Book Blogger Survey Day 5

So today is the last day of this survey. I've had fun, I hope I haven't bored you to tears with my answers, and I hope you stay tuned for new reviews and contest here at Reader's Ramblings!

42. Name a book that you could/would not finish.
I'll admit to never finishing Beautiful Creatures, although I loved the part I read, and really loved Beautiful Darkness- I just ran out of time when I was reading BC.

43. What distracts you easily when you’re reading?
I do most of my reading when my kiddo is asleep, if I try when she is awake it's nearly impossible. My computer is the other thing that really distracts me. Although if I'm really into a book I'll sit and read for hours. Even exhaustion won't tear me away!

44. Favorite film adaptation of a novel?

Lord of the Rings is by far the best adaption I've seen. They got it 100% right- now if they could just get The Hobbit rolling...

45. Most disappointing film adaptation?
I have to agree with Donna at EFG on this one. Twilight. I love these books- they are not earth shattering, but the movies really do them a disservice.

46. The most money I’ve ever spent in the bookstore at one time?
It's a rare occassion that I walk out of the book store form under $100. I'm horrible about it.

47. How often do you skim a book before reading it?
I don't really skim books- unless they are more for research then pleasure. If I'm looking for a research book then I'll flip through and see if it's going to have what I need.

48. What would cause you to stop reading a book half-way through?
If the book jsut isn't catching my interest it has to go. Or if another book that I've been dying to read comes my way, everything else goes on hold.

49. Do you like to keep your books organized?
Yes- I'm pretty OCD about it. My home library is organized by topic and then alphabetically by author. So we have my school book section, Westerns, Government and Politics, YA, Fantasy and my kids books from when I was little (my parents saved them all). Then my series' have their own shelf. Unfortunately I wan out of book shelf space a while ago, so the stacks that are sitting around are driving me nuts!

50. Do you prefer to keep books or give them away once you’ve read them?
I keep them all. In my mind I'm building a library that my daughter will be able to use someday.

On rare occassions I will give a book away, if the perfect person comes along. This only happens with my autographed books. When it's someone I'm not hugely attached to, but who I know someone else absolutely loves. To be able to make someone elses day is awesome, to be able to do that with a book is even better.

51. Are there any books you’ve been avoiding?
The Black Dagger Brotherhood- I know I will become obsessed and I just don't have the time to get sucked into anohter series right now! The longer I wait the worse the attachement will be too- it happened with Harry Potter, Twilight and the Sookie Stackhouse series.

52. Name a book that made you angry.
Speak- hated every minute of it. I feel I have to justify here- and my justification is this. the book is set in my hometown, the place I lived my entire life, and there was nothing I recognized in her setting. I was so distracted by the inaccuracies that it ruined the entire book for me.

53. A book you didn’t expect to like but did?
There have been alot of books like this- I was super skeptical of the Twilight series and we know how that turned out for me. Also there's a book out there called Stork by Wendy Delsol that I thought I wouldn't like, but ended up loving.

54. A book that you expected to like but didn’t?
The Soul Screamers series

55. Favorite guilt-free, pleasure reading?
All books are this!

Book Blogger Survey Day 4

32. If you could read in a foreign language, which language would you chose?
Elvish

33. Most intimidating book you’ve ever read?
The Passage- that book was HUGE and too forever for me to get into!

34. Most intimidating book you’re too nervous to begin?
I got nothing on this one :) Although I do have a copy of Le Morte d'Arthur, that has been eyeing me for a few years now...

35. Favorite Poet?
Shel Silverstein, Robert Frost

36. How many books do you usually have checked out of the library at any given time?
I've been on a book buying ban for almost a year now- occasionally, for a book I know I will love I'll cave and buy, but for the most part I go the library route. On average I get out 3 or so at a time, the most I've taken out at a time was 10 though!

37. How often have you returned book to the library unread?
Only a few times- this usually happens when I take out a whole stack at once and move on to something else before I get around to reading it.

38. Favorite fictional character?
hmmm... this is a tough one. There are so many charecters I really enjoy- Hermione from the Harry Potter series always pops into my head first though.

39. Favorite fictional villain?
Voldemort (that's a given right?)

40. Books I’m most likely to bring on vacation?
Another hard one- I'm most likely to bring the books I haven't read yet (duh)- if I'm flying I take a few in my carryon and a few more in my luggage- if we are driving I bring a whole stack!

