2014 Book Blogger Love-A-Thon: Kick Off and Interview!

*Hosted by Katelyn & Alexa!!!*

I am SOOOO excited to participate in this years Love-A-Thon!!! It’s such an amazing idea to spread the love to each others blogs and discover new ones 🙂 I can’t wait to participate in the challenges, and to hop around to all the participants blogs! First up though is my amazing interview with Amanda and Holly, the lovely ladies over at Gun in Act One. I had such a fun time doing this interview, and I’m so glad that I discovered their blog! They have a great mix of different genres for reviews and some awesome discussion posts! Oh, and did I mention that their blog name is probably the most unique and AWESOME ever?!?

So without further ado… AMANDA & HOLLY!!!!

1. I’m incredibly close to my sister so I love that you two run a blog together! Was it a mutual idea or did one of you decide and have to convince the other one?

The idea was definitely Amanda’s, though I didn’t need too much convincing! I didn’t – and still don’t – really know too much about book blogging, but basically Amanda said that there are expos with lots of free books, and that we could drink wine and chat about books. Done and done.

My friend Christina blogs at allodoxophobia and she kept telling me I could do it too. I went to visit Holly and finally we had enough wine that I convinced her 🙂 My sister is pretty much my favorite person I have not given birth to, so anything that we can do together despite the miles from Chicago to VA is good with me!

2. I AM going to do this 😛 … What are each of your top 3 books? And I’ll make it easier … since 2013!

Me Before You
Quintana of Charyn
Chimes at Midnight by Seanan McGuire.
Good lord I have random book love!

I am answering without the 2013 disclaimer! We just started blogging in November, and I can never remember when I read what…and I also don’t pay too much attention to when things come out.
The Brooklyn Follies
Code Name Verity
Devil in the White City
This is a pretty good representation of what I like – a literary fiction, YA/Historical Fiction, and a non-fiction. That’s how I roll!

3. What are five blogs that you ladies love that you think everyone needs to visit this Love-A-Thon?

When we started talking about this blogging thing, I found a great list of book blogs on Goodreads. I have definitely become a big fan of Sophisticated Dorkiness. Kim of Sophisticated Dorkiness and Lu of Regular Rumination did this Nonfiction November series, which I loved reading (next year I will take part!), and from there I also discovered River City Reading, which I dig.

Clearly Allodoxophobia!  I like Insatiable Booksluts also, the name makes me giggle .   I definitely need more time to visit book blogs!

4. I’m partial to cover beauty… I admit it. What is the most BEAUTIFUL cover that you have seen so far? And you can cheat… a top three if necessary 😉

I am really struggling here! I can’t think of any book covers that I get too excited about, though I definitely like to read really colorful kid’s books with my A#1 niece!

This is a hard one! That is one of the few things I don’t love about the kindle  I miss pretty covers.    I really liked the Golem and the Jinni, something about the mystical quality of the city.    Also Daughter of Smoke and Bone and the others in that series.  (Note to Holly you should read those!)  Wait I have it!  Anna Dressed in Blood. Creepy and beautiful!  (Hol read that too!)

5. What are three of your most anticipated books of 2014?

This is another one where I’m breaking the rules because I don’t have a good answer. There are so many books that I want to read that are already out (and have been out for years and years!) that I don’t pay too much attention to what’s coming up, except when Amanda demands that I do. So, here’s two (sort of): Amanda and I loved JK Rowling/Robert Galbraith’s The Cuckoo’s Calling, so I’m excited for the second Cormoran Strike book. Number two, I really love this blog, and she has a book deal to write a weight-loss memoir, which I am sure will be fantastic – though it’s not supposed to come out until early 2015. I cheat.
Dreams of Gods and Monsters, Heir of Fire,  The Winter Long, and honorable mention because I haven’t read it yet, Into the Still Blue (Holly read these!)
Notice Amanda is much better at following directions than me. Sigh.

6. This question is asked all the time but I’m always intrigued by what people answers! If you could meet one author dead or alive who would it be?

I’d probably answer this differently every day of the week, but today my answer is Erik Larson of Devil in the White City, but I don’t want to just meet him…I want to take writing lessons from him! (Sidenote for Lauren! this question made me think of our chat about The Fault in Our Stars. Now I need you to read that and report back – sometimes meeting your favorite author is not all it’s cracked up to be!)
Neil Gaiman!  No contest!  Though I think I’d be so scared I’d only stutter if I tried to speak.  Oh, I totally met him once! Or got a book signed by him at least – at National Book Day on the Mall in DC…circa 2004?

7. Oh, it seems everyone is curious about this one … Ereader or Paper??

I am 100% sold on the convenience of my Kindle! If I buy anything new at this point, chances are good that I buy in Kindle form (chances are also good that I scour the Kindle Daily Deals for things I want to read). I am also partial to the library and to paperbackswap (free books!), so I still go through a fair amount of real books too!

I am obsessed with my Kindle. I think I’m ready to move on to the Paperwhite.  But I still consider a new hardcover to be an amazing present and I love buying them. I’m also addicted to the Chicago Public Library (best in the country yo!) so I’ll take whatever they give me.

8. Were you readers from a young age or did you grow into it as you got older?

Totally from a young age.  I swear our dad didn’t even start watching tv until Holly was in high school and I was away at college.  He read King Arthur to us, and The Hobbit so I’m pretty sure that’s where my fantasy love comes from.  I love knowing that I’m raising a reader too! My daughter loves her books and the library!  

I always had a book in my hand as a kid! Then I had a good long spell where I didn’t do quite as much reading for fun – much to Amanda’s chagrin, as her lists of books that I must read started getting longer and longer, but I’ve definitely been enjoying it more and more recently, and am back to basically jumping straight into the next book after finishing one.

9. And to celebrate the love-a-thon (and Valentines Day!) what is your all time favorite bookish couple?

Hmmm.  Just one? It’s okay, sister. You can pick more than one, because I am struggling here! For just one, I’ll say Finnikin and Isaboe of the Lumatere Chronicles. They aren’t perfect.   I like that they still bicker.

10. And to wrap it up…What are 5 interesting and fun facts about BOTH of you?

I am changing the text color again and writing about both of us!

1. The two of us had the most fun ever on a trip to New Zealand (and Australia, but NZ is #1 in our hearts!). We saw a terrible play called “Disco Pigs,” had a cab driver named Noodle, and kayaked in the fjords. Sometime we’ll go back – probably we won’t bring anyone else with us!

2. Growing up, the light switch to one of the bathrooms in our house was outside the door. Turning the light off on someone while they’re in the shower never gets old. Never.

3. Cheese and cracker hour (with wine) is basically a must whenever our family is hanging out.

4. We were never (and never will be) the kids striving for perfect attendance. Sometimes you just need a mental health day. Generally, those involve shoe-shopping.

5. We don’t understand people who don’t get along with their siblings!

^^ This list totally demonstrates why I love my sister. I am cracking up after reading it.

Be sure and stop over at Gun In Act One today and visit Amanda and Holly!!

Thanks so much for this interview ladies, I had a ton of fun getting to know you and I’m so happy I discovered your blog <3