Top Ten Tuesday 1/29/2013: Most Frustrating Characters

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

This week I'm a day late, but I really liked this topic so I decided what the heck!  This week we're talking about the most frustrating character and let me tell you, I read a lot of YA so I spend a lot of time yelling at characters to "Use your words!".  I swear a lot of characters are just dumb and it drives me bonkerdoodles.

1. Bella Swan in Twilight - This is a no brainer.  Bella is so frustrating, I just wanted to punch my head through desks and walls and doors.  The most frustrating parts were the curling up in the fetal position after her Edward left her and the stringing Jacob along because that's what "best friends" do.  Give me a break.
2. Anastasia Steele in Fifty Shades of Grey - I really think there might have been an independent and intelligent girl hidden somewhere in Ana's head.  It's just that her completely vapid inner goddess and judgemental sub-conscious never let anything remotely redeeming squeak out.  Home girl should have high tailed it at the first mention of a sex contract.
3. Anna and St. Clair in Anna and the French Kiss - GOOD LORD these two.  Just sit down and TALK already!  Soooo much drama could have been avoided if they had just let each other know what they were really feeling. 
4. Varen from Enshadowed - I loved Varen in Nevermore.  I thought he was just fantastic, all moody and broody and goth-hot.  But then Enshadowed happened and he turned into a raging emo douche.  Isobel is so loyal to him and tries so hard to rescue him and he just jumps to conclusions without talking to her.  I was PISSED at the end of Enshadowed and I wanted to punch Varen square in that sexy lip ring.
   
5. Katniss in Mockingjay - Katniss was so awesome in the first two books of the series.  She was strong and resourceful and quick on her feet, both in physical and verbal combat.  But in Mockingjay, especially the first half, she seemed to digress and become a lot more weak.  She spent the majority of the book unconscious in hospital.  I wanted her to be a greater part of the action.  She seemed very doormat-y.
6. Colin And Mary from The Secret Garden -  These two, lol.  They were both so spoiled and obnoxious, they were made for each other.  I actually really did love how everyone walked on eggshells around Colin except Mary, who just told him what was what. 
7. Arya and Sansa in A Game of Thrones - These two characters go through a lot of growth throughout the series and both become pretty awesome, but man do they start off as frustrating!  Sansa is frustrating because one, she's a tween and all tweens are annoying as hell, and two, she's so strung up on the idea that Joffery is so wonderful that she betrays her family!  Poor Lady.  And Arya is frustrating because while we all enjoy a spunky heroine, homegirl could have easily gotten herself killed.  She needed to learn how to play the game and tone it down when Lannisters were around.
8. Tris in Insurgent - I really liked Tris in Divergent, I thought she was brave and honest and really cool.  However in Insurgent she just dissolved in a pile of teen angst.  Not cool.
9. Meghan Chase in The Iron Fey series - Mostly Meghan in The Iron Daughter, but kinda her throughout most of the series.  I just wanted her to fight back a little more, but she seemed very damsel in distress for a lot of it.  I also didn't like her stringing Jacob Puck along, poor guy :(
10. Everyone in The Maze Runner -  One of my biggest frustrations with books is when information is withheld from characters because "they don't need to know that right now".  ESPECIALLY when this is in a dystopian setting!  You'd think everyone would work together and share knowledge so they could try and figure stuff out but no.  Incredibly frustrating.

Top Ten Tuesday 1/8/2013: Reading and Writing Goals for 2013

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

This week we're talking about our 2013 goals and boy do I have some!  I'm actually really excited to start working on my new goals and I hope all of my blog readers/youtube viewers enjoy the changes I'll be making in the coming months.

Blogging and Youtube

1.  Review as I read and/or monthly TBR and wrap up.  For this blog I will continue to review individual books, but I want to be more on top of my reviews and would really like to review a book before starting a new one.  For my youtube channel I think I'm going to stop doing individual reviews (unless I really want to talk about something specific) and instead do monthly wrap ups.  I think in the film format it's easier to just do quick summaries.  This will also free up more time for goal number 2...

2.  Edit my videos!  I've decided to make a greater effort to use my nice camera and take some time to actually edit.  This will cut down on video length and make them more cohesive.

