Sing Sweet Baby

Sing Sweet Baby

Jun 25, 2012

This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen

Release Date: March 2004
Publisher: Penguin | Speak

Pages: 345 pages

Source & Format: Library; Hardcover

Amazon | Goodreads

Sum It Up (from Goodreads)

When it comes to relationships, Remy doesn't mess around. After all, she's learned all there is to know from her mother, who's currently working on husband number five. But there's something about Dexter that doesn't seem like Mr. Right. For some reason, however, Remy just can't seem to shake him. Could it be that Remy's starting to understand what those love songs are all about?

By Its Cover: One of the Better Dessen Covers

While I thought the cover for Along the Ride was super cheesy, I'm fine with this one. But I was really excited when I found out that all of her covers were getting redesigned. It's about time! I really like that the new cover for this book incorporates a guitar. Very fitting! You'll have to go look them up - after you finish reading this, of course!

Amen, Sister Friend: Cynical But Realistic

I probably wouldn't be close friends with Remy because I wasn't really a party girl in high school. However, that doesn't mean I didn't appreciate her as a character. I think my favorite thing about her was how realistic she was. She sounded like a real teenager - with moments of immaturity - but she was also really cynical. After her mother's many failed marriages, Remy doesn't want her heart on the line. She's famous for getting rid of guys before things get serious. That makes her seem a little harsh, but it was also understandable considering her family dynamics. She definitely wasn't the normal YA heroine!

I also really enjoyed the dynamics with Remy's group of friends - Lissa, Chloe and Jess. What I really appreciate about Sarah Dessen is that she writes very well-developed characters and that includes the secondary ones.

Literary Love: Lead Singer Love

I heard quite a bit about Dexter before I ever picked up This Lullaby. From what I've heard, a lot of people have some pretty hardcore love for this Dessen fella. Dexter is a musical guy. He's kind of awkward and nerdy at times, but he's also the lead singer. He's incredibly confident, but he also has that goofy charm.

While I liked Dexter, I wasn't totally crazy about him. The problem is that I can't put my finger on the reason why! I think it's because I didn't love Remy and that sort of just translated into me not being completely wrapped up in the love story.

Word Nerd: Classic Dessen

I say "Classic Dessen" like I've read more than one by her, but this was actually only my second Sarah Dessen book. I have heard quite a few people say that this is one of their favorite books by Sarah Dessen. Personally, I preferred Along for the Ride. I liked that main character better, and I enjoyed the love story and secondary characters more. In the end, I think it comes down to the fact that I had more a personal connection to the other book.

Both books had a similar formula, however, so I can see why people told me not to read them all in a row. I think it would definitely be better to read one every now and then rather than back-to-back. I think that may be partly why I was comparing it to my only other Sarah Dessen. They seemed really similar, and I ultimately liked the other book more.

Extra, Extra: Musical Man

If you're musical or have a thing for boys that can sing and/or play the guitar, you'll totally eat this book up. I'd be willing to bet that you'll be crazy about the love story. I'm not sure he was my kind of guy, but I know quite a few ladies that would be happy to have him all to themselves!

So Quotable

"No relationship is perfect, ever. There are always some ways you have to bend, to compromise, to give something up in order to gain something greater."

"Some things don't last forever, but some things do. Like a good song, or a good book, or a good memory you can take out and unfold in your darkest times, pressing down on the corners and peering in close, hoping you still recognize the person you see there."

Bottom Line: Enjoyable But Not a Favorite

While I thought This Lullaby was good, I couldn't help but compare it to my only other Sarah Dessen experience! I had a stronger connection to that book, which is probably why I preferred it. I was glad I just got this one from the library - I enjoyed it, but it wouldn't be a book I'd read again and again.

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The Summer of Lucy Maud

The Summer of Lucy Maud

Jun 19, 2012

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly featured hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Every week they post a new topic/Top Ten list and invite everyone to share their own answers. I'm so obsessed with lists!

I'm really excited about discovering all the wonderful summertime reads that people list today, but I thought I'd take my list in a slightly different direction. I can almost guarantee that no one else's list will have the books I'm featuring today, and I always like being different.

