Book Blogger Conversation with Meredith

I'm excited to start a new series of posts with a group that is under appreciated--book bloggers!

Book bloggers are obviously so important to authors. They give consistent reviews. They open their blogs to us. They are readers and fans! I think we should honor them more.

So this series of interviews was born! Hopefully it will help authors find bloggers and give everyone else a better appreciation of them.

Besides being a book blogger Meredith is also a senior publicist with Spencer Hill Press. We get double the experience from her interview!

What types of books do you review? I prefer young adult, though I do read some adult and I’m JUST getting into middle grade. I LOVE retellings of all kinds (Fairy Tale / Greek Mythology / Classic Novels / etc). I also love reading Psychological Thrillers, Post-Apocalyptic, Dystopian, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Contemporary and Historical.

Do you have any guidelines for authors to follow in contacting you? A link will work. I have an extensive review policy that I try to keep as up-to-date as possible. That can be found here -> http://www.pandorasbooks.org/review-policy/

 Do you post anything besides reviews—such as cover art or giveaways? I love participating in blog tours, cover reveals, author interviews and more! Giveaways are always fun and definitely draw a larger audience to a post. Really, I’m open to anything that’s fun, creative and helpful to the authors and books!

How do you find books to review or do they come to you? I like to browse Amazon and Goodreads for new releases. I also follow my favorite authors to see when they have new books coming out. A lot of what I read is recommended by friends and fellow book bloggers. I’m also on several publisher lists and I receive their seasonal catalogs and emails from publicists with review and blog tour requests – these are great ways to discover new books I might not have heard of otherwise

What got you into blogging about books? I love to read and I love spreading the word about epic books. I sort of stumbled into the book blogging world when I started using Twitter in college to chat with my favorite authors. I slowly made friends with book bloggers and was fascinated by what they did, so I decided to start blogging. It’s been a great way to make friends and even got me my first job in publishing! It’s a wonderful, inclusive community and I wish I’d discovered it sooner!

What elements go into a good review and how long does it take to write one? Every blogger has a different method when it comes to reviews. Personally, I’m VERY character driven, so I tend to discuss the things I liked/disliked about the characters in great detail. I also discuss the author’s writing, the pacing of the book and the plot. I’m not a very critical reviewer because I firmly believe that not every book is for every person. And just because I didn’t like it, that doesn’t mean someone else won’t. I never want my reviews to discourage someone from reading a book, so at the end of my review, I almost always recommend the book, whether I liked it or not.

As for how long it takes, it really depends on the book. Typically, it takes me an hour to write the first draft, then 30-45 minutes to edit and finalize the review. But some books take days to review because they were so epic, it’s hard to put the epicness into words!

How often do you post reviews? It depends. I’m a mood reader, so I can post as few as 2 reviews and as many as 10 reviews in any given month.

Can you think of any special methods or personality types that an author has used to really help you draw close to a character? I love fierce, kick-ass/bad-ass female characters. We don’t have enough of those characters. Think Buffy (the TV show), Celaena (Throne of Glass series) and Alina (Shadow and Bone trilogy). I also tend to fall for the bad boys – I can’t help it! :)

What types of things make for an extra special book? The kind you don’t forget? Definitely the characters. If I can’t connect with the characters or I don’t like them, it’s almost guaranteed I’ll have to DNF. But if the writing is gorgeous or the plot intrigues me and I’m dying to see how the book ends, then sometimes that’s enough to keep me reading. These types of books generally end up being 3-star reads for me.

Any marketing tips you’ve noticed work really well for authors? Authors who interact with readers on social media tend to do very well, in my opinion. If all an author does is tweet about their book and ask people to read it, they won’t get much of a response. But if they interact with readers and build that relationship, then it means the world to me (and other readers).

