Bloggin' 'bout Books: A Few Things On A Friday

2024 Literary Escapes Challenge

- ~~Alabama~~ (1)

- ~~Alaska~~ (1)

- ~~Arizona~~ (1)

- ~~Arkansas~~ (1)

- ~~California~~ (11)

- ~~Colorado~~ (1)

- ~~Connecticut~~ (2)

- ~~Delaware~~ (1)

- ~~Florida~~ (3)

- ~~Georgia~~ (4)

- ~~Hawaii~~ (1)

- ~~Idaho~~ (3)

- ~~Illinois~~ (4)

- ~~Indiana~~ (4)

- ~~Iowa~~ (1)

- ~~Kansas~~ (1)

- ~~Kentucky~~ (2)

- ~~Louisiana~~ (1)

- ~~Maine~~ (1)

- ~~Maryland~~ (1)

- ~~Massachusetts~~ (4)

- ~~Michigan~~ (1)

- ~~Minnesota~~ (2)

- ~~Mississippi~~ (1)

- ~~Missouri~~ (1)

- ~~Montana~~ (1)

- ~~Nebraska~~ (1)

- ~~Nevada~~ (2)

- ~~New Hampshire~~ (1)

- ~~New Jersey~~ (1)

- ~~New Mexico~~ (1)

- ~~New York~~ (10)

- ~~North Carolina~~ (4)

- ~~North Dakota~~ (1)

- ~~Ohio~~ (3)

- ~~Oklahoma~~ (2)

- ~~Oregon~~ (2)

- ~~Pennsylvania~~ (2)

- ~~Rhode Island~~ (1)

- ~~South Carolina~~ (1)

- ~~South Dakota~~ (1)

- ~~Tennessee~~ (1)

- ~~Texas~~ (4)

- ~~Utah~~ (5)

- ~~Vermont~~ (2)

- ~~Virginia~~ (2)

- ~~Washington~~ (3)

- ~~West Virginia~~ (1)

- ~~Wisconsin~~ (1)

- ~~Wyoming~~ (2)

- Washington, D.C.* (2)

International:

- Argentina (1)

- Australia (6)

- Austria (1)

- Bolivia (1)

- Canada (4)

- China (2)

- England (27)

- France (2)

- Ghana (1)

- India (1)

- Indonesia (1)

- Ireland (4)

- Italy (1)

- Poland (2)

- Russia (2)

- Scotland (4)

- The Netherlands (1)

A Few Things On A Friday

3:15 PM

Whew! Where has this week gone? For that matter, where has this month gone and this year? Everything's whizzing by in one big blur. My kids have less than 2 weeks of school left, then it's onto a long, hot summer. Heaven help me.

Anyway, it's Friday. I wanted to mention a few things:

- Don't forget to sign up to win a copy of Lindsey Leavitt's debut, Princess for Hire. It's a cute, clean middle grade read that will make you smile. The contest closes on the 27th. Click here for more information.

- I've spent the last couple of days having a Jenna Blum read-a-thon. Several people recommended her debut book, Those Who Save Us, to me. It's a heartbreaking, but thoroughly compelling historical about a young German woman's experience during WWII. I highly recommend the read. I'll be reviewing it soon. Blum's second novel, The Stormchasers, comes out on the 27th. It's vastly different from Those Who Save Us. It's also completely engrossing. You can pre-order it now at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc. Watch for a review of that one coming soon, as well as an interview with Jenna Blum.

- Have you heard about the Blog Blogger Hop, a weekly event sponsored by Jennifer at Crazy-for-Books? It's a fun way to find new book blogs and drive traffic to your own blog at the same time. Even though I have hundreds of book blogs on my feeder, I discover new ones every week at the Hop. Check it out.

