15 Day Book Blogger Challenge: Day 15 Who are your book blogging mentors?

I read about this challenge yesterday on various book blogs that I stalk read and I decided to join in. The challenge  was created by April @ Good Books, Good Wine and I think it's a very good and interesting idea. So here I am :) If you want to do this too, go to her Day 1 page to learn how :D

Want to see past topics? Click on the links below to see them:

       Day 1            Day 6            Day 11
       Day 2            Day 7            Day 12
       Day 3            Day 8            Day 13
       Day 4            Day 9            Day 14
       Day 5            Day 10

Day 15 Who are your book blogging mentors?

First let me take a moment to say how sad I am this challenge has come to an end. I had so much fun doing it and reading everyone's opinions, thoughts and rants. Also I got to read about some interesting books and I got some great advice about blogging and that's always a good thing.

My book blogging mentors. To be honest, I look up to a lot of people. They either give great advice, tips, tricks, tutorials, or they just make me want to become a better blogger myself.

• Rachel @ Parajunkee
• Carmel @ Rabid Reads
• Ashley @ Nose Graze
• Brianna @ The Book Vixen

That's just to name a few. 

What about you? Who are your blogging mentors?

15 Day Book Blogger Challenge: Day 14: Tell us your dealbreakers

I read about this challenge yesterday on various book blogs that I stalk read and I decided to join in. The challenge  was created by April @ Good Books, Good Wine and I think it's a very good and interesting idea. So here I am :) If you want to do this too, go to her Day 1 page to learn how :D

Want to see past topics? Click on the links below to see them:

       Day 1            Day 6            Day 11
       Day 2            Day 7            Day 12
       Day 3            Day 8            Day 13
       Day 4            Day 9
       Day 5            Day 10

Day 14: Tell us your dealbreakers

Before I list my bookish dealbreakers, let me tell you something. In school I hated most of the books we had to read for the literature class. When I say most of them, I say about 90% of them. Classics bore me to death and they never helped me find my passion for reading. There were few classic books that I read and enjoyed, but we never studied those *bummer* So when I graduated high school I promised myself I would never force myself to read a book. If I honestly don't enjoy reading it, I'll put it down and never pick it up again. This is also why you'll probably never see a review with less than 3 cups on here. I really do have a lot more books to read and potentially love than to read something that I don't even mildly like.

So my dealbreakers. Well, they're quite a few:

1. Grammar - look, I don't pretend to know a lot of grammar, I make mistakes all the time and I know it. Everyone makes small mistakes. But huge ones will pull me out of the story.
2. Name changing characters - am I reading about Michelle or Elizabeth? For that matter is it really a she or is it a he? I like to know who I'm reading about, who's head am I in. I hate being so confused by a character that keeps using different names, unless it has something to do with the story: he/she is a spy or a thief or undercover cop or something like that. If it's an error, I'll know and I'll hate it.
3. Silly phrases -"My inner goddess" anyone?? It's phrases like this that make me laugh and not in a good way. You want me to laugh because of what your character is doing, right? (PS: No, I haven't read that book. No, I will not read that book. I think everyone knows about this inner goddess thingie, though :P )
4. Typos - too many typos really ruin it for me.
5. Characters that annoy me - I'm talking about those books where the main character makes you want to break something. The type of character you can't stand and this is especially difficult to deal with when it's a main character, at least to me.
6. Dictionary, stay beside me - have I mentioned English is not my fist language? Even so, I do believe I have a pretty big vocabulary in this language, so why should I read a book that forces me to use a dictionary every five, six sentences? Is it a non-fiction cleverly disguised as fiction?
7. A story that goes nowhere - Plot, pacing, development, character building, world building. I want it all and more. I want to read about a book that leads somewhere, otherwise I'll stare at the tree outside my window hoping to see a leaf fall.
8. Repetition - You know, I might have a memory as big as a regular goldfish sometime, but I'm not exactly an idiot. I'm fine with reminding me certain things, especially in long series, but to repeat the same thing over and over and over again AND using the same words will pretty much mean I'll be very reluctant to read another book by that author. 

