"One must always be careful of books and what's inside them,
for words have the power to change us." - Cassandra Clare
When I was much younger I hated reading. I only read the same simple books over and over again because I knew I could read it and read it well. Once my sister tried to get me to read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Obviously I would get hooked to reading with Harry Potter. Nope.
Now give me a chance to explain. I read the first page and gave up because I thought it was boring but really I think I was still a little too young to exactly understand the story. When I was a little older I tried again and this time I latched on. I proceeded to read the rest of the Harry Potter books that were out at the time and as each new book came out, wait for my sister to finish reading it first.
In between waiting for the next installment in Harry's life I began to branch out to other series books. Redwall, The Chronicles of Narnia, The Circle of Magic and other Tamora Pierce books. I also delved into the world of manga. I loved reading. I would totally immerse myself into each world and could not wait to find out what happened next, but at the same time I also wanted each story to last as long as possible because I loved it so much. I distinctly remember one summer every morning I would go into my sister's room and read on the floor while she read something else or was on the computer. It was a nice little ritual and is a nice nostalgic memory I have with her. I would always make sure I would read at least one chapter, maybe two, but I would always have stop myself from reading "too much" so I could extend the experience.
The summer before I started high school is when reading for fun abruptly stopped. This is when book assignments took over my normal reading time. I enjoyed a lot of the books we read in school, they were always interesting and a few have become my favorites and are on the reread list. There were also quite a few I just did not get or care for, and I have to admit I did not read a couple of books.
With school and life I felt like I didn't have anytime for reading for pleasure, yet so many of my friends seemed to manage it. After a while of reading nothing other than assigned books I felt like I couldn't get myself to make a commitment to another book that I didn't have the time really sit and take in. I had an ongoing list of "to read when I have time."
In reality I did have that time I just needed to make it. And I finally did after The Hunger Games movie came out. I had heard of the book a while ago and had added it to my list, but when I went to see the movie it really hyped me up to read it. I think of all the books I read, The Hunger Games series was the fastest I've ever read. I didn't think about taking my time, I couldn't get enough of it and it felt so good to not be reading something I had to for school. Unfortunately I went another long stint without leisure reading. And I didn't really notice. This broke when I read The Fault in Our Stars. That year and the following my family and friends gave me a copious amount of books for my birthday and I ordered some myself.
Again some time passed before I actually read these books because of school and life. But also I noticed that I was spending all of my time on the internet. One day I decided I really needed to work on the pile of books collecting dust next to my bed. I replaced some of the time I would normally watch YouTube to read. First I started with a nonfiction albeit still YouTube related, Grace's Guide, and then delved back into fiction.
And I missed it so much.
There is something different about reading nonfiction vs fiction. I enjoy both but fiction is my chance to escape to another world. Even though I read and loved The Fault, so much time went before and after reading it, that it felt like an anomaly. I started The Infernal Devices series by Cassandra Clare, gifted from my siblings. I felt that enthusiasm of anticipating a chance to sit down with a book and was finally spending consistent time away from a screen. And even better one of my best friends had already read the series so I had someone I could discuss what I didn't understand and share theories with, and she could relive it all over again.
Now I'm glad that I've gone through all those assigned readings. I understand more. I spend more time thinking about the meaning and importance of what is being said and admiring the author for being so clever. My favorite part of English was discussing books, which is even better when it's with a book I'm enthusiastically reading. As books are so integral to the characters in The Infernal Devices, I couldn't have a better series to relearn about my love and admiration for books.
I took to taking a book with me when I went out in case I had time to read, which once came in handy. I got stuck waiting out a storm and luckily had my book with me. The building I was in was full of comfy chairs, dim lighting, and I could hear the rain outside. The atmosphere was so nice and very appropriate for the setting of the book (I even have an app for white noise and listened to a crackling fire). Later that night when I got back to bed I continued reading because I needed to know what happened next.
A strange thing happens when you read fiction. You care for these characters and start worrying about what's going on in their life as if they're your problems. I constantly will stop mid-page and think "so what does this mean for so-and-so" or "but what about him!?" The reason I began writing this post is because I've become so emotionally invested that I had to take a break after finishing a really emotional part, I couldn't even finish the chapter.
So I was sitting in bed wrapped up in a comforter picking up where I left off with the storm still going on outside and I had to stop in the middle of an exciting, intense sequence in the story to look up from the book, and say out loud "I f*cking love reading."
