An Introduction

Hi. My name is Elisa and I love books. Books are the only thing I impulse buy, which is why I only go inside a bookstore once or twice a year. But, (un)fortunately, there's always Kindle Unlimited and daily book deals, plus digital loans from the library, so my TBR list is huge (and likely never ending).

Obviously, I love books.  My house is full of them, particularly hardbacks since I like the permanence and I have a habit of re-reading.  This bookcase (the bigger of the 2 I have in my bedroom) has been with me over 35 years. It's moved with me more than a few times. It used to have a shorter companion, but during ome of those moves, some of my friends accidentally let Junior roll down a hill during one of my moves, shattering it, so now this one is alone in its glory. Yes, most of the shelves are layered 2 thick, and these are just the ones that are on the top of my TBR. I also have a "library" with 4 similar bookcases packed full and a several other bookcases around the house. I honestly wouldn't have it any other way.

So why have I started a book blog? Several reasons:

1. I love discussing books with other people. I belong to several book clubs, follow several book bloggers and thought I might contribute to the discussion.
2. I have something to say (I think this applies to most of us) and I think that my thoughts might help someone out there to find books they'd like and avoid books that they wouldn't. With my blog, I'm going to be giving my take on the book, but I'm also likely to discuss things like symbolism, racial and social justice, meritocracy, equality, classism, other -isms. I might hate a book, but I'm still going to try to constructively analyze it because even awful writing can still bring about useful critique. Note (on 1/30/21): I’ve noticed as time has passed during the pandemic, I’m reading more to escape. My reviews may be less analytical. Sheltering in place, being high-risk, can be stressful without it being obvious.
3. I think a good book review actually *reviews* the book beyond a few details. I plan on talking about more than just whether the book was palatable. I'm not saying that every review is going to be an esoteric discussion but I will talk about the ways that a book appeals to me, whether it's because of how a character goes against type/trope or just because it's darn fun! I try to also make my reviews spoiler-free, so that you're free to discover the story yourself.
4. I'm older than most of the bloggers and BookTubers that I see active right now. I'm in my upper-forties. While I enjoy their book reviews and recommendations (and I really do!), sometimes being on a different page in life makes me long for something more. I can completely remember how it felt to go through what they're talking about, but now I'm facing different challenges (like fibromyalgia). I'm willing to bet there are others out there in the same boat. 

So what kind of books will I be reading? I love most genres, but I really love fantasy, sci-fi, fiction, and historical fiction. Those have been my bread and butter since I was a kid. But I also like non-fiction, mysteries and books which edify the soul. 

Most recently, I've been reading a lot of historical fiction/romance. I just haven't felt in the mood for anything else. I think it has to do with sheltering in place, with my only human contact being doctors, pharmacists, and my parents (who live next door). Watching the US struggle with the coronavirus, worrying about who will be elected come November and opening my eyes to just how much racial injustice exists in the US is hard. Seeing the death toll rise, watching people be belligerent as they care more about themselves than others, hearing about the explosion in Beirut, praying for my friends and their families in Brasil... I find myself drawn to happy endings in polite societies where a gloveless hand touch makes the heart go pitter-pat. 

But fear not. I've got other stuff I'm reading (House of Earth and Blood, for example - so good! Love the audiobook, too).  

Did I mention that I like audiobooks? I *do* count that as reading a book and if I've listened to it, I'll review it, too. I hope that you enjoy my blog and I look forward to your comments!