Bookish: The Seven Deadly Sins Book Tag!

Oh boy!

*rubs hands together with devilishly glee*

Cynic On Wings knows that I am a Naughty Person and so tagged me in this extremely fun book tag. Check out her equally Naughty Person answers here.

Let’s do this!

What is the most expensive book you own? Which is the least expensive?

If this question was ‘do you spend money binge buying books and if yes what’s the most you’ve spent in one go?’ I could answer it with ease.

As it turns out I don’t actually have a clue how to answer this question! I haven’t purchased any expensive books for myself although I tend to gift nice posh books to friends and family. I have received many nice posh books from friends and family so I would probably guess one of those would be the most expensive.

If I were to guess from those gifts I would say this one:-

This bound and illustrated version of American Gods from The Folio Society is a book which no one is allowed to touch. Including me.

As for the least expensive? There was a second hand book sale I went to many years ago and I picked this book up for pennies (I still have this book because it’s oddly awesome).

What book or books have you shamelessly devoured many times?

The reason I have American Gods as a special edition (and the reason I have it in multiple different versions/ editions) is because it is actually the book that I have re-read the most. For someone who ‘doesn’t do’ re-reads this makes it quite special to me.

The other book that I have re-read (or at least has parts that I’ve re-read) is The Hating Game because it’s just a cute read that cheers me up.

What attributes do you find most attractive in your characters? 

You know who I adore? These two.

(Artist: Meru90)

The thing about Katniss and Peeta from The Hunger Games is that they are two very different people on the surface who are the same in terms of what they value/ their morals.

At the core of it they are both loving, caring people who want to do the right thing for the world they live in and who have a strong sense of self sacrifice and unyielding devotion to those they love. What’s not to like there?

What differentiates them is Katniss’ sugar and ice personality and stubborn determination but I also adore Peeta’s more overt cheerfulness and loyalty and quietly snarky sense of humour.

What books would you most like to receive as a gift?

I wandered over to The Folio Society to have a look because they are just gorgeous and my heart is still hung up on this very special, very expensive edition of Cinderella and The Sleeping Beauty.

What book or books do you bring up when you want to sound like an intellectual reader? 

I’m not religious but I read The Bible when I was a teenager. It was out of curiosity and also because I wanted to make decisions for myself as to whether I wanted to follow the teachings and the only way I felt that I could make that decision was reading the source material.

It was a very interesting read. It may have swayed me to the opposite of its intention i.e. to not follow it’s teachings (one story in particular made me realise Christianity wasn’t for me) but I’m glad I read it and formed my own opinions.

What book or series have you neglected out of sheer laziness?

Pretty much anything by Patrick Rothfuss or Brandon Sanderson.

I’m gunna get round to them I swear.

 

What author do you have a love/hate relationship with? 

I don’t think I hate any author because I don’t know them personally but there’s a new writer on the block who is…. well…. rankling me a bit. That would be Emily A. Duncan, author of Wicked Saints.

Now I do have a Twitter (which is connected to me as a person and not me as a book blogger) and I do have a tendency to lurk like some nervous troll. I was intrigued by this above debut and so checked out the author on Twitter and Goodreads.

Did I like what I found? Not particularly.

I’m tempering my words here because although I am an opinionated so and so I don’t really like passing critique on an individual. I haven’t read her book (and have no inclination to read her book) so I can’t comment on her as a writer or her book content itself. What I know about the book is what I’ve got from other reviews.

I would turn away now if you adore the writer.

Are you turned away?

Final warning. I genuinely don’t want to upset fans.

Ahem.

One book that has got someone onto the NYT bestseller list (despite an extraordinarily large number of reviews calling it mediocre) does not a genius make. I agree – audiences do not need to be pandered to but if large swathes of people say X about Y then maybe, just maybe, the audience aren’t the brain dead sea monkey’s that the writer is implying they are. Maybe, again just maybe, the readers are interpreting the material just fine and the delivery of the story is not exactly the shining example of writing the writer thinks it is.

If someone is building their career with an online persona indicating that they are somehow the holy grail among YA authors than they better make sure that their book is unique and powerful and original. However, even if their book is unique and powerful and original it still doesn’t give them carte blanche to behave in a derogatory manner towards their readers, many of whom are teenagers.

I think success, praise and followers have contributed to a bit of a growing ego here but is that attitude going to result in longevity? There are so many other authors who have written fabulous pieces of work who are significantly more gracious and appreciative of their readers who have helped to make their work a success.

I usually can separate the piece of fiction from the creator but often the creator isn’t this obnoxious towards their readers.

I love the pictures of her cat though, so cuuuuute.

There we have it! My sinny sin sins. I’m not going to tag anyone in this one because I am still trying to get organised re. my posts and tagging but if you feel like doing this one please do because it’s fun! If you do it please link to me because I’d love to read your answers.

Go for it my Naughty People!