On this first day of Book Blogger Appreciation Week 2009, participants are encouraged to share the book-blog love:
The first day of BBAW, Monday September 14th, we encourage you to write a post thanking and spotlighting your favorite blogs that didn’t make the shortlists.
Those “shortlists” would be the ones related to the BBAW Awards, which I talked more about last Friday: nearly 40 categories, 1000 blogs originally nominated across them all, now down to just five finalists for each. Voting closed on Saturday, and the winners will be announced on the BBAW Blog all this week.
This assignment is tougher than you’d think it would be. Since I don’t concentrate my reading in one or two genres, I don’t tend to read all that many genre-specific book blogs either, and about half of the awards are for “Best (your category here) Review Blog.” Also, as it happens, quite a few of my favorite book blogs actually did get to the shortlists in one category or another – I must have good taste or something :-). Still, I’d like to single out a few blogs who aren’t in the finals (regardless of category), but are absolutely winners in my book, regardless.
- Best General Review Blog (3-way tie):
Book Chatter and Other Stuff – and a lot of the “other stuff” on Ti’s blog is book-related too. She has an excellent review format: publisher’s description, “the short of it” (her summary), and “the rest of it” (review in depth); also, the books she reads and reviews cross a variety of genres and niches.
Devourer of Books – Jen has a great blog design, a wide range of reading interests, concise reviews…and a new baby.
(ADDED) The Book Lady’s Blog – I could have sworn Rebecca‘s blog was on at least one of the BBAW shortlists, but apparently I was wrong; she definitely belongs on mine, though, with apologies for her earlier omission! Not only is she a fine book reviewer, her work as a bookseller gives her an interesting perspective (and lots of additional blog fodder!).
- Best Kidlit Blog: The Betty and Boo Chronicles To be honest, I read Melissa’s blog for a lot of her other content, but the book reviews she does with her children – they would be Betty and Boo – are enjoyable even if kid-lit isn’t your thing. She also reviews books for grown-ups, and mixes in non-bookish posts as well. I just wanted to make sure she was on this list somewhere, and this category fits!
- Most Eclectic Taste (tie):
A Book A Day: When you’re reading and blogging at that pace, like Angie is, just about anything might show up.
Both Eyes Book Blog: Jessica has already read over 300 books this year. She doesn’t review them all, but when she lists them, there’s an impressive range.
- Best Commentator: Literary Feline (Wendy) of Musings of a Bookish Kitty. She’s been one of my most consistent – and insightful – commentators here for nearly two years now. In blogging chronology, that’s a long-term committed relationship.
- Best Published Author Blog: I was excited to see a couple of my absolute favorites shortlist in this category, but I wonder who was ranked 6 through 10. John Scalzi’s Whatever had to be in there somewhere.
- Best New Blog: Amy Reads Good Books. She really does! Sometimes they’re quite different from the ones other bloggers are reading, too.
- Best Reviews: My Cozy Book Nook. I may be biased, because it seems like Molly and I have similar reading tastes (and she’s also a dog lover), but her reviews are very thorough and thoughtful.
- Best Book Published in 2009: This has to be qualified as “Best Book Published in 2009 That I’ve Read So Far This Year,” and in this case, it’s further qualified: “Best Book Published in English in 2009 (that was previously published in another language) That I’ve Read So Far This Year.” Based on my reviews and ratings, that honor goes to The Unit, a novel by Ninni Holmqvist. (Actually reading books in the year they’re published is definitely one argument in favor of accepting review copies.)
- Most Chatty: Lisa at Books on the Brain: book-club maven, avid reader, thoughtful yet informal reviewer, and someone whose blog always feels like a comfortable conversation.
I didn’t include this one above because Jill‘s blog Fizzy Thoughts did make the BBAW shortlist (for Funniest/Most Humorous), but wanted to mention that she has given us an Official BBAW Theme Song.
If you don’t already know some of these blogs, I hope you’ll drop by and introduce yourself!
Super list of terrific bloggers.
The Betty and Boo Chronicles. I'll have to visit that one. Here is mine
I feel so lucky to be on your list, thanks so much!
Why, thank you, Florinda! That means so much that you would mention me in the Kidlit category. The reviews I do with Betty and Boo are some of my favorites, too (I just wish they wanted to do more of them.)
