Firstly I am beyond honoured to have Sharon from Shaz’s Book Blog here to talk to about her reading habits. As I have said before, before I started to blog, there were a handful of blogs that I read daily, and bloggers that I looked up to to see their opinion on given books. Sharon’s blog is contained in that elite armful, as well as being someone was lovely enough to give me some inspiring advice that helped get me started and so I am so truly honoured to have her here today!
Hi Sharon, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Eeek. I hate these questions as am hopeless at selling myself. I’m a 40 something booklover who would eat, sleep, breathe books if I didn’t have to go out to work to pay the bills!
Can I ask, how did you start blogging?
It was actually a friend’s suggestion as a means to keep a track of books that I’d read as whilst on holiday I bought a book I thought I hadn’t read but as soon as I started reading I realised I had!!
Do you remember your first blog post?
It was an introduction to myself, most of which is part of the About Me page on the blog although wording has changed over time! My first review was for Bad Sisters by Rebecca Chance.
Your blog has a number of guest reviewers, can you tell me how that came about?
When I first started blogging, I was mainly reviewing books I’d bought myself or won but over time I was then offered books from publishers. I think the very first guest reviewer came about because I was sent a book that wasn’t really to my taste so I asked on Twitter whether anyone would be be interested in reviewing it for the blog.
As the blog got busier I started to receive a lot more email review requests from authors direct so, as these are the easiest review books to pass on, I asked for guest reviewers who’d be interested in reviewing and it’s gone on from there.
Do you ever scrabble for the same book to review or does everyone have different interests?
It has happened on occasions, especially between Emma and I as we have very similar tastes in books. If we’ve both been lucky enough to have been sent the same book, one normally reviews on the blog and the other reviews on Amazon.
Some questions to answer without thinking about it at all … and go!
* Genre of choice? At the moment psychological thrillers
* If you walked into a library would you know the section you were heading to or would you have to think about it? Normally when I go to the library it’s because I’m after a specific book so would know where I’m heading
* First choice: e-book or paperback? If you’d asked me this years ago it would have been paperback hands down but nowadays I tend to read more eBooks as running out of space for physical books!
* Do you head for well-known books/authors or look at for example covers to guide you? I do have a few authors who’s books I look out for every year but since blogging I love disovering new authors. I have been known to buy a book without reading the blurb just by looking at the cover!
* Do you prefer sequels or standalones? Standalones, I don’t mind reading books in series that are standalones but I’m too impatient to wait for books where the story continues in the next book!
* Weepies or comedies? Weepies
* If you didn’t like a book would you cut it short or soldier on? I do try and give each book a fair go but as I’ve been told recently life is too short to get hang up so if I cannot get into a book at the second attempt of reading then I do give up. Fortunately, it doesn’t happy that often.
* If I was to ask you to name one book that jumps into your head what would it be? It would have to be Me Before You by Jo Jo Moyes, it’s a book I have bought for others and recommended numerous times. I was even a World Book Night giver for it a few years ago. I’m really looking forward to the movie later this year to see how true to the book it is.
And to finish, if you had to choose a book that jumped out at you in 2015 (not necessarily your favourite) what would it be? The New Woman by Charity Norman.
Well, thanks so much for agreeing to pop in today, Sharon, great answers, I really enjoyed hearing them and I’ve loved having you over!:)
Sharon can be found on:
Shaz’s Book Blog
Shaz’s Book Blog FB page
Shaz’s Book Blog Twitter
BRMaycock's Book Blog 