3.  Do more discussion topics.  I really enjoy when people talk about different trends or tropes they see in literature.  I think it would be fun to start doing different discussions, not just reviews and memes.  I'm thinking once a month.

4.  Movie, Video Game, and TV reviews!  Not only do I love to read, I also love movies and video games.  In fact I saw 20 movies in the theaters last year and I bought I think around 15 video games.  I want to start doing reviews on some of my other interests too, so be on the lookout!

Reading

1.  Read 50 books this year.  I know this is a severe drop from the previous couple of years, but there are a few reasons for only reading 50.  Lately I've been reading in spurts.  I'll get burned out and not read anything for a month, get behind in my mammoth reading goal, then scramble to catch up.  It's exhausting and I don't want to put so much pressure on myself over a hobby that I'm supposed to enjoy.  I'm hoping to read about a book a week, not get burned out, and to make reading enjoyable.

2.  Utilize my Kindle.  I'm making a goal to buy all new/debut books on my kindle unless I'm purchasing the next book in a series that I already own in hardback/paperback.  The reason for this is not so much cost driven, it's about space.  Or my quickly shrinking space.  I just don't have enough room in my apartment for more physical books!  So my goal is to only buy physical copies if I'm continuing a series because I don't like mixing format (once I start a series in hardback, they all have to be in hardback.  It's a pet peeve).

3.  Don't abuse netgalley!  I admit it, my eyes are much bigger than my reading capability and I often request ALL THE THINGS on netgalley.  However, I've barely read a fifth of what I've been approved.  This isn't fair to the publishers, authors, or other bloggers so one of my biggest goals is to catch up on all of my netgalley requests and only request the books I really want to read.

Writing

1.  Write/Read for 30 minutes a day.  I want to get really serious about my writing.  I have a bunch of ideas that I think would make fantastic novels, but I don't have any discipline to sit down every day and write.  So that's my main goal, I have a couple of different books that will help me be organized with my writing and I'll let you guys all know how it goes!

Other Life Goals (aka fitness goals lol)

1.  Do the Insanity workout program in it's entirety.  Shawn-T's Insanity program is probably the best workout DVD system I've ever experienced.  I've never fully committed to the program though so I've made it one of my goals for the year.

2.  Participate in the Run for your Lives 5k.  One of the main motivators for me to do Insanity is this obstacle 5k.  There are a lot of "mudder" races out there, but this one has actors that dress up like zombies!  It's like an obstacle course and flag football with zombies, and it looks fantastic.

3.  Do the Color Run without stopping.  Last year I did the color run (my first 5k ever) and while I finished, I had to walk some of it.  I had a complete blast and really want to do it again, but this time I want to run it without walking. 

So those are my basic goals for 2013!  I think these changes will be fantastic and I'm very excited!  What are your goals and resolutions for 2013?  Post in the comments and let me know!

The Top Books I Read in 2012

2012 is officially over!  I am very excited for 2013, I have a lot of plans and changes for my blog and especially my youtube channel.  Before I dive into my new years blog-olutions let's take a look back and discuss my top reads for 2012.  This is a kind of sorta Top Ten Tuesday but a couple weeks late.

8.  The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. Danforth - I think The Miseducation of Cameron Post is a very important addition to the YA LGBT literature.  This book is beautifully written, touching, and most importantly a balanced story that doesn't vilify any one character but gives them all honest and well rounded perspectives.

7.  Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews -  I have two different cancer books on my list this year and Me and Earl and the Dying Girl is definitely the more irreverent of the two.  It's crass and rude for sure, but there's also a really interesting message that had me pondering illness, death, and society's perception and expectations surrounding disease. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl may not be a comfortable read, but it is an honest one (brutally so).

6.  Velveteen by Daniel Marks - I absolutely LOVE Velveteen Monroe.  She's a great character that has a lot of depth.  I really want to read more of her story and see her growth.  Velveteen sets up a really interesting and unique world and I really want to read more of this story.

5.  The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa - This book is just cool.  I love the dystopian world and these vampires are legit.  I really enjoyed the mythology and world building.  This is like Daybreakers meets The Book of Eli, which in my opinion is a pretty awesome combination.

