Monday, December 31, 2012

Happy New Year 2013 Giveaway Hop

GIVEAWAY HAS NOW ENDED. CONGRATULATIONS TO JENNIFER S!

Announcing the
Happy New Year 2013
Giveaway Hop


January 1st - 7th 2013


Review: The Reluctant Amazon by Sandy James



Goodreads Summary:

The last thing Rebecca Massee expects on her wedding day is to go from jilted kindergarten teacher to Amazonian Earth warrior. But when she causes an earthquake after her groom says I don’t, she discovers that not only does she possess incredible powers, she is one of four lost chosen sisters who must fight to keep humanity safe from rogue gods and demons. Luckily she has help: ruggedly handsome Scottish warrior Artair MacKay, her protector and teacher.

An immortal, Artair has trained countless warriors for more than four hundred years. He understands Rebecca’s confusion at the new world she’s been thrust into and worries she is too emotionally vulnerable, but that doesn’t stop his growing feelings for the beautiful and fearless woman.

When an evil force threatens to destroy the Amazons, Rebecca must claim her full powers--but they come at a cost. Can she sacrifice the man she loves if it means saving the world?

Publication Date: September 3, 2012

This was a fun book with plenty of potential for future novels. I loved the kick-ass women who were destined to fight against evil. The mythology was interesting, without being too complex and the plot was fast paced with a few surprising twists.

The novel had a strong opening sequence. I liked the introduction of Rebecca along with her sentinel Artair and the fellow Amazons. Rebecca punching her groom in the face was a great first scene and really made me cheer for her from the beginning. Megan’s introduction was also fun and exciting and I loved the bond that formed between the two women.

Rebecca was a good character and I actually liked her reluctance to accept this destiny that was being forced upon her. I think her flaws made her very relatable and I didn’t have a hard time connecting with her. My one problem with Rebecca was that I think she needed more of a back-story. The reader is never given a clear reason why Rebecca ended up with her runaway groom and what her life was like before becoming an Amazon.

I liked how each Amazon was a fighter for the goddesses of Earth, Air, Water and Fire. Their affinities for the elements made for a lot of fun action scenes. The baddies were great and I was actually very surprised by one twist. There were a few gut-wrenching scenes where I was on the edge of my seat.

The aspect I liked the least was the romance in the book. It was sort of a shame because I loved Artair and Rebecca. He has a Scottish accent and wears a kilt! How awesome is that? However, the romance needed more of a natural development. It was too much like insta-love and it turned me off for the rest of the book. I liked the forbidden angle of it, but it was too mushy, too quickly.

Overall, a great read with memorable characters. The plot was solid and I think the series is definitely a keeper.

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Thanks to the author for a copy of this book for review!

Saturday, December 29, 2012

Stacking the Shelves #20


Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews and features books you've added to your shelves, both physical and virtual.

It was a slow book week, but I did receive a few novels for review.

For Review:
Revolution 19 byGregg Rosenblum

Taking Chances by Molly McAdams

Stealing Breath by Joanne Brothwell

Friday, December 28, 2012

Friday Blog Hop #18


RULES

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!

Q: What book do you think everyone should read? If you could gift the entire population with one book?

I think everybody should read Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen at least once. I not only love the romance in the book, but also the exploration of social themes. As far as children's books, I would probably pick The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe by CS Lewis. The story of Narnia really helped me develop a love of reading.
Book Blogger Hop

From the Crazy for Books blog:

"The Book Blogger Hop is much more than just a “follow for a follow”. It’s about making friends. There are literally thousands of book bloggers around the world. It can seem like we are blogging in a bubble, constantly checking the same blogs over and over again. The Hop is about taking the time to make a quality visit to another blog, getting to know the person who is writing that blog, and seeing if you really *want* to follow that person!"

Every week is a chance to visit a new blog or more, find connections, and learn about new books to read! The Friday Book Blogger hop was gone for a while, but it's back and better than ever. I missed it and I'm happy to participate as we rotate hosts! I'll be hosting this week and next!