Favorite books you’ve reviewed. Favorite books I’ve reviewed throughout my entire blogging career? Oh wow, that’s a giant list! I just binge-read/reviewed all of Leigh Bardugo’s books and I’m pretty sure it’s my favorite trilogy ever! I’m also a huge Sarah J. Maas, Richelle Mead and Claudia Gray fan, so their books are always fun to review. I wouldn’t have discovered Heather Lyons without blogging, so definitely her books, as well. I could keep going, so I’ll just stop there for now! Haha :)

Books you are looking forward to in the next year. Remembrance (Mediator #7) by Meg Cabot, Throne of Glass #5 by Sarah J. Maas and Heartless by Marissa Meyer are definitely my top 3!  

Do you prefer kindle or actual books when reading? Definitely actual books! It’s much easier to read and I love holding a book in my hand!

If you could only purchase one book, what would it be? Ouch! This is a mean question! Haha :) I guess... Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, because I never get tired of reading it! (Without exaggeration, I’ve read it 27+ times!)

What’s your favorite spot to read? On the couch in my living room

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My name is Meredith. I’m a Senior Publicist at Spencer Hill Press and Spencer Hill Contemporary. I’m also a YA book blogger and a contributing writer for YA Interrobang. I love to read YA, but sometimes I venture out into other genres. I love to write – I’ve been writing since I was in middle school. I prefer creative writing, but I also did journalism for many, many years throughout high school and college.

Thoughts and opinions are my own.

Blog|Twitter

Book Blogger Conversation with Megan McDade

I'm excited to start a new series of posts with a group that is under appreciated--book bloggers!

Book bloggers are obviously so important to authors. They give consistent reviews. They open their blogs to us. They are readers and fans! I think we should honor them more.

So this series of interviews was born! Hopefully it will help authors find bloggers and give everyone else a better appreciation of them.

What types of books do you review?

I love all types of books but have a particular passion for YA in many genres but particularly PNR. I have also recently got into reading and reviewing New Adult books and adult reads.

Do you have any guidelines for authors to follow in contacting you?

I do you can check it out at this link

http://readingawaythedays.blogspot.co.uk/p/review-policy.html

Do you post anything besides reviews—such as cover art or giveaways?

I post a lot of things other than reviews which are all book related. I take part in blog tours with interviews with authors or guest posts. I take part in book blitzes, I take part in popular book memes weekly as well as host giveaways. This year I have also been posting discussions on book related topics as well as taking part in fun book tags. I enjoy posting all these "extra things" it keeps the blog from feeling stale and there also fun to take part in :)

How do you find books to review or do they come to you?

I find a lot of books am interested in though other book bloggers, publishers and using Good reads. I also get review requests from authors and publishers. And then again I pick up books in stores a few times a month that interest me.

What got you into blogging about books?

I have loved books since I can remember. In 2008 I started to find out about book blogging through loving Twilight by Stephanie Meyer as I was seeking out all the information I could get about the books and came across some blogs. From there I thought why not spread my love of books online and it went from there.

What elements go into a good review and how long does it take to write one?

I am still trying to prefect "a good review" 5 years on. Everyone is different and everyone likes different types of reviews. It can take different amounts of time depending in the person. It's a learning curve that doesn't stop. I tend to have short reviews with 3-5 paragraphs or less. This year I have been trying to make them fun with adding GIFS or writing them in different ways. It takes me about 30 -45 minutes to get everything done for a review including scheduling it on the blog.

How often do you post reviews?

I try for at least one or two a week but sometimes it doesn't happen as I get easily distracted but if requested for a review for a certain time I can make it happen.

What types of things make for an extra special book? The kind you don’t forget?

Engaging characters, a unique voice and storyline as well. Also tackling a tough topic gets my attention.

Any marketing tips you’ve noticed work really well for authors?

It's a very obvious one. Interacting with people who read your books through social media. I have made friends with so many authors though social media. Social media is the way to go. I encourage all authors to use as many platforms as you can. It is such a great advantage and weapon to have in your arsenal.

Favorite books you’ve reviewed.

So many, this year I have loved reviewing Undertow by Michael W Buckley it's my favourite book of the year. I also loved my reviews of The 5th Wave and the Infinite Sea by Rick Yancey they where such fun to write. You can check out my reviews

http://readingawaythedays.blogspot.co.uk/p/reviews.html
 

Books you are looking forward to in the next year.

