“What a weird title for a blog entry,” you might say to yourself... but if you know me at all, you know that my answer to “What is your favorite book?” has always been: “I don’t read”. I hated reading in high school, I read Cliff’s Notes when I could in college and if anyone suggests a “great book you should read”... I would just ignore it because I don’t read. In the past, I would try to pick up a self-help, Christian book that I was told was really good, but I could never get into a book and really enjoy it! Well, a change has come over me! What? A change? Yep - here’s the new Lori, the “I LOVE TO READ” Lori... you heard it first folks!

So here’s what happened. My friend Krissi Dallas, whom I met in college and now keep up with on Facebook, released her debut novel in May of this year. The book is called Phantom Island: Wind, which is the first book in an epic series. Krissi has always been a spunky, fun-loving girl that has a heart for young adults. She teaches pre-AP English & Language Arts to middle schoolers in Texas and works side-by-side with her husband at their church’s student ministry. The first time I met Krissi, working in the computer lab at OBU, I knew she was something special, and she hasn’t stopped amazing people!

Since the book came out, I have seen a swirl of comments about Krissi’s book on Facebook and finally decided to challenge myself...”could I really read a book and enjoy it? Maybe Krissi’s book is the place to start!” Zach was going to be out of town for a week, so I figured I’d pick it up and see what happened! Well, 5 days later I had read all 400 pages of the book! I couldn’t put the book down! I had to work long hours last week because work is SO busy, but couldn’t wait to get home so that I could stay up late reading about what would happen next! The story is about a girl, named Whitnee, and two of her friends who are counselors at a summer camp. They all have a deep friendship and have shared lots in their past. Bits and pieces of that past come out as the book moves along. The book begins with them starting off their summer at camp and an adventure unfolds before them -- more than just camp cafeteria food and dealing with the campers!

I loved reading this book! Krissi’s writing style is so fun. The way she writes the main character as the narrator made me feel like I was really there, experiencing the adventure too! Her characters had such great personalities - each one different - adding to the story line. Krissi’s choice of contemporary pop vocabulary made the book even more fun. It was a story I connected and identified with. There was fun, romance and adventure - lots of it! I laughed out-loud at various parts of the book - I never knew how someone could laugh while reading a book, but I did!! And at the end of the book, as I was finishing up the last pages, I was laughing and crying! It was fantastic!  

For all of you out there who love to read the Harry Potter or Twilight books, you’ll love Krissi’s book! I’ve read so many things on her Facebook page about people referring to those books and how her book fits so nicely into that Young Adult Fiction category. I never thought I’d be one of those people to pick up a book like that, that’s just never been me. So I’m contemplating what is the next book I’ll pick up to read - Harry Potter or Twilight or something else. I have to wait until 2010 for Krissi’s next book Phantom Island: Water to come out! I told Zach just the other night “I can’t wait until the next book comes out!”... again, not something I ever thought I’d say!! Thank you Krissi Dallas for introducing me to the world of Young Adult Fiction and ever changing my desire to read!!

If you want to buy the book yourself, you can go to Krissi’s web site www.krissidallas.com or go directly to the publisher’s website: www.authorhouse.com or search for it at your local bookstore. I purchased my copy through Tattered Cover, in Colorado, I had to have them order it, but that was an easy task.

Support my friend, expand your book collection, enjoy a great book! It’s SO worth it!!