Month: March 2023

Blog Tour and Author Guest Post: The Walk On #Football

BonnieReadsAndWrites4 Comments

BOOK DESCRIPTION (FROM AMAZON)

In the twilight of his NFL career as a middle linebacker for the Chicago Storm, Mike “the Steelman” Stalowski masks his physical pain and mental anguish with alcohol and painkillers. The fan favorite has a rebel image and a notorious reputation, and he plays a violent gridiron game fueled by inner rage.

While estranged from his wife and living in the fishbowl environment of professional sports, he unexpectedly meets the fresh-out-of-college Kim Richardson. She sees through Mike’s star persona to who he really is—a kind guy from the Southeast Side of Chicago who has never forgotten his humble blue-collar roots. The lives of the star-crossed, seemingly mismatched couple collide during a whirlwind romance that culminates in a tragic series of events.

The Walk-On is a timeless tale of love and loss that explores the consequences of personal decisions and the rewards of faith, redemption, and hope.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Richard Podkowski, a native of Chicago’s South Side, began writing fiction while studying criminal justice at Loyola University Chicago.

As a United States Secret Service special agent, Richard protected U.S. presidents and foreign dignitaries and investigated major domestic and international financial crimes until he retired in 2003.

Richard’s projects include a Christmas romantic comedy screenplay and a crime story, both currently in the works. In his free time, Richard enjoys riding his road bike, working out, and making Christmas ornaments. He currently resides with his wife in Los Angeles.

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM

Praise

“The Walk-On is a fascinating story of self-sabotage and redemption. A page-turner!!!! 

– Mary Pat Kelly, Bestselling author of Galway Bay, Of Irish Blood, and Irish Above All

“An interesting read where star linebacker Mike Stalowski confronts the inevitable challenges every NFL player faces as they transition to their post-football life. His experiences may seem exaggerated, but they are still very real.”

– Gary Fencik, Chicago Bears, Super Bowl XX Champion

GUEST POST FROM THE AUTHOR, RICHARD PODKOWSKI

The Walk-On — a true Chicago story

In The Walk-On, Mike “the Steelman” Stalowski is a blue-collar kid who grew up in the shadows of the Chicago steel mills, where hard-working immigrants poured molten steel 24/7 while smokestacks belched black smoke until they were shuttered in the mid-70s. The word steel in Polish is “stal” which is the root of the Steelman’s surname. Technically, my interpretation means he’s made of steel.

Chicago, one of the most diverse cities in the world, has many nicknames including Chi-town, City of Big Shoulders, Windy City, Second City, and oddly for most, the Third Coast. Although if you’ve ever been on the lakefront, you understand.

Many people have heard of the South, North and West Sides. No East Side as you’d be in Lake Michigan. The city has over 200 distinct neighborhoods. You’ll find the Steelman in Hegewisch, Lincoln Park, Little Italy, Wrigleyville and the Gold Coast. The long-standing North Side / South Side rivalry is real. One of my characters from the South Side mocks a friend from the North Side for not venturing farther south than Roosevelt Road. Technically, the dividing line is Madison Street. Ironically, both live in the western suburbs, which is another rivalry.

The South Side is known for being more blue-collar, and it definitely has some of the city’s most poverty-stricken neighborhoods. Conversely, the white-collar North Side includes the bustling downtown area, with its well-known skyscrapers, lakefront recreation and residential high-rises, mansions, upscale eateries and shopping options, and numerous cultural destinations.

I am proud to have grown up on the South Side. We were certainly blue-collar, poor actually, and I lived in a tiny cottage bungalow. Like Stalowski, my parents were Polish immigrants who came to Chicago seeking a better life. My dad toiled in the South Side stockyards until he became a printer. My mother worked on a Westinghouse Corporation factory assembly line, alongside other Polish and Hispanic women. She didn’t speak good English, and she didn’t speak bad Spanish. They got along just fine.

I didn’t visit downtown until I was in 1st or 2nd grade and never dreamed I would one day attend Loyola University on the North Side lakefront. In all fairness, I confess that after becoming empty-nesters, my wife and I lived in East Lakeview and loved it. We walked everywhere: grocery store, gym, church, Wrigley Field, live theater, restaurants, Lincoln Park and even to the glitzy Magnificent Mile on North Michigan Avenue. Can’t do that in the towns of area codes 708, 630, or 847.

