Top Ten Tuesday

This is a neat weekly feature over at a blog I really enjoy, The Broke and the Bookish.  They read books similar to some that I've been reviewing, and they're fun and they write well.  Totally worth checking out.

Top Ten Reasons I Love Being a Reader/Book Blogger

1. I love being a reader because I'm never bored.  99% of the time I have a physical book (or two or three) in my purse or backpack.  I also have e-books on my phone or iPad.  I'm never without something to read to pass time!

2. I love being a reader for the "travel."  Through books I get to travel to other countries and experience other cultures.  Often, I get to experience the other culture through the eyes of someone who is living it.  Free library books are much cheaper than airfare to Paris.

3. I love being a reader for the characters.  I get to "meet" so many interesting people inside books!  I cheer for them, I laugh with them, and I cry for them.  Sometimes I really just want to adopt them and keep them forever.

4. I love being a reader because I learn so much, all the time!  It's crazy.  I find myself picking up new vocab still.  I learn about all different people and places and experiences.  I feel like reading constantly expands my worldview, and my ability to think in the "big picture."

5. I love being a reader because I love talking books.  I'll talk books with anyone at any time.  I've asked a stranger what the title of their book is, if the cover caught my eye.  Just yesterday I talked books with my dental hygienist for the entire visit.  I get irrationally excited when I see on Goodreads that a friend/family member/colleague has read the same book, because I know what that means:  book talk time!

6. I love being a book blogger because I have so so so much freedom in my format and my pursuits.  This blog is barely six weeks old; I can still change things up and play around a bit.  I'll be happy to get into a definite routine, but for now I'm also enjoying this play time.

7. I love being a book blogger because I love talking about books and sometimes the people around me, such as my hubby, get tired of listening to me expound in length on YA books.  So I come online and write a one-sided conversation about the book.

8. I love being a book blogger because I hope that someday someone will latch onto my little blog and think it's great and there:  I've reached one more person, made one new book buddy.  And that's a lot more book convos.

9. I love being a book blogger because now I feel a little extra legit in receiving and reviewing ARCs and egalleys.  I feel a little special that some publishers want my opinion on their upcoming books!  And then I can pass along the ARCs to the teens where I work and they're excited too.

10. I love being able to have all this freedom to read so many books about so many different ideas and then share my thoughts on those ideas with so many different people.  You know, there are still many countries in the world where literature is either not widely available, or is still very heavily censored.  We are blessed here in America.  Read on, ya'll.