books i've been meaning to read for...forever

The Book List is a short and fun meme that allows you to share books with the blogosphere and make a list. Who doesn't love lists (QUIET, you!)? It is hosted weekly by Rebecca at Lost in Books.

This Week's Topic is: 3 Books that have been on your TBR (to be read) list the longest…

1. My Invented Country by Isabel Allende

I went to Chile (and fell in love with it) in the summer of 2004. I went to Spain in the fall of 2004. I bought this book in Spain. And I have taken it EVERYWHERE with me. It survived the after-college book purge, another trip to Chile, moves to Florida, Georgia, and Seattle, and it now resides on a shelf in my DC apartment. I always mean to read it, but somehow it never happens. That may also be due to the fact that I bought the Spanish-language version, and I read about three times slower in Spanish than in English. One day I will read this book! Sigh.

2. Enna Burning by Shannon Hale

I love Shannon Hale’s books. I read The Princess Academy, The Goose Girl and Book of a Thousand Days in quick succession. And then I bought Enna Burning and River Secrets…and they’ve just been SITTING. ON. MY. SHELF. Accusing me, making me feel guilty, and proving that even with books by the authors I love, I can still be the ultimate procrastinator. Probably not something to put on the résumé, eh? But I intend to read this one by December, because it's on my 'Once Upon a Time' reading challenge list.

3. The Secret History of the Pink Carnation by Lauren Willig

As a long-time fan of The Scarlet Pimpernel and the Regency period in general, it is a travesty that I haven’t read this book. It was a birthday gift, and a good one. From the year 2007. I just have never gotten around to reading it. But I will, never fear! Because the cover is just too gorgeous, and one of these days (probably a rainy day, with hot chocolate) I will discover just how much of a fool I’ve been to delay.

What are three books you’ve put off reading?

what to do, what to do...

Haven’t updated in a bit because some inventory has gone missing in the inspiration department. BUT! I remembered this evening that I’d been meaning to finish this book-ish meme. I think I got it from Steph Su – I could be wrong – but she’s marvelous at any rate, and might as well have made up these questions. Enjoy, and feel free to steal them for your blog as well!

Hardback, trade paperback or mass market paperback?

In an ideal world, I’d have a whole library full of hardbacks. But for ease and utility, trade paperbacks. And you can’t beat the price of a mass market…

Barnes & Noble or Borders?

I’m a Barnes & Noble girl. It might have something to do with the Starbucks & cheesecake in the café.

Bookmark or dog-ear?

Bookmark.

Amazon or brick-and-mortar?

I do like to shop on the internet, but recently I’ve discovered the joys of The Book Depository (sorry, Amazon!).

Alphabetize by author, or alphabetize by title, or random?

Random. Unless shelving by size counts.

Keep, throw away, or sell?

I keep most of the books I buy for pleasure reading. I sell academic books if I don’t see myself using them again, and I’ve only ever thrown out a book by mistake.

Keep dust jacket or toss it?

KEEP! Dust jackets are integral to the hardback experience. Plus, they make good bookmarks.

Read with dust jacket or remove it?

With. See above.

Short story or novel?

Difficult decision…but if I go by volume of novels vs. short stories in my reading queue right now, novels win.

Harry Potter or Lemony Snicket?

Harry Potter. I love that the books ‘grow up’ as Harry does.

Stop reading when tired or at chapter breaks?

When tired. I’m pretty impervious to the effects of chapter breaks.

“It was a dark and stormy night” or “Once upon a time”?

Oh…this one’s hard! Can I have both? In the same story?

Buy or borrow?

I love to own books, but borrowing is much more economical. Certified library geek.

Buying choice: book reviews, recommendations, or browse?

In that order exactly. I read book reviews (Booklist and School Library Journal, if they’re not too spoilery, and fellow book bloggers), then go to recommendations, and I’ve been known to browse occasionally as well.

Tidy ending or cliffhanger?

Somewhere in between. I don’t like having ALL ends tied up, but I’m not fond of books that can’t stand on their own either.

Morning reading, afternoon reading, or nighttime reading?

Nighttime, or between-appointments-time.

Stand-alone or series?

If I fall in love with a book, it’s nice to know that there’s a series following it up, but I believe in stand-alones in general. Sometimes the next books are disappointing, and then what do you do?

Favorite series?

If I have to pick just one…Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings.

Favorite children’s book?

A Christmas Card for Mr. McFizz by Obren Bokich.

Favorite YA book?

All of them. Umm...but seriously? Maybe The Only Alien on the Planet. Or The Blue Sword.

Favorite book of which nobody else has heard?

Mercedes Lackey’s Phoenix and Ashes. It’s magical alternate history set during World War I, and it’s loosely based on the Cinderella fairy tale. GREAT book.

Favorite books read last year?

Thirteenth Child, The Hunger Games, The Mysterious Benedict Society, Academy 7, Book of a Thousand Days, Chalice, The Graveyard Book. And many, many more.

