Book #39 - Time of My Life by Allison Winn Scotch

My friend Jamie and I often spend our lunch hours sitting in silence reading. It's a good way to get away from the craziness at the office and have a little down time. She recommended that I read Time of My Life because she "looooooved it." So I decided to take her advice and pick it up.

This novel follows the standard formula of the main character not liking her current life, and wonders what it would've been like if she married her college boyfriend instead. Jillian is then magically transported back seven years, to the time when she's still living in New York City with her then-boyfriend, Jackson. As Jillian tries to avoid meeting her real husband, Henry, she realizes that her life then maybe wasn't as amazingly perfect as she remembered.

I liked that it was not only about second-guessing your choice about who to marry. But it gives us a glimpse into what it would be like to do things differently with your friends or interacting with your parents in a way that's more beneficial to your personal growth. Jillian finally understands what I think we all know deep down: there is no "perfect" life -- no perfect husband, perfect house, perfect family, perfect job. And only when we stop frantically trying to find or create that scenario, can we truly be happy.

Book #38 - The Last Summer (of You & Me) by Ann Brashares

I have long been a fan of Ann Brashares. I absolutely adored The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants novels and I'd been wanting to read some of her other works for a while. I read a blurb about The Last Summer (of You & Me) in one of the many magazines I receive each month, and I decided to place a hold through CPL.

I am always captivated by a good coming-of-age story, and that's exactly what this book is. It follows two sisters, Alice and Riley, and their very different friendships with their summer neighbor, Paul. The three have been spending the summer together on a fictional island near Manhattan for as long as they can remember. Paul and Riley have always been best friends; Paul and Alice have always wanted to be something more.

At times, I almost felt as if I was reading a Nicholas Spark book (and lord knows I love those, too). There was the perfect mix of love, longing and sadness in The Last Summer (of You & Me) to create a great novel. We watch as Alice and Paul transition into their new relationship, and can sympathize with Riley as she gets left behind. I don't have a sister, but this novel made me truly feel the bond between Riley and Alice, and it made me sad that I could never experience such a special relationship with one.

Book #37 - Savor the Moment by Nora Roberts

What? Another Bride Quartet novel, you say? Yes, I can't seem to help myself! When I saw the third installment was available, I knew it wouldn't be long before I headed to Cleveland Public Library and requested it for my reading pleasure.

The third novel follows the story of Laurel, the baker of Icing by Vows, the wedding planning company owned and operated by the four friends. Like its predecessors, Savor the Moment quickly sets up Laurel's happy ending; after years of searching for Mr. Right, she realizes he's been under her nose all along. Actually this story line began in book #2, but I don't really mind. There's just so many feel-good wedding elements crammed into each novel, it makes a bride-to-be like myself automatically interested.

We follow Laurel as she tries to sort through her trust issues (created by her father, surprise, surprise), her new relationship and the constant work that inundates Vows. Like all of the other novels in the series, all ends as you'd expect, which is the good and bad thing about Roberts' work -- we all want the girl to get her guy at the end, but sometimes we also liked to be surprised. As we read more and more about the four friends, Roberts does continue to develop them more and more, making the reader feel like you've become a part of this intimate club.

Book #36 - Beezus and Ramona by Beverly Cleary

I don't think I ever read Beezus and Ramona as a child. So to be safe, I decided to pick it up, especially after reading an interview with its iconic author Beverly Cleary about the release of the movie.

One thing that Cleary mentioned in the interview was that she wants the story of Beezus and Ramona to remain a timeless one. That's why in the book (and the movie) they're aren't any indicators of what year or decade it is; discussions of the latest technologies, like TVs or cell phones. Instead, Ramona and Beezus occupy their time reading books, dolls and playing games with each other and friends.

What I found particularly interesting about this book is that like most children's books, it tries to teach the reader a lesson. But what makes it different, is that the lesson doesn't hit you across the head. Instead, you learn something -- like how to be patient with your siblings, or why it's okay to be different -- in a more organic way.

I think Cleary has definitely achieved her goal. The story of these two sisters will remain one that children will read for another 50 years, without feeling dated or irrelevant. It's heartfelt, cute and best of all,Ramona's antics are just as entertaining as any of the latest games and TVs shows out there today.