I love to read! There are a bunch of people who would agree with me. I mean, reading is so much fun. There are a lot of factors that go into choosing your next read. Many places where you can get the books, a lot of authors who devote their life to writing books, and tons of great genres too. And with every book comes a story, a new world to discover. There are good books and there are bad books. Some are popular and some aren’t. So, if you happen to be in a reading slump or just want to know your next read, this article can help you continue the journey.
Rylee Pickett is one of the few people who can help with this task. Though it is hard to fit it into her busy schedule, she reads any moment she can. In fact, she grabs a book after class on most days, which usually means she gets an hour of reading time a day.
If she would rate reading in general (the importance, the enjoyment, etc.), she would rate it a 9/10.
“I don’t rate it a complete ten because I just feel like I can only read when it’s the perfect book,” Pickett explains, “I can’t read when it’s not really interesting but if I like the book then I love to read…I loved reading over the summer. But now that school has started I read a little less but love to pick up a book when I can.”
She specifically favored the Colleen Hoover books. Hoover’s books are quite popular. She does romance mostly, but also has some mysteries and thrillers. Another popular opinion that Pickett shares is that nonfiction books aren’t as enjoyable as others.
“[My favorites are] romance books. And I really like murder mysteries too. You know, books that make you feel something.”
While Pickett reads her enjoyment, she recognizes the value in her hobby. “I do think that reading is important because if you’re struggling or going through something or just need to get away from reality, then a book will always help take you out of reality. It puts you in its own story instead of you having to dread the day.” Pickett said.
Junior Kylie VanNess favors reading over other hobbies as well. She can’t find much time now but when she did in the summer she believed she read around five hours a day, so she had a lot of books under her belt.
“[A popular book to read is] Shatter Me (by Tahereh Mafi), I have heard a lot about that one,” VanNess suggests, “[And my favorite authors would have to be] Cassandra Clare or Shannon Messenger. I love Cassandre Clare.”
Another great example is Freshman Blair Shroyer. This girl is all about those books. She is always reading; knows all the good ones, popular ones, ones to hate on, and she is very passionate about them. When she finds time, she can read a 300 page book in a day. Shroyer definitely thinks reading is important and would rate reading a confident ten on her scale.
“[Reading is important] because it helps with analysis and your creativity. When you can read and understand what’s being said, it is a lifelong skill. It also helps with communication,” Shroyer said.
Don’t overestimate her love for reading, she does have some least favorite things about reading too.
“[Some least favorites are] ‘They Both Die at the End’, I hate ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’ and then ‘City of Bones’, the ending was just brutal.”
On that note, Shroyer also states some of her well liked books.
“Popular books that I know of right now are mainly just going to be a lot of romance books. I actually have a whole list of them. There is the Off-Campus series, the Briar U series, All of the Ana Huang books, specifically Twisted, I love twisted. All the Cassandra Clare books,” Shroyer said. “I love The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien. It is definitely one of my favorite standalones.”
Some popular books that haven’t been mentioned yet are; Fourth Wing by Rebbeca Yarros, A Touch of Darkness series by Scarlett St. Clair, and The ACOTAR series by Sarah J. Maas. These are action packed, fantasy and romance books. Some of my favorite books are The Inheritance Games series by Jennifer Lynn Barnes. It is filled with a bit of romance, mystery and problem solving, and drama.
