Reader Spot – Meet Book Reviewer, @AnneCater

Here on the ‘Reader Spot,’ I share the bookish love of our avid book reviewers. From young adult to historical romance, chick-lit to a murder mystery, they know what they like and they’re happy to share.  Whether you are a reader looking for a new book, or a writer wondering what your reader wants, I hope you find this series enjoyable.

Next up to the Reader Spot is reviewer, Anne Cater. Find her book review blog HERE.

What genre do you enjoy reading?

I enjoy a mix of genres, I will read most things.  I do like contemporary fiction, and really enjoy intelligent psychological thrillers. I don’t tend to read a lot of what is known as ‘chick-lit’ as I find it difficult to relate to young female characters.  I’m not a fan of erotic fiction or paranormal stuff either.  Romantic fiction is a bit of hit and miss for me, I’m not a very romantic person and really don’t like ‘gush’ and happy ever after. I avoid science-fiction and fantasy and military-themed fiction and although I do enjoy some historical fiction, I prefer to read about the ‘common people’ rather than royalty.

Do you have a favourite author in this genre?

I don’t have ONE favourite author, but I have lots of authors that I love and eagerly await their next novel.  There are so many, I would probably name a few now and then remember more in three hours time!

How do you prefer to read your books?

I only read print books. I do have the Kindle app on my phone and have read a couple of short stories on it, but I really don’t like it.

Where do you purchase your books?

When I buy books I like to buy them from bookshops. I very rarely buy books from Amazon, unless it’s something that is really difficult to get hold of. There are no bookshops in the town that I live in, except for a very poor selection in our tiny WH Smith, or the supermarkets, but I never buy books from a supermarket.  Not because I’m against, just because I usually have a grocery budget to stick to and rarely make impulsive supermarket purchases. I love Waterstone’s, there are two in Lincoln and one in Doncaster, and my favourite independent bookshop is Lindum Books in Lincoln, although I don’t get a chance to visit as often as I’d like to.

Where do you find out about the books you read?

I usually find out about the books that I read from the author or the publisher. I follow lots and lots of authors, publishers and bloggers on Twitter and I really believe that Twitter is the best place to find out about books.  My fellow members of Book Connectors are a great source aswell.  I often see books mentioned in magazines and newspapers too, and quite often will spot a book in a shop and impulse buy it.

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

Ha! A book budget??  No, I don’t set myself a specific book budget, but I have a monthly spend budget so I know if I can buy the book that I want at that time, or whether I have to wait until next month.  I am happy to pay the going price for a book, and do get annoyed when I see people saying that they’d never pay more than £X for a book ….

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

Yes, I have to review a book that I’ve finished as soon as possible after finishing it, when it is still fresh in my mind.  I post my reviews on my blog; Random Things Through My Letterbox; on Amazon; on Goodreads; on Waterstone’s website.

What do you look for in a book?

It really depends on how I am feeling. The plot has to be good, beautiful writing is wonderful, but if there is no plot/story then I think it’s pretty pointless. I love strong characters and have a real fondness for an unreliable narrator.

Where do you like to read?

I can and do read everywhere and anywhere, except for in the bath. I’ve never fancied trying to read in the bath!   I’m lucky in that I can read whilst travelling, so my book goes everywhere with me.  I read on car journeys (when I’m a passenger!!), on the train, on a plane.  I read in the kitchen, the living room, in the loo!  I always read a least a chapter in bed before I go to sleep.  I love going to Costa, getting myself a Cortado and a Pain Au Raison, and sitting in the corner for an hour with my book.

What social media platforms are you active on?

I love Social Media, and Twitter is my favourite, it’s so easy and so current. I started Book Connectors on Facebook and am so proud of that group, made up of authors and bloggers, it’s a great place to hang out and debate bookish things.  I use Instagram, and although I do have a Pinterest account I’m not very active on there and it’s really out of date

You can also find a dedicated Facebook page for Anne’s review blog.

Thanks to Anne for joining me today – share the book love and pop over to her book review blog – Random Things Through My Leterbox.

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.