What was the worst book gift you ever received? Not something that you didn't like because of the story, but one that was not suitable for you at all? The books I got at school as gifts were mostly bad choices, but the worst one was the book I received for winning first place in a physics competition. It literally said on the cover that it was for 10-year-old girls and I was 15 at the time. I finished it out of guilt, but it was the most boring book I’ve ever read. I don't think I would enjoy it at 10 either. (In the end, I don’t think the school even bought the book, they probably just got it from the printing house that was partner/sponsor with the school.)

i read it every 6 months. usually when i hit about the 4 month mark on that, i end up desperately waiting to read the book again. i am yet to break my system - it's always january and july, but usually a couple months before that this book becomes all i can think about, and no other books sound good to pick up. so happy to be back reading it - the joy that that first sentence brings me. it makes me so giddy everytime i read it because it's like my brain is like "i can't believe i'm reading this book!" as if i've like travelled back to some place exciting or something

Does anyone have a book length preference? I tend to pick up books that are 300 pages and above because I know that it’s more likely to have more world-building and character development. But 300 is my husbands limit because he can’t follow along for that long Does anyone else have these kinds of preferences??

How did you get into reading? Was it something you've always done? Or did you pick up a book randomly and never looked back? What has changed since then? I started getting into reading around July 2023. I used to hate it because it reminded me of school and assignments. Then I discovered the world of romance books and I've been reading constantly since. It's also made me a quicker and better reader. Although since starting university, I've been correlating everything from my lessons into the books, so it makes my brain work overtime when I read a dark romance book 💀

I thought it would be kind of fun to see where in the world people are, and then folks can make friends with people from the same countries/ares (if they way, not pressure obviously). I'll go first. I'm Canadian, and more specifically I am in British Columbia (Vancouver Island if you want to get fancy. Try to find your country and join that thread! Everyone else?

What was the worst book gift you ever received? Not something that you didn't like because of the story, but one that was not suitable for you at all? The books I got at school as gifts were mostly bad choices, but the worst one was the book I received for winning first place in a physics competition. It literally said on the cover that it was for 10-year-old girls and I was 15 at the time. I finished it out of guilt, but it was the most boring book I’ve ever read. I don't think I would enjoy it at 10 either. (In the end, I don’t think the school even bought the book, they probably just got it from the printing house that was partner/sponsor with the school.)

Has anyone done a reading around the world challenge before? If so, how did you manage it? I'm thinking of slowly pulling together a list of books and authors from each country around the world and making it a challenge for myself starting next year. I'd love to get book suggestions or just general opinions/advice if anyone has done something like this before!

What is one popular book you've read and didn't like, where you didn't get the hype or don't understand how many people can genuinely like it? I'll go first : Le Petit Prince I've never understood how everyone loved the book, as a kid I was forced to read it every year and go to see plays about it and until today I don't understand the hype.