By Rosie Moore

I’m not crazy about gift cards at Christmastime. I like pretty wrapped gifts with pretty bows. However, I love gift cards from Barnes & Noble. I can go there and spurge and buy books from my favorite authors, e.g. James Patterson. I have a lot of his books and enjoyed them all. But I got one that I was so disappointed in titled “The Fall of Crazy House.” It left me shivering with apprehension and it was hard to understand, plus it was extra gory. Needless to say, I didn’t finish reading it. Some people might like it, but not me!

If you want to read a book that has mystery, comedy, and some episodes revolving around love, read one by Janet Evanovich. It is a page turner, irresistible, entertaining book whose main character is Stephanie Plum, who is a bond enforcement agent. She goes after people who don’t show up for their court dates and she gets into some impossible escapades while doing her job. Her life is hectic with two boyfriends and erratic family members. All of her books contain some laughter.

One of my favorite writers is Maeve Binchy, a remarkable, gifted writer from Ireland. She passed away a few years ago and I thought I read all of her books, but I was fortunate enough to find one I hadn’t read. She was an Irish writer best known for her sympathetic and often humorous portrayal of small-town life in Ireland, her descriptive characters, her interest in human nature and her often clever surprise endings. One of her books, “Circle of Friends” was made into a movie.

On a cold, wintry day, sit in your favorite chair and read a book by Nicholas Sparks. It will put you in a comfy, nostalgic mood and will probably produce some tears. I recently read “Every Breath” by him, and I was not able to put it down, just kept reading. He wrote many other books and eleven of them have been made into movies. Remember, “The Notebook,” “A Walk to Remember,” “Message in A Bottle,” and “See Me?” All of these written by this great writer.

Last, but not least, one of my favorite writers, John Grisham, who is the master of legal fiction, has done it again, with his newest book, “The Guardian”. You will sit on pins and needles reading this thriller. But, don’t read it alone!

Thought for the day: The time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time.   Bertrand Russell

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