Your reading rules

[Cheryl]

A paragraph or two is plenty! Or a pointer back to the discussion can be helpful too! Thank you!

[Alondra]

Anne wrote: "I am normally obsessed with keeping all my books in perfect condition (no dog-earing, no creases in the spine, etc.), but there have been a few times in my life that I have been so disgusted and fr..."

Anne, you know I understand THAT! LOL

[Quantum]

Jacqueline wrote: "I see it as spreading the love and helping to keep the shops in the towns. I buy from a second hand bookshop "

Me too! There was one local used book store that I usually checked out before buying on amazon, but sadly they closed down earlier this year. I go to Half-Price Books too--a used books chain.

Libraries in my area are awesome and interlibrary loan I use a lot!

Three and a half years after moving, I'm finally going to get my books out of the boxes and my one overloaded bookcase. I'm getting 2 new two-shelf bookcases for the office delivered on Monday! Woohoo! And another huge one for downstairs next month.

Rules? If it's a group or buddy read, I'll finish it, regardless. Otherwise, life's too short. If it's on deep discount and I want to read it, I'll buy it, but might not read it soon--years, even (especially true for ebooks).

[John]

Kristin B. wrote: "YouKneek and I have a few things in common when it comes to reading threads and series. It's fun to know I'm not the only one!

My rules sometimes end up frustrating me, but I can't seem to break a..." definitely agree with this!

This list from Kristin B. and YouKneek describes me:

1. "I don't DNF. I know. I should. But I can't do it." 6 DNFs for me and I just can't; Must Finish. Most time I'm glad I slogged thru but there have been a few that I would have liked to not complete. This may change because of #3 below.

2. The DNF rule does not apply to series. As long as I finish the individual book, I feel no need to keep going in a series I'm not seriously invested in. Agree

3. Don't buy it! Partially agree. Belong to 3 libraries with digital access, Kindle lending library, free books mining (gaming term for boring resource gathering) e.g. Bookbub, eReaderIQ, Amazon $0.00 sales, others. But do buy used physical books and ebooks on sale, Humble Bundles, Story Bundles etc. Because I now have a very large TBR list, may loosen the DNF rule. Or will try.

4. Try to know as little about the book as possible before reading. This sometimes ends up amusing or unfortunate. But all in all, I prefer going in blind. because of all the free books acquired just because they are free, lots of new authors and titles I have never checked out or seen before.

5. Read any threads and reviews from friends as soon as I'm done with the book. also do this

6. Read at least 52 books a year. yep

7. Read only one thing at a time. sorta; have 1 physical/ebook fiction, 1 audible, 1 graphic novel going at the same time. also have some non-fiction or technical programming book but do not track these.

8. Update finished dates and add rating on Goodreads as soon as I'm done with a book. trying to be better at this

[Jacqueline]

Alex wrote: "Jacqueline wrote: "I see it as spreading the love and helping to keep the shops in the towns. I buy from a second hand bookshop "

Me too! There was one local used book store that I usually checked..."

I'm down to two overloaded bookcases. We moved my stuff from the Outback to the Beach and all of my books and collectibles made it but only two out of the four bookcases made it. The other two were left at the Farm to be used as pantry shelves. Sucks. I wanted to buy cheap basic bookcases to use for the pantry. Actual pantry units are too deep for the space and I came up with using large bookcases for the space and they would have been $79 instead of close to $600. Unfortunately Hubby thinks that my $200 decorative bookcases will do. Yeahhhhh no. Really have to change his mind and get him to bring the nice ones to the beach and buy ones that can have oily rings on them and it doesn't matter. Our daughter lives in our house and is a pain when it comes to cleaning.

So until I get more bookcases brought to the beach my 2 that are there are groaning under books in every nook and cranny (honestly the shelves are completely filled with books and they're stacked on top of each other and it's so untidy but what can you do), pop vinyl figures in front of the books, and Lego models anywhere else I can fit them. All of my collectibles are still in boxes and piled up along the wall in my son's room. I really want to have them out but there's nowhere at all to put them.

Doesn't stop me buying new books or making new Lego models though.

[YouKneeK]

Kristin B. wrote: "YouKneek and I have a few things in common when it comes to reading threads and series. It's fun to know I'm not the only one!"

