Going to the Movies YA Style

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.

Can I be honest with you guys for second?

While I'm really happy about all of these YA books getting made into movies, I don't generally like to go see them.

The One in Which I Ask You Guys For Things

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.

Hi guys, what's up?

WUT? - A Reader's Appreciation Post

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.

So, recently I've been getting these comments on my reviews/responses to my tweets about books I'm obsessed with. They say things like "Oh, you loved this book? I trust your recommendations. I'll move that one to the top of my TBR."

To this I say:

YA Me (Probably the First in a Series)

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.

A couple of weeks ago, my mom knocked on my door and said, "There's going to be a clothing drive this weekend." To which I said: "Exxxxxcellent" and proceeded to fill four garbage bags with clothing and shoes I no longer wear so I can go shopping for "adult clothing" with Estelle and have somewhere to put the new stuff. (Because, let's be real, I'm never not going to have too much clothing.)

Anyway, as I purged, I stumbled upon my prom dress (which I posted to Twitter because, well, why not?).

Give Me That Book. Give it to Me Now.

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.

The other day I was on Twitter and Rachel (who blogs over at As Told By Rachel) tweeted about how much she missed the good ol' days, before the Harry Potter series wrapped up. Y'know, back when she would get so excited for a new release with the pre-orders and the sweet anticipation for that next book in the series that you would absolutely devour the second you got your hands on it... well, you guys know what I mean. 

I Totally Saw That Coming and That's OKAY

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.

So you know when you guys are reading a book and things start to happen and it hits you:

"OH. I know what the big twist is gonna be. Like, I see the clues and feel the build up and this is clearly what's going to happen, I just know it. She's gonna stab him in the back or he's gonna turn out to be evil or they're secretly related. That's what's going to happen, yes, I know."

I'm BAAAACK!

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 you've been paying attention, you'll know I went on a cute little hiatus for over half of January. I even gave it an adorable little title that made it seem like I was still in high school or college, was just going off to some warm place for the week and didn't want to bring my laptop to with me. Oh, and I was too lazy to schedule posts in advance.

But I'm back now and I've had some time to think about all of the stuff. These are some of the conclusions I've come to:

What Do Non-Readers Do With Their Time?

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.

Y'know those people in your life who don't read? Or even those people who don't read as much as I/we/you do? I'm sure you know a few. They could be a family member or a spouse or a friend...

Well, what do these people do in their spare time?

The Problem with Recommending Books Is...

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.

I have this thing where I'll never recommend one book to everyone. Because, well, everyone I know is super different and I don't think there's one book that'll really do it for everyone. Not even The Book Thief. Proof: I gave it to my dad and he put it down half-way through. He said to me, "Gaby, I know what happens. Everyone dies." He's not totally right, but I guess the man's read enough World War II books to get the gist of it. But what it really boils down to is that he doesn't like books that remind him or real, sad things.

Am I Over TV?

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.

It's been a little while since I sat down to have a little chat with you guys. I got distracted by a #Readathon, my blogoversary and this silly little Library challenge I tried to do (but I only made it through like 4 of the 16, so whatever, we're going to maybe pretend it never happened, okay?)

But just because it's been a while doesn't mean I don't have things to talk about with you people anymore. I DO. I REALLY DO.

So what's going on in my crazy brain this week? 

Television. 

Read All of the Library Books Challenge (Part II)

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.

Okay. So. Two weeks ago I decided November would be "Read All of the Library Books" month. My progress? Unimpressive. I'm not surprised with myself. I wish I could be, but I'm not. 

So. Many. Series. (Part II)

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.

Are you guys ready for Part II of my So. Many. Series. post? In case you need a refresher, HERE is Part I. You can read about all of the series I've started, finished, am up to date on or have given up on in Part I. It's got a lot of titles on it, but not as many on this list you're about to read (or, more likely, skim). This list is all the books I own the first book of the series of (either in ARC form or finished copies form. This doesn't include my library books. Just the ones I've bought because I was like: "Oh hey, this shizz sounds baller" but then I never got around to reading.

So. Are you ready?

So. Many. Series. (Part I)

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.

