Reading is taught at a very young age to people all over the world and many of those people continue down the path of reading and get more into books, and here at NHS, it’s no different. A variety of students at NHS share a passion for reading. 

Junior Natalie Jones has a big passion for reading, especially in her free time when she is not watching a show or listening to a podcast. Her favorite novel is ‘The Perks of Being a Wallflower’ and her favorite author is Taylor Jenkins Reid. She enjoys almost all genres, her favorite always seems to fit in the realistic fiction category. Jones tries to read a lot of different genres, but she has never been able to really enjoy fantasy novels as much as she does with realistic fiction. But, she adds that this doesn’t mean she does not like fantasy novels. 

“I have read many books, starting with ‘The Inheritance Games.’ I highly recommend it for those who want to get into reading and don’t like long chapters. It is the first novel in a series, and is definitely a great read for all,” Jones said.

She personally does not mind having people know that she loves to read. She loves to talk with others about what they are reading, and if there are novels that have been recommended to her, she will typically read them if she is interested in that novel. Jones suggests that those who want to get into reading should read books that they have heard of. 

  “For those who want to get into reading, I definitely recommend reading novels you’ve heard are good to try and figure out what kind of books you like, and set a goal for yourself as motivation,” Jones said. She wants to show others that anyone can read and find something that they are interested in and are passionate about and set goals for themselves.

She loves reading because it takes her into another world, using her imagination she can really dig deep into the story and use her creative mind to see the story as it would look like in real life. She feels to have a sense of escaping reality so she can not worry about the real world whenever she feels like it.

“I have always found reading as an escape from reality, and I think when you pick that perfect book to escape to, you don’t realize how into the book you were until it’s over,” Jones said.

Junior Aliyah Rossiter also has a love for reading. Her favorite book is ‘Red Queen’ by Victoria Aveyard because it was the first book that got her into reading her freshman year. Rossiter’s favorite author is Zeppazariel because she thinks his writing is beautiful. Although she mainly reads fantasy books she doesn’t necessarily have a favorite genre. Rossiter says that reading fantasy is a good form of escapism. To someone that wants to get into reading, she would say that you should try finding a book that interests you and catches your eye.

“I would say try finding a book that interests you, not just random books that you won’t like. I think everyone would like reading if they found the right kind of book,” Rossiter said.

She feels really good when people know her as someone who likes to read. She loves when people recommend her books or ask her for recommendations. She adds that it’s always nice to see someone else get into reading. She would recommend a bit of everything if she could.

She adds that “I would recommend a bit of everything! It is honestly very personal depending on the person and what they are going through in life,” Rossiter said. Her least favorite genre might be paranormal books, that’s not to say she does not like the genre, she just has a harder time getting into some of those books.

“My least favorite genre might be paranormal books, that’s not to say I don’t like the genre! I just have a harder time getting into some of those books although there are some really good ones out there. As for my least favorite book it might have to be “We Were Liars.” I really want to like this book but I cannot get into it to save my life,” Rossiter said.

Her favorite part about reading is that it is never-ending. She says there is always a new series out there that has beautiful writing, and getting into a book or seeing inside a character’s mind is like going into another world. She likes to add one last thing, she implies that everyone should read at least one story to see if they like reading or not.

“Everyone should read at least one story in every genre before deciding that reading isn’t for them,” Rossiter said.