I Miss Being a Bookworm

Up until the end of 2008 I could (and would) proudly call myself a bookworm. I was a voracious reader and read, at the very least, 2 books a month (and that's being conservative - it was usually much higher). But then in 2009...my reading of books slowed down. Who am I kidding - it all but stopped. Sure I was reading decor mags and blogs but I wasn't reading any books. And I LOVE reading. All types of books.

just a small small sampling of some of my books

I kinda blame blogging and the 'net for my lack of reading actual novels (time I'd usually spend reading - I now spend reading other blogs!)...but even more so I attribute my lack of reading to the fact that I was laid off. I did a LOT of my reading during my 2.5 hour (round trip) daily commute. And on my lunch break. And when I was laid off I no longer had this 'built-in' reading time. Sure, you'd think I have more free time to read but now a lot of my free time is spent looking for work, or doing contract gigs (working from home). And sometimes when I do have the time to read...I just can't focus.

But I miss reading. Yes, miss it. I crave a good book. The feeling of being absolutely absorbed into a book....there's nothing quite like finishing a good book, is there? Reading, literally, has the ability to transport you (me) to a different time. Or place. Or just put you in a different mind set. To make you laugh. To reflect. To see things in a new light. To discover (re-discover) something new. To make you think of doing things or going places you'd never thought of before....

Have I mentioned how much I love books?

So I've made the decision it's time for me to get back into the habit of reading. I miss the bookstore. Yes, the bookstore. I miss wandering the aisles and getting lost in books - dipping into and out of various books that catch my eye and walking out with 2 or 3 books to add to my nightstand.

I purchased this book months ago and just couldn't focus to really get into it...so I'm going to restart it.

And I've decided, and this will be hard, that weekends & at least 1 day a week will be internet free days for me. Yes, too much of a good thing can be...well, not so good.

So, with this in mind - I'd love to get a little list going of books to read. I also plan on heading to the bookstore this weekend and getting properly stocked up....I'd love to get YOUR opinion:

If you could recommend one book for me to read - what would it be? It could be from ANY genre...fiction, mystery, non-fiction, biography, chick lit, travel, romance, etc.....what would you suggest as a 'MUST' read (or simply a GOOD read) and (without giving the plot away) why? (Only thing - no self help books! I've actually read a few of these during the past year lol).

Perhaps there'll be a book that is frequently recommended? Regardless, I promise to check all of them out on amazon and pick a handful out this weekend to get me started on my quest to becoming a bookworm again.

Thanks!