Battle of the Bookstores

by Ali Brady

But if I’ve learned anything from the books I love to read, it’s that life is full of misunderstandings, raw emotions, and hard truths—and so are relationships. I’ve sometimes wondered if spending too much time lost in fiction has left me unable to face reality, but maybe it’s done the opposite. Maybe it’s been preparing me all along for this very moment: messy and complicated and real.

And as we lose ourselves in our stories, I find myself hoping, for the first time in my life, for a happy ending.

I am the product of every book I’ve ever read and every experience I’ve had, each heartbreak and failure, every moment of sadness and joy. The people I’ve met and the characters I’ve encountered, the events that challenged me and the narratives that have stretched me—all this is inscribed on my soul. They are the stories that shape who I am today and give me the strength to reach for more.

Maybe all stories are love stories at their core. The search for belonging, the ache of grief, our fumbling attempt to find purpose and connection in this big, confusing world.

Even after a book ends, whether it’s happy or tragic, the characters have more life to live—and so do we. So much happens beyond the pages that we never get to read. That’s what I’m looking forward to—living it all, the good times and the tough ones—wherever the story takes us.”