So I’m very new to the whole ‘book tag’ scene, but I came across the ‘I Dare You’ book tag on Raven & Beez’s blog, and was so intrigued that I fell into an internet black hole reading through numerous posts (PaperFury, It Starts At Midnight, Dinosoaur to name a few…).
Image via Unsplash.
I loved this tag because it made me think about the books I’ve read (and haven’t read) in a new way. So here goes nothing…
1. What book has been on your shelves the longest?
Probably Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. Just check out the yellowed pages and peeling cover for proof…
2. What is your current read, your last read, and the book you’ll read next?
Currently reading Voyager by Diana Gabaldon and Girlboss by Sophia Amoruso.
My last read was Dragonfly in Amber also by Diana Gabaldon. I think I’ll have to take a break from the Outlander series for my next read, so I might start V.E. Schwab’s Monsters of Verity series.
3. What book did everyone like, but you hated?
Hmmmm ‘hate’ is a strong word… But I certainly wasn’t overly thrilled with A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J Maas. There was so much hype (self-inflicted) around this one, and for me, it just missed the mark.
4. What book do you keep telling yourself you’ll read, but you probably won’t?
I read Anna Karenina a while back and enjoyed it, but geez – War and Peace is a whole other kettle of fish. I’ve started it on a number of occasions but man… That book is DENSE.
5. Which book are you saving for retirement?
Perhaps here’s where I should say War and Peace…?
6. Last Page: Do you read it first or wait til the end?
Wait til the end!!!
7. Acknowledgements: Are they a waste of paper and ink or interesting?
I love reading the acknowledgements! There are so many people involved in the creation of a book, it’s important to see who was behind the scenes!
8. Which book character would you switch places with?
One of the other book bloggers made a really valid point: bad stuff seems to happen to characters in books… But if I had to pick… Perhaps Claire Beauchamp from Outlander, because let’s face it – she gets Jamie Fraser.
9. Do you have a book that reminds you of something specific in your life?
Books are like songs in this regard – pretty much every book I’ve connected with on some level reminds me of a particular time in my life.
Looking for Alibrandi by Melina Marchetta
and The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole by Sue Townsend remind me of being in my very early teens and giggling with my girlfriends.Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix reminds me of how mum used to let me skip family engagements when a new HP book came out so I could spend all weekend reading. I also remember someone telling my poor friend Lisy at school the following Monday that Dumbledore died, and how upset she was that it had been spoilt for her.
Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer reminds me of a very turbulent, angst-driven year that mainly resulted in some terribly written philosophical musings…
10. Name a book that you acquired in an interesting way.
Sadly, I’m not particularly interesting in this respect. I’ve actually just gone to my bookshelves to jog my memory… The most ‘interesting’ acquisition would probably be a little book called Letters to Emma Bowlcut by Bill Callahan.
A few years ago I took a trip to Melbourne by myself. I got myself a nice little hotel room and made my way around Melbourne writing in cafes and bars (very artsy of me, I know). While I was doing this exploring I stumbled upon a little record store near Degraves St. Inside, there was a little ‘indie’ book section.
Letters to Emma Bowlcut stood out to me because it was an epistolary novelette, a format I knew nothing about. There was something inherently romantic about it, and still is now that I’m looking at it again.
62 letters, from an unnamed man to a stranger he met at a party. A weird little book I found in a record store of all places…
11. Have you ever given away a certain book for a special reason to a special person?
Absolutely. I think there’s something really personal about giving a book to someone.
I gave Claire and Kyra a copy of Clementine Ford’s Fight Like A Girl for Christmas a while back, because we’d discussed a lot of the feminist issues it covered, and for me it felt important to pass on that kind of book.
When I was younger I remember giving a copy of Into the Wild to my friend Liam, as we were in this very angsty, ‘philosophical’ time in our lives. We shared dozens of emails about this book and the quotes from Tolstoy it included (yet another reason I keep telling myself I’ll read him).
I also gave Kyra a copy of Harry, A History, because it was captured the phenomena that is Harry Potter.
12. Which book has been with you the most places?
Since I moved to reading on my Kindle I can take my whole library practically anywhere! However, I’ll assume we’re talking about print books here, in which case, any of the Harry Potter books probably take the title.
13. Any “required reading” you hated in high school that wasn’t so bad two years later?
Fortunately, I don’t think I ever hated a book from a high school reading list. We read a wide range of books including Pride and Prejudice, Harp in the South, Brave New World and To Kill a Mockingbird to name a few… I enjoyed all of them at the time, but I guess as you get older, you develop a deeper understanding or appreciation for certain titles.
14. Used or brand new?
As long as it’s not falling apart, I don’t really mind.
15. Have you ever read a Dan Brown book?
Nope! Though this isn’t due to the lit snobbery you so often hear about Dan Brown books. I’ve just never fallen into reading them.
16. Have you ever seen a movie that you liked better than the book?
That’s a really hard question… I don’t think I have…
17. A book that’s made you hungry?
Ha, any Marie Claire or Donna Hay cook book. Those are absolutely stunning, and the recipes inside always look delicious.
18. Who is the person whose book advise you’ll always take?
Claire Bradshaw, hands down. She recommended V.E. Schwab’s A Darker Shade of Magic series, which I fell head-over-heels in love with, so Claire’s my go-to book recommender now.
19. Most read authors?
J.K. Rowling, Sarah J Maas, and at this rate, Diana Gabaldon.
20. Ship from two different books?
The amazing Kyra Thomsen taught me about OTPs (One True Pairings) not too long ago, and right now my OTP is Claire and Jamie Fraser from the Outlander series. I don’t want to be mixing them up with anyone from other books. You can’t change perfection!
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And there you have it! My first #BookTag done!
If anything, I hope you found some new books to put on your TBR.
Feel free to share your bookish experiences in the comments below 😉 I love hearing from you guys!