Books: they’re all around us , and have been for centuries. Despite their ancient appeal, there must be something special about them for them not to become outdated by recent technology. What is that special quality attached to them? Emotion.

People across the world read books to feel hope, love, happiness, sorrow; Or in some cases utilize them as coping mechanism.

Personally, I read because it’s a fun and  creative way to spend time, rather than partaking in trivial and less than stimulating activities.  I’d rather teleport to the mystical world of Caraval, fight demons in The Dark Artifices, or even travel to Europe with my best friend in I See London, I See France. I’ve read more books than I can count,  and every second of it “was one stolen from paradise” as Mr. Thomas Wharton would say.

My love for reading first began when I was in the fifth grade. However, prior to me discovering this passion, reading had always seemed like a chore that was mandated by my primary school teachers. Hence, I would deliberately procrastinate on  reading assignments because I simply didn’t find it interesting.

However, the very first book series I recall genuinely liking was The Hunger Games.  Despite my lack of enthusiasm for reading, this best selling trilogy, lit a spark in my soul, and all I needed was the flame.

It was the Christmas of  2014 when my friend had introduced me to the  Divergent series by Veronica Roth. She let me borrow her book and once I started reading, I physically could not put it down. I brought it with me everywhere. In the car, to the store, to church, and even to the bathroom. When I was supposed to be doing homework, I would be reading;  barely being attentive to my assignments. In school, I soon became known as “the girl who’s always reading.” However, as Adam Stanley says, “It’s better to have your nose in a book than in someone else’s business.”

Divergent was the book that made me fall in love with reading, as I had never in my life, (aside from The Hunger Games,) read anything like that before. I had never felt so much emotion and such a strong attachment to characters like I did with those in Divergent. When Tris died, I felt like my heart was being ripped from my chest and that Veronica Roth was doing the Mexican hat dance on it. I don’t think I had ever cried so hard and for so long.

After that, I was on a mission to read as many books as I possibly could find. I would go to Target or Barnes and Nobles and spend hours in the YA book section, (as I still do) reading different synopses and trying to decide which five out of 10  books I could choose to take home. My mom would even get irritated with me because I would take so long, and nearly hyperventilate at the sight of a book I recognized.

Although, not everyone is as dedicated to reading books as much as I am. As ERHS student Ezra Stockwell says, “Reading isn’t really my go to activity during my free time because usually I’m either too busy, or spend most of my time doing homework; so when I do have free time, I actually prefer to sleep.”

However,  in my spare time, I’ve accumulated over a hundred books and read nearly all of them; while even some I’ve read twice. My passion for reading has fulfilled  my life and has made it so much richer.

As Cassandra Clare, author of The Shadowhunter Chronicles, says, “If you believe only in facts and forget stories, your brain will live, but your heart will die.”