Interview With Confessions Of Carlisa
Book blogging has increased significantly so far this year. Most say its their love for books that started this wondrous journey but I decided to interview a fellow book blogger, Confessions Of Carlisa to get her say of why she herself started book blogging. Along with other questions relating to blogging, books and reviews.
1. How long have you been blogging?
"I've been blogging since middle school or early high school...so for like six, seven years. That type of blogging was essentially just a sporadic journal that I published to the world whenever something interesting happened to me. It wasn't until January of this year that I start exclusively book blogging, and I've never looked back."
"I've been blogging since middle school or early high school...so for like six, seven years. That type of blogging was essentially just a sporadic journal that I published to the world whenever something interesting happened to me. It wasn't until January of this year that I start exclusively book blogging, and I've never looked back."
2. What do you like and dislike about blogging?
"Blogging has always been a way for me to express myself. And with book blogging, I'm writing about something I'm very passionate about. And people are listening and responding. And to me, that's just amazing.
What I dislike...hm...I wish I was a graphic designer, so I could make my blog as pretty as I imagine it. So that's not really disliking anything about blogging. I just wish graphic design and coding Wordpress themes was not as complicated as it is, lol."
"Blogging has always been a way for me to express myself. And with book blogging, I'm writing about something I'm very passionate about. And people are listening and responding. And to me, that's just amazing.
What I dislike...hm...I wish I was a graphic designer, so I could make my blog as pretty as I imagine it. So that's not really disliking anything about blogging. I just wish graphic design and coding Wordpress themes was not as complicated as it is, lol."
3. Do you have any tips for new bloggers?
"I'm really a new blogger myself! But one thing I've learned is not to go crazy on Netgalley. When I first heard of Netgalley, it seemed like a booklover's dream. But, alas, I ended up requesting a lot of books that I really had no desire to read when the time came. So now my Netgalley requests are very limited...and that's a good thing."
4. Why did you want to book blog as oppose to any kind of blogs?
"Like I said, I started out just doing a normal blog. I don't know if there's really a way to describe how I was blogging. Not lifestyle...because it was just my life. Anyways, my blog had no direction. And I wanted to write on it. I had that desire...but I didn't have things to write about. Until I started reviewing books and coming up with content related to that. And I've discovered that even if I'm a "book blogger," I can write about other things to. And people will listen."
5. Is there a book you found hard to review?
"So many books are hard to review. If I don't take notes, reviewing is very difficult for me unless I have a ton of things to say. And then most likely I'd have taken notes. One book recently was Me and Earl and the Dying Girl. I just really got annoyed with the narrator and the lack of a moral...but it was obvious that the author made the narrator annoying and unlikeable on purpose and that he didn't make a moral on purpose. It was very deliberate. So...that means the author did well, right? I didn't like the book but I wasn't supposed to like the book so that means it was written well and that means it was a good book. Right? I don't know. I ended up giving it 2.5 stars, but it was a struggle. You can read it here."
"I'm really a new blogger myself! But one thing I've learned is not to go crazy on Netgalley. When I first heard of Netgalley, it seemed like a booklover's dream. But, alas, I ended up requesting a lot of books that I really had no desire to read when the time came. So now my Netgalley requests are very limited...and that's a good thing."
4. Why did you want to book blog as oppose to any kind of blogs?
"Like I said, I started out just doing a normal blog. I don't know if there's really a way to describe how I was blogging. Not lifestyle...because it was just my life. Anyways, my blog had no direction. And I wanted to write on it. I had that desire...but I didn't have things to write about. Until I started reviewing books and coming up with content related to that. And I've discovered that even if I'm a "book blogger," I can write about other things to. And people will listen."
5. Is there a book you found hard to review?
"So many books are hard to review. If I don't take notes, reviewing is very difficult for me unless I have a ton of things to say. And then most likely I'd have taken notes. One book recently was Me and Earl and the Dying Girl. I just really got annoyed with the narrator and the lack of a moral...but it was obvious that the author made the narrator annoying and unlikeable on purpose and that he didn't make a moral on purpose. It was very deliberate. So...that means the author did well, right? I didn't like the book but I wasn't supposed to like the book so that means it was written well and that means it was a good book. Right? I don't know. I ended up giving it 2.5 stars, but it was a struggle. You can read it here."
6. Whats something that makes your reviews unique?
"I try to speak with my own voice. And I try not to let other people's reviews get in my head while I'm reviewing...because that would definitely affect my opinion. I don't know that I have anything super unique about my reviews. I don't set up them up the same every time. I just go with my gut. But I am an English major so I'm trained to critically analyze books...and sometimes I definitely do that with the books I'm reviewing. But, yeah. I'm still new, still trying to figure out my blog's identity in the giant world of book blogging. But I like to write them and I hope people like to read them."
"I try to speak with my own voice. And I try not to let other people's reviews get in my head while I'm reviewing...because that would definitely affect my opinion. I don't know that I have anything super unique about my reviews. I don't set up them up the same every time. I just go with my gut. But I am an English major so I'm trained to critically analyze books...and sometimes I definitely do that with the books I'm reviewing. But, yeah. I'm still new, still trying to figure out my blog's identity in the giant world of book blogging. But I like to write them and I hope people like to read them."
7. How long after you read a book do you review it?
"Normally I do it within a day. If I wait longer than that, I most likely won't write the review. That happened to me twice this past month with Cruel Beauty and The Winner's Curse. Both are enjoyable books and I had things to say...I just didn't write the review right after and then I started something else and lost my flame for that book."
"Normally I do it within a day. If I wait longer than that, I most likely won't write the review. That happened to me twice this past month with Cruel Beauty and The Winner's Curse. Both are enjoyable books and I had things to say...I just didn't write the review right after and then I started something else and lost my flame for that book."
8. Worst and best book you’ve reviewed?
"Worst: We Were Liars by E. Lockhart. I gave this a 2. Now, I'm thinking I was being too nice as it was one of my first book reviews...and it should have gotten a one. But this one was so hyped. People love it. And I just hated it. For many reasons. And I tried to find a redeeming quality, and I did in that the ending was unexpected. I didn't see it from the beginning. So I gave it a 2. But I just didn't like it. Here's the review.
Best: This is hard. Buuut, I'm gonna say The Night Circus. I think this was my second book reviewed on my blog but I. Loved. It. It enchanted me and it drew me in and it was just magical. And I want to read it again. So badly. But here's my review."
"Worst: We Were Liars by E. Lockhart. I gave this a 2. Now, I'm thinking I was being too nice as it was one of my first book reviews...and it should have gotten a one. But this one was so hyped. People love it. And I just hated it. For many reasons. And I tried to find a redeeming quality, and I did in that the ending was unexpected. I didn't see it from the beginning. So I gave it a 2. But I just didn't like it. Here's the review.
Best: This is hard. Buuut, I'm gonna say The Night Circus. I think this was my second book reviewed on my blog but I. Loved. It. It enchanted me and it drew me in and it was just magical. And I want to read it again. So badly. But here's my review."
And last but not least. About Carlisa.
9. What is your blog and all your other social media outlets?
My blog is Confessions of Carlisa.
You can follow me on Twitter or Instagram @carlisajc.
Or let's be friends on Goodreads here.
And you can see all the awesome things I'm pinning here.
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