, lol.) We kid around a lot! :)
Greg @ Book Haven: He posts such a GREAT collection of pictures, most of them SF-related! He also includes music videos in "Can't Wait Wednesday" post every week, and reviews movies as well as books. :)
Wendy @ Musings of a Bookish Kitty: Although I haven't visited her blog in a while, I LOVE her posts, which include news (she calls them "mews", in reference to her cats, lol) of her family's activities. I especially enjoy reading about her daughter's progress in school, as well as her outings with Mom and Dad. Her daughter's nickname is "Mouse". :)
Daniela @ Nocturnal Devices (now renamed 'Bookiverse'): I feel bad that I haven't visited her blog in a while.... She's a VERY bubbly person, and her post titles ALWAYS crack me up! She blogs mostly about paranormal romance, urban fantasy, fantasy, and some SF. She is, of course, VERY funny! :)
Sue @ The Great Raven: Sue blogs about several genres, as she has very eclectic tastes. She does tend to publish a lot of SF posts. Since she's a librarian, she has a wide breadth of knowledge about several authors and genres. :)
Elizabeth @ Silver's Reviews: Elizabeth is a very sweet, kind person, and we interact mostly through the Book Blogger Hop blog hop/book meme, every week. We've also chatted by phone, though. She reads and reviews historical fiction, mysteries, and women's fiction. Although we don't have similar reading tastes, we still enjoy our chats! :)
So these are my favorite bloggers and blogs! Do visit them, and check out their posts. I'm sure you guys will find some books in common, and make new friends, as well!
TGIF and a GREAT weekend to everybody!! <3 :)
In my early blogging days, I went CRAZY following blogs left and right, lol. As time went on, though, I came to realize that I could not realistically visit each and every one of these blogs and comment on at least ONE post, every single week. So nowadays, I don't follow that many blogs. Ironically, I have built up a large following myself, because blog tour companies want to see a lot of followers on those blogs where their authors' books are being promoted.
There are different ways of following blogs, of course. Those of us who use Google's Blogger blogging platform usually follow other blogs with the GFC widget (Google Friend Connect). Those who have Wordpress as their blogging platform, on the other hand, need to use other following methods, as GFC does not apply to Wordpress blogs. (A couple of years ago, there were Internet rumors that Google was retiring the GFC widget, but that hasn't happened, thankfully!)
Other following options include Bloglovin', Networked Blogs, and, of course, following by email. There's also the Linky widget. I use this one, too, but, unfortunately, it doesn't show up in a blog's sidebar if that blog uses "https" in front of their URL. With the recent privacy law being enacted in Europe, I now use "https" in front of my URL. I'm not taking any chances on being fined! Lol. But then the Linky widget doesn't appear in my sidebar..... Well, I'm currently in the process of finding a solution to this little glitch. Until I do, my Linky followers are not visible in my sidebar. :(
So, when I follow a blog, I usually do so with the GFC widget. If they don't have that, then I use Bloglovin'. I NEVER use the email option, though, because my inbox tends to get a LOT of spam. I sure don't need to get MORE emails! Lol.
Now, on to my three top bloggers..... And what are the criteria for a blogger saying that they have"three top bloggers"? I would say that it would be interesting content, great blog layout, and willingness to reciprocate with comments back, and/or replies. In my honest opinion, I believe all three of these are important. However, if a given blogger has the first two, but is not willing to either reply to my comments on their blog, or to comment back on mine, then I can't really say that they're one of my "three top bloggers". I understand that everyone is very busy (yours truly included), and sometimes, there just isn't enough time to reply to comments left on your blog, or to comment back on the blogs whose bloggers left a comment on yours. I do the best I can, myself. Sometimes I do fall behind.....
Anyway.... I think book bloggers tend to interact more with other book bloggers whose reading tastes are similar to theirs. This is very understandable, although, in my case, there's at least one book blogger who LOVES the horror genre (I don't), and yet, she's SO nice and friendly, we're able to interact very well.
I really prefer to mention several -- not just three -- book bloggers with whom I interact pretty often, and whose reading tastes are similar to mine. But again, included in that list are book bloggers who, like the one I've referred to above, are just very nice people. They will interact with me, even though we don't quite have the same reading tastes. This is something I GREATLY appreciate!
