Book Blogger take 18

October 25th - 31st: Halloween Edition: What is your favorite horror novel and why?

The Stand by Steven King - I have read this book over and over. I discovered it my freshman year of College by accident and I was sold. I remember watching the movie (that felt like it lasted 12 hours lol) but it just enhanced the book. I don't think I could ever get tired of this novel. I love so much about it, up to the point that one of the reasons I wanted to use Colorado Springs in my own book series was because it was so important inside The Stand.

Book Blogger Take 17

October 18th - 24th: Halloween Edition: Norman Bates VS Hannibal Lecter: Which one of these famous book murderers is scarier? (Optional Question: Who is your favorite book villain?)

Hannibal - hands down. I love how twisted and sick he is!  I would hate to be face to face with someone who could read me and my thoughts better than I can. He would intimidate me to no end!

For the option question - this is a very hard question for me. Not because I don't like villains but because I like so many!!! I think the best way for me to do this is to just list my top two.

Malfoy from Harry Potter by J. K. Rowling - Now some might argue that he wasn't a real true villain, but to me, he gave Harry a very hard time practically his whole youth and that makes hima villain. Why do I like him? I think its because I feel like Malfoy was crucial in how Harry turned out and with out the torment then I don't think he would have been the same.

Tanerk Raka from Blood Myth by Stacy A. Moran - I LOVE this character. He is made of raw sexuality. This is a new author, who yes, is a friend of mine. But I am just in-love with her character. He is everything I would want in a 'book boyfriend' and he is just fantastic. Ever since I first met her character (in the development stages of her book) I was sold. He kills, takes, invades and doesn't care who he hurts in the process. But his raw animal type qualities make him so desirable.

Book Blogger Take 16

October 11th - 17th: Halloween Edition: What scary book would you like turned into a feature film?


Oh man - this is hard - A lot of the scary books I have read are already movies. Hmmm, well, I think I'm going to have to go with any of Kay Hooper's SCU/Bishop series. I absolutely love Bishop and the whole Special Crimes Unit of the FBI. They deal with some crazy people and I think seeing them on screen would freak people out.

Book Blogger Take 15

Halloween Edition: 

What book gave you goose bumps?  

Answer:

Actually the Goosebump Series. I LOVED those books as a child. The Haunted Mask was the first scary book I ever read

How about you - what gave you goose bumps?

Book Blogger Hop Take 14

Question: What Weekly Meme's Do You Participate In?

Answer: I try to always participate in this meme if A) I remember and B) I have something to contribute to it. I also like Wordless Wednesday. I want to start trying to remember to participate in Teaser Tuesday or Six Sunday. I have found though I really enjoy this one because I feel like the people who follow this blog hop seem to come back on a more regular basis and I like repeat visits. It makes me feel like I'm making friends.

Book Blogger Take 13

September 6th - 12th: What got you started as a blogger? Everyone has a story/reason, what's yours?

For me I was told I needed to start blogging if I wanted to help increase my success as an author. I never realized how hard it would be - but it's something I love and I'm so glad that I joined the world of blogging!

Book Blogger Take 12

Question: Were you a born bookworm or somebody got you into the habit of reading?

I had no idea I was a book worm until I got wrapped up into the world of fiction. As a child I always liked books but I didn't LOVE them until high school when I started exploring Tami Hoag's mystery. She really changed my 'book  life' so to speak. Now, I read and read and read and it's my favorite way to pass the time.

Book Blogger Take 11

What's your favorite Classic Novel

For me, this has to be 1984 by George Orwell. I really loved this book in high school and I still enjoy it to this day. 

Another favorite, but I don't think its a 'classic' is The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster. This was the first real book I read. I love this book. I was about seven when I picked it up from a book store. I still have my original copy. For a birthday present, I gave the fifty year edition copy to my God-Daughter. She was turning the same age I was when I first read this book.

What about you?

Book Blogger Hop Take 10

  How long have you been blogging?

What a simple question - I've been blogging 11 months, it will be one year on August 29th. This has been such an adventure!! I love the blogging world and community. They have welcomed me with open arms and shown me such support.

As an author, it can be intimidating putting yourself out there for the whole world to see, and to judge. Blogging has provided me with another outlet for my emotions and my ideas. I've developed a few loyal fans from my blog posts on my site and my guest blogs on other sites and I am so thankful that I decided to start this blogging journey. 

It has taken me the full eleven months to have 100 followers (actually 106 with emails :) ) on my blog site and I have enjoyed every one of those new members. This is a completely different world than the Facebook or Twitter community that I am also reaching out too and I almost feel more so over here, 'these are my people!' Does that make sense? I feel that I have way more in common with other bloggers than some of the posts I see on Facebook.