Jennifer wanted us to mention blogs we've found through the Hop. Here is a very small sampling of my discoveries:

Proud Book Nerd

The Review Stew

A Good Stopping Point

Our Year in Books

D.J.'s Life in Fiction

- Because I haven't done a meme in a while, I thought I'd do this one about reading habits that's been floating around. I've seen the meme all over the place, but this particular version came from Kristin at Always With A Book. Here goes:

Do you snack while you read? If so, favorite reading snack: The short answer is yes. I shouldn't eat while I read, but I do. Consequently, many of my books have food smudges in them. Gross, I know.

What is your favorite drink while reading?: My favorite thing to drink - period - is ice water. I'm rarely found without a glass of water beside me, that includes when I'm reading. A funny: When I was in college, I carried bottled water with me everywhere. One day, I forgot my beloved bottle. A friend passed me while I was studying with my stuff spread out all over a table. "Oh!" he remarked. "I almost didn't recognize you without your water bottle." Ha ha.

Do you tend to mark your books as you read, or does the idea of writing in books horrify you?: *shudders* Absolutely. Not. The only books I've ever marked in were textbooks. If I find a passage I love, I copy it down on a piece of paper like a civilized person.

How do you keep your place while reading a book? Bookmark? Dog-ears? Laying the book flat open?: I use bookmarks or the flaps of a book to mark my place. If I'm desperate, I'll lay it flat. I know - another bad habit I need to break. Dog ears? *Shudder* I'd die before abusing a book in such a manner.

Fiction, non-fiction, or both?: Both, although I prefer fiction.

Are you a person who tends to read to the end of a chapter, or can you stop anywhere?: I definitely have to read to the end of the chapter, or at least to the end of a section. Never in the middle of the action.

Are you the type of person to throw a book across the room or on the floor if the author irritates you?: Although I've been mighty tempted to lob books at the wall, I'd never actually do it.

If you come across an unfamiliar word, do you stop and look it up right away?: Nope, never. If I can't decipher the meaning from the context, I skip it.

What are you currently reading?: The Stormchasers by Jenna Blum. It's really good :)

What is the last book you bought?: Actually, my MIL bought a cookbook for me for Mother's Day that I already own. So, yesterday, I went to Deseret Book and exchanged it for Being Sixteen by Ally Condie. Since I always go crazy in bookstores, I also picked up Imprints by Rachel Ann Nunes and From God's Arms to My Arms to Yours, an adoption keepsake book by Michael McLean.

Are you the type of person that reads one book at a time, or can you read more than one?: I can only concentrate on one at a time.

Do you have a favorite time/place to read?: Nope. I'll read any time, any place. Usually, you can find me reading in a recliner in my family room with my feet up and a glass of water by my side.

Do you prefer series books or stand alones?: I love series' because they let me get to know characters I love more intimately, but I adore stand alones, too.

Is there a specific book or author you find yourself recommending over and over?: Sure. Classics like Anne of Green Gables, Gone With the Wind, Jane Eyre, etc. Also, The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak, Peace Like A River by Leif Enger, the Temperance Brennan series by Kathy Reichs, anything by Maeve Binchy, I could go on and on ...

How do you organize your books? (by genre, title, author's last name, etc.): Organize my books? Yeah, that would be a good idea. I shelve like with like - adult fiction, adult non-fiction, YA fiction, YA non-fiction, etc.

I'd love to hear your answers to the meme. Let me know if you decide to do the meme on your blog.

Have a wonderful weekend!

8 comments:

Jan14 May, 2010 18:56
Just hopping by to say hello. I enjoy your blog, and I am a new follower.
ReplyDelete
Replies
Christy14 May, 2010 20:02
Thanks Susan for coming to my blog. The conference was great-maybe I'll meet you next time. Your blog is classy-I'm following.
ReplyDelete
Replies
Sarah Joyce14 May, 2010 20:16
Just Hopping by. Nice Blog!
ReplyDelete
Replies
Gina15 May, 2010 00:11
Just hopping through on the blogger hop! Nice site you have here...love the header! Happy hopping...and happy reading!
ReplyDelete
Replies
Nina15 May, 2010 04:01
Hi, just wanted to say hi and thank you for visiting my blog. Always appreciate visits. :)
ReplyDelete
Replies
E.J. Stevens15 May, 2010 06:20
Stopping by from the hop. :)

Let's do the Hop!

