Monday, March 19, 2012

Book Survey

I saw this survey on another blog and I liked it so I stole it (though she stole it too so I don't feel so bad)

Love thy Kindle
1. Favorite childhood book?
Strega Nona by Tomie dePaola was a favorite when I was about 5 or 6.
2. What are you reading right now?
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs and Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin (I'm part way into both-- keep switching back and forth when I need a break)
3. What books do you have on request at the library?
None right now, but my next will be The Silver Chair by C.S. Lewis. I've read all up to that book and want to finish the series.
4. Bad book habit?
Starting and not finishing or taking a long time between reads.
5. What do you currently have checked out at the library?
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs and Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin.
6. Do you have an e-reader?
I have a Kindle and I love it. I rarely get the chance to sit and read at home so having something I can carry around with me and read when I have time is fantastic.
7. Do you prefer to read one book at a time, or several at once?
I prefer one at a time, but I have a habit of reading two or three.
8. Have your reading habits changed since starting a blog?
I think I have tried reading more classics than I would have otherwise.
9. Least favorite book you read this year (so far?)
The Zookeeper's Wife by Diane Ackerman (though in it's defense I didn't finish reading it- it bored me too much)
10. Favorite book you’ve read this year?
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green.
11. How often do you read out of your comfort zone?
I typically stick with books in certain genres, so I don't too often.
12. What is your reading comfort zone?
Mostly fiction (Adult & YA) fantasy & sci-fi occasionally. Rarely nonfiction.
13. Can you read on the bus?
I never take buses but if I did I would be able to fairly easily.
14. Favorite place to read?
At the beach, on my deck on a sunny day, in my living room or bedroom.
15. What is your policy on book lending?
I love sharing books as long as I get them back (hopefully undamaged!).
16. Do you ever dog-ear books?
I like to keep the pages as close to perfect as I can get them. I don't like my pages bent.
17. Do you ever write in the margins of your books?
I like to keep the pages of my books unmarked.
18. Not even with text books?
I didn't mind those. They didn't matter as much to me as my other books even though I paid A LOT more money for them haha.
19. What is your favorite language to read in?
English. I only fluently speak 1 language and I didn't always do that well :)
20. What makes you love a book?
The characters, the scenery, a good plot and storytelling.
21. What will inspire you to recommend a book?
If I feel really strongly about how a book makes me feel I will usually recommend it.
22. Favorite genre?
Fiction (Adult & YA), especially dystopian.
23. Genre you rarely read (but wish you did?)
Nonfiction.
24. Favorite biography?
Don't really have one, though there are a couple autobiographies that I liked reading.
25. Have you ever read a self-help book?
No, I don't remember ever reading any.
26. Favorite cookbook?
I usually just use allrecipes.com when I'm looking for recipes. Or I love The Flavor Bible as a guide or Food Network Magazine, but I don't know that I have an actual cookbook that is a favorite.
27. Most inspirational book you’ve read this year (fiction or non-fiction)?
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. I don't know that it is technically "inspirational" but it inspired me... and it's only March so I haven't read that many books yet this year.
28. Favorite reading snack?
Anything that doesn't make my fingers dirty/gross or get crumbs in my books
29. Name a case in which hype ruined your reading experience.
I don't usually spend the time reading a book because of hype unless it comes from a friend who has read the book and gives a good review, so my reading experience has yet to be ruined by any kind of hype.
30. How often do you agree with critics about a book?
I don't read critic reviews. If I read a review it is by people who post reviews on amazon or another site.
31. How do you feel about giving bad/negative reviews?
If a book is bad I don't feel bad warning other people (who may like the same things as me) against reading something. However, I know what I like, so I don't read a lot of books I wouldn't care for and rarely read books I don't like.
32. If you could read in a foreign language, which language would you choose?
Maybe French? It seems like it would sound more beautiful to read out loud.
33. Most intimidating book you’ve ever read? 
Slaughterhouse Five and 1984. I typically don't read classics and those were a little far out for me.
34. Most intimidating book you’re too nervous to begin?
Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin. It is a little out of my normal reading comfort zone.
35. Favorite Poet?
I like Emily Dickinson (Hope is a Thing with Feathers is a favorite of mine) and Robert Frost.
36. How many books do you usually have checked out of the library at any given time?
None? I have a kindle so I don't need to go to the library often, plus I can never get to my library because I work in another town and they are closed by the time I get off work.
37. How often have you returned book to the library unread?
This only happened once or twice. I felt so bad about not having the time to finish reading what I checked out!
38. Favorite fictional character? 
I can't pick just one! So my top 2 would probably be Hermione Granger (Harry Potter Series) and Bilbo Baggins (The Hobbit).
39. Favorite fictional villain?
The dragon Smaug from The Hobbit.
40. Books you’re most likely to bring on vacation?
Probably the books I've been putting off reading- Lord of the Rings & Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
41. The longest you’ve gone without reading.
I haven't read in a couple of weeks and that's probably the longest in years. I need to read more!
42. Name a book that you could/would not finish.
Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Everyone talked about how good it was but I was so bored that I couldn't read it!
43. What distracts you easily when you’re reading?
Thoughts, loud noises, bugs &/or the hot sun (if I'm reading outside)
44. Favorite film adaptation of a novel?
Practical Magic. The book was terrible... I couldn't stand the characters! They were horrible! The movie is fun. I can't wait for The Hobbit and The Hunger Games movies though!
45. Most disappointing film adaptation?
Dreamcatcher by Stephen King. Terrible.
46. The most money I’ve ever spent in the bookstore at one time?
Maybe $30 or $40 on a splurge. I try not to buy more than 1 at a time or I probably won't read the book.
47. How often do you skim a book before reading it?
I usually read the blurb and first couple of pages and sometimes the reviews before I purchase or start reading a book.
48. What would cause you to stop reading a book half-way through?
Uninteresting plot, boring or bad writing/characters.
49. Do you like to keep your books organized?
I do. I tend to keep books by the same author together and books in a series in the correct order.
50. Do you prefer to keep books or give them away once you’ve read them?
If I really like the book I keep them because occasionally I'll go back and either read the entire book over again or my favorite parts of the book. If I don't think I'll ever want to read the book again I'll give them away to someone or donate them to the library.
51. Are there any books you’ve been avoiding?
Not really avoiding, but books that I have yet to start.
52. Name a book that made you angry.
The Twilight Saga. The whole idea of a teenage girl being obsessed with a boy who stalks her and is really controlling and she falls apart when he leaves just annoyed me. A terrible example for girls.
53. A book you didn’t expect to like but did?
I read Winter Dance (even though I didn't think I would like it) because my husband suggested it.
54. A book that you expected to like but didn’t?
Breathless by Dean Koontz. It was really underdeveloped and it felt like the book was left undone. Poor plot. I like older Dean Koontz novels and was kind of upset with his current writing.
55. Favorite guilt-free, pleasure reading?
As long as I enjoy what I'm reading it's all guilt free!