So here are the bloggers, in NO particular order:
Sarah @ Brainfluff: Totally fascinating posts, mostly about fantasy and SF, but including book cover posts, too. I LOVE interacting with her, as she's also very nice. Additionally, she's an SF writer!! :)
Brian @ Babbling Books: He writes fascinating posts about classics, literary fiction, and nonfiction. Brian makes very interesting observations on the books he reads, and I greatly enjoy his comments, as well as his posts! Besides, he's a very down-to-earth, nice person. :)
Stephanie @ Bookfever: She has a wonderful mix of reading genres, including historical fiction, and historical nonfiction. She also hosts giveaways and participates in blog tours! Last but not least, she's a very nice person! :)
Barb @ Booker T's Farm: She LOVES dogs (she and hubby have two very cute Boxer pups), so she features many dog-themed books, especially funny ones. She's also a horror fan, but we both did enjoy reading Dread Nation, by Justina Ireland. (I called this book "horror lite", though, lol.) We kid around a lot! :)
Greg @ Book Haven: He posts such a GREAT collection of pictures, most of them SF-related! He also includes music videos in "Can't Wait Wednesday" post every week, and reviews movies as well as books. :)
Wendy @ Musings of a Bookish Kitty: Although I haven't visited her blog in a while, I LOVE her posts, which include news (she calls them "mews", in reference to her cats, lol) of her family's activities. I especially enjoy reading about her daughter's progress in school, as well as her outings with Mom and Dad. Her daughter's nickname is "Mouse". :)
Daniela @ Nocturnal Devices (now renamed 'Bookiverse'): I feel bad that I haven't visited her blog in a while.... She's a VERY bubbly person, and her post titles ALWAYS crack me up! She blogs mostly about paranormal romance, urban fantasy, fantasy, and some SF. She is, of course, VERY funny! :)
Sue @ The Great Raven: Sue blogs about several genres, as she has very eclectic tastes. She does tend to publish a lot of SF posts. Since she's a librarian, she has a wide breadth of knowledge about several authors and genres. :)
Elizabeth @ Silver's Reviews: Elizabeth is a very sweet, kind person, and we interact mostly through the Book Blogger Hop blog hop/book meme, every week. We've also chatted by phone, though. She reads and reviews historical fiction, mysteries, and women's fiction. Although we don't have similar reading tastes, we still enjoy our chats! :)
So these are my favorite bloggers and blogs! Do visit them, and check out their posts. I'm sure you guys will find some books in common, and make new friends, as well!
TGIF and a GREAT weekend to everybody!! <3 :)
What are your thoughts on
this topic?
If you're participating in this hop,
I'll go comment on your
own BBH post.
If not, I will then comment on one
of your blog posts!
Thanks for visiting!!!
Thanks so much for the mention and thsnks for the kind words Maria.
ReplyDeleteI find Bloglovin to be the best way to follow other blogs. There are other blog readers out there. I used to use one called The Old Reader but when it stopped working right I switched to Bloglovin. I have been too lazy to try others.
I will check out the other blogs that you listed.
Have a great weekend!
Hi, Brian!
DeleteYou're very welcome!! My compliments are well deserved, as your blog is a very interesting one, and I LOVE commenting on your well-written, insightful posts!! <3 <3
I think Bloglovin' is definitely a great way to follow blogs. I keep GFC, though, because I participate in blog tours, and it's important for tour companies to see that I have a lot of followers. They prefer to work bloggers who have a lot of followers, and I do enjoy participating in these tours! However, I don't want to publish too many such posts, because some bloggers consider them to be spam. Wordpress won't allow blog tour posts on blogs, which I think is a restriction of free speech. But they consider them spam. too. I just want to have some variety on this blog. :)
Yeah, check out the blogs I listed, and see which ones you might be interested in! I know you're already familiar with "Musings of a Bookish Kitty", but you might not know the others.
Hope you're having a great Saturday!! Thanks for commenting!! <3 :)
Thank you so much, Maria! Love you!
ReplyDeleteI remember those rumors of GFC retiring. Everyone in the blog community was so worried and then it just didn't happen. lol
I mainly follow blogs through bloglovin or email but I also feel like followers aren't that important anymore like they were a few years ago. At least not on blogs. Instagram and Twitter is a whole different story.
Have a great weekend!
Hi, Steph!
DeleteYou're very welcome!! Love you back!! <3 <3 <3
Yeah! Some people (including me) were even panicking! I kept thinking, "Well, how am I going to be able to participate in blog tours now, if tour companies are not aware of how many followers I have?" Lol. What many of us blogger love about the GFC widget is that it's right THERE, visible to everyone who visits your blog. But Google never got rid of it, thank God! :)
I use Bloglovin', too, but stay away from the email option.
Maybe, in general, followers are not that important for blogs anymore, but for blog tours they still are. I know I wouldn't be included in any tours if I only had like, 100 followers. Lol.
Thanks for the great comment!! HUGS!!! <3 <3 <3 :) :) :)
Time is always a factor. Good idea to keep to a reasonable limit.
ReplyDeleteHi, Nicki!
