Book Blogger Wannbe

I am not a book blogger. I admire all those who are, their ability to read so many books so quickly and then to so eloquently put into words their feelings about those books. I appreciate their time and effort because it is through those blogs that I l learn about new books and get an idea of which ones I might want to spend my time reading. People like Kristi at The Story Siren, Nic at Irresistible Reads, Lea at YA Book Queen, and Sarah at GreenBeanTeenQueen are a few of my favorites. I love their blogs and look forward to my morning stop at their sites. Even though I have never met them before, I feel like they are friends. We are just sharing our common interest of love for the written word.

This year has been a tough one for me. But reading has brought me solace when I was in need of comfort. I recently read a statistic that those who read on a regular basis are far less likely than those who do not to battle depression. The reason being that when you are reading a book, the characters feel like friends and people you know. Even on days when I may not have any interaction with people outside my own home I still feel as though I have conversed with a friend.

So far this year I have read 48 books. My goal for the year is 60 but I hope to be able to go beyond that. Among those 48 books I have read a few that have really stuck with me. So although I may not be a book blogger, today I would like to take an idea from Nic at Irresistible Reads, the Mini Review.

Jellicoe Road, Amy and Roger's Epic Detour, and What Happened to Goodbye are all very different types of books, but they all had a common theme. First, I loved them all. They were all about dealing with trials and how friends can help us through those. I really felt as I was reading these books the importance of being willing to open up to others and let them in. People can only comfort us if we let them. Jellicoe Road was heart breaking but I loved the connection of the characters and the way the clung together. Amy and McLean both had to learn to let others in and see them, know them beyond the surface even though that was a hard thing to do. It seems it is always easier to hide. Loved these two books.

The Day Before was amazing. I started off thinking this book was going in a very different direction. Lisa is an amazing author. I love every one of her books. She writes in verse and there is something about that that is so beautiful and truly lends to feeling and emotion. I loved the way Amber and Cade were able to lend strength to each other in their times of need. Both had hard things to face. It really touched me. It reminded me to pay attention to people. Really try to see them. We never know what unseen pain others are dealing with and how we might help. It also reminded me that people are not always as they seem from the outside. We have to look deeper.
When I picked up Sean Griswold's Head, I thought it would be a fluffy read. I mean, just read the title. It was definitely funny but heartfelt too. I cannot stop thinking about this book. I don't know why it stayed with me; I read it back in March. But I love the way that Sean was able to help Payton through her trial. He showed her not to give up and how to deal in a positive way, set a goal and work toward it. I loved that it was about facing hard things in a positive way.

And can I just say that I am absolutely in love with the River of Time series. The heroines are brave and courageous, smart and caring. The writing is clear and descriptive. I could visualize things so clearly and felt as though I were in Italy myself. I love the characters. I love their devotion to each other. I love that they have to make hard decisions but do what is right regardless of what they may wish to do. I love that I can see in Gabriella's mind, hear her thoughts and know where she is coming from. It reminds me of Katniss but in a totally different setting and time. Powerful and beautiful! This series and Hunger Games are tied for my favorite series of all time.

Okay, so probably not the best reviews ever, but I cannot seem to stop thinking about these books. They have been there for me and helped me so much this year, just like Rory and Lorelai did in years past. They have been my friends and helped me search myself and ask myself if I need to do some reevaluating of how I am doing in my life. They have been there for me and allowed me an escape when I needed one. For as the quote goes, "Reading gives us someplace to go when we have to stay where we are." So true.