The other day I went to Barnes and Noble (just me! a miracle!!) and I bought a book in a way I've affectionately started calling ''old skool style''. I put away all TBR lists and just wandered around aimlessly. I had no idea where to start and it felt weird, confusing, and freeing all at the same time. I wandered, coffee in hand, until I ran across a gorgeous, intriguing cover. I picked it up, read the back cover, and discovered it was a series. I found its slightly less cute predecessor next to it on the shelf. The back cover spoke to me of princes, royalty, love and God. And I was hooked! I'm really nothing but a fairy tale lover inside :)
And you know what?
It was the best book I've read in a long while! I read it in two days and can't wait to go back for that original eye-catching #2.
It has been so long since I just wandered a bookstore, not looking for anything in particular. I wasn't feeling (self-induced) pressure to buy a certain book because it is the 'latest, and greatest'. My experience turned out great...this time. But I know there has been other times where my plan may have failed. Not every book is equal.
But here is my question for you: when was the last time you threw your TBR list to the wind? When was the last time you just picked up an interesting book and just read it?? We are book bloggers, but we will become jaded and tired if we don't feed ourselves with books just for fun!
So, make room on that reading schedule! Put off that new ARC just one more day, and read something refreshing and fun. Just for you :)
I remember the days when I would go into a book store and just buy a book... but it was a long time ago! I don't know if I can do that anymore - I feel like because it's so hard to make room on my bookshelf for new books I owe it to them to try to read them and maybe make space if I didn't love the book. But you are so right, it is nice to just wander the bookstore with the idea that you can find something new and exciting and take it home! Actually I think I can use that to motivate me to make a bigger dent in my TBR list of physical books! :)
ReplyDeleteThat is why I think it has become so rare for bloggers to do it! We are worried about our TBR piles, but it was super nice just to relax for awhile :)
ReplyDeleteI can't think of the last time I did this - the closest I come to straying from my TBR list is occasionally I'll wander in the library a bit and see if anything grabs me. That's a low-risk way to keep from getting too regimented.
ReplyDeleteHow great that your pick ended up being one you liked so much!
Yeah, I need to utilize my library more often. But you are absolutely right about becoming too regimented! I don't want to lose the joy of blogging and reading
ReplyDeleteI recently tried doing this at the library, but the few books I picked this way were all duds. Granted, a library is set up completely differently than a bookstore... maybe I'd be more likely to stumble upon a great book if I went to a bookstore for my browsing. (But then I'd still have to go to the library for the book itself; random book gambles are definitely not in my budget.)
ReplyDeleteWhile I do miss the serendipity of coming across the perfect book completely randomly, I think the internet provides a different kind of magic. It opens up the book world. A lot of the books that might have been random discoveries now CAN'T be random because I've already heard of them... and that's not a bad thing!
I can see how some might feel a TBR is restricting... but as long as your TBR is big enough and you keep some variety in what you're reading, it doesn't have to be.
The blogging world has turned me on to TONS of great books! Its true that I have lost a lot of the 'random' feeling in that respect. Sometimes I feel as if the blogging community focuses on one genre, or even one book, too much. I can see the same things over and over.
ReplyDeleteI think it is nice to do this random wander every once in awhile though. Just a little time for relaxation and too broaden your horizons.