It's Monday 8/14! What Are You Reading?

Another very busy week here! I am counting the days until school starts again when things will slow down a bit from this summer rush (when your kids are in college the school year is a slower time, as opposed to when the kids were younger). Last week was a big one here because we hosted a potluck dinner for our local chronic illness support group. I know that probably sounds like a pretty boring party, a bunch of sick people, but it's not. It's a wonderful group of very warm and supportive people (with both sick "kids" and sick adults) who have all become good friends - we are about 50% social and about 50% support when we get together. They're my people! So, I was worried about how I'd manage a big gathering, especially on a weekday, but it went well and my husband and sons helped a lot.

This week's big event is my oldest son's 23rd birthday, so another big dinner (and cake) on Wednesday this week. Next week, we get our big 2-day vacation with our sons!

In the midst of this flurry of activity, we always find time for our books:

• I finished reading my latest review book for Shelf Awareness, The Ninth Hour by Alice McDermott. I was thrilled to get it for review because I have never read anything by this award-winning author before. It's a multi-generational story set in Brooklyn, involving two families and a local convent. It was excellent - I can see why McDermott is such an acclaimed writer. It ended too soon, and I was sorry to leave the characters.
• BUT, finishing my review book meant that I could get back to my Big Book Summer Challenge and the amazing Silo trilogy by Hugh Howey! I first re-read the endings of book 1, Wool, and book 2, Shift, and then happily dove into book 3, Dust. This series is just so compelling and immersive!
• On audio, I am still listening to The Hearts of Men by Nickolas Butler, an adult novel about two boys who become friends at a Boy Scout Camp in the 1960's and the paths their lives and friendship take over the ensuing decades. I heard good things about this novel when it first came out, so I am glad to have a chance to listen to it now. It's good so far; the beginning chapters are about the boys at camp as young teens, then it jumps 30 years to them as adults, and now one of the men's sons is a main character, in 2019. I'm enjoying it.
• My husband, Ken, is now reading another of my review books, Leona: The Die Is Cast by Jenny Rogneby. This is a new Scandinavian thriller, which he usually enjoys. I think he read another book during the week, but I'm not sure what it was, and he's not home to ask!
• Jamie, 22, is back to The Wheel of Time series and is reading book 4, The Shadow Rising by Robert Jordan. His birthday is next week, so there may be more books in his future!

Last week's blog posts:

Movie Monday: War for the Planet of the Apes - an exciting & poignant conclusion

TV Tuesday: The Bold Type - new show about 3 young women in publishing

Memoir Review: I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai- moving, powerful story of a young girl speaking out for education

Teen/YA Review: Exo by Fonda Lee - classic sci fi adventure

Saturday Snapshot: Road Trip 10 Years Ago - great pics from an epic trip cross country!

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.

What are you and your family reading this week?  

You can also follow me on Twitter at @SueBookByBook or on Facebook on my blog's page.

Remember if you are participating in my Big Book Summer Challenge to leave links to your reviews on the challenge page (the second links list is for reviews) to share them. We only have a few reviews linked up so far, and I know many of you have been reading your Big Books this summer!