"The book should be a ball of light in one's hand."

- Ezra Pound.

My name is Soph, and I'm addicted to reading.

It started when I was 2, and learned to read my favourite Spot book back to my mum. By the time I was 7, I'd read every book in the infants library. I read almost everything in the house before I hit puberty, including dreadfully inappropriate true crime books. I cannot remember a time when I didn't read everything in sight. I read the backs of shampoo bottles on the loo, if there's nothing else to hand. When I'm on holiday, I take more books than clothes (and I have been known to panic on holiday if I haven't enough books, and then find a second hand bookstore). I can spend HOURS in bookshops, and browsing Amazon. I am renowned in my family for giving books as gifts, whether people want them or not, and then nicking them back to read a few weeks later. I rarely lend my own books out, and it causes me PAIN to throw any away, however decrepit they may have become.

My library

I am lucky enough to have a house with a spare room. I have turned it into a library/study (see above). They are all my books, and mine alone. I live with my two boys (aged 3 years and 20 months), and they have their own bookcase, filled with Julia Donaldson and the 'That's Not My" series. When my boyfriend eventually moves in, the book level may reach critical mass.

My friend Julie, over at Mama Owl is doing a #50Books2013 Challenge. "PAH", said I, "I read fifty books in a WEEK" (or somesuch hyperbole). But then I thought, actually, it would be nice to keep track of how many books I get through in a year, and what I think of them. I read bloody fast, and omnivorously. I own a generic e-reader thing, but prefer a printed book. I have a load of cash to blow on new books, from Christmas, and I'm not currently reading anything. Now seems a good point to start!
May the reading commence.