Sleep Deprivation and a Dirty House

One of my very favorite things to do is read. I tend towards spurts. Meaning I can go weeks without reading and then I'll go weeks without stopping. I am currently coming out of a "spurt without stopping." Spurts of that sort result in sleep deprivation, a pile of TV to watch, and a dirty house. I believe it's totally worth it.

I usually gravitate towards happy endings and feel-good romantic comedies. My latest stint, however, has included quite the variety. I won't provide intricate details today simply because each book is not fresh in my mind. Next book I read, I promise to do a true review. Today, I'll just brush the surface.

Fifty Shades of Grey, Fifty Shades Darker, and Fifty Shades Freed by E L James. Fantastic trilogy. The best advice I was given was to read all three and to not stop at one. Fifty Shades is known for its erotic and graphic moments of intimacy, and I would normally steer clear of this sort of novel. However, I was told if you can put that aside, the plot really is worth it, and I totally agree. I do intend to read these again someday as I believe they are the kind of books that require a second read to really understand all of its events.

Something Borrowed and Something Blue by Emily Giffin.  A tale of betrayal between the best of friends and the aftermath that ensues. I enjoyed both books and even watched the Something Borrowed movie after reading. The movie was nowhere near as good as the book... They rarely are.

Where We Belong by Emily Giffin. I liked the author's style so well that I ventured to another one of her novels. Where We Belong centers around an 18-year-old girl who searches out her biological parents and reaches out to her biological mother. It's a heart warming story in which love is found in more places than one and relationships are repaired and renewed.

Can You Keep a Secret and I've Got You're Number by Sophie Kinsella. Absolutely hysterical romantic comedies. My idea of the perfect light-hearted, feel-good book. Can You Keep A Secret is about a young woman, who in a frightful moment of her life, shares with a complete stranger every secret she has: from office co-workers to honest, unkind thoughts about family members. She is highly embarrassed and walks away taking comfort in the fact that she'll never see him again. Only she does see him again and has to on a frequent basis. I've Got You're Number centers around a young lady who has lost her cell phone in a desperate time of her life. She finds one that someone has thrown away and claims it for her own. However, the phone belongs to a corporation and she must strike a deal with the owner to continue using it until it can be replaced. What she doesn't count on is how much work for her the deal involves. She learns way more about him than she ever dreamed and he of her.

The Next Best Thing by Jennifer Weiner. As a Hollywood screenwriter working to make it in the big city, the protagonist shares her experiences of heartbreak, unrequited love, and the frustrations of low self-esteem. As she gains confidence in herself, she also begins to gain confidence in her feelings and emotions toward those she works with and cares about. A good read, but not one of my favorites.

Pretense by Lori Wick. Absolutely one of my favorite books of all time. This will make at least the third time I have read it. A fantastic novel about a family's journey in life. The hardships they face and the successes of overcoming and getting through them. Intertwined with the love of God and His gift of salvation, it's a fantastic encouragement for Christians who patiently pray and witness to their family members. It's a book of success, failures, bad relationships, and God painted love stories.

Stephanie Plum Series by Janet Evanovich. These are my latest endeavor. There are currently nineteen books in the series and I have read the first twelve. They are the perfect combination of suspense, comedy, and romance. I cannot decide of the two men she loves which I'd like to see her end up with. I love that her family is about as normal as you can get and her friends are hilarious.  Her inner thoughts are so much like my own, I walk around thinking I am her. When my next spurt begins, I'll jump back in and start on # 13.

Feel free to share your favorites in the comment section.

And thanks for reading.

Kate

December 11, 2012