Did everyone’s favorite characters make it out of Monday alive???

Today, we will not be doing any slaying or stabbing, so we can all put our daggers away (for the moment). Then again, maybe keep them handy, as the book recommendations in today’s interview aren’t for the faint of heart! Epic fantasy, chilling thrillers, and dark fiction are some genres this lovely woman loves.

You guys probably know her gorgeous account on the Gram of the Insta as @anovelescape. But, we’re all friends now, so say hello to Kelsea!

📷 by @jessjuergens

Her reading speed will give you whiplash! Not to mention, leaving you with serious book envy. She’s also a writer, and posts quite often some of the writer books and tools she uses to help her progress. If you write, she’s an amazing account to follow!

Even if you don’t write, you should come drool over her INSANE bath photos.

I mean, COME ON!!!

She’s the social media manager for the AMAZING @riddlesteashoppe. Be sure to look at her rep codes, because their new tea boxes are seriously legit!

So much to love, right?! Well, let’s get to know her better so we can LOVE HER MORE!!! Warning: I know you want to jump in the bath to read this, but I caution that you do so at your own risk!!!

Why do you bookstagram?

I joined because it looked like fun, because I love experimenting with photo setups and because I’ve never known many avid readers. I’ve come across other hobby-based communities, but none of them fit me quite right… until bookstagram. Not only is it an incredible way to connect with other readers and get book recommendations, it’s also the perfect venue for finding other budding writers. The majority of the time, bookstagram is a wonderfully positive, supportive, generous and friendly place to be.

Favorite bookstagram account?

That’s a tough question! I’ll name a few who inspire me both aesthetically and as wonderful fellow readers/bookstagrammers, though there are so many more I love! We’d be here all day if I were to name them all. 🙂

@lifeinlit – Lisa takes absolutely perfect photos; her aesthetic is to die for!

@ripetomatoes – Steph sets up beautiful grids featuring some truly incredible quotes. She also shares her poetry on IG and I swear every word of hers is gold.

@read.write.coffee – Heather is THE queen of flat lays. She continues to inspire me with her positivity and her beautiful pastel photography!

Favorite non bookstagram account?

One of my favorite artists is @mabgraves and her account is absolutely incredible! She’s a wonderfully skilled and ridiculously prolific artist… and on top of all of that, she’s the sweetest person AND she shares personal details about her own medical journey in order to encourage others to talk without shame about their own illnesses. 100% inspirational.

Theme or no theme?

Theme! I just love the look of a nice, organized feed. Not necessarily with every photo set up the same way, but with elements that tie them together – photography style, colors, filters, etc. It’s just so pleasing to the eye. I’ve recently started a new theme after moving to a new house and it has been a fun photographic challenge looking for new photogenic spots around the house!

What do you do when you’re not on the Internet?

I’m a writer, so at the moment I’m working on writing a thriller… though technically since I use google docs, I guess I am on the internet. 🙂 When I have to do chores or run errands, I’m almost always listening to an audiobook on 2x speed. Lately I’ve also been watching New Girl with my husband, putting things away from the recent move, and learning new recipes.

Hit me with a favorite recipe!

Oh that’s tough because I tend to just make things up. But my husband and I just got the sous vide and we’ve been in awe of it – precision cooking FTW!

Favorite place to read?

I’m still testing out various reading spots in this house, but I’m most excited for the brand new reading area in my bedroom by the window. It consists of two daybeds laid end to end with a small table in the middle for snacks and drinks. Plus lots of pillows, blankets, and plush reading buddies! Perfect for oscillating between reading and napping… two of my favorite hobbies.

Favorite genre?

Epic fantasy! Though I read quite a bit from other genres these days, my first and true reading love is epic fantasy. There’s nothing quite like it. High stakes, magical worlds, politicking, multiple perspectives, smart and competent characters, the brightest and darkest sides of human nature, hope and heartbreak: I just love to soak it all up!

Top five books right now!

Here are a few recent/2018 reads that I loved!

1. The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang – this grim dark fantasy “won voices” story inspired by the Second Sino-Japanese War is my favorite book of the year thus far!

2. Sometimes I Lie by Alice Feeney – this thriller had me riveted until the end and the plot twists were mind-blowing!

3. The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager – July release thriller by the author of Final Girls. I was fortunate enough to snag an ARC of this book and it’s fast-paced, completely enthralling and has a killer ending.

4. The Secret History By Donna Tartt – well on its way to becoming a classic, this dark academia story full of horrible unlikable characters was such a delicious read. Tartt’s prose is beautiful; I could live in her words forever.

5. Blood, Sweat and Pixels by Jason Schreier – I don’t often read nonfiction, but I picked this one up as writing research for my thriller and I was blown away by the story of how the popular video games featured were developed through hard work by so many determined, hard-working and competent individuals.

Ebooks, audiobooks, paperback or hardcover? Rank them for me.

I can’t really rank them because I love them all for different purposes, but I’ll tell you what those are.

– eBooks: my vacation go-to because I love to pack light (hate checking in baggage) and I love how compact e-readers are!

– audiobooks: my most common reading format; love audiobooks because they allow me to multi-task; without them I would read a lot less books

– paperback: trade paperbacks are so pleasant for actually reading and they tend to be cheaper than hardcovers, which is nice!

– hardcover: there’s nothing quite as aesthetically pleasing as beautiful hardcover special editions of my favorite books!

Favorite reading snack?

Fruit! Whatever’s in season. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll eat all sorts of snacks while reading (or anytime, really), but there’s nothing quite as refreshing as a bowl of fresh cut fruit.

You can only have one fruit for the rest of your life. What is it?

Honeycrisp apples! They’re delicious and local to Washington. But ask me tomorrow and I’ll probably have a different answer.

Fair enough! Last question, tea or coffee?

Tea! I love either as a latte but if I had to pick one, it’s definitely tea.

Are you swooning yet? Because I sure am! Please go to her Instagram @anovelsescape and give her a follow. She’s awesome and you will have ZERO regrets!!!

Thanks for joining us today! Come back next week to chat with another fabulous bookstagrammer!!!

Want to be featured? Follow me @jenabrownwrites and send me a DM.