My Hop is here.

xx,
E.J.
ReplyDelete
Replies
Melissa @ Mel's Books and Info17 May, 2010 10:27
Hopping by! You have a great blog! Now following!
ReplyDelete
Replies
ham129931 May, 2010 10:32
Thank you for mentioning Proud Book Nerd! :-) I'm following you, too! :-) Have a great week!
ReplyDelete
Replies

Add comment

Comments make me feel special, so go crazy! Just keep it clean and civil. Feel free to speak your mind (I always do), but be aware that I will delete any offensive comments.

P.S.: Don't panic if your comment doesn't show up right away. I have to approve each one before it posts to prevent spam. It's annoying, but it works!

Books Read in 2024 (asterisks denote favorites)

1. The Nightmare House by Sarah Allen (Jan)
2. The Chilbury Ladies' Choir by Jennifer Ryan* [audio] (Jan)
3. Graysen Foxx and the Treasure of Principal Redbeard by J. Scott Savage (Jan)
4. The Lion of Lark-Hayes Manor by Aubrey Hartman* (Jan)
5. Ditch the Glitch by Camille Smithson (Jan)
6. Zeke Zooter and the Eye of Balor by Bruce Jacobs (Jan)
7. Never Lore: Journey to Mt. Smolder by Taya and Nathan Okerlund (Jan)
8. God Spare the Girls by Kelsey McKinney [audio] (Jan)
9. The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon (Jan)
10. The Last One by Will Dean (Jan)
11. Last Word to the Wise by Ann Claire (Jan)
12. My Plain Jane by Brodi Ashton, Cynthia Hand, and Jodi Meadows* [audio] (Jan)
13. Hemlock Island by Kelley Armstrong (Jan)
14. Daughter of Mine by Megan Miranda* (Jan)
15. The Nature of Disappearing by Kimi Cunningham Grant (Jan)
16. Myrtle, Means, and Opportunity by Elizabeth C. Bunce* (Jan)
17. Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson* (Jan)
18. More Than a Body by Lindsay and Lexie Kite (Feb)
19. All That Is Mine I Carry With Me by William Landay (Feb)
20. Slayed on the Slopes by Kate Dyer-Seeley (Feb)
21. My Imaginary Mary by Brodi Ashton, Cynthia Hand, and Jodi Meadows* [audio] (Feb)
22. Kill Her Twice by Stacey Lee (Feb)
23. Artifice by Sharon Cameron* (Feb)
24. Something About Sophie by Mary Kay McComas (Feb)
25. Ill-Fated Fortune by Jennifer J. Chow (Feb)
26. My Lady Jane by Brodi Ashton, Cynthia Hand, and Jodi Meadows* [audio] (Feb)
27. Buffalo Flats by Martine Leavitt (Feb)
28. Midnight is the Darkest Hour by Ashley Winstead (Feb)
29. Murder on Millionaires' Row by Erin Lindsey (Feb)
30. Meet Me in the Margins by Melissa Ferguson (Mar)
31. End of Story by A.J. Finn (Mar)
32. None of This is True by Lisa Jewell (Mar)
33. My Contrary Mary by Brodi Ashton, Cynthia Hand, and Jodi Meadows* [audio] (Mar)
34. Where There's Smoke by E.B. Vickers (Mar)
35. Disturbing the Dead by Kelley Armstrong* (Mar)
36. The Kind to Kill by Tessa Wegert (Mar)
37. Lying in the Deep by Diana Urban (Apr)
38. Agony Hill by Sarah Stewart Taylor (Apr)
39. Swimming in a Sea of Stars by Julie Wright (Apr)
40. The Girl Who Wasn't There by Penny Joelson (Apr)
41. The Tobacco Wives by Adele Myers [audio] (Apr)
42. The Secret of Rainy Days by Leslie Hooton (Apr)
43. How to Solve Your Own Murder by Kristen Perrin (Apr)
44. The Nights the Lights Went Out by Karen White (Apr)
45. Flippin' Skaters by Teresa Richards (Apr)
46. Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch [audio] (Apr)
47. The Expectant Detectives by Kat Ailes* (Apr)
48. Dust by Dusti Bowling* (Apr)

