#bookworms – Birds of a Feather

As a binge reading bookworm, most evenings I find myself cozied up in bed with one of my latest page turners leading me out of my own life and into the imaginary setting in some far off place. Just like with the television shows many of us gravitate towards, naturally the types of genres we reach for often follow a similar pattern. I often toe the line between two polar opposites- the psychological thriller and the easy-to-read and even-easier-to-love “chick lit”.

Since having Atticus two years ago, I’ve traded most hard and paperback novels for the Kindle versions. While I do miss the feeling of the thin pages between my fingers and the satisfaction of seeing the progress I’m making as I become more and more entrenched in the plot line, I accepted that as a mama bear of a toddler reading on a Kindle is definitely more kid-friendly. I don’t have to fret over, “uh oh” moments, where my sweet little accidentally rips a key page out of one of my favorite books or decides to turn my book into a new football; launching my book into perpetuity with the bookmark slipping out halfway to the goal line.

When 2018 came to a close, my Kindle app allowed me to revisit my literary journey over the last year. With as much as I read, I figured that I read about 20 books last year since I tend to average about two novels a month. I was, however, pleasantly surprised to discover that I had actually devoured 29 noteworthy pieces of literature. A feat I smiled about and promised myself in the moment that I would at least read that many in 2019.

To date, I’ve completed two books to kick off the new year. The first was Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis. If you have not read this book, IT IS AN ABSOLUTE MUST READ. I’m kind of yelling but mostly highlighting how incredibly important it is for you to rush out and get your hands on this book.

Girl, Wash Your Face is hands down the most positive and inspiring book I have read in a very long time. Reading this book will inspire, empower, and encourage you to seek out the absolute best version of yourself. You will laugh (out loud), you will likely be moved to tears (at least once), and you will put this book down feeling ready to change the world. If you aren’t an avid reader like me or truly don’t have the time for reading in this season of your life, then this is truly the only book you need to carve out time for in 2019.

Run over to Target, order it on Amazon, or download it on Kindle, now. It will truly change your life!

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Today on my lunch break, I finished Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan. This one came highly recommended by my cousin, Veronica. For a full-time working mother, this book was pure fantasy for me. The excess, extravagance, and couture are so outside of my ether, but it was easy to get lost in a plot line with some very spicy family drama and extra saucy characters.

Kwan’s descriptions of the palatial homes, distinct Asian dishes, and the exotic excursions made me want to back an overnight bag and catch a red eye to Singapore to experience this colorful culture in person. This fun, light read will pull at your heart strings in surprising ways, and you will find yourself rooting for the female lead, Rachel Chu, from the beginning of the story all the way to the final pages of this book.

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Literature is a powerful medium that can truly transform our perspectives about the outside world. It can inspire us, empower us, transport us, and take us on a rollercoaster of emotions along the way. Taking time for ourselves to read is an important part of self-care. It’s also an incredibly important way to model the importance of reading for the little people in our lives. So for all of my other binge reading bookworms out there, keep on reading to your hearts content.

Feel free to share some of your favorite reads in the comments section. There is no better way to find a good book than from a good friend.

From a very young age, I can remember how much I looked forward to bedtime stories with my mom. From fairytales to fictional fantasies and everything in between, my love for reading quickly developed. By the time I could read independently, I could often be found lost in a good book curled up somewhere in my bedroom.

Growing up, my mother modeled a love for reading. Her favorite place to read was in a comfortable swivel chair next to our large front window in the living room. The perfect nook haloed by natural light eventually turned into one of my favorite places for page turning fun too. Weekends, afternoons after school, and summers often involved bike rides to the neighborhood library where I eagerly checked out every Nancy Drew, Goosebumps, Babysitters Club, or Boxcar Children’s book I could get my hands on. Then I sped back to my house as fast as my little legs would carry me so that I could open my new book and let the reading adventure unfold.

In the course of my life, I can think of only a handful of times I was too busy for reading. My tenure in graduate school required a lot of reading, but I can honestly say it was rarely the kind of reading I would typify as pleasure reading. With the exception of graduate school, reading for pleasure has been one of my favorite leisure pursuits.

For the longest time, I loved reading paperback books. There truly is something so satisfying in the tactile parts of reading: running your hands across the smooth cover, opening the book and letting it rest between your hands or on its spine in your lap, and turning the pages over and over as you lose yourself in the riveting plot line. Additionally, I loved being able to share in the highs and lows of the storylines with my closest friends when I passed one of my favorites along to them.

Today though, more out of convenience than anything else, my page turning now requires finger swiping across my phone screen. The Kindle app on my iPhone and a subscription to Prime reading, guarantees that no matter where I am, a book is never more than a few finger taps away. If I find myself with idle time, I simply take my phone out and enjoy one of my favorite pastimes as I wait in line at the grocery store or in an airport waiting for my flight to board. It also makes reading at night with the lights off incredibly easy, which often leads to me staying up way past my bedtime. While I often miss the tangible aspects of reading an actual book or having the opportunity to share a book with a friend, I appreciate the ease and accessibility of reading on an electronic device.

The joy of reading is one of the most beautiful gifts my mother passed along to me. A love of reading is something I have passed along to classrooms full of students and now love that my own two children are following suit too. As this school year has progressed, it has been incredibly amazing to watch Liam grow academically. Decoding and applying his knowledge of sight words as he takes in words and signs all around him. I love seeing Atticus delight in turning the pages of his hard books or listening as Liam and I read aloud to him. I hope that they will both find happiness through the adventures they discover in the books they read. Perhaps renowned artist J.K. Rowling puts it best with, “I do believe something very magical can happen when you read a good book.”

Here’s to reading for pleasure in your favorite nook with a delightful cup of coffee and getting lost in the magic that unfolds with the turn of every page!

Tag: #bookworms

A Binge Reading Bookworm

The Magic of a Good Book