4.  Graceling by Kristen Cashore - Graceling is one of the best YA high fantasies I have ever read.  This is a great introduction to high fantasy for younger readers and I also really appreciated the sex positive message.  We need more of this is YA (and literature in general).

3.  The Fault in Our Stars by John Green - Are you really surprised to see this on here?  Really?  The Fault in Our Stars is John Green's best book to date and is well deserving of all of the success and praise (not to mention being on the New York Times best seller's list since release and being named Time magazine's #1 best book of 2012).  This book is beautiful and will definitely be re-read in 2013.

2.  Cinder by Marissa Meyer - Cinder is a brilliant re-telling of a very well known story.  Marissa Meyer manages to make of the the most popular fairy tales of all time fresh and new and surprising, which is no easy feat.  The second book in the series, Scarlet, comes out in February so I hope to re-read this in January!

1.  Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor - Oh my goodness you guys, this book is amazing.  The Daugher of Smoke and Bone series is quickly becoming one of the best series I have ever read.  Laini Taylor kicks it wayyy up a notch and WOW.  Days of Blood and Starlight just punched me right in the stomach with all of the feels.  It is amazing and I am a sucky person for not reviewing it yet (it's coming I promise!).

So that's it!  Those are the very best books I read in 2012.  What is on your list?

Top Ten Best TV Shows On Netflix Instant

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

This week is a free week so I'm going to talk about my favorite shows on Netflix instant watch.  I LOVE the instant watch option for Netflix and I have watched many TV shows, so here is a list of my favorites (warning, this will be VERY Joss Whedon heavy!).

1.  Buffy the Vampire Slayer - The entire 7 seasons of Buffy are on Netflix instant (along with the spin off series, Angel) and is a cult classic and essential for all internet/Joss Whedon nerds.  In my opinion Buffy is a culture icon of the late 90s/early 2000s and a must watch.

2.  The Guild - Created by Internet maven Felicia Day as a webseries, The Guild is a fantastic show about a rag-tag group of MMO gamers that start to interact IRL.  I love this show because the characters in the show ARE my friends.  Anyone who plays WoW or knows someone who does will appreciate this show.

I love their avatar costumes!  I want to be Codex!

3.  Dance Academy - This Australian show is a stereotypical teen drama to be sure, but I still love it.  Dance Academy follows the story of Tara, a young dancer from the country who is accepted to the prestigious National Dance Academy.  While the show is super teen-cheese I still was really invested in the characters (I actually cried at the end of series 2, I'll admit it).  It's a great show for fans of Save the Last Dance or Center Stage.

4.  Revenge - Revenge is a new find for me, but it is completely engrossing.  I haven't finished the first season yet, but I have thoroughly enjoyed watching Emily work her way into the bed of her enemies and seeing her cope with chinks in her plan. 

5.  Sherlock - This modern adaptation of Sherlock Holmes breathes some much needed life into the slew of crime dramas that are currently on tv.  It's funny and interesting and extremely clever and one of the best Sherlock Holmes adaptations I've ever seen (though as much as people seem to love Benedict Cumberbatch I cannot seem to get his creeptastic character from Atonement out of my head).

That mustache gives me nightmares

6.  Firefly - The only bad thing about Firefly is there's only one season.  Nathan Fillion is fantastic and so is the rest of the crew.  Be sure to check out not only the series but the follow up movie Serenity.

7.  Dollhouse - Another Joss Whedon show (told you there was a lot!) and Dollhouse introduced me to Topher Grace, one of my favorite tv characters ever.

One word - HOT

8.  The Walking Dead - I LOVE ZOMBIES.  The Walking Dead does a great job showing not only the awesome zombie murder-gore action but also the psychological, social, and ethical impact a zombie outbreak will have.  The best zombie tv show, ever.

9.  My So Called Life - My So Called Life was one of the first teen focused shows to deal with drugs, suicide, and homosexuality in a very real and honest way.  There's only one season and it ends on such a cliffhanger, I'm not sure I'm ever going to get over not knowing if Angela and Jordan ever got together and if there was anything to that Lesbian-ish vibe between Rayanne and Sharon.

