I´ve been nominated for The Book Lover´s tag and am perfectly thrilled about it because books are the one thing I could talk about for hours. Really, I mean it. I have caused many people to regret their foolishness by asking me any question related to that matter. 😉
Many, many thanks to my dear friend Annika from over at Annika Perry´s Writing Blog for tagging me for this! I sincerely hope she won´t regret it 😉
And now to the questions!
1.Do you have a specific place for reading?
Not really, I read where- and whenever I can. But there is a specific place where I never have or ever will read a book, magazine or whatever, and that´s when you´re sitting on the loo. I know many people do this, but I get the creeps just thinking about it. It kind of feels like a sacrilege to me.
The bathtub though, that´s an entirely different matter… 😉
2. Bookmark or random piece of paper?
I used to be obsessed with book marks when I was a kid and could never get enough of them. I still have them but rarely use them. For example, I had a matching pair featuring Scarlett O´Hara and Rhett Butler respectively. 😉
Nowadays I prefer to use postcards either sent to me by friends or bought in a museum shop. Curiously enough I nearly always make sure that the color of said card matches the book cover in some way, either by matching the color or the theme/feel of the book.
3. Do you eat or drink whilst reading?
Oh, yes! Definitely! Is there anything better than sipping at your tea/coffee, tucking into a lovely cake whilst emerged in a different place or time? It´s perfect bliss!
4. Music or TV whilst reading.
I used to listen to music whilst reading when I was in my teens, and sometimes still do but rarely. I prefer it to be quiet now, so that nothing can distract me from my book. That said I have to admit that since I read – nearly – everywhere possible, I can tune out most sounds when reading out of doors.
As to reading whilst watching TV, I´v never really tried it because I usually only watch things I really want to and reading would distract me too much. But I do love to knit, or eat or talk whilst watching TV. 🙂
5. One book at a time or several?
Always several. This had always been the case for me, and always will be. I tried once to read one book after another and couldn´t stand it. I like switching books during the day, like from something serious in the morning to something light-hearted in the evening.
I try to avoid reading thrillers at night because I don´t seem to be able to put them aside (this happened again two weeks ago when I was reading „The Store“ by James Patterson in two consecutive nights and the rings under my eyes the next days would have made even a raccoon jealous!).
6. Do you prefer to read at home or elsewhere?
At home mostly, but I love reading in a park or by the sea if possible.
7. Read out loud or silently?
I like to do both actually. Though it depends of the book and where I´m reading it of course. Most of the time I read silently but every now and again, when the language of a book is too beautiful not to be read aloud (like with Shakespeare) or if I read a book in a different language, then I like reading it aloud to simultaneously practice my pronunciation.
8. Do you read ahead or skip pages?
I almost always read a book from the first page until the last without skipping any passages or even whole pages. The book would have to be unbearably boring for me to do that, and I normally make a point of avoiding reading those books anyway.
9. Break the spine or keep it like new.
I used to try to keep the spines like new, but not anymore. Now I like it when a book looks read and tells an additional story to the one already embedded on its pages.
That doesn´t imply that the books should look in any way damaged or stained – that´s a thing I can´t bear at all. A couple of years ago I lent a book to a friend and when she gave it back, I had to force myself not to cringe away from it and take it back. Needless to say that she never saw a book from me again. That has taught me not to lend certain books anymore.
I prefer to give them away now if I don´t want to keep them, that way the books can hopefully bring happiness to many more people and it prevents me from having to deal with more similar shocks. 😉
10. Do you write in books?
Never in novels, but during my studies I did write in my non-fiction books or underlined certain passages.
11. What books are you reading now?
The first book I´m reading now is „A Thousand Splendid Suns“ by Khaled Hosseini. It´s the second book by this author I read, the first one was „And the Mountains Echoed“ which I loved.
His books are, as far as I can tell, always (at least partly) settled in Afghanistan and bring not only the fates of his characters nearer to his readers´s minds and hearts, but also the rich history and beauty of the country.
I kind of fell in love with his stunning narrative, which feels to me like a fairy tale being told for grown-ups.
