What Are You Reading?

At one time, I used to be able to read anything up to half-a-dozen books simultaneously, each one left in a different room in the house so I could pick it up when I was there. But that was back in the days when I could read very fast (- more than five M&Bs in a day, if uninterrupted).

Since the anaphylactic shock and having to learn to read again, I'm very much slower and would be pushed to complete two. I've discovered that I now prefer to read one at a time, too... perhaps because I'm afraid they'll get muddled in my scrambled brain? <g>

On the other hand, as far as my writing goes, I can keep several story lines in my head (with appropriate brief notes on the computer just-in-case<g>) and can 'grab' bits and pieces at odd times... items in the paper, on the tv, overheard, etc... to add to them, ready for when I come to write each one.

I have a TBR bookcase (yes - one with seven shelves) next to my side of the bed, so I could've given you a huge list.

Except... we're decorating. Mow, I knew my TBR bookcase would have to move so I could paint behind it. But last night I walked into our bedroom to discover that there were NO BOOKS. DH had moved them...

(He has assured me that he hasn't mixed them up. He'd better not, because I had them in order and I had a really interesting bio of Queen Victoria - "Becoming Queen" - up next, after I've finished Louise Allen's excellent "The Piratical Miss Ravenhurst".)

Normally, I have a pile of books on my desk (research for my nonfic), which I dip into. Then there's the TBR bookcase next to my bed; and I normally have a book on the go in the kitchen during lunchbreaks (usually something foodie - I love the way Nigel Slater writes, and also like Giorgio Locatelli).

My daughter's the same, having three books on the go at once. She has one in her schoolbag, one in the car, and one in her bedrooms.

Son... I have yet to find something that he really likes. I'm trying him on John Wyndham, because he says he likes scifi. I did offer Alan Garner, but it clearly didn't grab him. So any recommendations for a 12yo boy who much prefers nonfic and is into sciency stuff would be appreciated...

I tend to read one at a time, because I'm a "finisher".  If I read 2 or 3 it would take me longer and I would feel...unfinished.  So I read one and have a sense of accomplishment at adding a book to my challenge total.  Then I move on.

Right now I'm reading Nat Anderson's Pleasured in the Playboy's Penthouse.  Nat and I sold right around the same time and I love her writing...snappy and sexy and fresh.

 Donna

Hi Molly, what an interesting topic! But then, it involves books, and I love books! I have an unmanageable TBR. It has reached such proportions that is now spilling out of the cupboard and onto the floor. I have tried to contain those books into a box, but alas, the box is full and they are spilling onto the floor, yet again.

I cut back to only to reader subscriptions. Harlequin Romance and Medicals. I'm trying to avoid my favorite bookstore, too. It is a horrible feeling. LOL

I used to be someone that had a different book in every room and I read based on what room I was currently in. But I no longer do that. I want to read one book at a time. I like focusing on the one story, the one relationship and not muddle stories in my head. Must be an aging brain thing, at least that's my story and I'm sticking with it. 

The biggest challenge I have is to read through a box of older Medicals that was sent to me a while back. I've read about a third of the books, but every time I get a fresh batch of books from my reader service I interrupt the older books to read the hot-off-the-presses batch of books.  

It has to be one at a time for me. Switching from book to book would tell me I wasn't gripped and that book would get dumped. At the moment I'm reading the Perseus Jackson series because my nephew raved about it so much I wanted to see what he liked. I have to say it's very clever writing, with some laugh-out-loud lines. It's also one of these series that makes a writer think, Damn, wish I'd thought of that idea. Kate, your son might like the series if he hasn't come across it already, but you need to read them in order. Before that I was re-reading Terry Pratchett's 'Hogfather'. I *love* Terry Pratchett's quirky humour.

Maggie Kingsley

I'm a one book at a time reader.  As far as my TBR pile is concerned however it is exceptionally large and scattered throughout the house on various shelves and in plastic boxes.  As for how to decide which book to read it is purely a random thing.  I just grab a book and read most of the time.  At this particular time I am reading the August medicals which arrived while I was on vacation.  Who knows what I will read next but it will more than likely be Supers as I am participating in the monthly challenges here and this months spotlight is on Superromance.

 As for my reading habits, if I buy multiple books at one time, I have to "dip" into them and read at least a little tiny bit of each one before I finish one.  Recently, I made several book purchases.

 After seeing the movie "Julie and Julia", my interest in Julia Child was piqued.  (Meryl Streep did a fantastic job of portraying her, by the way!)  I had never realized that Julia was quite so tall (6'2") or quite so bawdy.  So I picked up Julia Child's book about her life in France on which the movie was based.  I haven't gotten very far along in that one yet, but it's been great to read when waiting for my father at appointments, etc., as it doesn't hurt the flow of the story to put it down.  It's more like a bunch of vignettes. 

At the same time, I picked up 2 books by one of my favorite authors, Susan Donovan, called He Loves Lucy and A Kept Woman, which I'm trying to be good and not start yet.  I'm well into He Loves Lucy, which details a fat woman's journey to fitness and to love with her fitness trainer.  I love it thus far.  The trainer is a great, sexy, lovable hero (raising his brother with Down's Syndrome after his parents' death), and I also love how the heroine is portrayed. 

I also bought and just finished (yesterday) Double Play by Jill Shalvis (another author I tend to love), which was absolutely wonderful, emotion-packed, and pretty hot with a hero to die for, and a book by Lora Leigh called Only Pleasure, in which I'm about a third of the way through.  I hadn't read anything by Lora Leigh previously.  I have to say that though the book is very well written and very, very hot, it's a bit out of my league.  Usually I will check a book somewhere in the middle before buying to see how the couple is interacting and whether their relationship dynamic at that point appeals to me, but I didn't do that this time.  I probably should have, as I would have realized that their sexual relationship is considerably more adventurous than suits my personal comfort level.  There is very strong emotion between the H and h, and I'm sure the book would appeal greatly to someone more into erotic fiction.