Wow, this was such a fun few weeks, we're so happy that we got to share these experiences with you! <3 But, I won't delay this any further.
And the winners are:
Best Breakout Blog: A Bookish Blog
Best Group Blog: Great Imaginations
Trending Blog: The Mile Long Bookshelf
Most Creative: Ensconced in YA
Best Design: Feed Me Books Now
Well-Known: Alluring Reads
Nicest Blogger: A Sunny Spot Blog
Best Meme: Cover Snark
Twitter Fiend: Cabin Goddess
Best Reviews: Kindles and Wine
Most Influential: Fictionators
Blogging Fairy: Xpresso Reads
Most Hilarious Reviews: Cuddlebuggery
Most Social Author: Erin Albert
Books, Blogs, and Media, Oh My!: AG Howard
So that's it! We'll be emailing everybody shortly with your little winner buttons, and thank you again for such a successful Bloggy Awards! <33
This will be our last year doing this, but we want to thank you for the continued support throughout the entire process. We love you!
Saturday, August 10, 2013
Thursday, August 1, 2013
Most Social Author Voting
VOTING IS NOW CLOSED. The winner is
ERIN ALBERT.
Welcome to the voting round of Most Social Author! Voting will last one week from August 1, 12:00 AM EST, to August 8, 11:59 PM EST. Please only vote once, do not cheat, and scroll down for the other author category, Books, Blogs, and Media, Oh My!
AG Howard
I've had the pleasure of becoming friends with some fantastic talents. Though people of a published author's standard often thank their readers in acknowledgements and random spot visit's to their fan's on a website, it's not as personal as actually becoming friends with their fans. It's part of the job to keep the fans enthusiastic about what ever is coming out next. This is not what Anita does. I joined the "Splintered fan club" because I loved the book. It was a fantastic choice because I not only got to chat with all the other people who the book touched, I became friends with Anita Grace... I'm not the only person who can say that. A.G. Howard goes above and beyond when it comes to her fans. Instead of acting like what a hipster author with the power to play her fans into thinking they know her, she takes time out of a relentless schedule that doesn't even give time for her own interests to socialize, and then cross that line and truly become friends. Not only is A.G. Howard's books a place to escape the horror's that life can throw at me, Anita herself is a place of warmth. Most social author is a category that A.G. not only deserve's, but one she earned by becoming a friend, that genuinely takes interest in the lives of her fans beyond what it is in relation to her career. I personally was touched by her kindness during a very chaotic & painful time in my life. Anita Grace Howard took the time to help. I'm not the only one. It would only take moments to think of a legion of people who have example's of A.G. Howard's honesty & realness. What people get beyond a fantastic talent is an even more brilliant friend or guide. Anita leaves in her wake smiles, personal attention w/o an angle. This is a rare thing. Technology makes it simple for people to connect. A.G. makes it simple to be her friend. Just ask. If any author deserves an award for their skills to socialize, and due it with a pure purpose? I don't have enough space to encapsulate all the varied reasons why in one (long though it may be)paragraph. A.G. Howard gave the world her talent, but she gives people her time. I really hope that I've been able to convey that this award belongs with Anita Grace Howard. With all the ways to contact people from Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter ect. A.G. can be found everywhere, leaving smiles and real friendships in her wake. I can only hope that I was as sincere about why A.G. Howard deserves this award as she has been in socializing... Even if it wasn't always just fun, that's rare. Please honor it.
-Sincerely Clare Dooley
Erin Albert
Hello! I’m so thrilled to be nominated for the Most Social Author award! I started on social media for my book promotion at the end of April 2013. Since then, I have over 650 Twitter followers. While that may not seem like a lot, it reflects my “style.” I’ve read plenty of information about how to amass a lot of Twitter followers, but I’m there more to make connections. I want to be able to interact with people, create friendships, and cultivate professional relationships. I’d rather have a small number of followers with whom I’m actively involved than a large group where we barely interact. In addition to Twitter, I maintain a very active website. I write personal blogs and host other authors. It’s been super successful and garnered me a lot of attention and more connections. I’ve asked some other authors and bloggers to provide testimonials about my “style.”
I spend a lot of time on social media. When I wake up, I check my feeds. I continue to check it throughout the day at random intervals and again before I go to bed. I maintain a presence on Twitter, FB, Google +, and on my blog.
