Tag Archives: addiction

The Best 5 ½ Places to Find Books: #1

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Are you ready for this?!

(Didn’t clicking on and listening to that song just put you in the best mood? C’mon admit it. You love it, and now you’re pumped, and really ready to watch Space Jam.)

It’s time to reveal the number 1 spot on The Never Ending Book Basket’s countdown of The Best 5 ½ Places to Find Books!

I hope this countdown has brought you some pretty darn fantastic places to find books. Us book addicts have to stick together, so I hope at the very least you discovered yet another way to feed your book addiction. (Because you should really keep feeding that addiction on a consistent basis.)

This countdown has been solely based upon my utterly biased logic of finding books, but the time has come to reveal the countdown in its entirety, by exposing the coveted number 1 spot.

The previous posts on the countdown were:

#5 Target (Aka my own personal hell)

#4 Barnes and Noble and Books-A-Million (The big name book stores)

#3 The Miscellaneous Grab Bag (Flea markets, yard sales, and the good old Goodwill)

#2 Amazon Books (Also known as one of the reasons I have no money)

And without further ado….

Number 1: Used Book Stores (A book addicts own personal paradise)

Used book stores are pretty fucking fantastic. They have a lot to offer us book addicts, and god knows that I have been in my fair share of these fine establishments over the years. While there are a wide array of extraordinary used book stores out there, for the purpose of this countdown I am going to focus in on my very favorite one:

Ukazoo Books

(Before you ask, yes that is the name of the store, and yes the store is as out of this world remarkable as its name.)

Ukazoo Books located in Towson, Maryland. (photo credit: Ukazoo Books)

Ukazoo Books located in Towson, Maryland. (photo credit: Ukazoo Books)

Ukazoo Books is located in Towson, Maryland just up the street from my alma mater Towson University. It offers a varied selection of books across many genres, and has more books in it than you can shake a stick at. This book store has some pretty great features to it, and it honestly is the very best place I have ever found books at in all of my book buying days.

This store is also responsible for at least half of the books currently residing on my bookshelves. (And we all know I have a lot of books…)

Like most used book stores, Ukazoo is locally owned, and it is just waiting for you to walk into its doors and frolic. While my list of reasons supporting Ukazoo is specific to this particular used book store, the reasons of why this store is pretty darn magnificent can be applied to many used book stores out there.

Why YOU should visit Ukazoo Books as soon as you finish reading this blog post:

  • The book selection. Ukazoo Books offers every genre of book your little heart could desire. It has books on music, books on film, traditional fiction, a huge mystery and thriller section, memoirs, humor books, a plethora of kids’ books, new books, bestsellers, books by local authors, and so many more genres and types than I can even list. Suffice to say it’s got a lot to offer.
  • The best book deal this planet has ever seen. Ukazoo Books offers a lovely little deal that all their used books are buy 3 get 1 free. I have never left this store without taking advantage of this deal. Be warned that if you find more than one book, you just better find two more books to take advantage of this deal. (This is also why my book shelves are full of books from this fine establishment.)
  • The support of the local author and artist. Ukazoo is huge supporter of local authors and artists. The store is chalk full of books written by locals (it has its own section!), and the walls of the store are covered in art for sale. Be sure to check out all these little gems ASAP because you’re sure to find something brilliant.
  • The staff.  The staff at this store is beyond helpful. Looking for a specific book? They can help you. Want a recommendation? They have plenty! Need help with anything? They will seriously do anything to help you. Honestly, the staff at this store makes Ukazoo feel like you’re walking into the most welcoming place around. (On a side note, the other customers who shop here are pretty cool too. Just saying.)
  • The prices of the books. Not only does Ukazoo have that amazing aforementioned book deal, it also offers amazing prices on used and new books. I kid you not, I have regularly gotten 4 books for what 1 book at the big name book store will typically cost you. (That’s a lot of bang for your buck people!)
  • The wonderful books you’ll find here. I’ve already shared that Ukazoo offers a wide variety of books. What you may not know is that this store is full of some amazing finds. I cannot tell you how many phenomenal books and authors I have discovered in the walls of this store. Some of my all-time favorites were found here, and for that I will truly be eternally grateful.
  • The name. The name of this store just works, is wholly unique which completely fits this store, and I just love it.
  • It’s organized. It’s organized. It’s organized. IT’S ORGANIZED!

Suffice to say, Ukazoo is hands down my #1 choice on The Best Places to Find Books countdown. This store has so much to offer, and it is one of my favorite places

As you can see this thing is completely full, and at leas t half of these books are from Ukazoo.

As you can see this thing is completely full, and at least half of these books are from Ukazoo.

to visit and shop for books. I have so many fond memories of this place, and I still continue to visit it to this day. (And that’s with me living an hour and a half away now!)

Ukazoo is the cream of the crop. It’s the best of the best, and there’s no doubt in my mind about that.

While I focused specifically on this used book store, you should know that this is only one of many wonderful places like this out there, and the reasons of why Ukazoo is incredible can also be found in many other stores across the country.

I challenge you to find your own amazing used book store to explore, because believe me, it is just waiting to be found, and you will be oh so happy when you finally find your favorite book finding place.

