The Kari AnnAlysis

Posts Tagged ‘booking through thursday’

This week’s BTT question is: Do you read book reviews? Do you let them change your mind about reading/not reading a particular book?

I check book blogs 24/7. I normally don’t read the reviews until I’ve read the book so I can see if I agree or disagree. Before I read the book, I will check the title/book cover then just scroll down to see how many “stars” the blogger gives the book. If they give the book 1 star, I normally will chuck the idea of getting it unless I really want it. I know that every reader has a different perception of what is good and bad, but I take their ratings into consideration.

It’s Thursday, another meme day! I haven’t participated in BTT in a while, haven’t thought I could offer a worth response. But today, we have a very loaded and fun question: 

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

Wow! Where to start on this! I actually have two bookshelves in my bedroom. One on top of my dresser, the other, by my bed. So, I have TONS of books next to my bed. Half of the top shelf contains “read” items – starting with J.K. Rowling and finishing out the alphabet by author. The rest of the book case contains my “to be read” books. The ones on my top shelf are the urgent ones. Some of these include the Jessica Darling Series, Last Christmas by Kate Brian and Anna Karenina, which I keep putting off. I have actually started a second row on my second shelf. And my third shelf are “to be read” hardback books. Most of my second and third shelf books I received from library sales.

The book that I am currently reading, which is with me at all times, is an advanced copy of Beautiful Malice. I just started this last night, but the first line is:

“I didn’t go to Alice’s funeral.”

Can’t get much more dramatic that than.

When it comes to other books in the house, the book Michael is currently reading resides on the couch in the living room. I have a wire bookshelf in the living room that holds books from college that I have kept. We also have books in our entertainment center. We have actually run out of room. We each have two shelves of books on the bottom, and our movies are on the top.

I got rid of 7 books last week, just to buy 15 more. I am definitely going to have to get some type of reader, otherwise I am going to have to part with beloved books. I definitely don’t want to do that

It’s been quite a while since I’ve done one of these. I’m a very picky poster. If I don’t feel I have a great response, I’ll just hold my tongue, but today, I love the question:

Q: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?

A: I have come to be known as the bookworm among my friends, family and coworkers, so people all the time are telling me about books. A couple of coworkers have given me books that I have read, and liked. Others have given me ideas that I haven’t taken up. Some are books that sound interesting, but I would just rather buy a book I know I want than one that was suggested because everyone has different reading tastes. Now if I need something to read and make a trip to the library, I have my “suggested” list handy.

One of the things I’ve noticed about book recommendations is that if you do not sprint out and buy the book, people tend to take it offensively. I will go ahead and apologize if you have suggested something that I haven’t read yet. I appreciate the offer, but there are only so many “reading hours” in a day

My favorite series ever, Stephanie Plum by Janet Evanovich, was suggested to me by my mother-in-law and two sisters-in-law. That was a great suggestion. They are big readers so we talk books at every get together.

I get most of my influence from other bloggers. If one of my fellow bloggers that I trust doesn’t like the book, I definitely take that into consideration. And if they love it, I put it high on my list.

Recently, I haven’t been really taking suggestions though. Since the beginning of the year, I have bought 3 books. I had a shelf and a half of TBR that I really wanted to read, so I am making my way through that. I am getting down to 6-7 that are must reads, then I’m hitting up the bookstores again. I am getting ready to be open for suggestions, send them my way

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?

When you DO weed out books from your collection, what do you do with them? Thrown them away? Donate them to a charity or used bookstore? Sell them to a used bookstore? Trade them?

*I am not a fan of getting rid of books. AT ALL! What if I want to go back and read it? I did just recently give away the first book in the Gossip Girl series. I didn’t love it, so I decided if someone else would, might as well give it a good home. I do have a few more books I plan on doing this with, but it’s hard for me to part. I like for my bookshelf to look diversified

If I did a giveaway and no one wanted the book, I would probably sell it to a book store. I know there are a couple around here, just haven’t taken advantage yet.

I would NEVER… NEVER throw a book away. I still have ALL the books I had when I was little. My dad has them all in the book shelf in the attic for me to pass on one day.

What about you?

Happy Thursday with a book topic that made me gasp when I read it. Today’s question is: Two-thirds of Brits have lied about reading books they haven’t. Have you? Why? What book?

The only time I think I ever did this was maybe in college when I didn’t have time – or lets face it – just didn’t feel like reading my assignments.

Do people really say they’ve read books when they have not? The first thing that would happen to me if I did this would be someone striking up a conversation about said book and I’d get busted!

I don’t know about you – but I believe this to be a cardinal sin of reading

Now, there are books that I have read A LONG TIME AGO that I don’t really remember, but I still tell people I read them. It’s almost like I haven’t because I don’t even remember what it was about, but deep down, I know I’ve perused the pages at least once.

Have you lied?? TELL ME, TELL ME, TELL ME!