Welcome to Day 2 of Book Blogger Appreciation Week! Today, I’m interviewing Annabel from Annabel’s House of Books. Annabel’s blog is new-to-me, so I’m going to let her do most of the talking here:
1. Tell us a little about yourself and one thing that makes you unique.
I know I’m not the only scientist that writes a book blog, but I don’t know many of us. (Materials Science by the way – a mix of chem/phys/eng applied to the properties of stuff). I’ve been a voracious reader since childhood, and could have gone the arts route, but my pragmatic and curious scientific side won out career wise. I worked for a chemical giant for years, but now work in a school as lab technician, supporting science lessons.
2. Tell us a little about your blog and one thing that makes it unique.
I hope my USP is variety – I think I read a wider variety of books than virtually anyone else I know – from Westerns to Biographies, spy thrillers to prize-winning literature. I will try reading virtually anything except schlocky romances.
3. What are you favorite things to see in books?
I’m a big fan of hardbacks, or posh paperbacks with French flaps.
4. What are some of your bookish pet peeves?
When you buy a second-hand book which is advertised as Very Good but doesn’t meet the condition guidelines. My biggest peeve is cracked spines on paperbacks and too often books are misdescribed and have cracked spines and not mentioned.
5. What’s your Harry Potter house?
When I last did the Pottermore test, I came out as Gryffindor, but they’ve changed it recently… I must have another go. [Amanda’s note: Later, Annabel informed me that the new Pottermore test put her in Ravenclaw!]
6. If you were to dress up as a fictional character, any fictional character, which would it be?
I’ve done Hermione Grainger for World Book Day at school before. I knitted a scarf in Gryffindor colours and have a black robe. More fun would be Bellatrix Lestrange with wild hair! [Amanda’s note: This is frickin’ awesome and I wish I had a picture!!!]
7. Have you ever gotten to meet up with fellow book bloggers? What would be your dream blogger meetup?
Apart from my own blog, I co-edit a quarterly literary mag called Shiny New Books – with three other book bloggers. The day we finally got together in person after Skyping was lovely – We had afternoon tea at the Wolsey (posh eatery in the West End). We’ve had a couple of larger book-blogger meet-ups before which went OK. I often meet a few blogging friends at publishers dos in London though. It would be lovely to arrange a UK book-bloggers meet again.
8. What are some of your non-bookish interests?
Obviously my daughter comes first, then the cats. I love films, theatre and art – but don’t get to go out enough. I’m a bit of a quiz fiend – very competitive when I get the chance!
9. Name a book (or two) that you’d readily recommend.
Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes – simply wonderful thought-provoking SF with a very human heart. The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey and The Girl with Glass Feet by Ali Shaw – both have fairy-tale aspects seamlessly wound into wonderful stories.
(Annabel’s five-star books!)
10. Name a blog (or two) that you’d readily recommend.
A Life in Books, Kaggsy’s Bookish Ramblings, The Age of Uncertainty, Lonesome Reader, Elle Thinks
Thanks so much for talking with me, Annabel – and it’s wonderful to meet you!
The Zen Leaf 
I adored Snow Child but I haven’t read Girl with the Glass Feet. Must investigate.
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Ali Shaw is just brilliant. His third book The Trees is out next month and I’m reading it now – it’s very, very good!
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Annabel’s blog is new to me too – I love the sound of so much variety in reading material.
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And your pet peeve is why I do not check out from the library or order 2ndn books, I could not irritate myself like that.
It would be fun to meet up with some bloggers.
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I remember going on a public speaking course many years ago, and one of the exercises was to talk about our pet peeve – and even then, mine was lending books to spinebreakers – and I used some phone directories to bring my rant home!
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“I’m a big fan of hardbacks, or posh paperbacks with French flaps.” YES!
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Welcome to Ravenclaw, my friend!
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I have met a few other bloggers and had such a good time doing it. And I don’t like cracked spines either. In fact, for me, books should remain pristine, always. I know. Unrealistic. LOL
Nice interview!!
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I know I can think of a few other bloggers who are scientists! We have a vet, if that counts? I remember commenting on her blog yesterday to shriek about how much we both love James Herriot. And Nicki of Fyrefly’s Book Blog is definitely a scientist.
Cracked spines YES. One time when we were kids, my older sister borrowed my copy of The Lives of Christopher Chant and completely cracked the spine, like all the way through to the pages, and I have sort of never forgiven her.
(I have forgiven her.)
(Sort of I guess. She was, like, not at all sorry.)
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Excellent news – there must be loads of scientific book-bloggers!
My late mum was a spinebreaker until I told her I’d never lend her my books again and she got the point! All books lent returned pristine from then on 🙂
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I have The Snow Child sitting on my desk from the library. I’m so glad to hear that you loved it, Annabel!
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It was my book of the year a couple of years ago when it first came out. Her second novel is out this summer – can’t wait.
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I was originally a Ravenclaw but was resorted into Gryffindor. We must have swapped places. 😉 Happy to meet you!
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*warm happy feelings at all the love going on between bloggers here*
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I read Flowers for Algernon over thirty years ago! I hardly remember it. Maybe I’m due for a reread. Nice to get to know you a bit Annabel!
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