For as much as I read, I can't believe I haven't ever done a monthly reading recap. That is all about to change. Obviously I read quite a bit, but some months I find that I consume way more books than others. November was one of those months for me. Below you'll find a few of the books I've read.
I started with If
I Stay by Gayle Forman - when I wasn't crying, I was recovering from crying. Yes, I read this in one sitting. I could not put it down!
Mia's love for the cello is only surpassed by her love for her family and boyfriend. After a car accidents leaves Mia in a coma and her immediate family dead, the story alternates between life before the crash and Mia in the hospital. And though Mia is in a coma, she's aware of all that is happening, from her grandparents, aunts, and uncles waiting and visting to her boyfriend's band creating a diversion so that he can sneak into her room. This book is so raw and emotional. I'm pretty sure you'll be thinking about it long after you've finished reading it.
Nothing gets my attention like a bit of controversy, so I moved Shine by Lauren Myracle to the top of my reading list after the National Book Awards kerfuffle. I'm sensing a theme this month - books that are breaking my heart. Wait, do two books make a theme? I digress.
Growing up, Cat was happy. She loved life and loved her best friend Patrick. Not in a romantic way, in a friends way. Plus, it wasn’t even an option, since he was gay. After an incident in 8th grade, Cat completely shut down and shut everyone out, including Patrick. Four years later Patrick is found unconscious and tied up at the gas station where he works. In a small southern town where the police won’t do anything to solve this crime, Cat takes it upon herself to find who did it. She isn’t at all ready for the town secrets that go along with it.
I'm the first to admit that I am scaredy-cat. Typically, I have to read/watch anything even remotely scary with all the lights on, during the day, preferably with other people around. But sometimes, I just can't control the circumstances. Wish You Were Dead by Todd Strasser did scare me A LOT!
The popular kids at Madison’s private high school, in one of the wealthiest suburbs in the nation, are going missing. Presumably they are being kidnapped for ransom, but when no notes appear, the authorities are stumped. Madison receives anonymous notes saying that her friends are in danger, but she has no idea how to help them. Twists and turns abound in this book, keeping you on the edge (and in my case, hiding under the covers) until the very end.
