Musing Mondays (7)

Musing Mondays is a meme hosted by Rebecca at Just One More Page...! Just go to her blog to find the topic of the week.

Do you have to carve out time in your day for reading (due to work and other obligations), or does your reading just happen naturally? (Question courtesy of MizB)

You know... this is an interesting question. Mostly because I had to actually think about the time that I've carved out for reading. Here's how my day typically goes in terms of reading:

I ride the train in to work every morning (about 30 minutes) - I read pretty much every time.

As I've mentioned before, I do read during lunch (1 hour) - it's my only non-people time.

I read on the train ride home (about 30 minutes)

And if I'm really into a book, I'll read when I get home. This, of course, depends also on my darling fiance and how much attention he needs :). Typically I don't read all that much at home - maybe 30min-1hour... but if he's on a video game binge, I read a lot more (unless I have hours of tv sitting on the dvr).

So, I guess to me it doesn't feel carved out in my day. Though, I suppose at some point I carved this and now it just feels natural. I think if I didn't have the train rides every day I would read a lot less.

What about you? Does your reading time feel like it cuts into your day?

Musing Mondays (6)

Musing Mondays is a meme hosted by Rebecca at Just One More Page...! Just go to her blog to find her topic of the week.

Do you frequent second hand book stores? Have you ever bought a book home only to find anything interesting within their pages?

You know, I haven't been to a second-hand book store in a long time. I used to go to Library sales all of the time, but I ended up with a lot of books I wasn't all that interested in (mostly because they were like $1). Since I am one of those people who tends to want to read the latest and greatest, the second-hand stores tend to have older things. Which is great and wonderful - don't get me wrong. It's just not my taste, so I don't go often.

Though, I do remember once finding a few pictures in one of the books I got at the Library sale. I felt bad throwing them out, but I can't imagine trying to find out who they belonged to. But that was all years ago. Perhaps I should frequent the second-hand shops more often :).

Musing Mondays (5)

Musing Mondays is a meme hosted by Rebecca at Just One More Page...! Just go to her blog to find her topic of the week.

Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about the war books.
With yesterday being Anzac Day, I thought I’d ask a theme question this week. Are you a reader of war books? And if so, do you have any favourites?

Well, my answer for this one is probably going to be unsatisfactory for a Librarian. The truth is... I really don't like war books. I think I've figured out the reason why:

We were required to read them in school.

Stay with me here... I was one of those kids who really didn't do well with being forced to read. And I remember having an absolutely awful time with a little book called Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt. I'm not quite sure what my issues with it were - it was years and years ago (well, more like 15 or so, ahem). But I honestly walked away from that book - probably after weeks of being torn apart in the classroom - thinking I would never read anything like that again.

Hence my dislike for war books. I do realize how close-minded that is - but I was defintely a bit younger then. Perhaps I should try again. Not that book, of course. That might just be a recipe for disaster. So, maybe I should pose this question:

If I were to read one YA war-themed book, what should it be? I'm open to suggestions.

Musing Mondays (4)

Musing Mondays is a meme hosted by Rebecca at Just One More Page...! Just go to her blog to find her topic of the week.

Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about the ‘best’ books'.
There’s been some discussion on my blog this week about what should or shouldn’t make a ‘best' books’ list. What elements do you think lands a book in that ‘best’ category? Think of your top 5 best books and tune in next week to see the collated list.

I don't know if it's just me, but this question is really kind of difficult. I mean, the books that are "best " to me may not be considered the best for someone else.

I run into this all the time when we are given the ALA best books lists and such. I mean, they're great books (most of the time)... but there are times that those books just aren't popular with teens. And we all know that sometimes the most popular things are a bit... smutty. Or not that well written. I'm not going to name any of those for the sake of my sanity.

But I guess my own criteria for "best" books are things like...
* Characters that are believable/people I would like to meet
* The writing is so seamless, you don't even realize you've been sitting there for hours
* Concepts that are really original.

