BrokenTune

Thanks to Martini for tagging me on this. So, here we go...

Booklet or Tome?

I find really, really long books off-putting - unless the story is really really good. I have read War and Peace as well as other books whose page count is enough to make me swoon - so I can't say length is a complete deterrent. However, I have a rule that applies to all my books - large or small - if it doesn't grab me I will move on. Just because a book has many pages doesn't mean it gets more chances of making an impression on my (unless it is flung at me of course).

Pre-Owned or New?

I would have to say pre-owned. I cannot pass a second-hand bookshop without picking something up. Also, I try to use Alibris as an alternative to Amazon. Whilst I like the smell of a new book, I love pre-owned ones that have notes in them because I always wonder if there is a connection between me and the previous owner. Also, some notes come in handy - I once had a copy of The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner  which had a list of London restaurant recommendations scribbled in the back - some were really good finds.

Historical Fiction or Fantasy?

Historical fiction. I'm not a huge fantasy fan. So, that's an easy one...

Hardcover or Paperback?

A bit of both. It depends - and this may sound really weird - on the binding. I love well produced books but some hardcovers are cheaply made - and I am looking at you here Harry Potter series printed by St Ives. What I mean is that when you look at the binding, it essentially is a glued binding usually used for paperbacks, not a sewn binding. So it looks like a hard cover, but really is a paperback in disguise. So, if the hard cover is just beautifully made - I'll have it.

Of course, now that I am trying to downsize my physical shelves I'm even more picky which books I want in a tangible format.

Funny or Sad?

I have an odd sense of humor (so I'm told) but I think it is more difficult to write a funny book than it is to write a sad one. So, funny has to be really well written and hit the right notes, but ultimately I will remember it better than sad books.

I do not mind sad books, though, I guess it depends what mood I am in and which kind of book I need at that particular moment. Yes, books are my therapy.

Do you prefer reading in summer or in winter?

Is there a season for reading? Really? I like both, but the reading antics change - I vividly remember reading To Kill a Mockingbird on the balcony at the height of summer which somehow helped to transport me to Alabama. Winter reading is more of an alternative to being stuck inside without much daylight (winters are dark up north). Winter reading also requires hot beverages.

Classics or Mainstream?

This point goes to classics. Of course, we could argue the boundaries for both, but since I usually end up with a copy of something that none of my non-BL friends have heard of, I'd say my reading is not particularly mainstream. Also, I tend to stay clear of the bestsellers because the hype usually disappoints me, but I may pick up an ex-bestseller years later - i.e. once it has become a classic. ;-)

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Guidebook or Fiction?

Fiction. between the two, definitely fiction. I love non-fiction, too, although judging by my shelf it's a newly discovered love. But guidebooks? The only ones I can think of are about tennis techniques, though I prefer to just play, hit the damn ball and see what happens. Hold on, I also own a book about running - maybe someday I'll even read it.

Crime Novel or Thriller?

Crime novel - and it has to be cozy. I am an absolute wuss when it comes to psychological thrillers, horror or similar work which have the potential to cause me nightmares. Seriously. I want to read Val MacDermid because the TV adaptation of Places of Execution blew me away but I am just not brave enough to pick up another one of her books. 

Ebook or Print Edition?

Erm, Ebook. I detest housework and especially dusting. Also, there is far too much clutter in my flat which led me to make a determined effort to cut sown on print editions - unless they are beautiful or important to me or I can't get an ebook version. 

My other reason is that I travel a lot as part of my job and I tend to read several books at once, picking up whichever one I'm in the mood in for. So, packing a suitcase has become easier since I got an e-reader because I no longer have to choose which ones to pack.    

Collecting or Clearing Out?

Again, I'm making a determined effort to get rid of stuff that I need to dust. Not just books of course, but including books. I will never part with some copies, though.  

Internet or Bookstore?

Grr... Mostly internet I guess, though I do use brick and mortar stores when I can. I really wish there were more alternatives to Amazon in the UK, though. Waterstones do have some e-books but it always is a bit of a hassle to download them - nowhere near as easy as the kindle editions. I'm also trying out kobo, but again choice is limited and it does not have the same plethora of features as the kindle.

If anyone has any other suggestions for alternative e-book providers in the UK, please let me know.

Backlist or New Publications?

Backlist. I'm really not up-to-date anymore with the publishing world and the latest releases - and to be honest I really don't care. 

Best or Bad Seller?

As mentioned above, bestseller will put me off. However, I cannot say that I deliberately go out and look for books which haven't sold much. I'm more about the content of the book not whether I'm following the latest trend or show the world that I am so eccentric that I will only read books which don't sell. 

Cookbook or Baking Book?

I don't bake much, but cooking is equally not something I want to read much about. 

Who's next? Well, hopefully I'm not tagging anyone who's done this already but I'm passing the baton to:

BradyBooks

Themis-Athena's Garden of Books

Bookstooge

Reflections