So, I’ve been tagged by the slightly loopy (sorry it’s true), very entertaining (and wonderfully friendly) Pinky Poinker to participate in a post about my reading habits. I really wish she’d tagged me when I was about 7 years old, because I was really in my prime (the word ‘genius’ might have even been thrown around a bit – not quite but almost). I mean, to dob me in when I hardly read anymore is a little mean. Come on, that’s what time machines are for, Pinky. Sheesh. I shall try my best.
Do you snack while you read?
I snack standing up while reading TV Week in the kitchen because it’s the only way I get left alone. I snack while reading my iPhone. Is looking at Pinterest ‘reading’? Because I’m so down with snacking while looking at Pinterest. I mean, reading it. Sigh.
Seriously, though. If you’re talking about books, I don’t really. I like to be completely ‘in’ a book and snacking is a distraction that stops me from being able to hold a book properly. I’m very uncoordinated, you know.
Do you tend to mark your books as you read, or does the idea of writing in books horrify you?
Look. Look at this. This is the work of a very dangerous tween.
Oooh. What a rebel with a great sense of irony. Watch out.
I found this in a Paul Jennings book recently. I can’t wait to hand my collection down to the Little Mister.
And no, I don’t tend to write in or mark books these days. Because I don’t read any. But also – vandalism etc. You know.
Fiction, non-fiction, or both?
Both. But I do lean towards non-fiction more these days. TV Week is non-fiction, right?
I like ‘true’ stories. I like biographies that make me laugh or inspire me (probably why I love reading blogs). I used to read a lot of true crime, but since I became a parent I’ve become as weak as shit and can’t handle it if it involves children or anything of that nature. Probably a good thing. Means I’m not a psychopath.
Hard copy or ebooks?
Both. There’s kind of nothing like the magic of reading an actual book with actual pages, am I right? Although, I kind of like electronic books because if I go away, I don’t have to pack fifteen books with me (that’s if I have even a hope of getting any reading done). Also, my electronic device becomes its own light. I mean, how clever is that? No keeping Mr Unprepared awake if I’m deep into a story and can’t put it down. No need to balance a torch and a book precariously on my chest while reading in bed when camping (strangely the time I get the most reading done).
Are you a person who tends to read to the end of chapters, or are you able to put a book down at any point?
I make up weird rules in my head. Like I have to read until I reach a page where a sentence ends at the bottom. So when I pick it up again, I can just start a fresh page and I know where I am. If it’s a super awesome book, I have to finish a chapter. But then that often turns into a crazy all nighter where the book doesn’t get put down. At all.
What are you currently reading?
Um…I got half a page into Mindy Kaling’s Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? …a few months ago? It’s absolutely NOTHING against Mindy’s work. I love her so hard. I know it’s gonna be an awesome book. I just know it! I just haven’t been able to commit. Probably because I stay up too late blogging or reading blogs as it is. I am actually excited to go camping so I can just read at night – no internet to distract me! So that counts as ‘currently’ reading, right? Because I’m part way (well half a page) in?
What is the last book you bought?
The Mindy Kaling one.
Are you the type of person that only reads one book at a time or can you read more than one at a time?
When I was younger, I did attempt to read about 4 books at once. It was because I would get one book, start reading it, get a new book, be too impatient to finish the first one … and so on. What a crazy kid.
Now I stick to one thing at a time. Seriously. I once had a Marie Claire magazine for 8 months and wouldn’t let myself buy a new one until I finished it. Maybe I’m a little obsessive. I probably have massive issues. YEAH. MASSIVE ISSUES OF MARIE CLAIRE I NEVER FINISH.
Do you have a favourite time of day and/or place to read?
You might have gathered that I read at night when I do read. Everything’s quiet. I can hear my thoughts. I can absorb the words. I like to read in bed. Because, hello. Comfy.
Is there a specific book or author that you find yourself recommending over and over?
I devour Jodi Picoult novels. Even the ones I think I won’t like, I GET SO SUCKED IN. She just knows how to create characters and get you thinking really hard about your own morals and values and human nature and the ethics of things. Amazing.
Oh, and also? I would recommend Let’s Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson (aka The Bloggess), because I once read that while camping and when there was a funny bit (so like ALL the time) I silent-giggled so hard I shook the camper van. THAT’S how you know when a book is funny (it was also moving and touching and all those weird words that mean you FELT it). Mr Unprepared was not so amused because he was sharing the bed with me. But that’s because he hadn’t read it. He has no idea what he was missing out on.
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And now I am supposed to tag somebody, so I’m going to be lazy and tag ALL OF YOU. Go on. Do it 🙂
🙂