Thank you so much for the nomination, friends! I’m honored to even be considered amongst the other great author nominees!
My Twitter friend, Erin Albert, @ErinAlbertBooks is the most consistently on-line interactive person I’ve ever met, with boundless energy and enthusiasm. She doesn’t have a huge following…yet. Right now it’s less than a 1000, but only because she is relatively new to Twitter (though it is growing steadily). But if you watch her feed, she interacts with everyone. It is phenomenal to observe how much she knows about all of her followers, how much she cares, and how much fun she is. Her blog is only four months old, yet it is one of the most interactive and fun blogs I’ve read. She hosts a lot of people, myself included, and the comments are bountiful and positive. Like her Tweets, there is an amazing amount of fantastic energy that radiates from her posts. It draws you in and makes you register to get her posts via email, because you don’t want to miss any. One of her favorite games is Twelve Random Facts, where the guest blogger writes up twelve random things about themselves. It is a completely fresh approach to author interviews.
—Jay Scott, Author of 122 Rules
Erin Albert is an incredibly social author. You can find her tweeting on Twitter, talking anything from rooting on friends and CP's to interacting with her growing fan base. She's also great at promoting her fellow authors and bloggers.
Speaking of blogging, Erin has a wonderful blog. You can find her posting about grammar, writing, running, life in general, or my favorite- the 12 random facts. She's also guested on several blogs, giving grammar advice and talking about passive voice (she is the Passive Voice Hunter, as several of us have named her!).
On Facebook, she poses a question of the week- always fun and amusing to see the answers.
I've really enjoyed getting to know Erin through all her social networking.
—Mary Waibel
Erin Albert was one of the first authors I met when I joined Twitter. She is so outgoing and friendly! She definitely is the Most Social Author I've ever met! She always replies to every mention she gets on Twitter. Seriously, EVERY mention! Each one of her followers is a friend of hers, and that's very rare. She is so upbeat and loves connecting with her readers! I am so excited for her new book, The Prophecy, to be released in November! Vote for Erin Albert to win Most Social Author; she truly deserves it!
—Jack at The Book Stop
Jodi Meadows
Milly Taiden
Fiona Paul
Hi peeps. I'm Fiona Paul, AKA Paula Stokes. Let's see, between my dual writerly selves I have about 2500 twitter followers, 650 FB likes (though the Penguin-run /venombooks page has like 8500 likes--how did they manage that??), and a laughably low number of blog followers. I also Pinterest as Paula and I think Inky and like 5 other people follow me there :)
Anyway, I don't pin, post, or blog enough to actually win this award, but I just wanted to say thanks for nominating me. I honestly *gasp* don't like social media very much except for twitter which I love because it's a great way to talk to readers. I LOVE talking to readers. Blogging? FB status updates? That stuff feels like work. Talking to you guys is like fun and friendship and free research all rolled into one and tied up with rainbow colored kittens. I also like twitter parties and blog tours and just finished up three blog tours for Belladonna. If you read Belladonna and cross-post your reviews over at Goodreads and those other bookish places, then Falco or Luca will visit you in your dreams--maybe Falco and Luca if you're extra lucky ;-)
Rachel Harris
Twitter: as of noon on 7/20/13 I have 11,317 followers. I've been with this account for about a year and a half. I used to tweet from @EndingUnplanned but that was an old blog name and I switched when I signed my book contract so it could be easier to find me ;)
Facebook is something I'm FINALLY getting the hang of. I'm much better on Twitter, BUT I'm on my street team FB page practically 24/7, which helps me be more active in general.
- My personal profile has 2, 145 friends
- My Street Team, the Flirt Squad has 117 members
- My Author Page has 1474 likes
- And finally on my Super Sweet fan page I'm sadly not very active here so I only have 459 lol
Goodreads: I have 3,501 as of noon on 7/20/13 (I'm pretty active here, too, so this number grows a lot) and currently just over 400 Fans
My Website is Rachel Harris Writes, and my blog addy is here. I don't really keep track of followers here anymore, but when I post regularly (getting better at this lol), traffic is pretty good. You can also sign up for my newsletter here, which has a really good subscription base
Tumblr: I have a page, and even sometimes remember to post to it! (He he)
I'm also a co-owner and blogger at YA BOUND which has over 1500 followers, and is home to the widely popular (and bloggy award nominee) Swoon Thursday!
