Top Ten Tuesday: 10 Reasons I Love Being a Blogger & a Reader

Hosted by: The Broke & The Bookish

I'm super excited about this week's topic as I enjoy nothing more than talking about why I love to read. For real. I like books. I like to talk about books. And blog about books. So this week is perfect for me.

(Also, we are currently in the middle of a giveaway for some cookies based on Rainbow Rowell's book covers + a copy of my personal favorite, Attachments, so make sure you go check it out and enter before it closes on Wednesday night! Click here.)

Without further ado.... my Top 10 reasons I like to be a blogger & a reader.

1. I participated in the #Love-A-Thon this weekend hosted by Alexa & Kate. It was a blast! They put together such a fun event for all of us! I met so many wonderful new-to-me bloggers and found a ton of new blogs to follow throughout the event. I'm already looking forward to next year. I've found the book blogging community is so very nice and I'm lucky to be a part of it. I could go on and on about all the wonderful bloggers I met this weekend, but then this post would be ridiculously long. Just know that you guys are awesome!

2. I recently received my first ever review request from an author. While I've received a few books from netgalley to review, this was the first one I specifically got an email about asking me to review their book. I am so excited and I can't wait to read it and review it. For only have been blogging for about 4 months, I was super psyched. It's definitely a nice, unexpected perk of blogging about books.

3. I love, love, love recommending books to people. Whether it's on twitter, or at the bookstore (which will earn a person a few odd looks), or to friends in person or on facebook, I seriously love telling people about books I think they'll enjoy. I've had a few friends from high school come out of the woodwork lately and ask me about what books I think they should read. I'm even happier when they come back and tell me how much they loved my suggestion! Furiously happy feelings occur.

4. I've been able to interact with so many authors on twitter and through other social media since I started blogging. The YA authors in particular that I've interacted with are absolutely wonderful and supportive. And not just about books. I've had many a twitter conversation about Sherlock with Rainbow Rowell and CJ Redwine.

5. I greatly enjoy learning about and reading books that I may not have otherwise heard of until another blogger suggested it either on twitter, goodreads, or via review. I've come across so many great stand-alones and series this way. I love how bloggers are constantly ahead of the curve in what's coming out and what is most likely to be a hot new book. It's been one of my favorite things to be a part of since I started blogging.

6. My book club is absolutely wonderful. We meet about once a month to discuss our book, have dinner, and catch up with each other. While none of them read quite as often as I do, it's always a good time. We've read so many different types of books, which is probably one of my favorite things about my group. I definitely have a favorite genre, but through their suggestions (we rotate each month who picks the book) I've read a wide variety of genres. We've read historical fiction, young adult, autobiographies, adult contemporary, YA contemporary, YA fantasy, you name it, we've probably read it at some point.

7. While I generally do all of my book buying through Amazon, this past weekend I actually visited two different bookstores in my area for the first time in months. The first was for Valentine's Day where my wonderful husband let me pick out a book as my gift (thanks husband!). And on Sunday I took my kiddo with me to our local chain and I browsed the YA section (which was conveniently, and thankfully, next to a huge toy section. It worked out well for both of us!). The best thing about this bookstore is they offer a ton of used books by well-known authors. I picked up 3 fantastic books I'd been wanting to read for less than $10. I'm planning on doing a Stacking the Shelves post on Saturday-so I'll tell you all about my book haul then. But to sum up, support your local bookstores! You never know what you'll find.

8. Blogging has brought me to a point that I'm proud to say I'm a READER. That it perfectly normal to read as much as I do. Which is a lot. And it's all of the time. That it's normal to read more than one book in a day. More than 3 in a week. That it's normal to want to talk about books constantly. That it's normal to obsess over books and tell everyone you know that they should read them too. I've found my tribe. And it's wonderful.

9. One of the things I am most proud about is that I've passed along my love of reading to my 3 1/2 year old son. He loves to read. He has an insane amount of books on his bookshelves, and more stored in boxes that he's outgrown, or isn't quite old enough for yet. We read at 2-3 every night before bed, and every single night he always asks to read "one more book, mama." We recently finished his very first chapter book (Bad Kitty Gets a Bath by Nick Bruel, just FYI). A lot of people may say that a kid his age, especially a boy, might not be able to handle a chapter book yet. But you know what, he loved it and he did a great job. It makes this mama proud.

The munchkin & his new book

And finally, #10. Without books I would have never been to Narnia. I wouldn't have carried the ring along with Frodo and experienced Middle Earth. I wouldn't have anxiously awaited my owl telling me I'm actually a wizard and I've been accepted to Hogwarts. I wouldn't know that clapping can save a fairy. I wouldn't have fallen in love with England. And Scotland. I wouldn't have known what it was like to fear being put into the arena to fight to the death in the Hunger Games. Or experience space, with a cyborg Cinderella. Or a Titanic-like spaceship crashing and landing on a crazy planet. Or cheering for the bearer of a godstone to find herself. Or a female assassin to rise above it all and just continue to be awesome. Or any of the thousands of other things I've learned to appreciate from books. None of these things would be possible if I didn't read.

Make sure & leave me the links to your TTT posts!