My name is Sarah Eiseman and I’m addicted to reading.
Welcome to my online lair. I feel so much has changed since I started blogging about the books I’ve been reading. I’m (finally!) having so much fun reading that it’s difficult to contain my enthusiasm. It was in this vein that I began my blog about the books I’ve been reading. All my life I’ve read (if you can call it that) “important” books–books that others thought I should read. Non-fiction, Oprah’s book club, required reading for school–you name it, I read it, but didn’t have fun doing it. I remember asking people all the time for book recommendations, only to find myself disappointed with the book once I finished it. I pounded my head against the wall for years searching for a book that might keep my interest past the first chapter, but I was failing miserably. My husband, who’s a librarian, would ask me for things I liked about books so he could help with recommendations, but nothing seemed to do the trick. I felt like such a failure because my mother reads constantly, as did my grandfather. I’m married to a librarian, whose mother is a public librarian–you’d think I’d find a book or two I’d like, right?
Well, sort of. I started with Harry Potter. Glad that I waited until the series was completed to start reading the books, I tore through them like there was no tomorrow. Same with the Twilight series. Then I started thinking about the why’s. What was it that drew me to those stories? Why did they keep my interest when Anna Karenina could not? What did those authors do differently that made me believe in their stories when other books lost me after the first page?
For me, it was all about the relationships. I like to see how people meet; I want to watch them fall in or out of love; I want laughs; I want to cry; I want to feel what the author wants me to feel. This is the reason that I created this blog. It is for readers who have trouble finding a book that holds their interest, or maybe gives them a little insight into genres like Contemporary Romance or Fantasy that they might want to try, but are afraid to because they don’t know what to expect. I know that I was afraid before I found some authors who have become my go-to’s. That being said, reading the fun stuff made reading the meatier books more interesting. I remember reading The Unbearable Lightness of Being and actually enjoying it after I had read some Nora Roberts. For me, the books I read have to balance out my life. If things are too serious in my life, the books I read need to give me some laughs.
This blog isn’t for everyone and the books I read are not suitable for all tastes, ages or palates. I read for me. I’m not paid to endorse any books and I don’t review books that I don’t want to read. This blog is meant to serve as a reminder for me what I’ve read and by whom. I hope this blog also serves as a reference for people interested in finding new authors. But more importantly, I hope that this blog helps others to realize the joy that can be found in reading. I can’t tell you how great it feels to finally have found books that I enjoy and can’t wait to read. I read roughly a book every other day, so for me this blog serves as a reminder of how far I’ve come in my search for a good read. I hope this blog helps you find something fun to read, as well.
Because I read in such high volume, I’m a regular at libraries around the area (Southern Connecticut). My blog is set up to do quick searches for various area libraries and to see what’s available on Kindle, which I typically order if the book is older or out of print. I’m also happy to lend books out that are part of the Eiseman library. I like reading books that are part of series, but also enjoy a stand-alone book every now and then. I tend to gravitate toward books that are funny, but some authors are too good to turn away from just because their stories are darker or more dramatic. I welcome suggestions for books or book events any time, so post a comment and share something fun or interesting that you’ve come across. I also welcome suggestions to this blog, so let me know what you think.
Enjoy!