I ditched The Year of Living Biblically (I tend to be fickle with both religion and books that don’t keep my interest, so it’s somewhat fitting) and started reading Firefly Lane. Too many people told me how good it is, and well, it’s like $500 was burning a hole in my pocket. I needed to start it straight away. For me, a good book I can’t put down is like a drug I need and think about all the time.
And boy, oh boy, am I glad I did. I’m only 120 pages in – and I’m totally sucked in already. I’ve been averaging approximately 60 pages a morning before I force myself to put it down and get started with my day.
I mentioned in my summer reading list that the book is set in Seattle…I read this passage this morning:
[source]Outside, it looked like a postcard of Seattle; the kind of blue-skied, cloudless, picture-perfect day that lured out-of-towners into selling their homes in duller, less spectacular places and moving here. If only they knew how rare these days were. Like a rocket blaster, summer burned fast and bright in this part of the world and went out with equal speed… page 67, Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah
I love, love this paragraph. It’s SO true, and it showed me that this author just didn’t set her book in Seattle – she’s actually from here. It’s a simple paragraph like this (or like the one I posted about a year ago) that makes me fall in love with an author. This could have only been written by a Seattle native, and I couldn’t have said it better myself. Seattle summers are amazing and luring and gorgeous and sparkly. It’s like the whole city has been washed all year, and gleams the four months the sun comes out. Summer is an infectious disease that the whole city and all its inhabitants catch. People seem lighter, happier – everyone is a little bit more busy. This city comes alive.
And I’m going to enjoy every freakin minute of it before the rocket takes off once again, awashing us in grey.
Currently Feeling: Disappointed in this season’s Bachelorette. Seriously? She has kept some pretty big D-bags around and got rid of a freakin cute and nice guy last night.
Currently Anticipating: Getting my scary doctor’s appointment over with on Thursday!
Currently Hating: The phrase, “Nice guys finish last.” Bull shit. Nice guys are the greatest.
I read that book a few months ago and thought it was pretty good. I've always wanted to visit Seattle, and it's on the top of my list for future vacation spots.
i started reading it last night. definitely hooked.
sounds like a fantastic book, i should probably check it out. i need to start making a reading list…i have so many books i want to read but forget about because i don't keep track.
i always thought seattle was rainy and gray like over in europe or something, but i'm sure when the sun comes out, so does everyone and everything else. must be magical.
also, i agree completely with your currently hating. my guy is so sweet, i'm still surprised (a year and a half later) that he was single when i found him!
I've been eying this book every time I walk by it — now I think I'll have to buy it! That paragraph describes the exact type of day that I picture every time I start missing home.
I'm from Portland and it's EXACTLY the same there. Summer is what we LIVE for. It's what convinces you not to move away.
@Katie
Come! You HAVE TO visit Seattle. Make it during the summer though – it's super fun, and there's a million things to do.
@a girl named k
We can have a book race! 1, 2, 3… GO.
@wekeepsaying
A girl who can score a nice guy (especially a CUTE nice guy) is usually the happiest in a relationship. You and I should thank our lucky stars!
@flipflops
It couldn't be more spot on, huh?
@Allison Blass
Yep. Portland and Seattle are sister cities! I love Portland! And you're so right – the Seattle summers suck me back in every time I'm hating my location.
This book sounds really good! Sometimes to describe places you really have to have lived there or loved there.