Is Summer Here Yet?

On the cusp of Valentines and I'm itching for summer.  Though it is closer for me than most, since I live in  SoCal.  (Southern California)  My mother called, told me Tennessee got four more inches of snow.  I felt this relief because Tennessee hasn't seen a good snow in years.  Not like when I was a kid where is snowed at least seven to ten times through the winter.  The last few years, lucky to see one snow.  This will be the third and it makes me breathe a little easier, that global warming stays at bay.  But I digress...

There's just something about hot sand between your toes, cool waves crashing at your ankles and sun kissed skin.  Laying on the beach, tuning out the world and letting the sun warm you is purely sensual.

First, I always download music.  It feeds my soul, my muse I guess.  No I don't do playlists for books, but there are songs that liven me when I'm not writing, electrify me almost.  And books, four to be exact, that I purchased Saturday night and they all shared the same theme, summer.  I didn't notice until yesterday but my habits of late speak to me in volumes.  And I realized something.  I love YA, reading it, writing it, craving it.  Because inside this XX year old body lives a sixteen year old girl who refuses to grow up.

So here are a few songs I've downloaded and the books I've purchased and I have to say, that sixteen year old wants a second chance because the first time around sucked.

Music...(Artist - Song Title)

1. La Roux - Bulletproof (Let me just say, I don't do Techno and these first four are...go figure.)
2. La Roux - Tigerlily
3. Silversun Pickups - Panic Switch
4. Metric - Gold Gun Girls  (Downloaded the whole Fantasies album, pretty good)
5. Dan Auerbach - When the Night Comes  (Slow mellow rock, reminds me of Stand by Me meets Wonderful World)
6. Sam Roberts - Love at the End of the World (This song is like Johnny Cash meets KISS.  Sorry couldn't find for playlist, check iTunes)

DISCLAIMER:  I'm infamous for loving a single song and very rarely love a group as a whole so know that these particular songs move me, not necesssarily the artist.

Books...

Body Surfing by Anita Shreve

Nice smooth book with gentle emotional pulls.   Other reviews say Harlequin Romance/Nicholas Sparks, I read neither and enjoyed this.  Started and finished it on Sunday.  See my review Friday.

The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han

Almost finished with it and I find it spellbinding, magical and all things sixteen.  I can't wait to review this book.  New favorite author.

Seventeenth Summer by Maureen Daly

"What better time than summer for a little romance?"  Says the hook on the back cover, I can only hope.

The Day the Falls Stood Still by Cathy Marie Buchanan

1915, Niagara Falls and Romance.  Saw a review on a blog recently so I thought I'd give it a try.  Barnes and Noble Hardcover on sale for $3.98  Who could resist?