Summer Sisters by Judy Blume

Summer Sisters is one of a few of Judy Blume's adult books. Here's a description from Amazon:

"Caitlin lives with her mother in Sante Fe, but spends summers on a New England island with her father, brother, and stepmother. Both parents give her free rein, and her beauty, independence, and talent for getting away with outrageous behavior make her an intriguing star to her middle school classmates. Victoria can't understand why Caitlin would single her out to be her "summer sister" on Martha's Vineyard as she sees herself as quiet and dull. She senses, though, that this vacation is an important turning point and convinces her conservative parents to let her go. The girls become fast friends, sharing six unforgettable summers together."

This book was...interesting. I read it for the Nest Book Club and the Summer Book Challenge. I can't believe this book was written by the same woman who wrote Superfudge. There was so much sex! I had a hard time identifying with the character's in this book. If I were in Vix's shoes I would not have stayed friends with Caitlin, but then the book would have been over after 90 pages or so. Anyway, I thought this book was OK, but I definitely won't be reading it again.

2 out of 5 stars

Second Helpings by Megan McCafferty

Don't read this review if you haven't read the first book in this series, as it may contain spoilers!

Second Helpings is the second (duh!) book in Megan McCafferty's Jessica Darling series. Here's a description from Goodreads:

"Jessica Darling is up in arms again in this much-anticipated, hilarious sequel to Sloppy Firsts. This time, the hyperobservant, angst-ridden teenager is going through the social and emotional ordeal of her senior year at Pineville High. Not only does the mysterious and oh-so-compelling Marcus Flutie continue to distract Jessica, but her best friend, Hope, still lives in another state, and she can’t seem to escape the clutches of the Clueless Crew, her annoying so-called friends. To top it off, Jessica’s parents won’t get off her butt about choosing a college, and her sister Bethany’s pregnancy is causing a big stir in the Darling household."

This book was as good as, if not better than, Sloppy Firsts. I really enjoyed it, and can't wait to read the third book. I still love Jessica's snarkiness and attitude. I definitely would not allow my kids to read this book unless they were well past their sixteenth birthday. I don't remember young adult books having so much sex in them when I was younger. (Wow, I feel so old having said that.) I still love this series even with all of the references to sex. I'm well past my sixteenth birthday! ;-) Anyway, this book also counts for the Summer Book Challenge.

5 out of 5 stars

Club Dead by Charlaine Harris

Don't read this review if you haven't read the first books in this series, as it may contain spoilers!

Club Dead is the third book in the Sookie Stackhouse Series by Charlaine Harris. Here is a synopsis from Goodreads:

"There's only one vampire Sookie Stackhouse is involved with (at least voluntarily) and that's Bill. But recently he's been kind of distant - like in another state distant. Bill's sinister and sexy boss Eric has an idea where to find him, which is why Sookie ends up in Jackson, Mississippi, mingling with the under-underworld at Club Dead. It's a dangerous little haunt where the elitist vamps can go chill and chow on some prime flesh. But when Sookie finally finds Bill - caught in an act of serious betrayal - she's not sure whether to save him, or sharpen some stakes."

I really liked Club Dead a lot. I love that Eric has more of a role now. He's definitely my favorite character. I realize that Charlaine Harris is trying to show that it's dangerous for Sookie to be Bill's girlfriend, but come on! Nobody gets beat up that many times in just a few months. It's teetering on the edge of over the top and lame. I still liked the book, but I'm liking Bill less and less. I think Sookie should leave him for Eric! His morals may be questionable, but he is incredibly sexy. Yum! I can't wait to read the next book! This book counts for the Nest Summer Book Challenge as well.

4.5 out of 5 stars

Sloppy Firsts by Megan McCafferty

Sloppy Firsts is the first book in Megan McCafferty's Jessica Darling series. So many people have recommended this series, so I decided to get the first book from the library. Here is a description from Amazon:

"When her best friend, Hope Weaver, moves away from Pineville, New Jersey, hyperobservant sixteen-year-old Jessica Darling is devastated. A fish out of water at school and a stranger at home, Jessica feels more lost than ever now that the only person with whom she could really communicate has gone. How is she supposed to deal with the boy- and shopping-crazy girls at school, her dad’s obsession with her track meets, her mother salivating over big sister Bethany’s lavish wedding, and her nonexistent love life?"

I'm so happy I read this book! It was so cute. I can't wait to read the rest of the books in this series. I love how funny and angsty Jessica is. She's hilarious. Marcus kind of reminds me of Heath Ledger's character in 10 Things I Hate About You. He's definitely very intriguing. I can totally relate to Jessica because I remember what it was like to be 16. Actually, I was sixteen when this book came out. I would have really enjoyed it at that age, too. I read this book for the Nest Book Club's Summer Book Challenge. It's for the category, "Read a book considered a beach read." I'm going to go put the next book on hold at the library now.

