Book Blogger Hop: 19-25 June, 2015

This week's question for Book Blogger Hop is:

How many posts do you publisher per week? And how many of them are reviews?

There are two guaranteed posts each weekend: Stacking the Shelves on Saturday and Sunday Summary on ... Sunday. I actually create a draft of each of these early in the week and keep updating them until just before their scheduled post date. Other than those, I will post as time permits.

When it comes to reviews, I still consider myself a novice. I do include a mini-review of every book I finish in the Sunday Summary. But I won't commit to a full review except for the ARCs and free-from-the-publisher books which I request or accept. The deal is: I get a free book, the publisher gets a review. I might review other books if I feel like it.

Thanks to Elizabeth at Silver's Reviews for this week's question. I'm linking up with other book bloggers at Book Blogger Hop which is hosted by Billy at Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer. Come see what others have to say and join us if you wish.

Book Blogger Hop: 6-12 February, 2015

This week's question for Book Blogger Hop is:

Is there anything that turns you off when you are reading a blog post? For example: two posts in one post such as answers to two memes.

The one thing that annoys me is when I see glaring spelling and grammar errors on a blog. While an occasional error could be excused, some blogs are just full of errors. I'm never sure whether the blogger just doesn't know any better or doesn't care, but at any rate, I'm unlikely to return to the blog.

And if you see a similar error in any of my blog posts, please let me know.

I'm linking up with other book bloggers at Book Blogger Hop which is hosted by Billy at Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer. Come see what others have to say and join us if you wish.

Book Blogger Hop: 2-7January, 2015

This week's question for Book Blogger Hop is:

What is your Blogger's New Year's Resolution?

Interestingly, while I haven't made any resolutions for 2015, I did set some goals and chose to accept some challenges for my reading. I also have some goals for the blog this year. The primary one is that I want to keep the blog up to date. I hope to post at least two items each week in addition to the weekend Stacking the Shelves and Sunday Summary posts.

I'm linking up with other book bloggers at Book Blogger Hop which is hosted by Billy at Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer. Come see what others have to say and join us if you wish.

Book Blogger Hop: 26 December - 1 January

This week's question for Book Blogger Hop comes from Elizabeth at Silver's Reviews:

Do you have a book with a location that you just HAD to visit after reading the book?

This question is similar to a past Top Ten Tuesday prompt. The prior post lists 10 places I want to visit as a result of reading about them, but the #1 place I just had to visit was Mt. Shasta from Assignment in Eternity by Robert Heinlein.

In “Lost Legacy”, the longest story in Assignment in Eternity. a group of academics discover how to use telepathy. They feel drawn to Mt. Shasta in California, and once there, they discover a colony of adepts who train them in many paranormal capabilities and recruit them to help rid the world of power-seeking evil. Since reading the story as a teenager, I had longed to visit Mt. Shasta and I finally had the opportunity in August 2007.

I'm linking up with other book bloggers at Book Blogger Hop which is hosted by Billy at Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer. Come see what others have to say and join us if you wish.

Book Blogger Hop: 19-25 December 2014

This week's question for Book Blogger Hop comes from Samantha at Bakey's Book Blog:

Do you write a review for every book you read or only review copies from publishers?

A good question. I always write a review for books received from publishers. That's the promise I made to them in exchange for the free book. While I do post a mini-review of every book I complete in my Sunday Summary, I only post a full review of books received from publishers and NetGalley and those books that I really like or really hate. I don't like writing luke-warm reviews, so the only time there's one on my blog is when I read an ARC that just didn't measure up.

I'm linking up with other book bloggers at Book Blogger Hop which is hosted by Billy at Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer. Come see what others have to say and join us if you wish.

Book Blogger Hop: 12-18 December 2014

This week's question for Book Blogger Hop comes from Emily at Follow the Yellow Book Road:

How many books do you read in a week? How many hours do you spend reading a day?

