The Problems of a Good Book

No, that title is not a misprint. I really do mean the problems of a good book. What problems could there possibly be in reading a good book, I hear you ask. Apart from the fact that I hate being torn away from a good book and resent others things that require my attention instead of reading, the real problem comes after you have closed the last page with a sigh. For the time of that book you have been totally engrossed but then emerges the problem of finding the next read. That’s where the problems start.

After having a book that has intellectually and emotionally engaged you and swept you into its world so that you have lived every moment with the characters, it is hard to move easily onto the next one. It’s usually at this stage that I start reading and quickly discarding books because they are not engaging me. For that reason it is good to have some people whose reading taste and reviews you trust. One of my criteria is that they know how to write review that does not give the plot away as some people erroneously do. With this in mind, I find suggestions on this site are great if you like reading Christian fiction or non-fiction. But I need a diet that consists of other types of books as well. For this, I rely on a few trusted readers and reviewers over at Goodreads. Some books I would never have picked up if it had not been for the raves of others.

So I thought I’d share some of my good books from this year. No, they are not Christian books but they are all well written books that involved me. I hope some of you might find some you love some of them too.

Mr Wigg – Inga Simpson.

I’d heard about this from several people on Goodreads before I finally got my hands on a copy. From start to finish I adored it. You can read my review here. And I loved the cover as well, which makes perfect sense once you have read the book.

Don’t Let Me Go – Catherine Ryan Hyde.

 I’ve read a couple by this author that have moved my emotions. The characters are so real. Be prepared to have your emotions come to the surface.

The Goodbye Quilt- Susan Wiggs.  

I had a copy with two novels in the one volume. The second,  Home before Dark, was nowhere near as good a read and I wouldn’t recommend it, but The goodbye Quilt had me emotionally invested from the start. Any woman who has ever seen a child off to uni or going out on their own should read this. Maybe men should read it too.

The House of Memories- Monica McInerney. 

Another engaging family story from Monica Mc Inerney who is as warm and delightful in person as her books are. 

The Nine Lessons: A Novel of Love, Fatherhood and Second Chances -Kevin Alan Milne. 

This was one that I admit I picked up initially because of the cover. When it mentioned golf I almost put it down again. I am so glad I did not. Although there is golf in it, it is really about life and relationships.

Delights and Shadows - Ted Kooser

This was my first encounter with this Pulitzer prize winning poet and I savoured every moment. Filled with interesting observations, use of language and imagery as well as real emotion. Review here.

There were many others I could have added. If you would to have a look at them you can find them on my books readhttps://www.goodreads.com/review/list/4800708?shelf=read 

If you have read or get to read some of these books I would love to hear your thoughts.