Category Archives: books & reading

Announcing: the Summer Reading Challenge @ mommablogsalot.com

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summer reading challenge @ mommablogsalot

The other day I was perusing the websites for my local libraries and thinking about signing the kids up for Summer Reading Challenges. We’ve done them in the past with MM and he always enjoys them so I think I may sign up BB, too. Then I thought, “Why don’t I get a summer reading challenge?”

I’ve come to really enjoy the seasonal reading challenges that Kat @ Callapidder Days has done in the Spring and Fall and this summer I feel like keeping the momentum going with a personal challenge to read more this summer – and to read more of the books I already own.

I’d love it if you would join me and challenge yourself this summer to read the books (or magazines or newspapers, etc) that you have been meaning to read. Nothing complicated – pick some books or pick a number or any other reading related goal that you want to tackle this summer and go for it! We can check in with each other over the course of the summer and cheer each other on as we reach our goal!

I’ll try to figure out the whole Mr. Linky thing so that you guys can link up with me easily and we can all keep track of each other. In the meantime, start thinking about your reading goals this summer and typing up a post about it if you plan to join in. Want a cute button for your posts and sidebar? Feel free to use this one:

summerreading-button

I know the summer season is a little different for everyone, depending on when your kids get out of school, so feel free to hop in on the challenge whenever you like. I’ll plan to officially start the challenge June 1st (a Saturday) and finish on September 1st. I’ll post a linky on June 1st where you can share your summer reading goals and another linky on September 2nd where you can submit posts about how your challenge went.

-update - I have been thinking about possible giveaways and prizes for the challenge and then I thought to myself, “Self, what do people who love books like to win? MORE BOOKS!” I think I can totally make this happen – more details soon!

 

Do you tend to read more or less in the summer months?

Are you planning to join the challenge? Let me know in the comments section below!

Nightstand 2013: April

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I feel like April kind of just started but it’s actually nearing the end of another month – and it’s time for the monthly What’s On Your Nightstand carnival hosted by 5 Minutes For Books. The premise of this blog carnival is pretty self explanatory – blog about the books you are reading, read recently and / or plan to read soon. What books are on your nightstand either literally or figuratively?

Since we last spoke of Nightstands together, I ended up abandoning The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling which you may have noticed I wasn’t enjoying very much. When it became clear that I wouldn’t finish in time for book club, and I found myself mustering through another chapter, I thought “Why am I doing this?” And I put it down and picked up the book I wanted to be reading. The writing in this book is good, the story… interesting. But there is not one single relate-able character who I could root for and it made it very hard to lose myself in the story and get invested in the ending. Plus, I had other books sitting impatiently waiting for me to read them instead. So I did.

This month I have read and loved both:

  1. Bringing Up Bébé by Pamela Druckerman – Finished April 10, 2013 – This book really resonated with me. There were aspects of French parenting that I thought made a lot of sense, some were surprising but great ideas and of course there were some that are just not for me – but I loved reading about how differently other cultures raise their kids and the potential pros and cons to different methods. I think there is a lot of positive things to be said for French parenting and I’ve already implemented some of these ideas in my own life or plan to soon. I loved the recipe for yogurt bread included in the book – my son and I made it for his birthday last week and it was delicious. – full review -
  2. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (April Book Club Pick) – Finished April 16, 2013 – LOVED this one. It was one of those awesome books filled with snark and sassy humor but with a plot that is heart wrenching and keeps you reading later into the night than your internal alarm clock would advise. Green does a good job of balancing the light with the heavy, so it was never more than I could bear but often came close. – full review -

Pretty in Plaid by Jen LancasterRight now I’m reading Pretty in Plaid by Jen Lancaster, an author that I quite frankly adore. Her books are witty and hilarious and cause me to stay up late into the night giggling and quoting passages out loud to my husband even though he’s sleeping. This book is all about “how she developed the hubris that perpetually gets her into trouble. Using fashion icons of her youth to tell her hilarious and insightful stories, readers will meet the girl she used to be.”

