We enjoyed the last of the warm weather and fall color camping this weekend with our pop-up camper. We kayaked on the pond, took a short hike along the water, and just relaxed with our son and his girlfriend, playing games and enjoying a campfire. It was all very relaxing. Best of all, I was completely unplugged all weekend and had plenty of reading time! Now, it's time to get back to real life...
Here's what we've been reading this week:
- I finished Song Yet Sung by James McBride and enjoyed a lively discussion about it with one of my book groups. It's set in 1850 on Maryland's Eastern Shore and is about slaves trying to escape...but we all agreed it was a unique perspective. No wealthy plantation owners here, just poor white people trying their best to make a living oystering or farming, with both slaves and free blacks among them. The author did a great job showing many multi-dimensional characters - both white and black - without the typical stereotypes. It was a fascinating novel that garnered a lot of interesting discussion - and we all enjoyed the local setting, too.
- I finished the creepy classic Dracula by Bram Stoker, a free download from SYNC this summer. I loved the novel, and the audio production was excellent, with a full cast of narrators. I even reviewed it already - I'm catching up!
- I am now reading another book group selection for this week: The Silver Star by Jeannette Walls. I enjoyed The Glass Castle and Half-Broke Horses, and this is her first fully fictional novel, about two sisters whose mother abandons them, set in 1970. I am loving it!
- I never found time to download a new audio book last week, but I just put it on my iPod this morning, so I will be starting Challenger Deep by Neal Schusterman today. He is one of my favorite authors, and this teen/YA novel was nominated for the National Book Award this year.
- My husband, Ken is reading A Dance with Dragons, Book 5 in George R.R. Martin's A Song of Fire and Ice series and 1150 pages! He and our son LOVE these books. He says Book 5 is better than Book 4 so far.
- Jamie, 21, is reading The Bone Palace by Amanda Downum, Book 2 in The Necromancer Chronicles series.
Movie Monday: Dark Places, based on the Gillian Flynn novel
TV Tuesday: Red Oaks, a funny Amazon original series set in 1985
Fiction Review: Dracula by Bram Stoker, creepy and fabulous on audio
Summary of Books Read in September - yes, September, finally! Great reading month.
Middle-Grade Review: The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann, Book 1 of a magical dystopian series
What are you and your family reading this week?
What Are You Reading Monday is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date, so head over and check out her blog and join the Monday fun! You can also participate in a kid/teen/YA version hosted by Unleashing Readers.
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| Me kayaking in Delaware this weekend |
Sounds like you had a fun weekend! I must confess I'm not big on camping, but a whole weekend of reading and relaxing sounds wonderful.
ReplyDeleteHave a great week, Sue!
Thanks, Lindsey - we love to get away in our camper, where there is nothing urgent and no to-do lists :)
DeleteI love the idea of camping and kayaking in November. Wow! Stunning setting.
ReplyDeleteI hope you like Challenger Deep. What an amazing novel.
The leaves are almost gone from the trees here now, Anne - I hate to see this gorgeous season end! Glad we got out for the last of it.
DeleteChallenger Deep is excellent so far. I am listening on audio but also got the book out of the library so I could see the sketches in it.
The Jeannette Walls book should be good. I loved The Glass Castle but never read Half-Broke Horses.
ReplyDeleteHave a good reading week.
Elizabeth
Silver's Reviews
My It's Monday, What Are You Reading
It's wonderful, Elizabeth, and Half-broke Horses was great, too - she is a talented writer!
DeleteSounds like a nice weekend. You can see what I read here. Happy reading!
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like you had a lovely weekend, full of fun activities and quality family time.
ReplyDeleteHappy reading!
Reading With Jade
I am not a camper or kayaker but one of my sisters does and her hubby. They are adventurers for sure. Me I like my home comforts. However love the pic of you in the kayak and I know its great to get away from everything.
ReplyDeleteIt is, Kathryn - no electronics, no internet, no TV - it's nice to just relax and enjoy the outdoors. We even enjoyed the rainy day - stayed in our cozy camper and played games!
DeleteI think it's great how you all like to be outdoors and how your son found someone who has the same interest. You and your book club read some interesting books. The second one you mentioned reminds me somewhat of Dicey's Song by Cynthia Voigt. I read that aloud to my class back in the day; it was a powerful story.
ReplyDeleteI read Dicey's Song last year and really enjoyed it, Stefanie!
DeleteYes, my son said as they drove away, his girlfriend asked when they can go camping again!
I remember being perfectly riveted by The Game of Thrones series when I read it two years ago, I believe. It really hooks the reader, big time, and does not let go. Great photo of you kayaking.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Myra. My husband and son are big fantasy lovers, so they really enjoy this series!
DeleteAhhhhh! I didn't know Jeanette Walls had a work of fiction! How wonderful! Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteRicki, technically, Half-Broke Horses was fiction, though she based it in part on her grandmother's life. This one is entirely fiction...though the mom in it does have some similarities to Walls' own mother in The Glass Castle! I am loving it.
DeleteI have to admit I've been too intimidated to pick up the Game of Thrones books, they're so huge! :) Have a great week!
ReplyDeleteThey are definitely intimidating, Jane! I have read a 1000-page book before (I host a Big Book Summer Challenge every summer), but fantasy isn't really my thing...but my husband and son LOVE the series!
DeleteLooking forward to hearing your thoughts about Challenger Deep. I've only heard wonderful things.
ReplyDeleteAlso, good to know about Dracula being Full Cast. They are my favorite audiobooks.
Happy reading this week! :)