After all is said and done, you may be wondering why this countdown turned out the way it did. You may think, how did a place like Ukazoo beat out big name book stores like Barnes and Noble? Well let me explain my madness a little:

The title of this countdown is aptly named the best places to FIND books, not just buy them. My goal for this countdown was to give fellow book lovers and addicts’ places to find the books and authors that are just waiting to be discovered. If you want to go buy any old book, you can do that just about anywhere. But if you’re looking for a one of a kind experience where you can explore and find truly extraordinary books (that you might not have found normally), these are the places you need to go.

Ukazoo will provide you with something like that every time, which is why it found its way to the top of this countdown.

So there you have it folks. This post concludes the countdown of The Best 5 ½ Places to Find Books. I hope you found these posts helpful, and that someday very soon you’ll find yourself perusing some of these marvelous places in search of that next great book experience.

To learn more about Ukazoo Books check out the links:

http://www.Ukazoo.com/

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ukazoo-Books/6091694731

ps. If you’re wondering when the hell I’m going to talk about that pesky little ½ thing, don’t you worry your pretty little head. That post is on its way. 😉

The Best 5 ½ Places to Find Books: #2

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Welcome back to The Never Ending Book Basket’s completely opinionated list of the Best 5 ½ Places to Find Books.

We’re getting close to the homestretch of this countdown, and I for one can’t wait to reveal the two remaining spots! (These remaining spots are some of my very favorite places to find the books that I must acquire ASAP!)

As we all know, there are many different places that us book addicts can find books, but let’s be honest: some of those places are way better than others.

That’s why I created this countdown: to list the best places I’ve found to find the books we all desire to acquire.

Previously on the countdown I detailed the #5 spot Target (My own personal hell!), the #4 spots Barnes and Noble and Books-A-Million (The big name book stores), and the #3 spot The Miscellaneous Grab Bag (aka yard sales, flea markets, and the good old Goodwill)

Up today on the countdown is a place that is majorly responsible for all of my book buying. (I place my blame on this place, rather than myself because that’s easier than admitting I have a problem….)

Number 2: Amazon Books (Also known as one of the many reasons I have no money.)

I dare you to find someone in this country who has never heard of or bought something from Amazon. Seriously, is there anyone out there who hasn’t heard of Amazon?

(That’s completely rhetorical by the way, because I do realize there are people who haven’t heard of this amazing establishment. The question is for effect people, calm down.)

Amazon Books: #2 Place to Find Books (photo credit: Twitter)

Amazon Books: #2 Place to Find Books (photo credit: Twitter)

Amazon is a website that will sell you anything from clothing, to knick knacks you don’t really need, to an underwear dispenser. (I shit you not on that last one.) Its got something for everyone, and I swear Amazon is bound and determined to make people spend all their money.

Although you can find just about anything on Amazon, I’m sure it’s no real shock that the department I find myself frequenting the most is the book section. (Was that ever really a question?)

The book section on Amazon is about as large as they get. You can get all types of books on this website including textbooks, children’s books, e books, and of course your standard novel.

If you frequent this website as much as I do, you’ve probably seen that Amazon has a section on its website for books and for e books for your Kindle. I am not even going to try to open the can of worms that is the “e book vs. traditional paper or hard back books” debate. (I ain’t going there, because that battle will never truly ever end.)

My point in identifying these two categories of books is to point out that Amazon offers a wide array of book types, so you’ve basically got a plethora of ways to pick whatever book poison you want.

As you can tell, I am a HUGE fan of Amazon Books, and as always I plan to justify that sentiment with my list of completely biased reasoning.

Why Amazon Books basically rocks my socks:

  • The recommended for you section. Amazon Books has this lovely little thing that’s kind of like the Pandora for books. It has this section that recommends books specifically for you based upon what you’ve looked at or bought. I love this section. It has so many books that you may not have seen normally, and I have personally found a multitude of fantastic books from this section. It is also constantly updating, so don’t you worry your pretty little head. Soon enough you’ll have more recommended books just for you!
  • It has so many genres of books you can buy. I am basically schvizting over all the different genres of books Amazon has to offer. You can find anything and everything on here from paranormal romance to history to self-help. Suffice to say there is something for everyone on Amazon Books.
  • The reviews of other customers. A huge feature on Amazon Books is the reviews of other customers who have bought the books that you’re looking at. These reviews are painfully honest sometimes, but when you get past all the bias they can really help you decide if a book is worth taking a chance on. They can also be really funny to read. (Believe it or not, I have seen many a fight take place in this review section between some pretty passionate readers!)
  • The organization of the books is to die for. Finding books on Amazon is easy as pie. You can search for books, browse through the many genres of books they offer, or just get lost in it all. No matter what way you choose to find books on here, it is pretty clear that the organization of this website is phenomenal, and it makes it all the more easier to find the books you want.
  • The fantastic lists of books. Amazon has a pretty cool feature of creating lists of books that are grouped together in some way. These lists could be about the best romances, the books you have to read before you die, or the books everyone is currently talking about. These lists are always worth a gander, and are sure to provide you with something good to read.
  • The buy with one click feature. One of the best and worst features of Amazon is that you can buy items with one click. (All you have to do is set up your billing
    The Buy With One Click feature that is my downfall. (photo credit: sherrysnider.com)

    The Buy With One Click feature that is my downfall. (photo credit: sherrysnider.com)

    information, and you’re good to go.) This feature is my downfall, as it makes it way too easy to buy books from here. (Especially e books.)

