Bookstagrammers are constantly taking Bookstagram to the next level, and this week’s Bookstagrammer is no different! With a gorgeous, aesthetic page, Andrea @addiesbookshelf is your new go-to for romance recommendations and reviews! She has created the ultimate book nerd safe zone, where readers can embrace their love for everything bookish without judgement. Her kind, engaging community is uplifting, inclusive, and show-stopping. Read on to learn more about this wonderful Bookstagrammer!
Andrea of @addiesbookshelf
Instagram | TikTok | Goodreads
Let’s begin the interview!
Where are you from?
I am half Filipina/half English and live in a small seaside village on the South Coast of England!
Why did you start your Bookstagram?
I wanted to create a space to share my favourite books and, ultimately, my love for reading! I have always adored conversations over books, and some of my favourite connections I have made with people have been from a love of fictional worlds and literature. My goal was to create a welcoming space for everyone to engage in these conversations with each other, share recommendations, talk theories, and fangirl over our favourite book characters. I feel very lucky that I have met the loveliest people from Bookstagram, and am ever so grateful for the community for being so welcoming to me.
What do you want your Instagram to bring to the world?
I ultimately want to bring a totally judgment-free space for people and myself to interact. Literature is such a beautiful tool for connecting with people. How we all interpret things differently, take away different lessons from stories, and share our knowledge and opinions, it’s something really special. I feel very lucky to have made friends all over the world through Bookstagram. I want my account to be a space that welcomes and involves everyone. Whatever you love, share it so we can love it too!
What’s a fun fact about you?
Growing up, I worked as a child performer and was lucky enough to train at The Royal Ballet and Sylvia Young Theatre School in London. I also spent three years touring with Billy Elliot the Musical UK, Ireland, and Germany Tour as a Ballet Girl/ensemble! It was, without a doubt, the most life-changing job, and I feel very grateful that I was able to travel and perform so much at an early age. Dancing has always been a huge part of my life, and it will forever hold a special place in my heart.
Who are your favorite Bookstagrammers?
I have met some of the most incredible and talented people from the Bookstagram community, and I am obsessed with everyone’s accounts! The accounts I follow are filled with the most beautiful photos and reviews, as well as some amazing authors. However, some honourable mentions are @aiyanareads_, @genevas.bookmark, @bellameibooks, @all.thosebooks, @lostinliteraturex, @itsjustkatee and @sandrareadsbook. Also, a special mention to @authorhollyejukes and @theauthorkatelauren, who have upcoming releases! The most wholesome and swoon-worthy romances, you should definitely check them out! I wish I could mention you all; I am in awe of each and every one of your accounts.
What are your favorite books, and who are your favorite authors?
I have so many books that hold such a special place in my heart, but The Invisible Life of Addie Larue by V.E.Schwab forever changed my love for reading. I truly think about that book everyday. Some other special mentions would be the ACOTAR series by the queen, Sarah J. Maas, Normal People by Sally Rooney, and Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton.
Who’s your fictional crush?
Rhysand is the only correct answer here.
TBR List:
My physical TBR genuinely keeps me up at night; I just want to read everything! But some books on my priority list are Powerless by Lauren Roberts, Better Than the Movies by Lynn Painter, Chestnut Springs by Elsie Silver, and a Throne of Glass reread!
What’s your special approach to content?
Being ultimately myself. I have learned to really embrace all the things that I love. I adore romance books, Taylor Swift, One Direction, and original Barbie movies. My 20s have really just consisted of me falling in love with everything I loved when I was little, and I couldn’t be happier about it.
What’s your aesthetic / Instagram page theme?
My aesthetic definitely developed over time into what it is now. I was trying out so many different aesthetics, to begin with, but I’m so happy with what my feed has naturally morphed into. It’s very girly, coquette, bows, flowers and obviously…Pink! I read so much romance so naturally the aesthetic shifted on its own, but you can see further down the account where I was still grasping what I wanted things to look like visually. I really love the overall vibe and aesthetic of my account now, so more pink and girly vibes will come from me!
How often do you post?
During the academic season, I try my best to post 2-3 times a week, with stories daily. When I began my account last summer, I posted a photo AND a reel daily. Once life kicked in with university, bookselling, and arc reading, I quickly realised this wasn’t sustainable for me. The number, of course, fluctuates depending on what’s going on, but always quality over quantity for me. Posts do take a lot of time, from setting up to lighting, editing, captions, and so on; especially if you’re a perfectionist like me! But gaining the balance has been a process for me, and it’s still something I’m navigating now.
What does your Bookstagram mean to you?
It means everything and more. Training and working as a performer meant I never had a solid group of friends growing up. Especially with similar interests. Traveling so much made it hard for me to form long-term friendships, so reading became a solo hobby for me. I think every reader knows the feeling of finishing a good book and just wanting to talk about it for hours. Thoughts, theories, quotes. The book community has come together to make something so special, and I am so happy to be a part of it.
What’s your favorite Bookstore?
My favourite bookstore has to be Hatchards in London Picadilly. I visited during Christmas; it was so magical, and I make every excuse to go back. I also adore my local pre-loved bookstore, Heygates. My ultimate day off consists of getting a chai latte and going hunting for hidden gems in there. I could browse for hours.
Who would you have supply you with a lifetime of books?
It would have to be FairyLoot, those editions are just too beautiful and are some of my favourite books in my collection.
Which author would you love to take a selfie with?
Technically, I already have one with her, but it would be the one and only Dolly Alderton. I was so lucky to meet her at an event last year for her new book, Good Material (which is fantastic, by the way). We did take a photo, which she looks undoubtedly gorgeous in. I, on the other hand, battled a hurricane on Brighton seafront to get there on time. Dolly is one of my literary heroes, so I will never have the heart to delete it, but Dolly, if you ever happen to read this. Please can we take another photo so I can brush my hair and go on my good side.
What are your favorite book covers?
I am obsessed with so many, but the Once Upon A Broken Heart books by Stephanie Garber are just to die for! Honestly, cannot get a bad photo of them. The most Instagrammable covers ever. Sorry, U.S. girlies, but the U.K. won the book cover battle with these.
What are the books you have claimed to have read that you didn’t?
Crime and Punishment (please don’t tell my university professor). I just wanted to read my silly little sports romance to be honest. That’s the only excuse.
When did you know you had made it as a Bookstagrammer?
When Alex Aster followed and DM’d me! Or when Dolly Alderton reposted my story. If I am one thing in this world, it’s a fangirl.
What are your favorite fandoms?
It would have to be all the romantasy fandoms. You guys are too creative with your memes; I will never not cry with laughter at my feed. Plus, it gives me so many to bombard my book friends with. They love it, really.
Any advice for aspiring Bookstagrammers?
Embrace YOU. Over the last six months, I have tried to figure out what I truly enjoy sharing. I try to stay true to my interests and only read what I enjoy; I never want reading to feel like a chore. Embrace who you are and what you love, and share it with others. Let your content reflect your individuality, and you will attract the right audience.
Any additional bookishness?
I am a Waterstones Bookseller, and I absolutely love it! Recommending and having bookish chats with customers is so fulfilling, it really is the dream job. I’ve learned so much since I started bookselling, and I couldn’t recommend it enough. I hope to work in publishing in the future and am currently studying history and English literature at the university. Hopefully, the stars will align, and I’ll get to carry on sharing my love for reading throughout my career and online in the Booksta community.
Thank you so much to Andrea for letting us get to know her and her Bookstagram! Make sure to follow Andrea, @addiesbookshelf, on Instagram, TikTok, and Goodreads!
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