Which TBR Matters?

We, the book people, all have something we refer to as our "To Be Read" pile. We always say "our TBR". But recently, when thinking about it, I realized something. We don't have a TBR. We have TBRs.

What do I mean?

1. Physical TBR

This one consists of all your unread books on your physical shelves at home, in your personal library. This is the most visible of TBRs, the one people actually see if you invite them over.

Currently, I have around 70 books on this TBR.

This is the TBR that really matters to me, and is the one I work the hardest on minimizing. Why? Because this is the one I feel obligated to excuse. If someone walks into my room, sees a book and asks me how it is, I am unable to just say "I haven't read it yet". I feel obligated to give a very detailed explanation why, because I feel almost ashamed that it's still unread (and that I'm buying more books despite of this fact).

2. The Series TBR

This TBR is mostly compiled of sequels we intended to one day read. All bookworms love their series. All bookworms know waiting for the next book to publish/to get your hands on is torture. And all bookworms know sometimes, in the wait, you end up... forgetting you wanted to read the next book so badly.
So this TBR tends to grow and grow and grow until it's a monster (like all TBRs, when you think of it...).

I'm "Currently Reading" 117 series. That means 117 immediate sequels, not to include all the trilogies, sagas, etc... That's A LOT of books.

This one is also high on my list, as I'd like to really narrow it down, especially when it comes to finished book series.

3. the Electronic TBR

Nowadays, almost everyone has an electronic TBR, compiled of all the electronic books we've got.

Mine is split into two:
a) freebie purchases (which currently stand on 902. I know, I've got a problem).
b) my paid for purchases (73, but I've read a big number of them).

This TBR, to me, is on lower priority. I still go to great lengths to clean it up and reduce my unread titles (especially in the Paid For department), but no one actually sees these books. They're hidden inside this small device, so I don't have to excuse anything.

4. Goodreads/Leafmarks/Booklikes TBR.

This one is made from all the thousand books we mark "To Read" on these sites. Those tend to be the biggest of TBRs, for the sole reason you're not obligated to anything on it. Marking "To Read' is marking interest, not committing to marriage.

To me, this TBR is of the lowest priority. I mark things that look interesting, but more often than not I forget about them. The books on my GR TBR that I do end up reading are books that ended up standing out of the rest, be it because my friends talked about them all the time, they sounded exceptionally intriguing or were just plain beautiful (yes, I'm shallow. Get over it).

Every once in a while I'll go to my GoodReads TBR and clean it up a little, erasing those books I can't even remember why I added, but it never seems to grow any smaller...

Those are just four types of TBRs. I'm sure there are more, and that every one of us has different versions of TBRs.

Which TBR is the most important to you? The one you pick from the most and care the most about reducing? 

   Nitzan★

Is Mediocre Worse Than Bad?

It's been awhile since we did a discussion post, and this time's topic is...

I started thinking on this topic when I read a book I felt was very mediocre, and I started writing in the review "this is the worst thing I can say about a book". Then I stopped, and stared at what I just wrote. Is it the worst thing I can say? Technically, mediocre books usually get between two and a half to three stars from me, which is not the worst rating. I mean, they're not bad, and usually I can enjoy them...

So why did my brain chose to say that sentence? Why did it forget about the one-stars and the rant inducers?

I think it's because the amount of feelings involved. A truly bad book brings out my possibly most passionate side. I can talk about my most hated books far longer than my favorite (aside for Harry Potter, which I can discuss and re-discuss a zillion times and still I'll have more to say).

I can debate (and by debate, I mean rant) my one-stars over and over and over again (for example: Hush, Hush), and never get tired. I'm actually, inadvertently, publicizing the book. I'm subconsciously encouraging people to read it, whether by bashing the name of the book on their brain with how much I'm ranting on it, or just by making them want to see for themselves if it's really all that bad. 

Enter mediocre. 

Another word for mediocre is forgettable. Unremarkable. It's like saying: this book wasn't exactly good, it wasn't exactly bad, it just didn't do much for me.