  • The prices. All of the books on Amazon are discounted in some way, shape, or form. Books on here can range from free (And yes I mean absolutely free!) to a few dollars, to just below the regular retail price. Whatever book you’re looking for, rest assured that you’ll save a few bucks at least finding it here. They also sell used books on here that are always worth a look at.

There you have it. I could go on and on about why Amazon Books is a completely amazing place to find books, but that would take more time than you or I have. Suffice to say Amazon is a place book addicts can frolic freely in.

(Not so freely because you’ll buy more books there than you actually weigh, but it’s the thought that counts.)

I solemnly swear that Amazon Books has something for you, and if you’re ever looking for that next great book, this place is where you should start. This place really deserves to be at the top of YOUR list of places to find books.

Until next time book addicts, may your book shelves continue be full as you keep searching for that next out of this world read.

Up next on the countdown is the #1 spot! YAY!!! I won’t give you a hint about what this place is, but I’ll let you in on a little secret: it’s my very favorite place to find books.

(See what I did there?)

ps. You should totally head over to Amazon Books right now, and check out all their books. Like now. Now. Now. NOW. NOW! http://www.amazon.com/books-used-books-textbooks/b/ref=sa_menu_bo?ie=UTF8&node=283155

During the writing of this blog post 2 e books were purchased through Amazon’s one click feature. Be warned people, this website feeds addictions…..

The Best 5 ½ Places to Find Books: #3

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Welcome back to The Never Ending Book Basket’s countdown of The Best 5 ½ Places to Find Books.

(I know you’ve all been anxiously waiting on the edge of your seats for these posts, right?! Sorry for the smidge bit of delay, but it’s been harder to create this countdown than I thought it would be originally. Too many great places to choose from I guess!)

This countdown was created to list and discuss the best possible places that us book addicts can find the books we so need, desire, and have got to have. (Because you gotta know where to get the best of the best!)

Each spot on the countdown has its own post that contains my completely opinionated list of reasons of why that place rocks when it comes to finding books.

In my previous two posts I detailed the #5 spot Target (my own personal hell) and the #4 spots Barnes and Noble and Books-A-Million (the good old standard in finding books).

Up today on the countdown is what I refer to as the miscellaneous grab bag:

Number 3: The Miscellaneous Grab Bag (Yard Sales, Flea Markets, & Goodwill)

The aptly named number 3 spot on the countdown covers not just one, but 3 spectacular places to find books.

(Yay for you!! You get more bang for your buck today!)

Yard sales, flea markets, and the good old Goodwill are three places that offer a wide array of unique items, and sometimes more shit than you can shake a stick at. These are the places for the true diggers of this world because you definitely have to dig, but when you do, I guarantee that you’ll be pleasantly surprised at what you find.

I lumped all three of these places together for a lot of reasons. (And when I say a lot, I mean like 3.)

One, all of these places are not your typical locations that you would think of to go find books. All of these places also sell heavily discounted books because of the nature of the stores themselves. These wonderfully miscellaneous establishments also have a very random and varied book selection within their walls. (Or lack of walls if you find yourself perusing a yard sale or most flea markets)

If you’re sitting here reading this post and wondering how the hell these places beat out the book store for this spot on the countdown, let me explain my madness to you.

Why yard sales, Goodwill, and flea markets are some pretty outstanding places to find books:

  • The prices. Money may not buy you happiness, but it can buy you books and that’s pretty close. That’s why finding books at any of these miscellaneous
    The truest thing I have ever read...

    The truest thing I have ever read…(photo credit: Pinterest)

    places will be so worth your while. The books here are dirt cheap. They range in price from mere pennies to just a few dollars. If that doesn’t make you smile, then I don’t know what will.

  • The little tidbits you can’t buy. All of the books you will find at these kinds of places have had previous owners. Now while I tend to not give away my children, I mean books, other people do, and when they do this they tend to leave more than just the book behind. The notes, phrases underlined, and the dedications really make these books something different and add a unique feature that “regular” books don’t have. (I must say I really enjoy reading the dedications people write in these books because it explains why they wanted to gift that particular book, and reading that is really something.)
  • The never ending search. So if you’ve ever been to one of these places you know that you better be prepared to dig pretty deep to find something good. But let me tell you that the digging can be well worth it, and it’s half the fun. Digging around in any of these three places is sure to yield some pretty interesting finds as well. (Be prepared to find A LOT of romance novels.)
  • You never know what you’re gonna get looking for books here. It can be hit or miss with finding books at any of these places. Books are constantly coming in and out of each one, but the excitement of never knowing what you’re going to find is what makes these places fantastic. And it adds a bit of a thrill.
  • The wide array of books. When you go to yard sales, Goodwill, or flea markets you will find a very wide variety of books. All walks of life are represented at these places. Again you never know what you may find, but be assured you will find some pretty interesting books at any of these three places.
  • The people you meet along the way. Especially with yard sales and flea markets, the people you meet there are about as fantastic and out there as the books you may find. In my experience they are pretty awesome, and always willing to talk about the fantastic books they are selling to you.
  • The one of a kind experience. Let’s face it, part of the appeal of these places is that they aren’t that normal place you go to find books. Each time you go here to find books or whatever you seek, you will definitely have some kind of an experience. Whether that’s good or bad or out of this fucking world, it’s something, and that’s pretty important to remember.
Don't you just love yard sales...(photo credit: )

Don’t you just love yard sales…(photo credit: dumpaday.com)

There you have it folks. The number 3 spot on the countdown of The Best 5 ½ Places to Find Books. I’m sure going into this post you didn’t expect that I would be talking about yard sales, flea markets, and Goodwill, but I hope you’re happy with my choice. (But let’s be honest, this is kind of my countdown…)

This miscellaneous grab bag of places to find books is definitely out of the ordinary in a lot of ways, but I shit you not that you’ll find yourself quite surprised about the books you can find at any one of these places. Sure you may have to dig a little harder to find something spectacular, but that’s what makes it all the more worthwhile.

