I know, it’s been almost a month since my last update.  Time flies when you forget about your blog.  Also the weather’s been great so I’ve gotten more sociable.

Anyway about a week or so ago, I broke and got Kindle for my laptop just so I could collect book freebies.  Don’t look at me like that, I go to the library for most of my book needs and I’m an author myself (shut up, I’ll finish a manuscript one of these days).  I was super-excited to see a book on my to-read list (it’s Melissa Marr’s novel Wicked Lovely) was up for grabs today.

As I scroll through the freebies, I can’t help but reading the reviews.  Except I’ve found that reviews don’t correlate to how much I like the book, and I miss the days when I’d just browse through the shelves and not worry about the book’s larger success.  I know it helps to screen books for poor content, but I’ve read quite a few books that had great reviews on Amazon that in real life I’d give only two or three stars to.

So far, I feel like I’ve got better instincts with books in reality.  I also get too caught up in reading reviews that in the end aren’t helpful with me choosing and enjoying a book.  I miss the days of just browsing then figuring out for myself if I liked it.  It also makes guilty pleasure books ten times harder to read because it’s completely in your face that most people think the book isn’t worth their time.  Also, if a friend were to browse through my Kindle application, trashy reads would remain there for pretty much forever for everyone to see and I’m old fashioned about privacy.  It’s kind of like eating an entire large carton of mint chocolate chip ice cream then leaving the container on your desk forever for everyone to see and comment on.

I guess I’m still old school when it comes to reading.  Digital stuff is good for long train rides, but I still prefer the library for the best free reads around.  Of course, my high school teacher once told me that I grew up with a good public library system (technically, I have cards with all three in the five boroughs), if we were in the ‘burbs or boonies, then the reading selection would look more like a drugstore’s.  My mom says Americans rush too much and have little time and respect to appreciate the things around them.  I think that’s being driven home by the growing number of people who don’t think reading is worth their time anymore because it gets in the way of “multi-tasking.”

Some days I feel too utilitarian for my own good.