DeleteOh, DEFINITELY!! Even though I only have a part-time job, I'm still usually strapped for time! The thing is, I sometimes have to do work at home. I make copies to use in the classroom with my students. (I teach English as a Second Language to adults, from 3:00 to 9:30 PM, Monday to Thursday. I do get a dinner break, though.)
Thanks for commenting!! <3 :)
Thanks for the plug, Maria! I don’t think I could choose three either. I mostly follow book blogs, but also history blogs, film blogs and a few more general ones. I like a blog that posts regularly, as yours does(more regularly than mine, actually, because you have some set themes, whereas I just do reviews of recently read books or post on something that had interested me recently. Only 105 posts this year). I like Blogger better than WordPress, which drives me crazy when I try to comment, and I have had to follow most by email. It’s easier to use, though Blogger, too, has been doing weird things lately, such as not allowing you to get your moderation notices by email, but that’s back.
ReplyDeleteHi, Sue!
DeleteYou're very welcome!! <3 <3
WOW, you follow a LOT of blogs!! How interesting that they're not all book blogs, either! Those history blogs must be SO fascinating!!
I do try to post regularly, although sometimes I get behind on posts (and comments, too). I often post my Saturday meme -- which is titled "Shelf Candy Saturday", on Sundays, for instance! Lol. I always include a little note that says "Late Edition" in the post itself when I do that, though. Lol. But yes, I do try to post on a regular basis.
My other blog, "MindSpirit Book Journeys", is sadly neglected because of lack of time..... I don't do giveaways or blog tours on that blog, but I have some posts dedicated to memes, in addition to book reviews.
Since I began blogging with the Blogger platform, and am very much used to it by now, I have stayed with it. Besides, Wordpress doesn't allow book tours, which I think is RIDICULOUS! I enjoy doing blog tours! :)
Blogger does have some problems from time to time, though, and I have had some struggles when creating posts, but overall, I prefer Blogger, too.
Thanks for the great comment!! <3 <3 <3 :) :) :)
WOW, WOW, WOW - another FANTASTIC post and answer, Maria.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE how you detailed everything and explained why you do follow the blogs you follow. YOU ARE AMAZING....that is why I always enjoy stopping by and chatting with you on the Internet and on the phone and through texts.
Again...this post is FAB...thank you for always making the Blog Hop answers so interesting and for adding information I never thought about before. You are the BEST.
I do agree that if someone doesn't reciprocate or at least try to interact via comments that I lose interest in their blog.
Elizabeth
Hi, Elizabeth!
DeleteAwwww.....you're so sweet!! Thank you SO much for all of your compliments!! <3 <3 <3
I can't help but give detailed answers to these BBH questions. That's the way I'm wired, I guess. Well, it must be very obvious that I enjoy writing! Lol.
I enjoy our chats and texts, too!! I know I owe you some texts, and I'll be sending you some as soon as I have the time. Lol.
You know, I've gotten to the point where I don't worry if people don't comment back, or reply to my comments on their blogs. Those who are interested in my blog will always do their best to interact with me. Those who aren't will just drift away. That's just the way it is. Blogging is a very time-consuming activity. It's also richly rewarding, and part of the reason is the interactions with other bloggers. But, "it is what it is". So I don't worry that much about comments anymore, especially since I have also been late commenting back and replying! :)
Thanks for the sweet, lovely comment!! Hope you're having a GREAT Sunday!! HUGS!!! <3 <3 <3 :) :) :)
Thank you for the mention, Maria. I have been such a terrible blogger as of late. Very sporadic and my commenting has been atrocious. I am hoping to get back into some sort of blogging pattern soon, but time will tell. I use Inoreader to follow blogs, including yours. It reminds me a lot of the old Google Reader. I use the free version and am able to set up categories and such just as I want them.
ReplyDeleteReciprocal interaction is important to me too, as you know. I understand that people have lives off their blog and get busy--and so I am flexible in that regard, and know not everyone can comment on every post or reply to comments regularly. I appreciate people's patience with me, I know!
I hope you have a great week, Maria.
Hi, Wendy!
DeleteYou're very welcome!! I LOVE your posts!! <3 <3 <3
As I stated in my comment to Elizabeth above, blogging is very time-consuming! I have become much more understanding about people not commenting back on my blog, or replying to my own comments on theirs. There just isn't enough time to accommodate everybody! So it's inevitable that some people will just stop visiting and commenting after a while. There are SO many great blogs on the blogosphere!! It's really OVERWHELMING!!
I know how very busy you are, and have noticed that you're not commenting as quickly as you used to. But the important thing is to make the effort, even if you do comment back, and reply, late. Heck, LIFE happens! Lol. I haven't been to your blog in a while, but I haven't forgotten you! That's why I mentioned your blog in this post. I will make every effort to visit soon!! <3 <3 <3
Oh, I've never heard of that feature! I'll look it up. I miss that old Google Reader, too..... And how nice that Inoreader is FREEE!! Yeah, I will DEFINITELY look it up! Thanks for letting me know!! <3 :)
Yes, it's very important to be patient with other bloggers. We don't know what people might have on their plate. As the saying goes, "It is what it is." Lol.
