The girls over at
Appraising Pages initiated this book questionnaire meme where they challenged readers to answer these questions about their books/habits. Who doesn't love talking about that? Fun for a lazy Saturday.
1) Favorite childhood book?
I went through a period in 4th grade where I was obsessed with the Nancy Drew series. I read all of them in succession.
2) What are you reading right now?
I'm reading
Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver. And I'm listening to
Quitter by Jon Acuff on audio book. Check out the books I'm reading on my
Good Reads shelf.
3) What books do you have on request at the library?
I just realized I don't have any currently, which is rare. I've got quite a stash of books I own right now to read including
Rodeo in Joliet and a few Brene Brown books.
4) Bad book habit?
Folding the pages in when I lose my book mark (which happens almost every night)
5) What do you currently have checked out at the library?
Nothing, I just finished
Sweet Tooth from the library and returned it.
6) Do you have an e-reader?
I own an iPad to technically I do, but I like holding an actual book so I don't use it.
7) Do you prefer one book at a time, or several at once?
One at a time. I loose focus otherwise!
8) Have your reading habits changed since starting a blog?
Well, I've had this blog for years but a few years ago put it out that I had a goal to read 24 books a year, since then I've been reading more than I did before. That also may have to do with the fact that I had more free time.
9) Leave favorite book you read this year (so far)?
This might be a little scandalous but I didn't really like
The Perks of Being a Wallflower....
10) Favorite book you've read this year?
Wild by Cheryl Strayed and
An Everlasting Meal by Tamar Adler. Click h
ere and
here to read why I like them so much.
11) How often do you read outside your comfort zone?
Not that often I guess. I've been taking more recommendations for books from friends/blogs/various places but I don't read genres I don't totally love.
12) What is your reading comfort zone?
Science fiction, just not my favorite.
13) Can you read on the bus?
No, I get sick.
14) Favorite place to read?
In a coffee shop, no ipad or phone nearby, a cup of chai and nothing else to do.
15) What is your policy on book lending?
I love it! I like giving away books and sharing them.
16) Do you ever dog-ear books?
See guilty pleasure question.
17) Do you ever write in the margin of your books? Not even with textbooks?
I do for book club or self-help type books. Not very often for textbooks...
18) What makes you love a book?
Good writing (not simplistic) and an interesting plot. Or new subject matter I don't know about.
20) Favorite genre?
Historical fiction, particularly WWII and American.
21) Genre you rarely read (but wish you did)?
Biographies. I love learning about people and history and their stories. There is so much to learn there, but I just don't pick them up very often. I'm always open to recommendations.
22) Favorite biography?
The Hiding Place about Corrie Ten Boom, such a meaningful story.
23) Have you ever read a self-help book?
I read self-help books about specific topics, like marriage.
24) Favorite cookbook?
Joy the Baker's. Although this is a kind of book I love but just don't buy that often.
25) Favorite reading snack?
I get distracted when I eat food and read, but having any type of toasty beverage in my hands is the best. Black tea (which I'm drinking now), chia, or a vanilla latte.
26) Name a case in which hype ruined your reading experience?
I haven't actually read them so this is a totally unfair judgement but the Twilight series. I think without all the hype I probably could have read and just enjoyed them for what they were but all the hype really turned me off.
27) How often do you agree with critics about a book?
Real critics or people on good reads? That's two different ball games.
28) How do you feel about giving bad/negative reviews?
I don't like to, because I'd rather read books I enjoy but if the book didn't grab me or inspire me I'll tell the truth.
29) If you could read in a foreign language, which language would you chose?
French.
30) Most intimidating book you've ever read?
Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett was big, and I was interested in the plot, but I read it.
31) Most intimidating book you're too nervous to begin?
Emperor of All Maladies is a large book, about cancer. Its been on my to read list for a good 2 years and I just can't make myself start it. The book club is reading it so I'll have to this fall.
32) How many books do you usually have checked out of the library at any given time?
3-ish, if I have some.
33) How often have you returned books to the library unread?
Not very often.
34) Books I'm most likely to bring on vacation?
Whatever I'm reading that isn't that heavy.
35) The longest I've gone without reading.
A few weeks in college, probably.
36) Name a book that you could/wound not finish.
The Man who Mistook His Wife for a Hat by Oliver Sacks. I was really interested when I started as it's about interesting neurological disorders but the book was so clinical that I got bored and stopped.
37) What distracts you most when reading?
Eating, or having other things I need to do.
38) Favorite film adaptation of a novel?
I love both the book and the movie
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
39) Most disappointed film adaptation of a novel?
The ones that come to my mind are
Atonement and
Water for Elephants. I loved both of the books but thought the movies were pretty mediocre.
40) Most money I've ever spent in a bookstore at one time?
I'm an Amazon junkie and usually but one at a time, so not much.
41) How often do you skim a book before reading it?
If it's a book I haven't heard of and pick up in a store or library I'll skim it then but if its a book on my "to read" list I just dive right in.
42) What would cause you to stop reading a book half-way through?
If I'm bored. Normally I just push through.
43) Do you like to keep your books organized?
Right now my favorite method is by color.
44) Do you prefer to keep books or given them away once you've read them?
I love giving them away unless it's a really meaningful book for me. I do this mostly because I really don't like moving books so I don't want to end up with tons of them.
45) Name a book that made you angry.
For really superficial reasons
The Sweet Life in Paris by Lebowitz. The writing felt so cliche and I wanted it to be so much better than it was.
46) A book you didn't expect to like but did?
Running the Rift by Naomi Benaron, I just happened to pick it up at the library without ever having heard of it and was so compelled. I finished the last half of it in one sitting.
47) A book you expected to like but didn't?
There are a few books by authors I love that just weren't very interesting to me. Sweet Tooth (same author as Atonement), and Prodigal Summer by Kingsolver to make the most recent.
48) Favorite guilt-free, pleasure reading?
Honestly, celebrity mags like People.
Hope you enjoyed this! You should do it to and post a link. Or if you don't have a blog answer some of your favorite questions in the comment section.
