I could have sworn I already did this tag, but apparently I hadn’t! I realized it had been almost a month since I had done a tag, so I thought it was a good time to try a new one. There are so many fall and Halloween-themed tags around, and I’m sure I will be getting to some of those a little closer to the end of the month, but I thought this one would be a good break from all the creepy settings and fall-themed topics lately. I love these kinds of “pick one” tags since they really make me stop and think about my reading habits in a way I usually haven’t before.
This tag was created by Ayunda @ Tea and Paperbacks, and I saw it recently by Icebreaker’s blog (post here) and it looked like a fun one. I wasn’t directly tag, but Icebreaker left it open to everyone who wants to so I’m considering myself tagged. Since I’m so horrible at remembering to tag anyone at the end, I will say the same upfront: I’m sure this tag has been a popular one for a while, so anyone who has not done so and would like to, consider yourself tagged!
1) Reading on the couch or reading on the bed?
I actually generally read on my chair at my desk since I’m often reading while listening to music or otherwise using my computer. If I had to pick between these two, I’m a lot more likely to read on my bed than on the couch because I usually read in my room. I actually find it pretty hard to get comfortable on the couch while reading.
2) Male main character or female main character?
I honestly don’t care, as long as the character is well-written. I don’t necessarily find one POV harder to relate to than the other just because of their gender, and I don’t actively seek out books with a certain kind of main character.
3) Sweet or salty snacks while reading?
I don’t eat anything while reading since I’m worried about staining my books. In general, I prefer sweet snacks but if I had to pick something to read while I had a book in my hand, I would probably pick popcorn since it’s not too messy if it’s not too buttery. Sweet snacks tend to be very messy and ever since I stained Prisoner of Azkaban with chocolate, I won’t eat anywhere near my books!
4) Trilogies or quartets?
I don’t think I’ve ever read any quartets, so I guess trilogies by default? I’ve read a few longer series and quite a few trilogies, but the only quartet I’ve read so far is The Lunar Chronicles. I enjoyed that one more than some trilogies, but given the choice, I would choose trilogies. I find longer series sometimes tend to drag things out and it’s hard to keep momentum going for many books.
5) First person POV or third person POV?
Again, I don’t necessarily have a preference or seek out one over the other. The only tense I tend to hate is when it’s a really awkward third person, present tense (if I have that right). For example “Lisa walks over to the phone and calls her friend, thinking about the fight they had earlier.” Almost every time I read a book in this tense, I find the style awkward. Otherwise, I like first person for giving insight into the character’s mindset, and I also really like third person because it lets you follow multiple characters.
6) Reading at night or in the morning?
I am really not a morning person, so definitely at night! There have been a couple of times recently where I wake up unnecessarily early on a weekend and instead of going back to sleep, I’ll grab a book and read for a bit before getting out of bed, but in general I like to read in the evening.
7) Libraries or bookstores?
Right now, definitely libraries! Books have become very expensive, and I’ve also become quite picky about which copy of the book I want (ie. hardcover vs. softcover) when I decide to spend the money on it. I happen to live close to quite a good public library, so I’m very lucky.
8) Books that make you laugh or books that make you cry?
I like both, but I find I’m a lot more likely to cry from a book than to laugh. Sometimes the intended humour just falls flat for me, but I do love funny/snarky characters. Books that make me cry are the ones that tend to stay with me though.
9) Black book covers or white book covers?
I’ve literally never thought about it, but I guess black covers. White covers seem like they’d be very easy to stain or smudge.
10) Character-driven or plot-driven books?
Definitely character-driven. I don’t necessarily need to think the character is a likable person, but I need to be invested in who they are and what they are doing.
Abyssal Librarian 