Summer Reading

I know, it's been a while since I've written.

I've been involved in another world--the world of books. Also, I did spend a weekend at cheer camp but that doesn't have anything to do with this.

I've been reading a lot lately. Random things. Things I think my students might like. Things I might like. Mindless fiction that makes you not have to think.

I thought I'd share what I've been reading with you and if you have any recommendations, please share.

First....my favorite:

Dear John--Absolutely incredible. Very romantic, very easy to read. The best thing is, it isn't super sappy mush. It's about a soldier who has an autistic dad.

Next,

After--totally intense. It's about a 16-year-old girl who has a baby and wakes up and doesn't remember any of it. It is also on this year's teen read list.

Fever 1973--a young adult novel about the Yellow Fever. This is a very quick read but it is a great historical fiction novel for students (or grown ups for that matter)

Spirit Bound--this is newest part in the Vampire Academy series. These books are essentially a cross between Twilight and Harry Potter. EXTREMELY good books! All of them and this newest one did not disappoint.

The Rescue--this book is a page turner! It has a single mom with a speech-delayed son, a good lookin' fireman, and a really sweet love story. I could hardly put it down.


The Choice--for this one, Publisher's Weekly says it best, "In his 13th book, bestselling Sparks (At First Sight, etc.) limns the far-reaching implications of several seemingly ordinary choices made by Beaufort, N.C. veterinarian Travis Parker and his next-door neighbor Gabrielle Holland, a physician's assistant and recent arrival. After an inauspicious first meeting where Gabby accuses Travis's boxer of impregnating her purebred collie, the two fall hard for each other. Already dating someone else seriously, Gabby is faced with a dilemma: whether to stick with longtime boyfriend Kevin, or get involved with Travis. The first part of the tale paints a vivid picture of her decision-making process and its effects on Travis and Gabby's lives. That sets up Part II, which takes place 11 years later when Travis faces a life and death decision following a car accident. A tender and moving love story and a quick read, Sparks's latest does not disappoint."

I REALLY enjoyed this book.


The Last Song--a teenage girl, Ronnie, is spending the summer with her dad in North Carolina. Her parents are divorced and she's angry about leaving NYC to spend the summer with her dad. My opinion--not his best book but it is a fairly good read.


The Lucky One--this one is another favorite! It was a great book and extremely hard to put down. U.S. Marine Logan Thibault carries a picture of a woman he'snever met because it brings him good luck. But when he sets out to find the woman, he is met with unexpected circumstances surrounding his new love and his shrouded past.

The Blind Side--alright, so I still haven't seen the movie (we even have it at our house to watch!) but the basic story was GREAT. There were a few too many deep delves into football world that were not necessary for me, but overall, a great book. And you know, I'm a sucker for anything about the south.


The Time Traveler's Wife--there is a movie that goes with this but I have not seen it. This book is my most recent read and frankly, is the one of the weirdest books I have ever read. It jumps back and forth between time but not in any kind of predictable pattern. It ends up being a great story but it has some filthy language and some very detailed sex scenes. If you can overlook the language and the sex, it really is a good book and a sweet and different romance.


What's next on my list?
The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner--the newest Twilight book. "Fans of The Twilight Saga will be enthralled by this riveting story of Bree Tanner, a character first introduced in Eclipse, and the darker side of the newborn vampire world she inhabits. In another irresistible combination of danger, mystery, and romance, Stephenie Meyer tells the devastating story of Bree and the newborn army as they prepare to close in on Bella Swan and the Cullens, following their encounter to its unforgettable conclusion."


Shiver--"Grace, 17, loves the peace and tranquility of the woods behind her home. It is here during the cold winter months that she gets to see her wolf—the one with the yellow eyes. Grace is sure that he saved her from an attack by other wolves when she was nine. Over the ensuing years he has returned each season, watching her with those haunting eyes as if longing for something to happen. When a teen is killed by wolves, a hunting party decides to retaliate. Grace races through the woods and discovers a wounded boy shivering on her back porch. One look at his yellow eyes and she knows that this is her wolf in human form. Fate has finally brought Sam and Grace together, and as their love grows and intensifies, so does the reality of what awaits them. It is only a matter of time before the winter cold changes him back into a wolf, and this time he might stay that way forever. Told from alternating points of view, the narrative takes a classic Romeo & Juliet plot and transforms it into a paranormal romance that is beautiful and moving. Readers will easily identify with the strong, dynamic characters. The mythology surrounding the wolf pack is clever and so well written that it seems perfectly normal for the creatures to exist in today's world. A must-have that will give Bella and Edward a run for their money."—Donna Rosenblum, Floral Park Memorial High School, NY END