I Challenge Me To The 15 Day Book Blogger Challenge

What better way to start things off this week than with an impromptu blogger challenge? I can’t even remember the last time I’ve done one of these. But I’m looking for ways to revamp the content around here at Paranormal Indulgence, and to do that I need get in touch with my frenemy Inspiration. As Nora Roberts once said, “The muse, she’s a fickle bitch. Forget the muse.” It’s time I took some ACTION.

I can’t think of a more perfect challenge for my purposes than April’s 15 Day Book Blogger Challenge, which I think will help with that thinking outside of the box issue I’m having lately. Hell, with school out, I think it’ll help me think PERIOD EXCLAMATION POINT.

The challenges we will face will be plentiful and distressing (remember, I’ll be thinking) and I do so at my own peril (and gladly), and they are as follows:



TODAY’S CHALLENGE:

Day 1: Make 15 book related confessions.

You’d think this wouldn’t be too hard for me, because though I may not actually do everything on my lists, I am a natural-born listmaker—it gives me the illusion that I’m ambitious—but the challenge is actually doing fifteen.

Let’s seen if I can HANDLE this. Piece of cake, piece of pie (that you can’t have).

1. I’m such a prick. When I walk into a book store or I’m pursuing through Amazon, I don’t sit there and read the synopsis or pay attention to who wrote the book. I look at the cover. And for a good five minutes I do nothing else. And if I’ve never heard of it before, that cover will be the sole reason I buy a book. Or don’t. Whoever said “don’t judge a book by it’s cover” deserves the finger, because now I have all these doubts about my abilities to thrive in human society. Yep, I’m blaming the clichés.

2. I’m a cover matcher. As in I have astonishingly latent OCD tendencies when it comes to the books in my possession. I know you’re not supposed to care about what the covers look like, how they change because it’s what’s inside that counts and blah buh-blah BLAH just NO. How ANYONE could fathom piecing together their collection with mismatched cover designs, unrelated book spines, differing heights, and paperbacks in a mostly hardback presentation or vice versa I WILL NEVER UNDERSAND. It gives me eyespasmitus just THINKING about it.

3. I can be prey to the hype. If I hear about a book and how AMAZING a book is at the start of each of my days, I’d like to think it’s not my fault that I get tossed into the craze. In fact, it’s almost like a sickening form of conditioning. For shame to all of you. I’m talking about when you’re reading a book and it’s good, but in the back of your mind there’s this thready voice that sounds suspiciously like your own without the benefit of a glass of water for a few days that’s saying things like “meh, it could be better” or “okay, it’s cool but not THAT cool” and you just kind of ignore it and keep going and feel totally in love with the book. Then, a couple months later you can barely recall why you were so obsessed (which is why I generally wait a while before I actually write my review to a popular book to make sure my reaction is genuine or give myself room for a change of heart). Yeah, if you’ve never experienced that, then feel free to call for help. For yourself, not me, because I’m damned if I’ll let you cart me off to a saloon for loons.

4. I’ve never finished Harry Potter or the Percy Jackson series. You ever read those bios or those little stories about how people started blogging or why they love reading so much? And do you notice how often they pinpoint Harry Potter as the cause? The feeling I get after reading that is reminiscent of the emotional aftermath of those abused animal commercials where they show the beat-up adorable puppy and expect you to blow your nose with your sleeve—a strange mixture of guilt, remorse, and a craving for chocolate. Any kind STAT.

5. I have a tendency of making promises to myself that I don’t keep. Mostly this pertains to book-to-movie adaptions. When I tell you I swore up and down and upside down that I was going to read Hunger Games before the movie came out, it was so serious my family even bought me the box set for Christmas. I kid you not: it’s still in my bookshelf. Packaging wrap undone, but nonetheless unread. This has happened with Percy Jackson, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, The Notebook, The Host, The Hobbit (reread), Speak, Howl’s Moving Castle, hell, man, the list could go on! Sometimes it’s a case of the movie ruining me, or I just forget to do it and watch the movie anyway and then don’t have the drive to go onto the book (except for The Host, I actually read it after the movie). It’s really quite a happy thing that I’ve already read Divergent, Vampire Academy, and Mortal Instruments, because knowing me…. *shudders*

6. I’m terrible with bookish upkeep. A ninety-nine cent eBook deal, an up-and-coming title on NG or Edelweiss, jewels in the Amazon bargain bin, I can amass books all day long if my bank account would let me. I seriously have about 1.5 on the restraint meter, on good days. It’s a sickening addiction that keeps my TBR pile overflowing. So what follows is guilt (which can sometimes act as a good motivator even without the discipline), overpacked bookshelves, and a dying kindle (or two). Now ask me if I’ve learned my lesson. Ask me.

