Image courtesy of the lovely Amber @ Du Livre!

Today is Valentine’s Day. And since my Valentine is… well, myself I guess, I figured why not talk about meeee? This tag was created by Amber Elise @ Du Livre, and it is fun. I also stole her picture. I figured she’s down, she can yell at me in the comments if not 😀

When did you start blogging and what was your first review? 

October 8, 2013. And my first review was Allegiant by Veronica Roth, because man did that shit piss me off.  Why did I link that, exactly? It umm, is not high quality.

Who/what inspired you to start blogging? 

Like everyone else, I started for the fame, the glory, and of course, the riches. 

What is a blog-related goal that you have? 

For a hot second, I wanted to be one of those people who arrive home to box after box of books. Actually, I don’t think this is even a “thing” anymore, but back in the day, huge bloggers used to and I thought it looked pretty great. But imagine the responsibility!? So then I thought it might be cool to moderate an author panel or something. But THEN I remembered that I am not the biggest fan of public speaking. In reality, I probably just want to be famous like Cait when I grow up.

What is one thing you wish someone told you about blogging? 

Um. That it would consume my life and that I would be super overwhelmed for literal years? That I would be obsessed with things like “statistics” and “analytics”? That ARC jealousy is a straight up real thing, no matter how many people on Twitter tell you it shouldn’t be?

What was your biggest blog-related accomplishment? 

Learning to chill the fuck out. Thanks, Bellamy.

What types of posts do you enjoy writing? 

Don’t hate, but negative reviews. They’re so freaking fun. I do feel like an asshole posting them, however. I also love writing discussions, whenever I can come up with an idea- which frankly, seems rare these days.

Where do you usually blog? What does your setup look like? 

Looks like this! It’s just a desk and a laptop, and though you can’t see it because my chair is blocking it, I have a lovely key lime pie candle happening too. And it’s best when coffee is involved.

What was your last 5-star read? 

My last 5-star read is…. I don’t know. I have to go back to Goodreads and look. If that site ever crashed, do you know how screwed I’d be? Anyway. Last 5-star review was Honor Among Thieves by Rachel Caine and Ann Aguirre. 
 
Okay. This is tough because I didn’t rate everything yet, and In Search Of Us is going to be at least a 4.5, but I haven’t decided? So for certain, I will say Alex + Ada Vol. 2&3 

What was your last 1-star read? 

I do not give one-star lightly. I feel too guilty. Or something. Only two books have earned that fate, actually. The most recent? The Traitor’s Kiss by Erin Beaty. 

What are three words that make you pick up a book? 

  • Apocalypse/Dystopia (yeah I know it’s not 2009, shhh.)
  • Space
  • Dark/Gritty
Fluff need not apply, basically? And tbh, I think I like just knowing that there can still be fictional worlds more awful- we haven’t reached that level of suck yet? ?

What is your Hogwarts House? 

I have never taken a quiz that has given me any other answer, tbh.

What is your favorite reading environment? 

My bed. That is the only place I like to read, and the only place I ever would if left to my own devices. I will read if I have a very long wait or travel, but as a rule… nope, just bed. In complete and total comfort.

What advice would you give to new bloggers? 

To just chill. None of this is life or death, despite what you might have heard from 2015-era Shannon. If you can’t post, can’t return a comment, whatever, the world will not, in fact, end. I super promise.

Consider yourself tagged, if you’d like! Answer me one or two or all of these, so we can chat! Oh, and Happy Valentine’s Day!

Posted February 14, 2018 by Shannon @ It Starts at Midnight in Funsies / 48 Comments

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48 responses to “Behind the Screen: A Book Blogger Tag

  1. I love your reason for posting this on V Day! Damn, arriving home to box after box of books sounds amazing! If only lol. Dark and gritty, yeeeesssssss. That totally gets me too lol. And bed is def the best place to read! It’s comfy, and there aren’t as many distractions!

