Fact: I don't like coffee. I just like saying Coffee Clutch in my best and deepest New York accent. Considering I'm a New Yorker, I'm pretty freaking good at it. So I've got my tea and I hope you have your heated beverage of choice, because it's time to gab the day away.
If someone were to watch me walk around a book store, they'd probably think I was crazy.
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| Oh Travis. Oh. |
I know this seems like an exaggeration, but it's really not. So to prove my insanity (why do I feel the need to do this? I don't know), I'm going to tell you all what an EPIC TRIP to the bookstore looks like.
Before we begin, you might be wondering: What is a an EPIC TRIP to the bookstore? So, I mean, I go to Barnes & Noble like one a week - given I have the time. I won't always buy something and if I do, it's one book, MAYBE two, and usually something I've frugally and painstakingly decided to buy ahead of time. Sometimes I'll go just to book creep - also known as browsing. I know I can do this online, but it's not the same. I'll just go to the store, look at the pretties and maybe make note of a few I want to grab from the library.
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| I forgot how much this makes me laugh. |
OTHER TIMES, maybe once a month - less depending on a combination of what books I want, how much money I have for spending and how much book therapy the month's drama has left me needing - I'll to Barnes & Noble for an EPIC TRIP, in which the following happens:
- Unless I'm feeling adventurous or have to get something for someone else, I'll usually head right over the YA section - where the serious business goes down.
- I'll start my browsing by checking that big table where they put all the big buzz books. Inevitably, I'll smile, maybe pet my favorites and then move on, knowing I'll be back at this table at the end of my trip.
- At this point I'll go grab the books I came for - if I had a list in mind when I entered the store. Which I usually do.
- Next, I'll move to the start of the YA section. The YA section at my Barnes & Noble is divided in 3 (contemporary, paranormal and fantasy are the inexact titles of said sub-sections). I'll start at the very beginning and work my way through, letting the pretty covers and clever titles pull me in.
- Of course, as all of this is going on, I'm furiously checking Goodreads to see what I REALLY want and what books are just trying to trick me into buying them when I actually just want to get them from library (which means I'm also list making as I go so I don't forget what I want from the library).
- Eventually I'll work my way through the entirety of the YA section with entirely too many books in arm. That's when I'll sit down, give myself a limit of how many books I'm allowed to buy and sort based on the factors discussed in last week's discussion post and more.
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| I need all of the sorting help. |
- Once I've painstakingly separated the 'buys' from the 'to-be-gotten-from-the-library' books. I'll double back and put away the books I don't want (because I'm OCD).
- As I'm putting away the 'to-be-gotten-from-the-library' books, I'll usually spot something I didn't see the first time around. Which usually brings me back to the 'checking Goodreads' portion of the trip.
- FINALLY, I'll find myself back at the end of the YA section... with one book I put back stuck on my mind. Which means I'll have to triple back, just to make sure I REALLY don't want it.
- Once I'm sure I've gone over everything to my satisfaction, I'll head over to the big buzz books table and check to make sure I don't need any of those.
- Then I'll linger for a second, unsure if I really want to leave, before begrudgingly heading to check out.
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| Tell the readers, Jenny, TELL THEM. |
How long does this whole process take? Anywhere up to three hours, depending on whether or not I start a book while I'm there. Which I do sometimes. And usually, I'm so hungry when all of this is over that I'll grab some sushi on my way home so I can consider how I want to shelve all the new pretties while munching on edamame. Basically it's really a day that can make a girl's wallet cry. Which is why I try to plan as many of these as possible around birthdays and holidays and other such gift-giving times so I can get my parents or siblings to donate to the cause.
Now tell me, do you guys have EPIC TRIPS like I do, or do you just pop by the shop with a carefully planned list like I probably should in order to spare my bank account the pain? Let me know in the comments below!
Ha no! I'm definitely with you. I don't make little trips but instead only do the epic trips. Of course, I don't have a cell phone so can't check Goodreads while I'm there so I have a list in my head of books I want to buy, but then it fights with all the other books there in the store that are fighting for my attention and it's just hours of going back and forth and rereading the summaries and looking at the pretty covers. I'm sure I look like a nutcase. But the second I walk out that door with a new bag of books I am the happiest girl in the world! Totally worth all that stress.
ReplyDeleteOh man, NO GOODREADS? That's rough. Then again, I'm not always so keen on having Goodreads since it messes with my head. But I need it to weed out some of the badies. Is that wrong? Ugh. So conflicted. But the new bag of books definitely helps the stress!
