30 Days of Books: Book I Used to Love, but Don't Anymore

Romance Novels

I don't have specific one as an example, but it fits the whole genre. I used to love them. Today I'll still read them, but not even close to the level and frequency I used to.

Susan Elizabeth Phillips

I love Susan Elizabeth Phillips. When I was in college, I read a lot of romance novels. These days I hardly ever pick up one. However, Susan Elizabeth Phillips remains a favorite author of mine.

Phillips has a new book, Call Me Irresistible, that came out last week. I am trying not to buy any books since I own so many so I'm hoping it'll show up at the library soon. But was thinking I wanted to read one of her books, so I checked an old one, Natural Born Charmer, out from the library.

And, yeah, it was as good as I remembered. I just love her books. Many, but not all, of her books are in a series about people connected to the fictional Chicago Stars football team. I think those are her best ones.

I'm sure I'm going to break down and buy Call Me Irresistible.

Reading by the Campfire

When we go camping, my favorite thing is to read by the campfire. (This means, of course, that your fire is going before dark.) Luckily for me, in the Wyoming mountains even over the 4th of July weekend, it's not too hot for a fire.

My book club has a quarterly challenge. There are 35 categories, with topics like black cover or set in a major city or a one word title. We've been doing them for a year and a half. Despite reading enough books to finish a challenge, I still haven't done so.

This time I am gunning for it though! I've planned out about half of the books and put them in a pile next to the bed. I am trying to do it with only books I already own.

I brought two books along: Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen (book about girlfriends) and Vision in White by Nora Roberts (romance.)

I've read seven Sarah Dessen books. While they aren't my favorite books ever, I do really enjoy them. I liked Someone Like You, but it wasn't my favorite Dessen book. I liked Lock and Key, Just Listen, and Along for the Ride better.

Someone Like You is about two friends, one of whom gets pregnant. It sounds like it might be really cheesy, but Dessen's books aren't cheesy at all. If you haven't read any young adult, pick one up. I bet you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Speaking of cheesy: romance novels. I used to love romance novels, but somewhere along the way I got sick of their cheese. I know that fiction of all kinds can require a suspension of disbelief, but I didn't like how neat and easy everything was, as well as how formulaic: Boy meets girl. Boy and girl fall in love. Misunderstanding separates boy and girl. Understanding leads to happily ever after. The end.

I'd picked up Roberts's Vision in White at a library book sale somewhere along the way. In the months I've had it, I hadn't looked at it. But, the romance category is in the challenge. I enjoyed it, but am not feeling like I need to pick up another romance novel any time soon. That's part of the challenge though, to pick up books you might not otherwise.