Hope you have a great week, too, Wendy! Thanks for the lovely, thoughtful comment!! HUGS TO YOU AND MOUSE!!! <3 <3 <3 :) :) :)
Well! I nearly fell off my chair when I scrolled down, agog to see who your favourite bloggers were and saw yours truly there. Thank you so much for all your kind comments - it made my day! Apologies for the delay in getting back to you, but I've the grandchildren unexpectedly staying this weekend...
ReplyDeleteI will definitely be visiting the other bloggers you recommended, though I also regularly touch base with Barb and Greg, courtesy of Kimberly's Sunday Post meme and thoroughly agree with you on everything you said about them:).
I tend to keep in touch via the emails I get, notifying me and of course, when folks take the time and trouble to visit the blog and comment I make an effort to respond and visit. I really love the community of blogging friends I've made - not everyone reads the same books that I do, but I've got to know a lot about their lives and families. Having been brought up in an era without the glory of the internet, I cannot begin to explain my joy and appreciation at being able to share my love of books with other folks who feel the same way - reading used to be a solitary affair and counted yourself really lucky if you ever got to have any kind of conversation about the books you read - especially if you read 'weird stuff' aka SFF... I feel blessed to be alive right now and have the benefit of being able to chat about favourite books and their covers to wonderful folks from around the world - particularly you!xxx
Hi, Sarah!
DeleteYou're very welcome!! I'm SO glad I made your day!! YAAAAY!!! <3 <3 <3
No worries about not getting back to me quickly. I totally understand, especially if "wee ones" are involved! And how nice that you have grandchildren!! :) :) :)
Yes, the blogs I mentioned are indeed great ones! They don't all feature the same genres I do, but I have very nice interactions with these bloggers anyway! So that's what matters, truly! :) :)
Yes, following by email does have the advantage that you get notified when someone comments on one of your posts. For me, though, it just means MORE emails to wade through! Lol. I usually go back to a blog I've commented on, though, to see if the blogger has replied to my comment. Sometimes I leave another reply, and sometimes not. :)
That's EXACTLY what I enjoy about blogging interactions -- getting to know the bloggers on a more personal basis! Even if they don't read the very same genres I do, these bloggers are still very nice people, and I LOVE getting to know them, and "chat" with them on a regular basis! :)
The Internet has made a HUGE difference in how we bookworms do our reading! Even those who, like me, don't belong to a physical book club, can now interact with other book lovers from ALL over the world! And yeah, some people consider the genres of fantasy and SF to be "weird"! Lol. SO glad you're NOT one of them, and that you write in the SF genre, too!!! <3 <3
I feel blessed, too!! <3 <3 Book blogging has actually become just as important to me as reading, and in fact, sometimes it's a real struggle to balance the two activities! Lol.
Interacting with people from all over the planet is DEFINITELY a richly rewarding experience! And thanks for that nice compliment!! I feel the same way about interacting with you!! You're SUPER NICE!! <3 <3
Thank you SO much for the lovely, sweet, comment!! Hope you're having a nice Sunday!! I think night has fallen over there by now, right? HUGS!!! <3 <3 <3 :) :) :)
I'm so glad to be the "exception" to your horror rule. We do have a lot of reads in common and you know that I don't ONLY read horror. I have to say now that I'm glad I didn't talk you into reading The Outsider with me and that you stuck to your guns. You'd have been okay until the last 100 pages or so. Thanks for the mention and you know you're one of my faves as well. We simply HAVE to make time for another buddy read!
ReplyDeleteHi, Barb!
DeleteYes, you DEFINITELY are!! :) :) And I know you don't just read horror. You also read a lot of cute and funny books, as well as paranormal fiction and mysteries. And I have to say again that I GREATLY enjoyed our "horror lite" read, "Dread Nation"!! (Yes, in spite of that twist at the end.)
OMG, am I glad I didn't read that book!! If you, a horror fan, are saying that the last 100 pages were THAT heavy, I would have probably had nightmares!! Lol.
You're very welcome for the mention!! I'm SO happy that I'm one of your faves, too!! <3 <3
Yes, we DEFINITELY do!! I want to buddy read "The Hate U Give" with you, once I get done with those blog tour reads I have to review!
Thanks for the lovely comment!! HUGS TO YOU AND THOSE CUTE, MISCHIEVOUS PUPS, PLUS "WOOF, WOOF" TO THEM!!! <3 <3 <3 :) :) :)