I got some great questions, guys! Thanks! I broke them up into four categories: "Blogging," "Reading," "Personal," and "Random." Feel free to peruse my answers at your leisure. Is there a question you'd like me to answer? Click here to submit it, or you can submit questions at the bottom of this post!

Enjoy! Thanks for asking!


Why did you decide to start a blog?

• Well, I wanted to get free books (bad motive!) at first, but pretty quickly it just became a place for me to put down my thoughts. I love being able to go back and remember how I felt about a book years after I finished. Before the blog everything would just float away in my brain.

Is it hard to keep the blog updated?

• Sometimes, especially if I don’t have time to read. I don’t want to fill the blog with random crap, but I also don’t want to just leave it blank while I’m waiting to finish a book. That’s why I always try to have some kind of interesting discussion post in my pocket.

What's the most challenging when it comes to blogging?

• Probably finding time to read, and then writing my reviews right after I finish a book. Sometimes I wait too long and I forget the specifics of what I wanted to say/how I felt.

Do you read other blogs, if so, what kind of blogs?

• I read a ton of other blogs! All of them are book blogs, and almost all are specifically YA fantasy/non-realistic fiction like me.

What do you think attracts people to start a blog or read blogs?

• There are too many things to list! I think people start a blog when they have something to say, and maybe because they want someone to hear it. I think people read blogs if they are interested in other people’s opinions or finding people like them. For me, I read blogs so that I can figure out what great books are coming out!

What's the best thing about blogging? What is your favorite thing about blogging?

• The best/my favorite thing would definitely be the people I meet. Some of my blogging buddies have become real life buddies! Probably half of my real life friends I met through blogging. And meeting authors is SO FREAKING COOL! Seriously. Those are my rock stars.

Why does blogging often feel like I am talking into a black hole? How do I make blogging more of an interactive experience and less of a me talking to myself experience?

• Twitter. Seriously. If it weren’t for Twitter I would feel like I was talking into a black hole, too. I love my twitter peeps.

Do you review every book you read?

• Almost. If I finish a book and don’t review it it’s usually because I feel like I wouldn’t be able to provide a review that wasn’t EXTREMELY biased.

Why does it seem like writing the review sometimes spoils the reading experience?

• If it feels like that to you, don’t write the review! Reviewing isn’t supposed to spoil reading, it’s supposed to enhance it. If you finish a book and don’t want to review it… don’t!

What would you say are key points to hit in a review?

• Hm… I don’t know. I think it’s important to say whether your liked it or not, of course. But other than that… just be as clear as you can about why you liked it or didn’t like it. I’ve never really thought about hitting “key points” in a review.

Do you ever take breaks from your blog or reading?

• Yes. I just took a 10 day break for finals in April. And I don’t ever intentionally take a break from reading, but sometimes life gets so crazy that I just don’t have time. I usually don’t take a break from either blogging or reading just for the sake of taking a break. I love both too much!

What is one thing you wish you could change or improve about your blogging experience but haven't or aren't able to?

• I wish I was better at communicating with publishers. I don’t ever send my reviews to publishers, or send review requests because most publishers I don’t feel comfortable talking to. I wish I could work on my rapport with the big six.

How come you're starting to call yourself Enna, instead of the full Enna Isilee?

• I used to be REALLY picky about people calling me Enna Isilee, but as I met more and more people in real life I realized that Enna is just easier. And I still love it just as much.

Do you plan to continue Squeaky Books after college?

• Certainly! I’ve always said that Squeaky Books will always exist as long as I’m reading books. Which I hope to always do!

Have you ever considered making a back up blog somewhere like Tumblr or word press to back up your reviews? And if so would you backup only your favorite reviews or every single review you have ever done?

• I have never even thought about this… Sometimes I think about doing one of those blog-to-book things. That would be cool! But I’ve never thought of backing up my reviews… except maybe on GoodReads. I keep meaning to transfer my reviews over there. I would transfer every single one, for sure.

How do you prepare for your reviews?

• I read the book… and that’s it. Oh. And I turn on my computer. But that’s all I do to “prepare.” I’ve tried taking metacognitive notes while I read, but it never works out.

Are you ever going to show your face on the blog?

• I’ve thought a lot about this. My thought is that if I ever go to BEA I will show my face on my blog before I go so people can find me. Until then, I’m cool with the headless thing.

I have started my own book blog and was wondering for you how long it took to get a "big" following?

• For one thing, I don’t know if you EVER feel like you have a “big” following. You always end up comparing yourselves to people “bigger” than you. BUT to answer your question, I started blogging almost exactly FIVE YEARS ago. But I’m also a very passive blogger. If you are active on twitter and commenting on other people’s blogs and hosting giveaways, your following will probably grow much quicker. However, generally the people who get A LOT of followers REALLY fast don’t have “good” followers (meaning followers who actually care and comment).

Favorite superhero and do you read comic books?

• My answer to that question has always been Spiderman, and I haven’t put a lot of thought into it recently… so I guess I’m gonna stick with him. I don’t read comic books generally. I really WISH I could read manga, but for some reason I just can’t read backwards. It gets all jumbled up in my brain.

Why do I feel compelled to finish books that aren't holding my interest? How can I stop myself or reach an understanding so that I can put the book down?

• I went to a conference a few years ago where the speaker said something along the lines of “If you don’t like the book, stop reading it!” And that’s how I feel. If it’s not holding my interest, I’ll just stop. You might feel compelled because you’ve already put in so much effort, or you feel like you need to support the author (even if you don’t know them). But just think about this: how many MORE books could you put effort into in the time it takes you to finish this one, and then you’ll be supporting even more authors! And it’ll just be more fun.

