Book Blogger Hop (12)

Book Blogger Hop is hosted by Jen at Crazy for Books.

“What is your favorite spooky book (i.e. mystery/suspense, thriller, ghost story, etc.)?”

Well, the creepiest book I ever read was "The Shining," by Stephen King. That book still gives me the heebie-jeebies just thinking about it.

I haven't read that many stories with ghosts, but I think my favorites are "Chasing Brooklyn," by Lisa Schroeder, and "A Certain Slant of Light," by Laura Whitcomb. They're both YA, and neither of them is creepy at all. They're just really great books that you should check out if you haven't read them yet--I'm definitely planning on re-reading them when I get the time.

Book Blogger Hop (11)

Book Blogger Hop is hosted by Jen at Crazy for Books.

“In honor of Banned Books Week, what is your favorite banned or frequently challenged book”?”

My favorite from 2010-2011 list is "Speak," by Laurie Halse Anderson. I think rather than banning this book, it should instead be on reading lists for high schools. It portrays the effects of sexual assault on victims so vividly, and I think sexual assault and bullying are subjects that should be discussed more often in schools.

My favorite from other years is "To Kill a Mockingbird," by Harper Lee. This is one of my all-time favorite books, and I've never understood why there are so many people against it. My guess is because it has a story line of a black man assaulting a white woman. If that's the case, I think it's actually a good idea to study the book in high schools, since it can be used to explore pre-civil rights race relations.

Don't forget to enter my Heck-yes-it's-my-birthday Giveaway! Open until September 30.

Book Blogger Hop (10)

Book Blogger Hop is hosted by Jen at Crazy for Books.

“As a book blogger, how do you introduce yourself in your profile?”

Hmmm...I think I pretty much fail when it comes to my Blogger profile. I guess I never really though it was super important, so mine is just really general and basic. I don't think it's that important that readers etc. know everything about me, since it's my opinion of books that they're probably coming to my blog to read rather than coming because they have a burning desire to know more about me as an individual. But who knows? Maybe after reading everyone else's responses to this hop question, I'll be motivated to make my profile more detailed.

Book Blogger Hop (9)

Book Blogger Hop is hosted by Jen at Crazy for Books.

“Many of us primarily read one genre of books, with others sprinkled in. If authors stopped writing that genre, what genre would you start reading? Or would you give up reading completely if you couldn’t read that genre anymore?”

I read almost exclusively YA, so if I couldn't read that anymore, my reading habits would definitely have to change a lot. I've only been reading YA for the last 6 or 7 years, but I seriously cannot imagine my reading life without it! The other genres I read besides YA are chic lit, romantic suspense, and women's fiction, with a few romance novels thrown in (apparently I have super girly reading tastes). So I'd probably end up reading way more of those genres. I also might try to get back into straight-up mysteries, since I was really into those in high school. But basically, even if my precious YAs were taken away from me, I'd still find something to read, cuz I love reading way too much to ever stop.

Book Blogger Hop (8)

Book Blogger Hop is hosted by Jen at Crazy for Books.

“What are you most looking forward to this fall/autumn season – A particular book release? Halloween? The leaves changing color? Cooler temperatures? A vacation? (If your next season is other than fall/autumn, tell us about it and what you are most looking forward to in your part of the world!)”

Book-wise, I'm most looking forward to the releases of "Lola and the Boy Next Door," by Stephanie Perkins (Sept. 29), and "Shatter Me," by Tahereh Mafi (Nov. 15). Other than that though, I'm not looking forward to fall, because I HATE cold weather, and fall means it's going to be winter soon. I'm a summer girl all the way--if it's not 80+ degrees and sunny, I'm not happy with the weather. So as soon as fall hits and I need a jacket to go outside (that's anything under, like, 72 degrees for me), I pretty much stop going outside except to go to work and run errands. And don't even get me started on Halloween. Ug. I'll stop now, though, because I sound like a crotchety old woman.

Book Blogger Hop (7)

Book Blogger Hop is hosted by Jen at Crazy for Books.

“Non-book-related this week!! Do you have pets?”

I live in an apartment complex where pets aren't allowed, so I don't have any. I do have a plant though! But my parents have an Australian shepherd and two cats--one of which is my favorite cat, like, ever, and she sleeps on my bed when I'm home at my parents'. Someday I'll finally move to an apartment that allows pets, and you'd best believe I'm totes getting a cat when that happens!

These are my parents' cats when they were kittens six years ago. So it's an old picture, I know, but aren't they adorable?

Book Blogger Hop (6)

Book Blogger Hop is hosted by Jen at Crazy for Books.

