Featured Book Blogger: Shannon from River City Reading

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This month’s featured book blogger is Shannon from River City Reading, one of my absolute favorite book blogs. Her Instagram is also amazing and you really must check it out. (Go on, we’ll still be here when you get back!)

Welcome, Shannon! First of all, tell us a little bit about yourself. What are some of your interests outside of blogging?

Gushing about books is usually my crutch for this type of question, but I suppose there’s a bit more to tell. I spend most of my free time with my husband and dog, mostly just enjoying whatever fun thing we can find here in Richmond, Virginia. Sadly, I’m about to let go of a bunch of free time, because I just started a doctoral program in Special Education, though I’m hoping there will still be enough room for the books!

Give us some insight into your psyche. What is your Myers-Briggs type?

My Myers-Briggs type seems to change depending on the test I take, but I usually end up with ISFJ or ISTJ, with the I and J super strong. So, that makes me a pretty serious, hyper-organized, and focused introvert. I swear I’m more fun than I sound.

How did you discover the blogging world and what made you decide to start a blog of your own?

I definitely didn’t realize how vast the book blogging world was until after I started a blog, but I first learned they existed through Goodreads. I was in a bit of a rut at work, reading more than I had in my life, and decided to give a blog a shot.

I hate it when people ask me what my favorite book is–such an impossible question! So give us your top five…or ten. 

You’re so kind, but this is still hard! I’m going to throw these in random order because I don’t want to make any of my favorites feel bad.

• The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
• Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed
• The Shore by Sara Taylor
• Beloved by Toni Morrison
• Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson

Time for some either/or…

Mac or PC? PC, though it’s more because I’m cheap than any real allegiance
Coffee or tea? Tea, but it’s not something I make at home
Flying or invisibility? Definite invisibility
Historical or dystopian? Lately it’s been dystopian
Long epics or short novellas? GIVE ME ALL THE BIG BOOKS

If you could live in any country for a year, where would you go?

Hmmm, probably somewhere that would give me access to a ton of other countries, so I’m going with Italy.

Piazza San Marco, Venice, Italy

Name two famous people, living or dead, you would most like to meet and why. 

I’m giving this the hardest question award! I’m just going to eliminate the dead people option to narrow the playing field a little bit here.

I would absolutely love to meet Ruth Bader Ginsburg. She is just so inspiring and intelligent and well-rounded. Actually, can I have a cheat and get a group meeting with the three women of the Supreme Court? Dream come true.

If you could pick three books you think everyone should read, what would they be and why?

I’ll surprise no one familiar with my blog by starting with Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed, which I pick up any time I need a good boost. Her advice is smart and real and warm all at the same time. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s We Should All Be Feminists is an amazing little essay that so perfectly gets to the meaning of feminism in a quick, afternoon read. I’d also love to pass out copies of Citizen by Claudia Rankine to everyone I see and make sure they listen to her read it, too.

Lightning round! Name your favorite…

Oscar Isaac as Llewyn Davis (with cat)

Song: Oh no, I listen to too many podcasts for this. Can I pick the whole Hamilton cast recording?
Movie: There are so many movies I love, so I’m going with one I adore and have watched over and over again – Fantastic Mr. Fox
TV show: Mad Men (it’s my background noise/fall asleep show, I just re-start the series when I’m done)
Comfort food: Mac & Cheese!
Celebrity crush: I have a serious thing for Oscar Isaac, specifically Oscar Isaac as Llewyn Davis, but I will also accept Oscar Isaac as Poe Dameron if anyone is offering.

Thanks for stopping by, Shannon! Be sure to check out Shannon’s blog at RiverCityReading.com and follow her on Twitter @RiverCityReading.