When it rains, it POURS

I mean this title very literally right now. It has been pouring like you wouldn't believe. Both North Dakota and Montana are flooding like crazy. First, we had record snowfall at over 100 inches for the winter. Now, we have rain dumping into our rivers, which are already filled with excess snowfall runoff.

You would think that all of this crazy weather would encourage me to sit inside and curl up with a good book. But, unfortunately, it hasn't. And I am, again, without power (going on 30 hours now). Today, I'm at work on my day off to steal internet and heat. It is a sad, sad life I live up here in the Northern Plains...

I'll admit that I haven't done much reading. BUT what I have read is so heavy and valuable that I'm glad I let it soak in.

Here's what I've got:

Room by Emma Donoghue is a wonderful, captivating book. With that said, I want all you readers to go into it the same way I did: based solely on "amazing" reviews and without a clue as to what the storyline is. I purchased this as an audiobook because I heard its praises sung every which way I turned. I had no idea what the novel was about but trusted the word of those around me. Please do the same, friends--trust me. This book will consume your life until you've completed it. It's somewhat of a mystery novel (well, it was for me at least, since I hadn't read a summary). Run to the bookstore today and pick up two books today: Room and The Help.

To date, I have only purchased one novel in 2011. Impressive, no? This is one I just had to have. The reviews on it were nothing short of spectacular. I picked it up at Costco (they always have a surprisingly large, wonderful book collection) over Mother's Day weekend and just finished. I recommend allowing this novel to stretch over the course of a couple of weeks. I wanted to finish it right away because it was so great, but I'm now thankful that I let it absorb, day by day.  The Help by Kathryn Stockett examines three women in Jackson, Mississippi in the early 1960s. Two are black maids; the other, a young 20-something white woman who wants nothing more in life than to write. Together, the three take on a challenging and controversial project that they know could change their lives forever. The relationship Stockett creates between readers and characters in the novel is unmatched. I was so impressed with it. I recommend it for everyone. And, now, there's a sense of urgency to read it: while at the movie theater yesterday, I discovered the movie version is coming out in August. MUST SEE! :)

Since Room was an audiobook, I don't count it in my page goals. I do, however, count it as a book I've read. Here are my stats on The Help:
The Help by Kathryn Stockett
Rating: 5/5
Pages: 544
2011 Reading Goal: 4,356/12,500



This puts me at only 35% of my reading goal, and we're almost halfway through the year. Anyone wanna recommend a novel or two for my summer reading list? :)