Are You There, Reader? It's Me, Amanda!
Hey, Reader, thanks for stopping by Post Pages! I’m Amanda Post (hence the punny blog name), and at the moment, I have no reason to be here in the blogging world aside from the fact that I want to be here, I think I'll serve you well, and I believe I've got a lot to say. My experience in reading/writing is as extensive as any other book loving millennial, attributed to the amount of books I've spent diving through, the small amount of editing work I've done, and the mass amounts of papers I've waited until the last minute to write while studying for my Bachelor's in Psych and my Master's in Business Administration. In other words, no more experienced than most of you, but hey, we’ve all got to start somewhere!
Growing up in a low/mid socioeconomic status home in the suburbs outside of Chicago, where money was scarce and the weather was unpredictable, books became my escape from the small, quiet life I lived, allowing me the opportunity for incredible experiences that I'd never be able to afford (even if I had pockets like Buffet). Thus, the ever questioning scholar in me was born, wanting to get my hands on any and every book I could. To this day, I still have the want and desire to acquire facts and learn new things, and books have been a great way for me to do that. However, on this journey, I've developed my taste in literature, understanding that the quality of the books I consume can sometimes better than the number of books I consume. The hardest question to answer is how do we determine what's quality and what isn't? Well, that answer is simple. We can’t. No one can. Much of it is subjective. That's where this blog comes in.
I'm the type of person who loves to knowledge share, especially when it comes to books. I love to discuss good literature, share suggestions with others, get recommendations from fellow lit-geeks, and generally invest my free time in the world of books. I get this high when I walk into a bookstore or a library. It sounds crazy, but sometimes I believe I can feel this energy coming off of the books, circling my head and hypnotizing me, telling me to crack open each spine, drink in their message, and drown myself in the author's words. Yes, I know this sounds super freaking corny, but it's true, and I have no other way to describe it in words. This addiction of mine has resulted in me always traveling with a book, having my next book ready at the drop of a hat, and having new recommendations for people, regardless of whether or not they've asked for it. I'm the type of person that, when shopping for books and overhearing another patron's conversation, will probably stick my nose in a bit and say something like, “If you're looking for a great book about dogs, you should really check out The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein.” (Never heard of it? You're missing out! Check out the “Honorable Mentions” page for my review!) If you're like me and you've made this move before, you probably know how hard it is to stay quiet, and when you can find the ability to restrain yourself, your brain is still screaming, “I CAN HELP YOU! PLEASE TALK TO ME!” If you've been that patron that's seen my nosy nose way too closely…I'm sorry and (hopefully) you're welcome.
I realize I'm probably a rare species because there's hardly an occasion where someone overhears my conversation and suggests books to me (unless they're the cute and lonely librarian looking for an old soul in a quiet and all too empty library, or they're the Barnes & Noble's employee trying to do their job well). Maybe more people would push their pretty butts into my conversations, but don't feel the need to because of the pile of books I've stacked into my arms, giving the appearance that I know what I'm doing. I'll give you a hint: this giant pile of books in my arms really means I have NO clue what I'm doing! They all look so good! How am I supposed to know that Book A might have a lackluster ending, that Book B's author has the grammar skills of a first grader, or that Book C is going to be the best book I'll ever read? I don't! Sure, they might be on a bestseller list, but so what? 50 Shades of Grey was also on a few of those lists, and that's definitely not everyone's cup of tea, so how is anyone supposed to know what should be on their own reading list and what shouldn't?
That's why I'm here, blogging for you, Dear Reader, to help you make those decisions; to help you determine yay or nay while trying to be as subjective as possible, giving you all of the facts, all of the feels (my feels, anyway), and all of the freedom to be able to say, “I have confidence that the money I'm spending on this book, which could possibly go towards my monthly car payment, will not go to waste.” Because who needs to go anywhere when a good book can take you there, am I right?
The books reviews you’ll find in this blog are primarily surrounding the theme of “Bestseller’s Lists.” Just because it's on a list (ex: the New York Times) doesn't mean it's the right book for your To-Read list, and I want to help be the one to guide you in that direction. These books are 5-years-old or newer (from original review date) because, honestly, how many reviews of The Handmaid's Tale do we really need? As an avid reader, what I’d want to know is if this brand new book for 30% off at B&N is going to be worth my time, and if no one has read and reviewed it, how can I be trusted to make this kind of decision?!
I typically stick with fiction (but will throw in a couple of nonfiction works if they seem interesting enough or if there is high demand), and primarily stay within the genres of traditional fiction, suspense/psychological thrillers, comedy, female literature, and on the very rare occasion, some romance. For the time being, you can find new reviews every 1st and 15th is the month. However, in Post Pages, you won't just find bi-monthly book reviews. You'll also find some additional content, so continue to stop in for author interviews, up-and-coming books/authors, honorable mentions, and more! To keep tabs on this blog, get sneak peaks, snoop on books I'm currently reading, and see cute pictures of my two golden retrievers (they will be helping me along the way), follow me on my social media platforms (see links throughout site).
Being new to the blogging world, I’d really love to hear from you, the reader, on what you're looking for in a good book blog! Please feel free to comment or reach out through any of my various contact avenues (see my About page). Also, when commenting/communicating, introduce yourself to me by sharing something fun about yourself, like your Hogwarts House (Ravenclaw), favorite drink to sip while you page flip (Chocolate Covered Strawberry Latte), or your favorite book (I'm not even sure I can answer that one, it's too hard). I want to get to know what type of reader I'm writing for to help get you the types of books and information you need. In the words of Barry Manilow (and probably a few other people), “This one's for you!”
Enjoy, ravenous readers, fellow bloggers, and future friends! I won't let you down!
Amanda