And those books... they don't normally even get a review from me. Meaning, they don't get any publication from me. Even if I did write a review, I'm not going to really remember the book unless someone asks me about it specifically and I looked at it on GR.

They're never going to be the first to pop to my head (on any side of the scale).

So what's actually worse? Raising a storm of negative feelings to create the rant of the century with, or no feelings at all? 

   Nitzan★

The Art of Commenting

As a blogger and a frequent flier in the book community online, comments are a big part of my life. I wait for them - be them comment to my posts, or replies to things I commented on. They brighten my day significantly. Literally every comment I get - big or small, it doesn't matter - makes me happy and excited.

However, when it comes to writing a comment... even though I know even two words have meaning, I find myself unable to write those kind of comments.

I'm the type of commenter that loves writing long, meaningful (in m perspective), detailed comments. I will literally find myself stopping and closing a comment if I realize I only have two sentences to say about it, and one of them is along the lines of "great review!" It's all or nothing for me.

Lately I realized I have a "system". A little set of rules that goes into each comment to guarantee max meaningfulness, if you will. It goes like this: 

A. I will always use the reviewer's name in the comment. For me, that make it personal. A little way for me to show them I know it's them who wrote the review, and that it means something. Like, this review won't be as awesome if it was by someone else, and they should well know it! 

B. I will tell the reviewer how fantastic his/her (usually her, I admit) review is, how well written, etc. Complimenting is healthy, especially when it's well earned! It's important to me to let the reviewer know how much I appreciate their reviews, and how much I want to continue and read more reviews by them. 

C. I will write my actual comment. It will include references to parts of the review such as quotes or agreeing/disagreeing/questioning/elaborating certain specific parts. I do this both because I truly have something to say, and because I love showing the reviewer I really read the review. That I went through all of it and truly listened to the words she wrote. 

D. And lastly, I will again tell them how I enjoyed the review and how much I love them as a reviewer! 

What about you? Do you have a certain formula, or do you write whatever, however? Do you think my way is good, or... ?

   Nitzan★

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Bookish Discussion: All That Drama

So, today I want to discuss with you contemporary romance series, and share what types I read and what type I don't on the most basic level.

As a rule, I don't read those kind of series that deal with the same couple throughout all the books. I cannot get enough of standalone series, and I enjoy them immensely but once I see the couple's story is not finished in that first installment... I'm put off. It's has stopped me from one clicking a freebie more than one time. 

Why? Because it means said couple just has to go through a TON OF DRAMA to hold more than one book. There are always going to be annoying issues, or misunderstandings, or popping secrets (or exes) or suddenly one will decide he's not good enough for the other after three books of being together just to sustain the interest of the reader...

I can't stand that. I rather know the HEA is going to be coming at the end of the book, and not a massive cliffhanger or a new pile of issues.

In fantasy series, there's usually a bigger plot arc that holds the story, allowing the couple to have less drama and more time in between, so I'm not only fine with one couple being the center of all books - I'm all for it. Especially if it's slow burn and develops over time, allowing me to really believe in the fiber of my bones that the two should be together. Same goes for mysteries and the likes; there's usually something else going on, so the couple needn't suffer from meaningless anguish.

But contemporary romances series? just LOTS OF SHIT going on, all the time. The couple is usually never happy for long, which tires me fast.

So I stir clear of all that.

What about you? Do you love same-couple based contemproray series, or are you like me - preferring standalones or standalone series?

Nitzan★

Introducing... Leafmarks

Today, I would like to share with you a little site that pretty much took over my life. For the last week or so, I've been obsessively working on Leafmarks. It's like I took on a second job, only this one I'm doing for free and I don't mind one bit - because I love it.

Who is this mystery employer?
Well, meet...

Leafmarks in a new site following the steps of Goodreads - it's a catalog of books in which you can mark To-Read, Read and Currently Reading, shelf books, earn leaves by completing challenges, making friends, writing reviews, etc...
It's a place where you can meet book lovers and talk books - and it's for book lovers, by book lovers.

