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For the book meme! 1, 15, and 45?
<3 <3 <3
1. Name the best book you've read so far this year.
I couldn’t choose one so here’s top three in no particular order: The Watchmaker of Filigree Street by Natasha Pulley, Prophet by Sin Blaché & Helen Macdonald and Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller. All of these books hurt me in the best possible way. The first two both had characters that I fell in love with instantly, and Song of Achilles is just a masterclass on how to write a tragedy.
15. Which genre(s) are your favorite?
Looking at what I’ve read most in the past few years: fantasy, magical realism and romance, with the occasional dash of horror.
45. What book(s) would you sell your soul to get a TV or movie adaptation of?
Robin Hobb’s Farseer, Tawny Man and Fitz and The Fool trilogies (and I could lose a few limbs for Liveship Traders, too). The upside of becoming a soulless husk in this tradeoff would mean I could watch it without experiencing all of my Beloved’s heartache all over again.
For the bookworm ask:
12, 13, and 21
Oooh ooh ooh, another ask! Thank you!!
12. what are your favourite genres?
Fantasy and scifi, probably. I do like the occasional mystery, as well, but mostly I find my self gravitating toward the fantasy and scifi shelves (digital or actual).
13. what books make you happy?
Books with a happy ending. I want that eucatastrophe! It doesn't have to be a 100% happy ending, but I do want hope to win out over despair. The Lord of the Rings is probably the ultimate in books that make me happy, but I also like books that make me laugh, like The Martian, or books that make me think, like the one I'm reading now: Neither Wolf Nor Dog: On Forgotten Roads With An Indian Elder by Kent Nerburn. It's giving me a lot of insight into Lakota culture and the differences between whites and Native Americans. I feel like it's helping me understand Johnny Gage's character a bit better, too, since he's a man with a foot in both worlds.
21. what is a total book turn-off for you?
Bad writing, poor character development, lame plots, dull prose, lack of humor. I don't mind a bit of smut but if that's the only point of the book (ie, the two characters can't even have a conversation without their tongues down each other's throats), I'm out. If the main protagonist is a jerk and shows no sign of improving themselves, I'm done. Unnecessary cruelty will also nope me right out of a book. I realize all this makes me sound really picky... probably because I am? LOL Life is too short to struggle through reading about characters I care nothing about, and I've learned that it really isn't a requirement to finish every book I start.
Oh, I also hate dangling participles. You know, the classic "Walking through the kitchen, the smoke alarm was going off." kind of sentences (SMOKE ALARMS DO NOT WALK). I tried a book once by an author who used them in four out of five sentences, or so it seemed. Drove me up the wall. I very nearly sent a strongly-worded email to his editor.
(I'm not nearly that pickey when it comes to fanfic, though, mostly because I know those are labors of love, written by people who very likely aren't professional authors. As long as they nail the character, I don't care how many dangling participles they use to do it.)
3, 19 and 22 for the book ask game? 😊
Ooh, yay, asks! Thank you!
3. how have your reading tastes changed from when you were a child?
Aside from reading chapter books now? XD I jest! I read a lot more mysteries when I was a kid. I was a big fan of the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew back then. These days, I don't read a ton of mystery books. I also went through a Victoria Holt gothic romance phase in middle school. I can't tell you the last time I read any romance. I didn't read fantasy back then like I do now, either. Fantasy for kids was all too... fantastical? I guess? I liked stories that were more focused on real people. I don't read a ton of fantasy even today, mostly because these days most of it is endless series of 29 books and then you have to wait 36 years for the last one that ties it all up on a bow. :P I also read more scifi now than when I was a kid. The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells is just... *chef's kiss* I also like Marko Kloos' Frontlines series about alien invasion. And Andy Weir's The Martian is just about my favorite scifi book ever.
19. how well do you take care of your books?
Very well. I don't dog ear pages, I try to handle them gently. I don't keep any books under glass or anything like that, but especially with any collectible books, I try to keep out of direct sunlight and hold them carefully when I read. I also usually take off the dust jacket when I'm reading so it doesn't get battered. I don't use cotton gloves, but I do try to keep books nice. I have lots of books--most of them are on bookshelves in a bedroom we converted into a library/study, but I have a lot scattered around the house, because I like the look of books in every room.
22. what is an essential element of a good book?
Humor and a functioning moral compass. I don't like fiction that's Deadly Serious 100% of the time (although don't go overboard and make it too light). I like a protagonist who has a good sense of humor, preferably the self-deprecating kind. As far as morals, the protag doesn't have to be perfect--I'd prefer they not be--but they do need to be decent human beings who are at least trying to do the right thing. I'm no fan of grimdark/morally gray characters in any genre, nor do I like misogynists or womanizers or people who just don't value human life. You give me a hero with a good sense of humor who's trying to do the right thing and I'll read every last page including the one at the end that tells you what kind of paper the book is printed on (or the "before you go please rate this" page if it's on Kindle, because I do read ebooks quite a bit).
4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 22, and 24, for the bookworm asks, please?
