The Reader Problems Book Tag

Time for another book tag!

This time, I’m doing The Reader Problems Book Tag, which I took from Papertea & Bookflowers. She commented on her post that she thinks it was from About To Read on BookTube. I love a good book tag, and this is a particularly fun one.

You have 20,000 books in your TBR, how in the world do you decide what to read next?

I’m generally a mood reader, but I’ve been working this year on being a bit more… let’s say, “organised”. I’ve written To Be Read lists for each month so far this year (January, February, March, April, May) and I’ve been working on sticking with with it as much as possible. It’s not been easy because as I’m writing this, I’m currently rereading via audiobook one of my favourites. I’m working my way through the said 20,000 books (because that it is accurate) as much as I can, somewhere between planned and mood reading.

You’re halfway through a book and you’re just not loving it. Do you put it down or are you committed?

It utterly depends on the book. If I feel like there’s a possibility the book will pick up in the latter half, for example, with books that have a lot of information dumping, then I’ll stick with it. I always used to stick it out, regardless, but with my limited life expectancy, quite frankly I literally do not have the time to read books that bore me, or I simply don’t enjoy. It’s odd but knowing where I’m at with my health, and knowing my health is going downhill rapidly, has made me less patient – in a good way.

The end of the year is coming and you’re behind on your reading challenge, do you try to catch up? And if so, how?

I can’t really give a fair answer to that as I’ve only taken part in a reading challenge two years in a row. Last year I went past my target twice and I was really proud of myself! This year I’m already at the half way point in my challenge, which I set at 100, as we tip over into May. I think I’ll be okay for the end of the year, but, if I do fall behind, I know how useful audiobooks can be in these situations.

The covers of a series you love do not match, how do you cope?

I get MAD. Seriously. I hate this so much. It’s genuinely infuriating and I can’t understand why publishers think that’s a good idea.

Everyone and their mother loves a book that you do not. Who do you bond with over your shared feelings?

My husband, normally. Or one of my poor friends will be subjected to a rant. I also have a lot of book blogger friends, and we’re all very good at respecting each other’s choices in books, even if there is a bit of teasing that goes along with it. So we are good natured in discussion.

You’re reading a book in public and you’re about to start crying. How do you deal?

I cry. Mate, if the book is good enough to make me cry, I’m fine with the public humiliation. In all seriousness, I see no shame in crying in public. If you feel something, feel it fully. It’s fine to feel things, there’s no shame in it.

The sequel to a book you loved just came out but you’ve forgotten a lot of what happens. Are you going to reread it?

Maybe. I tend to be quite good at keeping track of storylines, despite the time between, which is ironic seeing as I can’t always remember if I’ve taken my medication of a morning. But I’m quite happy to reread favourite books, so if I needed – or wanted – to, I’d be fine doing so.

You do not want anyone to borrow your books, how do you politely say no when someone asks?

“Sorry, my books are like my children, I don’t allow anyone to touch them.”

More seriously, I don’t lend them out to many people, only giving them to people I trust and know they will take care of them, and my favourites I don’t lend out at all.

You have picked up and put down 5 books in the last month. How do you get over this reading slump?

I pick up a favourite, or I swear myself into a group read. As part of The Write Reads team, we do a monthly book read, and this time we’re starting on War and Peace. I know that sometimes the group motivation is a good way of keeping myself going when I need to. And there’s nothing like a reread when you need a boost! I often have more than one book on the go at a time, so I’ll switch between the two to encourage myself along.

There are so many books coming out that you are dying to read, how many do you end up buying?

It depends how my finances are! I’m quite poor, to be blunt, being severely disabled with a husband as my carer. I can’t always afford to buy many books, or I’ll save up vouchers and tokens from special dates, along with allocating myself a small amount of money to work through on a time period. That said, I am trying very hard this year to try and work through the books I have as well as the ARCs I have on the go.

After you purchase all of these books that you’re dying to read how long do they sit on your shelves before you get to them?

Is this an inquistion rather than a book tag, because this feels like a personal attack! It does depend on the book, because I still have an order of priority even when I Absolutely Need All These Books. Some sit on my shelves longer than others, that’s as much as I’ll confess to.

Well there we are, there’s the personal attack book tag done. I’m not going to tag anyone in particular, just tag yourself in if you’d like to!