—The Red Sox are in first place in the AL East. I am clinging to this at the moment because (although it always makes me happy when the Sox are in first place) it's been a rough week for Boston sports. But, seriously, congratulations to the Blackhawks who beat the Bruins in the Stanley Cup finals. It was a great series.
—I took my niece to the mall this week. It's always fun to take her shopping. I don't remember being that into clothes and shopping when I was her age, and I certainly don't have her talent for putting outfits together. As she reminds me often. This trip, she looked at what I was wearing and said, "Well, it matches." Anyway, we had a great time and I bought a new pair of jeans. That were on clearance. Win-win.
—I've read a couple of awesome books, which is a perfect segue into my next topic...
The Cephalopod Coffeehouse (June 2013 edition)...
This monthly book club is hosted by The Armchair Squid and asks participants to share their thoughts on the books they most enjoyed that month. Since I love talking about books and adding new titles to my TBR list, this seemed like a perfect group for me.
While I will post every book I read this month in a few days, the one title I've selected to feature here is...
Here's the synopsis from Goodreads:
Set over the course of one school year in 1986, ELEANOR AND PARK is the story of two star-crossed misfits – smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try. When Eleanor meets Park, you’ll remember your own first love – and just how hard it pulled you under.
I LOVED THIS BOOK. I loved the characters. It's a dual POV that alternates between the two MCs, and I loved the character voices. They felt real to me. I love that it takes place in the 80's because I am a total 80's child. I love the music it mentions, and the movies and television shows.
And I love, love, LOVE the fact that this book has a Dicey Tillerman reference. I don't know if you know who Dicey Tillerman is but she's the MC of a YA series (first book is Homecoming by Cynthia Voigt) that I have loved for years. She is on the list of my all-time favorite literary characters and when I read her name in this book, I squealed with delight.
I just wish this story had gone on longer. Which is weird because I loved the ending and thought it was very fitting for the book, but I didn't want it to end. I wanted to stay with these characters and follow them around everywhere they went and press my face up against their living room windows just so I wouldn't miss a moment of their lives.
Unless that's weird. Then I don't want to do that.
Except I totally do.
§§§
That's gonna do it for me today. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a great weekend!