These are my bookish dealbreakers. Though even if I find myself reading a book that sometimes has one of these 8 points, it takes quite a lot to pull me out of the story. Though once I'm out, I can't get back in. Which sucks, because at times I realize that the book I'm reading might even be a good one.

What about you? What are your dealbreakers?

15 Day Book Blogger Challenge: Day 13: Describe one underappreciated book everyone should read

I read about this challenge yesterday on various book blogs that I stalk read and I decided to join in. The challenge  was created by April @ Good Books, Good Wine and I think it's a very good and interesting idea. So here I am :) If you want to do this too, go to her Day 1 page to learn how :D

Want to see past topics? Click on the links below to see them:

       Day 1            Day 6            Day 11
       Day 2            Day 7            Day 12
       Day 3            Day 8
       Day 4            Day 9
       Day 5            Day 10

Day 13: Describe one  underappreciated book everyone should read

I actually have no real answer for this task. I'm sure there are lots of amazing books that need to be read by more people. I have read books that I think everyone should read. Then again, it's all a matter of taste. How many times has it happened to you to read a book everyone loved and you ended up being only "meh" about it? I know I have. Or a book you loved that you told everyone about and one of those people tells you he/she didn't like it?

I don't really think there are underappreciated books. Overappreciated maybe, but again, it's all about your taste and your reading experience. Take whatever book you've read and look at both positive and negative reviews. Unless the book is excruciatingly bad, there'll be almost an equal number of positive and negative reviews (honest reviews).

So I don't have any recommendation of any book that fits this description.

What about you?

15 Day Book Blogger Challenge: Day 12: How do you fight blogger fatigue?

I read about this challenge yesterday on various book blogs that I stalk read and I decided to join in. The challenge  was created by April @ Good Books, Good Wine and I think it's a very good and interesting idea. So here I am :) If you want to do this too, go to her Day 1 page to learn how :D

Want to see past topics? Click on the links below to see them:

       Day 1            Day 6            Day 11
       Day 2            Day 7
       Day 3            Day 8
       Day 4            Day 9
       Day 5            Day 10

Day 12: How do you fight blogger fatigue?

My two most trusted ways to fight blogger fatigue are:

1. take a break
2. think of ways to redesign blog

I can honestly say I've changed my mind about my current design more times than I can count over the last few months. I don't change it though because I'd never fully love whatever I choose.

Another way is to do challenges like this one. 

I don't have many ideas, especially since this year I haven't had so much time to get blogger fatigue. Which kind of sucks, if you ask me. 

What about you? How do you fight blogger fatigue?

15 Day Book Blogger Challenge: Day 11: Show Off! 5 of your best blog posts!

I read about this challenge yesterday on various book blogs that I stalk read and I decided to join in. The challenge  was created by April @ Good Books, Good Wine and I think it's a very good and interesting idea. So here I am :) If you want to do this too, go to her Day 1 page to learn how :D

Want to see past topics? Click on the links below to see them:

       Day 1            Day 6
       Day 2            Day 7
       Day 3            Day 8
       Day 4            Day 9
       Day 5            Day 10

Day 11: Show Off! 5 of your best blog posts!

I can't really decide on my most favorite blog posts, so I decided to look at the 5 posts that have the most hits.

1. My review of Three meters above the sky by Federico Moccia has received a huge amount of visits. It's actually scary when I think about it.
2. Another post that has gotten many views is the Review & Guest Post of Identity Break by Stifyn Emrys 
3. My review for The Binding by L. Filloon is also very visited. By the way, if you haven't read this book yet, especially you, YA lovers out there, READ IT!!
4. My interview with Sherry Hayes is on the top 5 most visited blog posts. I love her, by the way! (oh, I should mention, in case you don't know, her books are for readers over 18)
5. The fifth blog post (but not the last) also has Sherry Hayes in it. Well, in a way. It's a very special guest post. You'll see, if you've read her Finding Anna series and if you read that guest post. :D

What about you? What are your top 5 blog posts?