DeleteAs much as I long to, I basically never have epic bookstore trips because I just cannot justify spending that much, haha. I only buy one or maybe two books at a time, and 99% of the time, they are premeditated rather than spur of the moment. I have epic trips to the library, though! And it's joyous. :D
ReplyDeleteAlso, I absolutely LOVE my new smartphone and the Goodreads app it brings along with it. Makes it a lot easier to separate the books into the potential to-buy, potential library, or yikes-never-mind lists right there, rather than writing them all down to look up later.
Epic trips to the library as similarly joyous!! And, because I have a deadline, I'll often read those books faster than the ones I buy, which is pretty crazy all things considered.
DeleteAnd yes. HURRAY FOR GOODREADS!
I LOVE epic trips to bookstores... but I don't really go to Barnes and Noble (or other book stores like that) for them. We've got a FABULOUS used bookstore near my parents' house, so whenever I go home I usually plan an epic trip to that store and come away with a somewhat lighter wallet and extremely sore arms! But I do love going to new book stores and just looking... seeing books in their natural habitat is fascinating to me!
ReplyDeleteUSED BOOKS! Everyone sings used book praises but I feel like finding one with good YA books is HARD. But maybe less hard now since YA is such a big deal? I haven't been in one in a couple of years since they kept letting me down, but maybe I should try again!
DeleteHahaha, once again, I love every GIF, and totally watched all of those things.
ReplyDeleteSo, I actually don't shop at bookstores all that much. I'm the worst and buy most of my books from Amazon, because I am a cheap ass woman and cannot convince myself it's worthwhile to spend up to twice as much at B&N as I would at Amazon.
However, I do have EPIC shopping trips to Goodwill, which involve me first looking at every single book and putting any interesting ones in my cart. Do not forget to take a cart, because the day you do, there will be 8 million awesome looking books and you will have to abandon them for a couple minutes to go to the front of the store and get one. Bitches might steal your finds! Then, you sort any that are the color of the week, thus half off, out of the pile, because who even cares if it's a duplicate or not actually good? You buy that shit. Once everything is carted, I run back through looking for weird stains, damage, or a mental trace that I already own the book (I really wish I had internet on my phone and could check Goodreads and my list of owned books, but I don't and I can't).
I do support the Indie where I have book club by picking up a paperback when I'm there and buying books at events, but I try to resist hardbacks, because again that shit's expensive!
I TOTALLY hear you about the spending. It hurts SO MUCH when I get to the register, even after I knock it down to as few book as my book loving heart can stand. But it's worth it. I hope?
DeleteAlso, DO NOT LET THOSE BITCHES STEAL YOUR FINDS GIRL. DO NOT. Unacceptable. AND I love that you have a used bookstore process.
PS: I HEAR YOU about those hardbacks. SERIOUSLY. Seriously.
Can we please go on an EPIC TRIP to Barnes & Noble when you get back? I can guarantee that we will probably spend HOURS just walking up and down the aisles of the YA section, discussing books we've read, or want to read but haven't yet. I'm very thorough in my perusal (since I probably go up and down the section about 3-5 times before I feel like I'm satisfied). I like going to bookstores with friends because they can talk me into or out of buying books.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, when I go into a bookstore, it's usually to buy a certain book. More often than not, I walk out with JUST that book - though sometimes, I end up with something else I wanted to read (and that a friend convinced me to get). It's rare that I will binge and select all sorts of books for purchase, especially these days when I'm trying to be good about spending my money.
But seriously - I sense an EPIC bookstore trip looming in our future. (Please?)
THIS IS PLANNED (ISH). WE ARE GOING. I AM EXCITED.
DeleteOh, I totally do the book creep. I remember this one time I was just looking at the books. Literally going through every isle and looking. I was there for maybe 2 hrs and several people kept coming up to me and asking if I needed help with something. Then I noticed they were all staring at me. I think they thought I was going to steal something. When the last employee came up and asked if I was sure I didn't need any help I kind of went off on them. I said, "Listen, I like to look at books OK? I am deciding on what I want to buy. I'm reading some of them while I'm here. I didn't know there was a time limit!!" and...I walked out. I've never been back there. I'm sure I looked like a crazy person. But, why can't a girl just enjoy being around books you know?! I had several I was going to buy...but not that day.
