Reading Update 1/4/19

Hey, hi hello friends!

Welcome to the first reading update of 2019! I can't believe it's already 2019. I just got chills.

So, I spent New Years Day (and all the days after so far) with a horrible headcold. I have what my mom fondly refers to as my "barking seal" cough - because it sounds like a seal is screaming at you every time I open my mouth.

Because of this I haven't been up on my reading game. I, of course, read The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, a tradition of mine that is now five years old. It's the first book I read every year. When I first read this book I was in a tough spot in school and this made me believe that anything and everything could be possible. I really appreciate what this book has to offer to the world. 

I wanted to read something new afterward, to start the year of strong, but my head was so fuzzy that I wasn't sure I would be able to retain any of the information I would be reading. So I decided to pick up a well worn classic (at least on my shelves), Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell. I first read this book last summer, so it's not been very long between rereads. But I found it appropriate to read this, since next week I'm heading back to college for the spring semester after taking a year off due to mental incapacity. Because of this, I really relate to Cath. (If you want to read more about my thoughts on this book, check out my post A Fan of Fangirl.)

So now I'm finished with Fangirl. Again, I really want to pick up something new, but I'm still in such a sick-fog that I think I'll just do another reread of a book. I still have to read The Raven King to complete my reread of the series, so I think I will do that. Hopefully by the time I'm done with that book, my cold will be gone and I can finally pick up some new material. I also need this cold to be over soon since I'm moving back up to school, so not only do classes start next Monday, but I have a lot of videos to film before I'm back up there, when I still have access to all of my books at once. The one I'm really determined to film before I go back up is my "Books I'm Taking to School" video, because I want to be able to take my time with choosing. Obviously it's not permanent and my books will still be here at my house, but it feels like an important step, choosing which of the many books you own to bring with you and present in your dorm room for anyone to see. I feel like what people bring to college says a lot about them. Or maybe that's just me. 

So I think that's what I'm going to do. Read The Raven King, will myself to get over this damn cold, film as many videos as I can, and then focus on packing up for college and choosing a new read to enjoy. 

That's all for now, folks!