15 Day Book Blogger Challenge: Day 10: How Do You Choose What Book To Read Next?

I read about this challenge yesterday on various book blogs that I stalk read and I decided to join in. The challenge  was created by April @ Good Books, Good Wine and I think it's a very good and interesting idea. So here I am :) If you want to do this too, go to her Day 1 page to learn how :D

Want to see past topics? Click on the links below to see them:

       Day 1            Day 6
       Day 2            Day 7
       Day 3            Day 8
       Day 4            Day 9
       Day 5

Day 10: How Do You Choose What Book To Read Next?

You know, I'd love to have a smart answer and say it's a very complex process, during which I read reviews and I check my TBR list and stuff like that, but it would be a complete lie. There are really two major things that determine what I'll read next:

1. Do I have any books that I received for review? If the answer is yes, then I'll read from this pile. If the answer is no, then it's option number 2.
2. Option number 2 is to just grab whatever's available at the moment. Or I flip a coin, whichever makes me feel better at the moment.

That's it. I don't have a schedule (can't keep one even if my life depended on it) or a list of books to be read in August, for example. 

What about you? 

15 Day Book Blogger Challenge: Day 9: Why do you blog about books?

I read about this challenge yesterday on various book blogs that I stalk read and I decided to join in. The challenge  was created by April @ Good Books, Good Wine and I think it's a very good and interesting idea. So here I am :) If you want to do this too, go to her Day 1 page to learn how :D

Want to see past topics? Click on the links below to see them:

       Day 1            Day 6
       Day 2            Day 7
       Day 3            Day 8
       Day 4 
       Day 5

Day 9: Why do you blog about books?

About 6 months before I got my undergraduate diploma I decided to blog about books (2010). I had a series of minor... scenes let's call them, when I realized book blogging was what I wanted to do in my free time. Nothing major, just various moments throughout my college years when I realized there weren't that many people that shared my complete passion for books and not just any books, but romance books. Oh, I had friends who liked to read, but their choices for reading material are what you'd call "serious". I only personally know about two girls from high school who loved Chick Lit.

Before I made the big decision I was already lurking on some blogs and I already had a Shelfari account, I already discovered numerous other books that I could read. Because I couldn't share my thoughts about the books I was reading with anyone physically next to me, I decided to start a book blog.

Book blogging to me was a way to share my love for books. It didn't even occur to me how many other authors I'd get to love (or befriend). The idea of free books might have crossed my mind, but it really wasn't about it, it was about me wanting to talk about books. It's really difficult to explain to some people why I'd rather read about vampires and werewolves instead of a classic masterpiece. And it's even more difficult to explain it while trying to be respectful, when the other person clearly isn't.

The short answer to this question would be because I love books. Books are the best way to escape from reality and they're the world's best form of entertainment in my opinion. So that's why I do it, that's why I blog about books. What about you?

15 Day Book Blogger Challenge: Day 8: 15 things that appeal to you on blogs

I read about this challenge yesterday on various book blogs that I stalk read and I decided to join in. The challenge  was created by April @ Good Books, Good Wine and I think it's a very good and interesting idea. So here I am :) If you want to do this too, go to her Day 1 page to learn how :D

Want to see past topics? Click on the links below to see them:

       Day 1
       Day 2 
       Day 3
       Day 4 
       Day 5
       Day 6
       Day 7

Day 8: Quick! Write 15 bullet point things that appeal to you on blogs!