The baseball rivalry is real too. The Cubs are the North Side heroes. The White Sox are their South Side rivals. Fortunately, the whole city roots for the Bulls, Blackhawks, and Chicago Bears. In The Walk-On, the city cheers for the fictional NFL Chicago Storm. As the book begins, Mike “the Steelman” Stalowski, a notorious hometown hero hailing from the South Side, has been a fan favorite for years.

I hope you’ll enjoy Mike’s escapades around Chicago — my beloved hometown.

PURCHASE ON AMAZON

Sunday Post: Reading and Writing #SundayPost

BonnieReadsAndWrites24 Comments

After working my day job, I’ve been doing lots of reading and writing reviews this week for the May edition of Historical Novels Review, the magazine of the Historical Novel Society. That’s the reason I didn’t get much posting done. I have to get the rest of my reviews in to HNS by the 15th.

It’s also the reason why Indie Weekend has been delayed. I still haven’t been able to finish the next book I plan to review, Chronicles of the Golden City, but I should have it done by next week.

Besides working and reading, there was not much else going on this week. I’m not going to make a schedule for next week because it’s up in the air right now.

BOOK HAUL

The book description makes this one sound a bit like The Fugitive. I’m intrigued.

This is an older book, but is out new in audio. It’s about a homicide detective who makes a fresh start as a small-town chief of police. Then she begins investigating a murder in an amusement park.

Yep, Kensington Books has Christmas books out on Netgalley already! It’s not going to be released until late August, but I couldn’t resist the description: “It’s A Wonderful Life meets Groundhog Day.”

How about you? How was your week?

Book Announcement: John Wetton: An extraordinary life #JohnWetton #preorder

BonnieReadsAndWrites5 Comments

A book about the life of legendary bassist John Wetton is now available for preorder. There are two editions available at www.johnwettonbook.com 

7th March 2023: John Wetton: An Extraordinary Life is now available for preorder in two editions of this very special and much anticipated book created with John’s family and management. For a limited period, people can choose to be a part of it by adding a name to the Roll of Honour of supporters printed in the back. Preordering also comes with a discount on the standard retail price. 

Both the Classic and black-jacketed Signature edition (signed by John’s widow Lisa and son Dylan) contain the first-person testimony of some seventy-plus people who knew and worked with John from his school days and throughout his long, illustrious career, including Family, King Crimson, Uriah Heep, Wishbone Ash, Roxy Music, U.K., Asia, the John Wetton solo band and beyond. Among the stories of friendship, music and sometimes craziness in the book from Bill Bruford, Geoff Downes, Robert Fripp, Carl Palmer, Rick Wakeman, Phil Manzanera, Steve Hackett, Steve Howe and others, are reflections on what made John such an unforgettable musician, all-round good guy, and prog rock legend.  

Along with tales of musical success from those who knew him best are testimony from friends and family, who do not steer clear of John’s problems, but rather explain the why, the how, and eventual triumph over them, in honest and touching recollections.  

John Wetton An Extraordinary Life is only available to preorder at www.johnwettonbook.com; inclusion in the Roll of Honour will only be available for a limited period.  

Link to YouTube announcement by Lisa Wetton: 

www.johnwettonbook.com 

#BookBloggerHop: Do you listen to #audiobooks with #earbuds or #headphones?

BonnieReadsAndWrites12 Comments

The Book Blogger Hop was originally created by Jennifer @ Crazy-For-Books in March 2010 and ended on December 31, 2012. With Jennifer’s permission, Billy @ Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer relaunched the hop on February 15, 2013. Each week the hop will start on a Friday and end the following Thursday. There will be a weekly prompt featuring a book related question. The hop’s purpose is to give bloggers a chance to follow other blogs, learn about new books, befriend other bloggers, and receive new followers to their own blog.

This question was submitted by Billy at Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted writer.

Neither. I am hard of hearing and have been wearing hearing aids for about 20 years. The good news is hearing aids have improved a lot and now have bluetooth, so the audiobooks go straight to my hearing aids. It’s like the book is playing in my head. It’s awesome. The only exception is when I’m driving. When I’m driving I plug my phone into the car and listen to them over the car radio.

How do you listen to audiobooks?

