I show you my books, you show me yours vol.7

Hell-to-the-frickin'-yeah, it's Show Me Your Books Day with Jana & Steph.  Let's get this party started.

1.  Summertime by Vanessa Lafaye (also released as Under a Dark Summer Sky) - This book is a perfect example of why I enjoy book challenges.  The Literary Ladies Book Challenge listed a category as "a book about Summer, with Summer in the title, or in any way related to Summer".  I got on goodreads and searched books with "summer" in the title.  I found this one (never hearing about it previously), read the synopsis, looked to see that my library had it, and selected the book.  I love when the universe works in my favor, because this was a fantastic find.  A book about relationships, duty, racism, love, small town dynamics, crime, life after war, death, and loss, there are just so many reasons why I loved this book. 5/5

2.  This Is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper -  This author does it to me again.  He writes a book with dysfunctional relationships, flawed characters, and traumatic life experiences in a way that is relatable, comical, and I can't help but love it.  With these characters, I'm not sure I liked any of them, but I'm cheering for them.  I'm not sure how I want the story to end and the situations to be resolved, so I love the somewhat ambiguous ending that is left to my own imagination what the future holds for each storyline.  I will watch the movie that has already been released, and I really like the casting for two of the main characters.  I've read three of Tropper's books, and I will make my way through them all.  4/5

3. Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult - In all my years of reading, this is my very first Jodi Picoult book.  I chose this one because Jana (one of the hosts of this here link-up) recommended this one to me, and I'm glad she did.  Whoa.  A teenage boy enters his high school loaded with weapons and starts shooting.  All the different perspectives are examined of what leads to this event, the aftermath of it, and the views of those involved.  As I was reading, I felt angry, sad, and horrified; I felt empty in some passages, and full of emotion in others.  A great read.  I'm not likely to go back and read all of Picoult's books, so I'm interested in your recommendations of what you feel are "must reads".  4.5/5

4.  Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides - I bought this book from a fantastic bookstore in Seaside, FL in July 2013.  It had been sitting on my bookshelf ever since waiting to be read.  Finally, I selected it for the 2015 TBR Book Pile Challenge.  I still didn't pick it up.  So, I selected it for yet another reading challenge too.  Finally.  Finally, I read this book about three generations of a Greek-American family.  The book follows family members through war, violence, incest, immigration, rum-running, the Depression, the Nation of Islam, suburban life, genetics, race riots, and more...all narrated by a hermaphrodite.  I found much of this book was tedious with an not-very-enjoyable pace. Other parts were educational, fascinating, and thought-provoking. By the final 100 pages, I gobbled it up...but I had to work really, really hard to get through the prior 500 pages.  I don't really know how to rate this book, but I will say that the character of Cal is definitely one that will stay with me.

5.  Dirty Rocker Boys by Bobbie Brown - After reading a few books with some heavy subject matter, smaller font, and tight spacing...I thought I'd lighten things up a little.  Everybody remember the "Cherry Pie" video?  The video vixen herself has written a tell-all book that include romps with '80s hair band icons and actors.  By page 12, I'd learned that Leonardo DiCaprio is extremely well-endowed.  If you'd like some salacious factoids like this, then this could be the book for you because she doesn't hold back.  Lots of sex, lots of drugs, lots of indulgent, selfish behaviour.  This is a quick, fast, easy read...much like its author.  I read it in one day. There are far better memoirs out there, but if you know any of the following (Jani Lane, Tommy Lee, Matthew Nelson, Jay Gordon, Dave Navarro) you may want to give this a quick glance. 2.5/5

Currently Reading: Big Little Lies

Next Up:  Pride and Prejudice; Wintergirls; May We Be Forgiven; The Perks of Being a Wallflower; Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage: Stories

Challenges Update (really for my own personal bookkeeping):

Semi-Charmed Summer Book Challenge = 12/12; finishes August 31st; completed!

Literary Ladies Book Challenge = 8/10; finishes September 21st; I should finish this.

Book Challenge by Erin = 6/10; finishes October 31st; Have juggled with the two challenges above, but I will definitely finish.  After all, I host it...I'm gonna finish it.

Aussie Author Challenge = 8/12; finishes December 31st

The Official 2015 TBR Pile Challenge = 7/12; finishes December 31st 

I showed you mine; you show me yours..... Books (of course)!