Holiday Reading Suggestions
Thanksgiving is almost here, and while I’m getting excited to see my family but dreading cooking all that food, I will make time to READ. Because that is, after all, one of my 10 Commandments for the Thanksgiving Holiday. The rest are:
2. Thou shall not whine
3. Thou shall not obey any other cooks but me and shall lay at my feet compliments and hostess gifts
4. Discussions regarding politics, the national health debate especially, and anything to do with “crazy young people these days” are expressly forbidden
5. Commentary on how the cook chooses to roast, brine, grill, blacken or microwave the turkey are not allowed
6. Thou shall assist heartily in helping cook to clean up. Tasks may or may not include mopping the floor, taking the dog out and letting the cat in, cleaning out the recyclables, massaging the cook’s feet (hot stone massage is optional), and keeping cook’s wine glass handy and filled at all times.
7. Thou shall promise to listen to cook’s three year old tell the story of Cinderella (again and without correcting her version) with rapt attention and appropriate nods.
8. Thou promises to keep cook’s husband and associates away from TV until after food has been cooked, eaten and cleared away. Failure to obey this commandment is punishable by more cleaning. Did I mention the dog and 9 kids coming who are all under 9?
9. Thou shall happily bring home as many leftovers as cook wants you to
10. Thou shall leave the cook with several gift certificates to area restaurants so cook doesn’t actually have to cook for several more weeks
There, that’s not so hard, right?
Okay, so back to the first commandment. I’ve been reading some great YA and thought I’d share a few of my faves.
Just finished reading Luxe by Anna Godbersen. The story takes place in the elite society of 19th century Manhattan. It’s like 90210 meets Edith Wharton. It opens with the funeral of 18 year old main character Elizabeth Holland and then flashes back to the events leading up to her funeral. Luxe is a super fun read that allows you to escape back to a time when corsets were in and flashing a meaningful look was dangerously sexy. I’m now happily diving into the next in the series, Rumors.
I’m also enjoying another series – Gossip Girl (Cecily von Zeigesar), a super fun read about ridiculously rich kids who get into lots of trouble in a Manhattan — 21st century style. You know when you eat an entire ice cream sundae, you know, the kind loaded with brownies and scoops upon scoops of ice cream and dripping with sauce, whip cream and, yes, the cherry on top. Then you feel a bit guilty afterwards, but only a bit. That’s what reading Gossip Girl is like.
City of Bones is a great paranormal read which also takes place in Manhattan. I also bought Marked and am happily waiting to dive into that series about a vampire academy. I know, I know. Enough vampires. But once bitten . . .ha, ha.
Okay, so those are my recs for fun, escapist reading as you travel, trek and tread carefully through meals, conversations and all the rest of the holiday fun. Safe travels and happy reading!
