What was the last truly great book you read?

I’m quite fond of Learning to Lose by David Trueba. I read the English translation as the original is in Spanish – Saber Perder. Any book combines Spain, soccer, murder, and an affair with a prostitute is a book for me. Learning to Lose follows the lives of four characters living in Madrid – a sixteen year old girl, a professional soccer player, a middle aged man, and his elderly father. It’s a story of loss. A loss of love. A loss of self respect. A loss of self worth. But from each loss comes learning and acceptance that loss is part of live.

I read this book in a weekend and was sad to finish it. It’s the type of book I want to read over and over again, and pick up new subtleties each time. It’s as if the reader is the characters and can feel their pain and joy. A lovely translation and the characters’ stories are interwoven so well. Just a truly fabulous book.

Are you a fiction or nonfiction person? What’s your favorite literary genre? Any guilty pleasures?

I consider myself to be a nonfiction type of gal. I love learning new things and I find that I learn the most from nonfiction. I went to business school and I must admit, I love a good business book. Freakonomics was awesome as well as Soccernomics. There I go again, back to soccer. Soccernomics combined soccer and business. Perfect combo. I’m a nerd. Don’t judge me.

I wouldn’t consider this to be a guilty pleasure, but I do love a good murder mystery. You just can’t go wrong with people getting killed.

What book had the greatest impact on you?

I don’t think I can narrow this down to one book. I think every book changes a person in some way, even if they aren’t conscious of it.

BUT, if I’m forced to choose just one book then I would have to say Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin and Daniel Salmieri. Yes, this is a childrens book.  Yes, I read this about 3 months ago. Yes, I am an adult. My coworker and I received this book as an advanced reader and promptly read it outloud to each other over lunch and quoted it excessively for months.  I think every person needs to read this and understand just how much dragons love tacos and parties. The only thing better than a party is a taco party. But, you must always remember that dragons hate spicy salsa.

What is your ideal reading experience? Your reading habits?

It depends on what I’m reading. If it’s a sad book, then I am alone in my apartment sobbing hysterically with only my cats watching. I don’t cry in public.

For any other type of books, I don’t really have a preference. I can pretty much read anywhere. Except outside because I have to put sunscreen on and I always end up getting it on my book. And sunscreen on books is never a good thing. The pains of being a redhead.

A bad reading habit of mine is to break the spines on books. The first thing I do when I start a new book is to break the spine. My mother hated me for that growing up. She would never allow me to read a book before her, as she hates a broken spine. I had a hard childhood.

Do you prefer a book that makes you laugh or cry? One that teaches you something or distracts you?

A little bit of everything. It depends upon the mood I am in. My preference is something that teaches me something. Like I said earlier, love, love, love a good business book.  But then sometimes a girl just needs a good cry or laugh. If you need a good laugh read Let’s Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson. Awesome book. It will make you feel so much better about your life.

What were your favorite books as a child?

I was an odd child and I love a good dystopian novel, so some of my favorites were The Giver, Brave New World, and 1984. And yes I read these at a young enough age to be considered a child. I also loved (and still do – hello midnight screening of The Hobbit) The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. Oh! And I can’t forget Nancy Drew (owned every single one) and Harry Potter. I remember reading the first Harry Potter book while stuck in traffic evacuating for a hurricane.  And anything by Roald Dahl, Caroline B. Cooney, Tamora Pierce, and Madeleine L’Engle.

Who are your favorite heroes and heroines of fiction?

I don’t know if I have one. Maybe Nancy Drew. I love her. I think those books are where I got my love of mystery novels.

Disappointing, overrated, just not good: What book did you feel as if you were supposed to like, and didn’t? Do you remember the last book you put down without finishing?

I read Slaughterhouse Five and just could not get into it. I don’t know what it was about it, but it just didn’t work for me.  Also, A Separate Peace. I was forced to read this in high school and hated every minute of it.  I’ve tried multiple times to read Catch 22 and every time I can’t get past the first chapter.

What’s the funniest book you’ve ever read?

Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison. Actually just the whole series in general. I read this book when I was in seventh grade and I remember sitting in the library and laughing hysterically and way too loudly. Even eleven years later this book is still one of the funniest I’ve read.

If you could meet any writer, dead or alive, who would it be? What would you want to know?

Probably Simon Kuper. I kinda just wanna talk soccer with him. That’s a sad answer. I might need to think on my choices more. Or maybe Fernando Torres. He wrote a book called El Niño. He’s a soccer player. I’m sure you figured that though. I love him. I named my cat Fernando. And now, Sergio Ramos just needs to write a book and my life would be complete. I named by other cat after him. I told you I like soccer.