Showing posts with label Booking Through Thursday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Booking Through Thursday. Show all posts

Booking Through Thursday #38 - Recent Funny


What’s the funniest book you’ve read recently?

Maybe a Jessica Darling book? Those can be humorous. But I really don't know. I don't read funny books.

Wait! I have one!
And there's a story. So I was wandering around the teensy weensy town where my mom grew up and came upon this big semi-butt (what are the cargo parts of semi trucks called?) that was filled with rejects from their small-town library. It looked very inviting so I looked around for a bit and found a wonderful children's book called Olivia Kidney. I love books that are based on MCs that share my name. Olivia The Pig, anyone? And so I picked it up for 25 cents and have read the first page. I laughed out loud more than once. And she lives in New York City. How much better can it get?

"Olivia Kidney's new home was an apartment building made of maroon and yellow bricks on New York City's Upper West Side. It was twenty-two stories high, and it contained some of the most awful people you'd ever want to meet. They crabbed up the elevators with their cold, unfriendly faces. The people who lived above her stomped on the floor if she was talking too loudly, and the people below her hit their ceiling with a stick if she was walking too loudly. 'I'm a human being!' Olivia had dropped to her knees, cupped her hands around her mouth, and called down through the floor. 'I'm entitled to move! I'm not made of stone, you know!'"

Booking Through Thursday #37 - Preferences


Which do you prefer? (Quick answers)

Reading something frivolous? Or something serious?
Serious

Paperbacks? Or hardcovers?
Paperbacks

Fiction? Or Nonfiction?
Fiction

Poetry? Or Prose?
Prose

Biographies? Or Autobiographies?
Autobiographies

History? Or Historical Fiction?
Historical Fiction

Series? Or Stand-alones?
Stand-alones

Classics? Or best-sellers?
Classics

Lurid, fruity prose? Or straight-forward, basic prose?
Straight-forward and basic please

Plots? Or Stream-of-Consciousness?
Stream-of-Consciousness

Long books? Or Short?
Long

Illustrated? Or Non-illustrated?
Non-illustrated

Borrowed? Or Owned?
Owned

New? Or Used?
Used

Booking Through Thursday #36 - TBR


Do you keep all your unread books together, like books in a waiting room? Or are they scattered throughout your shelves, mingling like party-goers waiting for the host to come along?

I do keep all my unread books together. I have my main shelves for the books I've read and then the bottom shelf is devoted to books that I haven't gotten to yet. Both groups are organized alphabetically by author's last name. :) I'm just a teensy bit OCD like that.

Booking Through Thursday #35 - Unread


Give me the list or take a picture of all the books you have stacked on your bedside table, hidden under the bed or standing in your shelf – the books you have not read, but keep meaning to. The books that begin to weigh on your mind. The books that make you cover your ears in conversation and say, ‘No! Don’t give me another book to read! I can’t finish the ones I have!'

Oh boy. I'm doing this all out so get ready.
In no particular order, these are the books sitting on my "still to be read" shelf.

My Sweet Audrina by V.C. Andrews
Seeds of Yesterday by V.C. Andrews
Melody by V.C. Andrews
If There Be Thorns by V.C. Andrews
Heaven by V.C. Andrews
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
Getting Warmer by Carol Snow
The Vampire Diaries: The Fury and The Dark Reunion by L.J. Smith
Are We There Yet by David Levithan
Glass by Ellen Hopkins
The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing by M.T. Anderson
Amigas and School Scandals by Diana Rodriguez Wallach
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
Top 8 by Katie Finn
The Oath by Elie Wiesel
To The Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf
Golden Girl by Micol Ostow
A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare
How To Read Literature Like a Professor by Thomas C. Foster
Hamlet by William Shakespeare
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith
How To Buy a Love of Reading by Tanya Egan Gibson
TMI by Sarah Quigley
Crank by Ellen Hopkins
Change of Heart by Jodi Picoult
Th Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
Let It Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson, Lauren Myracle
Twelve Long Months by Brian Malloy
Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta
Seabiscuit by Laura Hillenbrand
Peace, Love and Baby Ducks by Lauren Myracle
Vegan Virgin Valentine by Caroline Mackler
When Lightning Strikes by Meg Cabot
Marley and Me by Josh Grogan
The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler
Slant by Laura Williams
Wondrous Strange by Leslie Livingston
Bikeman by Thomas F. Flynn
Shine Coconut Moon by Neesha Meminger
The White Darkness by Geraldine McCaughrean
The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult
Burned by Ellen Hopkins
The ABC's of Kissing Boys by Tina Ferraro
13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson
Kiki Strike Inside the Shadow City by Kirsten Miller
A Million Little Pieces by James Frey
Prom by Laurie Halse Anderson
Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson
Catalyst by Laurie Halse Anderson
Honey, Baby, Sweetheart by Deb Caletti
House of Dance by Beth Kephart
The Missing Girl by Norma Fox Mazer
Dream Factory by Heather Hepler and Brad Barkley
Bones of Faerie by Janni Lee Simner

Yeah...

