Reader Roundup: July/August
Once August ends summer ends. At least that what it feels like in my part of the world. A week ago Saturday, the last day of the county fair, I sat in the library booth, sweltering with 92 degree weather. The next day the temperature registered 65 degrees, and our pastor announced to the congregation: “Welcome to fall.” The weather remains gently warm since that Saturday.
Despite the temperature change, and no matter that school is ramping up to start, I am still clinging on to that summer feeling since I don’t have to go back to school (reflecting on Alice Cooper lyrics). Instead, I can keep hanging out in my hammock, as long as the weather holds, and soak up the sun while immersing myself in some good/great reads.
I didn’t realize there was a Summer Reading Challenge besides the one Goodreads puts out, until I came across the 746books post about reading 20 books over the summer. I decided to go through my Goodreads book list to see if I had read at least that many. Umm, I read 60 books. This is almost embarrassing.
Anyway–
Not wanting to deluge you with my summer reading list, here are my top reads from July and August:
Sniper: a YA Survival Thriller About Danger and Mystery at a Wildlife Preserve by Theodore Taylor
This arrived as a donation to the library and while the cover and title didn’t entice me, I remembered reading Taylor’s The Cay and was impressed with his story of Philip, a boy who is marooned with Timothy, a West Indian. Taylor’s story is once again about a young teen who is placed in a difficult survival situation where he has to rely on others than his own culture in order to survive. A sensitive and thrilling novel that I enjoyed while hanging out at the beach.
The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion by Beth Brower
I have been rereading the Emma Lion journal series by Beth Brower via the audiobook. This makes for the third time enjoying the exploits of Emma as she comes into her majority as an orphan in Victorian times. She is a plucky heroine, bordering on shockingly sassy, as she survives crochety aunts, irascible cousins, balances her budget, as she navigates friendships and a blossoming romance. Brower is adept at humorous dialogue, witty repartee, while presenting subtle satire on social manners. This is Jane Austen with minimal restraint.
The Outside Boy by Jeanine Cummins
Christy is a traveller, an Irish pavee. The life of the open road, of having no settled roots is the only life he’s known. Yet, he questions about his mother’s death. He feels that the story she died in childbirth doesn’t ring true and he wants answers.
A slim little handbook that dispels the myth that pirates were Disneyfied. Entertaining illustrations to boot.
Bumblebee Season by Eileen Garvin
In this sequel to her first book, The Music of Bees, Garvin tackles heavy issues while juggling three character stories, and does so with aplomb. I’ve a penchant for bee books. Hmm, maybe a need to do a bee book review post…
Hawthorne and Horowitz: #6 A Deadly Episode by Anthony Horowitz
The sixth installment of H and H receives a reluctant five star rating, going from a three (the initial mystery of the murdered prima donna actor—rather cliche), to the Foss Hall murder becoming a four (much more interesting and more like a Susan Ryeland setup), and the denouement pub scene sliding the rating up to five due to the Horowitz clever factor kicking in.
A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
A third rereading for the library book club, and it was still enjoyable. Count Rostov’s house arrest in the posh Russian hotel reads like a fairy tale in many ways. He suffers, yet also has many privileges compared to those living outside the walls of the hotel. The DVD series captures the heart of the story and Ewan McGregor’s version of the count is charming.
The Correspondent by Virginia Evans
The first go round didn’t go well. Not wanting to read a book that contained the musings (rants) of an old woman, the book found its way back to the library.
Months later, this book kept popping up as a must read, and due to the sincere encouragement of a friend the book was requested. Being put on a hold list with 21 other patrons secured the pressing concern that it had to be that good to have to wait so long.
It was.
Tuck Everlasting: The Graphic Novel by Natalie Babbit; illustrator/designer K. Woodman-Maynard
A fine tribute to Natalie Babbitt’s enduring tale of the Tucks. A story that continues to impact readers generation after generation.
Woodman-Maynard’s graphic novel captures the essence of the story both visually and textually, adding in her own insights without diminishing Babbitt’s.
It’s raining as I complete this post and rain is forecasted for the next week. The upside to this inglorious conclusion to summer weather fun is that the rain is welcome due to all the fires in our area. Another upside to a rainy day is how it simply invites a person to grab some cocoa and cozy into my chair and fall into a good read.
Any summer reads to share?
Pam Webb 