Readers: What is it that makes you fall in love with a book?

Hi, my name is Dwight Okita. I'm new here. I'd like to pose this question to book lovers. I write novels and I know why critics and authors like books. But I'm especially interested to hear what makes readers fall in love with books.

If it helps, be specific. Talk about the last book or recent book you fell in love with and why. Was it the characters (which one, why, at one point did you love them?). Was it the plot (what makes a plot work for you, pull you in, the situations, do you most like the beginning/middle/end?). Was it the voice that drew you closer like a siren singing in your ear? (the language, dialog, description, point of view?).

The reason I ask this is because I'm revising my second novel THE HOPE STORE. And I always want to improve as a writer. And I think the key is understanding the journey, the experience, that the reader goes through. How they experience the novel's pace, how they empathize with the hero's goal or dream or problem.

I'll give an example of something I fell in love with recently. Usually I don't like short stories because many of them seem to smart alecky and workshoppy and snarky. But recently I read short stories by three very different writers: Haruki Murakami (a Japanese writer of trippy surreal stories), Philip K Dick (sci fi writer whose short stories have become films like Bladerunner and Adjustment Bureau), and Etgar Keret (an Israeli writer of tiny stories that are charming and powerful).

But first I'd like to hear from you readers. Then I'll talk about one of these stories and why I fell in love with it. How's that?

Also, it'd be great if you can follow my blog "Long Day's Journey Into Dwight" in which I tell of my experience as an indie author. Self publishing, royalties, author collectives, kindle giveaways, reviews, blogging, etc. Thanks. Let me know if you follow me or add your email. Then I'll be happy to do the same if you let me know your blog.

My blog is: http://dwightokita2011.blogspot.com