Thursday, August 1, 2013

Kimberly from Reflections of a Book Addict

kim and todd from reflections of a book addict


Today please welcome Kimberly, who blogs at Reflections of a Book Addict.



1.      NAME OF MY BOOK BLOG(S):

My blog is Reflections of a Book Addict (http://lifeand100books.com), but I'm also a regular contributor to the Austenprose blog! (http://austenprose.com


2.      I HAVE BEEN BLOGGING SINCE:

I started blogging in October of 2010!


3.      GENRES COVERED MOST ON MY BLOG:

Besides myself there are 6 other staff bloggers that write for my blog.  Between the seven of us we cover every genre that exists.  I primarily review historical fiction, young adult, new adult, erotica, memoirs, and romance novels. The rest of the staff cover graphic novels, science fiction, fantasy, non-fiction, poetry, thrillers, mysteries, etc.


4.      MY EARLIEST MEMORY OF READING:

I remember reading one of the Little House on the Prairie books on the couch in my parents' living room.  My mom was making dinner and I had just gotten to the part where they were fording the river.  Laura's dog (I think his name was Max) was swimming across the river behind the wagon, when he suddenly disappeared! I remember being so distraught that when my mom called me for dinner I couldn't even get off the couch.  I just sat there and cried and cried and cried.  It's definitely my earliest memory of reading and also my earliest memory of how a book could make you feel emotionally.  (For those wondering, the dog didn't die.  He got swept down the river a bit and had to find his way home!)


5.      FIRST BOOK I READ OVER AND OVER:

It's definitely a tie between the Little House on the Prairie series and the first book in The Boxcar Children mystery series.  I was completely obsessed with those series when I was a kid.  I remember branching out to all the Little House spin-off series once I finished the original nine.  I became completely enamored by the life of a prairie kid, and was constantly telling my mom I wanted to farm and ride horses all while solving mysteries a la the Boxcar Children.  


6.      THE BOOK I HAVE RE-READ THE MOST TIMES:

Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.  ::sigh:: Perfection.


7.      MY FAVORITE PLACE TO READ:

Definitely in my bed with tons of pillows, a blanket, and my kittehs.


8.      MY MUST-HAVE READING ACCESSORIES:

Kittehs (they are the best reading accessories), a blanket, some music, and obviously the most important thing - a great book! 


9.      MY BOOKSHELVES ARE:

Not big enough! I've begun stacking books under lamps, in piles on the floor, on shelves, etc.  I even have some underneath my TV!


10.   MY TBR LIST/PILE IS:

EVER GROWING.  The amount of books that get recommended to you as a book blogger is simply astounding.  People hear that I enjoy reading and it becomes a "Have you read this? That? This? That?" conversation that results in me adding 10 books to my TBR list.


11.   A BOOK THAT HAS CHANGED MY LIFE IN SOME WAY:

The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory.  I'll explain in a minute - The reason I started my blog was to challenge myself intellectually.  My job wasn't stimulating, I had graduated college, and the only thing I seemed capable of at that point in my life was planning my wedding.  I remember reading The Other Boleyn Girl and falling head-over-heels in love with that book.  Once I finished that I started reading again and the blog was born.  StartingReflections of a Book Addict has definitely changed my life in more ways than one.  Between the friendships I've established with other bloggers, authors, and publishers, to the amazing amount of books I've been able to read - I can tell you one thing....life is definitely stimulating again.


12.   A BOOK I LIKE THAT NO ONE ELSE SEEMS TO:

The Odyssey by Homer.  It's not that people don't "like" it, but I never hear people discuss it/recommend it outside of a classroom setting. I LOVE The Odyssey.  When I do talk to people about it nobody is ever as impressed or as mesmerized as I am by it.


13.   A BOOK I DON’T LIKE THAT EVERYONE ELSE SEEMS TO LOVE:

Hmmm.....there are definitely a lot of books which I loathe that have huge followings elsewhere.  Fifty Shades of Grey anyone? I could not stand this series. So much so that I made a drinking game to get through it.  I'm also not a fan of Maya Banks' Sweet series. My blogging bestie Kelly and I penned a review questioning what we had missed that everyone else seemed to have found in the series.  We also didn't understand what women found to be sexy about Banks' book Rush.


14.   A BOOK THAT INTIMIDATES ME:

Definitely Victor Hugo's Les Miserables, Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace, and Franz Kafka's The Metamorphosis. (Sorry that's three!)


