Category: discussion

Let’s Talk Bookish is a weekly meme, hosted by Rukky @ Eternity Books & Dani @ Literary Lion, where they discuss certain topics, share their opinions, and spread the love by visiting each others’ posts.

JULY 16: WHAT ARE THE BEST WAYS TO GET OVER READING SLUMPS? (RAFAELA @ THE PORTUGESE BIBLIOPHILE)

Prompts: Sometimes you just don’t want to read anymore, how do you get back into it? Do you give yourself a break? Watch booktube or read blogs? Read an old favourite book to reignite that spark? Do you just force yourself through it? Maybe you read a picture book or a graphic novel?

Welcome to the middle of July everyone! Today’s topic is a good one, one that I definitely struggle with sometimes for seemingly no reason. I always love readings books, and sometimes I just put down books and don’t pick them up. Other times I am reading and can never put it down. Let’s explore maybe why that is.

Sometimes you just don’t want to read anymore, how do you get back into it?

For me, I think sometimes all it takes is for someone else to be excited by a book. And once they talk about what they loved, or how much they liked reading a book (any book), it really ignites the passion in me again. Like yes, I also really love reading, why did I ever stop?! Although this may be a somewhat unreliable way of restarting a reading habit, I find that it isn’t hard to just casually talk to my bookish friends and ask for recommendations, or at least ask about what they’re reading. Most likely I’ll want to read again just by even talking about books again.

Do you give yourself a break? Watch booktube or read blogs? Read an old favourite book to reignite that spark?

For sure, sometimes a break is necessary. It’s not always the case where forward is the right answer. Sometimes it really is just a good time to sit and relax (without a book) if that is how you are so inclined. After all, books are meant to be enjoyed, not to be a chore (as much as it may feel like one sometimes with ever-looming deadlines). I don’t usually watch booktube, but I do occasionally read around blogs to look for inspiration or just to see what others are up to. Sometimes that will also trigger the urge to read again. I tend to shy away from reading old favourites over and over again. For me, something about the magic of how I remember a book being is better than reading it again to confirm it. Does anybody else understand this? Or am I just weird – let me know in the comments below.

Do you just force yourself through it? Maybe you read a picture book or a graphic novel?

Sometimes, I do just force myself. Is it bad? Maybe. But honestly, at other times if I just tip over the scales a tiny tiny bit, I already fall down the slippery slope of wanting to read for hours on end without any regard for the time. I do read webtoons daily on my phone, which is another type of reading consumption that I enjoy. These are very short little pieces that I can enjoy daily and easily on my phone before bed. I guess I do read every day, if I count the daily uploads.

How do you all get over those reading stumps? Or will you always read again after a break, so there’s no need to “get over it” per se? Please let me know below, I’d love to hear what it’s like for you all!

---

Let’s Talk Bookish is a weekly meme, hosted by Rukky @ Eternity Books & Dani @ Literary Lion, where they discuss certain topics, share their opinions, and spread the love by visiting each others’ posts.

JULY 2: PROLOGUES AND EPILOGUES: ARE THEY NECESSARY? (SUGGESTED BY ME! -FIVES @ DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE)

Prompts: What’s the difference between having something as a prologue vs. a chapter 1? Is it too much to have both a prologue and epilogue? How does having one (or both) affect how readers perceive the story? Do you think epilogues have more value because they might tie up loose ends? Do prologues have more value because they can set the scene? Do you prefer having neither?

Welcome to the first week of July and our first LTB of the new month! As celebration (just kidding), we’ll be doing one of my suggestions for a topic this week. This topic came to me as I was reading a prologue (I believe it was in Shadow of the Fox), and I immediately rushed to Rukky’s page to submit my topic suggestion. Glad to see that it turned up! Remember, if you all have any suggestions, feel free to go to her page and find the submission form at the bottom of any of her LTB posts. Without further ado, let’s get on with the topic for today!

What’s the difference between having something as a prologue vs. a chapter 1?

To me, prologues are a chance to set the tone or mood of the novel. If the prologue moves straight into chapter 1 seamlessly and chronologically, logically, etc., the prologue itself probably could have been chapter 1 itself to the same effect. I would say this is especially true (or perhaps I am biased for this reason) in mysteries and thrillers. I do enjoy when the author instantly tries to draw you in with something super exciting from the near-climax that you end up anticipating for the whole book.

Obviously there probably aren’t any hard fast rules on the difference between the two. But I feel that prologues should offer something special. When I read the word prologue, I expect something that will be important that I will carry in my mind for the rest of the book; it better not just be a scene setting of the background for just chapter 1. In fact, that could be confusing for the reader, as I think generally labelling something as a prologue defines it as not part of the regular flow of the chapters, and therefore distinguishes it as something special. If the author is not doing something with the prologue, it probably should just be a chapter 1.

Is it too much to have both a prologue and epilogue? How does having one (or both) affect how readers perceive the story?

