Bookish Survey: Take Two

My current state of Mt. TBR. Yikes!

Remember when MySpace was a thing? I was addicted to taking all those ridiculous surveys and sharing them with my friends. They were so fun! Tonight, I decided we would do "take two" of the ultimate bookish survey. Here's the link to the first bookish survey, if you missed it. Feel free to post this survey on your own site, and leave the link to your survey answers in the comments section below!

1. Which book are you reading right now?

The Palace by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro. It's book two of the Saint-German series. I've been holding on to nearly all the books in the series for 10 years and have NEVER READ THEM. The owners of my local indie bookstore are friends with the author, and absolutely love her work. Out of my love for the owners, I decided to finally venture into this series and WOW. Yarbro is highly underrated, and highly underpublicized. Amazing.

2. How did you learn to read?

I had a brown Fisher Price recorder and tape player-in-one that my parents bought me, along with book-and-tape sets. At the sound of "DING!," I would turn the page and follow along with the "audiobook." I was a reading machine after that.

3. Which foreign languages do you read?

No.

4. What’s the funniest book you ever read?

It's difficult to say, because many funny books just aren't timeless. Books written by comedians are one-and-done for me, as well as most humorous fiction books. Actually, the funniest book that stands the test of time is Unpleasant Ways to Die by Elan Fleisher. I've been chuckling over this one since it came out in 1989.

5. What books have changed the way you look at the world or the way you live your life?

Bram Stoker's Dracula, L.J. Smith's Vampire Diaries and Secret Circle series (the originals!), and Anne Rice's Witching Hour series. All these books opened up my eyes to the possibility of magic. And I think magic definitely adds an exciting element to life.

6. What are some of the scariest books you've ever read?

Everything by Graham Masterton. No book has ever truly horrified me, until I read Prey by Graham Masterton. The scariest novels I've read to date by Masterton are Master of Lies and Feast.

7. How many books have you read in your life?

Literally thousands.

8. How many books do you own?

Several hundred. I would definitely own a lot more books if I didn't move around so often.

9. Do you read in bed?

Yes. Reading is the ultimate way to relax your mind and body before bedtime. 

10. Where’s the strangest place you’ve ever read a book?

I used to date this guy who owned a jeep, and we went four-wheeling all the time. I remember a few times we were going up steep inclines that would have scared the shit out of anyone normal, but there I was, my nose stuck in a book.

11. Do you enjoy reading out loud?

I'm the best out-loud reader in this part of the wild, wild west!

12. What's the most difficult book you ever read?

It's a tie between The Name of the Rose and Foucault's Pendulum by Umberto Eco. Some day, I will tackle these again. Please let me know if they're not worth my time!

13. What books do you intend to read but keep putting off?

My entire Margaret Atwood collection. It's sort of a save-the-best-for-last situation, but that's stupid. I'm always going to have a never-ending collection books until the zombie apocalypse. I should read them now.

14. Do you buy new or used books? Paperbacks or hardcovers? Ebooks?

All of the above. I have no preference.

15. How do you feel about writing in books?

I'm not a collector, so I don't care. As long as the writing doesn't obstruct the content in any way, I'm good to go.

16. Do you loan books to friends?

Not anymore. I've had far more bad experiences than good when loaning out books. I either don't get them back, or get them back ruined. However, I do give some books away to friends when I've finished reading them.

17. What were your favorite books as a child?

My childhood spanned so many great authors and books. Beverly Cleary, The Babysitter's Club, The Berenstain Bears, Sweet Valley Twins, R.L. Stine, Christopher Pike, V.C. Andrews, Encyclopedia Brown (back when he wasn't a little smart ass, like the kid below)...honestly, what didn't I read?!


What about you? Feel free to comment with your own answers!