Book Bloggers Nook ft. Angele

Hi!
After two months we have a new blogger joining us in our Book Bloggers Nook. I liked going through Angele’s reviews and recs. I’ve linked some of her posts below and you can check her blog for more.

Without further ado, let’s begin this interview.

Interview

Meet the Book Blogger

Today we have Angele Ponco @ Angele Reads Books, a Filipino blogger joining us for a quick chat about her blog and her love for books, dogs, etc. She’s a fan of Fantasy, science fiction, romance, and historical fiction. You can jump to her bookstagram page to get more updates from her.

It’s great to have you here, Angele!

Catch up with Angele on

Blog • Instagram • Twitter • Goodreads

Introduce yourself and your blog.

Hello! I’m Angele (pronounced as “An-je-li”), and I’m a 25 year old fourth year medical student already on my last year (yay!) who happens to love drinking too much coffee, dogs, naps, and sitcom and reality tv shows. I’ve been a big reader since I was 9 years old, and it definitely took me years to find the types of books I really enjoy. I’m a huge fantasy reader, but would occasionally dabble in romance, historical fiction, and science fiction.

I joined the book community first on Bookstagram around 2016, and I’m still pretty much active there. It was only around 2018 that I thought of finally joining the book blogging community, and launching my baby named “Angele Reads Books”. I mostly post random bookish stuff and detailed book reviews on it, and it has always been my platform to just talk about my love for books, and the fact that other people read my words is just a cherry on top.

How have your reading preferences changed after going to med school?

Oh, it’s definitely too much. I used to be able to read a huge number of books before, but once I entered medical school, my reading habits changed drastically. I couldn’t read at the same rate and amount that I used to, and have even gone on months-long reading slumps since I allotted the majority of my time to studying. It was even harder during my first year because I was still adjusting to the rapid shift of gears of all the subjects we had to study on, and I couldn’t pick up a single book for months or even post on my social media pages and blog! It was only then that my professors and upperclassmen advised us that we need to dedicate some time away from our school to do things we love so we wouldn’t burn ourselves out – which is a very normal thing that happens in medical school.

So, once I finally found my groove to balance both my academics and leisurely reading, I’ve been able to read more yet not at the same amount as I used to. I still read on both physical and ebook formats, but this was the time I’ve discovered audiobooks. Audiobooks saved my reading life in my med school years because I’m able to read while doing some chores in my dorm or during very late hours when I’m not doing anything. I could just lay in bed for hours and read without using my eyes. I actually prefer reading books alongside the audiobook versions, but I could still do audiobooks alone when I can.

I heard you have 6 dogs. Can you tell us more about them?

Yes! I always grew up with dogs since my parents are huge dog-lovers. We currently have 6 very spoiled dogs who we all love to death, and they are:

– Koffi, a 14 year old Pomeranian-Spitz mix who is the baby of the house and my mother’s favorite child. (He’s the one in the photo included)

– Odie, a 11 year old, very quiet, shy, yet friendly Aspin (“Asong Pinoy” or mutt)

– Max, a 8 year old Aspin who looks like a German Shepard but is a big softie and Daddy’s boy.
– Big and Maxine, who are Max’s half siblings (they have the same mom). Both of them are 7 years old, and are total opposites. Big is quiet and brooding, but likes his daily pets, while Maxine is very clingy to everyone and is the only girl (dog) in the family and she definitely lets everyone know it.

– and lastly, Diego, a 6 year old (another half sibling of Max, Big, and Maxine from the same mom) who loves his treats and car rides.

Which genre would you like to explore more this year?

I would really love to get more into adult science fiction. I’ve been mostly avoiding reading sci-fi because I’ve been in a science-heavy track since college, and it just tends to mess my mind at times, hence I’ve only been reading mostly YA sci-fi to keep things on the lighter side. But I really wanted to explore the adult space of sci-fi this year, maybe start with known titles such as The Martian by Andy Weir or continue my journey with Morning Star, the third book in Pierce Brown’s Red Rising series.

What are the top 3 books that kept you sane in 2021?

There’s too many to choose from! But if I really had to choose, I’d go with The Sword of Kaigen by M.L. Wang, Jade Legacy by Fonda Lee, and I Hate You More by Lucy Gilmore.

Since you like The Big Bang Theory, here’s a scenario where you’re invited to their Fantasy themed Halloween Party. Who would you go as?

Yes, I’m a huge fan of The Big Bang Theory, and their Halloween episodes are just some of my favorites. While we don’t really celebrate Halloween here in the Philippines (compared to Western countries), if I were invited to their party, I’d probably go as Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice ala Keira Knightley, Beth Harmon from The Queen’s Gambit, or Kim Possible.

The last book that kept you awake till midnight?

The Ruin of Kings by Jenn Lyons. I actually just recently finished this book, and it really kept me up well into the night just to finish it – and the experience was worth it.

An author you’d like to read more this year?

Robin Hobb. She’s such a big name in the fantasy space with a huge number of books on her line-up. I’ve got a few book friends who loved her works and recommended it to me, so it just pushed me to finally give her a chance. I already read Assassin’s Apprentice (the first book of her Farseer trilogy), but I still want to read the rest of the books before I give my judgement.

Any reading pet peeves?

Surprisingly, I don’t really have a huge list of reading pet peeves. I mean, I can relate to posts and such a lot of times, but I could only think about a couple that will really irk me out. The first would be anyone (and literally anyone) interrupting me while I’m reading something, especially if I’m already in a really good part in the story, and the second one would be spoilers. I’m very good at dodging spoilers for the majority of the time, but there are still a few that would magically escape and make itself known to me – either a friend told me or I’ve seen it on social media.

Are there any recent reads you’d gladly throw into the ocean?

Fortunately, I haven’t encountered any books lately that I’d want to throw into the ocean. Maybe the most disappointing book I’ve read this year so far is Suddenly Forbidden by Ella Fields.

POST to Check out from Angele’s Blog

It’s been wonderful talking to you, Angele. Thanks for joining me here. Wishing you good luck for your last year of med school! Don’t forget to check out her blog y’all.