BBAW Day 2: Spotlighting Leah at Amused By Books

September 13, 2011

Day 2 of Book Blogger Appreciation Week is for spotlighting fellow bloggers via a fantastic interview swap.

I was paired with Leah at Amused By Books who is awesome and has great taste in books and is an eclectic reader.

Leah, Amused By Books, Jennifer Weiner

Leah meeting Jennifer Weiner!

1. Leah, you have such a cool blog title, Amused By Books, how did you come up with the title?

First of all, thank you for the compliment! When I decided to start a blog (two years at ago at the end of this month!) I knew I wanted a catchy name but it didn’t immediately come to me. I remember for a couple of days writing down names as they sprung to mind and then mulling them over. However, when I hit upon Amused By Books I knew it was perfect for me. I didn’t want my blog to be super-serious. For me, I read in my leisure time as a way to escape and what I am mainly looking for is a book that amuses me, that I can get totally lost in. So the name fits perfectly!

2. What are a few books that have recently amused you?
Great question, because as book bloggers don’t we always love recommending our favorite reads to everyone?! This year, I have been working really hard at being both choosier with what I read (which for me, means not accepting every book that gets pitched to me for review) and also trying to read some books outside of my comfort zone. Some months this has been really successful and some months, not so much, but with each book I learn more what I do and don’t like to read which is always wonderful. But enough of that, unequivocally the books I would recommend people drop everything and read this year are Faith by Jennifer Haigh (this would be great for a book club to discuss!), There’s Cake in My Future by Kim Gruenenfelder (a fab chick-lit), and Small Wars by Sadie Jones (an amazing historical fiction book that has haunted me all year). Also, if you are looking for a great audiobook that is guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser, I recommend Bossypants by Tina Fey!
3. When you are not reading, what can you be found doing?
It’s always good to know that we do other things besides reading, huh! 🙂 During the week, I am your average working stiff, who can then be found going to the gym and hanging out with her boyfriend and her friends after work. On the weekend, I love to check out the local flea market for vintage finds for our home, trying new restaurants and taking in all of the wonderful things San Francisco has on offer (this can be festivals, food carts, museums, shows, etc. I love it all!). In a couple of weeks my boyfriend and I are travelling to Bali for the first time and I can not wait!
4. You are a very eclectic reader, which is SO awesome. If you could only read one genre for the rest of your life, what would you pick and why?
Well this is a difficult question! I do believe that variety is the spice of life but if I had to pick my ‘desert-island’ genre so to speak, it would have to be literary fiction. It is the most versatile and lends itself the most to making me want to discuss it with others which is always fun!
5. What is your favorite part of being a member of the book blogging community?
For me it’s definitely just that, the community! When I became a book blogger I had no idea how friendly everyone would be. One of the greatest things has been meeting my local ‘California Book Bloggers’ in person at many events, be it the LA Times Book Fair and various socials because these are the people that I have formed a definite bond with. Knowing a face behind the blog is always a great way to formalize real friendships. I also love the fact that events like BBAW bring people together for days at a time so that we can see just how many of us are out there and it’s a great way to get to know and celebrate each other more. I love it!
6. If you could travel anywhere, all expenses paid, where would you go and what books would you bring?

Ohh, a free vacation! Sign me up 🙂 I have always wanted to go to Australia. For some reason it seems like a fabulously inviting country. When I travel, easy books are what I bring, and for me, easy, beach reads mean chick-lit! I can just sit back, hold my cocktail and let the ridiculous romps begin!

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April (Books&Wine)

April is in her 30s and created Good Books And Good Wine. She works for a non-profit. April always has a book on hand. In her free time she can be found binge watching The Office with her husband and toddler, spending way too much time on Pinterest or exploring her neighborhood.
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About April (Books&Wine)

April is in her 30s and created Good Books And Good Wine. She works for a non-profit. April always has a book on hand. In her free time she can be found binge watching The Office with her husband and toddler, spending way too much time on Pinterest or exploring her neighborhood.

Comments

  1. Amused says
    September 13, 2011 at 10:44 am

    Thanks for interviewing me! It was such a fun experience!

  2. Stephanie says
    September 13, 2011 at 11:55 am

    I love Leah’s blog. I am definitely interested in reading Faith, so I am glad she liked it so much.

  3. Erin says
    September 13, 2011 at 2:07 pm

    I’m currently waiting for Bossypants on audio to come in at the library! I’d love to visit Australia, too. Nice interview!

  4. Florinda says
    September 13, 2011 at 5:18 pm

    As one of Leah’s fellow members of the California Book Blogger Brigade, I’ve enjoyed getting to know her and her blog. This was a fun interview!

  5. Anna says
    September 15, 2011 at 8:45 pm

    I love Leah’s blog, so I enjoyed getting to know more about her. Small Wars is one of my favorites from this year, too.