Thursday 29 August 2013

A to Z Bookish Survey

Subtitle: That post other people have done that I'm copying because I'm too tired/lazy to write a review of anything. I've stolen this from both Sarah and Alley and you should probably read theirs too, because, I don't know, reasons.

HERE I AM DOING THIS:

Authors you've read the most books from: Have you ever been here before? Because it's obviously Stephen King. I mean, even in the past 2 and a half years I've read 39 of his books and I've read more than that and WOAH that is a lot of books.

Best sequel ever: I don't know, man, I don't read books that are in a series. Let's say... All the Harry Potter books EXCEPT the Chamber of Secrets, which is TECHnically the sequel... Dammit.

Currently reading: Oh God... *Deep breath* Middlemarch, The Lost Continent, Tell The Wolves I'm Home, The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon. Friday Reads on twitter is like a NIGHTMARE for me every week

Drink of choice when reading: I really don't drink or eat anything (or only rarely) when I'm reading because I'm not even in the room, anymore, so I don't have bodily appetites, yeah?

Ereader or physical book: I loves a good physical book, but I'm also very fond of my Kindle- I haven't read that many books on it because SO MANY UNREAD BOOKS, but I don't dislike the experience at all. And I haven't taken it on holiday yet, but when I do finally go away, I am going to love it so much.

Fictional character that you probably would have dated in High School: I didn't go to High School because we don't have those over here. But I can't think of any hot teenage characters (because I'm OLD) so let's pretend Eric Northman (HE'S A BOOK CHARACTER TOO) and I would have been schoolish contemporaries and THAT would have happened because yum.

Glad you gave this book a chance: Um um ummmm... Oooh, OK, Ready Player One because it was exactly the book I wanted to read even though I didn't even know that. ALSO The Sisters Brothers. It was awesome.

Hidden gem book: What is this, like books that are awesome but nobody knows about? Everyone knows about Rainbow Rowell at this point, yeah?

Important moment in your reading life: I suppose my first Stephen King book was probably quite an important moment but I can't even remember what it was (it might have been Carrie because I'm like that.) BUT ALSO I'm going to copy Alley because starting this blog was a totally important thing because it took my book thoughts out of my brain and translated them into words I could share with other people and that's just AWESOME.

Just finished: The Newlyweds by Nell Freudenberger. It was fine... But I kind of want to say the cover was better than the book (the cover is AWESOME)

Kind of books you won't read: I kind of want to say YA only I DO read it, I just rarely enjoy it. HAVING SAID THAT, I believe Tell The Wolves I'm Home is YA and I am enjoying it muchly so you can just ignore me.

Longest book you read: Is it Les Miserables? I'm going to say Les Miserables. It's actually technically the uncut version of The Stand, BUT 1400 Stephen King pages is not the same as 1200 Victor Hugo pages.

Major book hangover because of: I kind of had a continual book hangover while I was reading Harry Potter because I didn't want to read anything else alongside it.

GIF BREAK:
Applies to most of these. Also this isn't even a gif.
This is just getting gratuitous now.

Number of bookcases you own: I technically only own one, which is why my books live in weird places like 'the gap next to my bed' and also 'the bottom of my wardrobe'. 

One book you've read multiple times: To Kill A Mockingbird, and I will read it forever.

Preferred place to read: It's my bed. Always, always my bed.

Quote that inspires you: I actually have two quote notebooks (I filled one up. I am all about the quotes.)  so let's look in the one that I can reach without moving... "Well, I must endure the presence of two or three caterpillars if I wish to be acquainted with the butterflies." From The Little Prince (I didn't read far into my quote notebook... BUT this is pretty and also it's french and papillon is possibly my favourite word in french/any language. This is random information I'm giving you...)

Reading regret: I dunno. The fact that I can't do it for a living? That's not really a regret, is it..?

Series that you started and need to finish: Seriously, I don't read series! And I ALWAYS finish them. NEXT.

Three of your all-time favourite books: It by Stephen King, To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee and and *dies from the pressure of having to choose only one more* Let's say East of Eden by John Steinbeck? But SO MANY.

