1K Bookish Q&A – Part 1!

Hi all!

Last week I hit 1k followers on my blog. It was such a huge milestone, I decided to host a week-long giveaway on my Twitter that ended a couple of days ago. To gain a bonus entry, participants had to ask a question for my Q&A. I ended up accumulating 26 questions total, so I’ve decided to make this a two-part post divided into 13 questions each. The second part will be published this Thursday – stay tuned for that! A huge thank you to all of my followers and those that entered the giveaway and submitted a question. They were all so creative and interesting! I appreciate each and every one of you.

Before I begin, I just want to let you know that I am currently participating in Bookstagram Academy, a 30 day Bookstagram Challenge hosted by @berrybookpages. If you would like to follow along and participate, please check out my IG account: @my_bookish_universe. Without further ado, let’s get into the Q&A!

Q1.) What is your comfort book? Something you pick up when you’re scared, angry, sad etc…

I don’t have a comfort book so much as a comfort series. I’ve mentioned this on my blog before, but my favourite series is Sweep by Cate Tiernan. I’ve read them all so many times. They are very nostalgic; transporting me back to my teenage years where I first became obsessed with witches. I pick them up whenever I am feeling blue. 

Q2.) Do you have a new hobby? 

Yes! In the last couple of months I’ve begun amateur scrap-booking. I actually have a scrap-booking post scheduled for next week where I will display some of my favourite pages. I’m just starting out, but so far I’m loving this new creative outlet. 

Q3.) What is something you’ve learned about yourself in this crazy year? 

I’ve learned that I am stronger and more resilient than I give myself credit for. I have worked through a lot of mental childhood trauma during this pandemic and whilst it has been the most difficult thing I’ve ever done, it’s also been the most rewarding. You can learn more about that journey here. 

Q4.) Who’s your favourite bookish character and why? 

I’m going to go with a popular but honest answer. My favourite bookish character is Magnus Bane from The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare. Magnus is an Asian, bisexual warlock with a penchant for fashion, cats and mischief. He’s cheeky, hilarious and charismatic. I love that Cassandra Clare features him in every book set in the MI world. He’s an icon! 

Q5.) What is your favourite childhood book? 

My favourite childhood book/s would probably be The Magic Faraway Tree trilogy by Enid Blyton. There used to be a gigantic tree at the front of my driveway that I would pretend was magical and lead to other worlds. I cannot wait to read them to Abigail someday. 

Q6.) Which book got you into reading for fun and why? 

That’s a tough one because so many books come to mind! I would say Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas ignited my drive to keep reading consistently. It made me fall in love with YA fantasy all over again. 

Q7.) Are there any kids POC books you recommend? 

I recently purchased I Am Perfectly Designed by Karamo Brown and Skin Like Mine by Latashia M Perry for Abigail’s book collection. I couldn’t recommend them more. They are beautifully written and illustrated. I definitely want to collect more POC books for my daughter in the future, but for now these are well-loved. Please leave your suggestions down below!

Q8.) What books do you believe change people’s lives? 

I’m not going to name any specific titles here. I will just say that I believe life-changing books are the ones that speak to us, resonate with us and teach us something. They are the ones that stay with us in our hearts and minds long after we put them down. They are the books we recommend to everybody and the ones we pick up when we need comfort. A life-changing book will feel like a best friend that was just waiting for you to find them. 

Q9.) What is your favourite book genre and why? 

This changes all the time. For YA, I am a huge fan of contemporary because I find them the most relatable. In this day and age, the young adult genre is extremely progressive. It’s good to know what my daughter might be reading and taking from someday. In AF (Adult Fiction), I am obsessed with thriller/horror novels. I want to be spooked and shocked! 

Q10.) What’s your favourite POC book you’ve read this year? 

The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta! I did a whole review of it here. It is a beautiful story written in verse about a queer, mixed-race teen as he finds himself through the art of drag. I highly recommend it to everyone! 

Q11.) What is a significant book from your childhood? 

This is a bit different to favourite childhood book. A significant book was Dork in Disguise by Carol Gorman. It’s about a nerdy boy who decides to change everything about himself in order to fit in at school. As a fellow geeky kid, this one hit close to home. It taught me the importance of being myself and to embrace who I am. 

Q12.) If you could meet any author dead or alive, who would it be? 

I would meet Darren Shan – one of my favourite male horror writers. I have so many questions for him! He’s a genius! 

Q13.) What’s your favourite POC book and why? 

My favourite POC book would have to be The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo. I wrote a post about my favourite female POC authors – you can check it out here. I raved about this heartfelt story on there. It is written in verse and tells the story of a young girl who works through the tension in her family and her life by writing poetry. 

I hope you enjoyed Part 1 of my 1K Q&A! Part 2 will be released on Thursday! Thank you again to all of my followers and those that submitted your awesome questions! 

Peace & Love xoxo

Disclaimer: This post contains a link to my Book Depository Affiliate. I am not being paid or sponsored for this post/products – all my thoughts/opinions are my own