2009 was an extremely busy, highly stressful, but fantastically rewarding year for me. Between a graduating senior, a daughter departing for a mission, baseball, basketball, another daughter departing for college, and practically giving birth to "ANNIE" (it felt like labor and did take nine months!) I wasn't able to endulge myself in reading as much as I would've liked. Plus, I often have a hard time finding something that I really want to read. So, when I stumbled across a little gem of information that led me to a book I had heard little about, I decided to give it a go. Thanks to a generous gift card to Barnes and Noble, I purchased my very own copy of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and saved it until New Year's Eve. The quote at the beginning of the book affirmed to me that, this, indeed, was going to be a fabulous journey. "Perhaps there is some secret sort of homing instinct in books that brings them to their perfect readers." This book was magically brought to me and now I am magically bringing it to you. At times it made me laugh out loud, Other times the tears were falling so freely that I had to stop and regain my composure. It is beautifully written, with characters so well defined that you can't help but wish they were your friends and neighbors and lovers and enemies. I think the thing that touched me the most about this wonderful present, is the fact that it made me miss Whitney so, so, so, so much. I wanted her by my side, reading it silently and simultaneously. I can give you page numbers where I know we both would've said, "Oh, I so love her language," or "Ha, that is just what I thought!" It would have definitely been a race to see who could finish first. In so many ways, the main character Juliet, is my Whitney. Juliet is an author. Whitney wants to be an author. And will be. They both have curly hair. They both love books more than anything. They both live by this quote, "I sometimes think I prefer suitors in books rather than those right in front of me." The more I read, the more I knew. This was a book my Whitney could've written. Someday she will. Write a book just like this. Something fabulous and wonderful that captures your heart and won't let it go. I know it's a bit early to start giving gifts since another Christmas is already past and gone, but I am sending a gift to all of you via my blog. If you haven't already been marveled and amazed by this book, get your hands on a copy and start reading it NOW! Don't wait until you have 'time'. Find the time. Put everything else aside. Trust me, in the end it will be so worth it. In fact, it will also be worth it in the beginning, in the middle, and on every page in between. "Treat yourself to this book, please--I can't recommend it hightly enough." Elizabeth Gilbert, author

***Side note: DO NOT skip reading the acknowledgements, afterthoughts, or book group discussion questions. They, too are all enlightening, and add even more depth to a joyous ride. To quote Isola, "reading good books ruins you for enjoying bad ones."