The Boyfriend recently suggested to me that I like buying books more than I actually like reading them. A rather silly notion, to be sure, but all it took for him to arrive at this conclusion was a quick look at our home office. Let’s just say I have books pretty much stacked to the ceiling, although I think I’ve done a decent job corralling them into the walk-in closet.
I did concede that I do love buying books. There’s nothing quite like walking into a bookstore and looking at all the pretty, shiny possibilities. The pretty covers. The not-so-pretty covers. The unblemished spines. The “smell” of new books. There’s nothing quite like the thrill of the hunt, plus an unread book signifies hope. All of those unread books have potential.
That is what all my book hunting and buying boils down to – the search for The Next Great Read.
I said as much to The Boyfriend. As much as I like buying and hunting for books, I like reading a really great one a whole lot more. My exact words were “There’s nothing better than a really great book,” which is when his eyes started rolling back in his head. That pretty much put an end to the conversation, but not on me ruminating further…
Every reader has a “There’s Nothing Better” list. Themes, styles, autobuy authors, triggers that make really great reads for them. Here are a few of mine:
There’s nothing better than an edge-of-your-seat suspense novel written in first person.
There’s nothing better than discovering an author who excels in writing in the category format.
There’s nothing better than a great friends-to-lovers story.
There’s nothing better than a tearjerker, two-hanky, emotionally-draining western romance.
There’s nothing better than a “sweet” romance that doesn’t resort to preciousness.
There’s nothing better than a fabulous Harlequin Historical.
There’s nothing better than a sexy cowboy hero.
Avid readers become “avid,” because something triggers it for them. I think it all boils down to the “There’s Nothing Betters.” Those key elements, themes, and archetypes that speak directly to that individual reader.
What are some of your “There’s Nothing Betters?”
There is nothing better than a great Beast book. I LOVE my Beast books!
There is nothing better than a great Regency with characters I know in the modern world. Personality is timeless.
by Kimber Chin May 8th, 2008 at 7:31 amThere’s nothing better than that moment when, after months of nearly out of control booklust, I…
1- finally… FINALLY… walk into the bookstore on that anticipated book’s release date, see it on display, and reverently pick it up. I’ve been known to pet and/or hug a much anticipated book while giggling in joy. Hell, sometimes it takes all my restraint not to skip to the checkout.
2- curl up and open that one book that’s been the object of my desire for so long. By that point I’m just tingling with anticipation for the journey I’m about to take.
“There’s nothing better than discovering an author who excels in writing in the category format.”
That’s another thrill of mine. Not just finding an author I like, but one whom I instantly want to buy every single book they ever have written or ever will write. NOW. Not just an auto-buy author, but an auto-booklust author.
by BevQB May 8th, 2008 at 7:35 amThere is nothing better than a good cup of coffee in the morning and nothing better than a great book by a new-to-me author.
by wendy roberts May 8th, 2008 at 10:16 amThere’s nothing better than a “gut punch moment.”
Doesn’t matter the genre. I love that moment where it “hits” me that these characters are really, REALLY in love. Could be a line of dialogue, or a kiss, or an action. Anything that has me sitting straight up in bed, clutching the book to my chest…
Yep.
by Diana Peterfreund May 8th, 2008 at 10:57 amThere’s nothing better than crisp, witty dialogue.
There’s nothing better than a smart heroine who refrains from being a smart aleck.
by Elizabeth K May 8th, 2008 at 11:13 amI’m with Diane on the ‘gut punched by love’ books. If I can say, “dang, I want someone to love ME that way” (even though I’m sure dh does!) then I’m hooked. (Did I ever mention I bought the next 14 “In Death” books after I read the first one.
Of course, today being my own release day, I’m partial to MY characters at the moment. After all, I liked ‘em enough in the first book to write a sequel.
by Terry Odell May 8th, 2008 at 11:19 amThere’s nothing better than discovering a new-to-me writer with a long backlist.