Booking Through Thursday/Saturday #35: Hot!

On Saturday

Now that summer is here (in the northern hemisphere, anyway), what is the most “Summery” book you can think of? The one that captures the essence of summer for you?

Any one of Sarah Dessen's books. Seriously. Her books all seem to take place during the summer and even if they don't they're still super light and happy and just summery.
It's fitting that Along For The Ride recently came out, don't you think? I'm going to need to get myself a copy of that book...

Booking Through Thursday/Saturday #35: Sticky

On Saturday

This can be a quick one. Don’t take too long to think about it. Fifteen books you’ve read that will always stick with you. First fifteen you can recall in no more than 15 minutes.

The Lovely Bones
Harry Potter
Thirteen Reasons Why
The Hunger Games
Twilight
The Year of Living Biblically
The Tipping Point
The Outsiders
Uglies
The Book Thief
Elsewhere
Right Behind You
Life of Pi
Prep
Looking for Alaska

Booking Through Thursday/Saturday #35: Unread

On Saturday

Is there a book that you wish you could “unread”? One that you disliked so thoroughly you wish you could just forget that you ever read it?

Oh have I got a story for this.
So back in the day when I was a young and innocent second grader, I was very into the chapter book series like The Boxcar Children, Nancy Drew, etc.
I walked into the school library one day and headed over to the section that housed those type of books and decided to try something new. I picked up a Mary-Kate and Ashley mystery book. The Case of the Missing Mummy.
I went home that night expecting it to be like a crappy Nancy Drew book or just entirely fluffy and superfluous. What I didn't expect was to be scared out of my mind. I stayed up super late to try and finish it but had 20 pages left by the time I had to go to sleep. I had the worst nightmare that night and had to wake up my mom and get her to finish the book with me so I would know how it ended and hopefully sleep soundly from then on.
But that didn't happen. For the next two years I couldn't go down in the basement by myself and before going to bed each night I had to check in my closet and in the crack between my bed and the wall to make sure that there were no mummies hiding there.
It was seriously the scariest book I've ever read and it scarred me for life.
Curse you Mary-Kate and Ashley.


Booking Through Thursday/Saturday #34: Gluttony

On Saturday

Book Gluttony! Are your eyes bigger than your book belly? Do you have a habit of buying up books far quicker than you could possibly read them? Have you had to curb your book buying habits until you can catch up with yourself? Or are you a controlled buyer, only purchasing books when you have run out of things to read?

YES, my eyes are bigger then my belly.
No. I don't buy books. Or at least very rarely. Too much money for a broke high school student. Although I do mooch a lot of books, if that counts.
I'm hoping to stop getting books for the summer - library, bookstores, bookmooch, and review copies included, because I need to read what I have. Thankfully summer's coming up so I'll have more time to read. I'm hoping to make a pretty big dent in the pile in the three months of delicious freedom that are coming up. Because what else is there to do but read?

Booking Through Thursday/Saturday #33: Graphic

On Saturday

Last Saturday (May 2nd) is Free Comic Book Day! In celebration of comics and graphic novels, some suggestions: - Do you read graphic novels/comics? Why do/don’t you enjoy them? - How would you describe the difference between “graphic novel” and “comic”? Is there a difference at all? - Say you have a friend who’s never encountered graphic novels. Recommend some titles you consider landmark/”canonical”.

1. No, I do not read graphic novels. Yes, I do read some comics if the newspaper counts. And even then, only the Sunday ones. I do enjoy comics quite a lot because they're basically just funny pictures. What's not to like?
2. In my mind, the difference between a graphic novel and a comic is that a graphic novel is a story that, instead of being written in prose, is written in pictures. Comics are just comical illustrations of everyday occurences.
3. Can't answer that. Sorry, I suck. :P

Booking Through Thursday/Saturday #32: Worse?

On Saturday

Which is worse? Finding a book you love and then hating everything else you try by that author, or reading a completely disappointing book by an author that you love?

It's like Would You Rather! I love Would You Rather!

First of all though, I think it's basically impossible for an author to write both a fantastic book and then a horrible book. It just doesn't work. I don't think their editor would let them publish a let down of a book. Just saying.

But that aside, I'd have to say that reading a disappointing book by an author that I love would be the "worser" of the two.

I tend to obsess over authors I love. I put them up on a pedestal and make little shrines to them in my closet and I write embarrassing letters to them that I horde away in my file drawers. So having one of my very revered author idols write a bad book would basically ruin my world.

Thankfully it hasn't happened yet. My sanity is in tact.

