Reading-It's fun. You should do it too!

I love to read. It seems like a pretty simple statement. But I feel like I hear more and more often from my peers how much they dislike reading. This bothers me. Reading is AMAZING! No. Really. I'm serious. If you disagree with me you should probably consider that you are actually reading right now. It may not be a book, but it is reading. Sorry to surprise you. Please don't stop reading on principle. I take it back. You're not really reading. You're just...um...staring at information. 

Anyway, reading. It's great! You can transport yourself to a lot of really amazing places and worlds. You can completely escape yourself and your surroundings. As a kid I don't think I was ever without a book in my hands. I really couldn't read fast enough. I found series after series in which I would immerse myself. There were times where I thought I was going to wear out my library card, or my library bag! I'm sure there were countless times I was told by a librarian that I was not allowed to check out so many books. As a little girl, I think I made a conscientious effort to make sure I never told a kid they couldn't read something, having had adults say things like that to me. Hearing someone say I couldn't read something only wanted me to read it more.

As an adult, I've stopped reading as often as I had when I was young. I haven't stopped reading all together. I still read probably a handful of books each year. However, when I compare that to the summer I read 10,000 pages, three to four books pales in comparison. I've made all the regular excuses. I've got required reading for school, papers to grade, friends to visit, television to watch, I need to go the store, the gym, the insert appropriate location here. But really, in the end it's just a bunch of excuses. That being said, my goal for the new year is to read more books. I know that a "SMART" goal requires me to quantify how many books I'm going to read and by when, but I don't feel like I can. I feel like the best way for me to accomplish my goal is to just hold myself accountable for reading things I enjoy, and I can also allow for life to get in the way. 

Today, I finished reading a book I started yesterday. I can't remember how long it's been since I've completed a book in a day or so, but today I was completely sucked into this book. And, I was able to sit down and do nothing but be swallowed up by the story. The book is called The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, and if you haven't read it you should. Seriously. It is a beautifully written book about a world that takes place in the future. In this world, the United States no longer exists and has been taken over by another more punitive government. There are twelve districts and each year the government chooses one boy and one girl from each district to fight to the death in the hunger games. This story is part of a three part series following a girl in her fight during the hunger games. After I finished this book, I immediately regretted the fact that I didn't have the next book in the series, Catching Fire, sitting just beside me. 

I really can't wait to read the next book in the series. I have a new stack of books at home to read, and am bringing my books back to my apartment from my parents place as well. There are a bunch in that pile that I either haven't read or want to reread. Hopefully all of this will help keep me on track to read more in the new year. And besides all that I can give you stunning book recommendations! Or not, but at least I know that anyone who managed to read this long, can't hate to read.