Portobello Book Blog

Today I’m very pleased to welcome Noelle to be the blogger in the spotlight. Noelle blogs as Crime Book Junkie – wonder what her favourite genre might be then?! You can check out her blog here: http://www.crimebookjunkie.co.uk

Thanks for agreeing to be part of my Blogger in the Spotlight feature. First of all, would you tell me a little about yourself?

My name is Noelle.  I am 43 years old and live my with beautiful chocolate Labrador –Buster and his sister from another mister, Pebbles the tabby cat!  I work full time as a Senior Probation Officer across two police stations.  My teams form the Integrated Offender Management Units where we (Police, Probation and Treatment teams) work with prolific offenders and chronic substance misusers who are on Court Orders.  I love my job!

What books/authors did you enjoy as a child?

I loved the Narnia books when I was very young and would often look for a secret wardrobe in the hopes of escaping the real world.  I was also quite obsessed with Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boy books (not sure if you have them here in the UK).  I fancied myself a detective.  And then I discovered Stephen King in my early teens and my love for horror and crime soon became my addiction!

What made you want to start blogging?

I love reading and I still dream of being a writer one day so when a chance to become a Guest Reviewer on Best Crime Books To Read and More came up I jumped at the opportunity.  Katherine Everett (love her to bits) soon encouraged me to start my own blog so in May of this year I took the plunge and CrimeBookJunkie was born! Seems like the best way to share my love of reading/books and improve my writing skills! …or that is what I tell myself anyway!

What do you enjoy most about blogging?

Hmmmm….that is a tough one.  I love the blogging community I am a part of with Book Connectors and Crime Book Club along with other clubs I am a part of. I love the friends I have made through this forum and chatting about books, boos and more books!  I love sharing my thoughts and having authors thank me…big rush! I love having the opportunity to read ARC’s, beta read, be invited to book launches –feel like my reviews are valued.  I also love when other people say they enjoyed my review so much they are going to read the book!

Tell me about your blog – sell yourself!

CrimeBookJunkie is my personal blog about….crime books ….surprise! surprise!  Ok—so every now and again there may be other genres, but in the main I read and review crime thrillers, police procedurals, horror, psychological thrillers…I think you get the drift! I also have had the opportunity to Interview some brilliant authors and these are posted on my blog as well.  I do take part in a few blog tours which gives me and anyone else interested, the opportunity to find out more about the author or book featured in that post. 

What’s your favourite book you’ve reviewed so far this year? Or favourite three if you really can’t choose.

Wow!  This is a tough one for me as I can honestly say that 2015 has been a great year for books.  If forced at gunpoint I think my top three (or 10 ha ha ) for this year have to be:

Sewing The Shadows Together by Alison Baillie

The Prodigal by Nicky Black

Snatched from Home by Graham Smith

The Huntress Series by Alexandra Sokoloff

Evil Games by Angie Marsons

Time to Die by Caroline Mitchell

Wrong Place by MA Comley

Born In A Burial Gown by Mike Craven

Forsaken by J.D.Barker

Stirred with Love by Marcie Steel (aka Mel Sherratt)

Sorry—I just could not pick 3 and in fact, I struggled with 10 as there were a few more I could have added to that list for sure!!

What are you reading just now?

I have just started So Low, So High by Pete Sortwell.  Although I try not to read reviews before I read the book itself, I have seen some great comments about this book so hoping I won’t be disappointed. 

Tell me about your reading habits:  book or kindle, bed or bath, morning or evening?

I tend to read both kindle books as well as paperbacks.  Nothing beats the smell of books and the feel of turning pages so I don’t think I will ever just read from my kindle.  I commute a lot so do a vast majority of reading on buses and trains.  However, in the evenings I tend to snuggle on the couch with my furry babies for a good hour or so.  I have never read in the bath but sometimes can be found in bed at a ridiculously early time in the evening with my kindle/a book reading.  I can read at anytime.  On the weekends I am up pretty early and tend to sneak a few hours reading in before I have to do  my mundane chores!

How can people follow your blog or connect with you on social media?

I can be found at:

@nholten40 (Twitter)

http://www.crimebookjunkie.co.uk (website)

https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/16360682-noelle (Goodreads)

https://www.facebook.com/crimebookjunkie?fref=ts (Facebook)

I am also on various book clubs via facebook so can often be found lurking and making random comments!

And finally, if you could be a character in any book you have read, who would it be and why?

Wow!  You ask some tough questions!  There are so many characters I would love to be…but I would have to say, at the moment, it would be Lorne Simpkins from the Justice series by M.A Comley.  She is smart, independent, gets herself into and out of a lot of messy situations; she has an interesting job; a great family and animals galore where she lives!