So I saw this on Kayley Hyde's blog from a while ago and really wanted to do it so here it is! :)
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| My 'To-Read' shelf |
1. Favorite childhood book?
To be honest, I used to read anything my Jacquline Wilson.
2. What are you reading right now?
The Sky Is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson and Insurgent by Veronica Roth
3. What books do you have on request at the library?
None at the moment.
4. Bad book habit?
Buying loads even though I already have loads to read...
5. What do you currently have checked out at the library?
I went to the library today actually and had to rush to leave so just grabbed one called The Future Of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler, partly because I liked the cover and partly because I've heard good things of Jay Asher's writing before.
6. Do you have an e-reader?
I don't but my Mum recently got an e-reader but doesn't use it all the time so I borrow it sometimes. I was surprised by how much I liked reading on there actually!
7. Do you prefer to read one book at a time, or several at once?
I like to read one at a time because I find I focus on it more but if I'm not really enjoying a book I find I end up reading 3 or 4 at the same time. Also if I buy some books, often I can't wait to start one of them.
8. Have your reading habits changed since starting a blog?
I haven't had my blog for long so not really, however discovering the booktuber community on YouTube did! That and The Fault In Our Stars by John Green got be back into reading after a while of not reading much at all. I'd forgotten how much I loved books!
9. Least favorite book you read this year (so far?)
There's a few I've read and haven't been very impressed with at all. Off the top of my head, probably Abandon by Meg Cabot because nothing seemed to really happen in it other than her explaining her past and Theodore Boone by John Grisham but that's more because it's just not my kind of book.
10. Favorite book you’ve read this year?
I read The Fault in Our Stars by John Green not long ago and I think that will probably be my favourite book of all time but close behind that is Paper Towns also by John Green, Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins, The Hunger Games (the full trilogy) by Suzanne Collins and Divergent by Veronica Roth.
11. How often do you read out of your comfort zone?
Not often but I don't think I've fully found my comfort zone just yet. I like to try and read different things and I know roughly what I enjoy but sometimes I'll pick a book up thinking I'll like it and I won't or even the other way round. I do quite often pick up book at the library that are a bit different to what I usually read just because that way I can see if I like them without having to spend money on them. :)
12. What is your reading comfort zone?
I guess I read mainly YA but I don't pick books out based on what genre they are. It's more if I like the sound of the book from the blurb and the reviews.
13. Can you read on the bus?
I don't often get the bus because where I live we use the train more because it's quite far from Cardiff which is the nearest city and the towns are all quite spaced out but I love to read on the train so I guess so. :)
14. Favorite place to read?
If I'm on the train on my own (which admittedly I rarely am), in the back garden on a sunny day (again, a rare occurrence in Wales), in my room, on the sofa or in bed before I go to sleep.
15. What is your policy on book lending?
I share books really often but only to about 3 people. I find that I read a book and then want someone to talk to about it so I'll either lend it to one of my friends or if I think it's really good I'll convince them to buy it. I also often try and get my friends that don't read much to read books I like by offering to lend them books or just making them borrow them. :')
16. Do you ever dog-ear books?
Never, I like books to look like new. I don't crack the spine on most books either. There are certain books that just look like they should be destroyed though so I will on them.
17. Do you ever write in the margins of your books?
Not really, I just never really think of it. Also, my obsession to keep books looking like new might make that a little difficult. :')
18. Not even with text books?
All our text books in our school belong to the school and we don't take them home or anything, so no.
19. What is your favorite language to read in?
English. I can't speak any other languages, as much as I'd like to be able to speak Welsh, German, French and Spanish.
20. What makes you love a book?
It depends but usually if it flows really well I'll enjoy it. I like books that you can just sit down and read until you've read most of it without it feeling like you've been reading for very long, like with The Fault In Our Stars by John Green or Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins. Also, if the characters are amazing I fall in love with a book like with Paper Towns by John Green where I found Q, Radar and Ben to be a believable friendship group and found myself comparing them to people I know or Along For The Ride by Sarah Dessen where I completely fell in love with Eli.
21. What will inspire you to recommend a book?
If I finish it and feel like I want to talk to someone about it or immediately want to read it again I'll recommend it to my friends.
22. Favorite genre?
YA fiction I guess but I don't really think about it while I read.
23. Genre you rarely read (but wish you did?)
I wish I read more classic books but there's so many that I really want to read that I never seem to get around to it.
24. Favorite biography?
I don't really like biographies but I actually really liked Miley Cyrus' book when I read it a few years ago and I got both of the One Direction books this Christmas and had read them within about a day because they were really easy to read and I find it's nice to read the biographies of people who either have an interesting story to tell or are just getting started in their career and it's about how they got to where they are now.
25. Have you ever read a self-help book?
Nope.
26. Favorite cookbook?
I don't really cook but a friend of mine got me a book called 1001 Cupcakes, Cookies and Other Tempting Treats for Christmas a few years ago and there's a few really cute and creative things to do with plain cookies and cupcakes so I quite like that. :)
27. Most inspirational book you’ve read this year (fiction or non-fiction)?
Probably The Fault In Our Stars by John Green. That's the only one that really made me think about things after I'd finished it.
28. Favorite reading snack?
I don't really eat while reading. I drink quite a lot of water though.
29. Name a case in which hype ruined your reading experience.
Most of the time I feel books sort of live up to the hype. It's the same with music, I feel like if things are 'mainstream' or whatever you want to call it there's a reason for that and it's a lot of people like it. I wasn't particularly keen on the first Darren Shan book that I read this year though despite the fact everyone seemed to love it.
30. How often do you agree with critics about a book?
I don't really read critics reviews or anything but I often agree with reviews I find on YouTube, Goodreads or on here.
