Friday Blog Hop!

Happy Friday!

A weekly meme hosted by Jennifer @ Crazy For Books.

This week's question comes from Marce @ Tea Time With Marce.

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

Awesome question!  I think this is an issue that I'd love to read about as it can cause a bit of discomfort (and perhaps shame?) to admit that you did not like a book that everyone & their brother seems to adore.

This has happened to me at least twice that I can especially recall:  I had difficulty coming to terms with not liking Freedom by Jonathan Franzen when even Obama claims to really dig it!  Yikes :D  Another was She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb.  I just could not get past the slogging pace.  I loved the language, the characters, and the style, but it moved along soooo slowly that I just gave up.

Did you feel the same way about either of these books, or do you have another title that made you feel this way?

A weekly meme hosted by Janet @ Friday Fill-Ins.

1.  The best thing about a birthday celebration is making a wish.

2.  If only we could slow the passage of time.

3.  I went shopping recently and the most interesting thing I bought was a toy Santa that climbs up & down a gold chain to a Xmas tune (I forget which) for my cousin who loves funny toys.

4.  No one is too old to play a child's game when you are young at heart.

5.  The reason is so simple that we completely miss it.

6.  I'm getting to be a Scrooge about the incoming snow and cold.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to blog hopping (finally!), tomorrow my plans include dinner at my cousin's house and Sunday, I want to put a major dent in The Girl in the Dragon Tattoo!

Apparently, this last part is a holiday carols quiz...but on the ones I couldn't solve, I filled in the letters with some wacky pseudo-Haiku :)

1. HYAMLC:  Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

2. TFNTADS:  The First Noel the Angels Did Say

3. GRYMGLNYD:  Get Ready, Your Musty Grandma Lurks Nearby...You're Done (for) :D

4. ICUAMC:  It Came Upon a Midnight Clear

5. SNHNAICAIB:  Silent Night, Holy Night, All is Calm, All is Bright

6. OTFDOCMTLGTM:  One, Two, Four, D'oh!  Oh Crumb, My Time Long Gone To Math :D

7. DTHWBOHFLLLLLLLL:  Deck the Halls With Boughs of Holly, Fa La La La La La La La La

8. YBWOYBNC:  You Buy What One Yearns, But No Coupon :D

9. JTTWTLHC:  Just That Tome With The Long Hip Chapters :D
 
 
Have a great weekend :)

Friday Memes

Happy Friday!

A weekly meme hosted by Jennifer @ Crazy For Books.

This week's question is from Sarah @ Writer, Reader, Dreamer:

What is your favourite book cover?

Love the question this week :)  This was once a Top 10 Tuesday topic (try saying that 5 times fast!).  It's hard to choose just one but I'm particularly fond of:

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

This cover reminds me of childhood and brings out the anticipation & patience that Claire had for Henry.  On a related note, here is another great cover with shoes:

Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress by Dai Sijie

The shoes in both books aren't very significant, but in this cover, the red is symbolic of China, in which the novel is set during the Cultural Revolution.  I love the look of these shoes with the worn toes because it tells me that its wearer has gone a long way.



A weekly meme hosted by Janet @ Friday Fill-Ins.

My responses are underlined; the rest is given:

1.  Three things I must have on my Thanksgiving table:  Butterball turkey, my mom's stuffing, and pumpkin pie (I think the only way to eat it is with cream cheese filling!).

2.  After a tiring day at work, you'll find me sacked out on the couch.

3.  This is CNN (*in James Earl Jones's booming voice).

4.  During the 1st week of December, it's time to decorate the house & tree for Xmas.

5.  Oh, man, thankfully it's Friday!

6.  I would like to perfect the art of teaching.

7.  And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to diving into The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, tomorrow my plans include nothing in particular (whatever catches my fancy) and Sunday, I want to have a solid dent in my current read!
 
By the way, thank you for voting at right for my reading material for the Back to the Classics Challenge.  The polls are still open until December 21st.
 
Have a wonderful weekend everyone :)
 

Friday Blog Hop & Fill-Ins

A weekly meme hosted by Jennifer @ Crazy For Books.

