It’s officially time to kick-off the most exciting event of the month! Bring out the confetti because Love-A-Thon is here! I’m so honoured to be co-hosting this event with Alexa of Alexa Loves Books, Cee of The Novel Hermit and Mel of The Daily Prophecy. I hope y’all are ready for all the fun, all the love and all the books you could possibly win. Bookish communities- the blogosphere, booktube and bookstagram are uniting to spread positivity and it’s gonna be amazing!
To start, we’re answering the interview questionnaire as an introduction and to get to know all our fabulous participants. My answers are below but we highly encourage everyone to check out responses from other participants. I can’t wait to find out more about you guys!
QUESTIONNAIRE
1. What’s your name?
Hazel. I have a second name but you’ll never get that out of me. ;) More about me + random facts.
2. Where in the world are you blogging from?
Manila, Philippines where it’s almost always summer-hot, unless it’s raining.
3. How did you get into blogging in the first place?
I started a personal blog on a different platform, Tumblr to be specific, but wanted a more established book blog. So I created one on WordPress.
4. How did you come up with your blog name?
Thinking about why I wanted to blog, it came to me. Stay Bookish And it’s just perfect. I’ve never wanted to change my blog name ever.
5. What genre do you read and review the most on your blog?
I’m a contemporary gal, always have been. I rarely review other genres.
6. What other types of posts do you do on your blog, apart from reviews?
In my two years of blogging, I realize I come up with a variety of content but I’m very random. I share quotes, discussions, tips, soundtracks, recaps, photography, and pretty much whatever I feel like. I like to keep my focus on books and blogging but sometimes I talk about my life too.
7. Best blogging experience so far?
Last year’s BEA for sure! And speaking at the Blogger’s conference and on a panel workshop at my local bookstore.
8. Favorite thing about the blogging community?
The connection between all of us. It is very real (though everything began online) and I realized that when I met up IRL with fellow bloggers locally or elsewhere. It’s just amazing!
9. Name the 5 books you’re most excited for this 2016!
I’m excited for the upcoming releases of some of my most favourite contemporary romance authors: When We Collided, P.S. I Like You and The Unexpected Everything. I’m also looking forward to a lot of debuts but most especially The Girl Who Fell and The Way Back To You!
10. Name the 5 books you want to read this 2016 that you didn’t get to in previous years!
Six Of Crows, All The Rage, Making Pretty, Vengeance Road, Extraordinary Means. I know- why haven’t I read them yet? Definitely this 2016!
11. What’s an underrated book or series that you think everyone should read?
I wish everyone would read Melissa Keil’s books! They’re wonderful!
12. Which book boy or girl would be your book BFF?
I’d like to BFFs with Maggie from The One Thing. Maybe then I can have some of her sass.
13. Which book boy or girl would be your book boyfriend/girlfriend?
In a well-ordered universe, Frank Porter of course. <3
14. Who would you recruit for your apocalypse squad?
The Throne of Glass gang! Celaena, Aedion, Rowan, Dorian, Chaol. When I read Queen of Shadows, I knew I wanted to be amongst these characters should the world come to their end. They would not go down without an EPIC fight.
15. Apart from reading, what are your other hobbies or interests?
Photography, design, writing, travel.
16. Apart from book shopping, what else do you like shopping for?
Notebooks & Journals! And if you follow my Book in my Bag feature, you’ll know I love cute bags too!
17. At a party, the DJ suddenly changes the song – and it’s your song. What song would be playing?
Midnight by M83. The line ‘Look and see her eyes, they glow’ just speaks to me! Whenever I put this song on, I always turn up the volume.
18. Pick out either a book you want turned into a film/TV show, or a film/TV show you want turned into a book.
Can someone write Jane The Virgin into book form please? Love that show.
19. What would your dream library look like?
I have Pinterest board for that!
Follow Stay Bookish’s board Book Shelf Love on Pinterest.
20. Author you want to meet and sit down to tea with?
Jandy Nelson. I would love to ask her all about her writing process and how she comes up with such beautiful and amazingly unforgettable characters and romance. You know, while sipping tea with utter sophistication.
