Reading Is Sexy.

There's a feeling I really can't describe after finishing a newly-beloved book. I find myself reading the last line over and over again, as to prolong the inevitable divorce I feel of these characters and story lines I have grown so familiar of.

My earliest memories of this draw to books were in the American Girls book series. I began reading when I very young, but these books were the first I couldn't put down. Each birthday and holiday, I had to get the next books or a new girl's series. I read each and every one... multiple times.

My mom and I spent hours and hours of my childhood nestled between the shelves of the Lakeland Public Library. I loved the smells, the categories, the big circular desk, the dewy decimal system that I have adapted on my own bookshelves. Stacks of books piled around me, hearing my mom say, "you can only pick one," and feeling as if that would be the hardest task I would ever tackle. How could a person pick just one when there are so many wonderful stories to get involved with, characters to fall in love with, fictional places you wish you could visit outside just your mind?

There are emotions attached to your favorite books, characters you relate to, enemies you despise, families you grow to love, hate, and be annoyed by. Cities and restuarants that make you feel as if you are sitting in their red patent leather seats, with the smell of fresh coffee and scrambled eggs wafting underneath your nostrils.

The ending of a great book is the most bittersweet of moments. You can't wait to find out how it ends, if your questions will be answered, but you also just wish the story would linger a few pages longer.

The most recent book I felt this type of connection with is Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay. If you're looking for a good book to delve into, this is the one.

What book have you read recently that affected your emotions? I am always looking for new books to purchase!