Sometimes I think I'm the People in the book

My journey with books didn't really begin until I was in my last two years of high school.  Don't get me wrong, I read books. I read the books that were in my curriculum, however, I didn't really read for fun.  When someone asked me what my favorite book was, I would just tell them I had recently finished x.  Nothing really ever piqued my interest; the books I was given were just mediocre...and that sucked. 

My sister, avid reader that she was, encouraged me to take books from her shelves if I wanted.  All books were fair game.  So, I think I randomly picked up the Great Gatsby.  I wasn't too impressed by the beginning of the book, sort of thought about not continuing ...but then I got sucked in.  I was intrigued by the affair as this was around the same time the Bill and Monica affair broke.  Whatever my motivation.... I finished it.  Then I picked up Catcher in the Rye and that was it.  I got sucked in.  Here was a kid that was feeling as frustrated as myself.  Granted, I didn't pick up a hooker, but I had feelings of running away for a day...try to find something MORE. 

The book I related to the most, why I just don't know, was the Beekeeper's Apprentice.  It's a series written by Laurie R. King featuring a female counterpart to the great Sherlock Holmes.  Maybe it was her strong character or maybe it was her frank manner of speaking (something which I still struggle to have)...either way, I was completely consumed by this book.  By this series, really (I still read each installment today).  I couldn't put it down.

When I was reading, I didn't just have a picture in my head of what was going on...I had a streaming movie in which I was one of the main characters.  It was disappointing to put the book down to go to bed, to eat.  Really, it was hard to exit that world of the Sussex downs and the streets of London.  I had at this point, developed some idea of what I WANTED to read now.

I then started plowing through books, becoming more and more engrossed in the story.  I had found my niche; my imagination was running wild...I felt I could do anything and everything ( well, i guess as long as the character in the book was doing it :o).

To this day I still get upset when I finish a book and I have to close it's cover leaving an exciting world, my temporary home, behind. I'm happy and almost feel comforted when I start reading my favorites again. 

Here are some of my favorites:

The Beekeeper's Apprentice (Mary Russel Novels) by Laurie R. King

Graceling
Fire both by Kristen Cashore

Outlander Series by Diana Gabaldon

Anything by:
Philippa Gregory
Rachel Vincent
Jeaniene Frost
Rachel Vincent
Ariana Franklin
Richard Russo
Chloe Neill
Lauren Willig
Tasha Alexander
Scott Lynch
Patrick Rothfuss
David and Lee Eddings
Robin Hobb