Nope, don't read much...

I can't believe I haven't even posted a list of books I've read recently, much less any kind of discussion...
So - the first weekend in August, in Newport, RI, I read The God of Animals by Aryn Kyle; I had some issues with it, but overall I thought it was fantastic, particularly the quality of the prose (and especially since it's a first novel, by a young author).

Then at some point I read The Commoner by John Burnham Schwartz (I think - I can't quite see the spine of the book from where I'm typing, and I'm too lazy to get up and look at the book). Another grab off of the Harvard Bookstore bargain table.

I think there was some other stuff, but I don't remember.

Finally, last night I finished (after starting in Puerto Rico, for R's bachelorette weekend, yay!) Make Him Look Good by Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez...I think it was also a bargain book, since I can't imagine paying full price for it, and there's a little gross sticker-residue on the front cover. Although, now that I think about it, I think maybe it was from the Barnes and Noble in the Pru, when they still had a bargain table? Anyhow, A V-R used to write for the Globe and I really enjoyed her, and then I think I read her first book, for that reason, and it was...okay? As was this one, I guess. The characters were somewhat appealing, and I thought she balanced the various voices well, but overall it was SO freaking fluffy, it was annoying. I think A V-R is totally capable of insightful social commentary, but there was virtually none of that here. Lots of name(brand)-dropping, although maybe that was a deliberate commentary on the fact that one of the major themes in the book was how superficial life in Miami can be. Or lazy, or she thought that was what people wanted. I believe I have the third book here somewhere, but I took this one because it was a paperback, and would be lighter in the carry-on. We'll see; not in any huge hurry to read it, but maybe, at some point.