Since I last updated, I finished 3 more books.
First up, I read Blog Inc. “Joy Cho, of the award-winning Oh Joy!, offers expert advice on starting and growing a blog, from design and finance to overcoming blogger’s block, attracting readers, and more. With a foreword from Grace Bonney of Design*Sponge plus expert interviews, this book will fine-tune what the next generation of bloggers shares with the world.” I read most of this book and I skimmed some of it. I guess a lot of it I already knew, and most of the info inside can be found in various blog posts. It makes me wonder how certain bloggers get book deals and others don’t! I did like the inspiration provided, encouraging the reader to blog what they love. I’d recommend this for someone thinking about starting a blog.
Next, I read Blackberry Winter by Sarah Jio. This was highly recommended by some blog friends and I loved it! “Seattle, 1933. Single mother Vera Ray kisses her three-year-old son, Daniel, goodnight and departs to work the night-shift at a local hotel. She emerges to discover that a May-Day snow has blanketed the city, and that her son has vanished. Outside, she finds his beloved teddy bear lying face-down on an icy street, the snow covering up any trace of his tracks, or the perpetrator’s. Seattle, 2010. Seattle Herald reporter Claire Aldridge, assigned to cover the May 1 ‘blackberry winter’ storm and its twin, learns of the unsolved abduction and vows to unearth the truth. In the process, she finds that she and Vera may be linked in unexpected ways…” The unexpected links between the characters are exactly the kind of plot pieces that I love! If I was to write a novel, I would want it to be like this one. There was one plot hole that bothered me and if you read this book I’d love to discuss it with you. Otherwise, I really loved the characters and the story, especially all the connections discovered along the way.
Finally, I read Dead To You by Lisa McMann. “Ethan was abducted from his front yard when he was just seven years old. Now, at sixteen, he has returned to his family. It’s a miracle…at first. Then the tensions start to build. His reintroduction to his old life isn’t going smoothly, and his family is tearing apart all over again. If only Ethan could remember something, anything, about his life before, he’d be able to put the pieces back together. But there’s something that’s keeping his memory blocked. Something unspeakable…” This book was really sad, in a surprising way. I thought the author did a wonderful job of portraying the thoughts of a teenaged boy – most novels by women and especially young adult novels feature female main characters. The relationships portrayed between Ethan and his mom, his sister, and his girlfriend were all well done. As the book draws to a close, I could tell something was coming and it just made me read faster to the finish. The closing twist was a shocker (at least the way it was revealed)! And like others have said on the Amazon page for this book, a sequel would be great!
1. What are you currently reading? Tell us about it.
Those We Love Most by Lee Woodruff
This has taken me a bit longer to get into than the last two books I read. I need to hurry up though because I have two more library books to read after this one!
2. What book first made you fall in love with reading?
I can’t really remember! I do know that my parents read me the Ramona books when I was young and we did the same for Gabbie and now she reads all the time! She is currently reading Little Women!
3. Summer is a great time for series. What are your series recommendations?
I’m kind of tired of series because I hate feeling a lack of closure when I finish a book! But I supposed I’d recommend Bumped and Thumped by Megan McCafferty. Oh, here’s a good one. The Nursery Crimes Mommy Track Series by Ayelet Waldman.
4. Does a song come to mind with the book you are currently reading? If so what it is?
Not really. I’m still pretty near the beginning of the book. Maybe I Will Remember You by Sarah McLaughlin, since the beginning deals with a loss.
5. Are you participating in any summer reading challenges?
No, I’m just hoping to finish the books I have from the library before they are due!
Have you read any of these books? What are you currently reading?