A few other Book Bloggers (Brona’s Books, Howling Frog Books) are doing a fun questionnaire, so I thought I’d join in as well since I haven’t done any book blogging in a while and what better way to get to know someone than through the books they read?

1. What book has been on your shelf the longest? 

I have a lot of books from childhood including some old classic favorites like the Little House on the Prairie series and the Anne of Green Gables series as well.

2. What is your current read, your last read, and the book you’ll read next? 

Current Read:  The Fellowship of the Ring, In a Dark, Dark Wood

Last Read: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, The Clasp

Next Read: The Two Towers

3. What book did everyone like, but you hated?

I thought the Twilight books were awful – same with the first 50 Shades of Grey.  The dialogue wasn’t good and the writing in general I didn’t think was very well done.

4. What book do you keep telling yourself you’ll read, but you probably won’t?

I actually can’t think of any… most books I keep telling myself I’ll read, I really do intend on getting to one day.

5. What book are you saving for retirement?

I’m way too far away from retirement to put off reading a certain book until then.

6. Last page: read it first, or wait ’til the end?

Absolutely wait until the end. I think I’ve only peeked at the last page once or twice and immediately regretted it because it took away from the whole journey of the story because I already knew what was going to happen.

7. Acknowledgement: waste of paper and ink, or interesting aside?

Usually a waste, but occasionally I’ll read or skim through them. It all depends on how much I enjoyed the book, the topic, or my mood.

8. Which book character would you switch places with?

I was going to say Clare from Outlander, but on second thought I don’t think I could handle war and everything else even if I did get to snuggle up with Jamie as reward. 😉  Haha!  Perhaps I’ll go for a slightly easier life and trade places with Elizabeth Bennett… or Darcy, rather.

9. Do you have a book that reminds you of something specific in your life? (Place, time, person?) 

I think there are probably a good handful of these.  Boy’s Life by Robert McCammon will always take me back to my teenage years when I first read it in Junior High over the summer.

10. Name a book that you acquired in an interesting way.

I can’t say that I have ever procured a book in an interesting way… I’ve been gifted books, and bought most of them, but alas, I have no intriguing tales to regale you with.

11. Have you ever given a book away for a special reason to a special person?

I have honestly not given away many personal books.  Usually the only time they leave me is if I have not really enjoyed them. Ha!  I have given some paperbacks to my mom that we both read and loved, though, and she wanted to read them again. If I am to give a book to someone from my own collection, however, it will be because it makes me think of that person and that I think they will gain something from the reading of it.

12. Which book has been with you most places?

I can’t say that there is one in particular that has been with me most places over any other one… I’ve moved many times, and a good majority of my books have traveled with me each time much to the chagrin of everyone who has helped carry my boxes of books.  As much as I hate moving with them, I don’t see my collection ever growing to a manageable amount. Ha!

13. Any “required reading” you hated in high school that wasn’t so bad two years later?

I typically didn’t mind most of my high school reading assignments, though I did learn to appreciate ‘A River Runs through It’ more with age.  One book I read in college that I will most likely never read again was ‘Moby Dick.’ I hated it. There, I said it.

14. Used or brand new? 

As long as it’s lightly used, I don’t mind.  I do also collect some antique books, so those are obviously used, but I have to “Feel” something when I pick them up for them to come home with me. Otherwise, I really do love a fresh, new book.

15. Have you ever read a Dan Brown book?

Yes.  Almost all of them.

16. Have you ever seen a movie you liked more than the book?

I actually enjoyed the Hunger Game movies more than the books.  At times I felt like the dialogue and some of the story was a bit cheesy and too juvenile when I was reading it.

17. Have you ever read a book that’s made you hungry, cookbooks included? 

It’s a given that looking at cookbooks will make me hungry.  Put one in front of me and I’ll likely start salivating in minutes. As for fictional books, though… none are coming to mind easily.

18. Who is the person whose book advice you’ll always take?

I’m open to suggestions from just about anyone, though I find the advice is always better when it’s from someone who has similar taste as me. Not very surprising, I know.

19. Is there a book out of your comfort zone (e.g., outside your usual reading genre) that you ended up loving?

I have recently started reading more YA novels and there have been a handful that I’ve really enjoyed. One of my new favorite series is the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas and I’m also enjoying The Lunar Chronicles series by Marissa Meyer as well, which is also a YA series. Who’d of thought?