Book Tag: How I Read

Thanks to Bookloving Writer.

How do you find out about new books to read?

I followed Cuddlebuggery’s Hot New Releases when they were updated consistently, and also through Goodreads, Booklikes, and through browsing at bookshops. Publishers send me ARCs and review copies, and sometimes I’ll look at the new publishing deals some bloggers post.

How did you get into reading?

I’ve always been into reading. My dad used to read me Brer Rabbit stories when I was too young to read, and when I got older I would memorise picture books and ‘read’ them to my dad. We didn’t have a lot of money growing up so I would cherish my precious few books and re-read them constantly. Old favourites include The Animals of Farthing Wood, Black Beauty, and The Silver Brumby.

How have your tastes in books changed as you got older?

Young Adult wasn’t really a marketing term when I was of the target age (I was just a splash too old, for example, when Twilight exploded). I kind of see Young Adult as pre-Twilight (2005 – my first year of a literature degree and therefore no time to read for enjoyment) and Post-Twilight.

Pre-Twilight, from about 2000-2005, I used to read a lot of adult fantasy and sci-fi. Before that it was middle grade like Animorphs, Sweet Valley Twins, and Enid Blyton, and anything with a horse or cat on the cover (this is how I discovered my favourite YA fantasy series).

Post Twilight, even though by now I was an adult, I absolutely devoured Young Adult books no matter what the genre. Young Adult really exploded after 2005 but I missed the first few years because of my degree. I feel like I’ve been playing catch up ever since.

How often do you buy books?

I used to buy books every week or so but this year my disposable income has dropped to basically nothing, so now I download free ones and scrounge for extra cash for cheap books.

How did you get into reviewing books?

I saw a blogger called Carmel from Rabid Reads doing well reading and reviewing only werewolf fiction, and through her I found Goodreads. From there I built my own blog. I use reviewing books as a creative and social outlet since most of my real-life friends don’t read, not to the extent I do, and although my husband does, he doesn’t read the same genres. My first book I read for review was Preloved by Shirley Marr, although my Twilight alternative reading was posted first.

How do you react when you don’t like the end of a book?

Mostly with anger or annoyance. If it’s a deliberate cliffhanger, I get mad, because I believe stories should be contained, and completely told within the one book, and books shouldn’t be used as cash cows with the first one written just to sell the second one – which is why I like stand-alone books! If it’s just poorly written and not everything is wrapped up by the end I get annoyed that the author isn’t a better writer.

How often do you take a sneak peek at the ending to see if there is a happy ending?

I can’t help it, maybe twenty per cent of the time? Especially if I’m in a really tense part and I need to know that the author is skilled enough to get us all out of there. I don’t really mind spoilers sometimes. As a child I used to start the book by reading the very last page first, but then as I matured I realise that was a silly way to read a book because often it referenced characters I hadn’t even heard of yet.

Do you use bookmarks in your books?

Yes! I can’t stand the idea of damaging my pages by dog-earing them. I’ll use anything as a bookmark – a receipt, a napkin, a scrap of paper, a ribbon. I do have a small collection of bookmarks, but they’re not always within reach.

Finally, I am tagging everyone who wants do this too!

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