1. Easy to find follow options. I like when  the links I need for following are easy to spot and all together. I don't exactly like to scroll up and down to find a certain following option.
2. No music. Just no. Not because of the music itself, but because it makes my laptop freeze for some seconds, during which I pray I don't get the Blue Screen Of Death (Yes, I do have a Vista on my laptop. Yes, I know, it's bad. *shakes head* You don't have to say it, trust me!)
3. Labels or tags. Here's the thing. I'm a bit of a crazy person who loves lists. Labels for posts help me keep things organized. Like if I want to read only 2 star reviews, I want an option to do that. Or if I want to read just reviews for books of one author, I want that. I love when I see bloggers use labels. I'm not such a big fan of search bars, but I do love labels. 
4. Unique posts. I know I'm not one of the most original bloggers out there, but I do know there are others who are. I feel special just because I get to read those posts.
5. Clean look. I like blogs that look clean, neat. Not sterile, clean. A blog that doesn't have all sidebars scattered with no apparent connection between each other.
6. Comment replies. I think that a blogger who responds to his/her readers who've left comments is a good blogger. Might be 2 weeks late, might be right away, but the response is needed. 
7. Spoiler-free reviews. I think a good review is one that doesn't give away much. Unless you read a book in another language than English (or the language you're writing in) and you need to translate the blurb and you feel like you should give more info. For instance, if you read a book in Russian, chances are I'll not read it anytime soon, so go ahead and tell me what it's about. 
8. Funny, witty, slightly sarcastic posts. I love sarcasm a lot. I try not to let it show in my posts, because I overuse it in my daily life, but I do love it. And I love a blogger who can find the right balance between smart and sarcastic.
9. Honest and respectful. Now, you might think this contradicts the previous point. And you're right, sometimes is does. Here's where sarcasm bothers me a little. Negative reviews. You can use a little sarcasm, that's okay. But there's sarcasm and then there's bitchy. I don't like bitchy in a negative review. State the why, the how and the where to show why you didn't like the book/movie/play/whatever, but don't be bitchy about it. Also, a review for a book is not a review of the author.
10. Not too many GIFs. I like funny GIFs, I do. Just don't overuse them. 
11. International Giveaways. Let's face it, who doesn't love giveaways? I especially love those open for international people, like myself :D
12. Cute design. I like designs that show off a little of the blogger's personality. Some may show that the blogger loves to read about werewolves or loves coffee or something like that. 
13. Discussion posts. I love to see discussion posts about random things, not just book related, that make me stop and think about that specific topic. 
14. Old books are cool too. I love reading reviews about ARCs (non-spoilerish reviews, that is) or books that just came out. But I also think bloggers shouldn't ignore books that came out 2-3 years ago, hell, a century ago. I'll read a review of a book that came out a few years ago much faster and with more interest than maybe a book that came out today.
15. Tips, tricks, tutorials for bloggers. I am always searching for ways to improve my blog, both in content and in look. So I will always follow those bloggers who give good, useful tips on how to do that

I think this is the longest post I've ever written. I'm sorry if it's too much to read *blush* But these the top 15 things that appeal to me on book blogs. What about you? What do you like to see in other blogs?

15 Day Book Blogger Challenge: Day 7: Talk about your blogging quirks

I read about this challenge yesterday on various book blogs that I stalk read and I decided to join in. The challenge  was created by April @ Good Books, Good Wine and I think it's a very good and interesting idea. So here I am :) If you want to do this too, go to her Day 1 page to learn how :D

Want to see past topics? Click on the links below to see them:

       Day 1
       Day 2 
       Day 3
       Day 4 
       Day 5
       Day 6

Day 7: Talk about your blogging quirks

• Before I even plan a post and what I'm going to write about or how the post will look like, I need music. There's no inspiration without music. I don't have a certain genre or a certain song that I listen to when I'm writing a post. I do however use the songs I associate with a book to help me write my review. I feel like my connection with the book is much stronger when I listen to those songs.
• If I can't post something that I deem readable and interesting, I'd rather not post at all. I don't blog to attract viewers, but because I love books and I want to share that with as much people as I can. If I feel that my post for a certain day is uninteresting, I won't publish it.
• I don't do any formatting until I finished writing. I lose focus and inspiration if I do. I do little formatting things while writing, like deciding if a word should be in bold letters or italics or underlined, but otherwise I just go on writing and decide how it's all going to look like when I'm done writing.
• Before I hit publish, I reread my post at least twice, to check for errors. I don't always catch the errors, though. But I hate reading typos and stuff on blogs, so I reread twice. (Don't say it's OCD, because I refuse to believe it is :P)
• I write better at night. Probably why I'm sleepy all day long...
• I limit myself to two, maybe three emoticons per post. Otherwise, the post would be full of them. I'd use GIFs, but I honestly don't know where do get them for free without violating any copyright law/rule.
• I have two daily planners and I write most of my reviews there and some ideas for other posts. I think better when I sit down at my desk and write them with my favorite pen. Old-fashioned, I know, but it helps.
• My reviews have to be a bit long, otherwise I feel like I'm failing to show how I feel about a book. Completely untrue, I know.

These are the biggest blogging quirks I have. What about you?