What is your chosen book to start the new year with?

I would love to get started on Opal (Lux #3) by Jennifer Armentrout (I need my Daemon fix!). I'm also hoping to read Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter in the foreseeable future.

Thursday, December 27, 2012

Review: Losing It by Cora Carmack

Goodreads Summary:

Virginity.

Bliss Edwards is about to graduate from college and still has hers. Sick of being the only virgin among her friends, she decides the best way to deal with the problem is to lose it as quickly and simply as possible-- a one-night stand. But her plan turns out to be anything but simple when she freaks out and leaves a gorgeous guy alone and naked in her bed with an excuse that no one with half-a-brain would ever believe. And as if if that weren't embarrassing enough, when she arrives for her first class of her last college semester, she recognizes her new theatre professor. She'd left him naked in her bed about 8 hours earlier.

Publication Date: October 15, 2012

This was a fun and sexy read! I loved the plot and the characters were simply fantastic! I had expected the book to be purely about sex, but it turned out to be much more than that.

Bliss was a fabulous main character. She was neurotic and over analytical, but very relatable. She was also very funny and I thought her awkwardness made for a lot of cute moments between her and Garrick. I’m also a fan of college age characters and I liked that the book dealt with Bliss’s fears of the future after finishing her final year of schooling.

Garrick was pure hotness. He’s good-looking, a teacher and British—it’s like the tri-fecta of a swoon-worthy male lead. I wished for a little more character development surrounding him since besides being attractive, I didn’t feel like the readers got to know him well.

The secondary characters were interesting. I especially liked Cade and my heart hurt for me. The cat was also pretty awesome and a nice sub-plot.

Although sex is a major part of the plot, Losing It is far from an erotic novel. Many of the romantic scenes mostly involved a lot of kissing and longing touches. I think the main conflict isn’t about Bliss losing her virginity, but Bliss letting go of her neuroses and thinking with her heart instead of her head.

One thing I didn’t like was the cover. In my opinion, it just didn’t suit the story. Honestly, it kind of kept me from reading the book right away. Another thing I didn’t like was the progression of Bliss and Garrick’s relationship. SPOILER ALERT They were barely together and then all of a sudden they were exchanging I love yous. I understood the strong physical attraction, but saying I love you and then making plans to move in together seemed a little premature to me. END OF SPOILER

This book is perfect for anyone who is looking for some escapism for a few hours. I’m curious to read more from the author. Perhaps a follow-up book about Cade?

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book for review!

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Trailer Reveal: Eternal Hope by Frankie Rose


Eternal Hope  by Frankie Rose (YA Paranormal)
Series: The Hope Series #2
Publication date: October, 2012
  
He loves me, he loves me not, he loves me

When your friends go missing and you don’t know if they’re dead or alive; when you tie your soul to the one you love; when you kill to protect and your family suffers, there’s only one thing you can do:

Move to Montana.

Farley Hope is special. She was prophesied to kill the forebears of her bloodline- a race of cold-blooded Reavers, men who steal the souls of the living to gain power. The Quorum had counted on Farley ending her own life in the process, but when Kayden came to her aid and helped save both her and Daniel, he undid their plans. Now the Quorum are displeased, not only with Kayden, but with Farley and Daniel too. Though her father is now dead, Farley’s troubles with the Reavers are far from over. An ancient Immortal, trapped for a thousand years, wants Farley for himself, and he will stop at nothing to claim her.

With secrets that lead to anger and pain, that turn friendship to dust, the group must overcome the problems within their own circle before they have a hope of fighting off the powers that threaten their lives.




Waiting on Wednesday #8



Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine and highlights an upcoming release we're eagerly awaiting.

The Program by Suzanne Young
Publication Date: April 30, 2013

Goodreads Summary:

In Sloane’s world, true feelings are forbidden, teen suicide is an epidemic, and the only solution is The Program.

