Spring is finally coming - freshly cut grass, the birds are tweeting more and dare I say it the sun is shining brighter. I love spring as it's the prelude to my favourite season, summer. I must admit that I am glad to see February behind me. It was the month where I had a re-occurring neck injury that prevented me from reading and a pretty serious reading slump, which I am still slowly trying to claw my way out of.
So, before we get onto the bulk of BCC news, I just wanted to let you know that I am taking a break. I will only be gone for three weeks, but I need to shake away the cobwebs of winter and emerge fresh and new ready for spring. I also want to get a buffer going with my reviews so I'm not always reviewing books the same week I'm posting them - I think this will work better for me, being such a moody reader an' all ;)
I have a few guests coming by: Skyler White, author of 'and Falling, Fly', with a fantastic post about how she sees the term 'Speculative Fiction'. Ying Lee, author of The Agency, with a great post on why historical fiction is better than time travel. Rosemary Clement-Moore, author of The Splendour Falls, will be stopping by for a chat (date TBC). I also have a few guest reviewers stopping by to review books from authors Nora Roberts and Seressia Glass among others. Of course there will also be the regular features too.
I will be away hiking in the Lake District at some point during the three weeks, but I will still be around the blogosphere and twittering away on Twitter (hey, I'm an addict, what can I say!). I will be back in full capacity on 22nd March to launch 'Men of Urban Fantasy'. This is a week long event, which focuses on male authors in a genre that is predominately written by women. I have some fantastic guests, lots book reviews, as well as awesome contests!
Banner & Button Designed by Twoscoopz
Book Chick City News
• I managed to get a few books read/reviewed, although they were few and far between.
Books Read/Reviewed: 5
- Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
- The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks
- Last Rites by Shaun Hutson
- The Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz
- Zombies: An Anthology of the Undead by Christopher Golden
Author Interviews/Guest Posts: 1
- Sarah Jane Stratford - Guest Post
• February also saw a few additions to Book Chick City. Mainly the new feature 'Where Stories Are Made' which I am very pleased to announce has turned out to be incredibly popular so far. My guests this month were:
• I received 5 blog awards from my fellow bloggers this month, big hugs and thanks go to:
- Chrissies Corner and Dark Faerie Tales for the Your Blog is So Cool! Award
- C Mash Loves to Read for the Beautiful Blogger Award
- Bloody Bad and Rhiana Reads for the Prolific Blogger Award
• I hosted my first Valentine's event too: Be My Valentine, which was fun, but again due to my circumstances didn't get many books read. However, I did mange to review The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks.
• I posted a couple of discussion posts this month, YA Fiction: Category or Genre & ARC's: Review Sooner or Later? - both posts were pretty popular and got a great discussion going.
Cover Art revealed at Book Chick City this month in my 'Cover Crush' feature:
- Alpha (US Edition) by Rachel Vincent
- Green-Eyed Demon (UK Edition) by Jaye Wells
- Dragonfly Falling (US Edition) by Adrian Tchaikovsky
- Tempest Legacy (US Edition) by Nicole Peeler
- The Best Hex Ever (US Edition) by Linda Wisdom
- Downside Ghosts (UK Editions) series by Stacia Kane
- Burned (UK Edition) by P. C. Cast/Kristin Cast
- Burned (US Edition) by P. C. Cast/Kristin Cast
- Ghosts of Manhattan (US Edition) by George Mann
- Anita Blake series (UK Editions) by Laurell K. Hamilton
- The Technician (UK Edition) by Neal Asher
- A Wild Light (US Edition) by Marjorie M. Liu
- Waking the Witch (US Edition) by Kelley Armstrong
- Kitty Goes To War (US Edition) by Carrie Vaughn
- The Fires of Heaven (US ebook Edition) By Robert Jordan
Reading Challenges 2010 - Progress Report:
Reading Challenges hosted by BCC:
Suspense & Thriller Challenge: 1 read, 11/12 to go
Speculative Fiction Challenge: 5 Read 19/24 to go
The Anita Blake Challenge: 0 Read, 19/19 to go
Other Challenges:
Sookie Stackhouse Challenge: 0 Read, 9/9 to go
The Vampire Diaries Challenge: 0 Read, 5/5 to go
100+ Reading Challenge: 11 Read, 89/100 to go
Young Adult Reading Challenge: 2 Read, 10/12 to go
The Outlander Challenge: 0 Read, 7/7 to go
1st in a Series Challenge: 4 Read, 16/20 to go
Stephanie Plum Challenge: 0 Read, 15/15 to go
Sookie Stackhouse Challenge: 0 Read, 9/9 to go
To view challenge in detail go HERE
February's New-To-Me Blogs
This is a fab blog for fans of paranormal romance, urban fantasy and historical fiction. There's always lots going on and Lori does a great job. This is a blog that I now visit on a regular basis. So stop by and check it out!
So, what was your month of Feb like?
London Time
20 comments:
Today for the first time I'm having a spring feel too, the birds are chirping, the sun shines, my mood is instantly lifted and I can't wait for spring to be in full swing.
Can I just say I always love your event banners, they are awesome!! Also, enjoy your three week break! It is good to do some spring cleaning, to inhale some fresh spring air and do some reading.
Today I found out my dad is making me a floor to ceiling bookcase, he want to work on giving my guest bedroom a complete make over and I too have a sense with out with old, the cobwebs and everything clean and fresh.
