Casual Reads Turn Into Book Obsessed?

Some of us have been bookworms for as long as we can remember and some of us were casual readers who became bookworms at some point...maybe overnight, maybe gradually.

We all have a story of our own...

I think I was always book obsessed! As far back as I can remember my mother was always buying me books and dictionary sets. I'm an only child so I would spend my "playing time" hanging out in my room reading the Little Golden Books (you know you all remember those!!), Grimm's Fairy Tales, and then later on - Wizard of Oz and Heidi (and many others). I, along with Isa, would also go crazyyyyy when it was time to order books from the Scholastic forms! My mother, God bless her, would indulge me and buy me almost all the books I wanted. (Yayyyy!) I would also go absolutely nuts when the book fair would roll around. I remember buying a zillion books, pencils, stickers, posters (yes, I even bought a poster with a kitty hanging from a wire that read "Hang in there" - lol!) Ohhh and I remember buying the big posters with the felt on it that brought the markers. I'd hate it when the markers would get full of felt though - grrr.

During my last few years in elementary I started getting into Sweet Valley High books. I LOVED reading all about Jessica and Elizabeth and would always think how cool it would be to go to that high school. During my preteen years I started reading Goosebumps by R.L. Stine and then later was absolutely obsessed with his Fear Street series! Boy did I LOVE those Fear Street books.

I started getting into Daniel Steel and Oprah's book club during high school. I remember feeling so "big" after finishing "She's Come Undone" by Wally Lamb and "Breathe, Eyes, Memories" by Edwidge Danticat.

Then of course came the Harry Potter series and many many MANY others. **Sigh** Can you tell I love talking about books?! lol

My favorite time in my bookish life was when I met my book soulmate, Isalys. I had finally found someone who shared my love of reading as much as I did and would actually want to go to B&N with me several times a week (and who wouldn't mind spending an obscene amount of hours there!)

So all in all I am proud to say I've been book obsessed all of my life!

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

My house was always surrounded by books; not so much because of me, but because my mom always had her nose in one. She was never big on romances, but more into mysteries & thrillers (as far as I could recall). As a kid, I'd go crazy with those little Scholastic order forms we got in school. I remember reading the books I got, but this was loooong before I became book obsessed.

Before I even knew how to read, my mom would read to me The Berenstein Bears by Stan & Jan Berenstein. Over the years, I would collect them and most of them survived...that is until my twin brothers were born and they would get their sticky little fingers all over them, lol! I still own most of them (at least 40 or so) that I hope to read to my own kids someday.

In middle school, I also read Sweet Valley High and some horror books that I cannot for the life of me remember what they're called, lol. They were probably by R.L. Stein though.

In high school, I'd read whatever was assigned in school but didn't read anything for my own pleasure. Back in 2000, I read Harry Potter & The Sorcerers Stone and that's when things started to change for me. I guess you could say I credit Harry for my love of reading. I soon realized that the reason that I wasn't much of a reader up to that point was because I hadn't yet figured out my own tastes. I also read some Nicholas Sparks, Mitch Albom, and several historical fiction novels.

In April 2008, I met Vanessa and found my book soulmate...and I moved to within minutes of a Barnes & Noble. It's fate, I tell ya! Since then, I've had someone to share my growing love of reading with which in turn led me to becoming book obsessed (I ain't complaining though)! I've also found out that I have several other friends that loved reading too (ie: Nely, Cynthia, Brooke). Even my mom has jumped on our little bandwagon and she's discovered a love for YA that she shares with us.

So in a nutshell, I thank Harry Potter as well as my friends for helping me discover my love of books! Thanks guys =D

Thanks to Reading with Tequila for the topic suggestion!