Love-a-Thon Participants
Updated as of Feb 21, 12pm EST.
Giveaway
Many thanks to our generous sponsors for donating prizes. Best of luck to everyone entering the giveaways!
US ONLY GIVEAWAY
prize pack consists of:
Winterspell by Claire LeGrand
Cabinet of Curiosities by Claire LeGrand
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
Finding the Worm by Mark Goldblatt
Stone Field by Christy Lenzi (ARC)
Where You’ll Find Me by Natasha Friend (ARC)
Underwater by Marisa Reichardt (ARC)
INTERNATIONAL GIVEAWAY
prize pack consists of:
The Manifesto on How to Be Interesting by Holly Bourne
How Hard Can Love Be? by Holly Bourne
Soulmates by Holly Bourne
Cassidy’s Guide to Everyday Etiquette by Sue Stauffacher
Stone Field by Christy Lenzi (ARC)
Where You’ll Find Me by Natasha Friend (ARC)
Underwater by Marisa Reichardt (ARC)
Join Us
Sign-ups will be open until midday of the 21st. Join us celebrate the love for the bookish community!
28 Responses
I was just looking at how many contemporaries I’ve read over the last year and a half-ish and I’ve only read about 11! So it’s funny to see the difference between reading styles because I looooove fantasy!
Also, I am a bag lady, too. Too many pretty bags in the world to not want to collect!
I’m so excited to be co-hosting with you, Hazel! It’s gonna be fun! You definitely have to read Six of Crows, that entire crew is just—I have so much love for them. ~FEEEELS CENTRAL. (And I don’t use that term lightly. ;)))) )
Although I haven’t read the Throne of Glass series (I know I should!), I know they’re all just so badass, and they’re a crew that’s a force to be reckon with.
I have Rowan on my apocalypse squad too but I switched up the rest of my gang. I want to read a lot more contemporary this year. I love it but I’ve been putting it aside a lot for fantasy over the past year and want to start picking up more of my unread contemp books!
I love your dream library photos!!
I am hoping to read All the Rage too but I’m nervous because of how strong it is. I recently read Since You’ve Been Gone so I get Frank Porter’s appeal. *_*
I really need to watch Jane The Virgin. Also, that pinterest board is the best. I can’t decide which bookshelf is better!
This is what I said about the blogging community and it def applies for the book community- “We’ve all been through difficult experiences and to be in a community which collectively puts a blanket around each other and insists that “you are someone worth meeting”, is a boost.”
yay for the contemporary love!! your frank porter reference made me SQUEAL LIKE A KITTEN. in a well-ordered universe, there would be a frank porter for all of us ;) you must must MUST read six of crows! choosing the TOG gang for your apocalypse crew is probably the best idea because THEY ARE SO EPIC. i love reading your answers, and the pinterest board makes me go all *heart eyes*
Thank you for doing the #LoveAThon. This is what I love most about the book community that everyone wants to get to know each other and share a little love. This is truly a group I am proud to belong to and can’t wait to get to know you all better <3
I love contemporary books too! It’s my second favorite genre. ;) Yay for journals/notebooks hoarding! Don’t you just love how awesome and pretty they look, especially when they are book-themed? However, I always hesitate to write in them since I feel each one should only have special things written in them. Naturally, most of the ones I own are still blank, but I’m sure they will be written in soon.
The Throne of Glass squad is an epic one. You are all set for the Apocalypse! ;D
I am super excited to be participating in Love-A-Thon. This will be my first book blog event! I really enjoyed Six of Crows, and I hope you do too when you get the chance to read it.
Your library photo choices are beautiful. I wish I had a library that looked even a little bit like those :D
And your choice for apocalypse gang is spot on. I’m still on book #3 in that series, but I am definitely enjoying them.
Hi, Hazel! I really love dropping in on book blogs by Filipinos. :)
I tend to avoid contemporaries, so I only read a few. I think it was because I was reading a lot of those in High School. Right now, I prefer fantasy, sci-fi, and dystopia.
