Blogger Spotlight: Whitney at Burnt Pages Book Reviews

Posted by Jessi (Geo) on August 21, 2012 | 2 Comments

This is a new feature I will be doing on a weekly basis. The purpose is to get to know your fellow bloggers a little better! If you are interested in being featured please fill out the form.

Meet Whitney!

Hi! I’m Whitney, and I’m at the angst-ridden age of sixteen years old! And I run Burnt Pages Book Reviews. :D I live in a small town of North Carolina, with my seriously overflowing bookshelves, my two cats and my childhood dog, and the gorgeous view of the mountains. I obviously enjoy reading every day, or every chance I can get. I love video games, TV ( lots of it, I know it’s unhealthly ;p), spending time with family and friends, and being on the computer! What teen doesn’t love being on the computer? *confuzzled face*

How long have you been blogging? What made you want to start a book blog?

I’ve been blogging for exactly a year now, and I’ve seen a lot of book blogs before I started mine, and I seriously didn’t know what they were until I Googled the meaning. I was around 14 at that time, and I didn’t even know how to write a proper book review, to be honest, I just knew how to read the books. ;) But when I saw a couple of my internet friends start one, I soon became hooked on the idea. Thus creating my own!

What do you do when you’re not blogging or reading?

Usually on weekends, I go out with my family to the movies. During the week, I sit at home, indulging myself in Skyrim or Legend of Zelda. Or food. Yeah mostly food. :) My life is the definition of boring, I tell ya!

What is your favorite part about blogging? Least favorite?

My favorite thing about blogging is the feeling of when someone compliments my blog, or is actually reading it. I always had the fear of when I started it–still do–that no one would read my blog. But I feel really good when someone posts a comment, or tweets me on Twitter about my blog. :) My least favorite is trying to keep up with posting. That’s always been a pet peeve of mine for forever…on anything really. But I try. :)

Where did you come up with the name for your blog?

I actually came up with it from a song from Breaking Benjamin, The Diary of Jane. Breaking Benjamin has to be–to this day–one of my all time favorite bands out there, and The Diary of Jane was the first song I ever heard by them. The lyrics from the chorus: As I burn another page, as I look the other way, I will try to find my place in the diary of Jane. Burnt Pages just stuck with me, and I couldn’t get it out of my head for anything. ;)

That’s awesome! I love Breaking Benjamin!

Do you have any specific book bloggers that inspire you?

Yes! I do. Here’s some: Wild Heart Book Reviews, Cuddlebuggery, All Things Urban Fantasy, Bewitches Bookworms, Karla Reads, My(reads)da. There’s a whole lot more, but that’s just a few. :) There’s a blogroll on my blog, it’s full of blog buttons that I adore!

What do you look for in a blog when following? What are your pet peeves?

I don’t really have a strict criteria when looking for blogs. I’d just like to see them posting about books that we both like, or that’s in the same genre. Which would be YA or some select adult genres. My most read genre is paranormal, but I don’t mind other related/in between genres or a good contemporary. :)

What’s your favorite book(s)?

Ugh! Why do you put that on me? Haha, I have a lot! But I really love The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare and her Infernal Devices trilogy. I’ve stuck with her books since 2009, and don’t plan on breaking away yet! Though here’s some other books I love: Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo, The Iron Fey series & Blood of Eden by Julie Kagawa, Morganville Vampires by Rachel Caine, Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead, Immortals After Dark by Kresley Cole, Dark-Hunters series by Sherrilyn Kenyon, Angelfire series by Courtney Allison Moulton, Tiger saga by Colleen Houck, among a LOT of others.

Favorite author?

Oh God. Um. If I absolutely had to pick one, it’d have to be between Cassandra Clare and Richelle Mead.

What is the biggest turn off for you when you’re reading a book?

Insta-love, weak heroines, asshole heroes (though I’ve read a lot of asshole heroes and loved them, but they’re getting old quick), when it takes me a week or two to even get halfway into the book, some love triangles (I always end up rooting for the underdog, and the heroine doesn’t choose him, and it makes me want to burn the series/book LOL). The list could go on and on, but that’s just a few. ;)

What first draws you to a book to make you want to read it?

I hate to admit it, but the cover. I’m pretty sure a lot of other people do it too, so know I’m not the only one! Then I read what it’s about. And if it’s got a hint of any of the turn-offs that I stated, I more than likely won’t read it.

Describe yourself in 3 words.

Quiet. Shy. Friendly. :) That’s for people who don’t know me. People who do know me: Loud. Funny. Creative. :D

Name a random fact about yourself.

Uhhhm. I have a birthmark on my elbow that’s in the shape of a butterfly?! That’s as random as I can think of!

That’s pretty random! And pretty awesome :D

Do you have a job?

Nope! I don’t have a job right now, but I plan on getting one at my local bookstore or the movie theater I go to a lot. :)

What did you want to be when you were little? Has that changed?

I wanted to be a cardiologist when I was little, but now I feel like I’d mess up on something and screw everything up! Plus, I don’t think I could handle open-heart surgery..

That’s why I stopped wanting to be a veterinarian >.<