My Decision on Goodreads vs BookLikes

After months of comparing Goodreads to BookLikes I have decided to stick with Goodreads.  For one thing copying everything to both is a chore.  I post my reviews on my blog, then Goodreads, then BookLikes and sometimes even Amazon.  It's a real pain.  So I stopped posting to BookLikes sometime in December.  I'm not sure when but I realized I had stopped posting there.  Also, I already have a blog so the blog format of BookLikes isn't really needed.  I know they are still working on their site but there are things that they don't have that I wish they did.  I don't like the format of the groups.  I love the way the Goodreads groups are set up.

So after giving it several months trial and using both I have decided to drop BookLikes.  I don't like how you can't really assign the format of a book without a real pain in the butt.  I don't like how the reviews aren't easy to find.  Truthfully I'm just not happy with much of anything.  What I do like is how I can read people's posts.  BUT this is very similar to Bloglovin' on my iPad so I'll use that and concentrate on Goodreads and blogs.  I know this post is random and not very organized but those are my thoughts and my decision.  If you have any thoughts on my decision please leave a comment.

Feature & Follow Friday #10

This is a weekly meme hosted by: Alison Can Read and Parajunkee that is aimed to help bloggers grow their audience and make new friends. They feature two bloggers every week and have a question for everyone to answer...

This week's question: 

Who is your blogger BFF? Tell us a little bit about him or her? If not tell us why you need or don’t need a blogger BFF.

Answer: 

I have no blogger BFF.

I would love to have a blogger BFF so that we can compare notes on blogging and collaborate on fun things like contests.  It could be like a big fun party!

(Review) Shelter Mountain ★★★★★

Author: Robyn Carr
Genre: Contemporary Romance
384 pages

For the second time in a year a woman arrives in the small town of Virgin River trying to escape the past.

John “Preacher” Middleton is about to close the bar when a young woman and her three-year-old son come in out of a wet October night. A marine who has seen his share of pain, Preacher knows a crisis when he sees one—the woman is covered in bruises. He wants to protect them, and he wants to punish whoever did this to her, but he knows immediately that this inclination to protect is something much more. Paige Lassiter has stirred up emotions in this gentle giant of a man—emotions that he has never allowed himself to feel.

But when Paige’s ex-husband turns up in Virgin River, Preacher knows his own future hangs in the balance. And if there’s one thing in the marines’ motto of Semper Fidelis—always faithful—has taught him, it’s that some things are worth fighting for.

(Review) Virgin River ★★★★★

Author: Robyn Carr
Genre: Contemporary Romance
386 pages

Wanted: Midwife/nurse practitioner in Virgin River, population six hundred. Make a difference against the backdrop of towering California redwoods and crystal-clear rivers. Rent-free cabin included.

When the recently widowed Melinda Monroe sees this ad she quickly decides that the remote mountain town of Virgin River might be the perfect place to escape her heartache, and to reenergize the nursing career she loves. But her high hopes are dashed within an hour of arriving: the cabin is a dump, the roads are treacherous and the local doctor wants nothing to do with her. Realizing she's made a huge mistake, Mel decides to leave town the following morning.

But a tiny baby, abandoned on a front porch, changes her plans...and a former marine cements them into place.

Melinda Monroe may have come to Virgin River looking for escape, but instead she finds her home.

This is #1 in A Virgin River Novel.

Top Ten Tuesday #2

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. Each week they will post a new Top Ten list for everyone to answer.


January 14 2014: Top Ten 2014 Debuts I'm Excited For-

Vampire Most Wanted

Up From the Grave



The Undead Pool



6th Grave on the Edge



Night Broken



Bear Naked



The Book of Life



Shield of Winter

The Winter King

True

(Review) Candlelight Christmas ★★★★☆

Author: Susan Wiggs
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Source: NetGalley- Harlequin
336 pages

A single father who yearns to be a family man, Logan O'Donnell is determined to create the perfect Christmas for his son, Charlie. The entire O'Donnell clan arrives to spend the holidays in Avalon, a postcard-pretty town on the shores of Willow Lake, a place for the family to reconnect and rediscover the special gifts of the season.

One of the guests is a newcomer to Willow Lake— Darcy Fitzgerald. Sharp-witted, independent and intent on guarding her heart, she's the last person Logan can see himself falling for. And Darcy is convinced that a relationship is the last thing she needs this Christmas.

Yet between the snowy silence of the winter woods, and toasty moments by a crackling fire, their two lonely hearts collide. The magic of the season brings them each a gift neither ever expected—a love to last a lifetime.

2014 Book Bloggers New Years Challenge Day 12

I plan to visit other blogs and comment on their blogs with a link back to my blog.  Since I am new to blogging I'm not sure what else I can do to draw traffic.

The Sheriff Catches a Bride ★★☆☆☆

Author: Cora Seton
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Source: NetGalley- One Acre Press

When county sheriff Cab Johnson gets a hunch, he’s learned to trust it, and his hunch tells him Rose Bellingham is in a peck of trouble. Bad enough he’s in love with her, bad enough she’s already engaged to Jason Thayer. He’s got to figure out what she’s hiding before he loses her for good.

Rose can’t stand one more person meddling in her business, even if that person is a handsome, eligible sheriff. She’s been controlled for far too long. But since her fiancé’s father is both her boss and landlord, she can’t dump Jason until she’s got somewhere to run. She’s found the perfect place: a patch of forest outside town. But with Cab watching her every move, she’s hard pressed to finish her hideaway so she can make her escape. Meanwhile, she’s not the only one with problems. Can she find a way to help her friends, too?

Just when Cab solves one mystery, more pop up. Where does Rose keep disappearing to? What’s wrong with Mia Start? Why is Hannah Chatham lying to her fiancé? At least he’s let Rose know he’s interested. And if he’s not mistaken, she’s interested, too.

Rose’s hideaway is perfect, until her friends invade it to escape their own troubles. Can she trust them to keep its whereabouts a secret? Does she want to hide from Cab anymore? Now that Jason’s out of the picture, is it safe to follow her heart?

When two unexpected visitors arrive with secrets of their own, Chance Creek must brace for its deadliest night ever. Can Cab figure out the connections between all the mysteries fast enough?

Or will Rose and her friends pay the ultimate price?

2014 Book Bloggers New Years Challenge Day 11

I keep my TBR shelf on Goodreads so this is an easy one: 355

How about you?  What is your number?

Reading Slumps

In October I wrote a post on reading binges.  You can read that post here.  A reading binge is when I start reading a series and can't stop until I've read the entire series.  Or, I'll read one book and as soon as it's done I have to pick up another book immediately.  I might even read several books at once switching between the books.  Or one on audio, one on e-book and one in paperback.  Yea I'm that addicted to reading!

But lately I have the opposite problem.  I seem to be in a reading slump.  I pick up a book, read a few pages and put it down.  Try another book and the same thing happens.  I've tried different genres, audio and ebook  nothing helps. I used to have reading slumps that lasted months but now that I have a book blog I'm worried!  I have enough reviews lined up that I can manage for awhile but my gosh I hope this reading slump doesn't last like it used to.  Especially with all the pressure to read and review books for authors and NetGalley.

When my kids were young I would go months between books and it would take me a month just to read one book.  Now I normally average a book a day.  I can't just take a break from reading.  So help me out people!  How do you handle your reading slumps?