Nonfiction Book Reviews

Today’s post is part of my Tuesday Talks series, where I interview other book bloggers around the web.  This interview is a little different because Carrie not only writes fiction book reviews (complete with reading challenges) but she also does movie reviews.  To top it all off, she also a part of that elite blogging company called Today.com.  That’s right, ladies and gentlemen, she is a fellow Today.com blogger.  Makes you love her already, right?  Because if Today could produce an amazingly cool, sophisticated and yet stunningly humble blogger like me, then you know it’s doing something right.

Let’s get to the interview before someone takes it upon themselves to throw rotten tomatoes at me, shall we?  Here’s the interview in all its glory:

Please tell us about your blog: What kinds of books do you like to review?

I love to read - and I read almost everything: classics, modern lit, YA fiction, juvenile fiction, poetry, short stories, essays, history, mysteries, fantasy, some sci-fi, and historical novels. The only genres I don’t read are self-help books and horror.

I’d love to hear about a favorite book or author that you’ve read recently and why it was your favorite.

I’ve read some really great books in the past few months - it’s hard to limit it to only a few! Here are some titles that stand out:

The Observations by Jane Harris

Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict by Laurie Viera Rigler

Testimony by Anita Shreve

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

If you really want an idea of the kinds of books I like, then check out my list of 55 must-read novels.

Tell me a little about yourself.

I’ve been a voracious reader since my mother taught me when I was three-and-a-half years old. My nose has been in a book ever since. I firmly believe that education doesn’t end when you leave school, and I read not only for entertainment but to educate myself. I’m a homeschooling mom of four, and one of my favorite parts of homeschooling is reading aloud to my kids - which is why I often review juvenile fiction. My daughter is 12, and has started to give me book recommendations - which accounts for a lot of the YA titles I read.

How long have you been reviewing books and why did you start - what was your motivation?

I’ve been blogging about books since I started blogging in January of 2005. It wasn’t really reviewing, though - more just posting my thoughts on what I was reading, and passages that I wanted to remember. As I found more and more book blogs and loved the content I was finding, I started to post reviews - and have been ever since.

If you do not like a book, do you still post about it or do you only post positive reviews?

If I really hate a book, I don’t bother to finish it. If I finish it, I will most likely review it - and I will be honest without being snarky or brutal. As a freelance writer, I understand that the authors behind the books I’m reading have poured their lives into them, and therefore, they deserve to be treated with respect. That said, I will be honest about what I think of a book - otherwise my readers wouldn’t be able to trust me. I simply try to write an honest review without being savage or disparaging the author.

Do you try to review the same kinds of books consistently, or are you eclectic in your choices?

My choices are extremely eclectic. I don’t really have a “niche” in the book blogging world - I review what I read, and I read just about everything.

Are you one to do a lot of reading challenges?  What is a book challenge that you have especially enjoyed?

Until this year, I have only participated in seasonal challenges. Then this year, I went challenge crazy and joined eleven! For the first time, I’m even hosting a challenge - the Essay Reading Challenge, which lasts until the end of the year.

One challenge I’m really enjoying this year is the Outlander Challenge. The object is to read (or re-read) the first seven books in Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series before the next one comes out in September. I’ve read them all before, so this time I’m listening to them on audio book, and the reader, Davina Porter, is absolutely fantastic.

Do you ever do author interviews? and/or Do you receive books from the publishing companies/authors and review them on your site or do you check out from the library/buy all of your books?

I have done a couple of author interviews, and really enjoyed them. The only hard part is when you’re set to interview an author, and you didn’t enjoy their book very much - it can be a bit awkward. I do receive review copies and ARCs from publishers and authors. I also buy (too many of) my own books, and make frequent use of our local public library. I especially use the library for audio books, because the unabridged versions (which are the only ones I’ll listen to) are so expensive to purchase.

I have seen a lot of different styles when it comes to rating a book. Do you rate your book reviews, and if so, what is the point system and how do you determine what you give?

I do rate my books - here’s the system I use:

1 star - If I finished it, shame on me.
2 stars - I wanted to see how it ended, but it was just okay.
3 stars - I liked it.
4 stars - I loved it.
5 stars - It was brilliant and you should read it immediately - in fact, everyone should.