There is so many. However I am excited for another book from Cassandra Clare as well as reading a lot of YA debuts.

Do you prefer kindle or actual books when reading?

I prefer actual books. I tried to get into e books but it just never happened. I will still read them but I tend to not read them as much as actual physical books.

What’s your favorite spot to read?

My room it's where I get peace and quiet :)

Give us your best advice for a beginning book blogger. 

Interact with other book bloggers and authors, don't be afraid. Post what you want to read not what you think others want you to read. If you want to review older books do it :) it's not all about popularity.

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I'm Megan, a 26 year old red head from Northern Ireland! In the day am a child care worker and at night I love curling up all night  with a good book!

http://readingawaythedays.blogspot.co.uk/
https://twitter.com/TeamWolf1988?s=09

Book Blogger Conversation with Jasmine Pearl

I'm excited to start a new series of posts with a group that is under appreciated--book bloggers!

Book bloggers are obviously so important to authors. They give consistent reviews. They open their blogs to us. They are readers and fans! I think we should honor them more.

So this series of interviews was born! Hopefully it will help authors find bloggers and give everyone else a better appreciation of them.

Again we have another teen blogger. It's great to get the perspective of someone actually in the YA category!

What types of books do you review?

I usually review YA books because they're really close to my heart. :)

Do you have any guidelines for authors to follow in contacting you? A link will work.

Yup, I do have some guidelines. Here's the link: https://jasminepearlreads.wordpress.com/contact-me/

Do you post anything besides reviews—such as cover art or giveaways?

I also post author Q&As, blog tours, giveaways, bookish stuff, and bookish talks (I love to interact with other bookworms!). 

How do you find books to review or do they come to you?

Sometimes, I request for them. Sometimes, they magically appear on my doorstep.  

What got you into blogging about books?

The main reason why I started blogging is to meet new bookish friends. I didn't actually know that I'd make it this far.

What elements go into a good review and how long does it take to write one?

I love realistic stories. I also highlight quotes/lines that made me curious about life. It usually takes me an hour or more to write reviews. I need a pen and a notebook too!  

How often do you post reviews?

I usually post reviews at least 4 times a month.

  

What types of things make for an extra special book? The kind you don’t forget?

As what I've said, realistic stories are really close to my heart.

Any marketing tips you’ve noticed work really well for authors?

Their friendliness and their love for their readers!

Favorite books you’ve reviewed.

Alive by Scott Sigler. Solitaire by Alice Oseman. All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven. 

Books you are looking forward to in the next year.

I still haven't browsed for next year's upcoming books. *hides*

Do you prefer kindle or actual books when reading?

ACTUAL books, ftw!

If you could only purchase one book, what would it be?

I prefer not to purchase a book. It will make my heart broken if I'll only choose one.

What’s your favorite spot to read?

On the sofa or at the library.

Give us your best advice for a beginning book blogger. 

Feel free to approach other book bloggers. Everyone in the bookish community is sweet and fab! :)

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Jasmine Pearl is a 17 year old college student who loves blogging about YA books. She blogs at Jasmine Pearl Reads. She also post bookish photos on instagram. The main reason why she started book blogging is to meet new bookish friends in the internet. "Feel free to approach me, guys!" :)

Book Blog: jasminepearlreads.wordpress.com

Instagram: instagram.com/jasminereads

Twitter: twitter.com/JasmineRaymundo

Goodreads: goodreads.com/jasminepearlreads

Bloglovin: bloglovin.com/jasminepearlreads

Book Blogger Conversation with Amber

I'm excited to start a new series of posts with a group that is under appreciated--book bloggers!

Book bloggers are obviously so important to authors. They give consistent reviews. They open their blogs to us. They are readers and fans! I think we should honor them more.

So this series of interviews was born! Hopefully it will help authors find bloggers and give everyone else a better appreciation of them.

We have a young blogger today and that's exactly the sort of opinion YA authors are seeking. They want to know what their actual audience thinks of their books. Thanks for your time, Amber. 

What types of books do you review?

