Feature & Follow Friday - April 25, 2014

Feature & Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read. It is a way for book bloggers to get to know each other better. To join in and make some friends, simply follow the directions listed by Parajunkee on her blog.  This week's question is:

Have any pets? Tell us or show us!

I have 3 wonderful cats to show you.  First, meet Tadhg:

Tadhg was my little writing buddy and my partner in crime.  He was my first cat in 4 years and he was spectacular.  We lost him in January of this year, but he's still with me and I will never forget him.

Meet Widget:

Widget is a handsome boy, a playful cat, and, to be honest, a complete jerk sometimes.  LOL  He's my daughter's cat and he lets everyone know it.  I'm also convinced he's the cat the Friends song is about.  You know the one.

Meet Rochester:

Rochester is my sweet old man.  We rescued him from the shelter in January, where they thought he was a kitten.  Nope.  He's just tiny and, I'm quite sure, a lot older than they thought.  He's an awesome cat, though, and has so much love to give.  Just look at that face!

So, that's my bunch.  Who are your furry friends?

Feature & Follow Friday - April 18, 2014

Feature & Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read. It is a way for book bloggers to get to know each other better. To join in and make some friends, simply follow the directions listed by Parajunkee on her blog.  This week's question is:

Spring Break. Where would be your favorite destination spot if you could join the Spring Break festivities?

I've never been one for big spring break festivities.  I would much rather go off to Europe, instead.  I'm a more quiet individual, so seeing the sights with a friend or two is more my speed.  It would be especially cool to wander around Ireland since part of my family came from there.  How about you?  Where would you go?

Feature & Follow Friday - April 11, 2014

Feature & Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read. It is a way for book bloggers to get to know each other better. To join in and make some friends, simply follow the directions listed by Parajunkee on her blog.  This week's question is:

Tell us about a book that you didn’t like and why we shouldn’t read it…nicely.

Well, this is a loaded question, isn't it?  There are a few books that induced pure rage in me, but I'll try to keep it tame.  I'll just go with my most recent dislike... Defy by Sara Larson.  Oh, my but did that book upset me.  I just reviewed it on Tuesday, but for the sake of this post, I'll keep it brief.  Rape as a plot device when there's no good reason for it is not okay in my book.  No way, no how.  We'll keep it at that.  What books really bothered you?

Feature & Follow Friday - April 4, 2014

Feature & Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read. It is a way for book bloggers to get to know each other better. To join in and make some friends, simply follow the directions listed by Parajunkee on her blog.

This weeks Feature & Follow Friday topic is:

Late April Fools. What was the best prank you’ve played or had played on you? Share!

Well, I'm about to be a total Eeyore, but when you have anxiety, April Fools is not your favorite holiday.  I do remember a fun April Fools Day when the college organization I belonged to hosted an event called The Feast of Fools, complete with costumes, general buffoonery, and a pie throwing booth.  No pranks, but lots of fun, all the same.

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Follow Friday - April 13, 2012

Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read. It is a way for book bloggers to get to know each other better. To join in and make some friends, simply follow the directions listed by Parajunkee on her blog.This week's featured blogger on Parajunkee.com is Gizmo's Reviews, while the feature on AlisonCanRead.com is Book Briefs. Be sure to stop by, follow, and say, "Hello!"

This week's question is:

Q: What is one book that you would be nervous to see a movie adaption of because you think the movie could never live up to the book?

That's a hard one!  After a quick thinking session, I think I would have to go with The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater.  I would be so worried that the feel of the story would get lost in translation or that the horses wouldn't look right.  I would be a nervous wreck waiting to see it as a movie.

Follow Friday: July 29, 2011

Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read. It is a way for book bloggers to get to know each other better. To join in and make some friends, simply follow the directions listed by Parajunkee on her blog.

This week's featured blogger on Parajunkee.com is The Book Addicted Girl, while the feature on AlisonCanRead.com is The Little Book Blog. Be sure to stop by, follow, and say, "Hello!"

This week's question:

Q. Let's step away from books for a second and get personal. What T-Shirt slogan best describes you?

Well, I am in possession of a healthy heap of sarcasm and a temper to boot. If I had to sum myself up with a t-shirt, it would be this:

It reads: Consider the hair a big warning label. Yeah. Fitting. :-P

Follow Friday: July 22, 2011

Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read. It is a way for book bloggers to get to know each other better. To join in and make some friends, simply follow the directions listed by Parajunkee on her blog.

This week's featured blogger on Parajunkee.com is We Fancy Books, while the feature on AlisonCanRead.com is A Novella's Tale. Be sure to stop by, follow, and say, "Hello!"