I used the opportunity and did a drawing of the book:
The second book is „So Long and Thanks for all the Fish“ by Douglas Adams. It´s the fourth book of his wonderful „Hitchhiker´s Guide Through the Galaxy” – series which I am rereading at the moment.
It´s fun, it´s hilarious, it´s brilliant – and if you haven´t already read it, I can only recommend that you do!
Douglas Adams is one of the authors who make it difficult to me to refrain from underlining bits I find awesome, like this one:
„He lay, panting heavily in the wet air, and tried feeling bits of himself to see where he might be hurt. Wherever he touched himself, he encountered a pain. After a short while he worked out that this was because it was his hand that was hurting.“
– Douglas Adams, Life,The Universe and Everything
The third book is in French „D´un combat à l´autre“ by Beátrice Nicodème and is about the two daughters of Pierre and Marie Curie who are caught in the ravages of the first World War and try to find ways to make themselves useful by either assisting their mother x-raying wounded soldiers right on the front so that pieces of bullets and shrapnels can be removed much faster and with less loss of blood (Irene, age 17), or by writing encouraging letters to soldiers in the trenches (Eve, age 12).
12. What is your childhood favourite book?
My first book was „The Island of Adventure“ by Enid Blyton which is why it will always have a special place in my book lover´s heart. But my favorite by the same author was „The Valley of Adventures“ which I have read countless times.
Also one of my absolute favorites were „The Hobbit“ and „The Lord of the Rings“ by J.R.R. Tolkien, as well as The Narnia books by C.S. Lewis.
There´s also „Ronia, the Robber´s Daughter“ and „Pippi Longstocking“ by Astrid Lindgren both of which I adored.
All these books are still in my book shelves and are reread occasionally.
13. What is your all-time favourite book?
That´s a question I always dread because I simply can not answer it and I silently envy those who can.
There are of course books I like more than others but to pick just one out of them… no, it´s impossible. Also I fear reprisals from the books I wouldn´t mention. 😉
Like Annika, I would like to invite all readers who enjoyed this Book Lover’s post to please consider themselves tagged! 🙂
That was fun to read, Sarah, and thanks for much for the recommendation of Hosseini. For some reason, I just love books set in that part of the word. Maybe it just reinforces my belief that there are wonderful people everywhere – a belief that the world needs right now. I can’t imagine reading more than one book at a time, but I can see how it works for you. Lovely answers and Happy Reading!
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Thank you, Diana! 🙂 And you´re very welcome – I also love books set in that part of the world for exactly the same reason. Apart from all the differences, in the end we are all humans and books like his show us exactly that. I´m sure you will love his work!
Thank you so much for visiting and Happy Reading to you too! 😀
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I have loved books, since the first book I read, in a single seating for a whole day, at the age of five, since then it seems the only thing I posses of worth, are books!
So naturally, I love to read about people reading, their book habits, the books they are reading, and their favorites.
Thank you for sharing. 🙂
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Thank you for your lovely comment! And I couldn’t agree more, books are definitely more valuable than their market price! 😀
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So cool to learn of your reading habits, Sarah. Isn’t a Reacher book coming. Out soon?
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Thanks, Chris! And yes, I can´t wait till it´s out – I´m going to pester my local library with daily questions that´s going to make the Spanish inquisition look like a stroll in the park 😉 : “Do you have it? Do you have it? When´s it coming???” 😀
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Great choice of books, Sarah. All my favorites 🙂 Love the matching bookmarks – absolutely exquisite. Splendid post, and congrats on the nomination. xxxxxxxxxxxxx
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Thanks so much, Inese! 😀 Wish you a beautiful weekend! xxxxxxxxx ❤
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Same to you! ❤
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😄😘💕
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hello Miss G – enjoyed your answers – the gone with the wind bookmarks are a treasure – and how fun that you color code the bookmark. what a good idea.
your description and drawing of “A Thousand Splendid Suns“ was my favorite part of the post – really highlights you – the way you described it drew me in – and then you drew a picture of the book to really draw us in. lol
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Hello Yvette! So good to see you again! 🙂 And thank you – those bookmarks are now actively in use again thanks to this post 😉
Love your wonderful play with words and that both my words and my drawing drew you in 😉 😀
Have you read “A Thousand Splendid Suns” as well? Have a very lovely day!
