When I began book blogging nearly 10 years ago, I had no idea there was an entire community of equally obsessed book people out there. Over the years I have been introduced to books and authors I had never heard of. My reading has expanded and grown in more ways than I could possibly imagine. I am sure many of you can relate. Quite a few of the books I read have been recommended by book bloggers in one way or another, and about 98% of my wish list is made up of books recommended by them. Unfortunately, I am terrible at keeping track of who recommended what, even despite my efforts over the years to try to do so. Today, in honor of Book Blogger Appreciation Week, I thought I would share with you a few of the titles I have enjoyed over the years thanks to book bloggers and readers like you.
- My fellow book bloggers and mothers proved to be extra supportive during my early years of motherhood (and still are!). My friend Stacy from Stacy's Books not only recommended I Was a Really Good Mom Before I Had Kids: Reinventing Modern Motherhood by Trisha Ashworth and Amy Nobile to me, she also was kind enough to give me her copy. I found it to be funny as well as insightful.
- Athira of Reading on a Rainy Day gave me a push to finally read Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson. I now know what all the fuss is about.
- I never would have discovered this awesome trilogy if it weren't for Nancy of Bookfoolery. I have so much love for this and the two follow-up books.
- While my daughter was the one who gifted me with a copy of The Other Daughter last year for my birthday, it was because of Katherine of I Wish I Lived in a Library it landed on my wish list for my daughter to find. It was everything Katherine said it would be. I loved it.
- I found a hidden gem in When Crickets Cry by Charles Martin which came recommended by Amanda from A Patchwork of Books. Christian fiction is not my usual reading material, but this book touched me deeply.
- Most recently, my friend Caspette from Narrative Causality recommended the book, The Night Parade by Kathryn Tanquary, which I just adored.
- Sarah Waters is an author I only learned about after I began blogging. Although I have wanted to give her work a try, I never managed to do it. Until Jennifer hosted a Fingersmith Read-A-Long hosted by Jennifer of a Literate Housewife, that is. I really enjoyed being a part of the small group of readers reading such a modern classic. And I loved the book.
- It was also because of the Stand-along hosted by Trish of Love, Laughter, and a Touch of Insanity that I finally got around to reading Stephen King's The Stand, which was a bit out of my comfort zone. The same goes for World War Z by Max Brooks (an amazing book!), hosted by Natalie of Coffee and a Book Chick.
I may never have read The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins or Leo Toltsoy's Anna Karenina had it not been for bloggers. I fell in love with The Book Thief by Markus Zusak and Chimamanda Ngozi's Half of a Yellow Sun, both books I discovered through blogging. I cannot even begin to name the number of books I have read that came from recommendations from you all. I cannot thank you enough for sharing your recommendations and bookish thoughts with me. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
As a final thought, because I can't help but share a little more book blogger love, here is a sampling of some of the recommended books on my wish list that I am very much looking forward to reading one day (oh, how I wish it could be today!):
- Cinnamon and Gunpowder by Eli Brown recommended by Andi of Estella's Revenge
- Science of the Magical: From the Holy Grail to Love Potions to Superpowers by Matt Kaplan recommended by Eustacia of Inside the Mind of a Bibliophile
- Winter Rose by Patricia Mckillip recommended by Lianne of Electictales
- The Blue Bistro by Elin Hilderbrand recommended by Lori Bree of Palmer's Page Turners
- Contract of Defiance: Spectras Arise Trilogy by Tammy Salyer recommended by Jenclair of A Garden Carried in the Pocket
- Blue Suburbia: Almost a Memoir by Laurie Albanese recommended by Kathy of BermudaOnion Weblog
- I Am China by Xiaolu Guo recommended by Melody of Melody's Reading Corner
- Charlotte's Story: A Bliss House Novel by Laura Benedict recommended by Samantha of Booked On a Feeling
- All that Followed by Gabriel Urza recommended by Beth F of Beth Fish
I would love to know what books you have enjoyed that came recommended by book bloggers. Let me know in the comments!
© 2016, Wendy Runyon of Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved. If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.
I had some false starts with The Woman in White until book bloggers convinced me to keep going. It was worth it!
ReplyDeleteChris - Yes, I am so glad I finally read The Woman in White! I had been intimidated by it for so long, to nervous to try.
DeleteSuch a great list of books and blogs here! And thank you for the shout-out. :-) I am glad to have your thoughts on that book.
