Summer Reading

I love summer reading. With free time a little easier to come by (think sitting on airplanes, car rides, and a later bedtime without the pressure of getting up early the next morning) I plowed through two fun book this past June and July.

The day before we left for New Jersey this past June, I ran to the library and picked up this book that was waiting for me on the reserve shelf. I love this author. Her books, The Glass Castle and Half-Broke Horses, are two of my favorites. Both of those books were memoirs which read like great fiction with lovable, kooky characters and intriguing plot lines. So I had been dying to read her newest and first work of fiction. The Silver Star follows the life of two sisters and their crazy single mother in 1970. The book begins in California, but after a sad, yet commonplace disappearance of their mother, the sisters journey out on their own, traveling by bus to Virginia where they hope to be taken in by an uncle they barely remember. Once in Virginia, the cast of characters widens to include a kind, country family, a wicked business man and his beaten down wife, and classmates leery of any newcomers--especially two hippie girls from California. This book explores the strength of the bond of sisterhood as well as the deep-rooted need to have a place to call "home".  I absolutely loved this novel, and would highly recommend it for a fun summer read!

I had never heard of the blog "Big Mama" before, but when this book appeared in a "must read" list in a magazine, the title and summary intrigued me. Turns out, Melanie Shankle is a popular mom-blogger and this is her first published work--a memoir of motherhood. Let me just say, you know a book is good when you read the first two chapters standing in the aisle at the library. Additionally, when you laugh out loud in the quiet library, you also have a winner in my book (book, library....ya see what I did there?!). I particularly found the chapters describing Melanie's pregnancy and delivery quite amusing. If you are looking for some deep-thinking, soul challenging reads, may I suggest you go find a C.S. Lewis book. If you are looking for a fun, light, hilarious book that will make you reflect on your own motherhood journey, then go check this out. I promise you will smile as you turn the pages. And check out Melanie's blog too!

So what have you been reading this summer? I'd love to know!!