So yeah, I know I just did a survey but work has also been insanely busy and the next few weeks aren't looking like they're going to let up so a post like that is a nice way for me to still be able to get a post out even when my brain is mush. Thank you, Sarah (and Kayleigh), for posting another one of these and away we go!
1. Favorite childhood book:
There was this book about a giant chicken that terrorized an Eastern European village and then the people of the town killed and ate it. I have NO idea what the book was called but I looooved it. Not enough to remember the title, however. Just enough to make a diorama of it in kindergarten? First grade? But if you want a favorite book I DO remember the title of, let's go with The Golden Book of Sharks and Whales. I still have random passages from that memorized. Because that's what my brain chose to hold on to in place of loved ones birthdays.
2. What are you reading right now?
Misery by Stephen King for the upteenth (or like 4th) time.
3. What books do you have on request at the library?
I have none. I don't even have a library card. ::hangs head in shame::
4. Bad book habit:
Reading too quickly and missing key details. I never really noticed how often I did this until I started doing readalongs and everyone would point out really cool stuff and I'd have no idea what they were talking about, despite having read the exact same thing as them.
5. What do you currently have checked out at the library?
Gonna continue to mock me about this, huh?
Reading too quickly and missing key details. I never really noticed how often I did this until I started doing readalongs and everyone would point out really cool stuff and I'd have no idea what they were talking about, despite having read the exact same thing as them.
5. What do you currently have checked out at the library?
Gonna continue to mock me about this, huh?
6. Do you have an e-reader?
I do. And have for awhile now.
7. Do you prefer to read one book at a time, or several at once?
I usually only read one at a time but I'm not opposed to having a few going.
8. Have your reading habits changed since starting a blog?
How I read has mostly stayed the same, although I find myself composing blog posts while I'm reading. I promptly forget those compositions as I'm usually "writing" them while I have no way of actually recording anything. And besides, at this point I end up reviewing something about a month after reading it and there is no way I'd remember anything that long. I have found "what" I read has changed a decent amount. It's more diverse than before, which is sad when you consider how not-diverse it is right now. And I definitely have a better idea of new books coming out, something I never kept up with before.
9. Least favorite book you read this year:
::Looks over 2014 book spreadsheet because yes, I have one of those:: Hey, I've read a LOT of good books this year. Good job, me. But they can't all be winners and so far I'd have to say Zombie, Inc. is at the bottom of the pile.
10. Favorite book you’ve read this year:
This is way harder. Is it The Martian by Andy Weir? The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion? The Serpent of Venice by Christopher Moore? Another book that doesn't start with "The"? I can't decided.
11. How often do you read outside of your comfort zone?
Not often enough?
12. What is your reading comfort zone?
I feel like these questions would have made more sense in the other order. Anyway, something contemporary and funny.
13. Can you read on the bus?
"The bus" sounds very specific, like you have a particular bus in mind. I do not often ride "the bus" or "a bus". I will say no, though I do read a LOT on the train and subway. But I can't read in cars and buses are big cars so I'll assume no.
14. Favorite place to read:
I want to say somewhere really picturesque and quaint, like in a sun-dappled park or something like that but I pretty much never read in those places. Not even cos I'm not normally in these locations, but because I'm easily distracted when I do get a chance to read in a park or something like that. I tend to do well on the train, so I guess I'll say there?
15. What is your policy on book lending?
I do not do it often. And when I do it's only with certain people. Though to be honest, not many people ask me to borrow books.
16. Do you dog-ear your books?
I do not.
17. Do you write notes on the margins of your books?
Only with my Kindle, and then it's just sarcastic comment.s
18. Do you break/crack the spines?
I try not to. I legitimately have books that look like they've never been opened despite the fact that I have read them multiple times. Because I'm a crazy person.
19. What is your favorite language to read?
Ahahaha, you think I'm way smarter than I am. I actually have read a book in French but that was Le Petit Prince and it was over the course of like 4 months in class and also that's a children's book so probably shouldn't have taken that long. I have a copy of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream in Italian because why not? But yeah, English is pretty much my only option.
