Books - The Secret Ingredient to Life

I have been a book-lover forever. My parents would read to me when I was younger, and then once I learned to read, I'd read to them. I loved reading so much that my mum would sometimes use it as a punishment.

No Valerie, you CANNOT read today! Go clean your room!

Books were also a prize. If I got good grades I'd get to actually buy a book, instead of just borrowing it from the library.

When I was in elementary and middle school I loved reading non-fiction science books. Anything in the 500s I would devour. Ancient Egypt, the pyramids, Rome, space, spiders - I'd read to learn and better understand all the things I couldn't comprehend.

Beautifully made by: Maggie Appleton

Then I discovered the Young Adult section at Barnes and Noble. My dad and I would go and treat the place like a library; reading books and magazines while my mum went shopping. I'd pick a book from the shelf, then sit on the floor - or if I was really lucky - one of the well-worn sofa chairs and read for hours. Then, the next week I'd do it again until I finished the book. Rinse and repeat.

In high school I became a library volunteer, shelving and scanning the books that people brought in. This meant that I had usually already read a book that was assigned and had help from the librarians if I had any questions on a paper.

My book-nerdiness continued in college where I worked both at my college library and their bookstore simultaneously. And just two years ago I got a job for the city working at one of our many libraries. (Though I have since then quit.)

Visit SAPL to borrow books! 

Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that I've read a lot. And I like to read a lot. My goal in life is to get as big, if not a bigger library than Belle's.

This is my heaven. 

So, in the upcoming weeks I will tell you my Top 10 Favorite Books. Each will have their own post and a link to Goodreads but I will end up putting up the full list here for ease.

If you have any books I should read - leave them in the comments!