Please, let me explain

I was tagged in a 7-day Facebook challenge the other day. You know the kind--you post a picture of some sort for seven days in a row. Just the photo. No explanation. And then you tag someone to challenge them. Deep down, I've been wanting to be tagged in one of these things, but then when it actually happened, I found myself in a conundrum.

Here's the challenge:

I am posting the cover of seven books that I couldn’t put down. No explanations, no reviews, no comments, just the cover. Each time I post a cover I will ask a friend to take up the challenge as well. One book cover a day for a week. This is Day 5 and I nominate Valerie. Looking forward to seeing your selections.

Seems simple enough, right?  But here's the thing...the person who challenged me had a very substantial list of books.  Thought provoking, profound.  And when I thought back on books that I couldn't put down, I'll admit, I was embarrassed by them.  I felt unable to post them without some sort of explanation or justification--in defense of my choices.   I started drafting a list and then found myself manipulating it so it would make me look good.  And then that felt like cheating.  So, that's what brought me here...to write a blog post about it, where I can give all the explanation I want.

So, first, here are the book covers that I would have posted on Facebook.  These are indeed books that I couldn't put down, but they're different than other books I had in mind, which you'll see in a moment.

      


Now, here's my real list...full of trashy novels and sensationalistic pop fiction, along with some explanation:

Flowers in the Attic by VC Andrews

When I was in 6th grade, my whole class (81 students) passed one copy of this book around.  There was pressure to finish quickly so I could pass it to the next person, but I also was so into it.  I think I felt so grown up reading it.  I then ran through anything that came out by VC Andrews.

Wifey by Judy Blume

My 6th grade class also passed around Judy Blume's Forever, and it felt so scandalous to read it!  But, when I was in 8th grade, my friend got a copy of Wifey and we "snuck read" it in her bedroom.  Whenever anyone came upstairs, we'd hide it under the mattress.  Judy Blume was our favorite author, so of course we'd read this book, whether it was for adults or not.  It's about a woman who's unhappy in her marriage and basically sleeps with any man who comes around.  I read it again as an adult and enjoyed it just as much.

The Cradle Will Fall by Mary Higgins Clark

This is the first adult book I read straight through in a 24-hour period.  I was on the edge of my seat the whole time and it was so exciting.  I also read a lot of MHC after this, but this was my favorite.

Butterfly by Kathryn Harvey

This is still my favorite steamy novel.  I read this when I was in college.  A coworker at my summer job told me about it and I raced through it.  It's sexy but also has a good revenge story that keeps you on the edge of your seat.  I read this every few years and always enjoy it.






Fine Things by Danielle Steel

Are you seeing a theme here?  I read a lot of Danielle Steel, but this one was my favorite.  It wasn't as trashy as some of her other titles.  I stayed up really late to finish this and it's the first time I really cried and sobbed while reading a book.  Awww.  Bernie Fine.  I loved him.

The Other Side of Midnight by Sidney Sheldon

One night in college, my suite mate and I stayed up until three in the morning, while she told me this whole story.  (Also, we were hunkered down in my dorm while a helicopter searched for someone who had escaped from a nearby mental institute.  I remember she'd pause the story so we could watch the helicopter search lights.)  And even though my friend told me everything, I read the book anyway.  It was SOOOO good.  I then read everything by Sidney Sheldon that I could get my hands on.  Again, this was my favorite.


The Firm by John Grisham

Here's another one that I read in a 24-hour period.  Another coworker and I then went on a John Grisham tear.  I guess we weren't the only ones...he was quite popular at the time.







I also have a couple of honorable mentions:

Chances and Lucky by Jackie Collins

I LOVED Jackie Collins.  SO trashy, and so fun.  These had an element of family crime/mafia drama that I also enjoyed.  I remember reading Lucky when I was in college and being in a math class (math was my major) where students were freaking out because they couldn't get #15 on the homework.  I couldn't be bothered.  I was too into what Lucky was doing and figured the professor would explain when he got there. 

Bonfire of the Vanities by Tom Wolfe

I've been wanting to re-read this for a while.  I have a feeling it will hold up because it tackles racism, money, privilege and greed.  Just like our news today.  I was drawn in quickly and read this over two days.







Do you see why everything needed an explanation?  If I didn't explain, people might think I stopped reading in 1995.  It's a fun trip down memory lane to think of all these books.  I look forward to re-reading some, if not all, of them.

My year in books - 2018

I had a challenge to read 24 books in 2018, and ta-da!  I read 25!  Woo hoo!  Here's what I read:

Valerie's read-in-2018 book montage

Valerie's favorite books »

Rust & Stardust by T. Greenwood

Rust & Stardust by T. Greenwood

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

As you read reviews of this book, you'll see the words "heart wrenching" used over and over again. There are no better words to describe this fictional retelling of the real-life kidnapping and sexual assault of 11-year old Sally Horner in 1948. I knew it was going to be a tough read, and I appreciated that the author was not needlessly graphic about Sally's abuse. I was captivated by the narration of the audio version as well as by the story itself, and listened it over two days. Other emotions I felt while listening were anger, frustration, sadness, and hope. I think the author did a wonderful job bringing this story to life. I docked it one star because some portions dragged a little bit and could have probably been shortened. This book definitely kept me on the edge of my seat and it will probably stay with me for a while. I'll need to read a comedy next, I think.

Something in the Water by Catherine Steadman

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I listened to the Audible of this. The author (an actress from Downton Abbey) is the narrator, and she is fantastic. I give the audio performance 5/5 stars. The story, however, dragged a lot for me. I grew rather frustrated with the protagonist and her dumb choices, and I was left wanting with a lot of unanswered questions at the end.

My friend Kerri read this and asked who I would cast in the movie.  Even though both characters are British, I would cast Emily Blunt and Jon Krasinski as Erin and Mark.  There's no reason the husband can't be American.  I'm still thinking about who could play Eddie Bishop, an older criminal who's in prison, and a subject of Erin's documentary.  I was thinking Jason Staham, but he's too young.  Need someone like him, but a bit older.