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One of the coolest things about doing these interviews is seeing the wide variety of tastes when it comes to the bloggers.  I do all nonfiction book reviews (obviously) and yet Carrie doesn’t even touch that genre.  It also looks like there are a lot of book bloggers who have really gotten into the young adult world, which is a marked difference from 10 years ago, when the best you could hope to find there was the Sweet Valley High series.

Anyway, if you enjoy poetry, young adult books, and the more serious adult fiction books, then look no further than Books and Movies.  Thanks Carrie - it was fun to have you here!

Havs

Hey everyone, it’s time for another installment of Tuesday Talks! I am interviewing book bloggers around the web, and this week, we have Jo who writes terrific reviews of fantasy books.  She’s from London, so if you want to be a geek like I am, imagine her saying her answers below in a cool British accent.  There’s that saying, “Everything’s better with butter,” right?  Well, the same thing holds true of words - they are just that much cooler when they’re said with a high-brow English accent.

Okay, let’s get this party started!

To start us off, please tell us about your blog: What kinds of books do you like to review?

On Ink and Paper, I mainly review fantasy novels, whether it’s high fantasy, urban fantasy, or paranormal romance, both YA and adult. Every now and then a review of another genre may creep in, when I’m recommended books outside the fantasy genre, or it’s a book I had to read for a class. I’ve been a major fantasy fan ever since I can remember, so it will always be my main focus of reviewing.

I’d love to hear about a favorite book or author that you’ve read recently and why it was your favorite.

Oh, that’s difficult! I have read so many good books lately! I think I would have to say the books in the Night Huntress Series by Jeaniene Frost (the first book is Halfway to the Grave.) Frost’s books are so full of twists and turns, and she brings something new to each novel that you would never expect. You can’t help but want to know how Cat and Bones’ relationship progresses, and I love how Frost balances the romance with the individual storylines of each book, the danger that Cat and Bones always find themselves in. I’m never left wanting more of one or the other.

How long have you been reviewing books and why did you start - what was your motivation?

Not long at all. I started blogging a little before Christmas in 2008. When it comes to high fantasy, most of the books I’ve read have belonged to my Dad, and we have very similar taste, so we have spent hours in the past talking about books, like The Belgariad series by David Eddings. However, he isn’t really a fan of urban fantasy and I had been reading a lot of them recently. I missed having someone to talk to about books, so I decided to start blogging about what I read. I also wanted somewhere to talk about the my different creative writing lessons – which I still do, but less so now.

I didn’t know I had started a book blog until I came across some other bloggers on the communities on LiveJournal - where I used to do my blogging. From there I found Book Blogs on Ning, and then Presenting Lenore’s New Book Blogger FAQ and The Story Siren’s Blog Tips, and started trying to make Ink and Paper a better book blog. I found them so helpful, it’s mainly because of their advice that my blog can now be called “book blog.” It was nothing compared to what it is now.

If you do not like a book, do you still post about it or do you only post positive reviews?

I’ve always thought I would review books I didn’t like, but this is something I’m having to learn to do. Nine times out of ten, my reviews are positive. I had written one review about a book I didn’t like that I had to read for a class and had no problem. Recently I received an ARC to review, my first ARC, and although I didn’t completely dislike the book, there were some things about it that I didn’t like. I didn’t give the book a negative review altogether, but I wasn’t completely positive.

Is it bad that I felt guilty? I just felt that I had been sent this book to read for free with the request of sending them a review, and here I am writing about its faults; how could I possibly do that when I didn’t even have to pay for it?

However, it’s the readers I have a duty to here, they’re the ones who expect an honest review, it’s what they deserve. As long as my reviews are fair, there’s no real problem I can see. I’ll just have to either get used to feeling guilty, or get a back bone.

How do you decide what goes into your To Be Read pile?

I don’t really have a To Be Read pile, it’s more of a To Buy list. Being fairly new to book blogging, I don’t receive many books to review; the ARC mentioned previously is the only one I’ve received so far. Mainly, I go by Amazon recommendations, and “save for later,” though I make a note of them for my blog. I then just work my way through from bottom to top.

