I was nominated by The Bookish Wormy and Lori for another round of the Sunshine Blogger Award! Thank you so much for the nominations! ❤ I’m pretty much an open book and I love answering questions, so it always makes me so happy to see that I’ve been tagged in one of these.
Thank the blogger who nominated you in a blog post and link back to their blog.
Answer the 11 questions the blogger asked you.
Nominate 11 new blogs to receive the award and write them 11 new questions.
List the rules and display the Sunshine Blogger Award logo in your post/or on your blog.
11 questions from The Bookish Wormy:
1. What is your favorite scent?
Probably the scent of a good coffee shop. I like the smell of coffee brewing and I also like the smell of things baking. Also, I love coffee shops in general.
2. What is the saddest book you ever read?
The book that made me cry the most was Me Before You.
3. Night owl or an early bird? I’m a very bad sleeper, so kind of both? But ideally, I go to bed around 10 or 11 and wake up around 6 or 7. I used to sleep in a lot when I was younger, but now I feel like I’m wasting my day if I’m in bed much past 7.
4. Who is your favorite villain? Victor Vale! He’s also the only villain that ever comes to mind.
5. Would you rather live where it’s extremely cold or unbearably hot?
I grew up in Wisconsin where school would sometimes be canceled because it was too cold to leave the house, so I’m like… 1000% over cold and snow and winter. I would rather live somewhere hot.
6. What is something you firmly believe in?
I firmly believe in treating everybody with respect regardless of who they are and what they can do for you. I’m going to be nice to you because it’s the right thing to do, not because I think you’re going to do something for me in return.
7. Tell me something that brings a smile to your face and something that makes you sad!
Something that brings a smile to my face: cats being cute
Something that makes me sad: the fact that I basically have no friends where I live and all my friends live in my phone (that’s a downer, sorry)
8. Cats or dogs?
I love every animal, but I’m definitely more of a cat person.
9. If you were an alien from which planet would you come from? Thebula? Bonus points if you get the reference.
10. What is one of your favorite tropes in books?
Friends to lovers with lots of pining from afar, it gets me every time.
11. Just for the sake of it who came first the chicken or the egg?
I’m going to say the chicken, but who the heck really knows.
11 questions from Lori:
1. Which fictional character do you think best represents you?
Jane Cobalt from the Like Us series.
2. What book do you most regret ever having bought?
Oh jeez, probably anything I’ve ever one-starred.
3. If you watch BookTube, who are some of your favorite creators?
I actually don’t really watch BookTube! I try to avoid YouTube because I get sucked in really easily and I’ll just end up wasting like four hours.
4. Who gave you your love of reading?
So I think most people in my family are big readers, but it was my grandma who most influenced me. She watched me a lot when I was little and she would just read me stacks and stacks of books every night. She was so amazing, I could ask her to read me 20 books and she’d do it. ❤
5. Do you prefer in-person or online book clubs?
I’ve never done an in-person book club! I’ve never really done an online book club, either, but I have done some buddy reads, which were pretty great. 🙂
6. How do you organize your upcoming blog posts?
I am actually (someday, maybe soon) going to do a whole post about this! I have a few different ways that I organize myself, but the biggest way is with a planner, sticky notes, and checkboxes.
7. What do you think of fans who write angry letters/direct messages to an author?
I mean… there are a lot of books that I’ve disliked in my life, but I’ve literally never been tempted to tell that to the author. I just don’t see the point of it.
8. How would you try to convert a non-reader into a reader?
I don’t know if I’d really try to convert a non-reader into a reader. I might recommend a book that I’ve really enjoyed that I think fits with their interests, but I hate it when people try to convince me to do things I don’t want to do, like it’s one of the very few things in life that makes me really, really angry, so I don’t want to do that to someone else.
If you could frame one book cover and hang it up in your house, which cover would it be? WHAT IF IT’S US.
Which fictional character do you love that you think would be horrible in real life? Victor Vale! I love him but I would not want anything to do with him in real life.
What’s one of your favorite blog posts that you would like to receive a little more love?
Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite book bloggers! It’s already my top-viewed post of all time, but it’s also one of my favorites that I’ve ever written and it makes me so happy that it’s still getting views and likes and comments.
Also! A bit of shameless promotion! My giveaway with Daniel (my #1 favorite book blogger) ends soon, so that’s definitely a post I want you to check out if you haven’t seen it yet!
11 questions from me:
What’s the best book you’ve read so far this year?
What’s one of your favorite tropes?
According to Goodreads, which book has been on your TBR the longest?
Do you have any pets? If so, feel free to share some pictures!
What’s your current favorite song?
Are there any authors, tropes, or genres that you avoid?
What’s your favorite book-to-screen adaptation?
Which book do you wish would be adapted? (Assuming the adaptation would be done well.)
If you could teleport anywhere, where would you go and what would you do?
What’s your favorite blog post that you’ve written?
