Showing posts with label Conversations. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Conversations. Show all posts

Wednesday 25 January 2017

Conversations - On Reading Multiple Books

Conversations is a meme from Geraldine @ Corralling Books and Joan @ Fiddler Blue.

This meme is centred on the weekend, but yours truly is a Bookish Rebel who does what she wants, so I'm putting my post up on Wednesday.





Conversations meme logo image





(Wednesday is the new weekend, dearest nerdlets.)






This week's topic/question thingummy is:

Do you prefer to read a single book at a time, or multiple books at a time? Why?

Ha, I had to pitch in on this one!






I read soooooooo many books at a time!

Why? Well a variety of reasons:
  • convenience/laziness (sometimes the book I would be reading is all the way downstairs! lol)

  • genre-hopping

  • short attention span

  • a complete lack of patience and self-control (come on... who hasn't had that new and longed for book just call their name?!)

  • an ever-expanding to be read (TBR) list which needs to be cut down on BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY

  • depression






Wait... did she say depression?

Yes my nerdlets, I did. As I've mentioned before, what I'm reading affects my mood.

So in order to stay somewhat OK when living with depression and using reading as the lifeboat that it is, I have to pay attention to the way my mood is sailing.










Sometimes, what I'm reading brings me down.

And not like the 'ohmygodthefeels!' kind of down. I mean like depression-down. Which is awful.

It doesn't even always have to be a sad book. Sometimes chick lit and romances bring me down because I think I won't ever be that happy - and that's a worrying place to be in.

So then I change what I'm reading. It doesn't mean I'm giving up on the book, it just means that I need to read something else for a little bit, and I'll go back to the other book when I'm ready.








Sometimes it's more a question of what I need at that time, rather than avoiding what I don't.

Self-care isn't just for the bad times (and not just for those with mental health problems - everyone has mental health, just like everyone has physical health, so everyone can take care of it.)

Sometimes you want self-indulgence - maybe a favourite genre, or a favourite author.

Sometimes you just don't feel like reading the 500+ page book with the dense prose. Sometimes you want a lighter read - romance, chick lit, some poetry, whatever.

And then sometimes you do want to get your teeth into the long prize-winning tome that you've been eyeing up.











In short, for me at least, it's all about what I feel like reading at the time.

I might literally read one book for ten minutes, and then switch to another for a chapter or two.

It's kind of just the way I deal with things *shrugs* we all need some breathing room every now and then - it's just this way, I get to keep reading! Lol.







And of course, I'll often read romances according to what my sexuality is that day ;)

If I'm not attracted to dudes that day, steamy m/f romances aren't going to hold as much appeal.

That's not to say that I never read m/f romances when I'm not attracted to men, but I tend to want more storyline, more character development etc.






If a book is all sex scenes, at a time when I'm not attracted to anyone, for example - because I do have asexual days or periods of time - then I'm really not going to appreciate it *shrugs* simple as that.









So what about you guys? Are you a single-book kind of reader, or a 'I read what I like, when I like,' kind of soul?









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Saturday 16 July 2016

Conversations - Book Series: Yay or Nay?

Conversations is a meme from Geraldine @ Corralling Books and Joan @ Fiddler Blue.

I just join in when I feel like it because I have a hare-brained way of approaching life XD






So, this week/fortnight/whatever-day-it-is we have the question of:

Book Series: Yay or Nay?



OK, I'm going to indulge my Bookish Rebel tendencies again, and just point out that as a community, we bookish-people WORRY ABOUT THIS WAY TOO MUCH.

Seriously, you all seem to have these rules about series - ranging from you HAVE to finish a series, to all of the books in the series  HAVE to be exactly the same size and in corresponding covers or you will all freak the hell out!!!!!!




Meanwhile, I'm in the corner, like: 'Can I get anyone a cuppa? ...Or a chill pill?'





People I bug on the Internet have discussions with may already know this, but I read a lot of series out of order.

