Staff Spotlight: The Bookstagrammer
When you need an escape into another world, that’s where reading comes in. Meet Kelsey, Learning & Performance Specialist at BHFCU by day and Bookstragrammer by night.
Like many millennials, Kelsey’s reading journey began when her mom brought home the first Harry Potter book. While she didn’t read for pleasure much throughout high school and college, the seed had been planted.
“When I was a kid, you would never catch me with a book,” Kelsey shared. “My favorite thing about reading now is the opportunity it provides to connect with fictional characters and their stories as well as other readers.”
It wasn’t until March 2020, when Kelsey was looking at much more free time as a teacher that she returned to reading with vigor. On a trip to her local bookstore, Kelsey purchased seven random titles that looked like a good way to fill her time during temporary school closures. And the rest is history. Last year, after getting a Kindle, she found she could digest books even faster.
When asked the nearly impossible question of her favorite genre, Kelsey bent the rules (which we were completely in favor of) answering with three – fantasy, thriller, and romance.
“Fantasy has a nostalgic feel for me. It’s fun to dive into different worlds, creatures, and magical systems. But it’s the thrillers that are my quickest reads because I have to know what will happen next!” Kelsey explained. “And sometimes I’m just in the mood for a feel-good book, and that’s where the mood boost of a romance happy ending comes in.”
Kelsey wanted to hold herself accountable to her book goal every year and find a way to document her thoughts on the books she had read. That’s how her Bookstagram @kindlewithkelsey was born! What started as a personal vlog quickly grew into 2,000 followers in less than a year. One scroll through Kelsey’s account will make clear that she can and will read anywhere! Paddleboarding, curled up in her papasan-style camping chair, or at the beach. There’s no wrong way or place to read in Kelsey’s book.
Once we knew we were in the presence of a Bookstagram celebrity, we had to get our fill of recommendations! In Kelsey’s opinion, these are several binge-worthy authors: Sarah J Maas, Abby Jimenez, Emily Henry, Holly Jackson, and Feida McFadden. A true classic, Harry Potter is her favorite series, after four times through, she still finds something new to take away from the fantastical world. And, last but not least, answering the controversial question, yes, audiobooks do count as reading!
“As an adult, reading has been one of the best ways to make new relationships and learn about others. My fellow bookstagrammers have become new digital friends over our shared love of reading,” Kelsey shared with a smile. “Between those connections and talking with fellow readers at the credit union, my to-be-read list is over 400 titles! Last year, I ended up reading 81 books. My goal is 75 books this year, but secretly, I hope to read 100.”
Your secret’s safe with us, Kelsey! We don’t know about you, but after talking with Kelsey, we’ll be diving into the wonderful and welcoming world of Bookstagram. But no matter how many bookstagrammers we follow, @kindlewithkelsey will always remain our number one!
