8,000 Page Views!

Yesterday, I passed 8,000 hits and am already well on my way to 8,500! As I'm broke at the moment, I know that I won't be able to do a giveaway for 10,000 page hits (which will hopefully happen sometime this month or the next). I do, however, have some really awesome blogs that I follow and I like to give them shout-outs from time to time. What better time to do it than in a celebratory atmosphere?

Here are 8 blogs that I follow that definitely deserve a second look. Some of them are book blogs, some are not, but all are worth reading. In no particular order:

1) Nylon Admiral (Kayleigh): Currently hosting a weekly Harry Potter Countdown, Kayleigh's blog is always full of great reviews, fun fan art, and all-around awesome. We tend to have exactly the same opinion on pretty much everything, so she's quickly become one of my favorite bloggers. She's got great taste in books and a wonderful sense of humor.

2) A Not So Ridiculous Education (Nonners): Nonners also has a book blog that I follow, but A Not So Ridiculous Education is a unique blog that is following her progress through a book she's studying from called Omnibus I. She's a deeply religious person but she still manages to put up with me and I admire her for that. A lot of the questions she posts on this blog are thought-provoking whether you're religious or not and she's always looking for people to contribute their opinions and ideas on what she's studying. Just remember to be respectful and open-minded.

3) Bibary Bookslut (Sally): I recently discovered this blog (last month, I think?) but already it's become one that I check often. As one of the only book bloggers I've found who focuses on LGBT literature, Bibary Bookslut has introduced me to books that I never knew existed and often tackles difficult topics that really matter, regardless of your gender or sexual orientation. Enter this blog with an open mind and I think you'll like what you find. (Did NOT mean for that to rhyme.)

4) Curiosity Killed the Bookworm (Ellie): I've been following Ellie's blog for several months and I love the way she reviews books. She really takes time to explore how she feels about them and she mixes that with an honest and matter-of-fact review style. If she loved something, you'll know it; if she didn't, well, you'll know that, too. Her TBR list is also full of great reads that I'm looking forward to hearing her opinions on.

5) Two Bibliomaniacs (Erin and Evan): This couple reads books like it's their job. Their funny and insightful reviews are always fun to read and they've even got an awesome challenge going on right now. I enjoy not only the fact that they read from a variety of genres, but also that many of their reviews are joint reviews, with each of them giving a separate rating. It's two reviews for the price of one...or something like that.

6) Dead End Follies (Ben): Dead End Follies is a one-stop-shop of sorts. The guy who runs it reviews books, films, music, etc., and he discusses topics from all over the pop culture sphere. Funny, irreverent, and sometimes controversial(ish), Ben's blog never fails to disappoint. It doesn't hurt that he's also one of the few male bloggers I've found out there as well. Kind of makes me feel better to know that I'm not alone in a (sorry, ladies) sea of estrogen.

7) This Week at the Library (smellincoffee): Another of the few male book bloggers out there, This Week at the Library features reviews of books on every conceivable topic. This guy reads everything and then writes short, to-the-point reviews that leave the reader wanting more without knowing too much about what they'll be going into. (Unlike me, who drones on and on about books for seventy-five paragraphs.)

8) Conor P. Dempsey (Conor): Science fiction writer Conor P. Dempsey is funny, nerdy, and relevant all at the same time. He talks about reading, writing, technology, science fiction, film...pretty much anything he likes, really. His posts are often thoughtful and thought-provoking and are always entertaining.

If you're not on the list above, it doesn't mean that I don't enjoy your blog. It simply means that I only had eight slots to fill. :) When I hit 10,000 page views I'll be giving shout-outs to ten completely different bloggers.

So, now for some housekeeping:

-I've finally posted the link to the "Books I Should Have Read By Now" link-up. It's on the right sidebar underneath my rating system.

-Links are still accepted for this week's Wild Card Wednesday until Saturday at 11:59 PM (EST). Everyone's welcome to join!

-I'll be participating in the Spring into Summer Readathon this weekend. I'm hoping to get through four books but it'll probably be closer to two. Either way, it means more reviews for you next week!

-I'm almost finished reading Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach and am still plodding through my reread of Imajica by Clive Barker. I think Imajica will end up being a month-long project. I'm not sure what happened but I wasn't able to plow through it in two days like I was the last time I read it.

-Gabe