Friend Friday #153 (The Serpent King by Jeff Zentner)

Hi, I'm Shannon and I read the book The Serpent King by Jeff Zentner.

I think this book was a beautifully touching novel that tugged at my emotional side ever so softly… Ok who am I kidding, I sobbed like a baby.  I immediately fell in love with the main character, Dill, and his two best friends, Lydia and Travis.  The story line was romantic, hopeful, touching and tragic.   

One of my favorite parts of the story was this quote:  “People are born and die. Seasons change. Rivers flow to the sea. Earth circles the sun and the moon circles Earth. Everything whirring and spinning toward something. And I get to be part of it for a little while, the way I get to watch a train for a minute or two, and then it's gone.”  I feel it sums up the mood of the book so completely.  The ups and downs, the happy and the sad, and the emotion that every young adult feels at some point or another as they teeter on adulthood.   

The character I liked best was Lydia!  I loved her sass, spunk and confidence in who she was!  I loved how she supported her friends and didn’t care what other people thought of her.  I admired how she not only followed her dreams, but she conquered them! 

I think the author wrote this book to help us all see the value in life, love and friendship.  He touches on so many issues in our society and how teenagers might feel lost and confused as they navigate the changes set before them.    

I would recommend this book to my friends because it’s a wonderfully chilling story that will keep you turning the pages faster than your eyes can follow.  I honestly read this book in one day, tears rolling down my cheeks like a waterfall near the end of summer- just flowing ever so softly!  Read this book, it’s worth it!   

Reading to me is a way to escape, relax and indulge for a small window of time.

*Shannon is such a great friend and she and I have shared book titles for years.

*We use to teach together, but her family moved to Colorado.

*Now we visit with our families at least twice a year.

*It is always a thrill for me to share a book title with her because she is up for anything.

*I also love it when she will text or call me and say she just finished a book and cried.  Love it!  

*I'm so glad she read this book because it is one of my favorite books from this year.