Thursday, January 30, 2014

Feature and Follow Friday #186

Welcome to the Feature & Follow


Gain new followers and make new friends with the Book Blogger Feature & Follow! If this is your first time here, welcome! You are about to make some new friends and gain new followers -- but you have to know -- the point of this hop is to follow other bloggers also. I follow you, you follow me.

The Feature & Follow is hosted by TWO hosts, Parajunkee of Parajunkee's View and Alison of Alison Can Read. Each host will have their own Feature Blog and this way it'll allow us to show off more new blogs!

How does this work? First you leave your name here on this post, (using the linky tools -- keep scrolling!) then you create a post on your own blog that links back to this post (easiest way is to just grab the code under the #FF picture and put it in your post) and then you visit as many blogs as you can and tell them "hi" in their comments (on the post that has the #FF image). You follow them, they follow you. Win. Win. Just make sure to follow back if someone follows you!

What sets this Hop apart from others, is our Feature. Each week we will showcase a Featured Blogger, from all different genres and areas. Who is our Feature today? Find out below. Just remember it is required, if you participate, to follow our Features and you must follow the hosts (Parajunkee & Alison Can Read) as a courtesy. How do you follow someone? Well, if you have a preference, state it in your #FF post. A lot of blogs are transitioning to Wordpress in which they do not have the luxury of GFC, so an RSS subscription is appreciated or if you choose an email subscription. If you don't have GFC please state in your post how you would like to be followed.






How To Become a Featured Blog?

We pick our featured blogs randomly each week from the blogs who participated the week before.

Please be sure to feature your e-mail address clearly on your blog. Either on the main blog, on a Contact page, or on an About Me page. If I can't find your email easily, I will choose a different blog to feature.

Our Feature - Angelic Reviews


1. When did you start blogging?

I actually started blogging only 3 months ago. I have been writing book reviews for quite a while, but I was only posting them on Goodreads, until a good friend of mine said I should make my own blog and post my reviews there.

2. What is your favorite part of book blogging?

I absolutely love meeting new people. It makes me really happy to read everyone's comments and reply back to them. Especially because everyone in the blogging community is super nice.

3. What type of books do you mainly blog about?

I mostly blog about Young Adult Fantasy books. I love all genres but I would have to say that Fantasy is my all time favorite.

4. What are your favorite books?

The Infernal Devices books by Cassandra Clare are my prized possessions. I fell in love with all the characters in this series, they are all so unique and amazing. This series is actually the only one, where I can't pick between which boy I like better in the love triangle. I love Will and Jem equally, and I think this is the main reason why these are my favorite books.

5. What has been the best thing that has happened to you because of book blogging?

Connecting with Authors, I honestly didn't even think that was possible until I started blogging. I love talking to authors about their books and how they came up with the idea and their plans for future books. Also having them read you reviews just makes you feel super important and like you actually matter. This is hands down my favorite experience of being a blogger.


Question of the Week: Time for Book Spine Poetry again! Take a picture of your book spines spelling out something epic.


photo sparkles effect

I'm taking a few of these titles and mashing the words around:


Glass Charms
Farewell to Seraphina
Long May She Reign
Spindlers Wind
Salem's Year


Now for the Follow Fun!

With GFC going the way of the dodo bird for many bloggers, there is no better time to start following blogs via RSS feed. If you use a reader, it would be great if you followed my RSS directly.

Follow on Bloglovin



We have a new button, so update your blogs if you are used to doing this meme!

Alison Can Read Feature & Follow

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!


Next Week's Question:

If you could read a book for the “first time” again, which book would it be? Why?

CAPTCHA:

I have an updated CAPTCHA post!

If you have CAPTCHA word verification enabled on your blog, please take it off. It makes it much more difficult for readers to comment. Please look at my CAPTCHA Eradication Post to learn how to get rid of it.


Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Waiting on Wednesdays: The Retribution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine!


The Retribution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

Publish Date: June 10, 2014
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

I still need to read the second book in this series, but I really enjoyed the first.

Thursday, January 23, 2014

Feature and Follow Friday #185

Welcome to the Feature & Follow


Gain new followers and make new friends with the Book Blogger Feature & Follow! If this is your first time here, welcome! You are about to make some new friends and gain new followers -- but you have to know -- the point of this hop is to follow other bloggers also. I follow you, you follow me.

The Feature & Follow is hosted by TWO hosts, Parajunkee of Parajunkee's View and Alison of Alison Can Read. Each host will have their own Feature Blog and this way it'll allow us to show off more new blogs!

