Emotional Strife!

Before my burial in some of Johanna Lindsey’s work, I took a plunge and read The Best Of Me by Nicholas Sparks to my utter regret. There are traits we readers exhibit; some are selective that is only read particular authors, some read the ending before starting the book and others read particular genres. I fall in the first and later categories.
I am a selective reader when it comes to both authors and genres. For example the only mystery I read is from Jeffrey Archer, John Grisham and Sidney Sheldon. I hate detective, medical, thriller genres. I like to know what I am getting myself into before I start a book. Mental and emotional preparedness, baby.
We all know Nicholas Sparks is a master where romance is concerned. The man has 3 of his works in the top five most romantic movies in the world after all.
I had in my life, never read a Nicholas Sparks though I have watched some of the movie adaptations. Armed with the knowledge of how good he is from what I saw in the movies-I took the plunge and read my first and last novel from him.
Why first and last? Because it was sad and I don’t read sad endings as a rule. The essence of me reading is to enjoy the story, escape and sigh over it. Unknowingly reading a book with a sad ending is not my style and I regretted it!
Funny thing though; after reading the book and chatting about it with my friends, I realised that all his works have sad endings. One half of the couple in all his movies die if not both. They are all sad! A fact you realise once the book is done.
The only person out there that I read with sad stories and endings is Danielle Steele. I know people who don’t read her as a rule but I do with a lot of pleasure because I know what I am getting myself into both emotionally and mentally. And I am willing to let her get to the hardest part of me and bring forth the feelings hidden there.
Since I have had too much romance and sadness from Johanna Lindsey and Nicholas Sparks respectively. I feel the need to get out of this emotional strife so the the time is probably right for my attack on the realistic Paulo Coehlo. I have heard good reviews from my friends and the little bit of The Alchemist audio I listened to last year makes me think I shall enjoy some of his work. As long as he doesn’t play on my emotions…