Book Blogger Appreciation Week 2010 - Day 1

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Today marks the first full day of Book Blogger Appreciation Week. It's going to be an exciting time where we recognize and honor our fellow book bloggers! Today's meme question focuses on what new book blogs we've discovered since BBAW last year.

There have been a TON of blogs that I've discovered since last year especially after being able to go to BEA and meeting lots of other bloggers. I can't chose them all (also mainly because I didn't label what date I discovered them in my Google Reader so I'm not quite sure where the cutoff date is) so I'm going to pick this one:

 I'm not quite sure how I hadn't heard of this blog before BEA but I'm glad now that I do. I met Amanda at Book Blogger Con. She was on the panel for writing and building content. To be honest, even though the other panelists gave out informative answers, Amanda stood out the most because she talked about Harry Potter and how she finds discrepancies between the Hardcover and Paperback versions. At a huge blogger dinner that night, I was able to sit near and we geeked out about Harry Potter for a while. I added her blog to my Google Reader when I got home and I have been a fan ever since.

I haven't read or heard of many of the books that she reviews as they are not usually in genres I normally read but she gives really in depth reviews that make me want to go out and look for them. I like how she adds a Harry Potter touch to each review, indicating which class at Hogwarts it might be taught in. She also spotlights several LGBT books and authors on her blog so it's always interesting to find new reads there. I also really enjoy her Sunday Salon posts because she doesn't just post about the book she is reading or what she got in the mail. Her SS posts are usually really long, in depth and they always make you think. Honestly, you never know what's going to appear next on The Zen Leaf and that's why I enjoy reading her blog. So glad I met her at Book Blogger Con and so glad to have discovered her blog!

Comments

  1. Amy1:22 AM

    I love Amanda! I'm so glad you guys became friends. :P

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  2. Playing by the book2:05 AM

    I too loved the Zen Leaf, and discovered it thanks to BBAW.

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  3. Anonymous4:43 AM

    I love Amanda's blog and like you I only found out about her recently (but then I'm a new blogger so any blog I read has been new to me this year :)).

    I love that Amanda points out those discrepancies between the hardcover and paperback editions of Harry Potter, I never knew they were there! And it's always nice to have someone to geek out with about Harry Potter. So I'm guessing I could come over here to do the same as well? I haven't been to your blog before, or maybe once? But I'm really liking it.

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  4. Beth F6:29 AM

    I've been reading Amanda for a while now -- glad you spotlighted her.

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  5. Chrisbookarama7:16 AM

    I love Amanda's reviews on classics. Glad you found her!

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  6. Anonymous7:42 AM

    Thanks for telling about The Zen Leaf. I like the way you described her Sunday Salons. Also, like the way you met and the Harry Potter conversation. Happy BBAW~

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  7. Andi7:45 AM

    Amanda writes one of the blogs I've discovered since last year, and I'm endlessly impressed by her thoughtful reviews. Great choice!

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  8. bermudaonion7:54 AM

    I know what you mean - I don't remember who was added to my reader when. Amanda and her blog are great!

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  9. Jenn's Bookshelves9:05 AM

    Amanda is fantastic! I don't know when or how I came across her blog, I feel as though she's been a part of my Google reader forever!

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  10. Amanda9:14 AM

    Oh my gosh, thank you for the kind words! It was so much fun geeking out about Harry Potter with you at that dinner. And on Twitter.

    To tell you the truth, that Hogwarts assignment on each post is actually for a challenge! I never thought about how it might come across to someone who didn't know my blog before i started the challenge. That makes me think I should continue to categorize each book well after the challenge ends in mid-December! :D

    Thank you, again.

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  11. Unknown9:32 AM

    I've never heard of this blog, so I'm off to check it out now! :)

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  12. Anonymous9:41 AM

    Amanda does have one of the best blogs out there. I found her at last years BBAW and read every post. If anyone doesn't read her blog yet...seriously, what are you waiting for?

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  13. Gina10:12 AM

    I wrote about thsi blog too. I love it.

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  14. Shanyn11:13 AM

    I was at that dinner! :)

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  15. Laurel-Rain Snow11:37 AM

    I didn't discover The Zen Leaf until later, but now I'm hooked on her posts, especially The Sunday Salon.

    Here's my link:

    http://snowconnections.wordpress.com/2010/09/13/bbaw-week-first-treasures/

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  16. Andrea11:46 AM

    Aw, Amanda is one of my favorites! Great choice!

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  17. Robin M12:17 PM

    Yes, The Zen Leaf is a great blog, that I don't read nearly enough. Thanks for reminding me.

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  18. Michelle (my books. my life.)3:56 PM

    I love Amanda. I didn't really know her until BBC either. So glad I got to meet her there.

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  19. Amy4:19 PM

    Oh I love Amanda and The Zen Leaf - what a great choice :) And happy BBAW!

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  20. Anonymous5:27 PM

    I love The Zen Leaf too--I featured her on my blog today as well:)

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  21. Frances9:44 PM

    I discovered Amanda's blog last year during BBAW and really enjoy it. I am a terrible lurker there though and feel like I need to pipe up when I stop by.

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  22. Word Lily12:48 AM

    Amanda's blog's a good one, isn't it?

    ReplyDelete

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