15 Day Book Blogger Challenge: Day 6: Describe how you shop for books

I read about this challenge yesterday on various book blogs that I stalk read and I decided to join in. The challenge  was created by April @ Good Books, Good Wine and I think it's a very good and interesting idea. So here I am :) If you want to do this too, go to her Day 1 page to learn how :D

Want to see past topics? Click on the links below to see them:

       Day 1
       Day 2 
       Day 3
       Day 4 
       Day 5

Day 6: Describe how you shop for books

Book shopping. I love those days. It's like a trip to Santa's workshop and I get to pick the toys I want :D

First of all, in the town I live in there are only two, maybe three (if the third one hasn't closed yet) bookshops that sell books in English. Some sell books in other languages too, but those shelves are small. The selection for paranormal/urban fantasy in my favorite bookshop is quite small for my tastes though *pout*. Anyway...

When I get to my favorite part of the bookshop, I sort of... disconnect. It's weird, but it feels as if my mind shuts down and there's just peace and quiet around me, just me and the books. There's actually a cute photo that reminds me of how I feel when I go shopping for books. Click here to see it (I'd post it here but I'm not sure about the copyrights, so I'd rather be safe than sorry :P)

Then I start looking for my favorite authors, to see if they have new books by them. I'm adventurous enough to buy paranormal books by authors I've never tried before, but I can't say the same thing about mysteries. I'd love to find good mysteries by myself, but I'm a bit scared. The only time I did that I got extremely lucky and I loved the book. Of course, it was about Shakespeare, and I don't think you can go wrong with that (in case you're wondering, the book is called Interred With Their Bones by Jennifer Lee Carrell).

Because there aren't that many books in English, I don't exactly make a plan or a list with books I want to buy. I once talked with one of the employees from one of the bookshops and they told me that I could order a book and they'd get it, but I'd have to pay for shipping. Which sucks if you ask me. I get the why, but it still sucks :P

So like I said, I don't make a list. I do have books that I'm always looking out for, but I'm not getting my hopes up. If I don't find anything I like or new by searching for my favorite authors, I check the covers. And if there's a particular cover that catches my eye, I'll pick the book up and inspect it. If I like it, I'll read the last page and if I like that, then I'll buy it.

OH! One thing though. Even if I don't buy anything (which happens rarely) I still don't leave empty-handed. My favorite bookshop has a selection of FREE bookmarks. Not many, but they are free. Just waiting for someone to pick them up. So I do. I got tons of bookmarks like that, to be honest. Shiny, cute ones. *le sigh*

One cool thing is that most bookshops have these.. I think you can call them costumer cards. You buy one book and you can sign up for the card, usually free of charge. And you have sales and points and gifts and things like that, which is completely cool and awesome. And if that doesn't work, then I have 10% off of any purchase because I'm a student. It's not much, I know, but it's not nothing either.

I would be more organized if I read in Italian. They have tons of books in Italian, naturally, so I'd be able to spend more time searching (and probably finding) what I want, but I'm weary of that. I find that there are a lot of things that get lost in translation, not because of bad translation or anything, but a certain...something.

Anyway, that's how I shop for books. What about you?

15 Day Book Blogger Challenge: Day 5: Recommend a tearjerker

I read about this challenge yesterday on various book blogs that I stalk read and I decided to join in. The challenge  was created by April @ Good Books, Good Wine and I think it's a very good and interesting idea. So here I am :) If you want to do this too, go to her Day 1 page to learn how :D

Want to see past topics? Click on the links below to see them:

       Day 1
       Day 2 
       Day 3
       Day 4 

Day 5: Recommend a tearjerker

There are a lot of books that over the years have made me cry. Which is a bit weird, because I don't cry at movies. At all. I see actors crying in movies and I'm the only idiot in the cinema that is about to howl with laughter. I'm not joking! It's sad and weird and it makes me look like a lunatic! Back to the topic though!

So like I was saying, books have the power to make me cry. There is one that to this day wins the prize for "Most tears I've spilled". And that is Sherrilyn Kenyon's Acheron.

