The Bookish Hour

Interview with Bookstagrammer: Liz (@thebohobookblogger)

• Jor & Fab • Season 2 • Episode 7

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The Art of Bookstagram

Meet Liz, the creative force behind The Boho Book Blogger, whose stunning flat lays and authentic approach to book content has captivated over 33k followers. In this warm and insightful conversation, Liz takes us behind the scenes of her bookstagram journey, sharing how a pandemic reading revival in 2020 blossomed into a thriving creative outlet and community.

You'll discover the secrets behind those enviable flat lays and hear Liz's perspective on what makes the book community so special compared to other social media spaces. "The community aspect of Bookstagram is so cool," she explains. "Being able to talk to literal strangers on the internet about books - there's something so special about that."

Whether you're a devoted bookstagrammer looking for inspiration or simply curious about the digital reading revolution, this episode provides an intimate look at how books continue to bring people together in new and unexpected ways. 

Follow Liz at @thebohobookblogger on Instagram and TikTok to join her community of passionate readers and see those gorgeous flatlays.

Cover Art by: Fabienne and Jordan
Contact email: thebookishhourpod@gmail.com
Intro/Outro music: Season Two: Ramaramaray by Aiyo via Epidemic Sound Season One: Sweet Psycho via TikTok’s Offical Sound Studio on Capcut
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Podcast: @thebookishhourpod
Fabienne: @oxonheart
Jordan: @sipsoffiction

Jordan:

Welcome to the bookish hour with JustJour. You might know her as the boho book blogger, bringing all the cozy vibes with the perfect blend of beauty books and a touch of lifestyle, from her chic New York City adventures to her stunning flat lays. Seriously, we're all obsessed. She effortlessly creates magic and, beyond the aesthetic, she is genuinely one of the kindest humans ever. Welcome to the podcast, liz Hi.

Liz:

Hi, thank you so much for having me. I'm so excited to be here.

Jordan:

Oh my gosh. No, Thank you so much for coming on. I have been wanting to interview you and I'm so excited and so happy that you said yes, I'm honored.

Liz:

Totally honored. I'm so excited. I love chatting with you online, so it feels cool to finally see each other face-to-face.

Jordan:

I know it's almost like in person, just like over video, but like close enough. Ish, one day, one day in person, exactly Okay, so we'll just dive right in. Well, I do like to start every episode with like a good week, like a good thing that's happened to you this week. Is there anything good that you want to share that happened? Like it can be anything, something that you're proud of or something exciting.

Liz:

I mean for work. We had a really fun photo shoot today. It was just a small internal one, but it really went really well. I mean, it's for my real job, not my book job. That's just a side job. We'll get into that later, but yeah, it was a really fun shoot. So we're working on a really cool brand and I'm very excited. So it was. It was definitely a win.

Jordan:

Oh, that's so exciting. Oh my gosh. Okay, that's cool. I feel like for me. I actually got just a hate Jessa Hastings new book in the mail that like releases tomorrow. I got that in the mail today and I read Magnolia Parks and I read Magnolia Parks and I loved it. So like I can't wait to read this series, but I feel like that was really cool. Okay, so now we'll just dive into the questions. So the questions are broken up into three parts bookstagram, reading, and then the last one is like personal. So for the first one, bookstagram we'll start with question number one duh, but what inspired you to start Bookstagram? We'll start with question number one duh, but what inspired you to start a Bookstagram account?

Liz:

And then, how did you come up with your handle? The boho book blogger. So the reason I started my account well, I can kind of bring it back In 2020, obviously we all our lives changed right Totally and so I decided to start reading again. I hadn't read in years at that point, because between the ages of high school and college, I feel like there's this time where you kind of just stop. And for me, I went to design school and I was focusing on reading more design text, so I just didn't have a chance to enjoy reading for fun. So I kind of took a break from that and I was like, okay, well, covid happened. We're sitting home. I'm like I'm going to start reading again.

Liz:

And I saw that Stephanie Meyer was releasing like a new Twilight book and I was like, honestly, if the world is basically ending like, why not, why not just to start like reading again and just having a good time? So it was definitely something that I was like, okay, fun. So it kind of progressed from there where I was just reading so much and, you know, just kind of diving myself into these like fiction worlds and finding all these incredible authors that I was like, oh, I love doing this and then I realized, like someone I knew had like a Bookstagram account, and I was like, well, I don't know if I want to be a complete Bookstagram account, I want to do more like lifestyle and books. So actually, my friend and friend and I started the account, had totally different name and it was in 2020 and we had it for about like five or like five or six months and it didn't do very well. It was just like there and it was kind of one of those things where it's just like we didn't have the opportunity to, just we didn't know what we were doing, right, like we're talking about lifestyle, we're talking, we were talking about books, we were talking about beauty, and that was like fun.

Liz:

And then eventually, her and I we went two different directions and I took over the account and I was like, well, I'm going to change the name. So I changed it to the Boho Book Blogger because I always loved just like the Boho aesthetic of like anthropology and, you know, free people and even in like, the higher end of like, I would say like even like a Chloe. You know what I mean. I love that aesthetic and I love fashion so much. So I was like, honestly, I feel like this kind of fits my vibe and I just changed the name and honestly, from there it just it grew and it's kind of crazy where I really changed it more to a bookstagram account. But obviously I still do a little bit of beauty, a bit of lifestyle. Those are things I love. So I feel like it's fun stuff to share. So that's kind of how I started that.

Jordan:

Oh, that's so cool. I didn't realize you actually started with somebody. So, like you, guys both shared the account. Yep, oh my gosh. And then I'm guessing your friend didn't want to do it anymore and then just gave it to you.

Liz:

Yeah, basically we just kind of separated ways in general in life anyway, and it was just like she's like you know what, I don't want to do this, you do it, you love doing it, so you continue on. And I was like, okay, cool, I mean again, I think we honestly we probably had only like four or 500 followers at that time. It was a baby account, so it really didn't affect. And I met some people like that actually still talk to to this day around that time when I had that different name and then once I changed it, it just really kind of changed and also, granted, bookstagram changed so much. We've seen it grow so much, right, so I feel like at that time it was one of those things where it's like, okay, it's this natural progression into something really cool, but I never thought it would have grown to the way it has. It's kind of remarkable, to be honest.

