Hello Again!

Well hello again 2 years later! How did that happen? I kind of stopped reading for a while (for mom/lazy reasons?) and did other stuff. But since I got a new Kindle and Kindle Unlimited earlier this year I've been on a nonstop reading addiction. Basically all of them have been romance novels. I can't stop. But that will be another post for another day. I just wanted to say I'll be back because I have a lot... and I mean A LOT of books to review and share. Seriously, my Goodreads book challenge list for this year is bananas. And I've read multiple books more than once.

I was originally going to try to read 10 books this year. I've read 178 so far. 178! Well, 179 if you count a 50 something page book (One Hot Night is a free... novella? by Kacey Shea which is like a preview to Caught in the Lies which will be released this fall), but I don't because it was so short.

I'll have lots of reviews heading your way soon if you're interested. SOON!

If you want to see my slightly embarrassing list for this year, check out the link below! I've used a lot of exclamation points in this post! So many!

2019 Reading Challenge

Laura has completed her goal of reading 10 books in 2019!

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179 of 10 (100%)

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3 Years of Books!

This is the day! 3 years ago today I started this blog. There aren't as many posts as I would like there to be, but the fact that it still exists 3 years later is an accomplishment in itself. I really didn't know what I was doing then (not that I can say I always know what I'm doing now) and the site looked a bit different than it does today. My first post was on Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, an excellent first choice full of fancy zombie killing action. And Darcy is still swoon worthy so that's a plus. Added bonus? Ninjas.

I don't remember all of the reasons why I decided to start a book blog. It seems like it was forever ago. But I think the main reason was because I loved reading and sometimes I wasn't sure what books would be good or what I wanted to read next. If I had this problem I thought other people might too. So, somehow, here I am now. And that's a small part of my story.

As a part of the Blogiversary, I decided to give away a book. Congrats to Krissy C on winning the Book Blogiversary giveaway! I'll be in contact with you soon! I should warn you that I live in a small town so I'll check a couple of stores for your choices and see what I can actually find. My hopes are not high. I apologize for my lack of local book resources. Maybe someday my town will have something exciting like a bookstore that actually sells books that I'm looking for so I don't have to go online to get what I want. Every. Single. Time. Sorry for the rant. I can't contain my disappointment.

Here's to many more years of books!

3 Year Blogiversary Giveaway!

This blog has been around (though not always used) for the past 3 years this month! I'm shocked I haven't gotten bored with it and deleted it by now but I guess it means that my love of books continues.

In honor of this blog's existence and the changes that have been made over that time (a new look, a couple of domain name changes, the addition of book reviews from my cousin, etc.) I'm going to be giving away a book!

I would like to be able to give more away, but I'm paying for this myself so I have to be reasonable. The good part about this giveaway is that you get to choose which book you would like to receive if you win (from the books I have reviewed on this site)!

To enter:
1. Look through the reviews I've posted since I started the blog and pick your top 3 books (I'll pick from one of those).
2. Comment on this post with those 3 choices. Leave your email so I can contact you if you win.
3. Spread the word! If you post about the giveaway on your twitter with the hashtag #lolaloopgiveaway and tweet me (@Lolaloop) you'll get an extra entry (remember to also leave your twitter handle in your comment).
4. Like my Facebook page! Liking the page gets you another entry! That's 3 ways you can enter!

The winner will be chosen randomly on May 24th, 2013 (the blog's 3rd birthday). The winner will be contacted via email. *Open to US, Canada and any US military base (it counts as US because you're awesome) and maybe another country if you tell me where you're from and ask nicely!

P.S. If you haven't read them yet, The Hobbit, The Fault in Our Stars and The Shining are among some of my favorite books!

Thanks for reading!

Updated: This giveaway has ended. To see who won go here!

Switching Things Up (Domain-wise)

I've decided to make my life easier (or more difficult... depends on how you look at it) by only using one domain name for everything (I'm currently using 2 right now). To save myself a few bucks a year I'm going to only use the domain name from my main blog Lolaloop and make Book Worm Corner a sub-domain. So if you remember this as Book Worm Corner it will soon be known as Lolaloop Books (books.lolaloop.com).

I'm mostly hoping to expand what is "Lolaloop" to include all of the things I love... books, entertainment and me just being me.