I follow Wicked Lovely author Melissa Marr’s blog and recently, I’ve been liking the sound of the books she suggests, as well as a fair number of the reviews on book blogs that I follow. And so the list grows.

I don’t tend to use my library because they never seem to have anything I want, and never manage to order them in. I think I would be at my library CONSTANTLY if it was just better stocked.

What book (or books) got you hooked on reading as a child?

I was bought the first three Harry Potter books for Christmas from Mum and Dad when I was around 11. I wasn’t much of a reader then, and wasn’t particularly thrilled to have received books, but after a few months, I felt guilty for not having read them; they were a present after all (yeah, the guilt thing can happen quite easily for me). So I picked them up, and, funnily enough, I loved them! Best decision Mum and Dad had that year!

To be honest though, if it wasn’t for my Dad, I would have just stuck to the Harry Potter books, and that’s it. I liked those books, but I was still averse to reading anything else. My Dad insisted in talking to me about books though from that point on, and tried suggesting different books from his shelves for me to try out. I gave in reluctantly just to stop him going on.

I picked up The Pawn of Prophecy, the first book in The Belgariad Series by David Eddings, and have not looked back since. I was entranced by the world and its characters; Garion, the young boy always getting into trouble; Polgara, the beautiful, motherly aunt; Old Wolf, the mischievous old man; Silk, the witty and sarcastic spy, and everyone else. I loved them all, and couldn’t wait to find out what happened next in the series. It wasn’t long until I had finished all the David Eddings books my Dad owned, and I was thirsty for more.

My thirst has never really been satiated.

Tell me something even your readers may not know about you!

I took Drama for GCSE and A-Level at secondary school. Just like books, it was a form of escapism, but one I could actually be a part of. I lived for my Drama lessons and becoming someone completely different, someone cool.

I can’t count how many times I have had to fall over in plays I’ve done over the years. My most memorable fall was when I played Madam Arcarti, a medium, in a production of Blithe Spirit. I had to collapse in the middle of a trance, and I hadn’t been shown how to fall properly. Having your head bounce off the hard floor isn’t fun! But I loved acting so much, it was liberating. You wouldn’t catch me doing public speaking in a hurry though. I’m not playing a part then.

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Very cool.  I now have this insane British person inside of my head, hanging out and repeating everything I think in a cool British accent, but other than that, thoroughly enjoyed it.

Thanks for braving my interview, Jo - come back and hang out with us again sometime soon.  And for any of my dear readers who are also fans of fantasy, be sure to check out some fantastic fantasy book reviews.

Hava

Alrighty, this is the first of my book blogger interview series!! ::trumpets blaring::

Andrea is my first victim participant, and she runs her own book blog review at So Many Books, So Little Time, a blog that she just started on January 10th of this year.  And yet, she has managed to write up twice as many posts as I have in the last ten months!

In other words, she’s even more verbose than I am.  Way to go Andrea.  I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing.

To start us off, please tell us about your blog: What kinds of books do you like to review?

My blog is a mix of book reviews, as well as weekly events that have to do with books (Mailbox Mondays, Musing Mondays, Teaser Tuesdays, It’s Tuesday, Where are You?, Waiting on Wednesday, Wednesday Wordle, Booking Through Thursday, Thursday Thoughts, Friday Finds, Friday Fill-In, Weekly Geeks, and The Sunday Salon). I also participate in book challenges and those are on my blog as well.

Recently I’ve been into a big paranormal kick. Mostly the light-hearted, humorous kind, almost paranormal chick-lit if you will, and YA paranormal. I also love chick-lit and will review general fiction and kids books (I teach kindergarten so my students will help me review these books)

I’d love to hear about a favorite book or author that you’ve read recently and why it was your favorite.

I love the House of Night series by P.C. & Kristin Cast.  The books just have the right balance of everything…great characters, a little humor, a little suspense, and a great plot!

Tell me a little about yourself.

I have been reading since I was two (at least that’s what my mom tells me). Growing up,my mom always bought me books and I would devour them. Now I love to cuddle up on the couch while my boyfriend is watching TV and devour a book. Whenever someone asks me my hobbies, I say emphatically “Reading and being a Gator fan!”