20. What makes you love a book?
If I can connect with it. Whether I'm connecting with the characters or the premise or the language, there needs to be something that gets under my skin, that my mind keeps going back to.
21. What will inspire you to recommend a book?
If it's a book I love love love, I will try to shove it down everyone's throat, because I care like that. Otherwise if someone happens to mention either a particular book I've read or if they mention something I think would be up their alley I'll recommend it. Pretty much I love recommending books and if someone off-handedly mentions they're looking for a book I will attack them with book recommendations.
Only with my Kindle, and then it's just sarcastic comment.s
18. Do you break/crack the spines?
I try not to. I legitimately have books that look like they've never been opened despite the fact that I have read them multiple times. Because I'm a crazy person.
19. What is your favorite language to read?
Ahahaha, you think I'm way smarter than I am. I actually have read a book in French but that was Le Petit Prince and it was over the course of like 4 months in class and also that's a children's book so probably shouldn't have taken that long. I have a copy of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream in Italian because why not? But yeah, English is pretty much my only option.
20. What makes you love a book?
If I can connect with it. Whether I'm connecting with the characters or the premise or the language, there needs to be something that gets under my skin, that my mind keeps going back to.
21. What will inspire you to recommend a book?
If it's a book I love love love, I will try to shove it down everyone's throat, because I care like that. Otherwise if someone happens to mention either a particular book I've read or if they mention something I think would be up their alley I'll recommend it. Pretty much I love recommending books and if someone off-handedly mentions they're looking for a book I will attack them with book recommendations.
22. Favorite genre:
Funny? Yes. That'll do.
23. Genre you rarely read (but wish you did):
Classics. While I love love love my funny books, I should read something that challenges me more.
24. Favorite biography:
I have not read many of these, so...Bill Bryson's Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid? Does that count? Or what about memoirs? I guess those don't really count either. Sorry, I got nothing here. The only biography coming to mind was one on Anne Boleyn that I read in the second grade, and I don't actually remember anything about it. I just remember having to dress up like the character for class and my parents really missed a golden opportunity to make me a headless costume.
Probably but I can't think of any now (I am SO GOOD at these surveys). I know I read a little bit of He's Just Not That Into You that a former roommate had. That was all kinds of not good.
26. Favorite cook book:
I get most of my recipes from the internet as I think "Man, I want to try to make X". Or from my mom sending me magazines where she's already cut out all of the recipes she wants. I have some Rachel Ray cookbooks from a long time ago.
27. The most inspirational book you’ve read this year:
I don't know that I would categorize any of the books as inspirational. Dammit, another non-answer.
28. Favorite reading snack:
I am not coordinated enough to eat and read at the same time. I'd just make a mess. Or the food would be way over THERE and I'd be over HERE and I just wouldn't eat it.
29. Name a case in which hype ruined your reading experience:
The River of No Return? Sorry, everyone who really loved this one. I did not and I thought I really, really would.
30. How often do you agree with the critics about a book?
Sometimes. I tend to only read critics of books I've already read.
31. How do you feel about giving bad/negative reviews?
Fine with it. I mean, I feel a little bad cos I don't want to shit all over something that someone tried really hard at. But if I didn't like the book, I'm not going to lie about it.
32. If you could read in a foreign language, which would it be?
No idea. Sadly I don't read that much translated lit to say "Man, I wish I could read X language." Maybe Japanese? Not that I read much Japanese lit but I'd say more than others.
33. Most intimidating book I’ve ever read:
I read Hunchback of Notre Dame in like middle school. I had no idea what was going on (there is a LOT of Latin in that book...) I blame Disney.
34. Most intimidating book I’m to nervous to begin:
So many. Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, East of Eden by Steinbeck. Pretty much anything that I'm afraid will be too complicated for me.
35. Favorite Poet:
Shel Silverstein? I have not read a lot of poetry.
