Good Reads: June.

Even with our crazy new summer schedule lately, I'm managed to get some reading in.  Sitting and getting lost in a story is one of my favorite things to do, and I don't get a ton of time to do it lately, so it generally takes me a long time to get through a story.  I've got a quick rundown of a few of my favorite reads lately:

Good Reads

I read this as the suggested book through the book club I joined, and while I ended up missing the meeting due to vacation, I really enjoyed this one.  This is an autobiographical story, detailing the author's nomadic childhood with two parents who really didn't want to be parents.  The fact that she and her siblings not only survived but thrived is amazing.

via Good Reads

I picked this up because it was about working in a bookstore- one of my ultimate dream jobs.  I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the story took place in Springfield, MA, just 20 minutes from where I grew up, so almost all of the towns and landmarks she mentioned were familiar to me, and so therefore I had an instant connection to the story.

Anyway, the author is detailing her foray back into society after battling cancer, and how the bookstore helped her back on her way.  I knew it was going to be a good story when she started talking about helping the librarians in the local bookmobile, saying, "I loved the stamping. I loved the filing. I loved all the bits of paper and the lines and boxes that needed to be checked, and I believe that was the start of a lifelong office-product fixation that causes me to slam on the brakes at the sight of a Staples."  I have loved office products since I was a child, and my most gleeful moment of teaching was being handed the supply catalog and being told to pick what I need. (swoon!)  Definitely a fun read.

 Good Reads

Another book club pick that we'll be discussing this week, this tells the story of 14-year-old June growing up in the 80's, dealing with the death of her beloved uncle from AIDS, the tyranny of her older sister Greta, and the appearance of her uncle's unknown boyfriend.  Set in Westchester County and New York City, this is a really interesting tale of family and family secrets, as well as growing up and high school life.

Good Reads

I just finished this one last night, and I only picked it up on Thursday, so it was obviously pretty interesting, but the one-inch margins on each side of the print helped, too.  This one is the story of a middle-aged man (Bartholomew) who, after living with his mother his whole life, now fat and jobless with no ambition, has to deal with her death and how to move forward.  Written through a series of letters, he winds up on an unexpected journey with a cast of quirky characters, and just when you think it can't get any stranger, it does, but in a good way.  The one thing was, there is an obvious secret in the story (at least it was to me) and I kept waiting for Bartholomew to catch up.

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What have you been reading lately? (suggestions please!)

Looking for more suggestions?  Follow our group Pinterest board, Good Reads.