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Friday, November 25, 2011

Feature and Follow Friday (#10)


It's that time again (I almost forgot!). The lovely Parajunkee's View and Alison Can Read host a Friday blog hop where bloggers answer a question and discover the awesome blogs of others.

Q: It’s Thanksgiving Day in the U.S. so we want to know what you are Thankful for – blogging related of course! Who has helped you out along the way? What books are you thankful for reading?

I totally started the blogging world blind. I went to a workshop at an OWFI writing conference, and one of the workshops was about how important it is to build connections through blogging. After looking at the blogs of some wonderful women I hung out at the conference with (Brandi Barnett, Sonia Gensler, and Lisa Marotta-all three very supportive ladies), I was inspired to start my own! It didn't look that hard:) After a few personal posts on Jenna's Blog, I stumbled across Sab's YA Bliss. From its design to her candid reviews, her blog was engaging, and I decided I had to change my blog's focus right away to also reflect my passion for reading.

There are two bloggers I really look up to: Kristan from Lost Amongst the Shelves and Sheree from Beckoned by Books. These two started blogging just about the same time as me. I've asked both of them for help on numerous occasions, and they are always there with a kind word and encouragement! They aren't just sweet to me; they comment on others' posts all the time and seriously spread joy in the book blogging community. I really wish we all knew each other in person because I bet we'd get along fabulously. Thank you both!

I'm thankful for all the marvelous ladies who've participated in my Must Read Monday meme (in addition to Kristan and Sheree)- you are all so creative and incredibly awesome! (Jinky @ Jinky is Reading, Aimee @ Getting Your Read On, Pam @ At Home Between the Pages, Susanne @ A Reader in Time, Hira @ Views and Reviews,  Donna @ The Happy Booker, Chrissie @ Once Upon a Series, Michelle @ Much Loved Books, Lisa @ Lisa Loves Literature, and Amy @ Amy's Book Den).

I'm thankful to all of my followers and commenters! There's nothing that will make your day like seeing you have a new comment, as we all know:) The book blogiverse is so friendly. I'm thankful for my best friend Ashley who also post reviews on this blog. We have the same taste in music, movies, and books.

Also, it's pretty cool that there are people willing to send out free copies of books in exchange for a review. Many thanks are extended to the publishers and authors who send their "babies" out and have blind faith that some readers somewhere will like it. You make our task as reviewers that much more thrilling.

Brenda Price, my high school's librarian, has done so much to promote my blog among faculty/staff and students! I love discussing books with her, and her enthusiasm about YA lit encourages me to continue. Thanks, Brenda, for being an inspiration!

As far as books go, I'm thankful for every book I've read. Whether good or bad, I have taken something away after the last page is turned. Without literature, a big chunk of our world would be flat. Most recently, I'm grateful for the books that have made me cry. For an author's words to draw that kind of response out of a person, it is a work of brilliance: The Book Thief, Delirium, Stolen, Mocking Jay.

Phew, that's a ton. I just acted like I was giving an Academy Awards speech or something:)
So what are you thankful for (blogging-related, of course!)?

35 comments:

So many books, so little time said...

Hi Happy Follow Friday, I am your newest follower. Not too many more to get until you hit your 300 :D


It has been a while since I have done this.

I am thankful for the bloggers, the authors who have asked for reviews and introduced me to new genres and also the fabulous bloggers who are always quick to offer help and always take time out to say hi or comment on reviews and posts.

Lainy http://www.alwaysreading.net

Unknown said...

Old follower hopping by to return the visit & subscribe to your RSS feed. :-) I think that's wonderful that you've found so many people to be thankful for!

sinn said...

Oh wow, you have had a major support team! Awesome! That was a wonderful and well-written thank-you ^_~ I'm sure you made someone's day!


Here's mine: http://sinnfulbooks.blogspot.com/2011/11/follow-friday_25.html

New follower ^_~

sinn @ sinnful books

Megan at Book Brats said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Megan at Book Brats said...

I hope you're having a wonderful day after Thanksgiving! I am grateful for every follower that I gain and ever comment that I get, so I can echo what you've said. New follower :D

Megan at Book Brats

Kristin Aragon said...

I am also thankful for every single book I have read. Loved or hated, they all taught me something.

Old follower hopping through!

Have a great weekend.

My Follow Friday

~Kristin

Anonymous said...

Lots of great books and bloggers!

Thanks for stopping by mine. :) Hope you have a great weekend!

Sherre said...

Awww!!! I feel so special! I always feel like a stalker in the blog world. Like I want to run around and tell people how much they mean to me and how much they're like my best friends and we should hang out and meet somewhere and all that. Then I calm myself down and say "No, they don't even know me. They'd think I'm a crazy psycho or something. Just shut your mouth and continue stalking their page" Ha! Well its good to know that people like me too! (now I really sound like a loner!)