Since I’m in the thick of the Spring Reading Thing, the books I read next will be titles from my personal challenge. Here are the three I’m planning to read:

  1. Where’d You Go Bernadette by Maria Semple (May Book Club Pick) “Bernadette Fox is notorious. To her Microsoft-guru husband, she’s a fearlessly opinionated partner; to fellow private-school mothers in Seattle, she’s a disgrace; to design mavens, she’s a revolutionary architect, and to 15-year-old Bee, she is a best friend and, simply, Mom. Then Bernadette disappears. It began when Bee aced her report card and claimed her promised reward: a family trip to Antarctica. But Bernadette’s intensifying allergy to Seattle—and people in general—has made her so agoraphobic that a virtual assistant in India now runs her most basic errands. A trip to the end of the earth is problematic.”
  2. The Runaway King by Jennifer A. Nielsen – Book two in a promising middle reader series, I’m very anxious to read this one. “A kingdom teetering on the brink of destruction. A king gone missing. Who will survive? Find out in the highly anticipated sequel to Jennifer A. Nielsen’s blockbuster THE FALSE PRINCE! Just weeks after Jaron has taken the throne, an assassination attempt forces him into a deadly situation. Rumors of a coming war are winding their way between the castle walls, and Jaron feels the pressure quietly mounting within Carthya. Soon, it becomes clear that deserting the kingdom may be his only hope of saving it. But the further Jaron is forced to run from his identity, the more he wonders if it is possible to go too far. Will he ever be able to return home again? Or will he have to sacrifice his own life in order to save his kingdom?“
  3. Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver – Book two in the delirium series. I have to admit, I’ve been putting this book off because the end of book one is majorly depressing, but I am definitely anxious to see where the series will go from here and I think this reading challenge is a great excuse to force myself to soldier on. Here’s a description of book two but there are spoilers : “After falling in love, Lena and Alex flee their oppressive society where love is outlawed and everyone must receive the “cure” – an operation that makes them immune to the delirium of love – but Lena alone manages to find her way to a community of resistance fighters. Although she is bereft without the boy she loves, her struggles seem to be leading her toward a new love.”

What about you? What are you reading right now?

Nightstand 2013: March

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It’s hard to believe another month is drawing to a close, but as April gets closer and closer it’s time to check in with the ladies at 5 Minutes for Books with a What’s On Your Nightstand? post. For those new to this blog carnival, it’s pretty simple: just blog about what you have been reading, are currently reading and / or what you plan to read soon. Basically just the books that you might find on your nightstand right now.

I’m currently reading The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling and it’s starting to feel like I’ve been reading it absolutely forever. I’m almost 40% done but my book club is discussing it on Wednesday and I’m not very confident I’ll be able to finish it in time. I don’t know if I’ll keep reading after that or not. The story is mildly interesting but I don’t feel terribly invested in any of the characters and that makes it hard for me to get sucked into a book. Also I don’t have much sense that there will be a big happy ending or anything, it doesn’t seem like that kind of a book. So yeah…

Anyway…

This month I read:

  1. The False Prince by Jennifer A Nielsen – Finished March 4, 2013 – Wow, this book was really good! The author’s writing style is witty and quick, lending a nice snarky attitude to her main character, Sage. This is a little bit mystery, a little bit fantasy and overall a nice middle reader series that is sure to appeal to both genders. I had my suspicions about a few major plot points for awhile, but the author does a good job keeping you guessing until the end and then weaving the whole plot together really nicely. Eagerly looking forward to book two in this trilogy.
  2. The Essential Puppy by Betsy Sikora Siino – Finished March 5, 2013 – This was a good primer on all things puppy. Thorough but concise which I appreciated being busy with a new puppy and young children. It helped ease all those new dog questions in an easy to read manner.

And that’s it. I probably would have read more by now if the Casual Vacancy wasn’t taking me so long. I was getting pretty smug with my 4-5 books a month pattern, but I should have known it would only be a matter of time before things got back to “normal” around here.

