Book blogger hop: disappointed by lack of books?

August 18, 2017August 18, 2017 Emma15 Comments

This week, I’m once again joining in with Billy at Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer‘s book blogger hop, where they post a question which you and other bloggers answer, hopping from blog to blog to see people’s answers. This week, the question is…

“When you enter an unfamiliar house or apartment for the first time, do you feel disappointed if you don’t see any bookshelves, or books on the coffee table?”

The answer is no, I’m not quite that shallow, and I do have friends and family members who don’t read so it’s wouldn’t necessarily be a surprise to walk into a house where there weren’t books on display.

What I do suffer from is jealousy when I see people with more books on the shelves than me or, even more, built in books shelves or creative ways of displaying their books. I have a friend, for example, who has two windows on her stair case and she has used these as makeshift shelves. Walking up the stairs and seeing all these wonderful books always makes me want the same and feel disappointed that I can’t (no windows so it’ll never happen!). Read More »

Book blogger hop: challenges and readathons

August 11, 2017August 11, 2017 Emma24 Comments

Do you participate in readathons and/or reading challenges?

The answer is I do – well, at least for the reading challenges part and I did – for the readathon part. I stopped the latter because I found something would always come up after I had said I would participate and then I either wouldn’t get any reading done at all or the amount I would do would be pitiful and I’d be almost embarrassed posting updates at the end.Read More »

Book blogger hop: my passion for reading

July 7, 2017 Emma5 Comments

In one sentence, describe your passion for reading.

So I like this question because it doesn’t require me to write much. I have to say I love quotes about reading, and this is one of my favourites – along with a pretty picture that is how I dream of being able to read, though I don’t often find the time or space to lie back and relax like this.

person-2468249_1920

What sentence sums up your passion for reading?

Emma x

Book blogger hop: meeting my favourite author

June 9, 2017 Emma28 Comments

If you could have lunch with any living authors and/or book bloggers, who would you choose and why?

So I have to say, I always have a bit of fear about meeting people I admire and so the idea of meeting any of my favourite authors is pretty scary. If I have to pick one, though, I would say it would have to be Margaret Attwood, whose books I just love.

38447

I love the way she writes, how she has a distinctive style but can turn it to so many different books from the historical fiction of Alias Grace to the science fiction (and incredibly scary) of the Maddaddam trilogy. And who could forget the chilling dystopian future she sets out in The Handmaid’s Tale?

46756

There isn’t a world I haven’t fallen into (well, actually there is one – The Heart Goes Last – but everyone needs a wobble now and then), a character I haven’t cared for, a book I haven’t wanted to read again.

609524

But for all that love, what would I say? That’s the question and why – really – I would rather admire from afar for fear of gushing uncontrollably or stammering out a question that makes me sound like I’ve never read a book. What about you? Who would you want to meet – and would you be braver then me?

Emma

Book blogger hop: the fun side of blogging

May 26, 2017 Emma25 Comments

What is the most fun part/aspect of being a book blogger?

So despite the fact that I have to admit that these last few weeks finding time to be a blogger has been hard, it is something I really look forward to doing and think about for more hours a day than I probably should. Why? Because it’s FUN…and I wouldn’t do it if it wasn’t. There are lots of things about it I find fun, and which I could put down here but time is short so here is my top three…

1. Meeting other bloggers, even if only virtually. I have met some really nice people and found book bloggers to be such a thoughtful, supportive group. Whilst I do talk about books with family and friends and am in a book club, it never seems enough. Being able to engage with people who love books as much as I do every day is the best.

2. Continually adding to my to read list. I know a lot of people find their TBRs overwhelming and I know I have little if any chance of ever reading all the books that are on mine but I don’t worry much about that. I just know that it’s rare I can’t think of or find a book I don’t want to read nowadays, which makes me happy when I look on my bookshelves or wander round the library.

3. Free books, because who wouldn’t love that if they love books? When I first started, I didn’t request any ARCs at all, then I requested too many, now I feel (like goldilocks) my request level is “just right” and I have a nice stack of books I can’t wait to read and which I’m fairly confident for the most part I will enjoy because I have gone for authors I know/love or books I have seen recommended. It might not be daring but it works for me.

What about you? What makes blogging fun for you?

Emma x

Note: images Designed by Freepik (clicking on image takes you to site)

Book blogger hop: second chances?

May 12, 2017 Emma17 Comments

If you read a book you ended up hating, would you stay away from future books by that author, or would you give them a second chance?

My initial reaction to this was to say stay away but then I took a second to think about how many books I would classify under hated and I’m not sure there are any. Maybe this is because if I really, Really, REALLY, don’t like a book then I stop reading it and then don’t give it much thought.

If I think about the way I review books though, saying how I feel versus a star rating, I do have be books that I say are not for me. For others these would be one star reviews or maybe the books they don’t finish. It’s probably the nearest I could get to hating a book.

Writing this post, I took a look back at those with the not for me rating and wondered, would I pick up this aft or that author again? And the answer was no, I wouldn’t. There wasn’t one instance where I thought, I could give the author another go. So, whilst I never say never and a brilliant review or recommendation might change my mind, for now my answer is I would stay away.

What about you? Do you believe in second chances?

Emma

Book blogger hop: re-reading reads

April 28, 2017 Emma29 Comments

How many books have you re-read? If you have re-read books, please tell us the book’s title and why you re-read it.

