Feature & Follow is a weekly post hosted by Parjunkee and Alison Can Read "The goal is to increase blog followers and make new friends." Q. What blogger would you most like to meet in real life?  Tell us about him/her. Wow....this is rather tough seeing as how I am inspired by many bloggers and their talent.  Definitely the top of my list would be Kimberly from The Caffeinated Book Reviewer .  She has probably been among the top 5 biggest helpers for me personally in the blogging community, not to mention how interactive she is with other bloggers and readers is inspiring.  I aspire to be like her regarding that!  And I fail miserably currently... And though this isn't a name of someone in particular I would love to meet other bloggers that live near me.  Alabama Blogging Buddies group or something.  Haha! Who would you like to meet in real life?   Thanks for stopping by!  Please feel free to follow in which eve...

Day 4: Ethics in Blogging "Disclosure.  Copyright and credit.  Plagiarism.  Succeeding without selling out.  What guidelines must we follow as bloggers--attribution, disclosure, honesty?" I am a HUGE proponent of integrity and honesty in ALL aspects of life and of course this includes my blog.  When we lose the trust of others it is incredibly hard to rebuild.  For my own well being and conscience I don't think I could ever use someone else's material knowingly without giving them credit in some way on my blog.  It's in part to this that I don't read others reviews prior to reading a book myself.  I will scan down to find the final rating someone gave but I won't read the whole review.  When I do it inevitably cripples my own thoughts when I try to write my own review and I never want to come across as just spewing out what someone else said regarding their thoughts on a book.  NOT COOL!   However, where the line is g...

Day 2, Part 2: Genre Fiction "Sci-fi, fantasy, horror, mystery, romance, and more -- is genre fiction your thing?" At first glance of this subject topic for today I immediately thought "well that's everything I read!".  I'll admit I'm pretty much a genre virgin.  I'm usually not so sure where books fall into what genre and sometimes it seems they can fall into multiple genres or genres will be combined like "post apocalyptic dystopian".  What I might list as horror, you might view as post-apocalyptic with zombie tendencies.  Or what I might list as a genre someone else might argue that it's a sub-genre, such as dystopian being a sub-genre of Sci-fi.  Sure, some genres are more obvious than others, but overall this whole subject just straight up confuses me.  Google is always my friend... Are you thoroughly confused?   Let me try (and I do stress try) to list a few books I like in some of these genres.  I have a very b...

Day 2, Part 1: Paths to Becoming a Better Blogger "What have you done to expand your blogging horizons, to get better as a blogger?" I'm excited to read what you guys have to say on this subject.  Being 7 months in my own blog I STILL consider myself a "newbie" and I still know very little when it comes to blogging.  Many others have said, and I completely agree, that one of the things we all seem to love specifically about book blogging is the community and the eagerness of all to help one another and support one another.  It's not "every man for him/herself".  There are a number of blogs that post regular tips and tricks and it is to those blogs that I flock to when I am not sure how to do something.  If their posts are confusing to me I send them a message and time and time again they have been super friendly and helpful.  Book blogging isn't just about reviewing books, but it's about the connections you make with other like m...

Day 1, Part 2: Classic Literature (Classics) "Why, reader, do you love classics?" "Tell us all the reasons you love classic literature.  What are your favorite classics?  If you could give a list of classics to someone who claims to hate them to make them change their mind, what would be on it?  How would you convince them to give classics a try?  And why do you keep coming back to those old favorites?" Okay, get ready to let the criticism fly....but I'm not really a fan of classic literature, not to READ at least.  I've tried reading Pride and Prejudice and not only was it word for word (nearly) verbatim of the Colin Firth version of the movie, but the language was so hard for me to get past and because of that I never finished it.  However, I am a fan of classic literature turned into movies....does that count?  No?  Well...can we still be friends?  haha I will say that I do love how most authors gain inspiration ...

Welcome to Day 1 of Armchair BEA.  Today's activity post is Introductions.   Each blog participating will be introducing themselves and their blog to everyone. Today's challenge is to introduce myself and my blog by answering 5 questions of my choice from a list of 11. 1. Please tell us a little bit about yourself: Who are you?  How long have you been blogging?  Why did you get into blogging? My name is Holly and I've been blogging since October of 2012.  I have been a big reader for most of my life but got back heavily involved in reading during the excitement over the Twilight books.  About a year prior to starting my blog my sister-n-law ( Somewhere Only We Know ) had started a blog and she had so much fun with it I decided I had to have my own too.  That was 7 months ago! Aside from being a reader turned book blogger, I'm also a wife (celebrating my 15th anniversary later this summer) and I'm a Mom to a now 6th grader and 4th ...

