Recap 3/19 to 2/25 + Hop

Book Blogger Hop is a weekly meme hosted by Crazy-for-Books where book bloggers answer the weekly question and hop around to other blogs and see what other bloggers have to say. The goal is to discover new blogs, "connect with other book lovers, make new friends, support each other, and generally just share our love of books!"

This week's question is:

 "If you could physically put yourself into a book or series…which one would it be and why?"

This one is easy: Harry Potter. The whole Voldemort/Death Eaters thing is kind of scary, but having magical powers totally makes up for it. I want a mentor like Dumbledore and how cool would it be to live at Hogwarts?

 

This is the last week to enter to win a copy of Waterfall by Lisa Bergren!
Click here to read my fangirly review
Click here to enter for a chance to win 

 

In case you missed anything, here's a recap of what was posted Saturday, March 19th through Friday, March 25th. 

Reviews

Unearthly by Cynthia Hand
Persephone the Phony by Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams

(Click on the links to go to my reviews)

Memes

Tween Tuesday

Waiting on Wednesday

Book Blogger Hop

Features

Review Comparison: Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

Discussion: Talk to the Hand
Book subjects that turn you off

How to Create Named Attribution Jumps

What's Your Status?

A meme created by Zakiya from Butterfly Feet Walking on Life where we recap our reading week. Feel free to visit her site and link up your own What's Your Status Posts. Here's how my week went:

Finished

Aphrodite the Beauty by Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams
A Tale of Two Castles by Gail Carson Levine
Toads and Diamonds by Heather Tomlinson
(Click on the link to go to Goodreads)

Currently Reading

 

Picture the Dead by Adele Griffin
(Click on the link to go to Goodreads)

 

Miss anything last week? Click here to read a Recap. 

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Book Blogger Hop (12)

Book Blogger Hop is a weekly meme hosted by Crazy-for-Books where book bloggers answer the weekly question and hop around to other blogs and see what other bloggers have to say. The goal is to discover new blogs, "connect with other book lovers, make new friends, support each other, and generally just share our love of books!"

This week's question is:

"If I gave you £50 (or $80) and sent you into a bookshop right now, what would be in your basket when you finally staggered to the till?"

Oh wow, I'm giddy just at the thought! Hm, usually I agonize over my book purchases. Really, I draw up lists of all the books I've been wanting and play around with the prices to ensure that I get the most books for my money. I'm kind of nuts about it. But, off the top of my head, I'd love to own:

 Paranormalcy by Kiersten White 
Dragon Slippers by Jessica Day George
 The Ghost and the Goth by Stacey Kade

The House of Dead Maids by Clare B. Dunkle

Mistwood by Leah Cypess

Starcrossed by Elizabeth C. Bunce

The Twin's Daughter by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

Those are all links to my reviews if you're interested in knowing why I want to own those books.

 

 

While you're hopping through, click here to find out how you can submit your reviews! 

You can also enter my GIVEAWAY for Waterfall by Lisa Bergren!



Miss something on Small Review? Read the Recap to see what happened this week.

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Book Blogger Hop (11)

Book Blogger Hop is a weekly meme hosted by Crazy-for-Books where book bloggers answer the weekly question and hop around to other blogs and see what other bloggers have to say. The goal is to discover new blogs, "connect with other book lovers, make new friends, support each other, and generally just share our love of books!"

This week's question is:

 "Do you ever wish you would have named your blog something different?"

Sometimes, but not really. There are only two reasons I wish I had picked something different. 

First is because it starts with an "S." My blog name doesn't do me any favors when it comes to alphabetical listings! 

The other reason is because when you type in "Small Review" into a search engine, you get a ton of results about all kinds of small (as in, not long) reviews for a variety of products. My blog doesn't even show up until pages and pages later. 

Otherwise I'm happy with it.

 

 

 While you're hopping through, you might also like to check out:

Giveaway for M. J. Putney's Dark Mirror
Discussion: The Super Huge Blog Roll
Weekly Recap 

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Book Blogger Hop (10)

Book Blogger Hop is a weekly meme hosted by Crazy-for-Books where book bloggers answer the weekly question and hop around to other blogs and see what other bloggers have to say. The goal is to discover new blogs, "connect with other book lovers, make new friends, support each other, and generally just share our love of books!"

This week's question is:

"What book(s) would you like to see turned into a movie?"

This is a tough question because I always wonder, will they mess up the movie? Will they cast all the wrong people or change around my favorite scenes? There are some movies, like The Golden Compass, that I almost wish they hadn't made a movie version. Then there are other movies, like The Lord of the Rings trilogy that I am beyond happy they made movie versions. 