We do have a lot of things in common! I forgot to mention your #4 in my own list (preferring to go into the book blind), but I’m the same way. :) I avoid book blurbs, "non-spoiler" threads, reviews, anything at all if I know I'm going to read the book in the relatively near future.

[Trike]

I was at B&N today and only bought 7 books. Go me! 😁

Outside Barnes & Noble watching a kid scream his lungs out as he's put into a car by his parents.

I feel the same way when leaving a bookstore, kid.
📚😭

— Trike (@Trike) July 14, 2019

[CBRetriever]

I was getting to the point where I could go into a bookstore and find absolutely nothing I felt like buying and reading. Ditto for libraries. This really came to a head when I moved to France for 5 years and the choice in the library was a mere one row of books in English (I suspect donated by customers) and most of the new and used book stores had a very poor selection.

Going the Kindle route opened my world up to far more books, genres, etc. There are so many books that are never re-issued and that are never sold in big box stores (thus they don't end up in local used book stores).

When I moved back to the US, I found that most of the used bookstores i used to go to had closed except for Half Price Books and the same was true for specialty bookstores. The fiction selection in Barnes and Noble (I think it's the only big box bookstore that's still around) is pitiful with over half of their books not being new and a mere 20-30 new books in SF&F a month.

OK, to keep on topic, I have another rule that I don't think I've mentioned: cull frequently if you have paperbooks. I had to go through all my books before I moved to France and choose what to store and what to donate (to the local Friends of the Public Library group). It was quite a chore and I ended up getting rid of half of them. Ditto when I retired and moved from Texas to Oregon and I got rid of 3/4 of them.

[Beth]

Yeah, CB, retirement is going to change some things. We are definitely going to have to move, and we're also going to have to pare down in every category, including the books, whether buying or curating. There's no way we're moving the books we own now over 2000 miles.

One thing that'll be nice about the area we are planning on retiring in is an excellent library system where (ideally) we won't be more than a few minutes' drive, or even a walk, from a branch.

[Joseph]

1. Read more books than you buy. - Easy.

2. Enjoy what you're reading! - "enjoy" is a problem word. If "enjoy" = "have i gained something" then yes, definitely.

3a. Trust your instincts about a DNF and let it go. It's okay to not feel bad about it (work in progress). - What's "DNF" mean?

3b. And for goodness' sake, don't buy it a second time after getting rid of it! - not an issue.

4a. Feel free to hate the book, but respect the author. - yep.

4b. You need not read books by authors you don't/can't respect, no matter the reputation of the book. - don't completely agree. I believe everything is my teacher, I decide what the lesson is, therefore I may spend time with a book even if I wouldn't spend time with the author of that book.

5. Read authors outside your demographic. - definitely

6. Don't waste emotional effort comparing your reading progress with others'. - quit that in grade school when Wayne Morello told me books with pictures were better than books without pictures because if a book had pictures, you didn't have to read all of it to know what the book was about (made such an impression that I remember the conversation fifty-five years later).

[CBRetriever]

actually, as far as 3b goes, you get a warning that you've bought it before if it was a Kindle edition. One of the big benefits of Kindles: no re-issues changes of covers that fool you into buying the book again thinking it's a new book

[Beth]

DNF is "did not finish." The opening post was my own rules; feel free to come up with your own!

I like Trike's "keeping it simple" list. :)

[colleen the convivial curmudgeon]

I've been reading everyone's rules with interest, and I think I've come up with a few of my own regular guidelines:

1) Always check if the library has a book first. If the library doesn't have it, decide how much you actually want to read it and then, if you go forward, check for a cheap used copy. Otherwise, cull it.

1a) If you love it and think you'll reread it, then you can buy it.

2) Give a book until 35% before deciding to DNF.

2a) Be better at DNF'ing!

3) Only read a group book if you're actually interested in the book. There is no obligation to read just because the group is reading it.

4) Recommendations are the devil. Do not trust them. (I'm only partially joking, but it's been pretty rare where I've actually liked a rec'd book.)

5) Try to write reviews in a timely manner. You know if you leave it for a week or more you'll barely remember anything about the book to write.

5a) Your review is your space to write your thoughts and feelings in whatever way you want. This might include ranting about how bad something is... And don't respond to people who disagree with your review and need to tell you how wrong you are. It's never worth it.

***

That's all I can think of for now.

