Book Club Anyone?

I love to read. It's a sense of release for me, a way to get out of the reality of my day to day - a means of escapism.

Since Z was born, I haven't really had the opportunity to read as much as I would like (except for children's books, sometimes the same ones OVER and OVER). New books by my favorite authors would be released, book stores closed down and it would all just pass me by because I was so busy working and taking care of my child and household. But that was the Before.

In the Now, all I have is time on my hands. Time when she falls asleep at night and I am left all alone, time when she decides she wants to play by herself that, again, I am left to my own devices - all alone. So I have taken the opportunity to pick up my old reading hobby once again.

First came The Time Traveler's Wife. I had seen the movie a few years ago and was relieved to find that the book was able to go into so much more detail and relationships so much more well developed. I was sad at the end because I was not sure what I could read next that would measure up to the magic of this book. I am very glad that I did not let the movie ruin the book for me and am considering watching the movie again now that I have a better sense of the backstory.

Next, on the advice of Stumbling Towards Perfect, I obsessed over getting the book The Kitchen House. I ordered it, expecting to read it on the way to the family reunion. Unfortunately, it arrived on the Monday before we were expected to leave.

I read the first few pages of the book, just to make sure that I would love it enough to stay awake and not wish that I had brought another book for our journey. And then I kept reading. And reading. And the next thing I knew it was 3 in the morning and I was almost finished with the book. I finished the nearly 400 page book in less than 20 hours. Then I loaned it to the Scare Bear. And she read it twice during the 4 days that we were out of town (just in case she missed something in the first go-round). It has been a long, long time that I have loved a book so very, very much. Read it. And buy it here because it so much cheaper than you can find it anywhere else (even the Kindle version is more expensive).

From my point of view, it is interesting to note how many things have stayed the same in the last 200 years.

Now you must be wondering what I read while we were on vacation. In November we went to Myrtle Beach for our Thanksgiving trip to see family and the Hubs and I read Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West and, although I don't normally like fantasy type books, we both ravenously made our way through it desperately wanting more. So, on this trip, he and I read the sequel to Wicked - Son of a Witch. He is still reading it while I moved on to the sequel - A Lion Among Men. These books are all really good, even for those of us that are not really into fantasy fiction, and definitely make you look differently on the Wonderful Land of Oz. Even Z has begun calling wicked witches Elphaba.

All of this backstory is to offer up a new idea - a kind of virtual book club. I am always looking for great books to read and would love any suggestions that are thrown my way. I am hoping to pick up The Help on my grocery shopping trip today.

Anyone care to join me?