The Post About 8 Must-Read Books and a Giveaway

I'm a book lover.

However, my path to this affection was a bit bumpy.

In the 1st grade, each student was placed into groups based on initial reading skill. There was the superior Group A, the adequate Group B and the remedial Group C. Each student performed a reading sample and then Mrs. Stanford would assign your group. The selection was from the classic Dick and Jane series.

I stood with confidence to read the passage knowing I would get to "win" and be in Group A. I was sailing along beautifully until this:

Dick said "Jane, where are you?" 

I pronounced "Jane" like "Jan-eee."

Mrs. Stanford asked me to try again. I repeated the sentence and the error. She told me I was pronouncing the girl's name wrong. My mother's name was Jan so my 6-year-old logic chose "Jan-eee."

This was my first soap box. I was placed in Reading Group B.

Luckily, I recovered from this travesty of justice and never looked back. Until this blog post. 

Here are 8 books I've read this summer you should consider adding to your list. I would not steer you wrong. Pinky swears.

There may even be a giveaway to entice you.

1. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. Sixteen-year-old sarcastic cancer patient finds love in a support group. You'll laugh and ugly cry all in one sitting.


2. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. Stay-up-late thriller about a missing wife and a husband who killed his wife. Or did he. Note: Some language not suitable for my Mom.


3. Wild: From Lost to Found on The Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed. A twenty-something whose life is in shambles randomly decides to hike 1100 miles. Riveting.


4. The Colonel's Lady by Laura Frantz.I'd be remiss not to include a swoony historical romance. Frantz immerses you in the early Frontier which reminded me why I love 2012. A beautiful story of faith and forgiveness.


5. Jesus, My Father, The CIA, and Me by Ian Morgan Cron. A hard-to-believe memoir that's all the better because it's true.


6. Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption  by Laura Hillenbrand. Louie's true tale of being shot down over the Pacific and locked away in a Japanese POW camp is not a lighthearted romp. But it IS captivating.


7. Love Does by Bob Goff. A storyteller of the highest caliber who makes you want to live your life in a way that fills up its own spellbinding pages.


8. Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World by Michael Hyatt. Disclaimer. Michael Hyatt is my Twitter crush. This book teaches you how to connect your "product" to a meaningful platform. I'm a marketer by day, so it was a great tool. But your product may be writing, houses, or homemade hair gel. The theories sill apply.


Bonus:
Love Thy Rival: What Sports' Greatest Rivalries Teach Us About Loving Our Enemies by Chad Gibbs. This book debuts today. I'm 3 chapters in and it's funny and pinch-you-behind-the-knee thought provoking. And although the author would not necessarily agree with me...Roll Tide.

Previously Mentioned Giveaway:
I'm giving away the e-book of your choice from the list above. I'll choose 8 winners and each lucky person can choose any of the 9 books mentioned above in any e-format. If you win, you can even tell me to send it to someone else as a gift from you. We're easy peasy here at the rabbits.

All you have to do to enter is follow the instructions in this nifty Rafflecopter box. If you already follow me on Twitter or like me on Facebook, then that counts too. And thank you. 
a Rafflecopter giveaway