[[deleted user]]

- Feel free to hate the author, but keep the author separate from that author's stories. Similar to how it's a good idea to keep the state separate from the church. I read and enjoyed Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card before I found out how bigoted he was. That didn't make me think any less about the story, although I don't consider it to be the kind of masterpiece that some people say it is. It's an okay story; I give it 6 or 7 points out of 10. Similarly, I loved the mythos created by H. P. Lovecraft. After I found out that he was a white supremacist and a racist, I still respect the whole universe he created and its limitless potential for horror of the cosmic kind. His racism is on one side, and his creation is on another side. In the same way, I was able to read some holy books of various religions and belief systems despite thinking that the authors of these books were deranged or were conmen, or were deranged conmen, or had experiences that were so out of the bounds of ordinary human comprehension, that they could only be translated for human brains in the form of fairy tales and fantasy narratives. Identically, the progress in the sciences made by Benjamin Franklin are not invalidated because of his racism and sexism. So there are all sorts of reasons for why a work of fiction or science can stand up on its own, regardless of the personal character of the author.

- I don't see the point in putting the act of reading on a pedestal. Reading is for fun, mental stimulation, learning, etc. etc. It's just one of the many things we do to make sense of our reality. I find it silly how so many book readers put the act of reading on a pedestal.

- I'm not proud of it, but my DNF list has grown really big in the past few years. And I CBA to go back to something I abandoned in the past.

- I've never read any book with a group. I tried a buddy read once, but I could not get into the book at all. I knew I wouldn't like it just from the summary on Goodreads. I lied to the group and said that I'd read it, and I read its plot synopsis just so I would be able to answer any questions I might get asked. I never tried to join a group reads again after that.

- 1 book at a time, along with 1 audiobook at a time. Multiple podcasts are allowed at the same time, lol.

- I really should try to write reviews about books I love. That will probably help me better remember details and associated emotions. But I'm just so lazy and addicted to procrastination.

That's all I can think of atm, and it's late. Night

[colleen the convivial curmudgeon]

Asad wrote: "I don't see the point in putting the act of reading on a pedestal. Reading is for fun, mental stimulation, learning, etc. etc. It's just one of the many things we do to make sense of our reality. I find it silly how so many book readers put the act of reading on a pedestal."


I agree with this. I have, at times, made a point of saying that I am a fabulaphile (lover of stories) more than a bibliophile. Movies, books, TV shows, comics - whatever. I just want a good story...

[Leticia]

I usually review most books I read, unless the book has a ton of reviews already and/or the book is Horror or another genre I don't count among my favorites, like romance and erotic. I can't really review a book and complain about the disturbing scenes if the book is Horror, right?

[Beth]

Putting reading on a pedestal feels kinda narcissistic to me.

[Karin]

Anne wrote: "I am normally obsessed with keeping all my books in perfect condition (no dog-earing, no creases in the spine, etc.), but there have been a few times in my life that I have been so disgusted and fr..."

I never dog-ear pages now and HATE it, but I grew up in a family where we all did it. I did crease the spines because it made it much easier to read the books, but don't do that often now.

[CBRetriever]

digital books are always nice and fresh with none of the potential grossness of library and used books. In my life (I'm over 60), I've run across ketchup stains, mustard stains, unidentified stains, what looks like sneeze splatter and crushed bugs lots of times. I felt like I needed crime scene gloves to read some books. Then there was the cookbook I bought used that reeked of cigarette smoke and so did my fingers after turning a few page (yuck)... I tried everything I could think of to kill the smell but ended up tossing it and getting another copy that was new

[Beth]

I am constitutionally incapable of keeping a book in good shape-- there's always something, whether a little food stain, wear on corners, a crease in the cover or binding, etc. Just call them marks of love. ;) I never dog-ear pages, though.

[YouKneeK]

Asad wrote: "I've never read any book with a group. I tried a buddy read once, but I could not get into the book at all. I knew I wouldn't like it just from the summary on Goodreads. I lied to the group and said that I'd read it, and I read its plot synopsis just so I would be able to answer any questions I might get asked. I never tried to join a group reads again after that."

