What I'm Reading Monday - Last Summer

This past week I still managed to do some major reading even while out of town on vacation!

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I started and finished Last Summer (Of You & Me) by Ann Brashares.  It was quite funny that I picked that book to bring to New York as part of it was set in New York.  The story was about two sisters and their best friend.  It explores their adult relationships while looking into their joined past.  I enjoyed the story very much and felt a stronger connection due to the fact that I was in the city the story was partially set in.

I am getting farther and farther through this book and I am really enjoying it.  I still can't imagine being in the situation these characters are in.  I keep finding myself yelling at the car window because of something that happens or is said in the book.  I am sure that I look like a crazy person during those moments especially if there isn't any bad traffic around.

I did a bit of reading of Lola this week before we headed out for vacation on Thursday.  I am still enjoying it and can't wait to get back to reading since I didn't bring it with me on vacation.  Since it isn't my book I didn't want to lose or damage it.

I was able to read a few chapters of Undercover in High Heels.  Still can't seem to find a good time to just read read read to finally get it finished.  It is getting good though so maybe I can find time this week.

I am looking forward to being home and having time to do some more reading.

What I'm Reading Monday - Lola!

Happy Monday!!!

Just got back from a team-building thing at work and my Myers-Briggs type has basically stayed the same.  I am still waaaaay to the Judging side.

Anyway.

I finally finished up Anna and the French Kiss this weekend.  It was cute!  I really did enjoy it and I was hanging on there until the end.  I am glad at how it ended but it was a little painful there for a chapter or two.

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I then immediately started reading the companion novel Lola and the Boy Next Door.  About three chapters in I am very curious who this new character is that moved back next door.  I have been enjoying the change of pace from Anna and the French Kiss.

I am so close to finishing up with this book.  I am getting worried how it will end since I have only one and a 1/3rd disks left.  It does not seem like it will be able to have concise ending (which I so crave).  I found out that there are more books in this series!  Two more to make up the trilogy, a prequel, AND a book between the second and third.  I have no idea if they are on audio books or not but I know that I have to find them and read them.  I am hooked!!

I haven't quite decided which audio book I will listen to next.  I might just have to do eenie meanie minie mo to pick one.

Happy reading!!

What I'm Reading... Tuesday?

I am finally back from my trip!  I had an absolutely fabulous time visiting with my friends and family.  I had decided to bring my sewing machine on a whim and I am very glad that I did.  I managed to make two shirts, a blanket, and a pillow!  But all of those will be shared later this week and next week.  It is super exciting because I had a model for the clothes!

But back to what I am here for today.  Books!  Thanks to Kellee I had more than enough audiobooks with me for the trip.  I didn't have as much time to listen to them as I though I would because my friend Janet was able to ride most of the way with me!  She has some family about an hour west of my cousin so it was perfect!  But that made for not so much listening time to books.

I managed to finish Cryer's Cross on the way to my cousins.  It was very good and I enjoyed the journey to find out what was happening to the people in the book.  I had a feeling I knew what was behind everything about half way through but I was not exactly sure.  I think I even managed to get Jon interested near the end since he asked me how it ended.

I then started Nightshade by Andrea Cremer.  I immediately enjoyed the readers voice (as that is a big pulling point for me).  It was a little confusing at first as it starts right into the story.  It reminded me a little bit of how Chime started.  It was already into the action when the story started.  So far I have enjoyed it.  The characters are interesting and each unique, I want to know more about each one.  I believe I am on the fourth disk and I am super curious as to what will happen.

And yes, I am still basically in the same spot as I was in Anna and the French Kiss today as I was last week.  I guess this trip didn't have any extra time for late night book reading.  Hopefully I will carve out some time this week to get this one done so that I can start a new one!

Hopefully everyone had a fabulous Memorial Day yesterday!

Road Trip Play List!

I am on the road to GA with a super great friend of mine to see a super great friend of mine!!

While my friend is traveling with me I won't have to use audiobooks to distract me but once I drop her off the audiobook frenzy is on!

