Bookaholic Bex - our blog about their blog

Bookaholic Bex

Blog Name: Bookaholic Bex

 

Blog Link: Bookaholic Bex – Books, more books and nothing but the books (wordpress.com)

 

Social Media: Twitter: @bexbookaholic

A little introduction:

Hi everyone - my name is Bex and I am a Bookaholic… just in case you didn’t pick that up from my name! I am a 40 something female from the south of the UK with a serious addiction to all things literary.  Whilst my day job is entirely un-book related, I have a number of side hustles including proof reading, editing, running an online book club and supporting a new publishing house called Footnote as a reader. (I feel like at this point I should say something about what I get up to when I am not reading, but I made myself laugh at the idea that there is life beyond books!)

What made you start blogging?

I had thought about it for years but never had the courage to actually start.  I spoke to a colleague about it and she was so enthusiastic and supportive (plus kept coming into my office each day to ask if I had started yet) that I finally put metaphorical pen to paper.  I love talking about books but I do sometimes digress into other areas of interest, particularly mental health.  I have experienced panic attacks since I was a very small child, so it’s something that is very close to my heart.

What genres do you blog about?

I will blog about anything and everything.  My reading taste is quite varied, from fiction to non-fiction, literary stuff to crime and occasional chick-lit.  I try to be open-minded and have a weird foible where I always finish a book even if I am not enjoying it – who knows if the ending will blow me away even if the start and middle haven’t been my thing?

What are your favourite books?

This is a cruel question, like asking someone who their favourite child is!  My answer to this would probably vary depending on the day, month and how I am feeling. Right now my answer is Pride and Prejudice (I did my dissertation on Jane Austen so we are basically now besties), A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth (eagerly anticipating the sequel) and Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart.  I haven’t actually finished reading the latter (200 pages to go – no spoilers!) but I am utterly captivated.  I fear it is going to break my heart… 

What are your 3 top reads from the last year?

Apart from Shuggie, I think I would have to pick Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell and Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead.  Although flicking through the list of things I have read this year, there are some real gems and this is a tough decision.  Can I have a top 100 please rather than just 3?

Which part of having the blog do you love the most?

Meeting all the incredible folk on #booktwitter – I have made some amazing friends and read books I would never have found out about without their help. It truly is the most supportive community and I am grateful to have found my tribe. 

Where did the blog name come from?

My sister and I spent an entertaining evening messaging ideas back and forth that got more and more inappropriate as time went on!  Whilst I was tempted to choose “The Joy of Bex”, I was concerned people might expect it to be a totally different kind of blog (the closest I got to talking about sex was reviewing 50 Shades of Grey) and ultimately I liked the alliteration of Bookaholic Bex.  The name has stuck and I love how confused my postwoman gets when she delivers a parcel to that name!

What do you love most about books?

It might be quicker to explain what I don’t love about them – nothing!  However if pushed I would say I love the fact two people can read the same book at the same time and experience it in totally different ways, because we all bring our own experiences to what we consume.  In fact the same person can read a novel twice and react completely differently depending on where they are in their life.  That’s pretty awesome, no?