Saturday, January 9, 2021

How Did I Become a Bookworm?

 I haven't written many book reviews when you consider how many books I've read in my life.  The reason why is because I don't want to inadvertently ruin the book for someone by mentioning a twist or alluding to something I saw in the book that they interpreted differently until much later.

A stack of books on a table at the beach is a true sign you're in the presence of a bookworm!
Image from Pixabay

Hi, my names Louanne and I'm a bookworm, I've been a bookworm for as long as I can remember certainly before I started school.   My parents always read to us before going to bed (until we wanted to read by ourselves) and my mum told me a few years ago about dad trying to skip a few pages and make up the story in order to get me asleep quicker and I would get quite pretentious in telling him - that's not what it says and making him start again!

My daughter went into daycare from about 14 months old and I was told by the staff what a large vocabulary she had.   Like my parents before me, I had always read to her because, in my opinion, teaching a child to read a book is like ensuring they will always be able to choose their own adventures.

There are books on every topic and if your child loves space they only have to find a quiet space and the right book and they can transport themselves onto a new planet or a spaceship and have an absolute ball.   If they want to become dragon slayers, fairies, or pirates - there are books available for all of them.

I have always read a wide variety of books, both fiction and non-fiction and I credit this habit of reading for allowing me the ability to think outside of the box and also for doing well at trivia quizzes!

When I was younger I used to read at least one book a day and I collected Bookworm Certificates at school so often the teacher couldn't believe how much I read, she actually told my parents, "Louanne doesn't read books, she inhales them."   I've always remembered that because I was going to put it on my author bio when I published all of my literary works.   Well writing a book hasn't happened (I'd much rather read!), but a couple of my friends (and reviewers on this site) have done so.

Beverley Owens has written some great cozy mysteries, check out her Amazon page here

Barbara Tremblay Cipak - has written riddle books which are so much fun (although sometimes frustrating!), check out her Amazon page here.

What Kind of Bookworm Are You?

Throughout my life people have always asked me one of two questions - who's your favorite author? or what genre of books do you like to read?

I really can't pick a favorite author, there are just so many.   When I was younger I remember loving

Malory Towers & St Claires books by Enid Blyton that inspired a generation of girls to beg their parents to be allowed to go to boarding school
Enid Blyton books
Enid Blyton and I would alternate between preferring the Famous Five or the Secret Seven (the Secret Seven won out the most!).   I can remember getting a few of her books as sets for Christmas - Malory Towers & St Claires and I loved that as it wasn't just one book, but a whole set.   After inhaling both these sets I really, really wanted to go to boarding school!

I also found a fondness for Agatha Christie as a teen as she was one of my nan's favourite authors, my nan also introduced me to these cheap little paperback mystery books (the name of the series escapes me now) that were written to be consumed quickly and by a range of different authors.   They were written in much the same style as cozy mysteries which I think is probably why I love settling down with them.

I also discovered Ruth Rendall as a teen and after reading A Murder of Crows was thoroughly hooked.   At the same time as I was reading these, my best friend was delving into the books of Jean Plaidy.  Of course, I had to see what she was reading and so I started 'inhaling' historical fiction as well.

What' genre of books do I like to read is also too hard to answer as I'm sure you can tell from the above paragraph!

When I had finished all the Ruth Rendall & Jean Plaidy books in our local library I decided to pivot and started to read biographies.   I just grabbed the biographies without worrying who they were about - some people I had never heard of before!  I read every biography in the library, some were boring but the majority were so interesting and now and then they'll be a trivia question and I'll say the answer without thinking and I have no idea how I knew it.   Reading - it's great for building knowledge!

When I was 18 &19 I lived with my Gran for nine months and her favorite author was Catherine Cookson so I found myself devouring all of those.  She also enjoyed Danielle Steele.

After that, I tended to alternate between whodunnits and family sagas.   I had moved to a smaller town when I was 19 so I would start reading an author and then read every book the library had by that author before trying a new one.   It was a great way of getting to know new authors, it was where I first came across Penny Vincenzi and I would put her new book title on my Christmas list for several years afterward.