Do you like to take time out and re-read your favorite books?

• Certainly! I re-read Shannon Hale’s books all the time. Generally, though, I don’t re-read so much as re-listen. Whenever a sequel to a book I love comes out (INSURGENT, REBEL HEART, DAYS OF BLOOD AND STARLIGHT) I will listen to the audio of the first one.

Do you attend a book club?

• Nope! I’d like to, but at the same time I’ve never liked being forced to read books I don’t want to read… and there are no pure YA book clubs in my area.

Ever read a book you expected to dislike but instead absolutely adored, if so what book?

• Oh. I’m sure this has happened to me a ton! But the only one I can remember currently is Between Shades of Gray. I read it just because a friend really wanted me to go to the signing with her, and I didn’t think I’d like it, but I loved it!

Do you like to meet the authors of books you have read? Does meeting an author enhance the reading experience or dampen it for you?

• YES. I love to meet authors. But sometimes it does dampen the experience. I read a book a few years ago that I thought was okay, but not great. I met the author and he/she was a total jerk to me. Treated me like I was bothering him/her even though I just made a comment about something I liked in his/her book. I didn’t read any more of the books in the series. But there are other authors I’ve met who I LOVE and it makes me love their books even more (I’m looking at you, Utah friends!)

Ever read a book and wish you could live in it?

• Usually not. Books (especially YA books) are usually interesting because there is something twisted about the world. I suppose if I really had to choose I would cop-out and say post-Voldemort Harry Potter-world. Only if I was a witch, of course.

Any characters you wish could be your real life friends?

• Oh yes. Too many to list! I adore them all!

Which Shannon Hale characters (besides Enna) are you most like?

• Hm… I’ve got quite a bit of Razo in me. I also have a lot of the same self-doubt feelings that Rin does. Dashti is who I WANT to be most like, but I’m not nearly selfless enough.

What is the worst book you've ever read?

• Worst book EVER? Phht. That’s hard to say. I usually try to forget worst books, and there are so many things that make a book “worst.” Usually any book I really dislike I will just stop reading, so I’m going to say Beloved by Toni Morrison because I had to read it for class last semester and so I couldn’t stop reading. That book was just plain weird.

Generally, do you like to multi-task when you read?

• I don’t LIKE to, but I almost always do. Usually I will refresh my twitter page, or see if anyone fun is on IM, etc.

Why do you feel the need to have a secret identity? Do you find it hard to connect with bloggers/readers who are honest about who they are and what they do? Do you feel like you're missing part of the blogging community?

• I actually don’t feel a “need” anymore. The secret identity came about when I was a minor and was afraid of internet prowlers. I’m still afraid of prowlers, but mostly I think having a secret identity is just fun! And I don’t find it hard to connect because I am completely honest about who I am and what I do. The only thing I leave out is my name. I’m a college student studying to be a math teacher. I work at a library and I’m a snake handler (no joke). If you follow me on twitter then you probably know exactly where I live and go to school. I do sometimes wish I could do a vlog where I actually TALK to you guys, but at the same time I like having a type of IMM that no one else does. :) So I don’t really feel like I’m missing out on anything. In fact, I think my secret identity gets me more attention than if I didn’t have one!

Which celebrity do you look the most like?

• Um… maybe a young Tina Fey? I’d be okay with that. But I really don't know.

Are you still in high school or in college?

• College. I’m a senior, but my major and minor are so big that I’ve got a couple years left.

What do you hope to pursue after college?

• I want to be a high school mathematics teacher, hopefully AP. Fingers crossed!

I heard that you were a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (or you're Mormon). Is that true? How do you think that has influenced you in your choice of media?

• Yup. That's true. I actually answered that in my last round of Q&A. You can click here to see the long answer (it's the last question in the "personal" section). But the short answer is that my church influences me, and that influences what I read. But I have NEVER said “I’m not going to read this book because my religion says I can’t.” I think that’s silly. I don’t believe in “blind faith.” I think that you should always find the truth for yourself. And luckily for me, I’ve found a truth I believe in.

Are you dating anyone? If not, is there anyone you'd LIKE to date? Or even any cute, non-fictional boys?

• No. No. And no. Who are you? Is that you SC? I have no problem talking to boys, but I’ve never gotten past the friends stage. And I’ve never even gotten to just the “hanging out” stage, let alone the dating seriously stage. My problem is that I am almost never attracted to someone physically, it’s all about the brains for me. And getting to know someone’s brain is a lot harder than getting to know their body. Oh dear… that doesn’t sound right.

Best bit of dating advice you've ever received?

• "Don’t sweat about it. Just be friendly and things will work out." I'm hoping that's true.

Why is everyone obsessed with Formspring?

• Probably because people by nature want to think that someone cares about their opinions? I don’t know. I just think it’s fun!

Why does rafflecopter hate me?

• Because Pluto was your lucky planet, and after it was removed from the planets all your lucky went down the drain.

If you were a plant, what type of plant would you be?

• A pansy. They’re actually really hardy flowers. I don’t know why it means someone is weak when they’re called a “pansy.”

Over the past week or so, what have you watched on Youtube?

• I watch A LOT of clips from Ellen Degeneres. Also this Easter prank. And these steeple chasing rabbits.

Thanks for the great questions, guys! Is there anything that wasn't answered here that you'd like me to answer? Got a burning question? Feel free to ask me here: