Who Am I as a Reader?
Although I am just a sophomore in high-school without too much experience in reading, I know a good book when I see one. I'm not afraid to admit that I haven't read as much as many of my classmates, but just as a majority of other human beings on this planet, I have read my fair share of books in my lifetime. I started off reading as a young boy, my first "favorite book" being Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendack. The fun, mysterious, and adventurous nature of the book really intrigued me as a young reader; this caused me to re-read it many times over. Of course, though, I still remember how many nights I would go to sleep reading a children's book to my mother, father, or grandmother if she came to visit, reading right up to the point of exhaustion where I'd just conk out. As I got older, I became interested in the more comedic, simple-written books such as the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series by Jeff Kinney. I really liked that series in elementary school just because of how relatable and funny the series was at the time, giving me my second (other than Where the Wild Things Are) most memorable and favorite experience with a book early on in my life. After those books, however, I dropped my desire to read almost entirely. Video games and movies captured my interest in late elementary-school and through middle school, way more than books did. Of course I had the school book projects and mandatory reads for classes, but other than that, I was the opposite of what a hardcore reader would be. In early 2016, however, I read the book called The Enemy by Charlie Higson. That book re-lit the spark for me regarding reading, and has definitely become my new favorite novel. While video games and other distractions still take up the vast majority of my free time, I have definitely noticed a spike in how much I have read since The Enemy.
What kind of Books Do I Enjoy Most?
Just like many other teenagers my age, I can appreciate a good action / adventure novel, or well-crafted science fiction book. I've read many of these kinds of stories (for school projects in many cases), one of my favorite authors being Rick Riordan. Some of his novels that I've read include The Lightning Thief, The Red Pyramid, and The Lost Hero. However, just as I could get lost in a good action / adventure novel, I could get just as captivated by a solid, emotional story as well. I love the kinds of books that actually have meaning and genuinely touching plots and stories, not being afraid to explore touchy subjects. In fact, I would prefer a sad, emotional story over a book that just throws meaningless fights or action in the plot-line. Some absolutely stunning works that I've had the pleasure of reading include, but are not limited to: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper, and of course, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne.
To learn more about each of these excellent novels, just click on their respective images above to be taken to their website!
While I have read quite a few amazing books in the past, there was one novel I read recently that I would definitely deem my favorite book. This spectacular novel is called The Enemy, written by young adult author Charlie Higson. In short, the story follows a group of teenagers and kids trying to survive a zombie apocalypse in London where only those over the age of 14 can get infected. The character development, the character interactions between each other, and the gut-wrenching choices they had to make to ensure the survival of the group captivated me by the end of the first chapter. Even just the premise behind the book was enough was enough to carry me through until the end, but add in the extraordinary writing ability of Charlie Higson, a sense of guilt and a feeling of being on-edge throughout the whole book, and a Walking Dead style story involving TEENS, and you get a sophomore who's completely engrossed and emotionally drained until the novel's very last page. The spectacular word choice in each and every chapter of the book, combined with allusions to real-world products and places sucked me in the world of these mortified teens and kept me there until I was able to force myself to close the book. Not only had that novel left me with an unforgettable reading experience, but it also inspired me to read more books in general. Luckily, to help me along that, there are seven more books in the series to keep me occupied.
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To visit the series' website, click on the book cover above.
Charlie Higson, author of The Enemy
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What Books Don't I Enjoy?
While I'm not against reading books that go out of my comfort zone, there is a certain point where I have to draw a line in the sand. While I will give all books at least a try, I have never, NEVER finished a novel about the "wild west," or Native American literature by choice. It's not that I have a distaste for their respective cultures, it's just that I never liked the vibe I got from reading those kinds of books. It's quite difficult to explain, but the feeling I get when I try to read through one of these kinds of stories always disenchants me with the novel, no matter what the story may be. I've tried reading quite a few novels of these types, just recently trying All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy, and I can never stay interested in them. Before I could even reach the 100th page, I just couldn't will myself to open Cormac McCarthy's novel back up again. The same goes for every other "wild west" OR piece of Native American literature I've encountered without school intervention. Once the school tells me I have to read one though (as a part of lesson plans), I'm stuck reading something that I know I'll dread throughout the whole experience. Other than those kinds, however, I'm willing to read almost any other kind of novel... almost. While they aren't as distasteful in my eyes as N.A. literature or "wild west" stories, teen romance novels geared more towards young women aren't my thing either. I'll admit that if I find one intriguing enough to stick with, I'll most likely stick with it. I have yet to find one that I would read, but I'm sure it's out there somewhere. Unfortunately, many of these kinds of stories I would find in a library like Twilight by Stephenie Meyer have never interested me to the point of even considering reading it. Until I find a novel such as that to suit my needs, I think I'll just stick with the next book in the Enemy series.
How Do I Go About Reading?
When I say "...Go About Reading," what I'm really referring to is every aspect of reading... other than the story itself. When I read, I find it very difficult to just sit down and read for multiple hours straight. If it's not a textbook or novel for school that I forgot to read until the night before an assignment is due, the longest I would hold out on reading is just before two hours. Beyond that and I'll just get bored with the book until I pick up again another time. This even applies to something as sacred to me as The Enemy series. But, while my attention is still kept by the book for those two hours, I prefer to find a comfortable position on my bed or a couch I can spread out on, along with a glass of pop or water and some sort of comfort food. A pretty great combination I have found is a glass of Pepsi or Coca-Cola and a bag of extra-buttery popcorn. Popcorn, pop, and a comfy position on a couch or my bed leads to a wonderful reading experience that I would definitely recommend to anybody. Just make sure to bring a napkin, or else the butter from the popcorn might get on the pages of the novel.
To learn more about each product, just click on their respective images above to be taken to their website.