So, April over at Good Books and Good Wine is doing this awesome thing, friends, where she’s set up 15 different prompts/challenges related to books and blogging. We answer, link up, chat with everyone about their answers, and then move on to the next one. Sounds AWESOME. There’s no set dates to start, and I don’t think you need to do all 15 right in a row, but I’ll definitely be participating because I love ALL OF THE THINGS about this.
The prompt for day one of the 15 Day Book Blogger Challenge is coming up with 15 bookish confessions. I think I’ve got this one in the bag, but let’s see how we do! In the meantime, everyone should head on over there and check out the other mini challenges April’s got going!
Here we go!
Number One
I’m a librarian by training, but my shelves are NOT organized alphabetically
I know. I feel like I’m failing at librarianship. If it helps, they ARE organized in a way that makes TOTAL sense to my brain; I’m almost always able to find whatever book I’m looking for on my shelves, or in one of the seriously ridiculous piles on my floor.
Number Two
That’s because they’re organized by series or author
See? There’s a method! I’m reaching critical mass, however. For example, Marissa Meyer’s Lunar Chronicles series and Marie Lu’s Legend series are next to each other (hilariously, this IS sort of alphabetical, except Meyer is sandwiched between LaFevers and Lu, and they’re all next to Cashore on one side and Perkins on the other), but the shelf is full. No room for the next books in those series. YET.
Also, my series are in order from right to left, ALWAYS, so they’re in the opposite direction of how most Western cultures read.
Number Three
Favorites in the front! (My shelves are two rows deep)
I reread constantly, so I like to have my favorite favorites in a place where I can reach them easily, whether I want to reread the entire book or just grab it and flip to a scene or passage (usually it’s the kissing scenes) I particularly loved. Only one book I own has actual stickies in it marking quotes or passages I like to revisit: Jodi Lynn Anderson‘s TIGER LILY. Everything else, I just flip until I find what I’m looking for.
Number Four
I have a bookmark system that tells me my primary and secondary reads
There is also a tertiary bookmark, but I don’t often have three print copies going at once unless I’m doing a readalong or something more drawn out. My primary bookmark was a gift from my old boss’s business trip to India, and my secondary bookmark is this woven wood/raffia-looking stuff.
Number Five
I can’t buy one book in a series and not buy all the rest
CANNOT DO THIS EVER. Once I buy one book in a series, there’s no question about my buying the rest, so if I buy book one, I’m locked in for them all. Two exceptions: I still haven’t purchased REQUIEM by Lauren Oliver out of sheer protest, and I don’t have all the Elizabeth Peters Amelia Peabody books because there’s, like, 20 of them. Ain’t nobody got room for that!
Number Six
I’ve never finished reading LITTLE WOMEN, the book whose characters my sister and I were named after
That’s right. I was named after Amy March and my sister was named after Laurie, the boy next door whom she eventually marries. It was my mother’s favorite book growing up; she even gave me a gorgeous hardcover for Christmas the year I turned 10. I HAVE, however, seen the movie.
Number Seven
I often check out between 8 and 10 library books at a time, but I rarely read them all
I feel so bad about this. Especially because I will renew, renew, renew until I can’t anymore and STILL manage to not read half the books I check out. My eyes are bigger than my bookish stomach when I go the library, friends.
Number Eight
I’ve never read anything by: Charles Dickens, John Steinbeck, or F. Scott Fitzgerald, and I couldn’t finish ANNA KARENINA
In my defense, I have TRIED to read books by these authors and so many others but I just couldn’t hack it. I made it about 350 pages into ANNA KARENINA before I put it down. Didn’t help that I knew the ending going in.
Number Nine
My favorite Shakespeare play is A Midsummer Night’s Dream
SIGH. I do love Shakespeare. I took a class on his works in college and it was one of my favorites, if also one of my hardest. This play is my favorite because it’s just so magical.
