AA For The Avid Reader

Hi. My name is Page and I am a reading addict. Over time I have found that there are some very real issues that seem to go hand-in-hand with avid reading. Sometimes I feel a little insane but surely I can't be the only one going through some reading struggles! Here are some of the things I'm talking about.

1. When I say I'm going to go to sleep after this chapter what I really mean is the last chapter. I will go to bed after the last chapter. But if there's a cliffhanger I can't promise to go to bed at all...because obviously I need to start the next book ASAP. And I can't start a book and not finish it.

2. Most times I like my book boyfriends more than my real ones. I do a lot of comparing. Sometimes it's negatively affected my relationships. Who gets jealous of fictional characters anyways?!?!?

3. Ummm....actually I just like book characters more than most people in general. But I swear I am not totally insane. And most of my friends totally get it.

4. I feel like I could be best friends with a lot of the authors I read. Only I'm not. And that makes me sad. We could have such great conversations.

5. The best friends I have are the ones I can talk about books with. And I get irrationally mad when they don't read a book or author I tell them is super amazing. Especially when I specifically ask them to.

6. I don't mean to...but I totally judge people that don't read. It also makes you significantly less attractive to me. Example: Once I loaned a book to a friend and she read one chapter. In the whole month and a half she had it. One. Friggen. Chapter. It was prime reading material too. We don't talk very much these days.

7. I have a real cute nickname for the things normal people call "bookmarks". I prefer to call them "quitter strips". Also, I don't own a single one. Because I am no quitter. Perseverance people!!!

8. No...I am not sad, I am not angry, and I am not mute! I am not talking because...BOOK!!! Why people still try talking to me when I have a book in my hand I will never understand.

9. You couldn't pay me to choose a single favorite book or author. But I will gladly give you a list of top favorites of both. I have many favorites!

10. If you damage a book I let you borrow...I will find you. And I will kill you. Books are treasures. Treat them like it.



Do you understand the struggle??? DO YOU????

Emergency Engagement by Samanthe Beck

An advanced readers copy was provided to me by the publishers in exchange for a honest review. This has in no was effected my rating on this book or the overall review.

"Feel safe at night. Sleep with an EMT."

This was my first Samanthe Beck book and I must say that I am completely impressed. I can't wait to read what she writes next. I loved how fun this book was even though it did have some really deep undertones. I liked that Beau is an EMT and the people he worked with in the book seemed like really funny human beings. I sincerely hope that Hunter and Ashley have their own book...or books. But I have a strong feeling that there's something there with those two.
Savanah was probably my favorite character in this book. There is just something about the starving artist type that speaks to me. Maybe it's because I finger paint on occasion so they speak to my artsy side! Savanahs character was just so bubbly and fun. She's happy, kind, and optimistic. She was just super spunky too. I did like Beau too, but he made me mad toward the end of the book and I hold grudges.
Overall Savanah and Beau together made a great pair. Their relationship was really fun and easy. Effortless. I also really liked that they didn't realize that they grew up next to eachother when they were really young until their parents pointed it out. It's a really cute element to the story. Savanahs light canceled out Beaus shadows.
I can just imagine them both in 50 years telling the story of how they ended up together to their grandkids. I'm pretty sure it would go something like..."Well, you see, what had happened was...you're grandmother attacked me with a paint can and the swelling to my brain impaired my judgement so I asked her to fake love me to make my parents happy. Then we ended up real loving eachother." What's not to like about that?

4 Stars

Firsts by Laurie Elizabeth Flynn

I throughly enjoyed reading First! And it wasn't just that the story itself was amazing. I loved that it addresses some of the sexual stereotypes that it does. Yes society, it's true! Some young men do get nervous about their first time having sex!!! For some reason there seems to be this stereotype in place for men that says they just want to get their first time having sex over with and out of the way. Believe it or not...not all guys are like that and I love that this book shows that.

“Virginity is supposed to be something a girl gives up only when she is ready and feels comfortable, something a girl discusses at length with her friends and flip-flops over a million times in her mind before actually doing it. A guy is expected to be born ready.
But what I realised after Tommy is that they’re not. They’re just as scared as their girlfriends, maybe even more so because the onus is on them to be gentle, make it last, make it memorable.”

The double standard is there and it's true. So very, very true. Most girls want candles and rose petals, generally a special occasion made out of the whole thing. Then that is put all on the man's shoulders and then becomes a burden for him to carry because we females mostly expect them to be the ones to make it all happen for us. Not only does he have to worry about the sex itself being everything the girl dreamed of but most times he has to worry about the whole night going as planned. So much is expected of young men to make a young womans first time special but in all reality, what do we do to make it special for them when it's their first time? I'm guilty of it. I know when my high school boyfriend and I lost our virginity to eachother...I didn't even think to ask if there was anything special he wanted to do. It was something that both he and I made about me because...I am the female and it's a much bigger deal for the girl, right? Wrong.

Then the other big stereotype that this book addressed was something I've always felt strongly about...IT IS OK FOR GIRLS TO ENJOY HAVING SEX!!! News flash people...it's not the 1800's anymore. I have read some other reviews of this book and some of them downright pissed me off. The slut-shaming has got to stop people! If a woman wants to have sex with multiple partners she's a slut, but if a man does the same thing it's no big deal and he's just getting laid. Because men have needs right? Guess what people? So do females!! The only thing the main charater did that even I believe was morally questionable is sleeping with other girls boyfriends. And hell, it's not like I don't know of girls who have done the exact same thing. Actually, I believe I slept with someone else's boyfriend once. I have also heard that our female protagonists sex life is "unhealthy". In fact she has a very healthy sex life. She isn't addicted to sex, she has all willing partners, she's willing, she practices safe sex, and her partners all seem to respect her, value her, and the sex enhances her self-esteem. There is nothing wrong with that. 

The story itself was emotional and gripping. I felt compelled to keep reading and I had trouble putting the book down at all. This book really had it all. It was a book that had a lot to do with sex, while also respecting the choice some people make to wait until marriage. It sends a deeply meaningful message, while being funny in parts and fun to read. Laurie Elizabeth Flynn takes a big risk writing a sex positive book about a teenage girl but she pulls it off beautifully. 

4.5 Stars