book meme
1. Favorite childhood book?
Mmm...well I was a little book monster as a child, my mother says I would read the back of a cornflake packet I would devour my books so fast. I think my favourites were The Famous Five and out of those I was particularly fond of Five get into Trouble where Dick gets kidnapped (and I remember it was this book which taught me that Dick was short for Richard which the young me found hilarious) and Five On Finniston Farm with the secret underground dungeons. Oh and I adored The Rat-a-Tat Mystery and The Magical Faraway Tree...in fact most Enid Blytons, even the Secret Seven
I also loved these two books:
Alfred Hitchcock and the Three Investigators in The Secret of Skeleton Island and The Mystery of the Green Ghost - I'm not sure what Alfred Hitchcock had to do with it, I don't remember him being in the books. I'm sorry that there isn't a bigger picture of that specific cover of The Mystery of the Green Ghost because the cover used to scare the crap out of me as a child...seriously, it had to be covered up.
I also loved Moonacre but mostly because it was the first and only prize I won at my junior school and my copy has my certificate pasted inside it and my mum wrote in the book the words that my headteacher said whilst presenting it to me (something along the lines of making them very proud as I had passed several tests and was accepted into a private secondary school) and The Turbulent Term of Tyke Tiler which was my first twist ending! Plus my teacher read this book out to us at story time and it was only when I checked it out of the class room book case I discovered that she had omitted to say a rude word out in class.
God, I could go on and on and on!!
2. What are you reading right now?
At the moment it is Ratking by Michael Dibdin mainly because I watched the Inspector Zen series on the BBC and wanted to read the books.
3. What books do you have on request at the library?
I don't go to libraries...they have a nasty habit of wanting their books back and I have a habit of not giving them back.
4. Bad book habit?
Trying to stuff as many as I can into tiny tiny bags? Creasing the pages? Cracking their spines...I am a terror on books! I like them to look read and loved.
5. What do you currently have checked out at the library?
See question 3.
6. Do you have an e-reader?
No, but my grandma does and she loves it and she is the most technophobic person in the world. Previous to her getting one I was very anti e-reader but now I am softening.
7. Do you prefer to read one book at a time, or several at once?
It depends, there is no hard and fast rule.
8. Have your reading habits changed since starting a blog?
Nope, not at all
9. Least favorite book you read this year (so far?)
Hmm...its a toss up between The Lollipop Shoes by Joanne Harris and The Strain by Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan
10. Favorite book you’ve read this year?
Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void by Mary Roach - about the weird strange science that goes into space travel...funny and witty and very very interesting!
11. How often do you read out of your comfort zone?
I'm willing to try anything! I generally read out of my comfort zone when I am reading the books the other members of the book club I am in have picked. I have come to see that we have very different tastes - and that is good because that is why I joined a book club in the first place to get out of my specific genres that I love and read books I wouldn't normally. (even if I hate some of them)
12. What is your reading comfort zone?
Murder mysteries, crime, trashy horror (read: vampires)!
13. Can you read on the bus?
yeah I can
14. Favorite place to read?
Curled up in my bed.
15. What is your policy on book lending?
I'll lend you a book but be aware your name will be written down somewhere next to the book I have lent you.....I also never forget, yeah, I'm speaking to you Janine Bennici, you still need to give me my The Witches by Roald Dahl back, that bitch is fourteen years late!
16. Do you ever dog-ear books?
All the time
17. Do you ever write in the margins of your books?
Yeah, but mainly in text books
18. Not even with text books?
Of course...I used to love it when you'd get a book that was written in at school, it was so much easier to answer questions in class and write essays when some kind person and done half the work for you already by underlining and explaining the chapters! Thank you kind fellow!
19. What is your favorite language to read in?
English, its the only one I can
20. What makes you love a book?
There is no one single thing! I just have to feel something for it...it has to stick with me, I have to go back to one particular passage over and over, re-read that chapter or even the whole book - I, I just cannot adiquately answer this question!!!
21. What will inspire you to recommend a book?
If I like it, I'll recomend it - of course I would tailor my recomendations, not everyone loves vampire trashiness as much as I do!
22. Favorite genre?
Crime...love a good murder mystery
23. Genre you rarely read (but wish you did?)
Hmm, dunno...a bit more science fiction maybe? I just find it incredibly hard and I have to really concentrate to take myself out of our reality and into something so completely different. I mean if you have to build up a new reality too much or have too many made up words for your new world then I tend to tune out. Sorry.
24. Favorite biography?
Cicero: The Life and Times of Rome's Greatest Politician by Anthony Everitt
25. Have you ever read a self-help book?
Nope, I don't believe I have
26. Favorite cookbook?
I generally search the internet now for recipes. We have a load of cookery books on the shelves but I never use them. The BBC Food website (http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/) is very helpful if you know what you want to make, it gives you different celeb chef's versions of each dish, plus normal people who have submitted ideas. I love love love these cupcakes: http://theinkykitchen.blogspot.com/2010/08/fresh-strawberry-balsamic-cupcakes-with.html and I usually visit http://www.lovintheoven.com/ and http://smittenkitchen.com/ for ideas too!
