10 Day Challenge - Four Books.

I love to read and I keep trying to find more time in my busy schedule to do so. You know when you find an awesome book that you can't put down? I haven't been able to find that lately. It's just been some so-so books that haven't really inspired me to go in search of anything new. I will however give you four books or series that I will read again. Judge away.

4) I'll start with a book that I want to read. My professor in college told me to read Conquering Your Quarterlife Crisis: Advice from Twentysomethings Who Have Been There and Survived, by Alexandra Robbins. The book that I want to read that I will highlight is 20 Something Manifesto, Quarter-Lifers Speak Out about Who They Are, What They Want, and How to Get It, by Christine Hassler. I've purchased both of these books and just haven't been able to start them yet.

 

Booklist Review - The author of 20-Something, 20-Everything (2005) offers a handy guide for navigating the often rough waters of the twentysomething years. Hassler draws on her own experience, but she has also gathered myriad stories and quotes from a variety of twentysomethings around the world, regarding everything from grappling with their expectations after college to job hunting and navigating friendships and relationships. Hassler addresses one of the biggest problems she thinks twentysomethings face: “Expectation Hangovers,” in which reality doesn’t measure up to what people in their twenties had come to expect from their lives, leading to depression and lack of direction. She then delves into the “twenties triangle,” addressing the three questions that dominate the decade: Who am I? What do I want? How do I get what I want? The chapters that follow address the biggest issues for people in their twenties: love, friendships, family, and career. Packed with stories and wisdom from their peers, this guide will definitely appeal to the many twentysomethings trying to find their way. --Kristine Huntley

3) Everyone Worth Knowing, by Lauren Weisberger. I'm sure I love this book because the main character suddenly starts working for a big PR firm, but maybe it's the lifestyle she leads during that time. It's a good book to read on the beach during the summer.

Amazon.com Review - Lauren Weisberger, whose bestselling debut The Devil Wears Prada outed the vicious antics of the magazine industry elite, is back at it with Everyone Worth Knowing, another cautionary tale of sex, power, and fame. This time around, the PR industry is her target, and Prada fans will recognize similar themes throughout this entertaining, if at times overly dramatic, exposé.
Bette Robinson is a twentysomething Emory graduate who shunned her parents' hippie ideals in favor of a high-paying yet excruciatingly boring job at a prestigious investment bank. One day, after a particularly condescending exchange with her boss (who sends her daily inspirational e-mails), Bette walks out on her job in a huff. After a few weeks of sleeping late, watching Dr. Phil and entertaining her dog Millington, Bette's uncle scores her a job at an up-and-coming public relations firm, where her entire job seems to revolve around staying out late partying and providing fodder for clandestine gossip columns. What follows is one episode after another of Bette climbing up the social ladder at the expense of her friends, family, and the one guy who actually seems worth pursuing.
Weisberger is clever enough to turn seemingly outrageous circumstances into amusing anecdotes, like the tale of a woman who was close to suicide until she found out she was only 18 months away from scoring a highly coveted Birkin bag ("You simply cannot kill yourself when you're that close ... it's just not an option."). This wit, combined a hint of voyeurism that most of us can't deny, is what makes Everyone Worth Knowing a guilty pleasure that's well worth the indulgence. --Gisele Toueg

2) The Sookie Stackhouse series, by Charlaine Harris. HBO's hit series True Blood is based from these books. Read the review from New York Times.

1) The Twilight Series, by Stephanie Meyer. It's "for teens" you say but I really did enjoy these books and fell in love with the characters. These were books that I couldn't put down and was antsy about the new ones being published. 

 

I'll leave you with those, as I'm off to Dothan, Alabama for the next few days for the ToadLick Music Festival. Full report to come!