September 06, 2011 
Stephanie 
Frankly I’m a little sad that the summer is (unofficially) over. It’s raining here, I’m already back to wearing long pants and it felt way too cold on the commute to work this morning. But in the interest of keeping things consistent, I wanted to come full circle from my summer reading post back in May.
In that post, I had mentioned a few titles that I was interested in reading (Aimee Bender’s The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake, Jeannette Walls’s The Glass Castle, and Lauren Oliver’s Before I Fall), and while I started several books this summer—and came close to finishing most—I think my plate may have been a bit too full. In addition to reading several clients’ manuscripts, I managed to get through most of Nova Ren Suma’s Imaginary Girls, Lauren Oliver’s Before I Fall, and Kristin Hannah’s Night Road. All have been fantastic thus far, and I do intend to finish them. What got in the way? Life, for the most part. A terrible excuse, yes, but oh well…autumn reading lists!
Anyway, I’d love to know how your summer reading fared. A work-in-progress, like me? Did you get through all the books you were hoping to read? Or did you find yourself falling into books you didn’t expect to pick up?
I keep a little book journal so I know I’ve read 17 books this summer which is pretty good I think. the one that really stood head and shoulders above the rest was Beautiful by Amy Reed.
I read Bloodlines this weekend too, so technically not a summer read but I was so pleased with it. I was a bit wary thinking it might not be up to the VA but it was great and I’m gutted that the next one isn’t out til next May!!
Oh the reading plans I had for the summer! My favorite read was THE LACUNA. And I discovered some old John D. MacDonald crime dramas — his Travis MacGee series — which was far better writing than I would have imagined. A fine surprise!
But what did I really do all summer? I had to put a dog to sleep in June, so August brought a new puppy. I’m getting no sleep, I sit on the floor and play fetch a lot, and we’ve been to the vet (emergency and otherwise) several times. And it’s been a joy. Okay, and I did read Cesar Millan’s book on puppies, so all reading was not lost.
Here’s to the stack of books I have on hold for this fall.
Oh, and my daughter’s last-minute-canceled wedding, job loss, and immediate relocation to Chicago. Talk about life getting in the way, right Stephanie?
Like Ciara, I keep a book journal. My count for summer (Memorial Day to Labor Day), was 40 books. I credit my daily commute by “L” for a big chunk of that. My notable reads for the summer would include Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami, Multiplex: Enjoy Your Show: Book One by Gordon McAlpin, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford, Indignation by Philip Roth, Truth and Beauty: A Friendship by Ann Patchett, Exit Ghost by Philip Roth and Remainder by Tom McCarthy. Looking at what I’ve been able to read for pleasure, I’m left thinking that I’m kind of glad I don’t read for a living.
Yesterday I picked up eleven books from Borders on a steal and have several books in front of me I’m dying to read!!!! The Particular Sadness of Lemon was one I picked up, I’ve heard so many amazing things!!!