Armchair BEA 2012: Introductions

Today is Day One of Armchair BEA.  This is my first time participating and
I’m very excited. Day One is all about introductions
and getting to know fellow book bloggers.  So here is a little bit about me:

Please tell us a little bit about yourself: Who are you? How long have you been blogging? Why did you get into blogging?
My name is Kristin and I am an avid reader. I am fortunate to come from a family of readers where we always got books as gifts – we got books at Christmas, for our birthdays, for good report cards, and we even got a book on the smaller holidays such as Halloween, Valentines Day, and Easter. I also happen to be married to an avid reader, so it’s not surprising to find us sitting on the porch reading or heading out to the bookstore for some new books on the weekends. We have a chocolate lab named Maddie that loves to sit with us while we read – she loves sniffing the books, so old books and library books are her favorites because they have great smells! Besides reading and blogging, I enjoy yoga, walking outdoors, crocheting, scrapbooking and baking.

I started blogging just a little over two years ago. I had gotten married about 9 months before that and had moved to a new area. I wasn’t working and besides taking care of my then new puppy, I had a lot of time on my hands. I stumbled onto some book blogs while playing around on the internet and decided I would give it a go – I didn’t even tell anyone about it for a while until I got it going. Going into it, I had no idea of the rewards I would get from blogging – the community I now feel part of, the book recommendations I come across from visiting other books (my tbr list is longer than it ever was!), the review requests that I get from authors/publishers/publicists.

What are you currently reading, or what is your favorite book you have read so far in 2012?

Currently reading:

Review to be posted June 7th.

Favorite book so far this year:

Review can be found here

What literary location would you most like to visit? Why?

I would love to visit Prince Edward Island up in Canada. My absolute favorite set of books is the Anne of Green Gables series. I devoured the series when I was young and I love to recommend it to young girls who enjoy reading. Last year, I went up to Nova Scotia, Canada for the first time for my cousin’s wedding. I was only there for a few days so I didn’t have the chance to make it to PEI, but the next time I go up there (which I hope will be soon!) I am definitely going there.  

My mom is headed up to Nova Scotia this week to visit my aunt and the one thing they have planned is to go there…can you say JEALOUS!!! I’m hoping mom thinks of me while there and brings me back a little momento of the place…fingers crossed!

What is your favorite part of the book blogging community? Is there anything you would like to see change in the coming years?

I would have to say I love the virtual friendships that have been developed. It’s so nice to have an audience geared to this obsession with books that we all have. I’ve also found that book bloggers are extremely helpful – all you need to do is put a question out there and you will get responses. I recently asked about how to get audio books from Overdrive to my iPod and was overwhelmed with all the helpful hints.

Have your reading tastes changed since you started blogging?  How?

Absolutely! I used to be a one book at a time kinda a girl and now I usually have two or even three books going at once. Thanks for the promotion of audio books on all the blogs, I finally decided to give them a go and now I can’t live without them! I always have one going in the car and now that I know how to get audio books from Overdrive to my iPod, always have one going on that, too.

As far as what I read, I still like my romances, chick lit and thrillers, but now I am really into historical fiction, again thanks to some blogs that rave about them. I’ve also found new authors that I might not have thought to read and have ended up loving them.

Thanks for taking the time to get to know me a little. I’m really looking forward to all of the Armchair BEA festivities and getting to know everyone who is participating.

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77 Comments

  1. The Book Chick
    June 4, 2012 / 2:36 pm

    I love the image of you and your hubby reading on the porch with your dog! Happy Armchair BEA to you 🙂

    • Kristin
      June 4, 2012 / 3:22 pm

      Thanks…I should try to get a picture of it and post it! It really is cute when she puts her nose into the book as she is laying next to you.

  2. Jess (The Cozy Reader)
    June 4, 2012 / 3:19 pm

    We have two yellow labs. They are such great dogs!! I wish my hubby was an avid reader. I've only gotten him to read a few books: Twilight Series and The Hunger Games series. Pretty big feats if you ask me!

    Here's my Armchair BEA post for today!

    • Kristin
      June 4, 2012 / 3:23 pm

      While my hubby is an avid reader, he is pretty set in what he reads, so he is always out of books. Me, on the other hand, have an ever-growing list of what I want to read and never have trouble picking my next book.

