Six months of reading

I have discovered that Georgia has a FANTASTIC online library program through our local libraries called Georgia Download Destination. This allows you to check out Kindle books and audiobooks and download them immediately. The only draw back is that each library system only has a set number of licenses for each book and some of the newest titles aren’t available.

I have a 20 minute commute to work and back each day and frequent trips to Atlanta, so I usually finish a book within two weeks. Hey--don’t judge me—that’s two more books a month than I get the time to read!

So here are the books I have “read” as ebooks or audiobooks in the past six months: the good, the bad, and the “meh.” Check out my full list on Goodreads if you like!

The Good

    

Dorothea Benton Frank’s books feature the Lowcountry and are pretty easy light reads.

   

  

I know, I look like a teenage girl, but sometimes I like to stop thinking and just escape! I really liked the Divergent series and can’t wait for the new book to come out this fall. It’s being developed into a movie series now too! The Shiver series is a little trying but I’m making it through the second book, Linger, right now.

      

The old standbys: James Patterson and Patricia Cornwell. They never let me down.

Gone Girl was one that I druuuuuggg my way through this book and then BAM!!!! major plot twist caught my attention. It’s a pretty good one.

I never got on this bandwagon until just recently. This book, the first in the series, was pretty good, but I just can’t get into the second one. I have a feeling the movie actually might be better than the book.

 

I read the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants books my freshman year of college and this is the last book in the series, where the girls are all grown up. I cried with this book. So sad!

    

I read The Devil in the Junior League by Linda Francis Lee and loved it so I knew I’d like this one. Light on substance, it was a breeze to make through. It’s not literary masterpiece, but fun just the same.

I discovered the Sookie Stackhouse books about three years ago and then True Blood last year, so I was highly anticipating this book. I actually paid money for it instead of waiting for a library edition. It seemed rushed, cookie cutter planned out, and a last ditch effort to wrap up the series. This is the only book I read after watching the TV series, and it was too nice and fluffy for me. I think HBO ramped this series to a gritty, serious level.

 

The Bad

I didn’t even finish these books. I just couldn’t get into them.

I loved the Twilight series as a simple escape from everyday living, but I just couldn’t make it through The Host. I tried it on Kindle and on audio. I just couldn’t bring myself to finish it.

Betty White is pretty hilarious, but this was more of a grandma’s advice book rather than witty commentary. I think Tina Fey and Ellen DeGeneres (mostly Tina) spoiled me on semi-biographical comedic books. They set the bar way too high.

 

The “Meh”

I finished these probably because I didn’t have a backup book available and was driving a lot. I could not care less to recommend them to anyone.

I think I finished this book but it was anti-climatic and painful to make it through. I’d leave it behind if I were you.

Weekly recap

Wyatt’s curls are back with a vengeance—especially with this crazy summer humidity.
 
We have an old apple barrel for Wyatt’s toys in our living room, but lately he likes dumping them out and standing in it. He looks like a little Niagara Falls daredevil.
Justin bought some fresh pork belly and cured and smoked his own bacon. He cooked some up fresh Saturday morning for us!

Wyatt and Liam have been spending some quality cousin time tearing up some fresh GA watermelons.

Suzi, Sami, Mama, another bridesmaid and I worked on wedding crafts. There is glitter everywhere on my Mama and Daddy’s back porch now!
 
Lastly, we went swimming at Mama and Daddy’s house on Saturday and realized Jeb loves the pool! When we went to Justin’s mama and daddy’s house on Sunday, we didn’t want Jeb to get in a tear a hole in the liner, so Justin and I gave Wyatt, Jeb, and Sophie a redneck boat with an inch or two of water in it for the pups to cool off. Wyatt thought he was too cool!

Pierce family gathering

       

Mrs. Desiree’s family had a party in Moultrie this past weekend and we had a blast. The kids all enjoyed the pool and it was cool enough to be comfortable outside.

         

Wyatt got in the drink bucket and had more fun there than in the pool.

        

Watermelon is one of his favorite fruits.

    

Justin caught a lizard and Wyatt brought me his first “baby alligator.”

    

Amanda’s crazy self found a “friendly" (whatever—if there ever was a friendly snake, I’ve not seen it) snake and chased folks around with it and enthralled all of the kids.

Check out this cute monkey—isn’t he adorable?

 

My bags are packed…

…I’m ready to go…well, maybe not yet. I just found out a few weeks ago I’m going to INDIA for 18 days next summer with my AGL class.

We are going to spend 10 days in Washington D.C., Syracuse, and NYC this summer, too. Of course I needed new luggage and what is more “me” than bright orange? I guess I won’t have too much trouble finding them at the airport. Maybe the only thing else they need is some spiffy new monograms?

SAM Shortline

This past Saturday, Justin, Wyatt, Mama, and I rode the SAM Shortline train. It’s a great ride and Wyatt absolutely loved the trains. We got there early so Wyatt took advantage of all the Thomas the Tank Engine toys.
 
We boarded in downtown Cordele and made stops at the Veterans State park, Americus, Plains (home of President Jimmy Carter), and Archery (President Carter’s boyhood home).
 




Wyatt crashed between Americus and Plains. He got a good rest.

PLAINS:

I think it is so strange that Wyatt will never really experience a pay phone. There was one in Plains and he didn’t really understand why the handset was attached with a cord.



 
ARCHERY: