TBR - 2011 - Or the books I found when I moved
Confession time. I took the summer reading lists the English teachers gave us in school and actually read the books. The first book that refused to let me stop reading, even to sleep was Gone with the Wind. Since that summer night I’ve found a lot of story tellers that swept me away with their words.
My son rated my books by the number of times he could say mom when I was reading before I heard him. The Stand (Stephen King) was our ‘five mom’ standard. I loved that book!
So here’s my list (for now…) I’m hoping they’re all rated ‘five moms’!
The Unfortunate Miss Fortunes (Jennie Crusie, Eileen Dreyer and Anne Stuart). I bought this book because I heard a workshop that the three authors gave about turning the idea of three novellas into a novel. I’m halfway through and am loving every minute of the story.
Deadly Notions (Elizabeth Lynn Casey) Coming out April 4th. The ladies of the Southern Sewing Circle remind me of the friends I’ve gathered from my different jobs, women who are strong yet vulnerable. I’ve loved the three prior books as well. (Full disclosure – these books are written by one of those friends I’ve gathered.)
In addition, I’m looking for some strong women’s fiction in the vein of The Accidental Best Seller (Wendy Wax) or a new story in the Blossom Street series (Debbie Macomber). I’m also looking forward to reading the next installment (In Harms Way) of the Ridley Pearson Walt Fleming thrillers set in Sun Valley Idaho. And starting Rick Riordan’s Kane Chronicles.
So you can see, I’m all over the map in genre reading. The only thing that links all of these books together is the most important description of all. They all have authors who tell ‘five mom’ stories. And isn’t that what we all want? To be lost in a story?
What books have you read that you would rate with a ‘five mom’ score?
5 comments:
Lynn,
Your rating system is so much more satisfying--and less arbitrary--than most. Love this.
At our house, we have a rating system for YA lit. Bed time is 9 p.m. When my son and I read together, we judge the quality of a book by how far it carries us past 9.
Last year, thanks to our junior high librarian, we read a book called The Wednesday Wars, by Gary D. Schmidt. It was lovely and soulful and funny and bright, and left 9 p.m. far behind.
As a reader, it's a book that reminds you why you read. It demonstrates the grace of loving characters in a simple story. And it inspires you to seek out stories that move you, after the last few novels you picked up, you cast aside unfinished.
As a writer, it's a book that reminds you why you write--particularly on days when you feel your own manuscript has more in common with the castaway stack than the lights-still-on at 10 p.m. set.
I suspect you'd find Wednesday Wars a five mom book. Or maybe it just spoke to us. Books are hard to define that way. As are the people who write them.
If you've not read Jonathan Stroud's Bartimaeus series, you might give it a go. Plot, pacing characterization, clever turns of phrase and poetry in the prose; Stroud executes with grace and sticks the landing.
There are four "Bart" books to date. Five mommers, the lot.
Thanks for the excellent post.
Hey Joe,
Thanks for stopping by.
I love your rating system too. Many a time a good book has kept me up past my bedtime.
My rating system is when I pick up a book and read it through in one day. If I do that, it's good!
I Did that with several books this year, including Emily Giffin's Heart of the Matter.
My review system varies depending on which genre I am reading. I do have to say if it is a one day read or less it is def a 5/5
Laura - I haven't read a book straight through for years. I've got a dr visit tomorrow. The only thing I miss from that time was all the doctor visits gave me lots of reading time.
HockyV- I'll take a guess that you read paranomal - is that one of the genre's you can read in a day?
Thanks for stopping by guys!
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