Interview with a Teen Reader #1

Today, I'd like to share an interview I did with one of my two nieces (second niece's interview will be up next Monday so please look forward to it!). They'll be called S-EmeraldEyes and Souki (they came up with their own codenames) since they both prefer to remain anonymous online. Smart girls! :D

They were nice enough to indulge their kooky aunt when I pounced on them and insisted they let me interview them. They grumbled about how it was like doing homework, but they still did it for me. That's love ♥

S-EmeraldEyes is sixteen and, this summer, discovered a love for reading, which I shamelessly credit myself with =P I sat her down, handed her Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins and ordered her to read it. She read it in one sitting and, since then, has been devouring books one after another. Hurray!

1. Is there a specific genre you gravitate towards?

S-EmeraldEyes: I prefer any kind of genre as long as it contains a strong portion of romance in the book. I favor romance a lot and I don't mind any other genre as long as the book doesn't end in a tragedy.

2. Do you prefer male or female protagonists?

S-EmeraldEyes: I prefer the protagonist to be female because I feel that I can connect to the character more.

3. Do you find yourself identifying with characters?

S-EmeraldEyes: Usually I do find myself relating to the characters which for me, is important because if I can't seem to understand the characters then I think that the story won't really be interesting to me. It's a whole lot better and interesting to journey with a character through their life or adventure when you can actually relate or understand them.

4. What are you tired of seeing in books?

S-EmeraldEyes: I like stories that involve romance but something that annoys me are sequels that usually ruin the first book. I don't like to read about two people falling in love and their struggles to be together only to find that in the second book or at the end of a book, that they're not together. I find it frustrating and irritating.

5. What do you want to see more of?

S-EmeraldEyes: I just find it very amusing in romantic books when the male characters are jealous and I think that it's fascinating to learn their reactions. To be honest, I want more jealousy in books and more of a variety of reactions-from both the female and the male- due to the jealousy.

6. What makes you want to pick up a book to read?

S-EmeraldEyes: The summary of the book on the back or inside a book are usually what pulls me into a book. If the summary doesn't catch my attention then I usually don't read it, so for me the summaries are very important.

7. What's your favorite book you've read in the last 6 months?

S-EmeraldEyes: I have many books I enjoy but if I had to choose the one I favor the most it'd be Tempest by Lori Foster. It's about an innocent and pure woman who has two protective brothers and two best friends. The woman falls in love with her older brother's best friend as well as her own but he's been a friend and like a brother to her so long that he doesn't know if it will work out, which leaves her to only one option, seduction. The story also consists of the woman's best friends falling in love and including a detailed version of their insight version in falling in love as well. This book was one of the most cutest, sweetest, and funniest romance books I've ever read.

Hope you found her answers as interesting as I did! Souki had some very different answers, so please look for hers next Monday!

Here's a crop of a commission I did a couple years ago:

Have a great week, guys! ♥