#36 Follow Friday with book bloggers: Brenna M's Book Blog

2018-04-13 14:26

Hello Friday! Hello Follow Friday with book bloggers! Meet Brenna and her amazing book recommendations!

Follow Brenna M's Book Blog: http://brennam.booklikes.com/

What are you reading right now? How do you like it?

City of Hope by Kate Kerrigan. So far, I am enjoying this. It’s set in 1930’s in Ireland. Historical fiction always interests me., but I’m just starting off so we’ll see. The character is a strong female character who just loses her husband, and goes back to New York City rather than stay in small town Ireland.

The House on Foster Hill by Jaime Jo Wright. I’m just a chapter or 2 into this one as well, but I am liking this one a little better. Add a little mystery to the historical fiction, and my interest is peaked. A woman purchases an old house sight unseen and wants to renovate. And the mystery starts as she arrives to find it delapitated and with a lot of old folklore stories about it.

Which book made you a book lover?

The Cay by Theodore Taylor. I was 9 years old and saw the movie with James Earl Jones and just had to read the book. Ever since then, my love for books and libraries started. I loved disappearing into the Caribbean in the Cay and that idea of disappearing into a book is just as strong. The thought of visiting a different US state or a different country sometimes makes me feel like I have actually been there. All of this just by browsing a shelf or two at the local library.

How did your book blogging adventure start? What do you enjoy the most about it?

About 5 years ago, I saw something posted about a book giveaway. It was on Goodreads and I signed up for that one and a few others. I actually won 2 of them almost right away. I did not feel comfortable about not at least rating it. So for any book I have received either in a giveaway or offered from author, I rated it and wrote a review. Some time later, every book I read was reviewed. One of the things I was and still am not fond of on the one site, though, is there is not a lot of interaction between myself and the friends list I had. And that meant fewer reviews that I read, and fewer recommendations from friends. I found Booklikes and started to share my reviews and a few quotes. I found it a lot more interactive when it came to having a strong feeling about a book and wanting to talk about it. I’ve met a lot of great people, and my “friends list”/followers list is a little more international as well.

You mention that you have Italian, German and irish roots in your family. Does it reflect your reading preferences?

It does reflect a lot more than I realized at first. My grade school was not very diverse but did encourage a lot of reading. The books that I tended to lean to and pick out myself always were in a different culture (i.e. a book set in the south or in England, or with the main character being from a foreign country).

Which books are you most excited recommending to your followers?

The Invisible Life of Ivan Isaenko by Scott Stambach. I loved this book and cannot wait to read more of Mr. Stambach. This was his debut novel, set in an orphanage for “gravely ill” children because Ivan was born with physical disabilities. Mr. Stambach has used humor, heartach, love and hope beautifully in this book with a not so “perfect” main character. I couldn’t help but love Ivan by the end of the book.

Tobit and the Hoodoo Man by E.S. Kraay is another one I really enjoyed. This is a combination of historical fiction set during the Civil War and mystical realism. 3 dimensional characters through the book, good story telling, definitely I found it well written and I didn’t want to put it down.

Tin Lily by Joann Swanson. Another debut author. I found this book short, yet captivating. This is a young adult novel, and the topic is a tough one from the first chapter when Lily witnesses her mom’s murder.

How do you find new books to read?

My more fun way to do this is, time willing, to walk up and down a few of the aisles of the library. The closet one has a library staff pick area, a seasonal area or a topic specific area (i.e. photograpy, gardening, politics, whatever), and even a teen pick on the endcaps of the aisles. Always fun going through those aisles. Used book sales are of interest to me, too. I love browing the books and seeing what pages have been earmarked or if the person put their name in it to see where it came from.

Are you an adventurous reader picking up new genres or are you loyal to your favorite book genres?

I am gradually getting better at being adventurous, but young adult and historical fiction still tend to be the go to genres.

Reviewed Shelf

How much time do you spend reading daily?

Unfortunately it’s not always daily. I try to get at least a half an hour in every day, if not more.

What are you three favorite book covers?

I’m not sure if I really have a favorite cover. I do check them out, sometimes the first impression with the title helps me to decide. But I usually don’t spend too much time on them. (sorry, front cover artists).

You write: My local library is one of my favorite hangouts. How often do you visit your library?

I try at least twice a week. If i take too long in getting back, the staff start asking where I’ve been!

Why reading is important to you?

It’s my down time, relax time. A way for me to get out of the stress related run on sentences runnig through my head after a long day at work. A perfect stay-cation kind of moment.

How do you choose your next book to read?

See # 6. For the official next book, I tend to read series books in order and close to gether. If not part of a series, it doesn’t always make sense how i pick them. Sometimes, it’s a combination of the cover, title, and blurb sounding interesting (sometimes this does disappoint, though). Other times it’s an author or subject i want to get back to reading.

A paper book or an e-book?

Paper book definitely. It’s a way for me to chill out away from electronics.

Three titles for a sunny spring day?

The All-Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion by Fannie Flagg

Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt

Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote

Favorite quote?

It seemed clear that wars were not made by generations and their special stupidities, but that wars were made instead by something ignorant in the human heart”
― John Knowles, A Separate Peace

If you could pair a book with a drink, what would you prepare to sip while reading?

Steaming hot green tea

Shelfie time! Please share your home library photos :)