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no – never read it – but might have to at least try it and skim to see…
and love how a post can spark things – like you using the bookmarks – I once was going to toss a paper mache guitar but posted about it and now it reminds me of my blog pals at that time….
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There are always far too many books on my must-read list so I know how it is 😉
Would love to see your guitar, can you post me the link?
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sure will – be back in a bit
xxoo
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OOH Fab post…. I am in! I love reading and, like you, always have more than one on the go! Love your drawings and pics 🙂 xx
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Thanks so much, Gill! And I look forward to reading all about your reading habits! 😉 Have a great weekend! xx 🙂
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I loved reading this post too. If I would have the time to write about this, if would be very short. I read books only right before sleep, a few pages (ok, ok, sometimes more and have the same circles underneath my eyes, haha) and always inside. No favorites, I like almost all genres and can read with or without sound.
Hope all is ok, after the exciting day in Berlin 😉 Big hug, XxX
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Thank you, Patty! I´m sure you´re too busy writing yourself in order to find time to read 😉
And I´m so glad I´m not the only one running around with big black circles around the eyes 😉
The elections are over and to be honest, I´m quite shocked at how many votes a certain right-winged group could gather… Of course, looking above the rim, I noticed this drift in many other countries too in the last years, but somehow I had high hopes this wouldn’t happen here. That with our history ist was impossible to happen… Well, we will see what will come out of it, let´s hope for the best.
Wish you a very lovely evening! Big hug! 🙂 xxx
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Yes, it worries me a lot too. I believe it starts with you and me, with ‘ordinary’ neighbors to show we all can live together peacefully despite our differences 😉
Enjoy your day! XxX
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I totally agree with you here, Patty!
Wish you a beautiful day – the sun´s out here and it´s actually a bit warmer again – how nice to put the jumper back into the wardrobe where it belongs 😉 xxx
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Hm, the clouds have covered the sun over here and they say, Fall is really coming now. Brrrrr
Busy weekend ahead, so will wish you a wonderful weekend now, in case I probably forget 😉 Big hugs, sweetie! XxX
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Beautiful weekend to you too!! Big hugs!! xxx 🙂
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Hi Sarah, what a nice and interesting read…. I can see you really enjoy different genres. So pleased for you and well done! Have a lovely week and hope the weather is fine to still go for walks in the park… and to read 😉 Much love 🌷 🌾 🐨 ❤
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Thanks so much, Iris! I have to confess that books are my Achilles heel 😉 I simply can not be without them. The weather is definitely too cold now to sit in the park and read a book but it´s still nice enough for long walks. I guess Summer´s on its way your side of the world, right? Enjoy the warmth and the sun! Much love! 🙂 💕🌺🌞
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It’s Spring here, Sarah. So I am enjoying the walks in the parks too! 😃 Happy reading and have a lovely day… 🌻 🌷 😀 ❤
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It is always so nice to read about someone else’s favorite books! Like you, I have many and have always loved reading, but I couldn’t pick a single book as an “all time favorite” either. I think a list of favorite books always has room for one more.
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Love you the last sentence in your comment, Ann – there definitely is always room for one more book on that never ending list 😀
So glad I´m not alone with being unable to chose a favorite book! Have a lovely week!
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I love hearing about others’ reading habits and the books they enjoy – this was great!
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Thank so much, Sarah! It was such fun doing this! Please feel free to consider yourself tagged – I would love to read your post! 🙂 Have a lovely sunday!
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I have so many of these posts I want to do – and I never seem to get to them (my to do list has a whole bunch of them). This one seems more fun than most, though!
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I know what you mean 😉
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A thoroughly enjoyable post! We share affinity for many of the same books (which always is fun to see) and although I don’t read print much these days (mostly on tablet), I am so glad to know that there are many out there who feel as passionately as you do about print books!
Thank you for allowing us a glimpse of your Reading Self!
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Thank you! 🙂 I often think I´m the last person on earth who doesn’t´t own a tablet/kindle 😉 I can see its advantages though, and know it won´t be long 😉
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I resisted for a very long time too. What nudged me to move over was deteriorating eyesight (age, you know!). I can make it extremely large print now.
