Sunday Sunshine: Funny and Sweet Edition

Back on a normal schedule!

Well, blog-wise, at least.  I kicked the week off with a bit of illness and ended it with a great trip to my hometown to see my dad.  So I didn't read a ton but I really enjoyed the two books I did get to.  Special thanks to Ghenet--I won my copy of Ditched in a giveaway she hosted on her blog recently!

What I Read This Week:


Ditched: A Love Story by Robin Mellom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was the only bright spot in my recent bout of 24-hour-stomach-awfulness. It's a fun read that managed to keep my spirits up in the midst of feeling basically like death. So, right off the bat, I'd like to express my appreciation to Robin Mellom (and to Ghenet, because I won my copy from her!)

Ditched has a great, satisfying story, with a witty, sarcastic narrator. Justina is a flawed, sympathetic, character, whose insecurities and low blood sugar cause her to make a series of misguided decisions that lead to the worst prom night ever. The cast of characters--almost all of whom are more complicated than they originally appear--is fantastically weird. I particularly love the Mikes, a pair of lovable stoners, and their girlfriends, Serenity and Bliss.

This just begs to be read on a nice, sunny weekend during prom season--and it's even better if your prom days are behind you! But if they aren't, rest assured: there's no way your prom could be this complicated. And if it is--well, then high school is almost over, so hang in there!

The Key to the Golden Firebird by Maureen Johnson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I am always surprised at the amount of heart and sincerity in Maureen Johnson's books. Her online persona is so goofy and occasionally diabolical, and her books are so funny, that when I get to the end and I'm genuinely touched--as I always am--it startles me a little. This one was no exception. The Gold sisters--Brooks, May, and Palmer--are utterly lovable. They are each so broken up over their father's death, each in their own way. The shifting perspective gives us glimpses into each sister's head. We spend the most time with May, the responsible middle child, and her struggle with learning to drive (even as school comes fairly easily to her) made me love her instantly. Palmer, the youngest, worked her way into my heart next, with her panic attacks and intense feeling of alienation. And Brooks--whose grief looks a lot like wild-child behavior--finally won me over about halfway through the novel, when it becomes clear how lonely she is under everything else. I miss these girls already, and I finished the book just an hour or two ago.

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