#40 Follow Friday with book bloggers: Book Reviews by Lynn

2018-05-18 14:12

Hello Friday! Hello Follow Friday with book bloggers! Meet Lynn, an avid, eclectinc and open-minded reader, who read Harry Potter for 12 hours nonstop! Check out Lynn's reading list for the Summer and her reveal why she loves reading.

Follow Book Reviews by Lynn http://notrow1.booklikes.com/

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

I’m currently reading, or I should say re-reading, Soulblade (Dragon Blood #7) by Lindsay Buroker. I love it! It’s a mix of urban fantasy, fantasy and steampunk, with swords, dragons, sorceresses and military pilots.

When did you discover you’re a book lover?

I first fell in love with reading when I was about eight or nine years old. I was given a children’s version of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin to read by my school librarian and fell in love with the tale. I then read My Friend Flicka by Mary O’Hara and the rest is history.

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

It started in 2011, when I won a competition on a Facebook page, which I still follow, to become an admin for a week. I didn’t know what to do, so I began writing book reviews. I still admin on that page today, as well as running my own on Facebook. I enjoy sharing the books I love with others, as well as finding new books and authors and sharing them too.

notrow1.booklikes.com

Why reading is important to you?

Reading is important to me as it is my way of escaping from the negativity that surrounds me and the world. I think it stems from being bullied at school as a child and wanting to get away from it by escaping to other worlds and lives.

In your short bio we can read you lived in Zimbabwe. Can you tell us more about that that and how did you end up in UK?

I was born in Zimbabwe (or Rhodesia as it was once known) in 1973 after my parents left the UK in 1972 and moved there in search of a better life. We lived there for nearly thirty years. The whole family decided to move back to the UK due to the political and economic situation at the time; this was in 2002 when Mr Mugabe instituted his land appropriation programme from the farmers (mainly European ones, though there were some African ones affected too), which made life extremely difficult.

Does your place of residence influence your reading list?

No. I love reading about places all around the world, as well as the made-up worlds, cities, towns and villages in fiction. I’m an eclectic and open-minded reader.

BookShelf

Which books are you most excited recommending to your followers?

This is a tough question to answer, it’s like asking me which book is my favourite – I have too many to list. I think it depends on my mood, the genre, and whether I really loved the story, or only enjoyed it.

However, I usually recommend: The Boots My Mother Gave Me by Brooklyn James (Coming of Age); Three Days of Rain by Christine Hughes (Contemporary Romance); The Relic Guild by Edward Cox (Dark Fantasy); Faithless by Graham Austin-King (Dark Fantasy); The Devil's Detective by Simon Kurt Unsworth (Dark Fantasy); Releasing The Wolf by Dianna Hardy (PNR); Ruby Blue by Julie Cassar (YA)… I could go on, but I’d bore everyone to death.

How do you find new books to read?

I find new books through recommendations from various sources: family, friends, blogs I follow, Amazon, Book Bub, Booklikes, Audible, Facebook groups & pages etc.

You’re an editor and a proofreader. We assume you may spot editorial errors while reading for pleasure. So, does your profession help in reading or not?

No. I was a reader before I became an editor and proofreader. Spotting errors as a reader made me want to help authors correct them. Doing an editing and proofreading course to become an editor and proofreader made that dream become a reality. However, if I’m editing rather than reading, I focus on the technical aspects which is a lot less enjoyable than just reading for pleasure, though no less rewarding.

We can find a lot of romance books on your BookLikes shelf. Do you switch between the genres or do you follow your favorite reading path?

It depends on my mood. Romance is my main preference for reading material, but I love a good thriller or murder mystery too, as well as fantasy, urban fantasy, children’s books and the occasional horror amongst others.

So far, you’ve read 51 out of 100 books in your 2018 reading challenge. How much time do you spend reading daily?

I don’t keep an eye on the clock when reading, especially if the book keeps me hooked, so it’s difficult to say for definite how much time I spend reading every day. If I had to guess? Somewhere between 3-5 hours, maybe more. I’ve been known to read for almost 12 hours straight (that was a Harry Potter book; I think it was The Half Blood Prince. It had just been released, and I read it over a weekend). I don’t watch a lot of TV as I prefer to read. I also work part-time, so when I don’t have any editing work to do on top of my part-time job, I read. Unfortunately, my reading pile never seems to get any lower, as I’m always adding to it.

Lynn's 2018 Reading Challenge Page - check it out!

Do you read one book or several at a time?

I generally read one book at a time. But, I also listen to an audiobook when cooking or doing other chores and at bedtime to help me sleep.

What are your three favorite book covers?

Another tough question! The most recent cover would be Faithless by Graham Austin-King. The last two are Forsaken by Jana Oliver and Witchblood by Emma Mills.

A paper book or an e-book?

For ease of holding, e-book. However, I still love paper books as I don’t get headaches from them since they aren’t backlit. The only issue I have with paper books is I can’t change the font if I find the print too small to read.

Three titles for a holiday break?

This is a tough question as, again, it depends on mood and genre preference. I would say Cinder by Marissa Meyer (YA), Kissed by a Dark Prince by Felicity Heaton (PNR), and The Spell of Summer by Dianna Hardy (Contemporary Romance).

Favorite quote?

Currently, my favourite quote is from Blood Shadow by Dianna Hardy:

“Death is my redemption,” she whispered, her tears falling on his chest before rolling into the lapping ocean. He stilled for a moment, and she felt something warm and wet slide down her right temple and past her ear. His tear. His nose brushed against her forehead, before his lips pressed a kiss to it. “It seems we're at a bit of an impasse, then. Because your survival is mine.”

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

Coffee or tea. I very rarely drink alcohol.

Shelfie time! Please share your home library photos :)