And I love it so much I became a Librarian, helping clean and fix the database to give you the best info and details.

And why do I love it so much?

Well, Leafmarks is beginning its way by addressing some of the most asked for, insistent (and ignored) features on Goodreads - half stars and re-reads. That's right, you can rate a book with a half star on Leafmarks, and add re-read dates which count toward your challenges. No more do you have to search for another edition and pretend you're reading that one so your count won't be messed up.

Aside for that, Leafmarks review form makes it so easy to copy your reviews from your personal blogs. All you have to do is copy and paste! Links, basic formatting (like bold, italics, etc) and gifs are all automatically included. And it cleans the additional formatting (like font, color, etc) so it looks clean and not messed up at the end. With Goodreads, I usually forget (or can't be bothered) to copy my reviews because it is so tedious. Here, I find it just so... fun!

And finally, I am digging the Statistic feature so badly! On Leafmarks, you can see detailed statistic between you and your friends (or future friends). You can see how many books you have in common, and then exactly the difference in opinion by the rating - it's detailed, it's fun to explore and it's easy.

And, really, I love knowing this is just the start. There are already so many future features planned, and I'm going to be there every step of the way and watch if evolve. With GR, I don't have that.

So, yes. I love Leafmarks, and I can't wait to watch it expend, and grow, and become the extraordinary thing I know it will be!

So, if this sounds at all like something you might enjoy, check us out! And if you chose to join our members, I'd love to become friends with you! You can find me here.

   Nitzan★

Discussion: Character Images

Nitzan brought something up to me the other day as a discussion topic idea - and I loved it, so we're doing it. The topic is...

Character Images!

Do you ever read a book, and just have this perfect picture of the character in your mind, only to find out later that your idea was completely wrong? Like, for instance, you had them pictured as a blond, when really they were a brunette? Or maybe they're described as plain, when you're picturing them as beautiful because of their personality? Because that happens to me all the time. Like, all the time. And on top of that, once I've been corrected, I refuse to change my opinion of their character image.

I'll continue to think of them the exact same way that I didn't before I was corrected. I just can't help it!

Same with me. I realized lately that I rarely picture them "correctly" or as they are "supposed" to be. Often, I don't remember what's their hair color, or eye color, or even skin color. Then, someone in the book comments on their, say, blonde curls, and I'd be like "err, ahh...." because she does not have blonde curls in my head. Or curls at all. 

The thing is, I have my own idea of the character, based on how they sound, act, and move. And descriptions tend to kind of... go over my head. Like, for example, one of my favorite book boyfriends ever - Ryan Miller from Being Jamie Baker - is described with Honey-Blonde hair and blue eyes. Do you think I caught that the first time I read the book?

(Fantastic example! I did that too - looks like we might kind of have a similar type, LOL

Finally, we agree on something! LOL.)

More like, I pictured him dark haired and dark eyed, and it was only when I read the book the second time that I realized I've been picturing him wrong. But by that time, it was too late. My Ryan Miller may look nothing like the character Kelly Oram imagined, but he's Ryan Miller in all the important parts. 

Or say, beauty wise. I tend to imagine the characters beautiful no matter what the book says. Even if they're supposed to be plain, or ugly, or fat (I'll picture a beautiful round girl then. They exist folks). If they're pretty inside, they're pretty in my head. Or for guys - if I think they're the cutest thing since puppies, (or the hottest thing since the Teen Wolf cast, which, let's be honest, HAVE YOU SEEN THEIR ABS?!) they will be cute (or hot) in my head, even if they're described like awkward geeks or what not. 

And sometimes, the description of awkward geekiness is just totally ridiculous - I'll make them very cute geeks in my mind. I think that character images are just very subjective - I think that everyone has beauty, even if I can't see it. So I'll picture each character with their own beautiful image, even if it's totally off. Another thing I've noticed - if the character sucks, is annoying, whiny or bitchy... even if they're described as beautiful, I probably won't think of them like that. I will picture the bitchy ones with permanent sneers on their faces, and the whiny ones look all pathetic, you know?