      I do love labs – and if my husband had his way, we would have at least one more if not two more.

  3. Kristina
    June 4, 2012 / 3:30 pm

    Hi! I still haven't caught the audio bug but it does seem to be huge around bloggers. I want to read both your current and favorite read

    • Kristin
      June 4, 2012 / 5:21 pm

      I started listening to audio by choosing a book I had already read just to see if I could enjoy listening to it. Since then, it's blossomed! There are definitely some narrators that are better than others and some books that are better read than listened to.

  4. Felicia the Geeky Blogger
    June 4, 2012 / 3:35 pm

    The Shoemaker's Wife is on my definite TBR list! It does really sound great 🙂

    I am with you on the multi-books at once thing 🙂 I have too now–my mood dictates what I read LOL That was a post-blogging thing not a pre-blogging thing.

    • Kristin
      June 4, 2012 / 5:22 pm

      I can't say enough about The Shoemaker's Wife – I just absolutely loved it and tell everyone I know to read it.

  5. Laurel-Rain Snow
    June 4, 2012 / 3:55 pm

    What a perfect image! Two people who love books reading on the porch. Wish I had a porch! lol

    Now that you mention it, I would love to visit Prince Edward Island, too. I've only visited the NW part of Canada, but do love islands.

    I have loved every Trigiani book I've picked up, and The Shoemaker's Wife is on my list.

    Thanks for sharing…and here's MY ARMCHAIR BEA POST

    • Kristin
      June 4, 2012 / 5:23 pm

      What's great about the porch is that it's enclosed, so we can use it year round!

      Adriana Trigiani is definitely one of my favorite authors. I'm slowly making my way through her Stone Gap series. Have you read that series?

  6. Meg @ A Bookish Affair
    June 4, 2012 / 4:04 pm

    Oh yes, The Shoemaker's Wife was definitely one of my favorite reads so far this year too!

    • Kristin
      June 4, 2012 / 5:24 pm

      I need to go out and buy myself a copy of it – I had gotten it from the library. So good!!!

  7. Becky LeJeune
    June 4, 2012 / 4:10 pm

    My husband started reading as a hobby when we got together. Now we both frequently fall asleep reading at night. He never has a shortage of books to read – he picks through mine for new ones!

    • Kristin
      June 4, 2012 / 5:25 pm

      We both read in bed, too! We have very different interests in reading – he's a fan of sci/fi and fantasy and those are 2 genres I do not like.

  8. The Housework Can Wait
    June 4, 2012 / 4:46 pm

    I keep telling my family what I want for gifts is Amazon gift cards, so I can buy books as I hear about them, but they like getting presents they can wrap. So my Amazon wish list is just chock-full of books 🙂

    And I'm with you on learning to read more than one book at a time! I never could do that before blogging.

    Pleased to meet you! Here's my Armchair BEA Intro Post.

    • Kristin
      June 4, 2012 / 5:26 pm

      Tell them to wrap up the giftcards!!!

      Only occasionally do I have more than one print book going. Usually it's one print book and an audio or two.

  9. Unknown
    June 4, 2012 / 5:12 pm

    My reading habits have actually changed in the opposite way of yours; I used to read 3-4 books at a time, but I can't do that anymore or I'll just get the books mixed up when I write reviews, so now I only read one at a time:)

    Nina
    My introduction post

    • Kristin
      June 4, 2012 / 5:27 pm

      Isn't that interesting. I find that I just need to look at the synopsis of the book when I get to writing the review and it all comes back.

  10. Suko
    June 4, 2012 / 5:51 pm

    Terrific interview! We have some things in common. I enjoy historical fiction as well, and am also intrigued by Prince Edward Island. (Other literary locations I'd like to visit include the Outer Banks of North Carolina, Italy, and China, from assorted books.) Enjoy Armchair BEA!

    • Kristin
      June 4, 2012 / 6:15 pm

      I would love to go to Italy one day, too, especially after reading some of Adriana Trigiani's books that are set there.

  11. The Flashlight Reader
    June 4, 2012 / 6:04 pm

    I had no idea that Anne of Green Gables is set in Prince Edward Sound! I'll be up that way in a few weeks! Looks like I'm adding another stop to my trip… I was already heading to PES for nature viewing, but I'll have to see if there are any literary stops as well.

