Fail: Two bad books in a row

I am traumatized. First of all, I don't think I've ever quit on TWO books in a row. What a fail. But second, and worse, the most recent of the two quits made me SOB.

Let me back up. After I read Charlotte Bronte's fictional diary, I was inspired to re-read her sister Emily's book Wuthering Heights. I read it the first time either in high school or college and hated it, but I thought maybe the wisdom of years would teach me to enjoy it more. Uh, no. Still hate it. It amazes me that Charlotte can romanticize the moors and harsh men so much in Jane Eyre and yet Emily's landscapes and lovers make me want to throw the book across the room. It's dark, disturbing, not one bit romantic, and frankly, boring. When I found myself watching re-runs of "Friends" rather than reading, I knew it was time to call it quits. So I looked up the rest of the plot on Sparknotes.com and called it even.

Then I picked up one of those "wife" titled books I was talking about before, The River Wife by Jonis Agee. It's historical fiction, set in both pioneer days and the 1930's, as one new wife discovers and reads the journal of her husband's grandfather's first wife. The story was intriguing, the writing both clear and descriptive, and the characters multi-faceted. There was a certain sense of foreboding that kept me thinking about the book. All good things. Then I read a scene, probably the one that was being foreboded, that made me want to do more than to throw it across the room. I wanted to burn it. Really. I couldn't get it out of my sight fast enough...but it's not mine, so I just...put it by the front door. The scene is the horrific, violent death of a sixth month old baby. I don't want to go into more detail because it will just make me sick again, but I WILL tell you what happens if you ask, just so you won't have to read this book. Maybe you'll read it anyway, and maybe the rest of it IS good, but I don't want to risk reading another horrible scene. Some things just shouldn't be written about, I think.

So... I'm going to spend a few days watching happy movies and maybe reading some celebrity gossip magazines. Then I need a light, airy, beachy read to take my mind off the trauma. I'm going to let the World War II book sit on my night stand a while longer. Any good suggestions for light reading? Message me on facebook, or better yet, bring it straight to my house (and maybe bring some chocolate ice cream, too).