For what it’s worth, group reads in this group are very low pressure. Whether you read the book or not, you don’t have to post at all if you don’t want to, and nobody will hunt you down and ask you about it. It’s a large group, so it’s easy to fade into the background. People will notice you if you do post, but they aren’t likely to notice if you don’t post. (I could be wrong, though. Our moderators could be quietly taking notes and planning some sort of horrible, drastic punishment for anybody who’s ever skipped a group read. They’re sneaky like that.)

In the group read threads I’ve read, I’ve often seen people say they didn’t like the book and weren’t going to finish it, which is perfectly acceptable. It’s often interesting to me to read what, if anything, the breaking point was that made somebody decide to abandon the book. Among those who do finish the book and comment, there’s a wide range of response lengths. Nobody expects a book report. Sometimes people just post a sentence or two, sometimes they go into a lot more detail. I guess it depends on whether or not the book inspired lots of opinions or thoughts and/or whether they have time to share those thoughts. I’ve definitely posted more walls of text on this month’s books than I normally would, but I had lots of opinions and thoughts about both and I had more spare time last week than I normally do.

I don’t do the group reads often, but I do enjoy participating in them when the timing of the book selection works out and I like the low pressure format.

[Jacqueline]

I used to dog ear pages and eat while I was reading but now I don’t eat anything that will transfer to the pages like Cheetos or whatever. Mostly because I’m worried if I leave food on the pages that I’ll encourage vermin. We get mouse plagues sometimes and there’s no sense in encouraging them into the books. I also don’t dog ear books anymore and have a large pile of airline tickets, cardboard and metal bookmarks, Jumbo playing cards, Star Wars snap playing cards and other assorted bits and pieces on the bookcase to use as and when needed. I also slip a playing card of some sort onto the books I give as presents so that the person who gets it can have a bookmark.

[Jan]

I like group reads and they often throw up really interesting thoughts from others that I may not have considered. But @Colleen, I do agree, best not to join a group read if the book doesn't appeal. It's a choice, not a duty.

[Kathy]

I have no rules....
I buy what looks interesting. I write in, underline, dog ear and snack as I read. I love reading and I love the fact that we all read and love different types of genres, authors, plots and everything in between. We get our books from different places and treat our books in different ways. We are so different and yet the same.
Readers are just the best.

[Kateb]

Kristin B, I did like your list of rules.

over the years ( retired now after working over 40 yrs) I like to get a book from the library. If I like it I would buy the rest of the series.

I got caught a few times when I wanted to re read a series to find I didn't have the first book, he he he

so when I retired I tried to get the first book to a few series I had, sometimes this was difficult

These days, with kindle around, I get a kindle version from the library/ or a book. If after I read it I find I really like it I buy it. usually the kindle version.

I don't write reviews but I like to look at what other people write.

As to re reading: if you have had the series for 30 years and haven't read it in that time then it is almost a new read. eg Raymond Feist, Asimov, CLarke, Heinlein, Sara Douglas, Kate Elliott, and many more

I do keep a spreadsheet of my books, so I know I have about 1000 in the cupboard . When we moved into a new home a few years ago we made one wall of a hallway a book cupboard, the shelves hold two row deep of books . The cupboard also has doors.

I really like books to be looked after and was devastated when a big storm blew the skylight off and soaked one end of my book cupboard.

[Jan]

Kathy wrote: "I love the fact that we all read and love different types of genres, authors, plots and everything in between. We get our books from different places and treat our books in different ways. We are so different and yet the same.
Readers are just the best."

I feel the same :)

[Anna]

YouKneeK wrote: "People will notice you if you do post, but they aren’t likely to notice if you don’t post. (I could be wrong, though. Our moderators could be quietly taking notes and planning some sort of horrible, drastic punishment for anybody who’s ever skipped a group read. They’re sneaky like that.)"

What do you think the mod spreadsheets are for!

[YouKneeK]

[Sneaks into Anna’s spreadsheet, makes sure Change Tracking is turned off, and does sneaky things with the Find and Replace function.]

[Anna]

OK, you're officially on the naughty list YouKneek! I keep that on paper in a vault in my basement, so don't even try!

(In case anyone is wondering, everyone who voted for WoK is also on the naughty list.)

[YouKneeK]

LOL, I voted for Strange the Dreamer, so I think I should get a free naughty list pass just this once!

[Anna]

I'll take it into consideration, but I'll be watching you like a fox with nine eyes.

(Is that eleven eyes in total, if the nine are in the tail?)

