I’ve been tagged by Dizzy C from Dizzy C’s Little Book Blog. I love participating in tags! I think it’s a great way to get to know people.

The Rules

1. You must post the rules.
2. Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post and then create eleven new questions to ask the people you’ve tagged.
3. Tag eleven people and link to them on your post.
4. Let them know you’ve tagged them!

Questions from Dizzy C

1. Favourite room in the house: My bedroom because that’s where I do my reading and sleeping, my two favorite pastimes.
2. Favourite season and why: Spring because my birthday is in April and I love all things about my birthday.
3. Favourite drink: Water, very boring.
4. If you could travel back in time, which era would you like to drop into? I’d like to drop into the Victorian era or around the turn of the 20th century.
5. Technology wizard or not? Yes.
6. Favourite sandwich filling? I’m a child at heart–peanut butter and jelly.
7. Earliest childhood memory: I honestly don’t know. I remember a lot of things from my childhood, but I don’t remember which is the earliest.
8. Early bird or night owl? I’m definitely a night owl.
9. Favourite board game: I have so many! Settlers of Catan, Ticket to Ride, Bonkers, Life, Monopoly, Risk, and Crossing the Plains.
10. Sweet or savoury fan? I’m definitely a sweet fan, but I do like savory as well.
11. Favourite scent: Lilac, which is also my favorite color and favorite flower.

Questions for who I Tag

1. What is your favorite book of all time?
2. Who is your favorite author?
3. Who is your favorite literary character of all time?
4. When did you start blogging?
5. Why did you start blogging?
6. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?
7. If money were not an issue, what would you buy yourself at this very instant?
8. Who is your favorite actor?
9. What is your favorite movie?
10. Who is your favorite musician/band?
11. What is your favorite song?

I Tag

1. Alison from Alison Can Read
2. Jenny from Alternate Readality
3. Jo from Fluidity of Time
4. Suey from It’s all About Books
5. Bonnie Rae from Just Words
6. Ninja Girl from Ninja Girl Reads
7. Hannah from Once Upon a Time
8. Lisa from Read. Breathe. Relax
9. Kathy from Read this Instead
10. Leah Marie from Reading with my Eyes Wide Shut
11. Alana from Red Wine, Mistakes, Mythology

Last year, Jamie from The Perpetual Page-Turner posted a survey of all the books she read during the year just kind of for herself. A lot of other bloggers decided to join in so she decided to host it as an end of the year survey this year. I had fun thinking up my answers for these questions.

1. Best book you read In 2011?
   Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare
2. Most disappointing book/book you wish you loved more than you did?
   I wish I would’ve loved The Iron Witch by Karen Mahoney more than I did. I hope that I’ll like the second book more so that I can give the series more of a chance.
3. Most surprising book (in a good way) of 2011?
   The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt. I wasn’t expecting to like it very much, but I really did enjoy it a lot.
   
4. Book you recommended to people most in 2011?
   Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
5. Best series you discovered in 2011?
   Heist Society by Ally Carter
6. Favorite new authors you discovered in 2011?
   Stephanie Perkins. I absolutely loved Anna and the French Kiss and Lola and the Boy Next Door.
   Ally Carter. I really enjoyed Heist Society and Uncommon Criminals.
   Kendare Blake. Anna Dressed in Blood was awesome!
7. Best book that was out of your comfort zone or was a new genre for you?
   To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
8. Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2011?
   Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake
9. Book you most anticipated in 2011?
   City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare
10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2011?
    
11. Most memorable character in 2011?
    Atticus Finch
12. Most beautifully written book read in 2011?
    Crossed by Ally Condie. I love her poetic writing style.
13. Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2011?
    East of Eden by John Steinbeck
14. Book you can’t believe you waited until 2011 to finally read?
    To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
15. Favorite passage/quote from a book you read in 2011?
    This is from East of Eden: “But the Hebrew word, the word timshel–‘Thou mayest’–that gives a choice. It might be the most important word in the world. That says the way is open. That throws it right back on a man. For if ‘Thou mayest’–it is also true that ‘Thou mayest not.”
16. Book that you read in 2011 that would be most likely to reread in 2012?
    Everneath by Brodi Ashton. In fact, I plan to reread it first thing in 2012 so I can count it toward the 2012 DAC and because it’s just that awesome! (My review will be posted on January 3.)
17. Book that had a scene in it that had you reeling and dying to talk to somebody about it?
    The ending of City of Fallen Angels and Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare. She has a way of leaving you in high anxiety at the end of her books.

