It’s pretty fitting that the first book I read and am posting about in 2022 is Christopher Pike’s “Remember Me.”
Unlike the rest of the books that’ll be part of my #22in22 reading challenge, it’s one that is not new to me. In fact, “Remember Me” was one of my favorite books when I was a teenager, one I dogeared from reading over and over (and over).
What’s a little ironic about me choosing “Remember Me” is because I’m trying to, well, remember me. For the first time in my life, I’ve had zero desire to read so far this year — and this “reader’s block” is really bothering me.
Reading has been my greatest pastime and pleasure my whole life. Words have been my constant companion since I was a little girl — so much so, the career I love is surrounded by them.
But when I pick up one of the many, many, many, many books on my towering TBR list, I just can’t make the words connect with my head right now.
I know it’s burnout, that aforementioned career I love taking a toll, especially after the last few weeks of covering the horrors and scariness of a war for the first time. But it’s something that has to have been building after the past few years (looking at you, politics, COVID, Capitol riot, &c.).
Tom said tonight that “maybe it’s time you find a hobby that isn’t reading or writing.” It felt like a smack in the face — because he is 100 percent right, even though not reading or writing as often just feels wrong AF.
Books and journals have always been my happy place. I love losing myself in the words and vast worlds of books, and a blank journal page has always been my best therapist, where I can process my life, the world and everything in between.
Instead of curling up with a book and my boy Prince on my days off, I’m doing anything but. If I’m being completely honest, a lot of time I’m just sitting in silence looking out at the city, which I find very therapeutic, or staring at my phone, which irks me because I do want to be reading.
When I saw Brooklyn Attic Books, an awesome bookseller I follow on Instagram who specializes in used sci-fi, mystery and horror books, post about a haul of Christopher Pike books she got in, I messaged asking that if she ever sees “Remember Me” to please let me know.
Lucky for me, she actually had a copy on hand that she didn’t post on her page because it was kinda beat up, but it looked just as dogeared as my old copy, so I jumped at the chance to have it on my shelf again.
(You have to check out her ‘gram and her website: She’s so awesome to interact with, sends cool bookmarks AND she also has a very handsome pittie named Prince!)
As soon as I picked up “Remember Me” one recent unseasonably warm Sunday — it was 64! In NYC! In March! — it felt like coming home. I was 50 pages in before I knew it and finished within two hours.
Despite being on the cusp of 45, I found that I still love the story of Shari Cooper, a lively and sarcastic high school senior on the verge of graduating, who wakes up the morning after a party to find out she’s dead. The tragedy is being deemed a suicide, but she knows she was murdered and we get to follow along as she tries to clear her name from the underworld — and find her murderer. As in most Christopher Pike books, there’s quite a twist, which I won’t give away.
I found Christopher Pike’s writing and storylines still so gripping, and he can always be counted on for spinning a thrilling, and, in some cases, downright scary tale. True story: I have a legit phobia and distrust about people who wear mirrored aviator sunglasses because of the cop in his “Scavenger Hunt.”
Reading “Remember Me” did what I hoped it would: As soon as I finished it, I picked up “Luster,” Raven Leilani’s breathtaking debut, which I finished before moving on to “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” by rockstar writer Taylor Jenkins Reid, whose “Malibu Rising” was an honorable mention Best Book of 2021 for me while her “Daisy Jones and the Six” was my Best Book of 2020.
While I still plan to do my #22in22 reading challenge, I’m not going to commit to posting it on Instagram this year. Writing my reviews, no matter how short they are, feels a bit like a chore right now, and I just want to focus on getting my reading mojo back because not reading these past three months definitely has me feeling out of sorts.
Am I the only reader who goes through this? As I said this is the first time in my life, so I would love to hear your thoughts and how you overcame your reader’s block!