Since most of the blogs on the Book Blogger Hop this week look familiar to me, I'm going to skip it this time. You should participate, though, especially if you're new in the book blogosphere and looking to connect with other bloggers. It's usually hosted by Jen at Crazy For Books, but this week, Lori's guest-hosting, so head over to her blog for all the details.

I haven't participated in Follow Friday for awhile, so I think I'll play along this week. If you're not familiar with FF, it's a fun book party hosted by Parajunkee's View. Click over to her blog for all the info.

This week's question, asked by Nicki J. Markus, is: The magic book fairy pops out of your cereal box and says, "You and your favorite character (from a book, of course) can switch places. Who are you going to switch with?"

My answer: I'm going to assume this means switching for a day, not forever. In that case, I'm going to be really generic and say Hermoine Granger. I mean, who wouldn't want to spend all day practicing magic and hanging out with people like Harry, Ron and Hagrid?

How about you? Who would you switch with?

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If you're new here, welcome! I'm so glad you stopped by. Feel free to explore a little, make comments, leave me book recommendations, subscribe to my feed, Follow me - whatever. And don't forget to leave a link to your blog so I can do the same.

Have a great weekend, everybody!

*Yawn* So, Friday again, huh? How did that happen? How has your week gone? Mine's been busy. And loud. The busy part comes from the flurry of activity that always accompanies this time of year. Between celebrating birthdays (3/4 of my kids were born this month, even though none of them were actually due in November), trying to whip the house into shape for Thanksgiving visitors and the daily shuttling of bodies to T-ball, art class, church activities, doctor's appointments, etc, well, it's been a tad chaotic. Add to that a loud, but very successful, remodeling project and you pretty much have my week! Our loft/library has turned out very well. The place is looking spiffy with its new addition plus the new light fixtures/fans that have been added. Now, we just need to carpet the loft, re-carpet the guest room (the previous owners had enough animals to populate a zoo - 'nough said), paint the whole downstairs (I don't know if I can handle the stress of choosing colors!), install one more ceiling fan, replace a damaged window, install hand railings in the loft, and put wood flooring down on a couple new stairs. When I say we, I of course mean someone else, but wow, it's a lot of work! The plan is to have it finished by Thanksgiving. I can't wait to put the place back together - just in time to take it apart for Christmas decorating. *Sigh*

On the reading front, I've finished several great books. I'm actually way ahead in writing/posting reviews - well, in posting anyway - so you'll have to wait a bit to see what I have to say about Matched by Ally Condie, The Clockwork Three by Matthew J. Kirby and Touch Blue by Cynthina Lord. I can't wait. In the meantime, we have my two favorite book bloggy events:

What were you doing 12 years ago today? I was making my way to the hospital, trying to breathe through some fierce labor pains. At 29 weeks along. I was sure the doctors were going to take one look at me, laugh, and send me home. Didn't happen. Instead, I gave birth to a tiny little boy who weighed only 3 lbs. 6 oz. After a roller coaster ride through the NICU, he came home in time for Christmas. Today, he's a sweet, funny 12 year old who's as tall as I am. Where does the time go?

Anyway, it's Friday - time for my two favorite book blogging events. I haven't participated in either for a couple of weeks, so I'm ready to do some Hoppin' and Followin'. How 'bout you?

The Book Blogger Hop is hosted by Jennifer over at Crazy For Books. This week, she asks: What are your feelings on losing followers? Have you ever stopped following a blog? She's also issuing a mini-challenge that kind of goes along with the question, so check that out.

- I guess the answer to this question is kind of obvious based on the fact that I participate in the Hop and Follow Friday almost every week. Of course, I want followers! And by followers I mean people who officially Follow me on Google Connect, people who subscribe via feed reader, those who check in regularly without any kind of reminder, and especially those who leave comments. I love my readers! I do realize, though, that there are hundreds of book blogs out there. If you don't have time to check mine, I completely understand.

My Google Reader, I have to tell you, is full of book blogs. Several hundred, in fact. All of which I check on at least monthly. I just love book blogs and when I leave a comment on yours saying that I'll be back, I mean it.

Yes, I have stopped following blogs, but usually it's only when the blog goes inactive, the blog's content is offensive, or I go months without looking at it. That doesn't happen often, though.

How about you?

Follow My Book Blog Friday is hosted by Parajunkee. Her question this week is a toughie: Who are your favorite authors?

- I'm too indecisive to have a favorite anything, but here's a list of some of the authors whose work I consistently enjoy:

• Jodi Picoult
• Tana French
• Adriana Trigiani
• Maeve Binchy
• Kathy Reichs
• Robyn Carr
• Cassandra Clare
• J.K. Rowling
• Many, many, many more

Who are your favorites?

Have a wonderful Friday, everyone. Happy Hopping, Following and, of course, reading!