41. The longest I’ve gone without reading.
I'm not sure on this one. There have been a few times that I didn't read alot- there was a stretch when I was really down and didn't read a lot, although there was always a book nearby, I jsut wasn't into it. As silly as it sounds, I picked up Twilight and my whole world changed- I remembered how much fun reading was. Since then it's been a whirl-wind and the longest I've gone is probably a week or two.

Stay tuned for Day 5 of the survey tomorrow!!

Book Blogger Survey part three

I got this survey (5 parts!) from Eve's Fan Garden, and so far it has been alot of fun to think about the answers and share it with all of you!. And so the survey continues....

22. Favorite genre?
Paranormal, Historical Fiction, Western

23. Genre you rarely read (but wish you did?)
Biographies- I always really enjoy them when I read them, but they are few and far between in the to be read pile.

24. Favorite biography?
Black Elk Speaks

25. Have you ever read a self-help book?
Yes- I actually just reviewed Style by Lauren Conrad which is kind of a self-help book for those of us that are fashion challenged...

26. Favorite cookbook?
I am a horrible cook, but I'm working on it, and therefore I have a ton of cookbooks...I couldn't tell you what any of them are called, but I have them.

27. Most inspirational book you’ve read this year (fiction or non-fiction)?
Walking with Grandfather by Joseph Marshall III.

28. Favorite reading snack?
Doritos & Rootbeer. This has been my go-to reading snack since I was about 12 9and possibly before).

29. Name a case in which hype ruined your reading experience.
Hmmm... I'd say it's a tie between Linger and Matched. Both were really good books, but they were so hyped that it would be impossible for any book to stand up to that.

30. How often do you agree with critics about a book?
I hardly ever read official reviews. I read other book blogs all the time and I'd say probably 80% of the time I agree with what they have to say!

31. How do you feel about giving bad/negative reviews?
I think it's hard to give a bad review, but it has to be done. There have been a few books I really disliked and I've said so on my blog- I do try to frame it in a way that makes it clear that the book was just not for me. I think every book has a value to someone out there- and jsut because I didn't like it doesn't neccessarily mean it's a bad book- so I try to keep that in mind when I write a less then favorable review.

Book Blogger Survey part duex

11. How often do you read out of your comfort zone?
I have to admit, not often. Right now I read mostly YA and historical fiction for the blogs I contribute too and I would say those are pretty much my wheelhouse. Still, everyonce in awhile I'll grab somethign new and have at it!

12. What is your reading comfort zone?
YA and Historical Fiction

13. Can you read on the bus?
I'm not much of a bus rider, so I will substitute car and plane for bus. In that case the answer is yes. As a matter of fact if I'm not focusing on a book or magazine I do get motion sick. So the books really save the day in those situations!

14. Favorite place to read?
Ohhh- Top Ten Tuesday was on this subject this week- I went with Couch, Bathtub, Wyoming and Bed as my top four. Check out the post for why!

15. What is your policy on book lending?
I used to never lend them out, but more recently I've been pretty good about it. To my fellow reviewers at Eve's Fan Garden I have no problem sharing with (so long as they share their books with me)and to my best friend it's easy as she alsways gives them back. However, I did loan a whole stack to a family member 4 months ago and I still haven't seen them back yet, so....

16. Do you ever dog-ear books?
Always. Unless the book doesn't belong to me, then I go for the bookmark. But my own books I am brutal with. Dog-eared, food smudges, wet spots (see favorite places to read, place two), covers missing. They look like they've been through war after I read them and I LOVE it.

17. Do you ever write in the margins of your books?
Not really. I don't often stop long enough to take notes when I read. If I want to remember to take something down I make a small fold in the corner of the page so I can find the quote or thought when I'm done reading for the day.

18. Not even with text books?
Not even with text books. I'm more of a notes in a notebook type girl. Lots and lots of notes in a notebook. And the occasional post-it note.

19. What is your favorite language to read in?
Elvish...

20. What makes you love a book?
This is a toughie because there are so many different things that can suck me in, but I think the over-riding idea is that it must suck me in. I have to not want to put it down. I know I loved it when I can't stop thinking about it. you also know I love it when I start demanding other people read it as well!

21. What will inspire you to recommend a book?
I wasn't much of a book pusher until I got involved with TwilightMoms and EFG, where people actually want to hear what I'm reading and if I like it. I'll push a book if it has the qualities of #20.

Stay tuned for more questions coming soon!