27. Most inspirational book you’ve read this year (fiction or non-fiction)?
Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void by Mary Roach it inspired me to want to be an astronaut for about 3 seconds so that I could attempt to have sex in space and tell the world what it was like...stupid prude NASA! It also inspired me to piss off most of my coworkers as I developed the annoying "did you know" symptom whilst reading it.
28. Favorite reading snack?
I don't have a favorite reading snack...whatever is closest to hand?
29. Name a case in which hype ruined your reading experience.
I can't think of anything, sorry
30. How often do you agree with critics about a book?
Generally don't read book critics so I wouldn't know
31. How do you feel about giving bad/negative reviews?
I've only just started my Goodreads account and the only review I had given was a negative review...I was slightly worried until I read the other reviews and noted that most of the points I raised everyone else had raised as well...so I think as long as you aren't just intentionally being nasty then review badly/negatively away! And remember, its just your own opinion, other people may have differing ones!
32. If you could read in a foreign language, which language would you choose?
Latin
33. Most intimidating book you’ve ever read?
Gormanghast because I had the trilogy and boy was that a big heavy book! Plus I loved the BBC adaption so much and was worried that the book would "spoil" it. I loved the first two books though, but the third was just terrible - but that is probably because it wasn't written by Mervin Peake (it was written from his notes) as he had died. Oh and Great Expectations because it was my first (and I think only, I am rubbish) Dickins book...and, I loved the BBC adaption with Ioan Gruffudd!!! - see, TV isn't bad, it makes you read!
34. Most intimidating book you’re too nervous to begin?
I am trying to at some point in my life read something by Irvine Welsh...I figure that this year after living in Scotland for about four years I'll be able to do it...even if I have to read out loud!
35. Favorite Poet?
Catullus and Ovid and Homer!
36. How many books do you usually have checked out of the library at any given time?
I don't use them.
37. How often have you returned book to the library unread?
see above
38. Favorite fictional character?
Marcus Didius Falco from the Lindsey Davis series and also Stephen and Meredith from A Density of Souls by Christopher Rice just for this exchange alone:
"You told me about what you called the light in the darkness. About how life was neither good nor bad, but a combination of both and occasional good things pop up in the middle of tragedy, but they still don't make tragedy go away. They can't protect you. They're just light. But what you didn't say is that sometimes, certain people can be a light in the darkness. There are some people in this world who are worth saving when other people decide they shine the wrong kind of light on the wrong kind of things. You have been and always will be my light in the darkness."
39. Favorite fictional villain?
Draco Malfoy! (but is he a villain really?) Oooh, Pennywise the Clown! And Long John Sliver! And Crowley from Good Omens...I'm sure he sees himself as a villain...or am I just been too kind to him?
40. Books I’m most likely to bring on vacation?
Anything I fancy...doesn't matter, trashy or hardgoing
41. The longest I’ve gone without reading.
A month or so
42. Name a book that you could/would not finish.
Wuthering Hights, The Republic by Plato and The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood
43. What distracts you easily when you’re reading?
TV and Internet.
44. Favorite film adaptation of a novel?
The Lord of the Rings trilogy....I got bored with the books, sorry!
45. Most disappointing film adaptation?
The Beach!!! They left out Jed!!! How could you leave out Jed?!!! - Although the soundtrack is amazing!
46. The most money I’ve ever spent in the bookstore at one time?
Over £100 I'd bet...the bookshops make a lot of money from me.
47. How often do you skim a book before reading it?
I don't really. I just pick it up and read it. Simples!
48. What would cause you to stop reading a book half-way through?
Bordom..or if I'm really busy and just don't have time.
49. Do you like to keep your books organized?
I would love too! I have been promised proper book shelves for ages now as I am running out of space on the temporary ones so at the moment they are all higgledipiggledy but one day they will be catagorised and alphabeticised...yes, I am sad.
50. Do you prefer to keep books or give them away once you’ve read them?
NO ONE TAKES MY BOOKS AWAY 'KAY? THEY ARE MY PRECIOUSSSSSSES.
51. Are there any books you’ve been avoiding?
The last two Twilight books...I've promised Moo at work I would read them but it takes so much goddamn effort and I just get SO GODDAMN ANGRY!
52. Name a book that made you angry.
Twilight and New Moon RAGE!!!
53. A book you didn’t expect to like but did?
The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kidd - it was the previous book club choice and I expected to hate it with the fire of a thousand suns but I surprisingly enjoyed it...except the ending, stupid ending.
Dan Simmon's Ilium/Olympos cycle - they took me awhile but damn they are good!
54. A book that you expected to like but didn’t?
The Strain by Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan because I love horror/vampire stuff but I just couldn't stand this.
55. Favorite guilt-free, pleasure reading?
Stuff like the Sookie Stackhouse stories and the Stephanie Plum books. Some Agatha Christie or Sue Grafton.
And also if anyone else is on Goodreads you should be my fwend:
Jessica's bookshelf: read
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