Fun read for avid readers and library patrons/libraries. Funny and endearing.could have been shorter

I really loved this book! I read hundreds of books a year and I just loved the brief summaries and thoughts on so many wonderful books and even a few I have never read before that I will be adding to my TBR! The story had me laughing as I was making a list of books I need to find. I highly recommend this book to everyone who loves to read!

The first part of the book (the letters to books) is a 5 star. They were funny and interesting. And I guess it's because I am a librarian and have read about a billion similar books, but the second part (the RA) was boooring. I skimmed it. So, I'll be fair and put it in the middle.

I really liked this book, even though it took me forever to finish. It's cute, funny, and oftentimes heartfelt. I like the recommendations Spence included at the end of the book and plan on going back to them when I'm looking for something to read that I might not have found on my ow

Dear Fahrenheit 451 is such a fun, snarky and wise book. I love it, so much so, I've given a number of copies to friends, it is delightful. A librarian, Annie Spence, writes love letters or breakup letters to books. There are so many great ones; here are a few: Dear Virgin Suicides "makes you feel like the first time you heard Against The Wind by Bob Seger and I think you're groovey" and Dear Devil in a Blue Dress "love wandering down dicey alleys with you" and Dear Life and Times of the Wicked Witch "I had the urge to douce you with water and see if you evaporate" or Living Vicariously "Patti's love for Robert is palpably tender and her for art as wide as the sky".

This book is brilliant, will make you agree or not and laugh. #dearfahrenheit451 #detroitmichigan Thanks to Netgalley for the great read! #netgalley

This is a brilliant concept, writing love letters to your favorite books, and breakup letter with the books you are giving away or weeding. I would love to see this done by others, especially in an anthology with different contributors. Spence made me want to add 15 new titles to my TBR list, which shows you how great she is at recommending books and convincing others to read them. The one drawback for me is the profanity. I would have been easier for me to read this without so much of that. Still, I love that you can read small bits at a time and still keep up. I am very glad I read it!

A fun book to pick and choose your way through. I really enjoyed the book recommendations at the end.

My TBR list was long before this book and now my list of books to re-read (and in a couple cases read for the first time...) is getting longer too! I enjoyed this read personally, finding it to be almost a light hearted conversation instead of just a book I was reading.

DEAR FAHRENHEIT 451 BY ANNIE SPENCE | The cover of this book caught my eye while I was browsing NetGalley one day, and I requested it as soon as I read the subtitle: A Librarian's Love Letters and Break-Up Notes to the Books in Her Life. Although I do like the concept and books about books, Spence's writing just didn't work for me. I didn't connect with her humor, found the profanity gratuitous after a while, and ultimately found the book too gimmicky. But my biggest issue? She didn't make me want to read any of the books discussed! Ultimately, I'm So Over It - but I do think there are readers who will enjoy it if they share her taste in books.

Librarians , readers anyone who loves books and has a hard time weeding or getting rid of books this book is for you!! I enjoyed the letters to different books and felt I could have written a lot of them!

Every reader and librarian needs this book in their collection!

WHY DID I LISTEN TO DEAR FAHRENHEIT 451 BY ANNIE SPENCE?
Dear Fahrenheit 451 by Annie Spence initially caught my interest on the lovely Netgalleys because it is a book about books! As a book lover, that’s kind of the most meta you can get. Am I using the term meta right? Do I even care? Okay so, I am the worst with procrastination and waited and waited to read this book. THEN I saw it was available at my library on Overdrive as an audiobook and that is exciting because I can read it faster. AND THE AUDIOBOOK is mad short.

I went to check it out and you guys. YOU GUYS. I must have a neighboring book stealer or something. Someone else grabbed it and I had to put a hold on it. (Also on a bunch of other audios I wanted to listen to that were curiously available to the previous day) So annoying. Anyways okay so I finally got this book in AND YES IT IS SO SHORT AND EASY TO LISTEN TO.

WHAT’S THE GIST?
Essentially this audiobook, Dear Fahrenheit 451 is set up in that the large majority of it consists of letters written by Annie Spence to different books. She is a librarian. Some of the letters are to books she’s weeded. Some are to books that people keep recommending to her that she is not interested in. Others are to books that have truly shaped her (my favorites were to Matilda and The Time Traveler’s Wife). Then at the later section of the book are recommendations of what to read from Annie Spence. Like, a lot of recommendations in different categories.

HOW DID I LIKE THIS BOOK?
Okay, so there’s profanity. That doesn’t bother me because I swear like a sailor (like today driving from the mall — related note: why don’t people LOOK BEFORE THEY GO FROM A STOP SIGN). I actually really enjoyed this book. I know we all think we are super well read (I know I am well read, the amount I read in a year is 150 on the low end , 300 on the high end). Annie Spence though makes me feel like I have met my match with another person who reads as much. At the end I basically was just adding her recommendations to my TBR. The thing I liked most was that this book made me excited about reading more books and being a mood reader again.

HOW’S THE NARRATION?
So, the audiobook of Dear Fahrenheit 451 is narrated by Stephanie Spicer. We did not start off a great foot. Maybe I am the odd duck, but I have always pronounced the title “Fahrenheit Four Fifty One” this narrator pronounced it “Four Five One” which drove me up the wall. I just, no. No no, that is wrong. Or maybe I am wrong? Anyways I was irrationally annoyed by that and felt a little judgmental. Beyond that though, Spicer is a charming narrator. And this is super fast and easy to listen to.

