Guest Post: Rachel from Beauty and the Bookshelf's Bookish Bad Habits

Hey guys! Today I have the lovely Rachel from Beauty and the Bookshelf here for a guest post!

The topic:

Rachel's Bookish Bad Habits

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1. I don't like eBooks, but I have two Kindles.
And I never use the things, either. This seems weird, right? "Uh, why do you have two Kindles if you don't like eBooks?" Let me explain. Kindle 1 (a basic keyboard Kindle): My mother bought it for me as a birthday present because I had complained that I didn't have enough room for all my books on my bookshelves. Getting me a Kindle was not the answer. I tried it out, downloaded some book previews, but I couldn't get myself to purchase anything on it because I like my books to be real, and I want to have them in ten years. Kindle 2 (Kindle Fire): For Christmas I said I wanted one, but I didn't get it because, hey, they're expensive, and I am a greedy child who wants quantity over quality at Christmas time. For awhile I pined for the Fire, but then one night I decided I didn't want it: I'd never really use it, it was expensive, and I could do pretty much everything I could do on it on my laptop as well. So, there was no point. The next day? My mother brings home a Kindle Fire for me. End of story.

2. I almost always have a library fee.
This usually happens for one of two reasons. 1) Because I haven't finished the book yet and I can't renew it, and I'm not getting rid of the book until I finish it. 2) I'm too lazy to return the book on the day its due, so it gets turned in late. Which is ridiculous, because the library is practically in my backyard. (Seriously.) Right now I have over $6.00 in fees. I keep telling myself I'll keep it at zero each time I pay the fee, but it never lasts very long.

3. Having a library in your backyard isn't always a good thing.
You're probably thinking, "Girl, you're crazy. Having a library in your backyard is like having Narnia in your closet--it's awesome." Yes, it is awesome. But here's my problem: I have over 20 books from the library right now, while I have tons of other books to read--ARCs, books I own. And library books have due dates. DUE DATES. What kind of world do we live in that I have to have a book turned in by a certain date?! I have three weeks to read this book, while it sits beside all these others? It's hard. Plus, a good chunk of those library books never get read. I renew them as many times as possible (up to three times, three weeks each time) and then return them unread. And then I check them out again at some point, usually. Don't get me wrong: I still love my library. But oh my gosh, there are so many books!


4. I am a book hoarder.
I LOVE books. The more I own, the better. I love going to places like Goodwill, because I find some great books for dirt cheap. I have two bookshelves, and they're pretty much full--I have books on the tippy-top, where books aren't supposed to go--and I have books in the closet, some stacks of ARCs, and several library books. My aunt once said, "Why don't you just get rid of some?" Why would I do that? My books are my babies! Some people collect coins, records, and dead bodies; I collect books. Plus, have you seen the library in Beauty and the Beast? I want it. I will have it. And while I wait for that to happen, I'm waiting for Hoarders to call me. *Phone rings* "Hello?" "Hi! Would you like to buy--" *Slams phone* *Waits*

5. I abuse my TBR list.
This is basically answered in numbers two, three, and four. But I'll say this: a book comes along that looks good, I get a hold of it, and I read it. In the meantime, certain books have been waiting to be read, and I dumped them for something new that just came along. (Sorry, Cinder, Delirium, What Happened to Goodbye.)

6. I judge a book by its cover.
Don't we all? I can't help looking at a cover and deciding whether or not it looks good, and if I want to read the synopsis. Covers. Are. Everything. If it looks horrible and cheesy, I'm turned off. Of course, sometimes the cover is overlooked and I read the synopsis or book. For instance, Anna and the French Kiss. The cover, along with the title, was like a cheesy Lifetime movie waiting to happen. I WAS SO WRONG. That book was amazing, and I totally call DIBS on Etienne St. Clair. But in the end, I do look at a cover first; it grabs my eye. Covers have gotten me to read Anna Dressed in Blood and Across the Universe. Who knows what's next?

7. A picky reader I am.
I am. If I read a synopsis or review for a book and it doesn't interest me or contains something I don't like, I probably won't pick the book up. For example, Beautiful Disaster. I've heard a lot about this book, and I've decided not to read it. With the feelings it gave people, and the content of the book, it just doesn't seem like my style. So beware, books: I is picky.

8. Just because I started a book doesn't mean I finished it...or that I won't.
There are a lot of books like this. Most recently was Paranormalcy, which I started forever ago, didn't finish, and then just finished. I don't know why this happens. It's probably because 1) a book came along that I had to drop it for, 2) I was in a reading funk and it wasn't doing anything for me, or 3) I had to return it to the darn library. This has happened with several books, and one day I hope to have zero unfinished books, but time shall tell. Examples: Endure, Pushing the Limits, Lost in Time (started twice!).

9. I like free stuff and I cannot lie.
Who doesn't? I like to enter contests because, hey, free stuff! And the reason this is sort of a bad habit is because I haven't read over half of what I've won. (But I will, I promise!) Free stuff is the best stuff, and if you can get it, why not?

10. I CHEAT.
Not always, but I do! I'm horrible, bad, and a cheater! Shame on me! "You cheat on your boyfriends? Homewrecker!" That's what you're thinking. But it's not what I meant. I meant that I cheat in books--by looking ahead. I don't do this on every book, but sometimes I just can't help myself and I look ahead to see what's going to happen, when this character is going to show up, when they'll kiss, etc. Sometimes, I control myself. Sometimes, I can't. Example: Pushing the Limits. Just because I haven't finished it doesn't mean I don't know what's going to happen after where my bookmark is. (This is probably why I haven't finished it. For the most part, I kind of know what's going to happen.) I know, it's bad! Live with it!

I'm Rachel. I'm a reader, writer, tweeter, animal owner, and blogger, and I have bad bookish habits.

Thanks for the awesome guest post Rachel!