Dare You To (Pushing the Limits #2) By: Katie McGarry Published: May 28, 2013 by Harlequin Teen 480 pages Source: ARC from publisher via Netgalley ( Goodreads / Amazon / Book Depository ) Summary: Ryan lowers his lips to my ear. "Dance with me, Beth." "No." I whisper the reply. I hate him and I hate myself for wanting him to touch me again.... "I dare you..." If anyone knew the truth about Beth Risk's home life, they'd send her mother to jail and seventeen-year-old Beth who knows where. So she protects her mom at all costs. Until the day her uncle swoops in and forces Beth to choose between her mom's freedom and her own happiness. That's how Beth finds herself living with an aunt who doesn't want her and going to a school that doesn't understand her. At all. Except for the one guy who shouldn't get her, but does.... Ryan Stone is the town golden boy, a popular baseball star jock-with secrets he can't tell...

In My Mailbox is a weekly post and is now hosted by The Mod Podge Bookshelf . (and I apologize for not noticing this change until recently.) Each week bloggers participate to share about any books they received. This week I only purchased one book: AMAZON - $.99 DEAL The Hazards of Skinny Dipping by Alyssa Rose Ivy The Sunday Post is a weekly post hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer. Each week bloggers participate to share book news from their week and what's to come in the week ahead. SCHOOLS OUT FOR SUMMER!! (Did you sing that above line rather than read it? If so then you are cool like me!) RECAP OF WEEK: SUNDAY: IMM 30 & SP 29 MONDAY: The 5th Wave - Review  {4.5 stars} TUESDAY: Teaser Tuesday #19 featuring teasers from Dare You To by Katie McGarry. FRIDAY: Feature & Follow {27} featuring the question: The #FF is 150 weeks old!  And we want to hear from you!... WHAT'S AHEAD: Planned Posts: ...

Feature & Follow is a weekly blog hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read . "The goal is to increase blog followers and make new friends." Q. The #FF is 150 weeks old!  And we want to hear from you.  What would you change about the hop?  What do you like about it?  Or just suggest a question to be used for next week. I personally have participated in the #FF blog hop 27 times as of today and hand's down it has been the best source of traffic to my blog as well as the best source for gaining new followers.  I absolutely love participating from week to week and I enjoy the questions.  I don't have near as much time to hop around to all of the participants as I did in the beginning of my blog (simply because life with kids has kept me too busy to spend much time blogging) but I enjoy hearing from others and making new friends through the hop and I most enjoy hearing from old followers - especially those who have been following me from the b...

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly post hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading . Anyone can play along - just go here to learn how to participate. Today my teasers come from Dare You To by Katie McGarry: Teasers: "I'm not wowed", I say to him.  It's been four days since our agreement and Ryan's done nothing to "wow" me. Loc 2370 of 4397 (54%) What book does your teasers come from this week? Be sure to enter my May New Release Giveaway before you leave!

The 5th Wave (The Fifth Wave #1) By: Rick Yancey Published: May 7, 2013 by Putnam Juvenille 480 pages Source: Personal Library, Harcover ( Goodreads / Amazon / Book Depository ) Summary: After the 1st wave, only darkness remains. After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th wave, only one rule applies: trust no one. Now, it’s the dawn of the 5th wave, and on a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs from Them. The beings who only look human, who roam the countryside killing anyone they see. Who have scattered Earth’s last survivors. To stay alone is to stay alive, Cassie believes, until she meets Evan Walker. Beguiling and mysterious, Evan Walker may be Cassie’s only hope for rescuing her brother—or even saving herself. But Cassie must choose: between trust and despair, between defiance and surrender, between life and death. To give up or to get up. My Review: What an incredible story!!!  I enjoyed every page a...

In My Mailbox is a weekly post hosted by The Story Siren . Each week bloggers participate to share what books they received. AMAZON - $1.99 DEALS: Because of Low (Sea Breeze #2) by Abbi Glines The Vincent Brothers (The Vincent Boys #2) by Abbi Glines Sunday Post is a weekly post hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer. Each week bloggers participate to share book news from their week and what's to come in the week ahead. This past week I was able to finish The 5th Wave (review to come this week) - yay!  I also traveled to my home town for a family reunion and enjoyed seeing extended family. RECAP OF WEEK: SUNDAY: IMM 29 & SP 28 TUESDAY: Teaser Tuesday #18 featuring teasers from Clockwork Princess.   May New Release Giveaway Hop begins. WEDNESDAY: Waiting on Wednesday featuring Waiting on Wild Cards by Simone Elkeles. THURSDAY: Clockwork Princess - Review {5 stars} WHAT'S AHEAD: Planned Posts: Teaser Tuesda...

