Feature & Follow Friday (3): Why did I start a blog?

Gain new followers and make new friends with the Book Blogger Feature & Follow! If this is your first time here, welcome! You are about to make some new friends and gain new followers — but you have to know — the point of this hop is to follow other bloggers also. I follow you, you follow me.

The Feature & Follow is hosted by TWO hosts, Parajunkee of Parajunkee’s View and Alison of Alison Can Read. Each host will have their own Feature Blog and this way it’ll allow us to show off more new blogs!

How does this work? First you leave your name here on this post, (using the linky tools — keep scrolling!) then you create a post on your own blog that links back to this post (easiest way is to just grab the code under the #FF picture and put it in your post) and then you visit as many blogs as you can and tell them “hi” in their comments (on the post that has the #FF image). You follow them, they follow you. Win. Win. Just make sure to follow back if someone follows you!

What sets this Hop apart from others, is our Feature. Each week we will showcase a Featured Blogger, from all different genres and areas. Who is our Feature today? Find out below. Just remember it is required, if you participate, to follow our Features and you must follow the hosts (Parajunkee & Alison Can Read) as a courtesy. How do you follow someone? Well, if you have a preference, state it in your #FF post. A lot of blogs are transitioning to WordPress in which they do not have the luxury of GFC, so an RSS subscription is appreciated or if you choose an email subscription. If you don’t have GFC please state in your post how you would like to be followed.

All features are chosen randomly to be the feature. They are not chosen by content or name.

Our Feature – Vivian @ Vivaciously, Vivian

When did you start blogging?

I started my first blog on WordPress in 2008, back when I was a pretty clueless 8th grader, haha! My book blog was officially created on February 10th, 2012. I’m still quite a baby, so feel free to throw criticism in my way!

What is your favourite part of book blogging?

The connection between fellow bloggers, definitely. It’s said so often because it’s absolutely true! Especially since I don’t have many friends in the real world who are huge fans of books, book blogging has led me to meet so many wonderful individuals. Reading the posts of fellow bloggers as well as their comments on my posts fill me with a special sort of happiness. Sorry if that sounds a bit mushy -blush- but I really mean it. I’ve joined many online worlds, but this is the first virtual world that I’ve joined that offers such a strong feeling of support, spirit, and love. It’s really amazing!

What is your favourite book(s)?

To choose absolute favourites, wow. “Anne of Green Gables” (as well as all the follow up books on Anne) by Lucy M. Montgomery will always take up a big chunk of my book-lover’s heart! In modern-day times, I love anything written by Shannon Hale, but particularly “River Secrets”! Of course, countless more books have stolen my heart, but to be honest, these two have always shone a tad bit brighter for me!

What has been the best thing that has happened to you because of book blogging?

The voice of my starving love for books is finally being heard by others but also myself. As I’ve also mentioned in my answer to the featured question, there was a gap of a few years that I just felt so detached from books, I was so ashamed of myself for it. After starting book blogging, there has not been a day that I’ve spent time reading, or even writing a review. I’m so grateful that I’ve opened up again to all books. That’s, of course, not just from blogging by myself, but also from all of you other bloggers for inspiring me to, so thank you!

Q: What drove you to start book blogging in the first place?

Why did I start to blog? I wanted to do something that was totally different from my career (environmental law). Plus, one night I was sitting with my husband and he told that since I love to read so much, I should start a book blog. Initially I thought he was crazy but I really thought about it and here I am, a beginner blogger. It is so much fun meeting authors and other bloggers. Also, I love recommending new books to my friends. 

Throwback Thursday (4): Bitten

Welcome to Throwback Thursday, a weekly meme hosted by The Housework Can Wait and Never Too Fond of Books!

It’s the nature of book blogging to focus mainly on new releases, but there are thousands of great books out there that haven’t seen the “New Releases” shelf in years. We hope to be able to bring attention to some older titles that may not be at the top of the current bestseller list, but still deserve a spot in your To-Be-Read pile.

My Throwback Thursday:

Bitten by Kelley Armstrong

Orig Pub: 2001

From Goodreads:

Elena Michaels seems like the typically strong and sexy modern woman, She lives with her architect boyfriend, writes for a popular newspaper, and works out at the gym. She's also a werewolf.
Elena has done all she can to assimilate to the human world, but the man whose bite changed her existence forever, and his legacy, continue to haunt her. Thrown into a desperate war for survival that tests her allegiance to a secret clan of werewolves, Elena must recon with who, and what, she is in this passionate, page-turning novel.

I picked this book because the last of the series, 13,  will be published on July 24, 2012. Love this series! Check out my review!

Review: Industrial Magic

Industrial Magic by Kelley Armstrong (Women of theOtherworld #4)
Publisher:  Bantam
Published:  October26, 2004
Format:  Ebook, 560pages
Genre:     UrbanFantasy

From Goodreads:

In the aftermath ofher mother’s murder, Paige broke with the elite, ultraconservative AmericanCoven of Witches. Now her goal is to start a new Coven for a new generation.But while Paige pitches her vision to uptight thirty-something witches inbusiness suits, a more urgent matter commands her attention.

Someone is murderingthe teenage offspring of the underworld’s most influential Cabals- a circle offamilies that makes the mob look like amateurs. And none is more powerful thanthe Cortex Cabal, a faction Paige is intimately acquainted with. Lucas Cortez,the rebel son and unwilling heir, is none other than her boyfriend. But loveisn’t blind, and Paige has her eyes wide open as she is drawn into a hunt foran unnatural-born killer. Pitted against shamans, demons, and goons, it’s abattle chilling enough to make a wild young woman grow up in a hurry. If shegets the chance.

