2010: My Summer of Books-back on track!

My plan almost got derailed. Party details, weight loss and job hunting kept me busy. Also, book #9, Emily Bronte's "Wuthering Heights," was a long, slow read.

"Wuthering Heights" takes place in England in the late 1700's/early 1800's and follows the forbidden love story of Heathcliff and Catherine. They aren't blood siblings, but grew up together after an orphaned Heathcliff is taken in by Catherine's father.

I know this book is a classic, but I never got into it (mostly because many characters are mean). It must grow on you a little more each time you read it.

For book #10, I chose Brian James' "The Heights," a modern-day version of Bronte's novel. James' edition follows San Francisco kids Henry and Catherine, raised as brother and sister after Catherine's dad finds a shivering Henry abandoned by the side of the road.

Catherine and Henry share a deep, romantic love that makes almost everyone around them very uncomfortable, but they vow to remain together forever. As more and more forces conspire to keep them apart, Henry's anger continues to grow.

While neither "Heights" book was badly written, I prefer the James one. It was a quick, smooth read, and the story was clear and easy to follow.

With book #11, I went with Danielle Steel's "Coming Out," which focuses on perfect wife, mother and lawyer, Olympia Crawford Rubinstein. Olympia is excitedly helping her twin daughters prepare to "come out" at the biggest debutante ball in the country.

As the ball approaches, Olympia and her family deal with a lot of drama and bad luck. This ball means a lot more than playing dress-up, and as a reader, I was glued to this book right until the last page. It wasn't a long novel, but it was written well.

My Summer of Books ends two months from today, and I'm just starting #12, "Wintergirls" by Laurie Halse Anderson. I better get going!