Oh, I do know. Mean characters have mean faces. So, yeah, they may be beautiful, but the expressions on their face kind of ruins the whole effect. It's only when (or rather, if) they change their ways, that that expression may slid off and only then they'll be truly pretty to me. Doesn't happen all the time, though. 

So it does go both ways. I also have a hard time with the ethnicity - no matter what, I tend to picture someone of my own race, because I just have a hard time picturing some other races. It's just easier to conjure up a face in my own race, like American Indian or European/American. Because in my mind, those are the people that I was mostly around, and I picture all book characters as such. If I find out I'm wrong on ethnicity, I do try to correct my picture, but I don't usually remember it.

OMG, same here! I have a huge problem with that. I try to tell my brain - "that's not how they look, change it!" but... that doesn't work all the time. It's a hard thing, character's images, isn't it?

It's like I have an unshakable faith that this is what the character would look like if I was meeting them tomorrow. (Which, in some cases, would be a nasty shock.)

Couldn't put it better myself! I think it will be funny if we ever meet all these characters we're messing up with xD  

What about you guys? Do you have a similar problem, or are you a stickler for details and keep a very strict and story-correct image in your head?
  Nitzan★

Fantasy 101 - Level One (of Three)

"Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary plot element, theme, or setting".

A while back, I saw this video by BookYuber Christine that made me want to make my own list of book recommendations for the Fantasy Newbies.

I've been reading Fantasy, or a form of it, for most of my life. In fact, from the moment I read Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone at the age of seven, to my 18th birthday, I refused to read anything but Fantasy. And still, Fantasy can be... hard. Especially the advanced forms of it.

You see, Christine is right. Reading Fantasy is a commitment. It's a form of art. You can't go to it like you do a contemporary novel because when you decide to read Fantasy, you decide to send yourself into a new world - and follow a completely new set of rules. It's a process. You might get confused. You might feel lost. It's that commitment that allows you to carry on and break through these barriers.

But for those of you who've never (or barely) dived into fantasy, I'd recommend not to start there. In fact, I believe you should start your fantasy career by reading books set in our reality, only with a twist. That way, you're already familiar with the ground rules. You know most of the layers of the world, and just have to acquaint yourself with the new ones, with the things that makes it unlike your reality.

It's much easier, and makes for a much smoother entrance into the world of Fantasy.

"The identifying traits of fantasy are the inclusion of fantastic elements in a self-coherent (internally consistent) setting, where inspiration from mythology and folklore remains a consistent theme. Within such a structure, any location of the fantastical element is possible: it may be hidden in, or leak into the apparently real world setting, it may draw the characters into a world with such elements, or it may occur entirely in a fantasy world setting, where such elements are part of the world. Essentially, fantasy follows rules of its own making, allowing magic and other fantastic devices to be used and still be internally cohesive."

So, here is a list of books I think you should consider as your first Fantasies. These are fantasies with few fantastical elements, usually focused on one specific "theme" or phenomena, and don't require too much from you as a reader to follow 

Small Side Note: Making this list I realized my level one books are not the best for the male audience, or girls who are not fans of romances. This probably stems from the fact level one books are very similar to contemporaries, only with a twist, and most contemporaries I read are romances. So for guys (and girls who don't like romance that much), it's not the perfect list.

But the advice stands - find a book set in our world, with a fantastical element that interests you. That would be the best introduction to the Fantasy genre.

7 Fantasy series set in our world - with a twist★
*in no particular order*

1. Being Jamie Baker by Kelly Oram
#Romance #Super Powers
This one is one of my favorites. For those of you who love contemporary romance - start with this one. This is a love story, where the main female protagonist just happens to have... well, super powers.
It's funny, it's fun, it's super easy to get into, and it's easy to follow. The new elements revealed in this one are centered around Jamie's powers, and you really can enter this one just looking for fun. There's no epic wars, sword-fights and heavenly beings in this one. Just a girl, a guy, and learning to deal with being unique.

