Reader Spot – Meet #bookreviewer Shelley Wilson – Yep, Me! #YA #Horror #TuesdayBookBlog

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.

As I round up willing victims book reviewers to take part in this feature, I thought I’d share my own book love so you can see the kind of questions I ask.

If you are a book blogger/reviewer and would like to take part in this feature, then please leave me a comment, or get in touch via my ‘say hello’ page. This Feature Needs You!

What genre do you enjoy reading?

I’m sure it will come as no surprise to hear that I adore YA fantasy fiction. My bookshelves are stuffed full of vampires, faeries, dragons, and witches – the more fantastical, the better! However, as I have been a member of Rosie Amber’s Book Review Team for a while now, I’ve started to push the boundaries and read a few ‘big girl’ books. I’ve discovered a new-found love of historical fiction, science fiction, crime, and horror – something I used to enjoy reading when in my twenties. I also enjoy non-fiction titles in the personal development genre.

Do you have a favourite author in this genre?

I have several favourite YA authors, most of whom I’ve included in my Monday Muse feature; Sarah J Maas, Cassandra Clare, Maggie Stiefvater, Jana Oliver, oh dear, the list is endless! When I was younger, I was a huge James Herbert fan and was deeply saddened by his loss. Another favourite in the sci-fi and horror genre is Dylan J Morgan – his books are beyond awesome!

How do you prefer to read your books?

Most of my review books are on my kindle, but when a favourite author releases a new book I have to get it in paperback. I can’t seem to read YA on my Kindle – maybe that’s the teen in me! I also have to have a paperback if it’s non-fiction. I’d probably say it’s a 50/50 split. I’ve had a few PDF books to review and find it incredibly hard to read on my computer. I much prefer to curl up somewhere away from my desk.

Where do you purchase your books?

Amazon and Waterstones. It’s far too easy for me to click ‘buy now’ on Amazon, I should deactivate my card details – maybe one day! We have a lovely big Waterstones store in Solihull, and also on New Street in Birmingham, and it’s physically impossible for me to walk past without popping in.

Where do you find out about the books you read?

The majority of my book purchases come from reading reviews on book blogs. If I like the cover, blurb, and it’s got a decent review, then I’m sold. I also subscribe to the Goodreads YA email, so I find out when all my favourite authors are releasing their books.

I take advantage of the ‘you might also like’ feature on Amazon quite a bit too. They have recommended some fabulous titles by lesser-known authors who I might have missed otherwise.

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

Ha ha, I don’t know why I ask this question – does anyone have a book budget? I know I should as I probably spend more money on books than groceries, but I can’t see me implementing one anytime soon 🙂

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

Yes, every time. I will post a review on Amazon UK and US, Goodreads, and my blog. If I’ve reviewed a title as part of Rosie’s team, then it also gets shared on Rosie Amber’s blog, so it receives two pushes on social media. I share my reviews on Twitter and Facebook and hope to start promoting them again on Instagram and Pinterest (I’ve been a bit lax with that!)

What do you look for in a book? 

For me, it’s all about the characters. If I don’t feel a connection, then I’m not really bothered about the plot. I love feisty female characters who get into all kinds of trouble, and I’m quite partial to a sexy vampire, but that’s for another blog post!     

Where do you like to read?

I love reading in my she-shed in the garden when it’s a warm sunny day, but as autumn has arrived, I’ve started to curl up on my sofa overlooking the garden. I do go up to bed quite early and read for a few hours before switching the light off. I also have thirty minutes between dropping my son off at football and when his match starts so I’ll hoover up a few chapters in the car before standing in all weathers to cheer him on.

 

 

What social media platforms are you active on?

You’re reading my blog at the moment *waving* so feel free to hit the ‘follow’ button.

You can also find me lurking around Twitter, and Goodreads.

I have three Facebook pages – my private page, my motivational blog page, and my YA author page.

I’m still trying to get the hang of it, but I’m on Instagram if you want to connect, and I have a Pinterest account. I am on LinkedIn but rarely look at it – far too grown up for me!

I hope you enjoyed this feature. If you would like to take part, please get in touch.