Another fun meme!

I found this meme on Susan's blog last week, although I think a few others have been playing along recently as well.

Hardback, trade paperback or mass market paperback?

I prefer trade paperback, and that's what I have the most of on my shelves. I like hardbacks, although they are uncomfortable for me to hold for long periods of time. I don't love mass market paperbacks, but I have a few. They are nice to take to the beach or an airplane because they're small and I don't worry so much about them getting dirty or left behind.

Waterstones, Borders or Amazon? I've never heard of Waterstones, and we don't have a Borders in our area, so I will say Amazon. We do have a Barnes + Noble though.

Bookmark or dog-ear? Although this makes Susan gasp, I dog-ear my pages occassionally. I do use a bookmark, but if I start reading and it's nowhere to be found, I don't hesitate to dog-ear the pages. But not with borrowed books!

Amazon or brick-and-mortar? I love browsing Barnes + Noble and if I have coupons I will use them. I'm not always the most patient person when I really want a book. That said, I have found some incredible deals on Amazon, and shipping doesn't usually take more than a week.

Alphabetize by author, or alphabetize by title, or random? Oh my goodness, it just occured to me that people do this. I have never even tried to tackle this! My books are on my shelves randomly.

Keep, throw away, or sell? I don't trash books! I have a friend and good reading buddy who I constantly switch books with. I think she donates at the end of the cycle, and I normally take them to a resale shop for credit to buy more books. I keep my favorite reads.

Keep dust jacket or toss it? Keep it, only after removing it to read the book. I am not good with dust jackets; it's hard to keep it crisp while I read.

Short story or novel? Novels, definitely. I'm not good with short stories, although I would attempt it I suppose.

Buy or borrow? Both. I probably buy more, but I borrow and trade a lot with my reading buddy I mentioned earlier. We tend to have similiar reading styles, which works out well for our wallets.

Buying choice: book reviews, recommendations, or browse? Oooh, good question. I tend to scour USA Today for their seasonal recommendations and I usually get good books that way. I also read book blogs and tend to right down plenty of suggestions from bloggers. I browse a lot, but I've found that the books I've bought this way sit on my shelves longer than when I get a recommendation.

Tidy ending or cliffhanger? I do like to feel like there's been some sort of resolution at the end, although it's way too cliche to make every book have a "happily-ever-after." I don't mind cliffhangers if it's in a series, although I don't read many of those.

Morning reading, afternoon reading, or nighttime reading? Weekend mornings are a great time for me to read, when the house is really quiet and peaceful. I hardly ever read in the afternoon, but I read a lot before going to sleep at night.

Stand-alone or series? Stand alone. I'm not big on series books.

Favorite series? Can't think of any...not too big on these.

Favorite children’s book? Oh, I have many, but the 2 standouts are If You Give a Mouse a Cookie and Where the Wild Things Are.

Favorite YA book? Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret is the only one I can think of right now. I don't read too many in this genre. Not opposed to it, just don't get this far in the store.

Favorite books read last year? The Audacity of Hope, The Last Lecture, Change of Heart, In the Woods, The DaVinci Code.

Favorite book to recommend to an 11-year-old? I have no idea!

Favorite book to re-read? I rarely re-read books. I can't remember the last time I did!

Do you ever smell books? Of course! I love the smell of new books.

Do you ever read primary source documents like letters or diaries? I have read The Diary of Anne Frank, but other than that, I don't believe I have read any other letters or diaries.

What are you reading right now? I started Don't Know Much About History last weekend, but I have to read that in chunks I think. Not something I can just fly through. I also started Bergdorf Blondes, but I'm not liking it.

What are you reading next? I'm thinking Julie & Julia, and of course, Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol.

Mindless Meme

I've seen this meme on quite a few book blogs lately, most recently on Caribousmom, so I thought I'd play along too.

Using only books you have read this year (2009), answer these questions. Try not to repeat a book title. It’s a lot harder than you think!

