Ultimate Book Tag

books, books, books!

It’s tag time again! As always, I’d love if you got involved and shared your answers.

1. Do you get sick while reading in the car?
Thankfully I don’t. I particularly like reading on the train so I’m glad I’ve never suffered from travel sickness.

2. Which author’s writing style is completely unique to you and why?
I’d probably have to go with Thomas Hardy. There’s something so eloquent and poetic about his descriptive writing that I love. I remember my Advanced Higher English teacher described him as ‘the first cinematic writer’, meaning he was one of the first writers who wrote so vividly you could really picture it in your mind’s eye, and that’s why many of his works translate to the screen so well.

3. Harry Potter Series or the Twilight Saga? Give 3 points to defend your answer.
Harry Potter; without a doubt. Firstly, I more or less grew up with the series. Secondly, it inspired a whole new generation of readers and writers. Thirdly, I think its characters are a lot more relatable and realistically portrayed, despite their fantasy setting, which is testament to Rowling’s writing skills.

4. Do you carry a book bag? If so, what is it in (besides books…)?
I don’t carry a book bag but if I’m travelling somewhere overnight/on holiday, etc. and need to take a bag with me then I will absolutely have a book or two in there.

5. Do you smell your books?
The smell of a book is one of my absolute favourite things in the world.

6. Books with or without little illustrations?
I haven’t read a huge amount of books with illustrations but do particularly adore a collection of hardback classics I own (Black Beauty, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and The Wizard of Oz) that have gorgeous illustrations throughout. I’m also keen to pick up A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness which is apparently very nicely illustrated. I suppose I’d happily read a book with or without them so long as the story was good.

7. What book did you love while reading but discovered later it wasn’t quality writing?
I’m not saying I ever thought they were of any particular literary worth but in my early teens I enjoyed the Resident Evil novelizations by S.D. Perry. They aren’t going to win any awards but for video game adaptations aimed at teenagers, they’re a bit of fun, and a guilty pleasure I may well return to one day when I fancy something easy to read.

8. Do you have any funny stories involving books from your childhood? Please share!
Other than many attempts to hand write and illustrate my own… nothing comes to mind.

9. What is the thinnest book on your shelf?
I’m not looking at my shelves right now but I’d go with either The Monk and the Hangman’s Daughter or The Last Day of a Condemned Man; they’re both tiny.

10. What is the thickest book on your shelf?
Ironically, it might be 1001 Books You Must Read before You Die. I also have a compendium of the early Rebus books by Ian Rankin that’s fairly large.

11. Do you write as well as read? Do you see yourself in the future as being an author?
Definitely, I’m a freelance content writer and have also published a novella. I have another WIP well underway to hopefully be released later this year and enjoy writing poetry in between it all. I’d love nothing more than to continue writing for many years.

12. When did you get into reading?
I’ve loved reading right from early childhood when my mum used to read to me. I also remember my grandfather making up funny songs and stories for my brothers and I that fuelled my love of storytelling.

13. What is your favorite classic book?
That’s tricky but I usually come back to Tess of the D’Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy when I’m asked this.

14. In school was your best subject Language Arts/English?
It’s funny because I wasn’t a typical ‘nerd’ and never felt especially ‘smart’ but I actually did very well in school and won the Dux medallion. English was always the subject I actually enjoyed the most, however.

15. If you were given a book as a present that you had read before and hated…what would you do?
I would thank them sincerely for the gesture and then either give it to a friend I thought would enjoy it or most likely I’d donate it to charity.

16. What is a lesser known series that you know of that is similar to
Harry Potter or the Hunger Games?
I can’t think of any series that are similar to Harry Potter or the Hunger Games but for the sake of giving an answer, one of the first series I remember reading is The Breadwinner by Deborah Ellis; very harrowing but not very widely known.

17. What is your favorite word?
Shenanigans is a pretty fabulous word; let’s go with that for now.

18. Are you a nerd, dork, or dweeb? Or all of the above?
I suppose I have tendencies… 😉

19. Vampires or Fairies? Why?
Hm, that’s a tough one because they’re so different. I’ll go with fairies because dark fairytales are a favourite of mine.

20. Shapeshifters or Angels? Why?
I’ll say angels because I love stories with elements of good vs evil.

21. Spirits or Werewolves? Why?
Again, a tricky one, but I’ll go for spirits since they can hold a lot of mystery and tragedy which make for great story elements.

22. Zombies or Vampires? Why?
As an old-school Resident Evil video game fan, I’ll say zombies. I suppose the fact they can’t be reasoned with in any way makes them particularly scary.

23. Love Triangle or Forbidden Love?
Forbidden love. Don’t we all enjoy a bit of angst?

24. AND FINALLY: Full on romance books or action-packed with a few love scenes mixed in?
Action-packed with some romance thrown into the mix; that way we get the best of both worlds and a lot more room for drama and excitement.