Summer Reading

Hi everyone!!  Hope your summer has been going well - and that you are having good times and keeping cool!

Like the picture?  See, in January, this is how I picture my summer.  Hot, but with a cool breeze...my toes perfectly painted...a lazy bird aimlessly spiraling in the sky above...

Right.  I read entirely too much.  I completely forget about the humidity that makes me sweat the SECOND I step out the door, the HOARDS of mosquitos (see those birds in the picture?  They are not actually birds.  They are Alabama mosquitos.) and the BROILING sun.  Breeze?  What breeze?

HOWEVER, the good news is that I've been reading a lot of new and varied stuff this summer.  One of my favorites was "Gone Girl" by Gillian Flynn.  Initially this book seems

normal, boring almost.  I was aggravated.  Nick and Amy move from New York to Missouri where they can help with Nick's parents.  Normal marriage stuff, blah blah blah...and then Amy disappears on the day of her 5th wedding anniversary.  It's crazy!!  From what you've read until this point, you could not possibly have any idea about what might have happened.  And you certainly wouldn't suspect Nick!!  But then, the book starts to turn a little darker and the author teasingly reveals just a bit more.  Turns out that Nick is not the handsome good guy that you thought he was, their marriage is not as perfect as you once believed and Amy for SURE isn't the person you think.  And let me tell you...I read so much that I am not easily surprised, but this book knocked me flat on my hiney.  It is completely NOT what you would expect.  Hmmm...I can't decide what I should tell you...so I just won't say anything else.  Needless to say, this one is worth the read.  I would give it 4.5 out of 5 stars.

So then I moved on to "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" by Stephen Chbosky.  Apparently this novel was originally published in February 1999 by MTV Books (kind of cool, huh?  I didn't know MTV had a book division).  Now, I was excited to read this for two reasons:  it has been made into a movie with Emma Watson (Hermione) and because it is frequently on the American Library Association's list of most frequesntly challenged books.  Meaning people want to keep them out of the library.  So.  I'm nosy.  I'll say it out loud.  I wanted to see what this was all about.  The book is based on letters that the main character, Charlie, is writing to an anonymous person - someone he has never met, but thought he could confide in.  Charlie is a freshman in high school and is shy and awkward.  After one of his friends commits suicide, he makes friends with two seniors, Sam, and her brother Patrick.  The book touches on topics like teen suicide, same sex dating, drug experimentation and burgeoning love.  And through it all, Charlie is very likeable and touching.  Near the end of the year, though, all his friends are set to graduate and Charlie gets very depressed.  Things happen and Charlie's mental state gets worse and he actually has to be checked into a mental hospital - in the hospital, he recalls some memories that he had suppressed from his childhood (which explains a lot about why Charlie is like he is).  I know, I know, it sounds a little depressing, but I promise, throughout, Charlie is very likeable and upbeat.  This book does not leave you feeling bad.  4 out of 5 stars.

In the interest of discussing something a little, ahem, lighter, I read a book that had been on all the best seller lists for ages.  I admit, I don't always like to read best-sellers - I like to read a book BEFORE all the hype.  You know, so I don't have any preconceived notions about what I'm reading.  Well.  I did it.  I finally bought 'Bossypants' by Tina Fey.  It was originally published in April 2011 and was on the New York Times Bestseller List for 5 weeks.  **yawn** Hmm..not impressed.  I actually don't like to have a book stuffed down my throat and I think that's why I never picked this one up.  Mistake.  Yall.  This is a really good, funny, easy read.  It talks some about Tina's life growing up and her college years...then how she made it on SNL...then about 30 Rock...and her family. All in such a funny and humble way.  She is so vibrant and smart and WOW!!  She manages a career and family...it's amazing.  I'm amazed.  And I apologize, Ms. Fey, for not picking this up sooner.  4.5 out of 5 stars.

I think I have a tendency to write only about the books I really like on this blog (because I'm so excited and want so much to share them with you!!, but in my next post, I'm going to include some novels I'm not sure about.  In fact, I just finished one that I can't tell ya if I liked it or not.

See yall soon!!!  Keep cool....fall is coming....in about....4 months...