31. How do you feel about giving bad/negative reviews?
I feel like if I really don't like a book, especially if it's one most other people seem to like, I should give it a negative review, however I do try not to be mean to a book for no real reason. I try to just explain why I didn't enjoy the book while keeping in mind that someone spent a long time and a lot of effort writing what I'm criticising.
32. If you could read in a foreign language, which language would you choose?
It's not a foreign language technically but I wish I could speak and read in Welsh, purely because I feel like I should be able to speak the native language of the country I've always lived in but we all speak English here. I'd like to be able to read in French and Spanish as well but I don't have reasons for them, I just like the languages. :)
33. Most intimidating book you’ve ever read?
I don't really read intimidating books because I know I won't finish them.
34. Most intimidating book you’re too nervous to begin?
There isn't really one. :')
35. Favorite Poet?
I know it's bad but I don't really read poetry. I don't even know why because I'm a massive fan of song lyrics but I guess I just haven't read any.
36. How many books do you usually have checked out of the library at any given time?
Usually about 3. Not too many that I can't read books I own but a few.
37. How often have you returned a book to the library unread?
I have returned them quite a few times where I've read the first few chapters and found I didn't really like it. I'm about to do the same with a book when I take this lot back.
38. Favorite fictional character?
After recently reading Paper Towns I think Margo Roth Spiegelman is absolutely amazing and I found myself wanting to be her but also, when I was reading the Harry Potter books for the first time when I was quite young I remember having a bit of a weird love for Fred Weasley...not George, just Fred...yeah I don't know about that one. :L I really liked Gus from The Fault In Our Stars by John Green too, purely because I felt like he brought out the best in Hazel and I found their friendship, as well as their relationship, inspiring.
39. Favorite fictional villain?
Probably Voldemort.
40. Books you’re most likely to bring on vacation?
Anything on my to-read list but I do find when I'm in another country I tend to like romance books or books that are set in a country or city that is a big tourist location a little more when I'm at home. I'm not quite sure why.
41. The longest you’ve gone without reading.
I didn't really get into reading a lot until earlier this year so I've gone months before.
42. Name a book that you could/would not finish.
There's a book I bought whilst in Primary school called Mariah Mundi: The Midas Box by G. P. Taylor and there's just something about it that I can't read it. I find the way it's written to be really difficult to read, especially seeing as though it's meant for late Primary school readers and it's also a little scary. I've started it about 4 times and never got past about chapter 10.
43. What distracts you easily when you’re reading?
If I've been listening to a song that's stuck in my head I find I can't fully concentrate on the book.
44. Favorite film adaptation of a novel?
I think the only films that are adaptations of novels that I've not had any criticism of at all are the Harry Potters. The books and the films were equally as amazing and when I am 80 I will be reading and watching them still.
45. Most disappointing film adaptation?
I can't really think of any. To be honest, I don't think I read many books that get adapted into films. I wasn't a massive fan of The Hunger Games movie though, controversial I know.
46. The most money I’ve ever spent in the bookstore at one time?
If I'm buying the books I don't think I've ever bought more than 6 at one time and I mostly buy them online on amazon so probably about £30 ish. I usually buy 3 at a time which ends up at about £15.
47. How often do you skim a book before reading it?
Never, I read the blur and although I know I probably shouldn't, kind of judge by the cover if it's meant for people like me and if I'll like it. If I'm not buying a book I already knew I wanted I tend to stick to authors I know I like though. Otherwise I could buy loads.
48. What would cause you to stop reading a book half-way through?
I hate it when the writing style of a book makes it seem like a chore to read it.
49. Do you like to keep your books organized?
I reorganize my bookshelves all the time. Mostly I tend to put the ones from when I was younger that I can't throw away at the bottom and then as it gets the top it's what I like the most and then I have a to-read shelf and a separate shelf that has the Harry Potter books, movies and things I bought from the studio tour. Certain shelves like the one with my favourite and my tbr shelf are organised alphabetically by author too, because I get really bored. :')
50. Do you prefer to keep books or give them away once you’ve read them?
I keep my books. I aim to one day have enough books I could have a house with a room dedicated to books that had walls full of them and had a sliding ladder. I love lending them though and if I don't want to keep it for whatever reason I'd give them to a charity shop, so it's helping charity and someone else can enjoy it just as much as I did. :)
51. Are there any books you’ve been avoiding?
Not on purpose. There are quite a few books I've wanted to read for a while but just either haven't got round to it or haven't got round to buying them yet but it's not on purpose. Just lack of time and money.
52. Name a book that made you angry.
Abandon by Meg Cabot annoyed me. I don't usually get annoyed by books but it just seemed like such a bad book and I've never read one of her books before, despite the fact I've heard a lot about them and absolutely loved The Princess Diaries films. I just felt like nothing really happened and what did happen you could see coming a mile off. I think books that aren't unique or interesting at all annoy me because that's what I found with that.
53. A book you didn’t expect to like but did?
We read Noughts And Crosses in year 9 English in school and I didn't think I would like it because most books we read in school I don't like and I ended up loving it so much that as soon as we finished reading it, I went and bought the other 3 in the series online and read them all that summer. It's not the type of thing I usually go for but I really really loved them.
54. A book that you expected to like but didn’t?
The Chronicles of Narnia books. I got given the series as a Christmas present when I was about 7 and although I don't remember not liking them, I have never read the full box set. I think I've read the first 2 out of the 8. I do plan to read them someday though, even if I may be too old for them now.
55. Favorite guilt-free, pleasure reading?
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| My Harry Potter Books |
I don't feel guilty about reading. I feel like reading is my equivalent to my friends watching movies because I don't really watch many films. Also, I think that reading is better than watching TV because you're learning and experiencing new writing and being creative by imagining it in your head but very similar because it's all being told a story that someone has created for the purpose of entertainment.
