Book Blogger Love-a-Thon 2015 || Getting To Know Me

Last year, Alexa from Alexa Loves Books and Katelyn from Kate's Tales of Books and Bands co-hosted the Book Blogger Love-A-Thon. I tuned in late last year, and was almost late this year, but here I am!

Love-A-thon states:

 Now's the chance for all of us to get to commenting, following, tweeting, expressing gratitude and admiration, and so much more. Plus, there will be mini-challenges, two Twitter chats and a bunch of amazing giveaways!

If you're just now hearing about the Love-a-Thon, you can still sign up! Just visit this post and fill out the form. Then tweet Alexa at @alexalovesbooks, or shoot an email to bbloveathon@gmail.com, so you can be added to the official participant list in this post!

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An interview with...

me, Bonnie @ A Backwards Story!

How did you come up with your blog name?

I had seen something similar on a long list back when I still had a LiveJournal account and they began recycling unused usernames. I liked the name, but it didn't fit with anything. Later on when I was putting together my book blog, I remembered the use of the word "backwards" and spun it in a new way to create my blog name.

If I hadn't done that, I'd probably have gone with The Book Dealer. My former manager used to always call me that, and I think it would a really fun, catchy blog name...with a great silhouetted header to match!

What genre or subject matter do you read and review most on your blog?

I read more fantasy than I do anything else. I especially love high fantasy (Such as Tamora Pierce, Kristin Cashore, Rae Carson, etc.) 

I'm also a fan of fairy tale and mythological retellings. You probably already know this, since Misty from The Book Rat and I just announced this year's Fairy Tale Fortnight. (You have a lot of time to sign up to be a guest poster! Details!) 

Name five books you're excited for in 2015!

Narrowing it down will be HARD. Buuuuuuuut:

*WALK ON EARTH A STRANGER by Rae Carson. The cover just came out yesterday and MY HEART. I have been waiting for this book foreeeeeeeever!
*QUEEN OF SHADOWS by Sarah J. Maas. I must read everything ever by this author, especially when it's a highly-anticipated sequel!!!
*THE IMMORTAL HEIGHTS by Sherry Thomas. A cover came out this week for this novel, as well. Ahhh, the big finale!!!
*WINTER by Marissa Meyer. Another big finale! I'm hoping we get a cover relatively soon!
*ASH AND BRAMBLE by Sarah Prineas. Another fairy tale. Another book that had a cover reveal this past week. Another must read!!!

Here are five highly-anticipated 2015 reads that I've already read that you should be looking forward to because they're AMAZING:

*A COURT OF THORNS AND ROSES by Sarah J. Maas. There are STILL no words for how much I loved this book!
*THE ORPHAN QUEEN by Jodi Meadows. I love Jodi and her writing and this book is no exception. I cannot WAIT to see the cover in person!!!
*THE HEART OF BETRAYAL by Mary Pearson. THIS SEQUEL!!!! No spoilers, but ahh!!
*THE STORYSPINNER by Becky Wallace. I fiercely wanted this, and I'm proud to say it lives up to all expectations and more!
*THE START OF ME AND YOU by Emery Lord. Not in the same vein as OPEN ROAD SUMMER, but this is one I can even recommend to younger teens!

See? Totally a fantasy girl! ^.~

Where in the world are you blogging from?

Pennsylvania. I'm close to Philly, though I sadly know how to navigate NYC better than I do my own local city!

Tell us -- how did you get into blogging in the first place?

I had a lot of friends who would ask what I was reading and what I thought about said book. I got sick of restating my opinion and decided to blog.

The first year, I had less than ten followers and maybe 30 entries for the year. But it was just for me! My New Year's Resolution was to get serious about blogging...and look where I am now! I'm made so many fantastic friends, read some really great books, and really got into reading YA after "outgrowing" the genre for "adult novels!" I have found my heart through blogging!

Apart from reading, what other hobbies/interests do you have?

I love to write and would love to one day be published! My best ideas are, yep, fantasy, and I hope to work on a big project in May when two co-workers and I do our own personal NaNo!

I also love graphic design and fussing around in Photoshop. I can't draw, but I'm able to manipulate images together to form something new!

I also love to travel. I lived in Japan for two years and was bit pretty hard by the traveling bug. I haven't traveled much since returning to the States, but I hope to change that soon! My favorite local place to travel to is New York City. I like going there for author signings and to see various Broadway shows! (I love my musicals!)

If you were stuck on a deserted island, which books would you bring with you?

I would bring my nook because it has ALL THE BOOKS. Then I don't have to choose just a couple! I have enough books stockpiled on that sucker to last me a good long time! 

(Er...hopefully there's power...or, oh, they make those solar-powered bamboo charger thingies now, and also the Eton ones that you wind and charge, so there is that...!)

If you were stuck in some dangerous situation (like a fire, a sinking ship, a war zone), which book boy or girl would you want to come and save you?

Oh, hard question! Definitely a survivor. I really love Katniss from The Hunger Games trilogy and Tris from the Divergent trilogy. Those girls are survivors!

Then again, there's something to be said about a hot guy saving you and then becoming your own love interest!

You're at a party with your friends. Suddenly, the DJ changes the song and it's YOUR song -- what song would that be?

This would never play at a party, but one of my all-time favorite songs is "This is the Moment" from the musical Jekyll and Hyde. It can be taken 100% out of context and refer to anything in your life. It's a great motivational song for me! 

What other types of posts do you do on your blog, apart from reviews?

I have a semi-weekly Thursday feature entitled A Twist in the Tail that features reviews/news/interviews/etc. revolving around fairy tales, mythology, mermaids, book retellings, etc. I also sometimes participate in Top Ten Tuesdays and sometimes I do a Mad About Nails feature because I like nail polish! I always love having authors stop by to visit when promoting their new books, too, and love a good blog tour!

What’s an underrated book or series that you think everyone should read?

Last year, I really enjoyed FORBIDDEN by Kimberley Griffiths-Little. I really wish more people read/knew the Newsoul Trilogy by Jodi Meadows, and hope that she gets more attention this year after THE ORPHAN QUEEN debuts! Ummm, and more people need to read The Elemental Trilogy by Sherry Thomas because the final book is coming out this fall and there's nobody to talk to!

Favorite thing about the blogging community?

I really like the way everyone supports one another and gets so excited about sharing new books. I'm always getting exposed to new books and buying shiny new things because there's so much online buzz or someone I trust is gushing. I also love the way everyone comes together when there's a crisis to help out. There are a lot of caring people here, which can sometimes be overlooked when a few bad nuts create big situations. I hope there's less drama in our community this year than there was in 2014!

I'm excited to see who else is participating and what answers you've chosen!

Leave me a link so I can visit you this weekend!

If you're not participating, still feel free to join in on the discussion below!

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