Feature and Follow Friday #84

Feature and Follow Friday is an awesome blog-hop hosted by Parajunkee's View and Alison Can Read

And the question is: 

How do you handle a book you don’t like? Do you DNF or do you power through?

Once upon a time, before I became a blogger, I would power through and finish the book.  Now I have too many books to read and too little time to read them, thus I DNF.  If I’m interesting in the ending I might Goggle the book or look for reviews with spoilers in Goodreads.

Sometimes though, I just lose interest or patience with a book because things are going too slow or I do not like the direction that the plot is going towards (like watching a movie when the girl goes off into the woods to investigate a sound).  In those cases I would likely come back and finish the book later.

How about you?  Do you feel that you have to finish the book at all costs or do you DNF?

DO IT HERE!

Feature and Follow Friday #83

Feature and Follow Friday is an awesome blog-hop hosted by Parajunkee's View and Alison Can Read

And the question is:  

What is your preferred reading format? Hardcover, eBooks, paperback etc?

I like to read *period*.  I know that’s a vague answer, so let me elaborate. 

My hubby gifted me with a Kindle (2^nd generation) back in 2009 and also gifted me with a Kindle Fire for our anniversary last year.  I love the flexibility of taking my eReader everywhere; it’s lighter and easier to carry around.  I also have the Kindle app in my iPad, which I love. 

However, poor hubby thought that by the magic of the eReader, all physical books would disappear from the house.  That is not the case, as I’m afraid that I’m a book hoarder (or at least that’s what he thinks).  There is something about turning the pages of a book, holding it in your hands and looking at the pretty cover in all its glory!

Oh!  I also listen to audio books all the time :)

I actually posted discussion posts about these topics that you can find here and here

What format do you prefer?

Feature and Follow Friday #82

Feature and Follow Friday is an awesome blog-hop hosted by Parajunkee's View and Alison Can Read

This week's questions is:

Activity: Spine Poetry. Create a line of poetry with your book spines (take a picture). Not feeling creative? Tell us about your favorite poem.

I have to confess that I often don't get poetry in English.  As my first language is Spanish, I understand poetry much better in my native tongue.  Give me Becquer or Neruda any day!  Nevertheless, I tried to do my best by you!  Here it is:

Awaken

Just listen,

Enthralled

How to love

Forever.

What do you think?  Leave me a link to your poem!

 Please celebrate Reading with ABCs 2nd Blogiversary by entering thisGiveaway!

Feature and Follow Friday #81

Feature and Follow Friday is an awesome blog-hop hosted by Parajunkee's View and Alison Can Read

The question this week is:

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!

Congratulations are in order!  Happy 150^th!

I haven’t always participated in FF, but this is by 81^st post, so I guess I’ve done my fair share :)

I would love to know the questions before hand, so I could have more time to think about an answer and schedule the post.  Sometimes I find it difficult to come up with an answer in the few minutes that I can dedicate to in on a Friday morning (especially if the question is asking for pictures and such).  Maybe put next week’s question on the previous week’s FF?

It’s hard to remember what all the questions have been… anyway here are a few:

Picture time:  Can you take a picture of your shelves? Or maybe your current read?

What is your favorite non-book related blog or website?

What is your favorite thing to drink while you’re reading?

What was your favorite bookish event? (book signing, book festival, tweet from author, etc)

That’s it for me!

Feature and Follow Friday

Feature and Follow Friday is an awesome blog-hop hosted by Parajunkee's View and Alison Can Read

The question this week is:

Is there a song that reminds you of a book? Or vice versa? What is the song & the book?

Home by Phillip Phillips is a sweet song that reminds me of the book Edenbrooke by Julianne Donaldson.  Why?  Because Phillip (weird coincidence,  huh?) worked very hard to make Marianne feel at home in Edenbrooke.

Feature and Follow Friday

 Feature and Follow Friday is an awesome blog-hop hosted by Parajunkee's View and Alison CanRead

Have you ever read a book that you thought you would hate — ? Did you end up hating it? Did you end up loving it? Or would you never do that?