Anyway, I could easily have come up with ten new & unread books on my summer TBR list because, let's face it, I can always come up with books I'm looking forward to reading. But I'm also doing something different this summer in terms of re-reading, and I thought this would be a fun way to let everyone know what I'll be enjoying at the pool over the next few months.

Top Ten Books on My Summer TBR List

"The Summer of Lucy Maud"

I love Lucy Maud (L.M.) Montgomery, and a big part of the reason why is the fact that she created one of my very favorite heroines, Anne Shirley. I fell in love with Anne in the third grade, and I was hooked on her adventures and daydreams right from the start. However, I also fell in love with my first book boy because of Lucy Maud. His name is Gilbert Blythe. I've spoken of my love for him before, so I won't make you listen to my long list of reasons why he's so awesome again.

But I will tell you that I've had a hankering for my old favorites recently. Getting in to book blogging has been really fun. I've gotten to know some very cool book nerds and found some awesome books to add to my TBR. The only downside is the fact that blogging has made me put pressure on myself to read only new books. I keep buying books based on blogger recommendations (which I don't regret in the least) but that causes my "I hope to re-read this one day" books to get pushed back to the bottom of the book pile. I absolutely love to re-read, but I sometimes have a hard time justifying re-reading old favorites when I own so many new and unread books. 

After a string of lackluster books, I was feeling a little book weary. You know, when you don't even want to pick up a book because you're afraid that it will be disappointing or boring and just plain blah. My typical remedy for this situation is to pick up a book that has been recommended to me by someone I really trust. If they say I'll love it, chances are I will and that often gets me out of the doldrums.

However, this time that just wasn't cutting it. It was like my heart was yearning for something familiar, something I could revisit and that would be new to me in the way that time makes any re-read of a book a new experience.

So I started reading Anne of Green Gables for the thousandth time. And it definitely felt like coming home. After devouring it quickly, I still wanted more. So, I've decided to re-read the whole series this summer, along with some of my other favorites by Lucy Maud. I'm not reading them straight through - that would make me sick of Lucy Maud's writing! Instead, I'll be enjoying one book by Lucy Maud for every two or so TBR books. I'm giving myself little breaks in between so that I don't get sick of her style. And y'all, I am seriously so excited about my plan! It just feels like such a relief to be re-reading again.

Luckily, my list worked out to a perfect ten books because I've already finished re-reading the first two in the Anne series. The picture above shows you what my copies look like - a little dated but a lot loved. In order:

1. Anne of the Island - Anne at Redmond College

2. Anne of Windy Poplars - Anne teaching at Summerside High School & boarding at Windy Poplars

3. Anne's House of Dreams - Anne gets married

4. Anne of Ingleside - Anne as the mother of five

5. Rainbow Valley - Adventures of Anne's six children

6. Rilla of Ingleside - Story of Anne's youngest, Rilla

7. Emily of New Moon - Beginning of a series focusing on Emily Starr, an introverted orphan 

8. Emily Climbs - Emily's off to high school

9. Emily's Quest - Emily decides what she wants for her future

10. The Blue Castle - A standalone where a young woman rebels against her family to find her own happiness

{I'm not including much description or trying to "sell" you on reading the books because I'll be posting my thoughts on each books after I read it. That's when I plan on convening you that L.M. Montgomery writes delightful characters that you need to get to know!}

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Under the Summer Sun

Under the Summer Sun

Jun 18, 2012

Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson

Release Date: May 2012

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Pages: 480 pages

Source & Format: Bought; Hardcover

Amazon | Goodreads

Sum It Up

Taylor Edwards isn't really looking forward to this summer. In fact, she kind of wishes she could just run away. Her family received devastating news about her dad's health, and her parents have decided that the family will spend one last summer together at their lake house in the Pocono Mountains.

It's been years since they last visited. Life just got in the way. Not that Taylor's complaining - avoiding the lake allowed her to forgot about the mess she left the last time she was there.

Returning forces Taylor to face the people she left behind, including her former best friend and childhood boyfriend. It's also the place where she'll have to come terms with the future that she wishes weren't true.