I'm a social media addict. And I ALWAYS reply to readers and fans. I'm forever on Twitter. For my FB Street team, the Flirt Squad, I share weekly teasers, exclusive prizes and swag, and chat pretty much all day. My author page tends to mostly be the feed for my blogs and my twitter feed, along with funny graphics about reading and writing life. Goodreads is where I keep track of my reading addiction and share recommendations with other readers--I'm a book addict and love talking books!! My blog goes through stages of being updated frequently, depending on what books are being promoted and how deadline crazed I am (he he). And on YA Bound, while I occasionally post spotlights and things, my main job is posting the Swoon Thursday post each week. We also have a new feature in the works ;)
Remember, voting will last a week until August 8, 11:59 PM EST. Please only vote once, do not cheat, and good luck!
Books, Blogs, and Media, Oh My! Voting
VOTING IS NOW CLOSED. The winner is
AG HOWARD.
Welcome to the Voting Round for Books, Blogs, and Media, Oh My! Voting will last a week from August 1, 12:00 AM EST, to August 8, 11:59 PM EST. Please only vote once, do not cheat, and scroll up for the Most Social Author category!
Fiona Paul
Hi peeps. I'm Fiona Paul, AKA Paula Stokes. Let's see, between my dual writerly selves I have about 2500 twitter followers, 650 FB likes (though the Penguin-run /venombooks page has like 8500 likes--how did they manage that??), and a laughably low number of blog followers. I also Pinterest as Paula and I think Inky and like 5 other people follow me there :)
Anyway, I don't pin, post, or blog enough to actually win this award, but I just wanted to say thanks for nominating me. I honestly *gasp* don't like social media very much except for twitter which I love because it's a great way to talk to readers. I LOVE talking to readers. Blogging? FB status updates? That stuff feels like work. Talking to you guys is like fun and friendship and free research all rolled into one and tied up with rainbow colored kittens. I also like twitter parties and blog tours and just finished up three blog tours for Belladonna. If you read Belladonna and cross-post your reviews over at Goodreads and those other bookish places, then Falco or Luca will visit you in your dreams--maybe Falco and Luca if you're extra lucky ;-)
A.G. Howard
Remember, voting will last one week until August 8, 11:59 PM EST. Please only vote once, do not cheat, and good luck! :)
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Most Hilarious Review Voting
VOTING HAS ENDED. The winner is CUDDLEBUGGERY!
Welcome to the voting round for the Most Hilarious Review voting round! Voting will last a week from July 31, 12:00 AM EST, to August 7, 1:59 PM EST. Please only vote once, do not cheat, and scroll down for the next category Blogging Fairy!
Cuddlebuggery: September Girls by Bennett Madison/Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo
Chrstine (BookTuber): City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare
Good Books and Good Wine: The Innocents by Lili Peloquin
Writer of Wrongs: Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo
"But because Leigh Bardugo knows the things I like (magic, fictional pain, and hot fictional boys), she chose to do something totally crazy and add a THIRD potential suitor for my Alina's heart."
"I just want to sit down and share a bottle of kvas with him and have him flirt with me shamelessly."
"It's like one second we were here, and then this whole new wrench came out of nowhere and my mind was spinning. Somebody must have handed Bardugo a typical Book Two plot outline, and she must have laughed in its typical Book Two face, torn it to pieces, and simply said, 'No.'"
"But then SURPRISES WE'VE PUSHED THE ENDING UP AT BIT. IT SPRINGS OUT AT YOU BEFORE YOU'RE READY HOLY CRAP SOMEONE HOLD ME STURMHOND ZAC WHERE ARE YOU"
"Reading the final thirty pages consisted of me whispering, "Oh no, oh no, oh no, OH MY GOD, YES! No? No. NOOOOOOOO!" and flailing on my couch so dramatically that I scared my dog."
"Here's to hoping it's our Sun Summoner Alina that rises, and not the Darkling (so many dirty jokes I had to pass up just now. It hurts)."
