Have you ever read a book so captivating, so intense and well written that you almost don’t want to finish it? Once it’s finished there’s no way to ever truly recapture the initial wonder and surprise, the susense each new chapter brings as you wend your way through whatever imaginary world you dared to enter by opening the book. Of course you can always reread it, but once you know the ending the story is never quite the same. I hate when I reach teh end of a good book. I hate that there is no way to look further, read more. The characters, the setting, the story: it all just ends, leaving me blinking and dazed, contemplative and sad, wanting more; wanting to scrape every last image, emotion and word from the pages. A masterful book is like creme brulee that way…I chip into it anxiously, swoon luxuriously until the end at which time I sadly and dejectedly wish I could just sit there and lick the bowl (see why my boyfriend loves me so? hehe).

At the same time, I’m also one of those notorious people that skips ahead to random pages in the book, reading a fragment or two before returning to the actual page I’m on. I used to read the first page of a book and then go right to the end and read the last page, but I’m a mature woman now and I’ve learned the value of literary foreplay. However, there are times when the suspense of a story is so excruciating that I have to skip ahead a little and put my mind at ease with a tidbit or two of closure. I get that wrapped up in books.

The current object of my obsession is Phillip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy. I was a bit slow getting into The Golden Compass, although it piqued my interest months ago when I saw the website for the movie that is out in theaters this month. Once I got into it though, there was no stopping me. I flew through it in a little over a week (mind you I only read during the kids’ naptime at work, so that means, after I get my paperwork for the day done, I get to read for about 45 minutes-1 hour a day). I then went out and bought the remaining books in the trilogy, thinking it would be a good read for the plane. Ha! I finished The Subtle Knife on Friday and I’m almost halfway through The Amber Spyglass already. I don’t think it’s going to make it until Christmas day. But that’s ok! I’ll just have to find another amazing book for my 11 hour journey to Brussels.

Anyway, I’m just totally, totally engaged in this series of books. I can’t stand waiting to turn the page to find out what happens and at the same time I dread reaching the final page. I strongly recommend that you read these books if you get the chance.

And in that vein, I’d like to take the time to promote Soccer Mom In Denial’s Day To Read. On January 10th, stay away from the computer. Go make yourself a nice cup of cocoa, wrap up in a warm blanket (or head on down to the beach if you live in Australia) and crack open a book. Read a chapter or two. Or the whole thing. Whatever you like, but take the time out of a busy day to enjoy reading.

Oh and I totally was pissed that somehow my supercool original ermine daemon was morphed into a hare daemon (I blame my brother) plus, CB missed it somehow and never voted and he counts more than anyone (except my parents maybe). So here…we’re trying it again. If you know me at all go vote and we’ll see what I end up as in 12 days.