ACityofBooks: Sunshine Blogger Award 2.0

Didn't you just post this last month?
Yes, dear reader, I did.

The Rules:
1. Thank the person who nominated you in a blog post and link back to their blog.
2. Answer the 11 questions sent by that person who nominated you.
3. Nominate 11 new blogs to recieve the award and write 11 new questions.
4. List the rules and display the Sunshine Blogger Award logo in your post and/or on your blog.

The lovely Abby from AJ's Pages tagged me, a little while back (but, you know, Uni) - please, go check out her blog! She's absolutely wonderful!

1. Where is your ideal reading place?

In bed. Imagine this: its the middle of winter. You're curled into the corner crook, a quilt and throw wraps you into a burrito style, hot water bottle, pillows propping your neck, the sound of purring cats playing through your headphones, and a big chunky fantasy in your lap.

2. Does your environment affect the way you read, e.g. weather, noise, temperature?

Yes. If its too hot, I can't concentrate on a book at all and would rather watch a TV show instead. I tend to read more if its raining, or during the winter. When I'm at Uni, I will find it hard to find the time to read or if that's the flat really busy, I find it hard to try and read.

3. Where do you get most of your book recommendations?

Twitter? Or browsing the shelves of Waterstones. Or my University lecturers.

4. What are some tips you would like to give other book bloggers?

Be you. Yes, it's cliched and nothing new, but by just being "you", people will gravitate and get to know you through the things you say and how you say them.

5. If you could go back and speak to yourself while you were writing your first blog post, what would you say?

Don't stop.

6. Which books are you most excited to read this year?

This doesn't specify new releases, so I'll list a few books that I'm hoping to get to before the end of the year.

The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin
Twelve Kings by Bradley Beaulieu
Tarnished City by Vic James
Shadowplay by Laura Lam
Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik

7. If you could change one thing about the way you read, what would it be?

I used to be a tenacious reader, and could read for hours at a time... until I got into my teens and my mum started relying on me more to help out. Every ten-twenty minutes she would call for me and since then I've never been able to concentrate longer than half an hour at a time.

I would love to be able to get back to that place, where I could read for longer.

8. Do you prefer new releases or backlist books?

I get so stressed out by trying to keep up with upcoming releases and getting swept up by the hype of them, that its just easier to focus on my backlist and the books I know I will like.

9. Where do you acquire most of your books from?

I try to keep the amount of books I am requesting from publishers down to a minimum, and often to tend to buy my books physically from Waterstones. That's just because they had a good loyalty scheme for students (I used to get 10 points to every £1, that I spent), but they've changed it so I might see if there is any local indie stores I can support a little more often.

10. What's important to you that decides whether or not you pick up a book?

This is tricky. I guess if it comes highly reccommended by people who I trust and know that we have very similar reading tastes. I am a bit of a cover snob, I can't help it.

11. If you could invite any five characters to a house party, which would you invite?

I, both, absolutely love and hate this question. I had to restrain from just putting every literary cat I could remember, because, ew, house parties are not my thing.