Jordan:

Yeah, like you've definitely been able to take your account and just like grow it, and I can see it just continuing to grow like along with you, and I think it's really cool. Thank you, I think it's really cool.

Liz:

Well, thank you, okay, so what do you enjoy the most about being part of the Bookstagram community? Honestly, the community, like the community aspect of Bookstagram, is so cool. Like being able to do this, being able to talk to authors, like it's really such a unique place and the way we've seen it grow. Right, because we have Book Talk, we have Bookstagram and I mean I have a Book Talk. That's not my more active space, but I have both and I think it's really cool just to see and connect with friends, authors, and just be able to talk to literal strangers on the internet about books. There is something so special about that and the fact that you know it's such a safe space for the most part.

Liz:

I mean, obviously there's always things that happen, but for the most part, like I feel like I've met incredible friends and I'm so grateful for it because it's such a cool thing to do. Obviously, reading is something that people think is isolating and I think that's the biggest misconception, which is so funny because look at how the book community has changed and how you know it's about connection, it's about book clubs, it's about you know people have podcasts like you. There's so many different things and so many different opportunities and segues that are opening up for the book community. That wasn't there probably four or five years ago when I started this account, which is crazy to think about yeah, I feel like like the book community, all all we want.

Jordan:

We're like just such a nice group of people that all we want to do is talk about books. So it's, and like you know that the other person wants to talk about books. So I think it's just a great way that you can make a connection and you're right, like especially bookstagram, I feel like you can go into anybody's DMs, comment on anybody's like photo and people are going to want to talk with you Like they're going to want to talk. They're going to want to like yeah, just like talk with you about books, because that's like what we all love is books books.

Liz:

Yeah, it's incredible, and I think, even like when you were saying you got the new Jessa Hastings book, like I also got that book too and I'm hyped to read it, because then I'm like I can't wait for us to be able to talk about that. That's cool, like to have connection where you find people who like the same things as you. There's nothing more special than that, and I think it's a newer community and it's a rising community, and I think it's one that I think is a little bit more unique in the sense of it's not necessarily about competition versus other influencer groups, right, like I mean the reality, fashion, beauty, all these other like segments. I'm not saying that you can't have genuine friendships I'm sure people do but I feel like in the book community specifically, people just want to talk about books and having a friend that they might not have in their daily life to do it it's kind of awesome.

Jordan:

Yeah, yeah. And then I agree with you too, like, especially with like like amount of followers too. I feel like you could slide into other people's DMs with like greater following than you or less than, and no matter what people are willing to talk. So I I think that's really cool too, that it doesn't, you're right. Like it's not about this like competition, Like we all want to see each other grow, we all want to just be there and like support each other, which I feel like is not necessarily the same in all communities, but I also don't know about other ones, so I guess I can't speak for like fact, but like I feel like we are like such a niche corner of the internet and I I love our corner, I love it.

Liz:

Me too. It's so cool and it's growing constantly, so we'll see where it takes us, right.

Jordan:

That, yes, agree, yes, okay, can you walk us through your process for creating a post and or reel Any apps that are your ride or die apps for posts and reels. Post and.

Liz:

Yeah, no, absolutely so, for when I create posts, it usually I mean obviously my flat lays or what everyone knows me for. Honestly, I can try to post other content and everyone's like no, we really want a flat lay.

Jordan:

It's so funny because I I try to make flat lays because I'm obsessed with your flat lays. But then I try to do it, I'm like this sucks, like I don't know what it is. Your flat lays are like stunning. I can just like stare at them all day Like so pretty.

Liz:

The best compliment, thank you. And honestly, the way I kind of go about it is I just I take things like blankets, you know things that I love, like sometimes makeup obviously Summer Friday's lip balm I think everyone knows I love them and I just take these different things yeah, we love them and like they're such great products and I think just taking that with some really beautiful books, because I feel like these book covers more and more have become pieces of art, right, like they're so stunning and so pretty.

Jordan:

I feel bad. But then when I see a cover that's like not that great, I'm like there's like why, like there's so many stunning book covers that I'm like Like there's so many?

Liz:

stunning book covers that I'm like the ball fell flat here. No, 100%. And I think that's why I have such a fun time with it, because I can take it and make it this like art, and I've always done that Like even before doing this, like I always loved, like taking pictures when I got my friends and like I'd set the table up and like, do you know, make a coffee pick. I always did that because I think it's just like it's the design side of my brain, it's how I think as like a creative, so it's something that naturally progressed into my style and I feel like I've come up with like a style that works for me.

Liz:

But what I do is I just usually take a blanket, take some cool things, no-transcript. Sometimes I'll take like the blinds and make them half mass, so it's not complete light but it gives enough light, so it doesn't like have a glare and doesn't have like a funny like cast to it, and then I kind of just play around. And then some of them I'm like, oh, I hate it, and I take different, you know like take a photo from the top to the side and just kind of play around with it and then I go and post it. My favorite app for editing is I use an app called a color story. I don't know if you're familiar with it or not.

Jordan:

Actually. Yes, I think that's wait. Yes, that's the app I use too.

Liz:

I think that's wait. Yes, that's the app I use too. I love that and I think it's so good because I basically made my own like very, very light filter. So I took a filter that I liked and I made a custom. I bought like the yearly subscription it's quite inexpensive, I think it's like 24 for the year.

Liz:

It's not terrible and I took one that I liked and I tweaked it to make it look more natural, so it's just like a teeny bit of the filter.

Liz:

So it's probably like 11%, with like maybe a little bit more brightness and a little bit more exposure. And then every time I actually take my photos this is my trick, which I'm going to share I take my photos at a point. So when you go in and you're going to take your photo, like, for example I'm going to just explain it because I feel feel it's easier to and you go to your exposure, I do and this is probably not a real photography thing, but this works for, specifically for flat lays I put it at a 0.7 on my camera your exposure, you go to your exposure, yes, and it's at 0.7 and it just makes it a little bit brighter and for flat lays, it just helps them come out a little nicer, because I feel like sometimes, like things look overexposed in post, but you're doing it in that time when you're actually taking them and it's like I feel like it gives it this like bloggery, like filter to it.