If you're only here for book reviews and don't really care about that then sorry to bother you. Read on!

Book Survey

I saw this survey on another blog and I liked it so I stole it (though she stole it too so I don't feel so bad)

Love thy Kindle

1. Favorite childhood book?

Strega Nona by Tomie dePaola was a favorite when I was about 5 or 6.

2. What are you reading right now?

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs and Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin (I'm part way into both-- keep switching back and forth when I need a break)

3. What books do you have on request at the library?

None right now, but my next will be The Silver Chair by C.S. Lewis. I've read all up to that book and want to finish the series.

4. Bad book habit?

Starting and not finishing or taking a long time between reads.

5. What do you currently have checked out at the library?

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs and Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin.

6. Do you have an e-reader?

I have a Kindle and I love it. I rarely get the chance to sit and read at home so having something I can carry around with me and read when I have time is fantastic.

7. Do you prefer to read one book at a time, or several at once?

I prefer one at a time, but I have a habit of reading two or three.

8. Have your reading habits changed since starting a blog?

I think I have tried reading more classics than I would have otherwise.

9. Least favorite book you read this year (so far?)

The Zookeeper's Wife by Diane Ackerman (though in it's defense I didn't finish reading it- it bored me too much)

10. Favorite book you’ve read this year?

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green.

11. How often do you read out of your comfort zone?

I typically stick with books in certain genres, so I don't too often.

12. What is your reading comfort zone?

Mostly fiction (Adult & YA) fantasy & sci-fi occasionally. Rarely nonfiction.

13. Can you read on the bus?

I never take buses but if I did I would be able to fairly easily.

14. Favorite place to read?

At the beach, on my deck on a sunny day, in my living room or bedroom.

15. What is your policy on book lending?

I love sharing books as long as I get them back (hopefully undamaged!).

16. Do you ever dog-ear books?

I like to keep the pages as close to perfect as I can get them. I don't like my pages bent.

17. Do you ever write in the margins of your books?

I like to keep the pages of my books unmarked.

18. Not even with text books?

I didn't mind those. They didn't matter as much to me as my other books even though I paid A LOT more money for them haha.

19. What is your favorite language to read in?

English. I only fluently speak 1 language and I didn't always do that well :)

20. What makes you love a book?

The characters, the scenery, a good plot and storytelling.

21. What will inspire you to recommend a book?

If I feel really strongly about how a book makes me feel I will usually recommend it.

22. Favorite genre?

Fiction (Adult & YA), especially dystopian.

23. Genre you rarely read (but wish you did?)

Nonfiction.

24. Favorite biography?

Don't really have one, though there are a couple autobiographies that I liked reading.

25. Have you ever read a self-help book?

No, I don't remember ever reading any.

26. Favorite cookbook?

I usually just use allrecipes.com when I'm looking for recipes. Or I love The Flavor Bible as a guide or Food Network Magazine, but I don't know that I have an actual cookbook that is a favorite.

27. Most inspirational book you’ve read this year (fiction or non-fiction)?

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. I don't know that it is technically "inspirational" but it inspired me... and it's only March so I haven't read that many books yet this year.

28. Favorite reading snack?

Anything that doesn't make my fingers dirty/gross or get crumbs in my books

29. Name a case in which hype ruined your reading experience.

I don't usually spend the time reading a book because of hype unless it comes from a friend who has read the book and gives a good review, so my reading experience has yet to be ruined by any kind of hype.

30. How often do you agree with critics about a book?

I don't read critic reviews. If I read a review it is by people who post reviews on amazon or another site.

31. How do you feel about giving bad/negative reviews?

If a book is bad I don't feel bad warning other people (who may like the same things as me) against reading something. However, I know what I like, so I don't read a lot of books I wouldn't care for and rarely read books I don't like.

32. If you could read in a foreign language, which language would you choose?

Maybe French? It seems like it would sound more beautiful to read out loud.

33. Most intimidating book you’ve ever read? 

Slaughterhouse Five and 1984. I typically don't read classics and those were a little far out for me.

34. Most intimidating book you’re too nervous to begin?

Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin. It is a little out of my normal reading comfort zone.

35. Favorite Poet?

I like Emily Dickinson (Hope is a Thing with Feathers is a favorite of mine) and Robert Frost.