Industrial Magic is the fourth book in the Women of theOtherworld series and is from the perspective of the witch, Paige Winterbourne.We last left Paige trying to take care of her new ward and fellow witch,Savannah, and starting a new relationship with a sorcerer, Lucas Cortez. Nowshe is trying to establish a new witch coven that is more tolerate andaccepting than the American Coven. Paige is one of my favorite femalecharacters in the Otherworld series. She is strong, independent and veryfeisty. She is constantly challenging accepted norms within the supernaturalworld. She doesn’t want to be hindered by the existing witches’ traditions andmentality. She wants to grow and be able to protect herself, not just sit backand let the evil powers take over. She is a great character and verywell-written and developed.

Paige and Lucas make a great pair.  Both are always learning, wanting to increasetheir knowledge of spells. Her inquisitiveness is one of my favorite of hertraits.  They are willing to teach eachspells that were only meant for a sorcerer or a witch. Paige is always lookoutfor a new speill, even if that spell is dark magic. She has to be pretty sneakybecause she doesn’t want Savannah to be aware of anything dark magic. I thinktheir dynamic is pretty comical when it comes to using dark magic. Savannahdoesn’t see it as a big deal and Paige tries to take the high road. It is aconstant disagreement for them.

Since starting their budding relationship, Paige and Lucasare trying to maintain a level of trust that isn’t common among witches andsorcerers. With Paige’s introduction to the Cortez Cabal, finding that trust isa challenge. I like that we are given a more detailed understanding of theCabals. The Cortez Cabal reminds me of the Corleone Family. You love them butyou hate them at the same time. Lucas, like Michael Corleone, is constantlybeing dragged into the family business. His father is very manipulative andtries at every turn to convince him to be more involved in the family business.Lucas and Paige constantly struggle with his family to maintain theirindependence.

I’m really liking that the series is continues to bring inmore of the supernatural characters. Besides witches, vampires are now frontand center. They are at the center of the Cabal murders. Cassandra and Adamsmake for some interesting characters. The werewolves also make an appearance,as does Jamie Vegas, necromancer. Even Eve Levine has some serious time in thisnovel. Like all of the books in this series, Industrial Magic is wonderfullyfast-paced and a great read.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Waiting on Wednesday (5): Mortal Ties

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Mortal Ties (World of the Lupi #9) by Eileen Wilks
Released Date: October 2, 2012

FBI agent Lily Yu is living at Nokolai Clanhome with her fiancé, lupi Rule Turner, when an intruder penetrates their territory, stealing the prototype of a magical device the clan hopes will be worth a fortune--if a few bugs can be worked out . . .

But the prototype can be dangerously erratic, discharging a bizarre form of mind magic—and it looks like the thief wants it for that very side effect. Worse, whoever stole the device didn't learn about it by accident. There's a Nokolai traitor in their midst. Lily and Rule have to find the traitor, the thief, and the prototype. One job proves easy when the thief calls them--and his identity rocks Rule's world.

As they race to recover their missing property, they find Robert Friar's sticky footprints all over the place. Robert Friar―killer, madman, and acolyte of the Old One the Lupi are at war with―an Old One whose power is almost as vast as her ambition to rock the entire world . . .

Teaser Tuesday (4)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

What I'm Currently Reading:

Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness

Chapter One:

We arrived in an undignified heap of witch and vampire. Matthew was underneath me, his long limbs bent into an uncharacteristically awkward position. A large book was squashed between us, and the force of our landing sent the small silver figurine clutched in my hand sailing across the floor.

I have been waiting for this release for seems like forever! It is a great day!

It's Monday! What are you reading?

Welcome to It’s Monday! What Are You Reading! This is a great way to plan out your reading week and see what others are currently reading as well… you never know where that next “must read” book will come from! Hosted by Book Journey


Here's what I'm reading this week:

Fool Moon (The Dresden Files #2) By Jim Butcher

Business has been slow. Okay, business has been dead. And not even of the undead variety. You would think Chicago would have a little more action for the only professional wizard in the phone book. But lately, Harry Dresden hasn't been able to dredge up any kind of workmagical ormundane.

But just when it looks like he can't afford his next meal, a murder comes along that requires his particular brand of supernatural expertise.

A brutally mutilated corpse. Strange-looking paw prints. A full moon. Take three guessesand the first two don't count...

Shadow of Night (All Souls #2) by Deborah Harkness


"Together we lifted our feet and stepped into the unknown"—the thrilling sequel to the New York Times bestseller A Discovery of Witches

Deborah Harkness exploded onto the literary scene with her debut novel, A Discovery of Witches, Book One of the magical All Souls Trilogy and an international publishing phenomenon. The novel introduced Diana Bishop, Oxford scholar and reluctant witch, and the handsome geneticist and vampire Matthew Clairmont; together they found themselves at the center of a supernatural battle over an enchanted manuscript known as Ashmole 782.

Now, picking up from A Discovery of Witches’ cliffhanger ending, Shadow of Night plunges Diana and Matthew into Elizabethan London, a world of spies, subterfuge, and a coterie of Matthew’s old friends, the mysterious School of Night that includes Christopher Marlowe and Walter Raleigh. Here, Diana must locate a witch to tutor her in magic, Matthew is forced to confront a past he thought he had put to rest, and the mystery of Ashmole 782 deepens.

Deborah Harkness has crafted a gripping journey through a world of alchemy, time travel, and magical discoveries, delivering one of the most hotly anticipated novels of the season.

What are you reading this week?

Stacking the Shelves (4)

Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

From the Library:

The Magicians by Lev Grossman

Purchased for my Kindle:

Grave Memory by Kalayna Price

Won from a contest:

Werewolf Descent by Elizabeth Kolodziej

Pre-ordered:

Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness

What did you add to your shelves? Leave a comment and let me know!