I had checked it out from our school library. It doesn't look like something a typical 6th grade girl would read, right? I know. Weird. I'm really not sure what attracted me to it. Maybe a friend told me it was a good book. Or maybe it was some lingering effects of my brief insignificant identity crisis from my earlier elementary years? Who knows...but I did love the book and couldn't put it down until I was done. I wonder now if the people who made Fear Factor read it as a child (and then went horribly astray). I can't stand that show, so it really makes no sense why I would have liked this book. But I did.
And after that I remember reading a couple Judy Bloom books, which I also loved:
Oh Judy Blume. How I loved thee! I wish I could say that these books launched me into a love of reading that spawned years and years and dozens of wonderful literary works! But alas, it did not. At that time in my life anyway, reading probably could have been added to my list of things that I liked the idea of, but didn't actually like.
I don't remember reading much after those books - except for what I was required to read in high school lit classes, which was usually just the Cliffs Notes of the things I was required to read in high school lit classes.
I did give some romance novels a try in high school, only because some of my girlfriends were reading them. I tried what's her name...oh good grief she was a really popular....Daniel Steele! But I just couldn't get past the first few pages. When it comes to novels, I'm more of a "visual" reader...meaning I need to see the story played out on a screen in front of me with actors and props and music and the story spoon fed to me. I'm not good at visualizing the characters and the scenes and keeping track of the story lines when it's just on paper.
I started reading a little more in my college years. I gave up on novels and started reading non-fiction. Things that would move me and inspire me and help me grow...yes! That interested me! I remember reading a few books during college, and there probably weren't many more than that because of all the reading college required (when Cliff just wouldn't cut it anymore). And, well, the socializing may have had something to do with it as well.
So.
Vince and I just finished the 2 day task of giving our bedroom a makeover. Well, not exactly a makeover, because we didn't purchase anything. Mostly we dusted. And that was enough. We cleaned everything from floor to ceiling fan and oh my dear, I had no idea the amount of dust that would collect under one's bed when you haven't moved it or vacuumed under it for, oh I don't know, 5 YEARS!! Yikes! That was scary.
Anyhoo, the last thing to be cleaned was our bookshelf and in the process I weeded out the books...and got rid of exactly none. I love my books! Vince has his favorites too that he wants to hold on to. He reads mostly novels...sci fi and ones with knights and dragons and such. Mine are all books on life...parenting, spiritual growth, mawaage, health. The ones I liked enough to keep are underlined and hi-lighted and exclamation pointed and written in with the page corners folded over and maybe some coffee stains. They are well loved and well worn and I like to page through them now and again to read my notes and get all re-inspired! It's kind of hard to do that with my Nook, though. It does have a hi-light feature, but it's just not the same. I usually carry my Nook with me (thus necessitating a bigger purse) and I love the convenience of being able to carry multiple "books" and "magazines" at all times.
At the bottom of my blog I have a "Shelfari", which is a virtual bookshelf that holds all of my favorite books. If you scroll over a book it pops up and tells you more about it. Pretty cool (you can make one too, and you don't have to have a blog). The ones I have on my "shelf" are all of my favorites, but just in case you are wondering, here are my favoritest books ever...ones I'd recommend as "must reads" because they are seriously that good - in my opinion of course, and I can do that 'cause it's my blog :)
For all women everywhere, you simply must read this book...you just have to. Go buy/download/checkout/borrow this book right now and read and savor it, and let God tell you how beautiful and cherished you are. Because you are. Amen.
If you are married, get this book. Go directly to this book. Do not pass go and do not collect $200. It will transform your relationship. Crazy good.
For parents, this one is a goldmine. I first read the adult version of "The Five Love Languages", and recently learned that they make one for teens, and it is on my "to read next" list...
And if you are going through a tough time, and even if you are not, this is probably my all-time favorite book. It reads like a novel, but the imagery and symbolism is so rich with meaning. I have read it twice and will again, no doubt.
The sequel is just as good...
And finally, these are my most recent reads...and they have literally MESSED ME UP!!! I talked about the first book "7" here, and just recently finished Interrupted. Seriously, I can't say enough about these books. The author, Jen Hatmaker, is hilarious and amazing and real and I love her. She doesn't know it yet, tho.
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