This week's question:

Name 3 authors that you would love to sit down and spend an hour or a meal with just talking about either their books or get advice on writing from?

This is an easy peasy question to answer for me right now. I would love to meet Julie Kagawa, Maggie Stiefvater, and Amy Plum. I will get to meet the first two in the next 3 weeks, though it will be at signings, not a sit-down, so all that will remain will be to meet Amy Plum. My super long-shot choice would have to be J.K. Rowling, though I know she doesn't tour and I honestly haven't a clue where I might possibly come across her.

Follow Friday: July 20, 2011

Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee and is a way for book bloggers to get to know each other better. To join in and make some friends, simply follow the directions listed by Parajunkee on her blog.

This week's featured blogger is Angela at Angela's Anxious Life . Be sure to stop by, follow, and say, "Hello!"

This week's question:

What do I do when I am not reading?

Well, there are a few activities that I participate in. I blog (of course); I play hidden object games on my laptop with my daughter; I go to the library; I hang out with Nikki; I browse the bookstore shelves; and I try to keep my toddler out of as much trouble as I possibly can (a never-ending battle). In the fall, I will add classes to my repertoire. That's my life in a nut shell.

Follow Friday: July 1, 2011

Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee and is a way for book bloggers to get to know each other better. To join in and make some friends, simply follow the directions listed by Parajunkee on her blog.

This week's featured blogger is Erika at Let's Talk About Books. Be sure to stop by, follow, and say, "Hello!"

This week's question:

Q. ACK! Your favorite book/movie character (example Hermione Granger played by the Emma chick) just walked into the room! Who is it and what would be your first reaction? You get extra points if you include visual stimulation.

A. I think I'm going to have to go back to the very first movie-turned book that had me turning into the biggest geek in town at the time, The Lord of the Rings trilogy. The character/actor? Legolas as played by Orlando Bloom.


I'm a pretty shy person, so I would probably react in much the same way as I did when I met Christina Scabia from Lacuna Coil: smile, say "hi" quietly, and stand back. Yup. Living on the edge. That's me.

Follow Friday & Book Blogger Hop: June 24, 2011

Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee and is a way for book bloggers to get to know each other better. To join in and make some friends, simply follow the directions listed by Parajunkee on her blog.

This week's featured blogger is Mickey @ I'm a Book Shark. Be sure to stop by, follow, and say, "Hello!"

This week's question:

In light of the summer solstice. Also known as midsummer... let's talk about fairies. What is your favorite fairy tale or story that revolves around the fae?

I love Irish folk lore very much. There are so many fairy stories included that I don't know if I can pick just one. One of my favorites is concerned with the origin of the sidhe (fairies/elves/whatever you prefer) in Ireland. The Tuatha De Danann (sidhe) came to Ireland and waged war against the Fir Bolg (a reportedly monstrous race), which they eventually won. When the Milesians (man) came to Ireland, the sidhe were driven underground and became the fairies that we think of today. That's the story in a nutshell, anyway.

*edited to add: How could I have neglected to type out my favorite book that has fairies?! That has to be Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier. It is the first novel I can recall reading that made me fall in love with fairies as book characters. It also doesn't hurt that it's based upon another Irish myth! Are you seeing a theme here?



The Book Blogger Hop is a weekly event hosted by Crazy-For-Books. It is a way for book bloggers to connect and discover new blogs they might enjoy.

Every week there is a new question. This week, the question is:

When did you realize reading was your passion and a truly important part of your life?

This is a great question. I always liked books as a child, but I think the bug really took hold when I was four. That's when I read my first book by myself. I remember being excited about reading the whole book and ran to my mom to do it all again. I've been a bookworm ever since.

Follow Friday & Book Blogger Hop: June 17, 2011

Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee and is a way for book bloggers to get to know each other better. To join in and make some friends, simply follow the directions listed by Parajunkee on her blog.

This week's featured blogger is Rhiannon Paille. Be sure to stop by, follow, and say, "Hello!"

This week's question:

Genre Wars! What's your favorite genre and which book in that genre made it your favorite?

Again with the tough questions! Let's see... I have been gravitating toward paranormal romance for quite a while now, even when I wasn't reading YA quite so extensively. I can't even remember what one book got me started in that genre. Lately, however, I have been starting to get into steampunk. I have Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare to thank for that. It was a riveting read and made it to the top of my favorites of the year list. It was also awesome enough to pique my interest in the steampunk genre where I had never read any before.