“Hate” is a very strong word, I’d rather use ‘dislike’ in this context.  Well, luckily, I think I have the opposite happen to me all the time. That is, that I love a book that I thought I wouldn't.  Here are some examples:

The Monstrumologist series by Rick Yancey – These books are not for the faint of heart and I typically avoid the horror genre like the plague, both in books and movies. BUT, this book was so highly recommended by author extraordinaire, Maggie Stiefvater, that I couldn’t help but pick it up.  It is one of the best series EVER!

The Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer – Right after hubby left for Iraq (2009), my sister came to visit and we saw Twilight in DVD.  Honestly I wasn’t that impressed by the movie, but sis had read all the books and swore that they were much better that the movie, thus next time we went shopping she got the book for me.  Now, I’m a Twilight fan (don’t shoot me please!) Thank you sister dear :)

Which book did you love? Which did you dislike? 

Today is the last day to enter the Easter Eggstravaganza Giveaway Hop!

Feature and Follow Friday

 Feature and Follow Friday is an awesome blog-hop hosted by Parajunkee's View and Alison CanRead

Activity! Hopefully warm weather for most of us is here soon…so tell us about your favorite outdoor reading spot. Or take a picture.

I’m not really and outdoor person, but when barbecue or the kids are playing in the backyard or getting it their pool (it’s inflatable!) I sit on a chair in my backyard’s deck to read.

Note: I don’t have any pictures right now, but I’ll update this post later if I can ;)

As you can see, I came home and took a picture of my poor deck and (naked *gasp*) chairs.  I know it doesn't seem too pretty right now, but in summer, with cushions and an umbrella, it's much nicer. 

What is your favorite place to read outdoors?

Feature and Follow Friday

 Feature and Follow Friday is an awesome blog-hop hosted by Parajunkee's View and Alison CanRead

What is a book you didn’t like that all your friends raved about or what book did you love that wasn’t popular?

I think the Hush, Hush and Fallen series received a lot of hype and I wasn’t too crazy about them. I read the first book of both and didn’t continue with the series.  Wither is another series that I’m ambivalent about, but since I read the first two books, I’m committed now to finish the series.

I love the Monstrumologist series by Rick Yancey, Benny Imura series by Jonathan Maberry, Dreamhunter duet  by Elizabeth Knox, and Jessica’s Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey, and the Théatre Illuminata series (yet to read last book) by Lisa Mantchev.  These are all amazing books/series!

How about you?

Feature and Follow Friday

 Feature and Follow Friday is an awesome blog-hop hosted by Parajunkee's View and Alison CanRead

The question is: Confess your blogger sins! Is there anything as a newbie blogger that you’ve done, that as you gained more experience you were like — oops?

My blog will turn two in May, but I still don’t feel like I know as much as I probably should.  Here are some things that I learned:

Organization is a must – I view my blog mail and keep a calendar in Outlook, which helps me a lot.  The process I used at the beginning (notebooks and post-its anyone?) didn’t work as well.

Proofread - When I started blogging I would write my review directly in Blogger, needless to say that didn’t go that well (English is my second language to boot!).  Now I write my reviews in MS Word which helps me catch bad spelling and grammar, and I make sure to proofread.

Be careful with pictures – Now I am very careful with pictures, I use clip art or take my own pictures to edit, and it’s a lot safer :)  I used to think that any picture out there in the WWW was for grabs, now I know better.

That’s all I can think of, how about you?  What are your blogger sins?

Feature and Follow Friday

 Feature and Follow Friday is an awesome blog-hop hosted by Parajunkee's View and Alison CanRead

We always talk about books that WE want. Let’s turn it on its head. What books have you given other people lately?

Recently I gave one of my best friend's daughter turned 15 years old (a bid deal in Hispanic culture), I gave her a gift card and two books: Divergent by Veronica Roth and Defiance by C.J. Redwine. 