Because I am not the best at tracking books I read (my Goodreads is soooo far behind I don’t know why I bother sometimes), I couldn’t honestly answer this question. I have no idea how many books I’ve re-read over the years. However, I would say that – once I was into the realm of “grown-up” books – very few.

As a child I re-read books a lot (the Famous Five I knew by heart – all 21 of them). As an adult, I think my thought process has been so many books, so little time – time better spent reading something new rather than reading something I already know the ending of.

Saying that, I do occasionally revisit a book, maybe because it’s an old favourite or because an anniversary has left me wondering if it has stood the test of time. Other reasons might be someone mentioning it and me realising I don’t remember a thing about it or that I’m reading a prequel, sequel, or another book in the series and need to remember what else has happened.

Since starting my blog (almost three years ago I realise), I have re-read six books, all of which I’ve reviewed here and all of which, I am pleased to say have stood the test of time and were just as enjoyable the second time around. If you are interested in what they were and what they thought you can read more here:

A is for Alibi by Sue Grafton

The Woman in Black by Susan Hill

The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists by Robert Tressell

The Wasp Factory by Iain Banks

The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood

The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingslover

What about you? Do you re-read books – a lot, a little, or not at all?

Emma

Book blogger hop: negative comments

March 24, 2017 Emma35 Comments

How do you handle negative comments left on your blog?

So I might be lucky here but I don’t think I’ve ever had a negative comment on my blog. Which means I have no idea how I would handle them if I got one (and please don’t test me out by leaving one here…it’s really not something I want to experience!).

I would hope I would be able to respond with good grace and a rationale, reasonable comment but I don’t know if that would be true in reality. I do know that is how I have responded when people have picked up on errors in my posts etc., which if I’m honest I’ve sometimes thought were a bit picky and I have wondered if they were needed. I haven’t removed the comment though and I haven’t not responded. I’ve thanked the person for letting me know and moved on.

It does depend I suppose on what the negative comment was. If it was a disagreement over a book I’d reviewed I would argue my case I think, standing my ground over my opinion (because that’s what reviews are at the end of the day the way I write them – my personal opinion). If it was a personal attack then I think I would remove the comment because I don’t think anyone has the right to have a go at anyone else on a blog post.

You can argue / disagree with a sentiment but the person still has the right to their opinion at the end of the day…or you can just ignore the blog going forward (which might be easier than getting into an online fight that you potentially can’t then erase). These are my approaches to commenting anyways, and so far they have stood me in good stead.

What about you, have you had negative comments on your posts? What type were they (the posts and the comments)? And how did you handle them?

Emma

Book blogger hop: advance reading

March 10, 2017March 10, 2017 Emma17 Comments

How far in advance do you read the books you have scheduled for review?

And the answer is it really depends. I don’t read a huge amount of review books compared to other bloggers I don’t think, generally sticking to requesting those I am pretty sure I will like (given the author or subject/genre), which means I’m often quite keen to read them and so do as soon as the opportunity arises.

Often, this is months before publication and where I used to fall down is that I wouldn’t review them straight away. I would make some notes and there they would sit, waiting to be fully written up until close to the release date…by which point the book was no longer clear in my mind and I’m sure I missed much of what I might originally wanted to say.

Now, I review a book as soon as I’ve read it. I have a personal goal of within 24 hours and am usually quite good at sticking to it. It’s then scheduled for whenever it needs to be scheduled for. I’m even organised enough now to have a calendar which shows if I’ve got something posted on a particular day so I can plan when other books with similar review dates can go up (*pats self on back as it’s only taken two years to get this far!).

There is another benefit to this and that’s that I can post the reviews on netgalley earlier than the release date and keep my % up above 80, the magic number and (hopefully) then get approved for more of the books I request (so really want).

What about you, do you read in advance or wait till close to the release date? If you do, how do you plan your time so you have enough of it to read and review the book without going over (a big fear of mine if I leave things)?

Emma x

Book blogger hop: preferred reads

March 3, 2017 Emma24 Comments

This week, for the first time in a while, I’m joining in with Billy at Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer‘s book blogger hop, where they post a question which you and other bloggers answer, hopping from blog to blog to see people’s answers. This week, the question is…

When you start reading a novel, do you prefer to be plunged right into the action, or do you prefer a slower, more descriptive introduction to the plot and characters?

This is a question that pops into my head quite a bit – what I prefer in a new book – mainly, I think, because I regularly join in with the first chapter, first paragraph meme by Diana at Bibliophile by the Sea. I always pick the book I’m reading that day (or am about to start) and sometimes all it takes is a few sentences to get me completely hooked. I know straight away if that is a book I am likely to like. For me, it normally involves finding someone in peril but for others it might be a moment leading up to a kiss or a tear.

My choices often come from prologues, which I think plunge you right into the action. They are pretty much standard fare for crime fiction, mysteries and thrillers these days and something I have a love / hate relationship with if I’m honest. I love them because they draw me in. Hate them (well, dislike them strongly) because they can sometimes make you think you are getting something you are not.

But then, whilst I read crime and mysteries more than anything else, looking at my favourite books of last year, a lot were slow burns. The type of book that you find out nothing about in the first paragraph at all, or very little. These do let the characters and the story grow over the pages and sometimes you are a 100 pages in before you realise you haven’t put the book down for an hour and need to stay up all night to finish it.

So, going back to the question, the answer is I read more books that plunge me right into the action which makes them my preferred choice but I probably enjoy slower, more descriptive books, more than I think and would definitely never turn one away if it caught my eye.

What about you, what is your preferred read?

Emma