My plan is to finish up Cryer's Cross (if I already have not finished it on Wednesday evening).

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Then start Nightshade which should take me a while to finish since it is 10ish hours long.  I am curious about it as it seems to fall within the werewolf/supernatural theme.  I like those kinds of books.

I have a few others waiting in the wings just in case I manage to listen to the full book.  :)

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Hopefully you all have happy plans for the loooonng weekend too!  Auto posts will hopefully post tomorrow, Saturday, and Monday... it all depends on if I did the scheduling right... :)

What I'm Reading Monday - Chime and Cryer's Cross

I feel minorly accomplished this week as far as reading goes.  I was listening to the Chime audiobook and was able to finish it on Saturday.

I must say that it did take until about half way into the book before I was hooked.  I kept trying to think of reasons to drive my car just so that I could listen to 5, 10, or 15 more minutes.  Just like What I Saw and How I Lied the main character, Briony, was unable to identify some information about herself until long after a careful listener already got it.  I even was okay with the ending.  I hate when books end completely open ended without a firm description of where the story could potentially go next.  This book had a open ended but firm ending.  You knew where the characters would be and what they might do.  I also decided that I loved the readers voice.  To the point where I would be willing to listen to almost any book read by her. :)

I am still reading Anna and the French Kiss.

I have gotten just past half way and I am really enjoying it.  I must devote some time this week to reading it as I know that I will like it more and more as I get towards the end.  I do have a trip out of town planned so that should give me some time to read.  It also means that I will be able to listen to a whole audiobook in one day. :)  But more on that when the time comes.

The new audiobook that I have started is Cryer's Cross by Lisa McMann.

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I am not far enough in it to really have an opinion (I seriously have listened to a chapter and a half).  Although it is sad that the reader is not the same as Chime... lol.  I should be about an hour and a half into it by the time I get home from work this afternoon.  Maybe I will have a chance to form an opinion then.

Happy reading!!!

What I'm Reading Monday - Lots and Lots!

So Kellee has gotten me into audiobooks now. I was able to go home this weekend and the drive went by so quickly since I was listening to an audiobook.

The one I was listening to first was What I saw and How I lied by Judy Blundell.

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It focused on a family, in which the step father was back from the war (WWII) and wanted them to take a vacation to Florida. Once in Florida, the family meets up with Peter, who the daughter immediately falls in love with.

It was a bit difficult to really hear and understand the story at first. I very much like to see the words at the time they are being read. I did manage to get used to it after a chapter or two, making sure to really focus on the words being spoken. I am still not sure if I liked the voice of the reader. I talked about it with my coworker today and think it is because my Dad always used to be the one to read my sister and I the novel-type books. I think this has guided me to like male voices reading books. Overall I believe I enjoyed the story, although I did get annoyed because the lead character was blind to some obvious things. The ending wrapped it all up fairly well. I feel as though it ended as I felt it should.

In finishing up that audiobook with much more time to spare on the way home on Sunday I started my second one.  It is called Chime by Franny Billingsley.

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Going from a reader how sounds American to a reader that doesn't is a little shocking and a bit to get used too.  I have now gotten used to it, and like it very much.  I find myself saying the name of the main character just because I like how it sounds.

As far as the story.  I felt it was a bit hard to get into.  To me it felt as though it started a little bit into the story.  The author did well to introduce people as you go though.  Basically the lead character, Briony, has a secret that she thinks is the cause of a lot of death and destruction around her town.  I know the secret, but I won't give it away, don't worry.  Anyway, she is worried this secret could continue to harm others.  She has made a new friend in the man-boy Eldric, who comes to live with her and her family.  I am on the 4th cd out of 8 so I have a ways to go. :)

Now remember, I also still have Anna and the French Kiss going.  I like to keep my reading options open.  :)

I am a bit over a third of the way done.  I am really enjoying it as it feels like being young again.  Although I was never young with a crush in France!  But a girl can dream. :)

Happy Monday!

PS - Tomorrow is my birthday!