What I Read (2): Aaron

What I Read

What I Read is a semi-regular guest feature in One More Page allows them to talk about what the title says: what they read. I believe that every reader has a unique reading preference and no reader is exactly the same. What I Read explores that idea, where I let the guests talk about their favorite, genre preferences, pet peeves and everything else in between. :)

On my second What I Read feature, I am very honored to have one of my closest book club friends on the blog today. I can’t remember exactly who added whom first in Goodreads, but I met him in person in 2010, back when I joined the second Goodreads Filipino group meet up. Our only link back then were YA books, and I remember we talked so much about The Hunger Games and The Mortal Instruments when we were at Cafe Breton before that meet-up ended. Soon enough, I started calling him the Mighty Evil Overlord (because he is mighty and he can be evil and he is kind of an overlord), and then eventually my adopted little brother because we are on the same wavelength for  a lot of things. That, and I tend to spoil him for some reason — case in point: Christmas 2010, I got him for my Book Blogger Holiday Swap and then also got him for our book club’s exchange gift. Talk about giving too many gifts to one person, yes? :P

Anyway, even if we don’t have the same tastes in YA books, I know that a book will be good if he recommends pushes it to me. If you think I nitpick a lot, well, you haven’t met him. But trust me, his reviews (when he has the time to write them) very trustworthy. He’s one of the few people who can demand me to read a book sooner than I want to (case in point: Paper Towns) and (since we’re on the topic), he’s also probably the biggest Nerdfighter in the Philippines. Probably the biggest Doctor Who fan, too. He’s the blogger behind Guy Gone Geek, although that blog’s a little silent lately, but you can check him out on Twitter, Tumblr and Goodreads. :)

So, let’s give it up for my adopted brother, the Mighty Evil Overlord and my friend (who is celebrating his birthday seven months from now, woot!), Aaron. :)

Aaron (and Zombies) at Alabat Island

Aaron (and Zombies) at Alabat Island

In ten words or less, what kind of books do you usually read?

I seek extraordinary adventures and believable characters when I read.

In your most favorite genre, what are the things you like to read about? Any pet peeves?

The thing I am most excited about when I’m reading books that belongs to my favorite genre, SFF, is the neck-snapping twists. That moment when you realized that the author has blindsided you and left you speechless is an experience I always look forward to. I also look for believable characters. They don’t need to be sympathetic — they can be despicable but as long as their motives and reasoning are believable, I’m fine with it.

Aaron sharing his theories during the Philippine launch of Mockingjay

Aaron sharing his theories during the Philippine launch of Mockingjay

I do have a lot of pet peeves but to name a few: some authors use this insta-personalities where they write about female characters that has blue/pink/purple/gold(?) hairs that they expect to automatically indicates that the girl is radical and very independent; for the male counterpart it is their unshakable love for The Catcher in the Rye that’s supposed to indicate that that character is a matured and deep-thinking dude who has passion for literature. Please. I hate shortcuts when it comes to characterizations. I also don’t like when characters make idiotic decisions for the sake of developing the romance then blame it on destiny. When authors use Destiny for their romantic plot is a glaring sign of cop-out for me. See? I told you I have a lot.

List the shelves you look at when visiting a bookstore in chronological order.

The order in which I browse the bookshelves in a bookstore isn’t much because of my reading preferences, but of the order the shelves are in from the entrance of the store. Base on how the shelves are arranged on my favorite bookstore, Fullybooked Gateway, this the chronological order: New Arrivals, Sci-Fi Fantasy, General Fiction, Big Formats, YA SFF, YA Contemporary.

What’s one genre you’ve never really ventured into? Would you ever try reading it?
Aaron covering a book during the Goodreads Filipino Group Christmas Party 2010. I don't think he will read this Bob Ong book...ever. Will he?

Aaron covering a book with plastic during the Goodreads Filipino Group Christmas Party 2010. I don't think he will read this Bob Ong book...ever. Will he?

