Hop & Follow Friday! (20)

Happy Friday, lovelies!

I hope you had a wonderful week and are looking forward to an awesome, book-filled weekend! I know I am (even if I do have to work this weekend). :-)

TGIF is a weekly meme hosted by Ginger at GReads where she poses a thought-provoking question to prompt some blogger discussion!

This week's question:

Taking it Personal: Which books have effected you on a personal level and lingered in your mind long after you closed the pages?

I have two answers for this one: The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold and If I Stay by Gayle Forman.  Now, I can't say exactly what it was about these books that really struck a chord with me, but they are books that are near and dear to me as a reader.  These books are probably my top 2 favorites of all time (you know, those default books that you say are your favs when asked).  The Lovely Bones was recommended to me by my high school history teacher and it changed my life as a reader.  I hadn't read anything like it before and it stuck with me for a long time.  I've forced it on more than one person throughout the years (including my now husband) and we own at least two copies of it. If I Stay is a more recent read that reminded me so much of why I love reading YA novels and how much they can really affect me.

"Follow My Book Blog Friday" is a weekly meme hosted by Rachel at Parajunkee's View and Allison at Allison Can Read where bloggers make new friends, including this week's featured bloggers--Hands And Home & My, My Shelf, & I!  Pop on over to Parajunkee's blog and join in the follow fun!!  All you have to do is follow the featured blogger, write your own post answering this week's question, and then leave your link!  Oh yeah--and then follow some new peeps!

This week's question: 

Q. Talk about the book that most changed or influenced your life (was it a book that turned you from an average to avid reader, did it help you deal with a particularly difficult situation, does it bring you comfort every time you read it?).

This is probably kind of random, but the book (series) that really got me into reading was The Boxcar Children! When I was little, my grandma signed me up for a monthly Boxcar Children Book Club where they sent me three books in the mail each month.  I loved them so much and I adored owning my own books.  So, while they aren't overly personal to me, they are definitely the books that I probably identify as starting me on the path to become a reader!

The "Book Blogger Hop" is a weekly bookish meme where you can get to know fellow bloggers! It's generally hosted by Jen @ Crazy for Books.  Stop by and join in the fun!

This week's question:

Q: What is one ARC you would love to get your hands on right now?

Umm, there are SO MANY, especially with the amazing number of fabulous looking books that are coming out in 2012.  However, my top 2 choices are The Nightmare Garden by Caitlin Kittredge, which comes out in February, and Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver, which comes out in March.  These are both sequels to books that I read and LOVED recently. 

Thanks so much for visiting my blog today! I love your comments and try my best to return follows! 
HAPPY FRIDAY!!!