Between getting my memoir formatted, the front, back cover, and spine situated and ready for publishing, writing my memoir’s sequel, blogging, working, and keeping my sanity afloat, I read.

I don’t read nearly as much as I’d like but when I do, I’m picky; and I don’t continue reading books that don’t grab my attention right away. Life’s too short and I’ve been known to abandon books. I threw Grapes of Wrath clear across the room. I love Steinbeck, he’s my absolute favorite author of all time, but that book made me angry. So did Uncle Tom’s Cabin. I know…they’re classics. Classics that made me angry. I’ll try them again. Maybe. 

I also read slow. I like to feel the characters and the scenes. I like to put myself right inside the story (as most readers do) and in order for me to do that effectively, I have to read slow. I’m kind of a pain in the ass book snob, so when a book seizes me in chapter one, I’m all in until the last page—even if it takes me a friggin’ month…or longer. 

Two books that took me less than a month and had me from page one were: The INFJ Revolution: Reclaim Your Power, Live Your Purpose, Heal the World by Lauren Sapala and Rebirth Defect: My Journey From Catholic Altar Boy to Teen Atheist to Adult Christian Metal Evangelist and Back to Atheism by Stephen Hines.

I strongly dislike reading on electronic devices. I’m in love with books, their spine, their pages, their gutters, their smell—of both old and new books—I’m in love with the whole ritual. I know there’s a word for people like me but I can’t remember what it is. 

When The INFJ Revolution was released, I was so excited that I purchased the Kindle version accidentally. Dammit. Now I have to read it on our Amazon Prime account. I downloaded the book and started reading it on my phone. 

To my surprise, I couldn’t put it down. I swiped faster and faster and anyone seeing me with my phone up to my nose, probably thought I was just another annoying phone junkie. But I really was reading. Even without the spine, gutter and page turning, I was breezing through Lauren’s book and finished it in about a week. Very unlike me. 

3 things I loved about Lauren’s book:

• Anyone would benefit; not only INFJs, but especially other NF personality types (INFJ, INFP, ENFJ and ENFP).
• Lauren breaks everything down into digestible chunks of information, concepts were very easy to understand.
• She digs deep, bravely entering unchartered territory—introducing untouched pieces of the INFJ personality type.

If you’re an INFJ, other NF type, or have an INFJ in your life, this book is a must-read. 

I decided to try Rebirth Defect by Stephen Hines on my phone as well. Again, surprisingly, reading it there didn’t bother me. It was almost pleasant. Almost. I still do prefer actual books.

Yet, here I was swiping on my phone once again—growing annoyed with its puny screen. I surrendered myself to a Fire 7 Tablet and now there’s an eBook in my house. I’m still not sure how I feel about it. 

3 things I loved about Stephen’s book:

• It was pretty hilarious. There were hours of quippy prose within those pages…er…screenshots.
• Any who have questioned organized religion, left a denomination of their (or their parent’s) choosing, went back, then left again, will definitely relate to his story. I know I did while experiencing my own dogmatic confusion.
• The author hides nothing. From teen angst to questioning his own self-righteousness, while pursuing dreams of Christian metal stardom with God’s backing, he shamelessly tells a tale worth reading. 

Another book problem I have—besides the eBook vs. real book dilemma—is reading more than one book at a time while listening to an audiobook in the car. Between all the different ways I can eat and digest a book (tactilely, electronically and audibly), I am also blessed with reading slow while wanting to read all the books, all the time. It’s a real problem. 

So for now, I’ll just leave it at two book reviews. Come next review, I hope to have two books read. Cover to cover. Whilst sniffing and rubbing pages. Cuz, why not?