Book review: The Last Carolina Girl #HistoricalFiction @mchurchwriter @sourcebooks

BonnieReadsAndWrites8 Comments

The Last Carolina Girl is a moving account of a young girl, Leah, living with her beloved father near Holden Beach, NC.  They are quite poor and their home is a one-room shack, but they are very happy.  Leah has a dream of living in a house right on the water in Holden Beach, which her teacher says is “not realistic.”  She also has what she calls “flashes,” which are short periods of time when she freezes almost like a statue before coming back to reality. But she lives a beautiful life with her father and cherished friends.   When tragedy suddenly strikes, she finds herself serving a coldhearted family as a “helpmate,” or basically a maid. 

This is a well-written story, which at the core of it exposes the way the poor were exploited and used by the rich back in the early 20th Century.  The rich have always had power, but back then they could pretty much do whatever they wanted, body and soul, to a person.  As Leah says, “…the ghosts of the real world were scarier than the imagined ones.”  Based on a true story from within the author’s own family, this novel will shock, anger, and break the heart.  But the beautiful imagery of the North Carolina coast and the love of true family also shines through.

I read both the ebook and audiobook versions.  The audiobook is narrated by Susan Bennett, who does a great job.  The Southern accents are true to the area and not overdone.  The emotion of the book is well conveyed. 

I received a free ebook from Sourcebooks and a free audiobook from RB Media. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

My rating is 4.5 stars, rounded to 5 on sites with no half-star option.

The Last Carolina Girl will be released on March 28, 2023.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Meagan Church is an author, wordsmith, and storyteller by trade. She received a B.A. in English from Indiana University, and her work has appeared in various print and online publications. A Midwesterner by birth, she now lives in North Carolina with her high school sweetheart, three children, and a plethora of pets. To follow her storytelling, visit MeaganChurch.com.

Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn

BUY LINKS

Amazon | Google | Audible

Book Tour and Excerpt: To Win Her Hand @austenprosepr #historicalfiction

BonnieReadsAndWrites1 Comment

BOOK DESCRIPTION

An expert at winning a woman’s hand. A woman who cannot be won.

Lord Featherstone has the world on his shoulders. Or at least his world. With two brothers and a failing estate he must make funds somehow. But what happens when he falls for a woman? Will his tactics work when the situation is so close and personal?

Everyone thinks Lady Loveluck is a wealthy widow. What they don’t know is that she is on the brink of hiring herself out as a Governess in order to pay for her next meal. The only thing keeping her from employment is a growing reputation as a matchmaker. As long as she never falls for another man, as long as she doesn’t allow herself to be fooled into marrying, she will be just fine.

But she never counted on being caught up in the beguiling tactics of London’s renowned and not so secret matchmaker for men.

PRAISE FOR TO WIN HER HAND

  • “I loved the character growth, watching them learn more about the other’s heart and hardships, and the realization that perhaps they had more choices than they first thought. Such a sweet regency. I’m so grateful I had the chance to read this one.”— Makayla Branson, Reading Past Bedtime
  • “The house party, the quiet moments, the collection of other characters, and much more all combined together made this is delightful read.”— Julie Carpenter, Goodreads
  • “Two matchmakers with a wager. What fun for all! [A] heart touching story.”— Shauna Jones, Goodreads

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jen Geigle Johnson is an award-winning author, including the GOLD in Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Awards and LDSPMA Praiseworthy’s top award for Romance,

Jen has more stories circulating in her brain than can possibly be told. She discovered her passion for England while kayaking on the Thames near London as a young teenager. History is her main jam. Her literary heroes include the greats: Jane Austen and Charles Dickens. But she has modern sensibilities as well.

Six children and an inspiring husband keep her going and make certain she doesn’t stay glued to a keyboard or lost in obscure fascinating details of old castles.

Now, she loves to share bits of history that might otherwise be forgotten. Whether in Regency England, the French Revolution, or Colonial America, her romance novels are much like life is supposed to be: full of adventure.

EXCERPT FROM TO WIN HER HAND

“My dear, are you quite well?” He placed a hand over the top of hers. “You seem much more agitated than you were a moment ago.”

She glanced around again and then shook her head. “I’m so sorry to admit my great distraction, but our talk of Miss Anna has reminded me that I have not seen her for quite some time and am concerned for her welfare.”

“Not to worry. I happened to see her walking with Lord Templeton, and from there, became a great focus of attention to a group of young ladies who are all gathered by the fountain.” He indicated the fountain, and though Lady Loveluck could not see Miss Anna, she heard their chatter and happiness from where she stood.

