I own almost 800 books, mostly in print but I do have some e-books.  Not going to lie, I even have some multiples—but how do you turn down your grandmother’s first edition copy of Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood? I buy my books anywhere that sells them: Goodwill, Barnes and Noble, Amazon, Book Depository, or indie book stores like my all-time Powells in Portland, Oregon. When I was in high school I used to buy books behind my parents back­—some kids hide drugs and alcohol, I hid books. I miss the good old days of Borders…

It is my ultimate dream to have my own personal library. I’ve already designed it in my head—it’s going to be Beauty and the Beast themed, of course.  Dark, with the comfiest chair/lounge a girl can find.  Walls lined with filled bookshelves; maybe even a ladder that will slide along the wall.  My heart flutters just thinking about it.

So I’ve always just kept all my books, even old ones that I probably never read —bought just because they seemed semi interesting and they were cheap.  Even books that I have read but didn’t even like. I just wanted to have the high volume of books for my dream library even though I’ll probably never touch them. When cleaning I came across these books I bought when I was in college, when I tried to go through a “pretentious reader” phase. I bought all these adult books from hip authors that people always talked about like Dave Eggers, Bret Easton Ellis, and Chuck Palahnuik.  Now, I’ve come to realize the exact type of books that I like—YA contemporary, family drama, and some romance—and I’m not ashamed of it anymore.

I’ve moved books to and from Oregon to California too many times, to apartments and back home again. As it’s looking like I’m going to be moving across the country before the year is up, I thought it was time to do a major clean out. I get very personally attached to items. Yes, I realize that I’m starting to sound a little bit like a hoarder; and when it comes to books, I am.  I told my mom when I was cleaning that I felt bad for giving up these books and she put it in perspective: I’m donating these books so they can bring joy and pleasure to another reader, I’m not throwing them out on the street.  The will go to a good home. Now I just have to actually put them in my car and take them away. Come back in a few weeks and we can see if I progressed.