Navigating

 I don't even know why I'm writing this post to be honest.  I think it is more to do with the fact that The Romance Bookie has been there for me, no matter what.  Which is weird, because it's a blog.  But it's my escape.  I don't do a lot of interacting anymore.  I've lost pretty much all of my contacts, which in one sense I am okay with, because when I slowed down The Romance Bookie, it had gotten to the point where it was almost a chore to keep it up.  I didn't want that anymore.  

I started The Romance Bookie to have a place to talk about books.  No one in my life was interested in hearing me blab anymore about what I was reading that day, and I was feeling lonely, and found the perfect thing.  

I've been having a bit of a hard time.  It's taking a toll on me.  Ever since I lost my dad, my life has been a bit darker.  A lot of joy was taken from my life when he passed away very unexpectedly.  One of those joys, was reading.  

I think in the time, since he passed in 2016, I have read maybe two dozen books.  Which would have been unheard of.  Even when my reading had slowed down before that I was still pulling in at least 20-30 books a year.  

I'm very fortunate in that I have my husband, who is my rock.  He is always there for me, no matter what.  He takes care of me in my lowest of lows and all the way up to my highs.  He does everything possible.  And while I can normally pull myself out of it, recently it's been a little extra difficult for some reason.  I have just been having this unbelievable sense of feeling alone recently.  In a way, it's similar to right before I started The Romance Bookie, in that I'm just feeling super judged by the people around me.  

That's really the only way I can explain it.

I know blogging through posts like these isn't really favored anymore in the book world...things seem to have switched to Instagram and YouTube, but I'm trying to find myself again in the book world.  I want this escape back.

Unfortunately, something I realized recently is that I'm not sure what my genre is at this point?  I am turning 30 this year...😱 (*cue the panicked breathing*)

I was 19 when I started The Romance Bookie.  Looking back I just cannot believe what my 20s were.  An unbelievably amount of highs and lows, it's hard to believe it was only a decade of time, but at the same time how fast it flew by.

It feels like just yesterday I was blasting "22" by Taylor Swift in my new (to me) car, on my 22nd birthday!  And now I'm entering my fourth decade in life...

Young Adult was the genre that truly started it all for me.  My reading journey.  

I had read before that, but mainly only when teachers forced me to.  But then my sophomore year when I picked up that first Princess Diaries book, it was all over.

I was hooked.  The library became my best friend, and I went from reading a handful of books a year, to my high of reading 103 in 2012.  

But now, at almost 30, and after having some serious reality checks in my life, I'm having a hard time getting into a lot of Young Adult novels, even rereads of some of my absolute go-to's when I'm in the worst of my reading slumps.  

So I need reading suggestions!!!  HELP!!

I don't even know if anyone will read this at this point.  But I'll try Instagram to get some too.  

I'm currently reading the second Bridgerton book, and am *cough* regretting my decision.  (I'll post my review once I'm done).  

I have a beautiful space in my house, where I can have my space, and have my quiet time (haha as much as you can with a 6 month old).  So I want to lay down on my new couch, with a book in my lap, to enjoy those quiet moments.

Anyway, I promise next time I post, it will be an actual book review!

The Romance Bookie