Amanda’s ‘I am tearing my hair out!’ Fee’s ‘buyer’s guilt’. Caroline google-stalking her recipient…. #bookswap anxiety has well and truly hit, folks. (I’m only enjoying you all flapping on twitter a *tiny* bit, promise. Actually, who am I kidding. I’ve given myself a ridiculous mountain to climb with my person – it’s going to take a LOT of research!)
Anna and I thought it might help some of you if we could all sit around the metaphorical table, with the hypothetical tea and the imaginary cake and pitch in ideas or worries or full on HELP MES. We’ve even included our answers below for you, for no other reason than a bit of nosiness and maybe some inspiration. Anna’s answers are green, mine are purple. Though I’m certain you could have guessed that for yourself.
Come on then, let the #bookswap therapy commence…
Who is your favourite author?
Isabel Allende
Of all time, Margaret Atwood. At the moment, for ease of reading, Philippa Gregory.
What is your favourite book of all time and how would you describe it in three words? The Passion by Jeanette Winterson. Magical, lyrical, adventurous.
The Great Gatsby – huge, magical, torturous
What was the best book you read in 2013 – again, describe in 3 words?
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt. I’m cheating with the word count, but it was an epic family saga with love, loss, adventure, vivid characters and beautiful turns of phrase. I also really enjoyed The Night Circus.
The Constant Princess – Phillipa Gregory. Touching, sad, momentous
What was your least favourite book you read in 2013 and why – in no more than 50 words?
Gone, Girl by Gillian Flynn. I enjoyed the plot, fast-paced, gripping, suspenseful, but it was completely overshadowed by the characters who were Grade A privileged idiots, who complained a lot and had nothing but first-word problems. I can’t enjoy a book unless I care about the characters.
Any Jodi Picoult sincce approx 2008 – the days of My Sister’s Keeper and The Pact are gone, Jodi. Let it go.
If you could only take 3 books to a desert island, what would they be?
The Passion (see above), The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje, Love In The Time Of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. (Basically anything with strong characters, a beautiful plot and I’m a sucker for thwarted love)
Wicked by Gregory Maguire – could read it a thousand times and still find amazing newness. The Harry Potter Anthology (don’t know if there is one but I’m trying to make out that it’s ONE book. Ssh.) Vanity Fair, because I started it at uni and never finished it but I remember thoroughly enjoying what I did read…
What was your favourite book as a child?
Goodnight Mr Tom
The ‘Little House on the Prairie’ series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Or Matilda. Or the Mallory Towers books…. Stella is currently obsessed by all things Julia Donaldson, I think I would have been too had The Gruffalo been kicking around 25 years ago – the woman is a genius.
