Kinda Like a Big Deal*

So last week I mentioned that I was going to a book signing this week, and I was super-excited about it. I am, still, in fact. If you look over to the sidebar on the right ----------> , I have a little area about books. I am not good about updating it like I should, but let me tell you, I wouldn't leave a book on my list if it wasn't worth reading.
About two months ago, I ordered How to Be Lost by Amanda Eyre Ward. I was so excited to read it, yet...it sat on my counter for a few weeks because school stuff got in the way. I couldn't resist any longer, and read more than half of it in one afternoon, between my two classes. I actually thought about skipping my afternoon class to continue reading it; it was that good.
I can't do the book justice by writing a review.....but it's a heartful story about a woman who goes on a journey to find her long-lost sister, a sister that disappeared when she was only 5 years old. The family is torn apart by it; the two remaining sisters have a thicket of guilt crammed in the middle of their relationship. The story is suspenseful, humorous, and heartbreaking. I don't want to tell you much because I am one of those people that LOVES to be surprised in a book (think: My Sister's Keeper & The Myth of You & Me, both brilliant, on my bookshelf, & in my heart).

When I got to the end of the book, I actually threw it across the room. I was upset because I wanted to know more. My husband told me to email the author and ask her for more. I laughed, but!!-Lucky for me (I hope), Amanda addresses the ending of the story in the Reader's Guide, stating that she cut out several hundred pages in the final draft of the story, and she can tell readers what happened to the characters.

This evening, Amanda will be doing a book signing at Legacy Books in Plano. When I found out, I was all "SQUEEEEE!" and my husband was all ".....", until I told him I am totally going to ask her about the characters in the book, and then he was all "oh" (Yeah, he's not much of a book whore like me, but I guess I'll keep him). I am hoping I don't look like a nervous groupie when (if) I meet her. I am in awe of her storytelling capabilities, and also? I feel a bit of a kindred spirit, only because I've had a novel growing in my head for the past 5 or 6 years, and omg, she actually published 4 awesome books, and could that possibly be me one day?
I started Forgive Me last week, and let my mother borrow Sleep Toward Heaven, so I can't speak for either of them yet. I'm totally buying Love Stories in this Town today, and going to try to finish all 3 before my internship starts June 1st. I'll tell you all about them when I'm done. Until then, you should pick up How To Be Lost. Make time to get lost in a book for a few hours. You won't regret it.

*By Clipse & Kanye West (Not trying to steal Jonniker's cool way of titling posts with songs, but omg, this song is stuck in my head, and the title fits the situation, so, yeah. Thanks, Jonniker-you rock! ) (Also? Give the song a few minutes. It seriously can get stuck in your head when you are working out, right about 1:03. Also? He says alligator souffle, and that just makes me giggle.)