The Book Blogger Hop is a weekly event hosted by Crazy-For-Books. It is a way for book bloggers to connect and discover new blogs they might enjoy.

Every week there is a new question. This week, the question is:

How many books are currently in your To-Be-Read (TBR) pile?

As far as physical books go, I have roughly 18. When you add egalleys to that number, it jumps up to 26. Then, add in the hundred or so Nookbooks I have yet to read, and there are around 125-150. If we're talking the wishlist, you can bet that there are well over 1,000. Yowza!

Follow Friday, Book Blogger Hop, & TGIF: June 3

Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee and is a way for book bloggers to get to know each other better. To join in and make some friends, simply follow the directions listed by Parajunkee on her blog.

This week's featured blogger is Ninja Girl from Ninja Girl Reads. Be sure to stop by, follow, and say, "Hello!"

This week's question:

What are you doing to prepare for an upcoming zombie apocalypse and/or the return of Mel Gibson to the silver screen? (Both of which could be terrifying.)

Terrifying, indeed. The way I figure, our apartment is in such pitiful condition so far as the windows go that we would pretty much be screwed unless we commandeer one of the vacant units upstairs and disable the outside staircase. We have a toolbox and both know how to use it. ;) As for the possibility of a Mel Gibson resurgence, I'm afraid we would have to stop watching television to avoid the commercials. I have no interest in seeing what he's going to blame on the British this time. :P



The Book Blogger Hop is a weekly event hosted by Crazy-For-Books. It is a way for book bloggers to connect and discover new blogs they might enjoy.

Every week there is a new question. This week, the question is:

Share your favorite post from the last month and tell us why it's close to your heart!

Admittedly, I don't often write non-meme or non-book review posts. I think the post closest to my heart from last month is my Past, Present, or Future? post. I wrote the post in answer to a prompt from New Books for New Bloggers, but it is very like the conversations I have with my real-life friend, Nikki, about the different books we read. Those conversations are a lot of fun, so the post was a lot of fun to write.



TGIF is a meme from Ginger at GReads! Every Friday there is a new question to answer and new bloggers to meet.

This week, the question is:

Book Love: Do you share your books with others? Who was the last person you sent a book to?

I'll admit it: I'm a bit like Gollum when it comes to my books. I've been burned too often in the past by people deciding to simply keep books I loan them. I don't like feeling like a debt collector, so I, sadly, stopped loaning books for the most part. I have one friend who I loan books to, however, and who loans books to me, as well. I have passed along a lot of my favorites to her, thus helping her discover new favorites of her own, and vice versa. I have also given her a book that she liked more than I did, so our little system works out very nicely, I think.

Follow Friday: May 20, 2011

Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee and is a way for book bloggers to get to know each other better. To join in and make some friends, simply follow the directions listed by Parajunkee on her blog.

This week's featured blogger is Ninja Girl from Ninja Girl Reads. Be sure to stop by, follow, and say, "Hello!"

This week's question:

Can you tell us FIVE quirky habits or things about you? We all have them...

My answer:

1. My eyes turn from blue-green to mint green when I get mad. I'm told it's rather alarming.
2. When I was a kid, I used to click my tongue against the roof of my mouth constantly. It drove my mother insane.
3. I sleep with one knee propped up and the other leg crossed over it. One of my college room mates thought it was the weirdest thing she had ever seen.
4. I've been known to talk to turtles in my sleep. (Yes, I'm a weird sleeper. What's your point?)
5. I am terrified of centipedes. I squeal whenever one is in my vicinity or comes onto the TV screen.

Follow Friday: May 13, 2011

Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee and is a way for book bloggers to get to know each other better. To join in and make some friends, simply follow the directions listed by Parajunkee on her blog.

Well, now that Blogpocalypse has ended (but I do want my last two posts back, Blogger!), let's get this show on the road again.

This week's question:

The Blogger Apocalypse made me a little emotional. What is the most emotional scene in a book that you have read lately?

This week, it's no contest: a certain point at the end of Mockingjay had me tearing up. I might get riled up from time to time, but I'm definitely a big softy.

Follow Friday: May 6, 2011

Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee and is a way for book bloggers to get to know each other better. To join in and make some friends, simply follow the directions listed by Parajunkee on her blog.

This week's question is:

Circle time! Time to share. What character in a book would you most like to be, what character in a book would you most like to date?

