A Few Good Reads

Since I first learned how at the age of five, reading has been my favorite pastime. I've always loved the feeling of getting so involved with a book that it seems as if you're actually a part of the story yourself. If I really connect with something I'm reading, I'll stay up all night to finish it. It really is just about my favorite thing to do.

Since Grayson was born it's been much harder for me to find the time to actually sit down and read a good book. In fact, I hadn't actually read much of anything at all until a group of girlfriends of mine decided to start a book club a couple of months ago. I'm so, so glad that they did, because it's got me back into it.

When I went to purchase the first book we were set to read, I couldn't find it in the store. Arsen suggested downloading it to my iPad, which I honestly hadn't ever even considered. So I downloaded the Nook app, and since then I've been just been buying books there. I've always loved the feel of sitting down with an actual, physical book, but this is SO much more practical for me now. I can lay in bed at night after G is asleep and read, which I can't do with a book without turning on the light. (Since he's in our room that doesn't work) So it's been the perfect solution!

These three books are what I've read most recently. Not all of them were book club books, but now that I've started reading again I'm getting the urge to read more than one book per month. I can honestly say I would recommend all three of them, although I much prefer two of them. If you're looking for some good reads, check these out.

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

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This novel was a quick read for me. I finished it in about two days, simply because I was so involved in the story that I read it basically anytime I got the chance. It's narrated by a 16 year old cancer patient named Hazel, who has a more impressive vocabulary than any teenager, or adult for that matter, that I've ever known. This novel is absolutely heart wrenching, but in the best way. I most definitely recommend it...but make sure you're prepared to shed a few tears. It's a heartbreaker, I tell ya.

The Cuckoos Calling by Robert Galbraith (aka J.K. Rowling)

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This was....difficult to get into. I've never read any of the Harry Potter books (Or seen the movies. Gasp!), so I'm not familiar with J.K. Rowling's writing style, but from what some of the girls in book club said this is written in a similar manner. The descriptions were sooooo loooong. I don't need to know every last detail about what the pub the character is sitting in looks like. Every. Last. Detail. It got to the point where I started skimming the descriptive passages. But other than that, I thought this was a pretty decent read. It's a mystery, which isn't a genre I typically read, and I really enjoyed that aspect of it. I'm kind of 50/50 on this one. I ended up liking it once I got into it, so I would say it's worth the read.

The Longest Ride by Nicholas Sparks

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I've also never read a Nicholas Sparks novel, although I've seen several of the movies that are based on his books. This was, of course, a love story, but not really your typical romance novel. There were two major story lines going on that eventually intertwined, and I actually enjoyed that. Kept things interesting.The main characers are a young guy and a young girl in their twenties, and then also an old man in his 90's who reflects back on his life throughout the book. Even though it has a romantic vibe to is, it isn't the typical chic lit type book. A little more depth, maybe? I found it to be an enjoyable read.

Have you read anything good lately? If so, let me know in the comments. I'm always looking for a new book to try out :)