Mr. Hartsworth smiled. “She is right in the center of that group and is quite animated. I think she must be doing well. I myself would have wished to have a word, but I dare not venture into that gathering of followers for fear I might not return.”

How singular that Mr. Hartsworth was so aware of Miss Anna, that he was so intrigued by her conversation and indeed had such a knowledge of her. She’d obviously made quite an impression. “She is of particular interest to me. I thank you for looking out for her.”

“Am I?” He shrugged. “Seems I can’t help but notice. She is everywhere I am.”

Lady Loveluck fled that away as something to analyze later, as Miss Anna herself seemed interested in this man. She inched further from him, though her hand still rested on his arm. This man who was making obvious overtures toward forming a closer relationship was clearly a preferred choice of her client. And Mr. Hartsworth held nothing intriguing for Lady Loveluck, besides an obvious sincerity. She would reward sincerity over every other thing. But this man’s reward could potentially be a happy relationship with her client. Something he would be grateful for every day of his life if things worked in that direction.

If only she could trust Lord Featherstone to be the same. Unlike Mr. Hartsworth, Lord Featherstone brought out a certain anticipation in her that she’d not felt in a long time. He could take lessons from his client. But it was no matter. She was not interested, could not be interested, in even a flirtation with a man. She had work to do, and she’d best be about doing it.

“Do you think you could escort me over to them? I arrived with Miss Anna, and I find myself needing to leave earlier than she will possibly want.”

“Certainly. Shall we head in that direction directly?”

“Oh yes, I would be most obliged.” Suddenly, the park was more tiring than usual, the people more taxing, the machinations of the London marriage mart too much for her to want to navigate at the moment.

But as she approached Miss Anna, she knew it would be unfair to pull her from such a success. The women were laughing together. They were enjoying themselves. And she hated to point out that there were no men involved. No matter, Mr. Hartsworth needed to be in there. He watched Miss Anna, and something appreciative appeared in his expression. She did look lovely when she smiled. And with this new relaxed laughing, she was simply the stunning person that Lady Loveluck had come to know. They pushed toward the group.

Miss Anna glanced up and smiled a welcome. “Oh, Lady Loveluck, Mr. Hartsworth. Do join us. We are having a time of it.”

Mr. Hartsworth moved to the spot just to the left of Miss Anna that she had shifted to clear. And soon he was laughing and listening with the rest of them.

Lady Loveluck shifted away, edging herself out of the group. She was almost successful in a full escape unnoticed when Lord Featherstone held out his arm. “Might I have a promenade?”

She resisted an eye roll and also the natural smile that grew upon seeing him. With hopefully a somewhat blank, unrevealing face, she placed a hand on his arm. “That would be most useful, yes.”

“I did notice your attempt at escape. I’ll have you know, Mr. Hartsworth hasn’t even noted your absence yet.”

“Has Miss Anna?”

“I don’t believe so.”

“Very well. Shall we?”

They walked for a time in silence. His expression was calm.

He seemed at perfect peace in the world. If only Lady Loveluck could feel the same.

“I’m uncertain how you do it.”

“Hmm? Do what, exactly?”

“Walk with such ease of person. Are you not at all concerned about Mr. Hartsworth?”

“Not at all.”

“But he’s giving me flowers. He is not attending to any other woman…”

A burst of laughter sounded from the group they’d left. Miss Anna and Mr. Hartsworth were at the center, leaning their heads together. “Oh, no?”

“I stand corrected. I do admit to hoping for this new development.”

“He is most particularly smitten with you.”

“But he notices her. He was well aware of everywhere she’d been since we arrived at the park.”

“That is good news indeed. Perhaps we should alert him of his preference for her?” Lord Featherstone laughed. “I jest, of course. Letting him know that he is besotted with a woman is a terrible idea.”

“Can he not see himself?”

“Let us hope. Though you did seem to appreciate his attention.”

Lady Loveluck eyed Lord Featherstone for a moment. He seemed serious. Was he truly attentive to her for his own personal interest? Was he feeling insecure? Second to Mr. Hartsworth? She knew too much of the ways of love. She’d analyzed everything too deeply to see what was happening right in front of her face. She couldn’t even tell for certain what Lord Featherstone’s intentions might be. He could be choosing to walk with her for any number of reasons . . .

He clucked his tongue.

“Pardon?”

“You. Are ruminating.”

She opened her mouth and then closed it. “You are going to ruin the moment. Can we not simply walk and talk or even be silent, and not overly think about things? I asked you to walk with me because I value your company.”