If done right, I would love to see D. J. MacHale's Pendragon series made into a movie series. There's a team of great heroes, adventure, a little romance, time travel, and a really great villain. I also think Janette Rallison's My Fair Godmother could be made into a really cute and fun movie. It's a great blend of romantic comedy, fantasy, time travel, and fractured fairy tales. I think Disney would do a great job with this one.

 

 

While you're hopping through, stop by my Recap  or the Review post to enter a giveaway and catch up on anything you might have missed this week. 

I would love it if you would check out my new review comparison feature and share your feedback.

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Book Blogger Hop (9)

Book Blogger Hop is a weekly meme hosted by Crazy-for-Books where book bloggers answer the weekly question and hop around to other blogs and see what other bloggers have to say. The goal is to discover new blogs, "connect with other book lovers, make new friends, support each other, and generally just share our love of books!"

This week's question is:

 "Tell us about one of your posts from this week and give us a link so we can read it (review or otherwise)!"

This week I piloted my new review comparison feature! I wrote my own review and then looked at three other bloggers' reviews for the same book and compared them. I would love to hear your feedback on this new feature.

 

Miss something on Small Review? Read the Recap to see what happened this week and learn about my upcoming giveaway!

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Book Blogger Hop (8)

Book Blogger Hop is a weekly meme hosted by Crazy-for-Books where book bloggers answer the weekly question and hop around to other blogs and see what other bloggers have to say. The goal is to discover new blogs, "connect with other book lovers, make new friends, support each other, and generally just share our love of books!"

This week's question is:

 "What are you reading now and why are you reading it?"

I am currently reading Waterfall by Lisa T. Bergren and Choker by Elizabeth Woods. I started Choker because it was next on my TBR from the library and I've heard such great things about it. I have to admit, the cover really caught my attention. I know very little about the plot, so I'm curious to see what will happen. It does seem like a darker story though, so I picked up Waterfall tonight for some lighter reading. I don't think you can go wrong with time travel, knights, and Italian hotties! 

 

Miss something on Small Review? Read the Recap to see what happened this week. 

The picture to the right comes from my Spotlight List: Historical Fiction with Magic!

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Book Blogger Hop (7)

Book Blogger Hop is a weekly meme hosted by Crazy-for-Books where book bloggers answer the weekly question and hop around to other blogs and see what other bloggers have to say. The goal is to discover new blogs, "connect with other book lovers, make new friends, support each other, and generally just share our love of books!"

This week's question is:

"What book are you most looking forward to seeing published in 2011?  Why are you anticipating that book?"

 

 

 

There are a ton of books I'm really looking forward to in 2011, but one of the ones I'm anticipating the most is The Hunt of the Unicorn by C. C. Humphreys. I'm always up for a good fantasy book. It sounds like a fun fantasy story filled with a ton of adventure and a strong heroine.

 

 

 
While you're hopping by, please check out my review of Tighter by Adele Griffin posted today! 
 

Miss something on Small Review? Read the Recap to see what happened this week.

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Book Blogger Hop (6)

Book Blogger Hop is a weekly meme hosted by Crazy-for-Books where book bloggers answer the weekly question and hop around to other blogs and see what other bloggers have to say. The goal is to discover new blogs, "connect with other book lovers, make new friends, support each other, and generally just share our love of books!"

This week's question is:

"Why do you read the genre that you do?  What draws you to it?"

These book hop questions are never easy, are they? I read a bunch of different genres, but primarily I read YA. Within that, it's mostly fantasy, paranormal, and historical fiction.

 

I'm not even going to approach the question of why YA. That question has been answered many times before by many adult bloggers and, honestly, I'm not nearly as eloquent as they are on the topic. 

 

As for the genres I read, I guess I like something different from reality. Fantasy books have endless possibilities. Paranormal books make it seem like those possibilities are within our grasp. Plus, I just like all the questing and fighting against Big Bads that goes on in those types of books. And, is it just me, or isn't it fun to imagine how kick butt I would be in those situations and how awesome my powers would be?

 

Historical fiction, well, that may be based on reality (and the closer the better!), but it's not my reality. I like going back in time and seeing what life was like then. I like how historical fiction teaches me about history and makes the people come alive more than a textbook ever did. 

 

I guess an easier question for me to answer would have been why don't you read certain genres. It's always easier for me to answer what I don't like than try to form a coherent explanation of what I do like. 

 

Miss something on Small Review? Read the Recap to see what happened this week.

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Book Blogger Hop (5)

Book Blogger Hop is a weekly meme hosted by Crazy-for-Books where book bloggers answer the weekly question and hop around to other blogs and see what other bloggers have to say. The goal is to discover new blogs, "connect with other book lovers, make new friends, support each other, and generally just share our love of books!"