Liz:

And it's something that I've been doing, probably for now, like I think like almost like two years, and I I've seen a major success. Probably not the proper way in terms of photography whatsoever, but I mean, it's like when you have a real camera and you're playing with the exposure and you're playing with the focus, it's kind of what you're doing on your phone and I find that space where you can kind of like play with the lighting and if it looks a little too like orange, like you kind of just tweak that. And yeah, that's kind of that's how I go about usually my flat lays.

Jordan:

So cool? I honestly never, I never knew, I never did that. I knew nothing. I know nothing about taking pictures, literally nothing.

Liz:

I love doing what I do and we work on a lot of cool products, but it sometimes feels a little monotonous, right, like you need a break outside of work and I feel like books was such a fun place where I love to read and I loved, you know, finding this place to read but also creating this fun content and, like, like I said, these covers are books, like complete pieces of art. Everything is so stunning, they're so beautiful, and so it's just been fun to kind of find fun solutions. You know, adding a tote bag, adding a handbag, adding things that I like and with it is just a nice way to set something up that just I feel like people really love, which is so crazy to me. But I'm always honored and when it comes to reels, those are not my strong suit. I'm trying to get better. I like to make vlogs. I don't care if anyone doesn't like my vlogs. Maybe they do, maybe they don't.

Jordan:

No, I love your vlogs. I love your vlogs. I think they're so fun. Yeah, I don't. I feel like. I feel like those are really good, like I feel like you do a very good job on your like, real vlogs.

Liz:

Well, thank you. I feel like maybe I'm just critical, but I always want to do better, right, like that's what I think we all want to do, that I think, when we have this like creative mindset to ourselves, that we're always striving to do better. So, like I'm like, oh, how can I? Like challenge myself, and I feel like let's be real, like sometimes we get caught up in the concept of trying to go viral. Right, it's part of the, the nature of being on social media, and I feel like now I'm trying more and more. It's like no, I'm just going to make the content I love. I think that's the best solution, because I'll do what I'm known for.

Jordan:

Yeah, I get. Sometimes. I like get caught up in like trying to gain followers, which and then I have to like check myself, being like that's not like why I started this, but like I feel like I kind of get caught up in it, especially if I see other people growing faster than me. I'm kind of get caught up in it, especially if I see other people growing faster than me. I'm kind of like, ooh, why am I not growing as fast as these people? So sometimes I have to check myself and I have to be like no, I like reading. I just want to post about books that I'm reading.

Liz:

I want to not look into that sort of thing 100%. And I think 100% and I think the biggest thing I always say is find things that you love and just continue to do it, because I think down the road and that's what happened to me with my flat lays is that the more I did them, the more other people knew that was my signature and it's funny people know me for them at this point. And I think find your niche, find something that you love and just have fun with it, because I think people will remember. I think there's a fact about social media After three times of seeing the same thing, people start remembering it. That's just the nature because we live in this world where it's constant. There's constant so much information.

Liz:

So being able to create some cohesion and some people like do some really cool reviews where they're just talking all the time, I feel like words are not my. I can read words. Saying words are not my complete safe space. I'm just going to be like I don't know what to say half the time and it can get a little bit much in a video where, like we're doing this, it's easier to have a conversation, but to do it to my camera. I struggle with that. But some people excel in that right camera.

Jordan:

I struggle with that but some people excel in that right Like it just depends. Yeah, that's true.

Liz:

I know I was just talking about growing like my account, but what would you say has been the biggest challenge in growing your account? I mean, that's a great question and honestly, it really just changes you. The algorithm constantly changes. Let's be real Like sometimes, even right now, like my posts haven't been doing as well as they have in the past, like I feel like I've seen my likes down, my shares, my views down significantly. I feel, as things change, there's times where you have extreme amounts of growth and there's times where you have lesser.

Liz:

I think that's just the nature of social media and I always say, like the one thing that gets me frustrated is like I'm like, oh, I'm not growing fast enough. I'm like, no, when I look, take a step back and look at it, I am growing still because every day I'm still posting, I'm still continuing. I think the biggest thing that you can do that can hurt your account is to stop. And I mean listen, there's circumstances in life that people have to stop. There's circumstances in life that people have to stop right, that's the nature of it. But if you love doing it, just continue on, because eventually those posts people are going to forget they don't have as many likes as the one that goes viral, yeah.

Jordan:

And two, I feel like your followers don't know that that post didn't get that many likes. I feel like we're judging ourself in our content, being like, oh, this one didn't do very well, but like I feel like no one else is looking at that, so it's kind of nice to look at it from like that perspective, even though it's very hard to look at it from that perspective too, because I'm still like, oh, this one didn't do as well no, I get caught up in it too and I think think you're so right Like the biggest thing.

Liz:

I always tell people I'm like, build your community, like that's the biggest thing, is like I have a great community of people that I love. Whether it's like you know, you and I, we interact with each other's content and sometimes I don't see it and that frustrates me because I'm like I don't see my friends, like what that's so crazy? And these are people I do interact with. It's not like I don't want to interact with you, it's just I literally don't see it. But it comes down to it's like I feel like it's just the community aspect and like sometimes it's about building that teeny bit of community versus like I think, having massive growth with a bunch of followers that don't mean anything and I'm not saying that they don't mean anything in the sense of like they're not valuable but I think maintaining that community will help your growth, no matter what, if that makes sense.

Jordan:

Yes, no, that does make sense. What advice would you give to someone starting their own bookstagram account or that wants to start a bookstagram account?

Liz:

So the piece of advice I'd give is, first of all, have fun, go in with no expectations and find something that you want to be your thing. I think the biggest thing we get caught up in is seeing what does well and what everyone else is doing and, I think, being unique and being authentic in your own way. Even if it's not something that's popular yet, that doesn't mean it won't have its moment, because I think, if you look at, the most successful accounts in this space are people who done something different. Right, it's the reality of like when you see one thing that really works for something everyone takes jumps on the bandwagon, and that's nature, the natural, it's all social media. We have trends, right, like there's trending songs on TikTok. Like.

