#currentlyreading

I started my bookstagram account to share what I was reading in the moment, like Instagram is supposed to be. Now it’s more curated and posed, but I’m ok with that overall. I love a pretty picture as much as the next person, and if it includes a brief book review, I’m all in! I try to set up my own nice photo shoots occasionally, to promote book review posts on my blog or grab your attention as you scroll by for a title I really want to share.

It’s no surprise that my favorite hashtag on Instagram is #currentlyreading. I haven’t been as active on bookstagram lately as I would like to be and have been in the past, so I admit that my #currentlyreading tags are sometimes a day or two past due. I guess it should be #justfinishedreading in my case. I love snooping on what people are #currentlyreading to get ideas for my next read. It’s like peeking at everyone’s nightstand, except  Scrolling through Instagram usually leads to me opening my library’s site to put titles on hold. 

I always make time for reading fiction - usually right before bed, thinking it will help me fall asleep, when it actually pushes me to stay up later and later, thinking "Just one more chapter!" Or story - right now I have 2 short story collections going:

• Living in the Weather of the World by Richard Bausch, my former writing professor writing short stories about Memphis in general and my neighborhood in some instances!
• Machine of Death by Ryan North and tons of other people - basically like a crowdsourced book of short stories about a Zoltar-like machine that tells you how you're going to die

A glimpse of other stuff I'm reading... Can you guess what I'm up to?

Bookshelves

My history with bookshelves is expansive. I have always loved books and always been a reader. I’ve always had bookshelves in my room, and I’ve always owned books. I feel so lucky to say this, especially since my parents also took me to the library every few weeks. There was never a shortage of books, I was always encouraged to read, and I was always given time to read.

As a result, I still carve out time to read. It is my favorite thing to do when I have a few minutes, and I try to give myself at least 30 minutes at night to unwind and read. This means my “bookshelves” are scattered all over the house, and they’re not always shelves…

In my mid-twenties, I lived in a duplex with six bookshelves chock full o’ books. Then I put everything in storage and traveled for six months – still reading! I took books I got as ARCs, or from used bookstores, and left them as I traveled. It was a great way to travel light while spreading booklove! When I came home from traveling, I lived in a tiny apartment and downsized to two bookshelves. From SIX to TWO! Is anyone else in awe at that? I still am, even though a lot of those books were old textbooks I sold back to students. (I definitely used to horde my English and Literature books – anyone else with me?)

Now I have a house I’m in love with, and want to stay here forever (knock on wood), and my bookshelf situation is still shifting. I have a bookcase in my office, with library science, literacy, and reference books. Oh, and the bottom shelf is picture books. Of course. My son’s room has 2 bookcases bursting with picture books. The back room has 3 bookcases, two of adult novels and one of children’s reference and kids’ picture and activity books.

Not the full scope, but you get the idea

I would love to have gorgeous built-in shelves in my back room, which is a playroom/hobby room for me and my son. But who wouldn’t love built-ins?! I am still trying to get rid of books I don’t love. I want to look at my shelves and see titles that inspired me, opened me up to different worlds, showed me how others live.

What do your bookshelves look like?