I'm a reader, like big time. And although I have hundreds of books, both that I have read and that I hope to read, there is something so exciting about discovering a new book, immersing myself in the writing and becoming a true fan. Whether it be contemporary, fantasy, new adult or middle grade, the journey of falling in love with a book is always the same.

1. Discovering a new book you can't wait to start

Setting out to find the perfect book to read is in adventure in itself. From searching Goodreads or BookTube for recommendations or taking the time to browse the shelves in your local bookstore or library, half the fun is searching for the perfect book(s) to read next. When you do find that book, you can't help but be excited to open it up and jump right into the pages!

2. Immersing yourself in a brand new world

This is the stage where you stay up late, whispering to yourself, "Just one more chapter before bed." When the book is this good, there's no easy way to put it down. Sure, life might take a backseat to reading for a while, but so what? Let yourself get lost in alternate universes and far off places.

3. Feeling everything

When it's good, sometimes that means you feel every little bit of emotion that book has to offer. Eventually, the characters feel real, and so do their emotions. You laugh, cry and mourn with the fictional characters you've come to love. Sometimes that means it hurts to keep reading, and other times it means you can't stop. The making of the best stories are characters we take the journey with, even if it means crying your heart out over words on a page from people who aren't even real.

4. Picking a ship

Honestly, what's a book without a couple, or two, to ship? One of the most fun parts of falling in love with a book is deciding who you want your favorite characters to end up with. Maybe that couple isn't endgame, but so what? Chances are you will find a group of readers who share the same feelings you do!

5. Devouring the book too quickly

Eventually, the book will end quicker than you anticipated. If it's not a series, then maybe your time with that world has ended until you decided to pick up the book again. But that's one of the best parts of reading, you can read the same book over and over and get something completely different each time. Maybe that story is over, but your love for it doesn't have to be.

6. Recommending the book to absolutely everyone

Loving a book is a fantastic feeling, but sharing that love with others is even better. Once you find someone with the same passion for a book as you, you can talk about it for hours! So you spend every opportunity recommending the book to anyone who asks, and anyone who doesn't, in hopes you can help the book change their life as much as it changed yours.

7. Join a fandom

Speaking of sharing the joy a book has brought you, joining a fandom is the ultimate way to revisit the bookish world you love so much. Fandoms are communities of people who share the love of a book, movie or franchise and basically commit their lives to how much they truly love it. Joining a fandom doesn't just let you return to the worlds you read about, it gives you the space to discuss, create and engage others with the same passion for book or series as you.

8. Begin again

You may have fallen in love with a wonderful world and beautiful cast of characters, but there is so much more out there. Each and every book is a new opportunity to jump into a brand new reality, and you don't have to give up one in order to start another. Collect the books you love, recommend the ones that changed your life, engage in fandoms and discussions so you never forget how those books made you feel. And when you're ready, come back and read your favorite story again.