I review YA, and my favourites tend to be in the contemporary or romance genres, although occasionally an amazing thriller will pop up and surprise me! I also review some non-fiction, like memoirs, poem books and creative journals.

 

Do you have any guidelines for authors to follow in contacting you? A link will work.

Due to some bad experiences in the past I don't tend to accept review requests from authors themselves. I love authors, of course, but it's easier for me this way. I did write a post a while ago, though, with tips on how to request reviews from bloggers and you can see that here.

 

Do you post anything besides reviews—such as cover art or giveaways?

Sometimes! I write personal posts about what's going on in my life, and event recaps when I go to signings or other exciting places. I also share blogging tips, guest posts and interviews.

 

How do you find books to review or do they come to you?

Aside from the ones I buy, review books come to me. It's like Christmas every day! I'm extremely grateful but I'm not able to review all of them (I wish!) so every book I receive ends up in a book haul on my YouTube channel. That way they get at least some coverage in return.  

 

What got you into blogging about books?

I've always loved reading and I've always loved writing, so it seemed only natural to combine them and write about books. 

 

What elements go into a good review and how long does it take to write one?

Each review takes hours. I type faster than I think! I usually start by adding details about the book, the cover image, and links to buy the book, and then I'll write a bullet-point list of my thoughts in no particular order before fleshing out each point and making it somewhat coherent.

 

How often do you post reviews?

Unlike most bloggers I don't have a set schedule e.g reviews every Monday, memes every Wednesday, discussions every Friday. A review goes up when I have one to post! It's made easier by the fact that I schedule months in advance so I can move things around. I might read loads one month but not at all the next, so then I just space them out. I guess my answer to this question is... regularly!

 

Can you think of any special methods or personality types that an author has used to really help you draw close to a character?

It's interesting when a character seems almost identical to me. I always feel closer to these characters but I think that's only natural because I relate to them more. That said, I seem to draw close to most characters, which is why it's so painful when the author suddenly kills them... *sigh*

 

What types of things make for an extra special book? The kind you don’t forget?

I LOVE it when a book teaches me something, opens my eyes, or inspires and motivates me. Two good examples of this would be #GIRLBOSS by Sophia Amoruso and Am I Normal Yet? by Holly Bourne. They are very special books.

 

Any marketing tips you’ve noticed work really well for authors?

People love free stuff! Wristbands, badges, tote bags, bookmarks, t-shirts... bookworms can't get enough of it. I also think blog tours work really well if they have fun and original content and seem different to others. Twitter is important for marketing your book, too - there is a massive bookish community over there and we love nothing more than getting to fangirl about an upcoming book! Just don't spam as that will have the opposite desired effect.

 

Favorite books you’ve reviewed.

As I mentioned before, I loved #GIRLBOSS by Sophia Amoruso and Am I Normal Yet? by Holly Bourne. Another favourite of mine is Night School by C.J. Daugherty.

 

Books you are looking forward to in the next year.

Ooh, lots! I'm really looking forward to the second book in The Alchemist Chronicles by C.J. Daugherty and Carina Rozenfeld. I think James Dawson's Mind Your Head will be out next year, too, and I'm excited for the second and third books in Holly Bourne's The Spinster Club series.

 

Do you prefer kindle or actual books when reading?

I don't use an eReader. Ever. I much, much prefer reading physical copies of books as it's a better experience and lets me come away from the Internet for a while.

 

If you could only purchase one book, what would it be?

First, somehow, I would compile all the books on my wishlist into one big book. Then I'd publish it. And then I'd buy it. ;)

 

What’s your favorite spot to read?

In my bed! It's so comfy. I rarely read anywhere else.

 

Give us your best advice for a beginning book blogger. 

Make friends! There's a big group of us on Twitter and we don't bite - in fact, we love getting to know newbies! I have lots more blogging tips here.

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Amber is a 16-year-old book blogger who aspires to be a journalist and/or a publicist. Amber has been running The Mile Long Bookshelf single-handedly since 2009.

