I forgot to mention, I also do the reading-the-back-of-the-cereal box thing. You are not alone in your addiction to the written word.

I'll give most anything a whirl if it's well-recommended - my book-exchange coworker has been bringing me the better class of YA stuff lately. The Hunger Games, The Inheritance Cycle, etc. Most of my collection falls into scifi/fantasy, mystery, or horror though. And then there's a huge section of nonfiction with history, travel, and more stuff about animals than you'd believe. I was that kid who couldn't remember your name, but if you ever mentioned that you had a dog at home, I knew its name and breed and age for all time.