Thursday, September 30, 2010

Thoughtful Thursday--It's All About You!

To keep with the theme of  being thoughtful, I thought it was  high time I got to know my followers better.  I'd like to do some surprised giveaways, and I would just like to learn a little about you.  So here is the form that if you would so kind, I would love for you to fill it out!  Thanks!

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Well-Spoken Wednesday--Book Websites and a Blog Promotion

Okay, let's get this over with first.  My niece just got her blog going again, and I finally began following her again.   It is called It's All About the Schiltz.  She has a beautiful blog, and I she always gives the nicest feedback.  So check her out.



Now, I realize that what I share tonight, most of you probably know about.  But for the few of my readers who don't know about these sites, you can learn about them and maybe visit and even join them.

The very first site I ever found about books was Shelfari.  For years, I did nothing with the site. You can search out your current reads, post reviews, get personalized book recommendations, join groups, rate books, etc.  I really like the graphics representation of your book shelf on this blog.


Now on to the one that you probably know.  It is Good Reads. This is the biggest site for readers to connect.  It has everything--current reads, groups, recommendations, ratings, and even contests.  I even noticed last night that there is a section called "swap."  I haven't checked it out yet, but I wonder if it is something where you list books you want to swap, and someone has a book you like, and you both swap.  I wonder.  I'll have to check it out. There are authors on goodreads, and this site has every book imaginable.  It is easy to put your review in your blog, and it is also easy to update your facebook and twitter status.


The third site I would like to mention is the reading room.  I will  tell you right now that this site is not an easy site to navigate.  I think that updating what you are reading is very difficult.  My understanding is that it is still a fairly new site, and they do not have the same amount of books listed as the other sites.  I know  they are running a promotion to get more people to join the site.  I don't use this site much, but maybe in time it will pick  up.

Now  I know a site that you may not know about.  Have you finished a book and you are not sure what to read next?  I have the solution.  Yes, you could go to amazon.  However, you will get some really good recommendations on Book Seer.  As long as you know the name and author of the last book you read, you can get an effective recommendation.  I have not used it as much recently since I have book recommendations coming out of my ears with all the blogs I follow.  But I certainly will use it again.

So what is my current read?  Well, I have two books.  I am reading Throw Out Fifty Things: Clear the Clutter, Find Your Life and Where Hearts Are Free (A Darkness to Light Novel) (I am reviewing this for Book Sneeze.)  I would recommend both so far, but I'll get my reviews written as soon as I'm done reading.

So do you have any reading sites you would like to share?  I look forward to what you might be sharing.  And please, enter my creative writing giveaway please.  I will probably extend the deadline.  So be sure to read the updated timeline.