How does this work? First you leave your name here on this post, (using the linky tools -- keep scrolling!) then you create a post on your own blog that links back to this post (easiest way is to just grab the code under the #FF picture and put it in your post) and then you visit as many blogs as you can and tell them "hi" in their comments (on the post that has the #FF image). You follow them, they follow you. Win. Win. Just make sure to follow back if someone follows you!

What sets this Hop apart from others, is our Feature. Each week we will showcase a Featured Blogger, from all different genres and areas. Who is our Feature today? Find out below. Just remember it is required, if you participate, to follow our Features and you must follow the hosts (Parajunkee & Alison Can Read) as a courtesy. How do you follow someone? Well, if you have a preference, state it in your #FF post. A lot of blogs are transitioning to Wordpress in which they do not have the luxury of GFC, so an RSS subscription is appreciated or if you choose an email subscription. If you don't have GFC please state in your post how you would like to be followed.





Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Waiting on Wednesdays: Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine!


Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige

Publish Date: April 1, 2014
Publisher: HarperTeen

To be honest, I've never liked The Wizard of Oz because it scared me as a kid, but I do love a good twist on an old tale.

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Geektastic edited by Holly Black and Cecil Castelluci

Geektastic: Stories from the Nerd Herd edited by Holly Black and Cecil Castellucci

Release Date:
August 1, 2009
Publisher:
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Source: Library

Summary

Acclaimed authors Holly Black (Ironside) and Cecil Castellucci (Boy Proof) have united in geekdom to edit short stories from some of the best selling and most promising geeks in young adult literature: M.T. Anderson, Libba Bray, Cassandra Clare, John Green, Tracy Lynn, Cynthia and Greg Leitich Smith, David Levithan, Kelly Link, Barry Lyga, Wendy Mass, Garth Nix, Scott Westerfield, Lisa Yee, and Sara Zarr.

With illustrated interstitials from comic book artists Hope Larson and Bryan Lee O'Malley, Geektastic covers all things geeky, from Klingons and Jedi Knights to fan fiction, theater geeks, and cosplayers. Whether you're a former, current, or future geek, or if you just want to get in touch with your inner geek, Geektastic will help you get your geek on!(courtesy of Goodreads)

Monday, January 20, 2014

Manga Mondays #174: Boys Over Flowers vol. 4 by Hana Yori Dango

Manga Mondays Meme


It's been far too long since I've done a Manga Mondays. I'm going to try to get back into the habit.

I've been doing Manga Mondays every week since I started my blog 3 years ago. It started out as a personal feature, but I decided to turn it into a meme last year. There are quite a few people who do Manga Mondays. I don't claim by any means that I owned or created the idea of Manga Mondays - it's an obvious choice given the alliteration. I think a meme is a great way for everyone to publicize their own Manga Mondays and get a little more publicity.

The linky will be below my review.

Boys Over Flowers vol. 4 by Hana Yori Dango


Summary

Tsukushi realizes that she would have Rui to herself if Shizuka left for France as planned, but she doesn't want to be like the other scheming girls at her school. So she begs Shizuka to stay in Japan for Rui's sake. Domyoji asks Tsukushi for a date at the airport that Shizuka is leaving from, but his sweet words are drowned out by the sound of jets passing by. (courtesy of Goodreads)

Review

*Warning: Potential spoilers. My manga reviews tend to be more of a summary than a review. I find it hard to review manga in the same way I do regular books.

I feel that this series is increasingly like watching a train wreck. It's icky, somewhat painful, and quite gory, yet you can't tear yourself away from it. The series is ridiculous, but not in a silly way - more in a vaguely disturbing way.

Thursday, January 16, 2014

Feature and Follow Friday #184

Welcome to the Feature & Follow


Gain new followers and make new friends with the Book Blogger Feature & Follow! If this is your first time here, welcome! You are about to make some new friends and gain new followers -- but you have to know -- the point of this hop is to follow other bloggers also. I follow you, you follow me.

The Feature & Follow is hosted by TWO hosts, Parajunkee of Parajunkee's View and Alison of Alison Can Read. Each host will have their own Feature Blog and this way it'll allow us to show off more new blogs!

How does this work? First you leave your name here on this post, (using the linky tools -- keep scrolling!) then you create a post on your own blog that links back to this post (easiest way is to just grab the code under the #FF picture and put it in your post) and then you visit as many blogs as you can and tell them "hi" in their comments (on the post that has the #FF image). You follow them, they follow you. Win. Win. Just make sure to follow back if someone follows you!

What sets this Hop apart from others, is our Feature. Each week we will showcase a Featured Blogger, from all different genres and areas. Who is our Feature today? Find out below. Just remember it is required, if you participate, to follow our Features and you must follow the hosts (Parajunkee & Alison Can Read) as a courtesy. How do you follow someone? Well, if you have a preference, state it in your #FF post. A lot of blogs are transitioning to Wordpress in which they do not have the luxury of GFC, so an RSS subscription is appreciated or if you choose an email subscription. If you don't have GFC please state in your post how you would like to be followed.





