A Great Book Meme

I got this book meme a little while ago over at This Just In, who is participating in the Read to Me Mission. Since it's turned into a very scattered day, I thought I would take the opportunity to meme on one of my favorite subjects. I won't officially tag anyone, but I can think of several people who are as fascinated by this topic as I am, so if you decide to do it, let me know in the comments and I'll come read all about it.

Hardback or trade paperback or mass market paperback?

Trade paperback is my favorite. They are so nice and smooth. I rarely buy hardbacks (because I'm cheap!), but I also don't really like the heft of them.

Amazon or brick and mortar?

I'm totally an amazon girl. I love to browse online, I love the customer reviews, and the discounts and free super saver shipping. That said, I love to browse in a bookstore, especially a used bookstore or an overstocks/remainders chain where I can get a bargain and stumble across a book I might not otherwise have thought to read.

Barnes & Noble or Borders?

I always liked B&N, but the Borders here is a better store.

Bookmark or dogear?

When I was younger, I always dogeared. Now I use a bookmark (which could be a real bookmark, or an old grocery list, or reply card from a magazine), or I just stop at a chapter and try to remember where I was.

Alphabetize by author or alphabetize by title or random?

I try to group by subject and probably by size within that grouping. All books by the same author are usually together, but that's as alphabetized as they get.

Keep, throw away, or sell?

I try to only buy books that I want to keep (and use the library for others). In a time of purging and paring down, I will either give them away or sell them (although I don't usually get much money for them).

Keep dustjacket or toss it?

I keep it, but I've gone for that artsy furniture store look with some of our shelved books and removed it.

Read with dustjacket or remove it?

I usually take it off to read it, but when I keep it on, I use the flap as a bookmark.

Short story or novel?

Novel. When I was a child, I would select the book I was going to read by length. I wanted to be sure it would last, so I selected long books.

Short story collection (short stories by the same author) or anthology (short stories by a different author?

I really don't read many short stories. If there was an author I liked, I would probably read a collection by the author.

Harry Potter or Lemony Snicket?

I have read the first 4 Harry Potter books and really enjoyed them. Lemony Snicket seems a bit disturbing to me, although I'm sure I will try the first book sometime.

Stop reading when tired or at chapter breaks?

I try to make it to the end of the chapter, but if I've lost focus, I'll just stop anywhere.

“It was a dark and stormy night” or “Once upon a time”?

I probably enjoy both--suspense/action and a more narrative story.

Buy or Borrow?

There are certain books I buy, but I love the library, especially for fiction that is probably just going to be a one-time read. I used to love to buy cookbooks, but now I use my library for those most of the time as well.

New or used?

I prefer new (especially a new book that I can get for the price of a used one at my favorite type of bookstores I mentioned above), but I don't mind used at all.

Buying choice: book reviews, recommendation or browse?

I enjoy browsing and stumbling across something I've never heard of, but a do like to read a bok that a friend has recommended, or that I've read a review of in a blog or in a amazon customer review.

Tidy ending or cliffhanger?

I usually like a tidy ending.

Morning reading, afternoon reading or nighttime reading?

Most often nighttime (although not always at bedtime--just in the evenings after dinner), but afternoon naptime (for Kyle) is a great time for me to try to get in a few minutes of reading as well.

Standalone or series?

Both.

Favorite series?

Jan Karon's Mitford. I haven't even read the last one yet. I always wait for it to come out in trade paperback before buying it, but I think that I can't bear that it's over, so I haven't read it yet.

Favorite books read last year?

The Living End by Lisa Samson and The Birth Order Book by Kevin Leman were both books I enjoyed. I don't know. I really hate favorite questions, and I wasn't keeping track last year. Next year I'll have a better answer to that question. After I post this, I'll probably think of two or three that I really wish I had included. Edited a few minutes later to add Plain Truth by Jodi Picoult. I hadn't read any JP in a while, so when I picked this up last summer, it really hit the spot.

Favorite books of all time?

Mitford series by Jan Karon, Stepping Heavenward by Elizabeth Prentiss, Mandy by Julie Andrews Edwards

Speaking of books, Katrina has unveiled the Spring Reading Thing. Click over to find out all about it.