BBAW Daily Topic: Community
by Jenners • 09/12/2011 • Blogging, Book Talk • 74 Comments
BBAW Daily Topic for Monday, September 12th: Community: While the awards are a fun part of BBAW, they can never accurately represent the depth and breadth of diversity in the book blogging community. Today you are encouraged to highlight a couple of bloggers that have made book blogging a unique experience for you. They can be your mentors, a blogger that encouraged you to try a different kind of book, opened your eyes to a new issue, made you laugh when you needed it, or left the first comment you ever got on your blog. Stay positive and give back to the people who make the community work for you!
If you’re looking for snarky book reviews that are often only tangentially about a book but will always make you smile, visit Jill at Fizzy Thoughts.
If you’re looking reviews of a broad spectrum of books written by a blogger with a social conscience and a talent for making you want to read books that you never thought would be interesting, visit Jill at Rhapsody in Books.
(Note: Both Jills will refer to the other Jill as the Other Jill. This can be confusing. Remember, Fizzy Jill does the song parodies and Rhapsody Jill is always mentioning cake, cookies, ice cream and chocolate.)
If you’re looking for an impassioned, wear your heart on your sleeve and let it all hang out book reviewer who always has an insane schedule yet still manages to read something like three books a week and who will convert you to listening to audiobooks, check out Sandy at You’ve GOTTA Read This.
If you’re searching for in-depth book reviews that seem like literary masterworks in and of themselves, be sure to visit Zibilee at Raging Bibliomania. She has a talent for writing book reviews that I envy and emulate.
If you’re looking for an eclectic reader whose down-to-earth reviews and friendly personality make you feel like she is your long-lost girlfriend, check out Alyce at At Home With Books. She’s added more books to my wish list than almost any other blogger and I just love her (even if she did betray her college alma mater and roots for the wrong college football team).
If you’re searching for a book blogger with the most unusual and amusing book reviewing style I’ve ever read, Raych at Books I Done Read is a must read. Even if I don’t want to read the book she’s writing about, I never want to miss her reviews just for sheer entertainment value.
If you want to participate in insanely challenging books quizzes, coo over a super cute baby and read book reviews, check out Stacy at Stacy’s Books.
If you’re looking for a book blogger with superhuman reading and commenting powers and who wins more books in giveaways than anyone I’ve ever met, visit Kathy at Bermudaonion. (Oh yeah, she also writes the most concise book reviews I’ve ever read. It is a talent I wish I had!)
If you have a taste for offbeat books (especially Victorian gothics) and also have a child for whom you want to buy books for, check out Kristen at We Be Reading. Although we have almost zero crossover in the titles we read, I appreciate her conciseness and regularly use her reviews for kid’s books to stock the Little One’s reading library.
It is impossible to list every book blogger that I treasure so if I left you off this list, I’m very sorry. If I visit your blog regularly, it is because I think you have something great to teach and share with me. Thank you!!
I look forward to reading about the book blogs that made your list … even though I need new blogs to read like I need a hole in the head!
Okay…I can’t find the Fiddler on the Roof request…WHAT SONG AM I SUPPOSED TO BE WORKING ON???
If I Were A Rich Man! : )
Yes, all on my regular reads! I like how you differentiate between the two Jills – I used to say “fizzy Jill” and “non fizzy Jill” … now that “fizzy Jill” has taken to beating me in Words with Friends by about 100 points per game, I’ve taken to calling her “Miriam Webster” (a misnomer courtesy of my son)
She invited me to play her on Words with Friends but I didn’t fall for her tricks! I’m sure she would trounce me and then I’d have to quit reading her blog! HAHA!
I always refer to book bloggers when searching for a good book to read. I like the way most of them provide entertaining and well explained reviews about the books they love. Thank you for the great list. It is easier now to search who one to visit if I need a book review.
I think book bloggers are the best source for honest and down-to-earth book reviews.
Discovered your blog during BBAW, and so glad I did!
Glad you found me … and I’ll be by to visit and get to know you soon!
Thanks for sharing about all of these bloggers. Many of them I am familiar with and can’t agree more but I also have found one or two new ones to check out.
I’ve been so overwhelmed with all the new blogs I found to check out when reading these series of posts. It boggles my mind how many good blogs are out there. Too bad I can’t read them all.
You’ve listed some great bloggers Jenners! Your blog is definitely on my top favs
Thanks for the kind comment. It made me feel happy inside.
Oh I’m SO so with you on so many of these. GREAT picks! No wonder I read your blog, duh. ;O)
Isn’t it funny when you realize that you have lots of blogs in common with others blogs … even if you didn’t realize that?
This is awesome! Now if only I could finish the book I started in May! Ugh
Get cracking there lady!
Great list! I read or have at least come across all of them, but there are a couple I’ll have to go back and revisit. I’ve heard much about Other Jill but never knew to which blog she was attached, so thanks! Happy BBAW!
Yes but which Other Jill is the Other Jill? That is the question!
Haha, excellent question. Probably (a) the one who isn’t the one who is speaking/writing, or (b) if it’s me referring to them, Rhapsody Jill, since I knew Fizzy Jill first!
Hah! I am The Jill.
Thanks for the shout out! If I’d actually been on the ball and participated you would have been on my list as well
I’m familiar with most of these bloggers but not all. I’ll have to rememdy that.
I hope you’ll come by and take a guess or two. Oh, and you still me some sort of vomiting for Patterson making way too much money.
And the quizzes are not all insanely hard. I just posted this week’s and I kow for sure that you know #6
Now I’m dying to see #6 on this week’s quiz. I usually do them for myself and find myself thinking “Don’t know that. Don’t know that. Don’t know that. Don’t know that.”
