One of the Best Feelings in the World is also a Mixed Blessing

I'm a reader. It shouldn't be a surprise to anyone who knows me.

And if I had to sit down and make a list of my all-time favorite feelings in the world, somewhere on that list would be this:

To be in the midst of reading a book that you absolutely HATE putting down. To be so involved in the story and the characters, the drama and/or romance, that you constantly think about picking it back up again when finally, at 5 o'clock on the dot, you are released from your cubicle-hell.

Though to be honest, I don't work in cubicle-hell. But you get the point.

So, last night I finished reading a book that I couldn't put down. Absolutely couldn't put down. Discussed plot points with the reflection in the mirror as I brushed my teeth. Imagined conversations between me and the main characters (heck, even the minor characters). Started like 4 different "fan fiction" story lines which, of course, star me.

The book I'm talking about is "Dark of Night" by Suzanne Brockmann. It's like book 14 in her Navy Seals/Troubleshooters series. It started out as independent stories loosely tied together, in that all the male heroes of the books were members of the same Navy Seals team. Then, the first hero of the books is kinda forced out of the Navy and starts his own business. And somehow, this series of loosely tied together stories became this incredible series that I am completely obsessed with. Like seriously...obsessed. I reread all the books last summer in preparation for her August release, and I'm seriously thinking about doing that again this year.

Does that qualify as obsessed?

But the funny thing is...it took me almost a week to read 417 pages. And while a week isn't that long, it's a long time for me. Especially when you're talking about a book you just can't put down.

And here's why it takes me so long to finish such a great book. Like I said, one of my all-time favorite feelings in the world is being in the midst of a great book. But it's so rare. It really doesn't happen that often. Probably once every couple of years. Maybe. I mean, I read a lot of good books. But the kind that reach out and really grab you? That's rare. So, while I love the feeling, it's a mixed blessing. Cause I know when I reach page 417...it's over. That's it. Finished. The feeling is gone.

And that just plain sucks.