There’s nothing better than a historical romance, really historical fiction of any genre, that’s richly researched and written by an author with the gift of bringing the past to life.
by Susan Wilbanks May 8th, 2008 at 12:19 pmAll of my “nothing betters” are born of a moment, changeable at a whim. But I will cop to a shameless love of acquiring books. Buying them, ordering them, opening the box, smelling them, stacking them on the bookshelves, looking at them, remembering them after I finish reading them, whatever. I may, indeed love that at least as much as I love reading them, but since reading and acquiring are so intertwined, I think it’s all part of the same thing.
by Robin May 8th, 2008 at 1:37 pmThere’s nothing better than dialogue that absolutely sparkles.
There’s nothing better than a historical romance that is true to its time, and still a fabulous story.
There’s nothing better than a fantasy (urban or epic) that sweeps me away into its world.
Oh, and Susan W., yes–finding that new-to-me author with the long backlist.
Actually–it doesn’t have to be a fantasy. Any book that sweeps me away, to the point where I’m oblivious to the world going on around me–there is absolutely nothing better than that.
by Gail Dayton May 8th, 2008 at 4:15 pmI’m with BevQB:
There’s nothing better than when that long-awaited new release has finally arrived. (i.e. Karen Marie Moning’s Dark Fever series . . . )
and with Susan W. and Gail D.:
. . . a “new-to-me author with a long backlist.”
There’s nothing better than an evening with a good book and a cup of tea.
by Susan May 8th, 2008 at 6:07 pm“There’s nothing better than when that long-awaited new release has finally arrived. (i.e. Karen Marie Moning’s Dark Fever series . . . )”
Susan, you read my mind! The Fever series is one of those that whips my booklust into a frenzy, too. Nothing better than that.
by BevQB May 8th, 2008 at 6:40 pmThere’s nothing better than getting sucked in by the first few pages, getting home, and diving into the alternate reality and leaving all your cares behind.
by Ursula May 8th, 2008 at 9:35 pmThere’s nothing better than that thrill of experiencing two characters having that push and pull of sexual tension and sparkling dialogue.
There’s nothing better than historical fiction that is well researched and paced, and draws you into that time period.
There’s nothing better than a book that makes you cry.
There’s nothing better–as others have said–than a new-to-me author with a long backlist! Need one now…
There’s nothing better than a book that grabs you so hard the rest of life pales in comparison.
by KateHewitt May 8th, 2008 at 9:44 pmThere’s nothing better than a book that keeps me up for hours, frantically turning pages because I am so hooked.
by Cynthia Eden May 8th, 2008 at 9:49 pmI hope this is OK to write in here, but there’s nothing better than a well-written and creative sex scene. And by creative, I mean just plain fun and sexy, with a focus on that rather than the actual sex itself.
There’s nothing better than the gruff, strong and silent type who’s actually very passionate underneath all that stoic strength.
There’s nothing better than a funny romance novel.
There’s nothing better than a romance novel featuring babies or young children. I can’t get enough of them - there aren’t enough of them.
There’s nothing better than picking up a book, reading the back and going “eh” but buying it anyway, and then when you actually start reading the book it completely surprises and delights you.
There’s nothing better than a fun, smart, preferably quirky and non-prudish heroine.
by Vicki May 9th, 2008 at 2:04 amHi everybody - thanks for all the comments. Just wanted to say I too love those “gut punch” moments.
Discovering great authors with huge backlists? I used to love this, but my TBR anxiety has gotten so bad over the years now I’m more like, “Oh NOes! I like this author. I want all their books! And they’ve written how many?!”
You call had great “There’s Nothing Better” lists. I was nodding my head along with many of you.
by Wendy May 9th, 2008 at 11:13 amThere is nothing better than being able to read a book that is nothing more than just page after page of meaningless S E X!
Obviously, I prefer to read a book where the sex is not only hot but it does have a meaning and there is an actual romantic relationship involved.
But every once in a great while . . . . . the former just fits the bill.
by EvieD May 9th, 2008 at 2:45 pmYou already got one of mine: “There’s nothing better than a great friends-to-lovers story.”
Also, because I’m vindictive: “There’s nothing better than a love story where every antagonist suffers greatly as punishment for their crimes.”
by Kate Diamond May 10th, 2008 at 10:21 pmThere’s nothing better than a reader who loves all the books you do!
by Cheryl St.John May 14th, 2008 at 11:19 pm