There have been some tough questions, lately. This one bore some thought, as well. I think I would most like to be Shannon Parker from P.C. Cast's Divine by Mistake. I would be able to keep my red hair (the feature I am most proud of), plus she is in possession of a sharply honed wit (honestly, I laugh my way through the book every single time I read it) and a great memory (I only wish I could recall passages from poetry and prose like she does). Not to mention, she gets to act as goddess incarnate and is treated like a queen. After the semester I've had, that sounds fantastic.

The character I would most like to date would be Shannon's mate, Clan Fintan, from the same series. Tall, dark, handsome (in both centaur and human form), and smart? Yes, please! Plus, the two work so well together that I wouldn't dream of having it any other way.

Follow Friday: April 29, 2011

Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee and is a way for book bloggers to get to know each other better. To join in and make some friends, simply follow the directions listed by Parajunkee on her blog.

This week, yours truly is the featured blog! Welcome to all of my new and old visitors. I look forward to visiting all of you at your own blogs.

This week's question is:

Keeping with the dystopian and apocalypse theme that seems to be running rampant on parajunkee.com, I have one very hard question for you: If you were stocking your bomb shelter, what books would you HAVE to include if you only had space for ten?

This is a tough one! I think I am up to the challenge, though. Here goes nothing!

1. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
2. Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen
3. Sense & Sensibility by Jane Austen
4. Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
5. Divine by Mistake by P.C. Cast
6. Divine by Choice by P.C. Cast
7. The Green Man: Tales from the Mythic Forest edited by Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling
8. The Iron King by Julie Kagawa
9. The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa
   
10. The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa

There are other books in my collection that I would hate to leave behind, but these are probably the ones that I would re-read the most. How about you? What would you stock your bomb shelter with?

Follow Friday: April 22, 2011

Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee and is a way for book bloggers to get to know each other better. To join in and make some friends, simply follow the directions listed by Parajunkee on her blog.

This week's question is:

WHAT IS ON YOUR CURRENT PLAYLIST RIGHT NOW?

I've been doing a lot more reading than anything else this week, but there are a few songs that I can't get enough of:

• "Rolling In the Deep" by Adele
• "ET" by Katy Perry
• "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" by KT Tunstall
• "Enjoy the Silence" by Lacuna Coil
• "Supermassive Black Hole" by Muse
• "All Around Me" by Flyleaf
• "Jar of Hearts" by Christina Perri
• "The Only Exception" by Paramore
• "Rise Above This" by Seether
• "Breathe No More" by Evanescence

Follow Friday: April 15, 2011

Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee and is a way for book bloggers to get to know each other better. To join in and make some friends, simply follow the directions listed by Parajunkee on her blog.

This week's question is: Do you have anyone that you can discuss books with IRL? Tell us about him/her.

There aren't a large number of people I can talk to about books in real life, which is ironic when you take the fact that I am a literature major into account. However, I have the fortune of going to the same university as my oldest friend, Nikki. We have known each other for almost 22 years (ever since we bonded over safety scissors in 1st grade) and have seen a lot over the years. We have pretty similar taste in books, so we can talk to each other about whatever we are reading at the time. One of our traditions is heading to our local cafe & cupcake bakery for mochas, cupcakes, and conversation. We almost always wind up talking about books at some point during these get-togethers. It's always a lot of fun and is always a bright spot in a hectic week.

Follow Friday: April 8, 2011

Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee and is a way for book bloggers to get to know each other better. To join in and make some friends, simply follow the directions listed by Parajunkee on her blog.

This week's question is:

DO YOU JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER?

I try not to, but I'll admit that I've done my fair share of judging. It works either way, though. Sometimes I'll pick up a book with a pretty cover only to find that it is horrible. There are also times that I have picked up a book with a less than stellar cover only to find that it is wonderful. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I try to keep an open mind, though I sometimes fail.

Follow Friday: April 1, 2011

Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee and is a way for book bloggers to get to know each other better. To join in and make some friends, simply follow these directions as stated by Parajunkee:

1. (Required) Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Host { Parajunkee.com } and any one else you want to follow on the list
2. (Required) Follow our Featured Bloggers - http://books-ahoy.blogspot.com/
3. Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing.
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
5. 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"
6. If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers
7. If you're new to the follow friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!

Here is this week's question:

WHAT IS THE BOOK THAT YOU REALLY DON'T WANT TO ADMIT TO LOVING?

This is a tough one for me to answer, as I usually am not ashamed to admit what I read. However, the closest I can come to an answer for this question is a book that is completely different than what I usually read. That book is Rapture's Revenge by Lauren Wilde. It had been in my mother's romance novel collection and I remember hiding it in my room in high school because I was too embarrassed to be caught reading it. I actually bought a copy of my own in January. ::blushes::