One of the many amazing things about Gillian's review of SIEGE AND STORM is that the book blew her mind so much it legitimately broke her brain. This led the way for shenanigans involving caps lock excitement, sarcasm, fights over love interests both in the review and comments, and an overall laugh-out-loud funny experience while reading the review and interacting through comments. Narrated by the wonderful Zac Efron and his glorious face, her GIF hunting skills make her review all the more entertaining. Her usual amazing humor was only intensified by his glorious dancing skills. If you didn't want to read this book before, this review will certainly send you dancing to the closest book store to read it now!”Fiction Freak: Mini Freak Outs
--Lili from Lili's Reflections (http://lilisreflections.blogspot.com/)
Just think about it for a second. Think about it long and hard. Her Mini Freak Outs are basically a live update of her reading experience of a certain book, with the page number and then some witty comment that's so obviously NIKKI. Like, honestly, they crack me up every time because you have no idea what's actually going on in the real book, which makes her reaction much more candid and funny.. They make me laugh so much, getting to experience a book firsthand through the eyes and mind of Nikki, because there is nothing as unique as her mind.
For example, from her review of STORMDANCER by Jay Kristoff:
Page 179—Ooooh BEAT DA BITCH!
Page 193—OOOHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!! AND THIS MY FRIENDS, is where the loyalty shifts and the truth is shown. God I sound cheesy. Dang, I'm talking to myself...this is not good...
Page 205—SHIT
From TOUCHING THE SURFACE by Kimberly Sabatini:
Page 298: Yeah. YOU DID WHAT NOW?
Page 310: Lol. Page 311: WHAT. DID. YOU. SAY. *do not compromise my beliefs*
EMBLAZE by Jessica Shirvington:
7: Ummm…I forgot everything….O_O
97: VIOLET DON'T YOU DARE O_O
97: Shi* just got real.
THE EVOLUTION OF MARA DYER by Michelle Hodkin (and maybe one of my favorite reviews because I laughed so hard)
Page 43: (This after I read the whole thing) Man...that should've tipped me off...
Page 45: PSH. Do you really want to be left alone? Now?
Page 52: NO DOUBT.
Page 57: Psh. Punch him in the face? You also want to suck his face. Right, right, AM I RIGHT MARA.
Page 67: Oooohhh Shizzler Twizzlers.
Remember, voting will last for one week until August 7, 11:59 PM EST. Please only vote once, do not cheat, and good luck to all!
Blogging Fairy Voting
VOTING HAS ENDED. The winner is XPRESSO READS.
Welcome to the voting round for Blogging Fairy! Voting will last one week from July 31, 12:00 AM EST, to August 7, 11:59 PM EST. Please only vote once, do not cheat, and scroll up for the Most Hilarious Review category!
Feed Me Books NowHi I'm Ruby I'm the blogger behind Feed Me Books Now! I'm extremely excited to be nominated for this award in particular, as I'm always trying to help other bloggers. I always get emails from teen bloggers who have just started up and I try my best to send back long, informative responses. I know I'm definitely not the best known blogger nominated for this this category, but I think I am a source of help for teen bloggers in particular. :)
Here's Jack to tell you why I'm a Blogging Fairy:
I am a member of the Teen Bloggers group on Goodreads, and in that group there is a whole thread dedicated to asking Ruby any questions about blogging. If I ever have a question, she's always the first person I go to for help. For a 14 year old, she really has an amazing amount of information on blogging, design, and books. She hasn't even been blogging for a year yet! There hasn't been a time where she wasn't able to solve a problem or point us in the right direction. She definitely is Blogging Fairy in my eyes.
- Jack, The Book Stop
Media Links:
On Nose Graze, my posts consist mostly of book reviews, discussion posts, and Bitchin' Book Blog posts. I started the Bitchin' Book Blog feature as a way to share my WordPress knowledge with the blogosphere! I work as a web designer/developer so I know a lot about coding and WordPress, but I know coding is overwhelming to a lot of people so I really wanted to get some tips and tricks out there! I encourage people to submit their questions about blogging/coding/WordPress, and then I try to answer as many as I can in blog posts.
After a while, I decided to create the Ultimate Book Blogger Plugin. I had already been utilizing most of the features on my own blog (automatically updating review indexes, easy ways for displaying book info, etc.), but I figured that surely other people would be interested in them too! So I got to work on developing the plugin to help make other bloggers' lives easier! Now about 150 bloggers are using it, which is just INCREDIBLE and more than I ever dreamed of!