When I’m done reading JK Rowling, I’ll be getting back to Bringing Up Bébé by Pamela Druckerman and then picking up some of the following picks from my Spring Reading Thing challenge:

  1. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (April Book Club Pick) – “Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 13, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs… for now.  Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault. Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind.”
  2. The Runaway King by Jennifer A. Nielsen – Book two in a promising middle reader series, I’m very anxious to read this one. “A kingdom teetering on the brink of destruction. A king gone missing. Who will survive? Find out in the highly anticipated sequel to Jennifer A. Nielsen’s blockbuster THE FALSE PRINCE! Just weeks after Jaron has taken the throne, an assassination attempt forces him into a deadly situation. Rumors of a coming war are winding their way between the castle walls, and Jaron feels the pressure quietly mounting within Carthya. Soon, it becomes clear that deserting the kingdom may be his only hope of saving it. But the further Jaron is forced to run from his identity, the more he wonders if it is possible to go too far. Will he ever be able to return home again? Or will he have to sacrifice his own life in order to save his kingdom?”

And that’s all I’m going to mentally commit to right now but you can check out my SRT list for more of the books I’m looking forward to reading this Spring.

What are you reading right now?

Spring Reading Thing 2013: My Reading Goals

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The Musings of a Book AddictThis year’s Spring Reading Thing is being held by Sandra @ Musings of a Book Addict who kindly stepped in to host when Kat @ Callapidder Days found herself unable to this year. Apart from a new location, this year’s SRT will be run pretty much the same as it has in previous years – there will even be a couple of giveaways so be sure to sign up and join in on the fun!

My reading goals for this Spring are a little up in the air as some of the books I’ll be reading for my book club have not yet been chosen and depending on the length of said books will kind of determine how many other books I’ll be able to read. I typically read anywhere from 2-4 books a month, so for a 3 month challenge, I’d say 6 books is easy and 12 would be an amazing feat. I’m going to challenge myself to read 10 books, kind of right there in the middle.

The books I’m hoping to read are:

Book I’m Currently Reading: I’m 25% through The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling for my book club this month.It was slow going at first but it’s finally starting to pick up. Now that I mostly remember who all the millions of characters are and have a feel for the story structure, it’s growing on me. Definitely no Harry Potter though, that’s for sure. (didn’t finish)

The Fault in Our Stars by John GreenThree Book Club Picks

  1. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (April Book Club Pick) – “Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 13, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs… for now.  Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault. Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind.” (Finished April 16th – full review -)
  2. Where’d You Go Bernadette by Maria Semple (May Book Club Pick) “Bernadette Fox is notorious. To her Microsoft-guru husband, she’s a fearlessly opinionated partner; to fellow private-school mothers in Seattle, she’s a disgrace; to design mavens, she’s a revolutionary architect, and to 15-year-old Bee, she is a best friend and, simply, Mom. Then Bernadette disappears. It began when Bee aced her report card and claimed her promised reward: a family trip to Antarctica. But Bernadette’s intensifying allergy to Seattle—and people in general—has made her so agoraphobic that a virtual assistant in India now runs her most basic errands. A trip to the end of the earth is problematic.” (Finished May 9th – full review -)
  3. The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker (June Book Club Pick) “On a seemingly ordinary Saturday in a California suburb, 11-year-old Julia and her family awake to discover, along with the rest of the world, that the rotation of the earth has suddenly begun to slow. The days and nights grow longer and longer, gravity is affected, the environment is thrown into disarray. Yet as she struggles to navigate an ever-shifting landscape, Julia is also coping with the normal disasters of everyday life–the fissures in her parents’ marriage, the loss of old friends, the hopeful anguish of first love, the bizarre behavior of her grandfather who, convinced of a government conspiracy, spends his days obsessively cataloging his possessions. As Julia adjusts to the new normal, the slowing inexorably continues.”

