Say hello to Bookstr’s Bookstagrammer of the Week, here to share her love for books with the world. See what motivates her and inspires her to post the aesthetically pleasing pictures we at Bookstr have fallen in love with. Diversify your reading taste with her book recommendations.
Why did you start your Bookstagram?
I think the main reason I started my account was to genuinely discuss my love for books with other people and recommend books to others so they could obsess and enjoy the books just as much as me and more. And after starting my Bookstagram and keeping it going for a year now, I’d like to think I’ve done that 😊 and that brings me great joy!
Where are you from?
I’m from the UK (I was born and raised here). But ethnically I’m Egyptian 😉
What do you want your Instagram to bring to the world?
More love for books! This one is surprisingly easy. I don’t know what else to say except: all I’ve ever wanted from my Bookstagram is to help people find the perfect book for them and help them get that end-of-the-book satisfaction.
What’s Your Special Approach to Content?
I don’t know, I kind of go in sometimes winging it and other times having planned the exact set up of a photo or the song and books for every reel. It really varies. I used to put a lot more pressure on myself but now I’ve reduced that pressure and I’m enjoying it even more 😊
What does your Bookstagram mean to you?
I’ll be honest, it’s not my account itself but genuinely the friendships and people I’ve met through Bookstagram that mean so much to me. Without them, I don’t know what I’d do.
That being said, I take pride in how I’ve developed my photography skills and technical skills through making reels. I think it’s definitely developed me more as a person than I was expecting and again, I don’t know what I’d do without it.
IMAGE VIA @book.greed
Any advice for aspiring Bookstagrammers?
I would say just have fun with it. Don’t put pressure on yourself about posting super regularly. Take breaks when you need to. And try not to focus on the numbers – that’s going to be hard initially but if you’re having fun, that’s what matters. It’ll happen eventually. 😊
And more practical advice is: make use of Instagram reels. It’s becoming more popular and making reels is mostly fun. 😊
List of Favourites by @book.greed
Favorite Bookstagrammers:
Honestly, there are so many to choose from. I love loads but here are the five Bookstagrammers I adore (in no particular order):
1. @bookishbasma (recommends AMAZING Muslim rep books and fantasy books)
2. @says_books (we have had some great ranting book discussions)
3. @readingathousandworlds (amaaazing reels and recs!)
4. @joys_reads (such a sweet human being and we have some great book discussions)
5. @betterwithabookinmyhand (has the most stunning photos. They’re just so satisfying and prettyyyyy)
IMAGE VIA @book.greed
Favorite Books and Authors:
This is like a mother being asked which child is their favorite 🤣
My top 6 authors are (in no particular order):
1. Kerri Maniscalco (Author of Stalking Jack the Ripper and Kingdom of the Wicked)
2. Hafsah Faizal (Author of We Hunt the Flame and the upcoming A Tempest of Tea (which I’m very excited for))
3. Tahereh Mafi (Author of Shatter Me, A Very Large Expanse of Sea, An Emotion of Great Delight and the upcoming book This Woven Kingdom (which I’m also very excited for 🤣)
4. Stephanie Garber (Author of Caraval and Once Upon a Broken Heart)
5. Mariana Zapata (Author of The Wall of Winnipeg and Me, From Lukov with Love and other slow-burn romances)
6. Chloe Gong (Author of These violent delights)
My top 10 books/series (in no particular order):
1. Stalking Jack the Ripper (series)
2. Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier (trilogy)
3. We hunt the flame (duology)
4. These violent delights (duology)
5. The infernal devices (trilogy) along with The last hours (trilogy but only 2 are out)
6. From lukov with love (standalone)
7. Kingdom of the wicked (trilogy but only 2 are out)
8. Love from a to z (standalone)
9. Once upon a broken heart (trilogy I think but only 1 is out)
10. The Spanish love deception (standalone)
IMAGE VIA @book.greed
Favorite fandoms:
I love the Grishaverse fandom (Shadow and Bone, Six of Crows etc) it just gives off very good vibes.
And also, the Shadowhunter fandom because I love the books, and seeing the fandom share that love is adorable.
Favorite book cover:
This is sooo hard to choose because there are so many beautiful ones. For one where the dust jacket is stunning, would be Pride and Premeditation by Tirzah Price. It’s so bright and vibrant. And for under the dust jacket artwork, it has to be Once upon a broken heart (UK pre-order editions). It’s PERFECTION! 😉
Some Fun Facts About @book.greed
IMAGE VIA @book.greed
I was a STRONG book hater before lockdown. Like in school we had English lessons where we’d go to the library, pick a book, go back to the classroom and read for the hour. Those were the lessons I hated most. I would just sit there and watch everyone else read and I’d be sat there pretending to read and flip the pages over when everyone else would 🤣 but now I look back at mini Menna and I’m just confused. I wish those were the kind of classes we had now.
Do you have a fictional crush?
Thomas Cresswell (aka the love of my life) – Stalking Jack the Ripper. He’s hilarious, chivalrous, adorableeeee and handsome 😉
Who would you have supply you with a lifetime of books?
It’s between Kerri Maniscalco and Tahereh Mafi mainly because I think they can both really go out of their usual genres. So I can switch between contemporaries, fantasy and romance (and never get bored) because they can write it all and so well.
TBR List:
Here comes the essay:
I’ll list the books I own but haven’t read yet
– The Traitor’s Kiss (the whole trilogy)
– Bone Crier’s Moon (the whole duology)
– Hush, Hush (4-book series)
– The Prison Healer (the two books that are out)
– The Raven Boys (book 1)
– The City of Brass (book 1)
– Slammed
– Kulti