The #BookishQuestions Tag
I’m dropping in on the blog to write about something I adore: books. I keep seeing these fun little tags going around online and I thought it would be interesting to sit down and answer these questions for myself. I like reading and am amused when I actually analyze what I read and my reasons behind those decisions. So, here goes, the #BookishQuestions tag. Feel free to copy and write or record your own responses!
Genre(s) I tend to stay away from:
I steer clear of most all books in the horror genre. I don’t enjoy being scared and I can’t stand any gore, so this is a big no for me. Another genre I don’t like is romance, although there have been some LGBTQ romance novels (looking at you Red, White & Royal Blue and Boyfriend Material) that completely stole my heart. Maybe I’ll be a romance convert after all.
Worst habit as a reader:
I get impatient and always check to see how many pages I have until I get to the end of the book. This is why I struggle with reading long books (400 pages or more) and usually avoid them. But for the last few years, I’ve been participating in the #BigBook reading challenge and adding a few long novels to my TBR. Still haven’t found any that I like, but one day…
Do I read the synopsis?
Not usually, unless it’s a genre I’m not familiar with. I like to go into a book with no preconceived notions. Sometimes I can’t avoid it. Bookstagram has encouraged me to read some books that I wouldn’t normally pick up on my own, and I’m grateful for that, but I, more often than not, dislike books that others rave about.
Do I read used books?
Of course! I get 99% of my audiobooks and Kindle reads from my public library and a lot of new books come as advanced reader copies from publishers. I only shop for physical books in independent used bookstores. One of my favorite things to do when visiting a new city is to scope out all of the bookshops in the area and visit them. I’ve even gotten my partner hooked on those little reading adventures, so it’s a fun thing to do when we’re on vacation.
Favorite books from last year?
There are so many good ones, but the most memorable, the ones I still think about, are: Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam, The Book of Two Ways by Jodi Picoult, Somebody’s Daughter by Ashley C. Ford, The Midnight Library by Matt Haig, Homeland Elegies by Ayad Akhtar, Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family by Robert Kolker, Yes, Chef by Marcus Samuelson, The Stationery Shop by Marjan Kamali, Taste: My Life Through Food by Stanley Tucci, and The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett.
Favorite classics:
I’m not the biggest fan of the classics with the exception of a few, like Fahrenheit 451 and The Great Gatsby. I enjoy more of the children’s classics: Charlotte’s Web, The Secret Garden, and Little Women. What I like to read more of are books that are inspired by or are retellings of classics, like Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald by Therese Anne Fowler.
Books I always recommend:
My all-time favorite book, The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein for someone looking for a great story, Untamed by Glennon Doyle for someone who is looking for empowerment, Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body by Roxane Gay, because she shares about a subject that so many of us deal with in our everyday lives, and One More Thing: Stories and Other Stories by B.J. Novak, if they want something funny and poignant.
Books I don’t like:
Usually, books that don’t get to a point quickly enough are ones that I don’t finish or don’t rate well if I do. Don’t take 700 pages to say something that can be said in 300. I’m quite a stingy book rater, so I have high standards, but I try to be fair when reading and see the merit when it can be found. Another thing that will make me hate a book is really crappy writing. Not everyone is talented enough to write a book. Just because you have something to say, doesn’t mean you should create a book about it. Write a blog post like the rest of us. Interestingly, I’ve found that a lot of the horrible books that I’ve read are self-published and have conveniently skipped the professional editing process. Not pointing any fingers, but just saying…
… or popular books I was underwhelmed by:
Kristin Hannah books and I don’t seem to get along, with the exception of one, The Nightingale. All of her other novels tend to meander too much or have really unlikable characters or cover topics that are too triggering for me. While Bookstagram all rave about her books, I shrug my shoulders and reach for something else on the bookshelf.
Books I look forward to reading:
To be honest, I’m not getting my hopes up for any forthcoming books. I want to live in the moment and get excited when I’m reading something superb.
Books I can’t believe I haven’t read yet:
There are quite a few books about writing that are still sitting on my TBR and I need to get to those as soon as possible. Also on the lineup, a lot of Roxane Gay’s projects that came out after Hunger, including some graphic novels/comics, and anthologies or short story collection collaborations.
