Booking Through Thursday: Giving Up, and Friday Musing

If you’re not enjoying a book, will you stop mid-way? Or do you push through to the end? What makes you decide to stop?

I used to read books till the end before my pre-blogging days (and not to mention before those TBR piles are increasingly growing out of control), and even if I do find some parts intolerable I will skim through them but rarely give them up. However, I can't find myself doing the same now as I used to before because there are too many books for me to read and catch up on, and being a working mother I always have to find time for my reading and those little time here and there are very precious to me, thus I can't force myself to continue reading the book if it doesn't interest me.

That said, I'll still give another chance for the book though and if I still can't get through another two chapters, I'll have to say goodbye to the book and hope that next time around, I might pick up the book to read again but of course that will have to depend on my mood. The few reasons that make me decide to give up on a book are: the writing style; the plot isn't going anywhere and is dragging; no development of the characters etc etc.

What about you?

---

I had a dream last night that nearly sent me into a panic. Dreams can be funny at times, and sometimes things happen in dreamland where you knew you wouldn't do them in reality and at times they seem so real that you begin to wonder if you've thought of those things without accepting/realising it.

Anyway, I dreamed of selling away my books and among those piles was a series of books that I haven't read but knew I'd love (I couldn't remember the series name or the author). I didn't understand why I did that, but nevertheless I had brought a friend along so she could help me with the sale and everything. There were several customers, and I didn't keep track who was buying what until at the end, I realised the series that I wanted to read were gone. I asked my friend about them and it's funny that she got the number of the customer who had bought them (don't ask me how or why because at this point, everything sounds so illogical to me). I called the number, but no one picked up the call. After several attempts, someone finally answered. The girl who bought my books said she couldn't return me the books and at that point I woke up from the dream. It may sound funny to you, but it's a horror to me, LOL.

Speaking of books, I'm still waiting impatiently for my copy of Mockingjay to arrive! There are times that I regretted pre-ordering online and this is just one of those occasions; the bookstore which I visit regularly already has their stock up on shelves. The reason why I didn't decide to buy Mockingjay from them is because most of the times their new arrivals didn't arrive on time. I suppose this time is different since it is Mockingjay! Oh well...

So, that's my musing for you on this Friday morning. I hope everyone has a great weekend ahead!

Booking Through Thursday: Meme of Reading Questions

I'm late for this week's Booking Through Thursday. Anyway, it's been awhile I have participated in it and I find this week's questions to be fun. Here goes:

1. Favorite childhood book?
Nancy Drew.

2. What are you reading right now?
Everlasting by Angie Frazier.

3. What books do you have on request at the library?
I don't have the habit of requesting books at the library, morever they charge for books request.

4. Bad book habit?
Does buying books and not reading them counts?

5. What do you currently have checked out at the library?
i) Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson (which I'd reviewed lately)
ii) Everlasting by Angie Frazier
iii) Walk of the Spirits by Richie Tankersley Cusick

6. Do you have an e-reader?
No. I'm not into e-books anyway.

7. Do you prefer to read one book at a time, or several at once?
I've no preference, but the most I can read is two books at a time.

8. Have your reading habits changed since starting a blog?
Yes! I've started to read more genres now as I used to read romance and thrillers during my pre-blogging days.

9. Least favorite book you read this year (so far?)
The Diving Pool by Yoko Ogawa. I find the lead character and the story to be disturbing.

10. Favorite book you’ve read this year?
I'd read a few good ones this year:

Going Too Far by Jennifer Echols, Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles, Faithful Place by Tana French, Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane, Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson, Blankets by Craig Thompson, Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters.

11. How often do you read out of your comfort zone?
It depends on my mood.

12. What is your reading comfort zone?
Romance, thrillers (including horrors) and YA.

13. Can you read on the bus?
I can but not for a long period of time, otherwise I'd get dizzy. However I've no problem reading in a train though.

