The Love-a-Thon is an event dedicated to spreading positivity and love. It’s time dedicated to visiting other bloggers/Instagrammers/BookTubers, leaving a comment or two, making new friends and fostering positivity among the members of our amazing community. As in the previous years, the event will include mini challenges, Twitter chats and giveaways galore!
Hosted by: Alexa of Alexa Loves Books, Cee of The Novel Hermit, Hazel of Stay Bookish, Mel of The Daily Prophecy
i’m so so SO excited to be part of love-a-thon this year! i saw all the fun tweets and posts last year and promised myself i’d join next time around and… here i am. i’m also ecstatic to say that i’m one of the bookstagram ambassadors for this event so YAY! i’m honestly so honored to rep this event with fellow bookstagrammers aly (@alybabybooks) and mara (@bookmarauder). anyway, this is mostly a post to get to know me a little better. if you already stalk me, this stuff might bore you but it doesn’t hurt to stick around.
questions to get to know me!!!
- WHAT’S YOUR NAME, MAN? (alexander hamilton. my name is alexander hamilton) (actually not, but CLOSE.) alexandra, but many people call me xandra or xan.
- WHERE IN THE WORLD ARE YOU BLOGGING FROM? the suburbs of los angeles, california!
- HOW DID YOU GET STARTED ON THIS BLOGGING THING? i started a bookstagram (books on instagram) and found a few book bloggers and realized book blogging is a ~thing~ and was like “oh my goodness this is the best thing i want to make one RIGHT NOW.” it was a bit of a miracle because i wanted to expell all my ~feelings~ and talk about books, but was too camera shy to booktube and found instagram’s platform to be constraining for that. blogging was and is the perfect solution for me.
- HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH YOUR FANTABULOUS NAME? i wanted my name to represent me as a person as well as whatever it is i’m talking about. i already use the word “twirling” quite often when choosing names because 1) i’m a dancer and my favorite thing in dancing is turning/twirling and, 2) my last name is ling so twirLING is literally a word that describes me. i wanted to incorporate that – my name pun and dancing pun – into books and naturally (okay maybe not so naturally, maybe like three days of brainstorming) twirling pages came up.
- WHAT GENRE DO YOU READ & REVIEW THE MOST ON YOUR BLOG? i don’t exactly know, but i’m betting on YA contemporary & fantasy because they’re my FAVE.
- BESIDES REVIEWS, WHAT ELSE DO YOU TALK ABOUT ON YOUR BLOG? a good chunk of my blog is personal/bookish discussions/lifestyle posts and i think reviews take up about 10% so.. yeah.
- BEST BLOGGING EXPERIENCE SO FAR? definitely, the first time i got an ARC from a publisher! PASSENGER, by alexandra bracken, was my most-anticipated book of the year and when it arrived at my doorstep (without me knowing it was coming!) i promptly screaming and felt faint and internally exploded and all was good.
- FAVORITE THING ABOUT THE BLOGGING COMMUNITY? you mean BESIDES the fact that everyone is super nice and caring? well, i love how we can all relate and talk about things that AREN’T books. people actually care about you, personally, and it’s beautiful to see that because it feels like people genuinely care about you as a person as opposed to you as a blog/business/brand.
- TOP FIVE MOST EXCITED 2016 BOOKS TO READ? excluding ones that have already been released (because, as i mentioned earlier, PASSENGER was my most anticipated read and it was released this january), i’m
screaming my head off wanting it in my hand RIGHT NOWvery very pumped for… - THE WINNER’S KISS, by marie rutkoski (march 29, 2016)
- THE RAVEN KING, by maggie stiefvater (april 26, 2016)
- THE UNEXPECTED EVERYTHING, by morgan matson (may 3, 2016)
- P.S. I LIKE YOU, by kasie west (july 26, 2016)
- CROOKED KINGDOM, by leigh bardugo (september 22, 2016)
- WHAT DO YOU DO BESIDES READING? i spend a majority of my time dancing ballet. i hope to pursue a career as a professional ballet dancer, so i spend a lot of time training and training and training. i’m also still in school, so there’s that.
- AT A PARTY, THE DJ CHANGES THE SONG – AND IT’S YOUR SONG. WHAT SONG WOULD IT BE? oh, i have way too many songs that make me think “THIS IS ME” but i suppose i’ll try to choose one. at the moment, SEVENTEEN by alessia cara, sums up my life very perfectly because i’m currently seventeen and wish i could freeze time.
- WHAT WOULD YOUR DREAM LIBRARY LOOK LIKE? i know this is virtually impossible, but i’d love my dream library to look like THIS:
(source) stuttgart library
OMG THAT DREAM LIBRARY. Hey, everything is possible. 😉 Love the the song you chose too. Man, I wish I were seventeen again. Twenty is so ehhh. And yay, we’re both excited for Morgan Matson and Kasie West’s upcoming books! *high five*
ALEXANDRAAAAAAA.
You win sooo many pts in my book for that Hamilton reference. ;)) Twirling is so perf for you. (Plus, I love the word twirrrlllllllll. I cannot say it any other way ;D)
TRYING NOT TO HYPERVENTILATE AT THE THOUGHT OF CROOKED KINGDOM COMING OUT. I NEED THOSE BBS TO BE OKAY. KAZ + INEJ, MY OTP. BE OKAY.
Super awesome that you’re participating!
Your dream library is on point man. I just want to put my bed in the middle of it and live there.
