Saturday, April 25, 2009

Seven Things About Me As A Reader

Okay, so I have just been too busy/distracted lately to write book reivews. I hope to reenter catch-up mode soon! In the meantime, Vasilly did this meme of sorts and I thought that I would give it a try!

Seven Things About Me As A Reader:

This might not be things people don't know...

1. I have often wondered where I come from because there are very few readers in my family. Even when my parents were younger, they only read once in a while. My grandmother started reading when she retired, but otherwise it was little old me. My sister goes through periods where she will ask me for a few books to read, but that's about it. I have always read. It is my main hobby, and that has never really ever changed!

2. I hate a lot of description in books. I just want to know what is going on. If the dress is green, the dress is green. I don't need to have a sentence long explanation on the green dress. Sometimes it gets so bad that I will actually skip to the next talking portion. I make the joke that I am a 'meat and potatoes' sort of person. I don't need any of that fancy stuff!

3. My TBR pile is so much bigger than other people's. I read posts where people have such large piles and I laugh because, well, mine is always bigger! That being said, I am still not going to admit the size because I haven't counted in years. Joining the library is NOT helping my TBR pile.

4. I hated young adult fiction when I was a young adult. I have a lot of the stuff that was 'popular' for my age range during that period because that is what my parents would buy me, but I either only read it because I wanted to fit in or I just pretended to read it. I would just read my mother's books (romance novels. yuck!) or Star Trek. I would never have admitted the Star Trek books to people at school, though.

5. I actually hate my library. I do a really good job, but if anyone has noticed it is mostly young adult novels... I am going through a catch-up phase, because I went so many years hardly reading them. Once I get tired of them, I will go back to my fantasy novels and the library sucks for fantasy. It also takes like three months for inter-library loans. I just got a book that hadn't been checked out since 2008, but it took me three months to receive it!

6. I am the sort of person that will stop people and ask them what they are reading. I have had book discussions in malls, airports, at bus stops, etc. etc. I recommend books to random strangers all the time. I have a book radar it seems. If someone is reading nearby, I will see them.

7. I will in truth read just about anything. I say I don't like this, that, or the other thing, but there are always exceptions. I do have issues with buying books from the romance section of the bookstore, though. I have only done it five times... The five Colleen Gleason books. Now that the series is done, I am back to my anti-romance section thing. It drives me crazy that female fantasy and historical fiction authors are getting more romance-type covers because it is like I am going to the romance section without actually stepping foot in them... I am a book snob, huh?

23 comments:

  1. There are very few readers in my house too. My mom and elder sis read very little, so i am always surprised where my love for reading comes from.

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  2. too funny about not stepping into other parts of the book store..I think we all do it to a degree, I mean when's the last time anyone went into "references"?.. but I know you don't mean "that" lol.. I hit only 3 sections when i go to barnes and noble.. first of course I hit the sale books.. then I go to the fantasy books and then I go to YA books.. then I check out! lol

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  3. I'm a book snob too. It's okay :-)

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  4. Violet: It is weird how it works out, huh?

    Pat: Yeah, I go to the sale section, the fantasy section... and if I am looking for something general, then I go to the general section. Sometimes I go through non-fiction phases, too, so I hit certain sections for that too. Then, if I am with the charming comedian, I end the shopping at the music section because that is always where he is!

    Marie: I am glad to know I am not alone! lol

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  5. I'm just like you when it comes to too much description in books. I can't stand it. Just give me enough.

    Your TBR pile sounds huge! I'm trying to imagine.

    Love your answers.

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  6. Interesting post and list. Me too with 1 and 2 and 3 - I reckon my tbr pile must be all of three to four hundred books... maybe more. I try to use the library too but that does nothing to reduce the tbr pile! lol. 6 - I love to chat to strangers about books too and have had long conversations in charity shops and the library. I wish it would happen a lot more though. There aren't enough readers about.

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  7. Anonymous2:52 PM

    You are such a brave creature for going out to talk to random people about books! I don't think I could ever do that... *in much awe*

    I don't think I'd even want to know how big your TBR pile is if you've stoped counting. I think nearing 200 is terrifying enough.

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  8. (sigh) I'm a librarian. I have to sneak fantasy novels into the collection because the rest of the librarians tell me that no one reads them...