4. Most overrated classic book?
There's very few classic books I've read that I think are overrated, tbh. Maybe I've just avoided reading the bad ones. There are a few that left me confused as to why anyone enjoys it, like Left Hand of Darkness, but it obviously is a classic for good reason and it feels stupid to call it overrated.
5. Most overrated modern book?
At the moment, Gideon the Ninth. I just don't get it.
6. What stereotypical “bookish” things do you like or own?
Aside from keeping my goodreads account up to date, I can't really think of anything I like that is particularly "bookish".
7. (Already answered)
9. Do you finish books no matter what, and if not, what makes you quit?
I try to finish books as best as I can, especially when I definitely don't like them, because when I give reasons why I don't like them I like to be fully informed. If I DNF it's because a book has failed to hold my interest. Hatred isn't the opposite to love, apathy is.
10. Favorite nonfiction book?
I really don't read much nonfiction beyond pop-psych and the occasional investigative journalism. Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe is great, Status Anxiety by Alain de Botton, and So You've Been Publically Shamed by Jon Ronson are pretty fun.
12. What’s your opinion of pictures in books for grown-ups?
Awesome. Gotta love illustrated versions of classics like Frankenstein and The Rime of the Ancient Mariner. I definitely don't think pictures are only for children.
15. (Already answered)
16. Favorite genre(s) and author(s)?
I think at the moment my favourite genre is Napoleonic War-era naval fiction. My favourite author is Patrick O'Brian. I Could say fantasy is a favourite genre too, but that's so sprawling a monster that it hardly counts, does it? Abercrombie, Pratchett, Colfer, and it feels weird not to include Jim Butcher, damn him.
18. Favorite and least favorite books read for high school classes?
I enjoyed most of the reading I had to do for class. The assignments were the killer, but the books/reading were fun in themselves. Frankenstein was my favourite. Lord of the Flies might have been my least, but it was still pretty great.
19. What’s a book you love that other people don’t “get” or understand?
Aside from Mansfield Park, which seems like the obvious one (Fanny Price is amazing, actually), probably Blood Rites by Jim Butcher. It's my blorbo of books, though frequently gets rated pretty low on tier lists.
20. How does your choice in reading material compare to your family’s?
My choices tend to be fluffier. My twin sister and I have fairly similar tastes, though she skews toward darker, more serious stuff I think. She's my go-to for recommendations though and has a good instinct for what I'll enjoy. My eldest sister doesn't read much fiction these days, although she was an English major, and my middle sister intimidates/inspires me a bit with her collection of classics. My dad appreciated books a lot but didn't read much fiction, and my mum never reads fiction.
22. (Already answered)
24. Favorite book title?
The Wine-Dark Sea, Last Argument of Kings, I love the Dresden Files' two words of the same length title scheme. Monstrous Regiment is 👌. And the James Bond book titles are properly iconic.
7, 15, 22 for Bookworm asks.
7. What do you like or own that would scandalize other bookish folk?
I think I have one or two Terry Pratchett books from my old school library that simply never got returned 😬 I'm sorry, I live with the guilt every day.
15. Do you prefer: chapter titles or not? Table of contents or not? Prologues and/or epilogues or not?
Chapter titles are brilliant. It makes it easier to remember what happens when, and can be used to emphasise particular themes within a chapter. Still haven't gotten over Abercrombie's "The End" and "The Beginning" trilogy book ends, tbh. I think it's a simple way to make a novel feel cohesive. Tables of contents are useful after I've read a book and want to refer to it again, but can likewise spoil any first time readers a bit. I quite like cracking open a book and just seeing where it takes me, without a map. Prologues yes, epilogues no. There's very few epilogues I can say I'm truly happy with, in both books and movies. I like it when there's space for fans to expand on what happens next, and epilogues tend to dampen that intrigue. I don't mind a prologue so much, although they can often be dense with exposition or confusing with lack of explanation. The one that springs to mind is in Six of Crows, which I hated. On second thought, maybe it's better to just jump right in.
22. Any book(s) you were surprised to end up liking?
Mansfield Park. After having heard from several people that it was the worst Jane Austen novel and that Fanny is a terrible protagonist, I left it until last in my read through and opened it with dread, expecting something deeply slow and boring. It turned out to be my favourite of her books, on par with Pride & Prejudice, especially because Fanny is such a departure from Austen's usual brand of witty, assertive heroines. Part of my love for the book probably stems from that initial surprise of finding myself so enthralled, but my love for it feels more personal as a result, as opposed to my more general appreciation for the cleverness and charm of P&P.
4 and 5 for the bookworm meme!
Oh yay, I love talking about books and reading!! Thanks for the ask, Anon!!
4. physical book or e-book? I really need a physical book. I think I tried downloading an ebook once (haha!) but that’s about it.
5. where do you love to read? Everywhere! I’m not even being facetious. (I donated blood today and had my book open on my lap while the blood drained out of me lol) I specifically love to read sitting on my comfy couch or curled up in bed.
Bookworm Asks - ask me!