Plus look on the bright side, if you go to any of these three places to find a book you’re more than likely to come out with some other additional amazing treasure. (Or if you’re me, another piece of crap you don’t need, but let’s just keep that between us.)

Until next time book addicts. Stay tuned for more on this spectacularly named and designed countdown. (hah!) I know you’re all dying to know what nabs the top two spots! (And what the hell the ½ thing means!)

Up next on the countdown is the place that continues to actively feed my book addiction. (More so than all the rest!)

Ps. If you have a good, bad, or out of this world experience on finding a book at one of these three places, I’d love to hear from you!

The Best 5 ½ Places to Find Books: #4

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Welcome back to The Never Ending Book Basket’s countdown of The Best 5 ½ Places to Find Books!

(Pause here for silent cheering! Wahoo!)

If you’re wondering why on Earth I am counting down the best places to find books, let me enlighten you a little to my madness.

Finding books is a science. (At least to me.) There are many different places that you can find books, but let’s be honest: Some of those places are way better than others!

Thus, in my never ending battle to continually talk about books and all things related, I decided to countdown what I think are the best places to come across those amazing books we all seek. (Because you gotta know where to go to get the good stuff!)

Each spot on the countdown will have its very own post to discuss its awesomeness, and why YOU should go there ASAP to find books!

In my previous post I discussed the #5 spot on the countdown, Target, which I lovingly refer to as my own personal hell. Target is a prime example of how two rows of bookshelves can make a pretty darn good book section.

Up today on the countdown in the #4 spot is where most of us go to find a good book:

Number 4: The Old School Place to Get Books (aka The Book Store!)

So if you are a book lover, you have got to just adore the book store. That is kind of like an unspoken rule. I mean, c’mon.

Books-A-Million (photo credit: booksamillioninc.com

Books-A-Million (photo credit: booksamillioninc.com)

Book stores come in all shapes and sizes, and each one is unique in its own way. While there are plenty of big and small book stores out there, the ones many of us find ourselves in are the large chain ones that frequent the many strip malls this country has.

Now this is just my opinion, but I think it’s safe to say the two major book stores most people in this country physically go to are Barnes and Noble and Books-A-Million.

I personally have frequented both of these stores, and have spent way more money there then I will ever admit. (My lips are fucking sealed on that one!) I have also spent countless hours perusing the shelves of both of these major chains, and can safely say an afternoon spent there is well worth it.

Now it may seem like real common sense to say that a major book store chain is a fantastic place to find books, but you’ll note that this isn’t the post discussing the #1 spot on the countdown! (You’ll find out why soon enough!)

Why Barnes and Noble and Books-A-Million are pretty fantastic places to find books:

  • You can get any kind of book you want. (It’s a book store, hello!) Of course when you go to a big chain book store like Barnes and Noble and Books-A-Million you can find every genre of book out there. There is something for everyone there, and that’s kind of a big thing. If you want that one random book that’s a little on the specific side, it’s probably at one of these major chains.
  • The people who work there are books biggest fans. I have been to many a book stores, and have never met a book store employee who didn’t like books. (That would be a serious oxy moron!) The people who work at these places clearly like books, and are usually more than willing to help you find that next great page turner.
  • The themed book displays. So I have to say I love the book displays they have in Books-A-Million and Barnes and Noble. These displays are full of books that are similarly themed, and they are a great place to find new books just like the ones you already love. This is also where the books on promotion are, and sometimes those deals are pretty good.

    Barnes and Noble (photo credit: barnesandnoble.com

    Barnes and Noble (photo credit: barnesandnoble.com

  • The Clearance Section. Now this particular one pertains more to Books-A-Million because the clearance book section there is out of this world. It is literally rows and rows of books that are severely discounted. The clearance section there also represents a wide variety of books that are all looking for a good home. They all scream, “Pick Me! Choose Me! Love Me!” (I’ll personally high five anyone who knows where that last line is borrowed from!)
  • The “We Recommend” Section. So I already mentioned that most of the staff members at these stores love books. One of my favorite staples of these book chains is that they have this nifty little section of books that the staff recommends. I LOVE this section. It is filled to the brim with books that fellow book addicts love. What’s not to squeal over?
  • There’s coffee. Okay so this really has nothing to do with finding books, but as I’ve said before, coffee and books kind of go together splendidly. And luckily both Books-A-Million and Barnes and Noble have coffee places in them to help us all pair our caffeine addictions with our book addictions.