This post (and it's Part II, which I'll be posting next Friday) is happening for a couple of reasons. 

1. Mel over at The Daily Prophecy wrote this post about all of her series. 

2. Which got me thinking about all of the series I've started and which I've dropped, which I have the next/last book but haven't read them yet, which I've completed, and which don't even have all of the books out yet.

3. So then I was sitting on the subway with my friend Jennifer (Novel Thoughts and ARCycling) and we started listing all the series we could think of that we've either started, dropped, have books on our shelves for, or are waiting on the next installment of.

4. Then we made it to my stop, I got off and I was still thinking about it. 

5. So even though it's mega late and this is not a good project for me to start, I'm going to make four categories and list all the series I can. 

6. Because I know you all care. 

Read All of the Library Books Challenge

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.

Pantsing vs. Plotting

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.

A Silly Story

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.

Why I'm A Bookish Mess

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.

Now, obviously there are books that are so hyped that you might be a little afraid to read them. Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, all of the John Green books... the list goes on. But these are books that are recommended to you, or think you're supposed to like because everyone else loves them.

But what about the books that you know you're going to love once you sit down and read them? If you're a normal person, you'll just sit down the second you can get your hands on whatever has you all excited, read the damn book and love it to pieces. 

Then you and the book can be best friends forever.

But if you're like me, you'll love the idea of the book so much that you'll be afraid to read it. Usually this happens with a book that's written by an author whose other books I love so much - or this new book is the sequel to something else I adored. Generally what happens is I'll over hype the book for myself like crazy. No one has to say anything. I just do it to myself. 

Merida and I both know I'm out of my mind.

Examples of when this has happened to me:

FANGIRL by Rainbow Rowell

JUST ONE YEAR by Gayle Forman

JELLICOE ROAD by Melina Marchetta 

ACROSS THE STAR-SWEPT SEA by Diana Peterfreund 

WHERE THE STARS STILL SHINE by Trish Doller 

BITTERBLUE by Kristin Cashore

Now, I know some of these books technically haven't come out yet or just came out, but I've had access to a copy of each of these books for a while now (ARCs are a boon to be praised). And yet, no matter how excited I am, I still haven't gotten to the second half of this list. I'm honestly pretty sure it's because I've over-hyped myself. I'm just too excited and can't make myself sit down and read the book in question. Alternatively, I might also be afraid the next book in the series or by that author won't live up to how awesome I've assumed this new book is going to be. (As kind of happened to me with the later Harry Potter books.)

Basically, I'm a mess.

Now, sometimes I'll get my butt in gear and read the freaking thing, but other times I'll keep holding off (as is evident by the fact that I've only read half of that list above). It's just a matter of sitting down, taking a deep breath, quell the excitement/fear and read what I know is going to make me swoon/melt/gasp/squee/cry/whatever. Because, inevitably, it's the books I, myself, over-hype that end up being the ones that do just that.

Anyway, I think this post solidifies my insanity. It's okay if you don't understand, but if you do, please commiserate in the comments below. 

"Do Not Read" and "Skip This Author"

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.

We've all heard the term "must read". Someone reads a book, love it so much and insists that everyone they know read that one book. You also might use the term "auto-buy". Someone reads everything by one author, loves it so much and pre-orders every book by that one author.

But how about the opposite? Is there a book that you really hate and you tell everyone not to read? How about an author whose books you really didn't like and refuse to read any more of their books and maybe tell other people to stay away as well?

I'm not talking about bad author behavior or whatever else. That's something separate and I'm not interested in getting into that right now.

I'm honestly only talking about your own personal preferences based on plot or whatever else.

As for me, the same way I don't have "must read" or "auto-buy" books, I also don't have "do not read" or "skip this author" books. If I don't like a book, maybe I'll tell someone why I don't like a book (just as I think all readers who review in any capacity do) but I don't like to wave someone away from a book. It makes me uneasy. I don't want you to miss out on something you might love.

I also won't entirely dismiss an author even if I haven't liked their previous books. I mean, I'll probably be less inclined to pick up another book by the same author, but I won't completely dismiss it. You never know what might change. Maybe their new book is in a different genre or they've learned something between that last book I didn't like and this new one. It's really about the plot and the sound of the book more than anything else.

