Back to Vampires, Favorite Books, Being Sick

So I'm sick today. Apparently my kids aren't acting on their best behavior, and that means they'll be greeted tomorrow with a not so happy Ms. Juntunen. Since I'm sick I'm working on catching up on grading, lesson-planning, and trying to sleep (even though my apartment decided today is the day they're going to lay down new asphalt, so that noise is fun). Ike is happy I'm home, and he took his meds today like a champ ... I still contend that he's the one who got me sick. Since I finished The Casual Vacancy, I'm going back to read the fifth book in the Southern Vampire Mysteries series.

Dead as a Doornail is the book I'm reading, where Sookie Stackhouse is reeling from the last book where she unintentionally fell in love with the vampire, Eric. The catch is Eric had had his memory erased by a clan of witches. So at the end of the book when he regained his memory - he lost all memories that he had created with Sookie. Furthermore, her brother has become a "werepanther" meaning at the full moon he changes into a panther. Ridiculous? Yes. Entertaining? Hell yebs. These books are only about 300 pages each, and so they're a fast read. Between each "big" book I'm reading, I try to sneak one of these vampire mysteries in to feed myself some brain candy. The Casual Vacancy was a lot to process and so it's nice to read a book that's purely meant to make you smile. The plot is moving faster in this one than the other one, so that's also a plus.

I also thought I'd mention some of my favorite books if you're looking for some good reads:

Bastard Out of Carolina by Dorothy Allison - amazing book! It's gritty, and unnerving, and frustrating. It's too "real" for me to handle at times, as it focuses on a little girl whose mother continuously fights to prove that she's not a bastard ... unfortunately her mother must also choose between a man she loves and the daughter who he beats.


Separate Beds by LaVyrle Spencer - this book is tormenting in its ability to make you both feel for the main female character, and at the same time want to slap her in the head. Growing up in a unhealthy and abusive environment, Catherine is distrusting of men. However, when she finds herself pregnant with a wealthy young law student's child, her world turns upside down, and is it possible that two people who were never in love to begin with, can fall into love against both their better judgments?

And then there is my Sloppy Firsts series. I love these books as they follow the life of Jessica Darling. From high school student to college graduate we follow her life in her journals where she falls in love with a boy, misses her best friend, falls apart and picks herself back up again. These books are funny, witty, and even though they're books that focus on "growing up," any adult (female adult) can relate to them. These New York Times Bestselling novels are truly remarkable. I highly recommend them, just think of it this way ... I've loved these books since I was 11 years old when the first book was released, and I cherished them when I was 19 when the last book came out. And I've re-read them about 15-20 times. They've accompanied me on many different trips, and sit in a special place in my apartment now.