Last time I did this, I didn’t nominate anyone. This time, I’m nominating a few people who’ve recently told me that they like tags! (Feel free to ignore me, though, if you don’t feel like doing this tag or if you’ve done it before.) But even if I didn’t specifically nominate you, please feel free to do the tag and link back to this post so that I’ll get a notification to check out your answers! And if you love tags, please comment to let me know! I would love to tag you in things! ❤
I was nominated by Jamsu, Gerry, Laura, Rachel, Amber, and Kaitie for another round of the Sunshine Blogger Award! Thank you so much for the nominations! ❤
Thank the blogger who nominated you in a blog post and link back to their blog.
Answer the 11 questions the blogger asked you.
Nominate 11 new blogs to receive the award and write them 11 new questions.
List the rules and display the Sunshine Blogger Award logo in your post/or on your blog.
11 questions from Jamsu:
1. If you could only read one series for the rest of your life, what would it be?
I don’t think that I could read just one series for the rest of my life, but if I were absolutely forced to, I would probably choose Krista & Becca Ritchie’s Addicted series since it has a whole lot of books and it’s also one of my favorites.
2. Favorite contemporary romance book?
Probably The Hating Game! But I have a whole favorites page if you’re interested!
3. What are you currently reading?
Currently, at the time of writing this post, I’m reading Night and Dayby Andie J. Christopher.
4. A character you’d like to be best friends with and why?
I think I’d like to be best friends with Belle from Tara Sivec’s Naughty Princess Clubseries! Belle is obsessed with books and random facts and she’s also just a ton of fun.
5. Thoughts about love triangles?
In general, I really dislike love triangles. I really, really dislike love triangles that exist solely for drama. That said, if it’s well-written and there’s something more to it than just proving how attractive and desirable the main character is, I might be okay with it.
6. Friends to lovers or enemies to lovers?
This is so mean! These are my two favorite tropes! I think if I had to pick, I’d go with friends-to-lovers.
7. Fictional world you’d like to be in?
I previously said I’d like to live in Henrietta, VA and I’m standing by that answer.
8. A food you could never give up?
Does coffee count as a food? Because, not to be dramatic or anything, but I feel like I’d die without coffee.
9. A song that reminds you of one of your ships? When I was reading Royal Attraction by Tiffany Truitt, I remember thinking that it matched up pretty perfectly with Shameless by All Time Low.
10. Favorite book cover in your shelf?
I still haven’t read this book, but I still love the cover.
11. If you could be any supernatural being, what would you be?
Let me channel Taylor Swift for a minute and be a pegacorn. 🦄
11 questions from Gerry:
1. Which villain in a book are you most like and why? Hmm, I don’t usually think of myself as relating to villains, so this is a good (and difficult!) question. The only villain I can think of is Victor Vale from Vicious, and I guess I kind of relate to him because he’s trying to do the right thing, even when he ends up doing kind of terrible things.
2. What is the worst adaptation of a book (either TV or movie) that you have seen? To be honest, I don’t watch a lot of adaptations. Maybe The Golden Compass?
3. You get to pick a book mum to be your mum for the day – who do you pick?Why? I’m kind of blanking on fictional moms right now. Maybe Molly Weasley? I feel like she’d be a good one to have on my side.
4. You’re a guest at a fictional wedding. What wedding are you attending? Bonus question: what gift (if any) do you bring? Did you know that I’m actually not a fan of fictional weddings? I feel like it’s the laziest way to end a romance novel and it usually drives me really crazy. But I think that it would be fun to attend Josh and Hazel’s wedding. (From Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating.) What would I bring? Something involving the dog, probably. But I’m not feeling particularly creative right now, so I’m not entirely sure what.
5. Pick a song that sums your mood/ life right at the moment. Presented without comment:
6. Two roads diverge in a yellow wood. You take one. What does it look like and where does it take you? So there were these woods behind my old house that were so nice and secluded and relaxing and I used to spend hours in them after work just wandering around and listening to music. It was honestly the best thing. Certain people that I know who are very overdramatic used to tell me I was going to get kidnapped and/or murdered, but nothing ever happens in my town and I’m still here, so…
Anyway. Right after you walked into these woods, there was a little path that went by a pond and then a wooden bridge covered with ivy that led to the actual trails. I think that’s what my road looks like. And I think it leads me to a teleportation device that I can use to visit people who live too far away.
7. A witch has given you a potion, this potion will give you something you want but at the exchange of something of equal value. What do you want and what will you give up? Hmm, I have an answer for this one that I feel like it’s not really appropriate to post where people I actually know can maybe read it, so I think I’ll go with something a little safer: the potion will give me a job in publishing that I would totally adore but that might be a little risky at the expense of my current job which I don’t love but is very stable.
8. Do you have a best time to write and post your blog posts? I think I do my best snarky review writing late at night after a really long day at work. I do my best serious post writing on weekend afternoons. And I’ve experimented a lot with the timing of my blog posts. I think my reviews usually get the most interaction when I post them early in the morning (7am EST) on weekdays. Tags seem to get more interaction in the afternoons, so I usually post them at 1pm EST. There you have it, my secret to (semi, sort of, not really) success.
