I haven't died, Really

The Second Summer of the Sisterhood by Ann Brashares In this sequel to the teen bestseller The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, we follow – you guessed it – the summer after our four friends’ sophomore year of high school. The magical pants that fit everyone are taken out of storage as Lena, Carmen, Tibby and Bridget prepare to go their separate ways for the summer. Lena has broken up with the handsome Greek boy she started dating last summer, but can’t stop thinking about him. Tibby goes off to film camp. Carmen is distracted from her first date by the horror of her mother going on dates of her own. Bridget, who gained 15 pounds and dyed her blond hair brown in her depression during the winter, goes off to Alabama to visit her grandmother anonymously. The storylines might be a bit predictable, and the book is difficult to follow if you aren’t familiar with the first one. But on the whole, it’s a wonderful example of teen literature. The characters are supportive of each other, but all different, three dimensional and full of teenage flaws and plenty of angst. The writing is vivid in a way that feels authentically teen. I do wish that the narrator on the audio version had been able to create different voices for the girls, and distinguish between male and female voices. But this is again a minor quibble, as on the whole, I really enjoyed this book.

Adorable Knits for Tots by Zoe Mellor Yep, the little outfits are adorable. But, on the whole, I think this book is for a more advanced, less busy knitter than me. Nearly every pattern uses intarsia, and I just don't think I can follow complicated charts right now. Maybe if I'm feeling ambitious one day, I'll try the pirate sweater, which features a skull and crossbones on navy for the body, with red and white striped sleeves. Or maybe I'll try to see if Grandma will knit it.