#4 Follow Friday with book bloggers: Nicole Reads

2017-08-11 12:58

Say Hello to Nicole in Follow Friday interview session!

Follow Nicole Reads: http://lapetite.booklikes.com

Let’s start with the question about a book that took your breath away and made you a bookaholic. What was it?

The book that took my breath away and made me a bookaholic was Jack London’s White Fang. I remember finding it in a bookstore; I was maybe 9 or 10 years old, where my mom left me for five minutes while she went to a store next door. I sat down in a corner and started reading it. My mom came back to get me, and I made her buy me the book. After that, I followed her around the mall with my nose in the book, hooked by the world of literature from that moment forward.

On your BookLikes blog you mention that you know English, Español, Spanglish, Français (un petit peu), Italiano (un po'). Do you read in these languages as well?

Yes! I mostly read in English because I’m living in the United States, but lately, I’ve been trying to read in Italian ever since I started learning it in 2015. That’s one of the reasons I got In Other Words by Jhumpa Lahiri. Ms. Lahiri wrote it in Italian, but it has the English translation right next to it. I also try to read in Spanish—my mother tongue—but it hasn't been as often as I would like.

You’ve mentioned having a travel bug :) Tell us more about your travels. Do they inspire your book picks?

Most definitely! I find there is no better way to get the feel of where I am going than to read the literature of that country. When I went to India, I read Jhumpa Lahiri’s The Namesake. Last summer I traveled to Italy and read Letters to Juliet by Lise Friedman and Ceil Friedman. I also make it a goal to visit local bookstores and buy books from local authors.

What are your favorite book covers?

You mention that your favorite genres are Romance (Contemporary and Historical), Young Adult, Erotica, Travel, Food. Nice mixture! How do you choose the next book to read?

It all depends on what’s going on in my life. Am I feeling bogged down by university or life? I need something light and fluffy like my beloved romance novels. Is my wanderlust on overdrive? Best grab a travel memoir. I also like reading books that might be similar to what I'm writing, that way I can get a sense of what has been done and what might be missing.

What made you start writing about books/book blogging?

I started as a way to keep track of what I’m reading. Later I realized that there was an entire community of fellow book lovers who loved sharing suggestions on what to read next while also talking endlessly about the stories they read and the characters they loved. I finally felt I had found my corner on the Internet.

Did blogging have an impact on your reading life?

Certainly. It has made me more judicious when it comes to choosing what I will invest my time in reading. It also made me want to become a more voracious reader, reading beyond the genres I usually enjoy.

Which books are you most excited recommending to your followers?

I get excited recommending the books that made me stay up way past midnight reading, the ones that turned me into an antisocial being that refuses to interact with her fellow humans until she finishes the book, but mostly, I like recommending books that emotionally affected me. It’s always a special kind of thrill to see other people feel as strongly as you did about a book.

What’s your reading spot? We’d love to see the photos :)

I don’t have a particular spot per se. I read anywhere. My only requirement: it must be a plush, comfy seat.

A paper book or an e-book?

This is a tough question because there is nothing that can compare to the thrill of holding a paper book in your hands and feeling that comforting weight on your hands, but I am going to say that I prefer e-books. As someone who travels a lot, there is nothing like the comfort of having a wide variety of books readily available in one place. Plus, I don’t have to pay extra for overweight luggage!

Three titles for a dessert island?

The Count of Monte Christo by Alexandre Dumas because that’s a lengthy tome and I have never gotten around to reading it because of its size.
Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto because it’s a touching, beautiful book.

Harry Potter and the philosopher's stone by J.K. Rowling because I would need a little magic in my life if I’m stuck on an island alone.

A book that changed your life?

“The Little Prince” by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. I try to re-read it every five years, and I always feel that I learned something new. It was the first book that broke my heart and then, with subsequent re-reads, made it whole again.

Favorite quote?

‘It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live,’ said by Albus Dumbledore in J.K Rowling’s first book of the Harry Potter series, “Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.”

If you could meet one literary character, who would it be?

Just one? That feels like an impossible choice! If I had to choose, it would be the vampire Lestat from Anne Rice’s “The Vampire Chronicles.” The Brat Prince looks like he knows how to have fun.

Shelfie time! Please share your home library photos :)