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Inspired Kathy, blogger and book reviewer

One of the masterminds behind Best Reads in 2010 agreed to an interview and has offered to host a book giveaway here on Rita's World.

The book being given away is Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins!

To be eligible for the giveaway, you must become a follower of this blog and you must leave a comment to tell me your favorite book you read this year. From those eligible, I'll pull a name from a hat (or a bowl--it might be easier to use a bowl). Available to US residents only. End date is Saturday, December 18, 2010

With no further ado, I introduce Inspired Kathy, reader, book reviewer, and blogger at I am a reader, not a writer.

Rita: How did the blog Best Reads in 2010 get started?
Kathy: I can't take credit for Best I've Read. The event was the brainchild of Cindy from Books Complete Me.

All the participating bloggers met through our love of Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series. It's been fun putting the event together and the response from authors and publishers has been phenomenal. I sent out about 50 queries to authors and publishers asking if they'd be willing to donate books for the event. I was shocked when nearly all of them responded that they would. There will be 75 winners on my blog and over 400 books given away between all 10 participating blogs.

Rita: What's your favorite book and why?
Kathy: I'm such an eclectic reader it is nearly impossible to pick just one book. There are many books that are favorites for different reasons. As far as classics I love Jane Eyre and books by Jane Austen. Twilight is a favorite because it got me reading again and I've meet some incredible people by taking part in Twilight events (I even got to have breakfast with Stephenie Meyer). My favorite books to escape with are Marcia Lynn McClure's clean romance books. No one can write clean romance like Marcia. Then of course there are books like Harry Potter, The Hunger Games and many others that are favorites too. A look at my goodreads shelf will show that I have many favorites:

Rita: Who is your favorite author?
Kathy: Another tough questions. I guess the number one spot would have to go to Marcia Lynn McClure because I adore her and her books. There would be so many close seconds I hate to start naming people because I'm sure to forget someone... Stephenie Meyer, Rachael Renee Anderson, Nicholas Sparks, Suzanne Collins, Janette Rallison, Shannon Hale, Bree Despain, Ally Condie, the list could go on and on and on.

Rita: I noticed on your blog that your goal is to read 240 books this year. How do you find the time? I'm imagining copious amounts of coffee.
Kathy: Last year I read 114 books and thought that was a lot. I've read double that many this year. I just finished my 235th book last night so I will easily exceed my goal of 240 books this year. I don't drink coffee or caffeinated beverages so that can't be the reason. So how do I do it? I've always got a book with me, it's my favorite form of entertainment. I never watch TV and only rarely watch movies. I listen to audio books which accounts for 1/4 to 1/3 of the books I read. I'm great at multitasking. When I'm driving, exercising doing dishes, laundry or other housework I listen to audiobooks. I usually finish a book every 1.5 days. I'm not sure I can read that many books again in one year. I'm starting 2011 with a much more reasonable goal of reading 150 books.

Rita: Which book really was the best in 2010?
Kathy: It is so hard to choose the best book. A book that is on the top of my list will be on the bottom of someone else's list. But here are some of my personal favorites from different categories.
Juvenile Fiction: Fablehaven 5: Keys to the Demon Prison by Brandon Mull
Young Adult: Paranormalcy by Kiersten White
Memoir: Out of the Transylvania Night by Aura Imbarus
Romance: Weathered Too Young by Marcia Lynn McClure

2011 is looking like it will be a great year too. I've read a couple ARCs for upcoming books that have been fabulous.

As far as a surprise favorite that would have to go to Antony John's Five Flavors of Dumb. I really didn't expect to love his book but it was Five Flavors of Awesome!

Rita: Milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or white?
Kathy: Milk chocolate unless it is a Milky Way Midnight

Rita: Favorite donut?
Kathy: Maple Bar

Rita: What has been the best part of blogging about books?
Kathy: Reading books that I might not otherwise pick up. I've found some fabulous books that I would have missed if it weren't for blogging. I also enjoy helping less well known authors gain exposure for their books and helping out other bloggers.

Rita: Thank you, Kathy, for your time and for the giveaway!

38 comments:

  1. Nice interview. I am seriously impressed with the number of books you've read this year. I thought I was doing good since I passed 200. ^_^

    NEw follower
    My favorite book this year would ahve to be tied between Three Black Swans by Caroline B. Cooney and Pegasus by Robin McKinley.

    hauntingorchid (at) aol (dot) com

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  2. Incarceron would have to be one of my favorite reads this year. New GFC follower.

    BookNoise at gmail dot com

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  3. My favorite book this year is These Is My Words by Turner.

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  4. I'm a new follower of your blog. Great interview! My favorite book I've read this year is probably the one I'm reading now - Clair de Lune. My favorite book is usually the one I'm reading at the moment! Thanks for the contest.

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  5. I'm a new follower! My favorite book that I've read this year is an oldy but goody _ Plain Song by Kent Haruf! Thanks for a chance to win!
    kmassmanATgmailDOTcom

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  6. I've had a few favorite reads this year. Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry, The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan, and The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins are just a few. :)

    smartin_90 (AT) yahoo (DOT) com

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  7. I am a follower-judy.

    I enjoyed Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare.


