I’m not sure if I’ve ever mentioned I’m a bit of a book-worm, I always have been. When I was a child I loved and teenager I would check out as many books as I could from the library. I like to read fiction and will read almost every genre. When I used to work a 50 minute train journey away I could go through a couple of books a week! Recently I’ve had less time, that’s what newborns will do to your life, but my love for books is always there. I can spend hours in a book shop exploring the shelves, looking for my next read. At school or summer fairs I hunt out the book stall and collect as many as I can!

I only get excited about going on holiday when I get to the bookshop in the airport and choose what I’m going to read when I’m relaxing and sunbathing ,whilst Mr C plays in the pool entertaining the munchkin.

I have shelves and shelves of them, I really should invest/ask Santa for a Kindle but I’m a bit of a traditionalist so not sure how I’d feel about owning one. I like the feel of a book and must be honest I have sometimes bought a book ’cause the cover was pretty! I’ve avoided film adaptations of some books (Harry Potter) ’cause the characters didn’t look how I’d imagined them. I’ve often, after realising a film is an adaptation of a book gone out and read it! I’ve always enjoyed the book more.

I’m always looking for something new to read and I’ll always finish a book I start, apart from The Time Travellers Wife – I just didn’t get it! Some books are forgettable but have been a quick easy read, some have had a profound effect on me, We need to talk about Kevin – actually put me off having kids, some have made me really think differently about my life, some have made me laugh out loud, those ones are my favourite!

Anyway, recently I was asked by my You’ve Got Mail pen-pal Michelle at Bod for Tea what my favourite book was and then my good friend and book buddy Lisa tagged me into a short facebook meme to list your top 10 books.

After much deliberation, apart from 3 or 4, it was tough and there were some that almost, almost made it, I listed my final 11 (I numbered them wrong on my status) so I thought I would share them with you here too, in no particular order:

1. Memoirs of a Geisha – Arthur Golden. This is my all time favourite book!

2. Five People You Meet in Heaven – Mitch Albom.

3. Where Rainbows End – Cecelia Ahern. My favourite, favourite author of all time! I could have picked any of her books

4. Wicked – Gregory Maguire

5. Spot of Bother – Mark Haddon

6. Room – Emma Donoghue

7. The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry – Rachel Joyce

8. Can you Keep a Secret – Sophie Kinsella.

9. Rachels Holiday – Marian Keyes. Another of my fave authors, this book and all of Marians in fact, make me belly laugh!

10. A Long Way Down – Nick Hornby

11. The Harry Potter Series – JK Rowling – ok, this is a cheat as it’s not just one book but my favourite book list wouldn’t be complete with out them!

I’ve now realised I really should write a list of make a record of the books that I’ve read and that I think it’s time to pick a book up again, there were a few on my shelves I’ve not got round to reading yet.

So tell me, what book do you love? What would you always recommend to someone?