9. You roll over in bed one morning and there is a fictional character sharing your pillow! Who is it? If I woke up to an unexpected person sharing my pillow, I’m pretty sure I’d scream and I’d most likely smack them in the face and go running out of the room. BUT if I were to hold out hope, I’d probably go for Michael Phan.
10. You get to spend a week in a fictional place. Where do you go and what do you do? I’ll stick with my answer above and head to Henrietta, VA. While I’m there, I’ll probably explore some ley lines, maybe get a psychic reading, and try to avoid Ronan’s dream creatures.
11. Go to your TBR and select book number 11. What is it?
According to Goodreads, it’s Sempre by J.M. Darhower, which has been on my TBR since 2012. I should probably get around to this at some point.
11 questions from Laura:
1. What inspired you to start your blog? I wanted a place to share my book reviews! Nothing more exciting than that. 🙂
2. What is your favourite thing about blogging?
Book friends are definitely my favorite thing about blogging! ❤
3. Are you a dog or a cat person?
I’m an animal person in general, but I’m a little bit more of a cat person.
4. What is your favourite song or lyric?
I am currently obsessed with I Know How To Speak by Manchester Orchestra. ❤ ❤ I don’t know how to like things a normal amount, so I pretty much just listen to it constantly.
I don’t know if I have a favorite lyric from this song. I just love the whole thing.
5. If you could be one character from a book or film for a day, who would it be?
I’ll be Lucy from The Hating Game. Work in publishing, sit across from Joshua Templeman, be good at banter… what’s better. 🙂
6. What is your greatest fear?
Probably not doing anything worthwhile with my life. That’s kind of a downer, sorry.
7. If you could live in one era of history, which era would you choose?
You know, I’m a 90s kid through and through. I’m okay with the time I lived in.
8. What is the most beautiful place you’ve ever visited?
Playa Hermosa in Costa Rica, which was very aptly named. (The literal translation is “beautiful beach.”)
9. How long have you been blogging?
I have been blogging forever. (Since 2013.)
10. What is your favourite book of all time? (I know this is a hard one, so I’ll let you pick top 3 haha) This is probably going to change by next week, but…
11. Who are some of your favourite bloggers? (I want to spread the sunshine with this question!)
I did a whole post about my favorite bloggers recently! But some top favorite bloggers are Daniel, Becky, Maddie, Hamad, and Leslie. ❤
11 questions from Rachel:
1. What got you into reading?
I very first got into reading because my grandma used to read me stacks of books before bed every night. I’ve really been reading for as long as I can remember, although I think I got this into reading when I moved to New Jersey because I hardly knew anybody here and I had to do something with my time.
2. Most memorable book from your childhood/teen-age years?
You know, I don’t remember the name of the book, but the most memorable book from my teenage years was this romance between a girl and her neighbor. Literally all I remember about the plot is that he was a drummer and he was her neighbor and I thought it was the most romantic story ever and I probably checked it out from the library at least five times. And I think it had a blue cover. 🤷
3. What are the 5 books you cannot live without?
This is a hard one because I don’t really do re-reads anymore, but five books that I’ve loved are:
5. Three underrated books or series you would like to recommend to everyone.
We All Fall Down by Natalie D. Richards has a pretty low average rating on Goodreads and I’m not sure why! I thought it was a great YA mystery.
Armada by Ernest Cline! I think that a lot of people were disappointed because they were expecting a sequel to RPO, but Armada is still a good book!
Beauty Queens by Libba Bray. I’m honestly not sure why so many people hated this book. I think it was great.
6. Genre you try to stay away from as much as possible.
Dark romance. 🙅♀️
7. What are your favorite bookish things (aside from books of course)?
Hmm, I don’t know that I really have favorite bookish things that aren’t books! I get a lot of book stuff with my Uppercase subscription and I don’t think I’ve ever used any of it. I also got a lot of bookish stuff at BookCon and it’s all just sitting in my closet, so…
8. What’s your policy on book lending?
I am totally fine with lending any of my books except for my signed copy of Starry Eyes, which is never leaving my shelf ever. One problem with lending out my books, though, is that a ton of my books are ebooks. ☹️ Maybe I can just lend someone my whole Kindle? It would honestly help with my TBR…
9. If you get stranded on an isolated island, who are the 5 book characters you’d want to be stuck with?
I just got asked this question in a different tag! That one was four characters, though. They were:
Mia Corvere from Nevernight, because she would protect me from anything scary on the island.
Connor Cobalt from Kiss the Sky (and many other books), because he could probably just make a phone call and get us off the island.
Sam from Emergency Contact, because I feel like he would be able to distract me from the disaster around me until help arrived.
Lennon Mackenzie from Starry Eyes, because he would probably actually know how to survive on the island.
For number five, I’ll go with…
Adrian from The Way You Make Me Feel, because he could cook some amazing food and also he seems pretty cool.
