Most people who know me can tell you how much I love reading but it hasn't always been this way.
When I was in primary school I was tested for dyslexia and spent some time in a specialised class. This didn't last for too long and it was instead noted as a problem with being distracted or disinterested rather than an actual learning disorder. Still till the age of 8 or 9 I wrote back to front and from right to left. It was if I was writing in a mirror. Strange I know.....
Reading, hand in hand with the above was a bottom priority for me. I really didn't enjoy reading alone let alone out loud. I remember that every reading time I would pick a book with very few words or something like where's Wally with absolutely no words. My mum used to get so frustrated when reading with me because I'd start reading from the page then get distracted and start making things up....
I read my first full story at the age of 10 and it was called "the family from one end street". A story I remember to this day as a simple war time tale. I then didn't read for many years and that caused some problems especially when it came to my years of GCSE. It was at that point that my mum, even though she tried for many years really pushed me to read more. This came as a result after a particular parents evening where a teacher informed her that I may not pass English if I didn't start reading more.
The first book adult book anyway that I gave a go was called "The clan of the Cave Bear". This is a large book with an adult target audience about a neanderthal clan. When I picked this up my mum stared at me with disbelief as it was too large and too formal a tale she thought to get me started. She was trying to convince me to read a handful of teen books she had chosen for me but no, I had decided. That was it... From that book I was hooked. Although my mum's collection of books had always been available to me, suddenly I was getting through them quicker than she could. Everything from James Patterson through to Stephen King and lots in-between.
Since then and especially since leaving school I've built a big relationship with books. I personally don't believe in re-reading books. Why, when there are millions if not billions of books in the world would you choose to keep reading the same thing? I want to try all genres and different authors! In the famous words of veruca salt of the famous willy wonka and the chocolate factory "I want it all".
Currently I have a mini work book club where we share books and spend our time (probably too much time) discussing the books at length deciding if we liked the plot and endings. I have also got a long standing family book club which includes my mum, Aunt, nanna and one of my besties Ruth. Recently my other halfs mum has been sharing some of the books too however she is a little less varied with her reading tastes so she's not exclusively part of the reading club.
I love to encourage others to read without pushing them and I particularly love it when someone falls in love with reading. Even happier when they fall in love with one of the books I've suggested or already read. My top tips for readers out there is Goodreads! This website is great for keeping track of books you've read but also sharing with fellow book lovers the hits and misses. I always think its good to leave a written review so people get a feel of why you like or dislike. Everyone's different so you may not like a book for an abrupt ending, but that may be the very reason someone else may love it.
So what am I reading at the moment. My last book was a real drag so i've gone back to a comfort read. For me James Patterson books are always varied but written in the same comfortable style which is so easy and quick to read. His books which he is still smashing out a couple of time as year, are always my reliable comfort read to get me back into the swing of things. See what i'm reading on my goodreads profile and let me know what you think.
Thats all I have for now folks. I hope you enjoy and if you do, Please let me know!
Peace out 🕊☮
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