A – Z Bookish Questionnaire

September 17, 2014 Uncategorized 17

I stumbled upon this bookish ABC questionnaire on New Horizons Reviews and thought it looked like fun!

Author you’ve read the most books from: Probably Agatha Christie, because I’ve read almost everything she wrote under that name, and she wrote a lot of books (85 under her own name.) Runners-up are probably Mercedes Lackey and Anne McCaffrey. Oh, and Ngaio Marsh and Krentz/Quick/Castle. 

Best sequel ever: The Wise Man’s Fear (Patrick Rothfuss). Or maybe The Book of Life (Deborah Harkness). Oh, heck, there are too many good ones to choose! 

Currently reading:  Renegade Magic (Stephanie Burgis), and One Summer: America 1927 (Bill Bryson)

Drink of choice while reading: Tea or water

E-reader or physical book: Both! Many of the ARCs I get are digital. I’ve also switched to digital for many of the romances I buy, though not yet for SFF and mystery (that may come; it’s a function of how much shelf space I have left!)  But for most of my favorite authors, I still buy physical copies.

Fictional character you probably would have actually dated in high school? Gilbert Blythe, if I could have!

Glad you gave this book a chance: The Name of the Wind (Patrick Rothfuss) Omigosh, that man can write!

Hidden gem book: The Perilous Gard (Elizabeth Marie Pope). Also The Ordinary Princess (M. M. Kaye) and Children of Green Knowe (L. M. Boston).  Funny, all of those are children’s or YA. For adults, how about Gentian Hill (Elizabeth Goudge).

Just finished: A Cruise to Die For (Aaron and Charlotte Elkins)

Kind of books you won’t read: Horror; violent or very dark thrillers; and I usually avoid anything that involves a lot of child abuse of any sort. I also won’t read anything that seeks to justify racism, genocide, or violence against women or children.

Longest book you’ve read: Probably The Wise Man’s Fear by Patrick Rothfuss at close to 1000 pages, except that was audio so perhaps it doesn’t count. In physical books, I’m guessing David Eddings’ The Redemption of Althalus at 726 pages, because it’s denser than the longest Harry Potter book, but HP and the Order of the Phoenix might come close to matching it in word count (870 pages.)

Major book hangover because of:  Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Number of bookcases you own: 11, if you count the ones that are just mine. There are at least 19 in the house, but some are our daughter’s and some are for the whole family. I guess I live in a library!

One book you read multiple times: The Lord of the Rings. (And a bunch more titles as well. I’m a frequent re-reader.)

Preferred place to read: Couch or bed.

Quote(s) you like from a book you read:

“It had flaws, but what does that matter when it comes to matters of the heart? We love what we love. Reason does not enter into it. In many ways, unwise love is the truest love. Anyone can love a thing because. That’s as easy as putting a penny in your pocket. But to love something despite. To know the flaws and love them too. That is rare and pure and perfect.”
― Patrick Rothfuss, The Wise Man’s Fear

“The Waystone was his, just as the third silence was his. This was appropriate, as it was the greatest silence of the three, wrapping the others inside itself. It was deep and wide as autumn’s ending. It was heavy as a great river-smooth stone. It was the patient, cut-flower sound of a man who is waiting to die.”
― Patrick Rothfuss, The Name of the Wind

“I crawled into my book and pulled the pages over my head…” 
― Laurie R. King, The Beekeepers Apprentice

Reading regret: Can’t think of one offhand. I tend to put them behind me and move on.

Series you started and need to finish: Just one? Seriously? OK, Deborah Crombie’s Kincaid & James series.

Three of your all time favorite books:  The Beekeeper’s Apprentice (Laurie R. King). Dragonsong & Dragonsinger by Anne McCaffrey.  The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley.

 Unapologetic fangirl for: Laurie R. King’s Mary Russell series. Also Tamora Pierce, Robin McKinley, Patrick Rothfuss, Mary Balogh, and a slew of others.

Very excited for this release more than all the others: The Slow Regard of Silent Things, by Patrick Rothfuss. Not the third Kingkiller Chronicle, but set in the same world and featuring one of my favorite characters, the mad-but-wise Auri.

Worst bookish habit: I admit it — I’m one of those horrible people who peeks at the ending before she gets there. Not always, but sometimes. [I have reasons (anxiety), but still.]

X marks the spot: Bookmark if I can find one. Post-it note, scrap paper, or tissue if I can’t. I’ve been known to put a book face-down in the open position in a pinch, but I’m trying to break myself of that. I never dog-ear.

Your latest book purchase:  The Art Whisperer, by Aaron and Charlotte Elkins.

Zzzz snatcher book:  Penumbra by Keri Arthur (forthcoming).

Related Posts

17 Responses to “A – Z Bookish Questionnaire”

  1. Bea

    Oh, what a fun idea! I like to use bookmarks but if there’s not one handy, I’ll use a handy piece of paper or even leave the book open, turned down.

    • Lark @ The Bookwyrm's Hoard

      Bits of paper, post-it notes, old receipts, old envelopes – pretty much anything flat I can stick in the book. But I can’t always find one when I need one – you know, when the phone’s ringing in the other room and you have to run to answer it.

  4. Katherine P

    I’m a back peeker too! My main reason is if there’s a character (usually an animal of some kind) that I’m afraid something bad is going to happen to I’ll look at the back to be sure they’re still there! I love the Deborah Crombie series and the Mary Russell series though I’m behind in that one. So many great choices. This is a fun post!

    • Lark @ The Bookwyrm's Hoard

      Yes, that’s part of why I look at the back, too. I deal with anxiety on and off – enough to need medication sometimes – and I also want to be sure that the book isn’t going to cause me nightmares or trigger a period of anxiety. Horror and really dark stuff aren’t particularly good for my mental health! 😉

  5. Kaja

    Hi, I really like your answers 🙂 I’m a huge Rothfuss fan, as well – you chose great quotes! I can’t wait for book 3, though, and I’m afraid of expecting too much of it!

  6. Rita_h

    Ooh, what fun! I would like to do this too. I so enjoyed reading your answers and learning more about what you like.

  7. Lory

    The Perilous Gard, Dragonsong/Dragonsinger, and The Blue Sword are some of my all-time favorites too. I can’t remember reading Gentian Hill…I think that must be one of the few Elizabeth Goudge books I haven’t read. I will look for it at my new library.