11. What’s your opinion on giving a book a low rating/negative review?
I mean… I clearly have no problem with writing snarky reviews. But I only do it if I feel like the book deserves it! I also try really hard not to say anything bad about the author in a negative review.
11 questions from Amber:
1. What is the post you’re most proud of on your blog?
My favorite post in recent memory is the one where I talked about my favorite bloggers. ❤
2. What is the book you wish you could shove in everyone’s faces?
Either Starry Eyesor The Hating Game. I recommend both pretty incessantly.
4. What is your favourite controversial read?
Controversial as in mixed opinions? Two books I really enjoyed with mixed opinions are My Lady’s Choosingand Beauty Queens.
5. Do you own any bookish merchandise?
Between BookCon and my Uppercase subscription, I own a ton of bookish merchandise. It all just sits in my closet because I honestly don’t know what to do with it. I have a million tote bags, bookmarks, pins, magnets, pieces of jewelry, socks, so on and so forth. I even have a Magnus Bane plush even though I don’t even like TMI.
6. Describe your dream library!
It has floor-to-ceiling shelves (color coordinated) with a sliding ladder and lots of windows. It also has a big, comfy couch with lots of pillows and fluffy blankets and there is always a cat waiting to be petted. ❤
7. What is a book you’re never going to touch (aka read)?
I never say never, but I don’t see myself reading classics like War and Peace. I’m just not interested and there are so many other books I could be reading.
8. What is something you wish you could tell your younger bookworm self?
Probably that there’s nothing wrong with reading what you feel like reading. I wasted sooo much time in high school trying to read these “impressive” books when I could have been reading something I actually enjoyed.
9. What is a book you wish you could read again for the first time? The Hating Game!
10. Is there a book you think would suit a movie style better (scandalous I know)?
Yes! I think People Like Us would have been better on screen than it was on paper.
11. What’s your favourite thing about having a book blog?
Making friends! 💖
10 questions from Kaitie:
1. What is your favorite childhood memory?
I used to have dance parties in my backyard with all the neighborhood kids. We’d choreograph routines to the Backstreet Boys and Britney Spears and it was so much fun.
2. What was your favorite and least favorite subjects in high school, and why?
My favorite was always English. The best was a lit class I took as an elective during my senior year. It was so much fun and taking it with all of my friends made it even better. My least favorite was physics because I hate physics. I’m bad at it and it doesn’t make sense to me and the teacher was not helpful at all.
3. Who is your biggest OTP, and your biggest NOTP?
My biggest OTP is honestly me/books. My biggest NOTP is me/confrontation. I’m sorry that this is a kind of sassy answer but I don’t really have anything better to say.
4. Which fictional creature, character, or world would you wish into existence, if you could?
One Michael Phan, please.
6. What are the top three destinations on your travel list?
Spain | I’ve wanted to go to Spain forever and I promise it’s going to happen someday.
South Korea | One of my best friends lives there and I haven’t seen her since college! It would be so much fun to go visit her.
Tennessee | Something keeps happening every time this trip is almost planned, but I will get there eventually even if it’s the last thing I do. If nothing else, I’m jumping in my manager’s car in October when she and her mom drive there.
7. Who was your biggest childhood crush?
What are we considering childhood here? And are we talking celebrity crushes or people I actually knew? I could talk about my crushes forever, I’ve had so many over the years.
My first big celebrity crush was Zac Hanson when I was in elementary school. I also had an embarrassingly big crush on David Desrosiers from Simple Plan when I was like 14. But in the No Pads, No Helmets… Just Balls era. Not after he grew his hair out and started wearing lots of eyeliner.
My biggest childhood crush on a person I actually knew was my neighbor’s cousin. His name was Kyle and he used to visit over the summers and one time he serenaded me with a Backstreet Boys song. (It was Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely and I think we were 9.) I also had a crush on a guy named Jake that lasted throughout the entirety of high school. He was the coolest and one time his band played a show at our high school and covered If You C Jordan by Something Corporate. I thought it was the best thing ever even though they had to censor a huge chunk of the song.
8. If you could travel back to any time period, where would you want to go?
I would go back to the 90s and have some more dance parties in my backyard.
9. Which book/books have impacted your life the most up to this point?
That’s a good question. I’ve read hundreds of books in my life. The one that’s coming to mind right now is Emergency Contact. I don’t know if it’s the book that’s impacted me the most in the entire history of my life, but it definitely made me think about a lot of things in my life, and I’m still thinking about it months later.
10. What is your biggest unpopular opinion?
One that really shocks people here in New Jersey is that I don’t like the beach. I had a very lengthy discussion with my manager on Friday about why I don’t like going to the beach, because that’s just a thing that people do here and apparently it’s weird that I don’t like it. But (1) I don’t like crowds, (2) I don’t like being hot, and (3) I get sunburned wearing SPF 85 in the shade.
11 questions from me:
What are your dealbreakers in a book?
How often can you listen to a song before you never want to hear it again?
What’s your least favorite trope?
