Reading Profile

I have been an avid reader my whole life, reading everything and anything that I can get my hands on. My love for reading started when my parents would read a book to my brother and me without fail each night. When we got older, they would actually talk to us about the books that we were reading and getting us to discuss them and identify what we liked. I think this was so vital to creating my love of reading and as Nesi states “when kids find books they love to read, they become stronger readers—and that in turn increases the chance that they’ll become lifelong readers who will read for pleasure” (Nesi). Both my parents worked at Allen County Public Library, for a majority of my childhood, so I like to say that I practically grew up in that library. When I could read on my own, there was never a time when I didn’t have a book with me for those spare moments in the day where I could sneak off and read; this habit has continued with me into adulthood, as I always have a book in my bag or close to me. According to my Goodreads account, I have read just about 675 books since I began tracking my reading in 2009. Feel free to add me if you would like!

Like I said, my reading is really varied, and I attribute some of this to having a BA in English. I tried by best to take a variety of classes that would force me to read outside of my comfort zone, and a lot of the time I found genres or authors that I never would have picked up otherwise but that I love now. Typically, I stay in the genres of YA, mysteries, thriller, suspense, science fiction, classics, fantasy, non-fiction, biographies, historical fiction, etc. You name it and I have probably read a book in that genre. I have to say, though, that I do have a big love for young adult fiction, always have and always will. I am on the Elliot Rosewater selection committee this year, so I will be reading quite a bit of YA fiction in 2018. The only genres that I can say that I have not enjoyed thus far are westerns and romance. However, I am still open to trying books in these genres, because I realize that books vary greatly within a genre.

What I look for in a book is a solid, interesting writing style and good development of characters. No matter how interesting a books premise is, if it is lacking in the actual implementation of the idea, I have no qualms about leaving a book unread. I know some people will try to push through and finish it, but I am not one of them.

To try and limit myself to top favorite books or authors is a crazy notion to me, because there are just so many that I have enjoyed immensely. Thus, I will list some of my favorites that I read in the last couple of years.  


  •  All the bright Places by Jennifer Niven
  •  Room  by Emma Donoghue
  • Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
  • Hook's Tale: Being the Account of an Unjustly Villainized Pirate by John Leonard Pielmeier
  • Snowflower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See
  • The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith
  • Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
  • Atonement by Ian McEwan
  •  Embassytown by China by MiĆ©ville
  • Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri
  • Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas
  • Scythe by Neal Shusterman



Nesi, Olga. “It’s All About Text Appeal.” School Library Journal, 1 Aug. 2010, www.slj.com/2010/08/students/its-all-about-text-appeal/#_.

Comments

  1. I am also a person who has no qualms about putting down a book that doesn't grab my attention or interest. I believe that there are too many good to great books out there that want my attention to be spending my time on less developed books.

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    1. Mary,

      That is exactly my thinking! Why waste time on a book when there are others that I know I will enjoy.

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  2. I wish I had the willpower to put down a book I don't like. I too often find myself hate reading because I hate quitting! Great reading profile! I'm almost done with Scythe and I LOVE it soo far!

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    1. Neal Shusterman has always been one of my favorite authors and Scythe definitely does not let you down! I actually have the second one checked out right now, my library just got it and I called first dibs!

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  3. It must have been awesome growing up in a library! I envy your ability to read in the 'spare moments' of the day. I'm the exact opposite, getting distracted very easily, so I have to carve out chunks of time where I know I'm going to be alone to read! After seeing Hook's Tale on your fave list I really want to read it, I always loved anything Peter Pan!

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    1. Dustin,

      I absolutely adored Hook's Tale. I was a fan of Peter Pan growing up, and thought why not give it a chance. I read it in a day, it was the kind of book that had me staying up way past what I should have just to finish it. Hope you enjoy it too!

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  4. Scythe is one of my favorites that I read last year. I can't wait to read the next book. You mention that you haven't really been able to find a romance that you've liked. Since you like fantasy you might like Lord of the Fading Lands by C. L. Wilson. It is a paranormal/fantasy romance but the world building in this series is amazing.

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    1. Thank you for the recommendation! I will definitely put that onto my list to try. I am happy that you mentioned the world building, because details like that are what really sells me on a book.

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  5. Hi Andrea! Count me in as someone who feels no compunction about giving up a boring or poorly written book. I also find that I will throw a book across the room if I hate the characters. I have such a prejudice about YA books, but I did read a Frances Hardinge book, Cuckoo Song, in our Materials for Youth class last semester that I loved so I'm trying to be more open minded.

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    1. Hi Katie,

      I have definitely been there with wanting to throw a book across the room. Especially when authors veer sharply with a plot twist, and when I am really invested in the characters. But I think this is also so great, because it shows just how skillful that author was to get you so attached to what is going on in a work of fiction!

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