Our Bookworms

While many of our reviews are written by myself, Sneak Peek also employs college students. These students write reviews and copyedit. Sneak Peek believes that reading and education are important and we strive to support students by giving them an opportunity to gain work experience doing something they love – reading books!

Interested in applying? Reach out here. 

Cailey Folts

Editor

School: University of Virginia
Major: English and Government
Favorite Book: A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

Reading has always been an escape for me. The new world might be seemingly better or worse, but regardless it serves as a reminder of perspective. I find no better lesson on perspective and empathy than reading a book because it forces you to imagine for yourself what characters are going through. With a really good book, the emotional mental space of a character becomes your own.

Madison Shooter

Writer

School: DePaul University
Major: Philosophy & English
Favorite Book: Annie John by Jamaica Kincaid

Ever since I was young, I loved stories of magic. Before I entered middle school, I read the Harry Potter series for the first time which prompted me to start creative writing. Ever since then, I’ve wanted to become an author of my own fantasy stories. As an English and Philosophy major, I still spend most of my time reading, and I wouldn’t have it any other way!

Luke McClain

Writer

School: DePaul University
Majors: Film & Television/Screenwriting
Favorite Book: Daytripper by Fabio Moon and Misery by Stephen King

Reading, whether it’s been fictional or non-fictional stories, has always given me a clearer idea of myself and the world. I think the greatest gift a story has is its ability to show readers that they are not alone, whether it be in their curiosities, fears, struggles, or experiences. Reading has always allowed me to briefly escape from any worries or questions I might have, and leave with a better understanding of them. I don’t see myself getting tired of that experience anytime soon.

Kristen Kleiner

Writer

School: West Virginia University
Major: Bachelor of Arts – Mental Heath and Addiction Studies
Favorite Book: It’s Kind of A Funny Story by Ned Vizzini

Reading was what really brought me out of the dark times of my childhood. There were many instances that I learned how to handle the world around me through the books that I was reading. That is why, if I were to a pick one of the most impactful books I have read, I would pick It’s Kind of A Funny Story by Ned Vizzini. This is a book with highly sensitive topics, but the ones that I was dealing with in real time during adolescence. It helped bring me hope when I felt that I had none. This has always been recurring theme throughout my life. I used to dive my head into every fiction book I could find because I wanted so desperately to escape to another world. Inside these worlds I was able to learn to cope and process my emotions in relation to my world outside. I often feel that I would not be where I am today if it were not for the books I was given.

Elana Koehler

Writer

School: Augusta University
Major: English
Favorite Book: Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry

Reading has profoundly changed my life. The majority of my early childhood memories are my parents reading stories aloud to my brother and me, one of our favorites being the Magic Tree House series. Those are perhaps the memories I cherish the most; the ones I think of when I am sad or lonely that instantly make my day better. I struggled with perfectionism from a young age, and one of the things that helped me to cope and to feel better was reading. The stories I love most are the ones with endings, characters, or plot elements that stray from predictability. I realized that if the characters and the books that I loved so much benefited from a change of plans or plot, then maybe I could as well.

Caleb Kleinmann

Sports Writer

School: Covenant College
Majors: English
Favorite Book: All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

Reading has been the lens through which I have discovered and learned about the world around me. Whether it’s long, complex novels or short, academic articles, reading has helped me understand and appreciate the different views and stories within my life. It shows that everyone lives and sees the world in a unique way, and I feel like it’s important to respect these different views of life.

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