So ... today is the last official day of my kids' October Break from school and I have done absolutely nothing. Unless, of course, you count waiting *patiently* for my blood test results to come back from USC while I slowly starve to death on my low-iodine diet. And trying to stay awake for longer than 3 hours at a time. Other than that, nada. Good times, I tell ya, good times. I don't know about you, but I could use a little distraction from my misery. That's where these two fun events come in handy:


I had almost decided to give up the Blog Hop for awhile since there don't seem to be too many new-to-me blogs on there lately, but wow, did last week change my mind. Lots of you stopped by to say hi, reminding me just how big and wonderful this book blogging community is. It really buoyed up my spirits. Thanks for that!

The Blog Hop is hosted by the lovely Jen over at Crazy for Books. Each week, she (or another book blogger) poses a question for us all to answer. This one's a really good one: Basically, what do you do when you start reading a book that you just cannot get into? Do you stick it out or move on?

- For me, it depends on where I got the book. If I bought it or borrowed it from the library, I just put the book down and move on. No biggie. A review book is a little different. If I can't get into a book I've committed to read for a blog tour or other event, I stick it out, if I can. If I can't, I e-mail whoever sent me the book and explain my problems with it. Usually, that kind of honesty is met with understanding. After all, every book is not for everyone, you know? My view is that I have way too many books on my TBR mountain chain to waste time on one I don't like.

How do you handle it?


Follow (My Book Blog) Friday is similar to the Book Hop. It's hosted by Parajunkee, who simply asks what books we're recommending these days.

- I have to mention Faithful Place by Tana French. My review won't post until Monday, but I can tell you now that I loved it. The book is a compelling murder mystery set in Dublin's grimy inner city. If you've read French's other books, you know how skilled she is - she creates well-rounded characters, twisty plots, and stories that just suck you right in. Her novels are definitely rated R, but I can't get enough of them.

Alright, bloggers, go Hop and Follow and find some great new blogs. If you're here because of either the Hop or FF, thank you so much for visiting. Have a look around, leave me a comment, become a Follower, all that good stuff - I'll return the favor ASAP. Oh! Don't forget that my giveaway for a hardcover copy of Wicked Girls by Stephanie Hemphill ends today at midnight. Enter here to win your very own copy of this great Halloween read.

Hoppy Friday, everybody!

I usually don't post twice in a day, but I auto-posted a review for this morning without realizing that today is Friday. Duh. I seriously need to get back on my meds. If any of you take levothyroxine (it's a generic of Synthroid), you know how awful it feels to be off it, even for a little while - it's a fuzzy-headed exhaustion you can feel from your head to your toes. I'm headed to the doctor this morning, so hopefully he can make sense of my blood results and give me SOME indication of what comes next.

In the meantime, let's celebrate that it's Friday! My kids get out early from school (a reason for them to celebrate - me, not so much) since they're annual October Break starts next week; I have an aunt coming to visit whom I haven't seen in years; and, of course, these fun events:


The Book Blogger Hop is a weekly event hosted by Jen over at Crazy For Books. If you're a new blogger, it's a perfect way to find other blogs and drive traffic to your own site. If you're a veteran at this book blogging thing, it's a great way to welcome the newbies. Plus, it's just fun! Head on over to Jen's blog to join in. This week, Jen asks the question: What is your favorite beverage to drink while you read?

- Usually, I just like a nice, big cup of ice water. Lately, though, I've needed more of a caffeine boost (which, being LDS, I feel tremendously guilty about), so I've been all about the Mt. Dew. I like to stick it in the freezer until it's nearly solid, then let it melt to the consistency of a slurpee. Delish.


Friday (My Book Blog) Friday is another weekly meme, this time hosted by Parajunkee. It's another fabulous way to discover new blogs/bloggers and gain Followers for your own blog. You'll definitely want to join in! Parajunkee's question of the week is: How many reviews to you like to do in a week?

- Funny enough, I've been thinking a lot about this question lately. I don't like to post every day, because I think it gets overwhelming. My own feed reader is so out of control that I end up skipping a lot of reviews on blogs that post daily. I'm aiming toward more of a Monday-Wednesday-Saturday approach, with a misc. post on Friday. What do you think? Would you like more reviews? Less? More chit chat? Maybe I should do a poll or something ...

Anyway, for those who are here because of the Hop or FF, welcome! Please leave a comment so I can check out your blog also. Don't forget to check out the giveaway I'm running for a new, hardcover copy of Wicked Girls by Stephanie Hemphill - you can get all the details on my right sidebar.


I forgot to mention that I finished a reading challenge! It's been awhile since I actually completed one, so I'm pretty proud of myself. My reading list changed quite a bit since I realized reading both Under the Dome and The Stand in one month might be more of an undertaking than I first thought. So, here's what I ended up reading:

1. The Devouring by Simon Holt (Review)

2. Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare (Review)

3. I Am Legend by Richard Matheson (Review)

4. Wicked Girls by Stephanie Hemphill (Review)

I liked all of them, although the structure of I Am Legend confused and frustrated me. My favorite ended up being The Devouring, which is just a deliciously creepy Halloween read. I'm working on the sequels now. *Shivers* A funny: I was reading Soulstice yesterday when the FedEx guy banged on my door. Scared the crap out of me!

