Katelyn - Customer Service Specialist

Team Audio Books Still Count

The hill I'm willing to die on: audiobooks count as reading! I have audiobooks and Goodreads to thank for getting me back into reading for fun after college. I am slowly making my way through every illustrated cover romance in existence, but Jane Austen holds a special place in my heart. I read a lot of fantasy and will happily talk about the Throne of Glass series for hours. I love people, and enjoy running the Wednesday preschool storytime and many other programs at the Kennewick Branch. When not at the library, you can find me paddle boarding, working on my cross-stitch projects, and taking a million pictures of my cats.

Romance Books I Loved When I Was a Teenager (and Still Related to Other Teenagers)

Fun little story: I volunteered as a page in my high school's library and I re-shelved the books in the AAA-DOG section. This was how I was introduced to Sarah Dessen's YA romance books, and I was hooked from then on. If you enjoy YA romances that center around teenagers in high school, here is a list for you!

For those who like dating a mystery person on the Internet! (I know that sounds sketchy, but it's actually a great book).

For those who like Comic Con!

For those who like theatre and Shakespeare plays!

For those who like 24-hour romances and airports (this is my all-time favorite YA romance)!

Illustrated Cover Romances

It seems that illustrated cover romance books have carved out a niche interest amongst the romance genre. They thrive on romance tropes (enemies-to-lovers, fake dating, forced proximity, etc.), feature relatable characters in their 20s or 30s, and often take place in a contemporary setting. And of course, despite their deceptively cute packaging, illustrated cover romances contain spice! If…

For those who like banter and renaissance fairs!

For those who like fake dating! And science!

For those who like enemies-to-lovers on vacation!

For those who liked Alexis and Mutt from the tv show Schitt's Creek!

Unique Perspectives in Fiction That Changed the Way I Think

It’s easy to read books where the main character looks like you, acts like you, and thinks like you. But, oftentimes, I have found that I gain more from the books with main characters that look, think, and act entirely different than I do. Here is a list of fictional books (and a movie) with diverse and unique perspectives that helped me think outside of myself.

This book contains the perspective of a teenager with obsessive-compulsive disorder.

This book contains the perspective of a teenager who has recently become blind.

This book/play contains the perspective of a Black family struggling to uphold their financial dignity in the 1950s.

This book contains the perspective of a fifth grader with cerebral palsy.