10.  Skins (UK) - The first two seasons of Skins is absolutely fantastic.  The cast is phenomenal and the writing on point.  Ignore the 3rd season on and the US remake and you'll be good to go.

Top Ten Tuesday 10/23/2012: Books To Get In The Halloween Spirit

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

This week we're discussing Halloween reads!  I LOVE horror, so this is a really fun topic.  Let's discuss!


1.  Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz - These books were my OBSESSION as a kid.  I probably checked them out of the library about a hundred times.  Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark is a collection of short stories and poems with some of the freakiest drawings I've ever seen.  I read these books in fourth grade and they still stick with me.


Seriously?  What the hell is this doing in a kids book!?

2.  Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake - I read Anna Dressed in Blood last year around Halloween time and loved it!  It has a great basis in real pagan/witchcraft practices that I found really refreshing.

3.  Velveteen by Daniel Marks - Velveteen is a 2012 debut and really awesome!  It's a story about about a girl who was murdered by a serial killer and is now trapped in purgatory but is determined to get revenge.  The writing is fantastic and if you're a fan of Kat Dennings you will love the sarcastic humour. 

4.  A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness - Horror is a very visual genre and A Monster Calls has some of the most beautiful illustrations I've ever seen.  It's a brilliant book that is best read in one sitting.  Just block off a few hours and settle in.  Be prepared for some waterworks though, this one has a surprisingly emotional connection.

Beautiful.

5.  Misery by Stephen King - I'm reading this one right now and oh my goodness, it is so fantastic.  It's probably my most favorite Stephen King work, and I would highly recommend the movie as well.  I'd say the movie is one of the best book to movie adaptations I've ever seen (plus Kathy Bates won the best actress oscar which almost never happens for a horror film).


6.  And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie and Ten by Gretchen McNeil -  I read And Then There Were None in middle school and I think it just may be the best murder mystery of all time.  I absolutely love it and in my opinion it belongs on the classics shelf.  More recently is a modern YA adaptation Ten by Gretchen McNeil that just came out earlier this year.  I am very interested to see how she changes the original work to fit a modern teen audience and I plan on reading Ten very very soon.

7.  The Asylum for Wayward Victorian Girls by Emilie Autumn -  As a large coffee table sized book with full color pages, The Asylum for Wayward Victorian Girls by Emilie Autumn is one of the most beautifully presented books.  Part fantasy part auto-biography, Emilie Autumn blends journal entries, photographs, and drawings from different eras together into a chilling novel.

8.  The Marbury Lens by Andrew Smith - The Marbury Lens is arguably one of the weirdest novels I've ever read, and I question it's YA label.  This novel doesn't hold back and fully immerses you in one of the most graphic and strange worlds in the YA genre.

9.  World War Z by Max Brooks - Listen to the audio book for this one, you won't regret it.  World War Z is told in a series of interviews about the zombie apocalypse.  I absolutely loved the complete picture that develops through first hand accounts of horrors experienced around the world. 

10.  Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton - Jurassic Park is another classic from my childhood.  Anyone who grew up in the 90s saw Jurassic Park and if you're liked me, absolutely loved it.  I read the novel in middle school and I found it to be just as exciting and frightening as the movie. 

So there  you go!  These are my top ten novels to get into the Halloween spirit.  What are you selections?  (stay tuned for a top ten movie list!)

Top Ten Tuesday 8/28/2012: Bookish Confessions

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.  This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish.  We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

This week we're confessing our bookish dirty secret.  Our little cheats, habits, and shameful behaviours.

1.  Sometimes I go back and change my star ratings. 

After I finish a book I always go on goodreads and immediately mark it as finished and give it a star rating.  But then after reading other reviews and talking to people about the book sometimes my mind will be swayed and I'll change my star rating (usually lower).  I think I initially rate books too high and other people's opinions change my mind.

2.  I totally judge books by their covers.

If the cover doesn't grab my attention the chances of me reading it are pretty slim.  It has to get good enough reviews for the book to really stand out to convince me to buy it.

