Reading Confessions/This or That

Bout of Books Read-a-Thon Mini Challenge The Second: The Tuesday Edition

Hosted by Nyx Book Reviews

PART ONE: Share your most shocking, embarrassing or funny book related story. 

  

I'd say most of my less-than-fine moments come from my level of book acquisition and the number of unread books piling up in my house.  The time I nearly fell through a patio door tripping over a pile of books.  The moment I first realised that I had enough unread books in my possession to last me somewhere in the region of ten years.  The time I went charity shop-shopping with my friend and bought so many books the taxi driver struggled to get them all in the boot.  The time I wedged a copy of Naked Lunch down the back of my jeans to try and sneak it in under Mum's radar (which, as you may remember, was a fail!).  The time I went car-boot shopping on an emergency mission to restock some of our most-raided shop shelves and came back with half a bag of books - and another bag and a half for myself.  Honestly, I think it's compulsive behaviour.  When I get in the vicinity of anywhere selling books, it's like my body sends out some kind of invisible rope that ties itself to a shelf inside.  If I try to walk past, it starts to tug and make me feel funny, and I have to go back!  And if I see a book that's already on my wishlist in a charity shop, say, I literally CANNOT leave it behind.  That's my excuse, anyway... ;)

PART TWO: Answer all of these "this or that" questions.

  

Physical book or e-book?

Physical book, most definitely.  I bought a Kindle thinking it would help stop me buying so many paper books, and that I could use it alongside what I already had - but I hated it.  We just didn't get along, so the machine is now deregistered and I'm going back to my beautiful REAL books.

Paperback or hardcover?

Time was, I would have said hardcover, just because they're more durable.  But these days I prefer paperbacks, I think, because they're easier to carry, I can fit more of them on my shelves, and I don't have to worry about the dustjacket while I'm reading!  I quite like those smart little hardcovers that are around more now though - they're the best of both worlds...

Reality or make-believe?

Ummm, a little of both?  You can't have engaging make-believe without at least a vague grounding in reality, but reality's no fun without a good dose of make-believe!  I live in my own fantasy world half the time anyway... ;)

Adult or young adult?

Honestly, I prefer adult overall.  Young adult fiction has vastly improved over recent years so I get a lot from both, but I still find that I tend to read YA as a break from adult fiction, rather than the other way around.  Adult fiction can venture further into themes, topics, politics and relationships than most YA, and the scope still seems to be wider.  I don't read as many 'realistic' YA novels as I do adult novels, because I have no desire to relive my school years in every excruciating detail!

Dog ears or bookmarks?

Bookmarks to keep my place, and little pieces of paper to mark quotes I want for my blog, or references I want to follow up in some way (like mentions of books or songs I want to check out).  I do occasionally dog-ear, but only in used books and only when nothing else is to hand!

Breaking the spine or barely open the book?

Halfway between the two.  I open the book, but I go for 'light creasing' rather than 'broken in half'.  And if I'm reading a hardcover, the dustjacket comes off until I'm done.  Though I did read a (paperback) galley the other day and went the whole way - broken spine, dog-ears, annotating - and it felt strangely liberating...

Tea or coffee?

I go through phases where I drink one over the other, but mostly I keep going back to coffee.  Tea first thing while I wake up, coffee with breakfast, coffee at work and decaff before bed - with an occasionally foray into those new Starbucks espresso milk cans and mocha bottles you can buy at the supermarket.  I also drink a LOT of Ovaltine and white hot chocolate.

Reading in bed or on the couch?

Wherever!  A comfy couch works, but flat out on the bed is good too.  Now I'm back in the family house (instead of in the flat next door) I do a lot of my reading either sitting/lying on my bed, or sitting on the floor with my back to the radiator where it's warm!  On a sunny day, outside on a sun lounger takes some beating.

Series or stand-alone?

Doesn't matter, as long as the books are good.  There seem to be a lot more series now, which is starting to get a bit... impossible... but then again, with a good author it DOES prolong the pleasure!

Original or TV adaptation?

Both - but I usually try and read the original first if I can.  I didn't watch Birdsong, for example, because I haven't read the book yet.  Then again, with certain classics and very long books, I don't always mind watching first, because it helps me get my head round all the different characters and subplots.  I don't regret watching Pillars of the Earth before I've read the book, for instance, because I know the book's going to be bloody awesome regardless!

Defy motion sickness or audiobooks?

I used to read in the car ALL THE TIME, whether we were going five minutes to the shops or eight hours down to Cornwall.  These days I can maybe manage a magazine, but not all-out reading.  I prefer to listen to music in the car - crank it up loud and sing along!  I still love reading on the train though - it's what Quiet Carriages were made for...

Author crushes or 'who-was-that-guy-again?'

In its 'do you remember who wrote your books' sense - yes, almost always.  I have a good memory, stalk Amazon and book blogs constantly - and I run a bookshop, so it's kinda handy to know who wrote what!  In its literal sense, a bit of both.  I'm definitely getting to know more authors' faces these days - and occasionally when I'm messing about on my LT author gallery (the thingy LT puts together with a picture of every author in your collection) someone will bowl me over!  Unexpected hotties aside, EVERYBODY has a crush on Neil Gaiman.  Everybody.  Fact.  He's what would happen if the universe flipped upside down and Bernard Black turned nice.  :) 

Interview or guest post?

Guest post, probably.  I like interviews if the author does them properly, or where the blogger asks the questions rather than the publicist.  Some interviews are amazing, but some are so stilted and by-the-book that you can't help but think that a guest post would have been a better opportunity to get to know the author without the questions getting in the way...

Sooo, how's everybody getting on?  Going well?  Or has Tuesday beaten you down? 
HAPPY READING UNTIL TOMORROW!