That Reading Thing #1

Hi guys!

I've been blogging for something over half a year now and I think it's time to tell you a little bit more about me. By now, most of you will now I love YA, but in these posts I'll let you know more about me and my reading habits! 

Why That Reading Thing? Because in my environment I've so many people who just don't understand my passion for reading or for YA. I get those eye rolls A LOT. I just eye roll back and make a witty remark (well, as good as I can anyway). And that's why I love you guys so much! Because you understand my over-the-top excitement for books and most of all YA! I'm so glad I started this blog. My (reading) life would have been so different without it!

Let's get on with it! I'm just going to put some random things about me here. I hope you like it and maybe even recognize some of it in yourself. Let me know, than I know I'm not totally weird after all!

Look, that's me!

OK, let's start with a really embarrassing one. Well, I'm embarrassed about it!  Most of you will know by now I live in The Netherlands. Which on the book part sucks because 1. there aren't any cool book events here (and if there are it's always grown up stuff). 2. book prices are insane. But that's not what I'm embarrassed about. It gets worse. I think my English is pretty good, it's just that pronouncing the words might be a bit tricky sometimes. Yesterday I was watching the chat from EpicReads and for the first time I realized I've been pronouncing YA all WRONG. At that moment I just wanted to hide and never come to the surface again. But well, I can love about it now. I always said something like EA. Which isn't that wrong because the Y you pronounce like an E here. What makes it bad is that I pronounced the A correctly. But I swear that all Dutchies pronounce it that way. Or maybe that's just me.  

Fact #2 you should really know about me is that I *LOVE* talking. Doesn't matter about what (well, books is my favorite of course) and to whom, just let me TALK! Which would explain why I decided at first to do some short sentences with little things about me and the first is already half a page long... 

I might have a slight addiction to Facebook and Twitter, but it's just because it's full of awesome book stuff! I took care of that for my timeline! ;) I've always loved to read (look, something about me reading!) and I'll read anything. So if there's no book I'll just read something else, like ads beside the road (when I'm traveling). I can also obsessively read the rules on the train all over again. But I must say that when it comes to books I can be extremely picky.You can't read everything, so I choose my books wisely! 

Call me shallow, but I always start with the cover! I just love a good and pretty cover! It's not that I wouldn't read a good book because I don't like the cover (I'm not that bad!), but it does hold me back from buying all the books! Which is a good thing I guess, because my TBR pile is already almost buckling over. Just the other day I was browsing through my Amazon wish list to buy some new books. I've wanted to read The Daughter and Smoke and Bone for a while now and it's on that list, but with the UK cover, which I don't like. Especially in comparison to the US cover. Look: 

You've got to admit that the second one is a lot prettier! So I'm waiting for the chance I get to get that cover! I know it's a bit shallow, but I just like pretty things :). 

Before you start thinking all bad things about me, here are some 'good' things:

The very first book I ever read by myself was Jip en Janneke (a Dutch children's book). My mother and grandmother had read it to me so many times I'd memorized the first chapter and thought that I could 'read'. I still now the first sentences by heart! This is also my first bookish memory :).

I once started counting the books I own, but somewhere I lost count when I couldn't decide which books to count. Study books also? And what about the books I don't really want to own anymore? I've never finished the job. I do know I have way too much books for the space I actually have. They're all piled up. 

I read almost every day. When I haven't read anything I always go to bed thinking: "Oh no, I haven't read a single page today, bad Helene" ;). Someone told me once that she reads 150 pages every day. EVERY DAY! I read a lot and I can manage up to 400 pages a day if I set my mind to it, but 150 pages a day? No I would never manage that. I kinda have a life outside of reading too. 

Speaking of life besides reading, I also love to dance. I used to do a lot more.  Contemporary, ballet, jazz and all kinds of courses in African dancing, belly dancing and so on. I got a shoulder injury a few years back, so unfortunately that's no longer possible. But I discovered hoop dancing a few months back! I know it's been very popular in the US for a while now, but it's really new here. And I totally love it! I even have my own hoop, so I can practice at home as well. I'm not very good, but hopefully one day I will be!

Wow, I just looked back at my post and this is the longest post I've ever written! So I guess this is it for today! I've a lot more things to tell you, so I hope have another personal post next week! Let me know in the comments if you like this sort of posts (and also if you don't, but say it nicely please ;)) and if you recognize any of it!