As time runs out, Taylor realizes that sometimes you do get a second chance - with family, friends and love.

By Its Cover: Peachy Summer Delight

I love this cover in person because the title has this cool shimmery look and the peachy colors are just so perfect for the summer. I think I might like it better without the girl - just a view of the lake, to be honest - but that's a minor quibble.

Amen, Sister Friend: Runaway Girl

Taylor wants to be safe. She doesn't want to face her problems - she wants to run away from them. Her fear causes her to pull back from family, friends and relationships. There was something so relatable about this aspect of her personality. Even if that's not how you deal with problems in life, there have likely been moments when you wanted to.

The progression of her relationship with her father was one of my favorite things about Taylor and this novel. I love how she talked/thought about him because he was a specific character... but, at the same time, it was like he could be my father. I don't know how Matson did it, but it's like she created a completely fleshed out character that (even though he really wasn't similar to my dad) made me feel like he could have been. Does that even make sense? I think it was in the way Taylor related to her dad and thought about their relationship. Her fear and grief felt like it could have been my own.

Literary Love: Sweet but Unnecessary 

Henry. Hello swoony boy. Let's just say that I'd like a Fourth of July the likes of which you planned for Taylor. And goodness, I'm so glad you two were childhood friends (and sweethearts). I loved reading about a relationship that developed from years of knowing one another.

Now, on one hand, I really enjoyed the love story. At the same time, I felt that the love story was the one thing that could have been taken away from the book. I understand why it was in there, and it was a great part of the story... But this book could have focused solely on Taylor's relationship with her family members and it would have been just as good. What I loved about this book wasn't the love story - it was the family relationships. Those are the parts that stayed in my mind long after I'd finished this book.

Word Nerd: The Silent Cry

I don't cry very often, so it's very rare for me to cry when I'm reading a book. It's not that I don't get attached to the characters - it's just that I'm not usually moved to tears. There is usually a tiny piece of my brain that knows it's fiction. When I told Magan at Rather Be Reading that I bought this book (after reading her incredible review), she asked if I had tissues handy. I told her I was taking my chances because it was highly unlikely that I'd cry. I just don't cry in books.

Oh the error of my ways... I read the last bit of this and was definitely doing the silent cry. I just couldn't help it.

How is this relevant to the writing section of this review? Because in someone else's hands (words?) I probably wouldn't have been in tears. It was the way Matson wrote about the family handling their father's illness that felt so relatable. I wasn't crying because their father was sick... I was crying because I could imagine that it was my dad. During the ending, this book moved beyond a "fictional story about a family." It made me emotional because the character's emotions felt so relatable, so real, that I could imagine they were my own and that it was my father who was sick. And that just tore me up.

I'd also like to note that this book is by no means dark or depressing. Yes, it's sad, but it's more of a tender and loving kind of sad that makes you feel so much more appreciative of your family. The book, for the most part, felt so warm and cozy. It made me want to wrap my arms around my family and never let go.

Extra, Extra: Lake House

My husband's grandparents live on the lake, and it is one of my favorites places to visit. There's just something about a lake house that seems so relaxed and unplugged from the world around you. At the beach, you're usually doing other things (like going out to eat and shopping). But at the lake, you're usually just there. And for a family facing one of the worst things imaginable, it felt so right that they'd steal away to the lake for their final days together.

So Quotable

"You said you didn't want to waste your time on people who aren't going to matter," I said, and he nodded. "But how do you know they're not going to matter? Unless you give it a shot?"

"The thing is that people only get hurt - really hurt - when they're trying to play it safe. That's when people get injured, when they pull back at the last second because they're scared. They hurt themselves and other people."

Bottom Line: You'll Be in My Heart

It's almost 500 pages, and I read it one day. I read it while waiting on my blinds to get cut in Lowe's. I read it while in the car when my husband was driving. I tried to read it while folding laundry. I read it in the bath and didn't get out until the water was freezing cold and there were still tears running down my face. It was lovely, and I was so thankful to have read it. It was one of those books that breaks your heart but finds a home there, too.