Blogger & Vloggera

The Mile Long Bookshelf

Blog / Twitter / Facebook / YouTube

Book Blogger Conversation with Brett Michael Orr

I'm excited to start a new series of posts with a group that is under appreciated--book bloggers!

Book bloggers are obviously so important to authors. They give consistent reviews. They open their blogs to us. They are readers and fans! I think we should honor them more.

So this series of interviews was born! Hopefully it will help authors find bloggers and give everyone else a better appreciation of them.

Brett Michael Orr is a recent addition to the book blogger scene and I love that he favors my favorite genre. Be sure to check out his links at the bottom of the interview.

What types of books do you review?  I mostly review Young Adult novels. It’s a genre I absolutely love and am heavily involved in, from SF/Fantasy to the odd Contemporary. Occasionally I’ll review some epic fantasy or even graphic novels too!

Do you have any guidelines for authors to follow in contacting you? A link will work. At the moment I don’t have any specific guidelines to request reviews, as I typically have Advance Review Copies from publishers, or books I’ve purchased myself. Of course, I’m always contactable via Twitter (@brettmichaelorr) if you want to talk or discuss a guest post/interview.

Do you post anything besides reviews—such as cover art or giveaways? My blog is a mixture of blogger interviews, book reviews, short stories, writing tips, and my own meme ‘Instant Flashback’ where I collate my week’s Instagram photos. I’ve also done cover reveals and Top Ten lists as well!

How do you find books to review or do they come to you? A little of both. I have some Australian publishers that send me ARCs to review ahead of release date, but I still purchase my own books as well. I make a point of reviewing everything I read – to improve my own reviewing and critiquing ability, but also to spread information about books that some of my fans might not have read before.

What got you into blogging about books? I only started blogging in late 2014. I realized how much I wanted to be an author, and how the online writing community was the missing part of my life. Naturally, while I was writing books, I also wanted to read more – and reviewing them felt like a natural way of breaking into blogging more regularly.

What elements go into a good review and how long does it take to write one? Everyone differs! Some of my blogging friends take weeks to craft a review. For me, I typically know most of what I want to say by the time I’ve read the book. I formulate the review in my head as I go along, so often it only takes half an hour to write a review – preparing typographic images and tweets takes longer sometimes!

I try to make my reviews honest and fair. Even if I don’t like a book, I’ll find what did work – and I always suggest that readers try a book for themselves, because opinions differ. Mostly, I want my reviews to be unbiased and critical, lightly touching on all aspects of the book and providing a balanced review.

How often do you post reviews? I try to post reviews weekly, but it depends on how quickly I can read a book. I always review books right away though.

Can you think of any special methods or personality types that an author has used to really help you draw close to a character? Making the reader associate with a character is the real key. This doesn’t mean they have to be likeable; of course I’m never going to ‘like’ a villain, but if I can associate with him on some level, then I form a bond with a character. Also, I love when characters switch allegiances and loyalties – there’s nothing better than having your preconceived ideas proven wrong midway through a book.

What types of things make for an extra special book? The kind you don’t forget? A book that takes my expectations and beats them by a mile. At the moment, that’s A THOUSAND PIECES OF YOU; a phenomenal idea that was perfectly executed and simply one of the best books I’ve had the pleasure to read.

Any marketing tips you’ve noticed work really well for authors? Be engaged with your readers and particularly your reviewers. I understand that being published must be busy, but completely ignoring readers/reviewers is really hurtful and makes us feel devalued. Some authors I follow are amazingly interactive and it helps build a much stronger connection with their audience – we feel like authors actually appreciate what we’re doing.

Favorite books you’ve reviewed. A Thousand Pieces of You – my favorite read this year. Warm Bodies – including the movie – is one of the best books/films of all time in my opinion. My first-ever ARC review for Patrick Ness’ The Rest of Us Just Live Here (out this month!) will always be important to me. And Red Queen too – I can’t wait for the sequel.