14. Favorite place to read?
My living room sofa.

15. What is your policy on book lending?
I only lend books to friends who I know will treat them with care.

16. Do you ever dog-ear books?
Rarely and not if I can help it.

17. Do you ever write in the margins of your books?
No, unless they are textbooks.

18. Not even with text books?
See above.

19. What is your favorite language to read in?
English and Chinese.

20. What makes you love a book?
A great plot with great characterisations. I also love books that are emotionally charged and that they make me think.

21. What will inspire you to recommend a book?
See above.

22. Favorite genre?
That's a tough question because I have a few favorite genres.

23. Genre you rarely read (but wish you did?)
Non-fiction.

24. Favorite biography?
I rarely read biography.

25. Have you ever read a self-help book?
Yes.

26. Favorite cookbook?
Any cookbooks on vegetarian dishes.

27. Most inspirational book you’ve read this year (fiction or non-fiction)?
Many Lives, Many Masters by Brian L. Weiss (non-fiction)

28. Favorite reading snack?
Chips.

29. Name a case in which hype ruined your reading experience.
I can't think of any as I try to avoid reading too many reviews on an overly-hype book.

30. How often do you agree with critics about a book?
Sometimes. I don't often agree with critics but I do trust reviews by my favourite blogger friends.

31. How do you feel about giving bad/negative reviews?
I always feel uncomfortable giving bad/negative reviews but then again I feel I should state my honest opinions.

32. If you could read in a foreign language, which language would you chose?
Japanese (not only for the literature but for mangas as well).

33. Most intimidating book you’ve ever read?
Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov.

34. Most intimidating book you’re too nervous to begin?
War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy (it's a chunkster, that's why).

35. Favorite Poet?
I don't read poetry.

36. How many books do you usually have checked out of the library at any given time?
Four, though one can borrow up to 6 books under the library policy.

37. How often have you returned book to the library unread?
A few times.

38. Favorite fictional character?
Harry Potter.

39. Favorite fictional villain?
Voldermont, without a doubt.

40. Books I’m most likely to bring on vacation?
Any books that I'm currently reading at that time.

41. The longest I’ve gone without reading.
I couldn't recall myself not reading a book for a long time.

42. Name a book that you could/would not finish.
Infinity by Sherrilyn Kenyon but that's because I didn't realise there are zombies in it.

43. What distracts you easily when you’re reading?
TV and/or music.

44. Favorite film adaptation of a novel?
Pride and Prejudice (the one featuring Kiera Knightly since I haven't watch the BBC version) and Atonement.

45. Most disappointing film adaptation?
Twilight (I've to say Robert Pattinson doesn't fit the the image I've had of Edward Cullen, haha).

46. The most money I’ve ever spent in the bookstore at one time?
Too many times that I've lost count.

47. How often do you skim a book before reading it?
I try not to.

48. What would cause you to stop reading a book half-way through?
When it doesn't interest me anymore and/or the story drags.

49. Do you like to keep your books organized?
Yes, I do but it's hard when you've a limited space to store all your books.

50. Do you prefer to keep books or give them away once you’ve read them?
I keep them but I do some weeding occasionally.

51. Are there any books you’ve been avoiding?
Not really.

52. Name a book that made you angry.
I can't think of any at this moment.

53. A book you didn’t expect to like but did?
Out by Natsuo Kirino.

54. A book that you expected to like but didn’t?
Away by Amy Bloom.

55. Favorite guilt-free, pleasure reading?
Romance.

Booking Through Thursday: Now or Then?

Do you prefer reading current books? Or older ones? Or outright old ones? (As in, yes, there’s a difference between a book from 10 years ago and, say, Charles Dickens or Plato.)

I don't have any preference when it comes to my reading, and it all has to depend on my mood. To me, what most important is not which year the book is published but more of the content and whether or not does the story suck me in.

What about you? Do you prefer current books or older ones?

Booking Through Thursday: Bedside

What books do you have next to your bed right now? How about other places in the house? What are you reading?

I don't keep books next to my bed. In fact, I have a small table in our living room where I kept all my current reads, including magazines. As for the rest of my TBR pile, they are kept in our study room and store room.

