Book I LOVED: "The Art of Racing in the Rain" by Garth Stein

A few nights ago, around 10 pm, I picked up Garth Stein's best-selling novel The Art of Racing in the Rain and began to read.

I didn't stop until THE END, 250+ pages later. It didn't matter that it was nearly 4 a.m. When I began reading, my eyelids had felt droopy and I had thought I would maybe be up reading for twenty minutes ... but, within the first few pages, I was drawn into the story and I lost all track of time. I could not stop turning the pages. The characters felt real. The narrator (a dog named Enzo) felt like a part of myself.

At the book's end, tears streamed down my face -- the good kind of tears, the best kind. I was reminded why I want to be a writer, the magic that good storytelling brings to our lives. I strive to write a book that touches people the way The Art of Racing in the Rain touched me.

If you want a fantastic summer read, read this book. If you are a dog person, read this book. If you want to fall in love anew with reading, read this book.

Have you read any books lately that have knocked your socks off? Please share!