Unapologetic fangirl for: Stephen King (obvs), Nora Ephron, Caitlin Moran, Rainbow Rowell, Bill Bryson, John Steinbeck, WILKIE, Murakamiiiiiiiiii.

Very excited for this release: In general, I don't really know about any new releases, but I am excited for the new Donna Tartt (so excited that I can't even remember its name) AND Maddaddam by Margaret Atwood, which I've already reserved at the library even though it isn't even out yet. Oh ACTUALLY that's part of a series that I must finish. 

Worst bookish habit: Buying books when I definitely don't need any more books. It's an addiction, people.

X marks the spot! Start at the top left of your shelf and pick the 27th book: Why the 27th though? This one is stupid. Ok, *moves* The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton. I didn't do anything with it though...

Your last bookish purchase: I may or may not have bought three books on Saturday, ONE OF WHICH I already had out of the library and which I have now read and decided that I don't want to keep. This is not one of those stories with a happy ending (although I do now have another Richard Yates book which is cool because I like Revolutionary Road quite a lot).

Zzz snatcher- Which book kept you up way late?: SO MANY. But the most ironic was Insomnia by Stephen King, and possibly the best was 1Q84 by Murakamiiiiii, which I literally didn't know how to put down. 

I think we've all learnt a lot. My work here is done. 

21 comments:

  1. Excellent post! I was answering the questions for myself in my head as I read, and it took me SO LONG to decide on my fictional high school boyfriend. Clearly I have my priorities in line. (I decided to fake-date Bill Weasley.)

    Also, I may need to type my answers out and post them... Because I also am putting off writing reviews. In fact, I am specifically putting off writing a review of Eleanor and Park, because I am afraid I will be kicked out of our internet clubhouse for not loving it. *runs and hides*

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    1. Why thank you! And ooooooh, Bill Weasley!! He is extremely fine (at least in my brain). I'm still mostly like 'wtf..?' about that question haha.

      You should deffffinitely do this. Because it's easier than having thoughts about stuff. (WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT EVERYONE LOVES E&P! I mean... I don't think anyone's ever been kicked out of the clubhouse for not liking ONE book- just DON'T DO IT AGAIN Hahaha)

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  2. When you said your "we don't do high school" bit I immediately thought of Harry Potter, but in reverse. So instead of only English wizards starting school at 11, you English muggles finish school at 11. Silly Laura putting silly things in my head.

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    1. ... Alright then, crazy! That is clearly what happens though. And at 11 they send us off to the factories and whatnot. It's kind of tragic.

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    2. We used to have High Schools here on the Isle of Wight (age 13-16/18) but then they changed the system to be like the rest of the country (11-16 or 18) and renamed all the schools things like Innovation Centre and College and Starfleet Academy* and all sorts of ridiculous things that just sound like they're really going out of their way to avoid calling them. Madness!

      *perhaps not that last one

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    3. avoid calling them "schools" is what I meant to write. Silly Katie.

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  3. I also love To Kill a Mockingbird, which I revisited recently, and I certainly hope everyone knows about Rainbow Rowell! I've only read Attachments so far, but I've pre-ordered Fangirl.

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    1. Yaaaaaaaay Rainbow! I haven't actually preordered Fangirl because I can't be doing with hardcovers (it's a thing) BUT I'm really really hoping my library gets it because OMG I want to read it really badly (ps Eleanor and Park! It's adorable.)

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  4. Fab post, loved it!

    To Kill a Mockingbird is beyond excellent. It's one that I read every couple of years.

    I'm reading Les Mis right now. Whew.

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    1. Yesssssss, I have to read To Kill A Mockingbird every so often or I just can't deal with, um, life. It is SO good though. Just, wow.

      GOOD LUCK WITH LES MIS! I am with you in spirit because WOAH, been there. And also WOAH.

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  5. Ah I hated 1Q84. I find that people either love it or hate it. I wish I loved it though. It was so loooong...

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    1. It was totally long, but if you love it (as I did!) then it STILL wasn't long enough! I feel like it's a kind of universal Murakami thing- you either loooove him or hate him and I love him so much.

