Book Lust.

Now that three months have rushed past in this year it is time to evaluate my progress. As of this morning I have thirty books completed. A day behind my target, but I am still ahead of pace to reach my goal. This brings me to my case of Book Lust. It is true, I have a problem. I can't leave a book store without making a purchase. I have dozens of books on my shelf waiting to be read and yet every week I add to my stacks. I also have a wishlist that reaches over 50 books. The truth is, I have a problem. But alas, I am not alone. My aunt told me of a book called "Book Lust." Written by a librarian, book reviewer, and bookaholic. Her book chronicles her favorite novels as well as books to fit every moods. So in the spirit of book lust, here are my favorite books of the year. In no particular order:

The Shadow of the Wind, The Book Thief, My Enemy's Cradle, Love Walked In, and The Kite Runner.

So what made these novels superior in my mind? It is in the details. That is what makes a story great and why not everyone can become a successful writer. Telling a story isn't easy. As a writer you know what happens; you see the pictures in your head and imagine the plot unfolding. When narrating that same story it is easy to overlook the details. But it is the small elements that make a reader fall in love with a character. It is the carefully woven words that create a solid mental picture and make reading a book such a personal experience.

Update Books 27, 28, 29: Black Dagger Brotherhood Series Books 1,2,3 by J.R. Ward

As promised not all of the books I have read have been works of literary brilliance. My mind needs a little time off. Enter the "Black Dagger Brotherhood." It is my guilty pleasure. Recommended by my cousin I finished the first three of the series in a week. Yes it is another Vampire series, but with a new twist to the genre. These books are what my friend Ashley and I like to call 'Smut.' Enough said? I think so.

Update Book 30: The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

Sometimes when I hear so much about a book it makes me wary of reading it. This was the case with "The Kite Runner." I had heard so many people talk about it and recommend it that it sat on my bookshelf for years. I think part of me was nervous that I would be disappointed with it. Finally, after a coworker read it over her spring break I picked it up. She had warned me that it was the saddest book she had ever read. But nothing could prepare me for this heart-wrenching story.

"The Kite Runner," is about family, friendship, and love. It is also about everything that is terrible in this world. The choices people make and the guilt they live with. At times it was difficult for me to read such a sorrowful story. I put it down several times to collect myself. Although the story is mournful, it is also beautiful. The sadness is striking. This is a story that will stay with me for the rest of my life.

I realize that many people may be turned off by the idea of reading such a sad book, but I want to be clear that I did enjoy this story. One of the characters says it perfectly "Sad stories make good books." This isn't a good book, this a great book. This story opened my eyes to a culture that I know very little about. My understanding of the Middle East has come mostly from CNN and MSNBC. I will admit that I am extremely ignorant to much of what happens in that part of the world. "The Kite Runner" humanizes the people of Afghanistan. This should be recommended reading for anyone who attempts to form an opinion on any of the Muslim countries.