Quick Note: I have updated the schedule for this series all the way through October 9th. If you are interested, you can find the full schedule under the “Sunday Morning Book Chats” tab at the top of my blog.

Hello everybody! This week is the seventh installment of my Sunday Morning Book Chats series, where every Sunday I chat with a different bookstagrammer about life and literature. This week’s guest is Freesia from @bookishreview, who is one of the first bookstagram accounts I discovered when I made my own account. She’s an absolutely lovely person, and her taste in books is wonderful. Without further ado, let’s get to the questions!

The General Questions

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself: where you’re from, how long you’ve been on bookstagram for, and what you like to do when you’re not reading books, photographing books, or just generally thinking about books.

I’m from Alaska, with some interesting detours like Las Vegas, and I’m now in Southern Oregon. I’ve been a Bookstagrammer for a little over a year. Hmmmmm….. I travel, quite a lot. I have tons of nieces that I spend time with and I volunteer at several places.

2. How did you discover the bookstagram community, and what you made you decide to start your own account?

I didn’t even know about it! I just wanted someplace to review my books and maybe talk about them and I take photos of everything and then I just stumbled on it. I had no idea it was a thing!

3. In all your time on bookstagram, are there any moments in particular that stand out to you or any experiences you’ve had because of bookstagram that you’re particularly grateful for?

I feel really grateful to have made real life friends from bookstagram. I’m older than some of the other people out there (44) so making friends online seems weird but it’s really awesome!

A Bit More Specific…

1. Are you the type of person who likes to read multiple books at a time, or do you like
to pick up one book and stick with it until you’ve finished it?

I generally have an audiobook in the car and a book but sometimes if I’m reading a difficult book I sneak in a quick read or a book of short stories.

2. What are you currently reading, and what books are you excited to start reading soon?

I’m finishing Bleak House by Charles Dickens, Sweetbitter by Stephanie Danler and Eleven Kinds of Loneliness by Richard Yates.

3. On a scale of 1-10, how intimidating is your TBR pile?

8?

4. Who are your go-to authors?

Jonathan Carroll, Joyce Carol Oates, Herman Koch, Jennifer Egan, Nick Bantock, Neil Gaiman, and Gabriel Garcia Marquez… for contemporary writers.

5. You’re hosting a tea party and you can invite three famous people, either living or dead. Who do you invite and why?

Neil Gaiman: no longer on the fringe.

I’m assuming writers? Neil Gaiman, how fun would he be? Oscar Wilde, how witty would he be? Daphne Du Maurier, I need to know more about Rebecca!

6. Let’s talk about reading slumps: do you get them, and if you do, how do you get yourself out of them?

I switch genres!

7. What are five books you think everyone should read and why?

In this book cover image released by Knopf, “A Visit from the Goon Squad,” by Jennifer Egan is shown. (AP Photo/Knopf)

• Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez – His writing is perfect. It’s as if your heart was able to write. So beautiful.
• The Turn of the Screw by Henry James – My favorite creepy story of all time!
• Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel – This was truly a revolutionary book and was written so well that it just made me weep. Even if you don’t love science fiction you will love this book.
• The Golden Compass by Phillip Pullman – These aren’t your ordinary YA books. I’m not even sure why that’s the classification but they deal with abstract concepts like religion in such an imaginative way. Brilliant.
• A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan – Such a unique voice in contemporary literature. She’s raw and edgy. Breaks all the rules.

8. I know how bookstagrammers love a good quote, particularly for the captions of their photos, so can you share one of your favorite quotes with us?

“I give myself very good advice, but I very seldom follow it.”  – Alice in Wonderland (Disney film)

Speed Round! What is your favorite…

Movie? Seriously??? Ah! Mildred Pierce.

Color? Blue.

Reading spot? Anywhere.

Song? Blackbird by The Beatles… fun fact, I have the chorus tattooed on my back.

Fictional character? Spock…. or Alice.. I’m complicated 🙂

Thank you so much for joining us on Sunday Morning Book Chats! Before you go, do you have any tips for anyone looking to start their own bookstagram account?

Yes! Be yourself!! There’s only one you and that’s the gift you have to give… paraphrasing Neil Gaiman.

A huge thank you to Freesia for joining us today! Make sure you check out her account over at @bookishreview and join us next week for an interview with Ankita from @thoughts_of_an_insomniac. 🙂