Books you are looking forward to in the next year. Glass Sword will be my first pick here – it’s the sequel to Red Queen, and I’m dying to read it. I’ll be interested for The Vagrant’s sequel next year, and there’s always the possibility that Isaac Marion will return from his Twitter absence to reveal the second Warm Bodies book; I’m hoping for a Way Down Dark sequel next year too. (Wow, that’s a lot of sequels!)

Do you prefer kindle or actual books when reading? I used to be a die-hard Kindle supporter, but since I started purchasing physical books and getting involved in the Instagram community, I can’t go back to digital. There’s something tangibly human about holding a book that digital just can’t compare with.

What’s your favorite spot to read? I don’t have a ‘reading spot’, which I really want to find. I typically read on the bus, at lunch, or at night; but lazy afternoons spent reading in a recliner are really the best though – so that’s my favorite spot at the moment.

Give us your best advice for a beginning book blogger. I haven’t even passed my first year as a book blogger, but already I’ve learned so much. I’d say be honest with everything you do, and get involved with the writing community by following hashtags, communicating with people, reviewing books, suggesting guest posts or interviews, and just generally talking with as many people as you can. I’ve met some amazing friends and collaborators through the silliest of initial conversations; and when you’re growing your audience, it’s important to keep that channel of communication open.

Experiment, find what works for you, and soon you’ll be blogging daily and wondering how you ever lived without it.

Thanks so much for having me on your blog Michelle, it was an honor!

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I’m a writer, programmer and gamer from Brisbane, Australia. I want to produce quality commercial fiction read the world over.

I’m an avid fan of all forms of creative media. From movies to TV shows, games and books, every form of creative media has something to teach us, and I hope to create page-turners that will keep you reading well into the night.

Some of my favorite writers include Garth Nix, Christopher Paolini, Neal Shusterman and James Dashner. I enjoy listening to Coldplay, James Blunt, Linkin Park, Green Day and Paramore. And if I’m not hard at work writing a new book (or updating my blog!), I’ll probably be found goofing around on Xbox.

Blog: http://brettmichaelorr.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/brettmichaelorr

Facebook: http://facebook.com/brettmichaelorrwrites

Goodreads: http://goodreads.com/brettmichaelorr

Instagram: http://instagram.com/brettmichaelorr

Founder of The Book Creators: http://thebookcreators.com

Current WIP: THE BUREAU OF TIME: http://twitter.com/#thebureauoftime

Book Blogger Conversation with Rae Oestreich

I'm excited to start a new series of posts with a group that is under appreciated--book bloggers!

Book bloggers are obviously so important to authors. They give consistent reviews. They open their blogs to us. They are readers and fans! I think we should honor them more.

So this series of interviews was born! Hopefully it will help authors find bloggers and give everyone else a better appreciation of them.

I'm happy to have Rae, who is a writer and book reviewer over at her blog, The Wallflower.

What types of books do you review?

Typically, I review the same books that I attempt to write: YA – any genre. I’m not picky in the slightest; as long as the premise sounds interesting, I’m likely to pick it up and start reading regardless of what’s already in my TBR pile. Although my favorite genres tend to be thrillers, science-fiction, and urban fantasies, I’m a total sucker for a good contemporary/romance when I’m in the right mood.

Do you have any guidelines for authors to follow in contacting you? A link will work.

As a matter of fact, I do! I love getting review requests – guidelines are as simple as emailing me with the premise and asking me if I’d like to review it. The exact guidelines can be found on the “Reviews” page on my blog: http://www.raeoestreich.com/reviews/

How do you find books to review or do they come to you?

While some of my reviews are requested, most of the books I review are books that I come across and purchase on my own. Normally, they’re books I find out about on Twitter – recommendations from friends or fellow bloggers, a book an author I follow is raving about, or I simply come across it on a book tour or through an email from a bookseller and I buy it on impulse.

What got you into blogging about books?

I started blogging about books at the same time I started blogging about writing. I’m a writer at heart, but writing and reading go hand-in-hand, so I love reading anything I can get my hands on and both enjoying the books and studying the techniques that the authors use to create such memorable plots and characters.

What elements go into a good review and how long does it take to write one?