36. How many books do you generally have checked out of the library at a given time?
QUIT IT WITH THE LIBRARY STUFF
37. How often do you return books to the library unread?
Just being mean now
38. Favorite fictional character:
Wow. How do you even narrow this down? Thursday Next, Sirius Black, Bernadette, Lizzie Bennet, Biff, I could keep going.
39. Favorite fictional villain:
Umbridge? Although I hate her the most but maaaaaan, she was a good villain.
Like specific titles? I don't change the books I'm reading for vacation. It's the same stuff I'd pick if I were just home.
41. The longest I’ve gone without reading:
A week or so?
42. What distracts you easily when you’re reading?
Anything. I'm super easily distracted. TV, the internets, if I'm trying to read in that idyllic park from earlier swans (there are swans and geese at this park near me and they are hilariously mean and I never get any reading done cos I just watch them terrorize small children/each other).
43. Name a book you could not finish:
My Mother She Killed Me, My Father She Ate Me Ugh just, not good.
44. Favorite film adaption of a novel:
Princess Bride. SO GOOD. I also love love love the '99 adaptation of Midsummer with Kevin Kline and Stanley Tucci. And of course the Lord of the Ring movies but it seems wrong to include them here cos I did not care for those books. So...
45. The most disappointing film adaptation:
How The Grinch Stole Christmas the Jim Carrey one. Just, sorry there wasn't enough material there for you and you had to pad it out. But you did it wrong. I'll assume The Cat in the Hat was terrible as well.
46. Most money I’ve ever spent in a bookstore at one time:
Like $50? Maybe? I tend to only buy one or two books and then at least one of them tends to be on discount so I don't spend much at one time. Now, over the course of a month the total can be fairly high. See my earlier answers about not having a library card.
47. How often do you skim a book before reading it?
Not very often. I probably should do it more.
48. What would cause you to stop reading a book halfway through it?
If it's so terrible it's not even worth it to me to write a negative review about it (I try to only review books I've read all the way through) OR it's good but I'm not feeling it at the moment. I tend to finish whatever book I'm reading though.
44. Favorite film adaption of a novel:
Princess Bride. SO GOOD. I also love love love the '99 adaptation of Midsummer with Kevin Kline and Stanley Tucci. And of course the Lord of the Ring movies but it seems wrong to include them here cos I did not care for those books. So...
45. The most disappointing film adaptation:
How The Grinch Stole Christmas the Jim Carrey one. Just, sorry there wasn't enough material there for you and you had to pad it out. But you did it wrong. I'll assume The Cat in the Hat was terrible as well.
46. Most money I’ve ever spent in a bookstore at one time:
Like $50? Maybe? I tend to only buy one or two books and then at least one of them tends to be on discount so I don't spend much at one time. Now, over the course of a month the total can be fairly high. See my earlier answers about not having a library card.
47. How often do you skim a book before reading it?
Not very often. I probably should do it more.
48. What would cause you to stop reading a book halfway through it?
If it's so terrible it's not even worth it to me to write a negative review about it (I try to only review books I've read all the way through) OR it's good but I'm not feeling it at the moment. I tend to finish whatever book I'm reading though.
49. Do you like to keep your books organized?
If by "organized" you mean "mostly on bookshelves" then yes.
50. Do you prefer to keep your books when done, or give them away?
Keep. I need to do a purge though.
51. Are there any books that you’ve been avoiding?
Yeah, those I am intimidated by. Because of the intimidation.
52. Name a book that made you angry:
The Last Girlfriend on Earth. Just...grrrr
53. A book I didn’t expect to like but did:
Octavia Butler? When I first read Dawn I did it because college made me and at first it was too weird for me. But as I went through it I realized this is INCREDIBLE.54. A book I expected to like but didn’t:
The River of No Return. I am still bummed I didn't love that one.
55. Favorite guilt-free guilty-pleasure reading:
How can it be a guilt-free guilty-pleasure? Then it's just pleasure reading. I tend to read for pleasure so this is now back to my favorite type of books and those are humor.