3.  I am a drama fiend.

I'll admit it, I love to read super snarky reviews and all of the bat-shit crazy comment wars that ensue.  I secretly love reading about authors losing their shit on reviewers or people fighting over arcs or journalists making sweeping assumptions about the book blogging community.  What can I say, I'm a Libra!

4.  I buy way more books than I can ever hope to actually read.

I love to go book shopping the way other women go clothes and shoes shopping.  I have such excitement for ALL THE NEW RELEASES!  and I go out and buy them but then get bogged down and never get around to reading them.  It really stresses me out because I feel like they all deserve to be read but I'm just too slow.

5.  I suck at netgalley.

See above.  I get so excited for new books and when I see them on netgalley and I get into a frothing frenzy and request all the books...then never read them.  o.O

6.  I don't trust anybody with my books.

I hate lending my books to people because I always get them back completely trashed!  It's so annoying and completely disrespectful and I really hate it (URGH!).

7.  I am a book peeker.

Whenever I see someone reading in public I try and surreptitiously figure out what they're reading, but I think I've been caught a few times. 

8.  I'm not a real fan 

I tell people I'm a Jane Austen fan, but I've only read Pride and Prejudice.  I don't know what is wrong with me

8.  I have a secret desire to be a writer, but I think people judge me for it.

I'm really afraid to talk about my desire to be an author, because then I get this reaction:



And it makes me feel like shit.

9.  People in my life constantly make fun of me about my reading habit.

I get a lot of flack for how much I enjoy reading and other nerdy things, such as video games and obscure movies, and I have to admit it makes me feel pretty bad sometimes. 

So those are my bookish confessions, what are some of yours?  Post in the comments!

Top Ten Tuesday 5/1/2012: Books You'd Like To See Made Into A Movie

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.  This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish.  We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

This is a great topic for the week, which is why you're getting two posts today.  I love thinking about what books will get made into movies and who I would cast as certain characters.  So for this list I'm going to take it a step further and cast one character for each of the movies.  I tried to pick actual teens, but there are a couple actors that just have a youthful feel lol.  Feel free to comment and discuss!

TOP TEN BOOKS THAT SHOULD BE MOVIES

1.  Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

Rose Hathaway - Jennifer Lawrence

Dimitri Belikov - Alexander Skarsgård

ok so maybe this is more of a naughty fantasy, but wouldn't these two be fantastic?  I think Jennifer Lawrence could totally pull off Rose's fighting spirit, and Alexander Skarsgard is just a brilliant actor and I think he could handle the emotional side of Dimitri as well as have some awesome fight scenes.

2.  Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Cinder - Jamie Chung

Prince Kai - Harry Shum Jr. (hello!)

It's hard to believe that both of these actors are 30 and still playing high school kids!  I think Jamie Chung was great in Suckerpunch and would look fantastic as a half cyborg mechanic.  And Other Asian from Glee totally gets my vote for a hot prince.



3.  Blood Red Road by Moira Young

Saba - Saoirse Ronan 

I need to tell you all now that I have a major girl crush on Saoirse Ronan.  I think she's a fantastic actress and does fighting and different accents very well (she's Irish but has done movies with an English, American, and German accents) and I'd love to add Saba's regional dialect to her impressive resume.  Plus I think she could kick ass in the arena scenes.

4.  Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

Anna - Jodelle Ferland

Jodelle Ferland is a bit of a champion in the horror movie genre.  I think she's fantastic and I really can't picture anyone else as Anna.

5.  The Iron King by Julie Kagawa 

Meghan Chase - Elle Fanning

Prince Ash - Kit Harrington

Ok so I know there's about a 10 year age difference here, but I've always imagined Ash as older than Meghan, and look at these two.  They're exactly how I picture them.  Elle is a bit young but an amazing actress.  I also love Kit as Jon Snow and I think he could pull of Ash's cold exterior.



6.  Divergent by Veronica Roth

Tris - Annasophia Robb

I love Annasophia Robb, and I think she would be a totally kick ass heroine.  She hasn't done too many action flicks, but I think she would rock. 

7.  Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

Lola - Emily Browning

Cricket - Toby Turner

Emily Browning has a really cool look and is a great actress, I think she would rock as Lola.  And you may not know Toby Turner but he's the popular youtuber tobuscus.  He's nerdy and funny and completely adorable, just like Cricket.  He's also tall, and Emily Browning is pretty short so it would create that fantastic height difference.