Book Blogging/Reading Life in 2011

1. New favorite book blog you discovered in 2011?
   Alternate Readality. I love Jenny’s insights and views on things. She gets me thinking all the time.
2. Favorite review that you wrote in 2011?
   I think the most thought out review I posted was either the one for To Kill a Mockingbird or East of Eden. My favorite that I wrote, however, is Everneath and unfortunately, it hasn’t been posted yet. Only a couple more days, though.
3. Best discussion you had on your blog?
   My post about Combating Reading Slumps was by far the most intriguing and well participated in post.
4. Most thought-provoking review or discussion you read on somebody else’s blog?
   “I LOVE Twilight and I am NOT ASHAMED” at Alison Can Read. I really appreciated this discussion because it’s something I needed to read. I started to give into all the negativity surrounding Twilight and it bothered me because I do really love the books. This helped me realize that it’s okay if I love them even if others don’t.
5. Best event that you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events, memes, etc.)?
   I was very fortunate this year to attend a lot of author signings. My favorite signing was for Markus Zusak. He was just so personable and took time with each and every person at the event. He stayed until 1:00 am signing books.
6. Best bookish discovery (book related sites, book stores, etc.)?
   Did you know that if you have Amazon prime and pre-order books, most books will be delivered to you on release day? I didn’t! I was so excited when I found that out with Lola and the Boy Next Door.
7. Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of this year?
   I signed up for one challenge this year. The 2011 DAC. I failed miserably. I only read two books out of the twelve I signed up to read. Hopefully, next year I’ll do better. I also had a goal to read 25 books this year. (I know that’s low, but I’m a slow reader and school takes up a lot of my time.) I didn’t quite reach my goal but I gave it my best shot!
   

Looking Ahead …

1. One book you didn’t get to in 2011 but will be your first priority in 2012?
   The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. I started it in 2011, but I didn’t finish it so after I finish my reread of Everneath, I’ll finish The Book Thief.
2. Book you are most anticipating for 2012?
   There’s a tie between Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore, City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare, and Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare.
3. One thing you hope to accomplish or do in your reading/blogging in 2012?
   I like my reviews, but I feel like they could have more sustenance. I intend to do some research on this and see if I can figure out a better way to do it.

I’ve seen this meme floating around a few blogs lately and thought I’d join in. I love these types of things because it helps me get to know the blogger behind the blog.

Age: I’m 33 and a half–my half-birthday was just a few days ago.

Bed size: Queen. I need a new mattress, though. We’ve had ours since we were first married almost 14 years ago, and it definitely shows its age.

Chore that you hate: I hate folding the laundry. I don’t mind doing it; I just don’t like folding it.

Dogs: I’ve never had a dog, but I do like them. I prefer cats, though.

Essential start to your day: A shower and breakfast

Favorite colors: Lavender, but I do like all purples.

Gold or silver: Silver

Height: 5’4.5″, the half inch is very important because it means I’m taller than quite a few actors.

Instruments you play: I can play the piano and I played the oboe once upon a time. I wanted to learn how to play it so I could charm any cobras I came in contact with.

Job title: Dentrix Profitability Coach

Kids: I have three cats that I consider as my children because I can’t have children of my own.

Live: Utah

Mother-in-law’s name: Beth

Nicknames: Jenni is my nickname since my full name is Jennifer. However, my coworkers sometimes call me Jenni-leesifer or Jenni-lucifer because I’ve changed my name several times: first from Jennifer to Jenni, then from Jenni to Elyse, and then from Elyse back to Jenni.

Overnight hospital stays: Never

Pet peeves: My main pet peeves are hypocrisy and two-facedness.

Quote from a movie: There are too many to list, but most of them come from Clue, Galaxy Quest, Big Trouble, and The Emperor’s New Groove. “Mrs. Peacock was a man?!”

Right- or left-handed: I’m a southpaw and I feel a kinship to all southpaws. I also notice when other people are southpaws.

Siblings: I’m the youngest of seven. I have five sisters and one brother.

Time you wake up: 5:30 on weekdays and between 9:00 and 10:00 and weekends.

Underwear: Um, yes.

Vegetable you hate: Lima beans and beets

What makes you run late: I’ll admit it; I do.

X-rays you’ve had: I’ve had X-rays at the dentist and then of my foot.

Yummy food that you make: I make mean spicy oatmeal cookies. It’s a recipe I got from my mom. I’m not sure where she got it.

Zoo animal: I love all animals! But, I’m very partial to llamas.