Pages of the Past

All of this talk about summer reading made me recall the many books that I read last summer, over twenty I believe. I thought I would share a few, just in case any inspire others to pick one up.

In addition to reading, one of my other favorite hobbies is knitting. Yes, I'm kind of a grandma. I, of course, picked up The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs when it came out a few years ago. She released the sequel last summer, Knit Two, which picks up with the club five years after where the last one left off. It took me a minute to recall each character's storyline when I first picked up Knit Two, but then it was a comfortable adventure throughout the rest of the tale. It was interesting to see how the relationships of the women continued to grow and change throughout the book. Definitely a great story. One of my favorite things about the books is that they each come with a knitting pattern. How cute, right?! I haven't had the chance to read it yet, but the third book in the series, Knit the Season, came out last November. Perhaps I'll pick it up this summer, even if it's not the right weather for it.

I don't know why it took me so long to read The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom. I've had it for some time - I think I got it as a Christmas present a few years ago. It is truly a beautifully written story about the life and death of Eddie, an amusement park mechanic. The story really makes you think about the impact you've had on others' lives. It's a book that everyone should probably read.

The Queen of Babble series by Meg Cabot is such a cute read. You can't help but fall in love with Lizzie, her socially awkward heroine who can't seem to keep her mouth shut causing a number of different issues and funny moments along the way.

While most of the reading that I tend to do is light in nature (read: chick lit), I do try to mix in some non-fiction every once in awhile. And as a cat lover, who grew up in Iowa, I couldn't possible pass up Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Changed the World by Vicki Myron. The story tells the tale of Dewey Readmore Books, who was taken in by a librarian in Spencer, IA, after he was left in the book return slot at the library on a cold winter night. Interspersed with the story of the cat is the story of Myron and her family, as well as the history of the town. Cute story, although a little long.

Sticking with the animal theme, I also read Marley and Me: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog by John Groghan. I had already seen the movie in the theaters, but thought I should probably check out the book. Definitely worth the read. Groghan's naughty dog tales are quite reminiscent of some of the experiences that I've had with Bucky. It really shows how much that pets can mean to our lives.

Okay, so I won't give you the deets on all 20+ books, but those were some of the highlights. Happy reading!