In case you haven't read this book (do eeeet!!) this book is divided in two major parts: Acheron's past and his present. I've reread the second part of this book so many times I've lost count. The first part, when we get to understand him and to know what really happened to him when he was growing up? ONE time. Just once. I can't to more than that. I know I'll eventually have to reread it, especially since Styxx is only weeks away (anyone else excited?? I can't wait!), but I'm trying to tell myself it's fine if I skip it. It's not, I know.

Some of the scenes in that part of the book I remember perfectly (apple scene anyone?), some I choose not to think about. Others I've blocked.






There isn't any other book out there that has managed to make me as sad as this book, or to crush me emotionally as much as Acheron did. But there are others that made me tear up a little bit. Here are just a few of them:

1. Shadows by Jennifer L. Armentrout - Seriously, this one is a sad story. And if you read the rest of the series and get to understand what happened and how and why? Yep, be sure to have some tissues ready, people!
2. Tales of the Otherworld by Kelley Armstrong - I've read only two stories in this book: Elena and Clay's and Eve and Kristof's. With Clay and Elena there were some waterworks, but because I read this after I've read a few books in the series, I knew that eventually everything works out. But with Eve and Kristof? Man, I felt crushed. Oh, I know everything will be okay with them too, but it's not the same, and those of you who've read the series know why. Both stories are sad though.
3. Shadow Kiss by Richelle Mead - Come on, seriously?? I couldn't sleep after reading the ending of this book. I did a marathon and read the rest of the books in two days, just to make sure everything was going to be okay. 

What about you? Any tearjerkers you want to recommend me?

15 Day Book Blogger Challenge: Day 4: What's the last book you flung across the room?

I read about this challenge yesterday on various book blogs that I stalk read and I decided to join in. The challenge  was created by April @ Good Books, Good Wine and I think it's a very good and interesting idea. So here I am :) If you want to do this too, go to her Day 1 page to learn how :D

Day 4 : What's the last book you flung across the room?

Well... I haven't done that so far. I can't stand the idea of hurting or damaging my books, even if it's a book that I don't like. Oh, I might curse them, I might even want to smack them, but any physical reaction I might have from what I'm reading doesn't involve me harming my book.

The only book that almost made me violent enough to want to throw it was Salem's Lot by Stephen King. The pace was too slow, I didn't feel there was enough character building and I felt like nothing was happening. Halfway through the book I gave up and decided the book wasn't for me. But that was the only book that almost got me to the point of throwing it across the room. I resisted the temptation though.

What about you? Did you ever flung a book across the room?


Want to see past topics? Click on the links below to see them:

       Day 1
       Day 2 
       Day 3 

15 Day Book Blogger Challenge: Day 3 - Who are your blogging BFFS?

I read about this challenge yesterday on various book blogs that I stalk read and I decided to join in. The challenge  was created by April @ Good Books, Good Wine and I think it's a very good and interesting idea. So here I am :) If you want to do this too, go to her Day 1 page to learn how :D

Day 3: Who are your blogging BFFS?

Blogging BFFS. This is a tough one. You know, I don't know if you've noticed, but I'm not the world's most social person. Both in my real life or as a blogger. Oh, I probably drive my friends nuts but it takes a while for me to get there. I just think that if I don't have something even remotely smart or interesting to say, I'd better shut up (I do occasionally suffer from the Foot Inside Mouth syndrome, with a hint of Brain Not Online While Talking syndrome... So it's a safe bet to keep my mouth shut and my fingers still). Here are three of the bloggers that I have come to consider to be my blogging friends:

1. Carmel @ Rabid Reads
2. Laura @ Colorimetry
3. Samantha @ Chick Lit Plus

I've stalked their blogs before I finally said to myself "I can comment without making a fool out of myself" and I think they're just amazing. 

There are a lot of amazing bloggers out there, I'm just a weird creature. And I certainly stalk a lot of blogs. So one of the things on my To-Do list is to socialize more. 

Who are your BFFs in the blogging community?

15 Day Book Blogger Challenge: Day 2 What's your bedtime reading ritual?

I read about this challenge yesterday on various book blogs that I stalk read and I decided to join in. The challenge  was created by April @ Good Books, Good Wine and I think it's a very good and interesting idea. So here I am :) If you want to do this too, go to her Day 1 page to learn how :D

Day 2: What's your bedtime reading ritual?