Booking Through Thursday/Saturday #31: Symbolism (#25)

On Saturday

It does seem like modern fiction just “tells the story” without much symbolism. Is symbolism an older literary device, like excessive description, that is not used much any more? Do you think there was as much symbolism as English teachers seemed to think? What are some examples of symbolism from your reading?

*points to Life of Pi post*

Life of Pi was published in 2003, I think, and it is chock-full of symbolism. It's got symbolism a plenty. As does The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd.

But yeah, I do agree that modern fiction just tells the story. It uses the character and the plot to explain and illustrate its meaning rather than having the reader decipher what that picture of a daffodil on the wall could mean.

And I do think that symbolism is slowly dying out. An author here and there still uses it but it's not as prevalent as it used to be.

Growing up on "modern literature" I wasn't really trained to look for and to try to interpret symbolism. When it's present in books I totally miss it. Which I guess is what English class is for.

For the most part, I think the teachers are right on in the symbolism that they see in books. It all makes sense to me. But I wouldn't have seen it myself so I don't think I can really criticize them for how they interpreted the book because they obviously did far better than me.

I do like symbolism. It's a like a treasure trove of hidden stuff waiting to be unearthed. :P

Booking Through Thursday/Saturday #30: Windfall (#18)

On Saturday

What would you spend an unexpected windfall on? Say … $50? How about $500?

Okay. You guys are going to laugh at me. But I am so broke that I have an ongoing wish list of stuff that I keep on my computer and add to continuously so that when a time comes that I actually have money, I have priorities and know what I want to spend it on. Pathetic? Yes. But I have to keep track of this kind of stuff. It's the hidden OCDishness in me that's coming out.

Some of the stuff on this wishlist=
A vintage typewriter like this baby. SO CUTE. The clickety clack of the keys just calls to me.
Brightly colored Keds for the summer. Yum.
This tote.
An Orangina poster.

And some other stuff...I'm shamefully materialistic. Sorry. But that $50 or $500 (if I even payed taxes) would be put to good use for sure. :P

Booking Through Thursday/Saturday #29: Numbers Game (#11)

On Saturday

Some people read one book at a time. Some people have a number of them on the go at any given time, perhaps a reading in bed book, a breakfast table book, a bathroom book, and so on, which leads me to…

1. Are you currently reading more than one book?
If books for school count, than yes.
2. If so, how many books are you currently reading?
Two. Dos. Tvo.
3. Is this normal for you?
Eh. I prefer not to read more than one personal book at a time because I just confuse myself then. But we're never NOT reading a book in English, so I've got my personal read and then my school one. So pretty normal, but not really by my choice.
4. Where do you keep your current reads?
On my bedroom floor. No joke.

Booking Through Thursday/Saturday #28: Library Week (#4)

On Saturday

I saw that National Library week is coming up in April, and that led to some questions. How often do you use your public library and how do you use it? Has the coffeehouse/bookstore replaced the library? Did you go to the library as a child? Do you have any particular memories of the library? Do you like sleek, modern, active libraries or the older, darker, quiet, cozy libraries?

1. Well. I used to be a regular patron at my local library. At least two times a week, I think. But now, I've got about 30 books that I own or that have been sent to me waiting to be read so I'm not checking any more books out. I need to actually get through what I have available, you know? But I do still use the library for CDs...
2. I don't think the coffehouse/bookstore has replaced the library! Libraries are FREE. People are definitely still using the library here, especially in these sucky economic months. You can get books absolutely free there whereas in bookstores, the prices have gone up. 
3. I went to the library as a child all the time. My parents would take me and we'd check out piles of picture books and chapter books. I loved it there.
4. I do have good memories! My local library used to have this hideous orange carpet all over it and then it had these white plastic egg booths with orange vinyl seats that you could sit in to read your books and I would sit in a booth for hours. Well maybe not hours because my parents were busy. But quite a long time. How can you resist plastic egg booths?!
5. My local library (how many times have I said that in this post) got remodeled a few years ago so now it's got huge glass windows and these wonderful metal rafters and a really open and sleek design. The old one was dark and orange and scary. So I didn't like that version of it. The new one's definitely better. But I do like the old libraries with the cozy wooden architecture and floor to ceiling bookshelves. They make me feel studious and artsy. But I think the more modern library actually makes people more comfortable about reading, weird as that sounds. So while the old libraries will always hold a place in my heart, I kind of like the sleek ones better...

Booking Through Thursday/Saturday #27: Best Bad Book?

On Saturday

What’s the best ‘worst’ book you’ve ever read — the one you like despite some negative reviews or features?

I actually have a solid answer to this week's question! Yay! 
My best worst book that I've read is Model by Cheryl Diamond. 
I adored that book so I was super surprised to see that a bunch of other people didn't...
Boo them.
Because Model is probably on my list of favorite books. It was fun to read about the modeling world from someone who was actually a part of it. And she could write!
It was also deliciously scandalous. Not fake book scandal, but real life experiences.
Loved that book.