Maybe my inclination to not mark something "do not read" or label an author "skip this author" leads to making my friends suffer or more reading things I won't necessarily love, but it feels wrong to me to come down hard with absolute labels.

Are you guys soft like me or do you come down hard on these kinds of things? Let me know in the comments below!

What is Happening?

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.

Sometimes I feel like there's stuff going on out there on the Great Wide Interwebz that I am just not aware of.

Sometimes this is bad.

Example: Occasionally I'll miss out on book hype. Or a really good book. I know if I was better at keeping up with my catalogue/blog/Goodreads creeping I wouldn't have this problem, but sometimes I'm really lazy and there's nothing anyone can do about it. Even me. Because the compulsion to be lazy is just too strong.

However, sometimes being out of the loop is good.

Example: When there is blogger/author/reader/Goodreads drama. I know it happens a lot and sometimes I'll see some of it on Twitter, but a lot of the time I have NO FREAKING IDEA what's going on.

All of this, both good and bad, is kind of annoying because I like knowing what's going on. I used to always know what was happening with all my friends at any given time. But recently that's slowed. Am I more selfish/lazy? Do I care less? Is there more for me to keep tabs on? It really could be that the Interwebz/pool of bloggers is JUST TOO HUGE.

I guess I'm okay with all of that. But, um, guys, I kindly request that if anything on the Great Wide Interwebz involves me and I don't know about it that you TELL ME. I might not be able to know EVERYTHING all the time anymore the way I used to keep tabs in high school and college (I really did know EVERYTHING in high school and college), but I would like to be able to keep tabs on my own affairs now...

Do you ever feel like you're missing something? Is this what getting old feels like? Tell me about your fears and concerns in the comments below!

Things That Distract Me From Reading

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.

I don't always get as much reading done as I'd like. Sometimes I wonder what I'm doing to keep me from getting the work done. Obviously there's hanging out with friends and whatever works I have to get done. But since I'm funempolyed and most of my friends are employed, aside from running errands and job hunting, I don't have much to do. 

So what's keeping me from getting my reading done? I'll tell you.

1. Television/Movies

I've recently binged The Office and Parks & Recreactions. All in like 3 weeks. It's disturbing and I hate myself. Game of Thrones is next. I think. Unless you guys have better suggestions. But don't give me suggestions because I should really get back to reading. (No. Actually. Tell me what to watch.) Also, I really like watching lots and lots of movies. I happen to a own a lot of DVDs.

I also like to eat popcorn when I watch movies.

2. Creeping around the Interwebs

I spend way too much time on Twitter. And Facebook. And Instagram. And wishing there was more stuff on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to stare at mindlessly. I don't know what's wrong with me but I'll open my computer with the intent to send a couple of emails (I don't like to write emails from my phone) and I'll be on it for hours. Basically the World Wide Web is an enormous time suck. Please send help.

3. Games

I wish I was talking about board games. I mean, it would be board games if I had 2-3 people at my disposal to play Settlers of Catan with whenever I wanted. But I'm mostly talking about Candy Crush. And Words with Friends. Oh Candy Crush and Words with Friends. How I love you both.

4. Lurking about Bookstores
I don't NEED anymore books. And most of the time when I go to bookstores, I don't even WANT anymore books. Or I do but I really can't spend the cash. But sometimes I'll just hang out there. I won't even read. I'll just spend way too much time petting the pretties like a freak. Or following Jen around because she works at my Barnes & Noble and I love her. (HI JEN! *waves*)

5. Sleeping too much
If I have to wake up early, I'll take a nap. If I don't have to wake up early, I'll stay up way too late and sleep waywayway too late. I don't regret it. I love sleep. And even once I wake up, I'll just lie there for a little bit because my bed is comfy and I'm not even slightly compelled to do a single thing. I know. I'm normal.

Okay. I'll stop here before this becomes too much like Family Feud (even though there are a million other things that keep me from getting to the books I really, really want to get to). But yeah.

I hope I'm not the only one who is constantly distracted by a trillion things. Please let me know about your distractions in the comments below. Not that I need more, I just want to feel better about myself.