Though my choice of books are always on-the-spur-of-a-moment thing, however I do have a few books in mind for my next reading; two of which are review copies, a few YA novels and a Japanese fiction titled Black Rain by Masuji Ibuse, translated by John Bester. I'm currently reading Hate List by Jennifer Brown, which is both a powerful and a riveting read. My review will be up next week.

So what are you reading? And what's on your reading list next?

Booking Through Thursday: Influence

Are your book choices influenced by friends and family? Do their recommendations carry weight for you? Or do you choose your books solely by what you want to read?

I am late for this week's question, but I loved the topics so here I am.

I love looking at books, and with so many variety I have to choose the books I want to read. That said, I also have to say most of my book choices nowadays are influenced by fellow bookbloggers. I like seeing what other readers are reading; and I always look up for recommendations if I know we have the similar taste in the books we read. Sometimes, I do check out books that are out of my comfort zones if the premise really interest me. It is always good to expand our reading horizons, isn't it?

What about you?

Booking Through Thursday: Half

So … you’re halfway through a book and you’re hating it. It’s boring. It’s trite. It’s badly written. But … you’ve invested all this time to reading the first half.

What do you do? Read the second half? Just to finish out the story? Find out what happens?

Or, cut your losses and dump the second half?

I think the minds of an editor and a reader is very much the same, at least when it comes to the opening line of the book they are reading. Sure, a great opening line captures the attention of the readers, but what if the context becomes boring towards the middle of a book? Will you continue to read it? Give it a second chance? Or just simply dump the book? Decisions, decisions!

Unfortunately, I don't have a definite answer for today's question. There are times I skim the book because I hate not knowing what happened to the story. Then there are times I give it a second chance and read a few more pages, hoping there would be a change of momentum. And then there is the dread of dumping the book all together, but this would be my last resort. I would only do this if the book is super boring, or I am no longer interested in the story and doesn't care what happens in the end.

Anyway, this reminds me of a question which I am interested to find out from all readers: What if the book is badly written but the author is a great storyteller? Would you read it?

Booking Through Thursday: Break

Do you take breaks while reading a book? Or read it straight through? (And, by breaks, I don’t mean sleeping, eating and going to work; I mean putting it aside for a time while you read something else.)

I rarely take breaks while reading a book. I don't like putting the book aside and pick it up again after a while. I find that I need time to adjust to the setting and to familiarise with the characters all over again if I do decide to take a break, and I would rather read it straight through to avoid all the hassle. However, if I find the story does not interest me anymore, I would give it up.

What about you?

Booking Through Thursday: Why You Read?

Suggested by Janet:

I’ve seen this quotation in several places lately. It’s from Sven Birkerts’ ‘The Gutenberg Elegies: The Fate of Reading in an Electronic Age’:

“To read, when one does so of one’s own free will, is to make a volitional statement, to cast a vote; it is to posit an elsewhere and set off toward it. And like any traveling, reading is at once a movement and a comment of sorts about the place one has left. To open a book voluntarily is at some level to remark the insufficiency either of one’s life or one’s orientation toward it.”

To what extent does this describe you?

This week's question is a great one! Reading is such an individual thing, and I definitely do not agree that to open a book voluntarily is at some level to remark the insufficiency of one's life. While one might find it more of a work (or a chore, gasp!), the other might find it an escapism; a form of entertainment which also allows them to learn and to delve into another's world and experience what we might not have experience in real life. Besides this, reading also strengthen our vocabulary... and the list goes on.

Don't you think words are simply magical and powerful as they could evoke emotions in us?

What about you?

Booking Through Thursday: Encouragement

Suggested by Barbara H:

How can you encourage a non-reading child to read? What about a teen-ager? Would you require books to be read in the hopes that they would enjoy them once they got into them, or offer incentives, or just suggest interesting books? If you do offer incentives and suggestions and that doesn’t work, would you then require a certain amount of reading? At what point do you just accept that your child is a non-reader?