Sloane knows better than to cry in front of anyone. With suicide now an international epidemic, one outburst could land her in The Program, the only proven course of treatment. Sloane’s parents have already lost one child; Sloane knows they’ll do anything to keep her alive. She also knows that everyone who’s been through The Program returns as a blank slate. Because their depression is gone—but so are their memories.

Under constant surveillance at home and at school, Sloane puts on a brave face and keeps her feelings buried as deep as she can. The only person Sloane can be herself with is James. He’s promised to keep them both safe and out of treatment, and Sloane knows their love is strong enough to withstand anything. But despite the promises they made to each other, it’s getting harder to hide the truth. They are both growing weaker. Depression is setting in. And The Program is coming for them.


I haven't read the author's other works yet, but I heard good things. This sounds like a cool dytopian with a unique twist.

What books are you waiting for?

Monday, December 24, 2012

Review: Lie to Me by Angela Fristoe

Summary:
With a Truth Telling gift that has never worked, Phoebe Matlin accepted long ago that she was broken.

Then one simple lie changes everything and suddenly the whisper of liar is ripping through her. Some lies, though, cover darker truths than Phoebe ever imagined.

But knowing when someone is lying is the easy part. It's convincing everyone else that's the problem.

Publication Date: December 2012
Source: YA Bound


I wasn't sure what to expect when starting Lie to Me. The concept sounded interesting and I figured I'd settle in for a fun and light YA paranormal read. I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised by the depth of the story and how the author didn't shy away from tacking tough issues. The characters were relatable and although the plot had paranormal aspects, it had a very contemporary feel.

Phoebe isn't very likable at the start of the book. She's mouthy and puts up a wall around herself. I liked Phoebe's tough girl attitude, but I could imagine some readers being put off from it. I would recommend giving her a chance because she definitely grows on you as the story progresses. I really came to like her by the end of the novel.

I never read a story about a truth telling gift and this idea really made the book stand out in my mind. The paranormal elements of the plot were really well done. The gifts were easy to understand and didn't have a set of complex rules to go along with them. I'm interested in reading subsequent books from the perspectives of Phoebe's sisters. I especially liked Lily and I'm curious to see what secrets she's hiding from her sisters. 

The love interest wasn't my favorite character in the book. I just felt he was too weak for a strong girl like Phoebe. However, I enjoyed how the author depicted him in a realistic manner. Readers won't have a hard time imagining Nathan as someone they knew in high school.

There are several different plots going on in Lie to Me. Over the course of the book, Phoebe is dealing with her complicated friendships, a budding romance with her crush, a school rival and coming to terms with her emerging gift. I liked how the book gave a complete snapshot of Phoebe's life. This kept me interested enough to finish the book in only a couple of sittings. By the end, I was on the edge of my seat as Phoebe tries to help a friend that she's know is lying to her. 

I would definitely recommend this book to YA readers. The series had plenty of potential and I only see it getting better and better.

Rating; 4.5/5 Stars

Sunday, December 23, 2012

First Visions AND New Revelations Are Free Today and Tomorrow


Happy holidays to all of my lovely readers! In celebration, I'm offering both books in my Second Sight series today and tomorrow (12/23 and 12/24) for free on Amazon. If you've already read the series, I'd appreciate if you spread the word =) After the promotion, the books will return to the normal $2.99 and $3.19 pricing.

First Visions Link: http://www.amazon.com/First-Visions-Second-Sight-ebook/dp/B007YUP4D2

New Revelations Link: http://www.amazon.com/New-Revelations-Second-Sight-ebook/dp/B009MO8CNW

Saturday, December 22, 2012

Stacking the Shelves #19


Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews and features books you've added to your shelves, both physical and virtual.

I'm trying to catch up on my reading so I skipped the library and didn't end up buying anything new this week. However, I did receive a few books for review.