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So Quotable: Morgan Matson

So Quotable: Morgan Matson

Jun 17, 2012

Source

“A thousand moments that I had just taken for granted - mostly because I had assumed that there would be a thousand more.” 

― Morgan Matson, Second Chance Summer

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Four Sisters, Two Rabbits & An Interesting Boy

Four Sisters, Two Rabbits & An Interesting Boy

The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy by Jeanne Birdsall

Release Date: June 14, 2005
Publisher: Random House | Yearling

Pages: 272 pages

Source & Format: Library; Paperback

Amazon | Goodreads

Sum It Up (from Goodreads)

This summer the Penderwick sisters have a wonderful surprise: a holiday on the grounds of a beautiful estate called Arundel. Soon they are busy discovering the summertime magic of Arundel's sprawling gardens, treasure-filled attic, tame rabbits, and the cook who makes the best gingerbread in Massachusetts. But the best discovery of all is Jeffrey Tifton, son of Arundel's owner, who quickly proves to be the perfect companion for their adventures.

The icy-hearted Mrs. Tifton is not as pleased with the Penderwicks as Jeffrey is, though, and warns the new friends to stay out of trouble. Which, of course, they will -won't they? One thing's for sure: it will be a summer the Penderwicks will never forget.

By Its Cover: Nostalgic & Quaint

I really love this cover because it so perfectly captures the feel of this book. I love the outlines of the kids, the dog and the two rabbits. The soft blue and yellow has a warm summery feel, which is so fitting for their wonderful adventures on summer vacation.

Amen, Sister Friend: I'd Join This Family

This family is the kind of family I love reading about in books. They all genuinely love each other. They have a truly wonderful father who looks after them but also gives them space to play. He is particularly admirable in light of the fact that he's lost his wife (and the girl's mother) and raises four loving, adventurous girls all on his own.

You'll meet the eldest, Rosalind, who acts like a little mother. She keeps an eye on all her sisters, but she's also getting to an age where she has her eye on a handsome boy, too. Next is Skye, the tomboy of the family. She's always getting herself into scrapes and putting her foot in her mouth, but things usually turn out all right in the end. If she needs to clear her head, she just does a little math. Jane follows and she is an aspiring author. She has a series of books in which her heroine always saves the day. Batty is the youngest sister, and she's definitely the baby of the family. She's a little shy, but once you win her affection she's all yours.

There's also their neighbor, Jeffrey, and he becomes a part of their circle almost immediately - once they get past a little misunderstanding right at the beginning of their acquaintance. He's sweet and fits in perfectly with this family.

Literary Love: First Crush

Aside from a crush on a older teenager, there isn't much romance in this book. But the portrayal of one sister's feeling for the kind older boy are sweet and realistic in their newness.

Word Nerd: Reminiscent of Books Past

The story and the writing give this book a very nostalgic feel. The whole time I was reading it I could see similarities between this and Little Women. It is refreshing and charming - the kind of book you want to hug and ask to be your friend forever. While it is certainly it's own book, it also read a little like a homage to all the best parts of children's literature through the ages.

It is a very quiet book. Each character has their own little adventures, but it isn't a book that races along or has anything particularly "new." It is, however, an adorable tale of a sweet family.

Extra, Extra: Two Rabbits

Batty's love for two rabbits that live nearby is so sweet. She visits them frequently and wins them over with lots of treats. This part of the story was one of my favorites! I also quite enjoyed Batty's butterfly wings (which she always wears) and who or what finally causes her to take them off. PRECIOUS!

So Quotable

“The cuter the boy, the mushier your brain.” 

“People sometimes make unexpected choices when they're lonely.” 

Bottom Line: Charming & Adorable

This book is just as good as Amy at Tripping Over Books promised it would be! I wasn't disappointed in the least. Amy actually said it best in her review, so I'm going to quote her for the bottom line: "It's quiet but not boring, sweet by not treacly, bittersweet sometimes but not a downer. It's the closest thing I've read to NORMAL in all its crazy, unassuming glory that I can recall reading in a LONG time."

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