Posts Tagged ‘ classics ’

It’s Monday, What Are You Reading?


It’s Monday, What Are You Reading? is hosted by Sheila @ Book Journey. Want a good book to read? Stop by and see what’s new in the world of literature!

This weekend seemed like a small sampler of how buy my June is going to be. Not only is it one of the busiest months for me at work, but I already seem to have plans piled up around my ears. Lots of it will be fun just not as laid back as these past couple months have been. Saturday I got to see Olympic hopefuls for the U.S.A. Equestrian Team compete at a course in Devon, PA. Today, went to a christening for the son of close friends that took up almost the entire day. While it’s great to see friends and enjoy the beautiful weather, I also thrive on my alone time to write, read, and relax. 🙂

I can’t complain too much as I have been reading a lot lately. Here’s what’s new:

  Flash and Bones by Kathy Reichs – I’ve been on a Reichs kick lately and have devoured her last three books. She’s a perfect summer on the porch read. Her books are filled with detailed mysteries, heart pounding plot twists, and great characters. Also perfect for a day at the beach!

  Brave New World by Aldous Huxley – This is another book that I should have read a long time ago, but for some reason never had. I appreciated this book, but felt as though it would have been more profound if I had read it when I was younger. I remember reading 1984 when I was young and it just blew me away. This one, not so much. It’s a thought provoking concept of the future and playing with the idea of a utopia (kind of) society. If you haven’t read it, it’s definitely one that should be on your TBR list.

  Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Coast Trail by Cheryl Strayed – When a colleague of mine saw this book she exclaimed, “Oh, that sounds like a horrible story!” I was confused as I had read the blurbs on this memoir and thought the idea of a woman hiking to find herself again sounded like a great story. But what she thought when she read the title was that this woman got lost literally and then was found literally. I could see how the tagline would be a little confusing without any prior point of reference. Regardless, I’ve been listening to this one on CD and loving it. I love memoirs to begin with, but combine one with soul-searching and the outdoors and it doesn’t take much to win me over.

  Jubilee by Robert Kirkman – I picked up this graphic novel because it was penned by Robert Kirkman and I’m a huge fan of his Walking Dead series. So far though I’ve been a bit disappointed by the lack of wow factor. While the story progresses, it’s not very exciting and definitely not what I would consider a good representation of Kirkman’s work. Still, it is a fun, fast read.

Hope you have a great week! Happy reading! 🙂

It’s Monday, What Are You Reading?


It’s Monday, What Are You Reading? is hosted by Sheila @ Book Journey. Want a good book to read? Stop by and see what’s new in the world of literature!

I decided it was time to return to finish a couple of books I’d started, but put down in part because of their girth and part because new releases kept distracting me. 🙂 While I love reading new books by debut authors or returning favorites I realized I need to return to the classics and make a point of reading those as much as I read newer novels. So, hence Les Miserables. There are others that I can’t even bear mentioning because I should have read them long ago and thus will return to during this holiday season/new year. Starting my resolutions early! 🙂

  Wheel of Time # 6: Lord of Chaos by Robert Jordan – Whenever I need a hands-down great book to escape into, I turn to Robert Jordan. If you love epic fantasies, you’ll love Jordan’s Wheel of Time series. It’s one of the reasons I’ve taken my time with reading the series. Also, aside from an autographed book from Brandon Sanderson after a talk he gave about picking up Jordan’s tale after the famed author had passed away, I love finding the books (mostly in paperback) at used bookstores around the country. It’s like a treasure hunt. 🙂

 

 

  Les Miserables by Victor Hugo – A classic centered around the French Revolution, this tome is both roman a clef and a beautiful, albeit tragic, portrait of the lives touched during this time. I’d read most of Les Mis before I picked up Jennifer Donnelly’s novel Revolution and was glad I had as it made for a great reference to her vivid novel on the same topic. Hugo’s novel is a must read both for its rich descriptions and storylines and its historical significance.

 

 

  Brewed Awakening by Joshua Bernstein – I’m really enjoying this new non-fiction book all about beer. It covers a range of areas on the topic including great beers to try, the home brewing movement, and what goes into the making of a good beer. I’m interested in trying to brew my own beer and in looking into the topic, stumbled upon this book. While it’s not so much about beer recipes, it’s teaching me a lot about what makes a brewery and a beer great.

 

 

 

Hope you have a great last week in November! 🙂