    Judy
    magnolias_1[at]msn[dot]com

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  8. I'm a new follower :) My fav. book I've read this year is Virtually Her's by Gennita Low. Thanks for the chance
    june111@att.net

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  9. My favorite book I've read this year is The Missing by Shiloh Walker.

    GFC follower as seriousreader

    seriousreader at live dot com

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  10. Loved your interview with Kathy! She is amazing! My favorite book this year was Mockingjay. I read the whole series for the first time this year and LOVED it!
    I just became a blog follower (Lexie@BookBug).
    lexie.bookbug(AT)gmail(DOT)com

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  11. Great interview. Thanks for reading all those books and doing reviews!

    My surprise favorite was Incarceron.

    taffy(dot)lovell@gmail.com

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  12. Awesome post!

    I'm a follower.

    My favourite book I've read this year was The Iron King by Julie Kagawa.

    Thank you for the giveaway!

    spettolij AT gmail DOT com

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  13. My favourite book this year was Wolfhall by Hilary Mantel but I'm not eligible due to geographic-ism.
    Grrr. : )

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  14. That is a tough question. I read a lot this year (I should pass 200 books before the year is over). A recent favorite is Paranormalcy, but I also read The Blue Sword, Witch of the Glens, The Thief series, and The Husband Tree and they are all favorites among a bunch of others.
    New GFC follower.

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  15. The Hunger games were one of my favorite
    mistylimepink at gmail dot com

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  16. Thanks for this giveaway! I've been wanting to read Catching Fire for so long. My favorite book this year is a tie between Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead and Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick.

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  17. Thanks for the giveaway!

    My favorite book of the year is Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead

    im a follower

    jessica b
    jecca.0104[at]gmail[dot]com

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  18. Aw man, this is hard. Um...okay, I have one: Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare.

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  19. Hmm... I'd have to say Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

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  20. Favorite book this year, City of Ghosts by Stacia Kane.
    I'm a new follower
    dsfrankj at gmail dot com

    --Donna @ The Happy Booker

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  21. My favorite book this year is Deadly Little Secret (Touch, #1) by Laurie Faria Stolarz.

    aikychien at yahoo dot com

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  22. Aw, thanks for the lovely words about FIVE FLAVORS OF DUMB. I'm thrilled you enjoyed it, and honored to have made your Best of 2010 list. You rock!

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  23. Hi! I'm a new follower! My favorite book this year was The Demon's Covenant by Sarah Rees Brennan. :)

    germaine.dulac@yahoo.com

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  24. Just began following :)
    I need Catching Fire! :D
    My favorite book from this year actually surprized me...
    "Shadow Hills"
    by Anastasia Hopcus :)

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  25. Great interview.
    I'm a new follower.
    there are so many books that I loved this year, that I'm not sure I can pick just one, but I loved Dead Tossed Waves, Birthmarked, Lost Hero, and Red Pyramid.

    jlynettes @ hotmail . com

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  26. Picking my favorite book from 2010 is a tough one.. But I would have to say it's between three: The Forest of Hands and Teeth (and The Dead Tossed Waves) by Carrie Ryan, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (that's why I would love to get Catching Fire, so I can continue reading her amazing series!!), and The Maze Runner by James Dashner. This year it seems as if I've been more into reading intense books, rather than the mushy YA romance types I used to read all the time :P

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  27. Picking just one book is really hard. I´d say it´s betweeen Impulse, Linger, Clockwork Angel.

    nadjscr at hotmail dot com

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  28. I'm a new follower! I'm with Kathy, picking just one book as my favorite is hard but I am going to say it was 13 To Life by Shannon Delaney. I haven't read the Hunger Games series yet so would love to win this!

    gjmanningATwildblueDOTnet

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  29. So hard to pick favorite books! I really liked My Double Life by Janette Rallison. She's a great writer.

    arallison(at)gmail.com

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  30. Best book I've read is Mozart's Blood.
    pinkpeonyblossom at gmail dot com

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  31. 235 books? Holy cow. I don't know how anybody reads that many in one year. I guess it's possible if you are at home all day, but having a career makes that impossible!

    GFC follower.

    JHS
    Colloquium

    jhsmail at comcast dot net

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  32. My favorite 2010 read was Nightshade by Andrea Cremer.

    I'm a new GFC follower. Thanks so much!

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  33. Definitely Monsters of Men by Patrick Ness (though Mockingjay was a close second).

    I'm a new follower. Thanks

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  34. Awesome interview.

    My favorite book this year... hmmm... hard to narrow it down.

    I have to say it is probably one of these:

    Firelight by Sophie Jordan,
    Nightshdae by Andrea Cremer
    Matched by Ally Condie
    Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken
    These are probably it, as far as 2010 debuts go.

    thanks for the giveaway and interview.

    Val TruthBeTold004 at gmail dot com

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  35. New GFC follower
    My favorite book this year was Deceit by Brandilyn Collins
    nicolesender@yahoo.com

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  36. Hey this is an awesome giveaway so grateful. Okay my favorite book this year has been Endless Summer by Jennifer Echols :)

    khyla_808 at yahoo dot com

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  37. I really enjoyed reading Inside Out by Maria V Snyder.

    epicbooknerd[at]gmail[dot]com

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