Reading Habits Meme

Reading Habits is a meme that I have seen on a few different blogs.  Two blogs that I read frequently,  Lost for Words and YA Addict,  both featured this meme this week.  I thought it might be fun to take a look at my reading habits. 

1. Do you snack while you read? If so, favourite reading snacks:

I try not to snack while reading; it would make me sad to get the book dirty. So, I try to take breaks if I need a snack. But, I do occasionally read while eating breakfast. The perfect breakfast to eat while reading would have to be a toasted English muffin with peanut butter.

2. What is your favourite drink while reading?

Again, I try not to drink while reading and try to take breaks. However, in the summer what could be better than having a lovely glass of iced sweet tea while reading outside?

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

As a librarian, I feel that my answer should be that writing in books horrifies me. And for a long time it did. But, I can deal with notes and thoughts in the margins. I usually have a specific notebook where I jot down things during reading and where I write my reviews. However, I do buy second copies of books that I absolutely love, so that I can have one pristine copy on the shelf and one copy to write in and underline favorite parts.

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

Ohh, dog-eared pages are a big pet peeve for me. That’s a big no-no. Laying a book flat will eventually ruin the spine, so it’s bookmarks all the way! Not necessarily an actual bookmark though. I tend to use whatever is nearby while I’m reading. Index cards and sticky notes tend to be my favorite things to use as bookmarks because I can write down a quick note or thought before I close the book.

5. Fiction, non-fiction, or both?

Mostly fiction, especially young adult fiction. I read a lot of different genres; fantasy, paranormal, dystopian, historical, contemporary, realistic, pretty much anything except for horror. I don’t particularly like to be scared senseless while reading. As for non-fiction, I will read memoirs or biographies from time to time.

6. Are you a person who tends to read to the end of a chapter, or can you stop anywhere?

I can pretty much stop anywhere. I try to read to the end of the chapter, but then I always want to read one more and then one more, so it’s easier to just stop, mark the page and deal with the interruption and then pick up where I was.

7. Are you the type of person to throw a book across the room or on the floor if the author irritates you?

No book throwing please! I tend to shut the book and walk away, think about what bothers me, try to work out why it bothers me, then go back and reread a few pages and if it still irritates me take a longer break.

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

If I come across an unfamiliar word, I try to work out the meaning by how it’s used in the sentence. If the word is important enough that it I need to know what it means for the page or scene to make sense then I will look it up right away. If the scene makes sense without me knowing the exact meaning, I will write it down in my notebook and look it up during a reading break.

9. What are you currently reading?

Right now, I’m rereading The Demon’s Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan. I finished the sequel, The Demon’s Covenant. Now I want to go back to see if after reading the sequel, what little “breadcrumbs” I missed when I read it the first (okay, um, third) time. I tend to do that with sequels, I like to see if the first book still holds up after reading what comes next.

10. What is the last book you bought?

I just ordered Sea by Heidi Kling and Glimmerglass by Jenna Black from The Strand. I can’t wait until they’re actually in my hands.

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

I can read more than one book at a time. I wonder of that’s a result of having to read a lot for class? Even though I can read more than one at a time, I try not to unless I have to for a specific reason (such as school or work).

12. Do you have a favourite time/place to read?

I can read anywhere and at anytime. I always carry the book that I’m reading with me in my bag so that it’s available anytime there a few minutes when I can read. My absolute favorite place to read is sitting in the big comfy, green chair in my office.

13. Do you prefer series books or stand alones?

Both! Recently, I have been reading more series. But, stand alone books are a welcome break from reading about one set characters too often. And once I find an author that I love, I tend to read all of their books.

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

As a librarian, recommending books is part of my job (a part I rather enjoy). We get a lot of “I just finished Book A and loved it, what should I read next?” questions. At work, I’ve been recommending Kristin Cashore, Maureen Johnson, James Dashner, Rick Riordan, Sarah Dessen and John Green.

 Outside of the library, I tend to recommend Megan Whalen Turner a lot (big shock, right?!). And more recently, I’ve been recommending The Hunger Games and The Mortal Instruments. Mockingjay is one of my most anticipated reads of this year (along with Linger, The Demon’s Covenant, Clockwork Angel and Beautiful Darkness), so by recommending the Hunger Games, I’m hoping that other people will love the series as much as I do and will want to talk about it. Kind of selfish, but a good way of surrounding yourself with people who want to talk about books.

15. How do you organize your books? (by genre, title, author's last name, etc.)

 I'm a little obsessive-compulsive when it comes to my books.  My books are divided into fiction and non-fiction. And then the fiction is divided into paperback and hardcover. Finally, they are organized alphabetically by author. I also have two shelves where my favorite books or books that are special live. Books like my first edition This Side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald and the early edition Gone with the Wind are on those shelves, along with signed books and a complete set of Harry Potter British editions. 

Those are my reading habits, what are yours?  If you do this meme, add a link to your comments and I will come read about your reading habits.