I've also had two giveaways recently and the winners selected to receive: The Iron King by Julie Kagawa and Nobody by Jennifer Lynn Barnes.

I also let selected people borrow my books, but that's another story...

What have to gifted lately?

Feature and Follow Friday

 Feature and Follow Friday is an awesome blog-hop hosted by Parajunkee's View and Alison CanRead

ACTIVITY:  Write a letter to your favorite character. Rant, rave or gush…just pretend like they are real and you just want to let them know a “few things”. – Activity courtesy of author, Kelly Walker

Well, one of my favorite characters is Ash from the Iron Fey series by Julie Kagawa, but I do like Ash and Meghan together.   So I had to get creative a choose someone else.

YA Book:

Dear Allyson,

I’m so glad you learned to live a little, open yourself to new experiences, and to the ‘accidents’ of life!  Please learn to put some distance between your mom and yourself and cut the cord!  I say this for your own good.  And maybe is time to make new friends and put yourself out there. Be assertive, find out what you want and go for it!

Oh, give my love to Willem and I hope everything works out (*fingers crossed*)

Regards,

Liza

-From Just One Day by Gayle Forman-

Adult book:

Dear Sookie,

I know you’ve been through a lot, but I have always been disappointed in your treatment of Bill.  I know he cheated and lied, BUT he couldn’t help it as he was manipulated and ordered by his maker.  I feel that Bill is the only being (I know he is a vampire!) that loves you unconditionally and treats you well, like an equal and like a lady.

I hope you’d change your mind about Bill and give him a chance.

Regards,

Liza

PS.  Please try to get killed in the last book! (Can’t wait to read it!!!)

- From the Southern Vampire series by Charlaine Harris-

What is your favorite character and what would you say to him/her?

Please be so kind as to enter to the GIVEAWAYS and HOPS that you can find in the left sidebar 

Feature and Follow Friday

 Feature and Follow Friday is an awesome blog-hop hosted by Parajunkee's View and Alison Can Read

Happy Mardi Gras! If they were throwing the HOTTEST books off of a Mardi Gras float — what would you do to have them throw to you…?

Hmm… At heart I’m a very conservative person, thus doing anything crazy (like showing parts of my anatomy) is out of the picture.  But, I can think of other things that I can do to call attention to myself, like wearing an outrageous costume,  doing something weird (but not permanent!) to my hair, throwing stuff up in the air or to the float (idk, maybe a gigantic ball or flowers?), or using some sort of loud noise.  You get the idea…

Of course, it all depends on how HOT these books are, right?

What would you do to get the hottest books thrown to you?

Please be so kind as to enter to the GIVEAWAYS and HOPS that you can find in the left sidebar 

Feature and Follow Friday

 Feature and Follow Friday is an awesome blog-hop hosted by Parajunkee's View and Alison Can Read

What is the first thing you would do if you woke up to find yourself in your favorite book?

The default thing about this question is narrowing down one favorite book!

Hmm…  If I woke up in the Never Never from Julie Kagawa’s Iron Fey Series, I think I would be scared out of my wits, but the first think I would do is find Grimalkin so he can guide me to find Ash.

A new favorite is Just One Day by Gayle Forman; if I found myself in Paris, I would try to wander around the city without a plan and let ‘accidents’ happen. Oh, and eat a Nutella crepe!

How about you?

Please remember to enter all the giveaways on the side bar to you left!

Feature and Follow Friday

Feature and Follow Friday is an awesome blog-hop hosted by Parajunkee's View and Alison Can Read

The question today is:

What is the last book that kept you up late into the night just to finish it?

Goddess Inheritance by Aimee Carter.  See my review here

What's yours?

Feature and Follow Friday

  Feature and Follow Friday is an awesome blog-hop hosted by Parajunkee's View and Alison Can Read

WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE VILLAIN FROM A BOOK?

This is a hard question because although I like the antagonism and I understand the need for conflict in a story, I don’t think I have a favorite villain. 