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  9. Vasilly: I try not to imagine, but then, it is a reality for me! lol

    Cath: Nope. I started using the library too late to have any hope of containing the pile. The only reason it hasn't grown very much in the last two years is because I have been very strict about book buying!

    libritouches: Oh, I surpassed 200 books long ago! lol And, I am just always interested in what other people are reading. That's just me! :)

    Teabird: I know! Horrible, huh? I read fantasy... My library gets young adult fantasy, but I can pretty much forget about the adult stuff. And the sci-fi section is a blink and you will miss it affair!

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  10. My TBR pile might shock even you lol. I've read maybe 100 of the books I own all the others I've been meaning to read for years lol. Oh I love my library (the main reason my TBR pile is so large), sorry you have a crappy one.

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  11. Tink: Good to know I am not the only crazy one!

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  12. I never read YA as a young adult either. I figured it was all teen issues, ("OMG, does that boy like me? Are my pimples too big? When will I finally get my period?"), and I wasn't interested in that stuff. I was in university before I started reading it.

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  13. You book snob :)

    I don't step into the romance section either although I admit I used to!

    And, see now you've got us all curious. How big is the TBR pile!

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  14. I'm an only reader as well. :) My family has a few casual readers, but they don't get my obsession. I also stop people to ask what they are reading as well. I can't help it, I HAVE to know! Funny because sometimes I get a little bugged when people try to talk to me when I'm reading. I think--geez, can't they see I have a book and am absorbed. :) Don't know why that thought doesn't dawn on me with others.

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  15. My parents aren't huge readers either, although I think, as far as my mom goes, that it is more about her being busy with other stuff, because she seems to like to read. My wife and I are rabid readers and my daughter really doesn't get into reading at all. My brother and his wife don't read AT ALL and their daughter, my niece, reads like there is no tomorrow. It is weird how this stuff skips around.

    I would never argue with you about book piles. As much as you read I have no doubt that you also have an enormous to be read pile! :)

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  16. Hey Kailana! I have an award for you on my blog. You can see it here: http://lissaslongyarn.blogspot.com/2009/04/i-got-awards.html

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  17. I'm the only reader in the family. Most of my friends don't read either, so it seems like I've no one to talk to about books until I started blogging!

    I'm always curious at what other people are reading! Sometimes when I see someone on the bus or train holding a book, I'll try to sneak a peek without being too obvious. I think I'm just nosey, haha.

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  18. I'm like that with long descriptions too - that's why I'm not good with long, slow books with beautiful language. :-)

    My library sucks too for fantasy too. :-) But I live in Belgium, so I consider myself lucky that I found a library with any sort of English section. I'm an Amazon addict though!

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  19. Anonymous3:56 PM

    I think your TBR pile truly deserves the title 'mountain'...

    I usually just sneak peeks at people's books when they're reading. Wouldn't dare to talk to them about it, though. (It helps that they're reading and I'd feel bad disturbing them.) There was the one time where I spoke up in the bookstore, though. A man's come in for recommendations on fantasy for a friend and... Let's just say 'fantasy' was not the clerk's strong point. So I tried to help out a bit. Never heard back from them (of course), but I hope the friend enjoyed the book he picked in the end!

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  20. Memory: Yes, I figured it was those sort of issues, too, and it didn't really interest me at all! I was done university before I really started reading it, but I did read a bit in university.

    Iliana: lol Thanks! It's a big TBR pile!

    Trish: Yes, even my grandmother who reads doesn't get my obsession. She only ever has a couple books pending to read, while I have many! I get bugged when people bother me when I am reading, too! I should probably have thought of that when bothering other people!

    Carl: My mother goes through periods where she will read a little bit, but it is not a main past-time. Yes, it is an enormous pile!

    Lissa: Thanks!

    Melody: I feel like I hardly had anyone to talk about books with until I started blogging, too!

    Joanna: I am not good with books of that nature, either! And, yes, an English section is a plus!

    libritouches: Mountain is probably more fitting!

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  21. I enjoy YA a lot more now than I did in my teens! I know I changed, but I think it's also that YA is getting better and better. Where was John Green when we were teens?

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  22. I never much liked YA either - and I really didn't like having to read it, think about it, and report on it in English class! In fact I still hardly touch it; there's too much else to read.

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  23. Ana: I think young adult fiction is getting better and better, too! I hear you there!

    CoversGirl: Mine might not last. It is mostly a library influence!

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