Reading Frustration

Have I ever mentioned that I love to read? Mmmm... Yep, anyone who knows me understands that about me, sometimes from the first time we meet. And one of my favourite things to do is to stretch out in a warm bubble bath with a good book. I've been feeling under the weather all week, so last night after both kids were tucked cozy in bed, I decided to retreat to my bathroom with the latest novel on my book club list.

It's a good one. The Birth House by Ami McKay is just the book I've been waiting for. It captured my imagination from page one, and I can't wait to discuss it with my book club. I love that it is set in the Maritimes, although not in a place I can remember visiting. But still, the familiar tones of Maritime life are there. I settled into my tub and immersed myself in the pages, and let all the demands (grocery shopping while sick) and stresses (parent-teacher interviews) of the week float away.

Until I reached page 135. Correction: until I did not reach page 135, because page 135 did not exist in the copy of the book I own. Or page 136 for that matter! At first I didn't believe it — How could this book just be mysteriously missing a page? How is that possible?  So frustrating! So unfair! And of course, as I read on I realized something rather significant took place on those two pages. Or at least I am left to assume that it did. Grrrrrr!!! My peaceful oasis was interupted and ruined. I got right out of the bath so I could go complain about it to my husband (who, of course, did not recognize the importance of my complaint — "Oh, two pages are missing? Huh! Isn't that funny?" Grrrrr!) I went to my computer to see if I could find anyone else's complaint about two missing pages in The Birth House. I only found one passing comment in a review.

I'm assuming this was only a problem in the one printing of this book, which I purchased at Walmart in Fredericton at least two years ago. So today, a P.D. day for the kids, we are off to the book store, so I can find a copy of The Birth House and read pages 135 and 136.

By the way, I am truly thankful for this book, since I've been craving a book for a while that I could just get lost in, and it fits the bill. I'm also thankful for my book club, which is the reason I finally picked it up off my bookshelf to read. I would highly recommend it to anyone, with one warning! Before you buy it, turn to page 135 and make sure it is there! Then go settle into a warm bath and enjoy.