And I guess Patterson was the highest paid author … bleeeeccchhhhhh. (That was me vomiting.)
This is a fabulous list of bloggers. I am happy that I follow them all and do agree with what you’ve highlighted about each of them. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
It is always nice to hear that your thoughts are similar to others.
Victorian gothics?? I have to check this blog out! I love these posts just because it is so fun to find new blogs
Hope you have a great week and thanks for sharing!
If you like Victorian, gothics or offbeat reads, I bet Kristen is a good fit for you. Happy BBAW.
Great list of blogs, Jenners, you hit the nail on the head with the blogs I know…and the ones I don’t I plan too soon. thanks!
Glad to hear I was on base with what you know about the blogs we have in common.
another great list to peruse through thanks.
It starts to get overwhelming when you realize just how many good book blogs are out there!
I just want to kiss your face, you are so kind. And like many people have said, you are a really funny lady. You and Raych make my head explode and brighten my day with every post. Now go listen to an audio!
Raych is in a league all of her own though! Her reviewing style just gives me the giggles. And I bow before you, Audio Queen.
Great list! And a few new to me.
I think you could follow 1,000 book blogs and still miss out on some great ones!
Wonderful post! I read some of these fantabulous bloggers already, and others I will visit as a result of your post! Thanks for sharing.
Have fun visiting … and I’d love to check out your own list.
Oh yes, I agree with your choices strongly! All really great bloggers, and great people. But lets not forget that you are probably the most naturally funny blogger out there, and if I were making my own list, you would be right at the top. I am often quoting your posts to my husband, who now will refer to you as “the funny one” whenever your name comes up. I am often amazed at your comedic prowess, and am grateful to have found your blog. Thanks for the shout-out today. It made my day!
Aw shucks … I’m the “funny one.” : ) That made me happy. And I really do aspire to write thoughtful reviews like you do. Every time I read your reviews, I just marvel at the detail and thought you put into them. Sometimes I feel so slapdash about my reviews.
Well since I love your recommends I’m going to have to check out these book bloggers.
But don’t blame me if your reader gets too filled.
Haha! I love that in our posts we’re both like “well, we don’t really read the same books” … but I loves ya anyway, Jenners! You are just awesome.
I know!! That cracked me up. I love that even though our reading tastes are wildly different, we’re still blogging buds.
Great list! I think there’s only 1 I don’t read but now must check out.
We’ve got some overlap in our blog readers, eh?
Oh man…I already can’t keep up with the books I want to read from the few book blogs I DO follow!!! You’re so persuasive, though, I’m sure I’ll have to check out all of these. This is NOT good for my pocketbook OR my time management!! *sigh*
I hear you … I can’t really afford to add too many other blogs to my reader. I’m overwhelmed as it is. Maybe I should opt out of BBAW. It gets overwhelming when you realize how many blogs are out there.
Jenners, your humour is fabulous, so refreshing. I totally agree with you on Stacy and Kathy. You also have gave me a couple new ones.
I don’t think I’ve been able to successfully complete one of Stacy’s quizzes yet!
You are my favorite Jenners.
No, you are MY favorite!
Fantastic list of bloggers! Luckily I already subscribe to most of them because like you, I really don’t need more blogs in my GR.
And yet, I will continue to add them because I love blogging. 
It is a tricky business about adding blogs to your reading list. It can get so overwhelming. And after spending the last three years building these blogging relationships, it isn’t like I’m going to drop someone!
Wonderful list you got here!
I had a hard time choosing. But I opted for totally unheard of blogs. Isn’t that the intention of community? To spread far and wide!!
Here is my post:
BBAW 2011: Community
You make a good point to focus on the unheard of blogs rather than the more established. I need to broaden my horizons a bit.
Thanks for including me – I’m so flattered!
And I love that my football rooting preferences got a mention. There’s a longer version to the story of why I don’t root for the ducks any more; I’ll have to tell you about it someday. You made me laugh out loud, which is pretty impressive at this time in the morning. (I am so not a morning person the first few weeks of school.)
Having trouble getting adjusted to the school year schedule, eh? Me too!! I miss my “don’t wake Mommy up until 7:30 all summer!” rule!!! ACK!
And I need to hear this Duck abandonment excuse!!
Yippee! Thanks for giving me more suggestions for avoiding domestic responsibilities!
Let me tell you, if you start poking around the BBAW stuff, you’ll find endless reasons for avoiding domestic responsibility. Proceed with caution.
Oh fantastic choices – I can not even keep up with the blog visits I need to do now ….LOL – Happy BBAW!!!
I know! It is only the first day of BBAW and I’m already overwhelmed and behind.
Saying hi on the first day of BBAW2011.
Great selections there, many I visit often.
Have a great week
carol
It is going to be fun week that is going to explode my reader I think!
Thanks for those links.
Just what you need right … more blogs to read! : )
I am so flattered to be included on that list of such awesome bloggers! Thanks for the kind words, Jenners!
No, thank you for being such a generous and prolific blogger!
Great list, except for all those Jill people! Well, one of those Jill people. The other one, whichever that one is … (HA HA HA)
We’ve got a case of too many Jills!
There are never too many Jills! And I feel like I should post more about chocolate, just to make matters even more confusing.
Don’t you even think about it!
All awesome blogs!
Aren’t they? Yours is awesome too!
Great list of bloggers! I esepcially agree about Sandy – I have added more audio books to my wishlist than I can cope with – all thanks to her wonderful blog.
She converted me … and I’m so glad she did. She opened up a whole new world of books for me.