Book Blogger Appreciation 2016 Day 1

Hello! Happy BBAW!

Day 1 – Top FIVE Books that best encapsulate what kind of reader I might be:

I bet you were expecting more ‘literary fiction’, right?

Ah, well. Let’s talk about books and blogging first, can we? I published my first post on this blog September 22, 2007. It took a few months before I got a rhythm, found my tribe, so to speak. It is fun to realize that I can access those early posts and find the people I first chatted online with about books. I’m still ‘friends’ with the very first regulars who stopped by my little corner and gave a comment. Oh, those were fun, heady days. Before drama, before realizing that publishers would GIVE books away, before spam…

I had had a personal blog before that even (and am friends with some of those folks still) but they didn’t carry over into book world. The book-blogosphere was something else, a different planet, a very exciting place to be. I loved it.

And I still do. It has evolved. Anyway, the direction I wanted to take here is to look at the books I have come to read because of blogging. Hard to really know what exactly I was reading before that and how exactly I decided which books to read but to put it mildly, I didn’t have a clue.

So what would I have told you about books BEFORE-BLOGGING? I could have told you that Les Miserables was a forever favorite and that I had read the first 6 of Tom Clancy’s books and at least the first 10 of the Janet Evanovich numbered sleuth series. I read ‘contemporary fiction’ on occasion:  Bel Canto, The Hours, Oscar and Lucinda. I was involved with a book club and remember reading The Lovely Bones, The Secret Life of Bees, Rebecca by Daphne DuMaurier.

But wow oh wow did I learn a LOT about books from being involved with blogging and thus, rather than list a top 5 faves list, I share the most impactful blogging-influenced reads that I have enjoyed due to this medium. On with the show!

1. YA – What IS YA?!  I couldn’t have answered that question in 2007. My first YA read with that in mind allows me to bring up author-rockstar John Green: Looking for Alaska. Still my favorite. I am a believer that the first John Green book you read stays the favorite.
2. Neil Gaiman – Who? I had never heard of him (nor had any concept of fantasy as a genre) before blogging. Another author-rockstar. I have read six of his books, the first was Stardust and honestly? I wasn’t blown away. I still cite this as an example of the movie being better than the book. (I think due to order: if you see first then read, the movie is better.) THEN I read Neverwhere (fun!) and then American Gods. FINALLY I grasp the genius.
3. Women Unbound Challenge – I was invited to be a co-host of a challenge in 2010 focusing on celebrating women and feminism. I read Herland, reread The Awakening, and discovered phenomenal writers and excellent nonfiction. I specifically give a shout-out to Woman: An Intimate Geography by Natalie Angier. I heartily recommend this if you haven’t read it.
4. Readalongs – and Stephen King. I was not a King fan til only recently and now I am astounded by how many I can say I’ve read. I list IT as my favorite – one of my first audiobooks once I got an iPhone and started utilizing Audible.com. Loved it. It is my favorite King and yes, I do and know it has its flaws but it is wrapped up with good fun reading experience ribbons.
5. Finally, let’s talk about pie. For this category, I will celebrate Making Piece by Beth Howard. I own two of her books – this one is her memoir about how she worked through her grief after the death of her husband by rolling pastry, peeling and slicing apples, and sharing pie all over the US. She has been on a pie journey ever since and I continue to follow her. I own her pie recipe book and look forward to her next book about her around the world peace promotion.

I gave a list of five amazing favorites of mine in my BBAW Save-the-Date post…

Another big thank you for the bloggers instrumental in hosting BBAW. Have a great week, everyone!

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