Take a Look at My New Friends.

I spent about 45 minutes in a bookstore, choosing my 6 books. When I stepped in, I asked (just to confirm) if I could use the book vouchers which is when I was told:

"Yes you can and there is an additional 5% discount too."

I was so resisting the urge to dance a jig right there. So I first grabbed a copy of J.R Ward's Lover Unleashed and John Green's Looking for Alaska. I then wandered in the tight walkway, surrounded by books on both sides, my eyes wandering on every title.

I stopped in front of Stephen King, looking at the titles. There were a handful which is not helpful since I have no idea which of his books I want. One of my rule of thumb in book buying is the value of money for the number of pages.

Caution, only use this rule when you already know you like the author's writing, you like the preview written at the back of each book and you're just stuck in choosing. Do not do this if its a new author that you don't know from Eve. Because this will more often than not, make you groan out:

"Why did I buy this book?"

So, I took a copy of Under the Dome Which I read about on Wiki (what haven't I read on there?) and thought was pretty interesting and yes, it reminded me of the Simpsons' movie where Springfield was put under a gigantic dome.

I had 3 books in hand, 3 more needed. This is when I usually take a risk and pick a book. My first choice is a Jodi Picoult, something I'll like even if I don't love it the way I did for Salem Falls (her first book I read). My rule of thumb came out to play again here and it led to me choosing Handle with Care.

I think by this time, I've looked at every row of books twice. I wanted to read that one trilogy but then, they didn't have it. So I thought to myself after looking at the 4 books I've piled on top of each other on a shelf:

"Indulge yourself Hanis. Get a young adult and a chick lit-ish."

Chick lit to me is definitely not Sophie Kinsella. Or those other famousy ones where most girls just love. For me, its Marian Keyes or Jilly Cooper. Yet, I already all the fomer's books and they didn't have the latter's books in stock.

I wanted something similiar to those two so I was picking up random books, reading the back when I came to Wendy Holden's Beautiful People. There was a short one line review from The Times at the back which said:

"Up there with the best of Jilly Cooper."

I flipped through. I made it book no.5.

The problem with the young adult genre is that its so full of series. Why can't you just write one long book and that is it. I don't have anything against series but well, I don't want to be hooked to another one.

It took me about ten minutes to find an interesting one that seem to be a stand alone book. Incubus by Carol Goodman.

Brother: I've heard of the title before. Where did I? Where did I?

Hanis: The band?

Brother: Oh yeahhh.

I'm currently staring at the books, so happy to see them all spread on my bed. I've been asked which one would I read first. Well, I still got my library books so I'll finish those first. Yes, I have this thing for trying to prolong a book's unread status because , well, I don't have a reason.

Here's to the books and here's to being a bookworm.