The Book That Found Me When I Needed Quiet

Life can tend to feel relentlessly busy. It's a business that doesn't pause, doesn't sleep, and tends to create noise. Lots and lots of noise.  It's the kind of noise that fills every moment and leaves little room just to be.

In the middle of that constant motion, I find myself reaching for books. Not to escape but to carve out a quiet space. My favorite? The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen. This is the story of an orphan named Sage, who is forced to impersonate a missing prince to save a kingdom. It's full of twists (HUGE TWISTS) and clever plans as Sage fights to survive and discover who he really is.

This is a story I love because it reminds me that even when life seems impossible, there's always a chance to make things better. Typically, all we have to do is accept ourselves as we are. Faults and all. It's a fantasy story, but the emotions and struggles feel real. It makes me think about how we all have our own personal chaos, and we all have faults. What's more? All of that is entirely okay.

On any given day, I could list all the chaotic stuff happening in my life, each creating its own kind of noise. But honestly, everyone has their own mess to deal with, and everyone's chaos sounds different. Some people just hide their noise better than others. Books like The False Prince don't just give me quiet. They give me something real to hold onto amid all the noise.

— Lauren