15.   IF I COULD GO TO ANY LITERARY DESTINATION I WOULD CHOOSE:

SO MANY PLACES! I need to give more than one here.  First and foremost the world of Neil Gaiman's Stardust.  While reading that book I was absolutely enthralled by the world he had created.  It seemed so so awesome.  Narnia would come next.  How awesome would it be meeting Aslan!?!  Finally, Hogwarts! Does that even need an explanation?  


16.   MY FAVORITE NON-BOOKISH ACTIVITY:

I studied media production in college, so I love watching films and studying the production of them.  I'm a huge fan of old films, so you can usually find me watching old black and white films.  Besides that I've come to love home brewing beer my with my dear old hubby.  We've brewed just about every type of beer you can, with our favorites being a chocolate oatmeal stout and a pumpkin beer brewed specifically for Halloween each year!


17.   MY FAVORITE BOOK TO MOVIE ADAPTATION:

Hmm. This is a super difficult question.  I could better answer with my least favorite adaptations (The Other Boleyn Girl, Angels & Demons, Watchmen)but since you're making me choose......I'd go with V For Vendetta.  I thought that the message of the graphic novel came across great in the film and just loved every second of it! 


18.   MY BOOK BLOG STANDS OUT FROM THE CROWD BECAUSE:

It's so eclectic! The staff and I truly touch upon every genre that exists.  For that reason alone we're an eclectic reader's dream blog!  There is truly a book AND staffer for every type of reader.


19.   MY MUST-READ BLOGS (PLEASE LIMIT TO 3):

Kelly @ Reading With Analysis - http://readingwithanalysis.wordpress.com/

Tasha @ Truth, Beauty, Freedom, & Books - http://heidenkind.blogspot.com/



20.   MY READING PERSONALITY (http://www.bookbrowse.com/quiz/) IS: 

Eclectic Reader!

You read for entertainment but also to expand your mind. You're open to new ideas and new writers, and are not wedded to a particular genre or limited range of authors.


Thank you for joining us today, Kim! Remember to check out Kim's blog, Reflections of a Book Addict, and leave a comment or question.

12 comments :

  1. Wow, thanks for the mention Kim! Made my morning :) I couldn't come up with a book that's changed my life when I was answering these questions but I love that you picked the book that got you started blogging.

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    1. You're welcome, Katie!! Picking ONE book that changed my life was so difficult. It took a while to come up with some semblance of an answer LOL

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  2. Nice to meet you! I love P&P, too. It totally IS perfection. Also, your fave place to read is exactly what I have going on right now! Kitties make the best reading companions, right?

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    1. Kitties are the BEST. So happy to meet another P&P fan :D

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  3. Hi Kimberly :) Nice to see you here.

    I remember that dog part of the Little House series so well. I remember being traumatized too!

    Like Katie, I love that you picked a book that led you to book blogging.

    The books that intimidate you also make me nervous ;) I'm going to give Les Mis a whirl in September though. I think there are a few of us that are going to do a very relaxed readalong. (No schedule or anything fancy)

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    1. Hi Jennifer!

      I'm so glad I'm not the only one that remembers that scene! (It was so scary as a 7 year old reading that)

      Bravo to you for attempting to read a book that intimidates you! I need to put my big girl pants on and attempt some of mine!

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  4. Thanks for the shout-out Kim. :) I only read parts of The Odyssea in high school, but I remember enjoying them.

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    1. My pleasure Tasha! So glad you liked The Odyssey too!

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  5. I'm with you - I love the Odyssey (pardon me while I give a shout-out to the Fagles translation!). Have you ever read Margaret Atwood's take on it, The Penelopiad? It's amazing...

    Thanks for the mentions! Our dueling reviews are my favorites. :)

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    1. I LOVE OUR DUELING REVIEWS. THEY ARE THE BEST THINGS EVER.

      And no! I haven't read Penelopiad! I need to add that to my to-read list ASAP.

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  6. I couldn't agree more on the horror that was 50 shades, I couldn't even finish it.

    From this questionnaire I think you would make easy reading of The Metamorphosis, I read it in Uni and it is less intimidating than it seems. War and Peace and Les Mis on the other hand, I agree, very intimidating!

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  7. Oh my goodness!! I used to love the Little House books AND The Boxcar Children!!!!

    My hubby brews his own beer, too! I help, but not so willingly!! :)

    Such a great interview! Nice to meet you!

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