For Review:
Mind Games by Kiersten White

Persistence of Vision by Liesel K. Hill

Pretty Girl-13 by Liz Coley

The Reluctant Amazon by Sandy James

The S-Word by Chelsea Pitcher

Friday, December 21, 2012

Review: Lily (Mystic #2) and Shelia (Mystic #3) by Jo Michaels


Summary:
Lily Conyers is a twenty-year-old who had it all going for her until a car crash left her with terrible scars, no modeling job, and an addiction to pain killers. When she meets a strange young woman named Markaza, Lily begins to re-build her life with encouragement from her new friend.

Problems arise when Lily leaves the safety of her apartment for the first time since her accident to venture back into the world she used to know. Her so-called friends shun her and her boyfriend recoils at the sight of her face. She rushes home with thoughts of suicide only to find a letter on her step from a company called WSTW; promising her a new life.

Lily packs her bags, bids Markaza goodbye, and sets off for the city. But going to New York is only the first hurdle Lily must jump. She must learn to use the power inside herself to help defeat an evil that is threatening to destroy the world. Once there, she meets a girl named Bronya and the two help one another re-build what was so negligently broken.

As Lily is boarding the plane bound for New York, Markaza boards another headed to Tennessee so she can collect the next young woman on her list: Shelia.

Publication Date: October 30, 2012


Summary:
After a horrible accident takes the lives of her parents, Shelia Morgan is placed in the care of her Aunt Ivy and Uncle Melvin. For six years they work her like a slave. On her twelfth birthday, Uncle Melvin makes Shelia an offer that will destroy her life.

When she turns 19, the ugly truth about her past comes out during a therapy session, Uncle Melvin is arrested, and she's placed in the sights of everyone in town. Hurling insults, objects, and threats, the townspeople side with her uncle and call Shelia a liar. She loses her job, her boyfriend, and her freedom in one day. When a girl named Markaza shows up and tells Shelia she's part of a group of young women destined to save the world, Shelia begins to dream of a new life and true freedom from her personal demons.

She tells the jury her story and boards a plane destined for New York and her new life. Once there, she meets Bronya and Lily: Two other young women with special powers they must learn to harness in order to fight an evil that will rise on December 21, 2012, and destroy the world.

Markaza boards a plane to Atlanta to save the life of a young lady named Melody before her mind destroys her from the inside out. As Markaza fights for Melody's life, Shelia, Lily, and Bronya throw themselves into their studies and learn that even power from within can get out of control.

Publication Date: December 21, 2012

Lily and Shelia are the sequels to Bronya from the Mystic series by Jo Michaels. The premise of the series is that a group of powerful women need to band together to save the world from Armageddon. I’ve liked all of the books in the series so far and I’m curious how it will all end.

Lily: Each story in the Mystic series deals with a woman who has endured some type of tragedy. Lily’s fall from grace revolves around her becoming scarred after getting into a drunk driving accident. Her modeling career is over and she has to learn how to love this new scarred version of herself. It was touching to see her growth as a character and to witness how she comes to fully appreciate her inner beauty.

I would’ve liked more backstory on Lily. I’m interested to know what kind of person she was before the accident including more about her relationship with Wilhelm and her friendships. Overall, more character development was needed in order to lend believability to how awful her boyfriend and friends treated her after the accident. I also think that Markaza and Lily’s friendship was too instantaneous. I was surprised at how easily Lily let the girl take over her life. I felt in Bronya, the two girls got to know each other in a more natural and realistic manner.

The prose is easy to read and flows at a great pace. The descriptions were well done, especially the ones involving Markaza’s visions. The end of the book was a nice set-up for the next one and I’m eager to see what happens when all of the gifted girls come together.

Shelia: I think I enjoyed Shelia the most out of the three Mystic books. Her story was truly heartbreaking. The author didn’t shy away from writing hard to read scenes. Shelia’s interactions with her uncle turned my stomach and her behavior in response to the abuse seemed realistic.

There was also more action in the latest installment of the series. The girls finally start experimenting with their powers while Markaza has more visions of the future. I was on the edge of my seat during a particularly harrowing scene where an attempted rape occurs.

Although the books are quick reads, they are not without packing an emotional punch. Almost EVERY PERSON is awful. It makes you wonder why the girls are even bothering to save humanity if these are the kinds of people they come across.

