The Rise of a Literary Phoenix

Phoenix with wings on fire, lifting from a pile of open books. Sunrise, mountains in background.

My childhood home was a sanctuary for books. My parents, avid readers themselves, instilled in me a love for literature. So, it came as no surprise that I always found solace in the pages of a good book. However, over the years as life got busier and responsibilities piled up, my reading habits changed.

It wasn't until recently that I took a moment to reflect on why I had veered away from being a versatile reader. By the age of 25, my reading had been confined mostly to the Bible and Christian devotionals. While these texts held their own significance in my life, I realized that I had unintentionally limited myself from exploring the vast array of genres and authors out there.

A turning point came when I decided to step out of my comfort zone and explore a local book club in my new hometown. Surrounded by enthusiastic readers discussing everything from gripping book series to captivating mysteries, I felt a spark reignite within me. Hearing the passion in their voices and the diversity of their literary preferences excited my heart. 

It's been liberating to dive into different genres, discover new authors, and immerse myself in stories that spoke to me on a deeper level. Over the past year, I realized that my love for reading was not lost but merely waiting to be rediscovered in new and unexpected ways. I am now a literary phoenix!

Today, I celebrated completing my 19th book of the year and I still have 7 months to go! So I am filled with gratitude to be brought back to the joy of reading because I find myself often choosing to grab a book instead of social media scrolling! So with my goal of reading 24 books this year well within reach, I am excited to continue exploring the bookstore landscape and discovering new worlds.

Screenshot of my Goodreads 2024 reading challenge percentage