  2. Happy Valentine’s Day! I love that Allegiant was your first review! I never finished it but I have heard SO many bad things lol, and the movie was… yeah we won’t go there. And I think Bellamy’s advice there is like good LIFE advice, you know? So true.

    I have a question. How DO they get those candles to smell like food??? I need to know. And ooh Alex and Ada (yesss lol).

    Oh and apocalypse/ dystopia foreverrr. 2009 lives on 🙂

    • Thanks, Happy Valentine’s Day to you too 😀 Ha, I was so pissed about Allegiant! It was the first series that I had to really WAIT for the finale of, and wow, talk about a letdown. Not just the end either- the whole book was a mess. The movie was so bad it was amusing though! Of course, we’ll never get to see the LAST-last movie. Maybe they should have not made it into 4 damn movies. (Apparently I am still more bitter about this than I thought I was hah.)

      Um RIGHT!? My whole room straight up smells like someone just ate an actual pie, and I don’t understand it!

      And YES- I feel like this is a great time for apocalypse/dystopia to make a comeback. It’s been a solid decade since its height of popularity. I should write one so that when the movement comes back around, I’ll be ready!

  3. I love that you mentioned ARC envy. I don’t even like to read physical books (hate me, but they are hard for me), but I feel sort of bad about myself when I go on Instagram, and see all these pictures of books I will never have. An when the Epic Reads boxes go out, I know I must turn green. Oooh, I have In Search of Us. Glad to hear you liked it.

    • Right, why pretend that we are not human, and don’t get jealous from time to time? It’s silly! Of course we get a little twinge of “wish that was me, too!” because come on. That’s like seeing a lottery winner and not getting a case of the sads. And yes, I LOVED In Search of Us, it was realllly good, I think you’ll like it too!

  4. Oh nice! This sounds like a fun post! I might have to do it eventually! I agree the ARC envy is soooo real! I’ve been doing this for 9 years and I rarely ever get ARCs. Then I see people who have been blogging for less years who get ARCs every week and I can’t help but think what am I doing wrong? But then I’ll pick up a TBR book I’ve been dying to read and the envy kind of fades away for awhile! Lol!

    • Aw yay, I hope you do! It was fun, and not too terribly taxing 😀 YEP the ARC envy is REAL and anyone who says they never have it is LYING. I have had the “what am I doing wrong?” too- a LOT. It’s hard not to think about it! I do agree that it is definitely nice to be able to read whatever you want- I did that for a couple months but then I got too indecisive and it was rough!

  5. Yes CHILL. Best advice. I am so much happier when I did like Elsa and “let it go” and just do what I want. But yeah ARC envy still get me man. Sometimes I just feel bad because my blog is small and I don’t get approved and never get physical books. Again “let it go”!! Love your space and yes any space is better with coffee!

  6. I love your answers 😀
    Really relate to lots of those ^_^
    And you really made me think more calmly about blogging, too, so thank you!
    I also dream to be Cait one day, lol 😉 I’m pretty sure it’s most of us bloggers dream.
    I had such fun reading your answers, really made me smile 😀

  7. I totally agree about writing negative reviews. XD I find it so exhilarating to let out all of my frustrations, although I eventually feel ~bad~ about posting them. NO MATTER, IT MUST BE DONE.

    You’re adorable, Shannon! <3 Have an awesome Valentine's day. <3

  8. Wow, you got fame, glory and riches? Kewl! I think mine are still in the mail. Pretty sure, anyway. I love you you love writing negative reviews. Bahaha! And you’re so good at it! 🙂 I can NOT read in bed. There is no position known or unknown that is comfortable enough to make it right. Must have comfy chair/sofa/recliner.

  9. I love these! I remember those big boxes of books days…I think I got like, one, maybe. LOL I can’t actually read that well in my bed because I get uncomfortable. I LOVE reading on my front porch when the weather is nice – so not too cold or hot. I’m ready for you, Spring!! I started blogging in 2007 and I have no idea what the first book I reviewed was because it started out more of a music thing.