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That´s definitely one of the advantages, also It´s exhilarating to think that you can carry around about 300 books without it getting any heavier! LOL 😀
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I really enjoyed reading about your reading.:) Books came late in life for me with just enough along the way to help me through some tough times. I love to go to others bookshelves and see what they read but so many people I know have none. They may read a quick novel but immediately pass it on or return it to the library. I have bookshelves in most of my rooms, even the kitchen and there are very few cookbooks. Not my thing. I do read more on kindle now that my vision is fading even more as well as listen to a lot on audible. You put me to shame though being able to read in at least three languages. I am never without a book or a reading device. I think it’s wonderful you have books from your childhood years. I found copies of some of the books I read as an adolescent that I bought them from the antique store and have them on my shelves just as a reminder. Books are a way to see the world, real and imagined. Maybe one day I can read again in German. I’m practicing. 🙂
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Thank you for your wonderful comment, Marlene!
A home without books and bookshelves is just as bare of soul and life as a home without plants I think – they are both vital 🙂
I also love listening to audiobooks, especially when being creative or going for a walk.
How´s the practicing German with Duolingo going so far? And don´t forget, if you have any questions regarding grammar or whatever, don´t hesitate to ask me! 😀
Wish you a beautiful sunday! I´m off now voting a new(?) government!
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Good luck with the vote. I have heard nothing about the opponent. I’m hoping you don’t get a nut case like we have. There has been nothing to choose from for far too many years. No honor or honesty anywhere to be found but this last one is a lunatic. God help us all. I wish I’d been able to keep my German citizenship. We are trying to figure out where to hide till all the nuts go back into the woodwork again. Have a wonderfilled week too.
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There´s not much honor and honesty to be found either in our politics but at least I don´t think it´s possible that we would end up with a lunatic 😉 There are more rules to who can become chancellor.
The election here didn´t went well though, and I´m quite worried about the drift to the right side… It´s so wrong and it seems to happen just everywhere around the globe. 😦
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It’s nuts out there these days. 😦
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Thank you for sharing a little of yourself with us, Sara. It was very interesting to read. 💜
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I know you don´t do tags and awards, but I would so much love to read more about your reading habits 😀
Have a lovely weekend, Cathy! ❤ 🙂
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You too, Sarah! 😊💜
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How lovely to learn more about you, Sarah. I can’t read books on the loo, just magazines. No writing on precious books either. I inherited my mum’s Enid Blyton books from her childhood and can still remember most of the stories.
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It´s been fun doing this tag 🙂 I grasp at any opportunity to talk about books 😉
The Enid Blyton books of your mum must be a treasured keepsake for you, how wonderful that she kept them throughout her life. I wonder what they look like? The editions of old are always so fascinating to me, different illustrations and covers. And if it´s a First Edition then they get pretty valuable too 😉
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I am not sure they survived all the years in storage as we were travelling but I do still have my Hans Christian Anderson story book. Some of our books got moldy…😔
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Oh no, poor books and poor you! That must be heartbreaking.
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Not as bad as the teddies…🐻
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I’m with you on #9 – to add, tho, sometimes, I bend just the tiniest tip of a page to mark a quote/passage I want to record in my personal notebooks filled with quotes…but only as a last resort!
I love your book cover sketch! Do you do freelance commission work?
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Haha! This sounds like a confession of a sinner 😀 But don´t worry, I think it happens to most of us too from time to time 😉
And thank you so much for liking my sketch! I am actually thinking about trying to work as a freelancer in this field but it´s not going to be easy. There aren´t many independent shops around here, just retailers, and those are sadly not interested in buying painted postcards and similar things on commission.
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I would love to see your Scarlett and Rhett bookmarks, I am a big fan of “Gone with the Wind” 🙂
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Ok, since I can´t see it displayed in the comment, I don´t reckon you can. I will add the picture of my bookmarks directly into the post then – watch out! 🙂
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OK I see them in the post right now, thank you 🙂
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Hope you like them 🙂
Have a Bonne weekend!
