Summer Reading Update

Way back in April, I made a list of books to read this summer.

I was going to try to read 12 books, which I knew was ambitious, but I thought I could do it. I consider 'summer' to be from Memorial Day to Labor Day, despite the fact that some of those days still require me to be in school.

This list was a mistake.

Not deciding to read more- that wasn't a mistake at all. Despite the fact that I stayed up until 2:30 this morning reading, and have such a book hangover that I couldn't make it to church, reading is never a mistake, for the most part.

The mistake was listing which specific books I should read.

I've read six books this "summer". But only three of them are on the list.

I've been reading blogs and such and getting recommendations here and there, and my "to be read" list has grown to 51 books, with only 10 read (and two read that weren't even on the list to begin with).

Since I've last written about books, I've read six of them.
I'll tell you about four.
Then I'll tell you a story in which I read trashy, trashy books, but blame others for having to read them, and then another funny story on top of that.

The first of these I read was Me Before You.

This book was so good that I read it on my mac during any spare fringe moments I had at school. But this book...

This book wrecked me.

I knew what would happen, and how it would end.

I saw it all coming and yet I sobbed uncontrollably for a good twenty minutes. I mourned this book.

This is a damn fine book, but not one to be taken lightly. I had to put it down and let it rest for a while... not reread my favorite parts the next morning. (Weird, quirky habit I have)

And then, I made another big mistake. Huge mistake.

I read this book next.

I actually listened to it on a drive to Lubbock. I don't think I will ever not have a book to listen to on that five-hour drive. Being able to listen to this made it go by so fast.

But the drive home? Sobbed in my car for thirty full minutes of the drive home. It wasn't pretty.

I don't recommend reading a book about a teenager dying of cancer while a good friend of yours is dying of cancer. Big mistake.

Despite all the hype, and the sobbing from the book, I'd overall give the book a good solid "meh."

See, the book is full of and primarily about high schoolers. While the story is good and compelling, the book itself has "Dawson's Creek Syndrome". (I didn't make that up- read it somewhere).

This book has a bunch of high schoolers talking like they are grown thirty somethings discussing politics or waxing poetic about the world around them.

I've been around high schoolers, and had discussions with them, and they do not talk like this.

Next book:

I really liked this book. It was a nice change of pace from the other two sob-inducers that I read. I read this one pretty quickly, and immensely enjoyed it. I went back to my habit of rereading the best parts the next day.

It's a good book, light, but not quite chick lit, and I think they're making it into a movie, and there's a sequel coming out any day now, that I'll be sure to read.

A sweet, light read, and a much needed break from crying.

Later, I'll regale the tales of two trashy 'novels' I read and a book that I started on Friday and finished last night. Or this morning.