Buy now: The Book Depository, Amazon

2. The Ghost and the Goth by Stacey Kade
#Ghosts #High-School #Mean-Girls #Lite-Romance
From the name alone you probably already know what the fantastical element in this one, but if you haven't figured out - it's Ghosts. This is a world just like ours, where most of the people are just like you and me - but a few special ones can actually see the souls who linger behind, and are kind of forced to help them. Such is our hero, Will - outcast, loner, "ghost whisperer", who has to help Alona Dare - mean girl, school queen, dead. The two have the most hilarious and fun conversations, and their relationship changes one another throughout the course of the series. And, yes, there is romance, for those like me who kind of need it.

Buy Now: the Book Depository, Amazon

3. Finding Sky by Joss Stirling 
#Soul-Finders #Savants #Romance #Family #Creepy-Villain
Finding Sky introduces Savants to our reality - which are basically humans with special abilities. Each Savant has a soulfinder - his or her perfect match, born on the same day and time as they are. That's the gist of it, but even the rest of it is not very difficult to follow, which is why I think this is a perfect place to start.
Finding Sky is the first in the series, which brings to the center Sky Bright - a girl who was found on the side of the road when she was little, and as she moves into a new city with her adoptive parents, might find more than she bargained for. Like, that she's a savant.

Buy Now: The Book Depository, Amazon

4. Destiny Binds by Tammy Blackwell
#Werewolves #Romance 
This is yet another underrated book. I loved this series and consider it one of my favorite werewolves novels--that's right, the fantastical element introduced in this one is Werewolves. Or more precisely - shape shifters. And yes, there is a slight different.
But fear not! This is not Twilight (and I say this with the utmost love and respect, as I do love Twilight. But I also acknowledge its faults).
Destiny Binds has some of the best characters, the best humor, the most unique romance (series wise. It seems standard enough most of the first book), and a heroine you can stand behind 100%.

Buy now: The Book Depository, Amazon

5. Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout
#Romance #Aliens 
Obsidian is the first book in a five book series. I have not read beyond this book (though I plan to) so I can't guarantee it stays this easy to follow throughout the series, but the first book is model Level One book, and I love it. It's funny, it's well written, and HOLLY HOT CHEMISTRY, BATMAN!
The fantastical element does not take up all the plot, and did I mention the MC is a bookaholic with a blog? Yeah, she's pretty awesome.
Also, I find the fantastical element here unusual for Young Adult (and honestly, I wouldn't have ruined what it is if the summary itself hasn't reveled that...) and it I think it can also be appealing to sci-fi fans - even though, as mentioned before, the whole Alien thing is not all (if most) of the plot. I hear that changes throughout the series, though.

Buy now: The Book Depository, Amazon

6. Ruby Red by Keristin Gier
#Time Travel #Romance #Mystery
Ruby Red is a trilogy of books dealing with Time Travel. I think, among all the books on this list, this one is the most complex. It's the hardest to understand. But it's not written in big scientific words that will make your head hurt. It's just a hard concept, time travel, but I thought it portrayed it really clearly and cleanly.
I've loved Gwen, the MC, who was a normal girl with a silently unusual family until she turns out to be the most unusual thing about it. I enjoyed her romance with Gideon, even if it was a bit insta love. I loved the writing.
These books, like the rest on this list, are fun, and provide a great introduction to the genre.

Buy now: The Book Depository, Amazon
  

7. Spark by Brigid Kemmerer 
#Elemental Super Powers #Romance #Different MCs #Brothers
Okay, this might be cheating because this is actually the second book in this series dealing with supernatural boys and their lady loves, but this is the one I feel comfortable recommending to you guys, as the first didn't actually impress me all that much.
However, I do acknowledge you should start with the first to properly understand the world and the the general arc of the series, even though each book deals with a different brother as a MC.
The whole series is pretty fun though (only read the first two, planning on binge reading the rest soon),  and I loved the MCs in Spark, and their story. They got me all emotional, I admit!

