Thursday, July 07, 2011

Summer books

If Charlotte Mason were alive to see my book list, she would be so disappointed. I think she called this type of literature "twaddle". I confess, I am guilty of reading twaddle this summer. But it has been so relaxing! Here's what I have read so far:


The Rescue by Nicholas Sparks


**3/5 stars for being so predictable **


Room: A Novel by Emma Donoghue


**3/5 stars for giving me nightmares **


Shania Twain's autobiography From This Moment On


**4/5 stars for being very interesting and surprisingly well-written**



In the Company of Others by Jan Karon


**2/5 stars. The only book of her's that I felt bored reading! **


Began Fly Away Home by Jennifer Weiner. It was so vulgar by chapter 2 that I literally threw the brand new book in the trashcan. Very sad.

Obviously I haven't found many good books this summer. Any suggestions (fiction or not)?

3 comments:

maryanne said...

I agree with you on Sparks! He is one of the worst writers ever:). His books are entirely predictable by the first few pages, and he struggles to use any original expressions. Tedious, but definitely relaxing! Good to rest the brain sometimes....!

Lora @ my blessed life said...

I've read a Nicholas Sparks book this summer: The Guardian. I've only read two of his books (although I've seen most of the movies) and this one seemed a bit different. It had much more mystery and I enjoyed that aspect. I also read In the Company of Others and did enjoy it although it was very different from Karon's other books. I think it was all the journal entries that made it harder to read, but I did find it very interesting (probably b/c I'm a history buff:). I've currently gone back to one of my all-time faves for a great read: Agatha Christie:) You just can't miss with her.

Abby said...

Renee, Rachael and I both read and really enjoyed The Help. There are a bunch of girls at church that have read it too and we have all planned a movie date when it comes to theaters next month. I also have been loving reading foodie autobiographies/memoirs for the last couple of years. Some of these people have had such amazing lives! I especially enjoyed Life a la Henri by Henri Charpentier and Supper of the Lamb by Robert Farrar Capon (an Anglican priest :) ) Now I am working my way through Ruth Reichl's books and really enjoying them. I also read a lot of comedians' memoirs. Pretty much, if a person interests me, I read their book! It doesn't always work out well though, I do NOT recommend Julia Child's book or A Beautiful Mind (to date, the worst book I have ever read!)

I also have gotten into some easy reading while trying to find titles for Amabel. Have you read the Betsy Tacy series all the way through Betsy's wedding? I felt like I was part of her family! I loved them! I also loved re-reading the Anne of Green Gables books recently. Another one that Amabel and I both read and loved just last week was Ella Enchanted. I really like to check out Newberry award winners because it's nice to read easy stuff that is still well done :)

And of course, my "you can't go wrong with" author is always Jane Austen :)