Now I have started a second blog journey, with my good friend Jennifer. She and I have known each other since 2002, when we were at Sam Houston State University together. She and I have joked off and on for years about making a "Stalker" website. Mainly about our adventures (or fantasy adventures) with celebrities. We have a few good stories already to tell and a whole lot more to experience. It will be a different side of Ashley - this is more the Author, Book Lover, Reader Ashley. Over there - it will be the wild and crazy Ashley. So if you want to check us out (she's been blogging for a longggg time!) we are located here: Twisted Admiration.

Happy Blog Hopping!

Book Blogger Take 9

 

Would you read a book because of the Hype?

~Sighs~ I like to think I don't follow the crowd and think for myself but yes, I have to admit, I have read a select few books because of the hype. Here are a few books I read and my thoughts.

Best Book Hype - Hunger Games Series -- I absolutely LOVED LOVED LOVED these books!!!! I was so sad to see them end.

Biggest Disappointment Hype - Twilight -- I LOVE Vampire books and I was very anxious and excited to read these books, however, I wanted to choke Bella by the first half of book one. I read the entire series but yeah ... was just disappointed. This wasn't anything like the vamps I love from Sherrilyn Kenyon or JR Ward. 

Worst Book Hype - 50 Shades of Grey -- I stopped at Chapter Ten of book three with this series, I am SHOCKED I made it this far ... I couldn't handle this at all. First, the 'fan fiction' aspect of it annoyed me to no end (as an author myself I have a lot of issues with this.) But I really felt this book lacked believability. She didn't do that type of lifestyle any justice and I just am really blah'd about it. If people want a good erotica series there are so many others out there that actually get things right and I don't see the point in reading something that leaves the wrong impression to people.

Started out GREAT and ending with a Dud - Sookie Stackhouse -- I started out LOVING this series and somewhere around book 8 it started to fizzle. I haven't read 12 or 13 and I stalled on Chapter 3 of book 11. I think she started writing for the True Blood fans and not the Sookie Stackhouse Novel fans. 

So there you have it -- occasionally I am a sheep and follow the hype!

Book Blogger Hop - Take 8

What is your favorite genre? (genre that you read the most) - Recommend a book!

 

This is a hard one because there are a couple genre's I just adore.  I think what I'll do is state all of them and then recommend one from each genre.

Thriller/Myster- Hands down, the queen of this genre is Tami Hoag. I first read her book when I was in high school and I was instantly hooked. I highly recommend Ashes to Ashes, the first book of hers I read.

Romance - While I love a good romance by Ms. Hoag, the keeper of all things romance for me is Catherine Coulter. I love love love her Bride series so I highly suggest you start with The Sherbrooke Bride.

Paranormal - Now this is way harder for me, I love so many books in this genre and so many authors.Unlike the other two where I kind of stick to just a couple authors, the PNR world I branch out all the time. I also find that I get hooked on an author and then by their 9th or 10th book I'm just worn out and don't find them as good as the originals. I know previously I talked about Richelle Mead on one of the other posts and I think I'm going to have to stick with her. I've read two of her series so far and I have never had that diminishing enjoyment with her works. I would recommend the Georgina Kincaid series and Succubus Blues is book one.

What books would you recommend for me to read?

Book Blogger Hop Take 7

What's your favorite Trilogy??

My answer would have to be the Three Sisters Island Trilogy by Nora Roberts. It was one of the first books of hers that I read and it started my Nora Roberts addition.

Blurb: 

On an enchanted New England island, settled long ago by witches seeking sanctuary, three women must use their inherited gifts to save their home -- and themselves -- from an age-old curse, in the powerful romantic trilogy by the #1 NYTimes Bestselling author. 

Dance Upon the Air, Heaven and Earth, Face the Fire

Book Blogger Hop Take 6

May 31st - June 6th: What is your favorite series that you've finished all the books (more than 3 books) to?

Oh this is a REALLY hard question ... There are so many series that I love. Two stand out in my mind, one I hated to see end because I LOVED the characters and one I was so excited for the final book and then the twist inside the final book made me so mad that I wanted to throw my Kindle across the room. (But I didn't.)

I'll break it down series by series.

Dark Swan series by Richelle Mead was one that I was just heartbroken to see end. Euginie Markum is the lead female and she is a fantastic character. She has major depth and reading her journey is not only exciting, it's a necessity. I remember when I was reading the first book, I was instantly hooked. I quickly went to read the second and then from there I had to wait until book three came out. Ms. Mead writes these stories where you just can't put them down. It's a magical world that takes place on another realm. She's created these fascinating lands that take on the characteristics of their rulers. While the ending isn't what I would have liked, it was a good ending, one that I still am hopeful that there will be another book of later down the line. I haven't read The Vampire Academy by Ms Mead but I have read the Georgina Kincaid series about a succubus. It's equally good. One day I will read her Vampire Academy I just need to be in a place where I can devote a month to doing nothing but reading because I know once I start a novel of hers I won't want to stop.