    -Lauren

  10. I am soo down. Haha. Also I never continued the Divergent series, I’m quite happy I made that decision because I hear it’s just…awful. And yes, so much fame and power comes with book blogging. I’m typing this in my mansion as we speak!

    I feel like coming home to a box is book is a lie! I think bookstagrammers/bloggers/booktubers just stockpile their shipments and just unbox it all at once to make it seem more exciting. I do not have that patience.

    Negative reviews are either super easy for me to write or impossible, it depends on if the book filled me with righteous rage or not!

    Happy V Day lady!!

  11. Wow, this looks like a fun tag! 🙂
    I definitely wish someone had warned me too about how much blogging can consume your life… If I go a few days and haven’t posted, or replied to my comments I start to get all guilty and stressed, but I’m trying to learn to chill out about it too, so I would definitely agree with that as good advice for newbies! Stop stressing about it before you even start! 🙂

  12. OMG, I never check my blog stats anymore because I get too discouraged. xD Sometimes it’s nice to be blissfully unaware of who’s reading your stuff. Comments always brighten my day, though. I love talking to my nerdy online friends.

    I’m glad to hear Honor Among Thieves was a hit for you! It looks super cool. I can’t wait to read it.

  13. I’m so going to do this tag… great answers by the way I agree with the how time consuming blogging can get and how we can freak out so much about stats and the like…. Learning to relax is a work in progress..

  14. Yessss! The blog is a hobby and there will always be books. I hate reading in bed. It makes me so sleepy so i usually iust read at lunch at my desk at work. Happy late valentines day to you!

  15. Girl…negative reviews. Honestly, anything negative I like to write hahah I love to vent about things so it only makes sense those would be my favorite to write…because then you get to vent about that thing with other people who agree! Validation ftw. hahha >.<

  16. OMGGGG YOU WANT TO BE LIKE ME WHEN YOU GROW UP!! Which basically means a panicked slightly psychotic dragon egg that runs in circles shouting about books and has general little to now chill! THIS SOUNDS LIKE FUN TO HAVE TWO OF US. *throws cake crumbs in our hair*

    Honestly though, learning to actually chill out over blogging IS a huge accomplishment.? I have no chill for many many other areas of my life, but I like to think I do stress less over blogging. Like right now, for instance, I should have a post scheduled to go up in 4 hours and I haven’t even started it. *gazes into the distance and watches life pass by* But in my defence I’m on holidays so trying to take that into account ah haha. ANYWAY.

    You definitely strike me as a Hufflepuff.? And omg I used to want to blog just for the books too and then quickly realised how overwhelming that was.?

  17. I do like this tag. I think I reveal plenty of myself on my blog but I just like the sound of this tag. I’m liking your blogging set up, much more organised than mine. I just sit on my bed watching TV and blogging, not great for my posture but oh well. I think we all sort of want boxes of books when we get home… but you’re right the responsibility would kill me. I’ll stick with an occasional surprise read and giveaway wins. I don’t think I could handle Cait’s fame, so many people! But I’d be totally okay with having her book shelves and ability to take photos like she does.

  18. Oh I love this tag so, so much 🙂 I think my blogging goals change a whole lot as I go on… I wanted to be just like you, the kind of blogger going home to tons of book boxes from big publishers, but that’s not likely to happen and anyway even if it did, all the responsibilities would probably make me have a nervous break-down, haha. I think I’d love to host a panel or something, though, that has to be such an amazing experience 🙂
    YES for learning to chill. I’m hoping to learn that this year, I’m trying to be chill as much as I can, but the pressure and everything gets to me sometimes and… I just want to be chill about this whole thing ?

  19. Kel

    Agreed to infinity. Chilling is necessary to not go insane and to keep blogging fun. I’m kind of the opposite on ratings though; I almost never give out 5 stars (I have like 4-5 total, reserved for those books that I loved without reservation and/or that marked a big reading milestone), but I give out 1-star ratings semi-regularly. Negative reviews can be a lot of fun to write. ^^

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