20 Questions Book Tag

I haven’t done a tag post in a while – I can’t actually remember whether I was tagged to do this one or not (I think I was, but can’t remember who by for the life of me – oops) but I knew I had to get it written at some point because it’s such a fun set of questions. Better late than never, I guess!

How many books is too many books in a series?

This depends on the series of books I guess – I don’t usually read series, but I’d say the general rule of thumb should be that a series carries on until just before it starts to lose its magic. If it’s perfect at two or twenty books then it doesn’t matter, but it’s so disappointing when a series ends on a bad note because the book just didn’t need to be written (which I have to say I’ve experienced a lot more with TV).

How do you feel about cliffhangers?

They’re so frustrating but I love them! I like the ending of a book to have at least some sort of resolution but always happy to have a bit of an open ending. I think cliffhangers work best at the end of individual chapters – it always pulls me in to continue reading, though my sleep will often suffer as a result! Don’t Even Breathe by Keith Houghton was a classic example of this that I read recently – pretty much every chapter was a cliffhanger and I just couldn’t put it down.

Hardback or paperback?

Hardbacks looks great but I’ll usually opt for paperbacks – they’re lighter, and they’re also much easier to fits in bags and on your bookshelf (plus they’re cheaper, which is always a win).

Favourite book?

Now that’s a really difficult question! As a child my favourite book was The Railway Cat by Phyllis Arkle, and as a teenager it was probably The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole. That one is still up there, but I don’t think I could possibly choose an absolute favourite as I’ve read so many good ones – all for different reasons. My favourite this year has to be Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano though, which is an incredible piece of literary fiction with an original and striking storyline.

Least favourite book?

That’s also a hard question! I had to check my Goodreads and there are a fair few I’ve only rated one star, however I think I’m going to go with Divided Loyalties by Patricia Scanlan as I remember absolutely resenting every single page of it. Hated the characters, couldn’t get on with the writing style, and the ending was the most infuriating part of it that really made me wish I could’ve turned back time and not wasted so many hours on the book.

Love triangles, yes or no?

When written well I think love triangles can add an interesting dynamic to a story, however I think they need to be there for a reason, and the characters need to be portrayed in the right way as I find it hard to connect emotionally with characters that are really immoral about relationships.

The most recent book you just couldn’t finish?

I rarely DNF a book if I’m honest… I can’t name the last book I DNFed as it was an author request, however one book that I’ve never managed to finish is Pride And Prejudice as I just find classics really heavy and difficult to get on with (still got an A* when I studied it for English Literature GCSE though, boom).

A book you’re currently reading?

I’m nearing the end of Dream Wide Awake by C.J. Zahner currently and I’m loving it. Not what I expected at all from the cover but a really exciting and curious read!

Last book you recommended to someone?

I think it was actually The Understudy by David Nicholls to my Mum, as she rifled through my bookshelf without my consent (to be fair I do this to her whenever I visit – we’re as bad as each other).

Oldest book you’ve read?

That’s a really hard question and I’m not sure how to determine the answer! I’ve read some of the Bible, which is pretty darn old, and the Qur’an, which is also ancient, but I’ve never finished either. I’ve also read some of The Aeneid (in both English and Latin), but again never read the whole thing.

The newest book you’ve read?

That would have to be Here To Stay by Mark Edwards which I recently read on my Kindle. An amazing thriller book and I totally recommend!

Favourite author?

Depending on genre, I love Marian Keyes for women’s fiction, Terry Pratchett for fantasy, Ben Elton for satire, Ian McEwan for postmodern, and Harlen Coben for thrillers.

Buying books or borrowing books?

I really like to own the book so I think I prefer buying, however I love being able to use my local library (when I haven’t got a fine, oops). When I buy books I usually get them secondhand.

A book you dislike that everyone seems to like?

This could be any classic that I’ve detested, really… Pride & Prejudice, Tess Of The D’Urbevilles, Little Women, Great Expectations – there’s quite a few!

Bookmarks or dogear?

Those who dogear books are sinners! Bookmarks always, and I’ll happily use all sorts of things if I can’t find an actual one (train tickets, my phone, and sprigs of rosemary, to name a few).

A book you can always re-read?

The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole by Sue Townsend, which I read over and over again during my teenage years.

Can you read whilst hearing music?

I can, but I rarely do – it’s easier with music that doesn’t have words, otherwise I start to zone in on the lyrics and miss what I’m reading. Reading to classical music or modern jazz is nice.

One POV or multiple POV’s?

I prefer multiple POVs, actually – I’m not sure why, but it’s something I’m always drawn to in books. I don’t like loads because then it gets confusing, but the more minds I can infiltrate during the reading experience, the better. For this reason I also really like first person as I find it fascinating to be within someone’s thoughts.

Do you read a book in one sitting or over multiple days?

This depends on the genre. Most books I’ll read over multiple days as I’ll usually read during my commute, however a really gripping thriller I’ll easily read in one go as they’re generally so fast-paced. As a kid I pretty much read all my books in one go – I remember reading the final Harry Potter book on the day of its release in just four hours!

One book you read because of the cover?

That’s pretty much all the books I read because I totally judge a book by its cover, however the recent example I’ll use is In This Way I Was Saved by Brian Deleeuw, which really stood out to me in the library sale for its vibrant red colour and striking title. I also really liked the back of the book, with the synopsis sprawled in large letters across the whole page.

I’m tagging…

Little Tinkablee
KB Book Reviews
Fraser’s Fun House
The Caffeinated Reader
Becky’s Book Blog

Do you strongly agree or disagree with anything I’ve said? Let me know in the comments, and don’t forget to like and pin! You can read one of my other book tag posts here:

7 Things I Like In A Book