36. How many books do you usually have checked out of the library at any given time?

None? I have a kindle so I don't need to go to the library often, plus I can never get to my library because I work in another town and they are closed by the time I get off work.

37. How often have you returned book to the library unread?

This only happened once or twice. I felt so bad about not having the time to finish reading what I checked out!

38. Favorite fictional character? 

I can't pick just one! So my top 2 would probably be Hermione Granger (Harry Potter Series) and Bilbo Baggins (The Hobbit).

39. Favorite fictional villain?

The dragon Smaug from The Hobbit.

40. Books you’re most likely to bring on vacation?

Probably the books I've been putting off reading- Lord of the Rings & Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

41. The longest you’ve gone without reading.

I haven't read in a couple of weeks and that's probably the longest in years. I need to read more!

42. Name a book that you could/would not finish.

Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Everyone talked about how good it was but I was so bored that I couldn't read it!

43. What distracts you easily when you’re reading?

Thoughts, loud noises, bugs &/or the hot sun (if I'm reading outside)

44. Favorite film adaptation of a novel?

Practical Magic. The book was terrible... I couldn't stand the characters! They were horrible! The movie is fun. I can't wait for The Hobbit and The Hunger Games movies though!

45. Most disappointing film adaptation?

Dreamcatcher by Stephen King. Terrible.

46. The most money I’ve ever spent in the bookstore at one time?

Maybe $30 or $40 on a splurge. I try not to buy more than 1 at a time or I probably won't read the book.

47. How often do you skim a book before reading it?

I usually read the blurb and first couple of pages and sometimes the reviews before I purchase or start reading a book.

48. What would cause you to stop reading a book half-way through?

Uninteresting plot, boring or bad writing/characters.

49. Do you like to keep your books organized?

I do. I tend to keep books by the same author together and books in a series in the correct order.

50. Do you prefer to keep books or give them away once you’ve read them?

If I really like the book I keep them because occasionally I'll go back and either read the entire book over again or my favorite parts of the book. If I don't think I'll ever want to read the book again I'll give them away to someone or donate them to the library.

51. Are there any books you’ve been avoiding?

Not really avoiding, but books that I have yet to start.

52. Name a book that made you angry.

The Twilight Saga. The whole idea of a teenage girl being obsessed with a boy who stalks her and is really controlling and she falls apart when he leaves just annoyed me. A terrible example for girls.

53. A book you didn’t expect to like but did?

I read Winter Dance (even though I didn't think I would like it) because my husband suggested it.

54. A book that you expected to like but didn’t?

Breathless by Dean Koontz. It was really underdeveloped and it felt like the book was left undone. Poor plot. I like older Dean Koontz novels and was kind of upset with his current writing.

55. Favorite guilt-free, pleasure reading?

As long as I enjoy what I'm reading it's all guilt free!

Internet Blackout TOMORROW!

Avoiding all interwebs tomorrow for the SOPA & PIPA Blackout. This will be difficult for me. No Twitter or Facebook or anything! Wish me luck!

http://sopacountdown.com/

TFIOS

The Fault in Our Stars... I'm super excited for this book to come out tomorrow! It's by John Green, one of my favorite authors and Youtubers! Here he is reading Chapter 1 (there is also a video of him reading Chapter 2).

Just from chapter 1 I knew that I wanted to read this book. It is funny and touching and that's just the first 2 chapters! I'm going to be reading this as soon as I get it. Review coming soon!

NaNoWriMo 2011 Begins!

Today started well. I'm over my word count but I'm going to keep going in case I fall behind. I'm liking my first chapter of the first short story. I'm shooting for 5 stories with 10,000 words each. If you want to join me on NaNoWriMo this is my NaNo page. For anyone interested, here is the first chapter of my zombie story/novella thingy.

Zomb-pocalypse

Chapter 1

When zombies started taking over, everyone continued to go to work. You would think that people’s survival instincts would have kicked in, but the government assured everyone it was safe and people believed them. The military took over the safety of the population and for the most part it seemed to be working. People carried guns everywhere they went and stayed in groups. Whenever a zombie was spotted groups would often shoot at them at the same time. The increased uses of ammunition lead to a shortage. When companies started making more to meet the need there was an economic collapse. People were bitten so they couldn’t go to work; production slowed because of the lack of workers; the value of the dollar plummeted and that is when the disaster began. Not with the zombies, but when society was no longer able to function.