The book deals with tough subjects, but it was refreshing to read a very pro-feminist novel. The pacing was excellent and I finished the book in only two sittings.

Ratings:
Lily: 4/5 Stars
Shelia: 4.5/5 Stars

Thursday, December 20, 2012

First Person Versus Third Person Narrative Mode



The Memory Witch is my first ever attempt at writing in the first person. Because of the plot—a girl has her memories stolen away—I knew it was important to not head hop. I wanted everything to be told from Quinn’s perspective only.

Writing in first person past tense was a challenge. You’re really limiting POV and it was a tough switch after writing in third person for so long. Since the POV is only told from Quinn’s perspective, I found myself relying on certain plot devices to move the story along. For instance, since there’s a mystery that Quinn must unravel, she had to overhear certain conversations to learn more clues about her past.  

First person writing can also sound wooden and unnatural. It’s easy to end up with a narrative that has many sentences like “I went here” and “I did this.” Since Quinn is relaying the story to the reader, it was up to her to keep the story interesting and portray the secondary characters in a way that readers could connect with.

Although it was tough, I liked what it could achieve. I feel readers may be able to connect more with a character when first person is used. The story reads like a diary and I like the intimacy of the narrative mode.

What are your preferences as a reader and writer? Do you tend to like books with first person or third person POVs? Have you seen books where both are used? 

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday #7


Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine and highlights an upcoming release we're eagerly awaiting.

The Fairest Beauty by Melanie Dickerson
Publication Date: January 8, 2013


Goodreads Summary:

A daring rescue. A difficult choice. Sophie desperately wants to get away from her stepmother's jealousy, and believes escape is her only chance to be happy. Then a young man named Gabe arrives from Hagenheim Castle, claiming she is betrothed to his older brother, and everything twists upside down. This could be Sophie's one chance at freedom---but can she trust another person to keep her safe? Gabe defied his parents Rose and Wilhelm by going to find Sophie, and now he believes they had a right to worry: the girl's inner and outer beauty has enchanted him. Though romance is impossible---she is his brother's future wife, and Gabe himself is betrothed to someone else---he promises himself he will see the mission through, no matter what. When the pair flee to the Cottage of the Seven, they find help---but also find their feelings for each other have grown. Now both must not only protect each other from the dangers around them---they must also protect their hearts.

I've been really into fairy tale re-imaginings lately and this book sounds like it could be a good one! What books are you waiting for?

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Looking Back at NaNoWriMo

Yay! I won! My first NaNoWriMo was a complete success and I'm happy to report that my first novel in a new series is now undergoing edits. The book is called The Memory Witch and here's the synopsis:

Ten years ago, Quinn Jacobs’ mother made a bargain with a local witch—steal away Quinn’s memories from the first eight years of her life and in return, Quinn would spend a year in servitude to the witch.

On Quinn’s eighteenth birthday, she’s forced to leave her home and friends behind. For the next year, she’ll live at the Chadwick House, learning everything she needs to know about being a spellcaster. As her powers emerge, Quinn begins to unravel the secrets of the past and the reason her mother was so desperate to conceal the horrifying truth. 

That's the rough draft of my synopsis. I'll be editing the book now while also working continuously on the third book in the Second Sight series. It's been interesting to write the books simultaneously for several reasons. For one, The Memory Witch is the first novel I've written in first person. Also, Quinn's voice is very different than Kate Edwards.

Thanks to everyone for their support during the NaNoWriMo craziness.

Monday, December 17, 2012

Review: Always and Forever by Karla J. Nellenbach

Goodreads Summary:
Mia's first reaction is outright disbelief. Obviously, a mistake has been made. Sixteen-year-old girls don't die. But, when the diagnosis is confirmed, she dives headlong into anger. If she has to die, why should it be of cancer? In fact, anything would be preferable to cancer. Better for her to say when, where, and especially how.

