It is that time of the year again. People are passing out cards and flowers. They are planning romantic dates and fun outings. While there are plenty of mainstream ways to show love to your friends and family this year, why not use another love, your love of reading, to create bonds with your fellow humans? There are a few ways to do this. Sharing your favorite books, exploring new genres, with each other, or using common reading material to spark quality discussions are all excellent options. Use your love of reading to inspire close fellowship with those around you. You will not regret the time you put into this.

The Favorite

We all have it. That book you just cannot help but affirm when someone mentions its name. The one constantly on your mind. The book that you immediately think of when someone mentions “a classic.” This is the book you would defend to a fault or die trying. The story that you would replicate if you ever got around to writing that novel. This is a book you absolutely LOVE.

So share that love! Mention its title to others. Let people borrow it. Put amazing quotes from it on the refrigerator, bathroom mirror, birthday card, anywhere! But, more importantly, explore other people’s loves. Ask your friends for their favorites. And read them. There is no better way to show people that you love them than to spend time doing something they enjoy. It does not matter that it is historical fiction and those things bore you to death. It does not matter that the author is completely against your political party. If you take the time to read their book, I guarantee you will touch the hearts of those around you.

The Genre Scramble

Everyone has a type. Whether we are talking about a tall blonde guy with blue eyes or dystopian dramas with intense romances involved, this statement holds. It is all too easy to get attached to those fantasies with amazing ties to familiar magical creatures or be heavily devoted to historical biographies known for giving the facts and nothing but the facts. But reading is meant to open one’s mind, to suggest possibilities never thought of before. If we keep ourselves tied to one genre, that means we miss out on hundreds of others that could have illuminated ideas we never would have considered.

I know it is a scary world out there, and trying new things is a fearsome concept. But we were not made to dwell in only one world our entire lives. Ask your friends for recommendations. Find out the kind of books they like to read. Read one and strike up a conversation. Compare different genres, discussing the purposes of both. Suggest to your friends books to read that are out of their comfort zone as well. Open your minds together as a team.

If you have been stuck on fantasy for a while, I would heavily recommend trying your hand at some historical autobiographies. If newer fiction is your jam, read a classic. If you feel like you are decently well-rounded, I guarantee you have not sat down and read of the great poets recently. The most important thing is variety. Different genres can teach you different things. They can give you many ways to enjoy them that you would not have otherwise received. Not only will you get a sense of accomplishment from trying something new, you will find a new genre fresh and exciting.

The Book Club Classic

We naturally desire to share about the things we love. Just as you spent hours and hours discussing crushes with your best friend in middle school, so it brings joy and energy to discuss your newest favorite book with your friends. This may seem like a cliche suggestion. But truly, there is great beauty in reading the same books at the same time and having a purposeful discussion on it. It does not have to be a formal affair. It does not at all have to go by the title of “book club.” But creating something meaningful with those close to you is going to enhance your reading experience greatly.

How to set it up? Start by choosing a book. Something new to everyone, so that you can share the experience of discovering the plot’s twists and turns together. Maybe a genre none of you are familiar with. Once you have decided on a book that is new for everyone, consider making a schedule so everyone can, quite literally, stay on the same page. Plan a regular meeting or even a phone call to discuss what has been read. Make sure that the schedule fits everyone’s needs and is adaptable to each lifestyle.

If you are having trouble finding what to talk about, there are plenty of study guides and thought-provoking questions available online. You can also consider reading multiple similar books side-by-side and comparing them. It may be difficult at first to bring meaningful conversations out of unfamiliar texts, but it is worth all of the effort. Before you know it, you will be struggling to keep your meetings from taking up too much time. Practice makes perfect, so the best way to get better is to begin the process.

And so, as we enter this season celebrating the love, romantic or otherwise, that we have for others, I challenge you to let that extend from your reading as well. I have named some key strategies that will certainly bring you closer to those around you, but it is up to you to carry them out! Share your favorite books with others, explore new genres, and create meaningful conversations with friends and loved ones. Reading is not meant to just be a solitary act but also a communal act. These interactions you will value for the rest of your life.