The beach reads I choose for vacation are very important to me. I go through a very thorough book evaluation in order to choose just the right books for reading. Being a librarian I actually take great fun in this ritual. I search my favorite book blogs like Reading Rants, I seek out recommendations from students, I use Goodreads and post a small sticky note on each book with its score. I usually have at least over a dozen books scattered around a shelf. I then check out about ten. Then, when packing another cut happens where I actually only take about five (I haven’t switched to a Kindle reader just yet–note the story down below regarding this conscious decision). I include an audiobook–oh and don’t forget a few magazines. I make sure there’s a wide variety of adult lit, ya fiction, and a couple of nonfiction titles too. I’m not the fastest reader–which actually really stinks considering my profession is in part to read, so I rarely make it through all the books I bring. But, I am always set up with options, and that makes me feel literarily safe.
Here are the titles I brought on this trip and why:
Attachments by Rainbow Rowell
I was actually reading this before departing for this Chinese New Year vacation to Boracay, so naturally I brought this book with me to finish. Oh! It is so good!! I have found an author I just love, yet I know I will savor each book for the next time I need a really good book. I’ve read FanGirl and loved that, so it was no surprise that I loved attachments even more. Rowell has a very unique, very human way of depicting a love story. This love story is so real, so palpable, I could imagine it’s truth. Lincoln basically works as this newspaper’s firewall. He has to check emails that get flagged. Well…he didn’t anticipate falling in love with Beth’s written word. No love at first sight for Lincoln rather love at first words. Romantic? Yes! Meanwhile, Beth is the one with love at first sight–despite having a rockstar boyfriend. You can guess the ending which will be all fine, but getting there will be half the fun. Seeing Lincoln become a man is the most rewarding part of this book–aside from the ultimate love story in the end. I totally recommend this book and like it even better than FanGirl. Up next for me from Rainbow will be Landlines, and eventually I’ll read Eleanor and Park.
The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
I just recently gave The Girl on the Train to my sister as an audiobook for her birthday. She had a long flight ahead of her, and since I know she hates travelling, I wanted to find her a book to completely take her mind of things. Well, I found The Girl on the Train. It’s being compared to the new Gone Girl–which I also listened to and absolutely found riveting! Since I too was traveling I also downloaded the book for myself–even though my flight timing is much less I also find listening to a book while traveling the easiest way to take your mind off of, well just things. So, this book is narrated by three women, and they all have beautiful, absolutely beautiful British voices. There’s going to be a crazy death somewhere along the way, and I what I can make from the reviews is that basically the reader will be floored by who dunnit! This book aside from being compared to Gone Girl is also being compared to Hitchcock’s Rear Window. The narration starts out with this lady commuting on the 8 am train each morning. One house in particular becomes her house. She creates a relationship with the man and woman inside. Her story of them becomes their story so imagine when they disrupt her story….I’ll leave it at that. And let you know I’m engrossed!
When God Winks by SQuire Rushnell
This one is pretty cheesy but there were some great reminders in this books. Basically, the point is that all the little and big coincidences in our life may be attributed to God winking at us or guiding the path of our life. Some things happen that are so uncanny or so crazily weird, they may make us stop to think, Wow! How’d that happen? Or maybe things take a turn for worse but in the end it was the best. This book made me reflect on pivotal or small little God winks that have happened in my life–like three times a charm in meeting Kevin or spotting my grandpa in a huge wall photo after he died, tearing my ACL and having to go on welfare or getting our jobs in Hong Kong. I definitely believe there’s a pathway for each of us and the little turns that become our pathway may be guided by God winks. This book pointed out some great ways at recognizing when and how to notice when the God winks happen. Since this is a short read, I’d recommend it if you’re interested in learning how to interpret and appreciate the coincidences in your life.
Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
This is the book I just started today. When I asked a student of mine in the library about their favorite books they recommended this one. It’s reviewed as a cross between The Game of Thrones and The Hunger Games. Luckily it’s staring much better for me than The Game of Thrones; unfortunately this past summer I didn’t make it through this uber popular title. Sometimes that happens. Anyway, in Throne of Glass, Celaena Sardothien is a lethal assassin. She’s known as Ardenal’s Assassin. She’s been jailed and is there to spend her remaining days (she’s only like 18 or something, so she had a long and painful life ahead jailed in a mine) until she’s brought back to the kingdom to become the King’s Champion. She’s going to have to fight 23 other criminals in order to become the assassin for the king. If she does indeed win (I’m pretty sure she will!), then she will earn her freedom after serving as the king’s Champion (read assassin) for four years. She’ll do it. Not only is she skilled but she’s beautiful and clever too. I’m only in Chapter 10, but I have a good feeling about Celaena and what she’s going to accomplish. IN!
Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger
You will never hear me saying, Don’t judge a book by it’s cover. Never. I mean, come on! Of course a cover matters! And the cover of this book got me–and the title of course. First of all I love espionage books, and when there’s a female protagonist I get all ALIAS. (Remember that awesome show!) In this title Sophronia is a pleasant enough girl, but her mother would like her even more polished, therefore she is entered into Mademoiselle Geraldine’s Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality. Little does mum know that more than manners will be learned at this school. Espionage, death, and diversion are right up there with dance, dress, and etiquette. With Vincent in Cotillion here in Hong Kong I was immediately intrigued. And look at the cover: those just aren’t scissors in her hand!
The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts by Dale Chapmen
A while ago I read a post on Cupcakes and Cashmere about the 5 Love Languages. There was a little quiz I took to tell me what I am. I keep urging Kevin to take it even though I think I know what he is. Basically we all love, but we love and like to be loved in a different ways. I’ve been wanting to read this book for a while now just so I can be a better lover–to all those in my life. Loving Gigi, Vincent, and Kevin is very important, so I want to get it just right. Perhaps the way I like my love might be the way the like to be loved, so I’ll be finding out.
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