Hola everyone, welcome to another Thursday and another Tag Thursday. This week’s tag was nabbed from Thrice Read but you can find the original post here. Let’s waste no time, let’s get right on with the 20 questions which make up the aptly named 20 Questions Book Tag.
1.How many books is too many books in a book series?
I have to say, I’m becoming a fan of duologies because most trilogies feel like they’ve been stretched out for the sake of more sales. Mostly I hate unnecessary series of books, like where the story probably could have been told in a book or two but instead NEVER SEEMS TO STOP. (Yes, I’m looking at you SJM.)
2. How do you feel about cliffhangers?
I like my unambiguous closure but, if a book is part of a series of some sort, chances are it will have at least a vague semblance of a cliff-hanger, to pique your interest for the subsequent book. I’ve made my peace with it now; providing the next book’s publication date isn’t 10 years in the future then I’m fine.
3. Hardcopy or paperback?
I’ll take either – both have their merits. For portability and ease of reading, however, the mighty paperback wins. For pretty, shiny deluxe editions, hello hardbacks.
4. Favourite book?
That’s like asking me to pick my favourite food… ok, I have a list, are you ready? Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier, Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman, The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling, Viper Wine by Hermione Eyre, and Pride and Prejudice & Persuasion by Jane Austen.
5. Least favourite book?
I checked my Goodreads to see what my lowest rated book was… turns out there are a few, as follows: Jacob’s Room by Virginia Woolf, Adam Bede by George Eliot, Holes by Louis Sachar, Look Back in Anger by John Osborne, Eclipse by Stephanie Meyer, Crash by J.G. Ballard, and The World and Other Places by Jeanette Winterson.
A lot of these are ones I was set for a university course and I just DID NOT get them at all, particularly Virginia Woolf and Jeanette Winterson – it sucks because I’ve heard such great things about both of them but the experience of these books make me hesitant to try any others.
6. Love triangles, yes or no?
I’m a sucker for a good bit of conflict tbh. It frustrates me though that, usually, it’s basically the ‘good wholesome guy’ vs. the ‘wild one who takes love interest out of their comfort zone’. The latter is nearly always presented as the more appealing but I’ve never particularly found that type appealing so I don’t get the conflict??
7. The most recent book you just couldn’t finish?
I used to just mark things as DNF on Goodreads if I hadn’t finished them but now I’ve changed my methods. There are several books I’ve marked as ‘put aside for now’, which indicates at least a vague desire to return to the books (though that applies to some of my older DNF-marked titles too). However I think my most recent, decisive DNF was The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen – I’m super disappointed about this one because I’d heard some great reviews about this series. Perhaps the audiobook just wasn’t compelling enough for me? Either way I found it unengaging as a story and I left it at about 50% of the way through with little to no desire to pick it back up in the future.
8. A book you’re currently reading?
The Tropic of Serpents by Marie Brennan – it has a Jane Austen, Regency-ish tone, a lady naturalist, lots of humour, and dragons, I love it!
9. Last book you recommended to someone?
Probably When Dimple Met Rishi which I recommended to my friend and housemate, Liz. She read it recently and seems to have enjoyed it so, phew, that’s a relief. (Nothing will ever compare to my recommendation of Six of Crows, however, because she seemed to LOVE that one.)
10. Oldest book you’ve read? (Publication date)
I think it must be Medea by Euripides.
11. Newest book you’ve read? (Publication date)
The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee – though it was out in the US, and I could get it on Audible it was only actually released in physical form on 10th August here in the UK. I listened to the audiobook before then because I’m impatient but you can get your ass I picked it up on release day.
12. Favorite author?
I struggle with this question a lot, because I feel like I have to have read all an author’s output to be able to definitively say they’re my favourite, you know? I haven’t done that for any authors, I think. However some of my favourites include Neil Gaiman, V.E. Schwab, and Leigh Bardugo – can you sense a theme?
13. Buying books or borrowing books?
Definitely buying, if I can. However, I love lending out my books and borrowing others’ because that usually is because of a personal recommendation – and I love those!
14. A book you dislike that everyone else seems to love?
Shall we go for the expected? Sarah J. Maas’ A Court of Thorns and Roses – I had so many issues with this one. I occasionally consider reading the sequels, just to check if I really did hate it, but I’m so worried that I’d end up being won over and I REFUSE.
15. Bookmarks or dog-ears?
When I’m reading a book, I bookmark the page I’m up to. But if I’m enjoying a book, I own it, and it isn’t a very precious edition of it or anything, then I’ll dog-ear the page on the section I liked. You can usually tell my favourite books by the ones who have their pages dog-earred.
16. A book you can always reread?
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen – when you know something like the back of your hand, it makes it so much quicker and easier to read and enjoy.
17. Can you read while hearing music?
Yep, though I have to be careful with what music. I can’t really listen to music that’s new to me, because I become too distracted by the new, unfamiliar song. But I have a reading playlist of film soundtracks that I like to pop on in the background if I can, and I try to match the soundtrack to the tone of the book, e.g. when I was reading Hannah Kent’s Burial Rites I listened to Bon Iver’s ‘For Emma, Forever Ago’, when I was reading The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers I was listening to the Thor soundtrack.
18. One POV or multiple POV’s? (POV’s = Point of views)
If there’s a reason for the POV, that’s fine, but I don’t like it when authors write in first person for no real reason. Likewise, I’m becoming sick of (mainly) dystopians with two POVs, one a girl, one a boy, and then they end up together. So predictable, so boring. That being said – Six of Crows was EXCELLENT for multiple POV, because it had a purpose, other authors, take note!
19. Do you read a book in one sitting or over multiple days?
I’d love to read more books in one sitting but, unless I’m doing a 24-hour readathon, I don’t. As I now finally have a full-time job I also read mostly on my short train journeys to/from work and on an evening before bed, if I’m not too tired, so that means a book tends to be spread out across multiple sittings/days.
20. Who do you tag?
(You can invite them to the group to do the tag)
Anyone and everyone that is interested and hasn’t done it yet – yes I’m looking at you!
The Terror of Knowing 
One response to “Tag | 20 Questions Book Tag”
[…] blog, so I have decided to jump on the bandwagon this week with her. While I found it at her blog @ The Terror of Knowing, it was originally found here! It’s simple title of 20 questions if quite self explanatory, […]
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