Mollie had often considered what would happen if zombies actually came into existence. She had written in her journal many times over the past few years what would happen when a scientist decided to try to see if they could make a zombie. Morality of scientists didn’t seem to exist to Mollie. She had figured that at some point a scientist would go beyond wondering if they could make something rather than thinking if they should. So when the zombie apocalypse started she was prepared. She had spent so many years thinking about how she would go about protecting herself that she had a sort of blueprint in her mind; a kind of checklist. She spent the first few months building up her bunker and buying supplies. She paid for it all on credit of course; because once the zombies completely took over she did not think creditors would be knocking on her door trying to collect. Mollie knew money would only be good for so long. Once the economy collapsed, it would be about what you had and how you could protect it. Because it was not the super flu (she had planned for that inevitability as well) she knew that she would not want to be above ground. She had planned for these instances because she was a constant worrier. She did not worry about important things like her career, bills, or finding a suitable mate, but she instead worried about zombies and the super flu. These worries that seemed so foolish at the time turned out to be the thing that prepared her for the future better than anyone.

So Mollie prepared for the worst, buying up guns and ammunition, gasoline, generators, surveillance equipment, food, and other supplies making it possible for her to live comfortably. She figured out how to make her own ammunition for when she ran out, she gathered a large collection of books to teach her what she didn’t already know. And she did all this while most other people assumed the situation was under control. Her family thought she was going crazy and that she would regret her choices once the zombie population was exterminated. No matter how many times she told them that they should prepare they laughed at her worries.

It took almost a year for the trouble to really begin. Once the ammunition ran out people had to start carrying weapons which required a closer proximity to the zombies, which meant more people were bitten. Families did not want to kill their family member until they turned, which lead to families waiting too long and getting themselves attacked by their former loved ones. The virus or whatever it was (it was never really confirmed), was spread by fluids entering the blood stream. A simple bite wouldn’t condemn one to death, but zombie mouths were typically so full of saliva and blood that once they managed to bite down and take hold, it would be difficult to remove them without losing skin and letting the infection in. Some people would hide the fact that they were bitten until it was too late and they became a zombie as well. Some, nearing the end of their human life, would sit with a gun to their head but unable to pull the trigger out of fear, which lead to zombies walking around with guns still in their hands. It was awful to many because of the gun shortage, but nobody really wanted to wrestle a gun away from a zombie.

NaNoWriMo Again?!

Why do I set myself up for these things? I have no frakking idea. I guess I'm a masochist. I've decided to try again this year with a different tactic (because of last year's epic fail). Because I have a hard time focusing on one thing I'm going to give into my need to do multiple things and write a collection of short stories rather than one 50,000 word novel. Maybe that will help my writing ADD? Not sure but I guess I'll find out.

E-book Prices Give Me a Headache

There is really no reason an e-book should cost more than a paperback. I mean, think about it. There is no cost for paper, ink, printing, etc. The publishers set the cost and I understand them not wanting to lose money, but come on! What "reason" do they have for making something that costs them practically nothing to create vs the printing of a paperback? I come with examples....

All of the books above cost more than their paperback version, while the example below is at least the same.

I am more likely to buy something that is the same or (preferably) lower cost as the paperback. Am I the only one practically outraged by this? I think everyone who has the same issue needs to write to the publishers and demand lower prices. I didn't pay $150 for an e-reader to spend more money on books after all.

It's here!

I got my Kindle today, which has me all sorts of excited. I've been in a lull reading wise lately and haven't really found anything around that I've wanted to read. But, oh happy day, my Kindle finally arrived today (as a late Christmas present). I think it's awesome how many books are available and how many you can find for free. I've wanted to start reading classics so now I can do so leisurely without worrying about returning them to the library on time or having to buy them and have them just sit on my shelf... which really lacks in space. I think my husband will be glad for the space saving as well. Well, I'm off! Happy reading!

 A small sampling of the books I own. I need more shelf space... 

the rest of my collection is in boxes, the poor dears.

TOP 7 FAILS OF HISTORY- This makes me feel better about my NaNoWriMo fail

I'm a Slacker

I'm distracted this week. I have family visiting and internet that sometimes works. I'll be back to business next week. Keep reading!