Favorite books of all time?

Persuasion, The Blue Sword, Phoenix and Ashes, Neverwhere, Sabriel, The Once and Future King, The War of the Flowers, The Merlin Conspiracy, and Howl’s Moving Castle, to name a few.

What are you reading right now?

Boneshaker by Cherie Priest, Libyrinth by Pearl North, and Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick.

What are you reading next?

Probably Genesis by Bernard Beckett.

Favorite book to recommend to an 11-year-old?

Anything by Garth Nix or Robin McKinley, depending on the sex of the 11-year-old in question.

Favorite book to re-read?

Rilla of Ingleside or Phoenix and Ashes. Both make me cry buckets and fall in love with the characters all over again.

Do you ever smell books?

Yes. Anything verging on mildew is bad, but old paper smell? Awesome.

Do you ever read primary source documents like letters or diaries?

I have, yes. They’re not a favorite, though. I’m a fan of editing.

keep those answers short!

Challenge: try to answer all the questions in five words or less. Brevity is the goal of today! (and boy, was it hard! I’m a word-happy blogger…)

Do you snack while you read? If so, favorite reading snack?


No snacks. Icky residue. COFFEE.

Do you tend to mark your books as you read, or does the idea of
writing in books horrify you?


Academic books get penciled in.

How do you keep your place while reading a book? Bookmark? Dog-ears?
Laying the book flat open?


Bookmarks rule! (or my memory)

Fiction, Non-fiction, or both?


Mostly fiction with some exceptions.

Hard copy or audiobooks?


Hard copy, but e-books, too.

Are you a person who tends to read to the end of chapters, or are you
able to put a book down at any point?


End of the sentence.

If you come across an unfamiliar word, do you stop to look it up right away?


No. Context helps me understand.

What are you currently reading?

Prada and Prejudice, Only Milo and Half Moon.


What is the last book you bought?


Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters.

Are you the type of person that only reads one book at a time or can
you read more than one at a time?


Several at a time.

Do you have a favorite time of day and/or place to read? 


Red armchair in early evening.

Do you prefer series books or stand alone books? 


Either, but well-written and long!

Is there a specific book or author that you find yourself recommending over and over?


Neil Gaiman is made of awesome.

How do you organize your books? (By genre, title, author’s last name, etc.?)

Haphazardly. Only organization by size.

learn the ABC’s of celi.a

I’ve been tagged by Kim at Musty Meanderings to participate in a fun meme (and I can’t resist these kind of things, so consider yourself forewarned)...

RULES

1. Link to the person who tagged you

2. Share your ABC’s

3. Tag three people at the end by linking to their blogs

4. Let the three tagged people know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their website

5. Do not tag the same person repeatedly but try to tag different people, so there is a big network of bloggers doing this tag

Available or taken? Available.

Best Friend? Ginny, my sister. *grin*

Cake or Pie? Cake. Carrot cake! Mmmm…

Drink of choice? Coffee. I’m a complete and hopeless addict.

Essential item for every day use? I know lots of people have been saying computer, but I’m going to go all Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and say a towel. They’re pretty indispensible after swimming and showers, which are two of my daily activities. I’m just saying…

Favorite color? This is a hard one. Ergh! I have a whole blog post about this! Short answer for this exact moment: Kelly green.

Google? Yes, please. I mean…I DO have iGoogle set as my homepage.

Hometown? Seattle, Washington.

Indulgences? Books, coffee, dark chocolate, the internet, film-going, traveling.

January or February? January. You can get away with keeping your Christmas things up for most of the month. And the winter hasn’t gone on so very long at that point.

Kids and their names? No children.

Life is incomplete without? Time for introspection (well, that and reading!).

Marriage date? Not married.

Number of siblings? I’m the oldest of 5. After me, one girl and three boys. Currently ages 25 to 19. We’re a fun crew.

Oranges or apples? Apples! Especially Washington Golden Delicious apples.

Phobias and fears? Failure.

Quote for the day? “Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point.” C.S. Lewis

Reason to smile? My family. My pet rat. A good cup of coffee. Thirty minutes of sunshine in Seattle. Wonderful friends scattered around the world.

Season? Autumn. Love the leaves turning, wearing a jacket in the evenings, putting on rain boots and getting ready for the holidays.

Tag 3 people?

Paulina at Pretty Pink Posh

Ginny at …do you really want to know?

Jonita at The Book Chick

And anyone else who would like to play!

Unknown fact about me? I went to the National Championships in college for water polo (3 out of 4 years!).

Vegetable you hate? Brussels sprouts. And beets. No thanks!

Worst habit? Procrastination and arriving late. They’re related.

X-rays you’ve had? Dental, hands, shoulder, back, neck, knee, feet. Err…lots, I guess!

Your fave food? I like almost everything, but right now I’m on a Thai kick. Yum!

Zodiac sign? Capricorn.