Sunday Salon: My Book Valentine

I am not a fan of Valentine's Day as a romantic holiday, but since having Hawthorne, I'm re-embracing Valentine's Day as a celebration of love (all types of love.) I'm not a fan of roses, jewelry or chocolates. I am a fan of a good meal, wine, bourbon, and a good book, and my Valentine's Day weekend will include several of each. But as I sat thinking about my valentines, I began to think about what my book valentine is this year.

I've read a lot of great books lately. Some I expected to love and others were surprises. I spend a lot of my time reading, and yet I don't always enjoy what I read. Then there are those books that come along that are both so good and touch me so deeply, and they make me say, "This. This is why I read." I had a hard time just picking one title, but I finally settled on Euphoria by Lily King, which was my favorite book of 2014. I cannot get this book out of my head. It's both literary and accessible to pop fiction readers. Euphoria perfectly illustrates why I love to read: it transports the reader to another part of the word to learn about other cultures. It's a window into a world I will probably never visit and experience firsthand. I learned from it, both intellectually and emotionally. But there's also romance. There's adventure. Its lessons are so beautifully linked with the plot. That it's inspired by the life of Margaret Mead adds to its power, as parts of it are true. It's a book I find myself recommending to so many people.

This year, while I snuggle Hawthorne and tell him he's my valentine, I'm also thinking of Euphoria, my book valentine that reminds me why I love to read.

Now tell me: what's your book valentine this year?

Happy Valentine's Day!

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