Buy Now: the Book Depository, Amazon

For the Fantasy lovers - which books would YOU suggest as Level One books for Newbies? 

(at the end of the three levels, there will be a post compiled of all your recommendations, so don't be shy about it! Say all you have to say and spread the love!)

Nebies - how goes it? Do you think you might just start your Fantasy career with one of these?

   Nitzan★

Discussion: Embarrassing Reads!

Today we're here to talk about an important issue in the book world: self-consciousness, or embarrassment about whatever you're reading.

Nitzan and I can't be the only two people who've had this problem. I mean, I know that there's no reason to be embarrassed about what you're reading, but sometimes I just... am. It also doesn't help that some people just assume that because you're a girl, you'll be reading some kind of romance novel or something. Sure, sometimes, I read romantic books. But I also read many other genres, so it kind of embarrasses me when I actually do read a romance book, and I'm carrying it around.

I feel like people judge me on what I read, and it just feels embarrassing. Like, when I read Pushing the Limits? I carried it around in a book cover. No one could see the actual cover, which was totally fine with me. Because it's embarrassing to carry around a book with a kissing couple on the front. Let's not even mention the fact that my dad eyeballed it pretty closely.

Haha, oh Megs... Want me to talk to your dad and tell him he's lucky, cause Pushing the Limits has a pretty tasteful cover compared to most "romance" books? On second thought, that probably won't really help your case, so let's leave it this way.

On a discussion related note, I understand you perfectly. Half naked couples on the cover is, and will always be (to me), embarrassing. 

Honestly, I love romance books. I read them all the time. On my kindle. Where no one can see the guy is half naked, or they're kissing passionately. Where I can make a quick getaway to the main page if anyone considers looking over my shoulder and reading a paragraph (god forbid's they'll do that in any steamy parts. Not that I'm ashamed of reading those, but... I'd die.)

Oh my God yes! This is my biggest fear, really! I hate the feeling of people reading over my shoulder, and it would only be worse if they read something really steamy. Or like in the case of Water for Elephants, they caught sight of a picture. Trust me, sometimes I just don't want to carry them in public!

Neither do I. The few romance books with a "compromising" cover that I own, I read in the comfort of my room, where no one would judge me (and luckily, my parents really don't mind those.) 

But when I invite others, and show them my library, things could get... awkward, for me. 

Like, hypothetically - when a male friend (for the sake of discussion, one not in the reading community) comes over and spots a book like... 50 Shades, on your bookshelf, what do you say? Do you shuffle your feet and throw a quick excuse (Like "a friend told me I had to read it!" or "I just wanted to see what all the hype was about, you know") or do you proudly announce you've read it?

If I had Fifty Shades on my shelves, I would be from the first. Then I'd try distracting him by my good, tastefully covered books. I would practically THROW books at him to distract him. 

Haha, that would be me too. "Well, a friend said I had to read it (which wouldn't be a lie at all), so I did." Then I'd be throwing normal teen books at him to make him forget what he's seen. All the fantasy and dystopian books would probably crush him to death.

So, on another note, I'm also kind of embarrassed when people just stare at my shelves. Somehow it feels like I've opened myself up and they're dissecting me by what I read... do you ever get that feeling? It seems like books are personal. And then there's purchasing books... I'll go out of my way to seem calm when really I'm telepathically telling the cashier to not pay attention to what I've bought. "Don't look at the cover! I am very embarrassed!" I feel like we should petition publishers or something. I mean, I like the covers, but it feels embarrassing.

Well, honestly, I'm super proud of my bookshelves. If anyone is going to judge me based on anything, the least they could do is do it by my shelves, because they are a pretty accurate display of my personality. By my shelves you'd see that I'm a romantic, that I'm a dreamer (fantasy rocks!), that I like to spend as much time as I can in a single world (series atop series), that I like pretty things, that I can be methodical (organization, but only in my shelves), etc...

However, you are correct - this is something personal. Which is why it's in my personal space, and you'd need an invite to come view it. It's like, I'm allowing the other person to see a part of myself. Which is why I'm okay with it. When it's strangers, that accidentally see what I read on the train or street... yeah, uncomfortable. 

