Monday, January 20, 2014

Interview with Sarah - Workaday Reads

About:

My name is Sarah. I have always been a voracious reader. I taught myself to read before I was four. By the time I entered kindergarten, I was reading short novels. I quickly progressed to full novels, and have never looked back. My blog, Workaday Reads, is almost 3 years old, and is still as much my obsession and passion as it was when I first started it.
Workaday Reads

Do you have specific genres that you review, and what is your favorite one?

My favourite genres are science fiction and fantasy, but I will read most anything. I prefer not to read overly graphic erotic scenes, religious preaching, or a lot of profanity. Other than that, it’s an open canvas. I do have genres I prefer, but I find that a well-crafted story can lead me to enjoy a genre that I might not have otherwise.

On average, how many books do you review each month?

My current reading speed is to review about 10 books a month.

Do you accept unsolicited review requests, or do you only review books you select yourself?

I do accept unsolicited review requests, but only with no time frame for the review. My TBR list is huge, and I’m a mood reader, so I try not to schedule my reads too heavily.

Considering the recent surge of self-published books on the market, what is your experience with self-published titles?

My experiences have been mostly positive. I have read a few books that weren’t ready for publication, but the majority have been good. I love the freedom and choice that self-publishing provides to both readers and authors.

As a reviewer, you have to state your honest opinions. Do you publish all reviews regardless of the rating?

Yes, I publish all reviews, whether they are 1 star, 5 stars or DNF (did not finish).

Is there any particular book or author that set the benchmark for you in a specific genre?

Not really. I have a few books that I absolutely love, but nothing that I compare other books to.

What was the catalyst for you to become a reviewer, and what keeps you going?

I don’t even remember how I got started reviewing, it seems so long ago. I keep going because I love to read and share my opinions about books. Plus, writing reviews helps me focus on the story and what I really think about it.

In your opinion, do you find the new titles original and creatively executed, or do you see more of a repeat of the same (think Hollywood's surge in remakes)?

I think that like movies, there are both original stories and bad remakes abound. The trick is to decide what you want to read, and seek it out.

Out of all the books you've read, are there any particular books or characters that stayed on your mind?

I read The Mists of Avalon by Marian Zimmer Bradley when I was a kid, and it remains one of my favourite books of all time. It’s one of the first books that sparked my love of mythology.

I also highly regard the Incarnations of Immortality series by Piers Anthony. I’m not religious in any way, but find that the setup and execution of religion and mystical “offices” in this series really calls to me. It’s one of the few series I own a copy of, and would never consider getting rid of. It’s also one of the few books I’ve ever reread.

What is the one review you are the most proud of, and why?

I don’t think I could pinpoint a single review. I usually love them when I first write them, but I know that looking back at a few I wrote months or years ago is almost painful. I imagine I will look at almost every review and at one point wonder “what was I thinking”.

I would like to thank Sarah for participating in the series and for answering my questions. To learn more about her reviews, please visit:  Workaday Reads


2 comments:

  1. Thanks so much for having me. It was fun having the tables turned with the questions coming towards me.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sarah,

    It was my pleasure.

    Thanks for playing along.

    ReplyDelete