I am so excited for Love-a-Thon!!! It seems even bigger than last year! And thanks for hosting! <33
BEA must have been epic! I am looking forward to going myself!!! Hope you can come as well! :)
YOU SHOULD READ SIX OF CROWS!!! That book is absolutely glorious! I am sure you'll love it!
And the TOG gang would make a perfect squad! Though if it were me, I would try to make passes at Chaol! :P
YAASS FRANK PORTER <33 Can we all have our own Frank? I'm planning to read Six of Crows too this year! Everyone's been ranting about it and here I am didn't understand a thing xD I love contemporary too, there's just something sweet about it <3
I am a contemporary girl too! I do like to read others, but I always end up reading more contemp than anything else! I am excited for P.S. I Like You, The Unexpected Everything, and When We Collided too. I recently read Six of Crows and liked it. Vengeance Road was SO good. I LOVE Midnight City. Such an awesome song!
I am really excited for this Love-A-Thon. I’m looking forward to meating new bloggers (since I’m the new blogger myself).
Omg, I like all those libraries on your Pinterest!! They’re just… amazing!
You are such a queen! You know I love you, Hazel <3
I love unique review posts. The ones where they match outfits, makeup, songs, etc. with the books. Playlists for books are another favorite of mine. You also get to see more books at one time.
Manila sounds like THE place for me. Always sunny, hell yes!
If I think about you, I think Stay bookish. It’s such a perfect name, no wonder you never want to change it.
Love your library board. Dying with how much I want a library like that. Contemporary is my second most read genre – but it is pretty close to my favorite which is Fantasy. Sometimes I get sick of one or the other so I switch. I also love buying bags!
Thanks so much for hosting, Hazel! This is a very cool event and something I’d definitely love to participate in again.
I’ve seen P.S. I Like You show up on several people’s posts today…I’ll have to check it out!
I have a dream house and a dream garden board and even though I have 5-6 book related boards, I still haven’t started a dream library board! I’m going to have to fix that soon!
One thing I love most about the bookish community is having a place where I can share my love for books with people who enjoy them just as much as I do!
YOU MUST READ SIX OF CROWS BECAUSE IT IS AMAZING!
Ahem. Now that I’ve regained my composure over that… I was so happy we got a chance to meet and hang out in person last year! That was super fun, and I hope we get to do it again sometime. I loved reading your questionnaire answers (and definitely think the TOG gang would make an excellent apocalypse squad).
Hi Hazel!
I’ve enjoyed reading your answers! LOVE your apocalypse squad!!! They definitely would be a great team to have! :D
I’ve only read one book from your 5 that you missed, Vengeance Road. I LOVED it! I hope you enjoy reading it. I NEED to read Six of Crows and All the Rage too. (I even have copies of both of them. I should also read them this year, I am really looking forward to Six of Crows since so many loved it and I like Leigh Bardugo.) I hope you love all the books you picked.
I LOVE BAGS. I should have thought to put that answer in my questionnaire. I love buying tote bags and purses. I have a ton, yet not enough. :D
Great post!
Stephanie @ My Bookish Itinerary
I love how many contemporaries you read! I really want to start getting back into them, they are such wonderful styles of writing to them! I miss them! That Pinterest board!? So following that soon, started drooling about a future house that needs a room like these!
Your library pinterest board is GORGEOUS!!!! I’m excited to follow your blog and see what other great stuff you have to share.
OMG Hello fellow Jane fan. I’m literally part of trio who all love Jane the Virgin. What do you think about the latest developments? Also ships?
Is to meet other people who loves to read books. It’s a struggle to me to chat with my friends in IRL about books stuffs because they didn’t read.
Hi Hazel! I love your dream library pinterest board!
Looking at your Pinterest board, my eyes might just puke rainbows because I do love them all! And I do agree with you, there’s really something amazing when it comes to bookish connections. I love that it’s easy to start with and easier to maintain and that’s what I love about this community! I also love the fact that everyone’s got your back everytime. So yeah, I got your back, Hazel! <3