Number Ten
The reason I think gingers are hot is because of Jamie Fraser from the Outlander series
BOOM. If you follow me on Twitter, you might know that Starz is making this series into a TV show airing next year and they just cast Jamie Fraser and THEY HAVE DONE WELL. I love this series so much.
Say hello to Sam Heughan, and be prepared to see this name on my blog again, provided that he is actually, officially announced as Jamie Fraser. From Diana Gabaldon’s Facebook page
Number Eleven
I get a little cringey when my book covers don’t match
I know, I know. I just have to suck it up. I can’t blame publishers for doing whatever they think is the best way to sell more books. This is just my bookish OCD kicking in. This is especially bad when I like the original cover better than the redesign, which nearly always happens.
Number Twelve
I used to steal books from my library when I was little
SHHH! DON’T RAT ME OUT, OK??
Number Thirteen
Nearly any expendable cash I have goes towards buying books
This is also the reason why I have so many piles of books. I keep buying them without weeding and so I’m running out of room. It’s a LEGIT problem. But buying books is how I treat myself. It’s what I splurge on. It’s nigh impossible for me to stop, although I can curb myself if I need to.
Number Fourteen
I don’t like reading about zombies, but I have no problem reading about ghosts
I’ve read exactly ONE book about zombies: Courtney Summers‘ THIS IS NOT A TEST and I liked it. But I haven’t been drawn to any other zombie books since. I just have no interest at all. When it comes to ghosts or any OTHER paranormal creature, though, I’m all in.
Number Fifteen
I’m obsessed with A Song of Ice and Fire, but I constantly need to refresh my memory
I even have an app on my phone. There’s SO MUCH going on and so many different people and places that things run together on me sometimes. Don’t misunderstand me, though: I LOVE THIS. I love having to look stuff up and get caught in a Game of Thrones nerd sesh.
Thanks for participating! I found myself quietly laughing because Tony is still in the other room sleeping, instead of full on laughing. Straight up, the stealing library books confession cracked me up. Oh my goodness. ALL OF THE LOLOLOLOLs.
And yo, that guy casted as Jamie Fraser, he’s quite nice to look at so good job Starz and also good job linky thumbnail hahaha.
I organize my books by series too! And also do the same thing with favorites to the front.Although, you could not tell from looking at my books now, but once we are settled I plan on reorganizing them.
YES! All of these lol. I can totally relate to this list! And I LOVE your bookmark system. I think I sub-consciously do that myself! My really nice Book Jig goes into my Main read. My magnetic bookmark goes into my Secondary read and IF I have a 3rd read going on, it is usually one of my generic ones that we give out for free at the Bookstore I work at.
Great confessions! Your secrets are safe with me 😛
Haha, I said almost the same thing as you regarding how many books I check out of the library. I often have 30 items out on my card at a time. 30! I mean, seriously, I know there is not way I’ll read them. But I like having options.
I’m a librarian, too, and my books are organized alphabetically by author’s last name. But within their name, I organize by series order. So for Cassandra Clare it’s :
City of Bones
City of Ashes
City of Glass
etc.
But what I hate is when people organize their books by color. I just don’t get that.
I haven’t read the Outlander series, but I like the look of that Giner 🙂
I’ve never read Little Women, either, even though it’s one of my mother’s favorite books. I’m not named after a character though 🙂 I do want to get on that though.
Anyway, thanks for sharing!!
Bwahahahaha, you were named after Amy March?! I’m sorry? That’s actually about my favorite all-time book, so much so that I kind of want to name a daughter Jo (but more likely would name one Margaret because, let’s face it, that’s easier these days than Josephine). Have to go to work, or I’d respond to more, but sorry–too busy laughing.
Oh–I was NOT named after Heidi in the book, and get really sick of people always assuming I was. My parent’s just loved the name.
Awesome confessions! Can’t wait to see your post tomorrow!
http://spicedlatte.blogspot.com/2013/07/15-day-challenge-day-1-15-bookish.html
Ah! I’m having the exact same problem about Requiem by Lauren Oliver! It’s like. Okay. I own the first two and my shelf is empty without the third, but do I really want to buy it?