And I think there's a certain feeling that a great book gives you - almost something I'm not sure I can put my finger on. I guess it's those that you finish them and think, "wow. I need to give this to ___ and ___ and ___. They will love it." It's also the books that you don't relish the idea of starting another book after them - because you're still soaking it in. I love that feeling.

Unfortunately, I think my "best" list changes all of the time. Either because my perspective changes... or my definition of great changes... or something like that. So, I'll try to list the ones that I've thought amazing things about recently. I suppose this is why there are best lists every year - so these are my 2009-2010 picks :).

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan
Graceling by Kristin Cashore
Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Weird. Looks like mine are all fantasy/sci fi. Go figure. And I apologize to all those expecting classics - they're just never my favorites. :)

Musing Mondays (3)

Musing Mondays is a meme hosted by Rebecca at Just One More Page...! Just go to her blog to find her topic of the week.

Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about multitasking.
Do you – or are you even able – to do other things while you read? Do you knit, hold a conversation, keep an eye on the TV? Anything?

I would absolutely classify myself as a multitasker... at least most of the time. I always seem to have a few things going at the same time (yet, never two books... strange). I always use my computer and watch tv... or do crosswords while watching tv... The only time I can read while the tv is on is when my fiance is watching something I'm not really interested in (ex: Wrestlemania. yuck). At that point, I suppose I do keep an eye on the tv, but not really paying attention. Of course, it also depends on how good the books is - gotta keep my interest.

I don't know if this counts, but I read while I eat lunch every day. I know that sounds anti-social and such, but it's the only time of day at work when I get to NOT talk to people. It's nice. So I suppose the noise in the caf is more like background noise.

Is it even possible to knit while reading?! I can't imagine... but then again, I'm not a knitter.

What do you do while you're reading?

Musing Mondays (2)

Musing Mondays is a meme hosted by Rebecca at Just One More Page...! Just go to her blog to find her topic of the week.

"Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about dust jackets.
Do you prefer books with a dust jacket? What do you do with your dust jacket while reading? Leave it on or take it off? (Question courtesy of Kim from Page after Page)"

My answer to this question depends completely on where I get the book from. I mean, if I check out the book from the library, they've already secured the dust jacket to the book... so there's not I can do there. And that's where I get most of my books from, so I've kinda gotten used to having the dust jacket on there.

But if it's my own, personal book and the jacket hasn't been secured to the book... I tend to take it off. Mostly because I can't handle it slipping and sliding around. I'd probably lose it or ruin it. I'd rather keep my book intact instead of having a pretty cover on while I read the book.

What were your answers?

Musing Mondays (1)

This is a meme that I found recently around the blogosphere and really liked the sound of it. I think the topics are always interesting and hopefully I will have something to say about them.

Musing Mondays is a meme hosted by Rebecca at Just One More Page...! Just go to her blog to find her topic of the week. I'm pretty excited to get this one going. Here's the topic:

"Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about a story format.
How do you feel about books written in a differing format – whether this be journals or letters (epistolary), verse novels, or any other form? Is this something you enjoy? Or do you prefer straight forward chapter prose."

I'm really a fan of different formatting styles. I'm particularly a fan of the blog-entry, chatting, or texting formats. I know that some people have a hard time with these, but there's something so fun and easy about reading books like that (maybe because I'm used to communication that way). I suppose these fall under the heading of "letters"... or "journals" maybe? I've been known to pick up these books regardless of what they're about. It's a dangerous practice, but I haven't been bitten yet :).

I have a little confession to make. I've never read a novel in verse. Now, I know which ones are out there. And I know which ones to recommend. I've just never picked one up. I think this is because of my years of shying away from poetry. I have a hard time getting things out of poetry (meanings, ideas, etc), so I've always assumed I would have problems with novels in verse. Care to talk me into reading one? I'm open to suggestions on how to do that.

This all makes me sound like I'm not a fan of straightforward prose. 'Tis not true! I love me some "regular" novels. Many books wouldn't work in alternate formats anyway, so I definitely don't limit myself to one format or another. Then I would miss out on all the incredibly great stuff out there!

Thanks to Rebecca at Just One More Page... for a wonderful topic this week. I look forward to next Monday!