I found myself getting lost in all the endless adventures that surrounded me at the library. I can honestly say that I love reading/ listening to books more now than when I was a kid, can anyone else relate to that? Starting to go to the library about once a week, I would spend at least twenty to thirty minutes looking through the audio books reading the back of dozens of books trying to decide the next story I would dive into. After a while I would bring home librarians featured picks then eventually started talking with the girls who volunteered there to get their recommendations in person. The gal at the library I was talking with last picked a couple books she thought I would like, brought them over and one really caught my eye. It was a romantic love story that created a once in a lifetime opportunity for 35 girls.
Summer Reading
The Selection
The Selection is book number one in a multi book series and I got sucked in right away. Kiera Cass http://www.kieracass.com/books really captured what it was like to be sixteen and in love for the first time and how it feels when your heart gets broken. This tale is of America Singer and her struggles of picking Mr. Right and finding out who she is and what she is made of. Being part of the Selection means she will be the future princess and she fights all her thoughts and feelings about what it means to fill that role. America is from a lower cast which makes her different from the others which has made her very guarded and her temper doesn’t help matters. I read this book so fast and had to pick up the second one a.s.a.p. I just finished it earlier today actually, and I started it on Sunday (today is Tuesday). I finished The Elite (second book) in two days because I downloaded it on my phone from this app that the library uses called Libby https://meet.libbyapp.com/ and I could listen to it when ever I had my phone on me. I love this app and it makes reading/ listening to books so much easier, anyone who has a library card can sign up!
The Great Alone
The Great Alone was my favorite book that I listened to this summer hands down. This book is written by Kristin Hannah and performed by Julia Whelan. For me the narrator is one of the things that makes audio books memorable and really stand out from others. This book is about a young girl named Leni who lives in Alaska in the 1970’s with the mother she adores and the father she is scared of, constantly. Leni is the new girl again, but this time it’s different she meets a boy that becomes her world. Her story is over the course of her teenage years and goes into her early 20’s. Everything that she goes through you feel, all the good in her heart, the endless turmoil and her constant state of panic and worry. Kristin does an amazing job with her writing, I kept finding myself staying in my car as long as possible on my lunch breaks and an extra 5-10 minutes when I got home. I guess you could say I was obsessed with this book, I would recommend this to anyone. Read the full summary here https://kristinhannah.com/books/the-great-alone/ .
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie was an adorable book about another brave little girl who refused to give up. I listened to the whole book during my drive back and forth to Moab. Alan Bradley is the man who wrote this book and after doing a little research about the guy I found out that he is a first time author and there is a series of ten books (I got excited). When something mysterious lands on the porch of the family mansion and a strange man turns up dead in the garden it’s up to Flavia to solve the murder and clear her fathers name. She goes on a wild adventure that ended up uncovering a story that weighed on peoples hearts and minds for many years. Flavia is a curious and smart girl who follows the clues only to find herself in trouble and in need of help before it’s to late. I found this website that showcases all the books from the Flavia de Luce series. https://www.thriftbooks.com/series/flavia-de-luce-/37496/
The Race
Clive Cussler has written over seventy books, I bet you’ve herd his name before. The book that I listened to of his was called The Race https://www.cusslerbooks.com/book-display.php?ISBN=042525044X&TITLE=Race, it was about protecting Josephine and her yellow plane at all cost. Chief Investigator Issac Bell is on the case and he won’t give up or back down when it comes to protecting this aviatrix, her plane and the race from her crazy ex husband. While on this adventure Issac encounters heavy gun fire and multiple sabotage attacks from Mr. Frost who is determined to kill his wife this time for good. There is only one way this story can end, and for some that means fighting til death. This cross country race is unlike anything you could have imagined.
Endless Adventures
So whether you are chasing Issac, Leni or any of your favorite characters into their lives and quests. Don’t forget that books (or audio books) provide the mind stimulation just like the outdoors. Reading books has many proven benefits https://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/10-benefits-reading-why-you-should-read-everyday.html and you are never to old or busy to entertain yourself. I found myself in my car almost forty hours a month and was tired of listening to the same music over and over again. So I encourage you to bring your husbands, wives and kids to your local libraries and grab a book to enjoy. They also offer maps, Colorado State Park backpacks, movies and access to computers. It is a great way to pass the time, learn and journey into another world.
I have also found out that ordering carryout for dinner is a great way to get more book time in. I don’t recommend doing it every night, but treating yourself feels good every now and then. Here is the menu for quick access https://grandadventure.us/menu
Thanks for reading!