This weekend I was planning to spend some time organizing our apartment, as we are having family visit us in a couple of weeks, but Stefanie reminded me that Half Price Books is having their Labor Day Sale so organizing can wait for a few more days right? I mean who can pass up a book sale!

Well, that’s not all I’m doing. I am planning to spend some quality time with The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins which I am loving so far. I honestly think it was due to a lot of bloggers who always mentioned Wilkie Collins that I wanted to read something by him and so far I have not been disappointed with the story. I love the atmosphere and how I am in suspense of what comes next.

Also, as part of the R.I.P. Challenge I wanted to read some short stories so I’ve gone back to DailyLit and just signed up for Famous Modern Ghost Stories. I don’t know that I’ll read all in the series but I think it’ll be fun to read a couple of stories this way. I had been doing so well with my short story reading earlier in the year, I really miss that so it’ll be nice get back to reading some shorts.

And, I did say I wanted to go to the bookstore this weekend to catch up on more magazine reading so that’s still part of my plan. Anyway, I hope your weekend is filled with some bookish goodness as well.

Reading in Bed by Sue Gee

“There they go, two clever women of sixty, making their way through the wet towards the car. They’ve been to a literary festival; now they are going home: Dido to York, and Jeffrey; Georgia to London, and an empty house. Clouds roll back over the hills: it’s clearing.”

The story of two life-long friends opens with this wonderful scene, which a reader can’t help but wishing they were a part of. Being in the car with them discussing the writers they’ve met and heard at the festival, but soon enough as the story of their life unfolds we see that life is rarely as one wishes it to be.

Georgia has caring friends, book clubs to attend, a daughter she worries about but nothing takes her mind away from the fact that she is a widow. She loves her husband, she wonders why he is not there and she still expects that he’ll come back to his studio.

Dido is sweet-tempered and has her hands full with grandchildren, planning holidays and giving thanks for her husband who is of late becoming withdrawn. Her life has seemed so perfect almost but there are cracks and she’s trying to hold it all together and not say anything as if by silence she can will things to be fine but soon she’ll have to confront her problems.

Both women have some serious crises on their hands, a loved one who’s life may be in danger, children whose lives seem misguided, health issues and other strains but through it all they learn to rely on friendship and books to get them through life’s setbacks. There are lots of literary references sprinkled throughout the story so that alone is fun to read.

Despite this mainly being the story of the two women, a few other characters also feature prominently and unfortunately sometimes I just wanted to keep reading about Dido and Georgia and not so much from the other characters’ point of view.

Still I enjoyed the story because I found it easy to relate to, maybe not specific situations but just the unpredictability of life. No matter how well structured you may have your life or goals, changes come out at you some good and some not so good. Luckily for us this novel reminds us that love and friendship can get us through the rough moments.

This is my second Sue Gee book. I read The Hours of the Night a couple of years ago and like that one quite a bit. How about you, have you read any of her books?