Reading Profile
Hello!
Being a reader has been part of my identity as far as I can remember. Many childhood memories revolve around having my nose buried in a book. When I was in the fourth grade, I got in trouble for reading the Fear Street series because my mother believed they were too "inappropriate." This of course just made me want to read them more. I did eventually revisit the series once I was in middle school and absolutely loved them.
My love for reading continued throughout middle and high school. A few of my favorite series back then included:
1. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
2. Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
3. Cirque Du Freak: The Saga of Darren Shan by Darren O'Shaughnessy
4. Divergent by Veronica Roth
Unfortunately, my interest in reading plummeted as soon as I started undergrad. I was studying English Literature so I was still reading for class but the idea of reading for fun did not excite me as it once did.
For five years, I barely picked up a book. Reading no longer brought me the joy it once had. I am not entirely sure what changed but one day during the winter of 2022, I decided to pick up a romance novel. From that day forward, I found joy in reading again. For context, I read 5 books in 2021 and 132 in 2022. I am a firm believer that it doesn't matter how many books you read a year, it's an accomplishment whether you read one book or a hundred. I was shocked that I was capable of reading that much after years of being in a reading slump. I believe a big reason for this is discovering the romance genre and how much variety there is out there. One thing I love about the romance genre is that it follows a formula. The story, characters and setting may look different but the overall layout of the novels are similar. Characters fall in love, a conflict ensues and then a happy ending.
Currently, I mostly read romance but I do enjoy other genres as well. I love graphic novels and YA. I also enjoy fantasy but read it a lot less than I would like to. I am open to reading more outside of the romance genre, and I am so excited to be able to do so for this class.
I will include a list of my favorite novels and series from the last two years. These are the books that have stuck with me and that I look forward to one day re-reading.
- The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang
- Umma's Table by Yeon-Sik Hong
- After Hours on Milagro Street by Angelina M. Lopez
- Out on a Limb by Hannah Bonam-Young
- Tastes like Shakkar by Nisha Sharma
- The Tea Dragon Society series by K. O'Neill
- Yellowface by R.F. Kuang
Hello! I can definitely appreciate what you said about books that follow a formula. I have a particular love for cozy mysteries which have a pretty standard way of driving the plot regardless of the author. I think they are so great both to read for fun, but also to get out of a reading slump like you mentioned! Sometimes it can be intimidating to try and pick up one of the huge books that's gone viral, and it's comforting to be able to pick up a formulaic read and have a good idea of what to expect!
ReplyDeleteI have never had much of a personal interest in the romance genre, but the way you have described it here makes me want to give it a try! I can connect with what you say about the genre following a general formula - this sounds like how I describe my typical "comfort food" reads. Yes, you may know the gist and where things will end up, but sometimes that's all you need to get enjoyment out of a book. I look forward to hearing more from you this semester!
ReplyDeleteHi Hanna! I ADORE the Tea Dragon Society books! Did you know that there's a card game to go along with them? It's been sold out for awhile. I'm hoping I can get my hands on one someday.
ReplyDeleteEveryone keeps hyping up storygraph - I am going to have to try it out! I'm glad you've fallen back in with reading, but you are so right even if you just read one book it's an accomplishment. Great reading profile!
ReplyDelete