A great day for reading and relaxing before Monday comes (ugh)! What have you all been reading? Did you find time to read the "Fifty Shades' series? If you havent, you definitely need to - there was a shortage of the books at the end of March, but I've seen them back at the bookstores and on the ebook-reader lists for sale. Like I said in my previous post about "Fifty", definitely an interesting story and not at all demeaning to women (which I was very afraid of, given the subject matter). I did finish all three of the 'Fifty Shades' books, but I've also been doing a lot of other reading - my excuse for being absent for so long!! (got distracted!)
Just finished "Defending Jacob" by William Landay. Definitely a must-read!! Now, as you know, I'm not really much for crime or mystery novels, but this was a good one!! The premise of the story is that Andy, who is a prosecuter, is working a case, and his son, Jacob becomes a suspect. A 14 year old boy is murdered on the way to school and initially, there is some thought that a convicted pedophile living nearby might have been involved in the murder. In the end, Jacob goes to trial for the murder of his classmate - and I won't tell you what happens, but the ending is shocking and thrilling - the not knowing if Jacob is a child murderer or also an innocent victim. Interestingly, there is discussion of a 'murder' gene in this book. Think about it - children inherit all kinds of things from their parents - being athletic or musically inclined, etc. Do they inherit bad things as well? Andy's father and grandfather are both convicted murderers - so the question becomes, did Jacob inherit the 'murder' gene? He did, but does this gene cause a predisposition to being a murderer?? Very good book - leaves you with a kind of creepy feeling at the end though!
I also finished 'Rage' by Julie Anne Peters. This is a teen book (I know, I know) that raises very interesting questions about teenage relationships. The main character, Johanna, is in a relationship with Reeve, who is a very dark and disturbed young woman. Reeve's home life is not good, and we don't find a lot out about it until the end of the book when a terrible tragedy befalls Reeve and her family. Anyway, the focus of the story is the relationship with Johanna and Reeve, which is abusive, Johanna being very passive and Reeve very angry. The question that this book raises is that a lot of what goes on (the aggressiveness of Reeve, the bruises she leaves on Johanna) is largely ignored. I'm telling you, if this was a typical boy-girl relationship, this type of behavior never would have been tolerated, but when it is a girl-girl relationship, it seems that no one really knows what to do. I enjoyed this book because it really took me outside my comfort zone and made me think!!
On another note, the teenage banana has graduated and will be moving on to college! BAWWWW! Kidding, kidding. Sort of. It is crazy because you have this journey from birth to 18 with your kids and when they FINALLY graduate, you are simultaneously going 'whew, we made it!' and 'OH NO!! Wait!! I'm not ready!! I still have stuff I need to teach him!!'. So to the TB's future wife, sorry, graduation really snuck up on me!!
Ok-hope you all have a wonderful Sunday and read something good!!
