Angie, that’s why I adore historical fiction from writers like Gabaldon and Diana Norman who actually TRANSPORT you to another time and place while you’re sitting in your living room. There’s nothing better than getting lost in the past and enjoying the trip with all those wonderful characters. Right now I am reading a Roberta Gellis book, FORTUNE’S BRIDE that is set during the Napoleonic wars. It is a heavy historical romance but I am loving it right now.

I read to escape real life… I mean admit it, when you're reading a really good book, you tend to forget all the stresses in your life.

That’s exactly why I read! I can go anywhere…I would say be anyone, but I somehow end up taking all my baggage with me.

Oh, and I owe you a huge thank you! I finished reading the sixth Julia Spencer-Fleming book I Shall Not Want last month (I picked up the series after reading your post here on Ms Spencer-Fleming’s books) and I loved it! It is probably my favourite of the series. I emailed the author and was rapt to hear that she is working on the seventh book :)

Hey McHalliday, thanks for the feedback, appreciate it.

Theo – I don’t think you’d want to go further in that series. The ending is depressing as heck. I once watched the movie version of Flowers and had to laugh. It was a horrible adapation. Horrible *my eyes*

I get a natural high going when I am reading a really good book. I mean admit it, when you're reading a really good book, you tend to forget all the stresses in your life.

So true, a good book can seem near my own experiences and resonate as such, particularily when entranced in a superb Fantasy or FR.

I *love* that feeling of living in another world and then suddenly realizing that I’m in my living room/bedroom/wherever.

Hey Renee! I loved MISTRESS OF MELLYN. Well, I loved a lot of her titles. Yep, my life as a reader started out with a book that had incest in it (had no idea at the time). When I started reading Spencer though, I think my mouth dropped open from reading SEPARATE BEDS being that it was my first time reading a sex scene. Those early days, sigh. Wonderful time to be reading. Everything was so new.

The Queen’s Confession (about Marie Antionette) made me cry like a baby.

It’s funny how VC Andrews was a “gateway” author for many readers. I remember her Flowers in the Attic sweeping through me and my friends in jr high.

Jan, that’s so true about being able to understand different events in history better through reading. That feeling of being transported is one of the best feelings in the world.

I would close myself in my room on a Saturday and read a couple before my mother could pry me out of the house to ‘get some fresh air’. *sigh* I wish I could still do that now! :P

I read to escape real life but more importantly, books offer the best way to travel to all the different parts of the world on the cheap. I love reading because there's nothing better than a good book. I get a natural high going when I am reading a really good book. I mean admit it, when you're reading a really good book, you tend to forget all the stresses in your life. I go to work happy knowing that I got a good book waiting for me at home. I also read to increase my knowledge base and vocabulary and more importantly, it's a pleasure getting to know all the different characters, different personality types, seeing how other people live their life and to be completely lost in their world. But the best part of reading for me? is meeting other readers who love to read, too. It just doesn't get any better than that.

Well said, Keishon!

I read for all of the reasons above too. I love what you said about stress reduction, traveling without leaving your home, getting to know different characters and meeting other readers. So true for me too.

Hey Theo! Another Victoria Holt fan, awesome. Funny you should mention THE BRIDE OF PENDORIC, love that book. I think of all her works, I still haven’t read THE SECRET WOMAN and my least favorite of her work, SEVEN FOR A SECRET (blah). I read her other stuff under other pen names too like Phillipa Carr and VOICES IN A HAUNTED ROOM is a keeper (even tracked down a harcopy to put on my shelf). I am just now discovering her Jean Plaidy historical fiction novels. Awesome writer. I also enjoy Mary Stewart as well.

I started reading in high school, way back in the 90's and it more or less came out of curiosity.

This made me smile though. I read Bride of Pendoric when it was new…

:D

I love reading because there's nothing better than a good book. I get a natural high going when I am reading a really good book. I mean admit it, when you're reading a really good book, you tend to forget all the stresses in your life.

Love that feeling. The pages of those books just seem to fly by. And even years later, I can still recall specific things about the story and the characters.