So I’m sure you’re wondering what could possibly be the fallbacks of the major book stores we all love, and I’ll tell you there aren’t many, but I do have a some:

  • The Prices. While both Barnes and Noble and Books-A-Million have clearance sections, the majority of their books are on the pricier side. (At least for my poor ass self.) As I am a self-proclaimed book addict, my addiction can get a tad expensive shopping at these places. But on a more positive note, it’s easier to control my addiction when I literally can’t afford to buy the books I want. (There’s the upside!)
  • Paying to belong. So at both of these places you have to pay to become a member to receive pretty much any kind of coupon or discount. (And in my opinion that’s a bunch of bs, because all us book lovers gotta stick together, and we shouldn’t have to pay to be at least some kind of member.) I still to this day majorly miss the major book retailer (which has since gone out of business) that gave out the best coupons and had free membership.(RIP Borders)

Major book stores like Barnes and Noble and Books-A-Million have a lot to offer book addicts like you and me. They carry all the bestsellers, all the books you’ve got to read, and even that one specific book that nowhere else has.

Places like these are overflowing with books and book addicts alike. It is not only a spectacular place to find books, but a great place to meet and see other addicts out in their natural habitat.

And remember, they sell coffee too!!

Please stay tuned for more on The Never Ending Book Basket’s countdown of The Best 5 ½ Places to Find Books. (I know you’re still waiting to find out what that ½ thing means!)

Next up on the countdown is the place I refer to as the miscellaneous grab bag of where to find books.

Ps. If you have an opinion on Barnes and Noble or Books-A-Million and their spot on the countdown, I’d love to hear from you!

The Best 5 ½ Places to Find Books: #5

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Welcome back fellow book addicts!

I hope time has found you well, and that you’ve had plenty of opportunities to dive into some fantastic books. (I know I have!)

Since clearly all of us here enjoy books, I thought it only fitting that we have a discussion about the best places to find those books. I mean let’s be honest: you have to know where the best place to buy your drug of choice is. You can’t just go anywhere. (And I am referring to books there people. Get your minds out of the gutter, folks!)

Now there are a million places to buy books, but I have to say that I have my certain favorite places that I love to purchase a good read. (I may have slightly over exaggerated with the use of the term “a million places” when describing where to buy books, but it’s all the same. There are many great places to come across that one book you’re looking for.)

These are also the places that have the ability to suck me in for hours on end if I let them. That isn’t even a slight exaggeration. It’s happened.

So here at the Never Ending Book Basket, I will be counting down The Best 5 ½ Places to Find Books.

These places will be the cream of the crop. The best of the best. They’re the places you just gotta go to get the books you need.

Why 5 ½ places? Well that’s the number I came up with and I’m sticking with it. Tough shit. (And don’t you worry, I’ll explain that ½ thing later.) Each spot on the countdown will have its very own post, and these countdown posts will be interspersed with the normal book reviews you find on here.

So without further ado, The Best 5 ½ Places to Find Books:

Number 5: The Big Name Retailer That Sucks You in for Everything You Got (aka Target)

Target is my own personal hell in a lot of ways. If you’re American, you’ve probably seen that e card making fun of the fact that most people go into Target looking for one thing, yet they leave the store with 5 different things. (Not one of which was on their intended list of things to buy.)

Gotta love this!! And it is absolutely true! (photo credit: Pinterest)

Gotta love this!! And it is absolutely true! (photo credit: Pinterest)

I am so guilty of that. I go into that place, and I am lucky to get out without buying something I did not need. I mean, does anyone really need as many storage bins as I’ve bought in that place?

Don’t even get me started on walking up and down the aisles looking for clearance items. That is a bad place.

I am also extremely guilty of the fact that I NEVER leave Target without visiting the book section. NEVER. Not even once since the time I was in high school. (Yes, I admit it. I have a problem.)

Target is one of my favorite places to look for books. In fact almost every book on my to buy list, and probably half the books currently residing in my Never Ending Book Basket originated from a visit to Target.

Now as I always I have to justify my reasoning’s on here, the following is why I think Target is a great place to buy books:

  • It has the newest releases of the most popular books out there. That huge, new, gotta have it book that just came out? Target most likely is a place you can get it.
  • It has a wide range of well known, and not so known books. The books Target carries range from New York Times Bestsellers, to romance, to teen, to some random book you’ve never even heard of. The variety of Target’s selection, at times, is superb.
  • The Target Book Club. If you’ve ever perused the book section, you’ve probably seen some books with the logo “Target Book Club”. These books are not ones to miss. They are fantastic, and a ton of them are even signed by the damn author. I can personally say one of my favorite books that I read last year was from this club. That books cover is even in the header image of this blog. (It’s called The Promise of Stardust and you need to go to Target and buy it now. Do it!)
  • The discounted prices. Now it isn’t like Targets books are seriously discounted, but most are 20% off list price, and as someone addicted to buying books, every little bit of money saved is big.

Now I am not trying to be Negative Nellie on here, but there are a couple drawbacks to doing your book buying at Target:

The 5th best place to find books!

The 5th best place to find books!

  • The book section contains only about 2 aisles worth of books. What this means is that while Target might have a book section, it’s still a big store that sells only a little bit of everything. This means that if you’re looking for a specific book that isn’t a new release, insanely popular, or part of the Target Book Club, you’re probably not going to find it there. (But what do you expect from a book section that contains 2 aisles?)
  • It can be hit or miss. As much as I love Target, and its book section, I find that it can be hit or miss in there sometimes. The range of books is marvelous, but often the shelves are either filled to the brim or filled with more empty spaces than my brain is when it comes to math skills. Either way, I always go the section no matter what, but I am sad to say I do not always come away with the next best book.