Fever series by Karen Marie Moning, she wrote an ending to the series that I just am still, over a year later, upset about. I never ever ever would have seen the twist coming that she made and I let out a honest to god cry of, "NO!!!!!" when I read it. I remember just staring at my Kindle. I had to put it down, I couldn't continue reading. I was just so upset. It was like, Karen, how could you do this to me!! type moment. There is one character, V'Lane, that Ms Moning created. He was in my top three of my paranormal alphas that I was heavy on following. The way she wrote him pulled me in. At the same token, the lead man in her series, Jerricho Barrons - while he is a VERY strong Alpha - he was NOT for me. I loved to hate him. Where she took these two leading men - well, it blew me away. I have not yet started her spin off about Dani, MacKayla's sister, but I will. I just had to get over the ending - as I have stated it still haunts me.

Book Blogger Hop - Take 5

May 17th - 23rd: What is your guilty pleasure read? 

 Hmmmm this is a hard one. I don't think I have a 'guilty pleasure' but I do have a book that I turn to when I really am down or just need a guaranteed good read. Dark Paradise by Tami Hoag.

 

First off Tami Hoag has been my favorite author for YEARS. Probably pushing an easy 15 years to be exact. This story of hers was first published in 1994. It is about an ex-court reporter Marilee Jennings and this cowboy, J.D. Raferty.

I love J.D. Every cowboy I read about in books I compare to him. He is a hard man to break down but once you get to his soft spot, you won't turn back.

Book Blogger Hop

Topic of this weeks hop: What was the last book you re-read? Or name a book you would like to re-read.

The last book I re-read was a book by my friend and co-author, L.S. Broomfield. It is the manuscript of her soon to be published Cruentus: Rise to Power.

It is a great novella, takes place a few centuries ago. Warlocks and Covens will invade your mind. It's a different style of writing, at least different from what I am used to reading. Her writing style is unique and I think that helps set it apart from the rest of the crowd. 

If you like paranormal and specifically witches and warlocks then this book comes highly recommended. There is conspiracy, betrayal, manipulation, sex and great characters that you just really want more of.

Here is her cover. Her website is lsbroomfield.blogspot.com you should check her out I really do love her writing.

If you leave a comment and your email then join my blog I will email you one of my ebooks for free. Just tell me your preference, paranormal, mystery, poetry or erotic.

Book Blogger Hop

Topic: The last book I read that was recommended by someone, and did I like it.

 The last book I read that was suggested to me would be American Gods by Neil Gaimon. My husband suggested it to me, for us to read together. It was really REALLY hard to get through the first chapter. It had a lot of parenthesis inside - something I hate reading inside a book. My husband made it a bit further inside the book but we had to put it down. We were very disappointed because we wanted something to read together. Guess it's back to the drawing board for us.

Friday Book Blogger Take 2

Last Book To Make Me Laugh Out Loud 

Okay this is going to be really sad but I had to look through my 'recent' purchases on my Kindle to figure out which book made me laugh out loud last. Most of the books I read are not 'funny' in nature. Sadly, the only response to this is 50 Shades of Gray. This was the last book I laughed out loud with. And not because it was funny but because I was completely disgusted by it. 

Don't get me wrong I'm not a prude, I enjoy erotic books but this was just such a bad representation of the genre and almost a complete rip off of Twilight. I laughed because I kept thinking, 'what the fuck am I reading'. I have major issues with this book on so many levels. Way to many to get into on this blog. 

But how sad is this - I read that book last fall around October-ish and I haven't laughed, really laughed, at a book since. Hmmm - Maybe this means I need to add a bit of humor to my book collections.

Now in 2012 I read the Fletch books with my husband and I kept laughing with those books in a good way. I really enjoyed them.

Book Blogger Hop

 

The Last Book To Make Me Cry

So this really made me stop for a second and think ... when is the last time I cried while reading a book? Most of the books that I read don't invoke enough sadness in me to make me cry. It's normally more the romantic feelings and what not. 

The Hunger Games series I would have to be the one I think made me cry last. And that's been about a year and a half since I read them. Everything about it tore at my heart. How they treated their society, their children. The teenagers inside the games.

It makes me wonder if our society could really become like that. So twisted that we have these insane laws and behaviors that are unjustifiable in any normal standards of decency. 

Reading about the whole communities of people watching the television, cheering people no, children, off to their deaths.

Reading this made me remember my high school years and reading 1984 and Animal Farm. 

I hope that our lives are not creating a path that future generations need to worry about the government becoming so involved in their lives that they take them over completely.

Well this was my little rant about all this ... Check out the blog hop and more posts about books that made you cry.