THE COMFORT OF BOOKS

Books have been my friends for ever, something my mother passed on to me and thankfully I have passed onto my own children...and on down the line. It was lovely a few days ago to see my 7 3/4 year old granddaughter lost in her book, wanting to eat and read at the same time. I completely understand that feeling, just not wanting to put the book down. 

There is nothing like settling into a good read, especially when the words sing to you. The joy of picking a book up and knowing just by the feel of it in your hands that you are going to love it. I'm not sure why the feel can tell you but it just does! I can't go to sleep at night until I have read, even if it is only a few lines. As I'm now in my seventies, early seventies (!) reading has accompanied me through small children, wakeful nights, snoring husbands, waiting for teenagers to come home late at night, good times and not so good times. In the midst of sadness I would get a 'good' murder mystery and forget. This reading literally helped me to get right back on track to do whatever I needed to do. 

This post has come about as we have had a couple of upside down weeks, we decided to buy a house here, all very exciting until we realised we were taking on too much for us, hard to accept that we are not as young as we once were! The garden was just too big and too immaculate for us...I'm much better off with a garden that spills over, where weeds can nestle under my favourite flowers without being too obvious! So we pulled out, the best thing for us but we felt we had let down the sellers. Not good in a small country town particularly.  BUT what kept me going were three books I had from our local library, I loved them all!

The first...

 

A beautifully written story about the daughter of Greek immigrants who settled in America. Daphne goes back every summer to spend time on the island where she lives. The story goes from past to present, how our family history has such an influence on us. I loved it!

The latest Karen White book and another story travelling from present to past and back again. I always enjoy her writing, mysteries, nothing too gory, some romance..of course and so much more. The story of relationships gone wrong and the ties that bind us to our families. The story involves the story of a beloved grandmother and the granddaughter who left home, vowing never to return...but of course she does. It is quite a long story and again I loved every minute of it. She is such a good storyteller!

And my third book...

Another mystery, travelling  between 2009 and 1849. Julia, in New York,  finds she has inherited a house from her great-aunt, someone she didn't know existed, in London. She goes to investigate and find a house that is filled with all sorts of memorabilia, rubbish, an overgrown garden and mystery. A great read as well and I will look out for Laura Willig again.

Books my friends for ever !!