    Oh, and I am so one of those people that gives books as gifts. I think every child should have a well stocked personal library. =)

    The Flashlight Reader

    • Kristin
      June 4, 2012 / 6:23 pm

      This year I decided that all my nieces and nephews were getting books for their birthdays. I had so much fun picking out books that I thought they would like. And I always gets books for a baby shower gift and when the baby arrives!

  12. Amused
    June 4, 2012 / 6:58 pm

    Great pick for best book of the year! I absolutely adored The Shoemaker's Wife!

    • Kristin
      June 4, 2012 / 7:07 pm

      Wasn't it fantastic? I've been telling everyone I know to read it!

  13. Sabrina
    June 4, 2012 / 7:47 pm

    I also love audiobooks, listening to them on the train is always a great thing to do.
    And I also love that the blogging community is so willing to help when you have a question.

    Have a great week.

    • Kristin
      June 4, 2012 / 8:38 pm

      Audiobooks are great…I don't know how I lived without them for so long as I only started listening to them last year!

  14. Unknown
    June 4, 2012 / 8:05 pm

    Hi Kristin! Aww, chocolate labs are the greatest – I had one growing up. So beautiful and such great companions. I also love scrapbooking 🙂 It's been nice to "meet" you. See you around!

    • Kristin
      June 4, 2012 / 8:39 pm

      Scrapbooking is fun – I just need to make it more a priority. I am so far behind!!!

  15. Stacy at The Novel Life
    June 4, 2012 / 10:20 pm

    Hi Kristin! As I was reading through your interview I kept going "oh!oh! good answer!!! especially about Price Edward Island and The Shoemaker's Wife!!! All I could think about for the literary location was Hogwarts, but in actuality, I'd love to visit PEI! I did not read Anne of Green Gables until I was in my 30's and adored the series. So happy to become more acquainted with you!

    • Kristin
      June 4, 2012 / 11:18 pm

      Hogwarts came to mind, too, but PEI was definitely at the top of the list.

      I started to reread the series last year and need to get back to it.

  16. Unknown
    June 4, 2012 / 10:47 pm

    Hey Kristin!

    Love that you came from a book reading family. My grandma used to bring me books. Her picks were the best!

    Hmm, I'd love to get to PEI too, and Nova Scotia, just it's soo far away!

    🙂 Also, almost spelled your name wrong, hope you didn't notice. I'm all about making new friends as well so happy to meet you!

    • Kristin
      June 4, 2012 / 11:20 pm

      I love that my family reads – I always have someone to talk about books with. But I love the blogging community for that reason, too!

      Nova Scotia was beautiful and I do hope to get there again soon!

  17. Michelle Doorey
    June 4, 2012 / 10:56 pm

    Oh I just lover chocolate labs! You don't see too many in that colour.
    Thanks for visiting my introductions post 🙂

    • Kristin
      June 4, 2012 / 11:22 pm

      I love them, too and am so glad my husband picked her – he got the dog as a surprise shortly after we got married!

  18. Chrisbookarama
    June 4, 2012 / 11:29 pm

    I'm hooked on audio books now too! And there are lots of great little souvenirs in PEI. I hope she gets you something good.

    • Kristin
      June 5, 2012 / 12:32 am

      I just started the Janet Evanovich series and they are great on audio!!!

  19. Libby
    June 5, 2012 / 12:10 am

    Hey! Thanks for coming by my place a little while ago 🙂

    We used to get books for all the holidays too. And, now that is what my parents always, always send for Christmas and birthdays, and my kids roll their eyes (not in front of my parents).

    Have a good Armchair BEA!!

    • Kristin
      June 5, 2012 / 12:33 am

      I never remember rolling my eyes as I loved all the books I got. I decided this year that for their birthdays, all my nieces and nephews were getting books. I think I had more fun picking out what they might enjoy then they did read them but they did like them.

  20. Smash Attack Ash
    June 5, 2012 / 12:45 am

    I love that you and your husband are both avid readers. My husband reads here and there, and will eventually pick up some books I plead with him to read. And YAY for scrapbooking! I miss it so much. Running a blog is hard work and I never give myself time to scrap anymore…

    • Kristin
      June 5, 2012 / 1:08 am

      What I really need to do is set my scrapbooking stuff up in our guest bedroom and leave it out. Then, when I have an hour or two, I can get right into it. Now if I want to scrapbook, I have to drag it all out and that takes too much time!

