Between the Covers of a Book...Loving to Read

Reading has always been an escape from my every day world. When I was young it was that mysterious destination to escape to when my learning disabilities made me feel like the class joke in elementary school. I always picked books that were from a different time period and learned through them to enjoy history and different and more exotic worlds from my own simple Midwest surroundings.

After fifth grade the world and the different cultural worlds began to fascinate me, and from then on I was more into biographies and stories of Europe, the Middle East and far East. It took many years to find my way back to fiction and mysteries, but when I rediscover them in high school I couldn't get enough of it! From Sherlock Holmes to Anne of Green Gables I rediscovered worlds that were sometimes similar, and sometimes foreign to my own American experience. I really enjoyed the world, the people, and the many places I found between the covers of my books.

As a young mother I was often confined at home with sick children a book became my only escape during a busy day, and I began reading more, and later in the evenings so as not to be disturbed. But I also read with my toddlers, and as they grew we started sharing books at the dinner table. I would quickly devour my own meal, and then read a chapter or maybe two from books I thought my boys might enjoy. From Gary Paulson to Arthur Conan Doyle we discovered together the wilds of a northern forest, or the smoggy streets in a London of the 1800s.

As they grew we also discovered that they shared my difficulties with learning and began our cooperative struggle to a path through the maze that was the school year. Though they had some difficulties that carried on into their adult lives they also had a strong love for a good story which often helped them past some of adulthood's early frustrations. Don't get me wrong - for people who have reading problems, it isn't easy to like, or even enjoy reading but a love of a good tale often helped them climb that mountain toward cracking the code of letters, and the meanings of the written word.

Now we enjoy sharing favorite authors and different genres in the book world. We don't always agree on who we like to read, but we always revel in the discussions of the ones we do. Now I'm reading with my grandkids, and loving those discoveries all over again.

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

I'm a writer, and a reader. I love well written magnetic book that holds you close till the very end, but these days a book like that can be hard to come by. There are always the escape novels, but I'm talking about really good books that capture you and carry you to the end on a cloud of anticipation. Well, I just finished such a book.

If you haven't heard of the book The Thirteenth Tale, you should check it out. This engrossing tale is a definite must read! The author is Diane Setterfield and her novel is one of those good old fashioned Gothic novels with all the twists and turns that keep you guessing. But what I loved most about it is the way it draws you into the characters. With four main characters, but only two in the forefront there is a lot of mystery created, a thriller that keeps you guessing till the very end. I'm pretty good at solving who-done-its, but this one had me in its grip till the very end - which was at the end of a long night because I couldn't put it down.

It opens with a mousy loner type of character who is rather nondescript. But right away I got the impression there was more through the way that first chapter was laid out. From the beginning it brings into the mix twins and the concept of twin language, and so much more. Oh, and yes, there is a deep dark secret...well, actually more than one! The twists and turns leave you hanging on the edge and if you're the type of reader who only reads an hour or two a night this will keep you coming back to just get a peek as to where it goes next. The best part - or maybe the worst is it leaves you with questions at every turn that can definitely keep you awake nights till you've finished this tome.

If you haven't yet explored the book, The Thirteenth Tale, take time to wander through the hallways of this narrative about this disjointed group of people until this innovative tale totally captures your imagination. Maybe like me, you’ll read and re-read the pages to discover another part of the twists and turns that makes this book so gripping.