Liz:

Tiktok is a much different animal than, like, I think, bookstagram. I think TikTok is really more focused on talking. You know funny trends, like funny videos, like all those different things and just creating conversations and all that. Where Bookstagram is really, and Instagram in general, it's always been a photo app. It's about aesthetics, I think. Maybe that's more my opinion, but I think there has to be an aesthetic element to no matter what you're doing. Even if your video is you talking. There's got to be more of an aesthetic element where you can literally be in sweatpants and just be like whatever on TikTok and that's cool, like I think there's value to both different things.

Liz:

But I think it's find out what your niche is. Find what space you like better. You know, if you're more someone who likes to just sit there and talk to your camera and you just want to have these casual conversations about talking about what you're reading, I think TikTok is a great way to start and then move into the Bookstagram space. And if you're more into the aesthetics and you love flat lays and creating these curated moments, I think Bookstagram is more like your space. I think you have to find kind of what will work for you. That's the best piece of advice I'd give someone.

Jordan:

I like that. I like that because I agree with you, because I feel like TikTok is I don't know how to explain it other than like I feel like you're right, like you can literally be in sweatpants and just like talking to your phone. Granted, I sometimes use those same TikToks and post them on Reels, but it's like you know it won't do as well on Instagram, like that's like the TikTok space, but then Instagram I love posting, like my photos, which you can't really. I mean, I've seen people post photos on TikTok, but like it doesn't seem like it really belongs there, like it doesn't make sense, in my mind at least no one.

Liz:

I totally agree with that. I think photos on TikTok is a different animal right, because it's like the one space where it's like, okay, you have to be like recommending a bunch of books or like it has to be more recommendation based, where I feel like Instagram is just more aesthetic based and I and I agree, I think, agree. I think there's different fun things about both apps. Like I have a TikTok too and my best videos on TikTok are the me just like literally reviewing a book and talking about it Somehow. It tends to be LJ Shen centric always. Those are the ones, I swear to you, that do the best. If I review an LJ Shen book, it's going to do extremely well.

Liz:

Like that, or like a sing sing along, where you're singing and telling the plot, like that kind of you know talking about those kinds of videos where it's like, okay, you're singing along to a song and you're saying, like this is the plot of the book and like it's about, like I did one one time for, like I think, a Sarah Adams book and like that one actually got a decent amount of views, versus if I'm just doing something else, like it just doesn't work for me and some people do hauls and that works for them. It doesn't work for me. I could do vlogs and I can talk to my camera, but if I did that on Instagram, no one's seeing it yeah, yeah, no, I I try on it honestly, tiktok.

Jordan:

So, like my, I'm like my main focus is Instagram too, like how yours is. But like sometimes I've been trying to like do more things on TikTok because I want to try to do more like talking videos I don't know like what I'm doing I tried to do like single book reviews. Sometimes I even take the stories that I do on Instagram and I'll put them on TikTok because I feel like TikTok can be the most random place. And some of those story videos of like me unboxing a book do so well, like it literally makes no sense to me, but it just does.

Liz:

No, I think 100%. I think it's like the thing that you're not when you're trying too hard on TikTok, it doesn't work, but if you're just doing it and having fun with it, I feel like that always does better. And I think they're just. They're just two different animals and I feel like you have to treat them like two different animals and I think there's value to both. Because, listen, I will admit, when I first started my bookstagram account, no one talked about romance. Romance was not a thing. It was not. It was all fiction. Everyone was talking about Taylor Jenkins Reid. I'm sorry, taylor Jenkins Reid, I think, is that her name, yeah, yeah.

Liz:

So they're talking about her. They're starting to talk about Emily Henry, but Emily Henry was the intro to romance. That was the level. Think about where we're at now. All these indie authors are traditionally published. It's crazy and that's really because of BookTok we can credit to that.

Liz:

I think it's both spaces, but I think once BookTok started pulling romance into the space, it really worked and, like you saw authors, I think, really start on like Bookstagram, like BK Boris and with her gorgeous little covers, like those really blew up on Bookstagram because they were so aesthetically pretty and it makes because people are doing the discrete cover like I mean, for me, I remember like my first kind of thing that I took from like book talk that I was influenced was anna wong. I remember when like twisted love first came out, I read it indeed like just as a reader, and then I read twisted games and I was like, oh well, this is, this, is it for me and and I just love that book and I started posting it on Bookstagram and that's when, slowly, the Rome romance started taking over and you saw these authors from BookTok really transfer into the Bookstagram space and I think it really changed the way my perception of it too, of just being able to talk about romance versus like everything was a Reese's Book Club pick, everything was a Read With Jenna pick Like you, like you didn't have the same, I would say, romance space that we have now. Look at the romantic, I mean I would say like a court of silver flames. When that came out, sarah J Maas was really popular. That oh, she's always been really popular, and I feel like that was like the first quote-unquote spicy series that I saw on bookstagram.

Liz:

More so then, eventually, because those had a discrete cover, everyone read it, because whether you like fantasy, whether you like romance, it's a good mix of both. And obviously romantasy now is a thing right where we have a whole new name genre for this. It's all changed so much and I think seeing that romance based change and being at the beginning, like knowing authors from a very early start, it's kind of incredible to see and that's like what I absolutely love and that's why I say like you can start anything, whether you want to be an author, whether you want to be a bookstagrammer. I think there's so many options and that's kind of endless, which is really really cool about like the book space in general right now.

Jordan:

Yes, I agree. I also love all of these like bookstagrammers or like book talkers that end up like wanting to write a book, like I think that's so cool and I love that, like they can use their space to promote a book that they wrote. And then, like I love that there's like this self-publishing platform, so like if anybody wants to write a book, like you can write a book and I think that's so cool.

Liz:

It's the coolest and I love that and I love that for so many authors and I have so many friends who transferred from the reader space into the author space and I think now that's that's where, in general, we're learning how to coexist, right, like that's a whole new thing, where people are coming from one space to another and changing and how the we're changing into and also like there's I would say there's like a three tier when it comes to bookstagram. You have influencers, because there are influencers. There's people who have massive platforms that really help support books. You have authors. Then you have readers.

