Blogger Interview: Pirate Penguin, Part 1

Hello everyone! Today I would like you all to welcome one of my best blog buddies Sandy from over at Pirate Penguin Reads who was kind enough to let me interview her. :D
Name: Sandy
Alias: Pirate Penguin
Blog: Pirate Penguin Reads

Part 1: Bloggish/Bookish

The Book Pixie: Tell us a little bit about your blog.

Pirate Penguin: Pirate Penguin's Reads is my own little corner on the internet where I talk non-stop about books! I review mostly YA books but sometimes I’ll review an adult or middle-grade book. Mostly I stick to YA-I am a young adult, after all. But I try to read different genres and such because I don't want to miss out on great stories!

TBP: What is your favorite thing about blogging?

PP: Being able to talk to other bloggers and authors (squee!) about books! It's so much fun to connect with other voracious readers like myself-it's good to know that we're not a dying breed. XD

TBP: On average, how many books do you read/review a month?

PP: I'd have to say I read 1-8 books per month. As for reviewing...it depends on my school schedule-there are days when I barely have a moment to sit down since I’m always studying and working on papers/essays. But I try my best to post my reviews and have contests here and there.

TBP: Who is your most recent favorite author? Your oldest favorite?

PP: My recent favorite would definetely have to Kristin Walker. I had the chance to read her book A Match Made In High School and holy crap was it good! I was blown away by how awesome it was. My oldest favorite would have to be Gail Carson Levine; she wrote Ella Enchanted which is still one of my favorite books.
(Cool Sandy! I recently finished AMMiHS and will have a review and interview up this week coincidently enough. lol.)

TBP: What are three books you are most looking forward to the release of this year?

PP:
1.) The Reckoning by Kelley Armstrong
2.) Shadow Hills by Anastasia Hopcus
3.) Hourglass by Claudia Gray

TBP: Do you write stuff besides reviews? Working on anything in particular?

PP: I’m trying to get back into writing poetry. I used to be obsessed with it. (Like having-to-write-stanzas-on-my-skin-because-I-couldn't-find-any-paper-obsessed!) I used to not be able to sleep because I had a poem forming in my head and I had to write it down otherwise it would nag me. I don't know how I broke out of this weird, obsessive cycle but I did... and I sort of miss it. I guess you could say I lost my muse.

TBP: Where do you like to read?

PP: I like to read wherever I'm most comfortable. Usually that's in my living room where you can always find me curled up with a book ;)

TBP: Any advice for those bloggers/reviewers just starting out?

PP: Don’t worry about the number of followers you have or getting ARCs. If you focus on that, then you’ll get frustrated and you’ll want to quit. What makes people come to your site is content: so read and review constantly. You don’t even need to review upcoming books-you can always review books that are already out and build from that. And when it comes to reviewing, BE HONEST. It’s totally fine to not like a book when the entire blogosphere might be raving about it-there’s no right or wrong answer; it’s all opinion. Oh, and most important of all, have fun with blogging! It’s a great experience :)
(Great advice girl.)

I would like to thank Sandy for coming over for a visit and letting me interview her. I hope you all enjoyed reading her answers and will stop by tomorrow for Part 2. Also, if you aren't following this totally awesometastic girl and her blog, you better start. Or else..... :P