Dueling Princes by Tyne O'Connell

Dueling Princes by Tyne O'Connell

Release Date:
April 1, 2006
Publisher:
Piccadilly Press
Source: Library

Summary

Dating Britain's royal Prince Freddie has made Year Eleven at St. Augustine's the best one so far for Calypso Kelly. Together with best friends Star and Georgina, and new chums Portia and Indie, LA-born Calypso at last seems to have everything she's dreamed of or does she? With the national fencing trials coming up, balancing school, friendships, and a royal romance is a lot harder than she imagined. Something will have to give, but what--or whom--will it be? Picking up where "Stealing Princes "left off, this funny, fast-paced third book chronicling the life and times of Calypso Kelly will not disappoint.(courtesy of Goodreads)

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Waiting on Wednesday: The Chapel Wars by Lindsey Leavitt

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine!


The Chapel Wars by Lindsey Leavitt

Publish Date: May 6, 2014
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens

I love all of Lindsey's books and this sounds super cute!

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Heartbeat by Elizabeth Scott

Heartbeat by Elizabeth Scott

Release Date:
January 28, 2014
Publisher:
Harlequin Teen
Source: BEA/Blog Tour

Summary
Life. Death. And...Love?

Emma would give anything to talk to her mother one last time. Tell her about her slipping grades, her anger with her stepfather, and the boy with the bad reputation who might be the only one Emma can be herself with.

But Emma can't tell her mother anything. Because her mother is brain-dead and being kept alive by machines for the baby growing inside her.

Meeting bad-boy Caleb Harrison wouldn't have interested Old Emma. But New Emma-the one who exists in a fog of grief, who no longer cares about school, whose only social outlet is her best friend Olivia-New Emma is startled by the connection she and Caleb forge.

Feeling her own heart beat again wakes Emma from the grief that has grayed her existence. Is there hope for life after death-and maybe, for love?(courtesy of Goodreads)

Monday, January 13, 2014

Barnes and Noble: More Important Than Independent Bookstores?

For many years, the line in the book industry was to support independent bookstores. Stay away from the big, impersonal corporate behemoths: Barnes & Noble and Borders.

Fast forward a few years. There's a new villain in town named Amazon. Not to mention Walmart, Target, Costco, and every other big store and website selling books cheap. Borders has gone the way of the dodo bird.

Thursday, January 9, 2014

Feature and Follow Friday #183

Welcome to the Feature & Follow


Gain new followers and make new friends with the Book Blogger Feature & Follow! If this is your first time here, welcome! You are about to make some new friends and gain new followers -- but you have to know -- the point of this hop is to follow other bloggers also. I follow you, you follow me.

The Feature & Follow is hosted by TWO hosts, Parajunkee of Parajunkee's View and Alison of Alison Can Read. Each host will have their own Feature Blog and this way it'll allow us to show off more new blogs!

How does this work? First you leave your name here on this post, (using the linky tools -- keep scrolling!) then you create a post on your own blog that links back to this post (easiest way is to just grab the code under the #FF picture and put it in your post) and then you visit as many blogs as you can and tell them "hi" in their comments (on the post that has the #FF image). You follow them, they follow you. Win. Win. Just make sure to follow back if someone follows you!

What sets this Hop apart from others, is our Feature. Each week we will showcase a Featured Blogger, from all different genres and areas. Who is our Feature today? Find out below. Just remember it is required, if you participate, to follow our Features and you must follow the hosts (Parajunkee & Alison Can Read) as a courtesy. How do you follow someone? Well, if you have a preference, state it in your #FF post. A lot of blogs are transitioning to Wordpress in which they do not have the luxury of GFC, so an RSS subscription is appreciated or if you choose an email subscription. If you don't have GFC please state in your post how you would like to be followed.





Bomb: The Race to Build—and Steal—the World's Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin

Bomb: The Race to Build—and Steal—the World's Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin

Release Date:
2012
Publisher:
Flash Point
Source: Library

Summary

In December of 1938, a chemist in a German laboratory made a shocking discovery: When placed next to radioactive material, a Uranium atom split in two. That simple discovery launched a scientific race that spanned 3 continents. In Great Britain and the United States, Soviet spies worked their way into the scientific community; in Norway, a commando force slipped behind enemy lines to attack German heavy-water manufacturing; and deep in the desert, one brilliant group of scientists was hidden away at a remote site at Los Alamos. This is the story of the plotting, the risk-taking, the deceit, and genius that created the world's most formidable weapon. This is the story of the atomic bomb.