Liz:

There's are some people who have bookstagrams where they're like I don't care, I post her for reviews and arcs and I just like to do it because I like to have fun. And then there's people who really like to take, you know, bookstagram, book talk more seriously and are not trying to be influencers but creating a sense of being an influencer, of influencing people to read and talking about it. And then there's people who come from community. Then there's people who are just like just come and follow because they like all of the above, just come and follow because they like all of the above. I feel like the space is constantly changing and forming, which was different than in the past, because you had traditional authors, you had indie authors that came more from like, I think, like the blogger space, probably because that was what existed before, because there was like bloggers instead of like influencers that we have now.

Jordan:

Yeah, yeah, it's like, but it's like. So it's so crazy Like the way things have like grown and expanded.

Liz:

I've seen it. I got to watch it before my eyes unroll and it's kind of wild, because I always tell this to people. They're like, oh, you've been doing this for a long time. I'm like, yeah, it's been four years since I started my account. Actually, this month four years ago, I changed it to Boho and it's so crazy how much has changed in four years. How many books have become popular. I mean, look at the new adult genre. Like we didn't have that. I remember when I was like 1920, I did not know these books existed. Like I did not know, I didn't know that you had Colleen Hoover, that you had Elle Kennedy, that these authors existed even in the indie space. Like being in the new adult, like that age group, there's so many books for you to read and I think that's so cool because it's also not like I'm sneaking a romance book in like my private time. No, people are reading them in public. They're sitting on the train reading Twisted Games or, like you know, Fourth Wing, Like how crazy is that?

Jordan:

I, I like, agree. I love where BookTok and Bookstagram has taken romance because I got back into reading Well, not back, I was not a reader, but in college I read the Hunger Games for the first time, became obsessed, and then I started reading all these books. Now I was reading a lot of YA but I wanted that romance aspect of it, but I didn't really know because there was no new adult and there was no like there was romance, but it was the like ripped bodice, like type covers, those like historical fiction, like romance wasn't what it, what is now. So I graduated I ended up getting like my first job and then I found the indie space and but it was still like hush, hush, like nobody really wanted to talk about it.

Jordan:

Everybody like, like we all know romance is a huge genre and I think it was. It still was then just nobody talked about it and there was almost like a shame level to it. No-transcript, you know it's romance but it's not like a naked guy on the cover. So I really love the way book talk has expanded the genre in a way.

Liz:

No, absolutely it has, and I totally agree. I think it's the coolest thing because all these authors are getting these traditionally published book deals where their books are in stores. The romance sections in stores are a forefront. There's tables you go into like we have an Indigo here where I live and it's funny because there's not a ton of Indigo stores in the US when you walk in, like during Valentine's Day, it was so cool. All these like totes mugs, this whole romance section of all our favorite books that we love, all there, and I'm like this is so cool.

Liz:

You did not see this a long time ago. You would see, you know everything about like book club books and like Reese's book club, which, honestly, those books I'm not devaluing, they're great and they're awesome and they're great reads. But I think it's just cool to see how the romance space has just shifted and how people like you said we're we're open to talking about romance and I think romance is such a cool genre because there's so much you can talk about, like there's so many big messages and things that we can have these bigger conversations and it's why I love the genre so much. So it's so cool and I just love being a part of, like this community in general.

Jordan:

Me too, me too, okay. So now that we took like a very long side tangent, here's the last question, well, last few questions in the bookstagram section of this. So I noticed you do a lot of IG lives where you interview authors. How did you go about doing that? Is there any prep you do before a live with an author and is there any dream author that you would love to interview?

Liz:

I love this question because it's a funny story. So I have a book club. It's pretty chill. It's only about like 15, 20 people come. It's a group of friends.

Liz:

I started it more online and then I feel like, because of COVID, people just have a hard time doing stuff online at this point, especially like virtual book clubs, and unfortunately everyone lives in different places. So what I started doing is when I first started I was like, oh, it'd be fun to bring some authors on. So I had a few authors, like smaller indie authors, who came on first and it was really great and I think it was a fun way to like connect and create community. And then I started asking more popular authors. So I started like emailing them and it's funny, I emailed someone for Ana Huang. I was like I emailed. I was like, oh, like I emailed her pre-art team. I was like I just really love to have her, I think it'd be really cool and I just let it go. And then I I actually emailed Elsie Silver and Elsie Silver came and I will tell you we had about 10 girls at an LC Silver one, which is so crazy, because look at LC Silver now, she's massive. So I've known her for such a long time.

Liz:

And so I started doing these lives like that, where, like on these book club, and I was like, okay, they're cool, like they were fun. And then eventually I did get Anna. She came to book club and that was like a bigger one where I had like a link and I had to get everyone in on the zoom and I was like it's kind of hard to manage to get all these people on a Zoom and it was more nerve-wracking in that sense and trying to coordinate. So I was like maybe I should just shift to doing it on Instagram. I think that's the better space to do it, so more people can see it, they want to tune in. They don't have to go on their computer or on their phone, they can just go onto Instagram. And I started working with some authors and just different PR companies and I started doing them and they just kind of became my thing.

Liz:

And so the way I prepped for an author live is that okay? I have another funny story here One of the authors I had I'm not going to say who it was, but I did not have questions prepared. That was my bad, I didn't. I just didn't have questions prepared for a book club thing and I was like, so I had put some questions together and she's like you need to ask better questions. And I was like, okay, well, no, I'm like okay, well, I will take that. And after that it really like it clicked in my mind because I was like I need to ask better questions and I started doing that. So then before I would read the book and I prepare and I create some questions and I had like a standard set usually and then eventually evolved to like asking more complex questions. But I mean it was such a great lesson because I feel like it's something that's pushed myself.

Liz:

And what I love about a live, in a sense, is because anything can happen. Like you're literally live right, like you're on Instagram. Sometimes it just stops working and that's really awkward, but other times you can have really incredible conversations, and that's really awkward, but other times you can have really incredible conversations and it's really cool. Like I've had some crazy opportunities with some authors that I really have loved and I'm so grateful. Like, actually, a fun thing I can tease right now is on Friday I'm going to do with one of the authors that I did a live with. I'm going to do a live like interview with her at the Rip Bodice her new book.