“What’s the LONGEST book you’ve ever read?”

The longest book I read was "The Far Pavillions" by M.M. Kaye. It's 960 pages of saga about an English boy born in colonial India and raised by native Indians, who ends up joining the British Army and falling in love with his childhood sweetheart, who is about to marry some prince . . . dun dun DUN! I actually read it when I was 13 or 14. I can't decide if it's awesome or sad that I read longer books in middle school than I do now. Now, I usually don't read books over 450 pages because I just don't have the patience. And technically, I didn't finish it, since I stopped about 50 pages from the end. I have no idea WHY I did that! You'd think after reading the fist 900 pages, I could make it through the last 50, but apparently not.

Book Blogger Hop (5)

Book Blogger Hop is hosted by Jen at Crazy for Books.

“Let’s talk crazy book titles! Highlight one or two (or as many as you like!) titles in your personal collection that have the most interesting titles! If you can’t find any, feel free to find one on the internet!”

Just glancing at my bookshelf, the title that jumps out at me the most is "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society," by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows.

Other titles that catch my eye are

-A Certain Slant of Light, by Laura Whitcomb
-The Girl Who Chased the Moon, by Sarah Addison Allen
-The Sky Is Everywhere, by Jandy Nelson
-This Gorgeous Game, by Donna Freitas

Those ones aren't too crazy, I guess, but I think they're definitely memorable titles, and the books themselves are ridiculously awesome for sure.

Book Blogger Hop (4)

Book Blogger Hop is hosted by Jen at Crazy for Books.

What is the one ARC you would love to get your hands on right now?


Okay, I know I just posted about Lola and the Boy Next Door in my Waiting on Wednesday post, but I can't help listing it again. I REALLY REALLY want to read this book, and I would practically sell my first-born child to get my hands on an ARC. (Good thing I don't have a first-born child, eh? I could just imagine THAT conversation: "Now remember that Mommy loves you. It's just that there's this book I really want to read . . ." That child would be in therapy a while for sure.)

Book Blogger Hop (3)

Book Blogger Hop is hosted by Jen at Crazy for Books.

Highlight one book you have received this week (for review, from the library, purchased at the store, etc.) that you can’t wait to dig into!

Beauty Queens, by Libba Bray

From Amazon:
From bestselling, Printz Award-winning author Libba Bray comes the story of a plane of beauty pageant contestants that crashes on a desert island.

Teen beauty queens. A Lost-like island. Mysteries and dangers. No access to emall. And the spirit of fierce, feral competition that lives underground in girls, a savage brutality that can only be revealed by a journey into the heart of non-exfoliated darkness. Oh, the horror, the horror! Only funnier. With evening gowns. And a body count.

I know, I know--practically everyone's already read this one. But I haven't yet, okay? I just got it from the library yesterday and am RIDICULOUSLY excited to read it. It seems like people either love love love it, or they are just "meh" about it--I really hope I'm in the former category, because I've been looking forward to this one for a while!

Have you read this book? What did you think of it?

Book Blogger Hop (2)

Book Blogger Hop is hosted by Jen at Crazy for Books.

This week's question:
What’s the ONE GENRE that you wish you could get into, but just can’t?

YA paranormal. Hands down. I've tried and I've tried and I've tried, but, with the exception of "Paranormalcy," by Kiersten White, I seriously CANNOT get into YA paranormal. And I really wish I could. Because I read all these reviews of paranormal books that people rave about, and I'm like, "Awesome! I'm totally going to read this book!" And I'm all determined to finally get into the genre. But then TRAGEDY ALWAYS STRIKES, and I never enjoy the book--and honestly, I usually end up skimming by halfway. Gah! I just really want to like YA paranormal. What is wrong with me?

Can anyone recommend, like, THE ONE--aka a paranormal that I might actually like? You know, the YA paranormal you hold near and dear to your heart and practically consider one of your children? Because this is a genre I feel like I'm missing out on.

Book Blogger Hop (1)

Book Blogger Hop is hosted by Jen at Crazy for Books.

This week's question:

How/Where do you get your books? Do you buy them or go to the library? Is there a certain website you use like paperbackswap?

I get almost all my books from the library--my local library has a really good YA selection. The only problem is that you have to get on the waiting list for almost any well-known or new YA, which means sometimes I have to wait a few months for a book that I want. So when there's a book that I don't want to wait for at the library, I'll go to the bookstore--usually Borders since it's right by my work. I'll also buy books on my Kindle if I want a book but don't want to make the effort to go to the bookstore. I used to buy way more books, but a lack of shelf space and money got me hooked on the library.