ReplyDeleteYIKES. That sounds ENTIRELY unpleasant. I am so sorry those people in the store couldn't understand that people like us are their NUMBER ONE source of income. SO foolish.
DeleteThis is pretty much my EXACT process. Except instead of giving myself a # of book amounts, I give myself a spending amount. So when I sit down, I'm weighing the books I want the MOST(which is a hard choice), with the amount of books I can get for the cheapest amount so I can MORE books. It's a sad cycle.
ReplyDeleteSometimes I do cash amounts, but I feel like I need to give hardbacks a chance, y'know? But I do a rough estimate of how much I'm spending before checkout and that sometimes makes me more likely to leave a hardback behind instead of a paperback. >.<
DeleteI don't actually buy books when I go to B&N (most of the time. I buy mine online), but I do tend to spend A LONG time there when I go. I also spend a weird amount of time rearranging books that are put in the wrong spot. I used to work at a library so it REALLY bothers me when books are out of place. I will say that when I was younger, I had epic trips very similar to yours. I would spend about four hours at the bookstore and leave with 10-12 books. It was ridiculous, but I loved it.
ReplyDeleteI ALSO REARRANGE. Like if a series is in the wrong order. Or if a book gets left on a table somewhere. I'll quietly put it back. I also love when people ask me about a particular book. I will it to happen every time I go and it almost never does >.<
DeleteBasically what I think I'm saying is that I should work at a bookstore (but only in the YA section). Then again, we all know where my paycheck would go... *no monies for food*
Now that sounds like 3 hours of heaven for me. My local book shoops are small with limited choices so I normally shop on Amazon. But when I hit the city, the book shop is my first priority and then my visit is a lot like you described. Great gifs!
ReplyDeleteBookishTrish @ Between the Lines
Oh Amazon. I try to buy from BN.com when online unless Amazon is SIGNIFICANTLY cheaper. But mostly I want to keep the big BN in my neighborhood open so I just go there. I will singlehandedly keep it open if I must!
DeleteI LOVE YOU. THIS POST IS MADE OF AWESOME. My book store has a pretty limited amount of YA books (just a big table and one bookcase), but still I easily spend an hour in there. I walk at least four times around the table, looking at each book carefully (this is the point where I laugh to myself multiple times whenever I see a Dutch translation of a YA book I have read ages ago, or a book that is suddenly very hyped in the book blogging world. I remember when Shatter Me came out, and I recommended it to everyone in sight.) and I spend a decent amount of time in front of that bookcase as well, going over the shelves at least three times. I usually think the book store people think I'm nuts. And I feel even more awkward when they ask if they can help me. WHICH THEY DO. Multiple times. "Uh no, I'm just looking." And I just feel them going all, YEAH RIGHT. Or judging me because I'm in front of the 13+ shelf. OH WHATEVER. Since my book store basically doesn't have English books (just a few paperbacks of adult literature and Twilight. No thank you.), I spend WAY more time at the library. Even though I come there almost every week and have already read most of the books (twice), I spend an hour there going over all the shelves, walking the circle at least three times, because WHAT IF I MISSED ONE? If I'm actually searching for something, I can spend up to 3 hours there. No one ever wants to go with me anymore, which is perfectly fine with me, because they'd get annoyed and/or bored anyway. Now. CAN WE GO BOOK SHOPPING TOGETHER PLEASE?! I have a feeling that would be EPIC. (Oh, I didn't even talk about the English book stores in Amsterdam. I spend way to much time there, but I don't go there that often because they're not that close to my home.) WOW LONG RAMBLY COMMENT. But you're probably used to that by now ;) Let's go book shopping please! <3
ReplyDeleteHAHAHAHAHA OH MY. That is one effing long comment. And it doesn't even say that much. Probably could've written it in three sentences. Oh well. Did I mention I had the best time reading your post and that your gifs were absolutely poifect? No? There you go. Adios.
DeleteFirst of all: Your Princess Spirit Animal is Belle. From Beauty and the Beast. I have decided. Mostly because of this: "Even though I come there almost every week and have already read most of the books (twice), I spend an hour there going over all the shelves, walking the circle at least three times, because WHAT IF I MISSED ONE?" - I pictured the scene at the beginning in the bookstore when I read that. Don't worry. This is a good thing. She's my Princess Spirit Animal also, so basically we're meant to be friends.
DeleteSecond of all: YES LET US GO BOOK SHOPPING TOGETHER.
