So, here is another book tag I came across while browsing through other blogs. It seems that lately I have a lot of time doing and browsing through other blogs. Haha! By the way, I came across this tag in Struggling Bookaholics and it certainly caught my attention, hence, my take on this challenge. To reiterate, doing book tags is a way for me to share to other readers what kind of a reader I am.

1. Do you have a certain place at home for reading?

There is no specific area at home where I read. I read wherever I feel comfortable, which is, most of the time, at the living room.

2. Bookmark or random piece of paper?

I prefer having bookmarks to mark the last page I was reading. However, I use random things as my bookmark, such as discarded cards or even calling cards. If in case there are no available items I can recycle as bookmark, I tear off random pieces of paper, including bus tickets. Haha!

3. Can you just stop reading or do you have to stop after a chapter/a certain amount of pages?

It has always been my habit to stop after a certain page or chapter, or where there is a break in a chapter. However, the only exceptions are when I am tired or when I have something very urgent to do. Special cases are for books like The Autumn of the Patriarch where the paragraphs are lengthy.

An eccentricity I have as a reader: I always cover the page numbers although I would peek at the first or first two digits. I don’t want to be bothered my reading progress so I always cover the page numbers. I think some readers do this as well.

4. Do you eat or drink while reading?

Whenever I can manage, I do these two things simultaneously. I would arrange my book in such a way that would allow me to read while reading. However, sometimes, doing two things can be bothersome so I end up eating first before I continue reading.

5. Multitasking: Music or TV while reading?

I can manage doing either things while reading. However, if the TV show is interesting, I can easily get distracted and in the end, I put down the book I am reading. Apropos music, I do feel more relaxed if there is music on the background. However, I end up singing or humming along with most songs. Like, seriously, even if the song is Korean.

6. One book at a time or several at once?

I only concentrate reading one book at a time. I have difficulties focusing on reading too many books at a time, although I did it, especially if the book I am reading is challenging or too long. I have done it while reading David Foster Wallace’s Infinite Jest.

7. Reading at home or everywhere?

I can read practically anywhere but I prefer it that the place be far from rambunctious activities. But in Manila, it can get too hot so I end up reading at home, most of the times. If I am not reading at home, you can find me reading a book in a coffee shop instead.

8. Reading out loud or silently in your head?

I read silently in my head; I don’t want to distract the people around me. However, there are times that I get so worked up that I follow the story with my mouth, and I end up aloud, but not too loud to get the attention of those around me.

9. Do you read ahead or even skip pages?

It is my cardinal rule to never ever skip pages. Even if I get too wrapped up in the narrative that I want to read ahead, I stymie the temptation. So far, it has worked, after over 600 books. (But I do read ahead if I am REreading a book).

10. Breaking the spine or keeping it like new?

Whoa! Are there really devout readers who break the book’s spine intentionally? If it was true, then it would be ruthless. I care very much about my books and I want to keep them as immaculately new as possible. So no, I don’t break the spine of my books.

11. Do you write in your books?

With reference to question number ten, I want to keep my books immaculately clean so I avoid everything that can taint it such as folding the pages and writing in it. Writing in a book is definitely a cardinal sin for me. Take note of this whenever you borrow my books please. Else, you’ll end up in my blacklist. 🙂

Readers, I hope that this book tag challenge gives you a perspective of me as a reader. Again, I am not going to tag anyone to do this challenge. However, if you feel like doing it, then feel free to do so, just tag me so that I can check out your answers. 🙂

Happy reading!

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