[Joseph]

Beth wrote: "DNF is "did not finish." The opening post was my own rules; feel free to come up with your own!

I like Trike's "keeping it simple" list. :)"

Thanks for the explanation of DNF. I finish books by known/establsihed authors even when I consider them greatly flawed. My theory is "This got published and it sucks. What made it publishable?"
I don't necessarily finish indie and self-published books if they're greatlly flawed.
Along those lines, I won't give a negative review to an indie or self-published book which I find greatly flawed, I simply don't review them. My thinking there is that I don't want to deter someone who's working their craft.
I will give negative reviews to known/established authors for flawed books. They should know better.

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Sneaky! I think it's the hobbitses who are sneaky!

I am an angel. 6 wings, countless eyes, voice like the breaking of the earth and all. Anna definitely has at least 11 eyes.

I have thought of another rule I have!

Don't change your rating unless you re-read the book. I trust whatever I gave it at the time, because memory is a fickle mistress and I have lost faith in her.

[colleen the convivial curmudgeon]

Allison wrote: "Don't change your rating unless you re-read the book. I trust whatever I gave it at the time, because memory is a fickle mistress and I have lost faith in her."

That's an interesting rule, and I agree that my memory is also rather fickle and flighty.

That said, I have changed ratings. It mostly happens with books that I kind of wavered on in the first place, and sometimes I have this bad habit of rounding up if it's a group read or a popular book, and then later I'm like, "Nah" and round it down instead.

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

colleen the convivial curmudgeon wrote: "Allison wrote: "Don't change your rating unless you re-read the book. I trust whatever I gave it at the time, because memory is a fickle mistress and I have lost faith in her."

That's an interesti..."

Yeah, I know most people will change things from time to time and I get why. But it makes me doubt myself too much to keep wondering if I meant it, so for me it isn't worth the hassle! Past Allison knew what she was doing and was allowed as much leeway as Present Allison is, and Future Allison is fully capable of re-reading things and calling Past Allison a snooty liar if that's what she will choose to do with her time.

[Beth]

I've changed a rating when hindsight has raised my estimation of a book, or lowered it. But that happens very, very seldom: maybe twice or three times in my entire time at GR.

[Anna]

I've changed ratings several times. Usually it's like colleen said, I round up because I feel like I'm wrong because everyone else liked it. After a little while I come to my senses and change to the rating I really wanted to give it in the first place. I think it depends on how you rate. Are you doing a professional review, or rating based on your own enjoyment. I do the latter, so I should rate based on how I feel, and not add stars because I feel like maybe someone else would like it, or it had some merit.

I guess my new rule should be to rate more honestly from now on?

[Pixiegirl105]

Basically my rules are:

Only go to the library even with fines it's cheaper than buying the books. In addition keeps less books in my house. (I have the library down to an art. Max fine is $5 no matter how long you've had it. I have people in awe of how I manage my fines. lol)

Buy books on Math and Science as I can take my time in reading those.

Always finish a book. Even if I don't like it initially. (So far there have only been one exception to this rule only because the first in the series, the Hero had to be so superhuman, they had to have a god in order to have something for him to beat. Seriously, work up to gods....) I think this goes back to all the college years of reading books for classes, I didn't like.

Enjoy my challenges.

Someday join a buddy read. This one is hard because right now I'm averaging about 5 books a week. Most people don't keep up with that and I'm very impatient. Lol.

Do not recommend favorite books to people as they will not read them and then I will be disappointed.

Do not take other's opinions too seriously on the types of books I am reading. For instance the people who like to say "I only read non-fiction." Elitism never looks good on someone. (also, I have beat the crap out of people like that on Boggle because of my romance novel vocab. Wive is a verb people. lmao)

I think that's about it right now.

Ohhh....and as far as reviews go, do not get into pointless arguments because everyone has a point of view that does not always agree with mine.

[Gabi]

@Anna, that's a rule I really should be following as well. I always tend towards better ratings than my feelings cause others like the book.

[Kristin B.]

Pixiegirl105 wrote: "Do not recommend favorite books to people as they will not read them and then I will be disappointed...."

While I certainly don't follow this rule myself, I totally get it!!! This is a very real struggle.

[Beth]

Social pressure--or the perception of it--is an odd thing, isn't it? I'm definitely on the enthusiast end of the spectrum, and also prefer reading enthusiasts' reviews.