And for this I-do-what-I-want!!!!! and don't give it a second thought attitude, I blame several factors:




  • The fact that I will quote Loki and/or Loki memes WHENEVER POSSIBLE






  • My hippie-ish upbringing - I've heard 'go with the flow' since I was too teeny-tiny to know what the eff it meant.


  • Reading a sh** load of comics - seriously, ain't no-one got the time, money, or will-power to read through all 50+ years of major Marvel and DC canon. And even if you do, it's still not gonna make all that much sense. (Earth-616. Spider-Ham. That is all.)


  • Being a major library/second-hand-store reader, you tend to pick a lot of stuff up that's mid-series, often by accident. After a while, you barely notice any more.






  • Fanfiction has warped my brain. I no longer require long explanations for anything. You wanna have a world where everyone is a talking banana? WHY THE HELL NOT????? (*Laughs hysterically*)


  • Most of the time the author will stick a bunch of reminders into the latest volume of the series, because we all have the memories of book-amnesiac goldfish.








That all said, I seem to have meandered off-topic (which is totally not like me *snorts sarcastically*)

Right, the point, which I'm sure I had somewhere towards the beginning... but, then again, maybe not... is that we stress too much about series.





So, are series better, or are standalones?

Well kids, let me let you in on a little secret - there is no 'better.' There's only things that you enjoy and/or connect with, and things that you don't.




The difference isn't in whether the story is split into one part or one hundred.

The difference is you.














What do you think? Am I making sense? Or am I talking complete cr*p? (Wouldn't be the first time.)

Do you think it's more about the story than the number of instalments? Or does that matter more to you?




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Saturday 2 July 2016

Conversations - Lending Out Books

Conversations is a meme from Geraldine @ Corralling Books and Joan @ Fiddler Blue.

I faff in and out of the discussions when it pleases me - 'cos that's just who I am (this week, lie in the grass... sorry, FOB playing in my head.)








This fortnight's theme/question/whatever you wanna be calling it is:








Now, I really don't know why there's so much issue with this in the bookish community.

I know I'm the odd one out here but I see every dog-ear, slight tear, or general dishevelment from when you put it in your bag and then put something heavy on top, as badges of honour.

This book has a story. It's been loved, used, and abused.












Saying that, I don't purposefully go out to wreck my books.

That's just silly. Especially when I know my natural clumsiness and hare-brained habits will deal with it for me in half the time.




I also do have some ground-rules (although they'll probably seem extreme to you guys,) namely:



  • You DO NOT PUT A MARBLE IN MY BOOK (this was my brother, he embedded a marble in the front page of my HP:OotP book by accident... somehow. I wasn't pleased. Though I was slightly impressed.)


  • DON'T KEEP MY BOOK FOR OVER A YEAR (a school friend; literally every time she saw me for a year she swore and slapped herself for forgetting again. At least I eventually got it back, she lost the DVD I lent her.)


  • Please don't leave it in a pile of dirty clothes and other general detritus, that's just gross (my sis-in-law with my copy of The Casual Vacancy; I confiscated it when she and my brother moved out and left it in said icky pile of their cr*p.)


  • Don't intentionally wreck it (no-one's actually done this one, but it's just common sense.)



And that's about it. Sometimes I'm a little bit fussier if it's a graphic novel that was expensive and/or hard to find - but even then a general 'please look after it,' usually does the job.


What can I say? There are much worse things in life than a bent corner or a tea/coffee mark. And if I didn't love you, I wouldn't be lending you stuff anyway.












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Saturday 23 April 2016

Conversations - Is 15 Years Old Too Young To Be Reading Fifty Shades of Grey?

Conversations is a meme from Geraldine @ Corralling Books and Joan @ Fiddler Blue.

Basically, 'Conversations' is a bunch of topics to discuss at set times - and you know I me, I like a discussion.

I figure I'll just put in my two-pennies if/when I feel like jumping in on a topic. Because that's how I roll guys ;)


This week's topic is:

Is 15 Years Old Too Young To Be Reading Fifty Shades of Grey?