My February has been a lot better than my January regarding reading so i hope to continue that. I'm glad you're not completely going away and can twitter a bit :) Have a wonderful break Carolyn!
Leontine - thanks so much, I definitely need a spring break and a step back from blogging. It does take up a lot of time and I feel that as with my reading I am in a bit of a mood about it all LOL. I just need a breather.
I normally do my own banners but I haven't had time of late so I found Twoscoopz through Natasha at Wicked Little Pixie. I think they are great too, nice and fun!
I envy your new bookcase. We are still decorating - different rooms this time. Not long to go now before I can have my very own new bookcases ;) At present my books are just piling up against the walls.
I'm glad your reading was better in Feb and continues to be good. Reading slumps are horrible things. x
Ugh, that groundhog did not lie, I've still got snow on the ground! I hope your spring is a bit greener.
Despite your reading slump it looks like you had a busy February, mine was rather low key.
I hope you have a nice break, and read some great books!
It is St. David's day and I am so jealous that you are headed to the Lake District. It's an area of Britain that I've yet to visit; perhaps when i am over this June.
Enjoy your break and come back refreshed!
Whitney - some of the UK still have snow, but where I'm from the sun is shinning, yay!!
hcmurdoch - I love the Lake District and go at least twice a year for hiking. If you can get to visit when you're over in June do, it's a wonderful place :)
Look like you got a lot done this month. Enjoy your break. The Lake District sounds like a lot of fun.
Have fun with your time away! :) Look forward to all you have planned!
Damn I'm gonna miss your event!
I'll be in Cuba that week!
Kate - The Lake District is great fun. It has some gorgeous mountains, so if you like to walk/hike then it's pretty much heaven :)
Sheila - thanks so much, and for your review :)
Tynga - well, blog event or Cuba? I know which one I'd pick ;) Have an awesome time!!
enjoy your break you deserve it! , hope your neck feels better. I know what you mean about a reading slump, i love paranormal but I'm burned out so March is fantasy month for me :)looking forward to your march event
Hmm... I'm freezing and it snowed last night. ;) So, I guess spring may be a bit slower getting to me.
Great rundown of the shortest month of the year. Lots of stuff.
Hope you have fun on your break! Have fun!
You got 5 awards this month...I forgot to tell you about this one....sorry! http://rhiana-reads.blogspot.com/2010/02/month-of-blogging-plus-winners-and.html
Enjoy your break, and have fun in The LD, I live about 20 minutes away...I know, how lucky am I?
Wow, I didn't expect this. I feel like I am the last know. Thank You for the kind words and I am very pleased that my blog appeals to you. This is very cool. :)
The button for Men of Urban Fantasy is so cute!!! I'm definitely looking forward to tuning in this month for that :)
Looks like a great February reading month, hope March is just as good :)
For being in a slump, you were still really productive in February!
Want to send some of that Springtime my way? The ground is still covered with snow and I don't think Spring will ever get here! Stupid Groundhog! :(
Enjoy your break! Hiking in the Lake District sounds lovely.
Have fun!
FSoM - thanks! I hope the break will do me good too. I think with everything, if you do it a lot you will eventually need a bit of a breather. I hope March is a good month for you too :)
Melissa - oh no! I'm sorry it's still snowing and cold where you are. Some parts of the UK are still under snow but luckily the snow left us in my part of the UK last week and suddenly it's gone all spring!
Rhiana - Aw thanks, I will add your award right now! Wow, you are lucky I love the LD!! Do you go walking/hiking a lot or is it the typical thing we do of not going to a place because it's on our doorstep? :)
Lori - you're welcome! I really like your blog, we have lots of similar tastes in books :)
Alexia - I guess I was productive with lots of other stuff but I just wish I could read more. I seem to be losing a book a month which is very frustrating - hoping the break sorts me out!
THANKS FOR STOPPING BY EVERYONE!! :)
I am so bad. I take my laptop with me on vacations even. If you can step away for three weeks, I should be able to do it for five days, but it gives me heart palpitations to abandon my blog. I am so sick.
You certainly have a knack for starting great 'me too' posts where the blogger community loves to kick in their two cents. It's certainly a talent you have, and I enjoy these posts especially.
Rebecca - I have been known to take laptop on holiday - last year we went to the states on holiday and we took it with us then. But to be honest it was more stressful as it wasn't a laptop I was used to (I use a Mac and it was a PC) and it would format all my posts differently. I did use Twitter occasionally but it did wind my hubby up after a while, which is completely understandable I hate it when he uses his phone for work when we go away and it's no different.
I will be around this time though, we aren't away on holiday for the entire three weeks I just need a break. But I get worried about my blog too and hope that all the schedule posts are going up ok etc etc. But I just have to remember it's not the end of the world if they don't, it's not a job. Easier said than done though hey.. :)
I'm glad you enjoy my discussion posts - I do too, it's interesting to see what other bloggers are thinking..
Have fun with the time away, sounds like it will be great! Looking forward to you week long event at the end of March!
Oh, and I have two awards for you here: Not-Really-Southern Vamp Chick
You had a terrific month! I want to read the Uglies, my stepdaughter really liked this series until the last book -- she didn't like it.
I really like The Men of Urban Fantasy banner, also looking forward to that event.
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