Target is a great place to buy books, and find books that you might want to buy at some point. As I said earlier, I have added so many books to my to read list from just perusing the book section at Target.

When I look in the Target book section, I don’t always buy a book, (Yes, that does actually happen mother!) but I do usually come away with a new book I plan to read at some point.

If anything, Target is always good for a fun time spent searching through books, and the high likelihood that you will buy at least one thing you will never use or need.

Please stay tuned for more on the Never Ending Book Basket’s countdown of The Best 5 ½ Places to Find Books. (I know you just can’t wait to find out what that ½ thing means!)

Next up on the countdown is a place that I refer to as the old-school place to get the books you have to have, so keep your eyes open for the post!

Until next time book addicts, and as always, Happy Reading!

Ps. If you have a comment or opinion about buying books at Target, I would love to hear from you!

Two For One Special (Love Unrehearsed & Love Unscripted)

Posted in Books I love, Review Post by

Attention book readers, we have a two for one special on our hands at The Never Ending Book Basket!

(In my mind I just imagined that being blasted over a crackling loud speaker in a warehouse filled to the brim with books, also known as my own personal happy place.)

I guess I should let you know that I didn’t actually just read a book named two for one special. The title for this post comes from the fact that today is your lucky day!

Want to know why?!

Today, you get two book reviews for the price of one! Go you!

Told ya, today was your day!

Please try and contain your exuberance out there!

Now that you know where my oh so clever title for this post came from (and I know you just have to be smiling right now!), I can now talk about the amazing two books that I just recently finished and are today’s two for one special.

This week I read Love Unscripted and Love Unrehearsed by Tina Reber.

Love Unscripted and Love Unrehearsed by Tina Reber.

Love Unscripted and Love Unrehearsed by Tina Reber. (For the record I thought it was fantastic to put that dried bouquet on top of the books. Am I the next big photographer? Probably not, but I do sure love this picture!)

So why a two for one special?

These books are basically two parts to a one whole extremely lovable story, (think of them as part one and part two respectively) so I found it only right to review them together.

Let me tell you, I was very eager to read these two books. I came across the second book, Love Unrehearsed while shopping with another book addict, and I was hooked in by the promise of reading a fantastic love story that I wouldn’t forget.

I will just be honest with the fact that I am a HUGE sucker for a love story, and boy was this a love story to die for. I ate up every page, and was completely enamored with the main characters, Taryn and Ryan.

Their love practically pole vaulted off the page.

Since I don’t want to give away too much of the actual plot line of these two books (‘cause we don’t do that shit on here!), let me tell you a little about Taryn and Ryan:

  • Meet Taryn: Taryn is a young, extremely caring, strong willed, and down to Earth woman who is running a small pub in a tiny Rhode Island town. She has a huge heart, and always puts others first. At the beginning she can be found rolling her eyes at the hoopla over the huge movie being filmed in town. She will not play into any of that, until she unexpectedly finds herself helping and falling very hard for Ryan Christensen, the A list actor starring in the film.
  • Meet Ryan: Ryan Christensen is on top of the world. He is the gorgeous guy rising to the top of the acting world, and almost every female is obsessed with him. Ryan just wanted to do what he loved, but he never expected to have his every move scrutinized and followed by throngs of women. Literally. That fanatic obsession is exactly what leads him to meeting Taryn. Ryan is clearly guarded, but is oh so charming and fiercely protective of what he holds dear, but when he meets Taryn all bets are off.

Love Unscripted and Love Unrehearsed follows Taryn and Ryan as they try to give love a chance. Both of these characters have pasts and presents that make them reluctant to take the leap of faith. They are both guarded, and they have their reasons for holding back, but these books explore what happens when they give it all a chance.

When they come together it’s messy, complicated, and scary as hell, but the journey they go on together is one that will just make your heart melt.

These books are filled to the brim with swoon worthy moments, drama ridden crazies, and lines that will have you becoming a puddle of emotions. They also contain some unforgettable supporting characters that are the icing on the cake! (Try not to like them. I dare ya!)

Some of my favorite aspects of the books:

  • It’s a love story, hello?! What can I say, I am a sucker for a love story. I love reading about love, and watching two characters fall for one another. (NEWSFLASH: If you don’t, this book probably isn’t for you.) And boy do they fall in this story. This love story is well described, and provides all the adorable little details that will make you want to put this couple on a Hallmark card ASAP. The love described is well thought out and written, and will have you fighting like hell that everything works out for the two lovebirds.
  • The drama. There’s no such thing as a love story without drama, right? Both Love Unscripted and Love Unrehearsed have some juicy bits of drama that may include, but are not limited to: psychotic fans, crazy exes, ridiculously good looking male characters, paparazzi galore, sneaky bitches, plenty of innuendo, a smidge bit of illegal substances, and more crazy fan mail than you can shake a stick at.
  • The moments radiating love. There are a ton of these moments within both books, and they will really make you see, feel, hear, and even touch all the love pouring out of this book. Feel the love people, feel the love.
  • The length of the books. Now clearly I enjoy reading, so book length isn’t daunting to me whatsoever, so I personally prefer a good book that provides a solid plot line and characters over a longer than average book. I spent almost 1,000 pages combined with Taryn and Ryan. Some may say these books are too long, but the plot line is well developed and the characters keep the story going. (And honestly, by the end, I still wanted to read more!)
  • The A list guy and the girl next door. It’s a story you think you’ve heard before, but this spin is well worth the ride. Ryan Christensen is to die for. He is good looking, charming, and he has a heart of gold. Taryn is the girl you love to love, who is witty, loving, and actually has her shit together. She fights like hell for what she wants, and is as strongly independent as you can get. (Score one for strong female characters!) And who wouldn’t enjoy reading about an A list actor falling for the girl next door?
  • How it all comes together. (The lack of further explanation here is deliberate. No spoilers here. You want to find out what happens to Taryn and Ryan, go read the damn books. Now. Please and thank you.)