Thanks so much for stopping by! I agree that we'd be wonderful friends if we actually hung out outside of on the computer.

Laura said...

Thanks for stopping by my blog. I'm a new follower.

I loved Mockingjay and all of the Hunger Games books

LLM said...

Thanks for stopping by my blog and following along. There are so many helpful bloggers.

New follower.
ABookGeek

Kate @ Kates Book Life said...

Thanks for stopping by my blog and returning the favour although I can't follow back as I can't see anything on the sides (no GFC for me to follow) :( I will kepp coming by you blog though and try and comment of ther features on your blog.
Great post I love the Hunger Games although not Mockingjay as much, I have never read Delirium but it has a lot of rave reviews that have now made me want to read it.

Melliane said...

It's very nice to do something like that. I think the same.

thanks for stopping by our blog.

Jinky said...

Aww, thanks for the shout out Jenna! --Beautiful and thoughtful of you to cover all involved in our wonderful world of books/book blogging. I will not be surprise when soon your blog will be well known by tons. Continued success to you mi dear.

The Scarf Princess said...

Great response to this week's question. Congratulations on having such a great support system too. Thanks for becoming a follower of my site, I'm now following you back.

The Scarf Princess

Anonymous said...

Thanks for following my blog! I'm following yours back, and I love your background! I started in the blogging world bling, too, but I'm doing pretty good now!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for following me on twitter, I followed you back.

Jessica @ a GREAT read said...

There's so much to be thankful for! It's hard to do a short post for it!

Thanks for visiting and following my blog! I follow you now too!

Have a GREAT weekend!

NEW Follower :D

Unknown said...

hey thanks for stopping by my blog! i love finding new blogs to follow! see you around!
-Alana, NF

LadyD Piano said...

Following you back. What a lovely blog you have. Nice to meet you!

Aeicha @ Word Spelunking said...

Hi! I'm a new follower, hopping through!

I'm always so grateful and surprised every time a publisher, author, etc sends me an ARC for review.

Here's my Friday Memes

Erin N said...

*New Follower*

Following back! You have a great blog here and a very long but wonderful answer to this weeks FF!

Kim said...

That's a great shoutout list! I'm also thankful for my followers leaving comments. Every comment just brightens up my day :)

New follower.

Kim @ The Paper Planes

Unknown said...

Thanks for the mention! I'll start participating again as soon as I finish the NaNoWriMo madness lol Great answer btw and thanks for stopping by my blog! Have a great weekend!

Susanne said...

Thanks for the shout out!! I enjoy participating in your meme. Hope you have a great weekend!

Getting Your Read On said...

Wow, thanks for the mention! Your thankful list is so kind to so many. I'm so glad to be blogging with you. The meme is fun and I think you are great. :)

Kristan said...

I can't even begin to tell you how much this made me smile! I'm so happy and thankful that we've become friends through books and totally agree, if we ever met outside of Blogger I know we would be fast friends. I look forward to many more of your posts, reviews, memes, emails and comments!!! Love your blog =) You're seriously one of my favorites!

Kristan
(And I'm still smiling like a goofball)

Goldilox said...

Thanks for stopping by!!! Happy FF! :)

Alison Can Read said...

Hopping through. How cool that you thanked your h.s.'s librarian. It's always nice when people promote YA books.

Lauren B said...

Its so wonderful how many people have helped us along the way.
Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend.

Melliane said...

Some nice blog. It"s always great to thank the persons who help us

old follower

mine is here

Natasha said...

New follower:) Thanks for hopping by my blog:D

If that is an Academy award speech, it's one of the greatest one yet:) I've always wanted to read the Book Thief, I heard it was an epic story so I'm having good prospects for that book!

Alexia said...

Thanks for stopping by :) Regarding your question - Yeah I did do my header... after a lot of struggle lol
Hope you have a fabulous weekend xx

Unknown said...

Awww! Thank you for the shout out! I'm thankful for awesome fellow bloggers like you! =D
Thanks for visiting & commenting! I hope you complete your goal too! Thanks again! =)
~Hira @ Views & Reviews
P.S I love your name, Jenna! It has always been one of my favorite names!

Bellas Shelf said...

Thank you for following my blog :) I enjoy meeting new bloggers. I adore your blog. I will def enjoy coming back to read your new reviews and checking out your Monday meme too :)
See u Monday!
Books&Beyond

Sonia Gensler said...

Hey Jenna! Thanks for the mention -- what a great group of Okie writers we have, eh?