Hubby and I walked down to the ocean this morning after a cup of coffee. There were maybe two other people out at that hour, so it was as though we had a private beach to ourselves. Gathered a few shells and some rocks for Larry's grave, too. Then we rinsed off the sand and sat by the pool and enjoyed a cup of Starbuck's coffee. Hid out this afternoon in the room as the heat is back with the sun. Finished reading the new Brent Hartinger: PROJECT SWEET LIFE (February, 2009, HarperCollins). I heart Brent's books like GEOGRAPHY CLUB, LAST CHANCE TEXACO, and THE ORDER OF THE POISON OAK. This one is a bit of a departure: a romp, if you will. Dave and his two best pals, Victor and Curtis, have all been told by their fathers that this is the summer for them to find jobs. Now that they are 15, it is time to get serious for the summer and make some money. However, that is the last thing these three want to do. Instead, they create Project Sweet Life, a plan that will earn enough money so that they do not have to work but can keep their parents appeased. Unfortunately, all their plans go awry.

Funny and touching at turns, this is a terrific book for boys (though not limited to them, of course) who want humor in books. It would have been easy for the humor to get out of hand and to overtake what is, in essence, a bit of a coming of age story. However, Hartinger manages to have some fun without going over the top. Victor, Curtis, and Dave are interesting guys. I might even enjoy hanging out with them in their bomb shelter! Alas, no cover yet again.