In the book Gifted Hands by brilliant surgeon Ben Carson, one of the things that turned his life around was his mother’s requirement that he and his brother read books and write book reports for her. That approach worked with him, but I have been afraid to try it. My children don’t need to “turn their lives around,” but they would gain so much from reading and I think they would enjoy it so much if they would just stop telling themselves, “I just don’t like to read.”

I think it is always good to cultivate good reading habits from young, so that is why I started reading books to my eldest daughter when she was one (she's turning six this March). Not only does this encourage her into reading but it also creates a closer bond between us.

I also believe there is a book for everyone, and I think it is good start to bring any non-reading children (or teenagers) to a bookstore or a library and get them to choose a book they like and hopefully this will begin their passion for reading.

What about you? Do you have any other suggestions/recommendations that you could share?

Booking Through Thursday: Flapper? Or Not A Flapper?

Suggested by Prairie Progressive:

Do you read the inside flaps that describe a book before or while reading it?

Yes, I am a flapper. I am the kind of reader that read a book from cover to cover. It is even better if there is an introduction page and/or afterwords but I try to avoid reading the introduction page before reading the book because there was a time it spoiled the story for me.

I also love it when there are interviews of the authors at the end of the book. It is great to learn more about the authors and what they have done or feel when writing those stories.

What about you? Are you a flapper?

Booking Through Thursday: Mark The Spot

Suggested by Tammy:

What items have you ever used as a bookmark? What is the most unusual item you’ve ever used or seen used?

Most of the times, I use bookmarks to mark my books. There were a few times I used receipts as bookmarks because I wanted to read the books I bought on my way home. Sometimes, I will also use post-it tags but they are more of a mark for quotes (to be quoted for my reviews) than as a bookmark. I have also used postcards as a bookmark too, but that is because I have extras (they are promotions from the Tourism Board and are free of charge).

What about you? What other items have you used besides bookmarks?

Booking Through Thursday: Too Short?

Suggested by JM:

“Life is too short to read bad books.” I’d always heard that, but I still read books through until the end no matter how bad they were because I had this sense of obligation.

That is, until this week when I tried (really tried) to read a book that is utterly boring and unrealistic. I had to stop reading.

Do you read everything all the way through or do you feel life really is too short to read bad books?

I used to read books through until the end, but that was way before when my TBR pile only consisted of 10 books or lesser. That said, it does not mean I will totally give up on a book if the story does not interest me. I will still give it a chance by reading a few more chapters. Another option is I will skim through the book if I want to find out what happened towards the end, or if I still care for the characters. If the story gets too boring and seems to be getting to nowhere, I will then give it up.

What about you?

Monday Miscellaneous

Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about the read-a-thon…

Are you planning on participating in the upcoming 24 Hour Read-a-thon (either as a reader or cheerleader)? Have you made any preparations for the event? And, veterans out there, any tips you’d like to share with the newbies?

I have not joined any of the read-a-thon since I know it is impossible for me to read a book (let alone a few books!) without any interruption from my two young children at home. Still, I know it is so much fun and I hope to participate in another year or two when they are much older and do not need my attention so much.

I also find it fun to read what other particpants have chosen to read for the read-a-thon and I look forward to reading their posts when that day for the event arrives! I am not sure if I have the opportunity to logon the computer and cheer everyone on (my regular readers will know I hardly access to my computer during the weekends) but I will be with you all in spirit!

So are you participating as a reader or a cheerleader in the upcoming read-a-thon?

---

When’s the last time you weeded out your library? Do you regularly keep it pared down to your reading essentials? Or does it blossom into something out of control the minute you turn your back, like a garden after a Spring rain?

Or do you simply not get rid of books? At all?
And–when you DO weed out books from your collection (assuming that you do) …what do you do with them? Throw them away (gasp)? Donate them to a charity or used bookstore? SELL them to a used bookstore? Trade them on Paperback Book Swap or some other exchange program?

