July Books...

I know it's a little earlier than I typically do my monthly book update, but I just finished one this afternoon and I know I won't finish anymore before August so I thought I'd go ahead with it. By the way, where did July go?!? I feel like I blinked and it was gone! The teacher friends in our county went back to work last Monday and kids start next Monday. Is that not crazy?!? (Secretly, I love it. It means fewer people when I'm out running errands. I do love you teacher friends, though! Don't hate me!)

Not many books this month and you'll be surprised at my take on one of them!

The Art of Racing in the Rain  by Garth Stein

Let's just go ahead and get this one out of the way. I hated it. Hated it. And I know that I'm the only human on the planet that did. The story is from the dog's perspective. He watches his humans (and really is human except that he can't speak) and tells their story from his perspective. That was all sweet and cute. I truly did love his perspective. However, the story of the family totally did me in. I was miserable reading it. I just wanted the dog to be able to smack the people on the face and tell them to get back to reality! I'm not going to say much about the plot because if you want to read it I want you to! I don't want to give anything away or distract you from what others have thought to be a great story. But let me know if I'm not the only one that hated it. I'd love to talk to someone else about it!

The Hardy Boys #7 & 8

I'm sure no one really cares for an overview of the Hardys. They were up to much of the same. People were after them, they got in a "pickle," and in the end the bad guys spilled their guts about their plans. Ha!

The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold

Holy cow, I loved this book. How in the world have I not read it before now? If you've been around me long you know that I am enthralled by weirdo crime novels, crime shows, etc. If Cold Case is on tv, chances are I'm watching it. (The real stories, not those silly fiction ones.) This book had been on my radar for a little while and then I picked it up at our used book sale in April. I was sucked in from the beginning and couldn't put it down. In fact, I threw James in the bed with me this afternoon and he "read" while I finished this up.

The story is about Susie Salmon, a 14-year-old girl who is raped and murdered by her neighbor. Her body is never recovered and for a while there is no link to the neighbor, Mr. Harvey. But the novel isn't really about that. It's about her family and friends and the way that each of them moves on after they realize she's gone. Susie watches from Heaven (certainly not the Heaven that I believe in, but a take on Heaven that many people probably do believe in) as many of the people make unlikely connections with another grieving person. The novel was touching and realistic. I absolutely loved it. It was not a scary murder story. She speaks about her death in a way that actually takes away from how grusome it must've been. She learns so much watching from Heaven. Read it! Read it now! :)

I also finished the camera book that I've been working on forever, Better Photo Basics: The Absolute Beginner's Guide to Taking Photos Like a Pro by Jim Miotke. It was very informative. I think I probably need to read it again! :)

So that's it for July. Not too terribly many, but plenty for how busy we've been! My extras from July and my August list have been smushed together and here's what I have:

The Thirteenth Tale: A Novel by Diane Setterfield

Bringing Up Boys by Dr. James Dobson

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Sookie Stackhouse #2 and #3 (I've put these on hold at the library - I tried to read #2 this month but it's been out) by Charlaine Harris

The Soloist by Steve Lopez

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

Sweet Little Lies by Lauren Conrad (don't judge)

31 Days to Clean by Sarah Mae (I've been working through this)

A Pentateuch study by Kay Arthur (my morning Bible study)

There's not a chance I'll finish them all, but they're in my nightstand waiting for me anyway! Any thoughts on these books? What are you reading?