Book-tastic Summer

I have been a reading FIEND this summer. Though I wish I could say its because I'm expanding my horizons and bettering myself through reading, in truth, it is because of the dismal summer TV lineup.

One of my New Year's Resolutions was to read a book per month. I'm not sure if I'll keep up that pace in the fall with the return of trashy TV, my eye surgery and the holidays but the net-net of this year is easily 12 books.

And though I once aspired to write book reviews here regularly (like a million  years ago, BC even [Before Cade]), I now have much more realistic goals. A quick run-down of the books I've inhaled recently and a simple yay or nay on if they are worth a read.

Summer Sisters -  Yay. Judy Blume, yeah like Judy Blume of the tween books fame. Who knew!? The prologue scene had me skeptical because it just sounded too much like every fluff girl book I've read about some rich girl who lives in NYC and works at a PR firm. But I was determined to read at least a quarter of the book before giving up and I'm glad I did because it got better. It reminded me of a Kristin Hannah book in that it centered around the story of a lifelong female friendship with between two really different girls who have lots of ups and downs. It ended much differently than I expected and in a less fluffy way.

The Boston Girl - Yay. The life story of a Jewish woman who goes against the grain and works in an era when few women worked; who vacations with her single girlfriends and marries for love and only love.

Leaving Time - Yay. A story of a teenage daughter looking for her long-lost mother with the help of a washed up psychic and equally washed up detective. But I gotta tell you, this one ends very surprisingly. Like if you are super mushy about motherhood, maybe don't read this one. I literally had to go into Cade's room while he was sleeping to look at him I felt so mushy when this book ended.

Big Little Lies - Double yay. First the author and characters are all Australian and THAT is always fun. It's one of those books with multiple plot lines that all intersect at the end. Much of the book is fun and light hearted but the story that is ultimately told is deep and serious. I liked the combination.

Yellow Rose Beauty Shop - Nay. Truth be told, I couldn't finish it. Maybe I read a quarter? It's set in Texas and the accents and folksy sayings are just way way way too over the top. It made me gag.

The Rumor - Yay. This one was delicious. The author, Elin Hilderbrand, is one of those author's who has found her genre and sticks to it. Not quite a series but she did have a small reference to characters from another of her books because they all take place on Martha's Vineyard and, as the books rely on, it's a small island where everyone knows everyone. Anyways, this was a fun look at how rumors start ("she leased an apartment - did you know she's leaving her husband?") and how sometimes the actual truth is way different and even juicier than the rumor.

The Deep End - Yay. Total fluff. Rich lady is swimming at the country club and swims right up to a dead body floating in the pool. The body of her husband's mistress. I mean, c'mon. FLUFF.  But fun.

Room - Yay. A young woman is abducted and held in captivity (the "room") for years during which time she gives birth (a product of the rapes). A totally creepy premise almost made creepier in the sense that it is told from the perspective of her son who for the first third of the book or so doesn't know that their situation is a bad one. The book has to distinct halves: before their escape and after (which is written on the summary so not a spoiler alert). Very intense but I liked it.

At the Water's Edge - Meh. It wasn't awful but it did not captivate me. It starts with a scene that does not make sense relative to the rest of the book for a really long time. Instead of being intriguing, I found that distracting.

Curious George Chases Waves - Ok ok not my summer reading list but in addition to the above, we've read a LOT of Curious George and Thomas the Train books this summer. Given the frequency, I would have to say Cade gives them all a "yay."