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A wonderful and complete assessment of the many facets of being a book lover, Sarah. I chuckled at your Scarlett and Rhett bookmarks, I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like those. I wish I had a week or two to sneak off and read by the sea, wouldn’t that be heaven? Your current reading choices look like excellent choices, and I loved your beautiful sketch. I also remember Pippi Longstocking books and enjoyed those also. Great post!
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Thanks so much, Lana! 😀 I will post the bookmarks of Scarlett and Rhett today on my FB page especially for you, so look out 😉
I think we are all in need of an alternative, parallel universe where we can read all the time without having to worry about shopping for groceries, cleaning etc. 😀
So glad you´ve read Pippi Longstocking too! 😀
Have a beautiful weekend, Lana! Much love! xxxxx
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I’m definitely in favor of the parallel universe, Sarah. Have a beautiful weekend also, love right back to you! 😀
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I knew it! 😉
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I loved learning more about your reading (habits is not quite the right word, but I can’t think what is right now). I really believe we know people more through their books and reading choices. Your drawing is beautiful. What a lovely reminder of a moment in time and (one of) the books that occupied that moment with you. 🙂 Happy reading my dear friend.
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Thanks so much, Su! I´m always so curious about what books other people read and I think it´s a bit sad that nowadays kindles are taking over which makes it quite difficult to figure out what exactly my fellow travelers on the underground are reading. It would be a bit rude if I poke my nose too closely I guess 😉 What are you reading at the moment? Happy reading and a beautiful weekend to you! xxxxxx
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Congratulations!
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Thank you! 😄
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I’ll join you for cups of tea as we read 🙂 I agree that opening a book in a park is a wonderful experience too xx
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From now on I will virtually clink my cup of tea to yours whenever I happen to combine these two wonderful things 😀
Have a beautiful weekend, Christy! xxx🍵
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Haha 😀 Love it! Happy weekend to you too!
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It was a pleasure to read about your reading. Books are proof that magic is real.
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They definitely are!!! 😀
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Congratulations! It seems we have a lot in common with our reading habits 😉
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Thank you, Elizabeth! 🙂 Have a lovey evening!
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You too! 😊
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Sarah, this is a wonderful response to the Book Lovers Tag – and not a single regret! Haha! 😀😀 The sea is a beautiful location to read..l hope you often have an opportunity! Yeah, another bookmark collector but you seem so organised and I love how the colours of them match the cover of the book you’re reading – I think that is your artistic side! As a huge fan of Hosseini’s books I agree wholeheartedly with your description of his them as fairytales for adults – they are wondrous,sweeping and memorable. Your drawing of the cover is wonderful, light touch. I could go on and on as our reading tastes are similar and I don’t think I’ve ever come acros another blogger whose even heard of Lindgren’s Ronia, no matter read it! I’m so intrigued by your choices, your nationality. Many thanks for participating in this tag…it’s been fun to learn so much more about you and your love of books! ❤️
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Haha! I´m so glad you don´t regret it, Annika! 😀
Thank you again for the tag and for liking my little drawing – it´s been fun to draw the book and without you I would never have gotten the idea in the first place! This way the book will not only stay in my memory when I have to give it back to the library but also in my little journal 🙂
I am German, so maybe that explains my love for Astrid Lindgren? Her books are very much treasured here and I think all of my friends and family have read them when they were young too. I also very much liked the old movies of Ronia and Pippi 🙂 And I think I always wanted to be just like them 😉 So lovely to know that we both share this love for her books! Your parents didn´t name you by chance after Pippi´s friend? 😉 And I have to say, that I really love your name!
Wish you a beautiful weekend ahead! And happy reading! 🙂 xoxo
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A beautiful insight into your literary loves and therefore in someway into the heart of you. I might take up the challenge some time. It is a lovely tag xxxx
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Thank you, Fiona! I agree, a look at one´s books can reveal much about a person. Bookshelves are the first place I head to when invited into a new friend´s home 😉 Hope you´ll find the time to participate in this tag, I would so much love to read your post about it! 😀 xxxxxx
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I will. Not today. But I will. For you, my dear friend xxxxxxx
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Yippie!!! 😀 I look so much forward to it!!! Have a stunningly beautiful day and a tremendously wonderful weekend, dear Fiona! xxxxxxxx
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