Inside & Out tag


I thought I would do something a bit different and write a blog post based on a tag that's going around YouTube. It's called the Inside & Out tag. The words are an acronym and there is a question for every letter, except obviously the "&". One doesn't really work in written form, but I'll sort of make it work.

I Inside flap/back of the book summaries: too much info? Or not enough (Discuss)

I usually read the backside or inside flap to find what the book is about. I want to get a feel for the book so I need there to be a bit about the plot in the summary. There has to be enough to get me interested, but not enough to spoil it.

N New book: What form do you want it in? Be honest: Audiobook, E-book, Paperback, or Hardcover?

I like paperback. I mean I’ll read anything and I have an iPad, to me the fact that it’s a book is usually enough. I prefer paperback though. They usually don’t take up much space and I can bend them and stuff. I don’t really like audiobooks because I don’t have much attention span and I usually zone out when I listen to audiobooks. I need to read for myself. I don’t treat my books very well and for that paperbacks are pretty good, I can bend them and stuff.

S Scribble while you read? Do you like to write in your books, taking notes, making comments, or do you keep your books clean clean clean? (Tell us why)

I don’t scribble in my books, not to keep them clean necessarily, I’m not that bothered about my books. I will sometimes highlight in e-books. I don’t take notes because I sort of lose the flow of the story and I prefer to just keep reading.

I In your best voice, read for us your favorite 1st sentence from a book.

This one doesn’t really work in a blog, because you can’t hear me, but I can however type the 1st sentence of a book I like:

“Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much.”
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. P. 7.

D Does it matter to you whether the author is male or female when you’re reading a book? What if you’re unsure of the author’s gender?

I don’t think that has ever mattered to me. I don’t actually think much about it until after I’ve started reading I think. I am more interested in the story than the writer’s gender to be honest. I do like to know a bit about the author though, where they’re from and stuff. I like to know stuff about the author, but their gender doesn’t really interest me much. If I’m unsure about the gender I tend to try to find out, mainly because I want to know about the author. I don’t know why I want to know about the author, cause it doesn’t really matter. I guess I’m naturally curious about everything, or nosy.

E Ever read ahead? Or have you ever read the last before you got there? (Do confess thy sins, foul demon!) J

I don’t think I have. I doubt it. I only flip ahead to find out when the next chapter starts, or if I’m reading, like Song of Ice and Fire, I check to see who is next. I don’t read ahead to find out what happens. I’ve never, as far as I can remember, read the last page of a book to find out how it ends.

&

O Organized bookshelves or Outrageous bookshelves?

Currently my bookshelf is very small because I have very little room. Because there are few books I’ve organized it by color. I don’t really see it as a viable option for a bigger collection of books. For me at least. I like order more than I like to admit. I like to know where things are and I’m a sucker for systems. It might be my librarian-gene, or something, but I really like organizing my books so I know how to find them again. I can’t wait until I live somewhere with enough space for all my books so I can make a proper system and organize my precious books. I’m a weirdo.

U Under oath: have you ever bought a book based on the cover (alone)?

I don’t think I have. I like to know what a book is about before I buy it. I definitely like to pick up books with pretty covers to find out what they’re about though.

T Take outside to read, or stay in?

I read pretty much everywhere. I had to take the bus when I went to high school and it took about half an hour both ways. I got bored on the bus so I started reading. I got really used to reading when stuff was going on around me so I can read everywhere. It’s brilliant because I then don’t really have to be bored. I am good at losing myself in the book and shutting out the world. I am definitely a “take-it-outside-person.”