Meme | The Book Habits Meme

I saw this meme the other day on The World in the Satin Bag, and then again today on Floor To Ceiling Books. Going to put my answers into this one too, I like it :)

Do you snack while you read? If so, favorite reading snack?

Hardly ever, to be honest. I usually read at times when I'm not hungry, and on the rare times I do need a nibble I stop reading for half an hour to get some munch. I don't favour anything in particular either, just whatever is in the cupboards!

What is your favorite drink while reading?

Water when I'm hot, tea when I'm cold - usually I get so lost in the book I'm reading the tea is cold by the time I remember I made myself a cuppa.

Do you tend to mark your books as you read, or does the idea of writing in books horrify you?

I've become rather anal about keeping my books in good condition. I don't bend the spines, hate folding pages and would never dream of writing in one. You'd probably be hard pushed to name the books I read if you looked at a stack of read and unread ones I have at home.

How do you keep your place while reading a book? Bookmark? Dog-ears? Laying the book flat open?

For the love of god, anything that won't damage the book! Bookmarks or playing cards (I own a really cool deck of Final Fantasy VII ones that are a particular favourite) do the job and are more than suitable for the task.

Fiction, nonfiction, or both?

Exclusively fiction - I have too much non-fiction going on in my day to day life, none of which is ever exciting. I read for the escapism that fiction brings.

Are you a person who tends to read to the end of a chapter, or can you stop anywhere?

Depends who I'm reading. If they're short chapters I'll read to the end of one, but if it's an author like Peter Hamilton who has 50+ page chapters I'll stop at one of the natural breaks within a chapter. I hate finishing half way through a scene though, it's like having a steering wheel between my legs - drives me nuts.

Are you the type of person to throw a book across the room or on the floor if the author irritates you?

Never, I'll just close the book, put it down and store it away, never to see the light of day again.

If you come across an unfamiliar word, do you stop and look it up right away?

Not really, the meaning is usually in the context of the sentence/scene. In fact, I can't recall the last time I ever looked anything up.

What are you currently reading?

Veteran by Gavin Smith, an excellent balls-to-the-wall action thriller. Great stuff :)

What is the last book you bought?

Trading in Danger by Elizabeth Moon.

Are you the type of person that reads one book at a time, or can you read more than one?

I can read more than one at a time, but usually try and stick to only one. I tend to find that if I read a couple of books I lose interest in one of them and it finds its way back onto the stack. I do, however, have an audio book on most of the time for walking and driving.

Do you have a favorite time/place to read?

At home in peace and quiet. I try to read at work during lunch, but inevitably get disturbed - I just can't read when there's noise going on. I even have some earplugs so I can sneak upstairs and read while the wife watches tv.

Do you prefer series books or stand alones?

The books I enjoy reading are part of a series, more often than not. But I read books that appeal to me and never choose based on that criteria alone. But waiting for the next part of a series I enjoy to be released can be very frustrating!

Is there a specific book or author you find yourself recommending over and over?

Peter Hamilton, Neal Asher, Eric Brown. Check them out, well worth the effort :)

How do you organize your books? (by genre, title, author’s last name, etc.)

I don't really organise them. I've got limited shelf space so have my favourite books out on display there and then either store the rest in boxes or on the couple of small shelves I have tucked away. Basically, the more I can fit onto/into these the better!