Booking Through Thursday/Saturday #26: Worst Book You've Ever Read

On Saturday

What’s the worst ‘best’ book you’ve ever read — the one everyone says is so great, but you can’t figure out why?

I have no idea. At all. 
Most of the books I read, I like. I'm super picky about what I read nowadays because, since I'm not reading as much as I used to, to read a bad book would be a horrible waste of time. 
A while ago though, I tried to read Jellicoe Road and didn't get into it at all. I guess that's my answer. Everyone says that it's amazing and that you just have to stick around until the end where everything falls into place but reading it was so extremely confusing and boring that I couldn't bring myself to finish. 
Maybe I have no will. Maybe I should have stuck with it. But, to me, that was a bad book.

Booking Through Thursday/Saturday #25: Movie Potential

On Saturday

What book do you think should be made into a movie? And do you have any suggestions for the producers?
Or, What book do you think should NEVER be made into a movie?

Well. I've heard some buzz that The Hunger Games movie rights were recently bought so...I think that could be good. I just hope that it's aimed more at teens and not at middle graders. I want to see a really gruesome arena with a lot of intelligent and thoughtful lines from the characters. It could be really bad or really good. We'll just have to see. 

Also, they're making a movie from The Lovely Bones due out at the end of this year which could also be really good or really bad. The book has this really distinctive vibe and I hope that they're able to capture that. And I don't want them to make that one a kids movie either. The death and the rape and the bad parts of it make it that much better so that stuff needs to stay.

Now for a book I'd like to see made into a movie? Either Uglies by Scott Westerfeld or What They Always Tell Us by Martin Wilson. With Uglies, they could create this big awesome franchise thing and with What They Always Tell Us, it would be way cool to have a movie focusing on a homosexual teen boy and what he goes through and what his life is like. Especially in today's society. I think it would make for a fantastic movie. It might open some people's eyes.

What movies do you want to see made?

Booking Through Thursday/Saturday #24: The Best Book You've Never Read

(On Saturday)

We’ve all seen the lists, we’ve all thought, “I should really read that someday,” but for all of us, there are still books on “The List” that we haven’t actually gotten around to reading. Even though we know they’re fabulous. Even though we know that we’ll like them. Or that we’ll learn from them. Or just that they’re supposed to be worthy. We just … haven’t gotten around to them yet.
What’s the best book that YOU haven’t read yet?


This is sooo easy for me because I have this enormous list of books I have yet to read. Top of the list of supposedly amazing books? The Book Thief by Markus Zusak and The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing by M.T. Anderson. I've heard such high praise for both of these books and the only thing that's kept me from reading them is prior reading commitments; books for review, library books that are due, books of authors I'm interviewing, etc. And I actually own both of these books which makes it especially pathetic. 

I swear, I'm trying to get back on the reading wagon...but it's so hard! I have so much to do and so little time. e.g. homework, American Idol, homework, friends, school projects, catching up on the Oscar movies, homework, and on. It's rather horrible. I just need to get dedicated. I'm finishing up The Lovely Bones and I'm reading Willow (I'm sorry it's taken me so long, Khy!) next so hopefully that will get me out of my pitiful slump? Here's to high hopes.

Booking Through Thursday/Saturday #22: Storage

On Saturday

“How do you arrange your books on your shelves? Is it by author, by genre, or you just put it where it falls on?”

posted some pictures of my bookshelves a week or two ago if you want to go check that out.
My little book arranging method is that I stick all my general fiction ones in alphabetical order according to the authors last name. Then I put all my kid books at the end in any order. On my bottom shelf I have the random piles of books I have yet to read. I don't like to put them on my shelf unless I've read them and liked them. And those piles are totally random and not ordered at all. So when I pick a book to read next, I just go find whatever looks good to me. :)

Booking Through Thursday/Saturday #21: Authors Talking

On Saturday
Do you read any author’s blogs? If so, are you looking for information on their next project? On the author personally? Something else?

I have a lot of authors on my feed reader but I follow only a few really diligently; Sarah Dessen, Melissa Walker, Lisa Schroeder, John Green, Siobhan Vivian, Meg Cabot, Elizabeth Scott, and Scott Westerfeld. 
Those are my select few because (a) their posts are short, sweet, and to the point, (b) they've written books I love, and (c) their posts are actually interesting. I'm a hard girl to please. :P
I don't really like super long and rambling posts about the author's lives...but in a certain context I'll read it.
Mostly I'm just looking for some insight on the person who wrote the book and in some cases info about their upcoming releases. Reading an author's blog is normally the first place you find out about stuff like that and I like to be in the know. Also, some of the authors are just plain charming and I read their blogs because I like them! 
So I guess it all depends...I have many motivations. :)