6-Month Blogging Update

Hi All-

A little update about blogging and books and stuff. I make a lot of lists in my life, so that’s how I’ll write this one:

1. Thank you to all who have read, followed, liked, commented, tweeted, retweeted, quoted, and just plain supported me in my first six months. It has truly been a transformative experience. I’ve loved every minute of it. I started out just posting from NetGalley, then threw everything up on WordPress… And then I started following others, and being more active on Twitter. With some much appreciated help from others, I have gained good reach and many strong connections. Thanks again!
2. I’ve started to find a little freedom in my reading. After hearing about many fantastic reads on the blogs I follow, I’m now branching out from ARCs and doing some mini-reviews on books I’d planned to read or have now found out about. I’ll typically do a mini-review on these books, but stick to a longer, more complete ones for the ARCs I read. Slowly chipping away at my TBR… and, like all of us, quickly adding to it.
3. Shout Outs to just a few of the great bloggers who have really helped/ inspired me. Jennifer at TarHeelReader. Lashaan at Bookidote. Kaleena at Reader Voracious. Nick at Out of the World SFF Book Reviews. The Grimdark Dad. Mogsy at Bibliosanctum. Jason at Off the TBR. Please check out their blogs. Good stuff!
4. Most-read posts: 1. The Fighters: Americans in Combat in Afghanistan and Iraq by C.J. Chivers 2. The Prodigy by John Feinstein 3. Ohio by Stephen Markley 4. A Well-Behaved Woman by Therese Anne Fowler 5. Shelter. Book 1 of The Aftermath. By Dave Hutchinson
5. Some of my favorite reads so far. I will be putting together a more formal list at the end of the year.  * Dopesick: Dealers, Doctors, and The Drug Company That Addicted America by Beth Macy * Foundryside by Robert Jackson Bennett * Ohio by Stephen Markley * City of Lies by Sam Hawke * The House of Broken Angels by Luis Alberto Urrea
6. My Rating System: One of the things I need to do on my blog is to write a more formal rating system. I have looked over several on the blogs I follow, and will steal/ borrow some ideas. Several people have asked me why I rate so many books with 4s and 5s. I think it’s pretty simple: I try to be very positive in my reviews, and I only review in genres that I know I will enjoy. This is my hobby, so I have to enjoy it. I also try to be as balanced as possible in my reviews by mentioning positive and negative aspects of the books.
7. Some reviews on the horizon…

That’s all for now… Happy Reading, and Thanks again!