In honour of Mother’s Day, I thought it would be fun to find some kind of Mother’s Day-themed book tag. I found this one on Candis Barbosa’s blog (here), which is a tag she created on Mother’s Day two years ago. I think I’m such a huge reader in general because of my mom. Reading has always been a huge part of my family, and I remember going to the library with my mom all the time, and especially library book sales. My parents always made sure there were lots of books in the house, and my brother and I were given books as gifts or offered them as a treat at the end of shopping trips when we were little. My parents read to us often, and I also would read books to them. I thought this tag would be the perfect way to celebrate Mother’s Day, since my mom and I often have quite similar tastes in books (which, surprisingly enough, was not really reflected here!) and it seemed like fun!
1) Book or eBook?
MOM: Books
ME: Definitely books. I don’t focus as well when I’m reading from a screen for some reason, even though I have no problem reading things on my computer in general.
2) Paperback or hardcover?
MOM: I don’t care.
ME: I keep changing my mind. I like paperbacks because they are cheaper and lighter to carry around, but hardcovers are more durable and don’t get damaged so easily. It kind of depends on the book.
3) Who are you favorite authors?
MOM: That’s tough, it depends on what I’m reading at the time. Some are Greg Illes, Jim Butcher, Jeffrey Deaver, Michael Connolly, Connie Willis, N.K. Jemisin, Peter Brett, and C.S. Friedman
ME: Jodi Picoult, Liane Moriarty, Victoria Schwab, Sarah J. Maas, Laini Taylor, Leigh Bardugo
4) What are your favorite genres?
MOM: Sci-fi, fantasy, mystery/thriller and historical
ME: Mystery/thriller, contemporary, and fantasy. I like historical fiction, but I have to be in the right mood for it.
5) Favorite non-fiction books to read?
MOM: Cookbooks
ME: I very rarely read non-fiction because I find most of it very dry. The only kind I tend to like are stories about families of children with autism or other disabilities, or psychological case studies.
6) What is your favorite book series?
MOM: I can’t choose one. It changes depending what my mood is.
ME: Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, ACOTAR, The Lunar Chronicles, The Villains duology, and the Six of Crows duology
7) Who is your favorite book character?
MOM: No idea
ME: It’s hard to choose. Probably Hermione Granger or Katniss Everdeen.
8) What was the last book you read?
MOM: The Widows of Malabar Hill by Sujata Massey and The Pagan Night The Pagan Night by Tim Akers
ME: The Boxcar Children for the first time in many years, and before that was A Spark of Light by Jodi Picoult
9) What book(s) are you currently reading?
MOM: The Iron Hound by Tim Akers
ME: Enduring Love by Ian McEwan
10) Name some books on your TBR (To Be Read) list.
MOM: The rest of the Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy, The Ancestor Series by Mark Lawrence, Dandelion Dynasty by Ken Liu, and N.K. Jemisen’s The Dreamblood duology. Also, Darkdawn by Jay Kristoff
ME: Daisy Jones and the Six, The Kiss Quotient, The Last Mrs. Parrish, The Silent Patient, Spinning Silver, The Wife Between Us and many more
11) Do you read comics? If so, what is your favorite graphic novel or comic series?
MOM: No
ME: Not really comics, but I do read graphic novels and even set myself a goal of reading more graphic novels.
12) What do you think was a good book to movie adaptation?
MOM: The Expanse. I haven’t read the book yet, but I’ve heard the movie is very good.
ME: I really liked Atonement, and I loved the movie version of A Walk to Remember more than the book. If we count Netflix series, the recent adaptations of A Series of Unfortunate Events was excellent!
13) What’s one book you wish would be made into a movie or TV show?
MOM: Anne Bishop’s The Others series, and Jim Butcher’s The Dresden Files would make a good movie.
ME: I’m not sure, since they are so rarely done well! I would love to see The Lunar Chronicles adapted, or maybe the ACOTAR series.
14) Who’s your pick for OTP (One True Pairing) in pop culture?
ME: No idea.
MOM: Cory and Topanga from Boy Meets World, or Willow and Tara from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I also really liked Joey and Pacey on Dawson’s Creek.
15) What are your go-to bookstores?
MOM: To buy or to browse? To buy, it is pretty much anywhere that has the books I want in stock. I use Amazon, Indigo or BookOutlet.
ME: Indigo, Amazon or BookOutlet. Recently, I’ve mostly bought books from BookOutlet, but I use Indigo or Amazon if I want a brand new copy of a book.
16) Do you have any book buying tips?
MOM: Don’t be afraid to check out second hand stores. Wait for the pocket book or mass market comes out, or when the movie comes out, the books are often cheaper. If an author becomes popular again, sometimes there books get reissued again so it can be easier to find them.
ME: If you aren’t too picky about the condition your books are in, library book sales, secondhand stores, or BookOutlet are great places to get lots of books for cheaper. If you’re unsure about a book, consider borrowing it from the library to try it before you commit to spending the money.
17) What are your favorite book related events to go to?