I average between 2 and 4 books each week. The number of books I complete is related to a number of factors—not necessarily the length of the book or how many hours I spend reading. Some books just “read fast” and others don't. I can gobble up high-interest books without complex language very quickly. I tend to read at least two hours each day, sometimes more and sometimes less.

I'm linking up with other book bloggers at Book Blogger Hop which is hosted by Billy at Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer. Come see what others have to say and join us if you wish.

Book Blogger Hop: 5-11 December 2014

Brenda at Daily Mayo posed this week's question for Book Blogger Hop:

What is your favorite part about reading a book? Figuring out the plot ahead of time, the feeling of the actual book itself, experiencing the plot unfold, getting to know the characters—or something else entirely?

It's all about the story. Yes, and it's the characters. They are the primary content of the story. The suspense wouldn't exist unless a character is affected. I can't think of a single book which has no characters. Since I read a lot of speculative fiction, the characters don't have to be human. I've even read one series that included a sentient planet.

And since I love becoming familiar with the characters and watching how they change as the action advances the story, I like long books. A reasonable substitute for long books is a series—the more volumes the better. I can tell you that I sometimes feel a bit cheated when I discover that the author has dropped the characters after a single book or a trilogy. I like these people. I want to know what happens next. A lengthy series of long books is absolute heavenly to me. (Can you spot my appreciation of Diana Gabaldon here?)

So, thanks to Brenda for posing this question. I'm linking up with other book bloggers at Book Blogger Hop which is hosted by Billy at Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer. Come see what others have to say and join us if you wish.

Book Blogger Hop: 14-20 November 2014

It's been ages and ages since I participated in a Book Blogger Hop. Over the twelve years that this blog has been in existence, this is actually one of the most pleasurable activities. Now it's time for me to rejoin the group of book bloggers in this weekly event.

Elizabeth at Silver's Reviews posed this week's question for Book Blogger Hop:

As you grow in your blogging experience, have you become more particular in terms of what you will post on your blog or what books you will read for review on your blog?

To be honest, I've had several false starts with this blog. I had great aspirations to be a cracker-jack book reviewer. I love to read. I love to talk about the books I'm reading. However, I found that writing reviews reminded me too much of school and the dreaded book report. So, the blog has languished from time to time. I mostly posted personal things about reading—the occasional list of books read, participation in various read-a-thons, and the sporadic posts spurred by reading memes like Teaser Tuesday.

A couple of months ago, I made another effort to revitalize the blog. I committed to weekly updates with Sunday Summary posts and I signed up at NetGalley to receive Advance Reader Copies. Now, I know that I could write reviews of the books I read as I read them, but I knew from past experience that it's too easy to just stop writing reviews. So, by signing up at NetGalley, there's a commitment to the authors and publishers who provide the ARCs of books. By accepting a free book, I promise to deliver an honest review. By adding the aspect of accountability, I think I won't be so likely to avoid the reviews.

Back to the question—since this blog is simply about books and reading, I haven't needed to restrict what I post. And, I'd love to be in the position where authors come to me asking me to read and review. But since I'm the one requesting books to review, I get to be particular up front. I simply don't ask for books that I'm not interested in. That means, it's highly unlikely you'll see reviews of romance or chick-lit novels, horror novels, short stories, or self-help books.

Book Blogger Hop is hosted by Billy at Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer.

Book Blogger Hop: 27 December 2013 - 2 January 2014

I'm so glad that I've resurrected this blog from oblivion. The Book Blogger Hop was one of my favorite activities. This week's question is:

What books are you looking forward to reading in 2014?

My 2014 plans include concentrating on clearing out many of the books which have accumulated here at the house. I'm going to try to buy very few books, read from my stash (both physical and electronic), and take advantage of the library. At the top of my list—the books which I want to read early in 2014—are those books in favorite series:

First up with be First Lord's Fury by Jim Butcher. This is the sixth and final book in Butcher's Codex Alera series. I've sent a request for the book to my local library, but I know it won't arrive until early in January. Another series that I'd like to complete is Nancy Atherton's Aunt Dimity mysteries. I'm ready to read Aunt Dimity Beats the Devil, and right behind that is Aunt Dimity: Detective, the sixth and seventh books in the 17 book series. And, the book that I'm waiting for so anxiously is The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches, sixth in Alan Bradley's marvelous series starring precocious pre-teen Flavia de Luce. As I mentioned in the earlier posting, this book has already been ordered by my library and should be arriving in early January. (Amazon shows a publication date of 14 January.)

