Book Tag: 20 Questions

I’ve had this sitting in my bookmarks for a while, so thought it seemed like a good time to do it. I spotted this over at Cozy with Books, so don’t forget to check out their answers too. I’m not sure who created it, but it looks like a lot of fun.

1. How Many Books Is Too Many Books In a Series?

It kind of depends on the series, I think, but once there’s more than 7 I kind of struggle to even consider starting it. That’s if it’s one main series, anyway. There are some I love that have way more (like Discworld), but if 7 feels like enough unless there’s a lot of different things going on in the same world and lots of room to expand.

2. How Do You Feel About Cliffhangers?

It depends. When it’s Book 1 in a series and feels a bit forced, I really can’t stand them! If it’s part of a longer series though I’m more than happy for Book 2 onwards to have a cliffhanger at the end, as by then I’m usually invested in the story anyway. Otherwise it can come across a little gimmicky! End of chapter cliffhangers, on the other hand, I actually really like.

3. Hardback or Paperback?

Paperback. I appreciate hardback books and they can look absolutely lovely, but I find reading paperbacks to be much, much easier.

4. Favourite Book?

I don’t have one! I find it way too difficult to choose, and often my favourite book can basically be “the best book I read most recently”. My ‘favourite’ changes all the time. But I admit, I have a particular fondness for Dracula.

5. Least favourite book?

Twilight.

6. Love Triangles: Yes or No?

Yes. I love this as a trope, but when it’s done well! Sometimes it can fall really flat, or it’s handled poorly and is obvious way too soon who the MC is going to choose, but I think some writers are able to do interesting things with them.

7. The Most Recent Book You Just Couldn’t Finish?

Always You. Which was unfortunate as it was a NetGalley arc I was really looking forward to, but I really struggled with it DNF’d at 20%.

8. A Book You’re Currently Reading?

Welsh Gothic, by Jane Aaron – it’s a really good look into Welsh literary history, focusing on the gothic genre.

9. The Last Book You Recommended to Someone?

Be Scared of Everything, a book of horror essays, when a friend asked for horror non-fiction recommendations.

10. Oldest Book You’ve Read By Publication Date?

Discounting plays, because I read some Shakespeare and others from around the same time back in school, it would probably be Milton’s Paradise Lost – does that count? If it doesn’t, Pride & Prejudice, which feels like a big gap – maybe I need to read more from between 1660s and 1810s! (I’m kidding – that feels like too much hard work!)

11. Newest Book You’ve Read by Publication Date?

I think (this could possibly be wrong but I’m pretty sure) it’s Reluctant Immortals, by Gwendolyn Kiste, released November 14th 2022 by Titan Books who very nicely provided me a copy via NetGalley.

12. Favourite Author?

Um, I kind of don’t have one? I used to have like 5 equally favourite authors, but now it’s like with favourite books – there are so many great ones, so many I love, and some who are my friends! It’s incredibly hard to pick, but there are some who I try to read almost everything they put out – S.H Cooper, Laurel Hightower, Elizabeth Lim, R. F. Kuang, Xiran Jay Zhao…see! Too many! Oh! K. Ancrum…I could really be here for hours.

13. Buying Books or Borrowing Books?

Probably buying, as I do like having them here and having the ability to lend them out if I think someone else will enjoy it.

14. A Book That You Dislike That Everyone Else Seems to Love?

I have to admit, I hate when that happens – it makes me feel like there’s something wrong with me, or I end up really wondering why I couldn’t connect with the book! Out of my recent reads, people seem to really love Always You much more than I did!

15. Booksmarks or Dog-Ears?

Bookmarks. I used to – to my shame – dog-ear books, but then I started picking up bookmarks here and there, and using them instead. I never ever dog-earred a book that wasn’t mine, though.

16. A Book You Can Always Reread?

I don’t tend to reread books, but I think the last one I did was Wicked. Though I do occasionally get the urge to go back and reread some of the books I loved as a teen – I might try and re-read some stuff this year actually.

17. Can You Read While Hearing Music?

It depends. If wherever I am is silent, I find it much easier to read in silence. If I’m, say, on public transport, I can read with music – but the music is usually there to drown out the sounds around me!

18. One or Multiple POVs?

I really enjoy multiple POV books. I don’t mind a single POV, but multiple can be fun.

19. Do You Read a Book in One-Sitting or Over Multiple Days?

Over multiple days. I read in sprints, and find it difficult (sometimes) to sit and read for an extended length of time. Then again, if I’m say travelling, I can read for a fair while.

20. A Book You’ve Read Because of the Cover?

Manners and Monsters by Tilly Wallace – it really caught my eye!

And there’s my 20 answers to 20 questions! This was a lot of fun to do, and as always with Book Tags, if you want to give this one a go, please feel free to go ahead and do so! I would love to read your answers, too.