Monday, April 19, 2010

Guilty Pleasures: My Bad Romance Book Addiction

Thanks to Escape Between the Pages for this picture!

I want your ugly
I want your disease
I want your everything
As long as it's free
I want your love
Love, love, love
I want your love

I want your drama
The touch of your hand
I want your leather studded
Kiss in the sand
I want your love
Love, love, love
I want your love
(Love, love, love
I want your love)

You know that I want you
And you know that I need you
I want a bad, bad romance

The above picture is a perfect example of what I am like if I am not surrounded by books. Books are my crack, my addiction, my bad romance as Lady Gaga would say. Ever since I've been thirteen, all I've ever wanted was books and more books. My average week would be me going to the library no less than three times during the week and hitting up 2-3 bookstores on the weekend.

If there was a used book sale going on, I was there and don't get me started if I ended up at a used book store. Once I spent three hours roaming the massive romance collection they had.

Now as a book reviewer who does get books from a publishers and authors, my addiction has grown. Not only do I drop everything and run to my door when I hear or see the Fedex or UPS truck parked on my street, but I also stalk my mailbox. I was even in the shower once and with my awesome hearing skills, jumped out of the bathroom and ran downstairs to get my box of books.

People are addicted to buying shoes and purses. Not me. If I enter a mall, the first store I go to is a bookstore. There have been times I've need essentials like underwear or socks and bought books instead.


Above are my bookshelves. The smaller square one is full of my "keepers", those much beloved books that I can re-read over and over. I must have about 100 books there alone.

The long, tall one my TBR bookshelf and it keeps growing and growing. And you know what? I want more!!

I've come to the conclusion that I'm having a bad romance with romance novels. The funny thing is, I don't think I'm alone with my "bad romance" either.

I think we all have a bad romance addiction to something or another. What's yours?



15 comments:

EC Sheedy said...

Katiebabs, you are my kind of reader! I've had an addiction to books since I was nine and first read ANNE OF GREEN GABLES. LOL So I totally empathize with your tragic condition. I'm an e-reader now, but not exclusively, and won't be until my TBR file is under control.

Read on!

EC Sheedy

Melissa said...

lol, I thought I was the only one who compared my addiction to books as a crack addiction. I've been reading since I was four, but I've been addicted since I was 10 when I got my paws on The DragonLance Chronicles. I was completely overjoyed when I found ebooks cause I was running out of room in the house to store all my books! (and my husband was going spasmatic with all the print books being bought, now he just doesn't know how many books I actually buy cause I've gotten verrrrryyyy sneaky;)
Melissa

Tracy said...

Word. If I have to have an addiction to something I'm glad it's as harmless as books. :)

Love the photo!

Heather (DarklyReading) said...

I'm a total book addict too..I can't help it..I get so excited when I open a new package of books and get to caress my pretties..I think it makes hubbs a little jealous. I've already filled up my ereader with yummy romance and UF reads too.. there's worse things to be addicted to - right?

Amanda from Novel Addiction said...

Oh man, I share your bad romance!

When I was in kindergarten and first grade, I had a really hard time reading, so my school sent me to a special reading program. A few weeks in that, and I was reading anything and everything - even road signs, which drove my family nuts. Ever since that day, I've been obsessed. And it wasn't until almost a year ago that I realized I could become a reviewer, and get books for FREE! I've been obsessed since. It's like Christmas every time I get a new package in the mail. And I also have a notebook just for writing down new authors I want to try, a notebook I take with me of upcoming releases by favorite authors, etc.

I give up things like sleeping and eating, just so I can read a little more. Which reminds me, I'm in the middle of a rather good one (or three) right now...

Sullivan McPig said...

I must confess I'm a book junkie too! I can't pass a bookstore without going in to see if they maybe got something new, even if I was there just the day before.

ParanormalBites said...

I had to laugh when Darkly Reading mentioned 'caressing her pretties', lol. I am soo like that too. For my entire life everyone around me has known that if they see a new magazine or book in my car, house or any where near me they had damn well better not touch it! Even catalogues. It's a sickness, I know, but I just can't stand to have anyone touch my reads before me. NO ONE cracks that cover but ME, baby! And keep your dirty fingerprints off of the cover too! That crack is Mine!

KT Grant said...

EC: I blame Gone with the Wind! And then found the wonders of Beatrice Small and Loveswept categories. My one goal was to collect every Loveswept ever published!

Melissa: Oh yes, my ebooks collection is massive also. Perhaps I should start a BA? Book Anonymous?

Tracy: I have another photo of a box of books to be read... scary.

Heather: When I don't get books in the mail I get depressed. LOL.

Morning Glow: When I got Lover Mine last week I read it in under 24 hours and stay up way past my bedtime.

Sullivan McPig: My little antenna springs up when I see a bookstore. I become a zombie with my arms out moaning.... boookkkkssss!!

Paranormal Bites: I actually have sniffed books a few times. O.o

LesleyW said...

Another book addict here. I have 6 bookshelves double stacked and several piles of books on the floor. And I am still buying. I keep trying to stop but am consistently unsuccessful.

ElaineG said...

You are not alone it seems lol! I am also addicted to books....the paper kind and the computer kind *grins*...thank the higher power (would that be Bill Gates lol!) for e-books cause I don't have room for more paper books. I am so addicted, I re-do my bookshelves constantly, and re-arrange the ones on my computer too! Scary but true!....my TBR pile has taken over my dresser, and the electronic TBR "pile" needed it's own folder...but what fun to have an addiction that won't get me thrown in jail right?

Sullivan McPig said...

@KB: Sniffing books is a must! The smell of a book is a big part of the total book experience!

Kris said...

Do you ever sit there just looking at your book shelves and sighing?? I love that. :)

Jessica said...

It's so nice to know I'm not alone. I though I was the only one with books, books, and more books. Some I haven't even read yet! Thank you all for coming forward...ok enough already, I LOVE BOOKS!!!!! Ya know how some women don't eat lunch for a week for a pair of shoes, as if...for me it's books. Oh yeah, the smell of a good book over coffee in the morning! lol

KT Grant said...

Lesley: I see a book, I will stop and pick it up. Sick I tell you...

Elaine: Anything with the written word owns me. I am also a bad magazine reading addict. Love the tabloids!

Sullivan: I also caress the covers and sigh softly.

Kris: Before I go to bed I say goodnight to my books.

Jessica: I always carry at least 3 books on my wherever I go.

Karen W. said...

When I worked at a bookstore, my manager used to tell everybody, "Books are her crack," so you're not alone! :) And it's true too!

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