I have always loved reading. From the days as a young child when my father read to me and taught me to read, to the far too many days I was too ill to do more than lie in bed and read, the written word has been a safe place, and a book a welcome companion.*1 I have no idea what book I first read on my own, but the first book I memorized was 'In a People House' by Dr. Seuss. After my parents divorced, there wasn't anyone to read to me every night, and less money to spend on books. Thankfully, there was the Free Library of Philadelphia, where I found a seemingly endless array of books in which to lose myself.
My first, and most egregious, overdue book was 'Charlie Needs a New Cloak' by Tomie DePaola back when I was in 2nd grade. I believe this may have been the origin point for both my intense anxiety, as well as my absolute love of crafting. Forty years later, I'm still finding every opportunity possible to read and craft. *2
The most recent book I finished was 'Wrong Place Wrong Time' by Gillian McAllister. This book wasn't exactly my typical read. I had recently joined a crafting and book club on FB, and this was August's book, so I gave it a shot. I picked it up at the local library and finished it in under a week. Not to give anything away, but it was a little confusing at points, but everything made sense in the end. As a parent, I found the concept of the book very thought provoking. While I doubt I will read this title again, I would definitely read more of Gillian McAllister's work.
Currently, I am reading 'The Last Lie Told' by Debra Webb. This is the first book in the Finlay O'Sullivan series. While not one of my top genres, I think of books like this as time fillers. That's not to take anything away from the author's work, it just means that I use these books to fill time while waiting for appointments or before bed, but I don't get so sucked in to the story that I lose all track of time. Since this is the start of a series, I look forward to getting to know these characters for at least two more novels.
The next book on my "to be read" list is a COMPLETE departure, as I don't usually read romance novels. Well, I don't read romance unless it's funny, *3 supernatural, *4 or both. *5 I pre-ordered this book to support a friend. It doesn't only take a village to raise a child, it takes a village to support dreams, efforts, and small enterprise. I'll be sure to post a review after I've read it.
My favorite book is 'The Swordswoman' by Jessica Amanda Salmonson. I stumbled across this book over thirty years ago on the bargain book rack of my local grocery store. I discovered many great books on that rack over the few years the store kept it, including the Endworld series by David L. Robbins, but this book quickly became a favorite and still sits at the top of my list. Erin Wyler/Erin of Thar is such a relatable character in a wholly unrelatable situation. I read my original paperback copy so many times that the cover came off. Recently, I purchased a hardcover copy so that I can keep this book in my rotation for many years to come.
*1 May the ghost of Sister Carmella never ask me to diagram that sentence.
*2 I did eventually pay my library fine.
*3 for example, anything by Janet Evanovich
*4 anything by Michele Bardsley
*5 like the Undead series by MaryJanice Davidson
