Meet an avid reader on the ‘Reader’s Spot’ #TuesdayBookBlog

The ‘Reader’s Spot’ is a new feature where we will share the bookish love of our readers, from young adult to romance, chick-lit to murder mystery.  We will look at where they shop, why they read a specific genre, and where to find them on social media.  I hope you enjoy this series.

If you are an avid reader and would like to be included in this feature, then please use the ‘say hello’ page to send me a message and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible.

First to step up to the Reader’s Spot is seventeen-year-old college student, Heather.

1.   What genre do you enjoy reading?

I read a wide range of genres such as thriller, fantasy, young adult. I love them all, so it’s not hard to choose a book. I love the thrill and tension I get from a thriller, especially when it sends a chill down my spine. Fantasy books take me to another world, one I personally love, anything can happen, and a good plot twist is always a shocker. I enjoy young adult books because the language is different, there’s more taboo. I find it hard to believe that a girl can be put in a terrifying death arena and not cuss once, (Hunger Games). I do like a bit of swearing.

2. Do you have a favourite author in this genre?

I have many favourite authors in these genres, and I have previously recommended them to friends and family. 

George R.R Martin (A Song of Ice and Fire) is a brilliant fantasy author. I love the world of Westeros, and the families entwined within them.

Terry Pratchett is another one of my faves. I loved The Last Hero, the illustrations inside the book too, they all flowed really well together.

Kendare Blake is the author of Anna Dressed in Blood and the sequel Girl of Nightmares. These books are perfect if you want a good thrill, they are so descriptive and gripping you won’t be able to put them down. A nice amount of taboo as well. 

Ransom Riggs is my author of the month as I am currently in love with his Miss Peregrines trilogy. These books are perfect amounts of fantasy and thrills and the photographs he includes help to piece the story together. I will always recommend these books…so get buying! This book is also due out on the big screens in February, so as you probably guessed, I am counting down…

3. How do you prefer to read your books?

I have a few ways of reading my books. I have a few on my phone and hundreds on my Kindle, not to mention the endless amounts of books sitting on my shelf waiting to be read. If I’m out, and about then I will use my phone or kindle but if I’m at home or a friend’s, then it has to be a book, no question about it. I love the feel of the pages as I turn them. Using my phone as my book on the bus or a long car journey is good too as it’s small lightweight and easy to transport. 

4. Where do you purchase your books?

I download a lot of my books, to be honest, and once they’re on my phone or kindle I consider buying them in book form, but this all depends on how much I enjoy them. I get a lot of books for my birthday and Christmas and, of course, I buy them myself but not in person. I order my books from Amazon mainly because I can always get a good deal, and if I went into a bookstore then I wouldn’t be able to contain myself and I would never have any money. 

5. Where do you find out about the books you read?

Various places really, my friends and I often recommend books to each other, and this is in fact how I got into Miss Peregrines. I get my recommendations on Amazon too after I’ve bought a book, so now I currently have three books in my basket. I used Goodreads once or twice but found Google just as easy. I get recommendations on Pinterest too so this helps to pick out a new read. 

6. Do you have a budget when buying books?  Do you stick to it if you do?

Yes, I do usually set a budget of sorts, like I try never to spend more than £10 on a book but once I’ve bought the book for £8 I realise it’s part of a set, so I buy the rest, and before I know it, I’ve spent £30 and have no money left. So yes I have a budget but no, I very rarely stick to it. But when they arrive, it’s like Christmas. 

7. Do you write a review when you’ve finished reading?  If so, where do you post this?

I have never written a review for a book. I have given quick reviews to friends when they ask about a book, but I have never just sat and written one. Maybe this is something to look into… [I would encourage you to start reviewing, Heather.  It helps other readers to discover new books, and helps support your favourite authors too.  Check out #TuesdayBookBlog on Twitter.]

8. What do you look for in a book?

Everything. I look for everything. I enjoy being able to relate to characters in some way and descriptions, I love the descriptions of characters or landscapes; it paints a picture in my mind. The balance between dialogue and descriptions. If there is too much dialogue, then it almost becomes a script but if there isn’t enough, then their story world is silent. I love a good plot twist too. I’m devastated when they arrive but then afterwards I’m like ‘damn that was clever’. 

9. Where do you like to read?

I can read anywhere. On the bus when I’m going out, in the car for any length of journey. Walking down the street and into lamp-posts. My family will be playing a game, and I’ll be on the couch saying ‘just one more chapter, last chapter, oh this is a good bit, last chapter now, DAMN PLOT TWIST!’ How they put up with it is beyond me. I’ll be asleep in bed, and I’ll wake at 2 am with an urge to read. Then it’s 5 am and I have to be at college soon. When we go on holiday for a week, I take 3-4 books and have them finished before the week is up. It really doesn’t matter where I am as long there is something I can read.

10. What social media platforms are you active on?

I am active on a few. Facebook, I use this to gawp at other people’s lives as I rarely post myself. Instagram, I am always on Instagram, I follow a lot of book blogs on their so I have writing prompts and recommendations for books to read.  Pinterest is another site I’m on. I love Pinterest too, all the different boards and many, many book and story ideas. I am also active on Snapchat; I post a bit of reading material on their too. I am also on Tumblr, but it has been a while since I was active *tries to remember username and password* But it won’t be long now till I’m back on, maybe I’ll do a book blog with quotes,  recommendations and reviews… #watchthisspace

If you would like to join Heather on the Reader’s Spot then please get in touch and share your love of books with the world.  Thanks for reading.