Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Wednesday Wanderings (1) + UPDATES

I figure I'll minimise my meme-ness for my blog. So, over the week, I'll be doing three weekly memes, Wednesday Wanderings, Blog Hop/Follow Friday on Fridays and In My Mailbox on Sundays. For now, my review to meme ratio will stay be hideously in favour of memes. Come November, I'll be able to invest so much more time into this blog, as well as READING, which is what this blog really comes down to. There's no point in receiving books if I have 10+ books in my TBR pile on my bookshelf. Anyway...

I've been kind of blah lately with blogging, reading and then reviewing. My exams are running close. However, before I retreat into a book (the not-good kind :P) I'll leave you with some things to think about.


Where do you usually read books?
I'm a pretty boring reader. I, for the most part, read my books at home, in my room, under the covers where it's safe and warm. I always have a cup of either hot chocolate/Milo or orange juice beside me, even if I don't drink any of it. Also, especially since in Australia we're caught in the dead of winter, I wouldn't be able to do it any other way.

Do any of you travel with hardcover books on tow?
I'd be so afraid of wrecking the edges. I revere my hardcovers like nothing else. They're like treasures, especially since they're like double the price of paperbacks, so they're not exactly at my disposal to throw all around the place and whatnot.


How much do you spend, a month, on books alone? Local bookstore? Online? Hardcover? Paperback? Kindle/ebook? Pre-order?
I calculated an estimate for the past month (July), I spent at least $110 AU, not including bookmooch shipping or giveaway funds. That bought me 8 books, but I've received 20~ books this month, not including eBooks (NetGalley, anyone?) Speaking of which, they've got The Absolute Value of -1 (aka. |-1|, which I love!) there are NetGalley. Cool beans, ay? 8D

Do you have friends who are big book readers too, and do you discuss with them?
I'll be honest with you all. I have not yet told my friends I've got any of this going on. The whole blogging thing, huge masses of books arriving on my doorstep, reading (especially during the holidays!). I figured that eventually, they'd find out some way or other and it would be the most natural thing in the world. My closest friends are all huge readers, so it only figures that after years of scorning them for it that I've joined them. Guess I was the ignorant one all along. :P Anyway, my friends and I are into different genres. They're more in paranormal/fantasy/historical, and I am too... just not.

Nonetheless, I do not read for the sake of discussing with my friends. I kind of like being able to keep it to myself, it's like a secret identity, of sorts!

Okay, so how do you deal with ARCs?
ARCs are a hot topic with book bloggers, readers, authors and publishers...so, what are you meant to do when you have one in your hot little hands? I have no idea what the answer is, because I've yet to read any of mine yet. They're all still sitting there, waiting to be read. What do you guys do once you've finished reading them? Is it alright to keep them? Or do you let them circulate around the blogosphere, through giveaways and trades? Do you post your reviews a month before its release date, which is one of those traditions within the community...? It's a bit funny, because ARCs are usually not all that pretty, but people get so invested in them, that they're willing to buy them from eBay and other auction sites. Isn't it much better to buy the final copy?



Hope you liked this week's segment of Wednesday Wanderings! I'm not sure if this is really going to take off for flight. However, I'd really like it if you could answer the little questions. I don't know, I like reading people's answers to stupid things like these. Hopefully next week I'll continue on with this. Even if I get 0 comments, I'll post another one next week! :D

In other words, remember that I have a weekly giveaways newsletter, which you can enter, free of charge! The second edition will be sent on Sunday. All you have to do to join in is e-mail me at cc932005[at]hotmail[dot]com, either expressing your interest, or, if you're shy, just type in for the title "I LOVE GIVEAWAYS", and I'll add you in to the mailing list. :) Also, I have a mini surprise for you guys on Sunday. It's a really mini surprise, so don't hold your breath. Well, okay...maybe a little. Hint: this surprise very much so belongs in this paragraph! *dances*

4 comments:

Romy @ Lost.in.Stories said... [Reply]

Hey Cass, I really like this post and your not going to get 0 comments for this post now.

I'm exactly like you with reading books, I cuddle up in my bed too except I usually have a cup of chamomile tea next to me.

I wouldn't travel with a hard cover book either I don't want to ruin it I've paid good money for it and I'm a real stickler for keeping my books nice and new looking.

I have no idea what I spend a month on books, it could get quite high some months. I definitely wouldn't be able to buy as many books if I hadn't discovered the bookdepository, free international shipping and the prices are so reasonable, love it! That said I do try and support my local book store when they have a book I really want in.

No I don't have any friends that are book bloggers or read that much and the ones that do don't really read the kind of books I read, hence I started my blog which enabled me to speak to other book lovers, I am not alone, yay!

I'd like to sign up to your email list as well I'm: lost.in.stories@gmail.com

Well I think that's all, hope you had a great weekend and enjoy the rest of your week.

Romy :)

Blueicegal ♥ said... [Reply]

I love this meme cass, omg your not alone dear, my reading mostly goes on in my room and i always have some tea and choco beside me, when you said that part i was like oh darn you now i need a Tea fix! and im strange like that but i prefer paperbacks, but i have noticed im extra careful with my hardbacks although im not sure why :)As for ARC same here, mine are lying there to, to read close to the release date, and no worries , my mates wouldn't understand at all, they don't even understand why i read forget blogging! plus i wouldn't like them snooping around my blog it would be kind of awkward :D thanks for sharing i enjoyed reading your thoughts! happy reading girly :)

Justine said... [Reply]

Very cool. I'm liking this meme. I'm thinking of participating! Many visitors who visit my blog don't know that much about me, lol. I need this meme!

Ooh, ARCs are so interesting. I've never gotten one directly from a publisher, but that would be so amazing. I don't know how to do any of that stuff, really. I'm just glad and super duper excited when I win them. I've got about a couple of those in my bookshelf.

Anddddd I'm going to sign up for your newsletter! It seems like a lot of fun! :D Your blog is really great. I'm a new follower ;)

Cass said... [Reply]

@lost.in.stories: Thanks for your great answers! I wouldn't say my bookshelf/books are exactly in pristine condition, but I try my best to keep them in the same condition I received them in. I mean, I don't EAT WHILE READING! *gasp* Apparently, some of my friends have lent their books out to others, and they've gotten them back with CRUMBS IN THEM!!! Oh, the agony. That's why I'm very cautious with lending my stuff to others... Also, yeah Book Depository is a huge problem. I'm depressed because my Paypal account has crashed on me, and so I can't buy any books right now. :'( The only books I receive nowadays are by sitting in front of the computer.

@Blueicegal ♥: Yeah, I like living a separate life at home (more specifically, on the computer) than my life at school. I guess a major reason of why I started this blog is because I can discuss the books I read here and share my love of fiction with other book lovers. :) I think, for me, there are nice paperbacks and meh paperbacks. Like, the way they flick, binding, cover & features, size... So far I haven't bought a paperback because it's the PRETTIER cover, just that it's cheaper. I don't think I'll have problems travelling with paperbacks...they're so easy to carry around, even in a handbag. :P

@Justine: Thanks for your interest! I'd love to see what you do with the meme for next week, if you end up going through with it! Basically, the notion of this meme I want to get across is: "Choose one bookish-bloggerific topic/issue and discuss about it. It doesn't need to be full of Q&A type information, it can be a rant about, say, purchasing ARCs...which is something I'll be discussing this coming week in more detail (+images)". For many other book bloggers, it took months for them to start getting review copies, but for now I've got enough books to last me a month or two, you know, if I were to read a book every second day.



Thanks a lot for commenting! I really need to get my review for The Sky is Everywhere up, which has been wafting around for days...

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