Rapid Fire Book Tag

 

1. Ebook or physical books?

Physical book.  I do own a Kindle paper white, and I have quite a few ebooks loaded onto it, but my brain does a much better job processing, synthesizing, and remembering information when I read from a physical book than a digital screen.

2. Paperback or hardback?

Day-to-day reading would be paperback.  However, if I love a book, like really love a book, I’ll seek out and purchase a hardcover edition.  For example, I own not one but three copies of the Hobbit and LOTR, and one of my sets is a gorgeous illustrated hardcover edition.  Same with Cressida Cowell’s How to Train Your Dragon series.  My children and I have all read that series multiple times over. 

3. Online or in-store book shopping?

There is something magical about a bookstore for me.  I get a little giddy when I enter one, so I prefer in-store shopping.  More specifically, I try to get my books through a small, local, independent bookseller.  

4. Trilogies or series?

Hmmm… this is a tough one.  I do love a good series, but not because it’s a series.  The characters must be awesome and the world has to be awesome.  I think I might actually prefer stand alone books the most.   

5. Heroes or villains? 

Villains, all the way.  No question.  Antiheroes, too.  Not that a hero can’t be great. (I love you, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III).

6. A book you want everyone to read?

A Darker Shade of Magic by Victoria Schwab.  Just go read it.  You’ll understand why.

7. Recommend an underrated book?

Wonderbook by Jeff VanderMeer.  One of the most amazing craft books I’ve encountered.  Even if your preferred genres aren’t fantasy or science fiction, this book is worth a look-see.

8. The last book you finished?

The Last Star by Rick Yancey.  This is a bit of a fib.  I’m aiming to finish it up tonight.  I’ve got about 30 pages left to go.

9. The last book you bought?

 

In print: The Scar (Bas-Lag) by China Miéville.  Audiobook: How to Train Your Dragon, Book 11 (David Tennant narrates these books.  Enough said.)

10. Weirdest thing you’ve ever used as a bookmark?

A parking ticket.

11. Used books: yes or no?

Gods, yes!  I live for the Salem book swap!!

12. Three favourite genres?

Young Adult (though I struggle with calling it a full-on genre), Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror.

13. Borrow or buy?

Both!  My house isn’t large enough to hold all the books I’d love to own.  I’m a true-blue bibliophile.  My dream home contains a library that would rival Alexandria’s.  But, given space constraints, I’m a regular patron of my local library.

14. Characters or plot?

Honestly, both.  I’ll admit that I enjoyed Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code despite the paper-thin characters.  I also liked Matthew Pearl’s The Dante Club.  That said, if I had to pick one over the other, it would be characters.  I fell in love with Stephen King’s work for his characters, not his plots.  I’ll stick with fascinating characters through a mediocre plot.  To stay with mediocre characters, the plot has to be highly entertaining, and that doesn’t happen all that often for me.

15. Long or short books?

Short.  I’m a very slow reader.

16. Long or short chapters?

I honestly don’t think I have a preference, as long as the chapter lengths are working for the story I’m reading.

17. Name the first 3 books you think of.

This question should have come earlier in this list.  I’ve biased my response by listing all those others above.  

18. Books that made you laugh or cry?

Bridge to Terabithia  was the first book that made me sob.  I cry every time Gandalf falls to the Balrog.  I laugh my way through The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy every time I read it.  

19. Our world or fictional worlds?

I’m not yet convinced there’s a difference.  Currently, however, fictional worlds.

20. Audiobooks; yes or no?

Is this even a question?  Yes!

21. Do you ever judge a book by it’s cover?

All the time.  Sorry.

22. Book to movie or TV adaptations?

With a few notable exceptions, please, no.

23. Movie/TV show you preferred to its book? 

*snorts derisively* Yeah, right.

24. Series or stand-alones?

Stand-alones, though that doesn’t mean I don’t read series, too.

 

Well, now you know a bit more about me.  Your turn!