what i'm reading now

I have been on a reading rampage and here's what I'm reading now. That's right, I'm one of those that read more than one book at a time.

BOOKS

• The Goldfinch and Tiny Beautiful Things are for a Book Club I was kindly asked to join {we're on a summer hiatus}. I don't know that I would have chosen this Cheryl Strayed book on my own, but I am happy to be reading it. And quite unexpectedly, I've underlined quite a few phrases and ideas and solutions. Not every entry speaks to me, but man when they do, it's like a freight train. Whew. I've shed tears and felt on many occasions that she was speaking to me.

I personally chose Donna Tartt's novel for our next read because I had heard so much about it from other book nerds I follow on Instagram. For me, it was a rather slow go getting into the flow of the story line. It might be that, with this book at least, I need to have a longer period of time to read rather than just 20 minutes here and there. For me at least, I only pick up this novel when I have a good 45 minutes to an hour of uninterrupted reading time. I might even have given up on the novel if it were not for the Book Club. 

If our library doesn't have a copy of the book I need, I always check Thrift Books next. We've even ordered a text book for Victoria because they only had classroom copies one year! Check 'em out, I think you'll be surprised at the awesome pricing and free shipping on orders over $10. 

My link offers you a 15% off coupon and I'll earn points toward my next book purchase! 

And thank you.

• While Isabella was looking for library books in the Young Adult section a few weeks ago, I saw Fan Girl and picked it up to read myself as I've heard good things about it. I'll finish it, but I'm not totally sold on the story line. 

• While Victoria and I were out shopping for Isabella's upcoming birthday at a locally owned gift shop, we saw Paperboy and she was excited. She remembered that her Language Arts teacher recommended this book as a good summer read. We decided to get it and use as a read aloud bedtime story adventure for her and I. Both girls generally read before bedtime, and I haven't read them a bedtime story in years, but I knew that bedtime stories with Mommy time were soon going to be a thing of the past and suggested it. I'm glad I did! I get snuggles while laying in bed together and enjoying a great story. And, to find out that the author, Vince Vawter, just lives the next town over makes it even better. I think I may try to see if he would autograph our copy as a surprise for Victoria.

KINDLE PAPERWHITE

I'm a huge fan of holding a real book with paper pages I can turn in my hands. I've balked at the convenience of having a tablet reader for years and years. But then I asked the girls if I could borrow one of theirs so I could give the whole concept another try.

I did and, much to my surprise, I enjoyed using it. Gordon suggested I try the new Paperwhite because it's lightweight and the contrast is better.

And because I'm sort of bad about making the drive in to town to return my library books, I've had the chance to read more because I can just download the next book on my list!

And because we're Amazon Prime members, we get tons of freebies and low cost books, plus a new release freebie each month with Prime Reading.

Here's what I've finished reading on the Kindle Paperwhite, all of which I would have never found if I just wandered the library.

• Mrs. Saint and the Defectives, Julie Lawson Timmer
• Beach Lawyer, Avery Duff
• She Can Run, Melinda Leigh
• The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry, Gabrielle Zevin
• Stillhouse Lake, Rachel Caine
• The Night Bird, Brian Freeman
• Dead Certain, Adam Mitzner
• The Things We Wish Were True

So, yeah, I still love holding a book in my hands, but the convenience of carrying the lightweight Paperwhite in my purse for reading in the school pick-up line or at sports practices is so very nice. Plus, I can read in bed at night without keeping Gordon awake.

What new reads can you recommend to me?