Do you have any pets? If so, please share some pictures!
What’s a weird fact that you happen to know?
Do you let people borrow your books or guard them with your life?
Do you like to buddy read?
What’s your favorite kind of blog post to write?
What’s your favorite book (or series) from your childhood?
What’s your theme song?
Have you ever been to an author event or book convention?
My nominations:
I think I’ve already nominated about 50 different people for this one, so I’m going to leave this open for anybody who wants to answer these questions! If you decide to do the tag, please link to this post so that I’ll get a notification to check out your answers! And if you love tags, please comment to let me know! I would love to tag you in things! ❤
A big thank you to Jess, Caidyn & Chantel, and Literary Lion for the nominations for the Sunshine Blogger Award! Honestly, I am always so floored when I see myself on the list of nominees, so thank you for making my day and for making me smile. 🙂
You can see previous takes of this award here: one | two | three | four
What is the Sunshine Blogger Award?
The Sunshine Blogger Award is given to those who are creative, positive and inspiring while spreading sunshine to the blogging community.
The Rules
Thank the blogger who nominated you by linking their blog
Answer the questions
Nominate 11 blogs with 11 questions
List the rules as well as display the Sunshine Award Logo on your post
11 questions from Jess:
What’s the first book you remember reading?
I remember my grandma reading me a lot of Golden Books when I was really little. I loved Doctor Dan the Bandage Man a lot. The first book I clearly remember reading myself is Mr. Popper’s Penguins because it was a traumatic experience of being forced to read it to every classroom in my elementary school. I have gotten only marginally better at being the center of attention with age.
What are you currently reading? Are you enjoying it?
At the time of writing this post, I’m currently reading The Secret Placeby Tana French (really enjoying it) and listening to Love and First Sightby Josh Sundquist (it’s okay).
Do you have reading goals for 2018?
I always have reading goals! I challenged myself to read 100 books (done), read the rainbow (done), read 12 debuts (almost done), read at least three books I actually own each month (I’ve been successful so far), and participate in the Monthly Motif reading challenge (I’ve succeeded so far).
What fictional world would you choose to live in and why?
I think it would be really cool to live in the world of The Raven Cycle. I think I’ve said that before. I just love all of the characters and it has such a spooky and magical vibe. I would want to stay far away from Ronan’s dream creatures, though.
What do you think and say when people ask you to choose a favorite book?
Somehow I forget every book I’ve ever read when someone asks me what my favorite book is. It’s also impossible to choose just one because I’ve loved so many books over the years.
Who are some of your favorite authors? And have you met them in person?
Some favorite authors are Krista & Becca Ritchie, Jenn Bennett, Sarah Dessen, Huntley Fitzpatrick, R.S. Grey, V.E. Schwab… I’m probably forgetting a bunch, sorry. I have not met any of them because I am a terribly awkward person and I’m not entirely sure I’d be able to form words. I almost fell over in the street when I walked past Brendan Kiely, so I think that tells you everything you need to know.
Do you like reading outside? Where?
I actually don’t like reading outside. I’ll listen to audiobooks if I’m out walking, but I’m not a beach reader or anything, probably because I’m not a beach person in general.
Aside from reading and blogging, what do you enjoy doing? What hobbies do you have?
I enjoy cats, kids, and concerts.
My boss just got a kitten and I seriously talk to him about this cat for like twenty minutes every day. I also spend unrealistically large amounts of time with my own cat, but she’s just so cute!! ❤
I’m of a certain age where all of my friends have kids, so I spend a fair amount of time playing with train sets and cars and watching various kids movies and shows. I love little kids, they’re so cute and so funny and it feels like winning the lottery when a little kid comes up to me and asks me if I want to play with them. Someday I’ll have my own, but for right now, I’m content to play with other people’s kids. 🙂
And concerts! I am always on the website for various concert venues when I’m supposed to be doing my job. I’ll ask my best work friend if she wants to go to all of them with me. “Hey, do you like All Time Low? They’re playing at the Stone Pony on August 26.” “Hey, do you want to try to get tickets for Fall Out Boy in Newark?” “Hey, would you go to a Wombats show with me?” HEY SARA, GET BACK TO WORK. Anyway, some bands we’ve seen together: Green Day, The Killers, The Chainsmokers, Alessia Cara, Twenty One Pilots, Judah and the Lion, and The Lumineers.
My only real hobbies outside of reading and blogging are sewing and baking. I like to sew baby stuff and I actually need to get going on a baby blanket for my new niece! (A trip to the fabric store is probably in order, but that’s almost as disastrous as a trip to the bookstore for me.) Baking is fun, but I’ve cut down a lot because it was getting a little out of hand. Although I did just make compost cookies and zucchini bread….
What made you decide to start a book blog? What was your inspiration?
I said in a previous tag that I’ve been shouting out my feelings on the internet about one thing or another since approximately 2004, so I guess it was inevitable that I would start a book blog at some point. I think I’d actually won a Goodreads giveaway and wanted a place to post my review. But, in all honesty, it was five years ago and I really don’t remember.