5 out of 5 stars

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

I had never read To Kill a Mockingbird before, so when I found it at the thrift store for 25 cents I was very excited. In case you haven't read it, here is a synopsis from Amazon:

"Set in the small Southern town of Maycomb, Alabama, during the Depression, To Kill a Mockingbird follows three years in the life of 8-year-old Scout Finch, her brother, Jem, and their father, Atticus--three years punctuated by the arrest and eventual trial of a young black man accused of raping a white woman."

I'm so glad I decided to read this book. It's definitely my favorite "classic" that I've read so far. Also, it's on the 1001 Books to Read Before You Die list. I was very surprised that it was in the perspective of such a young girl. I really had no idea what the book was about before I read it. I liked that Scout eventually realized that all men really are created equally by the end of the book. I think this is definitely a book that all people should read. It's very good.

5 out of 5 stars

Something Blue by Emily Giffin

Don't read this review if you haven't read the first book, Something Borrowed, as it may contain spoilers!


Something Blue is the sequel to Emily Giffin's other book, Something Borrowed. Here is a description of Something Blue from Amazon:

"Selfish but beautiful Darcy is reeling from the betrayal of her best friend, Rachel, and her fiance, Dex, even though she cheated on Dex with his friend Marcus. Darcy is carrying Marcus' child, so she assumes he'll take care of her. After all, she's always gotten everything she's ever wanted. But when Marcus dumps her, she finds herself pregnant and alone. Always the opportunist, Darcy contacts her childhood friend Ethan, now a writer living in London, and gets him to agree to let her visit for awhile. She jets off to the UK envisioning a charmed life where a handsome, rich Englishman will sweep her off her feet. The reality isn't so blissful--Ethan is critical of her selfish behavior and she finds herself incredibly lonely and unprepared for motherhood. After a confrontation with Ethan, she decides it's time for radical change."

At first it was very weird to be reading a book from Darcy's point of view. I couldn't stand her in Something Borrowed! Now, though, I like Darcy more than I like Rachel. She changed so much about herself when it didn't seem like it would be possible. I definitely liked this book better than the first. I was almost crying at the end. It was great reading about London, because I recognized a lot of the street names and landmarks since I lived there one summer. It definitely made me want to go back. Anyway, I loved this book and I'm so glad I got it from the library very quickly!

5 out of 5 stars

Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris

Don't read this review if you haven't read the first book in this series, as it may contain spoilers!

Living Dead in Dallas is the second book in the Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris. The HBO show True Blood is based on this series. This book continues the story of mind-reading Sookie Stackhouse and her vampire boyfriend Bill Compton. Eric, a very old and powerful vampire in Louisiana, sends Sookie and Bill to Dallas to use Sookie's "special talent" to help another vampire find a missing friend. Their search leads them to the Fellowship of the Sun, a "church" that hates vampires, but the Fellowship is anything but a typical church. Meanwhile, a murder is being investigated back home in Bon Temps.

I really liked this book. I thought it was just as good as the first book, Dead Until Dark. I'm glad that Eric was in this book more than the first. I think he's my favorite character. It doesn't hurt that the guy who plays him in the show is pretty hot!

**Spoilers Below**


I'm so sad about Lafayette! I really liked him. I wish he had a bigger part in the books like he did in the show.

**End Spoilers**

The sex scenes in this book were a bit steamier than in the first one. Not necessarily a bad thing but possibly not OK with some people. I'm really glad that I finished the book very early on in the season of the show. It seems like they may not follow the book exactly, though. I can't wait to read the next book in the series!

5 out of 5 stars

Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin

I won Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin from Goodreads. I'd been wanting to read it for a long time, so I was really excited when I won it. Here is a description from Amazon:

"Rachel is celebrating her thirtieth birthday with her friends, including her lifelong best friend, Darcy, and Dex, Rachel's handsome friend from law school and Darcy's fiance. One thing leads to another and Rachel ends up in bed with Dex. Suddenly, all of her repressed feelings for him rush to the forefront, and Dex says he feels the same. But thoughts of Darcy nag at Rachel. Perfect, pretty Darcy has always gotten everything she's wanted, as well as things that Rachel wanted, like her admission to her first-choice college. But Rachel and Dex can't deny their attraction, and Rachel wonders if they might possibly have a real future together."

I really liked this book. Although I didn't agree with what Rachel and Dex did, it was hard to feel sorry for Darcy. I think this was my first chick-lit book, and I can see why so many women like the genre. Something Borrowed is a cute, fluffy, romantic book. It's perfect if you're looking for a quick and easy read. I can't wait to read the next book, Something Blue.