Book Blogger Hop is hosted by Billy at Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer.

Book Blogger Hop: 31 August - 6 September 2012

With a busy weekend, I didn't get around to the Book Blogger Hop until today. This week's question is:

What is the one book or series you are dying to see turned into a movie or tv series?

Like many of the fans of Anne McCaffrey's Dragonriders of Pern, I'd love to see it made into a TV series or a series of movies. Unfortunately, the movie rights have been held by Canadian production house named Copperheart Entertainment since 2006. In April 2012, the science fiction community was all a-twitter at the announcement that David Hayter had been hired to write the script for Dragonflight and that production was to start in early 2012. Although IMDb lists the movie as "in production", apparently there's no director and no cast. In other words, it's only an idea, not a reality. 'Tis a shame. With the success of Game of Thrones on HBO, I have to imagine that a Pern movie or series would draw a decent audience.

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

Book Blogger Hop: 17-23 August 2012

As the weekend approaches, it's time for another Book Blogger Hop hosted by Jennifer at Crazy for Books. This week's question is:

What is the one genre you will NEVER read?

Never is a long, long time. Right now, I'd have to say business and economics books are unlikely to wind up on my bookshelves. I rarely read any non-fiction, though each year I do read one or two memoirs. I'm an eclectic reader and my preferences have changed from time to time. I tend to shy away from erotica and stereotypical romance novels. I do, however, enjoy the cross-over romances including suspense/mysteries and paranormals as long as there is a strong plot rather than the book just being a framework for the romance.

Book Blooger Hop: 4-8 March 2011

As the weekend approaches, it's time for another Book Blogger Hop hosted by Jennifer at Crazy for Books. This week's question comes from Mia who blogs at Girl About Books: “Who's your all-time favorite book villain?”

Hmmmm... I'm not sure about a “favorite” villain. By definition, a villain isn't someone you're likely to favor—he (or she) is the bad guy. I can't think of a villain that I can claim as a favorite at all.

Jennifer, however, mentioned Gretchen Lowell from Heartsick by Chelsea Cain. While I cannot claim Gretchen as a favorite villain, she is likely to be the most memorable villain of any that I have encountered in my reading. So much so that I don't think I can face the prospect of reading any more books in the series. Heartsick was the most disturbing book I have ever read. (And no, I haven't read Silence of the Lambs and I don't intend to!)

So, even though I couldn't come up with an answer to the question as it was posed, it was definitely one that made me think.

Book Blooger Hop: 25-28 February 2011

It's definitely time that I returned to participation in the Book Blogger Hop hosted by Jennifer at Crazy for Books. Her question of the week comes from Jen B. who blogs at I Read Banned Books

Jen's question asks, “Do you ever wish you would have named your blog something different?”

I have to say that I'm very happy with the title I finally settled on. “Reading in Texas” is definitely appropriate. Of course, should I ever move, it would no longer apply and I'd have to think about changing the title. Fortunately, the URLs which lead to my blog do not contain the word “Texas” so it would be pretty easy to change the title at the top of the page!

It appears to me that most of the hoppers share my answer—they like the title of their blogs. Now that I've posted about the Hop, it's time to go bound around the blogosphere and see what other reader-bloggers have been reading.

Return to Book Blogger Hop

It's been three and a half months since I last participated in the Book Blogger Hop hosted by Jennifer at Crazy for Books. She's updated the process and now includes a question of the week similar to the Booking Through Thursday weekly meme.

This week's question comes from Elizabeth who blogs at Silver's Reviews.

When you write reviews, do you write them as you are reading or wait until you have read the entire book?

