I Blinked…

…and summer ended. Well, it’s almost over anyway. Many kids are already back in school or going back in the next week. Labor Day, the “unofficial” end of summer, is only in a few weeks.

Not complaining though. Summer is nearly tied with winter for being my least favorite season (I do like it only *slightly* better) so I’m glad for the heat to end. I’m a fan of fall–favorite season by far. I look forward to keeping my windows open for more than two days at a time.

Also, September’s approach means my vacation to Disney World! I’m in desperate need of a week to get away from work and life in general. Taking vacation in the fall is wonderful for the most part–not as many people since everyone’s back to school, not as hot–but it’s agonizing watching people all throughout the summer take a week off while I still have to wait. Well, the waiting’s almost over. 🙂

One thing I do wish though, was that my sudden editing/writing frenzy began when summer did–then I wouldn’t have to be rushing to put things together. Oh well. Perhaps I thrive on the pressure. Somewhat.

So, did summer pass by as quickly for you as it did for me?

Summer Reading

Ah, summer. The time of year to take in a good book in the welcoming shade of a maple tree (or any other tree for that matter), or besides the pool or ocean while on vacation.

Or just enjoying a foray into another world and place in the comfort of an air-conditioned living room.

So, what’s on my reading list this summer? Most of my “to read” books are located on my Goodreads page (link in the sidebar). It’s helping me to keep track of all the books I want to read before forgetting them 😛

Anyway, here are a few that I’m really looking forward to diving into this summer:

1. Shanghai Girls by Lisa See. I’m itching to go to the book store and pick this one up. Lisa See is one of my favorite authors! I’m always captivated by her stories; she really knows how to bring you into the culture.
2. The Tale of Murasaki: A Novel by Liza Dalby. I’ve been totally obsessed about Heian era Japan, mainly because part of my new novel takes place in that time. I’ve always wanted to read about Lady Murasaki, the author of The Tale of Genji, one of the first novels (if not THE first) in the world. I’ve tried reading Genji, but that was in late high school and I didn’t have the attention span for it then. 😛 I’m currently reading her diary (written over 1000 years ago). It’s incredibly small and not much is known about the life of this famous Heian court lady. I’d like to see how Ms. Dalby fills in the gaps for her otherwise unknown life. Plus, I’ll be able to hopefully get a little more insight about the time period too 🙂
3. Deep in the Heart of Trouble by Deeanne Gist. A sequel (finally!) to the previous Courting Trouble book. I’m a fan of Gist’s writing style; she’s one of the few Christian authors I will read consistently. I like Christian fiction in general, but most of the plots are sugar-coated and often unrealistic, which is probably why I still lean for more secular fiction (if it’s not too vulgar or violent). I like Gist’s writing style because she puts a different spin on it. For example, the heroine in this series is actually “older” than most in Christian romance (well into her 30s). And the last book definitely didn’t follow a predictable ending (I’ll give no more than that). I’d like to see if Gist is able to keep that up 🙂
4. Radiant Darkness by Emily Whitman. I’ve been dying to read this one! It’s a retelling of a Greek myth–the myth of Persephone and Hades. Except it tackles it from a different angle–what if Persephone went with Hades willingly, rather than how the myth explains it? This one I may have to buy from Amazon before getting it from the library; none of them seem to have it nor do any of the bookstores around here.

I have about a dozen others that I’d like to read this summer as well, but these are the top ones.

What’s on your summer reading list?