Check out my post today … hopefully I did justice to your wonderful blog as well, and thank you (as always) for helping to push my Google Reader into the stratosphere, my friend. 🙂
Beth F – Thanks :-).
Bluestocking – Thanks for sharing your list, and I hope you'll like The B&B Chronicles as much as I do!
Jen – You're more than welcome :-)!
Melissa – My list would not have been complete without you, and I'm glad you're happy with the Kidlit category :-). I'll check out your post later on, but thanks in advance for mentioning me in it!
You've made my day. I am speechless and that doesn't happen often. Thanks so much for including me. I can't wait for next year's Festival of Books. Hopefully we will get to spend more time together.
Oh my, so many more new-to-me blogs that must be good since you're recommending them! I wondered about Whatever, too. I just got the joke about the name of his fluffy cat today.
I totally agree with you! This is a great list.
Excellent list! I'll be sure to check out your suggestions just as soon as hubby comes home and helps me get the kids in bed. Thanks for sharing!!!!
Thanks so much for the mention!
I am having a good time checking out the short lists and you've listed a couple I'm not familiar with so thank-you (I think).
Great list. I like your crisp new look, too!
You are too kind!! Thanks, Florinda! xoxo
Great list! I love looking at everyone's favorites today. so many new blogs to explore!
Great list, Florinda!
I've a fun time exploring the new-to-me blogs through BBAW! My GR is bursting already! 😛
Ti – You're very welcome. I noticed your blog on quite a few shortlists today, actually :-). And I'm looking forward to next year's FoB too!
Jeanne – I still don't get the joke about his cat :-).
Kathy (Bermudaonion) – Glad you like my choices…and thanks for including me on YOUR list! You know the only reason you're not here is because you're on the real BBAW shortlist.
Jonita – Hope you enjoy your new discoveries!
Amy Reads – You're more than welcome :-).
Kristen – I know just what you mean. My GReader will be taking major damage this week!
Karen H – I changed it a couple of weeks ago. Thanks – I like it too!
Lisa – And you are very welcome!
Marie – BBAW is quite the blog-finding bonanza, isn't it?
Melody – Mine too, and it's already getting worse. Wonder if there's a limit to the number of subscriptions GReader will hold?
Such a great list of book blogs! Thank you for sharing them. I love so many of them, too. The rest are now in my Google Reader. When are we going to have a chance to read books after this week is all said and done?
Jennifer (Literate Housewife) – I hear you on that one. It's the big irony of book blogging!
I've discovered that my computer at work still isn't too fond of your blog. I am, however, and so I won't let a little problem like that get in my way. 🙂
I love your choices for the awards. There's a couple I am not too familiar with (I'll definitely be correcting that though) and several that would make my favorites lists too. Except maybe for me. I've been a terrible commenter this year. You're really the one who deserves that award.
Thank you so much for the template recommendation on my blog. My husband put together the header and I think it turned out quite well. If that hadn't worked, I probably would have been begging for a favor from your husband. I appreciate your willingness to volunteer him. On yet another side note, I was disappointed you weren't online at midnight last night. Can you please adjust your schedule to match mine? I know, what the heck was I doing up then? Not good to stay up so late on a work night. I paid for it today.
I love Jill's theme song, by the way.
Wendy (Literary Feline) – If you ever find me awake at midnight, something is wrong somewhere. Most nights I'm lucky if I'm still awake at 10 PM.
I love your new header and I'm glad it worked out so well, especially since I hadn't told my husband that I'd volunteered his services for that :-). Does having the same template make us blog twins? I'd be fine with that if it does.
Clearly I disagree with you about your being a "terrible commenter" this year – and since it's MY blog, my vote counts more than yours :-D! I hope you enjoy checking out the new-to-you blogs I mentioned on my list.
I so loved that you focused on Betty and Boo's Mommy here. SHe is a dear, dear soul.
Beth K – Yes, she is…and she says the same about you :-). It's been great seeing her come along as a blogger!
Can't wait to read THE UNIT!
Lenore – If you like dystopian stuff, you'll probably like it.
This is a great list. I LOVE Molly's reviews, too. She's great – all these blogs are!
Elizabeth – English teachers seem to be particularly good book bloggers, for some reason :-).