Book Blogger Hop Catchup
The Book Blogger Hop was originally created by Jennifer from Crazy-For-Books in March 2010 and ended on December 31, 2012. With Jennifer’s permission, Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer relaunched the meme on February 15, 2013. Check out the hop here!
Each week the hop will start on a Friday and end on Thursday. There will be a weekly prompt featuring a book-related question. The hop’s purpose is to give bloggers a chance to follow other blogs, learn about new books, befriend other bloggers, and receive new followers to their own blogs.
And, a bit like the Weekly Wednesday yesterday, I’m going to play catch up on some of the questions that I’ve missed over the last couple of weeks
Do you use social media to keep up with your favourite authors? I do. I’m a little wary after the whole JK Rowling debacle but I do enjoy little slices of life moments – I love seeing where they write, little behind-the-scenes moments as well as the nitty-gritty book promo stuff. Also seeing things like what they enjoy reading is really interesting. It’s like… they already feel like part of my life because I love their books, so having just that little, curated, window into their life almost makes it feel reciprocal. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not thinking we’re now BFFs and there’s a whole fascinating social psychology and sociology behind ‘celebs’ etc but yeah.
Do you prefer to read in a quiet or noisy setting? Honestly, I can read pretty much anywhere. My absolute preference is curled up listening to my music but I can – and have – read anywhere from a library to a coffee shop, on a train, or at a rock concert (during the support). I tend to completely zone out when I’m reading and generally don’t hear anything going on around me – including people talking to me, so the noise levels around me generally don’t bother me (ok – from an anxiety and autism perspective noise bothers me, but for not a reading setting, if that makes sense?)
What was your favourite genre to read as a child? Do you still read that genre, or do you read something else now? As a child I loved a bunch of Enid Blyton’s series: The Famous Five, The Five Find-Outers, and the Adventure Series – so mystery and adventure basically. Into my tweens and I fell hard for the Hardy Boys, so more mystery and adventure. And then in my teens, I discovered horror and sci-fi. And I definitely do still read (and love) mystery, adventure, horror and sci-fi though as I’m writing this, I’m realising it’s not as much as I would like to. I might have to poke my TBR and see what falls out in those genres.
Do you enjoy reading romance novels? If so, which romance trope is your favourite? I do love me a good romance, although generally a rom-com/chick-lit type, not a Mills & Boon. They’re generally comfy and safe, and you know what’s going to happen and I can just enjoy the ride and see how it gets there.
My favourite romance tropes? Fuck, where to start? OK, I absolutely love a fake relationship, and secret relationships/forbidden love give me the fuzzies. Forced proximity makes me weak at the knees – and so does ‘everyone else can see it’. I love a good Aliens Made Them Do It or a Sex Pollen, but those are generally more in fanfiction. And who doesn’t love a good meet-cute? Oh, and soul mates. And, again mostly found in fanfiction, but a damn good BDSM-verse turns me into a puddle of llama-goo.
It would probably be easier to say I do NOT like love triangles… Hi, my name’s Cassie and I’m a sucker for a romance trope LMFAO
What is the significance of your blog header? As a queer person, I’m legally obliged to have at least one rainbow everywhere I look. And a rainbow bookshelf just felt like the perfect fit – at least to start with. It’s a little generic and feels less like it fits. I have ideas for a more ‘bibliollama’ vibe, but I have absolutely no ability to create graphics of any type so I’m saving up to hire someone through Fiverr or somewhere similar.
Have you joined the library reading app, Libby? I have, and I absolutely love it. I enjoy exploring the curated collections, seeing what’s new and popular, and finding things I’d probably never read otherwise. I use it very much the same way I use the physical library. I’ve got the app on my phone and my tablet, and I’ve got 9 books checked out right now.
Do you listen to audiobooks with earbuds or headphones? I don’t listen to audiobooks, I tune them out – it’s just someone talking at me and my mind wanders. I’ve even tried listening to Michael Shanks narrating Stargate audiobooks and it just… doesn’t work.
The earbuds vs headphones thing though, I’m a headphones kind of llama. I don’t like things in my ears and I’ve got some new noise-cancelling headphones that are bloody fantastic.
Do you post every day on your blog and/or social media? I aim for 3-4 times a week but I haven’t been doing very well lately. Like I said yesterday, I’ve been very overwhelmed with everything and struggling to keep treading water. But I want to get back to blogging again, actually plan that time into my day to sit and write, and figure out exactly what I’m using my bibliollama Twitter and Instagram for – any suggestions on that front welcomed.
Having moved into her mum’s spare room after a disastrous break-up, Kayleigh Harwood is desperate for a fresh start. When she sees an opening for a new beekeeper at the old manor house at Elderflower Grove she jumps at the chance – despite not knowing a thing about bees…
The abandoned house holds a mystery of its own – the previous owner vanished years ago – and locals have been inventing stories about the manor ever since. Unable to resist the urge to look around, Kayleigh is shocked to find drop-dead-gorgeous gardener Carey living inside!
Carey explains that the house and surrounding land is at risk of being demolished, endangering the bees, and he has been staying there to protect it.
Convinced the secret of the house holds the key to saving Elderflower Grove’s bees, Kayleigh is prepared to do everything she can to help. But is she ready to find her own happy-ever-after too…?