One last prompt then from the week:
The world of blogging is continually changing. Share 3 things you think are essential tried and true practices for every blogger and 1-3 new trends or tools you’ve adapted recently or would like to in the future.I don't think I've been blogging long enough to have any tried and true practices! But I think one of the things to remember is that we're always getting better at what we do, and it's important to let your habits and practices change as things make sense to you. But then I think that about everything so I can't say it's restricted to blogging!
One of the things I've adapted recently is the use of letter grades to preface my reviews. I feel like I want to indicate in some way - beyond my often lengthy reviews! - my overall thoughts on the book, but I'm unsure if this is the best way for it. It's so difficult to decide what letter grade to give! And then how do I distinguish between them and...it's been a bit of a crap shoot so far. I'm not sure I like them, but I can't think of a better way to go about it.
I've also tried to be more aware of linking to Amazon to purchase a book and to Goodreads to find more reviews and thoughts on it. I'd love to start the practice I've noticed on other blogs where one links to other bloggers' reviews of the same book, but I'm not sure I'm quite that organised yet to start it!
And now on to two Friday memes that I've been wanting to participate in for weeks and finally am!
This week's featured blogger is Alaskan Book Cafe who's a snarky outdoor lover with as many problems picking a favourite book as I have! Go check her out!
Q. It's that pesky magic book fairy again! She has another wish: What imaginary book world would you like to make a reality?
Such a difficult question! I'm tempted to answer Harry Potter's world since it's just so well-drawn and magical, and I desperately (still!) want to go to Hogwarts! But I think I'll have to go with an older book world - can't I have Narnia be real? I've always wanted to crawl through my wardrobe and end in up in that magical land with Talking Beasts and Cair Paravel... 
This Friday's Question:
Book Disappointments: Have you ever come across a book you were so stoked to read, but it failed miserably in your eyes?
Haven't we all? It's a very, very depressing fact of reading that sometimes the books we look forward to disappoint us utterly.
I'll choose three books that I read before starting this blog that left me colder than I'd hoped. I'm sure these books have people who love and adore them, but for some reason, they were not for me.
by Gwendolyn Heasley
I loved the idea of a fish out of water story - the New York socialite moving to rural Texas, but I couldn't connect at all with the rather spoiled main character of Corinne.
...and maybe as a slightly country (though Northern country) girl myself, I hate the implications about how New York is always so much better!
Die for Me
by Amy Plum
It's set in Paris! About sisterly bonds! There's a swoon-worthy love affair and scenes set in the sidewalk cafes that abound in the City of Lights. How could I not love this book?
But I didn't. And I'm still really quite sad over that.
by Charles Dickens
Any Dickens really that's not Tale of Two Cities or Hard Times could go here, but Pickwick Papers disappointed me the most. I tried to read it right after falling in love with the descriptions of it in Little Women, but...no.
Dickens is just too overly indulgent in his writing. It turns about and about and never goes anywhere. To be fair, this is a problem I have with most 19 century male English or American novelist, but Dickens, oh Dickens, I want to love your work!