Since then, I've been helping tons of bloggers move to WordPress, fix kinks in their blog, or just answer general blogging/coding questions on Twitter. I love that I'm able to combine all of my passions (books, blogging, coding) into my blog!
Stats:
- Unique Pageviews per Month: 23k
- Followers: 1035 through RSS/e-mail/bloglovin, 1949 on twitter, 575 on facebook
- I've been blogging for 15 months
There is no doubt in my mind that Ashley (Nose Graze) is the perfect blogger for this award. Her skills in coding, designing, and customizing are extremely helpful in the blogging world. I can’t think of one time she didn’t have an answer to a question I had about blogging. When I created my blog, Ashley was one of the bloggers that walked me through some coding and designing questions that I had. Not only is she available basically all the time on Twitter or elsewhere to help any blogger, but she has a way with explaining things in a simple way that is easy for those of us who aren’t bloggy geniuses to understand! If I ever have questions about the “science” behind blogging – Ashley is my go-to blogging friend!
-- Alyssa Susanna @ The Eater of Books
There are several book bloggers out there who do 'how-to' posts. I read a lot of them, because you never know what you may learn. Ashley is one of those bloggers, and her "Bitchin' Book Blog" posts are informative, easy to read, and extremely helpful. I make it a point to read each and every one of her posts.
I was under the impression that Ashley had been blogging forever. Turns out, she's been at this a little more than a year. I was shocked when I realized that. Everything about her makes her worthy of the title Blogging Fairy. Her reviews rock. Her tips & tricks are great. Her personality is wonderful. Her coding and design skills are mind-blowing to me. She is a dream to work with. Her plugins and themes ROCK!
-- Reanna Szeszol from Phantasmic Reads
Media Links:
Xpresso ReadsI started Xpresso Reads in September 2011 to share my passion for books. My posts consist of reviews, blog tours, and a couple of memes (STS and WoW). I also post Fresh Batch which is a weekly new release post as well as a discussion post called Book Girls Don't Cry which I do with two blogger friends. I'm in awe and honoured that people see me as a Blogging Fairy. Being part of this community is amazing, and often the highlight of my day is talking to my fellow bloggers.
Media Links:
Twitter | Facebook
Vampires, Werewolves, and Fairies, Oh My
Stats:
- Blog administrators- Wendy, Shonna and LT
- Date started- November 06, 2009
- Blog Followers (GFC)- 583
- Networked Blog Followers- 196
- Facebook Page Followers- 2305
- Pageviews (07/15/13) -180
- Pageviews last month- 3026
- Pageviews all time history- 108824
(About the blog as a whole) These three girls (Wendy, Shonna and LaTonia) do a lot of work on the blog called Vampires, Werevolves and Fairies: Oh My! The blog itself is very ascetically pleasing to the eye with pictures, a list of great books to read, and impartial reviews. And many authors stop by to answer questions and tell about already released books and upcoming releases. I read a lot of blogs and these girls have one of the best. It's very professional and always very informative. I love hanging out there.
Terena Martin (friend & follower)
(For Wendy, who does the majority of the designing for the blog) I consider her a blogging fairy because she reviews all kinds of books. She is not just reviewing books that she normally reads either. Wendy will read all kinds of books and then she will post her review on the site. Her reviews are always great. She seems to find just the right thing from the books to capture people's attention in the review to make them want to read it. She also keeps tracks of upcoming book releases also on the site. She is a jack of all trades.
Sandy (Friend & Follower)
Media Links:
Remember, voting will last a week until August 7, 11:59 PM EST. Please only vote once, do not cheat, and good luck to all!
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Most Influential Voting
VOTING HAS ENDED. THE WINNER IS FICTIONATORS.
Welcome to the voting round for Most Influential! Voting will last one week, from July 30, 12:00 AM EST, to August 6, 11:59 PM EST. Please only vote once, do not cheat, and scroll down for the next category, Best Reviews!
Nose GrazeAhhh!! Thank you so much for the nomination! I think it's amazing to be nominated for a "Most Influential" category when I've only been blogging for a little over a year!