Do you do a lot of reading challenges?  What is a book challenge that you have especially enjoyed?

I do some reading challenges: The Paranormal 999 Challenge, The A to Z Reading Challenge, The Chick-Lit Challenge, The Chick-Lit Challenge 2, What’s In A Name Challenge, and Read Your Name Challenge.

What’s the main source of books for you: Publishing companies, contests online, B&N/Amazon/other bookstores, or the library?

I am pretty new to book reviewing, so for now I most get my books from trading websites. But recently I have been getting a few books from publishers. I would LOVE to get more books from publishing companies and authors to review and I am open to doing author reviews.

How do you keep track of your To Be Read (TBR) pile?

I have a bunch of books that I’d love to read at some time (500ish). They are all in 3 bookcases in my office (it’s a good thing I have such an understanding boyfriend!) But the books that I have to read for book reviews, or book rings, I have in a pile on the bookcase my room. Whenever I get a new book to review, I put it at the bottom of the pile unless there is a certain date that it is needed to be reviewed for.

Do you rate your book reviews, and if so, what is the point system and how do you determine what you give?

I do rate the books that I review. I know that when I go to other blogs, I look for for a rating of each book. It helps to know what I might really be interested in. My rating system is out of 5:

1. Hated the book
2. Didn’t enjoy the book
3. Book was okay - average
4. Really enjoyed the book
5. Loved the book - a favorite

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That’s it from Andrea at So Many Books, So Little Time.  If you’re in the mood for some paranormal or YA books, be sure to check her out!  Thanks for hanging out with us today, Andrea!

Havs

PS Do you have a book review blog?  Would you be interested in being interviewed by none other than the Great and Mighty Hava?  Send me an email through my contact page and we’ll chat.

Well, I know that this will come as a surprise to all of you, but I have heard a rumor that there are more books in this world than just nonfiction books.

Sit and let that soak in for a moment.  That means that there might be other book reviewers than just me!

No!

Yes!

Really?

Okay, fine, so there are a LOT more bloggers than just me out there.  And in an effort to help introduce all of my lovely readers to that great big world of Other Book Bloggers that does in fact exist (this is like The Others from the TV show Lost although not as creepy), I thought I’d start a new series on my site.  From here until the day I run out of people to interview, I will post an interview with a fellow book blogger every Tuesday.

I was trying to come up with a cool title for it like “Tuesdays Bloggers” but then realized that Tuesdays Bloggers is in fact not a cool title, and so I gave up trying to be creative and cool and stuff.

Then I realized that DUH!, I have creative and cool and stuff readers!  So I’m opening this up to you guys - if one of you can come up with a catchy or fun title for this new series, then you’ve just won yourself a nice permanent backlink in my sidebar.  Leave your ideas in the comment section below.

And if you don’t have a blog for me to link to, then you will win a permanent place in my Top Ten Coolest People Ever list.  So if I ever put together another list like that again, you’d totally come in at number one.  And if I don’t, well…ummm….

Moving on now…

I also have to ask: Are you one of those Other Book Bloggers?  And if so, are you interested in being interviewed by moi, and being spotlighted on my blog?  Drop me a link through my Nonfiction contact page and we’ll chat.  I have had quite a few people respond already, so you wouldn’t be highlighted, say, tomorrow, but it would happen eventually and it would totally be worth your while.  I think.

Last but not least, before I sign off for the night, I wanted to thank DreadPirateRose of the ultra-cool Convention Fans blog here at Today.com for my new header.  I will be messing with my colors in my blog to match my new spiffy header which is always fun for me.  I like messing with that kind of thing.  It’s like all the fun of painting your home without all of the work that comes along with!

Thanks again Dread - you rock!

Havs

PS The book bloggers that I interview will have their link added to my sidebar under the “Book Bloggers I Interviewed” heading.  —-> The most recent five bloggers will be highlighted there.  As you can see, I’ve already got one up - Andrea from So Many Books, So Little Time will be the first in the series - her interview will show up Tuesday morning.  Be sure to check it out then!