Love Unscripted and Love Unrehearsed tells the story of two people who have every reason to not believe in love, yet find themselves putting their faith in one another. This story contains moments that will make you want to laugh out loud, smile, and maybe even cringe. (But in a good way, I promise!)

It may be a sappy love story, oozing with heart rendering moments, but it is story that will have you truly believing and trusting in the power of love.

And who doesn’t want that? (For the record, that question can be considered rhetorical if you do not want to answer yes.)

Hope you enjoyed this two for one special. It was definitely worth the late nights of reading.

Let me know what you think, and I am curious to see what opinions you all have of love stories in general.

Let the reading of love commence!

ps. If you’d like to learn more about Love Unscripted and Love Unrehearsed by Tina Reber, feel free to check out the following links:

http://www.tinareber.com/ (website)

https://www.facebook.com/authortinareber (Facebook)

https://twitter.com/tinareber (Twitter)

What Lies in a Name?

Posted in All The Mumbo Jumbo by

Welcome back to book addiction central, or as I lovingly refer to it, my life. I am hoping that if you are reading this current post that means you have found my blog in some miraculous way. I am also fully aware that it is most likely from my shameless self-plugging on Facebook and Twitter.

No matter what way you found yourself on this blog, here we are again to talk about books. Now before you go counting your chickens before they hatch, I thought I’d take one more blog post to immerse you within my self-proclaimed book addiction prior to starting a discussion about actual books. Don’t worry, they say good things come to those who wait. I’m not sure what exactly those good things are, but it might wine and a book, and those are always worth waiting for.

The sole purpose of this post, besides convincing more and more people of my craziness, is to explain the meaning behind the title of this blog. Now you may not think finding a title warrants an entire blog post by itself, but believe me when you are as OCD as me about things, nailing down a title for your blog is a milestone unto itself.

As I have previously explained, I love books and a buy them a lot. Here is some context on what “a lot” means: I rarely go into a book store without buying a new book or at least adding 2 books to my list of books to buy. Don’t even get me started on what happens when I walk past the Target book section. Bad things happen there.

Basically, it can be surmised that I buy an exorbitant amount of books, and that I buy them often enough that I have a pile if you will of books that need to be read. In an effort to be “organized” I have consolidated this pile of books into what I call my book basket. Now I know what you all must be thinking “Wow, she must have this very fantastic and special place to hold all of her books that need to be read, especially since she loves reading so much!” In actuality my book basket is a tote basket with flowers on it from the Target clearance section. Just what you were thinking I’m sure. Didn’t I ever mention to you that I could read minds? (That thought is probably best left to another kind of blog…)

As fate would have it though, that lovely little book basket was my inspiration for the title of this blog, The Never Ending Book Basket. You see I have had that book basket for about 4 years now, and I have yet to see the bottom of that sucker since the day I bought it. That poor little basket has moved with me in and out of my college dorm at least six times, and has even made the trek with me as I moved back home after graduation to live with my parents again. (eek!) My friends will be the first people to tell you that that basket is almost always filled to the brim, if not overflowing the top of the basket. That thing probably weighs a good 20 pounds. (If you don’t believe me, at the bottom of this post I have some pictures of the basket in its current state; be forewarned, it isn’t too pretty)

It’s easy for me to say that that book basket is one of my favorite possessions, and it holds many great books that I am dying to sink into. The only “problem” is that I have yet to find an end to the book basket. As I said earlier, I haven’t seen the bottom of that thing since I bought it, and there are some books in it that I have owned for years. For instance, some of the books in there may or may not have price tags on them from a major book store chain that is no longer even in business. The thing is that I buy books so often that the books on top get read first, thus the ones at the bottom don’t get much sunlight if you catch my drift. It isn’t as if I don’t want to read them, I just can’t stop buying books long enough to actually get to them.

Hence I refer to that basket as never ending. Even though there may never be an actual end to that book basket, and I may not ever see its bottom again, that basket is my pride and joy. It contains a plethora of different books, each with its own distinctive story to share. That is why I have to say I am quite happy that it will most likely never end, because that means I will never stop finding books to buy, read, enjoy, and discuss with others.

Now, don’t you see why The Never Ending Book Basket was the perfect title for this blog? That book basket represents at its core that there will always be another book out there that needs to be read. Clearly weren’t my hours of laboring and thought into the title well spent? I think they were, but this is my blog so I am probably a smidge biased. (If I’m being completely honest with you though, which I will always strive to be, coming up with the title for this blog took about 3 minutes while I was driving home from work)

As a personal challenge for this blog I am also going to attempt to not buy a crap ton of books in the near future, so that I can attempt to decrease the overflow of books over the top of that little never ending basket. I should probably let you know before you get your hopes up though, that I have tried to do that before, and have pretty much failed catastrophically every time. And I mean every time.