I was late for this but I loved last week's question so I will answer them anyway.

I have not weeded my library for some time. I used to categorize my books in genre but I have given up doing so after I have lose control of buying and adding books to my pile so nowadays, they are categorized as 'read' or 'unread'. I try to keep all the books I read into boxes but that is becoming an issue to me since I am running out of space for everything (be it the TBR pile or books I read).

I do not believe in throwing books away as I know there is bound to be someone out there who would appreciate them so I will either put them on my inventory list on BookMooch, host a giveaway at my blog or donate them to any organizations who are in need of them.

What about you? What would you do to the books that you do not want to keep?

---

Jemima from The Reading Journey passed on a "One Lovely Blog Award" to me and I cannot thank her enough for this! I am new to Jemima's blog but I am very happy to discover her blog and added it to my Google Reader list.

I will pass this lovely award to a few blogs I have discovered lately:

• Melissa of Book Nut
• Steph Su of Steph Su Reads
• Stacy of Stacy's Books

Booking Through Thursday: Recent Enjoyable

What’s the most enjoyable, most fun, most just-darn-entertaining book you’ve read recently?

I finished reading a YA novel, The Sweet Life of Stella Madison by Lara M. Zeises a few days ago and it is so fun and entertaining. I have yet to draft a review for this book but let me share the synopsis with you (from the author's site):

It's not easy being the daughter of a famous chef and a restaurant owner when your idea of a great meal is the kind that's served via a drive-through window.

Seventeen-year-old Stella Madison's food-loving parents have been separated for years, but they're still as sweet to each other as can be, which is just the way Stella likes it. When their connections help her land a summer job at the local newspaper, the salary is hard to resist. There's only one catch: she's expected to write about food.

Now Stella will need all the advice she can get to complete her assignments. Luckily, she has Jeremy, the hot new intern at her mom's restaurant, who's more than happy to help. Soon, Stella can't stop thinking about Jeremy--but where does that leave Stella's boyfriend, Max, who recently dropped the L-word? If that's not confusing enough, her dad's interest in the pretentious programming director of the Food Network seems to go beyond the culinary, and it looks like her mother might be cooking up a romance of her own….

The Sweet Life of Stella Madison is a warmhearted, delectable novel about what it means to love and be loved, especially when there are a few too many cooks in the kitchen.

I simply couldn't turn down a book on food and love. Don't you think they make a great combination?

So what’s the most enjoyable, most fun, most just-darn-entertaining book you have read recently?

Booking Through Thursday: Recent Fluff

What’s the lightest, most “fluff” kind of book you’ve read recently?

How do you define light and fluff? For me, I see something that is just plain fun and entertaining; one that wouldn't allow me to think too hard and just to read, read and read.

I went through my reading list and decided on these three which I read in July:

The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer (Loved the heroine! She is opinionated and very witty!)
The Actor and the Housewife by Shannon Hale (A heartwarming story about a friendship between a famous actor and an ordinary housewife.)
Airhead by Meg Cabot (A story about two girls - a superbrain and a supermodel switching their identities. A fun read!)

So what is yours?

Booking Through Thursday: Recent Best

What’s the best book you’ve read recently?
(Tell me you didn’t see this one coming?)

Oh, I do see this one coming! :-P

I had read a few good books over the months but instead of listing them here, I decided to name the best book I read this month - The Ghost Writer by John Harwood.

I loved the gothic atmosphere; I find it especially creepy reading the book at night but that is just me. I loved it that there are ghost stories within the story and personally I feel they deserve their full story. But most of all, I love the suspense and I think the writing style is simply marvellous! Oh, can you tell that I'm gushing now?

Booking Through Thursday: Recent Serious

What’s the most serious book you’ve read recently?(I figure it’s easier than asking your most serious boook ever, because, well, it’s recent!)

This week's question seems to be much harder than I have first thought.