How long have you been blogging? And how do you think of the experience so far?
I started blogging in general in 2004 as a very angsty, very emo high school freshman. Let’s pretend that never happened. I started my book blog in 2013 on Tumblr and moved it here in March of this year. Book blogging is definitely my favorite blogging. I love it. ❤
What advices do you have for new bloggers, or people that are thinking about starting a blog?
If you want to start a blog, do it! If you’ve already created your blog, make sure that you’re doing what you want to be doing, not what you think you should be doing or what other people do. Follow a schedule that works for you and write the kind of posts you’re interested in writing. If you’re not doing it for you, it’s going to feel like a hassle.
11 questions from Caidyn & Chantel:
Do you have a favorite memoir?
Probably Scrappy Little Nobodyby Anna Kendrick! I love her!
If you could make a playlist based on your personality what songs would be on it? (As many or as little as you want.)
Delicate by Taylor Swift | I have a lot of social anxiety, so I really relate to the “Is it cool that I said all that? Is it too soon to do this yet?” part because I always feel like I’m bothering people or like I like them more than they like me.
The Louvre by Lorde | There are a lot of things that I relate to in this song, but maybe most specifically “I overthink your punctuation use, not my fault, just a thing that my mind do.”
Stars by fun. | “Some nights I rule the world with bar lights and pretty girls, but most nights I stay straight and think about my mom… oh god, I miss her so much.” I really love this whole album, but I think this is the song that most fits me personally.
The Judge by twenty one pilots | “So I head out down a route I think is heading south, but I’m not good with directions and I hide behind my mouth. I’m a pro at imperfections and I’m best friends with my doubt.” #me
Konstantine by Something Corporate | I don’t know if it really has anything to do with my personality, but this is a song that I’ve loved since I was fourteen years old (that’s half my life) and that has to mean something. I was so proud of myself when I learned how to play this on the piano. I wonder if I could still do it.
What’s your favorite post that you’ve written?
I recently found my favorite post of all time, which is my review of Boarded by Love by Toni Aleo. It’s a really, really scathing review and I really love it.
If you had the chance, what memory you would like to be able to replay in perfect detail?
I know that a lot of people really hated high school, but I had a great time. I was super nerdy and super awkward, but I had really amazing friends and I had a lot of fun. I went to a tiny Catholic high school (there were only about 50 people in my class) and we weren’t cliquey at all and there was never any drama about anything. I wish everybody could have a high school experience like mine.
There are so many high school nights that I wish I could replay in my memories. The best night was probably when my friend and I organized a fundraiser concert for one of our clubs all by ourselves. We recruited our favorite local band as the main act and then had some friends’ bands open for them. We had a really great turnout and everybody did a great job. I vaguely recall getting up on stage to introduce the bands, but I think I’ve mostly blocked that out by now.
What’s your favorite book and why?
I don’t know that I really have a favorite book of all time. I have a hard enough time picking my top book each year! I do have a favorites page, though, and you can definitely check that out for a list of books I’ve really loved!
How much do you typically read in a day?
I would estimate that I typically read for about two hours every day. Ideally, I’ll read for about 20 minutes before work and then between an hour and a half to two hours before bed.
Do you like reading classics?
Not as much as I’d like! But I think I’m getting better as I get older.
When you hear the phrase “Treat yo self” what comes to mind?
I usually think about baking something really deliciously unhealthy!
What makes you happy?
See above! Cats, kids, and concerts!
Name one fictional character that you relate to.
Jane Cobalt from Krista & Becca Ritchie’s Like Us series.
Do you get any book subscription boxes? If so, what is it? If you do multiple, what’s your favorite one?
I do! I get both Uppercase and Book of the Month. I prefer BotM over Uppercase just because you can choose your book (or skip a month), so there’s no chance of getting a book you’ve already read. I’d already read the April, May, and June books from Uppercase. I’m also not the biggest fan of most of the stuff that comes with Uppercase.
11 questions from Literary Lion:
What’s your favourite book blog name you’ve seen?
That’s a good question. I like it when there are puns in the blog name, but I can’t actually think of any off the top of my head.
Who is your favourite book boyfriend/girlfriend? MICHAEL PHAN. 💖
Do you count comics/manga/graphic novels in your Goodreads total? Why/Why not?
I count anything that I review on my blog toward my Goodreads total. I don’t read a lot of comics and graphic novels (only for reading challenges) and I don’t think I’ve ever in my life read manga, but if I reviewed it, I would count it.
What’s your favourite musical (or band if you don’t like musicals)?
I love musicals and I wish I had someone here in NJ to come see them with me. I LIVE SO CLOSE TO BROADWAY BUT I DON’T WANT TO GO BY MYSELF. I have only ever seen one small, off-Broadway show with my boyfriend’s brother. For musical movies, my favorite would probably have to be Across the Universe? My friends and I were obsessed with it when we were in high school. I think I saw it three times in the theater and then we probably watched it at least ten or twenty times in my basement. The soundtrack was on repeat in my car for like an entire year.
