Ok, before the lists, I was hoping to ask for critiques from all you fellow book bloggers (or just those with an opinion) out there. We started our blog in the middle of September and have had so much fun since then, although definitely posted much less in December due to 36 (!!!) hours of driving and many weeks of visiting family. PLEASE, we won't be offended, we just want to know what you like, what you hate, what you would improve, get rid of....anything. You can email us (on our right sidebar our are email addresses) or you can just comment on this post. I would love it if you would be specific and tell us what you think about our reviews, what you want to see more/less of, etc. Thanks also to you all who have wonderful blogs that we visit and get ideas from!
Giveaway:
For those of you that comment/email/etc. and give us your opinion, you will be entered into a drawing to win Darcy's Story by Janet Aylmer. You have to tell us what you think to be entered and not some sweet comment about how you love our blog - tell us what you really think and what you want us to improve. Telling us what you like is helpful so we know what not to change.
This will end when we're satisfied with the response - oh, about mid to late January. And it's open internationally as well, so I hope that brings a few smiles.
Ok. Here our are book reviews from 2009 - this is not including anything graded in Terrific Authors on Tuesday or other posts. This is strictly full reviews - there are a lot of them since some of them are books we read earlier in the year, and our favorites are bolded. This also includes Memory Monday reviews. Click on the title to go to the individual posts.
September
Angel Girl, by Laurie Friedman
The Red Necklace, by Sally Gardner
The Secret Olivia Told Me, by N. Joy
The Safe-Keeper's Secret and The Truth-Teller's Tale, by Sharon Shinn
The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins
The Revolution of Sabine, by Beth Levine Ain
Violet Wings, by Victoria Hanley
Heroes of the Valley, by Jonathan Stroud
Mortal Engines, by Phillip Reeve
The Hollow, by Jessica Verday
The Last Apprentice: Revenge of the Witch, by Joseph Delaney
Genesis, by Bernard Beckett
North and South, by Elizabeth Gaskell
Storm Glass, by Maria V. Snyder
General Winston's Daughter, by Sharon Shinn
The Amaranth Enchantment, by Julie Berry
Climbing the Stairs, by Padma Venkatraman
Bewitching Season, by Marissa Doyle
The Declaration, by Gemma Malley
The Ruby in the Smoke, by Phillip Pullman
The Magician's Elephant, by Kate DiCamillo
The Codex Series, by Jim Butcher - this received an "A" by our guest reviewer, but as of yet, it's still on our 'to read' list.
A Northern Light, by Jennifer Donnelly
A Sweet Disorder, by Jacqueline Kolosov
The Magic Thief Series, by Sarah Prineas
Wintergirls, by Laurie Halse Anderson
Torched, by April Henry
October
Betraying Season, by Marissa Doyle
The Magic of Ordinary Days, by Ann Howard Creel
Academy 7, by Anne Osterlund
Undercover, by Beth Kephart
Newes From the Dead, by Mary Hooper
The Red Necklace, by Sally Gardner (later duo review)
Shrinking Violet, by Danielle Joseph
The Musician's Daughter, by Susanne Dunlap
Gilda Joyce: The Dead Drop, by Jennifer Allison
The Vesper Holly Series, by Lloyd Alexander
Dragon's Bait, by Vivian Vande Velde
Thornspell, by Helen Lowe
Sphinx's Princess, by Esther Friesner
The Resistance, by Gemma Malley
The Silver Blade, by Sally Gardner
Troubadour, by Mary Hoffman
Derby Girl, by Shauna Cross
Hush, Hush, by Becca Fitzpatrick
Read My Lips, by Teri Brown
The Magnificent Obsession, by Lloyd C. Douglas
Atherton: The Dark Planet, by Patrick Carman
The Pale Assassin, by Patricia Elliott
The Painted Veil, by W. Somerset Maugham
November
The Forbidden Sea, by Sheila Nielson
Skulduggery Pleasant: The Faceless Ones, by Derek Landy
Jilly's Ghost, by Dian Curtis Regan
Splendor, by Anna Godbersen
The Blue Shoe, by Roderick Townley
Fortune's Folly, by Deva Fagan
Obernewtyn, by Isobelle Carmody
City of Masks, by Mary Hoffman
The Espressologist, by Kristina Springer
The Black Tattoo, by Sam Enthoven
Girl Gives Birth To Own Prom Date, by Todd Strasser
A School For Sorcery, by E. Rose Sabin
December
The Candle Man, by Glenn Dakin
Fire, by Kristin Cashore
The Maze Runner, by James Dashner
Crows and Cards, by Joseph Helgerson
Stealing Heaven, by Elizabeth Scott
Green Rider, by Kristen Britain
The White Giraffe, by Lauren St. John
The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate, by Jacqueline Kelly
The Game of Sunken Places, by M. T. Anderson
Legally Blonde, by Amanda Brown
A Cricket in Times Square, by George Selden
Emily and the Silent King, by Irven Keppen
Girl in The Arena, by Lise Haines
7 comments:
My suggestion is to add Feedburner so readers can subscribe by email.
For me the lists are hard to read because they are so extensive, especially when you are listing books by one author (ie, Avi and Lloyd Alexander).
I like the fact that you posted all the books you reviewed since starting the blog. Perhaps do it at the end of each month?
Also, I haven't seen you go back and review any of your Friday Finds and if you have, could you link or mention that were a "Find".
I really enjoy the blog though. I love how honest you are about things and that you use "Memory Monday".
I'm a new blogger, so I hardly feel qualify to offer any criticisms. But since you're asking us to not just say, "Love your blog!"... Maybe add a bit of color to the site? There's alot of white.
But really, you're doing great! Thanks for the chance to enter. I love me some Darcy!
Laura Hartness
The Calico Critic
CalicoCritic@gmail.com
I really don't have anything negative to say, only as a suggestion adding a little colors would be good. I really love the fact that you have contests on your sidebar, it is easy from there to click around the ones that you are interested about.
milkareads[at]yahoo[dot]com
I like your layout, it's clear and easy to follow! What's more important to readers like me and what makes me loyal is the follow through and good communication by the blogger for prizes that don't arrive. I've experienced this quite a number of times and even after following up with the blogger after an 8+ week wait, sometimes there is no reply from the blogger and the prizes never arrive.
I love your blog, Jenny, truly, and I'm not just saying that because I'm your aunt! It's wonderful.
I'm excited about your adding ages the books are appropriate for.
Your reviews have been really helpful with my girls when they want to read something and I don't have time to read it first. I'm always sending Lonnie to check if you've reviewed it...if so, and you're ok with it, then I'll let her read it. (And then I read it.) I'm finding that your tastes and mine are pretty similar.
Thanks for being on top of it! You've done a really nice job.
I like your blog and I like your style of writing. I would like to add a suggestion - it seems a tad overcrowded and unless you are familiar with the layout it takes awhile to go around and find what you need. Maybe its only me as I am a bit slow.
mystica123athotmaildotcom
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