THE BOOK LOVER'S TAG

00:23 Jazz Blackwell 0 Comments

Remember what I said about regularly scheduled programming coming back now I've finished my exams?

Well, I've already fucked that one up, haven't I?

Thing is, I've hit a bit of reading slump recently. If anybody has any recommendations for things to read, I'll happily pick up anything (though I'd prefer no romances). I'm also low on ideas for Top Ten on Tuesday, so if you'd like to drop me some suggestions for what I could do, that'd be grand.

Now that I'm done make excuses for myself, I thought I'd do a tag which I can't believe I haven't stumbled across already. As per usual, I've not been tagged, nor do I have anybody to tag, so I'm doing this completely of my own accord. What can I say. I'm a loner, Dottie. A rebel.

I don't actually know who invented the Book Lover's Tag in order to properly credit them so if you do know, again, please do let me know in the comments section and I'll amend this. Without further ado, let's get started.

1. Do you have a specific place for reading? 

Yes and no. Generally, I get most of my reading done in the bath. Up until now, that's been because bathtime has really been my only 'me' time, as the rest of it was taken up with revision and working a part time job. However, now that I'm done with sixth form and Poundstretcher, I suppose reading mostly in the bath is just a force of habit. I'm starting to grow out of the habit, and now also do a lot of reading in bed. I always like the look of the little reading hidey-holes with the masses of blankets and the fairy lights and what such, but as the self-proclaimed Queen of Claustrophobia, I know in my heart of hearts that I just couldn't handle being holed up in such a small space for an extended period. Perhaps a massive, empty field would be my ideal reading spot.

2. Bookmark or random piece of paper? 

Are you ready for my ultimate sacrilege?

I'm a dog-earer.

I know, I know. Generally every book lover's greatest sin. But hear me out. I'm an old soul, and I like for my things to look old. I love broken spines and folded, yellowed pages. To me it doesn't look unsightly or unpleasant, it looks well-used and well-loved. Here's a pro tip; when buying books, always try second-hand and charity shops. The ones that look must thumbed-through and worn in are probably the ones that have been most loved, and the ones with the best stories.

3. Can you stop anywhere, or do you need to finish the chapter? 

Always, always, always got to finish the chapter. And then just take a sneaky peak at what happens in the next one. And then the one after that. And a third one. And then the fourth...

4. Do you eat or drink while reading? 

Anyone who knows me knows that I am rarely without a cuppa Joe buy my side, and this includes when reading. Generally I don't really eat whilst reading, unless I'm super into a book and find myself unable to put it down when meal times come around. While I like for my books to be dog eared and broken-spined, I'm not looking to get nasty old food stains all over them.

5. Music or TV while reading? 

Neither. If I really want to focus on something, I'll have the disgusting old desk fan that  I refuse to part with whirring in the background or, on the rare occasion it's too cold for even my icy, icy soul and the fan would give me actual pneumonia, I'll play the 'rain sounds' app on my mobile. Something I'll truly miss about this house is the rain on the roof of my attic bedroom.

6. One book at a time or several? 

Usually several. As a kid, I always had two books on the go at once; my mandatory school reading book, and my own, at home, reading for pleasure book. A self-taught skill that actually proved useful to my life, it seems; my fellow literature students will understand the initial shock at being told you have to read and analyse five decently long books in three weeks. My insistence on taking on as many books as possible in the formative years has really aided my ability to fly through my Lit reading like no big deal.

7. Do you prefer to read at home or elsewhere? 

Anywhere. I will read literally anywhere.

8. Do you read in your head or out loud? 

Usually in my head, but I'll occasionally do it out loud in order to annoy my friends, particularly when I had mandatory reading texts from which I had to learn quotes. I found that incessantly spouting it to those around me really helped "Why, this is hell, nor am I out of it. Think'st thou that I who saw the face of God, And tasted the eternal joys of Heaven, Am not tormented with ten thousand hells, In being depriv'd of everlasting bliss?" and "Out, out brief candle! Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player, Who struts and frets his hour upon the stage, And then is heard no more." to stick in the ol' noggin.

9. Do you read ahead or skip pages? 

All the time. My biggest bookish sin, in fact. I'm notorious for reading the last page of a book first. Strange, considering I hate spoilers.

10. Break the spine or keep it like new? 

Break it. As mentioned previously, I like stuff that looks old and preloved. I love folding my books back on themselves to read them, too, as it makes them easier to carry and walk around with. There's just no sight more appealing to me than a shelf of dog-eared, yellowed, spine-cracked books.

11. Do you write in your books? 

A force of habit of all Literature students, I think. Especially since taking the subject at A-Level, I have an affinity for analysing characters and plot points with a pencil. Also, I won't lie, I often underline certain words of whose meaning I'm unsure, and scribble in the definition, so I don't forget in the future. This method absolutely rescued my copy of A Clockwork Orange, I can tell you. I also enjoy scrawling in comments about the characters and narratives. Case in point; my copy of The Kite Runner contains the phrase 'What the fuck Assef?' a total of eight times.

So that's my Book Lover's Tag. Like I say, if you know who created this tag please do mention their name below and I'll credit them properly in this post. As usual, I'm tagging anybody who wants to do this tag over on their own blog :)

Happy reading,
Jazz xo

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