The Kindle - Perfect for the bookworm on the go
I have the Kindle Paperwhite
Gradually I started adding 'Chick Lit', psychological thrillers & John Grisham to my book lists.  It seems like the only type of book genre I haven't really been able to immerse myself in is science fiction.   I prefer my Sci-fi on the screen.

I am now in my 50s and finally have a kindle which doesn't stop me from reading actual books, by the
way, it just seems to mean I read even more!   I have started to add personal development books into the mix.

Let's have a look at a few of the books I have reviewed here on Review This, let me know which one's you've read as I wouldn't dream of asking you for a favorite author or genre!







Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


7 comments:

  1. Wow Lou, you really have a whole library of books right here on your reviews. I'm a bit of a bookworm myself, but became so later in life. In my younger years I was busy working! Not much time for the books other than school books. These days I seem to go between historical novels and murder-mysteries! I am trying hard to broaden my likes and have delved into biographies lately. Great review and I loved The Alice Network!

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  2. Louanne, my bookworm life is very similar to yours. I was read to from an early age by my mom, then did the same with my own children. I had my daughter, at age 4, take a storybook I was trying to hurry through one night by skipping pages away from me and begin to read the lines I had 'skipped'. Until then, I did not know that she had taught herself to read. :) I, too, am a voracious reader and read 4-5 books a week. I've been known to read even more, but then the housework, etc. gets ignored. LOL. I still prefer holding actual books in my hand, thus do not have a kindle. I have an extensive home library of mostly mysteries by favorite authors I've collected over the years. I also like to re-read my books by these authors, which came in real handy over the past few months while my library was closed. I think I reread every book I own from March to September when the library reopened. Now am catching up on new books. :) I could go on and on as reading is my favorite subject.

    Funny to see your book review above of "Right Behind You" by Rachel Abbott, as I just finished reading "Right Behind You" by Lisa Gardner. I used to think that authors could copyright titles, but found out that is not so. Anyone can use the same book title someone else used. Personally, I find that confusing. LOL.

    Anyway, enjoyed 'reading' about your love of reading, as I am right there with you. Happy Reading! ~Elf

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  3. Lou, I enjoyed reading about your children and how you developed a love for all books as a child. I thought the story about your dad was especially funny. I used to read to my children every night and I do remember a few times when I was so sleepy myself that I tried to rush through. I was never creative enough to make up a story like your dad did though. I was fascinated by the fact that you read biographies in your teen years. I doubt I have ever known anyone else who was drawn to biographies in their youth. Like you, I don't remember a time in my life that I didn't have a book as a companion. Reading is such a great joy in addition to educational. There really is something for everyone!

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  4. I remember my Mom complaining that I always had my nose in a book. I can't remember a time when I didn't love reading and I will have to stay during the pandemic this past year, reading has certainly given me a place to go! All you need is a book and you can go anywhere. Thanks for an interesting review.

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  5. Lou, teaching kids to read and instilling a love for books at an early age is a gift that lasts a lifetime! My late parents devoured books at at astonishing rate, too, especially considering how long and hard they worked. According to them, I was reading articles from the New York Times at the breakfast table even before I started nursery school, lol!

    I especially enjoy historical non-fiction and fiction, cozy mysteries, Nora Roberts/J.D. Robb, romance, biographies and autobiographies, and fantasy - especially Sir Terry Pratchett’s amazing Discworld series, which I adore! Like you, I prefer my sci-fi stories on the screen (and, ideally, with a bit of comic relief from time to time).

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  6. Your ability to absorb books reminds me of my mother and my niece. Like you they inhale books! I can't believe how fast they can read! I've enjoyed the odd the fiction book over the years but I tend to read informational articles, some history etc. Maybe one of these days I'll try a good fiction book again. Thanks so much for mentioning my riddle books, I really appreciate that!

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  7. Wonderful to hear of your love of books. Loved reading about how you became a bookworm! I grew up in a home surrounded by books.My Mum in particular was also a bookworm. She instilled in us a real love of reading and books and I will be forever grateful to her. It is a real gift. Whether its a novel taking you away to another place, another world, another time, or an information type book learning something new or more about a loved subject, its the reading that is important. I feel so comfortable in any home where there are bookcases full of books :)

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