I met up with Ellie first. There was a pretty awkward moment when I was stood waiting for her and a man started walking towards me quite purposefully and I was like, "Oh my gosh, I've been groomed through the medium of book blogging! I'm going to be on the news!" And then he perfectly innocently continued to walk into the shop behind me, utterly unaware of my having just pegged him as a potential groomer. To that man: I'm sorry. ANYway, the happy ending to this particular story is...wait for it...ELLIE ISN'T A MAN!! Obviously my momentary worry was utterly unnecessary because Hanna and Ellie have actually met before and I'm pretty sure that Hanna would have mentioned Ellie being a man but you never know.
So we've set some boundaries about what Ellie isn't (a man) but what about setting the bar on what she is? If you've read Ellie's blog, it is almost inevitable that you will also love the pithy way she talks about everything, how funny she is and how really warm and lovely she is with fellow bloggers and book enthusiasts. She is JUST AS wonderful in person and I'm so, so glad that we've finally met in person. She is one of my very favourite people. I like her so much that I will even forgive her for pooping all over my image of what it's like to own a second-hand book shop while we had coffee in Starbucks.
Enter Hanna!
When Hanna texted me to say that she was on her way, she said something like, "Look for yellow...you can't miss me". And that is why Hanna is so fantastic. Everything about her is bright and fabulous. Her blog, her yellow skirt and her book-pushing ways (because she is a DEMON at convincing everyone to buy everything!). Much like Ellie's, if you put Hanna's blog in a line-up, everyone would be able to pick it out a mile off. Rest assured that she's just as fun in "real life". And I will be forever jealous of her hair. But that's a point for another day...:)
We met, we chattered, we giggled, we ate (a LOT) and we shopped for books. Yes, I know. Big surprise. I usually do my book shopping alone so it was so much fun to have not one but TWO people to wave books at and almost always hear something like, "Read it, loved it", "Own it, haven't read it but have heard good/bad things" or, my personal favourite, "How much is it?...£2?...*sigh* It's probably £1 good but it's not £2 good" (Thanks, Hanna!) I can't really explain how nice it was to be with people who wouldn't throw a weird glance my way when I picked up book number 5 (or 6...or 7...). Not least because one of my fellow book bloggers' sprees was interrupted by The Works' staff thrusting a basket upon her! My favourite moment of the day (among MANY!).
Want to see what I bought? Of course you do! (Unless you follow me on Twitter, in which case you've possibly already SEEN what I bought. You people pipe down for a moment...)
That is the most books that I have ever bought in a single stint in...well, YEARS probably! I love my eReader but there was something so satisfying about staggering home with a bag stuffed full of glorious books. And I might have bought The Psycopath Test, Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter and The Sisters Brothers of my own volition but having their own little advocates RIGHT THERE didn't hurt their chances :) I've actually already started The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey (which is one I went out knowing I wanted) and it is GOOD! Very good indeed.
In short: Ellie and Hanna are both awesome. BIG HUGS TO THEM BOTH!
Now, who's in for Blogger Meet-Up #2?!
