Happy Bookstagram day! This week’s account is Jess/@jessbetweenlines. She has a warm vintage vibe that will make you wish you were in front of a fireplace with a book.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CEMRyvPK9Xc/?igshid=16r7ku23tsorh
Why did you start your Bookstagram:
I started my Bookstagram in June of 2018 for mainly two reasons: 1) I was looking for a creative outlet for my thoughts and photography 2) I was desperately looking for a place and a community that I could share what I’m reading and obsess over books with. Bookstagram turned out to be everything I was looking for and more.
Where are you from:
I’m from Frankfurt, Germany, but currently doing my studies in Trier, Germany.
image via @jessbetweenlines
What do you want your Instagram to bring to the world:
With my posts, I’m trying to get people excited about reading, but also, my Instagram has always been about taking things slow, appreciating the little moments in life, and being kind to yourself and others.
Fun Fact about you:
I’m a huge sucker for tea. I drink what would probably be considered unhealthy amounts of it on a daily basis, but I just can’t help myself.
Favorite Bookstagrammers:
Okay, wow, that’s a tough one! There are so many amazing creators who inspire me, but a few of my favorites include @riannewrites, @thelostlibrary, @stefiereads, @prideandpaperbacks, @shetellsastory, @wildlandpages & @polly.florence.
image via @jessbetweenlines
Favorite Books and Authors:
My top three favorite books are Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier, What a Carve Up! by Jonathan Coe and Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte.
Fictional Crush:
I’ll have to got with Mr. Rochester for this one.
TBR List:
Some books that I really want to get around to reading this year are The Count of Monte Cristo, Brideshead Revisited, and Great Expectations.
image via @jessbetweenlines
What’s Your Special Approach to Content:
That’s such an interesting question. I try to create a mood and tell a story, if you will, with every picture that I post. So before taking pictures, I really try to think about what that mood is going to be and “set the scene” by e.g. playing music that inspires me and fits that specific mood. And then it’s all about trying to make that “vision” that I have in my mind a reality.
Aesthetic / Instagram page theme:
I would describe my aesthetic as cozy and vintage-inspired. I always have so much fun with coming up with new ways of editing and new “themes”, if you will, but I think these two “associations” are always a constant on my page.
How often do you post:
I post daily, but I have taken breaks before, especially when I was struggling with my mental health, and I think it’s so important to acknowledge these moments, when stepping away is the right thing to do, and just taking some time for yourself.
What does your Bookstagram mean to you:
My Bookstagram community has become like a family to me. I know it sounds super cheesy, but it’s true! I just know that whatever might be going on in my personal life, I can go on Instagram and there will be people there who will make me smile and forget for a moment or two. But I have also shared some of these personal struggles with my followers before and the support and the encouragement I received in return every time was mind-blowing to me. I am so thankful every day that I have discovered this wonderful place and wouldn’t want to miss it for the world!
Favorite Bookstore:
My favorite bookstore is called “thebooks.pl”. It’s a small independent bookstore in Warsaw, Poland that specializes in second-hand English books and I would visit it all the time when I was living in Warsaw. It’s a tiny store, but it’s filled to the brink with the most amazing titles and they’re super affordable as well! It honestly doesn’t get better than that!
Who would you have supply you with a lifetime of books:
See above. I really love second-hand books, so I’d be totally fine with that.
image via @jessbetweenlines
Author to take a selfie with:
So, this is awkward, but most of my favorite authors are dead, so yeah… But I guess Jonathan Coe would be cool to meet and take a selfie with. Honestly, now that I think about it, yeah,I would totally love to get to meet him and ask him all about What a Carve Up! and how he got this brilliant idea to write it. Oh, and meeting Murakami would be awesome too. To hear his thoughts behind his books would be amazing because how do you even come up with that stuff?!
Favorite book cover:
The Penguin Essentials edition of What a Carve Up!… Sorry, I just really love What a Carve Up!, haha.
image via amazon
Book you have claimed to have read that you didn’t:
I don’t think I ever did that.. I was the person who actually read all the mandatory reading in school… and actually enjoyed it, haha!
When did you know you had made it as a Bookstagrammer:
Does this article count, haha? I don’t really know what “making it on Bookstagram” would even entail. I’m just glad for finding a community and being able to share the things that I care about, and hearing people say that they admire that and find some inspiration in it, is the closest thing to what I think making it on Bookstagram would be.
Favorite fandoms:
Harry Potter! I know the fandom is going through a bit of a crisis right now, due to (imo) J.K.Rowling’s problematic behavior, but I think we can still appreciate the series for what it means to us, separating it from the author. What I know is that I’ve learned so many important and valuable lessons in these books – about friendship, about acceptance, about fighting for what you believe is right – that still hold very true to this day. And I think Rowling should take a page from her own book, quite literally, and reevaluate her stance and what it means. The books and movies are not the problem. She is.
image via @jessbetweenlines
Advice for aspiring Bookstagrammers:
The only advice I can really give is, try to be yourself! I know it seems daunting at first when starting out, because there are so many amazing accounts that seemingly know what they are doing, but all of us have to start somewhere. I think more important than figuring out an aesthetic, or improving your photography skills (which are both important of course, but will happen over time, anyway) is having fun and making friends. Because this is what the community should always be about – finding like-minded people to share your passions with. So, be yourself and don’t forget to have fun!
Additional bookishness:
Have you guys checked out What a Carve Up! yet? No? What are you waiting for? Seriously, you won’t regret it!