Jordan:

Oh my gosh, wait. I saw this and I was like that is so cool and I wish I could go. That is so freaking cool. But I also I love your lives because then you save them, because I usually I'm an old lady and I do not stay up late and some of your lives are at like eight o'clock at night and I'm like I'm in bed like reading and I'm like I can't, but then it's nice because then I see it the next day and like I like that you can do that it's not something that you have to tune in for, because then I would not be able to see any of them.

Liz:

No, I have to start posting them again. I feel like sometimes the Instagram algorithm just doesn't like that, which is so annoying because it's something that like they, they push and I feel like, so sometimes I won't share them. Some I will share, depending on, like, how long it was, or if it cut out a few times, like I won't share it because, like there's a technical issue and it just kind of awkward from where it started and it's an awkward like weird thing of my face. So, being like you know, and it happens sometimes, unfortunately, luckily I put covers and whatnot.

Liz:

No, but it's been something that's really fun and I and I love talking to authors and it's really given me so much perspective into the space because there are so many authors who are so incredibly talented and have been in the romance space from being bloggers back in like 2013, becoming authors. Then there's people who are like bookstagrammers, who have become authors. I think it's just cool to hear everyone's journey and talking to all these authors and seeing some of them really have grown significantly in the past few years and I think it's just it's been really fun and like I'm so grateful.

Jordan:

but and oh yes, I was just gonna be like wait, I need to know who your dream author would be.

Liz:

I'm lucky I've talked to a lot of my favorite authors like I mean that between lives, between book club, like all the bigger, more contemporary romance authors I've had like lives with, but I would say at this point it would probably be Sarah J Maas or, like Rebecca Yaros.

Jordan:

Oh, I little like side story for myself. I I always believe in like shoot your shot. Like I can't, you can't, like not, you have to. So like, one of my dream authors would be Sarah too, and so I like reached out to her PR team and I'm like hey, I have this podcast and I would love to interview Sarah. And someone actually got back to me. Of course, they were like Sarah's not doing any PR, which totally understandable, but the way they said it, they were like she's not doing any PR at the moment. So I think, if you want to reach out to her which I know I'm going to do this is wait until a book is coming and you have like like, whether it's a year out or like six months out, I think she'll be open to doing, granted, she's also on like the today show, so coming on our like small platforms. But I feel like Sarah also like knows too that it's like sometimes it it's these smaller platforms. I feel like Sarah knows.

Liz:

Well, I'm manifesting this for us.

Jordan:

Yes, yes. So I think we just need to wait until a book is coming and then we reach out to her PR team. No, that would be so cool.

Liz:

Yeah, 100%, it's so cool and I think like the opportunities of just seeing these authors just grow, like there's so many cool authors out there, I mean I, I it's hard to pick one because there's so many authors I probably, if I could think of, I want to, but I feel like, just because of picking her brain, she's so interesting to watch her interviews like they're so interesting.

Jordan:

so I just like did you ever read her? Sorry, another side tangent. Did you ever read her like Throne of Glass series?

Liz:

I only read the first book. I need to continue on.

Jordan:

I know I do yes, I like I'm assuming you read all of Court, thorns and Roses, okay, so like that series is amazing, but Throne of Glass is like my god tier, like that is my number one series of all time. I need you to continue it. But what I was basically it's not going to be a spoiler, but like what I was going to say is like she started that book when she was like 16. And she foreshadows things that are in like the last book. So the fact that she was able to write this like whole series, piece by piece, but have be able to like reference things back, like it's just I don't understand how her brain works. Like to be able to do that, like starting it when you're 16 and then like finishing it like at like 30. I think she was 30 when she wrote the last book. Maybe I'm not positive, but I just, oh, I just you need to read it. Please, please, please.

Liz:

I will have to read it and don't worry, I will send you DMs with reactions.

Jordan:

Please If I could just like reread that series again for the first time.

Liz:

oh my gosh okay, that's the best feeling it really is, um.

Jordan:

Okay, so now on to that. Like we'll get into the reading questions um what is your favorite book and or series, one that you would recommend to anyone and everyone?

Liz:

this is a hard question. Okay, this is a very me thing. I think it's magnolia parks. I know it's not for everyone, but I just think of the way that jazza writes. It's just so truly unique, like she is probably one of my favorite authors in the sense of when I read that series I was just so like shocked, because I mean, the reality is we read a lot of spicy romance, right like that's the reality and that series there's none, there's no spice there isn't. Right Like it's not known in the same way or it's not there. It's there in a different sense and I think what she does is a perfect, like literary. I call her like the literary romance author where she has that vibe and I just think there's something really special to what she does. So she's definitely one of my top. My other top is I love the Twisted series by Anna.

Jordan:

Wong, like Twisted Games is just that book just makes me happy. I love that. I actually I've only read Magnolia Parks, I haven't read the other ones, but I want to like. I said I need to, but I the ending of Magnolia parts, it's like so good, I liked it, I did, but it made me so angry that I was like I can't continue this. And so I was like but I didn't realize that it wasn't Magnolia parks next. It's like Julia, julia hates it's.

Liz:

Daisy hates.

Jordan:

That's it. I like her brother Julian. That's why we all love him um, but I do really want to continue. It's just like one of those things that I was like. It's like I don't want to like say anything because I don't want to spoil it, but like I'm okay with part of it, but like not part of it.

Liz:

No, the ending is jarring. You're 100 right, and I think that's what she does so well is make you angry like I don't think that's what she does so well is make you angry like I don't think it's for everyone. This series is not for everyone. I just think there's something really cool about the way she writes and there's something really special. It's very unique. I think it's a very memorable book, whether I'm rephrase that again, it's a memorable book like. It's not for everyone and that's okay.

Liz:

I think it's one of those books that's specific, that you'll remember, whether you hate or loved it. So I feel like that is it's probably one of my favorites now, a book like a series I'd recommend I honestly will always recommend A Court of Thorns and Roses. I feel like it's the perfect entry for anyone who wants to read romance and fantasy. Right, like it is the. It's the series that has gotten so many people to read.

Liz:

Once upon a time, I would have probably said a Colleen Hoover book, because the reality for a long time, a Colleen Hoover book was the intro into reading, because her books are easy to read and they're quick, and that's what she's known for. I feel like now, though, like with the way things have just shifted naturally and that she's not releasing books like she used to, I would definitely say it's probably a court of thorns and roses. I think that's just like a good entry into a series, an entry into reading that, if you want to try something and kind of lose yourself in a different world, I think it's like a great intro for a lot of new readers yes, agreed, because that was like the series that my like friend told me to read like a long time ago.

