The Sunshine Blogger Award

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Thank you to Arina from The Bookwyrm’s Guide to the Galaxy and Dean from Book Vagabond for the Sunshine Blogger Award nomination! Both of them are fantastic reviewers who have influenced my TBR, so go and follow them if you don’t already.

My apologies to anyone who has tagged me for this in the past, I figured it was high time that I sat down and answered some tricky questions! Since I was nominated twice recently, I have alternated between responding to Arina and Dean’s questions. I have conveniently skipped their hard ones because I’m a big, dirty cheat.

How does it work?

• Thank the blogger(s) who nominated you in a blog post and link back to their blog.
• Answer the 11 questions prompted by the person who nominated you.
• Nominate 11 new blogs to receive the award and write them 11 new questions.
• List the rules and display the Sunshine Blogger Award logo in your post and/or on your blog.

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Let’s start off with an easy one. What are you currently reading, and what are your thoughts on it so far?

I’m currently reading The Thousand Deaths of Ardor Benn by Tyler Whitesides. It started with a bang, then settled into a comfortable pace as it follows the progress of Ard’s latest heist. I’m at 50% and beginning to find it a little slow, maybe because I’ve been reading it over three weeks due to a busy schedule.

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Have you ever named a pet after a fictional character?

Yes, very recently! I finally brought home my first cat a few weeks ago, and named him Mephi after the character in Andrea Stewart’s The Bone Shard Daughter. I later realised that Mephi (short for Mephistopheles) is a medieval demon…

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Which book cover would you re-design if you were given a chance, and what would it look like?

Although I haven’t read them, I wish the Red Rising covers were a little more… matching. Ironically, the Subterranean Press editions of this series are probably my favourite book covers. 

Favorite genre cocktail (e.g. science fantasy, crime fantasy, sci-fi thriller etc)?

I think sci-fi with a cosmic horror element, which I haven’t come across often but really appeals to me. Otherwise, I love a good sci-fi/fantasy mashup. 

You can only choose one for the rest of your reading life. Sci-Fi or Fantasy?

I always thought I would say fantasy, but paying attention to my reading preferences recently, I would say sci-fi. I sometimes get a bit of magic fatigue, whereas space is forever getting bigger (literally).

What Halloween costume would you pair with a book?

Definitely Dr Frank-N-Furter and Perks of Being a Wallflower. Not exactly in keeping with my blog genre, but I antici-………………………….-pate that it would be a lot of fun.

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Paperback, Hardback or E-Book?

I still can’t decide. Hardbacks tempt me the most, but up until this year, I was all about my trusty paperbacks. I’d also be lost (and poor) without e-books. Just give me all of them!

Name four 2021 books you’re most excited about reading?

It looks like another bumper year, doesn’t it? Here’s a few of my most anticipated:

Choose a weapon. Sword, axe or bow and why?

A bow, because self-preservation.

What are some of your favorite book creators (could be bloggers, youtubers, grammers, tokkers, book cover artists, fanartists)?

I don’t want to list my favourite bloggers since there are so many who post fantastic stuff, and I’m sure to leave out someone I love! I also don’t use Youtube or Tik Tok because apparently, I’m old now.

My favourite book cover illustrations have been from artists including Tommy Arnold, Sam Weber, Julie Dillon, Tran Nguyen, Brenoch Adams, Sarah Jones, Rovina Kai and Jaime Jones

What book do you recommend the most and why?

Probably Only Forward by Michael Marshall Smith. I need to re-read it to remind myself what precisely I’m recommending, but it has always been sentimental to me. As an intro to sci-fi, I often recommend A Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers, and for fantasy newbies, Kings of the Wyld by Nicholas Eames.

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My Questions!

Your favourite genre outside of sci-fi and fantasy?

Two authors who should co-write a book?

The best book you have read so far this year?

The last book that made you cry?

Your favourite self-published book?

Your favourite memory of bookblogging or reading?

A book that should be a film?

And a film that would make an even better book?

Your auto-buy author?

Something you wish that more people would write about?

The best or most memorable blog post you’ve come across?

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