49. Blood Sisters by Vanessa Lillie (Apr)

50. One Perfect Couple by Ruth Ware (Apr)

51. Grave Reservations by Cherie Priest (Apr)

52. The Hunter by Tana French (May)

53. Murder at Rough Point by Alyssa Maxwell (May)

54. The Hard Parts by Oksana Masters [audio] (May)

55. Watch It Burn by Kristen Bird (May)

56. Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson* (May)

57. No Matter What by K.M. Frost (May)

58. Death in the Details by Katie Tietjen (May)

59. The Silent Sister by Diane Chamberlain [audio] (May)

60. Candy Cane Crime by Amanda Flower [novella] (May)

61. An Improbable Season by Rosalyn Eves (May)

62. Fire and Bones by Kathy Reichs* (May)

63. Borrow My Heart by Kasie West (May)

64. Beauty Reborn by Elizabeth Lowham (May)

65. Thieves' Gambit by Kayvion Lewis (May)

66. The Weight of Everything by Marcia Argueta Mickelson (May)

67. Make the Fireflies Dance by Rachel Bateman (May)

68. The Lost Girls of Willow Brook by Ellen Marie Wiseman [audio] (May)

69. A Death in Door County by Annelise Ryan (Jun)

70. Where They Lie by Claire Coughlan (Jun)

71. The Shift: 7 Powerful Mindset Changes for Lasting Weight Loss by Gary Foster [audio] (Jun)

72. The Underground Library by Jennifer Ryan (Jun)

73. A Deadly Endeavor by Jenny Adams (Jun)

74. The Mystery of Locked Rooms by Lindsay Currie (Jun)

75. Aggie Morton, Mystery Queen, and the Body Under the Piano by Marthe Jocelyn [audio] (Jun)

76. The Watchers by A.M. Shine (Jun)

77. Deep Water by Jamie Sumner (Jun)

78. First Victim by Debbie Babitt (Jun)

79. One Big Open Sky by Lesa Cline-Ransome* (Jun)

80. Running Out of Time by Margaret Peterson Haddix [audio] (Jun)

81. When the Day Comes by Gabrielle Meyer (Jun)

82. Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth (Jun)

83. The Great Trouble: A Story of London, the Blue Death, and a Boy Called Eel by Deborah Hopkinson [audio] (Jun)

84. 49 Miles Alone by Natalie D. Richards (Jun)

85. Light and Air by Mindy Nichols Wendell (Jun)

86. Trouble Island by Sharon Short (Jun)

87. Trouble at the Tangerine by Gillian McDunn (Jun)

88. I Know Who You Are: How an Amateur DNA Sleuth Unmasked the Golden State Killer and Changed Crime Fighting Forever by Barbara Rae-Venter* (Jun)