As for buying books... I used to have that feeling. I used to be very scared of buying more... adult... books at bookstores. Felt like people would look at me oddly. But eventually, I decided - Eff them all! I'll read what I like, and if anybody has a problem with it, shut up. It took me a really long time to get there, though....

Ha, I'll probably be in my twenties before I even get close to that feeling, LOL. But I am, to a degree, very proud of my bookshelves, and I'm sure they're an accurate representation of me. A romantic (just like you), who's crazy about conspiracy theories and extremely in love with all fairytales. Also, I'm obsessed with mythology of every kind. My shelves reflect that. But I don't want just anyone seeing that - I'm highly uncomfortable with strangers being in my room. (Which, believe it or not, has happened before.)

I really hope that one day I'll be able to buy books without thinking! You'd think that it wouldn't be so hard to buy books from book people. I mean, we're strictly a no-judgement community, but it's still hard. But some day it'll get easier.

Someday it will, I'm sure. In the meantime... still kind of hard and embarrassing :/
  Nitzan★

What Do You Look For in a Bookstore?

As some of you already know, my dream job is to open a bookstore, and BELIEVE ME when I say I will make it happen. I'm that kind of person. But I'm also the kind of person that lives way out - and I've only ever been in a total of three bookstores in my entire life - about one time each. SO. This puts me in the awkward position of knowing EXACTLY what I like in a bookstore, but nothing about what anyone else likes. I guess I'll include pictures, because I'm very strange like that. :P

First off, I noticed that two out of the three bookstores I went to had more nerd paraphernalia than they had books... and I asked myself, "is this really all necessary?" I didn't even bother to look at it. I sped right to the books, but I do want to have some fandom items in my store. (Obviously I'm not interested in a lot of the stuff that they had. I would have things that I liked.) But I don't feel like it's okay for a bookstore to have more DVDs and plushes and board games for Duck Dynasty or whatever than books. Blegh. How do you guys feel about nerdy/fandom/just cool items like that? Here are a few examples of stuff I would want to stock. I also want to stock locally made jewelry and art, with a few other cool things. (My dream location is Mountain View, AR, which is Folk music capital of the world. It's beautiful, and artsy and oh-so-perfect.)

These all came from my Bookish is BEAUTIFUL! and My Bookstore Inspiration boards on Pinterest.

There's a part of me that also wants to have some nerdy Star Wars fandom items as well, and maybe others. I'm into all of it. So which of these items do you like the style of? Would you buy any of them? (Obviously, I'm not planning on going into business RIGHT NOW or anything, but I'd like a general idea.)

And being me, I'd really like to have something very whimsical in nature - I'm very odd like that, and though it's going to take a lot of work, I want a store that feels magical when you walk into it. Wall to wall books, comfy chairs, well-lit and full of... stuff. There's just something very comfortable about a building that looks lived in - I love antique stores. So SORT of like that, but with new books as well - here are a few of the stores I've seen online that seem "magical" to me, or that have wonderful decorating ideas. (Of the three I was in... meh. Chain stores - no heart.)

Obviously the Chevy bench has nothing to do with books, but isn't it beautiful? But look at some of these rooms full of books... don't you just want to go in, and never come out again? Because I would. That's the kind of feel that I want in my bookstore.  I want quotes written on the walls, and words every where. I want someplace that people can walk into and just... lose themselves in. I want shelves that require a library ladder, and snarky shelf titles, like "Vampire Books that Don't Suck" or (for the Historical Romance) "Bodice Rippers". Just something that's completely me in every way.

I've toyed with the idea of a yogurt bar, or having a small cafe, with desserts and coffee drinks. Maybe, maybe not. But the end result is that I want to have so many books, and that I want people to be comfortable there. So... would you shop in my store?

What exactly do you look for in a bookstore? Fandom items, or books? Do you think coffee shops are necessary? Is there just something that you would love to see in a store?