DISCUSSION: Why Books Are Important in My Life | The Time and Place Book Tag

Here’s another addition of my new Discussion segment on the blog, thanks to Vivatramp for the 100 Book Blog Post Ideas! This time, I’m here to discuss the Time and Place Book Tag. 

I think it’s great how books create moments for me as a reader. They’re not just pieces of paper with words on them. They create spaces for me to recognize meaningful moments in my life, no matter how bad or good or bad it may end up being when I close the book. There is a sense of reality in fiction, especially when characters and settings take place in situations that I can relate to, or may know someone who has gone through similar situations. 

That being said, here are ten books that have been there for me in specific moments in my life, as part of the Time and Place Book Tag, created by Jen Campbell: 

Pick ten books from your shelves that you associate with a specific time and place in your life. Tell us the story behind your choices and what the books are about.

10. Under My Skin by Laura Diamond – I remember reading this and bawling my eyes out because I’d never read a book that had focused heavily on crippling depression and taking prescription drugs in a hardcore way. It was a scary reading experience but woke me up and made me more compassionate towards people with depression.
9. Room by Emma Donaghue – I’d read this with my book club in 2016, but the movie starring Brie Larson and Jacob Tremblay started my craze with it. I just thought baby Jacob was so cute and adorable!
8. What She Left Behind by Ellen Marie Wiseman – Another book club book I’d read that I’d had good feelings about.
7. How to Be a BAWSE by Lilly Singh – I’d read Lilly’s debut book last year, and her methods were both hilarious, entertaining and inspiring! I was already a huge TeamSuper member, but now I’m all in!!
6. Starfish by Akemi Dawn Bowman – I read this last year as well, and there were so many moments that I related to the main character, Kiko, personally because we both have anxiety. Reading someone else’s social anxiety really helped put my own into perspective and understand my struggles.
5. How to Be Cool by Annie Carr – I don’t remember when I’d read this, but I do remember reading it in 2014, when I’d was interested because one of the main characters had cerebral palsy, another with weight problems.
4. Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick – My oldest niece and I bonded with this novel years ago by reading it together in a day during one of our visits to our grandparents’ house during the summer.
3. The Mortal Instruments trilogy (City of Bones/Ashes/Glass) by Cassandra Clare – I mentioned before in previous posts that my best friend gave me the first 3 books (City of Bones/Ashes/Glass) as a gift for my 16th birthday in high school. And after I’d read those, I enjoyed the series. I loved the 2013 movie, and watch the present TV show frequently, so this series has a special place in my heart.
2. Anomaly by Tonya Kuper – Tonya Kuper has been one of my best author friends, since I got that first ARC of her first book, Anomaly, in 2014. This woman has been through hell and back, especially with her health issues and releasing her second book, Enigma. I’m just so proud of her and her success! I know I’m just one of her many Frands, but I’m glad that this little series kickstarted not only a nice friendship, but my reviews and blog tours for my website.
1. Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer – Twilight has been in my life since 2007-2008, and I haven’t looked back since. This series (that almost everyone loves to hate, hates to love, and in-between) has been apart of my reading and writing journey. I’ve even written fanfictions about the series! It came into my life when I was insecure about myself and how I saw myself, and reading really helped that. Yes, it has its issues and it’s definitely not perfect, but I’m still glad that it’s still apart of me today.