The Sunshine Blogger Award

Huge thank you to the amazing Erica Robyn Reads for nominating me for The Sunshine Blogger Award. This award was created by Sheila @ She'sGoingBookCrazy and I recommend checking out the blogs of both these awesome ladies. Erica had some pretty great questions so I am excited to jump right into answering them!

The Sunshine Blogger Award

The Rules:

• Thank the person who nominated you in a blog post and link back to their blog (see above). 
• Answer the 11 questions sent by the person who nominated you. 
• Nominate 11 new blogs to receive the award and write them 11 new questions. 
• List the rules and display the Sunshine Blogger Award logo in your post and/or on your blog. 

Erica's Questions/My Answers:

1. What blog post from 2018 so far so you wish had gotten more love?
I am not sure if I have one blog post in particular, but I wish I got more traffic with my reviews especially in the comments because one of the biggest reasons I started blogging was to discuss books. I still enjoy getting all my thoughts down to really mull over the books I am reading and for future Heather's enjoyment to know not only what I have read but what I thought. But still, it would always be nice to have more bookish talks.

2. How did you come up with your blog name?
It was kind of just a brainstorming day. I was writing down different ideas and this one was the one I liked the best. I tend to use reading as an escape from the real world, hence "Hideaway".

3. What is your favorite type of blog post to read (discussions, reviews, etc)?
I enjoy reviews a lot because I think that is where bloggers show a lot of their passions and you can really get to know someone through the books they read and their thoughts on those books. Discussions and tags are always fun too. 

4. What are your favorite genres?
Fantasy, LGBTQ books (whether that be in fantasy/sci fi or contemporaray), and #ownvoices books. 

5. What item do you use for a bookmark most frequently (actual bookmarks, sticky notes, receipts. etc)?
I use bookmarks almost exclusively. I collect them, so I will just grab one that fits the book or my mood and then put it back when I finish the book. 

6. Where is your favorite reading spot?
My couch. It's big enough for my dog and I to snuggle up on the couch and I have a table right near the couch for my big cup of tea.

7. What are your biggest turn-offs about a book?
Non-diverse books are a turn off, because it's unrealistic not to have SOME minority characters, whether that be POC, disabled, LGBTQ+, fat, etc, in your story. I also don't like girl on girl hate, inta-love romances, and toxic relationships that are romanticized. 

8. What was the last five star book you read?
Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli!

9. What was the last book you DNFed (or gave a one star rating if you don't DNF)?
The last book I DNFed was Small Damages by Beth Kephart and my last one star (and only one star this year so far, which honestly out of 40+ books isn't half bad) was Snow Falling by Jane Gloriana Villanueva.

10. Are you a member of any bookish clubs/groups?
I am apart of a few bookish groups on Facebook which I absolutely love because I feel like I've found the best of the best. There is little to no drama and everyone seems really supportive. Other than that I am not in any book cubs or anything because I kind of prefer to have online friends than in person.

11. What are some really inspiring books that you've read?
So many. Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi, all three Becky Albertalli novels, Reign of the Fallen by Sarah Glenn Marsh, Buffering: Unshared Tales of a Life Fully Loaded by Hannah Hart, The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas, and so many more.


Bloggers I nominate (of course if you want to participate if you haven't already!):
Jessica @ A GREAT Read
AngelErin @ Angel Erin's  Book Obsession
Emily @ Paperback Princess
Ronyell @ Rabbit Ears Book Blog
Erica @ The Literary Apothecary
Amy @ A Magical World of Words
Cresta @ Literary Musings and Manuscripts
Angelica @ Paperback Princess
Katie @ Just Another Girl and her Books
Sam @ TsunokduBooks
Jo @ Book Lovers Blog 

My questions for the bloggers I've nominated:
1. What book (or series) holds the biggest spot in your heart? Why?
2. What/who sparked your interest in reading? Was it a family member? Teacher? Specific book?
3. If you could pick the film/television casting for one character in particular which character would it be? Why?
4. What was the last book you could not put down, and when you did it was all you were thinking about?
5. Are you a note taker when you read or do you prefer to just read through the story without jotting down notes or placing sticky note tabs on the pages?
6. Is there a song (or songs) that remind you of a book or character each time you hear it?
7. If you could take characters out of one book and plop them into another one, which characters would you move, where would you move them, and why?
8. What is your biggest bookish unpopular opinion?
9. Shout out a book you've recently that you loved but you don't think gets enough hype or talk.
10. If you could assign one book to middle graders what book would it be? What about high schoolers? Why?
11. What authors do you immediately preorder books or request from the library the moment you can?

Thanks for reading!