Ally
Q.1 Please introduce yourself - Where
are you from? How long have you been blogging? What’s the name of your blog?
What made you decide to start a book blog?
A. Hello, my name is Ally. I’m 22 years old. I currently live in Kazakhstan but will
be moving to either Qatar or Germany pretty soon. I’ve been a blogger since September
2017, so it’s been what? A bit over two years? My blog is called Bookish Hamster
Reviews. I have this hamster theme all over my social media, so you’ll find me
anywhere under Bookish Hamster, even YouTube.
Before I started my own blog, I was
watching a lot of Christine’s (polandbananasbooks) videos on BookTube. I wasn’t
much of a reader back then, but she inspired me to read and write so I
eventually ended up with my own blog and nothing to do. I decided to browse
Smashwords for free books and stumbled upon The Face You See by Amelia Legend.
This book truly did wonders, I fell in love with it, and so I wrote my first
ever review. The Face You See turned me into a bookaholic and helped me
overcome my own problems. Now I always have a book with me; I have a book blog,
a Bookstagram, and a BookTube channel.
Q.2 What is your favorite genre and
book?
A. My favorite genre would probably
be Romance. But I don’t mean the romance books you see with half-naked guys on
the covers, although I do read, and enjoy those too. I mean Fantasy Romance,
Paranormal Romance, Contemporary Romance - that kind of Romance.
I can name only one book as my
favorite? Rude! I’d probably have to go with the Vampire Academy series by
Richelle Mead, with my favorite being Frostbite, the second book in the
series. I really recommend those books if you haven’t read them. I re-read this
series every year, and always find something new in them. Love the growth of the
characters and the relationships between them.
Q.3 What’s one piece of advice do you
wish you’d had when you first started book blogging?
A. That Rome wasn’t built in a day?
Haha, no seriously, it took me quite a while to understand that a blog needs
time and work. And consistency, which I’m lacking in every social media.
Q.4 What piece of advice you would
like to give to other bloggers?
A. Don’t give up, don’t get
discouraged. To get review requests (free books from authors) there is a ton of
lists of indie book reviewers, get into one, and you’ll have your reading
schedule planned out for a year in a few weeks. The best list for me is The
Indie View, I really recommend that one.
Q.5 How many books are actually on
your bookshelf/shelves right now?
A. Because I knew that I wouldn’t be
living in Kazakhstan forever, I kept my book stack small. I have
somewhere around 25 books. But my TBR is like over 200 books.
Which is normal, even little, for an avid reader.
Q.6 If you could be a character from
a book for just one day who would you be and why?
A. I would probably choose Jewel from
Acceptance by Trish Beninato (self-published). Jewel has the best, funniest,
and most awesome boyfriend ever. I fangirl every time I think about him, and my
stomach does the flip-flop! Plus he’s smart and strong, and mmmm YUM!
Q.7 Is blogging your profession or
just a hobby? Does your family support you? What’s their take on this?
A. Blogging is just a hobby, but my
profession was inspired by it. I am a fiction book editor. Yes, my family is quite happy that I
found my calling, and supports me every way they can.
Q.8 What do you think is the best
strategy for getting more visitors to a blog?
A. Don’t forget about tags when you
post. Post frequently. Do interviews, spotlights, and stuff like that with
authors, that will give you, and them, more exposure.
Q.9 What are the top 3
characteristics you look for in a good book?
A. At least some sort of originality, fast pacing, and probably characters I can drool over.
Q.10 What are your favorite Instagram/Bookstagram/Booktuber
accounts?
A. In Bookstagram I don’t really have
a favorite, my feed is beautiful and full of books, I love everyone I’m
following. In BookTube it’s easier: Christine from polandbananasbooks, Natasha from Tashapolis, Merphy Napier, Alexa Donne, Caz from Little Book Owl, and Katie Rivera.
A few words for our readers and Books Charming -
First of all, I want to thank Books Charming for having me here, this blog is beautiful and well done. As for the readers - Read. Read more than you have time to. Spare five minutes a day for reading. Escape to a world with magic, adventure, and personal growth. Books aren’t just for fun. They can be fun and good for your soul and mind. When you read fiction you grow with the characters. After every book you read, you see the world a bit differently.
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