Clockwork Princess (The Infernal Devices #3) By: Cassandra Clare Published: March 19, 2013 by Margaret K. McElderry Books 568 pages Source: Personal Library ( Goodreads / Amazon  / Book Depository ) Summary: Danger and betrayal, secrets and enchantment in the breathtaking conclusion to the Infernal Devices trilogy.   Tessa Gray should be happy - aren't all brides happy? Yet as she prepares for her wedding, a net of shadows begins to tighten around the Shadowhunters of the London Institute. A new demon appears, one linked by blood and secrecy to Mortmain, the man who plans to use his army of pitiless automatons, the Infernal Devices, to destroy the Shadowhunters. Mortmain needs only one last item to complete his plan. He needs Tessa. And Jem and Will, the boys who lay equal claim to Tessa's heart, will do anything to save her. My Review: My thoughts are really all over the map as I have just finished this book and though it took me quite a long time to fin...

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly post hosted by Breaking the Spine . Each week bloggers participate to share a book they can't wait to get their hands on. My pick this week: Wild Cards (Fullriders #1) by Simone Elkeles Expected Publication: October 1, 2013 Goodreads Summary: After getting kicked out of boarding school, bad boy Derek Fitzpatrick has no choice but to live with his ditzy stepmother while his military dad is deployed. Things quickly go from bad to worse when he finds out she plans to move them back to her childhood home in Illinois. Derek’s counting the days before he can be on his own, and the last thing he needs is to get involved with someone else’s family drama. Ashtyn Parker knows one thing for certain--people you care about leave without a backward glance. A football scholarship would finally give her the chance to leave. So she pours everything into winning a state championship, until her boyfriend and star quarterback betrays them all by...

The May New Release Giveaway Hop is hosted by Book Twirps and Refracted Light Reviews . This giveaway officially lasts from May 15th-31st. My giveaway is open internationally as long as the Book Depository ships to your location. (Please verify that before entering).   The winner will have 2 options when choosing their prize: Option 1: 1 (one) print book of their choice from either the list below or a book not listed that is a May release.  Book must be less than $15 US dollars.   Option 2: 2 (two) ebooks (Kindle or Nook) totaling less than $15 US dollars combined. Below are just a few of May's releases: To see more information regarding May releases or to read a description about any of these books listed above go to Goodreads .  Not sure where to look try the New YA May 2013 list or the Best Books of May 2013 list.  Be sure the publication date is May 2013 though. The winner will be notified via email and Twitter a...

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly post hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading . Anyone can play along - just go here to learn how to participate. This will probably by the last teaser I have in Clockwork Princess as I have less than 100 pages left to read. It's been an exceptional story and I can't wait to post a review for it, hopefully later this week. Teasers: "I'd have to be the worst sort of person to think what I'm thinking right now.  But I am thinking it." Loc Page 414 Have you read this yet?   What book do your teasers come from this week? Be sure to enter my May New Release Giveaway before you leave!

In My Mailbox is a weekly post hosted by The Story Siren . Each week bloggers participate to share all the books they received, whether bought, borrowed, won, etc... This week I splurged on a book I've been wanting, and gained a few others as well. PURCHASED - hardcover copy from Costco: The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey AMAZON DEAL $1.99 -  While It Lasts (Sea Breeze #3) by Abbi Glines AMAZON FREEBIE: 3 Days by Krista Madden Thanks to Cassandra Clare (author of The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices) for the recommendation on Goodreads! Sunday Post is a weekly post hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer . Each week bloggers participate to share book news from their week and what's to come in the week ahead. I actually had quite a bit of reading time last week due to the marathon naps the baby I watch was taking every day.  However, I'm still only about half way through Clockwork Princess....still trucking along th...

Feature & Follow is a weekly post hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read . "The goal is to increase blog followers and make new friends." Q. Happy Mother's Day!  Who is your favorite mom from fiction? I'm not so sure I have a "favorite" mom in any book.  So I will go with a mom I highly respect. ( A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin)  Catelyn Stark   Wife of Ned Stark, Mom to Robb, Sansa, Arya, Bran and Rickon. She is noble, protective, wise, loving, devoted and loyal.  She is a good person and one who in the books and in the show you immediately love and respect. Who would you choose as a favorite fictional mom? Please don't forget to follow via Bloglovin' or GFC or email, and let me know how you followed so I can return the favor!