It's Monday 6/20! What Are You Reading?

Happy Official First Day of Summer, Summer Solstice, and the Longest Day of the Year (at least in the eastern hemisphere)! You know what that means? More time to read today! Also, there's still plenty of time to sign up for the 2016 Big Book Summer Challenge! (you only need to plan to read one book of 400+ pages before September to participate).

We had unusually temperate, lovely weather this weekend (as opposed to super hot & humid), and we made the most of it. Our sons were at Firefly, a huge 4-day musical festival here in Delaware, with their friends, so my husband and I took off on our own camping weekend. We drove a few hours away into the mountains of northern Maryland (part of the Appalachians) and enjoyed hiking and lots of quiet time...and yes, lots of reading!

Here's what we've all been reading:

• I finished The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater, the fourth and final book in her The Raven Cycle series, which I have been wanting to get to since it was released in April. It was great, just like the first three, with an excellent wrap-up to the series. This was my first Big Book of the Summer - woohoo!
• My reading timing with our weekend away was just a little bit off - I have 2 book group books to read in the next two weeks, but my first one wasn't in at the library yet. So, I needed something very short this weekend and decided it was about time to read a classic (since I joined a one-classic-per-month challenge & haven't read any yet this year!). So, I read The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka, a novella that both of my sons had to read for their World Lit class in high school. This was my first taste of Kafka, and it was well-written, engaging, and surprisingly funny.
• Home last night and still without my next book group book (I just picked it up this morning!), I started another super quick book, Bera the One-Headed Troll by Eric Orchard, a middle-grade graphic novel that is due out on August 2. I'm about halfway through, and so far, it is wholly unique, interesting, and with richly imagined drawings. I already love little Bera.
• I finished listening to The Magnificent Mya Tibbs: Spirit Week Showdown by Crystal Allen & Eda Kaban, a middle grade audio book and the start of a new series with a spunky 4th grade heroine and a fun, cowgirl setting in Texas. I need to start a new audio today.
• My husband, Ken, is reading When Darkness Falls by James Grippando, a paperback thriller that I put in his Christmas stocking. Just in time because I gave him 3 new books for Father's Day yesterday that we both can't wait to read!
• Jamie, 21, finished re-reading the first two books in the A Pattern of Shadow and Light trilogy by Melissa McPhail: Cephrael's Hand and The Dagger of Adendigaeth and is still reading book 3, Paths of Air. Not much reading time at a 4-day music festival with friends! He may have finished this one by now, but he is still asleep so I can't ask him.

 Last week's blog posts (wow, I managed a lot for being offline for 3 days this weekend!):

Movie Monday: Captain America: Civil War, the latest Avengers movie

TV Tuesday: Stitchers, a young team of brilliant scientists solves crimes with sci fi tech

Fiction Review: The Book That Matters Most by Ann Hood, reviewed for Publishers Weekly

Teen/YA Review: My Name Is Not Friday by Jon Walter, a free black boy during the Civil War is sold into slavery

Fiction Review: A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki, an engrossing story of connections

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.

Join the Big Book Summer Reading Challenge! Just click the link to read the rules - super-easy for summer! You only need to read one "big book" (400 pages or more) to participate. Join the fun & sign up today!