Hopping and Following Again! July 9th

Happy Friday everyone!! It's time again for Jennifer's Book Blogger Hop @ Crazy For Books, and Parajunkee's Friday Follow.

For those who aren't familiar with the Hop/Follow process, just click on the links and check out other bloggers. It's a great way to see what is out there, meet new bloggers, and support each other.

Make sure to check out the featured Friday Follow Blog - The Unread Reader

Jennifer @ Crazy for Books has a twist on this week's Hop. She wants us to talk about our favorite authors and why they are our favorites.

I have a whole bunch of favorite authors, depending on the genre. My all time favorite since childhood is Louisa May Alcott. Not only was she also from Massachusetts (although born in PA), but her books represent happy childhood memories for me. And her female characters were so well developed and showed there was more to being a girl that being silly, prissy, and lacking adventure.

As an adult, my favorite author is Bernard Cornwell. I just love his approach to historical fiction. His characters are so lifelike. He takes his readers on an adventure through history while incorporating fictional elements for storytelling. His interpretation on the Arthurian legend is amazing. And he doesn't delve too much into "bodice heaving" and "Loin stirring" that a lot of historical fiction has. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with erotica or romance novels. It's just that if I want to read those books, then I pick out those books. When I'm reading historical fiction, I want to learn something while enjoying a story. I always learn something new when I read a Cornwell book, even when I'm reading a book on a topic I know a lot about because I've spent a lot of time researching over the course of my school work.

Other favorites include: Jim Butcher (his Dresden books are so much fun to read), Ken Follett (Pillars of the Earth is my favorite book), Jane Austen (her social commentary in her novels is nothing short of genius), Alice Hoffman (I adore the whimsical and magical elements to her stories), and so many more.