Nose Graze started out focusing on dystopian and science fiction book reviews, but it has since morphed into so much more! Not only have my genres expanded since then, but I've also grown my blog to focus on WordPress tips and blogging help. I regularly post discussions about books, blogging, ARCS, followers, and more. As a web designer/developer, I also know a lot about coding and WordPress, so I try hard to share this knowledge with the blogosphere! I have a feature called "Bitchin' Book Blog" where I allow people to submit questions about blogging or WordPress, and I answer them in a post!
- Unique Pageviews per Month: 23k
- 1035 followers through RSS/e-mail/bloglovin
- 1949 on twitter
- 575 on facebook
- I've been blogging for 15 months
Ashley is so dedicated to books AND websites, and I think that is one of the things that makes her so influential in our book blogging community. While I don’t think any of the bloggers’ word is (almost) law, I feel like when Ashley creates a discussion post, her voice is heard and people listen.
-- Alyssa Susanna @ The Eater of Books
Media Links:
Stats:
- I've been blogging for 3 months
- 490 Bloglovin'
- 945 Facebook likes
- 262 Google+
- 653 Twitter
- 11k views per month
- 1 award given
Media Links:
Average Number of Comments: 6.5k+ total comments (spanning over 480+ blog posts)
I first encountered Jenna on Twitter when she offered an amazing giveaway. Since then, I have followed her blog with rapt attention. She writes thoughtful, informative reviews of the books she reads and frequently hosts exciting giveaways. If she recommends a book, you can bet that one will find its way on my “to read” list. She also recognizes the importance of getting the word out, about her blog and about the books she reviews. Given that, Jenna maintains a beautiful, easy to navigate site that’s easy to follow as well as a strong Twitter presence. She knows what her readers want and how to provide it! Vote for Jenna Does Books!
—Erin Albert
FictionatorsThe Fictionators started out in 2009 as a way to highlight and promote our favorite Twilight Fanfiction stories. A couple of years ago, we decided to expand our review set and include books in addition to Twific. We've maintained our roots, but we also felt the need to spread our love for all things book related. We're always honest in our reviews, even if that means we're not the most popular girls. We're all about helping our readers connect to the story and find characters that they can fall in love with, which is why we like to keep things conversational and fun.
We asked a couple of our readers to help us out and let us know why they think Fictionators is influential. New Adult and Erotic Romance Author Jeanette Grey said:
When The Fictionators began, it was a blog dedicated to Twilight fan fiction. It was one of a handful of absolute must-visit sites on the subject, and one of the loci of a huge, vibrant, vocal community. Since that time, the Twilight fan fiction community has drifted in a lot of different directions, but The Fictionators has only become more influential. While most other fan sites disbanded or faded into the background, The Fictionators responded to the challenge of the community's wandering attention by broadening its focus to include a wide variety of original fiction. Today, the site is as large, trusted and respected as ever. By being responsive to the needs of its readers—I would go so far as to say by anticipating the needs of its readers—it has become a taste-maker among a huge number of smart, opinionated, increasingly well-read ladies, with an appeal and a circle of influence that I think will only continue to grow.And book blogger/reader extraordinaire Jaime Arkin (of Fiction Fare) said:
For years now, The Fictionators has been my ‘go to’ blog for excellent recommendations whether it be for original fiction or fan fiction, the staff at The Fictionators knows their stuff. They always know what the next big story will be. They engage readers with discussion topics, podcasts, giveaways and more! Readers know that when The Fictionators features something it’s worth your time to check it out. The reviewers that are featured on The Fictionators offer their opinion with eloquence and tact, and can be trusted to look at things objectively. I, and many other readers count on this when looking for the next big story to read. I know that when something is featured by this amazing blog, that I better go get my copy right away or I’ll miss out on an amazing story!
Stats
- Blogging Since May 2009
- 3,984 Email and Feed Subscribers
- 4,557 Twitter Followers
- 377 Facebook Likes
- 32,000+ Average Unique Page Views Per Month
Remember, voting will last a week until August 6, 11:59 PM EST. Please only vote once, do not cheat, and good luck! :)
Best Reviews Voting
VOTING HAS ENDED. WINNER IS KINDLES AND WINE.
Welcome to the voting round of Best Reviews! Voting will last for one week form July 30, 12:00 AM EST, to August 6, 11:59 PM EST. Please only vote once, do not cheat, and scroll up for the Most Influential category!
