It’s time for another “this or that”! Again, I will answer to five this or that dilemma’s. Feel free to join me in the comments!
Cover buy or blurb buy?
I don’t often read the blurbs of the books I read. Most times I trust on the title, the author’s name and recommendations to choose if I buy/borrow a book or not. And yes, the cover. I’m a sucker for beautiful covers!
Blurb buy or review-based buy?
Just like I don’t read blurbs of books that often, I also almost never read any reviews 😅 I know that sounds a bit weird for a book blogger that mainly posts … book reviews. So, if I had to choose between buying a book based on the blurb, or based on the reviews, I’d choose the blurb. I just don’t want to be spoiled or influenced in forming my opinion on a book, in any way!
Binge read or treasure series?
I’m not one who binge reads whole series. Don’t misunderstand, I’d love to! I’m just easily distracted by other books I guess 😂
Classic or contemporary?
This is a tough one 🤔 I think I’d choose contemporary though. Mainly because I read for leisure and to relax, and contemporary books are often written in a more understandable language that reads more easily. Especially since I want to read (classic) books in their original language and English isn’t my first language!
Reading snack or not?
Yes. I’ve noticed that I can focus more easily on a book while keeping my hands busy. Otherwise I’ll begin picking my nails and skin. And what’s better than keeping my hands busy while eating snacks 🤤
Aren’t we all suckers for a beautiful cover though?! 😂 I do read blurbs and reviews from friends – reviews usually make me super excited to read a book and see what I think of it myself. My sister much prefers not to know anything about a book at all though. If I try to tell her what a book is about, she yells at me, haha.
I much prefer contemporary over classics for the same reason as you. I don’t usually have the energy or patience to decipher the prose in old classics! But I’m sure I’m missing out on a lot of great stuff, oops. I would like to try more classics at some point. When I have some time. 😅
Oh, I also pick at my nails and skin (although I’m better about not doing it now), but I never thought about snacking to help me avoid it. Now that’s an idea. 😁
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I guess we are! 😁 Glad to know I’m not the only one! I’ve read quite some classics for uni and maybe that’s also why I prefer to read contemporary novels and books from the second half of the 20th century right now 😂
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Oh, you studied literature at uni? That’s so cool! I don’t think I’d have been any good at that because I don’t get on that well with classics. 🙈
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Hahah I didn’t as well before I studied it! The only classics I’d read were for high school and I’d read about five in total? 😂 I love a classic every now and then, but I prefer contemporary 🙈
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Hahaha. Do you have a favourite classic, just out of interest?
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Lolita is my all-time favourite 🙈 But I also loved Wuthering Heights, The Picture of Dorian Gray and To Kill a Mockingbird 🙌🏼
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I struggled a bit with Lolita and WH, haha. Dorian Gray is on my TBR! And I should reread TKAM. I’m like, 90% sure I’ve read it, haha.
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I can imagine 🙈 And I can’t remember everything of TKAM, mainly that I loved it 😂
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Ah the reading snack! I’m like you, if I don’t eat, I will pick at my nails… What kind of reading snack do you like best? 🙂
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I like something that you can eat in tiny portions, like cookies, grapes or crisps 🤤
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I also never manage to binge read series 😛 Even when I /love/ the first book, I just need a break from the story in between to enjoy it better!
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Yes, exactly! I’d love to binge read series though, I just need a distraction in between! Although sometimes that distraction can lead to a two year break in between parts of a series 😂
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Ahaha, same. Even worse, sometimes I take a break in the middle of reading a book and read a different book. I have been known to start a book, take a break, and then finish it a year later 😛
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Hahah wow! I definitely couldn’t do that – I wouldn’t know what it was about anymore 😂😂
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It’s kinda funny… I used to binge read series. I have this memory of yeaars ago when I would go to the bookstore to buy the next 3 or 4 books in a series and starting on it right away but these days I definitely treasure series. LOL
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I only ever had that with the Sweep series by Cate Tiernan! I would immediately bike to the library to borrow the next part if I finished one. And the desparation that followed when it was already borrowed by someone else 😂😭
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