A blind date with a book - or four

I have a confession… I have been reading e-books for the last 16 years. The Kindle made it possible for me to move several times, including across the planet, without having to haul too many heavy book boxes. But throughout the years, something got lost: The feeling of finding THE book in a local book store. A good conversation about which read to select with a bookseller. The joy of a beautiful book cover. And, a big one: Supporting local businesses. Let’s be honest, there are not a lot of ebook readers set up without ties to big companies, and there are limited options to support your local bookstore with the purchase of an electronic book. So a few months back, I went back to reading hardcovers and paperbacks.

Today’s blind date

One thing I enjoy more than I thought: Blind date with books. Some of you might be familiar with the colorful wrapped books, sometimes with a short description, and tons of bookish goodies. When Finja and I visit our favorite romance bookstores, we often leave with at least surprise book. I truly love that a blind date is exactly that: Finding a book that I usually wouldn’t select, something out of my usual genre, and maybe even a book I had eyed before but never came around to purchase.

At my recent visit to Hardcovers in Mill Creek I didn’t just pick out one surprise book - I came home with four of them. Hardcovers just celebrated their first birthday and offered book boxes for an amazing price. I couldn’t resist. You can see the full unboxing video on our Instagram!

My reading list has a few new additions now:

• Phantasma by Kaylie Smith

• Game changer by Rachel Reid

• The poisoner by I.V. Ophelia

• Branded by Saffron A. Kent

Stay tuned for reviews!