Book Blogger Confessions: Giving thanks

 

Book Blogger Confessions is a meme that posts the 1st and 3rd Monday of every month, where book bloggers "confess" and vent about blogging/bookish topics. Feel free to share, vent and offer solutions.

Just keep it respectful - no bashing authors or other bloggers! If you want to participate just grab our button and include it in your post with a link to either Midnyte Reader or For What It's Worth. We will be providing a linky at the end of our posts so people can "hop" to see all the participants answers.

Question: Giving thanks: Is there a book that you are thankful you have read?  Maybe it has changed your life in a small or even a large way, or made you see things in a different perspective.

There are a few books that have had a big impact on me. The first would be the Twilight series. As is the case with many others it is the book that got me into reading again so I have to say thank you for that. ~ Goodreads

A huge thank you to the WVMP radio series by Jeri Smith-Ready. Because of Jeri’s playlists for each book, this series has sparked a love of music that I didn’t have before. It makes me giggle a little bit when people ask for my music rec’s because I barely even listened to the radio before and now I’m always going to concerts and discovering new bands. ~ Goodreads

But the book that has had the greatest impact on my life is Willow by Julia Hoban. It’s quite personal so sorry if I enter the TMI/sappy zone.

I read Willow a little over 3 years ago. The book tells the story of a girl who loses her parents and disconnects from society. She is extremely shy and the more she isolates herself from friends and family the more she feels that people don’t like her and that she doesn’t fit in.

I lost my mother to cancer when I was 16 years old and it’s very difficult to be in high school when that happens. The other kids don't know what to do with that and you try to avoid any personal conversations that might bring it up. I was always super shy anyway and it got so much worse after my mother died.

Anyway…..Willow has much deeper issues – she is also a cutter. That was not my issue but I connected with her isolation and shyness. She meets a boy who helps her confront her problems and pushes her out there little by little until she feels almost normal again.

I kept wishing that this book (or any book about parental loss) was out back then when I needed it. I thought it would have totally changed my life to know someone else understood how I felt. And yes, I’m aware Willow is a fictional person but it still helps. I’m in my 40’s now and felt like my time had passed to change who I am at this stage in my life but then I figured what the hell! If not now – when? I’m not getting any younger. I don't want to be full of regrets.

Since I’ve read that book I’ve pushed myself waaaay out of my comfort zone. I make myself talk to other people and sign up for things that I know will make me uncomfortable just so I can break down the barrier. I’m afraid of flying but fly at least twice a year now. (I’m still working on the nerve to fly outside the US - I think I would need drugs for that though lol)

Whenever I get *stuck* in life or start slipping into old patterns, I think of this book and Willow’s bravery and try to take another step forward. ~ Goodreads

This also why I think the so called "darker YA" books are so important. Parents may try to shield their kids from bad things but you never know when someone might connect to a story or character and it can change their whole life.

More importantly, EVERY book has impacted my life in some way. The good, the bad and in-between.

** For all Book Blogger Confession topics click here. Next up - December 3rd - book budgets.

How about you? Are you thankful for a book impacted you in a small or big way? Linky for BBC Monday: