Hesperia Loves Books
I was so excited when Erika asked me to be a part of her Badass Birthday Bash. This is my very first guest post ever, so if it’s absolutely horrid, I’ll just blame the alcohol that we’ll obviously be drinking while attending the bash 
A few years ago I started reading a little series by Karen Marie Moning, you may have heard of it, The Fever series. Well, I had just finished reading Faefever (you know the cliffhanger I’m sure) and I was desperate to talk to anyone about it. When I looked on the back of the book there was information about KMM’s book forum, an online community where her readers could get together and chat books. I joined and got the fix I needed at the time, but even better, I ‘met’ some really wonderful people as a result. The best & most valued friendship of all is the one that I have formed with Erika. Even though I rarely visit the KMM forum anymore, I can hardly go a day without speaking to or chatting with her. We have so much in common that it is almost scary and I’d almost swear, if we didn’t live so far apart, that we were somehow related.
There are many, many things that I will forever be indebted to Erika for. So much so, that I may be willing to give up my first born. On second thought, he’s a teenager and the point is to show my gratitude not scare her away, right? The list is massive and I would take the time & space to name them all but…did you really want your butt to fall asleep while reading this post? I want you like my guest post, not curse my name. So here goes:
- If not for Ms. Badass herself, I never would have discovered Goodreads. Who would of thought?! I use GR so much now, that if you took it away I think that I would need to detox for a couple of days. It is my right & left hands and if I had more then it would be those too. For a book blogger or just lover in general, it is a MUST join website!
- She introduced me to my all-time favorite series EVER! The In Death series by J.D. Robb is absolutely phenomenal and once you start reading about Eve, Roarke and the amazing cast of secondary characters, you’ll see why it tops my list. Even better is the fact that the audiobooks to this series are just as good (if not better) than the print version. It also helps that my Roarke is David Gandy, who truly epitomizes the character. Who could pass up the opportunity to envision that bit of candy while reading?!
- Did you think it was only one little series she turned me on to? Oh no, I don’t have enough fingers & toes to count them all. Here’s just a few: Pamela Clare’s I-Team series, Ilona Andrews’ Kate Daniels series, Patricia Briggs’ Mercy Thompson series, Jeaniene Frost’s Night Huntress series & Sydney Croft’s ACRO series. Can you imagine if I’d never heard Bones utter the words….”Oh Kitten.” I was a deprived reader until Erika came along!
- I would be bald. I recently went through converting my blog from a blogger hosted site to a self hosted WordPress site. There were times when I literally wanted to pull my hair out! Erika was my rock, my sounding board, my advisor and my ‘no-bullshit-tell-it-like-it-
is’ go to person. I could not of made the changeover without her and I will be eternally grateful!
So, if anyone deserves to party hard and have an amazing Birthday Bash, it’s Erika! Never in a million years did I think that joining a book forum would lead to such a great friendship, but I’m thankful everyday to be able to call her my friend, a kick-ass fellow book blogger & book recommender extraordinaire. So break out the Grey Goose (yes, I’m a die-hard Vishous’ fan) and let’s help Erika and Badass Book Reviews have a kick-ass birthday bash!
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Alyssa
I read to save my sanity, plain & simple. I am a married mother of 3 (2 of which are teenagers, yay me!) who needs an escape from the eye rolls, attitude and day to day drama that comes along with raising teenagers. Without books, I would be medicated ;)
I just cried a little. You are such a gem Alyssa. Thank you for being my friend <3
*mwah* Love you sweetie! Happy Birthday <3
okay Alyssa, I already love you too!, and don't even know you yet! Thank you so much for all of the wonderful, kind words for my Erika. She really is all of those things and so much more! I just cried a liitle too, because I am so full of pride when I see such warm comments about my daughter. You really are a gem! I also thank you for being her friend!
Good morning, ladies. Awesome contest. I follow both blogs, and you guys have done an awesome job. Thanks for being an example to newbies like me.
My recent post Love Conquers All Evil: The Soul Catcher, bk 4 by Mary Abshire
Erika has made me a big Urban Fantacy fan. And how funny that all of the series she listed above were also ones she recommended to me as well. I haven't read them all yet but I at least own one from those I haven't read yet.
I don't do the whole twitter thing, but I used your link above and bookmarked her site as a favorite. Thanks!
My favorite genre is now urban fantasy (thanks to Erika). Used to be female detective novels (still love them too). Happy birthday Erika!
What a lovely tribute!! You guys are so lucky to have found each other. I love that the internet has brought so many people together, and even more, I love that BOOKS have brought so many people together. BTW, I think I'd go nuts without Goodreads too, I'm on there every 5 minutes it seems lol
My favorite genre to read is Romance and teen books.
My favorite type of book to read would be YA or Paranormal romance
Thanks for the amazing give away
Hubby will officially kill me now. I have another person to follow on twitter!
LOL
That was so sweet, one can never have too many friends. And a friend to share a good book with is even better =)
I agree, this is such a cool community of bloggers and readers
I'm so thankful I decided to start a blog 
I agree as well, I have had so much fun and met so many awesome folks on these blogs that it boggles my mind. Thank you for sharing this birthday treat and celebration with me
I am currently hooks on urban fantasy, but I also enjoy many other genres.
My favourite genre to read is Paranormal Romances!
darlenesbooknook at gmail dot com
Wow…what were the odds that Alyssa would win this one…LOL
I know right? It's one of my books here at the house, and she couldn't decide on what to give away, so I picked one… LOL