Describe yourself: Time of My Life - Allison Winn Scotch

How do you feel: Live First, Work Second - Rebecca Ryan

Describe where you currently live: Some Like it Haute - Julie K. L. Dam

If you could go anywhere, where would you go: The Chicago Way - Michael Harvey

Your favorite form of transportation: The Long Walk Home - Will North

Your best friend is: The Time Traveler's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger

You and your friends are: Everyone Is Beautiful - Katherine Center

What’s the weather like: True Colors - Kristin Hannah

You fear: The Ruins - Scott Smith

What is the best advice you have to give: The Alchemist - Paolo Coelho

Thought for the day: Lottery - Patricia Wood

How I would like to die: Vanishing Acts - Jodi Picoult

My soul’s present condition: It Had to Be You - Sarah Webb

A Book Meme

1. Hardback, trade paperback or mass market paperback? Trade paperback. Most hardbacks are too large for me to comfortable handle, and mass market paperbacks I don't love but will buy sometimes because they're so cheap.


2. Barnes & Noble or Borders? Have never had a Borders in my town...BN all the way!


3. Bookmark or dog-ear? Bookmark. Unless I lose it.


4. Amazon or brick and mortar? Both!


5. Alphabetize by author or alphabetize by title or random? Not sorted at all.


6. Keep, throw away, or sell? Keep most...some I take to a used bookstore in exchange for store credit. I definitely rotate them through friends/family first though.


7. Keep dust jacket or toss it? Keep it.


8. Read with dust jacket or remove it? Read with it - sometimes comes in handy if I've lost my bookmark.


9. Short story or novel? Novels definitely.


10. Harry Potter or Lemony Snicket? Neither.


11. Stop reading when tired or at chapter breaks? Chapter breaks almost always. I hate leaving off in the middle of a chapter.


12. "It was a dark and stormy night" or "Once upon a time"? Ooh...depends on my mood. But I'll take the dark and stormy night because they usually make for better stories.


13. Buy or borrow? Mostly buy, but sometimes borrow.


14. New or used? Either. I prefer to buy used, cheaper books on Amazon, but every now and again I'll go on a book buying spree at BN.


15. Buying choice: book reviews, recommendations, or browse? Browsing definitely. But I keep a list of "want to reads" based on recommendations from book bloggers.


16. Tidy ending or cliffhanger? I prefer tidy endings, although every book can't end that way. I am always just disappointed if I finish a book and feel like things are unresolved.


17. Morning reading, afternoon reading, or nighttime reading? Nighttime reading happens most often, although I've been known to lay in bed reading for a couple hours on weekend mornings.


18. Stand-alone or series? Stand-alone for sure. I don't read many series.


19. Favorite series? Hmm...I can't think of one right now! Like I said, I don't read too many series.


20. Favorite children's book? Lots! Good Night Moon, Where the Wild Things Are, Ramona Quimby, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie...I could keep going!


21. Favorite YA book? I loved the first Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, but never finished the series...


22. Favorite book of which nobody else has heard? Wow, not sure here.


23. Favorite books read last year? The Da Vinci Code, In the Woods, The Audacity of Hope, The Last Lecture, Change of Heart, Lucky Man: A Memoir - click here for recaps.


24. Favorite books of all time? The Audacity of Hope, One True Thing, My Sister's Keeper, The Last Lecture, To Kill a Mockingbird


25. What are you reading right now? The Rise of the Creative Class by Richard Florida


26. What are you reading next? The Alchemist


27. Favorite book to recommend to an eleven-year-old? Well...I happen to know a 10-year-old who loves the Junie B. Jones series, so I'll go with that.


28. Favorite book to reread? I don't reread books very often. Actually can't remember the last time I did.


29. Do you ever smell books? Yes, but I much prefer the smell of magazines :)


30. Do you ever read Primary source documents? Occasionally.


Found this meme on Marie's blog.