Ellen slammed the book shut, the loud thud echoing through the living room. She tossed it onto the table in front of her, leaning back into the couch with a deep sigh, her arms crossing tightly over her chest. The frustration bubbling inside her was almost palpable as her brow furrowed and her lips pressed into a tight line.
She had really hoped that reading would take her mind off things. After all, getting lost in a good novel used to be her escape. But ever since ending up in this new reality, things had been different. She had thought, naively, that picking up a traditional paperback—since there were no online novels here—would bring her the same joy. It was a simple story she had chosen, nothing too complex, just a light romance. Yet, as she stared at the book lying closed on the table, she realized how wrong she had been.
