How My Reading Taste Has Changed (And Why I’m Not Apologizing)
It involved a family library, a very pretentious phase, and finally embracing “frivolous” books. All my lessons learned, and a free worksheet to explore new genres guilt-free.
The Journal: On Tuesdays, dive into personal essays, reflections, and behind-the-scenes insights from my bookish and personal life.
How My Reading Taste Evolved (And Why Yours Should Too)
Hi Bookish Besties!
Raise your hand if you’ve ever:
Felt guilty for reading “fluffy” books instead of “serious” ones.
Stuck to one genre because you’re afraid or someone told you it was “better.”
Growing up, I was the child who’d read anything—thanks to a grandad who drove me to the library twice a week, a family library stocked with everything from Pride and Prejudice to Paddington, and a grandma’s BFF who owned a bookstore (yes, it was magical). But by my teens, I’d swapped “fun” books for “serious” classics, thinking they’d make me a “better” reader.
Fast-forward to my mid-20s, aka post-university: I got back into more contemporary, albeit more literary, with the occasional mystery and thriller.
Then, a decade later, I discovered the online book community that influenced me to read more widely and across genres. Then I realized—wait—reading for joy isn’t a crime.
So below the paywall, I’m sharing:
The Timeline and Phases of My Reading Evolution (including my cringe literary snob era).
How the Online Book Community Opened Me Up (and introduced me to new genres).
“Genre Exploration Tracker” Worksheet (paid subscribers only!) to help you:
Break up with reading guilt.
Dabble in new genres without pressure.
Track your favorites (but only if you want to).
Not a paid subscriber yet? No pressure—but if you’ve ever wanted to break up with your reading guilt and ease into new genres… this one’s worth the upgrade.
P.S. The February Cozy Guide drops 2/6—spoiler: Galentine’s ideas, best romance recs, and a winter-to-spring challenge to bloom into spring 🌸.