Reading is FUNdamental!

 I love love love to read!   My mother instilled the love of reading in me.  I don't ever remember her or dad reading to us as kids, but I do remember Mom always had her book, her coffee, her cigarettes and ashtray, and her rosary and novena book right near her seat at the kitchen table.  

Growing up and until we got our first computer, I was a voracious reader! For a lot of years, the internet killed my reading time.  But when I was reading all the time, I'd read 2 or 3 books a WEEK!  My ex-husband used to say that the house could fall down around me, because when I was into a book, I didn't hear anything! 

I loved historical novels (Nicholas and Alexandra was responsible for me taking Russian Cultures in high school!) and books based on the bible (The Red Tent)   For a while I read the romance novels, but they got old real quick.  I read a lot of Danielle Steel but it seemed like her books were the same story over and over... just different names, locations and time periods.  So I don't read any romance novels any more.

My big favorites are mysteries and espionage!  I always say if my ex-husband were to die by questionable circumstances and the cops saw my book shelves, I'd definitely be considered a "person of interest"!  Ken Follett gave me my love for espionage with Eye Of The Needle.  I have one of his books on my Kindle right now, The Pillars of the Earth.  I'll be reading that one soon.

I re-discovered reading  in 2009.  I read 23 books that year.  I make time for reading now.  I love it.

I have 3 books going at all times.  John bought me a Kindle for Christmas (which I love!), so I'm always reading one there (Exposure:A Novel by Brandilyn Collins).  I don't bring the Kindle to work... I don't want it stolen or anything spilled on it.    

For work, I have one of the many print books I've purchased over the years.  The book in my work bag right now is The Richest Season by Maryann McFadden (I love beach books!).  I'm  alternating some books with Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series, which are absolutely hysterical!!  I literally laugh out loud reading her books!  

Last but certainly not least is my newest genre... audio books!  I didn't know if I could listen to a book and drive at the same time.  I figured I'd forget to listen.  I had the chance to test it when my daughter, Gina and I drove to  Dani's college to see her perform in a play.  It was a 5 hour drive each way.  Gina rented a book on CD from her library for the trip, and I discovered to my delight that I can listen and drive at the same time!  YAY!!!  So now I download audio books to my computer from my library and transfer them to my Blackberry!  Whenever I'm alone in the car and driving for 30 minutes or more, I listen to a book.  I bought a Jupiter Jack and I can listen to the book right through my car radio!  Right now, I'm alternating between James Patterson's Alex Cross Series and Lisa Scottoline's Rosato and Associates Series

As you can see, I have my list of books on my sidebar, what I'm reading and what I've read already.  It helps me to remember and not purchase a book I've already read.  As of this writing, I've finished 31 books this year, most of them on audio.  That's 21 audio books, 5 print books and 5 Kindle books.  Waiting in the wings are 7 audio books (and 2 I've ordered.. I'm on a waiting list), at least 30 print books and 20 books on my Kindle (plus 1 book pre-ordered).  Did I mention that I love to read?

Some of my very favorite authors are Patricia Cornwell, Sue Grafton, Elin Hilderbrand, Janet Evanovich, Ken Follett, John Grisham, Jennifer Weiner, Lisa Scottoline, James Patterson,  Dan Brown, Sarah Pekkanen and many more that I can't remember off-hand!!

So what are you reading and who are your favorite authors?