Better Know A Blogger: Ann - Annabell's Book Nook

Today's featured Better Know A Blogger is Ann! Another new blog discovery for me.

Introduce yourself! Hello! I'm Ann. I'm 24 years old and live in Minnesota. The winters get too cold to do anything but read! Even though I hate the cold, I love all the time to read (and I actually am looking forward to winter because of that, but don't tell anyone else that!) I work at a school, and actually work specifically in a reading program, so my life is reading! I like many genres, but tend to read in the same genre for a while before moving onto another one.

What is the name of your blog? How did you pick your blog’s name? Annabell's Book Nook. It took me forever to come up with a blog name. When I first started all of this, I figured out all of the buttons and everything really easily, but picking a blog name was difficult! I knew it would be something I would be stuck with, so I made it simple.

Karen: Naming the blog seems to be the hardest part I think. Like you said, you're stuck with it once you pick.

How long have you been blogging? I have been blogging since January 2011. Actually, I think it was January 1st specifically. It had nothing to do with New Years or resolutions, it just had to do with me having Christmas Break off from work and wanting to try something new!

How do you measure blogging success? Is it strictly number of followers or something more? I measure my success by both the number of followers and the number of comments I receive. Certain posts (such as In My Mailbox), ALWAYS receive comments, whereas other posts do not receive any. I guess the comments would measure that specific blog post's success.

What genres/subgenres do you review, and what do you like best about those genres? I usually review YA, historical romance, and chick lit. I like YA because I can still pretend that I am 15 without a care in the world. :) I enjoy historical romance because I would love to live in those time periods when people behaved completely differently than they do now! I would very much enjoy a man behaving like a man in those days. And finally, chick lit I like because I can relate to some of it, but most if it is about somewhere I would like to be in my life.

What are you reading right now? I am rereading The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. I read all 4 books in high school and loved them, although I don't remember most of it. I found the whole set at a second hand store and had to buy them. It has been a year now that I have had them, and I finally have a reason to read them...I now have Sisterhood Everlasting and feel like I need to read the first 4 before I get into that one!

Do you use social media to promote your blog or discuss reading/blogging? (include links to Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, etc) I actually do not use social media at all to promote my blog. I do use goodreads and post reviews there as well, but I don't think I have ever even mentioned my blog on there. I don't promote my blog on facebook (and I don't have twitter) for a reason. I really enjoy keeping my blogging life separate from my real life. I don't know why, but I like coming to my blog and having a community that really enjoys reading as much as I do.

Where is your favorite place to read? My favorite place to read is Caribou Coffee! I love relaxing there, but I usually don't concentrate on my book. I am such a people watcher, so any time I hear that door ding, I am looking up to see who it is! I just have to remember to bring a sweatshirt or jacket, even in the summer, because it is always freezing in there after you sit for 15 minutes!

Karen: I can't read in public. I've tried reading on the plane or in a park but I get to distracted by the people around me. I'm a people watcher too.

What are your ideal reading conditions? I like it quiet when I am reading at my house, but when I am at a coffee shop, the noise doesn't bother me. I can zone into my book. The biggest thing for me is the temperature! I have to be warm. I love getting into a sweatshirt and comfy pants and just relaxing with a book!

What are the top 5 books in your TBR (To Be read) pile?
Never Have I Ever - Sara Shepard (just bought it tonight and will probably read the whole thing tomorrow after work)

Sisterhood Everlasting - Ann Brashares

Trial by Fire - Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Hereafter - Tara Hudson

Overbite - Meg Cabot

Obligatory controversial question: Love triangles! Love ‘em or hate ‘em, and why? In my life, I hate them! In a book, I love them! I love it when a book has me thinking about which person she (or he) should choose. I guess I think some books need them to keep them interesting enough. So really, I love a book that doesn't require a love triangle to keep the romance part interesting!

What has been the best thing about blogging and reviewing books? Meeting new people! I love talking with people who love reading and blogging. I can't talk books outside of the internet as much as I'd like to. I feel like on here, it feels like I am sitting with someone having a cup of coffee and just talking about books! Man I would love that!

Karen: Most of us don't have friends or family that understand our obsession so blogging is like having one big instant family to talk to. It is such a great and supportive community.

Thanks for stopping by Ann! Be sure to visit Anna's blog and check out her cover crazy post for Hunting Lila!