A to Z Book Survey!

Jamie at The Perpetual Page-Turner came up with this fun, book related A-Z survey that I could not resist! I grew up in the days of MySpace and LiveJournal and was a sucker for anything that gave me an opportunity to answer questions about myself. Especially those really intense 200 question ones that clogged the bulletin boards of everyone's MySpace. I loved those! I still have a soft spot for these kinds of things, and this one is great because, duh, its about books.

Author you've read the most books from:  

JK Rowling, according to Goodreads. But I also read an embarrassing amount of Jodi Picoult novels in high school. 

Best Sequel Ever: 

Shadow of the Dolls by Rae Lawrence. This was a sequel to one of my favorites, Valley of the Dolls, and Rae Lawrence followed the notes left behind by Jacqueline Susann to give me more of Ann and Lyon's twisted relationship. 

Currently Reading: 

Antonia Lively Breaks the Silence by David Samuel Levinson

Drink of Choice While Reading: 

Coffee. If I'm at home, it's Intelligentsia with french vanilla creamer. If I'm at my favorite cafe, it's a white chocolate mocha!

E-Reader or Physical Book: 

Physical! I've written about these two forms of reading multiple times and have even gotten some e-hate, yikes. I'm happy that e-readers makes reading more accessible, fun, and convenient for a lot of people (and reading on an e-reader is still reading!) I will forever love having an actual book in my hands. 

Fictional Character You Probably Would Have Actually Dated in High School: 

I loved Cricket Bell in Lola and the Boy Next Door--his quirky and smart demeanor paired with his gangly body is everything I found cute in boys in high school. 

Glad You Gave This Book a Chance: 

A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess frustrated me to no end at the beginning, but ultimately taught me so much about writing and character. Also, As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner. I started & stopped this novel several times, but when I finally read it through, my mind was blown.

Hidden Gem Book: 

The Fallback Plan by Leigh Stein

Important Moment in your Reading Life:

Getting a library card! Also, in elementary school, we would read books and take tests on them for points. At one point, I had the most points in my class, and almost the whole school. My teachers & principals were always commenting on my awesome reading skills. Looking back on it now, I think it's so awesome that my teachers supported my obsessive reading back then. I see some of those teachers now when I go home for holidays and they still always ask, "are you still a big reader?" 

Just Finished:

The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes. 

Kinds of Books You Won't Read: 

Harlequin Romance Novels have not made their way into my life as of this moment. I cannot really think of anything I won't ever read. 

Longest Book You've Read: 

I Know This Much is True by Wally Lamb {897 pages}. I read this book in high school in three days and was obsessed. 

Major Book Hangover:

I'm not sure of what a 'book hangover' is, so I'm interpreting it as a book that made it hard for me to read anything afterwards. That would definitely be Cancer Ward by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. I had to read picture books afterwards. Not joking. 

Number of Bookcases You Own: 

Two overly stuffed six shelf book cases. 

One Book You Have Read Multiple Times: 

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

Preferred Place to Read:

In the bathtub, bed, and strangely, the train.

Quote that inspires you/gives you all the feels from a book you've read:

"Much of my life had been devoted to trying not to cry in front of people who loved me, so I knew what Augustus was doing. You clench your teeth. You look up. You tell yourself that if they see you cry, it will hurt them, and you will be nothing but a Sadness in their lives, and you must not become a mere sadness, so you will not cry, and you say all of this to yourself while looking up at the ceiling, and then you swallow even though your throat does not want to close and you look at the person who loves you and smile." - The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. This book just hit way too close to home. 

Reading Regret:

Not having read a lot of classics!! I'm working on it, though. I have just somehow not gotten around to reading all of the greats.

Series You Started And Need To Finish (all books are out in series): 

Scott Westerfeld's 'Uglies' series. 

Three of Your All-Time Favorite Books: 

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, Geek Love by Katherine Dunn, She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb.

Unapologetic Fangirl For: 

Patti Smith. Her memoir Just Kids inspired me to switch my major into something more creative and continue working towards living the creative life I've always wanted. She's a fantastic writer, musician, and artist and I just feel like everyone should know who she is. 

Very Excited For This Release More Than All The Others:

I'm very excited for Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins. Also looking forward to Night Film by Marisha Pessl, especially after just finishing the thrilling The Shining Girls. 

Worst Bookish Habit:

Writing in library or loaned books, and reading the last page of the book, which usually holds ALL THE THINGS.

X-Marks the Spot: Start at the top left of your shelf and pick the 27th book: 

Go Tell it on the Mountain by James Baldwin

Your Latest Book Purchase:

Oh boy. I think it was The Diviners by Libba Bray? Maybe? Probably? 

ZZZ-snatcher book (last book that kept you up WAY late): 

The Love Machine by Jacqueline Susann.

Woo that was fun (and has been a zzz-snatcher itself!). Luckily tomorrow is my day off and I have nothing planned except a wonderfully well-deserved 60-minute massage. I am living for 11am tomorrow! I will also, of course, be doing lots of reading! Lately a majority of my reading has been for reviews for things not this blog, so hopefully I will have some new ones up for you guys soon. 

Have you done this survey? I wanna see! If you want to do it, just make sure you link it back to Jamie!