Really Random Tuesday #5: A Winner and a Wordle

Welcome to the fifth "edition" of Really Random Tuesday!

Really Random Tuesday is a way to post odds and ends--announcements, musings, quotes--any blogging and book-related things you can think of. If you're inspired by this idea, please feel free to copy the button, use it on your own blog, link back to me, and let me know.


Congratulations to JHS, who has won the memoir What We Have by Amy Boesky. JHS, your book will be mailed to you soon. If you didn't win this time, please don't despair, because I have other book giveaways posted on the right side of my blog, and more are on the way.








I noticed a "wordle" my daughter had printed out for her friend, so I went on wordle.net and had some fun creating. You can randomize--or customize--any set of words to your heart's content. In fact, there are almost too many choices, and it's easy to get carried away, and spend a lot of time on wordle. This is one I came up with.


I'm not posting a video today, but I do have a terrific quote (although of course women are readers as well):

“‘Tis the good reader that makes the good book; in every book he finds passages which seem confidences or asides hidden from all else and unmistakenly meant for his ear; the profit of books is according to the sensibility of the reader; the profoundest thought or passion sleeps as in a mine, until it is discovered by an equal mind and heart.”
– Ralph Waldo Emerson (Society and Solitude, 1870)

Please be sure to visit the excellent Really Random Tuesday posts on Veen's blog, Giving Reading a Chance and Naida's blog, the bookworm. Veens actually posted before me--India is a day ahead!

Book Blogger Hop and a Giveaway

It's Friday! Ready or not, it's time for another Book Blogger Hop, August 27 - August 30, hosted by Jennifer from Crazy-for-Books. This weekly BOOK PARTY is an opportunity for book bloggers to connect with other book lovers, support each other, and discover new book blogs. Most importantly, it's lots of fun!

This week's question from Books are a Girl's Best Friend is a good one: Do you use a rating system for your reviews and if so, what is it and why?


I do not use a rating system for several reasons. The main reason is because ratings seem too subjective. I know that ratings can help others decide about books, and I do rate books for my reviews on Amazon, because it's a requirement for submitting them, but I don't rate books on my blog because it seems like that would be a too subjective and arbitrary practice. Instead, I discuss books in my reviews, and ask readers to make up their own minds.

Just a few days ago, I learned that I won Free to a Good Home by Eve Marie Mont on Anna's blog, Diary of an Eccentric. Anna reviewed the book, which she calls "a great end-of-summer read", and also presents a guest post by the author, so stop by Diary of an Eccentric when you have a few moments to spare. Since Penguin sent me two copies of this newly released novel, I am giving the extra copy away!

• To enter the giveaway for this book, simply leave a comment.
• For another chance at winning, become a follower of this blog, or let me know that you're already a follower, or that you subscribe in Google Reader.
• For an additional chance, post about this contest on your blog, Facebook, or Twitter.

Enter by 5 PM PDT on Monday, September 13 (U.S./Canada only). One winner will be selected randomly and announced on Tuesday, September 14. Good luck, and thanks for reading!