June 2012 // Books

Well, it’s official — I’ve changed my annual reading goal to 50 books. I was aiming for 75 books this year, since I finished 66 last year, but now that we’ve reached the halfway point it is very clear to me: THAT AIN’T GONNA HAPPEN.

So I’m thinking it’s time to get realistic with myself so that I stop feeling pressure to read during every waking moment. Don’t get me wrong, I love to read — it is one of my favorite things to do — but since my free time has been scarce I want to focus on reading for pleasure and relaxation, not to hit an arbitrary goal. Ok well not *AS* arbitrary — 50 is still an arbitrary number. But I can’t help it, I need something finite to reach towards.

(Yes, I acknowledge that sometimes I am a crazy person.)

Anyway, shall we talk about what I read last month? There were two books, which now brings my annual total up to a whopping 19 books. WHOOPITY DO. 🙂

1. 50 Shades of Grey by E.L. James – Hmmm, where to start with this book, so much has already been said! I love books like this that instantly create an Opinion Continuum in popular culture. I picked it up because I wanted to know where I fell on this continuum. The short story is I thought the book was terrible and probably won’t read the other two.

The longer story is that I didn’t find it “beneath me” or anything (hello, I celebrate Jackie Collins’ entire catalog) I really just found it kind of boring. Part of it, I’m sure, was that I waited so long to read it so I had heard about how “SHOCKING” it was over and over. When I finally read it, I was like “Wait, where was the shocking part?” Certainly that detracted from it. But mostly, I just didn’t really care about the characters or their lives. But I sure am glad I got to read it and have a laugh with some friends about the language used and The Contract. OHMYGOD The Contract. BAHAHAHAHAHAH! It’s always nice to get to have an opinion. Books like this that cause a great stir it always make me so happy that I read. And if this is a book that made others read too — AWESOME! I would like to put a moratorium on the phrase Mommy Porn, but hey — to each their own. Count me in for the next trashy romance/erotica/ridiculous BDSM book that comes out. I’ll read it. Whatever.

2. The Fault In Our Stars by John Green Every once in a while I like to read some Young Adult fiction because it’s just so easy. The print is big, the pages have a lot of white space and there is usually a fun story that makes me a little nostalgic for my own Young Adult Years. What I like about John Green is that his books have all those things but they are also pretty smart. This is not news. If you don’t love John Green in this world you are basically a pariah, right? Of course I think it is equally agreed upon that sometimes the dialogue and the characters in his books are are a little overwritten, but he has made an entire career on this trait not being a detraction and instead having it be the thing that endears people to him. I’m definitely a victim of this. You just can’t help but like his books, I think.

This book was particularly up my alley because it had to do with death, dying, grief — all of that depressing stuff that I love in a good book. I know, I’m weird. But you keep reading this site, so you’re weird too obviously. 🙂 Anyway, all of this to say that this was a great book to end the month on, especially after 50 Shades of Grey. Plus it only took about a day and half to read. Love a quick book that makes you feel some emotion.

Garrett is off in a corner rolling his eyes saying “You are such a giiiiiiiiiiiiiiirl!”

*****

Did you come across any good reads in June?