Wednesday, February 15, 2023

Books. Just Books.




So here's a sort-of, kind-of, late Valentine's Day gift for my fellow book-loving bibliophiles. 

(If that's not you, please check back next time when I share a 'Giving Myself Permission To Be A Slacker' post.)  シ

Gee, if only I'd discovered booktubers sooner than just 2022! They hold up books for their camera and describe what they did/did not enjoy about them. They show us their bookshelves. When they review books I've no interest in? Doesn't matter. Still their excitement inspires me to grab books from my own shelves or begin journeys to find new ones.

Basically, passionate booktubers challenge me to become the big-time reader I once was.

Anyway. I still prefer books I can hold in my hands and yet Open Library? They have my gratitude, for they provide books I could never afford. Also, they supply books I wouldn't otherwise find, as well as, save me money: only if I love a book there will I later order a real copy.

At Open Library I can create my own folders:

Books I'm Currently Reading (My list has 23!)
Books I Finished 
Books I Did Not Finish
Books I Want To Read (but aren't yet available). This is especially handy because I can check later and discover that, hooray! They've finally provided some of those books.

And each book on those lists includes a link which takes you not only to the book, itself, but to the page you left-off reading. Well, usually.

One of the most remarkable things about my 22 years online? Open Library.

Yet back to booktubers... At this post's end, I'll share a partial list of books they recommended, but once more, I'll share a link to Chantel's Read Your Shelves Challenge for 2023. It's not too late to join that bit of fun. 

In fact, yesterday I read my February choice, a reread of my treasured Stand In The Wind. You can now read this at Open Library! It's a middle-grade book, yet has more depth than many adult books. The final page brought me to sentimental tears, perhaps for the 12th time.



Books! How wonderful of God to provide such remarkable presents for His kids.



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“You're never alone when you're reading a book.”
― Susan Wiggs


“Be as careful of the books you read, as of the company you keep; for your habits and character will be as much influenced by the former as the latter.”
― Paxton Hood


Books! When friends are absent, books are present--and waiting to bless.







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These are Goodreads links for the sake of synopsis'. Open Library has some of these, but not all. A few are middle-grade, but hopefully all are morally decent.  ツ



















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Some favorite booktubers:





Oh! And I hope your Valentine's Day was lovely. Mine was sweet.



“Each time we come to a book we give it a different reading because we bring a different person to it. It is not you who reads the book, the book reads you”
― Jack Lasenby


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Please remember: My posts are always about more than they appear to be. *** "For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." ... Matthew 6:14,15

1 comment:

Betsy said...

Good Morning Debra! I enjoyed todays post although I don't use any of those sources. However, I do use the library's Libby app on my iPad and iPhone a lot. In fact, I used it so much when I was in London last week I got a message asking if it was indeed me who was listening to all of these books or had my accout been hacked? At home I don't have as much time, but I was up very late with the baby a lot of nights and listened to many on audio. How grateful I was that even far across the ocean I could access our library and it's myriad of books! I don't particularly like to read books on my iPad or iPhone. I would rather have a real book in my hands, but listening is wonderful on those devices.
We had a quiet Valentine's Day. I picked up a sinus bug of some sort on the airplane coming home so have been staying inside and away from people. Lots to do here anyway after being gone so long. I did test and I'm covid negative.
Snow is predicted this afternoon so I'm looking forward to being inside watching it fall.
Blessings and hugs,
Betsy