Tanner Life

Summer Reading
Part 2 - July

Time to ramble on and on about all the books I've been reading. I read 17 books in July, which brings me to a total of 39 for the summer! Wowie!! That's alot of time with my nose stuck in a book. What can I say? I LOVE to read!!


Honorable mention goes to "The Lovely Bones" by Alice Sebold that I have been meaning to read forever. I enjoyed it, but it wasn't a favorite. There were a handful of trashy romances as always. "Joshua's Family" by Joseph F. Girzone was pretty good, the prequel to the series I'd read years and years and years ago. I think I enjoyed the rest of the series more than this one though. "Porch Tales" by Phillip Gulley was fantastic! I really enjoy this new author I found (more about him in a few minutes) and this is just a book of random short true stories. They are funny, sweet, heart warming and most have a "moral to the story". He has several others like this and I'll read those for sure too!! "Dreamboat" by Judith Gould was a good find on the bargain table at Barnes & Noble. I took a chance and it was a great book, very very very trashy mind you, but good. Mystery, romance and on a cruise! (100% trash) I read "The Five People You Meet in Heaven" by Mitch Albom again just because I didn't remember it very much. I also finally come to terms with the fact that I just don't enjoy Danielle Steel. I've tried and tried, from now on I think I'll pass on her books. Strange, but true. Now for the top 5:

5) "Into the Storm" by Suzanne Brockman - This is #12 in her Trouble Shooters series. Of course you'd need to start at the beginning. They are super great a tad romance, lots of action books about a group of SEALS navy guys and gals. Good characters that I've come to "know & love" over the years.



4) "Daisy Fay & The Miracle Man" by Fannie Flagg - I love Fannie Flagg and had read all of her other books previously. Turns out I had missed 2 and I found this one at the local used book store. It was a HOOT! I laughed out loud and read parts of it out loud to Andy. (he wasn't thrilled) It's from the view point of a little girl and all the crazy things that happen to her through out her entire life.




3) Brings me to a new favorite author! "Just Shy of Harmony" by Philip Gulley - I didn't realize until I started that this was #2 in a series. The books GREATLY follow the path that Jan Karon's Mitford books do, if you've read those. They are from the view of a Quaker pastor in a small town. It's filled with fun and lovable characters and tons of laugh out loud moments!! It's also sweet and full of moments of faith! I have now read 3 out of the series and this was my favorite of them. The more I read though, the more I am reminded of the Mitford books and the fact they are so much alike.I recommend this one even if you don't read the entire series. It's easy to follow although it's #2!

Just a handful of my favorite quotes:

P. 35 "Although it was true no one should preach without being led - it was also true that God had been in the habit of speaking to Sam every Friday in his office between the hours of 8:30 & noon."

P. 254 "apparently God uses Bozos too"

P. 125 (talking about road signs a nutty church member had made and put up in town) "Go to church and learn to pray or when you die, there's hell to pay." "If you cheat and drink and lie, turn to God before you die."

P. 178 "you're not sick and you're not staying home. You're going to church and suffering with the rest of us."





2) "6th Target" by James Patterson - Wowie! Ya just have to love James Patterson! I think I am beginning to love the Women's Murder Club series as much (or maybe even more) than the Alex Cross novels. This is #6 for the women's club and it was awesome!! Full of suspense and ALOT going on in this one!! I was surprised from beginning to end about where it went and I LOVE when that happens. (The series has inspired a TV showing coming in the fall on Friday nights, I can NOT wait!)



**I am going to hold my #1 until another blog. I am way excited about it and have tons to say and share about it. So.... until next time..... read a book!**