A Look into the Past: A Bookworm's Journey

By Kelly Bridgewater

I saw Melissa Tagg do this type of blog post during the November Scavenger Hunt, and I really wanted to do the same thing. So I hope I did Melissa justice in copying her post. Here goes:

Age 5:

From Amazon

I started reading at a young age. I really enjoyed getting lost in a good book from the beginning. I loved looking at the pictures and seeing how the words were illustrated by the artist.

My first love were The Bernstein Bears. I loved a story of Mama, Papa, Brother, and Sister Bear who were always getting into trouble. I especially loved the Christmas and Halloween versions. Made me smile.

Age 10:

From Amazon

I went to the library every week and checked out tons of books. I looked forward to the reading program every summer where I earned points and prizes for the number of books I read from my local library.

At his age, I looked forward to Nancy Drew, The Baby-sitters Club, and Encyclopedia Brown. I really enjoyed helping Nancy and Encyclopedia hunt for the clues and try to solve the mystery. Must be where my love of mysteries and thrillers come from. Even today, I lean toward books that have a mystery in them. On the other hand, I enjoyed watching The Baby-sitters Club members, all seven of them, struggle with growing up while baby-sitting to earn money. I enjoyed their journeys.

Age 15:

From Amazon

I still went to the local library and depended on my school library to feed my reading addiction.

I really enjoyed reading Fear Street by R. L. Stine, Christopher Pike, and anything Sweet Valley. I continued my love of mysteries but by this age, the stories have matured a lot and had more blood and scary aspects to them. While I enjoyed mysteries, I really enjoyed following Elizabeth and Jessica Wakefield through their struggles as juniors at Sweet Valley High and freshman at Sweet Valley University. It is a gripping continuing saga involving twin sisters. Love. Hate. Boys. School. It was great for a young teenager to read.

From Amazon

Age 20:

I was a young married woman who had a job at the local Christian bookstore, so my books changed perspective.

 I had read Robin Jones Gunn Christy Miller's series and felt like a normal person because of the troubles that affected the young, inexperienced Christian teenager. I became fascinated with Revelation by reading the New York Bestselling Left Behind series, which opened a whole new genre for me. I found Karen Kingsbury around this time and devoured every novel she wrote.

Age 25:

From Amazon

I went back to college to better myself as a writer and earn my degrees. I had to read a lot of BAD literature but found some treasures in my study of the past writers.

I still read Karen Kingsbury. I discovered Dee Henderson, Terri Blackstock, and Susan May Warren. I couldn't get enough of reading these books. I had a library card from the local library and that is where I went to find all my books. Luckily, our local library is pretty on top of having the latest books as soon as they are published. I would check out anywhere from ten to fifteen books every other week and read them in between my essays writings.

From Amazon

Age 30+:

Today, I still read like crazy. Usually, about 200 books a year. I still love losing myself in a good book, but now I have more time on my hand to read. With the introduction of the Kindle, it is easier to carry TONS of books around at all times. I have about 1000 plus books on my Kindle, and I love knowing if a certain book doesn't capture my attention, I can always switch to another without all the weight.

From Amazon

Right now, I'm obsessed with Sarah Sundin and anything World War II related. World War II and Mysteries are some of my favorite genres, so I look forward to a new book. I have become a fan of historical fiction. Jen Turano, Lorna Seilstad, Julie Lessman, Kristy Cambron, and Cara Putnam are some of my favorite historical writers to date. I can't get into westerns though. Trust me, I have tried a number of times and can't do it. As for mysteries, I LOVE Steven James' Patrick Bower's series.

So what about you, what books have you been reading at pivotal moments in your life. I would love to have a continuing conversation with you about some of your favorite books.