The Reef

This by far is one of my most recent favorite books by Nora Roberts.  She’s been my favorite female author for the past 7 ½ years.  I had discovered her when I was living in Richmond for a couple months.  I went to the bookstore to take a break from job searching; just wanted to be surrounded by books.  I missed reading since I never had time anymore, not that it would’ve mattered if I did, because I didn’t pack any books to read when I moved.  So it was such a treat to just look at the books, and open them and smell the pages… lol yes.  I know.  I’m a nerd and a book worm.  Anyhow, I picked up one her books, and spent $8.50 of the $10.00 that my uncle had loaned me for lunch.  Needless to say, I didn’t eat lunch; instead, I devoured my new purchase, with such speed and intensity, that by the time I had read half he book I nearly missed my bus to take me home.  The book I had bought was Blue Dahlia; the first in the In the Garden Series, which is also an amazing trilogy that I encourage ya’ll to read.  (You can find more about her and her books at www.noraroberts.com)  Nora Roberts has an amazing way of captivating her readers and drawing them into the lives and worlds that she creates.  This brings me back to my original reason for writing this post… 

The Reef, which I believe was originally published in 1999, is a wonderful read!  It’s filled with excitement and danger, and the drama above the water’s surface is just as dramatic as the drama below it.  It’s an amazing story of love and self-discovery, perseverance and luck, reality and fantasy, with characters that are written so vividly that you can feel what they go through.  Even though I’ve already read the book, my mind still wanders back to it and I find myself questioning myself what I would’ve done if I was placed in some of those situations.  It’s also stirred in me a desire to go snorkeling and diving with tanks… to explore the water that I love so much, but have never had the opportunity to experience in person.  While reading, my desire to be a marine biologist was relit, and following it came my bittersweet acceptance of my life as it is now.  Don’t get me wrong.  I love my life, and I wouldn’t change it.  It was either artist, marine biology or to be an archeologist.  The reason I never pursued that avenue is due to my gigantic fear of sharks, and I’m the type of person to test the limits and to go where others haven’t.  So while I’m fascinated by them and love to study them and observe them, it’s an observation from documentaries on television or behind glass at an aquarium.  And as for being an archeologist, I didn’t cause of my need for a creative outlet.  Ultimately neither of them gave me the freedom to create, and let loose the thoughts and emotions that I hold and go through as person.  But with art, there’s no right or wrong, and no one set way that I have to let it out.  I can take pictures, paint, and draw, sew, design buildings, crochet….you name it, I’m allowed to do it.  So the artist in me dominated and I’m so glad it did. 

One day though I will go snorkeling and diving and I will help on an archeological dig before I die.  They’re all on my bucket list with a whole bunch of other stuff that I’ll tell you about another time. 

Blessed Be