MOM: Library book sales or getting books from friends/family when they get rid of their books
ME: Library book sales. I also love BookOutlet’s “Spend and Save” events which happen a couple of times a year, although it’s not really something you go to.
18) Do you have a favorite book related memory?
MOM: As a child, every weekend after visiting relatives in the hospital, as a treat we would be given a small amount of money, and my sister and I could buy whatever we wanted at the bookstore. The other one is going to my university’s annual book sale where I would often come away with 15 bags of books. I would drop books off at my sister’s place nearby and go back to buy more, and my husband would have to drive over later and pick everything up.
ME: Scholastic Book Fairs at school were always a lot of fun. I also remember reading The Stinky Cheese Man with my best friend in his basement. I always loved this book but never owned a copy, so the only time I could read it was when I went to his house or if I got it from the library.
19) How did you get into reading?
MOM: Books were always part of our household. I was read to. We talked about books. Books were everywhere. Going to buy a book was a treat. I never saw my father without a book in his hand at home.
ME: It was similar for me. We’ve always had tons of books in the house, and we would read them together. I would get books as a gift from my grandparents whenever they visited, and my dad would bring me back those interactive books which made sound effects when you pressed buttons every time he went on a trip. My mom volunteered in my elementary school’s library, and I’d go and help her sometimes as recess. When she worked at our local library, I’d have to go with her on any days off school, and spent the day reading while she worked. I was always surrounded by books and reading was just a natural part of our life.
20) What books did you like to read as a child?
MOM: When I was very young, it would have been mysteries like Nancy Drew or Trixie Belden. When I was a bit older, I discovered the golden age of sci-fi, so it would have been Asimov, Clarke, Ray Bradbury, Robert Heinlein, Andre Norton, Mary Stewart and Edgar Rice Burroughs. Also, Agatha Christie.
ME: Junie B. Jones, Little Critter, The Babysitter’s Club, Bailey School Kids, Robert Munsch’s books, The Berenstain Bears, The Royal Diaries, Wayside School, The Boxcar Children, and when I got older, Harry Potter and A Series of Unfortunate Events.
21) What’s your favorite thing about reading?
MOM: If it’s fantasy or sci-fi, I like the world-building. If it’s historical, it’s getting a new perspective. For mysteries or thrillers, it’s engaging to try and solve the puzzle.
ME: I find it entertaining but also relaxing. I love to get absorbed in a story and its characters, and I think it is a great way to get exposed to all kinds of different perspectives, experiences, etc.
22) What’s one book you could read again and again?
MOM: It would be a fantasy book, but I couldn’t choose a specific one.
ME: I think the Harry Potter series is the obvious answer, and I have definitely read them over and over already.
23) What’s one book or book series you think everyone should read at least once?
MOM: I don’t know of one specifically, but everyone should read one elaborate fantasy that has a defined world-building and makes you think about things in a different way.
ME: It’s really hard to pick one, because everyone’s taste is so different. I think something like The Help would be a great book for people to read, or some of Jodi Picoult’s books because they are very thought-provoking and bring up interesting ethical questions.
24) What would you say to today’s generation of youngsters to encourage them to read?
MOM: Be open to trying new things, and try different genres. If you don’t think reading on the page, try ebooks or audiobooks. There is something for everybody if you find the right thing. Don’t think you have to read as education, you can read just for fun. I you have to be willing to invest a little bit of time and patience.
ME: Try a variety of books, genres and formats until you find something that you like. Don’t force yourself to read something you’re really not enjoying or when your’e really not in the mood to read, because you’ll just end up putting yourself off. A reading challenge could also be a great way to motivate yourself.
25) What author would you like to meet someday?
MOM: I don’t really care. Meeting the author doesn’t mean anything to me. I’m interested in the book, not really in the person behind it.
ME: I also don’t particularly care about meeting authors or celebrities of any kind, but if I had to pick one, I’d pick Jodi Picoult.
26) If you could be the author of your own book, what genre would you write?
MOM: Sci-fi or fantasy
ME: Maybe a thriller. I’ve had a couple of ideas for stories, but don’t have the time or the motivation to actually follow through and write anything.
27) What book world do you wish you could visit?
MOM: I don’t have a specific things. Probably one of the fantasy worlds.
ME: The Wizarding World from Harry Potter
28) What was your favorite book or book series you’ve read together?
MOM: We don’t read things necessarily at the same time, but we have exchanged recommendations. We’ve both read and loved Defending Jacob, and I also read Daughter of Smoke & Bone because you loved it so much.
ME: We’re constantly talking about the books that we’re reading and trading suggestions. I read The Hunger Games because of my mom’s recommendation, so I think I’ll have to go with that one.
29) Who’s your favorite mother/daughter duo from a book, movie, or TV Show?
MOM: I have no idea.
ME: I don’t really have one. Maybe Joyce and Buffy from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but I may just be choosing them because they are the ones that I remember most.
30) What book do you recommend your mom/daughter to read?
MOM: You might like The Widows of Malabar Hill.
ME: I’ve been telling her for a while to read The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult, or really anything by Jodi Picoult. Also, Harry Potter!
Abyssal Librarian 