I’ve been thinking a lot about what brings me joy. Reading and writing are two things in this life that I truly love. I know several writers who do not enjoy reading and many, many writers who never have time to read. But I can’t imagine not reading. It is just a part of who I am.
I’ve also been thinking a lot about guilty pleasures. Why do I have to feel guilty over enjoying something? Why do I feel ashamed to admit that something silly or even “bad” has brought me joy?
I love Mass, Bardugo, Black, and Rowling. I have no problem admitting that. So why do I suddenly get really embarrassed to admit that I enjoy Stephanie Meyer? Twilight has an awful reputation and I see its flaws. (The writing could have been better. Edward is extremely creepy. Bella was “weak” and most of her friends treated her horribly. Though I did not see any of this when I read it originally.)
But Twilight made my 13-year-old heart skip a beat. It might not have been the first book I ever loved, but when I look back, it is the first series I ever remember really loving. It was the first series that I “fangirled” over. Edward and Jacob were my first book boyfriends. (I was Team Book Edward and Team Movie Jacob.) It was one of the series’s that really turned me into a reader.
I fully believe that Twilight forever changed YA. Both books and television. I don’t think we would have Vampire Diaries or Vampire Academy without Twilight. I might be wrong, but I fully believe it was a turning point in that genre. I think it was a series that captured a lot of people who weren’t necessarily readers and turned them into one.
So why did I feel so ashamed when I wanted to reread this series? Why was I so embarrassed by how much I enjoyed diving back into that world? Why did I avoid answering my friends when they asked what I was up to?
It really bothers me that I consider Twilight to be one of my “Guilty Pleasures”. Actually, it bothers me that I consider anything to be a guilty pleasure. I shouldn’t have to feel guilty or embarrassed by the things that bring me joy. If something makes me happy, then I should be able to love it without being ashamed.
So I decided to make a short list of things that used to be on my guilty pleasures list, but are now just on the list of things I enjoy!
- The Twilight Saga
- Backstreet Boys, NSYNC, and Spice Girls. (Really all 90s Pop)
- Romance/Erotic Novels
- Dating Shows (The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, and Love Island)
- Disney Soundtrack
Do you have any guilty pleasures? If so, what is something on your list?
K.J. White Reads 
Oh my gosh a Backstreet Boys shout out I was obsessed w/them for years lol. 😀 I agree with your view on guilty pleasures. Honestly it’s lucky that you were able to enjoy Twilight so utterly, I feel like I came into it a bit late and wish I could take a time machine back to my younger self who would have gone bananas over it. It’s always worthwhile to enjoy something that’s meant to be enjoyed, I think.
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I will always love the Backstreet Boys. 🤷As for Twilight, I think if I read it for the first time now I would probably hate it, but as a 13 year old (maybe even 12?) it was everything I wanted and needed from series.
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Love this!! The Bachelor and Disney music are both some of my not-so-guilty faves 🙂
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They are amazing!
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