Third of all: I LOVE THE LONG RAMBLY COMMENTS. And when you tell me my gifs are poifect. <3
I actually only saw Beauty and the Beast when I was fifteen or so, and I was like WHY have I never seen this movie before?! I love Belle. Especially when she borrows the book she already read, since I do that all the time. And obviously, we're meant to be friends.
DeleteI wish we could go book shopping together! (When you come to Amsterdam, yes? Or when I come to NYC! Which needs to happen.) And my comments are VERY rambly. Especially VMars comments. Lots of keyboard slamming, too.
You, my friend, are the Queen of GIFs. Just so you know. So keep using them okay?
I LOVE this post. I totally understand. I hardly ever buy books, so when I have money to splurge I take the chance. I'm generally in the store for a long time and making a "thing" of it. The employees are always like "Wow, you're still here?" Yes. Yes, I am.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely make a thing of it!!! And you just tell those employees they better leave you alone if they want your money! >.<
Delete"Inevitably, I'll smile, maybe pet my favorites and then move on, knowing I'll be back at this table at the end of my trip."
ReplyDeleteAre we the same person?! hahahahaha I pet the books too (I've even been known to hug my favorites...)
EVERYONE pets the books. They can lie and say they don't BUT THEY DO.
DeleteMine are much more spontaneous, because I need book therapy immediately after life drama! To assist my wallet, I'll start in the used book section, because my indie store has an awesome and huge used book section (it's like 1/3 of the store). This is still problematic though, since it's a lot more tempting to get "maybe" books if they are only $5, so sometimes I end up spending more >.> . My YA section has a special YA sci-fi/fantasy subsection which I love them for dearly. I'm not so much into the contemporary books, so this subsection is pretty much made for me. I also Goodreads like crazy, and I love the scanning function since them I don't have to worry about forgetting about a book, they're all in my scanned books list :D
ReplyDeleteAnya @ On Starships and Dragonwings
Mmmm Goodreads. GOODREADS. What did we do before Goodreads?
DeleteBut yes, used books are a good idea!
I love your description of your EPIC TRIPS to B&N, Gaby. That absolutely sounds like me whenever I'm in one, or a BAM. Now, I'll tell you a story about baby, 21 year old Molli.
ReplyDeleteOnce upon a time, I went to visit one of my BFF's, who at the time was living in Georgia. Now, I live in a town the size of a shoebox, so my book shopping consisted of Hastings, WalMart, or online, and obvi online stinks because you're not THERE with the books.
So on this trip, said friend who was a book fiend like me said "Why don't we go to B&N?" Well, this was a mythical place I'd only HEARD of, where ALL the books lived. (Much like my library, which I loved, but the books were just loaners.) So friend and I go off to B&N, have lunch, back to B&N, and then to BAM.
Several days later when I was ready to go home, I had to BUY a duffel bag to haul ALL my books home. What can I say...being there where I could have SO MANY books I'd read and loved, or wanted to read...went to my head. I was in book heaven. :)
I'm much, much more controlled now - I do a lot more looking and a lot less buying. But sometimes I still splurge a little. :D
Uhm. I love that story. Like so much. You should use it as a bedtime story for all book lovers forever and always.
DeleteI feel like anytime I go into a bookstore people look at me like I'm crazy because I walk around the store at least twice. I am a bit of a hardcover snob (I hate to admit this about myself) so I need to inspect the dust jacket and if it is not perfect I make a note of checking it next time to see if there is a more "perfect" copy. I also have a habit of making myself a stack and also making a library list by taking pictures of the covers so I don't have to write everything down. Overall I should just not be trusted with money when it comes to bookstores.
ReplyDeleteLOVE this post :)
... can I admit to trying to find a hardcover that hasn't been opened before? Y'know, I open the over just an inch and if there's resistance, it's good, because that's a sign no one's cracked the binding yet. I love being the first person to crack the binding on a hardcover... So yeah. You're not the only snob around here! ^_^
DeleteWow, Gaby, that is some PROCESS. I don't think my bookstore buying sprees are that much of an ordeal... :) They're usually just a mixture of impulse buys + calculated purchases that I'd arranged beforehand. They always include a lot of book petting though. I like touching my favourite books.
ReplyDeleteI love a good process. Seriously. But I'm glad you're a little more directed than I am. My outings can become SERIOUS ordeals and I don't always have time for all that. But YES to the book petting.
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