Hello Hiveians! I am starting to feel the hype of joining contests initiated by Hive account@ocd in showcasing Hive communities. It really helped lead Hiveians to the communities they have similar interests with. It is already the 4th OCD Community Boost Contest, which highlights the Hive Book Club Community. For my usual support, here is my entry that will answer the question,

Books are parts of everybody's lives - be it in school, work or it can be for leisure or educational purposes. I have been using books as references, source of inspiration and keeping myself busy during my idle times. Growing up in the pre-internet age, while search engines were still not a thing, acquiring knowledge on certain topics would require you to scan through some books and magazines/journals. I remember the times when sales agents go door to door and sell volumes of encyclopedias. And everybody has to have visited their school libraries and held study sessions with their peers. Now, I will be sharing my top two favorite books. Both I have mentioned in my previous posts, Hi from Hive: My Hive Experience and Hive Creative Contest | My Childhood C.S.I. Dream. The first one is actually a book series that inspired my childhood dream of being a detective. The second one serves as my reminder that happiness is a choice, which is influenced by my actions and decisions.

I was first introduced to the book series by my friend way back in high school. We were spending our free time in the library and browsing some books that would be interesting to read. When we reached the fiction area, I noticed that there were several yellow hard covered books in one of the rows. That's when my friend picked one and convinced me to borrow and read one of the books in the series as a start. As she had already read some of the books, she warned me that reading the book could be addictive. I did borrow the book and started to read off the pages. Every time I was finished with my homework and chores, you could find me reading the Nancy Drew book. There were times that I slept late just to finish the story.

The Nancy Drew series is about a girl with distinguished detective skills. The story starts with the introduction of a mystery or an alleged paranormal activity. Nancy Drew comes into the story, gets involved and becomes curious. What I liked about the story is that how Nancy Drew always finds a way to escape difficult situations. Nancy Drew has also been made into movie and TV shows. My favorite series is the Nancy Drew Mystery Stories, the ‘’main’’ series which started from 1930 and ended in 2003. And the most memorable story for me is the first volume which is ‘’The Secret of the Old Clock’’, which follows Nancy as she searches for the missing will of an eccentric wealthy man. Just a fun fact, I recently knew that the name Carolyn Keene is just a pseudonym for the various ghostwriters of the book series under the Stratemeyer Syndicate publisher.

The book “Choose the Life You Want" contains 101 life choices that will help you lead a happier life. What I like about this book is that for every 'happy' choice, there is an "unhappy" choice also indicated. The author also shares certain stories related to the topic that mostly the striking ones were those consequences when we choose the "unhappy" option. Everyday, I would randomly select a number to serve as my reflection or reminder of the day. There are really times that I have chosen the "unhappy" option, but at least the book helps me to rethink my decision on that certain situation and what I could do if something similar comes up again.

Having witnessed the coming of the digital age, where e-books are readily available, I still seek the smell and the gentleness of handling a newly purchased book. It gives me a sense of satisfaction that only a new physical book can give. Reading, finishing and re-reading the book is another story. There are just some books wherein reading once won't be enough, and just us pulls us back for more. I'm excited that the Hive Book Club community is introduced through this contest. I will be able to share the passion for reading among fellow subscribers. It would be a great way to browse some good book finds from the other posts. Lastly, I have been busy as of late, and I am glad that I am now reminded to continue reading my unfinished books, and just rekindle my love for reading.