So as I begin this blog, and my reading challenge I proclaim that I will try valiantly as ever to find the end to the never ending book basket. It will be a tough battle that I will surely lose in the end, but the challenge itself is all the fun. I mean let’s face it, this challenge involves me not buying more books, which will never happen. But, it also involves a hell of a lot of good books, great discussion, and tons of good times. What’s not to like? (By the way, if you actually have an answer to that question, please feel free to keep that answer to yourself. Remember friends, kind words go a long way.)

Are you ready, because I think that chicken is about ready to hatch. Let The Never Ending Book Basket challenge begin, right after I get back from the book store. (Just kidding…. But not really)

p.s. At the bottom of this post are pictures of my book basket in its current state. I’m going to be honest and share that this is the probably the most books I have ever had in it, and just to remind you these are just the books I own that I haven’t read. I also have a five shelf bookcase from Target completely filled to the brim with books. (Told you I had a book addiction, but it’s not hoarding if they’re organized, right?)

Fun Fact: The Never Ending Book Basket currently contains 45 books that I have purchased but not read. (And my mother wonders why I have no money to speak of….) And in case you were wondering, my list of books to buy currently has 43 books on it. What can I say? At least I’m consistent with my addiction, and from what I’ve heard consistency is key.

 
The infamous Never Ending Book Basket

The infamous Never Ending Book Basket

They Say Step One is Admitting You Have a Problem

Posted in All The Mumbo Jumbo by

My name is Megan, and I am an addict. I have had this addiction for quite a while now, and I guess at this point it’s time to admit that it is probably never going to go away. My addiction has ebbed and flowed over the years, but I have to say that I am currently in the midst of full blown addiction. I deal with this addiction every day. It can get bad at night, and weekends are even worse. This is rock bottom. They say step one is admitting you have a problem, so here I am declaring it to the world.  I have a problem, and I am fully admitting it.

Now before you go calling A &E to set up an intervention, I guess I should tell you that what I am addicted to is perfectly legal. To fill my addiction I don’t have to break the law, go to any dangerous sketchy place in the middle of the night, or spend an arm and leg to fill my need. Even though it does cost me more money per year than I (or my mother for instance) would like to admit, I won’t be arrested anytime soon for my addiction, though I will probably wonder where all my money went. Some of you are already aware that I have this addiction, as I have had it for quite some time now. It is quite obvious it takes up a good part of my life. Some of you have even fed this addiction over time, but no blame or shame can be put on your shoulders. The true blame falls on me, and now the time has come to fully expose myself to the world, and proclaim what I have known for years.

I am addicted to books.

While I may admit my introduction to my addiction could be a tad more serious than it needed to be, the sentiment is still the same. For as long as I can remember I have loved books. I lovingly refer to the book store as my mecca. (And before you ask, I have actually said that out loud to multiple people in public places besides the book store) I have also spent more money than I am willing to admit on buying books. Let’s just say that inside of a good book is where I love to spend some time. For the record, let it be noted that when I say “some time” I really mean a crap ton of time, to the point that I have actually lost weight before because getting up to eat meant I had to stop reading. But don’t you worry, that has only happened a few times, and when I say a few I actually mean more times than I’d like to admit.

So what have we deduced so far, besides that I have a “slight” problem? I love to read. It is one of my biggest passions. Anyone who knows me knows that I can read, or talk about the books I read all day every day. If you think that is even a minor exaggeration ask me about a book I have read, or one that I am reading. I. Dare. You.

Finally we have come to the point where I explain the purpose of the proclamation of my book addiction. As I have previously stated about 45 times by now, I love books and reading, and in the never ending search to continue discussing the books I read, I decided to start this blog. My goal for this blog is simple. I want a new outlet to discuss the books I am currently reading, and maybe even a few I have already read, but can’t seem to let out of my mind. I also hope this blog will serve as a way for me to recommend books to others, as I truly think good books need to be shared with the world IMMEDIATELY. (Just ask those close to me, because I have frequently called them out of the blue demanding they read a book ASAP)

Thus, to save you all hours of my endless talking about books day in and day out in person, I decided that I should take to the internet and spread my thoughts to the World Wide Web. (Or the few friends and family members who may actually read this blog. Clearly I have very high expectations.) I will admit that this is my first real attempt at blogging, but I figured I would give it my very best try. Let’s be honest though, this just gives me another way to keep talking about something I love, and God knows I so enjoy doing that.

Whether or not the whole word or just my crazy band of merry book reader friends see this blog, I truly hope that these posts will bring about some great discussions about the many fantastic books out there today. That last sentence can essentially be translated into this: I hope to use this blog as a means to spread my book addiction to the world in a way that does not require an actual intervention in a conference room at the local Clarion Inn.

I have said it before, and I will say it again. My name is Megan, and I am addicted to books. It is an all too consuming problem, and I am admitting it freely here and now. They say the first step is admitting you have a problem. Well I have done that, and the time has come to accept my addiction.  Book addiction is not to be taken lightly, but when done correctly it is the best kind of addiction to have. Let me be clear that while I may be acknowledging here that I have a problem, it in no way means I am going to stop with my addiction.

You should join me on my path of addiction. It’s one hell of a ride, but so totally worth it.

I am a book addict. This is what book addiction looks like. Not so bad, right?

I am a book addict. This is what book addiction looks like. Not so bad though, right?