She narrowed her eyes.

“And because I hoped that our two clients might enjoy a bit of time together?”

She waited.

“And because I figured that you might wish to escape.”

“And for no other reason?”

“And because I am most intrigued by you.”

“So, we will just walk. Without knowing the how or why?”

“I told you plenty of whys, and I’m pretty certain walking comes most naturally.” He smirked.

“My apologies. I’m a greater mess of exhaustion than I realized.” She rested a hand on her forehead, suddenly more tired than she could hide.

“Would you care to sit?”

“I would, in fact, love to rest for a moment.”

“Come, I have just the place.” He picked up their pace and led them down one path and up another to a secluded smaller garden within the paths. A rose arbor lined the entrance, and a fountain graced the center. A small bench awaited in the corner.

“This is lovely. I should not be surprised you know of it.”

He shook his head with his lips pressed together but said nothing.

She took his hand and lowered herself to the bench, just short of a collapse. “Thank you. I fear I have not much to offer at the moment.”

“And I crave solitude. This is a perfect matching.”

Her eyebrows lifted.

“For the moment. A perfect pair for just what we need right now.”

She closed her eyes. “Thank you for this rest.”

He sat beside her, his hand resting just next to hers. The soap he used and the waters he most likely doused himself with each morning were mild, pleasant, enticing. She breathed deeply. Hints of the mint on his breath lingered with the bergamot and sandalwood. She could sit beside him for many moments in just this way.

Chapter Four, pages 51-54

From To Win Her Hand © 2022, Jen Geigle Johnson, published by King’s Row Press

PURCHASE LINKS

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | BOOK DEPOSITORY | BOOKSHOP | GOODREADS

Sunday Post: Reading while Driving #SundayPost

BonnieReadsAndWrites17 Comments

The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted here @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly, or for a monthly wrap-up. See the rules here: Sunday Post Meme

Yes I did a lot of reading while driving this week, but it was legal because it was audiobooks! I have been requesting more of them because I have to do a lot of driving for work, so this helps pass the time and helps me get my reading done.

I have paused accepting submissions for Indie Weekend because I need to get caught up with the submissions that I have. I will resume accepting new books in June. I am determined to get caught up by then.

I hope everyone has a wonderful week!

LAST WEEK ON THE BLOG

On Sunday I reviewed The Women in Me for Indie Weekend.

On Monday I did a cover reveal of A Winter by the Sea.

On Tuesday I participated in Top Ten Tuesday.

On Wednesday I reviewed Deborah’s Gift.

On Thursday I reviewed Go As A River.

On Friday I participated in Book Blogger Hop and reviewed This Other Eden.

On Saturday I reviewed Awaken and did a spotlight of Kojiro for Indie Weekend.

NEXT WEEK ON THE BLOG

On Tuesday I will participate in Top Ten Tuesday if time permits.

On Wednesday I will review The Last Carolina Girl.

On Thursday I will review To Win Her Hand as part of a blog tour for Austenprose PR.

On Friday I will participate in Book Blogger Hop if time permits.

On Saturday I will review Chronicles of the Golden City for Indie Weekend.

BOOK HAUL

I picked up three audiobooks last week. I’m almost done with one of them.

Have you picked up any new books this week? Happy Reading!

Indie Spotlight: Kojiro by Khalil Barnett #IndieAuthors

BonnieReadsAndWrites3 Comments

Below is a spotlight, book description, trailer, and buy links for a dark fantasy novel by an Indie Author, Khalil Barnett. While I don’t read dark fantasy, I know a lot of you do, so I hope you check it out and share it with your followers.

BOOK DESCRIPTION

A sword & sorcery fantasy novel based on Asian myths & legends.

Tulpas, otherwise known as thought-forms, spring first from the imagination, then go on to live lives independent of their creators. And sometimes, they maintain a hostile, even violent, relationship with said creators.

No one knows this quite like Coletrane Marx, the only son of an eccentric billionaire archeologist, who one night as a child unwittingly created a tulpa himself; one that visited him in demon form in the middle of the night to murder his parents with a samurai sword.

