What I've been reading

I realized today I haven't updated my reading list since March. This is so horrible, because it means that I've read a lot and I just don't remember all the books. So this list is likely missing quite a bit. Darn me.

To Kill a Mockingbird - I haven't read this book since I was a sophomore in high school. Re-reading it as an adult made me realize how much I missed when I was young. The themes of racism, innocence and lack there of are stunningly well written. Four and a half stars.

Rebecca (all six books) - This series of children's books was published by American Girl just this spring. I was so excited to finally have a Jewish American Girl that I pre-ordered the books and read them in quick succession once they arrived. They were just what I was expecting, cute children's books that spoke a little about the Jewish faith. I particularly liked the second book Rebecca and Ana. Four stars.

A Thief in the Theater - Another American Girl book, these are easy to read and quite fun. Kit's mystery "Thief in the Theater" did not disappoint. It was just what I wanted from a Kit book, more Kit. Four stars.

Three Little Words - This memoir of a girl growing up in the foster care system really opened my eyes to how things were done. It was a page turner, but not the most well written book I've ever read (the author is only about 21 years old!). Three and a half stars.

Neela: Victory Song - This child's book was published by American Girl, and I finally got around to reading it. It really opened my eyes to a part of Indian history I was not as familiar with as I should have been. The story was touching and sweet. I really quite liked it. Four stars.

Leyla: The Black Tulip - In the same series as the book above, this story is about a girl growing up in Istanbul's Tokapi Palace within the harem after being sold by her mother. Seems like an odd choice for a children's book, but everything was very PC. I read and enjoyed the book, but it hasn't been very memorable. Three stars.

Minuk: Ashes in the Pathway - This was the best book of the Girl of Many Lands series I have read so far, Minuk is a native from Alaska in the Yup’ik tribe. The story about how missionaries come to her village is heartbreaking, horrific, and extremely interesting. Four stars.

Frommer's Grand Canyon - I love to read travel books, and so of course, this was one of many that we brought with us on our trip to the Grand Canyon. I don't love the Frommer's format for travel books, so I'm only giving it three stars.

Lonely Planet Grand Canyon - If you are only going to read one travel book, make it Lonely Planet. They do such an excellent job. Four stars.

Odd Thomas - This is not a book I read, but instead listened to on E's iPod on the trip to Grand Canyon. It was a great time filler, exciting, sad, wonderful and mysterious in all the right places. Best book this summer. Really a lot of fun. Five stars.

The Chosen - It is sad to me that I hadn't read this book until I was in my late 20s. This book means so much to modern Jewish literature, it was high time that I read it. It was interesting, I learned so much, and although it was a slow book, I couldn't put it down, a true classic. Four stars.

Lonely Planet's Banff, Jasper, and Glacier National Parks - I swear I read this book cover to cover about six times when we were in Canada. Provides great info on all the best stops, hikes, and restaurants in town. Couldn't of lived without it. Five stars.

Moon's Canadian Rockies - Another fantastic travel book that we read cover to cover over and over again while up in Canada. This one provided a little bit different information, so having both books was a major bonus. Loved it. Five stars.

Also during this summer I've had lots of false starts. If I'm interested in a book, I'll read it and finish it, if I can't get into it, I'll read 40-100 pages and then put it down, moving onto something else. I tried reading Spring Pearl: The Last Flower, Shadow of the Wind, Garden Spells, and a few others, before putting them down and moving on.