Meet Our Editors: Christina Franke

There are several Editors (staff reviewers) here at YABooksCentral.com, and they all have their own taste in books. While one might give a certain book 5 stars, another might only give it 3. We like that kind of diversity here, because we know every reader is different. Every reader’s opinion is valid.

But we also know it’s helpful to read reviews by those who share your same interests, especially when you’re looking for recommendations.

So which YABC Staff Reviewer has your taste in books? Find out in this new blog series, Meet Our Editors! Each week, I’ll be spotlighting one of our editors. When you find one that shares your same taste in books, movies, TV, even food, then make sure to check out the books that editor has reviewed favorably.  

See how it works? Great! 

First up, I did a Fast Faves interview with Kim Baccellia, who has been with YABC the longest. Her dedication to YABC and her unwavering team spirit always puts a smile on my face and encourages me to keep going. 

Today I’m posting my Fast Faves interview with our newest editor, Christina Franke. What I love about Christina: She’s a voracious reader. The girl can crank out reviews like nobody’s business. She’s super dedicated to YABC and wants to see it succeed, which is why she’s now our Listings Manager, making sure our database is populated with all the latest releases. She pushes me to make YABC better, and I can’t thank her enough for her support. She keeps me sane! Her unwavering honesty (which sometimes comes out as hilarious, sassy snark) makes me both proud of her and keeps me on my toes. I’m so happy to have her on the team!

Here’s a little about Christina: 

I trained as a librarian at the University of Pittsburgh, but ended up working in a completely different field. That’s okay, though, because I get my librarian fun and keep my knowledge of fiction up to date through my book reviewing on my personal blog, A Reader of Fictions, and here on YABC. Aside from reading, I also love other aspects of pop culture: movies, television shows, and music. Aside from that, I’m pretty low key, very much the typical introvert.

Which types of books are your favorites to read/review?

I love reviewing all sorts of books, but my favorite genre right now is dystopian. My focus has been on YA the last couple of years, but I still read a lot of books for adults and am discovering a love for middle grade fiction. Another growing love of mine is lgbt fiction.

Which types of books do you hate to read?

Self-help and Christian fiction are the top of my OMG SO NOT HAPPENING list so far as genre goes. I just cannot handle those. I don’t read much non-fiction as a rule, and I also tend to avoid mysteries and romance novels as well.

What do you think about writing negative reviews?

I LOVE negative reviews. Yes, I wish that I and every other reviewer out there could only read books that we love, but that’s just not the real world. Honestly, I feel like I can’t really understand another reviewer until I’ve seen them hate something. How can I trust the opinion of someone who never expresses disappointment with something or finds an aspect to criticize?

Why are reviews important to share online?

Getting reviews online is invaluable because it offers a range of opinions, which the professional publications just cannot do, though they also serve an invaluable purpose. Online reviewers, most of us, do not aim to be without bias; we aim to tell our personal opinion in a fair way. The human element is invaluable, because if you can find reviewers with similar taste, you’ll be able to add books to your to-read list with confidence that you’ll enjoy them. I am still searching for my book twin. 😉

Now it’s time for Fast Faves with Christina! 

Most loved — A Room with a View (1987), Pride & Prejudice (1995), Blazing Saddles (1974), The Producers (1968), Bleak House (2005), The Great Race (1965), Holiday (1938), The Importance of Being Earnest (2002), Lord of the Rings(2001-3), Mean Girls (2004), Twelfth Night (1996), Mulan (1998), Some Like It Hot (1959), Sense & Sensibility (1995), What’s Up, Doc? (1972), Danny Deckchair (2003)

Most Hated — City of Angels, Message in a Bottle, A Walk to Remember, The Notebook

Haven’t Seen, but Probably Should — The Avengers

Can recite by heart — Blazing Saddles, The Producers, Robin Hood: Men in Tights, classic Disney movies from the 1990s

Wish more people had seen it — A Room with a View

~ Books From Childhood ~

Most loved — The Witch of Blackbird Pond, Pride & Prejudice, Johnny Tremain, The Mediator series

Most hated — A Christmas Carol, Huck Fin, Tom Sawyer, Heart of Darkness

Haven’t read, but probably should — The Ear, the Eye and the Arm, Laura Ingalls Wilder, The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Can recite by heart — That’s not how my memory works, but it would be P&P if anything.

Wish more people had read it — *shrug*

~ Foods ~

Most loved — Mashed potatoes, pizza, cheese, bread, goulash, broccoli cheese soup, fettucine alfredo, macaroni and cheese, turkey, quesadillas, chocolate

Most hated — meatloaf, refried beans, seafood, too many things to list

Haven’t eaten but probably should — so many things

Would eat anytime anywhere — pizza

Best fuel for writing — something easy to eat while typing and non-greasy, like pretzels or something

~ TV Shows ~

Most loved — Wonderfalls, Firefly, Eli Stone, Better Off Ted, Arrested Development, Pushing Daisies, 30 Rock, Parks and Recreation, Coffee Prince, Cowboy Bebop, Avatar: Legend of Korra

Most Hated — Grey’s Anatomy, LOST, Family Guy, South Park

Can remember where you were when you saw it — A lot of things…for example, I saw both Wonderfalls and Arrested Development with friends during my sophomore year of college.

Wish more people had seen it — most of the things on my favorites list.

~ Items in Your Closet ~

Most loved — Whichever clothes actually make me look good that day. Oh, and the floor length Calvin Klein ball gown I bough on sale one day and dream of having an event that it will suit.

Most Hated — Rubbermaids that serve as dressers, but hold almost nothing.

Haven’t work in forever and should throw out — The things with surprise holes that I always forget about, notice at the end of the day, but throw into the laundry basket anyway, thus perpetuating the evil cycle.

Wish you’d never thrown them out — The lovely knee-length skirt I got and france and red shirt that fir perfectly that DISAPPEARED. I guess they got thrown out at some point, though they may have run off somewhere together.

Why do I have so many — jackets that I don’t wear.

~ Life ~

Best moment/memory — No clue, but since we’re bookish people, I’ll say that winning book cart drill team at ALA in 2010 was pretty awesome. Also, because of that, I later got a hug from Neil Gaiman.

Worst/most embarassing moment — One time I did fall down in the middle of the cafeteria in high school and everyone laughed. Also, I slipped in a puddle of water and could not get up because of my tractionless flip flops. I had to be helped up. Still, I learned nothing as I continue to where tractionless Old Navy flip flops.

Haven’t accomplished yet, but one day I’ll — Read War & Peace. And all of the books!

Childhood toy you’ll never get rid of — Probably all of the toy horses and My Little Ponys. They meant so much to young me! Also, the books.

Wish I had more time for this guilty pleasure — Watching kdrama.

So? How much do you have in common with Christina? Let us know in the comments. And stay tuned next week for another editor interview!