ReplyDeleteSarah Waters in forever on my list of authors to read. I think I should commit to reading one of her books soon.
Athira - Thank you! I am glad you encouraged me to finally read it. :-)
DeleteDo give Sarah Waters a try! I want to make a point of reading The Little Stranger this year at some point. That and Bridget Jones's Diary and Cinder . . .So many books I want to read!
Ok it is sealed, adding your blog to my bloglist, we definitely have similar taste. I did a fast review of your review list too, wow. I have read 4 of your featured books and look forward to getting to Fingersmith some day. Yaaaaay for BBAW
ReplyDeleteMarce - Thank you so much! I don't keep a blog list anymore, but I did add you to my feed reader so I can catch all your posts. :-) I think you would like Fingersmith. I hope you get a chance to read it!
DeleteSo many wonderful books and so many wonderful bloggers. Good job here, Wendy. Aren't we all happy that we found each other and can share this passion for the written word? I love the fact that I'm not an outsider here. I belong. :-)
ReplyDeleteKay - Yes, so many. I know I have quite a few on my wish list because of you as well. :-)
DeleteIt is nice to be surrounded by others who share in my love of books. It's like coming home.
Oh man, in general, I have to say that bloggers are GREAT about recommending Victorian fiction and modern literary fiction with Victorian settings. Sarah Waters and Wilkie Collins are just two of the authors I've been introduced/reintroduced to because bloggers can't get enough of Victoriana.
ReplyDeleteJenny - There does seem to be a lot of Victorian setting love going around the blogosphere. I've noticed that too. :-)
DeleteI'm pretty sure Sarah Waters landed on my TBR thanks to you and I know you're responsible for countless other books! Wilkie Collins is one I found through blogging too though I haven't technically read any of the books. I fully plan too though! I love the fact that there are so many other book lovers to talk to. It's nice to have a community that understands the fun and the wonder and the struggle of those massive TBRs!
ReplyDeleteKatherine - I really need to read more by Collins. I have heard Moonstone is very good.
DeleteI really like that about our book blogging community. I know that if I came home with a new bag of books, you all would celebrate with me rather than give me "the look." Haha
Book bloggers are the best in my opinion! Most of the times they're the one who help me in making my reading choices and not to mention adding/buying more books!
ReplyDeleteYour list sounds wonderful so of course I'll have to check them out. And thanks so much for the mention, Wendy! I'm glad you add that book to your list. I really loved that book.
Melody - We are the best! Whenever someone in my offline line recommends a book, I find myself going online to see what my book blogger friends have to say about it--just to be sure it's for me. Haha
DeleteI love that bloggers will not only share recommendations, they'll share books! Thanks for the shout out!
ReplyDeleteKathy - It's definitely an added bonus. :-)
DeleteLots of good stuff on there! Yay, bloggers!
ReplyDeleteKailana - Yes, book bloggers tend to have good taste. Haha
DeleteI think you did a great job of remembering who recommended what! And THANKS A LOT because like you, 95% of my wish list comes from other bloggers and you have such good recommendations that I am putting them on my wish list. I was listening to a podcast "all the books' and one of the hosts read 500 books last year!! Man! I was lucky to get over 80. I love having found the book blogging world!!
ReplyDeleteDebbie - Ah, thanks! I think I remembered far less than actually came recommended. :-) These posts with recommendations have had me adding madly to my wish list too.
DeleteI'm not one who can read 500 books in a year either. I know there are those who can though. I'm more like you, which I guess to a non-reader or someone who only reads a book a month, 75 or 80 is a lot like 500 is to us.
I think you just added books to my tbr!
ReplyDeleteSheila - We are good at that, aren't we? Always giving each other ideas for new books to read. :-)
DeleteI'm glad that I'm finally catching up - so glad that you appreciated the book. Us blogger moms do stick together :) One day I think we need to get a book blogger baby vacation planned ;)
ReplyDeleteStacy - It helped me through a difficult time. Thank you. :-) I think a book blogger baby vacation sounds like a good idea.
DeleteI hear you on forgetting who recommended what, especially when itsya particularly buzzy book! This is a great list. :)
ReplyDeleteShaina - It's hard to remember who recommended what first sometimes, I think.
DeleteBloggers are so often the people that push us to read outside of our comfort zones, aren't they?!
ReplyDeleteLisa - Yes, they really are. They're wonderful at that. :-)
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