Reader Interview with Jennifer Ricketts aka Donnie Darko Girl

Jennifer Ricketts aka Donnie Darko Girl is my reader/reviewer interviewee today! She’s a “voracious reader,” writes for the Inquisitr, and she’s a member of Indie Visible. Welcome, Jennifer! 

1. A) What genre do you read the most? And what would you like to see less of in that genre?

I read the most from the horror genre. There tends to be clichés in horror, such as characters investigating “strange noises” by themselves. I hate it when no one believes the main character, who’s trying to warn others there’s a Jason or a Michael Myers-type character roaming around slicing and dicing. But I also think that’s human nature--to deny, deny, deny when something horrific is happening.

Chrys: If someone told me Michael Myers was killing people in my town. I’d believe them! (I'm a Michael fan.)

B) What would you like to see more of?

I’d love to see more YA horror novels that are scary. Back when I was in junior high, Christopher Pike and R.L. Stine were really popular, both writing horror stories for YA. I don’t really see that much anymore when I visit the YA section, and I read a LOT of YA. I start feeling nostalgic, lol.   

2. What kinds of book covers attract you?

Colorful, professional-looking book covers are totally my thing. I tend to like a lot of UK covers over the US editions. For example, I think the UK cover for Under the Never Sky is prettier than the US version.

If there’s a model on the cover, it’s always annoying if the person doesn’t look real. Like at all. I’m a terrible artist--you won’t catch me trying to sketch for a living--but there are some covers I’ve seen and can’t help but think I could have done a better job. I really hate saying that, too. I’ve seen some covers where you can’t read the title of the book or the author’s name because of poor font and/or color choices.

Which cover do you like better? VOTE!!!

3. Poor font or color choice is bad! Do you like sequels or prefer standalone novels?

Depending on the story and how it’s told, I like both sequels and standalones. There have been a few instances where I thought a sequel was unnecessary, but I ended up reading it anyway. Sometimes at the end of a standalone, I feel lost knowing there isn’t another book with those same characters coming.

4. What was the last book you read?

The last book I read was Stepping Stones by Kacey Vanderkarr, which is a YA contemporary with a splash of the paranormal. It was full of emotion! The main character, Onna, loses her brother in a tragic accident right after finding out their parents are getting divorced. Onna’s mom dips out, and her dad turns to alcohol. Everything seems hopeless for poor Onna except for her friend, Hunter, and the cute guy at school, Everett. There’s something more to Everett than meets the eye--he isn’t the typical bad boy, not at all. I cried my eyes out several times reading this book, but I’d do it all over again in a heartbeat! 

5. Stepping Stones sounds like a really good, emotional book. What would you like to know about the authors you enjoy reading?

I enjoy reading interviews with my favorite authors. I love to find out what movies and TV shows they’re obsessing over, what books they like to read, and what music they listen to. If they’re into horror, it’s always fun to find out what kind of things scare them and where their ideas come from. I love it when an author I like belong to the same fandoms I do!

Favorites Section:

1. Favorite author? Christopher Pike

2. Favorite fictional character? Donnie Darko!

3. Favorite Children’s book? Oh, the Thinks You Can Think! by Dr. Seuss

4. Favorite reading spot? My bed

5. Favorite reading snack? Popcorn

Hyper Round:

1. Ebooks or print books? Print

2. Movie Adaptations: Yay or Nay? Nay

3. Do you have a library card? Definitely 

Bio:

Tattooed wife and stay-at-home mama. Book blogger at Donnie Darko Girl for almost 4 years. Writer for the Inquisitr. NaNoWriMo 2014 Winner. Dyes hair wild colors. Whovian and Fannibal for life! Fan of the 60's & the 90's. Currently writing first novel. 

Links:

Blog - Donnie Darko Girl / Bloglovin' / Twitter

Author Profile on the Inquisitr / Facebook

Thank you for spending some time with me, Jennifer! 

Please leave Jennifer a comment! :)

QUESTION: Which cover for Under the Never Sky do you like the best? UK or US?