  21. Shelleyrae @ Book'd out
    June 5, 2012 / 12:52 am

    Hi Kristin,
    Its lovely your hubby is a reader too, mine doesn't read at all!

    Thanks for visiting Book'd Out earlier – enjoy Armchair BEA!

    Shelleyrae

    • Kristin
      June 5, 2012 / 1:08 am

      I'm lucky that he loves books as much as I do!!!

  22. LibraryGirl
    June 5, 2012 / 1:23 am

    Thanks for stopping by. I love the Anne of Green Gables series as well. Definitely a great set of books.

    I still can't read more than one book at a time. I used to listen to audio books on my way to and from work but I can't listen to them around the house and get anything done. I wish I could because I know I would get through books a lot faster that way!

    • Kristin
      June 5, 2012 / 12:57 pm

      I work at home a lot, so it's easy to put on an audio when I am just doing data entry.

  23. Jen at Introverted Reader
    June 5, 2012 / 1:41 am

    Another PEI fan! I wonder how many of us gave that answer? I tell my husband that one day he's going on an Anne pilgrimage with me whether he wants to or not!

    • Kristin
      June 5, 2012 / 12:58 pm

      I think I would have to drag my husband, too!

  24. Laura @ The Shabby Rabbit
    June 5, 2012 / 1:49 am

    We are kindred spirits! One year for Christmas I got the Little Women set… I still have it.

    Prince Edward Island was a brilliant choice!! I so very much love Anne of Green Gables.

    virtual friendships – check!
    can read more than one book at a time – check!

    Hope to see you around ArmchairBEA or at a twitter party!

    • Kristin
      June 5, 2012 / 12:59 pm

      I have a copy of Little Women on my bookshelf and am hoping to reread it one of these days. But Anne has been and always will be my favorite!!!

  25. Marg
    June 5, 2012 / 2:02 am

    The Shoemaker's Wife was an excellent read, and I too said I would like to go to Canada, and if I was going it would be to the East Coast and I would be heading towards Quebec so I might as well go to Prince Edward Island!

    Yay for loving historical fiction too!

    • Kristin
      June 5, 2012 / 1:00 pm

      I need to go buy myself a copy of the book – I had borrowed it from the library and then wished I had bought it instead…I can definitely see myself rereading it a few times!

      Yes, I do love historical fiction…especially anything to do with the Tudors!

  26. Leah
    June 5, 2012 / 2:08 am

    I've also experienced reading multiple books at one time since becoming a blogger. I've also felt more of a responsibility to finish books–before, I would start a book, and if I was bored, I'd set it down and not pick it back up. It would get reshelved, and just sit there until I tried it again. Blogging has helped hold me more accountable to finish books I started, regardless of boredom.

    • Kristin
      June 5, 2012 / 1:08 pm

      I've been lucky that I haven't run into too many books that I just didn't like. Some were not as good as others, but they were ok. I'm not sure what I would do with a book that I didn't like at all, especially if it is a review book. Something to definitely think about!

  27. Brooke from The Bluestocking Guide
    June 5, 2012 / 2:14 am

    Hi Kristen, thanks for visiting me today.

    • Kristin
      June 5, 2012 / 1:08 pm

      You're welcome!

  28. Marce
    June 5, 2012 / 3:09 am

    Hubby is a reader also, yaaay for you, that is great stuff.

    Audio doesn't work for me but I have seen many fall in love with them.

    • Kristin
      June 5, 2012 / 1:08 pm

      I never thought I would be able to get into them, but boy was I wrong! Now I can't seem to live without them.

  29. Jenny
    June 5, 2012 / 3:30 am

    I love that you come from a family that appreciates books so much! My husband has gotten into reading a lot more since I started blogging, and it's so fun to share our enjoyment of reading!

    • Kristin
      June 5, 2012 / 1:09 pm

      While my husband and I have very different reading tastes, it is nice to enjoy reading together and heading to bookstores together. And he is very supportive of my blogging, which is great!

  30. Philippa @ Tea, Daydreams & Fairytales
    June 5, 2012 / 3:39 am

    It is really great becoming part of an online community 🙂

    I came from a family of readers too so completely understand where you are coming from there, it just shows what a big difference it makes while growing up!

