A big shout out to Sandra Yeaman for nominating me for my first Liebster Award! It is an honor to have her recognize my blog, especially when seeing all of the places she has traveled and visited! I’m sure I can hardly imagine the adventures she has been on and the subsequent stories she can tell! I’m looking forward to hopefully reading her memoir in the near future to get a glimpse into her travel filled life!

Liebster Award Guidelines:

1. Display an image of the award and write about your nomination.
2. Thank and link the person who nominated you for this award.
3. Answer the 11 questions prepared for you by the blogger who nominated you.
4. Nominate 5-11 awesome bloggers who you think  deserve this award, and create 11 questions of your own for your nominees to answer.
5. List these guidelines in your blog post.

My Answers to Sandra’s Questions:

1. What book(s) are you reading now?
   I typically read two books at a time, one being an audiobook, while the other is a more traditional format. However, at this point I’m currently in the midst of three, rather dense books. Due to George R. R. Martin claim that Dinosaur Lords by Victor Milan was a mix of Jurassic Park and Game of Thrones, two of my favorite books, I had to immediately find this novel. I struggle to think of a previous read book that was harder to lose myself in, which is unheard-of. Alas, just as the Dinosaur Lords had caught my attention, I picked up A Wise Man’s Fear by Patrick Rothfuss, while on my honeymoon. I’d been rather impatiently waiting to read the sequel to The Name of the Wind, therefore once the title became available at my local library, it was only a matter of time before my strength of will caved and Dinosaur Lords was momentarily set aside. The audiobook I’m thoroughly enjoying, Area 51 by Annie Jacobsen, was recommended by a fellow blogger, Warren’s Wide World of Randomness.
2. Who else do you think would enjoy reading it? Why?
   Any readers who find themselves drawn to books that include details almost to an excess (not that I’m complaining) such as Game of Thrones or Outlander would love A Wise Man’s Fear or its predecessor, The Name of the Wind. Rothfuss weaves a beautiful, complex world that leaves the reader wanting more! With regard to the audiobook, any lover of nonfiction, military, or Cold War buff will enjoy Area 51. I promise that this book is not filled with conspiracy theories or aliens. Jacobsen has done her homework interviewing former employees and searching recent declassified documents regarding the mysterious base. My coworkers and husband are probably rather annoyed with my frequent, “Did you know [insert random fact]?” statements that are asked throughout the day. Such as, did you know Buzz Aldrin punched a conspiracy guy who was insulting him in 2002, when he was 74? Watch the video here!

3. Which author would you like to write your life story? Why?
   I would have to say Stephen King. King has the innate ability to convey not only the story at hand but to truly delve into the mind of the characters. In his stories the reader is able to glimpse a character completely, from their inner most thoughts to the resulting actions. It would be most intriguing if he could manage to apply this unique understanding to my life story, all the while converting this into a readable biography.
4. Name three authors you would like to invite to dinner. Why?
   I decided to choose three living authors. The past seven years one of my favorite topics to discuss has been George R. R. Martin’s Game of Thrones, even to my poor parents that have never even seen the show.   Therefore I’d love to pick his brain and see if he would humor me several of my theories regarding the series. The Red Rising series is one of my favorite all time therefore Pierce Brown of course makes my list. Not to mention his dashing good looks. The third author I’d love to even be able to meet is Diana Gabaldon. Little did I know when picking up Outlander in early high school, I would be entering into a world that would become a familiar friend.
5. Summarize your life in three sentences.
   Well I suppose it would be cheating to write three run-on sentences.Once upon a time there was once a young damsel that could not stand being idle. Additionally she was far too competitive for her own good consequently everything in her life becomes a bit of a competition. As such she was a very sore loser.
   The End.
6. What was the last book you read that kept you up late into the night to finish?
   The Red Rising series! Seriously, these books are unputdownable (I’m making that a word).
7. Have you read a book recently you decided was a waste of time? If so, what is it? Who might like it?
   The entire Legend series by Marie Lu. There are so many wonderful and engaging dystopian young adult novels to choose from. Please don’t bother picking up this series. While they are quick reads, the series lacks the depth and detail that connects the reader not only to the characters but the world in which they inhabit. Reading reviews from other bloggers, many of them are not as harsh on this series as I am.  I was in quite the dystopian novel phase by the time I encountered Legend. Perhaps I I’d grown momentarily weary of the subject?
8. What’s your favorite genre? Why?
   I’m by far most drawn to science fiction. I love being transported into worlds that are foreign and conceptually unique from anything that has previously been devised in literature. The more detail and effort that the imaginative authors pour into their texts the faster and deeper the readers will fall into new realm. For example, Tolkien not only created Middle Earth from a physical standpoint, he created unique languages, history, and even their own legends with the result being one of the most loved literary works of all time.
9. What genre haven’t you read much of yet?
   Starting in high school, my friend group and I would exhaust one genre and move quickly into the next. Probably the genres I have least had an interest in are comics or graphic novels.
10. What would be a good title for your autobiography?
    Oh hard one. Maybe, Sarah and her Many Hats. My husband jokes that I have a whole closet of discarded hobbies that I’ve picked up and obsessed over until I find my next topic of interest. In my lifetime I’ve picked up many different hats such as a violinist, ballerina, college lacrosse player, factory worker, chemist, high school athlete (basketball, cheerleading, softball, volleyball, track), farmer, knitter, scale master at a scrap yard, movie extra, guitarist, snowboarder, tailor, coach, traveler, barrel rider, FFA member and reader to name a few. The fall back name would have to be my family’s mantra, It’s the Right Thing to Do. While now the saying has become somewhat of a family joke, growing up we heard my mom repeatedly make this statement when we would often be dragging our feet at doing something that we should be.
11. What’s the title of the next book you plan to begin reading?
    A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab or Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel.

My Liebster Award Nominees:

1. I love finding other chemists that love books as much as I do! I nominate Rachel R. Smith of Records of the Ohanzee. You should check out her books too!
2. I would like to nominate CrazyBookLadyReviews. Despite being only just recently acquainted, we have a surprisingly similar taste in the books we pick up!
3. My third nomination is Warren’s Wide World of Randomness. Warren has some great book suggestions! Make sure you check out his blog!
4. I would also like to nominate The Genre Minx. Her blog is full of insightful and detailed book reviews!
5. My last nomination is Daydreaming with Books. Erica’s enthusiasm for reading is infectious!

My Questions for Bloggers:

I enjoyed answering Sandra’s questions so much that I’m going to use her list. Hopefully she won’t mind too much.

1. What book(s) are you reading now?
2. Who else do you think would enjoy reading it? Why?
3. Which author would you like to write your life story? Why?
4. Name three authors you would like to invite to dinner. Why?
5. Summarize your life in three sentences.
6. What was the last book you read that kept you up late into the night to finish?
7. Have you read a book recently you decided was a waste of time? If so, what is it? Who might like it?
8. What’s your favorite genre? Why?
9. What genre haven’t you read much of yet?
10. What would be a good title for your autobiography?
11. What’s the title of the next book you plan to begin reading?