Book Blogger Survey

I found this survey on the other Blog I write for Eve's Fan Garden- I'm usually not much for these, but it's all about books, so really how could I not be all over it! So lets get to it :)

1. Favorite childhood book?

The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. My Dad read us this book all the time and he also painted pictures of some of the scenes for us too. I can rememebr both reading the book with him and helping him paint the pictures. It's the one book I have really solid memories of from my childhood and it's a book that stands up just as well today.

Summary: The Giving Tree is a tale about a relationship between a young boy and a tree in a forest. The tree always provides the boy with what he wants: branches on which to swing, shade in which to sit, apples to eat, branches with which to build a home. As the boy grows older he requires more and more of the tree. The tree loves the boy very much and gives him anything he asks for. In the ultimate act of self-sacrifice, the tree lets the boy cut her down so the boy can build a boat in which he can sail. The boy leaves the tree, now a stump. Many years later, the boy, now an old man, returns and the tree says, "I have nothing left to give you." The boy replies, "I do not need much now, just a quiet place to sit and rest." The tree then says, "Well, an old tree stump is a good place for sitting and resting. Come boy, sit down and rest." The boy obliged and the tree was happy.



2. What are you reading right now?

The Floating Islands by Rachel Neumeier. I'm about half way through and I'm absolutely loving it so far. It's an arc I picked up on a whim at NCTE and I'm really glad I did.

Summary:When Trei loses his family in a tragic disaster, he must search out distant relatives in a new land. The Floating Islands are unlike anything Trei has ever seen: stunning, majestic, and graced with kajurai, men who soar the skies with wings.Trei is instantly sky-mad, and desperate to be a kajurai himself. The only one who fully understands his passion is Araene, his newfound cousin. Prickly, sarcastic, and gifted, Araene has a secret of her own . . . a dream a girl cannot attain.Trei and Araene quickly become conspirators as they pursue their individual paths. But neither suspects that their lives will be deeply entwined, and that the fate of the Floating Islands will lie in their hands. . . .Filled with rich language, and told in alternating voices, The Floating Islands is an all-encompassing young adult fantasy read.

3. What books do you have on request at the library?

I've got one on hold- Girl, Stolen by April Henry. I'm really behind on my YA Contemps reading challenge, and this will be the second book I've got my hands on from that list!

Summary: Sixteen year-old Cheyenne Wilder is sleeping in the back of a car while her mom fills her prescription at the pharmacy. Before Cheyenne realizes what's happening, their car is being stolen—with her inside! Griffin hadn’t meant to kidnap Cheyenne, all he needed to do was steal a car for the others. But once Griffin's dad finds out that Cheyenne’s father is the president of a powerful corporation, everything changes—now there’s a reason to keep her. What Griffin doesn’t know is that Cheyenne is not only sick with pneumonia, she is blind. How will Cheyenne survive this nightmare, and if she does, at what price?


4. Bad book habit?
I'm really rough on my books- after I finish they look like they've been through a war. I hate covers, so those go before i even start reading. I fold pages, I eat while reading and get smudges on the pages and I break the bindings. Alot of people think those are bad book habits, but I have to admit that I really love how a book looks when it's been well loved!

5. What do you currently have checked out at the library?
Nothing right at this moment

6. Do you have an e-reader?
Nope- I used a Kindle once as a text book and hated it. I have a netgalley account for reading books online, but haven't even read one yet. I tried to start Delirium, but couldn't get into it. When I actually got the book I tore through it- so that was an eReader fail. I get why people love them- but I'm not ready to give up my books yet!

7. Do you prefer to read one book at a time, or several at once?
I usually have 2 or 3 going. One main book that I'm all over then one or two books that are scattered around the house or in my car that I can pick back up if I'm not into anything else, or if I'm caught somewhere and need a book.

8. Have your reading habits changed since starting a blog?
Absolutely. For one I read alot more! I' almost up to 120 for the year, and I know I've never read that many before. I also look at books differently. Not only am I looking to see if I will like it, but if others will as well. I've also become more aware as to whether a book is written well as opposed to just a fun book to read.

9. Least favorite book you read this year (so far?)
No contest- Speak was so not my favorite book this year.

10. Favorite book you’ve read this year?
So many good books this year- but if I had to narrow down to my top 5 (I know that's not the question, but that's what I'm going with)- I'd go: Delirium and Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver, Stolen by Lucy Christopher, The Lonely Hearts Club by Elizabeth Eulberg and The Iron Fey Series by Julie Kagawa.

Word is that there are something like 40 more questions to this bad boy which will be posted in the net few days. So as they go up at EFG I'll add them here too!