Summer Reading

Our library sponsors a Summertime Reading program - for kids and for adults.  I've remembered twice to join in the fun - today was the time I remembered this year.  The deal is, one reads three books during a set timeframe and then fills in a form they provide with the title, author, a few lines of a review and a rating - 1 (don't read!) to 5 (must read).  Once done, you turn in the form and are gifted with a surprise bag of goodies.  Today I turned in the following:

KITE RUNNER, THE - Hosseini, Khaled
"Almost from the first word of this wrenching book, I was torn between turning each page and tossing the book away from me in sorrow. The only sound I heard, even while reading in a noisy room, was the sound of my heart breaking time after time. The story is one that fills the reader with the sense of living it. As such, I will probably always long for the ending – be it tragic, or, one hopes desperately, happy – I am left wanting to know. The accounting of the glass lines that cut the hands of the kite fliers symbolized to this reader the very essence of life in a war-torn ancient land – and as well, the effect this powerful novel had upon me. "  Rated: 5


HOTEL ON THE CORNER OF BITTER AND SWEET - Ford, Jamie
"While I read about 4 or 5 pages before I was hooked, this book quickly became a lovely friend. There are at least two stories running throughout – an historical one that filled in a great deal of history of the shameful treatment of Japanese-Americans during WWII of which I knew very little – and a delicate, origami type story of loves – those enjoyed, those unfulfilled, those lost and those found once more. I dearly loved this gentle and beautifully written story."  Rated: 5

WATER FOR ELEPHANTS - Gruen, Sara
"Exciting. Humorous. Riveting. I loved this book for its narrator, for its vivid description of the time and place of it – the ‘30’s and a traveling circus, for its colorful and shockingly real characters, not the least of which is an elephant! It’s got just about every element needed for a true page-turner – love, intrigue, jealousy, murder and best of all – a happy ending!"  Rated:  5

Here is a picture of the contents of my goodie bag:

It contains a book (Don't Sweat the Small Stuff and it's all small stuff); a bookmark; 2 coupons for free video rentals; a little deck of cards (in the shape of flip flops!) for a quiet game of solitaire; some almonds; some cookies; a pencil and a little pen; and two tea bags - coincidentally one in my favorite flavor and one in Lar's!

It's great to have gotten a nice little goodie bag for free - all for reading some books I'd read anyway.  But the real prize is the experience I enjoyed in reading these wonderful, wonderful novels.  And I hope my reviews might inspire you - dear reader - to give them a try too.
POSTSCRIPT:  see http://chplnjbooks.wordpress.com/