What is the most important thing to know before starting a book blog?
I think that the most important thing to know is that it’s going to be work. It takes a lot of time not just writing the actual blog posts and setting up the blog itself, but also interacting with other bloggers and building a following. But if you do it the way you want to do it, it’s also a lot of fun. 🙂
Cats, Dogs, Birds, Rodents, Reptiles or Fish?
I love every animal, but since I have a cat of my own, I have to go with cats. 💕 We also have a saltwater aquarium, but those fish really aren’t nearly as exciting as my elderly cat.
What is your dream career?
I would love to work in publishing as an editor of YA books, but anything in publishing would be amazing. ❤
Do you get any book boxes? Which ones?
I do! See above!
What’s your favourite post from another blogger?
The post that immediately comes to mind is Daniel’s review of Holding Up the Universe.
“here, on Earth, kidnapping is illegal”
“I’m even more sorry that Niven was the one who decided to narrate their lives”
“Don’t buy this book. Best, Daniel”
I started laughing so hard at my desk that my friend had to ask me if I was okay and then I had to explain why I was reading book reviews when I should have been working. Good thing it was my friend sitting with me and not my manager. Yikes.
Best candle scent?
The best candle I ever had was a birthday present from Anthropologie! It was coconut cream or something like that? I actually hate coconut anything, but this smelled like a bakery and it didn’t have that gross, overpowering sweet smell that candles often have. It was so nice. I haven’t been able to find another one. 😔
Do you have other book related platforms? (Youtube, Instagram, etc.) PLUG THEM!
My only book-related accounts are Goodreads and Twitter. I would be very happy if you want to add/follow me!
Thank the blogger who nominated you by linking their blog.
Answer the questions
Nominate 11 blogs with 11 questions
List the rules as well as display the Sunshine Award Logo on your post.
11 questions from Thrice Read:
What is the best part about book blogging?
The book blogging community! I’ve made some really great friends that I would never have met if not for this website. Everyone is so nice and so supportive and so friendly and this whole community makes me so happy. 💕
What is the worst part about book blogging?
Currently? It’s so time-consuming! I want to read all of the books but also all of the blog posts and all of the reviews and like and comment on everything and it’s a lot. And that’s just here on WordPress! There’s also Goodreads and Twitter and keeping up with new releases and ARCs going up on Netgalley and Edelweiss! Plus I have a full-time job and sometimes I need to pretend to have a social life??
What is your most anticipated book of the year? WHAT IF IT’S US. I will probably die when I finally get it in my hands.
Name a book you would recommend no matter the reader.
This is such a hard question! I don’t even know! Maybe something like Between the World and Meby Ta-Nehisi Coates? I feel like almost everybody could get something out of reading it.
What book has made you the saddest?
Probably Me Before You? I don’t know. That’s the only book that I remember being a true mess after finishing.
About how many books are on your TBR at the moment?
In my mind, it’s neverending. On Goodreads, it’s 140 and my actual owned TBR is 123. There’s not a lot of overlap between the two since I mostly use GR for keeping track of books that I want to buy or check out from the library.
Are you on a book buying ban? If so, when will you start buying again?
I’m always on a book buying ban! I try so hard not to buy books because, see above, I literally own 123 books that I haven’t read. But then I’ll see something I want to read and next thing you know, I’m standing in line at the bookstore with my arms full of books. It’s a real problem.
What is your favorite genre?
I’m really into YA contemporaries right now!
If you could only have one book for the rest of your life, which would it be?
I can’t even possibly answer this question.
Thoughts on Harry Potter?
I loved Harry Potter when I was younger. I read all the books as they came out and then I re-read them (and re-read them and re-read them and re-read them…). I talked about them with my friends. I’ve seen all the movies and I had all the soundtracks. I even learned how to play all of the songs! I was 17 years old when Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows came out and I used my brand new drivers license to take all of my friends to the midnight release party. I have zero desire to re-read these books as an adult. They’re magical and wonderful and I would love to share them with my nieces and nephew and any of my hypothetical future children, but that part of my reading life is done.
If you could kill a character from a book, who would it be?
Oh jeez. The first name that came to mind was Astrid Dane from V.E. Schwab’s Shades of Magicseries.
11 questions from me:
What’s the best book you’ve read so far this year?
If you could travel anywhere, where would you go?
Do you use your local library?
What’s your favorite breakfast food?
Do you have any pets? Feel free to share photos if you do. ❤
Do you plan out what you’re going to read next or are you a mood reader?
Do you prefer to buy books at physical bookstores or online?
I’m always looking for new people to follow, so what are some of your favorite book blogs?
What’s your favorite tv show right now?
What’s your favorite trope?
What’s the last book that you recommended to someone?