Determined to meet death on her own terms, Mia devises scheme after scheme to get the job done. A “fall” down the basement stairs, driving her car off a bridge, and even a dance with a train all end in her survival. 

And through it all, Mia keeps her family and friends at arms' length with her destructive and hurtful behavior. With each failed suicide attempt and burned relationship, she slowly realizes that it’s not the dying that she’s afraid of, but the life she’ll be leaving behind. Now, that life is in a shambles. As time begins to slip through her fingers and death is upon her, Mia fights to rebuild the bridges she has destroyed, but can she do it before the clock runs out?


Publication Date: September 18, 2012
Source: LibraryThing Giveaway

As soon as I read the blurb for this book, I had an inkling I would be a sobbing mess while reading it. Although Always and Forever was certainly a tearjerker, it wasn’t merely a story about a girl dying from cancer. It was also about going through the stages of grief and being able to find love and acceptance along the way.

The author did a superb job of depicting Mia as an average high school girl. Her relationships and behaviors felt very realistic for a sixteen-year-old girl. I loved her friendships as well as a healthy relationship with her parents. Her behavior after finding out about the terminal diagnosis was also well done. It was easy to imagine a young girl trying to push everyone away in order to protect them from her impending death.

I went back and forth on my feelings towards Kal. At first, he was way too mushy for believability. He felt too romanticized and all the sobbing and poetry reading put me off. However, by the middle of the book he grew on me and I ended up liking him a lot more. It was great to see a three-dimensional YA male character that the main character didn’t fall for simply because he was hot and mysterious.

I enjoyed that the book was told in first person and gave the readers a chance to really get into Mia’s head and understand her motivations for wanting to end her life before she succumbed to cancer. Present tense may have worked better though since we know from the beginning she’s going to die.

If you’re in the mood for a sweet story that will cause spontaneous bouts of crying, then I highly recommend this book. The writing was beautiful and I’m going to be on the lookout for future books from the author.

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

Saturday, December 15, 2012

Stacking the Shelves #18


Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews and features books you've added to your shelves, both physical and virtual.

My Kindle is so overloaded right now, I'm afraid it's going to burst. It has been a super book week though and I can't wait to get to them all =)

Purchased:

Lily (Mystic #2) by Jo Michaels


For Review:
Through the Ever Night by Veronica Rossi

Requiem by Lauren Oliver

Edge of the Past by Jennifer Comeaux

The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepherd

Friday, December 14, 2012

Friday Blog Hop #17

I'm participating in two of my favorite Friday book hops today. Make sure to stop by my Amazon Gift Card Giveaway for new and old followers. Ends 12/24.

RULES

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!

Q: What is the last book that made you cry? Tell us about the scene...

It's funny that this is the question of the week because I was just thinking last week how I hadn't read anything in a long time that had made me cry. Then, I had two books in a week that had me weeping like a baby! Easy by Tammara Webber was the first one. Without giving away spoilers, it was the scene where Lucas's past is revealed. Then, a couple of days ago I finished Always and Forever by Karla J. Nellenbach. The book is about a girl diagnosed with terminal cancer falling in love, so it was obviously a tearjerker from start to finish.
Book Blogger Hop

From the Crazy for Books blog:

"The Book Blogger Hop is much more than just a “follow for a follow”. It’s about making friends. There are literally thousands of book bloggers around the world. It can seem like we are blogging in a bubble, constantly checking the same blogs over and over again. The Hop is about taking the time to make a quality visit to another blog, getting to know the person who is writing that blog, and seeing if you really *want* to follow that person!"

Every week is a chance to visit a new blog or more, find connections, and learn about new books to read! The Friday Book Blogger hop was gone for a while, but it's back and better than ever. I missed it and I'm happy to participate as we rotate hosts! I'll be hosting this week and next!

What Bookmarker Are You Currently Using?

I have a tendency to lose bookmarks like crazy, but it hasn't been that upsetting now that I read most of my books on my Kindle. Right now though, I'm using two: a Mystic series bookmark I won from a giveaway and my son's solar system bookmark.