BBAW Guest: Christine Verstraete on YA blogs!

Blogging and (YA) Books - The Reader's PB&J



Blogs focusing on YA books attract book lovers of all ages. They've become places for book fans to chat about what they're reading and share the latest book news. They've become places for readers, and writers, to connect.



With more and more books being published every day, going online and reading a blog or two can give you an idea of what others think of a certain book, how it sounds, and can help a reader decide what book to read next. Gospel it's not. The blogs are the opinions of their respective bloggers and reviewers, of course, but scanning a few blogs to see what others liked reading can save time. If you're not in the mood to peruse the bookshelves at the library or bookstore until a book "jumps" out at you, sometimes getting someone else's opinion can narrow down the many choices. That's where the bloggers can help.



Besides that, it's just plain fun. Scanning the various blogs, you get to enjoy different viewpoints, meet people whom you might not meet otherwise, and enjoy the camaraderie of other readers and sometimes writers. And you might even win a contest or two. (Hey, you can't beat that!)



For those looking for something new to read, one click of the mouse reveals a wealth of places to look for insight. There are the more "official" sites, such as YA Books Central and its associated blog, a ya librarian's book blog like Sarah's Young Adult Book Blog or the Hip Librarians Book Blog.



Or get kids' viewpoints at Flamingnet.com and their associated blog or Young Adult Book Bloggers . You can get the preferences of reader-reviewers like the "Book Muncher,", or other fun review sites like The Page Flipper or The Story Siren. And don't forget the other great blogs that were mentioned during BBAW week. I wish I could name them all!



So, go check out a few blogs. YA and even middle grade books are no longer just for kids. Find a new blog to read. Meet someone new. Make a new friend. Find a new book. Consider it time well spent. And tell them thanks for all they do!



*** Christine Verstraete is the author of "Searching For A Starry Night, A Miniature Art Mystery" from Quake/Echelon Press. Stop by her website, or check out her blog, Candid Canine.