I looked through the list of my recent read and found a few (Click onto the links for my reviews):

The Heights by Brian James (a contemporary imagining of Wuthering Heights. I thought it is a rather serious book since it also covered issues like social injustice and bits on racism)

Looking for Alaska by John Green (a coming-of-age and a thought-provoking story to me)


Song of Renewal by Emily Sue Harvey (a book about hope and renewal, and this book touches my heart!)

What about you? What serious books you have read recently?

Booking Through Thursday: Preferences

Which do you prefer? (Quick answers)

Reading something frivolous? Or something serious? Frivolous *
Paperbacks? Or hardcovers? Paperbacks
Fiction? Or Nonfiction? Fiction
Poetry? Or Prose? Prose
Biographies? Or Autobiographies? Autobiographies
History? Or Historical Fiction? Historical Fiction
Series? Or Stand-alones? Stand-alones *
Classics? Or best-sellers? Best-sellers *
Lurid, fruity prose? Or straight-forward, basic prose? Straight-forward, basic prose
Plots? Or Stream-of-Consciousness? Plots
Long books? Or Short? Long
Illustrated? Or Non-illustrated? Non-illustrated *
Borrowed? Or Owned? Owned
New? Or Used? New *

Edited to Add: There are a few questions I wanted to say "Both" (in asterisk) but I choose one (just for fun!) after much consideration!

---

A BIG Thank You to Keri from Books with Swords for passing on the Kreativ Award to me. The rules are that I must list seven favorite things and nominate seven bloggers for the award.

Here goes:

1. Books (of course!)
2. A necklace/bracelet my best friend gave me
3. Chocolates
4. Fruits
5. Tulips
6. Bookmarks
7. Hard Rock T-shirts (I'm collecting them!)

Finally, I would like to pass this award on to some of the book blogs I have discovered recently: Bermudaonion's Weblog, Giving...Reading - A Chance and Half Deserted Streets.

Booking Through Thursday: TBR

Follow-up to last week’s question:

Do you keep all your unread books together, like books in a waiting room? Or are they scattered throughout your shelves, mingling like party-goers waiting for the host to come along?

Let's put it this way, I categorize all my books into two sections - read and unread. I used to keep all my read books into boxes, but I have ran out of space for them so I am currently stacking them beside my unread books at one corner in our storage room since all the bookshelves where I keep my unread books are full!

I have no idea how many unread books I have (I'm too scared to count them), but I know I just cannot resist adding new books to the ever-growing pile!

What about you? How do you keep your unread books, and how many unread books do you have?

Booking Through Thursday: Unread

An idea I got from The Toddled Dredge (via K for Kat). Here’s what she said:

“So here today I present to you an Unread Books Challenge. Give me the list or take a picture of all the books you have stacked on your bedside table, hidden under the bed or standing in your shelf – the books you have not read, but keep meaning to. The books that begin to weigh on your mind. The books that make you cover your ears in conversation and say, ‘No! Don’t give me another book to read! I can’t finish the ones I have!’ “

I wish I could take a picture of my unread books but I couldn't simply because there are way too many of them! I am sure most of you have this issue, right? How many times we tell ourselves not to buy or walk into any bookstores but in the end, we just can't resist that temptation and most of the times, we ended up with a few books to carry home! And there goes the TBR pile keeps getting higher and higher!

Honestly, I can't keep a list because my mood always changes. Today, I will tell you I might want to read Vision of White by Nora Roberts but tomorrow, I might pick something else or a different genre instead. Nonetheless, here are just a few titles that I wanted to read but just never got around to:

• Bitten and Stolen by Kelley Armstrong (These are part of her Otherworld series)
• Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
• The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins
• Paper Towns by John Green
• Fingersmith by Sarah Waters
• River Secrets by Shannon Hale
• Emma by Jane Austen
• Broken for You by Stephanie Kallos
• The remaining books of Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling (I had read Book 1-3)
• Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
• The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood
• A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

Well, I could go on and on but I think the above will do at this moment. Try asking me the same question tomorrow and I will give you another set of titles, hehe.

What about you? Any books that you want to read badly but have not done so?