For me, the book that started it all was To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han. I’ve always been a hopeless romantic, and this book was what made me fall in love with reading. I was in Grade 7, and my family was spending the summer at our cabin where we didn’t have Wi-Fi, so there wasn’t much to do. Before we left, my mom took us to the bookstore, and that’s where I picked it up. Once I started reading, I couldn’t put it down, I finished the entire book in three days. The next time we went into town, I begged my mom to take me back to the bookstore so I could buy the next two books in the series. These books follow classic teenage romance, where the awkward girl somehow ends up with the sporty, popular boy next door.

How Do I Feel About Reading?

For me, reading is an escape. I love getting lost in a good book and being fully pulled into the story. I read for fun and for connection, especially with the characters. My relationship with reading has gone in and out over time, depending on where I am in life. During the semester, I struggle to read for pleasure because I’m focused on schoolwork and assigned readings. But when winter or summer break comes around, I get to fall in love with reading all over again.

What Types of Books Do I Like to Read?

I love fiction novels, especially romance. My favourite kind are books with alternating chapters, where you get to see both characters’ perspectives. I find it so interesting to see the contrast in their thoughts and emotions.

Hobbies

Outside of reading, I have a lot of hobbies that I love. These include running, going to the gym, exploring the outdoors with my dog, and spending time with my friends and family.

Favourite Authors

My favourite author is Jenny Han, who wrote the To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before series as well as The Summer I Turned Pretty. Another author I’ve recently fallen in love with is Liana Cincotti. I just finished her book Picking Daisies on Sundays, which immediately led me to her next book, Don’t Be in Love, which will be my next read. The reviews for Picking Daisies on Sundays on Goodreads truly speak for themselves.

What Have I Been Doing Since Last Semester?

For the first two weeks of winter break, I worked a lot and got to reconnect with people I care about at work. During the semester, school is my top priority, so I don’t get to work as much as I’d like. I really appreciate the opportunity to work more when breaks come around. After those two weeks, I celebrated an early Christmas with my dad’s side of the family, since we were heading to Belize for the holidays.

Once we arrived in San Pedro, Belize, I spent my time by the ocean, soaking up the sun, reading, reconnecting with my sisters, and exploring the beautiful town and culture. It was truly an amazing trip, we met some of the kindest people and saw incredible wildlife. One day, we took a catamaran tour to the barrier reef and Shark Ray Alley, where we swam with nurse sharks, sea turtles, and stingrays at Hol Chan Marine Reserve. It was one of the most incredible experiences of my life, and I’m so grateful I got to be part of it. During the tour, we also visited Caye Caulker, a nearby island that was split in two by a hurricane. I loved learning about the island’s history and how it has grown and adapted since that disaster.

What Subjects or Topics Do You Like to Learn About?

I love learning about history. It doesn’t matter which part, ancient civilizations, wars, discrimination, politics, I’m interested in it all. I love understanding our story and how we got to where we are today. Learning about history helps us understand where people are coming from and even recognize biases we may have without realizing it.

If You Could Read a Book About Anything, What Would It Be?

At the end of the day, I’m still a hopeless romantic, so I would choose any cheesy romance book that feels like a 2000s rom-com.

Questions are inspired by text from: Source: Bright, R. (2021). Sometimes Reading is Hard. Pembroke Publishers Ltd.