I’ve been a bad, bad girl …

• Posted in About Books, General musings, On Writing

So, I did something I shouldn’t have this weekend. I went to Mr. K’s, a used bookstore — and brought home an armful of books.

I shouldn’t have done this for several reasons. First of all, I already had about 10 books at home in my TBR pile. Not counting all the Buffy, Angel, and Wonder Woman comics I need to read.

But there’s just something about used bookstores. I love wandering through the stacks looking for books. Hidden treasures! Bargains! Cool covers! Authors I’ve always wanted to read!

It’s a sweet, sweet siren’s song. I just can’t resist. Besides, I had trade credit I needed to use up anyway. That makes it okay, right? Right?!? 🙄

So, what did I come home with? Here are some of the titles:

1) Eye of Heaven and Soul Song by Marjorie M. Liu (books from her Dirk & Steele paranormal romance series)

2) Bitten by Kelley Armstrong (the first one in her Women of the Otherworld series, which I’ve heard lots of folks raving about)

3) Warprize by Elizabeth Vaughn (the first in her paranormal romance trilogy)

4) Lord of the Fading Lands by C.L. Wilson (the first in a fantasy romance series)

5) Quiver by Kevin Smith (a graphic novel about the comic book character Green Arrow, whom I’ve never read about before)

6) Batman: The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller (one of the most admired graphic novels out there, which I’ve always wanted to read)

So now I have like 20 books in my TBR pile. Sigh.

Something funny that happened was the checkout guy said something about the graphic novels belonging to my significant other. I corrected him. No, dude, those are mine. Chicks read comics, too.

What about you? Do used bookstores make you lose control, too?

11 Responses to “I’ve been a bad, bad girl …”

  1. Tia Nevitt says:

    We have the most WONDERFUL used bookstore in Jacksonville called Chamblin’s Bookmine. And yes, it’s a bookmine. It winds through about five large rooms, which are just crammed full of books on what appears to be homemade bookcases. Scads of books! Piles of books waiting to be categorized! They also have CDs, sheet music (yes!), DVD and computer games. I’ve gone in there several times looking for out-of-print titles, and they always have a copy.

    It’s big and ugly, with no coffee shop and no comfy chairs, but it’s THE used bookstore in Jacksonville.

    Used bookstores do have a certain smell, don’t they?

  2. Jennifer Estep says:

    Tia — Sounds like a great store. My local used bookstore also has used games, CDs, and even old albums (I think). Two levels of goodness.

    Ah, yes, the used bookstore smell. It’s worse some places than others. Very old and slightly musty, but I like it. It’s somehow comforting. 😎

  3. Chasity says:

    Mr. K’s is the bomb. I can usually find anything I’m looking for there. You go girl! I think you’ll enjoy Bitten. Kelley Armstrong has a great voice.

  4. Karen Healey says:

    Yay, Quiver! One of my favourite Green Arrow books ever, not least for introducing me to my DC boyfriend, Connor Hawke.

    And ugh, checkout guy, get a clue.

  5. Jennifer Estep says:

    Chasity — Actually, I was looking for something by Jacqueline Carey someone else had recommended (Kushiel’s Dart). But then I saw the Armstrong book. And, well, it came home with me. :bub:

    Karen — I’ll have to move Quiver up the reading pile, if you like it so much. :cup:

    And yes, checkout guy does need to get a clue. Interestingly enough, the graphic novels are on the second level of the store, next to the gaming books — and far, far away from the romance and fantasy books on the first floor. Hardly the kind of layout that would lead me to accidentally picking up the graphic novels. 🙄

  6. Chasity says:

    I never have figured out the layout there. Nothing makes sense to me, but I truck along and often find someone to point me in the right direction. Or I tell Gary what I’m looking for and he sniffs it out for me. He actually is the one who finds the best stuff.

    I tried the Kusheil’s series, I quit 1/2 way through the first one. I just couldn’t get into them. Maybe I wasn’t in the right frame of mind at the time. Who knows?

  7. Edie says:

    I bring home bags of books when I go to used bookstores. The one nearest me isn’t that near, so I don’t get there often. When I go, I always seem to buy a couple books I own already.:???:

  8. Jennifer Estep says:

    Edie — I’m not bad about buying repeats since I try to keep my TBR pile more or less under control. But I actually put several more books back last weekend at the store. One of my resolutions is to make a significant dent in my TBR pile this year and only have four or five books lying around at one time. 🙄

  9. Michele L. says:

    Oh my used bookstores! I have one close to me and it is my happy place to go. Whenever I am down, all I have to do is go there, and spend time in the shelves. It always does the trick. The lady who owns the place is really nice too. She always saves books for me. I am an avid reader and have over 230 books in my TBR pile.

  11. Janus says:

    I can lose control if not careful. I do have a list of books that I have seen at my local Half Price Books that I want to get.

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