4 out of 5 stars

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie is 70-year-old Alan Bradley's first book. Here's a description from Amazon:

"It's the beginning of a lazy summer in 1950 at the sleepy English village of Bishop's Lacey. Up at the great house of Buckshaw, aspiring chemist Flavia de Luce passes the time tinkering in the laboratory she's inherited from her deceased mother and an eccentric great uncle. When Flavia discovers a murdered stranger in the cucumber patch outside her bedroom window early one morning, she decides to leave aside her flasks and Bunsen burners to solve the crime herself, much to the chagrin of the local authorities. But who can blame her? What else does an eleven-year-old science prodigy have to do when left to her own devices? With her widowed father and two older sisters far too preoccupied with their own pursuits and passions—stamp collecting, adventure novels, and boys respectively—Flavia takes off on her trusty bicycle Gladys to catch a murderer."

I won this book from Goodreads.com. I was so excited when I got that email! I thought this was a good book. I'm not sure an 11-year-old would actually be able to solve a crime in real life, but I was able to suspend my disbelief for that. I wouldn't think that an 11-year-old would be able to understand old Chemistry texts and be able to make her own poisons either, though. I felt that Mr. Bradley tried to use a lot of long and sometimes obscure words in this book. Maybe he feels that they make a book "good," but I thought it was unnecessary.

I'm not going to criticize everything in this book, though. I really liked Flavia's attitude and the fact that she was so smart. I do think she should have been a little bit older, but I still really liked her. I also enjoyed the way she interacted with her sisters. Sometimes it was a bit disturbing that sisters would treat each other that way, but it was funny nonetheless.

Overall, I enjoyed this book well enough. I'm glad I won it and that I didn't buy it.

3 out of 5 stars

Marked by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast

Marked by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast is the first book in the House of Night series. Here is a description from Amazon:

"In 16-year-old Zoey Redbird's world, vampyres not only exist but are also tolerated by humans. Those whom the creatures "mark" as special enter the House of Night school where they will either become vampyres themselves, or, if their body rejects the change, die. To Zoey, being marked is truly a blessing, though she's scared at first. She has never fit into the human world and has always felt she is destined for something else. Her grandmother, a descendant of the Cherokee, has always supported her emotionally, and it is she who takes the girl to her new school. But even there the teen stands apart from the others. Her mark from the Goddess Nyx is a special one, showing that her powers are very strong for one so young. At the House of Night, Zoey finds true friendship, loyalty, and romance as well as mistrust and deception. She realizes that all is not right in the vampyre world and that the problems she thought she left behind exist there as well."

I thought this book was pretty good. I liked the story and I felt like it was easy to identify with Zoey. I'm really not into the odd spelling of vampire. Is there something extra special about the "y"? It just seems weird. I also felt that it was kind of Harry Potter like. Suddenly she's a "vampyre" and goes to a "vampyre" school where she has a special mark on her forehead etc. Very Harry Potterish. This book leaned a bit more toward the "adult" than the "young" in this genre. I would never write a book with my mother that had the same kind of adult content that this book has. Talk about awkward... I guess P.C. and Kristin have a very open relationship. I'd like to know what happens next in this series so I'll probably continue to read the books.

3 out of 5 stars

Waiting on Wednesday - The Lost Symbol

I'm so excited that Dan Brown has written another book! Today, for Waiting on Wednesday, I can't wait for The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown. It has been a very long time since Dan Brown released a book. It's about time! Here's a description from Amazon:

"THE LOST SYMBOL will have a first printing of 5 million copies, and it will once again feature Dan Brown’s unforgettable protagonist, Robert Langdon. Brown’s longtime editor, Jason Kaufman, Vice President and Executive Editor at Doubleday said, "Nothing ever is as it first appears in a Dan Brown novel. This book’s narrative takes place in a twelve-hour period, and from the first page, Dan’s readers will feel the thrill of discovery as they follow Robert Langdon through a masterful and unexpected new landscape. THE LOST SYMBOL is full of surprises."

The book is being released on September 15. I can't wait! I've read all of Dan Brown's books and I loved them all.

I Won Again!

I can't believe it! I won another book from GoodReads.com! The book is Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin. It's not really a "First Read" because it has been out for a few years now. I guess it was for publicity or something. I've been wanting to read this book for a while now, though. I'm so excited!

Here is a description of the book from Amazon:

"Something Borrowed tells the story of Rachel, a young attorney living and working in Manhattan. Rachel has always been the consummate good girl---until her thirtieth birthday, when her best friend, Darcy, throws her a party. That night, after too many drinks, Rachel ends up in bed with Darcy's fiancé. Although she wakes up determined to put the one-night fling behind her, Rachel is horrified to discover that she has genuine feelings for the one guy she should run from. As the September wedding date nears, Rachel knows she has to make a choice. In doing so, she discovers that the lines between right and wrong can be blurry, endings aren't always neat, and sometimes you have to risk all to win true happiness."

I can't wait to get the book! Apparently it takes a while, though, because I haven't received The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie yet. Oh well, it's worth the wait!