Book Blogger Appreciation Week - Day 1!

I didn't realise it was Book Blogger Appreciation Week until this morning when I was flicking through my Google Reader and saw Jillian's post, and I thought, since I've actually managed to catch something on Day 1 rather than half way through, that I would actually join in for once. Throughout the week there are topics to post about, and today is Appreciation. 

In previous years there have been awards for different categories of blog. This year there are no awards but it's still all about sharing the blogs we love and sending other people in their direction and I love the idea of that. There are a LOT of blogs that I love; some of them don't even read the kind of books that I like, but the blogger writes so beautifully or interestingly about book related things, or sometimes even just about their lives and problems that it stays a favourite anyway. I thought about it quite a bit, and I think the only way to do it is to try to narrow it down to a top ten sort of thing. Although I hate to leave people out, and I undoubtedly will, I also cannot link directly to all 200+ blogs I follow in one post. You'd get bored. I'd get bored. So, alphabetically,(because that's how my Google Reader goes!) here are my top 10:

1. A Literary Odyssey - Allie blogs mostly about her inspiring journey through 250 of the classics, as well as occassionally other books, sometimes interspersed with her own personal stories. Her blog is really well written and she also hosts some awesome events (such as the Victorian event she ran over the summer) and readalongs.
2. A Room of One's Own - run by the previously mentioned Jillian who mostly blogs about the classics and is the founder of the awesome Classics Club (if you've not already heard about this you should really go take a look at the website!). I love this blog because Jillian is so passionate about her journey with books and she writes such thought provoking posts. Also, she is lovely!
3. Booking in Heels - Hanna is pretty much my book twin. I don't think that I've ever read a book she loved and hated it, and our wishlists tend to coincide fairly often. She is also the first person in the book blogging community that (to use a phrase that makes me want to vomit) I really 'bonded' with. Her blog is hilarious and brilliant and I read pretty much everything she writes. She's also just generally a brilliant person, you should go visit her :-) 
4. Devouring Texts - Laura is a fairly recent addition to my reader, and to be honest I'm not entirely sure how I survived in the blogging world without her. She blogs about other stuff as well as books, and reads a lot of Stephen King - I'll be honest, the only Stephen King books I've read are his memoir, On Writing and The Shining because my sister forced me to. Both were brilliant and I have a lot of respect for him as a writer, but I don't like horror. There. I said it. But still, her blog is really well written and interesting and funny and so is she. She's also great for entirely random twitter conversations about what we used to read in Infant school....And if you haven't already, go sign up for The Grapes of Wrath readalong that she's hosting in October. It'll be great!
5. Dead White Guys - Amanda blogs mostly about books (you guessed it!) by dead white guys, otherwise known as the classics. She is very opinionated and sarcastic and hilarious and if I'm honest I'm a little in awe of her. She has two young twin boys, but still manages to have time to read and blog and work. I hope I can somehow manage to be that organised once our baby arrives!
6. Delaisse - I'm having a little guilt in regards to this blog at the moment, because I said I would start reading Robinson Crusoe on September 1st and I haven't, but you shouldn't let that put you off. Mostly classics based, O also blogs about her experiences with life and literature in general and her posts are always beautiful and generally full of the fragility and awesomeness of life that they make me jealous. 
7. Estella's Revenge - Another readalong I recently signed up for and then failed to participate in, and can I just say I'm not usually this bad, I blame my baby brain! Andi is pretty kick-ass and although her reading tastes aren't always the same as mine, I still love her blog. She has recently stepped away from the pressure of reviewing to anybody's schedule but her own (shunning ARCs and suchlike), and I love the fact that she reads, as her tagline says, whatever she wants, whenever she wants...
8. Musings of a Bookshop Girl - Ellie is the other blogger who I actually interact with at a social level as well as just reading her blog. Again, although our reading tastes sometimes collide, often she reads stuff that's totally different from what I read, but it doesn't matter. Her blog is lovely and she writes very honestly so that reading her blog you really feel like you're getting to know her. When you speak to her, she sounds just like her blog too. Also, she owns and works in a second hand bookshop, which is totally awesome. 
9. Sophisticated Dorkiness - run by Kim who is a newspaper editor, this was pretty much the first blog I discovered which is pretty much dedicated to non-fiction. Everything Kim reads sounds really interesting, and sometimes when I get that (stupid) feeling that my TBR is too small I go over there and browse for recommendations. Her writing is always really clear and to the point, and if I'm honest, how I wish my posts were. 
10. Tiny Library - Sam's blog is the first book blog I ever really read, and the one which inspired me to get into blogging myself. She reviews a lot of literary fiction and prize winners and also set up the Literary Blog Directory, so if you're looking for a blog about literary fiction, head over there and have a look!

There are so many more, and I feel guilty writing this list for the people that I've missed off it even though they probably don't know that they should have been on it, but like I said I don't want to write a 200 strong list and bore everybody to tears. So there we go - it's a starting point anyway! 

There will be other posts appearing here throughout the week, providing nothing untoward happens. The schedule for BBAW is thus: 

Tuesday: interview swap (I will not be participating in this, because I signed up too late. Sigh)

Wednesday: What does Book Blogging mean to you?

Thursday: One of the best parts about book blogging is the exposure to books and authors you might never have heard of before. Pimp the book you think needs more recognition on this day. Get creative! Maybe share snippets from other bloggers who have reviewed it or make some fun art to get your message across.

Friday: Share a highlight of this year’s BBAW. Whether it’s a blog you discovered or a book you’re going to read or a way you felt refreshed, this is the day to celebrate the week!