Around The World With... (April 2014)

Hey everyone! I created a new feature for Unraveling Books! I love to travel and want to go all over the world one day and I also love books! So, I decided to find a new way to incorporate the two and came up with "Around the World with..." Each month I am going to feature one of you lovely book bloggers and ask you some questions about books and traveling.

So without further ado, here is...

Brittany from The Book Addict's Guide! I first started talking to Brittany when she helped host the Just One Year (Gayle Forman) read along! I love Brittany's blog and her unique format for her book reviews (the addiction rating especially) and she really tells you what you need to know whether good or bad! Go wish her a happy blogoversary - The Book Addict's Guide is TWO years old now! :)

If you could travel anywhere in the world where would it be?

I would LOVE to travel to Europe someday. I'm half Italian (my dad's side) and I'm also German, Polish and Norwegian so I'd really love to be able to visit all of the countries that make up part of my heritage. Mostly I'd love to see Italy, Germany, and Spain. I was a Spanish major in college so I'd really love to see the country that I learned so much about and hopefully be able to use my Spanish skills! (You know... whatever skills I still have left after being out of school for five years!)

If you were a city what city would you be? 

Oh wow, that's a hard question. I would say... Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Milwaukee is a really fun area for me. If I were to be a city, Milwaukee is still filled with all of the Midwestern fun that I love (and I've lived in Illinois my whole life so I feel like it would still have to be in the Midwest) and I LOVE the beer scene in Milwaukee. There's a reason their baseball team is called the Brewers! My fiancé and I have taken many a brewery tour there and we've had a lot of fun every time we've gone up there. I also really like that Milwaukee is still a major city but it's not as crazy and busy and trafficky as Chicago. Add in Lake Michigan and the fact that my sister is currently living there, and I think it pretty much sums me up pretty well!

Favorite place you’ve been to? 

Snowy Range Mountains, Wyoming. Shane (my fiancé) first took me to the Snowies just six months after we started dating. He went to school out in Wyoming and he's very much an outdoors person so it was really just the most special trip I've ever been on. It was a nice, quiet vacation and we backwoods camped in the mountains. It was the 4th of July weekend and there was still of ton of snow on the ground! We camped in this clearing of snow. It was so cool. It was just such a peaceful trip and still my favorite one to date.

Favorite setting in a book? Least favorite? 

Hmmm. I don't know if I really have a specific place that's my favorite! I really like books that are set in summer for some reason, but that's not a PLACE. I always like when books are set in Chicago or the Chicago suburbs just because it's so easy for me to connect with and I get a little thrill when I recognize a place or have been there!
As for least favorite... Probably most places I'm really not familiar with. I think it's really hard for me to connect with books set in Asia in general simply because I'm not familiar with the area or customs. It's a lot of new things for me to try to get a hang of so it becomes difficult for me to connect with the book.

Are you planning on traveling anywhere in 2014? 

I am! Earlier in January, I flew out to NJ and Amy (Tripping Over Books) picked me up and we had a girls weekend with Alyssa (Books Take You Places) in central NY. In May, I'm going to BEA again (YAY!) and in June, Shane and I are flying out to Montana for his friend's destination wedding which I am SUPER excited for. Then in November (or December -- TBD) we will have our honeymoon! Not sure where yet though.

Favorite book set in Europe? North America (East, West, North, South, Midwest - pick a book for each location in North America or just a couple that you like)? Other place? 

Favorite Europe books include Just One Day by Gayle Forman, Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins, and Meant to Be by Lauren Morrill <333 LOVE THEM so much.
Hmm, I'll just throw in a couple for North America! The Book of Broken Hearts (Sarah Ockler) took place in CO, If I Stay (Gayle Forman) took place in Oregon, The Summer I Became a Nerd (Leah Rae Miller) took place in Louisiana, and Better Off Friends (Elizabeth Eulberg) was a fun one from Wisconsin!

If you were taking a road trip, what would be some of your must see tourist stops? 

You know, I really don't know! I would love to take a road trip someday but I don't really know of very many tourist stops. I'd have to ask for some advice! :) Although I would love to road trip out to the southwest and see the Grand Canyon. Always wanted to see it (just not stand too close to the edge)!

Favorite author? Where are they from? 

I feel like a lot of them are from New York haha. But Marissa Meyer lives in Washington state, Leigh Bardugo lives in Los Angeles, and Gayle Forman lives in New York, I believe!

Categories: April 2014, Around the World with