[Pixiegirl105]

Kristin B. wrote: "Pixiegirl105 wrote: "Do not recommend favorite books to people as they will not read them and then I will be disappointed...."

While I certainly don't follow this rule myself, I totally get it!!! ..."

It's a total struggle, I have ONE book I want someone else to read so I can discuss it. ONE!!!! and no one will read it. it's insanely good and a fast adrenaline read too! sighs...i will just love this author and love him through here with others who love him too. lol! this is why i am on goodreads...it's insane how many people went "i'm done with school, i'm never reading a book again."

[Anthony]

It’s interesting to read people’s approach to reviews and ratings. For me, I base my rating on a couple of things: my perception of whether or not the author succeeded at fulfilling what I perceive the goals of the book to be; and my enjoyment or appreciation of that execution. So not all 3- or 4-starred reviews mean that each book is of the same quality (I mean, it’s all subjective anyway.)

For a 5-star review, it has to be a synthesis of both of those factors, *plus* I have to be really wowed by it in some way. Usually, that means I’m emotionally moved by the plot and/or characters, and/or I’m moved by the poetic beauty of the writing itself. (In the case of my 5-star ratings for books by N.K. Jemisin, Robin Hobb, and Ursula Le Guin, it’s a resounding Triple Crown as far as those criteria are concerned.)

I guess those are my only real rules. I don’t tend to DNF books, but maybe I should allow that to be a possibility? (Especially when it’s a doorstopper. I’m looking at you, The Eye of the World.)

And it’s not a rule, really, but I like to parcel out my reading of entries in a series, for the sake of variety, and I like to spread around themes/genres/tone etc. I also like to read short fiction between novels.

Oh, and I only read one novel at a time. I’m amazed that some folks here are able to bounce around. That would confuse me. I like to be immersed in the author’s voice throughout the journey.

[colleen the convivial curmudgeon]

Pixiegirl105 wrote: "Do not recommend favorite books to people as they will not read them and then I will be disappointed. "


I don't tend to make book rec's either, but more because I'm afraid they will read it and not like it, and then I'll be not only disappointed, but also question my friend's taste and why we're even friends... O_O

[Pixiegirl105]

colleen the convivial curmudgeon wrote: "Pixiegirl105 wrote: "Do not recommend favorite books to people as they will not read them and then I will be disappointed. "


I don't tend to make book rec's either, but more because I'm afraid th..."

Lol...yes there is that.

[Pixiegirl105]

Anthony wrote: "It’s interesting to read people’s approach to reviews and ratings. For me, I base my rating on a couple of things: my perception of whether or not the author succeeded at fulfilling what I perceive..."

It's so good to know someone else wasn't impressed with The Wheel of Time series....

[Jemppu]

Anthony wrote: "Oh, and I only read one novel at a time. I’m amazed that some folks here are able to bounce around. That would confuse me. I like to be immersed in the author’s voice throughout the journey. ..."

This totally. This used to baffle the heck out of me as well. Even reading a book after a book after a book of different tones/worlds in rapid succession seemed completely too overwhelming an idea. But I've since come to realize, that in order to keep reading a somewhat steady and anyhow enjoyable endeavor (whilst also living a life around it), I need what I read to fit my mood, not try to force myself to any one story's tone before allowing myself another mood. It also makes it less likely for my impatience with any book less likely to affect my final judgement of it, when I've been able to experience it in the most optimal times. ...it does also mean however, that the least compelling ones are left hanging on the list waiting to be finished. But maybe that's not entirely too bad, if they're that unappealing.

Really immersive read will get through the list easily and the world/voice will still live on well after the read.

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

Well now I want to know what the book is, though, Pixiegirl!

Anthony, I also tend to space out series/authors! All good things in moderation and all that.

[Wen]

Anthony wrote: "...Oh, and I only read one novel at a time. I’m amazed that some folks here are able to bounce around. That would confuse me. I like to be immersed in the author’s voice throughout the journey. "

Oh, my, that's me-_-, I seem to have a lot on the plate, it's like unwrapping the gifts^^ Ok, I guess it's not good cuz sometimes I forgot who's who...

[Kristin B.]

Allison wrote: "Well now I want to know what the book is, though, Pixiegirl!"

Me too, me too! :)