The Joys of Reading

Taking General Chemistry II within a six week summer session was barely short of torture. So it has been nice to enjoy this past month at home. I have enjoyed sleeping late, spending time with my family and friends, becoming slightly addictive to television shows (ehh...Bachelorette), and reading some great books.

I made a New Year's resolution that I wanted to read at least ten books for the joy of reading this 2011 year. Well, thanks to my kindle and this relaxing summer I am well on my way.

On that note, I must say that I love my kindle. Love, love, love! Don't get me wrong it is hard to beat the joy of bookstores and the smell of books. However, I love how many books I can drop in my pocketbook in one single device. And the best part is that it is weightless and not bulky.  Ah, anyway, another reason I love my kindle is that the classics are free. You heard me FREE!

I've noticed that reading the classics are much more enjoyable when you are not forced to read them.

So so far this summer I have read...
 
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett


 Okay, I actually started reading this one back in the school year. However, life got busy and I just put it down. I finally finished reading it and it was delightful. It is not action pact and a bit slow at points, but simple ends up being a marvelous book.









 Beauty and the Beast by Marie (Le Prince de Beaumont)


Bitterly short, but enjoyable. This original is like a young children book (no wonder Disney grabbed this up). I read this easily in one sitting - late at night to boot. The details are not flushed out very well, but if you know the storyline or seen the movie you'll probably enjoy this quick read.







Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

Oh man, where to start. I started this book and at first put it down; however, I ended up reading a good starting portion of it one night at the camper (due to the fact that I had no wi-fi to download another book and that one of my favorite movies, The Proposal, mentions it).  I'm glad that I stuck with Bronte. The writing is a little thick and hard to understand at points. She likes to tell the story through someone else's eyes.

It is basically a love story of the worse kind; filled with hate. I kept looking for some ray of light throughout the whole book. I know it is a classic but I had absolutely no idea how the book was suppose to end. I guess the only redeeming quality is love, but you can be the judge of that.

After finally finishing the book, I could not figure out why so many people loved it. But looking back and reading some reviews about it, I realize that it is one of those books that you have to read more than once to fully appreciate; the more you read it the more you become captured by Heathcliff and Catherine.  Or at least that's what I am guessing.

Overall, I'm so glad that I read the book and would probably rate it a 3.5/5.



A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle

If you have not read this book - you need to! In my opinion it is a masterpiece; right up there with C.S. Lewis and Narnia. My mom read me this book when I was younger and I remember enjoying it a whole lot. Rereading it now at twenty, I absolutely love it. The writer writes for a younger audience so the style is easy to follow and makes for a quick and easy read. This is only the first in the series with four or five to go, I'm super excited to see what happens with these lovable characters.





I'm Currently Reading:

Black by Ted Dekker

(Erica You'd Be So Proud...)

Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson

 An awesome website that I found is called Goodreads.  Check it out if you like to read. Anyway, here are some of the books that I really want to read soon.

Jenna's bookshelf: to-read




More of Jenna's books »