Reading for pleasure

Where to begin.  There's many things in life I'm hopeless at - I can't sew, I can't bake, I'm not crafty but, I can read, I'm good at that.  I have an interest in drama and family history but my great love is a big, fat, book - the thicker the better.

I began reading in earnest as a small child, whilst my friends all went to ballet and gym classes I read.  As a teenager, whilst my friends all went shopping and to the cinema I read. As an adult, whilst my friends bake and sew I read.

I'm a member of a local drama group and a member of WDG Reads a book group set up by a friend - it's frequented mainly by wine drinking, cake eating women who sometimes chat about the books we read :-)

The book group has widened my reading material from mainly chic lit.  It's good to get together with like minded people who suggest books they've read.  Sometimes they're good and I find a new author I haven't tried and occasionally they are terrible!!  One thing is consistent though if I start a book I have to finish it, no matter what.

My daughter bought my first kindle in 2011 and my paper white kindle two years ago because she used to laugh at me trying to pack for a holiday - throwing the clothes out to make way for the books.  A typical two week holiday would need 14 books!!  I do love my kindle it goes everywhere with me but it can never replace the feeling of picking up a new book. Stroking the cover repeatedly and reading it with the book barely open so I don't crease the spine.  I can accept I'm a little weird.

A friend started reviewing books as a hobby and it got me thinking - I never have a book out of my hand why don't I do the same.  I personally choose a book to read based on the author, the jacket, the back cover or the synopsis on line.  I never read reviews, I prefer to form my own opinion but realise from research I've done how important reviews are to authors and publishers as well as other readers. So for that reason I'm going to give it a go.