The Fault in My Reading Ethic

Why is it that I always forget how much I love reading until it's summer time? Throughout my childhood, my favorite part of summer was convincing my mom to take me to the library. I was ecstatic if I managed to convince her, and subsequently checked out the maximum number of books you could for the week (it was 10, by the way). I couldn't wait; I would start reading the first one in the car and wouldn't stop until I finished. 

When school started again, I would get caught up in my homework, sports practice, and after school clubs. Gradually, I would make fewer trips to the library until they eventually ceased. I didn't love reading any less; it was just easier to put it off with so much else going on in my life. 

Interning with a company that dealt with authors and eBooks got the reading bug back in me. I brought all my favorite books back with me to Chapel Hill for the summer. I packed the holy trinity of genres: Classics, Fantasy, and of course, Young Adult Romance. I was caught up in Jane Austen's world of romance and intrigue, Inkheart's world of potions and spells, and the magical teenage girl's fantasy world that is a Sarah Dessen novel. (Side note: Yes, I have met Sarah Dessen, and yes, she is as awesome as we all hope she would be.) 

Once I got a tablet, I couldn't wait to download the Kindle app and scour for more books to read. The app is available on any device now, which is wonderful! I use the company I worked for this summer'swebsite to find great deals on free eBooks, which I'm sure my budget appreciates. When pop culture got the best of me, I splurged on The Fault In Our Stars, and fortunately all of the buzz was on point. John Green is a magician of words. His writing is beautiful, and the story is even more so. Books such as these are rare, and really made me remember how much I love to read. 

A part of me will always want to read in the summer; it's unavoidable. It's just a part of it, the same as the smell of sunscreen, the sound of lawn mowers humming along, and the feeling of the warm breeze blowing through when the windows are open. Reading is comforting, exciting, and something I'll always look forward to when school ends and the "freedom"  of summer begins.