Forever changed by this trauma, Coletrane grows up to inherit his father’s obsession with archeology and to discover that his unfiltered, childhood imagination created not only this mysterious, cursed samurai named Kojiro, but also an alternate feudal history wherein the strong-willed warrior has his own prophetic story in a world full of mythic creatures, powerful humanoid animal Lords, living deities, and evil Tricksters. A world, Coletrane in addition learns, that will overlap with his own in catastrophic ways if he and Kojiro do not reconcile their dark, shared past and come together as one to stop it.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

An alumni of the University of Central Florida, Khalil is a prose writer, screenwriter, English teacher, and martial artist living and working in Orlando, Florida. He published his first novel, Guerillas, in 2001, and his second novel, The Cynosure of All Eyes, in 2020. Kojiro is his third novel.

BUY LINKS

BOOKLOCKER | AMAZON

Indie Weekend: Awaken by Lauren Wagner #YA #Fantasy #Adventure @lolowags @cinnabarmothpub

BonnieReadsAndWrites5 Comments

Indie Weekend is my effort to help Indie authors promote their books. Indie authors have a lot on their plate, and if I can help even a little bit with marketing, I’m happy to do it. Below is a review of an archaeological adventure/fantasy reminiscent in a way of Indiana Jones.

BOOK DESCRIPTON (FROM AMAZON)

Natalia has embraced the choice of her people. She is honored to have been chosen as their human sacrifice and will surrender her life to the Gods. She awaits the call of her people for that final moment, living a life of solitude until it’s time. But then her death is stolen from her – she is kidnapped by her own guards and forced into an eternal slumber.

Hundreds of years later – now – Natalia is woken in a world that’s completely unfamiliar. The archeological team was not looking for her. They were looking for Estancia, the lost city of gold, and Natalia agrees to guide them.

While they journey through the treacherous jungles of Argentina, Natalia stumbles upon the alarming truth of her past. Her life’s prophecy must be fulfilled to restore balance to her people, but only she can decide whether that balance is worth her death.

BOOK REVIEW

Natalia is the chosen one of her people. She has been prepared to die as a sacrifice and is very willing to do so. Then she is kidnapped and forced into an unwanted slumber by an evil dragon. Hundreds of years pass, and in the present, Natalia is awoken by Quinn. Imagine being part of an archaelogical dig and your treasure comes alive! Before long, Natalia leads her finders on a quest for the lost city of gold, but she is really only interested in saving her people.

I enjoyed the changing points of view. Natalia’s point of view is in first person, and Quinn’s is in third person. The two points of view work together well and are not confusing. The character development is excellent and the description of the dragon is so intriguing. This is a thrilling archaelogical adventure through the jungles of Argentina. It is full of action and surprises and will keep you enthralled. Highly recommended for fans of YA Fantasy and Adventure.

I received a free copy of this book from Cinnabar Moth publishing. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lauren Wagner’s love for reading started as a young adult after discovering her town’s public library.  After carrying out piles of books at a time, and re-reading them over and over again, she discovered her love for writing. She writes fantasy and science fiction as well as post-it notes about her future stories. Awaken is her debut novel.

She grew up in the western suburbs of Chicago where she presently resides with her husband and two children. She currently teaches upper elementary students to love and obsess over written works of art.

Visit her on Twitter (@LoloWags)! 

PURCHASE LINKS

AMAZON | AMAZON UK

BEFORE YOU GO

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Book Blogger Hop

BonnieReadsAndWrites23 Comments

The Book Blogger Hop was originally created by Jennifer @ Crazy-For-Books in March 2010 and ended on December 31, 2012. With Jennifer’s permission, Billy @ Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer relaunched the hop on February 15, 2013. Each week the hop will start on a Friday and end the following Thursday. There will be a weekly prompt featuring a book related question. The hop’s purpose is to give bloggers a chance to follow other blogs, learn about new books, befriend other bloggers, and receive new followers to their own blog.

This week’s question was submitted by Bill@Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer.

My library in Bryson City, The Marianna Black Library, uses Libby and a couple of other apps to deliver ebooks and audiobooks electronically. I have downloaded an ebook from them before, so I must have used it at some point. This has inspired me to download Libby on my new phone.

It is amazing how libraries have evolved in my lifetime. In my childhood, the library offered mostly print copies to check out and take home. Now, you can get ebooks, audiobooks, or borrow books from a sister library without actually going there. They offer computer access and free wi-fi. One of the libraries I go to has a 3-D printer. A college library I visit online has extensive historical research archives I can access with a click. It is amazing how far libraries have come.

What about you? Do you download ebooks from your library? How have you seen your library evolve?