I'm an Addict and I Need Help.

By Amy

It's summertime...Which, for me, means: out-of-control book binging, baby!  Are you a book-aholic, too?  Ah, what a wonderful affliction. :)

A great book will make you ignore even the most basic human necessities.  You don't want to sleep, eat, interact with other humans, or....well, go to the bathroom; nothing else matters--you are totally consumed with the story.  (Remember when I told you in my Home Tour that sometimes when I'm reading, I'll finally go to the bathroom, but then I just end up sitting on the toilet for a hundred pages before I realize that my bum is cold and falling asleep? Ha...admit it, you do too!)

Then there's period after the book... (when I am still not very productive).  You know what I mean--that delicious feeling when you are still under story's spell--it can last for days after reading it!  You are re-living the best moments, mulling the story over and over--not wanting to let go, though the book is done.  Lots of times I go back and re-read the best parts, reading slowly and savoring it since I'm no longer reading full-speed, gobbling up the story, like the first time though.  Ahhh.  I love a good book.

Here's the problem, I have a baby to take care of!  And it's not like when I read I think, "Oh, I can hear my baby crying, but I'm just going to ignore him."  Nope.  I don't even hear my baby crying!  (Isn't that sad!?)

I've escaped into the world of the book.  Don't get me wrong, I love my life and my hubby and my baby...it's just, my life is pretty chill and simple.  It's fun to live the cool, exciting stuff in a book--to put myself in another person's story.  Then I come back into my own world, and I'm grateful for the characters and setting of my own tale.  

When I read a love story (a good one, I'm a bit picky), I revel in it and wallow in sappy happiness...It makes me think of my own love story.  Then, when I finish the book, I run to Partick and get all cuddly--he just laughs at me and thinks I'm a weirdo.

My son, the budding bookworm. I'm so proud! :)

Reading is great--but ignoring family, friends, and the necessities of life is NOT.  It can be a challenge to read responsibly!  But, the first step is recognizing the problem.  I've realized that I am a book-aholic, and I need help.

To make matters worse, I am in a super cool book club, and we all enable each other in our book addiction!  These ladies tell me about amazing books, lend me books, and worst of all....get me hooked on series!   HELLO!  I can't do SERIES!  They take over my life till I finish them!  (I don't think I spoke to my husband for three days when I devoured "The Hunger Games.")

Ok, Ok...I'm sure you know I am NOT upset with these ladies for "torturing" me with amazing reads.  We have tons of fun and I've read some incredible books from their suggestions.

Which leads me to an announcement...drumroll... Throughout this summer, these super cool ladies in my book club agreed to tell write book reviews, telling us about their favorite books!  (I will add a few too!)

Ladies of book club!  (Minus a couple who couldn't make it that night...we still love you!)

I am super stoked for you to meet my friends and hear their recommendations!

So, I guess I will add to the book-addicts' problem by supplying more excellent books to read.  I'm sorry.

Please, proceed with caution, read responsibly, take care of your children, and try not to pull all-nighters (or only occasionally).  Cause for me, the next morning, when I'm suffering from a reading hangover (picture me sitting in my pjs, hair askew, mouth slightly hanging open, staring dazed at the wall while my crying toddler tugs on my clothes) I always wish that I'd shut my dang book at midnight.

*Sigh*...Someday, I hope I learn self-control.  :)
 -Amy

Ps. Are you a book nerd?  Let's hear about your reading addiction.  (Maybe I'll feel better...Ha!)  How bad has it gotten?

Pss. What are you reading this summer? 

Psss. Moms, how do you fit in reading now that you have kiddios?  I'd love to hear! :)

Like and Share with your book-nerd friends, so we can get their input!  Thanks!  :)

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For All You Book Nerds!

By Zoie

As an English teacher, I often get asked this question: Why do we read? 

Although I have many ideas and opinions on this topic, there are plenty of others who have shared these same ideas much more eloquently. So, here are some of my favorite quotes about reading, followed by some helpful websites for you reading junkies out there. 

 “A story is a way to say something that can’t be said any other way, and it takes every word in the story to say what the meaning is.” -- Flannery O'Connor 

 "We read to know that we are not alone." --[William Nicholson] 

"If we could read the secret history of our enemies we should find in each man's life sorrow and suffering enough to disarm all hostility." --Henry Wadsworth Longfellow 

 "Sometimes, you read a book and it fills you with this weird evangelical zeal, and you become convinced that the shattered world will never be put back together unless and until all living humans read the book." --John Green 

"If I should always read, I should never feel the want of company." --Lord Byron 

 Now, for you fellow book nerds, I'd like to point out some resources that I wish I'd known about earlier: 

1.) Goodreads- It's like Facebook, but substitute friends for books (they're interchangeable...right?). 

2.) Check out awards lists, especially Young Adult Awards lists if you want to avoid some of the craziness that happens in adult books. Many awards/associations like the Printz , ALAN, and YALSA can help you locate good books and will also usually provide book lists of the most popular or amazing (not the same thing, mind you) books from the year. 

3.) Find free books online! Sites like this one can direct you to sites like Project Gutenberg, and others that will give you free access to books. 

4.) Check out alternate versions of books that you're not sure about yet. I like to watch the BBC versions of books, Wuthering Heights (love love love), for example, before I commit myself to reading the book. Lifetime Channel also has converted quite a few books into movies. For example, Speak, The Face on the Milk Carton, and many others can be viewed for free on Youtube. 

Obviously, it won't be as good as the book, but if you're not quite sold on the book, something is better than nothing, right? 

Also, there are a lot of other alternative versions of books out there, other than movies. Meg Cabot does a really....funny/freaky rendition of Heidi and other classic literature with her Madame Alexander dolls. On a more brilliant level, The Lizzie Bennet Diaries videos are a modern rendition of Pride and Prejudice. 

I know that the books will always be more exciting than the movies for English nerds like me, but these are all good ways to get others to share your nerdy love of literature. Lure them in! 

What about you? Why do you read? And what are some of your favorite books? 

-Zoie

 *Sources: (thenewdorkreviewofbooks.com) (my.englishclub.com- boys reading) Girl- fanpop.com Sheknows.com- girls laying (orthodoxwayoflife.blogspot.com)

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