Calling all book worms! August 9^th marks National Book Lovers Day around the globe. The purpose of this day is to celebrate, yep you guessed it- reading!  A day specifically for those who love to read, National Book Lovers Day encourages you to find your favorite spot to curl up with a good book and read the day away.

Naturally, we asked around the office about what people were reading, what their favorite books were, and why they love to read.

Gina Balsamo, a member of our traffic team, has a huge appreciation for both fiction and non-fiction books. Her favorite fiction book is Looking for Alaska by John Green, who is also her favorite author. Most people know of his popular book, The Fault in Our Stars. “John Green is my favorite author because his books always have so many great quotes. Looking for Alaska is my favorite book because it tells the story of teenagers trying to figure out life and their struggles through it.” She also said she highly recommends the TV adaptation of the book on Hulu.

As far as non-fiction, Gina said her favorite is Invisible Women by Caroline Criado-Perez. This book exposes the gender data gap which has created an invisible bias in a world designed for men. “This is my favorite non-fiction book because it’s eye-opening and crazy to learn how much this bias impacts women’s lives. There is also a whole section in the book about transportation, which I love.”

Chelsea Cousins, also a member of the traffic team, stated that, “Reading can be anything you want it to be. It can be an escape, an adventure, a chance to learn and grow. It can be fun and light-hearted or deeply emotional. Reading is a chance to explore yourself, the world around you, and the worlds that we don’t get to experience otherwise.”

When it came to recommending her favorite book, she said there were so many great books to choose from. After coming to a decision, Chelsea recommended Breaking Creed by Alex Kava. She mentioned that the book was a mystery with a bit of insight on working animals. This book is the first in a series that keeps you guessing while also learning about the training, care, and abilities of working dogs that are used in various extreme situations.

Lexi Heidish agreed with Chelsea that it was tough when it came to having to pick a favorite book. “It depends on the day and how I’m feeling. I enjoy reading pretty much any type of fiction novel. The story has to have an interesting plot or I lose interest.” Her favorite book that she has read is Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens. She is currently reading Such a Quiet Place by Megan Miranda.

Being able to use your imagination while reading is our Office Coordinator, Alaina Kempf’s, favorite part. She is currently reading It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover. This author recently announced the release of a sequel to this book and a movie is also in the works.

Last but not least, Carpenter Marty’s traffic intern, Alex Holmes, said his interest in reading was kick started by the Game of Thrones series (Yes, the popular TV Drama was a book series first!). Not only does Alex highly recommend it, but he also says the books are way better than the show. He is currently on book 4 out of 5.

For all of you out there who are big fans of reading, we hope you are celebrating by re-reading one of your favorites or looking for a new book to dive into. Either way, Carpenter Marty’s employees can always give you some great recommendations! For those of you who don’t enjoy reading or aren’t celebrating National Book Lovers Day, here is a quote from the one and only JK Rowling… “If you don’t like to read, you haven’t found the right book!”