(I think this might be the closest I’ve ever gotten to the suggested 11 nominations, also, see actual footage of me trying to figure out who I haven’t already nominated below)
Thank the blogger who nominated you by linking their blog
Answer the questions
Nominate 11 blogs with 11 questions
List the rules as well as display the Sunshine Award Logo on your post
My Questions
1. Who was your first Book crush? Good question! I feel like I fall a little bit in love with every character I ever read about. The first book character that I remember really swooning over was George in The Song of the Lioness quartet by Tamora Pierce.
2. When did you start reading? My family still to this day teases me about how much I liked books even before I could read. I would ask my grandma to read me piles and piles of books every night when I was little. I started reading on my own in kindergarten and I guess I never really stopped.
3. What is the last book that made you cry? I teared up a little at Head Over Heelsby Serena Bell and I think I may have full-on cried at one point during Love and Other Wordsby Christina Lauren.
4. How many hours do you read per day?
Usually at least two hours, might be more if I can’t sleep, which happens a lot. I also listen to audiobooks while I’m cleaning and while I’m traveling.
5. If you were a book/ movie character, would you be a main or secondary one?
I’d probably be a secondary character because I really don’t think that I’m interesting enough to carry a whole plot by myself.
7. What is your favorite food?
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, HOT STONE BIBIMBAP. I could eat it every day and I would never get sick of it.
8. What is your hidden talent?
I don’t know if I’d really consider it a hidden talent, but I’m really good with names and faces and I also remember almost everything people tell me about themselves. So, for example, I’ll see someone in the grocery store that I haven’t talked to in like five years, and I’ll just think, “Oh, hey, it’s Caitlin. I wonder if she ever figured out that toast for her brother’s wedding.” But I usually don’t say anything other than hi because I don’t want to be that creepy person.
9. What are some of your favorite words? Persnickety, spiffy, nifty, snarky.
10. What do you do when you are not reading? I work. I try to have some semblance of a social life, but I usually don’t succeed. I also like to sew and I really like going to concerts!
11. What was your favorite school subject?
In high school, I always liked English and actually took double English classes my junior and senior years. In college, my favorite class I ever took was probably Portuguese! I tutored Spanish and one of my coworkers convinced me to take this intensive Portuguese class with her and we had so much fun! Basically all we ever did in that class was do capoeira, watch movies, and have these big discussions about current events, but somehow we all left knowing enough Portuguese to survive in the world.
Nominations:
(not 11 because honestly tagging people stresses me out, I always feel like I’m annoying you so please let me know if you like tags!!)
1. Cinder | The Cyborg: a book that’s often misunderstood or underappreciated
I feel like Beauty Queensby Libba Bray is often misjudged based on its cover and its title, but it’s so good! It’s about a plane full of beauty pageant contestants that crashes on a deserted island. The girls have to learn how to survive on their own and work together and it’s all about loving yourself and each other and it’s just really good.
2. Adri | The Evil Stepmother: A book with a horrible/cringeworthy parent
I mean… every YA book ever?? But recently, Turtles All the Way Downby John Green. Worst. Dad. Ever.
3. Iko | The Spunky Sidekick: A book with your favorite happy-go-lucky character
4. Scarlet | The Rescuer: a book with a character on a mission
Zera is on a mission to steal a prince’s heart (literally) in Bring Me Their Heartsby Sara Wolf.
5. Wolf | The Fighter: a book with a brutal fight (with words or fists or weapons)
Well… I don’t read a lot of books with fighting because I like cute, fluffy romances. BUT I guess I could go with The Foxhole Courtfor this one since all the characters ever do is punch each other??? I’m even going with the original terrible cover here since I don’t have the energy to devote another second of my life to this terrible book.
6. Levana | The Villain: a book with the absolute worst villain
Dark magic became an actual living being and started terrorizing the world in V.E. Schwab’s Shades of Magicseries.
7. Thorne | The Rascal: a book with the biggest schmoozer
Is there even a bigger schmoozer than Thorne? I suppose maybe Barrett from Rumor Has It.
8. Cress | The Hacker: a book about technology or sci-fi
The Word Exchangeis about people who become too obsessed with and dependent on their phones to understand basic conversations and actually come down with a “word flu” because of it. It was okay, but I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it.
9. Erland | The Doctor: a book with an illness or revolving around medical issues
There are a million, but for this tag, I’ll go with Everything, Everythingby Nicola Yoon. I suppose I also read a fair amount of medical journals at my job, but I’m not sure I can use those in a book tag…
10. Winter | The Unsound Mind: a book with the craziest character you’ve ever read
This would probably have to be any Chuck Palahniuk character ever? I’m starting at my bookcase trying to think about who fits this prompt, and this is the best I can come up with.
11. Jacin | The Soldier: a book with a military theme
I don’t read a lot of military books, so I think I’d have to go with Ignitedby Kaylea Cross (which I hated) which is about an ex-military guy who falls in love with this girl he’s protecting and it’s just a super racist book with a terribly flawed premise.
I’m tagging anybody who likes The Lunar Chronicles to do this one! Please link back to me so I can see your answers!
The Bibliophagist 