Fun, Fun, Fun! One of the most entertaining books I have ever read. A great combo of light AND entertaining. I must say I would love to have a sit down with Annie Spence and talk books; actually I feel as if that is exactly what I have done reading DEAR FARENHEIT 451.

The best thing about this book is that it makes you want to read books you haven't read and reread books you have. It is the perfect book for any bookworm.

I know, I know, a book that is love letters and break up letters to books sounds fairly odd BUT if you are a book lover do NOT miss reading this one!

I loved this book. It was slightly voyeuristic in the way that all booklovers seccretly scope out your bookshelf subtly or not so. I loved reading another reader's opinion of some of my favorites, felt myself needing to go back and give some others a second-chance, and found my new favorite book within its pages. What a fun read and a great way to kickstart my 2018 "to-read" list.

Books written by librarians can either be awesome or boring. This was a good one. The author would write a letter to a book explaining why she could or could not let them go personally or professionally. I did snort out loud about wandering the shelves when she's supposed to weeding the collection because I'm guilty of that. Besides writing the letters, she also compiled reading lists based on different things like good books with bad covers, books about librarians, and so much more. She does have a way with words and plot summaries.

This is a perfect book for book lovers. It will make you wonder why you don't write letters to books you love... or books you hate... or books you are ambivalent about. I think I am going to take time to work on my blog again. That is, if the internet is ever reliable again in post-María Puerto Rico.

4.5: Annie Spence urges us all to read with her outrageous humor, accessible writing style, and expansive knowledge of books. Spence has me considering which books I would compose "love letters" or "breakup notes" for - and thinking of how many copies I will purchase for gifts this year! As Kirkus Reviews said, "A charming epistolary volume that begs to be read with pencil in hand."

This quick reading book is a celebration of books and the people that love them. Every librarian will identify with it and recognize many of the conversations with patrons. Book lovers will recognize the love for books and the need to be surrounded by them. Full of book suggestions and love of the printed word.

Ms. Spence is a young librarian and both her reading taste and vernacular reflect fresh, edgy thinking. This makes for a very different sort of book about books. No guilt-inducing, preaching on the books you ought to have read (I'm looking at you Clifton Fadiman). Instead, Dear Fahrenheit 451 is comprised of breezy takes (or letters) on the books the author has read, owns, loathes, comes across, culled from the library stacks, or had patrons request.

Ms. Spence's casual writing voice -- scattered with cursing and some sex -- there's a letter to a book called The One Hour Orgasm which you'll just have to read for yourselves, I blush -- anyway suffice it to say, this book never gets boring.

Ms. Spence's love of books and what they mean shines through. But she also reflects on the often unspoken truism that readers can, and will, fall out with a book, there are indeed books that become irrelevant, books that leave us angry, annoyed, or the worst offense of all - a book that leaves us flat.
The final epilogue is a endearing shout out to the importance of librarians and libraries. Dear Fahrenheit 451 would be a perfect gift for any librarians, library workers,or book-lovers on your list. It's a little early for the holidays, but at the very least add it to your own TBR list. I know you have one.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Dear Fahrenheit 451
I read you in small doses which proved most enjoyable. Equally enjoyable was the long list of books added to my TBR list thanks to you and your charming, and approachable author. We have much to talk about, hey let's meet for a glass of wine. I'll be the one in the corner with a book ~~ BookBarmy.

Full review with quotes at http://www.boobkbarmy.com

Dear Fahrenheit 451 is the kind of book I wish I'd written. It's the kind of book all book lovers kind of write in our mind, but Annie Spence is the one who took it and turned it into literary gold.

Librarians weed. It's kind of our job. But book lovers (usually) weed, too, right? You stare at that overworked bookshelf, and you know that some of those books are visitors, whose time has come to go and visit other readers; some, like your Neil Gaiman books, your Doctor Who novels, and your Gail Carriger books, have permanent residency on those shelves. (Or is that just me?) You weed, talking to yourself as you go, letting the books - and yourself - down easy: "You were so much fun during my chick lit phase! But you know... I'm sure they'll love you at the library, think of how many other people will love you." Or, "Good lord, you're still here? You need to go; you don't have to go to the trash, but you can't stay here. Is Book Crossing still live?"

Annie Spence writes letters to books (and, in one story that got me a look on the bus when I seal-bark laughed out loud, a bookshelf) in her library, in her home, anywhere. She writes to Frog and Toad and tells them everything I wanted to say but never realized. She has an wonderful obsession with Jeffrey Eugenides (as a Neil Gaiman fangirl, I relate) and feels bad for a much-loved copy of The Goldfinch. Her essays are funny and touching and my friends are tired of me texting them, saying, "Wait, you have to read this part"; one friend finally texted back, "I'm requesting the book now, can you STOP?"

The second half of the book moves from her letters to brief essays - lists, really - that book lovers will adore: Excuses to Tell Your Friends So You Can Stay Home with Your Books (so guilty); Readin' Nerdy (books about librarians, whoo hoo!); Blind Date: Good Books with Bad Covers (you know we all think it), and Recovery Reads: books to read after you've been traumatized by a previous book (looking at you, A Monster Calls).

While it isn't a teen book, it's easily crossed over. It's a great book to hand to teens who may not "get" reading. This. THIS is why we read, I will tell them. (Do you hear me, Alex Awards Committee?) Dear Fahrenheit 451 is perfect for book lovers. Annie Spence is one of us. *group hug*