Rabid Reads
Sparkles and Lightning
Kindles and WineKindles & Wine was founded in 2012 by Kindle Gal and features six of her bookloving every genre. We only post 2–3 reviews a week (we're all busy with work and family, yo!), so we are fairly selective in what we read for the blog. A favorite format for us and our readers is to include a mini-review of a book (< 600 words), followed by a Q&A with the author about the book. We use an A-B-C-D-F rating system and have graded books across the entire spectrum in our first year. Just for fun, we also include a suggested wine or other beverage pairing to go along with each book reviewed with the all-important disclaimer: Please drink and read responsibly!
Kindles & Wine is my favorite blog to visit. I have discovered so many wonderful authors and books because of the terrific interviews this site offers. They also have some awesome contests to go along with their reviews. This group makes me feel as if I'm talking to a good friend about a book I need to read."
~ Becka Lynn
I love Kindles & Wine. The reviews are really honest, teamed with great author interviews. All the reviewers are loads of fun, hence the hugely entertaining comments after every review!"
~ Tracey Rogers
Let me be honest. Rogue Rider is probably going to knock your socks off. So you may want to remove them BEFORE you get started on this book.
~ Liz on Rogue Rider by Larissa Ione
Hold on a minute here - I just want everyone to take a deep breath. I {crossing my heart} solemnly swear that this book is not dorky Sci Fi. It does not make us speak or read alien tongues or do V-shaped hand greetings. In fact, it is really a great love story about a guy who was dealt a tremendously crappy hand in life.
~ Emily on A Taste of Ice by Hanna Martine
It’s also one of those books chock-full of interesting tidbits, prompting my continued elbowing of my husband, 'Hey, did you know laundry detergents contain digestive enzymes found in our saliva? That’s how they get out food stains!' 'Did you know that the way you chew is as unique and consistent as a fingerprint?' (It is! There are right-chewers, left-chewers, up-and-down chewers, etc.) Presumably, if you committed a crime and then enjoyed a snack that was caught on video, the police could bring you in, give you something to eat and, bam—CSI: Mastication Edition!
~ Laura on Gulp by Mary Roach
The Night Circus has a plethora of supporting characters and secondary story lines. I loved these subplots! They were rich and well developed, almost to the point where they overshadowed the main characters’ story at times for me. But the result was that by the end of the book, I was emotionally invested in EVERYONE! (Nicely played, Ms. Morgenstern.)”
~ Kindle Gal on The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
Media Links:
Icey BooksI'm not sure how I got nominated for this category - I've never found my reviews that great! My review of WHAT'S LEFT OF ME, by Kat Zhang, got numerous comments - on the post and Twitter - calling it gorgeous and beautiful. While I did try to imitate the prose of the book itself, I never expected to hear that! A snippet:
Kat Zhang weaves a story with the prettiest of prose, smooth and enchanting. The plot itself, if stripped bare, would resemble that of any dystopian. Zhang's writing takes the skeleton of dystopia and makes it so much more emotional, pulse-pounding. And just as frightening. Because deep inside, Eva's story isn't just fiction. It isn't just a fictitious story about an extra soul. It's about being human. And what we should be grateful for. Full review: WHAT'S LEFT OF MEOne of my favorite reviews was for THE MADMAN'S DAUGHTER by Megan Shepherd, which I completely enjoyed. Here's a snippet from that:
Inspired by the tale, The Island of Dr. Moreau, THE MADMAN'S DAUGHTER is full of blood and gore. Set on an island full of unknown creatures, the story is unpredictable in the least and had me flipping the pages deep into the night, my breath catching at every creak and rustle. We're saved from insta-love by the fact that Montgomery is her childhood friend and idol from when she could barely walk. And of course there was Edward, dark and secretive where Montgomery was the opposite, whose presence in the story puzzled me until the very last pages. Full review: THE MADMAN'S DAUGHTERMy review layout is what I love most - it's clean and easy to catch information at a glance. I copy a previous review's content and replace it with the book's info. Once I read the book, I'll type up my review and simply include it in the template. Voila!
Remember, voting will last a week until August 6, 11:59 PM EST. Please only vote once, do not cheat, and good luck!
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