I don't actually have a ritual. It sounds a little sad, I know, but the only thing that has to be perfect and present every time I read at night is the comfiest pillow I can find. Of course, if you'd see my bed, you'll probably wonder how many pillows a person can have in just one bed, but that's another story. Usually if I read on my laptop, I will almost always have a cup of hot tea near me. I don't do this if I read paperbacks or on my e-reader though. I can't say it's a ritual though.

I used to read on my laptop a lot, because I didn't have an e-reader, but lately I feel that I need my glasses on or else my eyes get weird, so I've stopped reading at night from the laptop. It probably has something to do with me not having a light on while using it at night, but shhh! Don't tell!

I've been called an owl by my BFF, just because my bedtime hour is way after midnight. I can honestly say that the last time I actually went to bed (and fell asleep) before midnight was 3 years ago, when I had two intense days of exams at university, to get my bachelor's degree. But I usually go to bed at around...say 2, 3 am. So after doing everything I need to do before I go to bed, I start reading at about 1 am and I usually push myself if the book is good. If I like the book I'll do anything in my power to not fall asleep and go on reading. I can function pretty well the next day, I'm not cranky or anything, but I do need more coffee. Also, the real "ritual" that I can think of is to take small breaks after reading several chapters, when I try to find out if my limbs are still working. That's because I forget to change positions, and I'll end up with a stiff back, my legs are in pain and one arm is asleep.

So basically that's my bedtime reading ritual. What's yours?

15 Day Book Blogger Challenge: Day 1

I read about this challenge yesterday on various book blogs that I stalk read and I decided to join in. The challenge  was created by April @ Good Books, Good Wine and I think it's a very good and interesting idea. So here I am :) If you want to do this too, go to her Day 1 page to learn how :D

Day 1: Make 15 book related confessions

1. Whenever I decide if I should buy a book that hasn't been recommended to me by anyone I trust and it's just some random book that caught my eye I read the last page of it. Chances are that if I like that last page, I'll like the book. So far I haven't bought a book using this method that I ended up adding it to the DNF shelf.
2. Whenever I think about how my dream house would look like, I always picture it with a room just for my books, with a comfy couch in the middle of the room and a huge window, soft background music and lit incenses. If I think about it hard enough, I could probably tell you the colors of the walls LOL
3. Whenever I play tourist and visit old houses or castles, I have an insane urge to "get lost" inside the libraries and never leave there.
4. I hate hardbacks. Okay, maybe hate is too strong a word, but I'm not a fan of them.
5. I like series a little bit more than stand-alones. I just hate falling for a set of characters for just one book.
6. I like the books in a series to have the same main theme for covers and titles if that's how they started (for instance, it takes a while to remember that J.R. Ward's The King is in the same series as Lover Unbound if I only judge it by cover and title)
7. I tend to judge books by their covers and I hate it when the cover models don't match the characters' descriptions in the book.
8. I tend to be very anal when organizing my shelves: it's language (because I read in other languages, not just in English), genre, publishing house, author, series. Not easy, but it's a very good excuse when I want to spend more time dusting the shelf and rearranging the books back on the shelf than do other chores *grin*
9. I always have a book in my purse, book that I only read when I'm not at home. 
10. I tend to give people who judge me by the books I'm reading "the stare". You know, the one you usually saw as a child from your parents whenever you where in trouble. That stare. 
11. I think some characters are redeemable and I usually have secret crushes on some of the bad guys. Not if they're psychotic. Then I hate them.
12. I can't leave a book shop without buying a book. I'd rather not enter a book shop if I don't have enough money to buy even the cheapest book possible.
13. As much a I love new books, there's just something about holding an old, used book. Maybe the smell, maybe the feeling of it. I can't really explain it, but if have to choose between an older, used, second-hand version of a book and the newest version of the same book, the used one wins.
14. Lora Leigh's Bound Hearts series was the very first erotic romance series I have ever read. 
15. I'd rather stay home on a Friday night and read a book, than go out with my friends. 

So there you have it. My 15 book related confessions. Some do sound a little weird, don't they? :P What about you? What are your 15 confessions?