I have a multitude of personality flaws, but perhaps one of the most detestable things about me (or at least that one that is most annoying) is the fact that I am an extremely impatient person.
It's one of those unfortunate qualities that I assumed would improve with age, but I'm afraid I'm doomed to be this way, forever. Someday I'll be a gnarled old crone, shrieking at strangers to walk faster so that I may hobble on past them because, clearly, wherever I'm going will be more important.
Seriously, you guys. I'm THE WORST.
I'm also dreadfully spoiled, as I can't even appreciate how genuinely wonderful a Holds List is - you mean, I get to reserve a book for later?! No effort on my part, at all?!
YEAH, SO. WHO CARES.
I WANT THE BOOK AND I WANT IT NOW.
Here are the books I'm currently waiting for, the ones I'm grouchily stalking on the shelves, desperately hoping to find a Lucky Day copy.
What a shocker. I'm bringing up a Rainbow Rowell book in a blog post. I've waited YEARS for a sequel to Carry On, and I recently learned the publishing date has been pushed back, again. I'm thinking of suing. Who, you ask? Idk, the entire world?!!!!!
Speaking of Rainbow Rowell... Look at their cute little faces! Pumpkins! Friendship! LOVE! These are all my favorite things! So why don't I have my grubby little mitts on this most adorable of graphic novels? Not yet published, you say?!!! BLASPHEMY.
I'm particularly salty about not having read this precious-sounding romance about two people who don't-really-know-one-another but also kinda-live-with-one-another, because my friend Meredith read this ages ago and did not think to let me borrow her copy. RUDE.
Can you believe we had an Advanced Readers Copy in the office for this book? And I didn't think to read it? And now it is gone, lost to me forever? WHAT WERE YOU THINKING, PAST KIM?! Anywho. Magic + Mystery + Sarah Gailey's weird writing. Gah. I need it. NOW.
Have you ever encountered a book that you're not personally interested in, but then it becomes super popular and suddenly you have to have it? I'm a jealous little goblin, and I need to know what all the fuss is about in regards to this book. I need to knooooow.
LOOK. AT. THAT. COVER. You probably can't hear, but I am SCREAMING. The colors! Their little hats! This one promises to be a romantic, feminist romp and I'm head over heels. Now, the only way this book could be better is if I HAD IT ALREADY. GOSH.
What does it say about me as a person that my boss found out about a really odd, queer book about taxidermy and was immediately like, "Yes this book is for Kimberly"??? I mean... She wasn't WRONG. But I'm a little upset other people think they can put a hold on MY book.
Talia Hibbert is a joy of a romance author. Her heroines are usually nerdy and curvy and grouchy little creatures that I, of course, adore as I, too, am a nerdy and curvy and grouchy little creature. I'm overjoyed to know she's being widely published. But also: GIMME.
The Affair of the Mysterious Letter
I am a FOOL. I was #1 on the Holds List when this first came out, brought it home, and then proceeded to not read this stunning Sherlock Holmes retelling about a trans "Watson" and queer sorceress as "Sherlock." Guess I'll wait for for it. AGAIN.
Okay, so you had me at lesbian necromancer. This is another situation in which I got my hands on an Advanced Readers Copy and then didn't immediately read it? Because, why?! I guess I'll go ahead and wait until this is published like everyone else, or whatever.
There you go. All the books I WANT, but DO NOT HAVE. I feel personally victimized by this system of having to "wait for things."
(I am a monster.)
-Kimberly Lopez is a Readers' Services Assistant at Lawrence Public Library.
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