Apologies for the late delivery. I had a family emergency at the end of January. Please enjoy the February 1st newsletter on February 3rd.
Thanks to my friend Emelyn, I’m reading again—the kind where you wish you could stay up all night to finish the book.
I actually struggled with learning to read, and I can remember the feeling of hushed worry around teachers and my parents. But at some point, I cracked it and began to excel.
At my elementary school, they used to take you out of class to test your “reading comprehension.” They handed you a piece of paper with a little story on it and questions listed at the end. I consistently scored “above my grade.”
I really started falling in love with reading in 5th grade. My class read Phantom of the Opera, and it was the first time I felt that sweeping, consuming sensation.
It peaked in 7th and 8th grade. I went to a middle school that was attached to a public library. I memorized my 14-digit library card number and started checking out up to 50 books at a time. Do not imagine Matilda!
I was spending my time in the Young Adult section and was stacking up everything I could find. If I found an author I liked, I read everything they ever wrote. If the main character was British, I read it. If the cover looked a little bit “cool,” I added it to my stack.
Because I was insecure about my sexuality, boys, girls, strength, body, hair, style, and popularity, books were very helpful.
For the sake of exercise, I tried to remember some of the titles and authors that resonated.
The Uglies Series: I wanted to be the main character, strong, sharp, and special. My first dystopian taster.
Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging: Classic little British number. Wild and weird. Lots of made-up words.
A Great and Terrible Series: Historical fantasy, a little outside my usual “genre.” Has a small lesbian scene–I credit this book for helping me realize I’m queer.
Girl, 15, Charming But Insane: Another British girl living her wild, young life!
Sarah Dessen: I tried to find the one book that hooked me, but honestly, reading the summaries, they all sound the same. Lots of ordinary girls and flirting. Always includes a dark, negative plot (self-esteem, abuse, family, etc.).
There are more, but trying to find them all made me feel unspooled.
My reading rate dipped when I went to high school, although I did return to my public library to check out books, just less often, and I added CDs and DVDs to the stack cause it was 2007.
In August, on the She’s Friendly podcast, we talked about A Court of Thorns and Roses. The episode is titled The spicy scenes in your book with Emelyn Mizelle, and I gotta say, it lives up!
I can’t say it’s the best book I have ever read, but I am already on book two and have just ordered book three. I wanted something to sweep me up, play with my imagination, and separate me from the world. I got it. And honestly, I can’t wait to keep reading, texting Emelyn live updates about where I am in the book, acting out the facial expressions, and discovering what will happen to Prythian.
HOT – Un-cuffed pants. Alexa Chung. A bowl of Cheerios. Framed art. Room temperature peanut butter. Hand calluses. A nicely folded blanket. New socks and underwear.
NOT – Beer-soaked floor. Baby birds. Jacob Elordi & Timothée Chalamet. Gnats. Mean people. Mockingbirds. Vapes. Overpowering perfume.
“How would you dance, if you knew you were going to die?” - Pina Bausch