I never write a review before I finish reading a book. Actually, I don't write many reviews. I think it's because I keep flashing back to book reports in the fifth grade and how they ruined the pleasure I had in reading a book with the addition of the chore to write a report. And yet, I really appreciate a well-written review—particularly one which doesn't just reiterate the plot of the book but which also draws you in and makes you really want to read the book. Maybe I should work on this?

An on-going aspect of the Book Blogger Hop is that participants are asked to "hop" over to other blogger's sites and check them out. I will visit at least three other blogs and then post on Monday who I visited and what I saw. Meanwhile, if you're reading my blog because of the Hop, welcome.

Book Blogger Hop #3

The weekend is almost over and I'm just now finding time to update this reading blog. The Book Blogger Hop is almost over, so although I'll visit several [new to me] blogs, I don't expect many return visits this week. Unfortunately, those who visited me in prior weeks may have discovered that there were no new posts this week and decide not to be a regular reader of this blog. And, that's OK by me. I created the blog for me as a way of keeping track of what I read and occasionally posting what I think about the books that I read. If anyone else finds it interesting or useful, that's just a bonus.

So, who did I visit last week?

• Life with Karma—Amy blogs about her life in Baltimore and books
• Emily's Reading Room—Emily is celebrating her first anniversary as a blogger and has some awesome gifts that she's giving away.
• Bookend Diaries—where Kelly posts reviews and recommendations for book clubs

In visiting the blogs of various readers this week, I discovered that I have missed out on Bloggiesta, a week-end to be spent spiffing up one's blog. Interestingly, I actually spent much of yesterday doing exactly that—copying my 2003 posts from the 50 Book Challenge community at LiveJournal, so that I'd have the book reviews readily available right here at Reading in Texas. Although I didn't officially join in Bloggiesta, I guess I anticipated it and participated in spirit.

If you're stopping by from the Hop, welcome! Leave a comment. I'll certainly visit your blog in return.

Book Blogger Hop Again

Participating in the Book Blog Hop last weekend seems to have brought a few more visitors to my blog. While I'm not not one of the bloggers who is "monetizing" the blog or approaching it as a business, it is nice to know that I'm not just talking to myself here.

The Hop is all about visiting other book bloggers, which I am enjoying doing. In the past week, I've read various posts by Jennifer at Crazy for Books, Mel at The Reading Life, and both Leah and D at Our Year in Books.

I'd like to call attention to Mel's post on 1 June where she says, “ I overcame a life time aversion to reading short stories.” I think that's just too interesting in light of yesterday's post where I clearly stated that I didn't like short stories. So I stayed around to read more about what Mel had to say. I'll admit that I have read some very good short stories, but it's going to take a lot to sway me away from my current passion for long novels or series toward short stories. In the past 10 years or so, I've only read the occasional short story, and those most often in a book of short stories about the same characters—serialized short stories that together tell a coherent story.

The Hop goes on through the week-end and I plan to visit several more readers to see what they have to say.

Book Blogger Hop & Book Giveaway

In search of a book/reading meme/theme for each day of the week like the Teaser Tuesday, WWW ... Wednesday, and Booking Through Thursday memes, I stumbled across Book Blogger Hop hosted by Jennifer at Crazy for Books. I figured I'd sign up and then hop through a number of other blogs for ideas, memes, and challenges. In other words, looking for some subjects to blog about.

Almost immediately, my blog was visited by Arena at The Nerd's Wife. She invited me to sign up for her contest where she's giving away a signed/autographed copy of Charlaine Harris' most recent Sookie Stackhouse novel, Dead in the Family. I've read the first six books in the series and I've purchased #8 From Dead to Worse, but still need to get my hands on a copy of #7, All Together Dead. So, I'm going to enter this give-away.

Since Arena is using a points system to rank the entries and she's giving extra points if you blog about her contest, here's my blog post to get the extra points, and you'll find a link to the contest over in the right-hand sidebar. Of course, I won't be very happy if you follow the link, sign up, and then win the book instead of me!