This week's topic is:

Since Thanksgiving is coming up next week, let's use this week's Hop to share what we are most thankful for and what our holiday traditions are!

Well, here in Canada we celebrated Thanksgiving back in October, but it's a thoughtful idea for a topic, so why not?  I'm always thankful for having a loving, supportive family, a job I love and hope to build a career on, having basic needs that many people are without, and having so much to look forward to and enjoy in this life.

As for holiday traditions, my small, immediate family has dinner together every year, usually on the Saturday before Thanksigivng or right on the Sunday holiday, and oftentimes there will be at least one football game on!

A weekly meme hosted by Janet @ Friday Fill-Ins.

I love the creativity that pours out of these :)  My responses are underlined:

1. Why does my hair insist on sticking out at all ends?!?

2. Open your eyes and you just might see the world.

3. Thank you for reading & following my book blog :)

4. Xmas is my favorite holiday because my entire family gets together.

5. I am SO glad to be starting my Xmas shopping.

6. If only we would make up our minds to be.  (uh, would anything I put in here make sense grammatically?)

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to celebrating my parents' anniversary (#27), tomorrow my plans include tackling the weekend crossword puzzle and Sunday, I want to try out my new up-converting DVD player (oh yeah, and get some reading in, too)!

Have a great weekend :D

Friday Memes

A weekly meme hosted by Jennifer @ Crazy For Books.

This week's topic is from Christina @ All About YA Books:

If you find a book that looks interesting but is part of a series, do you always start with the first title?

Great question!   Usually I do.  It's that type-A part of myself that needs to see things unfold from the very beginning.  I started the Alex Cross and Women's Murder Club books by James Patterson from #1 on.  The only series I didn't start from the beginning was The Babysitters Club.  When I was 7, I received a current book from it and that got me interested in reading them all (which I did!).  So, it goes to show that it's not necessary to start a series from book #1, but if I'm shopping for the series, I'll start with #1.

A weekly meme hosted by Janet @ Friday Fill-Ins.

My fill-ins are underlined; the rest are given:

1. When pigs fly I'll win the lottery :)

2. You expect me to take that seriously?!

3. Call me *call me any day or night, call me* (Blondie).

4. Nod if you know what I mean.  (How lame...sorry, I blanked on this one!)

5. The most entertaining person in my life is my dad because he is the best storyteller & joke-teller in the family.

*SPOILER*
6. Moira "escaped" Gilead, making me wonder who's next?

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to seeing family, tomorrow my plans include sadly, a funeral and Sunday, I want to finish The Handmaid's Tale and watch Desperate Housewives!

50th Follower Giveaway!

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Have a great weekend everyone :)

Book Blog Hop & Friday Fill-Ins

Happy Friday!

A weekly meme hosted by Jennifer @ Crazy-For-Books.

This week's question is from Vicki @ The Wolf's Den.

What are your feelings on losing followers?  Have you ever stopped following a blog?

Oh dear, that's such a travesty!  According to my Google FriendConnect widget, I haven't lost any followers and hopefully never will if I update my posts enough :)  As for myself, I have stopped following about 3-4 blogs, but continue to follow more than 70!  My reason for not following a blog anymore would be if they haven't updated in a month's time without prior notice, say for taking time off or whatnot.  But if I ever come across their blogs again & they're back online, then I will be too :D

A weekly meme hosted by Janet @ Friday Fill-Ins.

My fill-ins are underlined, the rest is given:

1. Sometimes, I feel like a nut and sometimes I don't!

2. Tell me about the whole thing.

3. Small and white, clean & bright, you look happy to me (The Sound of Music).

4. Reading is very enlightening.

5. I keep meaning to keep in touch with old friends.

6. I haven't read Moby Dick...yet.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to nabbing a cold I feel coming on, tomorrow my plans include an afternoon football game and Sunday, I want to watch The Simpsons Hallowe'en episode and finish Her Fearful Symmetry!

Have a great weekend :D

Book Blog Hop & Friday Fill-Ins

Happy Friday!

