Today I have a special joint interview with the two fabulous bloggers behind Maji Bookshelf!

What are you like outside of blogging?

Juhina: I am VERY shy. People who see our YouTube videos won’t know this but I am so unbelievably shy it is ridiculous. I have always been an honor student, and spent most of my time studying, but now that I graduated I feel kind of lost. I am goal oriented, a perfectionist, and tend to choose spending the day at home reading my YA books to going out to the mall. Recently I have become gym goer and started writing poetry whenever I need an outlet. I love social networking with book bloggers because they are one of the few people who get me!

Farah: I’m probably unlike Juhina is some ways. I’m the least shy person. I am very hyper, loud, and full of energy. Though sometimes I can be very lazy. Art plays a huge role in my life. I love drawing, looking at art, and even taking photographs. I’m a complete gadget geek. I actually LOVE going the gym, and in my free time, I’d even go twice a day.

What made you decide to start your blog?

Juhina: In the summer of ’11 I was bored out of my mind because the chick lit genre was getting repetitive for me and I needed some good books to read! So I opened YouTube and started exploring bookish videos and that was when I stumbled on summer reads, book hauls, and TBR and wrap up videos. When I looked at these YouTubers I found that most of them had book blogs that centered on YA books! I love writing (As a hobby) and I love reading, so I decided I would start a book blog and that’s what I did, with my sister.

Farah: I remember when my sister came to me once showing me a YouTube video of some book bloggers. My mind was BLOWN seeing all of these new titles that I haven’t heard of in my life. Since both of us loved reading, we decided it would be fun to start our own blog. FUN FACT: We actually had two separate blogs at first, but then we just combined them together 😀

What is your best book blogging moment? 

Juhina: It will have to be getting thanked or told that my recommendation or review of a book on the blog is what made them read that book and in turns they ended up loving it and diving deeper into reading. It gives me great satisfaction that my blog has actually introduced people to the YA genre

Farah: I think it was when me and Juhina got approved for a HarperCollins title from NetGalley *happy dance*

To help some of the newer bloggers: what have you found to be the best way to network and get your blog out there?

Juhina & Farah: I honestly think commenting on other blogs with similar interests, twitter, and goodreads are all great places to get your face *figuratively speaking* and name out there. You have to show the people that you really care, that you have read their review or post and that you share similar interests in books. Participating in twitter discussions and also goodreads are also great ways to expand your blog audience. What Farah and I usually do is take an hour a day (one or both of us) and just check our frequented blogs and comment on their latest posts if they interest us. We also like to find out new blogs and follow and comment on them if they are also YA book oriented
 
What book turned you on to YA? 

Juhina: Other than Harry Potter, which I read when I was in 6th grade, I jumped from MG to Chick Lit, but I have to say that youtube is what really introduced me to YA. Before blogging I went on it to check summer reads (it was summer of 2011) and I kept on seeing all these books that didn’t fall on either the MG or chick lit genre and that was when the exploration started and the YA book loving began

Farah: When I was younger, I used to always read MG titles. A bit later on, I started reading the Meg Cabot novels my sister owned, and I absolutely FELL IN LOVE! Since then, I always bought whatever book Meg Cabot got out, and started looking for similar authors and so on.

How many books do you own?

Juhina & Farah: Oh man, we own too many books, we have around 250 but that’s ok since we are two people right?

What are some blogs you recommend reading?

Juhina: The blogs that I frequent almost everyday are Katie’s book blog (yes this blog!), Realm of Fiction, Xpresso Reads, and Paper Riot

Farah: AH THERE IS TOO MANY. The recent ones that I always check are The Daily Prophecy, Ex Libris, Shiirleyy’s Bookshelf, and The Page Turner

Favorites:

-Book of all time:
Juhina: Harry Potter by J. K. Rowling (duh!) & The Host by stephenie Meyer

Farah: The Host by Stephanie Meyer

-New release:
Juhina: Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi, Summer of the Boys by J. C. Duggan, & Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

Farah: Shadowlands by Kate Brian, The Ruining by Anna Collomore, and Scarlet by Marissa Meyer.

-Genre:
Juhina: Dystopian

Farah: Dystopian and Physiological Thriller

-Place to Read:
Juhina: on my bed

Farah: Dining table (I always read when I eat)

-TV show:
Juhina: oldies: Veronica Mars, Prison Break, & Gilmore Girls. Current: The Mentalist & Suits

Farah: I don’t watch the many TV shows, but the only one I can think of right now is Modern Family and Revenge.

-Candy:
Juhina: I prefer chocolate

Farah: Salted Skittles!

-Song:
Juhina: Before The Worst by The Script

Farah: Who You Are by Jessie J (AND) Only If for a Night by Florence + The Machine

Readers you can find Farah and Juhina over at Maji Bookshelf and on Twitter.