There’s something incredibly magical about being in a room with people who love the same things you do. That’s exactly how it felt walking into Smitten Bookstore for the release party of Emily Henry’s new novel, Great Big Beautiful Life.
I went with three of my friends and honestly, just being surrounded by a bunch of other Em Hen fans felt like its own kind of celebration. It wasn’t just about the book (even though obviously, we were all really hyped for it). It was about being around people who know the feeling of falling headfirst into a story you love.
Smitten is not just your ordinary, run-of-the-mill bookstore. It’s a romance and women’s literature store, and let me tell you, the vibe is unmatched. The owner, May, has curated every book on the shelf with so much care, and it shows; you can see it reflected in everything that is offered at Smitten. The store isn’t just a place to buy books; whether it’s your first time there or you’re one of The Regulars, it feels like home — warm, inviting, and familiar. You can feel how much love and passion May has poured into this store.
Not only do you get to connect with other Emily Henry fans (or just romance fans in general), but Smitten runs a seriously great trivia night. Like, stump-even-the-biggest-Em-Hen-fans kind of great. Some of the questions had us second-guessing everything we thought we knew! A huge bonus: yours truly won a signed copy of the book for scoring 16/30 😎
One of my favorite parts of the night was just hanging out with my friends and chatting with other book lovers (iykyk!) There’s something so easy and fun about meeting people who instantly get why you’re so excited.
I left Smitten that night with my brand new book, and that giddy, can’t-wait-to-read feeling.
Events like this remind me why local bookstores matter so much. They’re not just places to buy books; they’re places to celebrate them — and to find the kind of connection that reminds you life is, indeed, a great big beautiful thing.
Literature is such a wonderful thing to have in the world. There are so many crucial reasons why we need it in life. We can gain more knowledge, build our creativity, and even relax. For some people, reading can be a chore and may not be enjoyable. However, others may struggle with reading because of a learning disability or are too busy to finish reading that book. I want to share why you should look into audiobooks if you get busy, lack interest, or personal challenges with reading. With this experience, you can expand your horizons with literature and how this might be the perfect solution to get you through those novels!
How It Started:
So, a little about me: I love to read but struggle to find time to read. Sometimes, I get tired or distracted, so I don’t make it far into my books. There are so many books I want to read, but I can’t find the time. I realized one day that it was bothering me how I couldn’t get back to my book when I had just gotten to the good part, but I had gotten busy. I didn’t have the time to return to my book, but then I remembered that I could always listen to it through an audiobook. So, I downloaded Audible and got a student discount. Their deals change occasionally, so watch for the best price!
Now, let’s understand why you should consider listening to a book instead.
Too Busy?
Let’s start with being busy. For example, when I get busy with house chores, going to the gym, or even driving somewhere, it is obvious I cannot read during those tasks, but I want to keep going in my book. What I do is listen to it in the car or put in some earbuds and start listening.
One chore I dislike the most is doing laundry, especially folding it. I loathe folding laundry! I discovered that this annoying chore is much easier to complete when listening to my book, and I might have a drink to make it even better. By multitasking, I distract myself while getting this tedious chore over with. Once I started this habit of listening, I applied it to other tasks, and now they’re not as annoying. That’s why distracting yourself by listening to your book helps get those annoying tasks over.
Loss of Interest?
Now, moving on to losing interest in your current book. I will use one of my favorite series as an example. I struggled to get into this series for so long. I heard it was a great set of books, but I couldn’t get past the first book. This is when I decided to try listening to it instead of reading it, and I am so happy that I did! I later appreciated the first book after finishing the series, but I would not have made it through that first book without listening to it instead.
One thing I realized that helped keep my interest and made the experience much better was learning about the different styles of narrators’ recording books.
My favorite style is “duet reading.” In this style, no matter whose chapter it is, they will always read their character’s part, so it’s like listening to an actual conversation instead of a single narrator. In duet reading, all male parts are spoken by the man, and the female parts are only spoken by the woman versus a single narrator who reads all the characters’ parts. The last style is dual narrators, in which two people record their chapters and never record their voices with the other person. For example, if a man reads his chapter, he will play the part of every character involved. In other words, in that chapter, whether a man or woman speaks, the male narrator speaks all parts.
Personal Challenges?
Now, for my last reason, reading can be a personal challenge. You might get tired from reading, maybe you don’t feel better, it hurts to read, or perhaps you might have a learning disability. When I can’t sleep or feel well or don’t want to turn the light on, sometimes it is nice to listen in the dark. It makes this situation quite peaceful.
For those with learning difficulties or other conditions that make reading or writing challenging, Kurzweil 3000 is an educational tool, also known as an assistive technology, that offers a reading, writing, and study platform. This software downloads books and other texts in the system and reads them aloud. If it helps, it highlights what is being read so you can read along while listening.
This program costs a bit, but if you are a student and need accommodations, you can qualify for it for free during that semester. I have used it over the last few years, and it has helped my education immensely.
Now that I have covered a few reasons why people should consider listening to their books, I hope you try it and enjoy it as much as I do. There are so many incredible stories out there that are waiting to be heard. With the help of talented and gifted narrators, these books have come to life.
Thanks for reading, but maybe next time, you should listen to these posts instead…
This software downloads books and other texts in the system and reads them aloud. If it helps, it highlights what is being read so you can read along while listening. 
VC Social 