Summer Reading Goodies

July - August Reads:

1) The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner: An Eclipse Novella
by Stephenie Meyer

~My take: It was a good novella. Short and sweet and actually helped fill in the gaps with the third installment of the Twilight Saga: Eclipse. It was my first read of the summer and I really enjoyed it.

~Grade: A-

2) Dear John

by Nicholas Sparks

~My take: It was a good novel...typical Nicholas Sparks, however not his best work. I always get a little leery with authors that incorporate military stuff into it, that may not have a lot of military experience with it. I was not very happy with the ending at all. I felt like he robbed his
readers.

~Grade: C

3) The Last Song

by Nicholas Sparks

~My take: One of his better novels. A great look at father/daughter relationships and how convoluted they can become. I would rank this one up there with The Notebook. Very well done. I cried a couple of times, so yep...it was a good bit of fluff reading.

~Grade: A

4) The Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet

by Jamie Ford

~My take: It was hard to get into at first. It took about 3-4 chapters before the story really took hold for me. I love reading Asian-themed stories, as well as stories that have a history in World War II. Interesting take on father/son relationships and a decent love story. Ending a bit predictable, but a good story.

~Grade: B

5) The Help

by Kathryn Sockett

~My take: This had been recommended to me by many people, so I finally broke down and read it. I really enjoyed it. I love stories that are set in the South and I liked the multiple narratives in the book. I agree with Sparky that the ending fell a little flat and was a little too neatly tied up.

~Grade: B+

6) Firefly Lane

by Kristin Hannah

~My take: Um yeah. My least favorite read thus far. Very contrived and I've read/seen many stories like it before. I read it and it reminded me of the movie "Beaches" with Bette Midler and Barbara Hershey. Very melodramatic and easily predictable. The main character is very unlikeable. Don't waste your time.

~Grade: D