Books, books, books; An introvert's safe space.

Ever since I was 7, I couldn't resist flipping through every book I came across. I was totally book-obsessed. One of my favorite school activities was visiting the school library to pick out a book for the weekend. While most of my classmates saw it as a chore, for me, it was the best part of the week. I always wished I could borrow more and more books. Luckily, every Saturday, my mom took my brother and me to the Public Library (yay!), where I maxed out my limit of 5 books every week. Pocket Money? You guessed it. All spent on books.

My love for reading really took off during the civil war when books became my escape from reality. I would dive into stories, imagining myself as the main character solving mysteries. My bestfriend and I created a Detectives Club, where we would spy on neighbors, looking for a mystery to solve. Mmm, is this why I love gazing into people's houses on my walks? I wonder....

My favourite genre was all about those detective tales, starting with the innocent "Bibliothèques Rose" and "Vert" series like "Club des Cinq" and "Club des Sept," and eventually getting lost in Agatha Christie's world. Are you more of a Miss Marple or a Hercule Poirot fan? I was all about Poirot's wit and sarcasm over Marple's seriousness.

As an introverted book lover, I'm totally guilty of all the clichés. You name it, I hold it.

• The smell of books? Guilty as charged (If you know, you know).

• I've got over 100 unread books on my shelves, yet I can't stop buying more.

• I'm always juggling three books: an audiobook on Spotify, a thriller on Kindle, and a real hardback on some non-fiction topic of the moment.

• You will always find me wandering around bookstores, even if I'm not buying anything (especially in Greek Town). Just the other day, I tagged my sister on social media in a reel about cool bookstores/cafes in the city. Guess who's planning a bookstore haul once summer hits? (Me!!!).

• I track my reads and reviews on Goodreads. I've promised myself to start sharing my reviews this year. If you're a fellow bookworm, let's connect; my handle is patylastrid.

• I've got "Coffee and Books" pics saved on Pinterest and try to create some aesthetic shots myself for social media.

  
  

If I ever get to rub for a genie in a bottle and be granted three wishes, I'd wish for an endless supply of books and a successful book review page online. Oh, is that two wishes? Let's just combine them into one coz I have other plans for the rest ;)

This year, while taking care of my newborn, I'm planning to squeeze in some reading and reviewing them on my socials, plus post in-depth reviews on my blog for you to check out.

If you know any charming vintage mom-and-pop bookstores, please let me know, I’d love to visit them someday!

Until then, one book at a time!