A few weeks ago, I was tagged by Riddhi from Whispering Stories to do the This or That book tag. I’ve seen a few variations of this tag flying around, but I really liked the questions on this particular one. It’s just a bit of fun and is a nice way for you guys to get to know me a little better too.

As tradition will all tag, please do check out Riddhi’s blog and show her some love. You’re more than welcome to do the tag yourself even if I didn’t tag you in this post. If I did tag you and you want to give it a go, pop a link back to this post at the start.

OK, lets get on with it!

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Read on the bed or the couch?

Always the bed, I don’t really like reading in public so it’s nice to be able to close my bedroom door and dive into the book without worry.

Read at night or in the morning?

I’m a night reader, I do my best reading after 1am before I go to sleep. Also, I wake up close to noon every day, so morning reading just isn’t going to happen.

Sweet snacks or salty snacks when you’re reading?

Neither. I don’t tend to snack when I’m reading because I don’t like sticky or greasy finger touching my kindle or book. Most my reading is done on my bed late at night and I don’t want crumbs in my bed or to have to brush my teeth again either.

Male main character or female main character?

Honestly, what even is gender anyway? I really don’t care as long as they’re a well-constructed with some level of personality. Naturally I will always connect more with the female protagonist but I’ve never have, and never will, disregard a book because of the protagonist’s gender.

First person POV or third person POV?

Ughhhh don’t make me chose!

If you’d asked me this last year I would have said first, but now I will have to go for third person limited. I think it combines the best of both worlds. Also, it’s not part of the question, but I’ve been enjoying second person in my university readings, so that’s something to keep and eye on.

Trilogies or quartets?

Trilogies hands down. Long enough to carry a good plot, but just short enough so I’m not intimidated by the series. Does anyone else get super intimidated by series that have over four books? I don’t know if I’ll be able to commit to that much reading.

Libraries or bookstores?

Bookstores just because growing up my local library was in the next town. I only associate them with studying and not reading for pleasure. Bookstores however, are something I lived in. Doesn’t matter how long my TBR pile is, you can guarantee I’m going in a bookstore if I see one.

Both are important though, so please if you have a local library or bookshop remember to support them. So may have been closed due to the whole pandemic and it’s such a shame.

Books that make you laugh or cry?

I don’t like books that make me cry, I can’t handle it when an author kills off my favourite character so, I’m going to go with books that make me laugh for this one.

Black book covers or white book covers?

I prefer a darker cover for a few reasons (these only apply for physical books; I’m not fussed on my Kindle. It’s going to be black and white either way). I do have a bookstagram account (lost-in-the-story) where I well… take pictures of my books. Whilst most of it revolves around my Kindle, what I do most of my reading on, I do take photos of my physical books when I have them.  Just because of the colour scheme and overall warm aesthetics I’m trying to achieve with it, white covers are really hard to edit correctly. I use a lot of warm filters and the covers just blend into the background and look a bit funny. I don’t have that issue with black or darker covers.

Also, I handle books loads. I don’t have a bookshelf I can keep them nice and safe so they get thrown on my bed, in a bag, I may just carry it in my hand down the street if my bag is full. White covers just get so dirty. Even if I somehow avoid it, the pages start to yellow, and they look even worse in contrast to the white.

Character driven or plot driven?

If I’m reading first person then it has to be character driven or else what was the point of writing it in first to start with? Same with third person limited, if the narrator is focusing on one character in particular, they better be interesting. But for third person objective and omniscient, it has to be plot driven.

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There we are, my answers to the This or That book tag. I’m far too socially awkward to tag people at the end, so I’m cheating and opening the tag out to you guys! Consider yourself all tagged!

Stay safe and I’ll see you all next week.

Cover photos by BENCE BOROS on Unsplash