Two intriguing memes to participate in today!  I'm working this afternoon so I'll make a quick post & hop around later today.

A weekly meme hosted by Jennifer @ Crazy For Books. 

This week's question is from Becky @ Becky's Barmy Book Blog.

Where is your favourite place to read?  Curled up on the sofa, in bed, in the garden?

At night, it would definitely in bed with a pair of cozy PJs, a warm blanket, and propped up with a pillow and my burgundy stuffed "wedge" to keep my back supported.  During the day, I like the couch with the footrest up & the back reclined with my feet curled up & snuggled into the thick armrest.  Aaahhh....that's the stuff :oD

A weekly meme hosted by Janet @ Friday Fill-Ins.  My answers are underlined; the rest is given.

1. One of my strongest beliefs is in humanity.

2. My TBR list is huge!

3. The sky is cloudy with a threat of rain and wind and cold, so reading is on the agenda!

4. My family is comforting to me.

5. I always thought I'd be a teacher.

6. The room was suddenly bathed in white and then I went outside to look at the full moon.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to watching a football game, tomorrow my plans include reading & hopefully finishing Pride & Prejudice and Sunday, I want to book more work for next week!


Have a great weekend :o)

Friday Fill-Ins & Book Blog Hop

Happy Friday!

A weekly meme hosted by Janet @ Friday Fill-Ins.

My answers are underlined.  The rest is from Janet.

1. My favorite month is July because summer's here!

2. Riding with the top up, my hair catches a fresh breeze.

3. I love to sniff coffee brewing.

4. Pancakes [are] what I like to have as a treat for breakfast.

5. The hobby I enjoy most is reading & blogging!

6. Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to a hometown football game, tomorrow my plans include catching up on Pride & Prejudice and Sunday, I want to eat a great Thanksgiving dinner!  P.S.  I get Monday off to recover from the turkey :oD

A weekly meme hosted by Jennifer @ Crazy For Books.

This week's question is from Suko @ Suko's Notebook:

What's your favorite beverage while reading or blogging, if any?  Is it tea, coffee, water, a glass of wine, or something else?

I love a morning coffee while blogging on my days off.  If, like today, I was working all day, I either go for an afternoon cup of java or a Diet Pepsi while reading/blogging.  If it's an evening read/blog, I might just go for a glass of white local vino :o)

Enjoy your weekend and Happy Thanksgiving, Canada!

Friday Fill-Ins & A Link

Sorry I've been off for a couple of days!  I've had a fair whack of unexpected work lately.  It's much busier this September than the past 2 years I've been a substitute teacher.  A good sign :o)  Have also battled headaches from lack of coffee.  I've heard that happens if you give it up for a little while (I didn't do this deliberately--just busy with work & didn't get to stop at a Tims), but I'm back on it.  I can't help it...you coffee hounds out there know what I mean :oD

As for my reading progress, I had a workshop today & squeezed in a few pages of Pride & Prejudice, but I'm most proud of my 375 page progress of Under the Dome.  That's still only 37.5% complete, but I'm completely overcome by it.  It's highly addictive!

I came across this neat little Friday meme from Janet @ Friday Fill-Ins.  So, here goes.  My answers are underlined (the rest is from Janet, unless it comes in a follow-up sentence):

1. My back is watched by my loved ones.  Ack, that was awkward grammar :oD

2. Wish I had the guts to go completely wild.

3. Leaves are falling all around, from a majestic maple tree.

4. If all we have are memories, I hope I don't grow up with forgetfulness.

5. Healing is a tough but necessary process.

6. Teaching is what I've been up to lately!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to relaxing & maybe seeing a movie, tomorrow my plans include reading & doing the Los Angeles Times crossword puzzle, and Sunday, I want to watch the football game, followed by Desperate Housewives!


As for the link, borrowed from Shannon @ Books Worth Reading, it's a great list of 100 Best First Lines From Novels.  I tried scrolling down slowly to test myself on the lines & got a couple right.  Some unrecognizable titles, but a fun list nonetheless.

Have a great weekend :o)