Pros and Cons of Being a Book Nerd

Book nerds are generally the same. They read voraciously, know big words they use in everyday conversations (like voracious), live in palaces made of books, and own dragons. No wait, forget the last two. Anyway, if you're considering joining our ranks, here are a few pros and cons to consider.

Pro: You never run out of things to read

Book nerds always have books around. A shelf crammed full, a bag from the library, not to mention the ones forming their furniture. I never have a problem with finding something to read, no matter my mood. (Although it's a good thing I'm not in a horror mood like ever, because I don't own any horror books.)

Con: Your TBR is threatening to eat you

But on the flip side of that, you probably have so many books waiting to be read that it would take several life times to get through them. Library due dates don't help anything either. I'm sure one day my books are going to fall and kill me if I don't finish reading them. At least most of my TBR is digital. Thank God for Goodreads.

Pro: You're always finding new suggestions

When you're a reader, you're constantly finding new suggestions for books to read that mean your TBR will never go away. Your friend mentions a book that sounds interesting. You walk in the library and find five new books that look amazing. A book blogger reviews a book and you must read it immediately. With so many books in the world, there will always be new ones waiting to be read.

Con: Right after you manage to diminish your TBR

Of course, all these suggestions will land on your doorstep right after you were feeling proud of yourself for getting ten books off the TBR. You turn around and the next thing you know you have three new books on your shelf. One peek in the library produces a bag of books. And let's not even mention opening up Goodreads. Two minutes later and your to-read shelf has grown by a hundred books or so.

Pro: There is no end to the nerding out over books

There is nothing like discovering an amazing new book, series, or author. You read it through, geek out over it online, and leave a stunning review on Goodreads. If you're really in love, you buy it. Finding a new fandom is the best thing in the world.

Con: No one else has read it

Except for the fact that no one you know off-line has a clue what it is. Sometimes you don't even hear about it on the internet. You want to scream about the book to the world, but can't find anyone to share in your excitement. What a letdown.

Pro: They make it into a movie

The news arrives that your favorite book is being made into a movie. You hear the new and tremble with trepidation. Will they do it right? Will the characters look just like the picture in your head? Will they even pick the right actors?

You stalk the internet, critiquing every choice of casting, director, and assistant grip. Then the first trailer arrives. Not bad, you think. Maybe this movie will even be okay. As time goes by, you become excited to see it. You re-read the book just so you can have it fresh in your mind before watching it.

Con: That movie sucks (especially if it's a series)

Okay, not every book turned movie sucks. In fact, I'd say over fifty percent have succeeded (which in this case means they mostly stuck to the book and didn't do anything too weird to it). But there will be the times when you watch the movie and come away with a feeling of disappointment. How could they do this to your precious book? Prime examples include: Divergent, Voyage of the Dawn Treader, and Eragon.

Pro: So many pretty things to admire, take pictures of, and use as furniture

Books are amazing. They have beautiful covers. They can be read, used as art, and used to take pictures of. How can you resist their colorful appeal? I mean, what other medium can you make a chair out of? Or a Christmas tree? They have so many uses outside of just reading. Book photography, while time consuming, can be so fun. (Unless you're working with library books. Curse you shiny book protectors!)

Con: High risk of book damage

However, with all the fun things you can do with books, comes the most horrible thing you can do to a book. Damage it. Thankfully, I have never (that I can recall) damaged a book beyond bending the cover or creasing a page. But there are so many opportunities to hurt them, especially with outdoor book photography. They get their revenge, though, with stupid paper cuts.

These are just five of pros and cons of being a book nerd. If you can think of more, leave them in the comments and I might make a part two sometime. I hope you enjoyed this bit of humor from yours truly.

Also, today is the day of the big solar eclipse. We're in the path of about 80% coverage. What is it like where you are? I'd love to know.

Let's talk! What are your biggest pros and cons? Do you have a book to movie that you absolutely hate? Tell me in the comments.