Behind the Blog: Meet the Blogger Series – Tracy from Compulsive Readers @Tr4cyF3nt0n

Ever wonder about the person behind the blog?  I mentioned back in January (here) that I would be starting a Meet the Blogger series.  This series will feature some of my favourite bloggers as we go behind the scenes and have them answer the questions!

Next up is Tracy from Compulsive Readers!

Tracy is an amazing blogger and one of the fearless leaders over at TBC Facebook group (an amazing place for readers!).  Her blog features Top Ten Lists, Meet the Blogger features and names other blogs to follow.  Her blog is basically a great place to read reviews and to connect with other bloggers/authors.  She is also a self-pronounced “author stalker” and has met up with some huge names in literature.

Keep reading to see what Tracy had to say about her blog, her favourite books and her advice for any new bloggers!

 Why did you decide to join the world of book blogging? How long have you been blogging for?

I set up my book website CompulsiveReaders in December 2016.  I have been running a Facebook Group called THE Book Club for nearly 3 years and was also a very active member of another book group for 5 years prior to setting up TBC.  As much as I love the interaction with the group members (we have over 7000 readers and 1000 authors on the group), it is such a fast moving group that it’s sometimes difficult to keep up with the recommendations.  I was aware that I kept recommending the same books/authors over and over again and thought that if I set up my own website I can then direct members who enjoy my recommendations and let the other readers have a chance to share their favourite books on TBC.

What have been your favourite and least favourite parts of being a book blogger?

The support and advice from the other bloggers especially Joanne Robertson and Sarah Hardy has been incredible and those I am in awe of all the bloggers who constantly tweet, retweet, share, post, blog tour and review all day long.  My least favourite bit is getting contacted by an author and having to say NO to reviewing because I either don’t fancy that particular book or have too many other commitments.

 What have been your 3 favourite books to review since you started book blogging?

Well, this year I have decided to only read books I want to read rather than to a schedule so since December I have read 47 books.  It’s really difficult to only choose 3 but off the top of my head, I would say Sweetpea by CJ Skuse, Lying in Wait by Liz Nugent and Tall Oaks by Chris Whitaker and You Don’t Know Me by Imran Mahmood, Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult.  Did I mention that I couldn’t count!!

Have you always been a reader? If not, what got you into reading?

Yes I’ve always loved books from an early age, but not the classics.  I loved books by Patricia Cornwell, Virginia Andrews, Jilly Cooper, Sidney Sheldon, John Grisham, Lynda La Plante and also loved romantic comedies by Sophie Kinsella, Marion Keyes, Jill Mansell.   My teens and early twenties were spent reading mainly chick lit however since hitting “middle-age” I tend to only read psychological thrillers, murders and crime!

For any new bloggers, what would be your top three pieces of advice?

Do it for yourself.

Never be afraid to say no to reviewing a book.

 Be truthful and honest in your reviews and if you can’t think of anything nice to say – don’t review.  

Now the impossible question…what are some of your favourite books?

That’s like asking me to pick my favourite child (which is actually quite easy…!)

1.  Into The Darkest Corner – Elizabeth Haynes – best psychological thriller EVER

2.  The Lost Wife – Alyson Richman – incredibly emotional and beautiful love story and historical fiction

3.  Perfect People – Peter James – scary and thought provoking

4.  A Man Called Ove – Fredrick Backman – charming and moving

5.  Shtum – Jeremy Lester – A raw and heartwarming story of living with an autistic child

There are so many more I need to mention, but for ease here is a link to my top 10 books of 2015 and 2016.

http://www.compulsivereaders.com/my-top-10-books-from-2016/

http://www.compulsivereaders.com/my-top-10-books-from-2015/

Thanks so much for agreeing to be featured, Tracy!

Be sure to check out Tracy on Compulsive Readers and her social media!

Blog: https://www.compulsivereaders.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Tr4cyF3nt0n

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/needmorebooks1

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Thebookdealer/

 

As always, if you are a blogger and would like to be featured, please let me know!