I’ve pretty much been reading since I was born or at least it feels that way. My earliest reads ranged from Dork Diaries to whatever random book I could grab at my school’s book fair. Back then, those stories kept me hooked for hours. But as I got older, the same books that once entertained me just didn’t hit the same anymore.
There was a short phase where I stopped reading altogether… until I stumbled into my not so proud era of Big Time Rush fanfics on YouTube. (Don’t judge me, we all had that one phase.) Those fanfics were my first taste of romance stories… or posts? Or maybe something in between? Whatever it was, it lit a spark.
That spark led me straight to Wattpad, where I spent years diving into all kinds of stories. I eventually swapped out the BTR fanfics for anime ones (again, not my proudest moment), but Wattpad really opened my eyes to storytelling. Some of the books were genuinely amazing. The only downside? Authors would disappear mid-story. One day they’d post an update saying, “Hey guys, I’m starting college!” and then five years later I’m still waiting to find out if my favorite OC defeated the villain or forgave Laxus for being stupid.
I wanted to move on, but Wattpad was all I had. I didn’t have a car, a license, or any extra money for subscriptions. And I definitely wasn’t about to ask someone to pay for Kindle Unlimited for me (though looking back, someone probably would’ve said yes). So, I suffered through unfinished stories in silence.
Once I finally got my first job and a car, I started exploring other options like Kindle Unlimited. But being the cheapskate I am, I said, “Nah,” and hit up my local library instead. The library books were cute, but they didn’t quite compare to Wattpad’s chaos. You know what I mean no billionaire vampires or morally questionable mafia bosses in sight. I was starting to think I’d never find that same thrill again.
Then one day, while scrolling through social media, I stumbled onto BookTok and Bookstagram. Suddenly, there was this entire community of people who loved the same wild, unhinged books that I did. It felt like home.
So, I finally caved and got a Kindle Unlimited subscription. I started saving every book that caught my eye, and now my favorites list sits comfortably at over 1,000 titles. Honestly? Best decision ever.
I haven’t looked back since. When I recently revisited Wattpad for nostalgia’s sake, everything was locked behind a paywall. I hate when apps do that just let me pay for the app upfront instead of pretending it’s free and then charging $500 for access to my memories.
No regrets, though. Kindle Unlimited has opened up an entirely new world for me, and now here I am writing reviews, playing catch-up, and falling in love with reading all over again.
Oh, and for those curious: yes, I do keep a handwritten book log. I know most people go digital, but there’s just something about pen and paper that makes it feel a little more personal.