Armchair BEA - Introductions

Hey everyone! I know it's a bit late in the game, but I decided to join in on Armchair BEA. I'm feeling pretty down because I'm supposed to actually be at BEA this year, but things didn't work out and now I'm home. I guess the virtual BEA is better than nothing, right? So, here we go with introductions - about me! :)

1. Please tell us a little bit about yourself: Who are you? How long have you been blogging? Why did you get into blogging?  My name is Stephanie and I am currently a graduate student in the process of getting my M.A. in English. I have been blogging for 1 year and 4 months. I got into blogging because I am a book junkie (a.k.a. hoarder) and I wanted to share my thoughts about books with others and to hear what they had to say as well.  

2. Where in the world are you blogging from? Tell a random fact or something special about your current location. Feel free to share pictures. 

I am blogging from the middle of nowhere in Pennsylvania, USA. I live in the country, outside of a teeny tiny rural town in Northwest PA. Random fact? There's nothing! I currently live within a 2 mile radius of most of my family: my parents, my sister & her husband, both sets of my grandparents, 1 aunt, 1 uncle, and 1 cousin & her family. I grew up out here and loved it so much that I swore to move back when I got my own place. Now my husband and I have been living in our house for just over 1 year!
 
3. Have you previously participated in Armchair BEA? What brought you back for another year? If you have not previously participated, what drew you to the event? 

Yep, I participated in Armchair BEA last year. I was a newbie last year, having only been blogging for 3 months or so. I came back because it was a great time and I found a lot of great new book blogs to follow. 

4. What are you currently reading, or what is your favorite book you have read so far in 2013? 

Right now I'm in the middle of reading Gameboard of the Gods by Richelle Mead. It's taking me a bit longer than I thought, mostly because I have to read some books for tours in between. I don't think I have a favorite book so far in 2013 - maybe The Nightmare Affair. 

5. Tell us one non-book-related thing that everyone reading your blog may not know about you. 

Hmmm..... I'm super boring! My husband tends to call me the "black hole of fun" because I usually just want to stick around the house and chill out - watching movies or TV or READING, instead of actually going out and doing something. Also, I can speak French, German, and some Russian and Spanish. My lifetime goal is to be completely fluent in at least 10 languages. I really need to get working on that! :)

6. Which is your favorite post that you have written that you want everyone to read? 

I would have to say my review of Splintered by A.G. Howard. It's incredibly long and I gush a lot, but the book really blew my mind and is now one of my all time favorites.

7. If you could eat dinner with any author or character, who would it be and why? 

Anne Rice. Her books introduced me to the paranormal world of fiction at the age of twelve when I read Servant of the Bones. I've been hooked ever since! I own every book ever written by her. 
 
8. What literary location would you most like to visit? Why? 

I have to pick two for this, even if it might be cheating a little. I would pick Harry Potter's magical world (Hogwarts, Hogsmeade, etc.) because it would be so awesome to do spells and to visit those places! The other would be the Wonderland that A.G. Howard created in Splintered. It's twisted and creepy and dark, but I would LOVE to visit there.

Are you participating in Armchair BEA? Leave me a link to your introductions!