Imaginary Book Club: More Summer Reading in my Sweaty Patio Chair

With the heat outside, I've been doing some time with my feet up reading while my children run amok.  Run amok means having a cannonball contests in the pool to see who can do the best job splashing my book while I read poolside.  Trust me when I say they're talented.

I'm concerned I'm slowly morphing into a 14 year old girl because I seem to keep chucking Young Adult books into my cart at Target.  I'm thinking I may need to reevaluate that at some point.  Not now, obviously.  But at some point.  I'm also thinking the mothers of 14 year old girls need to reevaluate some of the crap they let their daughter's read.  Because I'm here to report some of it should not be 14 year old approved reading.

Divergent by Veronica Roth: Loved it.  No really.  Loved it.  Two thumbs way up.  Amazon and Good Reads both tried recommending it for me several times and I had been avoiding it.   Finally randomly chucked it into my Amazon cart one day.  What was I thinking avoiding it?  Read it in one day.  Enough said.  Super excited it's going to be a movie in 2014.

Insurgent by Veronica Roth: Didn't love it as much as Divergent (Book 1 in the Trilogy) but still really liked it.  Also liked it enough to be completely annoyed when I found out the last book in the trilogy hasn't come out yet.  Grrrrrr.  But at least it comes out soon in October.

Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple: Quirky as hell.  Quick read and interesting.  But I seriously don't know anyone like any of the characters in the book so it was practically like I was reading science fiction.  Didn't love it but didn't hate it.

Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard: I'm not sure what possessed me to try this book but whatever it was is clearly something straight from hell and out to torture my soul.  Hated it.   It's considered Young Adult but I hope young adult means 18 years and older because it's got some mature stuff going on in there.  Overly soap opera dramatic and I couldn't find a single character I wanted to root for. And it left me hanging at the end with a teaser.  I guess it was supposed to motivate me to read the rest of the books in the series to find out what happens.  Screw that.  I hit up Wikipedia to end it and move on with my life.

 

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling: Cute and I would like to know how to apply to be Mindy's new BFF.  She seems awesome.   Like let's paint each other's toe nails and overanalyze reality television while throwing back a few awesome.  

Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen: Eh.   I seem to have wandered into a Young Adult reading period in my life.   I thought I'd try one of her books.  On the one hand, I was bored and ready to be done before it barely started.  On the other hand, it's clean, sweet and I now know I'd totally let my daughter read one of her books.  But it's a little to young for me.

Marathon: You Can Do It! by Jeff Galloway:  Liked it, quick read and I felt like I got a lot of good advice out of it.  I've been debating recently trying to go for a full marathon.  But even if I don't, I feel like the advice still applies to any kind of running.  My favorite advice was slow down when it's hot, walking sometimes doesn't make you less of a runner and worry about finishing not how fast you finish.  Of course, I've never run a marathon to put his ideas to the test.  But why let that stop me from having an opinion!