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Monday 11 May 2015

Bloggers on the Blog...Lisa Reads Books




Bloggers on the blog


My latest feature showcases some of the best of the book blogging community. 

These are the unsung heroes who are constantly on the look out for new and exciting books 

and who give so generously of their time ,energy and expertise.




I am delighted to welcome


Lisa




from the excellent blog







What makes you want to blog about books?

I work as a bookseller part time and blogging has become an extension of that. My blog started out as a place to keep all my reviews that I had done for work in one place, and has now become a regular book blog. I've been lucky enough to be asked to review books for the local radio station, local newspaper and magazines and now I am a regular reviewer for The Historical Novel Review and welovethisbook.com.


What type of book makes you happy?

My favourite type of book varies with my mood so sometimes I'm in the mood for historical fiction, sometimes it's fantasy, sometimes crime. The kind of book that always catches my attention though is anything to do with witches. I have a slight obsession with witchy fiction, okay It' a huge obsession.


Which book have you recommended the most?

That's a hard one to answer because I recommend so many books every day at work, certainly Outlander would be a frequent recommendation. I also recommend James Oswald's Inspector McLean books all the time and Daphne du Maurier to anyone who hasn't discovered her yet. For teens and young adults  my "go to" recommendations are Kit Berry's Stonewylde series, everything by Celine Kiernan and Patrick Ness and Sally Green's Half Bad and Half Wild. (These books are not just for younger readers though.)



Which is the best book you received as a gift?

My husband once left a book on my desk in work, as a surprise. It was Improper Pusuits by the late Dr Carola Hicks a biography of the scandalous and daring artist Lady Di Beauclerk. It sparked an interest in art history and fit perfectly with my passion for forthright women in history. It was a lovely gift all the more special because it was so thoughtful.



Which book has sent a shiver down your spine?

Two books come to mind immediately Celine Kiernan's Into the Grey and Lindsay Barraclough's Long Lankin both written for teenagers, both utterly terrifying.


How many books do you have, as yet unread, on your book shelves?

I honestly have no idea. I often cringe at the thought of how many books there are sitting in piles and on shelves as yet unread. I had a huge clear out recently and I've decided to stop feeling guilty. I have tried to ban myself from buying any more books but it is just impossible, having new books gives me so much pleasure. I know I am avoiding the questions so I'll just say a few hundred at least.


Tell me about a book you’ve read more than three times?

There are only two books that I have re-read more than two times one of those is Jane Eyre which I adored as a teenager and enjoyed again in my twenties and in my thirties although I had many issues with it, it's not perfect but it is one of my absolute favourites. The other one that I have read  three times and will read again (hopefully this summer) is Outlander also known as Cross Stitch by Diana Gabaldon. If you have any interest in historical fiction, romantic fiction, time travel fiction, Scotland or bad-ass female characters then you have to read this series.


What’s your idea of book heaven or book hell?

Book heaven would be being left alone to read all the brilliant books I have sitting around unread. If I could have a superpower I would freeze time so I could just read for hours on end. Book hell would be having nothing to read, if bookshops disappeared, or being stuck in a house with nothing but celebrity biographies to read (aah!!) just the thought of that brings me out in a cold sweat.


Where is your favourite reading place?

I can read pretty much anywhere although I have a cosy reading chair in the living room. I love reading on a train for some reason, although as I no longer commute I don't do that very often but I do most of my reading in bed. I read for about an hour every night sometimes more and I sometimes wake up early and read instead of having a lie-in.


What has been your favourite book of the year...so far ?

That's so hard to answer there have been so many great books already this year. Anna McKerrow's Crow Moon, Joe Murphy's I am in Blood and Joanna Courtney's The Chosen Queen but I think my favourites so far have been Dacre's War by Rosemary Goring a fabulous follow up to After Flodden, this author deserves a much wider audience ( I got to read a proof of this book it's not published until June but I will be giving a glowing review) and a great non-fiction book I loved this year was How to be a Heroine by Samantha Ellis,in which the author re-reads all her favourite books and examines what the heroines of those books teach us about life and love. It is a funny and poignant read and perfect for book lovers.


Follow Lisa on Twitter @LisaReadsBooks





Huge thanks to Lisa for giving so generously of her time

Jaffa and I love visiting your blog

Long may it continue.


~***~

2 comments:

  1. Thanks so much for featuring me x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was a pleasure Lisa - thanks for joining in with the fun :) x

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Thanks for taking the time to comment - Jaffareadstoo appreciates your interest.