I keep vacillating about whether to do "Something with which I struggle", or "A book I love". The third choice "My favorite store" didn't appeal at all, as I don't really have a favorite store (a collaboration of 2nd hand and vintage shops came to mind, but not one in particular). And I have plenty of struggles, but yesterdays post felt exposing enough. Talking about my struggles promised to be another uncomfortable topic. Talking about a book I love seems like it will be a nice, 'non-exposing my guts' kind of topic.
My favorite 'reading for the pure joy of reading book' has to be Outlander by Diana Gabaldon (actually the entire 7 book series). It is basically the best love story I have ever read. Ever. And I read a lot of romance novels when I was younger.
This book is full of time travel, history, disaster, hatred, injury, healing, betrayal, mystery, happiness, laughter, adventure, drama, fantasy and romance. I have literally wore out two copies each of the first three books of the series, and am on my third set. Every time I read the books I feel like I am reconnecting with old friends and I am being transported to Scotland.
The two main characters of the book are Claire Beauchamp and Jamie Fraser and the book is written from Claire's point of veiw.
It starts in Scotland in the year of 1945. Claire Randall unwittingly touches the Craig na Dun Stones while on a walk, and gets transported back to the year 1743. She finds herself alone in a forest, and the first person she runs into is 'Black Jack Randall', who she finds very confusing as she doesn't realize she has traveled back in time yet. It gets even more confusing when he attacks her and accuses her of being a spy.
She is then rescued by a ragtag lot of highlanders. They are all big intimidating men, and one of them is very hurt. As she was a military nurse in 1945, she quickly takes control over the injured man's recovery. He turns out to be James Fraser (James Alexander Malcolm MacKenzie Fraser to be more precise), the red-headed nephew of the laird of the Clan McKenzie (his backstory is actually very complex, so we'll skip that part).
Even though they suspect she is an english spy, they wisk Claire off to Castle Leoch where the McKenzie clan lives. There, she continues to care for Jamie's recovery, and gets inculcated into the household as a healer. Jamie keeps showing up around her, and saves her more than once from getting in trouble (usually while trying to escape back to the stones so she can return to her own time). She finds herself drawn to him as well.
Captian Randal continues to pursue Claire, accusing her of being a spy. In a move meant to protect her from the English by marrying her to a Scot, she is forced to marry Jamie. She desperately searches for a way to return to the Craigh na Dun, believing that if she returns to the standing stones she can also return to her own time. Her attempt is foiled, but eventually she tells Jamie everything. Believing her, he takes her to the stones. She tries to make herself touch the stones, but realizes she can not leave Jamie willingly because she is completely in love with him.
The women I know who have read the book all agree that Jamie was indeed written by a woman, because he knows exactly what to say to light up the pleasure center of the female brain. Holy moly, Diana Gabaldon should be teaching a course for men on "How to drive your woman wild with mere words (and also make her feel cherished)". Just sayin'. *swoon*
There is lots more to the story. I left out some pretty key story plotlines because it would have taken quite a bit longer to explain the book (and frankly there were some things I just didn't want to explain...). I would be remiss if I didn't mention that there is some pretty racy and hard to read content in there too, so it isn't a total crowd pleaser. In reviews, I would say for every four people who absolutely loved it, one person completely hated it. But as for me, I loved it.
My favorite 'reading for the pure joy of reading book' has to be Outlander by Diana Gabaldon (actually the entire 7 book series). It is basically the best love story I have ever read. Ever. And I read a lot of romance novels when I was younger.
This book is full of time travel, history, disaster, hatred, injury, healing, betrayal, mystery, happiness, laughter, adventure, drama, fantasy and romance. I have literally wore out two copies each of the first three books of the series, and am on my third set. Every time I read the books I feel like I am reconnecting with old friends and I am being transported to Scotland.
The two main characters of the book are Claire Beauchamp and Jamie Fraser and the book is written from Claire's point of veiw.
It starts in Scotland in the year of 1945. Claire Randall unwittingly touches the Craig na Dun Stones while on a walk, and gets transported back to the year 1743. She finds herself alone in a forest, and the first person she runs into is 'Black Jack Randall', who she finds very confusing as she doesn't realize she has traveled back in time yet. It gets even more confusing when he attacks her and accuses her of being a spy.
She is then rescued by a ragtag lot of highlanders. They are all big intimidating men, and one of them is very hurt. As she was a military nurse in 1945, she quickly takes control over the injured man's recovery. He turns out to be James Fraser (James Alexander Malcolm MacKenzie Fraser to be more precise), the red-headed nephew of the laird of the Clan McKenzie (his backstory is actually very complex, so we'll skip that part).
Even though they suspect she is an english spy, they wisk Claire off to Castle Leoch where the McKenzie clan lives. There, she continues to care for Jamie's recovery, and gets inculcated into the household as a healer. Jamie keeps showing up around her, and saves her more than once from getting in trouble (usually while trying to escape back to the stones so she can return to her own time). She finds herself drawn to him as well.
Captian Randal continues to pursue Claire, accusing her of being a spy. In a move meant to protect her from the English by marrying her to a Scot, she is forced to marry Jamie. She desperately searches for a way to return to the Craigh na Dun, believing that if she returns to the standing stones she can also return to her own time. Her attempt is foiled, but eventually she tells Jamie everything. Believing her, he takes her to the stones. She tries to make herself touch the stones, but realizes she can not leave Jamie willingly because she is completely in love with him.
The women I know who have read the book all agree that Jamie was indeed written by a woman, because he knows exactly what to say to light up the pleasure center of the female brain. Holy moly, Diana Gabaldon should be teaching a course for men on "How to drive your woman wild with mere words (and also make her feel cherished)". Just sayin'. *swoon*
There is lots more to the story. I left out some pretty key story plotlines because it would have taken quite a bit longer to explain the book (and frankly there were some things I just didn't want to explain...). I would be remiss if I didn't mention that there is some pretty racy and hard to read content in there too, so it isn't a total crowd pleaser. In reviews, I would say for every four people who absolutely loved it, one person completely hated it. But as for me, I loved it.
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