Tell me about the person behind the blog?
I’m Gemma mostly known as mum. I’m 22 and live in a little town called Bacup in Lancashire.I’m currently a stay at home mother and cleaner to my little girl who is 2 and partner who is 24 but acts like he’s 2 also. I dont have many hobbies except reading and cleaning. My friends call my house the library and I often cancel plans just to stay in and read.
When did you start blogging and why?
I first started blogging because lets be honest being a stay at home mum can often be boring and lonely. So I decided to set up my blog (Between The Pages Book Club) and FB page to find friends and other books lovers while promoting some fantastic books through my reviews. My blog will be 1 on the 26th of February. Its thanks to my blog that I have met many friends and bloggers who I love and have there to support me.
What are your proudest moments or achievements to date as a blogger?
Ooh proudest moments.. Well it’s been a great year so far and I never expect to get the response and followers I did. I would have to say chatting to all the lovely authors for starters as before my blog I viewed them as celebrities who didn’t talk to their readers how wrong was I? My second would be having authors asking me to review their books, I mean wow! I’ve read some amazing book that I normally wouldn’t have read thanks to authors asking for reviews. Finally, being part of the 20/20 bloggers for TBC was amazing! Thought I would never get chosen as a newbie.
If you had to breakdown the components of your ideal perfect book what would they be?
It needs to grab my attention fast within the first 3 chapters or I find it takes me forever to get into the story. Must be written well and easy to read! I love books with short chapters and anything to do with twins I love. Finally, a great twist and perfect ending will leave me smiling.
What is your favourite genre to read?
Argh! The dreaded question. I have three and that’s it. They are chick-lit, thrillers and young adult.
Now can you tell me 3 books that you always recommend?
1) Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling. A massive part of my childhood, this series got me into reading and its the only books I have ever re-read and kept as I don’t usually keep books I’ve read.
2) A Boy Made of Blocks by Keith Stuart. Beautiful story. Stuck in my mind and heart forever. I’ve had the pleasure of working with many autistic children and they can still surprise me today. A story that made me cry (not many do).
3) Malcolm Hollingdrake’s – DCI Bennett series. A bloody good series and great team to immerse yourself into. A series that you cannot put down and cannot forget! Great storylines and they just kept getting better and better.
Finally, tell me more about your blog and why we should subscribe
I know there are a lot of great blogs out there already so i had to bring something different to the table. My blog does not focus on one specific genre, you can find all sorts on my blog like historical fiction, young adult, chick-lit, thrillers etc. I aim to have a range of genres to please all different genre lovers. I take part in many blog tours which bring the book bloggers together through one book which I love. Finally, I enjoy promoting and passing on some outstanding books so every other week I hold a giveaway over on my fb page so I can pass on books to readers who may not have the money to buy brand new books or books they wouldn’t normally read.
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