The Outstanding Blogger Award — Take 3!

Hello everyone, and welcome back! I’m back with another blogging award! I know I say this all the time, but the love and support this community is showing me is just so overwhelming 😭🥺 Thank you so much to Julie @ One Book More for the nomination! She posts so much content on a regular basis, and her book reviews are always splendidly written, so go show her some love 💕

And let’s get right into it!

The Rules

1. Provide the link to the creator’s original award post. (Very important: see why in step 5.) The original post by Colton Beckwith can be found here.
2. Answer the questions provided.
3. Create 7 unique questions.
4. Nominate 10 bloggers. Ensure that they are aware of their nomination. Neither the award’s creator nor the blogger that nominated you can be nominated.
5. At the end of 2020, every blog that pings-back the creator’s original post will be entered to win the 2020 Outstanding Blogger Award!

The Questions

If you could describe your blog in three words, what would they be?

Passionate Christian bookworm? Flailing over books? Honestly, trying my best is probably the most accurate 😂

Do you have any hobbies other than blogging or reading?

I love listening to musicals, obviously! Hamilton, Six, Something Rotten!, Anastasia, and Hadestown are a couple of favorites from the top of my head. Starry is my newest obsession, though. It’s based on the thousands of letters exchanged between Theo and Vincent van Gogh, and it’s absolutely gorgeous. Everyone go listen to the concept recording!

Other than that… I’ve been playing piano for almost ten years now! It’s not my favorite thing to do in the world, but I enjoy learning new pieces, especially from classical composers like Beethoven, who I’ve learned was a very emotional artist. I’m finishing up the first movement of his “Sonata Pathetique” this week 🤗

What advice would you give to new bloggers?

Do whatever you want, and just be yourself! This is a rather cliché piece of advice, but it never gets any less truer (and yes, truer is apparently an actual word). You want to use the most outrageous color scheme anyone has ever witnessed? Why not? You want to start a new trend of going graphic-less on your blog? Go for it! You want to post once a month — or maybe every single day? It’s up to you! Your blog is your safe space, and you have the right to do anything you want with it. The only important thing is the passion you have for what you do, and as long as you have that, you’re good to go.

What is your favorite holiday?

Christmas, hands-down! It’s obviously a special time for me as a Christian, but I also love the holiday atmosphere — it seems like the entire world is in high spirits! I get to spend time with my family, the carols are on at top volume, and it’s even more beautiful when it snows. Though that doesn’t seem to be happening as often as it did once upon a time. Climate change 😕

Which book has been on your TBR the longest?

Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia. The fact that I haven’t read this yet is sad. I’ve heard great things about the anxiety rep, and I’m interested in how the author explores Eliza’s online presence. And the romance sounds so sweet!!! I’m just ashamed of myself at this point.

Has having a blog changed your reading habits?

Blogging has exposed me to amazing book recommendations!! From hyped bestsellers, to hidden gems, to must-read literary fiction pieces, they’re all here. I also have been reading more critically, I like to think, and I keep in mind what rating I want to give a book while reading it. I do find myself having to remind myself that reading shouldn’t be stressful more frequently than I did before, although that’s more on me and my mentality rather than blogging itself.

If you could have any animal as a pet, which animal would it be?

Either a cat or a dog! Because I’m basic like that. Cats are so elegant and graceful, while dogs are warm and cuddly… I can’t choose which one I like better! But honestly, I don’t think I’ll ever get a pet. The idea of fleas or mud tracks in the house freaks me out. But you never know — ask me in a couple of years and maybe I’ll have changed my mind!

My Questions

1. Who is your blogging inspiration?
2. What are the three most recent additions to your TBR?
3. What’s your latest non-bookish obsession?
4. Pick two, drop one: plot, characters, or writing?
5. Do you play any instruments?
6. Where do you feel most at peace?
7. What’s your favorite fall drink?

I Tag…

Riley @ All the Lovely Books
Alexis @ The Reading Addict
Aditi @ One in a Million
Nicole @ Sorry, I’m Booked
Sara @ Words With Wings
Kay @ Hammock of Books
Xandra @ Starry Sky Books
MT @ The Last Book On The Left
Taylor @ Planty of Pages
Emme @ A Literary Latte

As per usual, no need to feel pressured if you’re not interested, or if tags aren’t really your thing!

That’s it for today, bookworms! How about you? Are you a dog person or a cat person? Your favorite holiday? Your latest obsession? Have I convinced you to listen to Starry yet? Chat with me in the comments below!

Also, completely unrelated, but The Shows Must Go On is streaming the 25th anniversary Phantom of the Opera again this Friday, 7 PM UK time! Everybody who’s interested in hearing one of the most gorgeous voices in theater sing “The Music of the Night” — don’t forget to tune in!

I hope you all have a beautiful day ahead! 💖