The Runaway King by Jennifer A. Nielsen3 Books From a Series I’m Loving

  1. The Runaway King by Jennifer A. Nielsen – Book two in a promising middle reader series, I’m very anxious to read this one. “A kingdom teetering on the brink of destruction. A king gone missing. Who will survive? Find out in the highly anticipated sequel to Jennifer A. Nielsen’s blockbuster THE FALSE PRINCE! Just weeks after Jaron has taken the throne, an assassination attempt forces him into a deadly situation. Rumors of a coming war are winding their way between the castle walls, and Jaron feels the pressure quietly mounting within Carthya. Soon, it becomes clear that deserting the kingdom may be his only hope of saving it. But the further Jaron is forced to run from his identity, the more he wonders if it is possible to go too far. Will he ever be able to return home again? Or will he have to sacrifice his own life in order to save his kingdom?” (Finished May 18th)
  2. Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver – Book two in the delirium series. I have to admit, I’ve been putting this book off because the end of book one is majorly depressing, but I am definitely anxious to see where the series will go from here and I think this reading challenge is a great excuse to force myself to soldier on. Here’s a description of book two but there are spoilers : “After falling in love, Lena and Alex flee their oppressive society where love is outlawed and everyone must receive the “cure” – an operation that makes them immune to the delirium of love – but Lena alone manages to find her way to a community of resistance fighters. Although she is bereft without the boy she loves, her struggles seem to be leading her toward a new love.” (currently reading)
  3. The Extraordinary Education of Nicholas Benedict by Trenton Lee Stewart – Why have I not read this one yet? I’m not sure, so let’s remedy that! “Nine-year-old Nicholas Benedict has more problems than most children his age. Not only is he an orphan with an unfortunate nose, but he also has narcolepsy, a condition that gives him terrible nightmares and makes him fall asleep at the worst possible moments. Now he’s being sent to a new orphanage, where he will encounter vicious bullies, selfish adults, strange circumstances – and a mystery that could change his life forever. Luckily, he does have one thing in his favor: He’s a a genius.“

Bringing Up Bebe by Pamela Druckerman3 Books Just For Fun

  1. Bringing Up Bebe by Pamela Druckerman – I actually started reading this already but since my current book club pick, Casual Vacancy by JK Rowling is a bit long and time consuming, I’ve temporarily set it aside so that I can hopefully finish on time. I’ll hopefully be reading this one again ASAP as I’m really enjoying it. “When American journalist Pamela Druckerman has a baby in Paris, she doesn’t aspire to become a “French parent.” French parenting isn’t a known thing, like French fashion or French cheese. Even French parents themselves insist they aren’t doing anything special. Yet, the French children Druckerman knows sleep through the night at two or three months old while those of her American friends take a year or more. French kids eat well-rounded meals that are more likely to include braised leeks than chicken nuggets. And while her American friends spend their visits resolving spats between their kids, her French friends sip coffee while the kids play.” (Finished April 10 – full review)
  2. Pretty in Plaid by Jen Lancaster – I kind of adore Jen Lancaster these days and I’m looking forward to diving into this book. “Think Jen Lancaster was always “like David Sedaris with pearls and a super-cute handbag?” (Jennifer Coburn) Think again. She was a badge-hungry Junior Girl Scout with a knack for extortion, an aspiring sorority girl who didn’t know her Coach from her Louis Vuitton, and a budding executive who found herself bewildered by her first encounter with a fax machine. In this humorous and touching memoir, Jen Lancaster looks back on her life-and wardrobe-before bitter was the new black and shows us a young woman not so very different than the rest of us.” (Finished April 30)
  3. Vixen by Jillian Larkin – “Jazz . . . Booze . . . Boys . . . It’s a dangerous combination. Every girl wants what she can’t have. Seventeen-year-old Gloria Carmody wants the flapper lifestyle—and the bobbed hair, cigarettes, and music-filled nights that go with it. Now that she’s engaged to Sebastian Grey, scion of one of Chicago’s most powerful families, Gloria’s party days are over before they’ve even begun . . . or are they? Clara Knowles, Gloria’s goody-two-shoes cousin, has arrived to make sure the high-society wedding comes off without a hitch—but Clara isn’t as lily-white as she appears. Seems she has some dirty little secrets of her own that she’ll do anything to keep hidden. . . . Lorraine Dyer, Gloria’s social-climbing best friend, is tired of living in Gloria’s shadow. When Lorraine’s envy spills over into desperate spite, no one is safe. And someone’s going to be very sorry. . . . From debut author Jillian Larkin, Vixen is the first novel in the sexy, dangerous, and ridiculously romantic new series set in the Roaring Twenties . . . when anything goes.”

