It’s been some time since I did a book tag. I always find them fun and answering the questions make me listen to the inner reader in me. This time around, I am going to do 20 Questions Book Tag which I just saw on my WordPress Reader. I enjoyed Jenny In Neverland’s book tag entry, hence, I decided to do my own. Moreover, it has been sometime since I did a book tag (I think it is way back in 2017 haha).
So here’s my 20 Questions Books Tag.
How many books is too many books in a series?
I am not really a fan of serial novels, unless each part can be independently read without affecting the overall flow of the story (i.e. Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot series). If I were to opine on the question, I think five is the magic number for me. Five gives enough time for the story to evolve and be completed without it being underwhelming.
How do you feel about cliffhangers?
I am fine with cliffhangers especially if they play with my imagination.
Hard copy or paperback?
I used to prefer paperbacks because they are more portable. However, since beginning my personal book collection, I begun to appreciate the beauty of hardbound books.
Favourite book?
I can’t say that I have a particular book I could call my “favorite” because there are a lot of books that I really love. Moreover, these books belong to a vast array of literary genres. Amongst my all-time favorites are Midnight’s Children by Salman Rushdie, Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides, The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco, If On A Winter’s Night A Traveler by Italo Calvino, The Complete Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi, Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky and Master of the Game by Sidney Sheldon. The inner child in me wants to include Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis and Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling. Don’t get me going though because I have quite a long list of “favorite” books.
Least favourite book?
This one is easier to answer. As many books there are that I love are the number of books that I really am not a fan of. These books include Sad Girls by Lang Leav, Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler and The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins. They all disappointed me in different ways.
Love triangles, yes or no?
I am indifferent to love triangles. I am more into the story than into the conflicts. If the love triangle is necessary for the story and the reading experience, then I don’t mind the love triangle angles.
The most recent book you just couldn’t finish?
In over 600 books I have read, there is only one book that I did not finish – Ulysses by James Joyce. Don’t get me wrong, I was actually looking forward to reading this classic in its original transcript. However, as I begun reading it, I was met with several obstacles. I tried reading book reviews or some backgrounds to at least understand it. Unfortunately, midway to the story, I decided to shelf it in the meantime, to be reread in the future, when I am confident of tackling such a complex and dense story. I really hate not completing a book because ever since I began reading, I have resolved to finish every book that I have started no matter what. But Joyce’s classic is just on a whole new different level. One day, I will take on it again.
A book you’re currently reading?
I am currently devouring one of the best war novels in recent memory, Catch-22 by Joseph Heller. It is one of the books that I have included in my 2018 Top 20 Reading List and is one of the books that I am looking forward to because of the numerous accolades it got. I hope it won’t disappoint me.
Last book you recommended to someone?
There is a lot of books that I recommended to fellow readers. But I think the last one that I recommended is The Complete Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi. Even though it is a step out of my comfort zone (it is a graphic novel), I recommended it to all my WordPress readers.
Oldest book you’ve read?
Basing it on the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die list, the oldest book that I have read is The Tale of Genji by Lady Murasaki Shikibu. Many literary pundits believe that this Japanese classic is the first full-length novel to be ever written.
The newest book you’ve read?
An American Marriage by Tayari Jones which is part of my 2018 Most Anticipated Books. I really didn’t like it though.
Favourite author?
When I was younger, I would definitely say that my favorite author is undoubtedly Sidney Sheldon for his works were the ones that really kept me hooked into reading. However, when my reading scope has grown, I have begun to appreciate different authors like Haruki Murakami. Even though I have a difficulty appreciating his works, I like them nonetheless because they keep my imagination running wild. I also love Nobel laureates Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Yasunari Kawabata and Kazuo Ishiguro.
Buying books or borrowing books?
I like it better when I own a book. I dream of putting up my own library in my own house that is why I have been earnestly buying books.
A book you dislike that everyone seems to like?
Turtles All The Way Down by John Green. I understand that many are into young-adult fiction, which I am not totally a fan of. For some reason I am baffled with the book’s “suspense” part. I still feel that it didn’t fit into the story. It also has a very high rating in Goodreads. I find it mundane , even by the author’s standards. Come to think of it, a lot of readers also love his other work, Paper Towns. I happen to dislike it very much as well.
Bookmarks or dogears?
Bookmarks for me. I hate it when I see the pages of my books folded.
A book you can always re-read
Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie. During a time when I have lost faith in suspense novels, this Christie classic made me appreciate this genre again. It is a pleasurable read that I can always dedicate time to read it over and over again.
Can you read whilst hearing music?
Yes. Hitting two birds with one stone whilst doing two of my favorite things – reading and listening to music.
One POV or multiple POV’s?
This depends on the type of story and the manner the author writes. However, I prefer a single point of view because multiple POVs are often confusing and easily muddles up the story.
Do you read a book in one sitting or over multiple days?
I tend to finish a book over a couple of days. It is rare for me to finish one book in one sitting, unless it is extremely short or it is something that I really love! Ultimately, how fast I read a book depends on two factors – how much I like the book and my general mood during the time I am reading the book.
One book you read because of the cover
Haha. When I was younger, I always buy books because of the cover (and the title). I was once easily enticed by the glossy covers. However, because of my ventures into must-read lists, I begun concentrating on these “must-read” books. The last book I read purely because of the cover is Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler (a.k.a. Lemony Snickett of the famed children’s book series A Series of Unfortunate Events).
So that’s it for my 20 Questions Book Tag. I had fun answering these 20 questions. I hope you enjoyed my version! If you want to do your own, feel free to do so. Don’t forget to tag me in your post so that I can read your responses!
Happy Reading!
The Pine-Scented Chronicles 