F - O - X

We have a new bookstore in town.

Ad Astra Books & Coffehouse

For me, that's huge.

It used to be a really cool bar, but I think that a bookstore serves a much better purpose.

I love bookstores. Even the chains [I must exclude Christmas Time] hold a special place in my heart. 

But the hole-in-the-wall shops that are quiet, almost like a library, and cozy like a local coffee shop - those are the ones that I truly love.
 
I think it's the scent of books. Or maybe coffee brewing? Or it could just be the sheer calming effect a bookstore can have on you. I'm not really sure.
 
Ad Astra is just what I described. Perfectly cozy in every way.
 
The first time I visited  I was on the phone with my mom and I felt like I was committing some sort of crime; what with someone reading in the corner, another wandering around looking at the selection, and the employees reading their own novels behind the counter. I was impeding the silence, which I think is definitely breaking some sort of bookstore law.
 

So, after I was done chatting with mom I walked around the store several times, looking at used and new books. I wasn't in the mood for anything in particular [though I was secretly hoping they had The Help] just something good to read each night before I went to bed. 

I saw a Nicholas Sparks book, True Believer, on the shelf and couldn't pass it up. He's a genius.

And I picked up a Meg Cabot book, too. Though when I brought it home, started reading it and realized it was a part of the Princess Diaries series, I wasn't all that thrilled [I think I'm a little old for that at this point].

[Please note, when I bought this it didn't have the original jacket attached. Just the title, minus "The Princess Diaries, Volume VII". I promise I am not an idiot.]
 

Reading is so fantastic. It forces a person to use every bit of visual creativity they have, building characters on their own accord, creating scenes of places they've never visited, all in their imagination.
 

I kind of forgot about reading for a while. I got caught up in a few television series, the hectic rush of everyday life, not to mention the millions of thoughts running through my head.
 

Now that I think about it, the main reason I love reading is because it puts all those thoughts to a halt and allows my mind to sink completely into a whole other story. One that doesn't revolve around things I need to get done or have done that I regret.
 

So far True Believer is fantastic. I spent 3 hours reading it two nights ago, and last night I got in another good hour and a half. I'm almost done.....
 

Which is the worst part about books, in my opinion.
 

You know,

that last page that says
 

The End

 
All the while your heart is silently breaking.

Because you don't want it to end.

You don't want that magical vision you created in your head to disappear.

I found it especially difficult in the Harry Potter series.
 

Then again, maybe it's just me.

I'm very passionate about books.

They become a part of me. Part of my creative side, my emotional side, and my educational side [because reading strengthens the mind, of course. :)].

*sigh*

And it all started with a bookstore.

Well, re-started, anyway.

I always had a book in my backpack in high school.

I was just on hiatus for a while. 

Yesterday I called Matt specifically to ask how he felt about me buying a Kindle. [I didn't ask if I could buy a Kindle, I just wanted to run the idea by him] He threw a bit of a hissy fit at first, but in the end he was cool with it.

And then I remembered that the Motorola Xoom [Android tablet] that Doug lets me have 99% of the time [because he hates it] has a Kindle App. So basically, I already have a Kindle. 

*Best Discovery of My Day*

So far I have downloaded The Hunger Games and One Love [Gina's Recommendation]. 

I will let you know how those turn out.

Perhaps I will have a few more book reviews than movie reviews for you in the upcoming months. 

Alright. I'm done being a dork for now.

And if you caught the reference in my post title, kudos to you. 

You get an imaginary gold star.

Have a spectacularly amazing day.