Okay, I'm going to be totally honest with you, even if it makes me look like a terrible mother: These days (with three of my four kids in school all day) I actually look forward to weekdays more than the weekends. Horrible, right? I'm going to go ahead and blame it on my health issues (since it's just so dang convenient) and the resulting exhaustion, but the nice, all-day quiet is awfully appealing these days. Still, I'm looking forward to this weekend, which promises to be both fun-filled and uplifting. If you're LDS, you know that General Conference starts tomorrow (that's the uplifting part) - it always gives me a much-needed boost, even if my restless children make it a tad difficult to concentrate on what the speakers are sayng. Conference weekend also means lots of family together time. We're going to be decorating for Halloween, celebrating a cousin's birthday, eating homemade grilled pizza and lots more.

As if that wasn't enough, it's also time for my two favorite weekly bloggy activities:
This week's question from our hostess, Jen, over at Crazy for Books, is about using social network sites to promote our book blogs. Even though I don't think I really "get" Twitter, I do use it for occasional giveaway announcements and such. As for Facebook, I just recently set up a fan page. You can use the link on the left sidebar to become a fan. All in all, though, I think the resource that has most help me advertise my blog is the Book Hop and Follow Friday, as well as visiting and commenting on all the blogs on my feed reader (there are hundreds). I really love finding new book blogs and keeping tabs on all my favorites.

Your turn - head on over to Crazy for Books and get Hoppin'!

I've only been doing Follow Friday, hosted by Parajunkee, for a couple of weeks, but I'm really enjoying it. Click on over there to join in the fun!

If you're here because of either of these events, leave me a comment and let me know. Welcome, everybody - enjoy your stay :)

Wow, so somehow, it's Friday again. Not sure how that happened. The week has just whizzed by. I spent last night finishing Cassandra Clare's Clockwork Angel. Although it's filled with warlocks, demons, vampires, etc., it's not really scary - still, it made me a little jumpy last night with the husband out of town. Let me just tell you, this big ole house makes a lot of noise after the kids go to bed and it's dead quiet inside. Anyway, Clockwork Angel didn't hypnotize me quite as much as the books in The Mortal Instruments series (maybe because of the steampunk elements?), but it's still an absorbing, quick-paced thrill ride. I definitely enjoyed it, just not quite as much as Clare's other novels. And really, you should be able to get through it even if you're home alone at night. I'm just a wimp. Anyway, look for that review this week.

Book Blogger Appreciation Week is in full swing, if you haven't noticed (and how could you not?). I was too lazy to get myself signed up for it this year. I'm not wild about the nominations/award setup this time around, but I'm interested to see how it all plays out. Click over the the BBAW blog and check out all the fun!


It being Friday and all means it's time for the Book Blogger Hop. This weekly meme, hosted by Jen at Crazy-For-Books is tons of fun. It's a great way to get to know other book bloggers as well as drive traffic to your site.

This week's question is not really a question, but we're supposed to talk about our favorite book blogs in honor of BBAW. I could never name favorites. Seriously, I have hundreds of them on my Reader. With the Hop and Follow Friday, I'm constantly adding more. How about if I list my oldest and newest fave? Will that suffice? Okay:

The first book blog I ever visited is A Patchwork of Books, written by the lovely Amanda. She's a voracious reader as well as a wonderful person. I'm glad to have found her all those years ago. She's been both a friend and an inspiration to me ever since.

Although I added a ton of new blogs to my Reader last week, the one that stands out most is Parajunkee's. She blogs mostly about paranormal books and hosts Follow (My Book Blog) Friday. Be sure to check out her fun reviews.


FF works like the Book Hop. This week, ParaJunkee asks, "Are your favorite books YA or do you stick to adult reads?" My answer: both! Why limit myself, you know? I love adult, YA, middle grade, picture books, etc. As long as it's a book, I'll consider reading it!

Okay, now, click on over to ParaJunkee's blog and start checking out all the fabulous book blogs out there in Cyberspace.

Lastly, I'm only 6 entries away from my 700th post! Can you believe that? I'll surely have to celebrate that milestone with a contest of some sort. I'm still hammering out the details, but you'll definitely want to stay tuned for this one.

Have a wonderful weekend, everybody. Happy reading!

It's Friday! You know what that means. Well, I don't know what it means for you, but for me, it means it's time for the Book Blogger Hop hosted weekly by Jen at Crazy for Books. This week's question isn't actually a question, it's a request to provide a link to your favorite of your own reviews. This is kind of tough, so I'm just going to point you to my review of Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins. If you haven't weighed in on the Hunger Games finale, do it now by clicking here. If you don't have anything to say about MJ, feel free to gush over how cute my daughter is :)