Luckily I don't have the problem at the library! I love my local library branch. It's a small facility but they have a great collection and it's easy to have books transferred from other branches. The staff is super nice and always helpful. When the Tornado was little we went to story time pretty regularly and the children's librarian is fabulous.
I normally stay on a fairly strict reading schedule but when I'm stressed or heading towards a reading rut I enjoy a good wander through the shelves and pick up anything that catches my eye. Not only is it very relaxing but it tends to show me what genre I'm in the mood for at the moment.
Here are a few books I picked up in my last wandering:
Castle in the Mist by Amy Ephron - This is for my Middle Grade review in June. I actually had another book scheduled but when I saw this on an end cap in the kids' section when I was looking for books for the Tornado and couldn't resist.
Lost Lake by Sarah Addison Allen - When the weather gets warmer Sarah Addison Allen's books always call to me and this year Lost Lake pretty much jumped in my library bag.
The Craving Cure by Julia Ross - I've had some low blood sugar issues lately and know I need to cut down on how sugar I eat but my giant sweet tooth doesn't always agree. When I saw this one on an endcap I had to pick it up.
Lost and Found Sisters by Jill Shalvis - I had gotten the novella and the 2nd book in this series and knew that it was time to read the first so I couldn't resist it when I saw it. It ended up being the perfect book for my mood.
Rock City by Tim Hollis - I love Rock City in Chattanooga, TN. It's cheesy and touristy but so pretty and I always enjoy a visit. I found this small little book in the nonfiction shelves and enjoyed reading about how the place started.
What books have you picked up on a whim? Are you a library user?
I rely on having to buy all my books because our local libraries are pretty poor with books that are well out of date, charges on everything you use and order and not stocking the genres I read!
ReplyDeleteIt's fun to just wander the library sometimes and pick out whatever! Our library's not huge but it's pretty nice, and we have a larger one not far away, between the two we have a pretty good selection.
ReplyDeleteLost Lake sounds great (I remember seeing that one around) and The Castle in the Mist looks fun too!
I loved Lost Lake and Sarah Addison Allen is one of my favorite authors.
ReplyDeleteI tend to freeze up in bookstores too, unless I am going in to pick something specific up. Part of it is I'm a librarian, and I know I can get my hands on most of the books I want fairly easily. The other reason is I want all the books and that is too expensive!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you hear how much you love your library. It really is great to just browse and see what catches your eye.
I do the same in bookstores, especially if I haven't brought a list. That Sarah Addison Allen book is on my to read list!
ReplyDeleteKatherine, thanks for the advice about Netgalley and Read Now books! I will definitely try some of the books available right away. I'm hoping for the Kate Morton book coming out in October but I need to build my ratings!
It sounds like you found some interesting books. I freeze in bookstores AND libraries. I want EVERYTHING and get overwhelmed. I have to calm down and make myself be realistic. I can’t read all the books.
ReplyDeleteAj @ Read All The Things!
These days I definitely hang out more at the library than the bookstore because it's literally 2 minutes from my house. But I enjoy it because the people there are super friendly and know me by name. Looks like you got some really good ones to get into Katherine! Hugs...RO
ReplyDeleteI am a hardcore library user since my pocket money goes to stamps and fabric. If I need to take the girls to the library, mostly the teen as the youngest reads from her classroom library, I do look at the newest releases in the adult section. Many of the fantasies are deep into their series but I'll scan a barcode now and then to see what's its rating is on GR. I love bookstores but I find I tend to be la-dee-da because I don't usually buy books for myself.
ReplyDeleteI am a library user and always have been. I do enjoy bookstores too, of course. Now, after having been a library staffer, I spend more time there volunteering and I love that. I am most at home among books - shelves and shelves of books.
ReplyDeleteLibraries are magical places. I sometimes feel that way in the bookstore, so you are not alone!
ReplyDeleteI don't go to the library as much as I used to. Now its mainly to drop off books for the library sale, or buy a birthday gift for someone from the gift shop. If I do look around I usually grab a cookbook, or a decorating book. I have so many of my own books to read I haven't even activated the cyber card we bought to borrow ebooks and audiobooks via the internet. :/
ReplyDeleteThe library is my happy place. I do read more digital books and arcs anymore but I do enjoy a good look from time to time. Glad you found some gems :)
ReplyDeleteI love libraries because you can be impulsive there! You can grab an armful of titles that are new to you and if they don't appeal, well, return them and no harm done. In a bookstore I freeze up like you do because there are way too many choices and I'm afraid to pick out a book that isn't that great for me after I spend the money. I'll think about other titles I saw there that I should've bought instead. Buyer's remorse.... not in libraries.
ReplyDeleteThese last two years, we have reduced our library use - and I don't think it's a good thing. I'm hoping to return to using our library more heavily - particularly as they are steadily adding more sci fi and fantasy books. It's partly time and also the fact it is more convenient to carry books around on my Kindle than the real thing.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I don't hold back at the library either! I have two libraries -- one city, one county -- close to me and I borrow from both. I like the county library better, but if I can't find what I need there, I can usually find it at the city library. Both have multiple branches in the area, so almost any book can be transferred from another branch when needed. I love the library!
ReplyDeleteI do the same thing in the book store! Before I started blogging and reading more, I generally had a fairly small library and read whatever book was the latest book I bought. But these days, it's hard to justify buying any new books with so many that I have yet to read on my shelves and certainly hard to justify reading that one ahead of all of the others. I do need to get back to the library!
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