Literary Link-Up Time

Take One, Pass It On Item:  mint skinny jeans from last Wednesday.

It's time for another Literary Junkies Link up!  These questions are always more difficult to answer than I expect. 

1. What are you reading right now? Tell us about it.
I just finished The American Heiress, which is about a very rich, young, beautiful American who goes to England to marry into a title, and all the drama that follows.  This is actually the book club choice for this month.  I've also been "reading" The Lovely Bones via audiobook.  I suspect most people have heard of this book or at least seen the movie.  It has been nice to have a book to listen to when I am cleaning the house, or painting the bathroom, or on the elliptical at the gym.  I think I will get more of these audiobooks!   

2. Give us the recipe for a great book. 
If I knew the answer to this, I would be a very famous author!  I think a great book has to have characters that the reader cares about.  I don't necessarily have to like them, but I usually don't like a book unless I am somewhat emotionally invested in what happens to the people.  A good plot helps, too.  

3. Tell us things you've learned from a book recently. Did you learn anything about history? Did you take away a deep & profound realization about the world around you? Or maybe even a beauty tip?
Top of mind answer:  I can't think of anything.  Upon further inspection of my recent reads, I think the main thing I have learned is just to be profoundly grateful for the life I have.  I know Game of Thrones is fantasy, but I think it has some historical accuracy in the way women were viewed for many centuries.  I am very glad I was born in the 20th century, where I was allowed to go to school, and marry whoever I wanted to marry, and have a job, make my own decisions, etc.  Gone Girl is an extreme example of a very messed up marriage, but it made me happy that I didn't relate to the main characters at all!  The Casual Vacancy was just thoroughly depressing, so I was reminded again how blessed I am to have such a wonderful family.  This is starting to sound braggy, but I think I have the tendency to get a little bit caught up in stupid little things that "go wrong" in my life, when I really don't have much to complain about.  Most of the books I have read recently are good reminders that I shouldn't focus on whining, but rather on all the good things in life!   (I guess I thought of something)


4. What was your favorite book as a child?
 I know my favorite series was the Boxcar Children.  I loved reading about their adventures!  The other book that comes to mind is called Andi's War.  I think I found it randomly when I was searching on the computers for books with my name in them.  It was only at the downtown library, which we didn't go to very often, but I think I checked it out every time.  When John and I were dating, I had said something about this weird book that I used to read, and he tracked it down from Amazon for my birthday.  When I read it again as an adult, I realized it was really not a great book for a kid.  It is set in Greece during the Civil War, so there is a lot of talk about Communism and it is a fairly violent book for a kid.  Of course, I didn't remember any of that from my childhood, so I guess it's okay. 

Now I am curious, what was YOUR favorite book as a kid? 

Scarf: Calvin Klein
Sweater: Old Navy
Jeans: Gap
Boots: Rampage