Never Write in Books.

As a child, I was taught that one must never write in books. It simply isn’t done. Everything has a value and if a book is marked up or torn, it’s worth less when we resell it. Yep, even textbooks (I should say especially textbooks because they are so damn expensive). As an adult, it’s still engrained in me to use a bookmark instead of a dogear and after all these years, a pen has come nowhere near my novels.

That is, until Untamed.

I hate to admit it, but the hype surrounding Untamed when it was Reese Witherspoon’s Book Club pick turned me off a bit. Sure, it sounded amazing, but was it truly that amazing? It wasn’t until my friend Nikki told me not just “you have to read this book,” but “you have to read this book,” that I decided to dive in.

And holy shit.

Each anecdote resonated with me more than the last and Glennon’s honest words gave me chills. I was so captivated that before I knew it, my pen was hitting the page and I had underlined the words, “You are a goddamn cheetah.” 

It scared me at first. Not the words, but the thrill I felt after making my mark. So I did it again. And again. Each time notating with gumption. Although the words weren’t mine, they echoed through me so deeply that it felt like they’d become a part of me. Circling these prophetic phrases allowed me to tuck them into a corner of my brain for whenever I need them.

Fearful? “The braver I am, the luckier I get,” comes floating to the surface.

Unsettled? “We keep ourselves shaken up because there are dragons in our center,” reminds me to identify my dragon and face it.

Seeking advice but unable to make a decision? “This life is mine alone. So I have to stop asking people for directions to places they’ve never been,” echoes as I look within to my intuition.

Though I’ll continue to pass along or resell my books, Untamed now has a permanent place on my bookshelf.

Do you have any “pen-worthy” novel recommendations? Please share!