89. Falling Out of Time by Margaret Peterson Haddix (Jun)

90. Apple Cider Slaying by Julie Anne Lindsey (Jun)

91. First State of Being by Erin Entrada Kelly* (Jun)

92. Homecoming by Kate Morton* (Jul)

93. The Good Neighbor by Maxwell King* [audio] (Jul)

94. Middle of the Night by Riley Sager* (Jul)

95. The Secret Library by Kekla Magoon (Jul)

96. The Night We Lost Him by Laura Dave (Jul)

97. Operation: Happy by Jenni L. Walsh* (Jul)

98. Shutter by Ramona Emerson (Jul)

99. Anywhere You Run by Wanda M. Morris (Jul)

100. The Luminous Life of Lucy Landry by Anna Rose Johnson (Jul)

101. The Monsters We Make by Kali White (Jul)

102. The Improbable Tales of Baskerville Hall by Ali Standish (Jul)

103. Mother-Daughter Murder Night by Nina Simon [audio] (Jul)

104. Good Bad Girl by Alice Feeney* (Jul)

105. A Patchwork of Clues by Sally Goldenbaum (Jul)

106. Popcorn by Rob Harrell* (Jul)

107. Library Girl by Polly Horvath (Jul)

108. Such a Lovely Family by Aggie Blum Thompson (Jul)

109. Here One Moment by Liane Moriarty (Aug)

110. The Outlaw Noble Salt by Amy Harmon (Aug)

111. Basket Case by Nancy Haddock (Aug)

112. A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett* (Aug)

113. Front Country by Sara St. Antoine [audio] (Aug)

114. Stowaway by John David Anderson (Aug)

115. Consigned to Death by Jane K. Cleland (Aug)

116. We Solve Murders by Richard Osman* (Aug)

117. Louder Than Hunger by John Schu (Aug)

118. Wrong Alibi by Christina Dodd (Aug)

119. Peanut Butter Panic by Amanda Flower (Aug)

120. Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl (Aug)

