do you ever need a vacation from books and/or blogging? talk to me.

So the holidays are just over, I have been reading and should be reviewing and then reading some more, and commenting on all of your lovely blogs. For some reason I have hit the bloggie wall though. Do you ever do that!? What do you do when you hit it? Do you stop blogging, do you push through, do you put up a little message on your blog that says " away on vacation" even though it is just a mental trip? Seriously, what do you do if all the sudden reading isn't nearly as exciting as it used to be, if you are more into crafting for a season, or into a new show on TV?

All you book-eating-insanos don't get uptight I am not deserting...but like with everything else the new year is a time for new beginnings and taking a second to put your life before you and cutting out the things that you don't need to do, and holding on to the things you love.

What do you do when you hit that wall, when the ARC's and review copies are not calling your name? Fill me in peeps!

Are you honest or polite? both? Let's talk.

is this how you feel?

Here is another heated subject I have been thinking of for a while. How honest are your reviews? Do you say that you like a book more when you know an author is going to read your blog? Can you say that your reviews are %100 truthful? If the author is good and dead do you feel you have more freedom to let it rip?

Personally I have a hard time when I know authors are going to read my reviews. I still try to be acurate, and convey that the book was not my favourite though. Still I feel bad for the author's feelings and all the work they put into the writing of the book. Usualy if I didn't really like it I will still highlight some of the things that were good about it. With most books you can find some good. What if you can't though? Do you just come out and say that the book wasn't good, that you couldn't get into it? I know that sometimes after I write a review I think it is overly positive, for a book that I didn't really enjoy. But what do you do about that?

In order to really showcase the ones I love I created my Happy Chicken Award, that way there is no dobut about the ones I love....but what about the ones I hate? Would I be brave enough to have a "I hate this book" award? Would you?

Another thing that I just did was that I amended my "Publishers and Authors" note on my blog to say (the gray is the new part):

If you have a book you would like me to review, click on the "email me" button above.

Understand however that I will write honest reviews of the books I accept. I reserve the right to say that I didn't like it.

I have seen this said on some blogs, " this book wasn't for me but....." mentioning someone else would enjoy it. I always wonder if that is the friendly way to dismiss a book without an angry mob of authors and publicists. (check out this situation at Hey Lady! Whatcha Readin'?
and at Both Eyes Book Blog )

What are your methods to give honest reviews? Do you cringe when you have to post a negative review? Have you ever had "bloggie hate mail" such as angry comments from authors, publishers or family?

Please share your tips with me!!!! I would love to hear them all.

or do you feel like this?

pretty blog awards

HAHAH, yay! I won NaNoWriMo this year and I got a shirt to prove it!!
I wrote over 50,000 words in one month, I wrote a novel in a month! :)




here is my blogged rating!!






Arte y Pico Award

I am proud to display this trophy....the Arte y Pico Award, bestowed upon my by Diane at carp(e) libris reviews!!! Here is what she said about B&b ex libris:

B&b ex libris of Oregon - She writes great reviews of books that take you all over the world, and I love her selection. Hey, with titles like “A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian,” how can you not be curious?

Anyway, it is a pretty little treasure that I am honoured to receive...sweetness, my first ever award!!!



Looky here folks! I got an award! oh, this is too fun.
The Literate Housewife gave me this super cool Blogging Excellence award, and said this about my bloggy-blog:

B&b ex libris ~ Bethany has a wonderful, warm book blog. She writes some great reviews and from time to time we’re treated with pictures. I really enjoyed the read-a-thon. Her pictures were really portraits of the reader as a young woman. Bethany won my Mrs. Lieutenant contest and I’m looking forward to talking about the book with her when that time comes.


Can you believe it!?!?! YAY! I am just incredibly blessed, this is too sweet.

YAY! Thank you gals~

I was nominated by Dar at Peeking Between the Pages for this award a while back and I spaced writing a blog about it! seriously, that is horrible. Also Ronda from Ronda's Rants nominated me at the same time. If you click on those links you will be taken to over a month ago in their blogs....what a kind of a blogger friend am I to neglect this for so long. So sorry, very sorry to you both.

I just got this prize from Ramya's Bookshelf, this is what she said about it: I created a little award that I would like to pass on to three of my favorite book bloggers to mark my three year blog-anniversary! This was one of the toughest decisions I have EVER had to make but I finally picked three of my favorite bloggers. They have gone out of their way in making my reading a wonderful experience for me! Thank you so much you guys!!

Thanks Ramya- right back at ya!!!

I feel so honoured, I received this award from Ramya, Tricia, literate housewife, Amanda, and Avis
Thank you so much!!! I love awards :)

So the low down is: You can nominate or not, post it or not, this gift comes with no strings attached :) just enjoy.It seems this is going around, so I am not going to worry if those who I nominate have it already, here it goes:

Ramya's Bookshelf.
I enjoy the honesty, and the time she puts into each of her reviews. I love that she is interested in people around the world, and that she has been one of the greatest supporters of my orbis terrarum challenge. She recently even updated her blog, it is beautiful in its simplicity and design :) We recently bonded over blog design as well.

Caravana de recuerdos
This is not only a book blog, but there are tons of amazing books reviewed there. It is something of a celebration of sorts. I love that Caravana reviews books in Spanish and English and watches movies and gives reviews and insight. R-LO found me a while back, and I am so happy he did! He makes me feel a little piece of "at home" whenever I read a Spanish tid-bit on his blog. Se habla español, I heart bilingual :)

The Book Lady's Blog
Since book blogs are all about reviews, this lady writes some of my favourite reviews, and therefore I have to include her. I don't know her as well as I know the rest of the peeps mentioned here, but I am over and over again stunned by her high-quality, reviews and choices for books. I always check to see what new stuff she has going on, and there is always something worth checking!!!!

Just A (Reading) Fool
I know Just a reading fool does not actually accept awards...but I want to put him on my list of praise anyway :) (I do not want you to accept this award...but your blog is too great for me to not include it!!!!) There are so many women book bloggers, and amongst a sea of us there is Just a (Reading) Fool. I love the perspective he brings, the reviews he writes and even his selection of books. We have read several books together for our online book club and he brings loads of insight. I do heart your blog :)

The Literate Housewife Review
I heart her blog, her comments, and her supa- positive outlook :) She recently posted pics of herself at the National Book Festival, her smiles will tell you she is an authentic book lover! I am in her book club, and love seeing the amazing things that she does for this book community. She reads, she blogs and she does it with elegance and supa-style. Thanks Housewife, for being so truly literate!!!

Maw Books Blog
I heart her blog for several reasons, but the most important one is that she doesn't just read, she doesn't just blog. She goes all out and crates a movement, an amazing place where you can learn, donate, and share about the atrocities of Darfur. There are many people who can talk the talk, but Maw books goes beyond, much, much beyond that to walk the walk. We can all read about all the horrors of the world and say : "oh, now, isn't that sad...things really need to change", or we could change them. Yes Maw is changing things. I wish I could have helped out this time, but her event for Darfur caught me by surprise...I dream of putting something on like this, and she did it. I heart Maw Books.

tea anyone?

If you already own the book, Three Cups of Tea and are dying to read it right now, you should~! I am heading up a little reading group here. We will be starting it soon, and will have it finished by the 28th. If you are interested, check out the details.

let me know if you have any questions :)