I think what goes into a good review can differ from book to book, but the reviewer should make sure to point out the specifics of what they liked/disliked, as well as specifics of why (while also being spoiler-free; if a spoiler is necessary, remember to put a disclaimer at the top of your post). My favorite reviews to read are the ones where the reviewer’s personality shines through, where I get a chance to learn a little bit about them while also learning about a new or old book in a way I might not have seen it before. Being passionate and enunciating the different facets of the book that worked/didn’t work make for a good review.

As far as how long it takes to write a review…well, it kind of depends. I find that it’s a lot easier to write about a book that I absolutely loved and can fangirl about, or else one that I kind of severely didn’t like. Those ones might take an hour, tops. The books that fall between, that are simply “okay” but didn’t wow me in one direction or another, might take longer, simply because nothing – good or bad – stood out to me, so maybe I’ll write a few sentences here and there and gather a review over the course of a few hours? One thing’s for sure: if you take notes about things that stand out to you *while* you read, the process of writing the review is a lot faster.

How often do you post reviews?

Typically, I post a book review once a week, on Saturdays. When I happen to have more time and wind up finishing books at a quicker rate, I’ll occasionally double my reviews to twice a week – Tuesdays and Saturdays. So it usually depends on how much time I have, or if I happen to sign up for a review during a blog tour, but the absolute minimum is once a week (it’s like a personal challenge, to keep myself reading even as life erupts into chaos).

What types of things make for an extra special book? The kind you don’t forget?

The best books I’ll claim to have ever read are books that have depth to them. Regardless of their surface action, they’ll have a theme that runs deep – something that’s subtle yet strong enough to make me really think about the novel, the relationships between the characters, and even the repercussions of their actions long after I’ve turned the last page.

Favorite books you’ve reviewed.

Ooh, this is a tough one. What comes to mind right away are THE SCORPIAN RACES, by Maggie Stiefvater; THE WALLS AROUND US, by Nova Ren Suma; VICIOUS and A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC, by V.E. Schwab; and STATION ELEVEN, by Emily St. John Mandel.

Do you prefer kindle or actual books when reading?

I’m neutral. I own a Nook with a fair number of books on it, but I also have a massive collection of physical books. No real preference. 

Give us your best advice for a beginning book blogger. 

If you’re a beginning book blogger, I’d simply say to be reasonable with yourself – read as many books as you can, but don’t overwhelm yourself. Basically, know enough about your personal schedule and lifestyle that you won’t try to take on too many books and reviews at once; it’s much better to have fun with blogging than stressing yourself out over not having enough time in the day!

Thanks so much for having me, Michelle; it was such a blast being here!

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Rae is an undergraduate student in New Mexico studying to earn her B.A. in English with an emphasis in Creative Writing. If there’s anything she’s learned while in college, it’s that every author’s writing style is something to be preserved; no two people can tell the same story the same way. Therefore, reading and writing both fascinate her, and while she teaches herself how to edit while preserving the integrity of any manuscript she’s given, she also writes her own short stories and YA novels that she hopes might someday (possibly?) be published.

Links:

Blog-http://www.raeoestreich.com/

Twitter- https://twitter.com/Rae_Oestreich

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Book Blogger Conversation with Riki Cleveland

I'm excited to start a new series of posts with a group that is under appreciated--book bloggers!
Book bloggers are obviously so important to authors. They give consistent reviews. They open their blogs to us. They are readers and fans! I think we should honor them more.

So this series of interviews was born! Hopefully it will help authors find bloggers and give everyone else a better appreciation of them.

Welcome to Riki Cleveland and find out more about her and her blog. Be sure and check out her links at the end of this post.

What types of books do you review?

No book goes unloved at Refreshingly Riki! I review everything from middle grade to adult, with a special emphasis on Young Adult literature and adult romance. I’m a sucker for a well-written story, no matter what genre it comes in.

Do you have any guidelines for authors to follow in contacting you? A link will work.

Authors can contact me either by email: RefreshinglyRiki [at] gmail.com, or via my contact form: http://missriki.com/contact-miss-riki/

Do you post anything besides reviews—such as cover art or giveaways?

