What I Read:
I read many genres, but my favorite books tend to be YA fantasy, fairy tale retellings, paranormal romance, and dystopian novels. I also enjoy some adult urban fantasy, historical fiction, and new adult fiction. Recently, I began reading graphic novels and manga...and I LOVE IT! Occasionally, I try to read some adult best-sellers, classics, contemporary/realistic fiction, and romance (though these aren't necessarily my favorite genres). I always try to keep an open mind and I'm willing to give most books a shot anyway. It's wonderful when a book surprises me, especially if I initially thought I wouldn't enjoy it.
I usually don't read mysteries, christian fiction, and non-fiction (unless it's for work or helps me understand an author or plot better...like reading some of The Mystery of Lewis Carroll after I finished Through the Lookinig Glass).
Check out my Reading Lists page for all the books I've read this year and my ever growing To-Be-Read pile.
Why I started The Ramblings...of a BookCrosser:
Back to the question at hand, I started this blog as an extension of my BC profile. My BC extended profile got really long when I started to participate in read-a-thons and challenges. I added/deleted a lot of content to my extended profile and learned a good amount of html in the process. But figuring out my html mistakes got exhausting and I wanted an easier way to manage and archive my content. That's why I decided to create a blog. I still update my BC profile regularly...check it out: mhs160.
What I Post on the Blog:
My blog features some book reviews, but is not exclusively for book reviews. I also post:
- Weekly memes about what I'm reading (It's Monday, What are you Reading and In My Mailbox) or hoping to read (Waiting on Wednesdays). I may not participate every week, but I definitely will when I have stuff to share.
- My BookCrossing activities and other BC news
- Bookish news (releases, author signings/events, other fun stuff)
- Library news, celebrations, events
Since I'm starting grad school, I may not be able to post as frequently as I did when I started this blog. But I'm still here and I'll try to post once a week.
Why the name The Ramblings...of a BookCrosser:
You know about my BookCrossing hobby but why "The Ramblings"? It has a duel meaning for me. Obviously I love to ramble on about bookish stuff. I am the first to admit that I'm not a great writer, so my posts will be just that...my ramblings, my thoughts typed out. It may not be grammatically correct and I do not aspire to become an author. I just like to share my thoughts on books.
The second meaning behind the blog name was inspired by one of my favorite middle grade level series, Septimus Heap by Angie Sage. I love these books! If you enjoyed the first few Harry Potter books, I recommend reading the Septimus Heap books: Magyk, Flyte, Physik, Queste and Syren. In the series, "The Ramblings" is a location within the Castle and the home of the Heap family:
The Ramblings...was a huge stone building that rose up along the riverside. It sprawled for three miles along the river and back again into the Castle and was a noisy, busy place filled with a warren of passages and rooms, with small factories, schools and shops mixed in with family rooms, tiny roof gardens and even a theater. There was not much space in The Ramblings, but people did not mind. There was always good company and someone for the children to play with. (Magyk, page 3)Even though the Ramblings is close quarters and full of people, it still felt like a humble, loving place because of family and friends. It has it's flaws, but for the most part, the residents seemed happy. The concept of the Ramblings really touched me since it fits city living...everything you need in a compact area...and residents can either dwell on all the flaws or enjoy living in their neighborhood close to family and friends. Angie Sage's description is refreshing. I look forward to re-reading these books when I get a chance.
Contact Info:
You can contact me by commenting on a post or through these sites:
Send me a Private Message (PM) through BookCrossing.
Send me a message through Good Reads.
