7.06.2009

if you thought my nerd alert couldn't sound any louder...

I like to blog. I love to read. And now I am about to blog about reading.

My favorite thing so far about summer? (Other than squeezing the cuteness out of Graybaybay.) Reading. Because of stress and burnout during the school year, I think I may have read one book total from August to May (Maybe.) which was a big change from last summer, reading about a book per week, even with last-minute wedding plans. (Speaking of which, ohmygosh, I can't believe we have been married for almost a year. And together/dating for almost seven. Crazytown.) This summer I was a little slow to get back into reading but once G started taking these insanely long afternoon naps I realized I had a lot of time on my hands to either A) clean bottles or B) read.

A few weeks ago I started light with Twilight. (I saw the movie first and won't even pretend that I didn't love it.) Twilight was okay. I mean I liked it and wanted to read the sequel but I wasn't obsessed. Until I saw the "New Moon" movie preview on the MTV Movie Awards (why were we watching that?). Definitely didn't see the wolfpack coming. So I get all jazzed about it and immediately start reading New Moon. Flew through that one in about two days of naptime. Devoured Eclipse pretty quickly, too, but did my best to stretch out Breaking Dawn. It was like craving ChickfilA Ice Dreams when I was pregnant -- I just couldn't help myself. I'm not sure what it is that draws people in to this saga. At first, I was a little put off with the love story because it seemed to be too "perfect" and quick to grow but really, it's like this impossible love between these people that they can't push away, their physical pull is just too much to keep them away I guess?? Edward... love him but I hate that girls/women love him for his "perfection." Totally not perfect at all. He's such a tortured soul that it's actually annoying at some points.

Anyway... all that to say I'm finally getting back into my reading groove and I love it. This week on Momversation, some of the panelists were talking about their favorite books and books that changed their lives. Here are some of mine:

1. My first favorite novel was A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. In sixth grade, we had to read for a book program and you could receive a maximum amount of points per book if you took the quiz for it on the computer. I chose this one because it was worth 27 points, which would more than fulfill the rest of my reading point requirements for the term. But what I got was a great story, great writing and the first book that I really actually loved.

2. If anyone ever asks me for a book recommendation, I almost always ask first if they have read The Kite Runner. There isn't much I can say to do this book justice, you just have to read it for yourself. It is a potential life-changer. His writing is amazing, the story is simultaneously heart-wrenching and hopeful.

3. And, of course, the series that changed the way I look at reading forever... Harry Potter. This series is sort of my baseline for good reading material. I was actually really sad when I finished the last book. I am always looking for a series to fill the void which brings me to...

4. His Dark Materials trilogy. I am a Christian and I still LOVED this series. (There was all of that ridiculous controversy over his atheist views when The Golden Compass movie came out. I have an opinion on that but I'll keep it to myself.) The Subtle Knife might be one of the best books I have ever had the pleasure of reading. If you love Harry Potter, you will at least like this series, it's great!

What are your favorites? Anything I should add to my book pile?

(One of my favorite things about reading again? Goodreads. If you're on it, find me! If you're not on goodreads yet, do it and let's talk books!)

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ohhhmygosh, I have a feeling that reading program you speak of is AR. I ROCKED AR. It was the only homework I never had trouble accomplishing. Also I LOVE HARRY POTTER so I'm going to take your advice with your last rec :)

amanda h. said...

Seriously, I LOVED that series! The Golden Compass is difficult to get into, almost confusing, but it is sooo worth it to stick with it. My mind was blown.

Anonymous said...

i recommended His Dark Materials to a guy I worked with. Shockingly, he did not love it. He just thought it was okay. I spent days trying to wrap my mind around how that was at all possible. His loss I guess. Definitely still in my top 3.

My next reading project will be the books by Gregory Maguire starting with Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister. I loved Wicked, so I think this might be a good move for me.

amanda h. said...

That sucks that he didn't like it. Oh well, at least he didn't hate it.

Gregory Maguire's books are alright. I've never completely finished one yet but the style is pretty good.

Did I tell you I started City of Bones? I'm about halfway through, it's pretty good! I'm not really wrapped up in it yet, I'll let you know if it becomes obsession haha.

Anonymous said...

yeah you told me you started it...i wanted to start that, but after you told me you were reading it, i figured i'd wait and find out what you thought after you were done. you'll have to let me know!

Lindsay Grimes said...

The Kite Runner is definitely one of my all-time faves!! If you haven't already, you should read A Thousand Splendid Suns - it's really good too.

And maybe I'm on an island on this one, but I really like The Other Boleyn Girl and The Boleyn Inheritance. I need to get some more from this series.

And AR was the jam. I swear I didn't think anyone else in the world enjoyed it so I'm glad I'm not crazy.

Hope you're feeling better today!!

kjlangford said...

I've already told you these but to reiterate:

The Time Traveler's Wife- fiction favorite

Velvet Elvis/anything by Rob Bell- favorite "non fiction" essayist... I don't even know what to call what he writes, it's almost stream of consciousness.... on Christianity/faith

Blue like Jazz/anything by Donald Miller- like Rob Bell except more narrative and funnier

I was Told there'd be Cake by Sloane Crosley- favorite cynical female essay book

Red Paperclip- favorite "did this seriously happen?" memoir

looking at this I'm doing way better on nonfiction than fiction...

also, I read a Tree Grows in Brooklyn in High school and it's also a classic favorite! Along with the Wonderful Wizard of Oz and the Phantom Tollbooth.

Jodi said...

Hmmm...Have to admit I like the Twilight series enough to read the first and the last books (but I wikipedia-ed the middle two). Kind of wondered about His Dark Materials, so I'll have to give it a whirl now. Thanks for the recommendations!