    I'm so jealous that your husband is also a reader, I'm lucky if mine has picked up 2 books over the last 14 years we've been together sigh! I just know he see's all the book I buy as a waste of money 🙁

    • Kristin
      June 5, 2012 / 1:11 pm

      Yes, it is great being part of this online community. While I do come from a family of readers, no one reads as much as I do, so it's nice having so many as passionate about books as I am to share my thoughts.

      I am fortunate that my husband loves books as much as I do!!!

  31. Michelle
    June 5, 2012 / 3:40 am

    I'm listening to THE SHOEMAKER'S WIFE right now and cannot get enough. It is the one time I am glad I spend so much time in the car!

    • Kristin
      June 5, 2012 / 1:12 pm

      I think I would like to listen to the book as well. It is such an amazing story!

  32. Unknown
    June 5, 2012 / 3:44 am

    I love audiobooks and overdrive too! I have a crazy long commute to and from work so I always have one on. It helps me save minutes on my cell too! No more chatting away the hour drive. LOL!

    • Kristin
      June 5, 2012 / 1:13 pm

      I do find that I am less willing to get on the phone while in the car when I have an audio going!

  33. sawcat
    June 5, 2012 / 6:50 am

    I've heard good things about The Shoemaker's Wife. I am on the waiting for it from the library. I just got really big into audiobooks this year. I drive a lot for work, and tend to focus on the work better when listening to something, so they've been working well for me. Until I forget I am listening to a book, and pick up a printed book or my Nook.

    • Kristin
      June 5, 2012 / 1:15 pm

      The Shoemaker's Wife is amazing!!! I had requested it from my library and now am kicking myself that I didn't buy it because it is definitely a book I want for my collection.

  34. Michelle Stockard Miller
    June 5, 2012 / 9:10 am

    Hi Kristin! Thanks for visiting me yesterday.

    My family was much like yours when I was growing up. Our treats were always books. When we went to the grocery store with mom, if we were good, we would get a book, usually a Little Golden Book. Back then, they cost less than 25 cents, I think! My mom saved all of our books from when we were kids and I still have them. My sons are enjoying them now. To give you an idea of how many my sister and I had, they take up one of those six foot high, five shelf bookcases.

    It's nice to meet someone who likes historical fiction. I'm actually very passionate about it. I just can't seem to get enough of it!

    • Kristin
      June 5, 2012 / 1:16 pm

      I remember those Little Golden Books – I believe we had quite a few of them around the house, too!

      Historical fiction is my favorite – I typically gravitate towards anything set during the Tudor period, but am also a little intrigued about Russian history and Catherine the Great.

  35. Judith Leeswammes
    June 5, 2012 / 12:43 pm

    I've enjoyed all Trigiani books I've read so far (which is almost all of them). Do try the others if you haven't yet.

    • Kristin
      June 5, 2012 / 1:17 pm

      I started reading the Big Stone Gap series and have already read the two Valentine books. I have a few of her stand-alones as well. She is an amazing author!

  36. CMash
    June 5, 2012 / 1:22 pm

    Hi..I have been here before lol. I also found the blogging community by accident and so glad that I did!!

    • Kristin
      June 5, 2012 / 7:30 pm

      I'm so glad I did, too!

  37. stacybuckeye
    June 6, 2012 / 1:55 am

    You are so lucky to have a reader as a hubby so that you can both indulge together! My library/bookstore time is my alone time – which is okay too 🙂

    • Kristin
      June 6, 2012 / 3:34 pm

      Yes, I can see that taking a trip to the library/bookstore by yourself would be nice – I do take some trips to the bookstore by myself quite often just to wander around!

  38. Stepping Out of the Page
    June 7, 2012 / 9:17 pm

    New to your blog and it's great to meet you! Fantastic answers to interesting questions.

    Stephanie @ Stepping Out of the Page

    • Kristin
      June 11, 2012 / 5:40 pm

      Thanks! Hope you had a fun Armchair BEA!

  39. Chrystal
    June 17, 2012 / 11:55 pm

    The Shoemaker's Wife and the Secret Keeper both look really good.

    I think a trip to PEI would be wonderful. I still need to read Anne of Green Gables. Planning to do it in July. 🙂