This week's question is:

"What book influenced or changed your life? How did it influence/change you?"

Every book has changed me. Does that sound like a cop out? Sorry, but it really is true. Every book affects me in different ways. 

The different characters I've met have affected me by showing me what type of person I want to be, or don't want to be. They show me what qualities I value in a best friend, a parent, a sibling, and a romantic partner.They show me what qualities I dislike, and after spending an entire book with a vile character I always evaluate myself to see if I share any qualities with them (and work on changing them real quick if I do!)


Every character makes a choice in a book. Sometimes they're small choices, and sometimes they're the huge choices, but each choice presents me with a choice of my own. What would I do in that situation? 


Books are constantly teaching me about life, the world, and other people, but most importantly they are always teaching me about myself. Plus, every reading experience is a fragment of something I have experienced in my life. All of those little fragments add up to me.

 

Miss something on Small Review? Read the Recap to see what happened this week.

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Book Blogger Hop (4)

Book Blogger Hop is a weekly meme hosted by Crazy-for-Books where book bloggers answer the weekly question and hop around to other blogs and see what other bloggers have to say. The goal is to discover new blogs, "connect with other book lovers, make new friends, support each other, and generally just share our love of books!"

This week's question is:

"What do you consider the most important in a story: the plot or the characters?"

I'm really a character person. If a book has really great characters I connect really well with, then I can usually overlook even a mediocre plot. A book would have to have a fantastic plot for me to overlook characters I don't really like or connect with.


Given that, though, it is the plot description that draws me into reading a book (after the cover, of course). If a plot doesn't sound good, then I'm pretty unlikely to pick up the book. I don't think you can often get a good feel for the characters just by reading a plot description, but sometimes they can sound good (like Fade in my Waiting on Wednesday (5) pick).

 

Miss something on Small Review? Read the Recap to see what happened this week.

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Book Blogger Hop (3)

Book Blogger Hop is a weekly meme hosted by Crazy-for-Books where book bloggers answer the weekly question and hop around to other blogs and see what other bloggers have to say. The goal is to discover new blogs, "connect with other book lovers, make new friends, support each other, and generally just share our love of books!"

This week's question is:

 "What is the thing you like most about reading book blogs?  Is it the reviews, author guest posts, articles, giveaways, or something else entirely?"

What I like best is the community. Sharing ideas, discussing books, getting to know one another. More specifically to content, I most look forward to thoughtful reviews. Can't say I mind the giveaways, either!

 

In case you missed it, be sure to check out my event Busting the Newbie Blues hosted here from December 3rd through December 31st. It's been a ton of fun and I'd love to see you there!

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Book Blogger Hop (2)

Book Blogger Hop is a weekly meme hosted by Crazy-for-Books where book bloggers answer the weekly question and hop around to other blogs and see what other bloggers have to say. The goal is to discover new blogs, "connect with other book lovers, make new friends, support each other, and generally just share our love of books!"

This week's question is:

 "What very popular and hyped book in the blogosphere did you NOT enjoy and how did you feel about posting your review?"

That's a tough one. Most recently, it would probably be Hunger by Jackie Morse Kessler. I got this book for review through Net Galley, so I was doubly excited for it, but when I read it I didn't love it. The thing that made me most uncomfortable posting my review is what makes me always feel nervous posting negative reviews: I don't want to hurt the author's feelings. They put so much effort into writing their book, and I know how that feels. It's like the thing becomes your baby, and then for me to say I didn't like it? Well, that probably stings. I hope if any authors ever read my negative reviews that they aren't hurt by them and instead take them as constructive criticism and the opinion of one person.  

In case you missed it, be sure to check out my event Busting the Newbie Blues hosted here from December 3rd through December 31st. It'll be a ton of fun and I'd love to see you there!

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Book Blogger Hop (1)

Book Blogger Hop is a weekly meme hosted by Crazy-for-Books where book bloggers answer the weekly question and hop around to other blogs and see what other bloggers have to say. The goal is to discover new blogs, "connect with other book lovers, make new friends, support each other, and generally just share our love of books!"

This week's question is:

"What is your favorite book cover?"

This question is right up my alley, as I'm a sucker for a good cover. Given that, though, I can't pick just one! Recently I stumbled upon this gorgeous cover for a book called Forgiven by Janet Fox (there's something about a beautiful dress and gorgeous hair blowing that makes me instantly love a cover). After looking into it further, it looks like this will be a June 2011 release and a sequel following Fox's May 2010 release Faithful. So now I have two new books for the TBR pile all because of a pretty cover.  

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