Splurge

A week ago my husband came home from work and found me sitting on the futon, untangling a mess of yarn and then trying again to crochet it, over and over. He looked at my grim expression, and the chaos of three kids climbing on me and pulling the yarn, hitting me over the head with books they expected me to read aloud even though I had laryngitis, and decided it was high time I was forced to leave the house. He got my coat. He handed me my shoes. He extracted me from the yarn, and pushed me out the door, with instructions to not come back home until Barnes and Nobles closes.

I need that every once in awhile. A brownie and milk at Barnes and Nobles, and a big old comfy chair. When I walked through the door and smelled that book retail smell, I felt a lot better. Especially since I suddenly remembered that Sarah Dessen’s new book, Lock and Key had just been released. I am a huge Sarah Dessen fan, even though she writes for teenagers, and I’m 31 and have three kids. I discovered her first couple of books when I was teaching English, and my students who I recommended her to loved the books even more than me! I’ve read everything she’s written. I’ve loved all of it. I stalk her blog daily, and love reading that, too.

So I sat down in a very comfy chair at the store and began reading. And I really didn’t intend to BUY this book. I usually just get them from the library, or read them quickly at Barnes and Nobles (it pays to be a fast and careful reader, one that can read a full YA novel in the time it takes an average person to watch a slightly longer than usual feature film . . . I can usually finish a whole book in one night at Barnes and Nobles). BUT, this book was longer than usual, and I got started later than usual, and by the time they announced that they would be closing the doors to the store, I was only on page 179.

Oh the turmoil! The torture! I knew I couldn’t put it down and leave it there! I knew I couldn’t wait for the library to purchase and catalog their copy of the book! I couldn’t leave the story hanging! I couldn’t even stop reading to go to the bathroom! There was no way I was going to be able to even wait until the next night and convince my husband to let me come back to Barnes and Nobles again! I had to buy it! Really, I did. And so I did. I forked over the nasty price of a hardcover-just-released book and hopped in my car to drive home as fast as I could.

And I really have no regrets, because my husband just laughs profusely at these antics. And as soon as I got home I jumped in my bed and snuggled under the covers (even more comfy than the chair at Barnes and Nobles) and finshed the book just before 2:00 a.m.

It was lovely. You really should read it. Along with all of her others. She just has an amazing way to bring characters to life, and make them funny, sorrowful, and real enough for you to believe they are real people. Each time I start one of her books I think it is just going to be the usual YA novel, ho hum but nice, and each time I am entranced by the third chapter.

P.S. Reader friends, take note of the side bar! I updated it with a long list of new books we’ve been encountering.