Jordan:

It was like before bookstagram, which probably was a good thing, because I feel like bookstagram is filled with spoilers. So I like, definitely for anybody that starts that series that's never read it don't look anything up, just don't do it, don't do it yeah, don't, you're gonna, you're gonna be sorry and it's not gonna be like find friends.

Liz:

Find friends who will make sure that you enjoy your experience. I feel like being a supportive friend reading that series. You get, you get an extra star for that.

Jordan:

Yep, agreed, okay. So what are your favorite genres to read or your go-to tropes Like? If you know this trope, is it a book you're going to read it?

Liz:

So obviously I'm fully a romance reader. That's my go-to. I do like to switch it up sometimes with like a literary fiction or like a contemporary fiction Sometimes, just to you know, change things up for taste purposes. I also do like to read, sometimes thrillers Not a ton, but I do like a thriller.

Liz:

When I actually started my account and before, like when I started my reading journey again, it was really like a lot of like contemporary, like literary and thrillers, which is so funny because I didn't know the romance. You know world was so vast. There was some romance like Emily Henry was my first romance book as an adult, so which was betrayed and it was actually right when it first came out, which is so funny. It was like I found it in a Barnes Noble before the day before it released. Like you know, they used to have those tables where you find them. So I was like, oh, I'm like, oh, this looks really cute.

Liz:

I saw it on Amazon and I was like, oh, I'm gonna go buy this because I tried to buy it at Target and they're like, no, it's not out, you can't take this. And I was like really confused. So I my love for romance, but I would say now because I read all of it. Okay, I love like a brother's best friend. I love second chance. I love anything that's just like pining and a little bit taboo. I love rock star romance, which I feel like people don't appreciate as much in the bookish space as they should. I love a rock star romance.

Jordan:

Yeah, you don't really see that very often. I feel like that. I don't know if that's just like not a popular trope, but I feel like I don't see a lot of rock star.

Liz:

Yeah, no, it's not like a popular one. My favorites probably are by I love Brit Benson. If you haven't read her books.

Jordan:

No, I haven't, but I really want to.

Liz:

I feel like I've seen a lot of people talk about her books and I'm like I need to read her. Her Rockstar Romance series is really good and her other series is also incredible. She does a really nice job. She's the queen of a redemption arc, I would say. But I love that she does Rockstar Romance. I mean, kate Stewart also has, I think, a Rockstar Romance too. Yeah, she does. There's a lot of them, but they're, I feel like it was more of a thing a few years ago where you kind of backlog, but they're fun to read. Like I know LJ Shen has one too. Like she has a rock star romance as well. So like there are a lot of authors who have them. They're just it's not like the quote unquote trend right now, if that makes sense.

Jordan:

Yeah, I agree, I agree it's not. So I feel like they're not very much, they're not like pushed and they're not definitely not being written now, or maybe they are and they're just not released yet. I don't know, but like I, just I don't see them. Okay, so if you could have a literary dinner party with three authors, living or dead.

Liz:

Who would you invite and why this is such a hard question? Okay, well, I think one has to be Sarjay Moss, right, because, like I have questions, I have questions for her. She would be fun to talk to. Um, trying to think I don't even know there's.

Liz:

There's so many authors I would love to like have at a dinner party. Um, I think, let's see, I feel like be fun to have like Anna Huang at a dinner party. Um, I think, let's see, I feel like it'd be fun to have like anna huang at a dinner party too. Like I love her because I feel like between her and sarah j maas would be just like two very different vibes and I would love to like pick her her brain as well. And also rebecca yaros. You know, I want to know, I want to know more, maybe the three of them, because I just I have so many questions from the three of them and I'm like I I have, I just I would love to know and I love how, like the internet goes down these like little rabbit holes of all these like theories and the people who create those videos. I love you, could never do it myself, but I love you for it, because it's incredible.

Jordan:

I like love just watching like the theory videos, especially of Sarah's. I'm just like, and then I'm like I totally believe it, and then somebody could say something completely different and I'd be like I totally believe that, like it's insane, 100% Okay. So what is one of your most anticipated reads for 2025? No matter, like whenever it's releasing.

Liz:

I don't know. Honestly, I feel like there's so many books especially you can you probably understand this like with the romance genre, there's constantly so many books. It's hard to like, say one. I guess probably onyx storm was a highly highly anticipated release. Like that was one I was really hyped for, just because, like it's such an event, like it's such a thing where it's something that so many people get to enjoy together and whether you were a heavy reader or you're not, like it was something that I feel like was more phenomenon and I thought that was kind of cool to be able to like. Yes, there was some messiness, as we know, based on everything that happened, but just like going to like in a line or standing in a line and talking to someone, I feel like it. Just it was a different experience versus being like I feel like there's so many authors that are gaining that level of popularity and seeing these midnight release parties and all these things, I feel like that was like a. Really I was really excited for that one.

Liz:

Another one that I'm excited to read is probably I have actually have an arc of it it's the new Taylor Jenkins read and I'm very excited. It's called Atmosphere and I will say 2020. Liz, when I got that in the mail, I low key freaked out. I was like, wow, this is so full circle, because that was like the second book that I started reading into my reading journey as an adult and so I'm excited for that one, just because I feel like it's such a cool moment. So I'm excited for that and I think my I would say I maybe I'm giving you too many. Probably the last I want to, I want to know how that ends.

Jordan:

I need to get back into that, because I started it like right before the third released. The third came out, read that and then it was just so long because she started that second series. That was part of it and I like wasn't really like totally into it, so I just like dropped off. But I really need to like pick it back up because I feel like everybody's like still like talking about it but I think I just like kind of like fell off that I'm like I think I need to like re-read the first three before I can like actually get to the later ones.

Liz:

I do recommend reading the other series too. Like you have to read them both, because I think this yeah, because it really leads a lot, I think, to the end of this series. Like they interconnect quite intimately in that sense of like there's a lot of weaving and twists and turns that explain something from because of this happens, because of this it's. It's like she, her mind, is so incredible to me because of just the way, like very much, how, like Sarah J Maas has the ability to like create these worlds that intermix, like she does that too in this series.