121. Flight 171 by Amy Christine Parker (Aug)

122. Criminally Cocoa by Amanda Flower [novella] (Aug)

123. The Kaya Girl by Mamle Wolo (Aug)

124. The Last Word by Gerri Lewis (Aug)

125. The Last Kids On Earth by Max Brallier* (Aug)

126. Cruzita and the Mariacheros by Ashley Granillo (Aug)

127. It Could Be Anyone by Jaime Lynn Hendricks (Aug)

128. Return to Wyldcliffe Heights by Carol Goodman (Aug)

129. A Winter Grave by Peter May (Aug)

130. Laika by Nick Abadzis (Aug)

131. Night Will Find You by Julia Heaberlin [audio] (Aug)

132. A Quiet Retreat by Kiersten Modglin (Aug)

133. How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell [audio] (Aug)

134. The Flower Sisters by Michelle Collins Anderson (Aug)

135. Peking Duck and Cover by Vivien Chien (Sep)

136. Christmas Crimes at the Mysterious Bookshop by Otto Penzler, ed. (Sep)

137. Chasing Secrets by Gennifer Choldenko (Sep)

138. After the Storm by G.D. Wright (Sep)

139. Area 51 Interns: Alien Summer by James S. Murray and Carsen Smith (Sep)

140. The Other Side of Midnight by Simone St. James [audio] (Sep)

141. The Wisteria Society for Lady Scoundrels by India Holton (Sep)

142. An Uninterrupted View of the Sky by Melanie Crowder* (Sep)

143. Up to No Gouda by Linda Reilly (Sep)

144. Things We Didn't Say by Amy Lynn Green (Sep)

145. Last Gamer Standing by Katie Zhao (Sep)

146. Look in the Mirror by Catherine Steadman (Sep)

147. Murder at the Library by Ellen Jacobson (Sep)

148. A Fatal Collection by Mary Ellen Hughes (Sep)

149. All Her Little Secrets by Wanda M. Morris [audio] (Sep)

150. My Friend Flicka by Mary O'Hara (Sep)

151. The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose* (Sep)

152. Shipwrecked! Diving for Hidden Time Capsules on the Ocean Floor by Martin W. Sandler (Sep)

153. Murder is Bad Manners by Robin Stevens (Sep)

154. The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter* (Sep)

155. Morning Sun in Wuhan by Ying Chang Compestine* (Oct)

156. The Boy Who Cried Bear by Kelley Armstrong* (Oct)

157. Silence for the Dead by Simone St. James* (Oct)

158. Mountain of Fire: The Eruption and Survivors of Mount St. Helens by Rebecca E.F. Barone (Oct)

159. Homeless Bird by Gloria Whelan (Oct)

160. The Good of the Woods by Liz Moore (Oct)

161. History Smashers: Salem Witch Trials by Kate Messner (Oct)

162. Stealing Little Moon: The Legacy of the American Indian Boarding Schools by Dan SaSuWeh Jones (Oct)

163. The Mesmerist by Caroline Woods (Oct)

164. Gone to Hot Pot by Vivien Chien (Oct)

165. The Secret of the Old Clock by Carolyn Keene (Oct)

166. The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James* [re-read] (Oct)

167. Furia by Yamile Saied Méndez (Oct)

168. Unsinkable Cayenne by Jessica Vitalis (Oct)

169. Exclusion and the Chinese American Story by Sarah SoonLing Blackburn (Oct)

170. A Map to Paradise by Susan Meissner (Oct)

171. The Unforgettable Logan Foster by Shawn Peters (Oct)

172. Sightseeing With Aliens by Insha Fitzpatrick (Oct)

173. Remember This: The Fascinating World of Memory by Monique Polak (Oct)

174. The Song of the Jade Lily by Kirsty Manning [audio] (Oct)

175. Give Me a Sign by Anna Sortino (Oct)

176. Mango, Mambo, and Murder by Raquel V. Reyes (Oct)

177. The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare* (Oct)

178. Dumb Witness by Agatha Christie (Oct)

179. The Enigma Girls by Candace Fleming (Nov)

180. The Bletchley Riddle by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin (Nov)

181. Sleeping Spells and Dragon Scales by Wendy S. Swore (Nov)

182. The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth [audio] (Nov)

183. Chadwick Boseman: King of Wakanda: A Hero On and Off the Screen by Chris Singleton (Nov)

184. The Legend of the Last Library by Frank L. Cole (Nov)

185. Barracoon by Zora Neale Hurston/adapted for young readers by Ibram X. Kendi (Nov)

186. The Beautiful Game by Yamile Saied Méndez (Nov)

187. The Body in the Bookstore by Ellie Alexander [audio] (Nov)

188. A Stranger in the Family by Jane Casey* (Nov)

189. The Bard and the Book: How the First Folio Saved the Plays of William Shakespeare from Oblivion by Ann Bausum (Nov)

190. Ruby, Who? by Jill Campbell (Nov)

191. Gothictown by Emily Carpenter (Nov)

192. A Murder at the Movies by Ellie Alexander [audio] (Nov)

193. Calypso, Corpses, and Cooking by Raquel V. Reyes (Nov)

Search This Blog

2024 Bookish Books Reading Challenge (Hosted by Yours Truly)

My Progress:

2024 Literary Escapes Challenge

My Progress:

2024 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge

My Progress:

2024 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge

Booklist Queen's 2024 Reading Challenge

My Progress:

2024 52 Club Reading Challenge

My Progress:

2024 Build Your Library Reading Challenge

My Progress:

2024 Pioneer Book Reading Challenge

2024 Craving for Cozies Reading Challenge

My Progress:

2024 Medical Examiner's Mystery Reading Challenge

2024 Mystery Marathon Reading Challenge

My Progress

Mount TBR Reading Challenge

My Progress

2024 Pick Your Poison Reading Challenge

My Progress:

Around the Year in 52 Books Reading Challenge

My Progress

Disney Animated Movies Reading Challenge

My Progress

The 100 Most Common Last Names in the U.S. Reading Challenge

My Progress:

The Life Skills Reading Challenge

My Progress:

A Few Things On A Friday

8 comments:

Reading

Listening

Followin' with Bloglovin'

Followin' with Feedly

Grab my Button!

Blog Design by:

Blog Archive

2024 Reading Challenge

2024 - Elementary/Middle Grade Nonfiction

2023 - Middle Grade Fiction

2022 - Middle Grade Fiction

2021 - Middle Grade Fiction

2020 - Middle Grade Fiction

Books Read in 2024 (asterisks denote favorites)