And then I organize my books by author and then release dates of books? So it’s like this.
1.Before I Fall
2.Delirium
3.Pandemonium
But if there’s a standalone in between a series that isn’t finished I move it to the back. (I hope that makes sense). And then I constantly reread my favorites, or you know. My favorite parts – so they’re always all over the house and never on my shelf!
Great list!
Little Women is great, and so is March by Josephine Brooks – that one is from the father’s perspective (for most of the book he’s off at war…). SO GOOD. The bookmark system is such a good idea – I usually just *gulp* bend my pages… EEEEK!
I always said I didn’t like zombies but I found out I like certain types of zombie books if they mainly focus on the survival aspect. I don’t like blood and guts and there isn’t a whole lot to recommend zombies as a paranormal creature, they’re just kind of mindless and hungry whereas ghosts have more a range of personalities. So I can definitely see where you’re coming from.
You had some great confessions! Love that you used to take books from the library when you were little haha!
B
Hello!!! I don’t think I’ve visited your blog before, so I’m glad April’s challenge brought me here 🙂
I sort of have a system to yours: pseudo alphabetical + series.
I might have to do this two rows deep thing, if I can master it 😀
LOL “Ain’t nobody got room for that!”
That is neat that you and your sister are named after characters from Little Women!
I think A Midsummer Night’s Dream was just too crazy for me to follow and enjoy, haha.
How did you steal books without an alarm going off?!? Did your library not have barcode alarm gate thingies?
Great list! “See” you tomorrow : )
April’s challenge brought me to your blog for the first time. (Adding you to my Feedly after posting this.)
I have different organizational methods for my books too. It always helps to have something unusual that our brains “get,” I think. It’s pretty interesting your shelves are two rows deep! I don’t think I could have my books where I couldn’t see them all at a glance.
#12 – lol! I think we may have all done this at some point, even if inadvertently.
I am so excited about the Outlander miniseries and fully support Sam as Jamie Fraser…yummy! I organize my shelves by series and genre…another librarian here. Great list!
Little Women was my favourite book growing up! And I totally relate to your discomfort regarding mismatched covers. I do wish publishers would at least wait until the last book in a series is released before they redo all the covers.
I feel the same way about zombies. I actually like The Walking Dead, but I’m not interested in reading books about them. I’ll read about vampires, weres, ghosts, everything else though.
I loved reading your bookish confessions! I can’t wait to do my post and really think about my answers, since I had basically NO time at all to do this one yesterday. It may have to wait till the weekend, in all actuality.
Anyway.
I organize my books by series as well, with favorites usually going on the middle or top shelf! My series HAVE to be in order, and they go from left to right or top to bottom, depending on the shelf. I think it’s cool that yours is from right to left though!
Also – SHAKESPEARE! I love Shakespeare. I started reading his stuff when I was very young, and though I haven’t revisited it in a while, I’m still kind of obsessed. A Midsummer Night’s Dream is fun and whimsical and very memorable indeed!
I like the priority bookmark system! That’s such a unique idea.
YAY for the Jamie Frasier love. ♥ ♥
I don’t like zombies either. Not sure if I’ll ever understand this craze.
Sorry for the double comment, but I somehow skipped #9 (probably because I got distracted by the picture of the soon-to-be Jamie, haha)! And I couldn’t not comment on that. I adore Shakespeare! I’m ashamed to say that I’ve never read all of Midsummer, though. I really should!
My favorite is Much Ado About Nothing, followed by Taming of the Shrew. And Twelfth Night. I’m all about the comedies. Although I enjoy the tragedies and histories, as well. Just not quite as much.
Haha!! I love #8 – Me too. And I’m going to have to check out #10. Hmm…
I can’t believe you haven’t read Little Women-you need to get on that!
Love cutie Sam Heughan-looking forward to seeing more of him!
You used to steal books from your library? Same! I just didn’t put it on mine because I was too embarrassed…
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