Reading Away the Summer

29 May 2014

I've been working on my Summer Reading List.

I always read more books in the summer. Winter is for classics and tomes and Rochester-type characters, and I spend most of it gearing up to finally start reading Les Miserables, but before I know it the weather heats up, and I'm like: "Beach Reads!!" Then I proceed to spend three months basking in YA Fiction and other candy lit.

On my ten day honeymoon in the Canary Islands, I think I read about five books. Jacob is embarrassed whenever I tell people this, but I'm not embarrassed at all, because seaside lounging with a book in one hand and a cocktail in the other is pretty much what I'd always rather be doing.

I'm chewing my way through Lois Lowry's The Giver series. I don't know how I missed it in grade school, but since the movie is coming out in August, I thought I'd get on the ship before it sailed. Meryl Streep, Jeff Bridges, please don't disappoint.

For more summer recs, I'll send you straight to Modern Mrs. Darcy herself because her Summer Reading Guide is always my springboard into the year's beach lit. 

Now for an unrelated series of photos:


I went to the library yesterday with the kiddos in tow to get some books I'd put on hold. Jake wanted to play with the kids computer, but it was broken so I let him pick out a book to take home. I know letting your children take out books from the library isn't exactly a milestone, but we've never done it before. I grew up in a household where the rented VHS tapes regularly melted in the car, so I haven't been too eager to usher my three year old - who still can't put on his own underpants - into the world of social responsibility. But yesterday I gave in, and we found ourselves driving home with a copy of ¿Donde Esta Waldo? Wish me luck.

Are you on Goodreads??? I opened a profile awhile back, and I'm making a resolution to use it more consistently. I'd love to connect with you!! Right now my Goodreads feed is pretty much Christy and Laura and Christy and Laura. But that's OK because they're pretty awesome.

Two more unrelated:

What's on your summer reading list??

28 comments :

  1. I'm reading Brideshead revisited with Haley@Carrots book club right now, but The Giver is next on my list! How have you been enjoying that so far? Easy read or one I should work on after the kids are in bed?? :)

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    1. The Giver is so good and such an easy read! I signed up to join the book club too, but found all the reading that had to be done by the 27th a bit daunting and I gave up because I'm a winner like that.

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    2. I know!! I didn't finish it before the meeting, but I felt like reading through everyone's discussions was helpful anyway...the next meeting isn't for another 3 weeks or so and I'm holding onto a faint glimmer of hope that I could catch up by then :) I tried reading during the day when the kids were interrupting every 30 seconds and that was definitely not working well... Can't wait to start The Giver and I'm glad that will be an easier read - thanks for the heads up!!

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    3. I love post like these for the comments, gonna put The Giver on my summer read list!

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    4. Jamie, the second section of Brideshead Revisited is really short :)

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  2. HOLD UP. I love The Giver. But I didn't know it was a series. Beach reading, here I come!

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  3. I love Goodreads but I'm so bad at remembering to keep it updated. And I missed The Giver in grade school too - so don't feel bad! :) This summer my biggest goal is to finish reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver which I started last July. Definitely not a slow reader over here...

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    1. I started AVM when a friend lent it to me, and I really enjoyed it but I didn't get around to finishing it before I had to return it. It's on my "to read" shelf in Goodreads ;)

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  4. I just got done reading "The Invention of Wings." It was good, but not as good as I thought it would be. Now I am reading "The Storyteller" by Jodi Piccoult. So far, it is really good. I almost started bawling last night because the imagery in it was very powerful. Definitely not a light-hearted read. I LOVED Lois Lowery in middle school, so I definitely need to read the Giver series. I only read the Giver in middle school.

    Also on my list for the summer is "Burial Rites" and then I have a bunch of books on my book shelves I want to get through.

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    1. LOVED The Storyteller! And I enjoyed The Invention of Wings, mostly because right after I read it I went to Charleston and toured the plantation that belonged to the main character's brother and his wife. Pretty cool.

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  5. I have a few things on my to read list this summer. These are the ones I am really looking forward to: the latest Harry Dresden book, the last Iron Druid book, the newest White Trash Zombie book, and the latest Monster Hunter International book.

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    1. Iron Druid? White Trash Zombie? Monster Hunter? Cami, where have you been all my life?

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  6. I've been trying to read Brideshead Revisited because I've heard so much about it from many different people, but I haven't had the chance to yet!
    Country Girl's Daybook: Jesus, Photography, Fashion, & Food

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  7. You honeymooned in the Canary Islands?? My sister is going to be a full-time missionary there! (Right now she's in training in Spain.) I know it's resort-y, but am very curious as to what it's actually like to be there.

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  8. I think I just "friended" you on goodreads. I don't really use it either, but I'll make more of an effort. I always have a book going - I LOVE to read. And don't be scared of the library. All my kids loved the library at Jake's age and they are still great readers.

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  9. Tee hee. I'm sorry to hog your Goodreads feed. I'm on it a lot, I think, b/c I'm not on Facebook. Goodreads fills the social networking in my life (can't get excited about Twitter). I think there's an optional setting to get email notifications whenever a friend adds a book. I feel bad for anyone who has that setting on. . . . I haven't read The Giver either. I have a big crush on Meryl Streep right now, so now I'm motivated to read it before the movie comes out. ;-)

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  10. Well. I thank you for that glowing recommendation my friend. ;)

    K, here's a secret, I hate quite a few books on Modern Mrs. Darcy's summer list and it gave me an existential crisis. Or it bummed me out for a good day. I'm such a nerd.

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    1. Don't be bummed Christy! I just read two books by an author she likes, and I disliked them both. It's good to have strong opinions about books, I think. ;-) As long as you don't dislike so many that you give up reading. That would be a problem.

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    2. I'm impressed that you both stay ahead of her. I'm so out of the world of contemporary lit I just never know where to start.

      I don't follow MMD that closely, but how often does she give negative reviews? I would always feel under the gun to find some new and worthwhile thing to recommend to readers. What happens when you don't have any recommendations?

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  11. I have all these classics and heavy reads that I want to delve into, but what is it about the summer? I just can't hold my attention for books like that right now! I started The Book Thief, so far so good - and I am half way into Heather King's Redeemed. SO GOOD. Anything by Elizabeth Goudge is a treasure as well. :)

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  12. I don't really change my reading preferences in the summer, I don't think. I'm reading Brideshead Revisited right now, and after that I'm going to read The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ (not exactly a light summer read!!) for a book club, and maybe a few I got from MMD: Garlic and Sapphires, a Homemade Life, and The Remedy. I also want to finish Treason: A Catholic Novel of Elizabethan England, The Spanish Match, and Late Have I Loved Thee this summer. I've never heard of The Giver. I'll have to get that one too. I tried to "friend" you on Goodreads (I love Goodreads), but I'm not sure I was able to find you :)

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    1. Nevermind that last part. I did send you a friend request :)

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  13. I had zero idea the giver was a series. I've read the first a couple times and now I must consume the rest. I'm glad I know because since when do Meryl & Jeff ever disappoint?
    I just finished the hunger games series bc I'm traditionally at least 5 years behind trending lit.
    And that second pic w Lucy June looking back? Dear lord, your children are cute.

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  14. L>O>V>E. totally adorable. Siblings= the best gift ever

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