Sally from Always Lost in Stories (Celebrating British Bloggers)

 Hello! Another week, another fantastic interview with a British blogger. I really do love interviewing such interesting people, I hope everyone's meeting some new people!  Today, it is my pleasure to have Sally from Always Lost in Stories on the blog today.

There are always some great reviews on Sally's blog, and she has her own Best of the Bunch feature that you guys should really check out. If you don't already follow Always Lost in Stories or follow Sally on Twitter, you really should. Here are the links you need:

Always Lost in Stories ... Sally on Twitter 

First, can you tell me something about yourself and your blog?
 

Hi, I'm Sally, I'm 30 years old and I love reading YA paranormal fiction. My blog is my outlet for when I want to squee over the latest release, or share my voice in recommending a really great book. I don't know anybody in real life who read the same kinds of books that I do, and I love finding people online who share the same excitement about the same books as me. There is such a wonderful sense of community in the blogosphere. I have gotten so many recommendations from other bloggers, and joined in so many discussions about books, blogging and reading- I just love it!

My blog is called Always Lost in Stories, and I started blogging in January of 2011. I try to post at least 2 book reviews a week (but this varies according to what I have time and energy to write). It's fun, light-hearted, honest, and mainly focused on YA fiction. Every month I host a meme called  Best of the Bunch, where we can sum up all the books we read/ reviewed that month and give an award to the one which was our favourite of the month. I put up my post on the last day of every month but you can add your linky any time in the following month. I love visiting all the blogs and seeing (especially if people rate a lot of books four or five stars) which books are the real gems.

Go here to find out more and grab the button and stickers-

http://www.alwayslostinstories.blogspot.co.uk/p/best-of-bunch.html

How did you begin being a book blogger?

It was kind of by accident! I was on Goodreads for a year before I set up my blog, reading and writing reviews, and I kept following people who read lots of the same books as me, to get new recommendations. Over time I noticed that a lot of these people had a website address on their profile, so I kept reading their blogs as well. I had absolutely no clue about blogging, or the sheer number of book blogs that are out there (I originally just stumbled across one or two).
Then I saw a little link at the top of the blogs that said "Create Blog" and I clicked on it out of sheer curiosity- just to see how easy it was, and I started to set up my own. Over the next week I was obsessed with adding new gadgets to the sidebars, changing all the colours and fonts trying to make it look pretty and adding my reviews to my shiny new website. I got really into it- found a bunch of other book blogs to read and follow, and even got my first follower. I never expected it to go so far, or that I would enjoy it so much, and it just snowballed!

When you're not reading or blogging, what do you do with yourself?

I work full-time for a public library, where I'm in charge of the childrens stock, do storytimes, book clubs, events etc. as well as the humdrum of issues, shelving, requests, and enquiries. After getting in at 6pm after being on my feet all day I don't always have a lot of energy to do anything else other than get dinner and flop on the sofa! 
I did take up running briefly in the summer, and think I'd like to get back into that again.
I go to the cinema a lot, and up to London to see theatre shows whenever I can- I luuurve musicals!
Aside from that I'm pretty boring! I like to watch TV, mess about on the internet, and spend time with friends and family.

What was the first book you reviewed on your blog?

Firelight by Sophie Jordan.

What has been the best experience of being a book blogger so far?

An author contacted me to ask if she could use a quote from my review of her book on the new paperback edition. I was so thrilled! My name is in print- what an honour!
(If you want to look it up, it is The Legend of Witchtrot Road by E.J Stevens)

You can do it, what is your absolute favourite book?

I can't do it! I could try to narrow it down-

Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman

Poison Study by Maria Snyder

Harry Potter- J.K Rowling

His Dark Materials series by Phillip Pullman

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Stolen by Lucy Christopher

(Phew, that was hard! And there are so many contemporary books I love that I haven't mentioned...)

If you could be best friends with any fictional character, who would you choose?

I think Rose from the Vampire Academy series. She is fiercely loyal, totally kick-ass and really funny too. 

Name your top 5 UK book bloggers!

Jodie from Books for Company. She is so lovely and has supported my blog right from the beginning. She even lends me her books!

Mel from Mel's Random Reviews- again, such a lovely person, and she always leaves me such nice comments on my reviews.

Sophie from So Many Books, So Little Time- A great UK blogger

Emma from Book Angel Booktopia- Emma seems to be in touch with everyone on the blogosphere! Her blog is awesome and I love reading her Debut Drool lists. 

Stephanie at Stepping Out of the Page- her blog is so cute and her reviews are so fun to read. 

If you could meet your favourite author, who would you like to meet?

I would love to meet Terry Pratchett or J.K Rowling

What would you like to see more of or less of in YA?

More university age/ late teens maybe.

Also, I just finished and loved Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan- I would love to read more books set in the English countryside.
I hate insta-love situations! And so many books start with a character moving to a new school- this is getting tired now. 

And finally, who is your ultimate book crush?

Um... this is tricky because there are quite a few... but it's also awkward because I read Teen books so most of them are actually half my age!

Off the top of my head...

Jay from The Body Finder series

Barrons from the Fever series

Alex from the Delirium series


Thank you so much Sally! What great answers, I love Jay and Alex. I would LOOOVE to meet Terry Pratchett, and I love how difficult you found it to narrow your list of favourites down :) 

 What do you guys think?  Would you like to meet JK Rowling or Terry Pratchett?  Is Jay, Barrons, or Alex your top crush? Do you think Rose from Vampire Academy would make for an excellent best friend? Let Sally and I know in comments!