It's Monday 5/27! What Are You Reading?

Happy Memorial Day to those of you in the U.S.! My grandfather was a proud Marine who served in World War II and was at Iwo Jima, so he is on my mind today. He died a few years ago.

My big news today is the kick-off of my annual Big Book Summer Challenge!  I love using the long days of summer (and the break from my book groups) to tackle some of the bigger books I never seem to have time for. You only need to read a minimum of 1 book over 400 pages long between now and September to participate, so check it out and join in the fun!

I hope you've all enjoyed the Memorial Day weekend - we've had a very leisurely weekend. Our younger son has been visiting his grandparents, helping them get their sailboat ready for the season, and our older son is home from college but has been out with friends much of the time, so Ken and I have enjoyed lots of quiet time together, a nice dinner out with friends last night...and lots of reading!

• I finally finished American Pastoral by Philip Roth. It is a long novel with very dense prose, but I found it very thought-provoking and interesting and am glad I read it. Reviews from my book group were widely varied - some really disliked it; others loved it. I will post a review this week.
• I am also still reading (a bit at a time) The Art of Nonconformity: Set Your Own Rules, Live the Life You Want, and Change the World by Chris Guillebeau, which was recommended by a friend of mine.
• I have just started The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (my second time) for my online family book group this week. It is just as good as I remembered...and also counts as my first Big Book of the summer!
• In some spare minutes, I read a middle-grade graphic novel, Tommysaurus Rex by Doug Tennepel. It is a fun, imaginative story sure to appeal especially to middle-grade boys.
• And, finally, I am listening to The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne on audio. It is just as good as I'd heard from everyone.
• My husband, Ken, is still reading A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin, book 3 in his A Song of Ice and Fire series. At over 1200 pages, this novel definitely meets the criteria of a Big Book! He is almost finished with it now.
• Jamie, 18, is thrilled to be done with his first year of college and taking full advantage of finally having some reading time! He finished The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan, Book 1 in the Heroes of Olympus series, moved onto Book 2, The Son of Neptune, and is now reading Book 3, The Mark of Athena. A new friend from college loves reading as much as Jamie does, so they are both reading this series right now. He told me he is planning to start a book club with his friends in the fall - I'm so proud!
• Craig, 15, is very busy trying to finish up all his work for the school year, including some make-up work still left from his last surgery in February. He is reading Romeo and Juliet for his Freshman Lit class this week.

I posted one review last week:

The Orphan Master's Son by Adam Johnson, an amazing novel that just won the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for fiction - highly recommended.

And I launched my Big Book Summer Challenge this weekend. Like summer itself, it is a low-key, easy-going challenge, so check it out. I also posted my own list of books to read for the challenge.

What are you and your family reading this week?

(What are you reading Monday is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey, with a kid/teen version hosted by Teach Mentor Texts.)    

Thinking of my Grandpa today who served as a Marine in World War II.