Bomb is a 2012 National Book Awards finalist for Young People’s Literature.

Bomb is a 2012 Washington Post Best Kids Books of the Year title.

Bomb is a 2013 Newbery Honor book.
(courtesy of Goodreads)

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Waiting on Wednesday: Sinner by Maggie Stiefvater

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine!


Sinner by Maggie Stiefvater

Publish Date: July 1, 2014
Publisher: Scholastic Press

I love Maggie Stiefvater and I loved the Shiver series, so I'm really excited for this spin off.

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Let It Snow by Maureen Johnson, John Green, and Lauren Myracle

Let It Snow by Maureen Johnson, John Green, and Lauren Myracle

Release Date:
October 2, 2008
Publisher: Speak
Source: Library

Summary

Sparkling white snowdrifts, beautiful presents wrapped in ribbons, and multicolored lights glittering in the night through the falling snow. A Christmas Eve snowstorm transforms one small town into a romantic haven, the kind you see only in movies. Well, kinda. After all, a cold and wet hike from a stranded train through the middle of nowhere would not normally end with a delicious kiss from a charming stranger. And no one would think that a trip to the Waffle House through four feet of snow would lead to love with an old friend. Or that the way back to true love begins with a painfully early morning shift at Starbucks. Thanks to three of today’s bestselling teen authors—John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle—the magic of the holidays shines on these hilarious and charming interconnected tales of love, romance, and breathtaking kisses. (courtesy of Goodreads)

Monday, January 6, 2014

Manga Mondays #173: Boys Over Flowers vol. 3 by Hana Yori Dango

Manga Mondays Meme


It's been far too long since I've done a Manga Mondays. I'm going to try to get back into the habit.

I've been doing Manga Mondays every week since I started my blog 3 years ago. It started out as a personal feature, but I decided to turn it into a meme last year. There are quite a few people who do Manga Mondays. I don't claim by any means that I owned or created the idea of Manga Mondays - it's an obvious choice given the alliteration. I think a meme is a great way for everyone to publicize their own Manga Mondays and get a little more publicity.

The linky will be below my review.

Boys Over Flowers vol. 3 by Hana Yori Dango


Summary

Romantic complications occur when Kazuya, furious about the kiss between Domyoji and Tsukushi, challenges Domyoji to a squid fishing competition. Domyoji starts spreading rumors that Tsukushi is in love with him. When he discovers she's in love with Rui, he goes on a rampage - a rampage that turns into an attack on Tsukushi. This volume also reveals the future plans of the beautiful Shizuka. (courtesy of Goodreads)

Review

*Warning: Potential spoilers. My manga reviews tend to be more of a summary than a review. I find it hard to review manga in the same way I do regular books.

Volume 3 of Boys Over Flowers has some questionable issues that makes it a hard volume to like. And yet I still find it an interesting series.

Thursday, January 2, 2014

Feature and Follow Friday #182

Welcome to the Feature & Follow


Gain new followers and make new friends with the Book Blogger Feature & Follow! If this is your first time here, welcome! You are about to make some new friends and gain new followers -- but you have to know -- the point of this hop is to follow other bloggers also. I follow you, you follow me.

The Feature & Follow is hosted by TWO hosts, Parajunkee of Parajunkee's View and Alison of Alison Can Read. Each host will have their own Feature Blog and this way it'll allow us to show off more new blogs!

How does this work? First you leave your name here on this post, (using the linky tools -- keep scrolling!) then you create a post on your own blog that links back to this post (easiest way is to just grab the code under the #FF picture and put it in your post) and then you visit as many blogs as you can and tell them "hi" in their comments (on the post that has the #FF image). You follow them, they follow you. Win. Win. Just make sure to follow back if someone follows you!

What sets this Hop apart from others, is our Feature. Each week we will showcase a Featured Blogger, from all different genres and areas. Who is our Feature today? Find out below. Just remember it is required, if you participate, to follow our Features and you must follow the hosts (Parajunkee & Alison Can Read) as a courtesy. How do you follow someone? Well, if you have a preference, state it in your #FF post. A lot of blogs are transitioning to Wordpress in which they do not have the luxury of GFC, so an RSS subscription is appreciated or if you choose an email subscription. If you don't have GFC please state in your post how you would like to be followed.





Favorite 2013 Albums

Like many book bloggers, I love music almost as much as I love books. So it's only fitting that I include my favorite albums of 2013 with my end of the year round up.

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Waiting on Wednesday: The Things You Kiss Goodbye by Leslie Connor

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine!


The Things You Kiss Goodbye by Leslie Connor

Publish Date: June 24, 2014
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

I'm always up for a good contemporary and this one sounds great.