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I Couldn't Put The Book Down

Good Afternoon everyone,

Most people have at least one. You know, that book that you've read, loved, fantasized over the possibilities of what happened to the characters after "The End". Books that inspire, touch our hearts, leave us wanting more. Or even books that leave us perfectly satisfied after the last page.

For me, there's several on my list that fit several of those descriptions.

I've read Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice at least 3 times. Mr. Darcy...awesome, awesome. And I do like the BBC's miniseries that did a good job of portraying the book.

I read Maureen Daly's Seventeenth Summer over and over again as a teenager (well at least twice, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was more than twice LOL).

I've devoured Lurlene McDaniel's books, particularly Don't Die My Love, reading and re-reading them over and over; particularly A Rose For Melinda.

I've read Georgette Heyer's The Grand Sophy at least twice, if not more, as well as Friday's Child more than once. (Still love both books). Also, Sylvester Or The Wicked Uncle at least twice. (Just laughed reading The Grand Sophy, Sophy was a funny character). Or, of course, These Old Shades (also excellent).

I've read Stephenie Meyer's Twilight Saga twice all the way through (especially in preparation for The Twilight Saga: New Moon movie coming out in November). I thought the series was fun, and one of those that has the power to pull the reader into the story.

Of course, there's the books that we read once, but we love every single of them so much, that when another comes out in the series we have to rush out and buy them.

For me this includes Laura Childs' Tea Shop Mysteries. I simply have to know what's going to happen with Theodosia and I own every one of the Mysteries up to the most recent published one (Oolong Dead).

Or there's ones that you enjoy because the characters grab your attention and the dialogue is witty. Kerrelyn Sparks' Love At Stake makes me laugh out loud.

Ciara Gold got me to decide that I could read a Sci-Fi novel when I picked up Celestial Dragon. (I liked the elements of futuristic being weaved with more historical type significance).

Or take me on a ride through different possibilities in Historical England when I read Kim Lenox's Night Falls Darkly. (I found her work quite imaginative).

Of course, there's Nicholas Sparks' A Walk To Remember, that I just can't get over. I've read several of his novels and so far that one is my favorite. I even own the movie starring Mandy Moore and Shane West.

There are just some books out there that grab you and hang on. There's ones that I sit there and think "That was just a gentle read. Just a nice story with a nice ending." Richard Paul Evans' Christmas Box series and several of his other novels have done that for me. He writes gently--everything is just heartstrings and pure human emotion.

There's several other books I could mention, but that would make this post super long and I don't want to bore anyone LOL.

But I can only hope that one day--if I'm so blessed as to be published (and even before being published) people will say that about my novels, "I couldn't put it down!" things like "I loved it." Or even "So and so character cracked me up." Or, "I want more, what happens now???" I have some people saying that when I let them read (or read aloud) any of my manuscripts to tell me what they think...and every time it makes me smile...I feel like I'm glowing. It's high praise and I'm extremely delighted every time someone says "I really liked thus and so character" or "That part where thus and so thing happened was great." Or "This scene was fabulous." Of course, constructive criticism in order for me to improve is always a good thing, but I do like those nice compliments, too. I wouldn't mind having a novel out that people couldn't put down. I'd consider it a great gift.

So tell me, what are the books you read that either you read over and over again or you just love so much you can't help but gush over the story, characters, et cetera? What about your own writing? Whether published or unpublished has someone said they just loved your work?


Have A Marvelous Monday!

Comments

Regina Quentin said…
Not to sound repetitive but I LOVE Pride & Prejudice. As silly as it may seem, I still love Nancy Drew (because of my childhood memories). I like all of Erle Stanley Gardner's Perry Mason novels and I am a huge fan of Joanne Fluke's Hannah Swensen mysteries. I could read those again and again! I love books. Barnes & Noble is one of my favorite places to be.
Bethany said…
Regina,

The Hannah Swenson novels are good. And Barnes & Noble is one of the best establishments our society has. Nothing is as inviting to me as shelves of books and a cup of coffee. There's something so cozy about the two. (Of course, if you're a tea drinker, and I like some teas, don't worry Starbucks also sells tea).
Stephanie Faris said…
Nicolas Sparks drives me absolutely batty. Every book, the main male character dies. Okay, maybe not every book...but a movie was on our movie channel that was based on one of his books and I told my boyfriend, I'm gonna watch this but I know how it'll end. He's going to die. So then it became about figuring out how and why he was going to die...which, of course, he did. I knew it would have to make sense in the end, somehow...that the heroine would have to learn some big life lesson out of it. Ugh.

Anyway, I loved The Stand when I was a teen, by Stephen King. I always liked to imagine what happened to those characters after The End.
Bethany said…
Stephanie,

Oh well. I like "A Walk To Remember". Personally, I think it's one of his best.

I'm afraid to read Stephen King because I think his stories will scare me. Nothing against his writing at all, just that I hear he's a very vivid writer and I'm not sure I could handle it. But I want to read his "On Writing". And like I said, nothing against King's writing, I just never had the guts to read his books.

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