I think a lot of people will think first of the Harry Potter series (as I obviously did!), from this series I think the most despicable villain is not Voldemort, but Umbridge. I don’t remember disliking a character more in a book. 

Another very complex character is Jack Kearns from The Monstrumologist series by Rick Yancey.  These books are nothing short of amazing.  Jack (which is also suggested is Jack the Reaper) is a doctor with an aberrant taste to kill monsters and with a disregard for human life and suffering.  He is what he is and offers no excuses, take or leave it.

There are many other memorable characters, like Queen Mab from the Iron Fey series, Cronos and Calliope from the Goddess Test series, many characters from the Southern Vampire (Sookie Stackhouse) series, Valentine from the Mortal Instruments series and Myrnin from the Morganville Vampires series.

I guess the question wasn’t as hard as I thought!

What are your favorite villains?

Feature and Follow Friday

Feature and Follow Friday is an awesome blog-hop hosted by Parajunkee's View and Alison Can Read

The question this week is:

If you could choose one supernatural being/creature to really exists what would it be and why? ex. fae { submitted by @SeeingNigh} 

I love reading about supernatural creatures, but deep down I think I would be pretty scared to encounter one in real life.  

From the books I've read I wouldn't mind meeting a revenant (from Amy Plum's Die for Me), overall they seem to be pretty interesting and not as dangerous.  I also wouldn't mind meeting an elemental (a nice one please), like the Merrick brothers from Brigid Kremmerer Elemental series.

How about you? I bet some of you are braver that I am :)

Feature and Follow Friday is an awesome blog-hop hosted by Parajunkee's View and Alison Can Read

This week's question is: 

What New Years Blogging or Writing resolution have you placed on yourself?

I would like to make minor changes to the design of the blog, I will probably start contacting my designer early next month :)

I want to attend more events and I plan on going to BEA again this year.

I want to comment more and also to post reviews more often.

I also have an idea related to getting the bloggers in this area together for a face-to-face 'something' - obviously I still have to think about this one.

As for writing, I don't have any professional writing aspirations, other than writing great reviews :)

How about you?  What are your book related resolutions?

Feature and Follow Friday

Feature and Follow Friday is an awesome blog-hop hosted by Parajunkee's View and Alison Can Read

Activity! Who is your to-die-for book crush? What do you think they look like? Add an image to make us all happy.

I suspect that many might have the same crush that I have.  Mine is Ash from the Iron Fey series by Julie Kagawa.  Black hear, silver eyes, lean, tall and with a personality to die for.  This is the cover of The Iron Knight:

What do you think of one of these actors as Ash?  (mind you that I think the model is perfect!)

Adam Gregory

Zac Efron

Who is your book-crush?  

Feature and Follow Friday

Feature and Follow Friday is an awesome blog-hop hosted by Parajunkee's View and Alison Can Read

This week's features are Julie @ My 5 Monkeys and Danny, Pushy and Heather @ Bewitched Bookworms this week's question is:

What blog are you thankful for?

I appreciate Nereyda from Mostly YA Book Obsessed because she always features really good books and we have very similar tastes in reading material.  I also give thanks for Hannah from The Irish Banana Review because she always has great information and she helped me out in making my first BEA experience a great one (she also co-lead a Goodreads group for BEA attendees this year!)

What blog are you thankful for?

Feature and Follow Friday

Feature and Follow Friday is an awesome blog-hop hosted by Parajunkee's View and Alison Can Read

The question is: Do you mind books with similar ideas to other books? Similar concepts, backgrounds, retellings or pulled-to-publish fanfic?

Yes and no.  I don't mind re-tellings and similar books if it's well done and if I like the original book.  I'm also a fan of fairy tale re-tellings, I love books by Shannon Hale and Alex Flinn, such as Beastly and Goose Girl. I have never read fanfic, so I really don't have an opinion there.

Do you mind re-tellings, similar books or fanfic?