7. I’ve never actually thrown a book across the room. I just say that I’ve done it or do. But in all honestly my book lover’s heart would blacken, shrivel, and die. Death to my soul.

8. I secretly—and safely behind my computer screen—sneer at positive reviews to books I hate. Like, I’m talking mean and cranky monologuing in my head. Pointing out grammatical errors just to give myself something to poke at besides the content. Snickering over every adoring comment. And a well-timed “WTF WHAT?!” or several while going through each sentence. I can’t help it, I come from sarcastic, cynical stock.

9. I don’t reread very many books. I have so many great loves in fiction, but I don’t need to read them again to love them more. Just having them there with me does that. I can’t often make myself sit down and read them over again. A lot of the time those loves are powerfully emotional and almost physically exhausting, and others are just very time-consuming, and I’d rather use that time to discover other works. Oftentimes, it’s a series I go back and SKIM over, looking for favorite parts or reliving best moments. But I don’t think I’ve ever reread a book, start to finish. Seriously. Ever.

10. I read more pre-released books then backlog ones. Which is unfortunate because there are so many that I know I would love. I’ve been making more of an effort these days, but I enjoy reading books that are due out two months from now for some reason. I think maybe there’s something to that anticipation that layers over it and adds more favor to the book. And certainly has nothing to do with feeling powerful reading a book that early before the mainstream readers…

11. When I exhaust all methods of occupation for the mind, like reading until dialogue comes spilling out my ears or watching Merlin until I can’t anymore, I will go to my computer and browse Tumblr for the reaction gifs I use in my reviews. I start with Merlin ones and then work my way up to miscellaneous, just to get a laugh and possibly meditate on my next reaction post. ‘Tis a sad life I lead, my friends, I am aware.

12. I’ve cheated on my goodreads book challenge before. It may seem like I’m reaching now that we’re heading towards the big 15, but I seriously feel like confessing this. Last year, when I realized in December that there was a good chance I wasn’t going to make it, I edited the number a little bit. Only a little. And it turns out that I ended up finishing the year far past even my original goal. Now the question is, do I have to cheat to feel motivated? Somebody provide an eval, please. Much appreciated.

13. I am a sucker for Nora Roberts. I bring this up because people seem to love reducing the worth of her books to something that belongs in your grandmother’s handbag—I think I’ve actually heard that before—but I can assure you, my own grandmother would swat me across the back of the head if I gave any of Nora’s books to her for reading. Her books are filled with my favorite kind of romance: practical romance. The kind where, yes, there are sweet or heart-achingly romantic moments, but that mostly center on my personal relationship ideal: partnership. A concept that, when it’s built upon and layered over and you can actually see in each scene, I find to be the most romantic of all.

14. When I’m going through a reading funk, I tend to read long, sometimes still on-going series. It helps me get invested in a bunch of characters and their stories, which then revives my interest in reading again. As evidenced by the fact that the entire month of this past February is FILLED TO THE BRIM with In Death by J.D. Robb titles, every single one up to date. And half of march shows all of the most recent to date Lords of the Underworld titles. Why December of 2011 has all of Morganville in there. I go through this phase of addiction that you would be wise to steer clear of.

15. I find that vlogging tends to be the most fun thing I can do when it comes my blog. I like recording and showing myself—my genuine self and how I react to books—to everyone. It makes me feel happy and excited and keeps me refreshed. Hauling books is my favorite thing to do because then I have SO MUCH to talk to you guys about, as if we’re having a one-on-one. I like (most of the time) putting in the time to edit the vlogs and put in animations and text and commentary. If you’ve never tried it, give it a shot. I’m a pathetic Youtube addict and am always looking for more people to watch :D

Wowzer, I actually finished the list. Once I got to eleven I was a little worried I’d run out of THINGS. But, I think this sufficiently covers the confessions part.

What about you guys? Friends? What’re some things you have to confess about yourself?

If you’re participating in April’s challenge, feel free to link to your post. Best believe I want to see all of them.