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  6. Aw I need to do this. Reminds me of those chain email letters from the 90s. Vanilla or chocolate? Hugs or kisses? Who's most likely to respond? Ah, 90s.

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  7. "reasons" are the best reasons to do this survey.

    When I saw the first question on here I thought of you and King and how OBVIOUSLY you wouldn't have to get up to count books.

    Wish I'd remembered The Sisters Brothers cos yeah, that is a book if you guys hadn't raved about it I prob (def) would have passed over.

    I'm glad you grumbled when you had to get up. But I mean, come on.

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    1. Reasons are everything.

      When I read yours I was like 'oh she had to MOVE for this one? WELL. I think I know my answer hahaha.' Apparently I was laughing at the pain you experience when you have to get up, so that's cruel.

      The Sisters Brothersssssss! I definitely wouldn't have read it. Or Ready Player One. Or, like, most books ever. So yeah.

      GETTING UP SHOULD NOT BE A THING THAT HAPPENS EVER.

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  8. Christ on a cracker, Stephen King as a lot of books. Damn.

    I love your Eric Northman crush, and speaking of, I was explaining your love of Skarsgard to the honeyman the other night. Some commercial came on and apparently he didn't know that the actor that plays Eric is really a Swedish guy and I mentioned that yeah he was and somehow that led to me talking about your major crush on him. And then we talked about how weird it is that I think one of our friends in real life would totally be a perfect match for you, except he looks nothing nothing like Skarsgard. Well he's all skinny/fit like him, but that's about it. And yeah. Too many of my conversations are starting with "Oh my friend so-and-so online..." I need to meet up with ya'll IRL dammit!

    Ahem. Anyways.

    Is Tell the Wolves I'm Home a YA? I think it's shelved in the regular fiction section at our library... this is one of those things that needs to be clarified - does a young main character automatically make it YA, or does simplistic writing play a part there too? WHO KNOWS.

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    1. Stephen King has written soooo many books. I could have chosen to read all the books of practically any other author and I'd be done by now. DAMMIT KING/ME! (but no, I love him forever.)

      I love that whole entire massive paragraph! I am CONSTANTLY saying 'my internet friend' (I actually just used to not even talk about it because I think that sounds dorky BUT I know y'all too well now to not talk about you haha!) and I think people are like 'that's nice dear' But I'm like 'you don't understaaaaand they are real people and I looooove them!' Also please send this friend to me, I will treat him real nice. Mwahahahaha.

      You make a good point about Tell The Wolves I'm Home! I think I had assumed it was YA because, you know, teen characters, but now that you mention it, it was definitely in the general fiction section at my library too. So THAT explains why I like it hahahaha!

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  9. I'm planning to do this too! Maybe when I'm not trying to catch up on multiple days without interwebs. I tried writing it at home but I kinda need my LT library to answer some of the questions because I DON'T HAVE MY REAL LIBRARY BACK YET.

    I'm like that with my currently reading pile too, but I'm trying to focus on one at a time right now instead. I give it two weeks before my FridayReads tweets have to start getting abbreviation-happy and grammatically creative again. :D

    THE SISTERS BROTHERS, WOOOOHOOOOO! Totally buying me some Rainbow Rowell as soon as I get near a Waterstones. I like you non-bookshelfy ingenuity. I have a miniscule bookshelf in Le New House which will be filled in approximately two seconds, so boxes it is! THAT IS A LEGITIMATE READING REGRET BECAUSE I HAZ IT TOO. The Goldfinch, dude, it's called The Goldfinch. Worst bookish habit... oh yeaaaaah... *book sister fist bump* I'm REALLY HOPING some of my R.I.P. books might be 'can't put down all night' books, it's been ages since I read one like that and now I'm in my new room with a little reading spot I want an excuse to use it! :D

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  10. I'm finally getting used to reading books on my kindle and I finally like it a bit. And yes to To Kill a Mockingbird, always.

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  11. Me too with "Ready Player One." Everyone was going on about it, telling me I simply had to read it, but I wasn't quite convinced; it always was on my "sometime" list. Then I found it in the library, read it and WOW - so much fun. Fascinating read.

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