I've come up for air!
Back in May, I got the Husband a Kindle for his birthday present. He's an avid reader and I thought it'd be a nice toy that we both could use (gotta love presents that go both ways!). He fought the idea of an e-reader for a while because he likes to collect books, but since receiving it, he's obsessed.
Based on all the different features and pro's/con's between e-readers, the Kindle just fit our lifestyle and preferences best. Lucky for me, the Husband was still mid-paperback when I gave him his gift, so I asked if he minded if I broke it in... After a year or so of not picking up much than a magazine, Lauren Conrad's L.A. Candy while on vaca in Jan, and some old classics (The Great Gatsby and Catcher in the Rye) this past spring, it's pretty safe to say the reading bug has hit me full force again.
I first purchased Something Borrowed.
The movie was just released at the time and I've heard great things about the Emily Giffin books from friends for years. I'm a little wishy washy when it comes to "chick lit". I love some books, others drive me up the wall with the same cookie cutter story lines and obsessive label dropping. I thought the book was cute, it definitely was a page turner and kept me hooked through the end. However, I hated the ending! So much so, I'm not really itching to read the follow up of Something Blue. Maybe eventually, but it's been knocked down my list of Must Reads.
After Something Borrowed, I moved on to a "teen lit" series I heard was awesome and rivaled Harry Potter and Twilight in terms of being just not for teens.
I was OBSESSED with the Hunger Games series. I read Hunger Games in one day and finished the rest of the series in another week. I can't wait for the movie to be released next March and I definitely think the story is closer to Harry Potter than Twilight in terms of actual story quality. Not so focused on a love story, though there is one, and not quite as predictable. Great imagery and just a fun action filled adventure.
Then I decided to pick up another best seller than is being made into a movie.
I was recommended The Help by my aunt probably a year ago now. It was such a great story. Another page turner that was funny, smart, heartbreaking, and a period piece (being set during the civil rights movement of the 1960s in the south). The movie stars Emma Stone (
love her) and will be released in August, try to read the book before you see it!
After that, it was time for me to hand back the Kindle to its rightful owner. I decided I would finally finish re-reading Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (5th book).
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You see, I read the 1st 4 books while on spring break my freshman year of college (2002) and when the 5th was release the next year, I read that one immediately. In 2005, when Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince was released, I decided I would re-read book 5 to refresh my memory and then dive into book 6 that my brother so kindly gave me for Christmas. So I started book 5 over winter break, and then classes resumed and I put it down. A few years later I picked it back up, and again, put it down. Finally, I picked up at the beginning of June and while it took me a little longer than usual to get through the first 400 pages (that I've probably read 4x now) I flew through the end and ended two Sundays ago. I decided later that night to dig into the Half Blood Prince and I finished that Thursday. After driving to 4 different stores to find book 7, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, in hardback form (to complete my collection)....
I
finally finished the series, 9+ years after starting. I'm ready to watch a marathon of Harry Potter movies (netflix is all queued up) and get to the IMAX to see the final installment.
Now, I'm ready to pick out what's next. I have a cross country trip coming up at the end of the month so I'll definitely need too get a few physical books to keep me occupied on the flights (since the Husband is now taking his turn reading the Hunger Games series on the Kindle).... Here are some of the books I've flagged to read... (mainly all books that have been hovering on the bestseller list for longer than I can remember!)
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Stieg Larsson -
(figured this would be good to read first so the series could hold me over while traveling)
The Girl who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, Stieg Larsson
The Girl who Played with Fire, Stieg Larsson
Bossypants, Tina Fey
Room, Emma Donoghue
Water for Elephants, Sara Gruen
Then Came You, Jennifer Weiner (one of the few 'chick lit' authors I love)
I love biographies and would love to read about Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis (but with so many books out there, I'm not sure which to pick up), any of the Chelsea Handler's books, or any other unexpectedly good celebrity bios. I've also been meaning to pick up another Jodi Picoult book. I read My Sister's Keeper (on my honeymoon, sheesh!), but have also heard that I have to read The Pact among others.
Any that I've missed? Any that I should definitely start with first? What was your favorite book this year? Can I ask more questions??
