book worm

I'm annoyed with Blogger because I had written an entire post about books and my passion for reading and somehow it has mysteriously vanished.  It was only awaiting editing and picture insertion.  RAR!  BOO!

So here goes another shot...

I was saying how while on vacation I got behind on reading my favorite blogs because I was so distracted by reading The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins.  Has that ever happened to you?  Have you ever been so absorbed in a book that everything else ceases to exist until the book has been read from cover to cover?  I have obviously.  Is that weird?  It's not like it happens all the time.  In fact, I think a book has to be awfully special to get the undivided attention of this A.D.D. girl.

Reading has always been a bit of a passion of mine.  It started when I was a child and continued through the years.  I would get hooked on certain authors and read anything and everything they produced and then just wait them out until they released a new novel.  That gets VERY expensive, by the way...it really sucks being unable to wait for the soft cover release.  Sure, I know there are other options these days...you can reserve a book at your local library, you can download on your eReader, you can borrow a friend's...BUT back in the day...well...I was impatient.

I remember somewhere around 5th grade, I went on a desperate search throughout our home for something...anything to read.  I ended up with Of Mice and Men.  No joke.  So, at the ripe old age of 9 or 10, I took on an American Classic because...it was there.

I remember reading under my sheets by flashlight when I was supposed to be under my sheets asleep.

I remember my obsession with the mysteries/thrillers even at a young age.  I still own the two scariest books I ever read:

What young girl didn't love Nancy Drew?

Pretty sure I then played around with the young adult thrillers like Christopher Pike and Richie Tankersley Cusick while still maintaining a healthy balance of Sweet Valley Twins and S.E. Hinton.  I just counted up my Christopher Pike  novels as I mentioned them in my 30 Factoids post and discovered I have 34 books in my collection. 

In high school, I moved on to V.C. Andrews, Stephen King, Dean Koontz.

In college, I moved on to ... romance-ish novels written by favorites Nora Roberts and Judith McNaught.

Post college, I've jumped all over the place.  I discovered non-fiction, BUT probably not the genre that most people opt for as I have a bit of a morbid mind.  This means I've been fascinated by Ann Rule's novels - she researches and writes about serial killers.  I also jumped on the Harry Potter and Twilight bandwagons.  I mean a girl needs to keep up with pop culture!  Of course, other authors of interest include Dan Brown, John Gresham, Ann Rice, Jodi Picoult, Iris Johansen, Tami Hoag, Jennifer Weiner, Barbara Delinsky, Greg Isles, and Lisa Gardner...just to name a few.

So, I thought I would take this opportunity to share some of my favorite books of all time with you.  These are in no particular order, by the way.

Kane and Abel by Jeffrey Archer - an oldie, but goodie.  This is an epic novel that chronicles two men born on the same day as their lives are destined to cross...at some point.

Good in Bed by Jennifer Weiner - the only book I've ever read that made me both laugh out loud and cry.  

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows - bought this book not knowing a thing about it since I saw that my friend Sarah was reading it.  The story is told in a series of letters back and forth amongst the characters in this quirky novel.  It's a quick, heartwarming read.

Paradise by Judith McNaught - steamy book with a great storyline

The Hour I First Believed by Wally Lamb - This book took the author 10 years to write and it's no wonder considering how many directions the reader is taken.  No worries...it's all worth the roller coaster ride (and the 1000 page journey) as you read this fascinating tale that weaves historical events into a fictional story.

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen - yeah, yeah...I know they just released the movie.  Wait a while before reading the book if you have seen the movie, though I will say that the movie was one of the best book adaptations I've seen to date.  This is another great book with wonderful characterizations.  If memory serves me correctly, this was the debut novel for this author, as well.  Impressive stuff!

The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold - another debut novel and another one made into a movie.  I must confess, however, that I have not yet seen this movie.  The book is wonderful...beautifully written, in fact. 

Life Expectancy by Dean Koontz - yet another roller coaster ride of a book. I'm fairly certain I held my breath during certain parts because of the level of intensity.  This is a unique Dean Koontz book and while I have enjoyed the majority of his novels, this one sticks out above the rest.

Now...give me a favorite of yours!