50 Shades of whatever, I need a new book, stat!

Pardon the interruption, the regular scheduled post about my diabetes and me has been postponed, instead I would like to talk about the few good books and one rather bad book I’ve been reading lately.

1. “The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones”: I liked this book, I like vampires, werewolves, and found that I really like shadow hunters also. The book managed to keep my attention and didn’t let me down, lots of action, adventure, and a bit of teen angst. It was no surprise to me when a few days later I picked up:

2. “The Mortal Instruments: City of Ashes”: Pretty much an instant replay as far as action, adventure, and teen angst goes, I managed to finish it in a few days, planned on picking up “City of Glass”, but thought about the stack of books my mom sent with the clothes the other day.

3. “Between Shades of Gray” by Ruta Sepetys: Because this book came with the 3 book set of “Gray” books my mom had also sent, I left it on the floor as a dust collector for the better part of a month. I had no desire to read the “Gray” books, and I assumed that because she gave me this book with the others that it was some sort of accompaniment to the others and well, that assumption made me an ass big time. This book was one of the best books I’ve read. The story follows a 15 year old Lithuanian girl, her mother, and younger brother as they are rooted from their homes and essentially forced into slavery back in 1941. This book made me see that even on a bad day, I should count my blessings because it could be worse.

4. “Fifty Shades of Gray”: This one started off pretty good. I had heard from family and friends that it is the best book since well, any book, there is no book this good, “You will love it” they said. Maybe it was 87 pages into the book and I decided I do not like this book. I do not like the way it looks, I do not like Christian Gray, I do not care how hot or wealthy he may be, he is a fruit loop plain as day.

Eighty-seven pages in and now I am left wondering if I will ever be able to look the rave reviewers of this book in the eyes without bursting into a fit of giggles. Seriously. If any of you dear readers have read this book, I’m sorry.

Maybe I should tell you that I don’t like romance novels to begin with. I like Jack Reacher, Alex Cross, Alex Delaware, Tyrion Lannister, Odd Thomas, but Christian Gray? Seriously?

I was pretty firm in my intentions to not read the book, well until I finished “Between Shades of Gray” and did not have the opportunity to go get a new book. I must tell you that I did think it had to be ok to have so many good reviews, I have no TV shows for at least a couple of weeks, so using my what’s the worst that could happen, I started reading it. The worst actually happened and the book is still outside on the porch.

I feel really bad that I left a book outdoors in the elements. I love books, books are like little movies in my head. I’d take a good book over a TV show any day of the week. I am particular with my books in that I like the pages to be clean, actual sheets of paper with typed words, I enjoy the whiff of booky smell as I turn the pages.

In chapter two, there were day glo orange fingerprints on the page. I’m thinking mom had a bag of cheetos with that chapter and well, that should have been my sign. While I can’t un-read what I read thus far, I have ample time today to get a new book.