I have never read a book that belongs in the Chiclit genre. It’s a genre that just doesn’t interest me. I don’t think I’ll be reading it any time soon. I also read very few classics. I have read a few Charles Dickens and Edgar Allan Poe, but that’s it. Unlike Chiclit, I will read this eventually, but just not now. I consider my literary growth isn’t mature enough for those kind of books. I am young and I have plenty of time to read those so for the mean time I will just enjoy reading those books while I can still enjoy them. I think  I will grow out of my interest for Big Epic Adventures eventually and turn to reading those books, but I am not rushing anything. Reading is fun so long as you don’t force yourself to read books that doesn’t peak your curiosity.

Have you ever tried reading a book recommended to you that is outside of your comfort zone? Did you like it or not?

I never thought I will be reading Contemporary YA novels. Like I said on my previous answers I was focused on reading about Big Epic Adventures. I didn’t see myself reading books about normal people doing normal things and doesn’t have one iota of something fantastical on it. I had been a fool. I didn’t realized that these books speak of universality of human experience. I’m very thankful I tried this genre because if I didn’t, I wouldn’t have read John Green and Melina Marchetta. The contemporary YA novels I liked best are only limited to those two authors, but their books had affected in one way or another how I play the game, if you know what I mean. ;)

What’s your reading guilty pleasure? Come on, I know you have one. :P

I mainly read for pleasure and I don’t feel one iota of guilt for it. I’m not that conscious on what people think about the books I read. The closest thing I can consider as guilty pleasure is Middle-Grade fantasy, the likes of Rick Riordan, Brandon Mull, Michael Scott, etc., Hey, no one’s too old to enjoy these kind of stuff! :)

Thanks, Aaron! I had to laugh on that brief discussion on chick lit. I’m a big chick lit reader, so sometimes it makes me laugh that Aaron and I are good friends. :) One day, you will read one and I will look forward to that day. :P

If you want to be featured for What I Read, you can drop me a line through the contact form or by sending an email to hello[at]tinamats.com. :) You can read other What I Read features here (well, there’s only one other for now, so yeah it’s easy to browse).

13 Thoughts on “What I Read (2): Aaron

  1. Nice, Aaron! :)

    I think I’m the only person I know who has no “reading picture”. Boo. :(

    • It’s not too late, we can still take a picture of you reading! :D Let’s do it the next time we meet up. :)

  2. If Miss Veronica reads this, I can already imagine the ire that “chic lit” will give her. She prefers to call it “women’s lit.”

    Fantastic post!

    • Oh yeah, I remember that! I try to make a distinction between chick lit and women’s lit because I always thought women’s lit was a bit more serious than chick lit. Chick lit = fluff. But that’s just me. :)

  3. I am still looking forward to that day Aaron will read chic-lit/women’s lit. :P

  4. Thanks for this interview, Tina. I’m really touched by the good(and the not-so-good :P) words you gave me on the introduction. Biggest Nerdfighter and Doctor Who fan in the Philippines? Hell YEA! :D

    I actually have read a Bob Ong book, but not that particular book.

    You shouldn’t complain about me not reading chicklit or ‘women’s lit’. Hey, you haven’t still read Ender’s Game and I didn’t *friendship over* you yet. :P

    • HEEEY. I’m reading Ender’s Game next! After I finish TFiOS. Now won’t you be proud of me reading a John Green and then an Orson Scott Card book one after the other? Also, the last book I’m reading after is your birthday gift. :P

  5. Yay Aaron! I agree, he really is the biggest nerdfighter in the Philippines. So glad Aaron loves Melina Marchetta. :) I know how persuasive he is when it comes to pushing the books he loves. Aaron, have you read The Piper’s Son yet? Also, you should give chick lit a try, the good ones are not that different from some of the contemporary YA romances that you’ve read (like Anna and the French Kiss).

  6. Nice interview. ;)

    A bit offtopic: Is that KyusiReader in the Mockingjay pic?

  7. Yay, so glad to see Aaron featured here! And AMEN to the neck-stapping plot twists in books. I abhor those.

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