jolt = a sudden burst

I'm surprised "dar ganas" is not listed. Example: "Porque no me da la gana." -> "Because I don't feel like it."

As a side note, it's "better or worse"; not "better or worst". The words "better" and "worse" are comparative while the words "best" and "worst" are superlatives. In this case, you're making a comparison between his old books and his new books, so you would utilize "worse".

You're close. It's "with whom". * "Who" is used when referring to the subject of a sentence. * "Whom" is used when referring to the object of a verb or preposition. In this case, it's used as the object of a preposition "with ..."

¡Gracias, Monica!

@William The word "agua" is actually a feminine noun. However, because it begins with a stressed "a-" the article "el" is used. That's why it's "el agua" and "las aguas".

Yes, you are correct. From the context of the conversation, the main character is being a bit flippant (maybe even snarky). As Michael said, the line could have been "I'm like that" or even "It's kinda my thing." would fit well within the context. (By the way, "kinda" is obviously not technically a word. However, it is used colloquially quite a bit and fits her demeanor. You would only use it in very informal situations.)