No, I don’t think it is too much to have both a prologue and an epilogue. But of course, once again I believe it’s what you do with it. If your epilogue is just an extra chapter for no reason, it is likely just too much. I think epilogues are easier to execute – usually just about the future (e.g. 19 years later), or another scene to set up for a sequel will do the trick. That being said, are epilogues necessary? Sometimes I feel like things are better left to the imagination…

I’d say having a bad epilogue can also affect how readers perceive a story – it can really dispel the magic and intrigue of a story just like that, if you give away all the mystery at the very end. In other cases though, a good epilogue can really give that sense of satisfaction that while it may not have been the point of the main story, it was good to know that things did turn out well in the end for your favourite characters. I’d say it can be hard to write a good epilogue, some people appreciate the glimpse of the future, others hate it. But either way I’d say it definitely affects the reader’s perception of the story.

Do you think epilogues have more value because they might tie up loose ends? Do prologues have more value because they can set the scene? Do you prefer having neither?

Whoops! I guess I kind of answered all these questions above already! In short, I think that epilogues can have more value since they might tie up loose ends, but I know plenty of readers who would prefer the more open endings as well. For prologues, I think they definitely do provide a lot of value for setting the scene, provided they are done appropriately.

As a mystery/thriller reader, I tend to enjoy a good prologue, I find that this really helps to set the scene/tone/mood and really gets me excited to read onwards, providing that forward momentum. And as a mystery/thriller reader, I don’t find epilogues particularly necessary. Sometimes they provide some extra spookiness, but in general I don’t find much value in it for the genres I read. Though I would never criticize a well-executed epilogue, of course.

---

And that’s a wrap! What do you all think about prologues and epilogues? Let me know in the comments below, I’d love to hear what you all think!

Let’s Talk Bookish is a weekly meme, hosted by Rukky @ Eternity Books & Dani @ Literary Lion, where they discuss certain topics, share their opinions, and spread the love by visiting each others’ posts.

JUNE 25: GOOD COVERS VS. GOOD PLOTS (SUGGESTED BY KRUPALI @ MUSINGS OF SOULS)

Prompts: When you pick books to buy, what is more likely to sway you: a good cover or a good plot? When you choose to unhaul books do you sometimes keep bad books if they’re pretty? Do you love a book less if the cover is ugly even if the story is good? Do you like covers less if it turns out the story inside isn’t very interesting? Would you rather have a shelf of good stories or beautiful covers?

Welcome to the last week of June LTB everyone! Today’s topic is quite the classic, and I’m glad to be expanding a bit on it. Make sure to follow Krupali who suggested this topic as well (linked above)! Without further ado, let’s go!

When you pick books to buy, what is more likely to sway you: a good cover or a good plot?

I’m gonna have to be honest, when I’m shopping in person, a good cover is (almost) always necessary. My train of thought is: if it’s a bad book, at least it’ll look good on my shelf! That being said, with the rapidly decreasing real estate on my bookshelf, I have been trying my best recently not to buy any books, pretty cover or not. Obviously, if I already know the plot of the books in questions, I would rather buy the book with a good plot that I know I like, rather than just for aesthetic purposes.

When you choose to unhaul books do you sometimes keep bad books if they’re pretty?

Yes, I’m definitely guilty(?) of this. Is this a bad thing? I don’t know, but I figure who has a use for a bad book anyway? Might as well keep it nice looking on my shelf. Unless I’m running out of space, in which case it’s really no loss to anyone.

Do you love a book less if the cover is ugly even if the story is good?

As much as I judge books by their cover (sorry!), I actually don’t care about the cover at all if the story is good. The cover (and a good title) is just a nice tool to bait me into reading a book. After reading a book and deciding it’s good, I have no qualms for whatever the cover/title might be – it’s definitely the inside content that counts for books in the end! It might just be harder to convince others to read it.

Do you like covers less if it turns out the story inside isn’t very interesting?

Actually, yes I think there is something to be said about this. I have definitely been disappointed before, and if the overall book just isn’t very good…then it really is just a waste of a nice cover. It really just becomes quite a disappointment, and may make me feel like it was a waste of time to read it.

Would you rather have a shelf of good stories or beautiful covers?

This is actually such a difficult question to answer. On the one hand, the whole point of having a nice bookshelf displayed is to have beautiful books to catch the eye and act as decoration. On the other hand, what’s the point of anyone looking at it if there’s nothing good (of substance) there? I guess the best way is to have a mix of both – some eye catching titles, and some actually good books to read as well. Of course, the best of both worlds would be the most ideal! It’s definitely just a personal preference though, I wouldn’t fault anyone going either way with their bookshelf. I may just have some qualms if every book on your shelf has a broken spine!

What do you all think? When it comes to books on your shelves is it all a matter of looks or quality? Or perhaps a mix of both?

---