8.  The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Hazel Grace - Chloë Grace Moretz

Chloe Grace Moretz has made a name for herself as a young action star, but I was blown away by her performance in Let Me In.  I think she has a great talent and could totally handle Hazel's complex character.  (As for Augustus I have NO idea lol).

9.  Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Karou - Emilia Clarke

Emilia Clarke is sexual and a fantastic actress.  I love her in Game of Thrones, and I think she would be amazing with the fantasy elements of Daughter of Smoke and Bone.  Also she totally rocks the silver Targaryen hair and could definitely pull off turquoise.

10.  Velveteen by Daniel Marks

Velveteen - Kat Dennings 

Velveteen is sarcastic and smokin', just like Kat Dennings.  I'm not finished with Velveteen yet, but I really think Kat Dennings would rock out with her cock out.

Top Ten Tuesday 4/17/2012: Top Ten Tips for New Bloggers

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.  This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish.  We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

Each week we will post a new top ten list complete with one of our bloggers' answers.  Everyone is welcome to join.  All we ask is that you link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND post a comment on our post with a link to your Top Ten Tuesday post to share with us and all those who are participating.  If you don't have a blog, just post your answers in the comments.

TOP TEN TIPS FOR NEW BLOGGERS

So, I have officially been book blogging for 1 year tomorrow (YAY ME!), but I'm no stranger to the blogging world.  I've had a blog in some form for over 7 years, so I think I've picked up a thing or two along the way.  I've also had a vlog channel for over 2 years, so some of these tips will also apply to youtube channels as well. 

1.  Have a clean layout!  I seriously cannot stress this enough.  If people cannot easily read and navigate your blog, they will give up and never come back.  Nothing deters me from following a blog more than a messy layout.  Make sure the font is easy to read and the font color and background color are easy on the eyes (no neon green on bright blue!).  Also keep all of your buttons and widgets up to date.  If the contest or countdown is over remove it from your sidebar! 

2.  For the love of God, NO MUSIC.  This applies to blogs and youtube.  Music will severely slow down your blogs load time, which is annoying as hell.  One of my greatest youtube pet peeves is people who are trying to do a book review but have music playing in the background so I can't hear what they're saying.  It is infuriating and often I'm really interested in hearing what they have to say, but because they just OMG LUV My Chemical Romance so much and HAVE to play it, I can't hear their opinions.  Nothing makes me click out of a video or blog faster than music in the background.

3.  Don't COPY!  I wish I could say this goes without saying, but sadly there is SO much copying in the blog world.  Even I've found places where my words have been copied.  If you feel the need to copy someone else's post, take a step back and really think about why you're blogging in the first place.  Let me just say now that blogging solely for ARCs will not work.  You will burn out long before your blog has enough of a following to catch the attention of any publishers.  If ARCs are the only reason you've started a blog, just stop now and save yourself some stress.

4.  Communicate with your readers/viewers.  When it comes to books, people love to talk about their opinions.  If someone comments on your blog, take the time to comment back.  You could get a great discussion going and you will also help form a relationship with a reader that will keep them coming back.  On the flip side, if you read a fantastic post or watch a great video, let the author know!  Comment telling them what you think or you could even make a response post.  Of course, if you are inspired by someone else's work link back to the original post.  By giving credit where credit is due, you not only help your readers find more good bloggers but you also show yourself to be an honest blogger.

5.  Don't get caught up with numbers, but try and be consistent.  I have spent way too much time stressing about how many followers/comments/visits my blog and youtube gets, and it can really wear you down.  Focus on your content and being an active participant in the community and people will come to you.  Just keep swimming. 

6.  Don't wait to write reviews.  This is advice I need to take myself.  I would write the review as soon as I finish the book, while it is fresh in my head.  You don't have to post it right away and building up a cushion of reviews will help you if you run into a busy time.  It is such a relief to have some reviews stored up ready to post during exam week or if you are sick. 