If I had to guess what books I read this spring, these would be the highest on my list, but if you know me, you know this list is subject to change. What books are you planning to read this spring? If you are joining the Spring Reading Thing, let me know so I can cheer you on!

Nightstand 2013: February 27th

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So I’m a day late and a dollar short with my What’s On Your Nightstand update (I’ve been kind of busy caring for this cutie), but this is one of my favorite blog carnivals, hosted by the lovely ladies at 5 Minutes for Books so I wanted to quickly try and write up my little summary of my month of reading. Also I seriously need like 5 minutes alone with my computer or I might go absolutely insane.

Since I last nightstanded, I have read the following books:

  1. Trail of the Spellmans by Lisa Lutz – Finished January 28, 2013 – I have been such a huge fan of Lutz and the Spellman series and her books never disappoint. This was no exception although there is that little bit towards the end that I’m a little disappointed about! I am anxiously crossing my fingers for good (or at least better) things to come where that *being vague so as not to spoil* situation is concerned in the next novel. For those uneducated in all things Spellman, this is 5th in a series about a wacky, dysfunctional family of private investigators and what it’s like to grow up in a family with no concept of privacy or boundaries. Except a few mysteries and intrigues, a couple love stories, some seriously funny footnotes and family dinner scenes that will make your own family seem quite normal by comparison. Terrifically funny but also clever and insightful. These books truly have it all. – full review -
  2. Betsy-Tacy by Maud Hart Lovelace (reading with the kids) – Finished January 30, 2013 – I read this out loud to my 6 year old and 3 year old. My son, 6, enjoyed hearing about all the antics of best friends Betsy and Tacy. Though the frequent descriptions of their favorite fashions often bored him, Betsy’s amazing imagination and the adventures they found themselves in were adorable and held his interest. This was my first time reading the series and I’ll be continuing with his but probably on my own.
  3. Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling - Finished February 6, 2013 – I know that Mindy Kaling’s sense of humor is not for everyone but I’m a big fan. I really enjoyed this book – don’t expect anything more than what you might find in a book by Ellen Degeneres or Tina Fey. This is a fun, light hearted quirky read but with the potential I suppose to hurt some feelings. Particularly Rainn Wilson’s feelings. Kaling is occasionally opinionated and not prone to holding anything back.
  4. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (February Book Club) – Finished February 12, 2013 – This was definitely an interesting book with a lot of fun details. I really loved the Every Man Jack bit with all the different Jacks and the premise of the book in general was very good, the illustrations beautiful. I found the ending of the book a little rushed in some ways, but over all I really enjoyed it.
  5. Insurgent by Veronica Roth – Finished February 22, 2013 – While I thoroughly enjoyed devouring this book, I have to admit that I found the ending a bit disappointingly abrupt. I’m not sure if we have a Book Three to look forward to or not, but I would love for the story to be continued. I find the whole concept of the society in Divergent fascinating and after the ending of Insurgent, I am even more fascinated. I did find the love story to be a bit ridiculous at points, perhaps I am just getting a bit old for teen love stories. Still, unlike a lot of teen books, the Divergent series has so much more going for it than a love story and I did really enjoy the book overall.

This is like a crazy amount of books for me – I typically read closer to two books a month so this is downright insane. I’m not sure if it’s because I’m reading shorter books or occasionally reading more than one at a time or if I’m just staying up way too late reading right now. Maybe all of the above?

Right now I am reading three books. I know. Certifiable. Two are non-fiction and one is a middle reader / YAish kinda book:

