How Traveling Rekindled My Love For Reading

I developed a love for reading pretty early in life, and as a kid I learned I could read REALLY fast. Like, I read each Harry Potter book in the first 24 hours after release fast (aged myself a little bit there). I’d often lose track of time, I was that engrossed in a book. Hours would go by in what I thought were minutes, and sometimes I’d even forget to eat! But like most people, after college I pretty much stopped reading cold turkey thanks to becoming an adult with responsibilities.

If I’m being generous, I MAYBE read 5 books in the decade after I graduated from college. I never really felt like I had the time to dedicate to a book. Reading just fell by the wayside between our cross country moves, job changes, wedding, and everyday life. But that all changed with our trip to Italy.

Spring 2022

Before we left, I knew I needed to find things to do while we traveled by plane or train. I realized I’d likely get tired of streaming movies/shows or doom scrolling on social media for 2 weeks. So I thought, why not start reading a series I keep seeing people rave about online: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas. Just like that I was hooked, I finished book one on the plane! By the time we landed back in the United States I’d finished all 5 books in the series, and I’ve since read almost every book she has written (but that’s a whole different story).

In the last year and a half since that trip, I’ve read 86 books. EIGHTY. SIX. I honestly hadn’t realized the number was that high. Maybe I’m a little obsessed? SO MANY great fantasy romance novels are being published right now. Or maybe this is just me making up for that decade of lost time. Who can really be sure? All I know is, if I hadn’t taken that trip I’m not sure I’d have picked reading back up again.