I just love that you called it Twirling Pages. HAHAHA! Mine is not exactly straightforward but describes me a lot to: Writer For Misfits. But at the same time, it wouldn’t be directly associated with a book blog HAHAHAHA!!! I LOVE ALESSIA CARA, XANNY HAMMY! *wink wink*
I love twirling, too! It’s so fun, isn’t it? I love that hit of Alessia Cara’s so will be adding your “DJ song” to my Spotify list. Contemporary is also my favourite! We have much in common 🙂 I’m joining in #Loveathon but I’m just not bloggin atm. Maybe I’ll see you at the chat?!
Imagine having your own library like that… I’d probably bring a duvet and a fridge full of snacks and then just move in! Eeee I am SO EXCITED for The Raven King… I hope it’s amazing. Also, Lady Midnight!!! I hope you have a great time participating in #loveathon and btw, I saw the unpopular opinions thing you were doing on twitter AND I AGREE WITH ALL OF THEM. I just thought I’d let you know! XD
wingsmadeofwords.blogspot.com
That library looks amazing! So pristine, and so many levels – my idea of heaven! 😛
It’s also pretty cool that you started off bookstagramming first – I feel like the norm is to blog then bookstagram xD
Hope you’re enjoying LoveAThon!! 😀
So you pretty much just became my best friend because of how you opened up your questionnaire. I am absolutely obsessed with Hamilton. 🙂 Aw I love how you got your blog name! So cute! I mixed my profession in with my title too. Super excited for P.S. I Like You, The Unexpected Everything, and Crooked Kingdom too!
I love the thought process behind your blog name!!!
I can’t wait for P.S I Like You either! I love Kasie West’s books, and it sounds so cute!
And I didn’t know you started bookstagramming first! Makes sense though, you’re a pro there!
That library!! I’m excited for The Winner’s Kiss too. I finally read The Winner’s Curse this month and now I love the series.
THE WINNER’S KISS THO. I’M HONESTLY SO EXCITED FOR IT I CANT EVEN FUNCTION MOST OF THE TIME. I read Marie’s short story about Arin and started literally hyperventilating I need TWK right now omg. Also that LIBRARY IS LITERALLY GOALS.
Love your Blog desgain , I’m really big fan of Alessia Cara , my faveroutire song of hers is Four Pink Walls and Here because of its sound.
this is such a cool event! i just wanted to say that i’m totally in love with your blog, your pictures, and everything you do! also if you wanted to check out my blog it’s rand0mbookgirl.wordpress.com (same username for tumblr/instagram too) 🙂
Haha 🙂 I love your blog name & now I know where you got it! I cannot wait to read PASSENGER AHHH! Thanks for the great post!
BEFORE I START MY COMMENT, I JUST HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT YOUR BLOG DESIGN IS SO GLORIOUS. Seriously, I love it.
I’m also really excited for The Unexpected Everything. I honestly haven’t read anything by Morgan Matson, but I’m hoping to plow through all her books this year perhaps. I’ve been loving the song Seventeen too. It’s so catchy! It’s almost kind of sad now because I recently turned 18. I listened to it on repeat the day before my birthday, haha. Nice to meet you!
Krystianna @ Downright Dystopian
Oh I love the story of how you came up with your blog name! That’s so creative, and I adore it. I NEED Crooked Kingdom so badly, same goes for The Winner’s Kiss, Lady Midnight, and The Rose & The Dagger. I love that dream library! It’s so organized and clean and prettyyyy.
Rachel @ A Perfection Called Books
I really like your blog name! (And I love that we are name twins.) I also think blogging is such a fun way for me to express all of my book feels with a community of people who love reading just as much as I do! Plus, I get to meet people (like you) who I can flail with, and who inspire me with their posts <3
It’s so cool that you are a ballet dancer. I used to dance ballet when I was in middle school/high school too – but I was never dedicated enough. It’s a big commitment.
I am currently reading Passenger and I’M EXCITED. The Raven King is one of my most anticipated releases as well – I need it now!! Contemporary and Fantasy are my faves too. Yayy
I also really need the crooked kingdom! and I love seeing bookstagram pictures! I’m just no good at taking them haha. Also I love your blog design! It’s gorgeous!
Yes! This is my first ime participating and I’m really enjoying it! Here is my introduction: https://perfectioninbooks.wordpress.com/2016/02/20/4585/
YES! I love how you’ve combined ballet and books. I use to train in ballet as well (15+ years) and never could figure out how to combine my two loves.
Love your blog name. Your site is lovely. I’ll be adding “Crooked Kingdom” to my must read list now 🙂
CROOKED KINGDOM! AAAAAH! It’s on mine too – we can be Leigh Bardugo buddies! Your dream library is amazing, and I love the AWESOME recreation of To All The Boys I Loved Before picture!
I love your blog, and I’m so glad I found it! New follower.
Aditi @ https://athousandwordsamillionbooks.blogspot.in/
Stuttgart City Library is also my dream library aside from the one from Beauty and the Beast. ♥
Your dream library is so coollll!!. Nice to meet you. I’m Christine from Philippines! 🙂
I’m in love with your blog, Lex! I’ve been blog hopping all day and am super glad to have discovered yours! Also, your photos are on fleek, too! And lastly, your dream library looks a lot like the promised land! <3 Great post, Lex! My #LoveAThon introduction is also posted here: https://bookfreakrevelations.wordpress.com/2016/02/22/bookish-thoughts-5-love-a-thon-2016-introduction/ just in case you want to read it 🙂