Liz:

And I will say like I I liked the first book in that what's it called? The Flesh and Fire series? I think it's called, I think so. So I liked the first book, like I enjoyed it, and then I took a break for book two and I went back into it and then I was like, oh, I really enjoyed this. I have to read the third book, which I know I'm going to read that, and then the final book, which comes out, I think, in the next few months, so it's very soon, but I'm just curious to see a series that like really sparked my love for a lot of like you know, for like the book boyfriend, like I would say like the book boyfriend from Blood and Ash. I don't want to say who it is because I feel like if you haven't read it, you got to experience it.

Liz:

But yeah it's a total teaser, but I will say, like that created it was like my first like real book boyfriend, I would say for me, because I just I really loved that whole, like his whole vibe. I think it's just so much fun. And I know that's an unpopular opinion, Like there's people who really love the series, but I don't know it. Just it just hit for me. And after reading Akatar, because I think Akatar is just so massive, it has this massive following. I love those books. But I found something else that I feel like I could have had another fun experience right after that. I was very fortunate to find those two back to back, so I feel like those two series will always have a special place in my heart because of that, if that makes sense.

Jordan:

Oh, I like that. I like that. Okay, so now we have, we're onto personal, which is the last and final question. So where do you see your Bookstagram journey going in the future? Where would you like it to go? And then I know I didn't have this in there, but like any personal goals you have that could be for Bookstagram.

Liz:

That's a great question, so I don't know exactly where I want it to go. I would I have mentioned this to you. I would love to start a podcast at some point. That would be kind of fun, because I love doing the lives. I feel like that would be a very natural progression For my Bookstagram itself. I just want to continue having fun and growing. I mean I'm lucky, I get to go to a lot of events and where I live, proximity-wise to New York City, is very close and I work in New York so I'm able to go to these incredible events and some of the things I've gotten to experience have been so incredible.

Liz:

I think just seeing this community grow and just being a part of that growth is the biggest thing I want. I just want to continue on it, whether it's, you know, a podcast, but I don't know what the avenue is yet. I like to grow my TikTok a little bit more, have more fun there, you know, create a different sense of community in that space, but just continue growing in the book space in general. I love doing it. It's something I'm so passionate about and I'm so happy that, like I found my people. If that makes sense, it's the community that does it.

Liz:

For me. It's if I lost the community like if I lost my Instagram, my socials tomorrow I would be sad about losing the people I get to talk to all the time. That would be the worst part. I could say it's obviously great to get the books and all the fun stuff and the PR packages and all these cool things Like that's so special. But I think just continuing to just have fun in the space and growing in a sense of whether it's getting more followers we all want more followers, right, that's just the nature of social media. But I feel like I've come to a point that I'm like I've already outgrown myself so much more. Honestly, I never thought I would hit 1000 followers, let alone 33,000. It's so crazy to me.

Jordan:

I think that's so cool, though I think it's like you just like posting what you want and you were able to grow it to this like level and then just also to see where you grow from here to like I can't, like I'm so excited for you, like I think this is so cool. Would you ever want to make your bookstagram like your job? Or would you do you like your job and you want to keep your job and then this is like your side gig?

Liz:

I think it's a side gig. Yeah, I think it's my, it's my side thing Because I mean, if it got to that level and it had to grow, like, obviously I'd be open to it. But I don't want to say that's necessarily an end goal, because I feel like then the minute you create something as work completely it shifts right Like a change. And I don't want to necessarily do that because then I feel like it would put more pressure on myself in that sense too. If I could grow something based off of this space into something else, I think that would make me feel more comfortable. But I think I love my bookstagram to be what it is like.

Liz:

I will tell you right now and I mean this on record I will never become an author. You will not see me write a book. I just don't. That's not my thing and I love the people who do it. That is not for me.

Liz:

I love being able to talk about books. I love being able to, you know, create this whole curated space like that, to me, is more comfortable. I will not be an author. That's not something I want. And I don't know if I want to sit like I. I don't think for my mental health. I'd be able to just sit home and read all day and create content.

Liz:

I feel like I need to have something else. I like to keep myself as busy as possible. It's. It's a good and bad thing and I and I do enjoy like working in marketing and like listen, if something grows and opportunity presents itself.

Liz:

I can't say what the future will bring, but I feel like it's just to continue on and just keep on growing and in this, in the way I have, like I said, I never thought I'd be where I'm at now.

Liz:

So the fact that I have, you know, people who I find is my community, my space people, authors who want to work with me, authors who want to talk to me, just brands who want to work with me, it's beyond what I ever anticipated. And I always tell people like my biggest thing is like don't, don't get caught up in the numbers, get caught up in, in what you're doing, because every little piece of success, success looks different for everybody and I think that's the biggest thing is like you can always get caught up in the minutia of numbers, but numbers doesn't, like, I think, dictate your success in a space. It's it's do people love what you're doing and do they connect with it, and that's something I think is just so important and that's the best part about like the book space. So I think that's my piece of advice. I hope that helps.

Jordan:

Oh no, it definitely does, and I think that is like the best piece to like end on which I wanted to give you the floor. I don't know if you want to plug your social media TikTok handles. I can also put all of this in the show notes too, so then that way people can like reference that. But then I was going to say you could talk about the event coming up. Except this episode is going to come out way after when you actually have the event, so maybe that wouldn't be good to say, but you could still mention it if you want to.

Liz:

No, absolutely I have a fun. I'm going to be doing my first event with an author. I'm going to get to have a conversation with her. It's with Jay Rose. She's an Indeed why Choose? Author, if you just don't know her. She writes dark romance, so that's going to be super fun. But, yeah, you can find me at the Boho Book Blogger, on TikTok, instagram and also on Lemonade, which I do love to use too. So thank you so much for having me.

Jordan:

Oh my gosh, thank you so much for coming on. I had so much fun and it was a blast talking with you.

Liz:

Thank you, I'm completely honored to be here.

Jordan:

Thank you, I'm completely honored to be here. You would like me to have with someone specific. Please reach out either email or through our Instagram, available in the show notes and happy reading.