7.  Don't be an a-hole.  I don't really understand why, but the internet seems to have some magical powers that leads everyone to think they can be huge jerks.  Well, I'm here to tell you that being a jerk is one of the fastest ways to ruin your reputation.  Try and stay out of drama, resist the urge to post a nasty comment or tweet, and if you're planning on writing very negative reviews, expect some backlash.  I always try and approach everything I post as if I were doing this to a stranger on the street.  Would you tell a stranger they're an ugly fat bitch to their face?  No, so don't say it on the internet. 

8.  Have original content.  Be yourself and write with your own voice.  Don't try and force yourself to be snarky if you're not that way naturally.  Don't force yourself to write sophisticated and analytical reviews if you don't think that way.  You will burn yourself out and people will be able to tell you're faking it.  Try and figure out what the goal of your blog is and who your target audience is and write to that.  Also, memes are super fun, but if that's all your blog is people will get bored fast (and yes, I get the irony of say this in a meme post).  Try and balance your memes with reviews and other content.

9.  Have an easy to remember and unique name.  This is HUGE.  Spend some time thinking about your blog title because it is the first thing people see when they come to your blog and can create expectations of what content they will find on your blog.  If you call youself The YA Book Reviewer but then all you talk about is adult romance novels, people will be confused.  You also want your blog title to be catchy, something readers will easily remember.  My blog was originally called Amanda Pearl's Books which, while expressing the fact this is a book blog, isn't that memorable.  I love my title Pearl the Book Girl because it ties in my rather unique middle name with the intention of the blog in a catchy way. 

10.  Blog what you want, because you want.  This really should be number 1.  This blog is yours, and it's going to be you who spends time and energy creating it.  Why bother writing a blog if it's on a topic you're not extremely passionate about?  Don't read a book if you don't like it just because you want to review it, don't force yourself to write about topics you don't care about, and, to put it plainly, don't try and be someone your not.  Have fun with your blog, write what you want, and eff the rest. 

Top Ten Tuesday 4/10/2012: Top Ten Books That Were Totally Deceiving

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.  This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish.  We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

Each week we will post a new top ten list complete with one of our bloggers' answers.  Everyone is welcome to join.  All we ask is that you link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND post a comment on our post with a link to your Top Ten Tuesday post to share with us and all those who are participating.  If you don't have a blog, just post your answers in the comments.

Long time no see huh?  I haven't done a Top Ten Tuesday since January!  But this week's topic was too good to pass up.

TOP TEN BOOKS THAT WERE TOTALLY DECEIVING (AKA COVER FRAUD)

1.  Carrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon - I love this cover, it is just beautiful.  Sadly the story inside is not so much.

2.  Across the Universe by Beth Revis  - This cover is GORGEOUS!  I seriously love it so much.  But that's about where the love of this book ends sadly.

3.  Wither by Lauren DeStefano - Sometimes I feel alone in this, but I didn't really like Wither.  The cover is amazingly beautiful, but the book fell completely flat.

4.  The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin - This book had SO MUCH HYPE.  Seriously, I was quivering with anticipation once this cover was revealed.  Too bad I didn't really like the book :(

5.  Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead - It's no secret that I HATE this cover with a burning passion.  I didn't read this series for the longest time because of the terrible covers.  But once I got over my prejudice and actually read the book I fell in literary love.

6.  Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick - I love the sexy man cover of Hush, Hush, but the book?  Not so much.

7.  Divergent by Veronica Roth - I have to be honest, I really don't like the cover of Divergent.  If there hadn't been a lot of hype I'm not sure I would have picked it up.  Now that I know more about the story I like the cover a lot more, but if I were coming to it knowing nothing?  I would pass it by.

 8.  Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor - I really dislike this cover, it does nothing for me.  However, I really freaking loved this book!  Daughter of Smoke and Bone is the best paranormal romance I've ever read.

 9.  Tris & Izzie by Bette Ive Harrison - This cover is stunning, but Tris & Izzie may be the worst book I've ever read.  Ever.

10.  The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa - I loved the covers of the first three books in the Iron Fey series, but The Iron Knight cover is nowhere near as good (though I do like the fact that Puck is on the back).  However, The Iron Knight is my favorite book of the series!