How I Embraced My Reading Guilty Pleasures (And Why You Should Too)
From hiding my books to owning my "trashy" reads—why guilty pleasures are a myth and how to read unapologetically, plus 5 tips to embrace your own bookish guilty pleasures.
The Journal: On Tuesdays, dive into personal essays, reflections, and behind-the-scenes insights from my bookish and personal life.
Owning My ‘Guilty’ Reading Pleasures (And Why You Should Too)
Hi Bookish Besties!
Let’s talk about guilty pleasures.
Raise your hand if you’ve ever:
Hidden a book cover so no one would judge your read.
Called your favorite genre “just a guilty pleasure” to downplay it.
Felt embarrassed about your love for reality TV, fanfiction, or comics.
If so, I get it—because I’ve been there too.
For years, I treated my reading life like an audition for an imaginary literary panel. If a book wasn’t “serious” or “worthy,” I felt I had to read it in secret or not talk about it. And don’t even get me started on my Real Housewives obsession. That was the kind of thing I played off as silly when, really, it was appointment television for me.
It also didn’t help that readers I knew never admitted or shared that they liked fantasy or comics. So, I started hiding my “guilty pleasures” behind the more serious books on my shelf. I’d jokingly call them my “junk food reads” to excuse my love for them.
But why do we feel the need to apologize for the stories that bring us joy?
Here’s what I’ve come to believe:
Guilty pleasures are a scam.
The phrase implies we should apologize for joy—that some books are “worthy” and others are “shameful.” But who decides? The literary police? (Spoiler: They don’t exist.)
Where Did "Guilty Pleasures" Come From?
Historically, “guilty pleasure” labels have been used to dismiss genres beloved by women, marginalized voices, and books that prioritize fun. Romance, fantasy, YA, fan fiction, comics, reality TV, adaptations and tie-ins—these are media and art that often get side-eyed. Plus, they have all been dismissed as "lesser" forms of storytelling at one point or another.
But let’s be honest: if a book brings joy, escape, comfort, or catharsis, why should anyone feel guilty about that?
The Truth About Reading Joy
Every book serves a purpose. Some challenge us, some comfort us, and some offer an escape when we need it most. The idea that we should feel guilty for reading something “fun” is nonsense.
So today, I’m throwing out the guilt. I’m sharing:
My journey from “guilty” to “unapologetic” reading—including three categories I once kept secret.
5 Tips to Ditch Reading Guilt (because life’s too short for literary snobbery).
A Fun Challenge: To help you reclaim your joy.
Not a paid subscriber yet? No pressure! But if you’ve ever wanted to ditch reading guilt and read exactly what you love without judgment… this one’s worth the upgrade.
P.S. The 2025 Spring Reading Guide is coming soon! I just finalized the cover design with my illustrator and you can get a preview below.