Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Books, Glorious Books.

I  have had one glorious week off from graduate school and I have stuffed my brain (and my stomach) full of stuff I wanted.


First off, I read Possessing the Secret of Joy, by Alice Walker (she also wrote The Color Purple). Light reading it is not. Unless you consider a story about a girl who experienced female genital mutilation in a tribal village in Africa and then tries to have a life in the US with an American husband light reading. In which case, you need to seek professional help.

Anyway, liked it, loved it, couldn't put it down.












And then I read Speak in the car on the way to Texas. It is a National Book Award finalist and it was worth the hype. If I tell you what it is about it will ruin it so mums the word.

It is in the "young adult" category but there is nothing Twilightish about this book, I promise. It's the opposite of Twilight. If it wasn't, I would have thrown it across a hotel room just like I did Twilight. It's deep and personal and there is no teen romance to speak of, thank goodness.

There is nothing I dislike more than a teen
romance - in books or in real life. Blech.



Let me stop right here and point out a very crucial detail: I read an entire book in the car with two children present and both of them were awake and breathing. I will pause for my standing ovation.....I have waited almost nine years for this moment and it finally happened on Monday, August 5th. 

Mommas, if you would rather have a lobotomy gone terribly wrong than go on a road trip with your kids, take heart! Give it a good nine years and your kids will finally be able to entertain themselves and you will have perfected the art of completely ignoring them. It's so awesome.


And finally, I read City of Women. This story takes place in Berlin during the second world war. I really enjoyed the history and the story. Suspenseful and fascinating.

















Either I have absolutely no standards, or I lucked out with these three. I would recommend them all, but if I had to choose a winner I would give the gold to Speak.

Happy Reading, Friends!

4 comments:

Wa Wa Waughs said...

HA - we both shared book posts in the last 24 hours! So I've got SPEAK on my list now...

Beth Brewer said...

Thanks for the recommendations! I was just about to ask my Facebook universe for ideas.

Mariah said...

I'm so glad to hear that I will get to read again one day and go on a trip without having to entertain THE ENTIRE TIME, but for now sign me up for the botched lobotomy!

Jen said...

We've stayed at the Great Wolf Lodge Grapevine several times and each time I vote for the Gaylord...each year I lose. I'm hoping to experience it just once! Your post could not be more accurate!