My first response to this question was a knee-jerk one, and it was this:

15 YEAR OLDS SHOULDN'T BE READING FIFTY SHADES. WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE WORLD?!?!?!



 
 
Then I calmed the hell down and decided to think about things logically.



Now, I haven't read Fifty Shades, so this is going to be a general erotica/sexy-times-related discussion.

I'm pretty sure the points will also relate to Fifty Shades - because I haven't been living under a freaking rock, and I have a basic understanding of what Fifty Shades is about.

Just to be clear - what we're dealing with here is graphic sex scenes and BDSM.



15 years old is below the age of consent in most countries.

I would never EVER actively encourage 15 year olds to read erotica.

Because that would be giving porn to a minor, and apart from being hugely creepy *shudders*, it's probably bordering on illegal.

Well...maybe not. I don't know - it ain't right to encourage you anyhow! So I'm not going to.







What is erotica?


A difficult one to define - but let's be honest: erotica is a book that is written with the sole purpose of sexual arousal.



 
 
It always has graphic sex scenes. Usually more than one sex scene, dependent on the length of book.

I'm sure the argument can be made that a lot of romances border on erotica, or even are erotica. But there's always going to be fuzziness between genres.

I think intention is important - sure, you can have a steamy romance, but if it's more focused on the relationship than the sex then it's probably still a romance.

If the only reason for the relationship stuff is clearly to get the characters (ahem) together in the bedroom-sense, then you're probably dealing with erotica.

Again, there's no definitive here - but if you're dealing with a lot of graphic descriptions of the (ahem) mechanics of the bedroom, then it's probably erotica.



Why do people read erotica?

I'm sure there a lots of reasons - but at it's heart, erotica is a way of exploring sex, sexuality, and ultimately what (ahem) appeals to you... without placing yourself in dangerous or inappropriate situations.

For a discussion on the appeal, and the pros and cons, of erotica in general - and BDSM erotica also - take a look at Hans M Hirschi's excellent blog post.



The 15-year-olds perspective...

Remembering back to the dim and distance time in which I was fifteen, I'd say that the majority of fifteen-year-olds believe they're mature enough for this, but actually aren't.

At the same time, you aren't going to stop kids from getting hold of Fifty Shades and the like if they really want to.

Obviously, don't encourage them.

But, if they are reading this stuff, then hopefully their parents/relevant adults are approachable enough to make sex a topic that's not forbidden, but not so approachable that it starts to get a little weird.

(Talking to your parents about sex is uncomfortable at best. Let the kid know you'll talk about it if they want, then wait for them to come to you. And try to give off the general aura of believing in safe, sane, and consensual, sex.)






The Internet exists, and the genie's out of the bottle

Ignoring the sheer amount of live-action and 'traditional' porn on the Internet, there's also a lot of pornographic fanfiction and fanart.

I know this, because I read fanfiction. And there are some things I just will never be able to un-see *fanfiction flashbacks here.*

What worries me the most though is that most fic writers, and readers, are under 16. This is some pretty heavy sh** to be writing and reading when you're so damned young.

And how do you even know this level of detail at that age?!?! I didn't know about lube at 16, but apparently the teenagers of the Internet are experts in the subject. (*Further fanfiction flashbacks.*)

Fifty Shades of Grey actually came from Twilight fanfiction, on the Internet. Yes, this is the typical level of sexy-times that is available to most movie, book, and TV franchises and fandoms on fanfiction sites.




 

To be honest, Fifty Shades is tame compared to some things I've read *more flashbacks.*



So, what was my point again?

In an ideal world, no 15-year-old would be reading erotica.

We don't live in an ideal world - we live in the real world (*sigh*  I'm gonna find Narnia someday, honest.)

In the real world, teenagers are curious about sex, and porn is readily available. You do the metaphorical math.

The way forward, my dear friends, is not to expect 15-year-olds to be angels, but to be ready to talk to them if and when they have questions.

And to place emphasis on respect, safety, and consent.




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