Confessions of a Bookworm: My Lifelong Bond with Fiction

 

You know that feeling when someone asks about your hobbies, and you say, “Oh, I love reading,” only for them to respond, “That’s nice,” and move on? Yeah, that’s me. But what they don’t know is that my idea of a good time involves a cozy corner, a cup of coffee, and a book that makes me laugh, cry, or occasionally yell at the characters like a soap opera villain.

Books are my escape, my therapy, and sometimes, my excuse to avoid social gatherings. Why go out when you can dive into a world where the biggest problem is deciding whether the plot’s worth the emotional rollercoaster? Spoiler: It usually is.

Reading has shaped me into the introverted, slightly nerdy person I am today, and I wouldn’t change a thing. Books have shown me it’s okay to be shy, like Emma Woodhouse from Emma by Jane Austen, who’s just as awkward as the rest of us. I’ve also found pieces of myself in Feyre from A Court of Thorns and Roses—an introverted, fierce nerd who loves art and books. It’s like reading my own autobiography, minus the “saving the world” part.

Now, let’s talk about my favorite partners-in-crime—books that make me laugh, question reality, and sometimes want to throw them across the room. For me, it’s anything by Lauren Asher and Rina Kent. Seriously, how do they create such perfect yet emotionally intense plots?

My method for picking a new book is as organized as a teenage girl’s closet—which is to say, not at all. I go by mood: do I want to laugh, cry, or both? I follow my favorite authors like a loyal puppy, if Sarah Adams or Runyx has a new release, i’ll be pre-ordering them faster than you can say “Book hangover.” And of course, there’s always the random late-night Amazon purchase because the blurb was just too good to resist.

Reading is my escape from reality. Whether it’s getting lost in drama or laughing at a female lead who’s as awkward as I am, books will always be my first love. If you see me alone with a book, I’m probably in the middle of an existential crisis or trying to figure out why I can’t jump in and say what needs to be said. As Jane Austen once wrote, “There is no enjoyment like reading!”—and I couldn’t agree more.