birdienl | My test of a good novel is dreading to begin the last chapter

01. A fictional character you identify with and why
02. Your earliest memory of reading or being read to
03. Your favourite book aged 9 ½, or 13 ¾, whichever you remember best.
04. The book that’s been on your shelves the longest.
05. A book you acquired in some interesting way
06. A book with a story for you, that reminds you of something specific in your life (a person, a place, a time).
07. What fictional character are you (secretly) in love with
08. The last book you acquired, and how (begged, bought, borrowed?)
09. Your current read, your last read and the book you’ll read next.
10. What author do you own the most books by and why?
11. Do you own multiple copies of any book? What are they? Why do you have multiple copies?
12. Book borrowing – do you use the library? Do you prefer to try before you buy? What about lending your books to friends? Are you a good borrower, do you remember to return books?
13. Do you reread a lot? Why (not)? Name a book you have reread many times.
14. What is the best book you’ve read in the past year?
15. Do you recommend books to other people? If you could force everyone you know to read one book, what would it be?
16. Adaptation: What book would you most like to see made into a film? Do you like to read the book first or see the film? Any books you have read after seeing the film version?
17. What is the most difficult book you’ve ever read?
18. Your favourite book series & your favourite book out of that series
19. Your favourite picture, junior fiction and Young Adult books
20. Least favourite plot device employed by way too many books you actually enjoyed otherwise
21. A book you thought you wouldn’t like but ended up loving
22. Your "comfort" book
23. Favourite book cover including a picture!
24. Favourite fictional relationship (romantic, friendship, familial)
25. Most annoying character ever
26. Most quotable novel or 5 of your favourite quotes from any books.
27. Any five books from your "to be read" stack. What makes you select a book for your “to be read” stack?
28. Some firsts: First book you remember loving/being obsessed with. First book that made you cry. First book you gave to someone else as a gift.
29. Saddest character death OR best/most satisfying character death (or both!)
30. The End: do you prefer everything tied up or to be able to 'make up your own mind'? What is the worst ending to a book you have read? And the best? (careful, spoiler tags!)

11. Do you own multiple copies of any book? What are they? Why do you have multiple copies?

Only The Bible. I own 3 different Dutch translations and an English one.

12. Book borrowing – do you use the library? Do you prefer to try before you buy? What about lending your books to friends? Are you a good borrower, do you remember to return books?

I use the library a lot! My library contribution is probably my best spend money!
I usually only buy books of authors I already know or have heard a lot of good things about from friends I trust to know my taste.
I lend a lot of books to friends. I'm jokingly called the library of my house! I could be a better borrower, I have to pay a fee more often than I like. The stupid thing is, you can extend your loan via the internet, so it's really a very small effort. Still, I always remember a few days too late...

13. Do you reread a lot? Why (not)? Name a book you have reread many times.

I don't reread a lot for the simple reason there's just too much to read! I am in the process of rereading all the Austen novels though and I only have to reread Northanger Abbey to finish all her works (well, except for Sandition etc.)

14. What's the best book you've read in the past year.

I'm going to interpret that as 'from May 2010 to May 2011'. In that case I'll choose the same book I mentioned in my 2010 fandom picspam: The road home by Tommy Tenney. Because translating a story from the Bible into a modern day novel can go wrong on so many levels, but this book is just lovely! The story of Naomi and Ruth fits seemingly effortless into this modern tale of finding faith, finding yourself and above all, finding a home.