Book Tag: Reader Problems

I am currently traveling and supposed to be on holiday, but I had a moment to spare and decided to do a post so that I wouldn’t disappoint you guys, my dearest readers or just that one reader, who came out to my blog by mistake.

So here is the deal. I have been tagged by Dorka from Berries and Books to do a question and Answer session on Reader problems. All I had to do was reply to the questions truthfully and tag friends who would be interested in doing the tag. 

Well, I am nothing if not for truth and honesty *wink wink* and I don’t care if you guys are interested, or not. I AM tagging you, my bookish friends, because I wanna know more about you than just the books that books that you guys read.

Here are my answers.

1. You have 20,000 books on your TBR. How in the world do you decide what to read next?

Well you know me and system, they don’t work out very well. When I receive copies for review, I immediately ask for their preferred date for posting. I read them according those dates. And between every two books that I have been provided to review or so, I read a book that I choose to read or as I call it, for my pleasure.

Those books I pick for my pleasure only are based on my mood swings, and there are no systems that can tell me what I should read. Hence I have books shelved from the 2010s yet to be picked and books I got last week have been read. I sometimes wish I did the monthly ‘To Be Read’ post that some bloggers religiously do, but then I am not ready to face any more failures on account of not following the list. So the only rule that has been going well for me is ‘no rules’. Sticking to just that.

Another crazy fact about me, I have few books that I know I love crazily, or I am too excited (for years) to read that I don’t read because I don’t want it to end. I am terrified of the book withdrawal syndrome that I would face and the impending doom when the book ends. If I don’t begin it won’t end, right? I do these for Calvin & Hobbes, and this cartoon says exactly what I feel.

Pic Credit

2. You’re halfway through a book, and you’re just not loving it. Do you quit or are you committed?

I have a problem. I can’t let go of books that do terrible things to me, not in a good way. I can’t stop reading how much ever bad the book is and continues to raise my blood pressure. But these I made my mind up not to torture myself if I don’t like the book. Thanks to that decision, I am now completing way lesser than my usual quota of books. *sigh*

3. The end of the year is coming, and you’re so close, but so far away on your Goodreads reading challenge. Do you try to catch up and how?

I have been stuck here once or twice before, and last year I didn’t even complete my challenge even. That is okay, I tell myself now. But earlier I used to read like crazy to reach the goal. Luck has favored me mostly, and I have found some short stories that I now love, those I wouldn’t have found otherwise.

4. The covers of a series you love do. not. match. How do you cope?

With the number of books that have been lying about in different places I have called home, I realize I have lost the appetite to collect (read as hoard) books. I still love buying books and calling them my own, but I have kinda switched over my obsession to E-books. At least you don’t have to leave them behind every time you move places. Oh, what was the question again?

I don’t really care much about the covers of books at all. I don’t understand the cover obsession at all, to be frank.

5. Everyone and their mother love a book you really don’t like. Who do you bond with over shared feelings?

It has happened so many times, and it will happen again. I rarely have people with whom I share similar taste in books. And my need to share my thoughts about the books I read, loved or hated gave way to this blog. You readers are my go to listeners. You don’t have any other go but to read and then maybe send me hate comments, but you at least listen don’t you? I love you guys!

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

Rarely a book makes me all teary. But I am known to grin like an idiot when some character does or says something cheesy. I have had people wondering whom I am typing so many messages to, when all I would have been doing is sharing quotes from my favorite e-book to my friends or even just exporting them to Evernote. 

I may not be quite okay with people staring at me while I have a special moment with my book or e-book in public if only I realize they are doing that. Sorry, I am too engrossed in the book even to know that you are looking at me.

Also: I am the girl that walks into posts having her eyes glued to the mobile, that might or might not involve e-books. Don’t judge me.

Pic Credit

7. A sequel to a book you loved just came out, but you’ve forgotten a lot from the prior novel. Will you re-read the book? Skip the sequel? Try to find a synopsis on Goodreads? Cry in frustration?!?!?!?

This is exactly why I don’t read many books that are part of a series. Also read 5. I usually have my review up on my blog of the books I read and I can always come here for a refresher.

Pic Credit

8. You do not want anyone. ANYONE. borrowing your books. How do you politely tell people no when they ask?

I have very few friends who borrow books from me anymore. I used to borrow and not return them (gasp!). But now I don’t mind as long as they would read and not take care of my books, I don’t mind sharing.

Since the premise of the question says I don’t wanna share the book with them I just would tell them that I don’t own the book and it was a borrowed copy. I don’t mind lying to save my treasures. That is called survival instinct; it ain’t wrong FYIP.

9. Reading ADD. You’ve picked up and put down 5 books in the last month. How do you get over your reading slump?

Don’t start me on that. The beginning of 2017 saw my longest reader’s block period. I struggled to complete everything I picked. Then someone recommended a short story that blew me out of the world. It was kinda tough read, but then it broke my slump. ‘The chess’ was a god sent, and I have not even written a review for it because I am sure I would not do justice to it. Read it right away please.

Pic Credit

 10. There are so many new books coming out that you’re dying to read! How many do you actually buy?

Usually, I don’t even know about the books until they are sent to me for a review, or someone I know has already read it. I don’t follow publication dates even. If I fancy a book, I get it, that is all. I don’t go by the hype. I know I don’t go by the book blogger/book nerd standards set by the internet world.

11. After you’ve bought the new books you can’t wait to get to, how long do they sit on your shelf before you get to them?

That depends on .. Actually, I have no clue; I am stumped. There are books that I start reading on the way home or the second I get my hands on them. And there are others that are in the pile that I may or may not eventually read. I did a shelf on Goodreads called I own for the books I have newly acquired so that I would get to them in an order, and then once I finish it, I would move it to read shelf. But DO NOT ASK me how well that has been working for me.

Phew, that was fun. Now I am tagging

Terri @ Terri Luvs Books

DJ @ Books and Bindings

Emily @ It’s Novel To Me

So chop chop. Go on, share your answers with a link to my post.

And even if you aren’t tagged by anyone but you wanna do this – consider tagged.