Rediscovering Books: My reading comeback.
The year 2020—and everything that followed—changed the world of books. Many of us were searching for new hobbies while confined to our homes during the COVID pandemic. Dust was shaken off old board games, some people picked up a book for the very first time, and in my case, I picked one up again after more than a decade.
Before this, and before becoming a mother in 2010, I mostly read during my teenage years—mainly books by Paulo Coelho and Jorge Bucay. For me, these stories were inspirational, blending fiction with lessons that felt almost like self-help, leaving something meaningful behind once the last page was turned. After becoming a mom, however, I only read two books between 2010 and 2020: one was an Amish romance (the title escapes me now), and the other was Culpa Mía (My Fault) by Mercedes Ron—a book that recently gained international popularity with its 2024 movie adaptation on Amazon Prime and the translation of the series into multiple languages.
In the midst of pandemic boredom, I remembered how much I loved writing stories in my youth and considered picking it up again, more than twenty years later. The only problem? It had been so long that I felt out of practice and short on vocabulary. That’s when I read that the best way to strengthen your writing is to read often. So, I set out on a journey to make reading part of my daily routine again. Since I had just finished season one of The Witcher on Netflix and really enjoyed it, I decided to start exploring the fantasy genre.
That’s when I stumbled upon the series that not only pulled me back into reading, but also opened the door to the bigger world of being a true book lover—a world that’s about so much more than just reading. It’s about the bookish merch, the book communities on social media, turning your home into a mini library with hundreds of books (many unread and probably never finished because there’s always a new release to buy). It’s the cozy ambiance, the perfect drink, the special editions, the e-readers and decorated covers, the journals and gadgets, even the playlists you listen to while reading. I fell into this rabbit hole headfirst—and I’ve never looked back. Within just a few months, I had even opened my own bookish gift shop on Etsy, which I ran for three and a half years until I got sick and had to temporarily close it down. Spoiler alert: I plan to reopen under a new name, hopefully next year.
But you may be wondering: what series reignited my passion for reading? Let’s talk about it.
The series that brought me back into the book world was none other than From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout. This was in the fall of 2020—yes, I watched The Witcher months after its release. I told myself I’d give the book 100 pages before deciding whether to continue. After so many years without reading, and with the endless distractions of social media, I knew it wouldn’t be easy to immerse myself again. Let’s be honest—many of us today struggle with attention spans thanks to electronics.
But for a book that’s over 500 pages, I quickly realized 100 pages wasn’t enough. Soon, though, certain elements began to draw me in—Poppy and Hawke’s relationship, the chosen-one/bodyguard dynamic, the action, the terrifying creatures. By the halfway point, I was hooked. I spent most of my day thinking about the story and looked forward to my kids’ bedtime just so I could dive back in.
Luckily, by the time I finished, book two—A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire—had just been released, and I devoured it. At that point, I thought fantasy was going to be my main genre, so I searched for other series while waiting for book three. Thanks to the algorithm, more of Jennifer L. Armentrout’s books popped up, and for some reason I ended up picking a romance instead: Wait for You. I wasn’t even 50 pages in before I was completely hooked. That book had me in a chokehold, and from that moment on I was gone. I bought dozens of books, and the rest is history.
My next read was Crescent City by Sarah J. Maas, and honestly, I struggled. To this day, I don’t think her writing style is for me. Last year I tried A Court of Thorns and Roses and nearly DNF’d it—I only finished thanks to the Graphic Audio version. I also must admit that I may give her books another try.
So, that’s the story of my early days getting back into reading. If you’re someone who used to love reading but can’t seem to get back into it, or if you’ve never really been a reader but want to give it a try and see what all the fuss is about, stay tuned. In my next post in the Let’s Chat About series, I’ll be sharing some tips and tricks that might help. Don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss out—and join the chatter in the comments below!
Let me know what book got you back into reading! Thank you for reading my post, and we'll chat more soon.
Until the next chapter, M.
Want to give the From Blood and Ash series a try? Here are the titles available thus far.
A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire - Book Two
The Crown of Gilded Bones - Book Three
The War of Two Queens - Book Four
A Soul Of Ash and Blood - Book Five
NOTE: After the release of the first books of the series, a prequel series was released called Flesh and Fire.
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