Meme meme meme....

I have to admit that ordinarily I'm not a huge fan of memes. (Don't kill me but..) I often glaze over other bloggers weekly memes as I find them a bit predictable once you've seen them a few times over and they don't make for hugely exciting reading.

HOWEVER, the one meme I have enjoyed and have participated in once before is Simon's surprising simple and highly effective (and useful for someone with a head full of rubbish, such as myself) stock checking book list.... 

So......anti-meme as I am..here we go...

1) The book I'm currently reading

The blurb for this book didn't initially draw me in and that, coupled with the fact that it won the Orange Prize and I'm often reluctant to jump on bandwagons right away, means that I've come to this a bit later than everyone else. However, after hearing Téa Obreht do a reading of this lovely book on the Guardian Books Podcast I had to give it a go. Not disappointed yet! 

2) The last book I finished

Picked this up after meeting Carol Birch at the Bookmarked Literary Salon in Manchester earlier this month. This wouldn't ordinarily be something I'd buy (completely sympathise with the whole issue with books set on boats that Simon and Polly have both expressed!) but I'm really glad I did and was completely routing for Carol to win the Booker. (Bugger!) Although sections could have done with a jolt, this ultimately very harrowing story will stay with me for a good while yet. Review to come soon.

3) The next book I want to read

Now, this is the reason why this meme is so effective! I've just realised how 'popular' my current reading habits are! I will endeavour to dig out a classic/something foreign and/or obscure very soon!  That said, I'm sure you can all forgive me for this....the 'must read' of the year surely?

4.) The last book I bought

Love her. 'Nuff said. :-)

5) The last book I was given

Everyone understandably chickened out on my birthday this year, unable to think of books I haven't acquired already and very kindly got me book vouchers instead. As a result, I think the last book I was given was probably Garcia Marquez's Collected Stories (the most recent edition - not the one above) that my parents very kindly gave me when they found a copy in a charity bookshop. I love Gabriel Garcia Marquez, particularly when I can read him in manageable bite-sized nuggets.

On an entirely different note, I'm already growing tired of the format/colours of this blog and am considering a bit more of a 'professional' look. If any of you seasoned bloggers out there have some ideas/advice I am all ears!