I absolutely love participating in author interviews and cover reveals! I typically feature at least one cover reveal per week and host authors for interviews as often as possible.

How do you find books to review or do they come to you?

I review in two ways. First, I review Advance Review Copies provided by various publishers, which is always a really fun thing. It’s amazing to be a part of generating buzz for an upcoming release. I do also review already published books as well, though. My review slate is a good mix of both.

What got you into blogging about books?

I’m a lifelong reader and have always loved talking about books in both a classroom and book club setting, so blogging about books was the next logical step. It’s like a huge book club just waiting to happen!

What elements go into a good review and how long does it take to write one?

I think that it is really important in reviews to be as honest as possible, but at the same time acknowledging that not every book is going to be for every person. When I don’t connect with a book I try to let my readers know why it didn’t work for me, while still acknowledging that it might absolutely work for them. I also believe that book reviews should stay away from spoilers as much as possible!

As for how long it takes to write one- it really depends. I’m known to wax poetic about books I love, so some of my reviews take longer to write than others.

How often do you post reviews?

I feature at least three book reviews per week.

  

What types of things make for an extra special book? The kind you don’t forget?

The books that stay with me long after reading are the ones that elicit an intense feeling for me. That can be a book that makes me feel fear, like in a good suspense novel, or one that makes me swoon, like in a good romance novel. The ones that I’m not likely to forget always give me heightened emotions of some sort. Bonus points for books that make me cry!

Any marketing tips you’ve noticed work really well for authors?

I think that it is absolutely true that readers love a good giveaway. I’ve noticed a large increase in traffic and participation in promotional posts that feature a giveaway, even if it is for something small like a signed bookmark or postcard. Readers love to have a piece of an author who wrote a book they loved, and giveaways are a wonderful way to provide that.

Favorite books you’ve reviewed.

This is an impossible question! I’ve fallen in love with so many books and their authors through the years! But if I had to choose my favorites, I would have to say that I’ve loved reviewing books that take me out of my comfort zone the most. I’m often guilty of reading prolifically within my comfort zone and steering clear of books that I’m not sure about, but when I’ve given those books a chance, I’ve found that I am inevitably wowed by the novelty and have found new favorites.

Books you are looking forward to in the next year.

Two books that I absolutely cannot wait to read are QUEEN OF SHADOWS by Sarah J. Maas and TRUTHWITCH by Susan Dennard. (Incidentally- I’ve never been much of a fantasy reader, but these authors hooked me, and now their books are at the top of my Must Read list!)

Do you prefer kindle or actual books when reading?

I’m split on this! I read about 50/50 e-books versus paper books. I tend to read most Advance Review Copies on my Kindle since they often come from NetGalley, but I’m a sucker for a beautiful hard copy of a book.

If you could only purchase one book, what would it be?

Ooh- what a good question! If I could only purchase one book to have on my shelves, I would choose Diana Gabaldon’s OUTLANDER. It has everything I love in a book, including compelling lead characters, high action, and an epic romance. Plus, it’s quite long, so it would keep me busy awhile!

What’s your favorite spot to read?

My absolute favorite spot to read is the beach! There is nothing better than being outdoors reading with the sound of crashing waves in the background. But when I cannot be at the beach, I typically read in a recliner!

Give us your best advice for a beginning book blogger. 

My best advice for a beginning book blogger would be to be open to reading new things. Some of my favorite books of all time have come from publishers when I knew nothing about the book in advance and might not have picked it up otherwise. Not only does it expand your horizons as a reader, but it also makes you a better reader in the process!

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 Riki has a long-standing love affair with all things books and writing. She indulged her love for all things literary with a degree in English Literature from Arizona State University and holds a certificate in novel writing from the Virginia G. Piper Center for Creative Writing. Although she is well past her own teen years, Riki’s reading passion lies with Young Adult literature where she devours books that handle the “firsts” in life. When not reading and writing she can be found yelling at the television while watching sports.

Links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RefreshinglyRiki

Twitter: https://twitter.com/missriki

Blog: http://missriki.com