Reader Spot – Meet #BookReviewer Christina Philippou (@CPhilippou123)

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.

I have had the pleasure of meeting my next guest in person, and it turns out we are both crazy Potterheads! Allow me to introduce the very lovely, Christina Philippou. Find her book review blog HERE.

What genre do you enjoy reading?

What genres do I not enjoy reading would be a shorter list, as it would be limited to horror and biographies, and I have enjoyed books in both those genres so… yes, I’m quite happy to pick up anything that doesn’t have me sobbing throughout.

Do you have a favourite author in this genre?

I have favourite authors, if that helps? I’m a huge fan of Alexandre Dumas, Alistair McLean, and, more recently, Kate Morton, Keith Nixon, and Gillian Flynn.

How do you prefer to read your books?

Paperback or old-style kindle.

Where do you purchase your books?

The majority of my purchases are either through Amazon or my local Waterstones store. I love independent bookstores, and will definitely purchase from them when I can, but the reality is that there isn’t one near my home…

Where do you find out about the books you read?

Book bloggers and online book groups for recommendations are generally my go-to. Then I go to Amazon and Goodreads to check out the reviews.

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

Depends on the type of book. I have a budget for the month for books and have to be careful to stick to that given how many tempting reads keep being published!

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

I have for the last few years – all my reviews get posted to Goodreads and Amazon, and I share my recommended reads (4* and 5* reviews) on my blog too. I never realised how important reviews were until I became an author myself.

What do you look for in a book?

Originality, mainly. I like pace, characterisation, AND plot in my reads, with realistic dialogue and the ability to make me think/ laugh/ want to read passages aloud to poor bystanders. That’s not too much to ask for, is it?

Where do you like to read?

Anywhere I can – I have a very hectic life with work, writing, and 3 young children, so I’ll take any 5 minutes I can… wherever they may be!

What social media platforms are you active on?

I’m on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Google+ and happy to connect with readers and authors alike 🙂

HUGE thanks to Christina for joining me on the Reader Spot feature.

If you are a book blogger/reviewer and would like to take part in this feature, then please get in touch via my ‘say hello’ page.

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