Well, another family vacation is over (sigh.) and we’re that much closer to school starting up again (bigger SIGH.) This can mean only one thing: time for some serious denial! Nothing says denial like lots of non-school related reading, right?
Though, sadly, I did sneak some school-related reading in there too. Even my denial has its limits.
Unfortunately.
On the first full day in the Poconos, my sister-in-law got us all tickets to see the minor league affiliates of the Yankees (her favorite team) play. I was a little concerned, because we woke up to rain that morning. (Not because I was worried about the weather affecting the game, mind you, but because I feared I wouldn’t be able to read outside if it was still raining by game time.) Fortunately, the afternoon was dry.
Phew!
America’s favorite pastime–reading at the ballpark! I was able to read a good chunk of Jus Accardo’s Darker Days. She’s a new-to-me author of YA paranormal fiction, and I’ll definitely be reading more from her. It was a lot of fun to read–plus, the heroine really liked chocolate. Always a good thing.
I followed up by reading a romance featuring a baseball player (just to keep the summer/baseball/reading theme going), Tracy March’s The Practice Proposal. It had many really cute moments, especially the proposals that weren’t practice ones. The second book in her Suddenly Smitten series is due out next month, and I’ve already gotten my hands on an ARC of it–I’ll be reading and reviewing it closer to release date, but it’s so hard to wait!
Since we were staying at a cottage on the lake, my next read was Just for the Summer by Jenna Rutland (Lake Bliss #1). It was okay–but it relied on far too many really convenient coincidences for me to really be able to lose myself in it, and a lot of what the characters did just seemed silly. One of the more entertaining parts was the names the townspeople kept coming up with for Dani’s cookbook–like Another One Bites the Crust, I Want to Hold your Ham, and Sauce and the City.
We visited the tiny beach across the lake on Tuesday, where I started reading the copy of Notice and Note: Strategies for Close Reading that I got at a workshop earlier in the month. I figured I’d rather get it full of sand than my Nook or Kindle–good thing, too, because Mini Moe #2 and her cousin Mini Mac #1 decided to try to dig to China right next to my towel. Mini Mac #1 in particular was a very enthusiastic digger.
I’ve read about a third of it so far, and hope to finish by the end of next week. It has some good strategies I think I can use this upcoming year.
Wednesday evening I realized that Harlequin Junkie’s HEA book club virtual meeting was the next night (not next week, as I’d erroneously believed–I have no real concept of dates when school’s not in session). Fortunately, I had Teresa Medieros’s Goodnight Tweetheart on my Nook, and it is a quick read. Both Mini Macs went to bed about twenty minutes after book club started, so I was able to make most of it–including the time that the author spent with us. We had a blast, as per usual. Next month’s read is Beautiful Bastard by Christina Lauren, with the chat at 9 PM EST on September 26. (If I post it now I’ll remember it then, right?)
Finally I read an ARC of Risky Surrender by Robin Bielman (Risky #2) to get ready for the August Ever After celebration this upcoming Monday, when three new Ever After novellas are released. I’ll be posting a review of it soon, and then reading the other two books–One Night in the Spa by Kathy Lyons and Take Me (Take a Chance #4) by Diane Alberts later on this weekend in preparation.
On audio I finally finished Claim Me on the way back for Mini Moe #2’s high school orientation–the ending was especially painful. I was so sure it was going to end one way (and end much sooner), and then was totally bummed when they went for the big relationship save at the end. Oh well. On to the print ARC of book three next.
Since we still had a lot of driving to do (back from orientation, and then home again today), I let MM#2 talk me into starting City of Bones: The Mortal Instruments #1 on audio once Claim Me finally ended. She wants to see the movie yesterday, and wants me to read it first. (Why? I don’t know. We all know how closely Hollywood follows the print versions, don’t we? Denial is obviously a hereditary trait.) With all that driving, I’m almost done–only a chapter and a half to go. If only demon dog were back from the kennel, I’d be done. Unfortunately, though, I’m not walking at night without my big, bad canine protector. Someone has to keep me safe from those killer squirrels.
That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it.
Plus, I have to finish unpacking.
So–what are you reading this weekend?
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