BOOKISH PROMPTS WITH ZARA @bookswithzara

Bookish Prompts is my version of a fun interview with fellow book obsessed people on the internet. Today’s episode of Bookish Prompts features Zara, a fellow booktuber. She is incredible and a wonderful person. She primarily reads fantasy, but she also enjoys classics, historical fiction and a few other genres as well. Zara has fantastic content, so be sure to subscribe to her channel.

Here is my Q & A with her. Hope you enjoy!!

Let’s get into the questions –

1. Tell us a little about yourself and your bookish habits.

I’m a lifelong reader who loves Fantasy and Classics primarily. I love books that tend to have darker, heavier themes!

2. What’s your reading ritual like?

Right now, I read whenever I feel like it because I’m enjoying life. I don’t really have a set amount of time or anything, I just pick up a book when I want.

3. How has your reading journey been like?

I’ve been reading since a very young age. Had a few lulls, mainly when I was at university and when work was crazy, but otherwise, I’ve always been reading something.

4. Your ideal reading place?

Anywhere quiet with somewhere comfortable to sit and a nice beverage.

5. What does your dream personal library look like?

Lots of dark wood, a comfy chair, a fireplace, and just shelves and shelves of books (with a ladder, of course).

6. 5 books you wish you could read for the first time again?

The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas

First Law trilogy by Joe Abercrombie

The Folding Knife by KJ Parker

The Deavabad trilogy by SA Chakraborty

A Brightness Long Ago by Guy Gavriel Kay

7. Books you would love to say no to?

House of Sky and Breath by SJM

Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Uprooted by Naomi Novik

Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay

Pretty much any romance book (lol)

8. Books that changed your mindset or life drastically.

The first three books I mentioned in ‘books I would I could read again’ had a drastic impact on me in various ways. Each taught me something about myself, and I will be forever thankful to the authors for doing that.

9. Bookish worlds you would love to live in?

I read a lot of dark/grimdark fantasy so none of these haha. Probably Middle Earth. I grew up in Oxford and live two minutes from where Tolkien lived, and you can see The Shire everywhere.

10. If you could start a new reading or bookish tradition, what would it be?

Hmmm… not sure. Maybe requiring your closest friends/family members to read your favourite book on your birthday.

11. You are preparing a book bouquet for your family member, partner and friend. Which books would you add to each bouquet and why?

I could go on with this for ages so I’m just going to pick one book/series for each. For a family member, I’d pick Earthsea by Ursula K Le Guin. It’s a book that I reminisce about quite a lot and it has all the core tenets of what make a great fantasy book.

For a partner, The Long Price Quartet by Daniel Abraham. A slow burn with high stakes that shows fantasy can be about so much more than what people typically think it’s about… i.e. magic. Beautifully crafted and it deserves time and attention to be fully appreciated.

For a friend, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Saenz. A book about cultural and sexual identity, loving people for who they are, and finding friends in unexpected places. It’s beautifully written and covers some heavy themes very delicately.

12. If your favorite villains or anti-heroes were to write down their new year’s resolutions what would they be according to you ? (Do tell us who they are and from which book)

All my favourite characters are morally grey. I think they’d all have the same one. Something along the lines of ‘Don’t lie, cheat, steal, kill, unless it feels like you ABSOLUTELY NEED TO’. ?

13. A standalone, series, and author you can’t stop recommending.

First Law by Joe Abercrombie

The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas

Most recently, A Brightness Long Ago by Guy Gavriel Kay

14. Favorite characters you would want in your inner circle and why?

Logen Ninefingers because I think he’s genuinely a good man. He just needs some good people around him.

Ali from Daevabad Trilogy because he is so honourable!

Basso from Folding Knife because he’s insanely smart and I want to meet him haha.

Aramis from Three Musketeers because he’d liven the group up a bit (he’s a flirt haha).

15. If you could live as a bookish character for a day, who would it be and why?

D’Artagnan from The Three Musketeers because he’s just loving life and thinks he’s right in everything he does (at least, at the start). Ignorance is bliss, right?

16. Genre you cannot live without.

Grimdark Fantasy

17. Bookish pet peeves.

People who have opinions on books they haven’t read.

18. Tropes you would kill to read and tropes you would avoid at any cost.

Favourites

=> Sentient weapons/objects

Avoid

=> Danger makes me horny

=> Love triangles

19. Quotes that live rent free in your head.

There’s too many! I literally cannot pick haha.