I am not a fast reader when I am working a lot on my own new novel but I have recently finished and loved Melanie Benjamin's ALICE I HAVE BEEN and am in the middle of Michelle Moran's CLEOPATRA's DAUGHTER and Karen Essex's STEALING ATHENA and Kathryn Stockett's THE HELP. When in the midst of writing, I skip about and when not writing, I read straight through. My bedside table should be as big as a desk! Books spill over to lean against the bedside until they creep out and almost block the bedroom door. At my door today was another box from Amazon and I am expecting more. I love other writers' novels and always murmur to myself, "How did he or she do that?" with much awe.