#15 Follow Friday with book bloggers: Bookish thoughts!!!

2017-11-03 14:24

BookLikes gathers book lovers from all around the world. We're happy to introduce Nicole, a blogger who reads and reviews in English and German.

You can follow Nicole's blog on BookLikes here: http://hoffnungswolke.booklikes.com

When have you read your very first book? What was it?

I actually can't remember and it hurts my soul to admit that. I know that when I was in my last year of school, I started going to the local library with my friend and that's when I real got into reading and was at the library all the time. I didn't do reviews or anything and never really talked about it. The first book series that I read religiously were the CSI books and I couldn't shut up about them in a German CSI forum. Oh, the good old days.

What made you start writing about books/book blogging?

Reading slowly became more and more of a part of me. A huge part, the part that kept my brain quite when my anxiety got to much. Just an escape that I really needed. But I don't have anyone around me that is really into books and I couldn't just keep bottling all my book feelings up and because the internet has everything, I soon found Goodreads and that's when I found my people. I was super nervous writing reviews, so in the beginning I only did the star rating. Then when I found BookLikes, I actually started to write reviews and was comfortable enough to share my thoughts and opinions.

Can you name three things that blogging changed in your life?

I got much more comfortable sharing my thoughts and my opinions. I just love talking about books and connect with people that like the same books. I always feels super proud when I see some read the same book as me and also liked it, or hated it the same as me and I don't feel so alone lol

You live in Germany and read in two languages: English and German. Do you experience the book differently depending on the language you read it in?

Not all the time, but sometimes I really experience the book differently. Sometimes I feel like the translations don't really work. Some jokes fall flat and things like that. When reading a book in English, I feel like I actually get to experience the authors work and his words.

Do you prefer reading in English or German?

This is a tough question. I'm pretty comfortable with my English skills at this point, so it's not that much harder to read the English version instead of the German once, unless I'm reading in the middle of the night fighting sleep. Most of the time I prefer reading in English, simply because in German translation they like to change names of characters or places, so that when I write a review and I have read the book in German, I actually have to check and make sure that the names are right.

We’ve read that you’re a TV show fan. Can you recommend a good one?

It changes all the time, to be completely honest. I'm currently re-watching Covert Affairs and it reminds me how much I loved this show and how much it helped me through a really difficult time. Other than that I loved Leverage (the most perfect show that I need everyone to watch). Shows that are actually currently airing: Brooklyn 99 and The Good Place are my absolute happy place, I don't do well with comedy shows but these two are perfect. See, I cheated, I can't just talk about one show.

What’s your book review drill? Do you review all the books you read?

I'm like 99,9% sure that since I started writing reviews, I have reviewed every book that I have read. Even the ones I didn't like, I either tried to focus on the good parts or I just left a little review.

What are your three favorite book covers?

I'm just gonna mention the covers of books I read this year

The story is seriously amazing and really creative.

The writing is so great and really transported me in the middle of this world...

Read a full review of The Castaways ->

Any tips for beginning bloggers?

The most cliche tip I can think of is: Be yourself!!! And be honest. You don't have to pretend to like a book that everyone loves but you just don't get it. And also the other way around, don't feel like you can't enjoy a book that everyone hates. It's your blog and you do you. This is your space to talk about the things you love.

Which books are you most excited recommending to your followers?

I made it my mission this year to recommend The Best We Could Do and Ich, Eleanor Oliphant Roman to everybody.

HOLY MOTHER OF EVERYTHING. This graphic novel/comic,

whatever you wanna call it, is everything. Seriously...

Read a full review of The Best we could do ->

What’s your reading spot?

My bed, it's the most comfortable place in my room.

A paper book or an e-book?

Both. I never thought I would ever be a e-book person but I'm reading more and more e-books. Nothing can replace a paper book, the feel, the smell and the weight of it in your hands. But I'm really enjoying e-books when I'm out and about. I also receive all the ARCs I read as a ebook, so I had to get used to it at some point. Downside to reading an ebook on my tablet or phone, I'm pretty lost if it has no power and I can't find the charger. Been there, donw that.

Three title for a spaceship travel?

I could only think of these three...I need to read more space books.

Favorite quote?

I'm going to share one that even though I read the book three years ago, I still think about this quote a lot. It's really powerful.

“Wir sind imstande, Überschallflugzeuge und Raketen ins All zu schicken, einen Verbrecher anhand eines Haars oder eines winzigen Hautpartikels zu identifizieren, eine Tomate zu züchten, die im Kühlschrank drei Monate lang völlig faltenfrei bleibt, und Milliarden von Informationen auf einem Mikrochip zu speichern. Wir sind imstande, die Leute auf der Straße sterben zu lassen.”
― Delphine de Vigan, No and Me

I'm trying to translate it as best as I can.

"We are capable of sending supersonic aircraft and rockets into space, identifying a criminal based on hair and tiny skin particles, breeding a tomato that's gonna stay wrinkle-free for three months in the fridge, and saving billions of information on a microchip. We are capable of letting people die on the streets."
― Delphine de Vigan, No and Me

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

I have to go with a character that I actually read about this year, it's Ellie, the main character in the book A Messy, Beautiful Life. She was going through much and through everything she was so strong and just great. She was really inspiring to me and I would love to meet her. She is also one of those characters that I would love to check up on, you know, see how she is doing after the book ended.

Shelfie time! Please share your home library photos :)

I don't have the space that I would need to make my shelves look pretty and all that, so I just use all the space I have and put as many books there as I can, it's not pretty, but oh well...