  • The False Prince: Book 1 of the Ascendance Trilogy by Jennifer A. Nielsen : In a discontent kingdom, civil war is brewing. To unify the divided people, Conner, a nobleman of the court, devises a cunning plan to find an impersonator of the king’s long-lost son and install him as a puppet prince. Four orphans are recruited to compete for the role, including a defiant boy named Sage. Sage knows that Conner’s motives are more than questionable, yet his life balances on a sword’s point — he must be chosen to play the prince or he will certainly be killed. But Sage’s rivals have their own agendas as well.
  • The Essential Puppy  by Betsy Sikora Siino : A little non-fiction book that’s all about the basics of puppy parenting. Being a first time dog owner, I decided to go all New Dog Mom and buy a bunch of books so I can learn everything I never knew I wanted to know about dogs. The book is nice and informative but also concise and easy to read which is perfect for me right now. It has not yet taught me how to deal with the dog chewing all of our shoes and children and basically all of our belongings and peeing on the carpet after being walked three times in the last two hours with poise yet but I’m sure that’s covered in the next chapter.
  • Bringing Up Bébé: One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting by Pamela Druckerman : I’ve been reading about Druckerman’s books on French parenting for awhile now and something about her writing has really resonated with me, from what I’ve read online so I was anxious to get a copy of Bringing Up Bébé. Of course the minute I got the book in the mail, I had just adopted a puppy so I haven’t had much time to sit down and devour it yet, but I’m looking forward to it when I do.

If I manage to read anything else in the next month it will be The Casual Vacancy by JK Rowling, our March book club pick. The reviews of this book are kind of all over the place so I’m torn between being all “Yay, another JK Rowling book, it’s been too long!” and concerned I’m in for a major disappointment. I guess we’ll find out either way soon!

Anyway, that’s how things are looking around here. New puppy, so many books, so little time. Time to hit publish and get back to my new reality of things being chewed and peed upon.

Tuesday10: Momma’s 10 Favorite Books

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Tuesday10 officially has a new home at My Life as Mindy! This week’s prompt is open ended. Mindy shared 10 things about herself, a great way to get to know her if you haven’t been following her blog already. This week I thought I’d get all book nerd on you and share my 10 favorite books: my little list of must reads for anyone who’s ever thought “Jen has such awesome taste in books, I wonder what books I should read if I wanted to be just like her!” Anyone?

  1. First off, everybody loves The Hunger Games and I definitely love me some YA dystopian novels but one of my favorites that you absolutely must read if you want to Be Like Jen is the Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld. This series has all the usual dystopian factors you’d expect but it’s far from predictable. I love the sort of made up language and dialect in this book. When you start adding a -la or -wa to the end of your name and tell your friends that something is nervous-making then you’ll know you’ve got the Uglies bug (which is a good thing, I swear). “Tally Youngblood is about to turn sixteen, and she can’t wait for the operation that turns everyone from a repellent ugly into a stunningly attractive pretty and catapults you into a high-tech paradise where your only job is to party. But new friend Shay would rather hoverboard to “the Smoke” and be free. Tally learns about a whole new side of the pretty world and it isn’t very pretty. The “Special Circumstances” authority Dr Cable offers Tally the worst choice she can imagine: find her friend and turn her in, or never turn pretty at all. The choice Tally makes changes her world forever.”
  2. Everybody has that classic novel that they always throw into the ring when someone says “What’s your favorite book?” and you want to sound really smart. My favorite Smart Person Book is Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell. I read the book when I had just graduated from college and was feeling a little disappointed in myself for some less than polite choices I’d made. Reading Gone With the Wind kind of cured me and made me love myself again. I found myself admiring Scarlett no matter how many selfish or less than polite things she did or said and I figured, if I can find Scarlett’s actions forgivable then clearly I can forgive myself. And that’s probably more than you wanted to know about that! But seriously – this is a fantastic book with action and love and heartbreak and friendship and well, everything. Even a boy named Ashley. “Set against the dramatic backdrop of the American Civil War, Margaret Mitchell’s epic love story is an unforgettable tale of love and loss, of a nation mortally divided and its people forever changed. At the heart of all this chaos is the story of beautiful, ruthless Scarlett ‘O’ Hara and the dashing soldier of fortune, Rhett Butler.”
  3. While we’re talking about classics that I love, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen must be mentioned. Perhaps the best love story ever written and also terrifically funny once you get used to the older dialect and vocabulary. This is one of those books that I am mildly obsessed with and I know I am not alone. Much like my love of Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery, it’s kind of like saying you like Morgan Freeman. Obviously. “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.”
  4. I read The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman last year and it quickly earned “favorite” status with me. I adore Hoffman’s writing style and character weaving. This book is masterfully written. I love historical fiction and this is that genre at it’s absolute best. “In 70 C.E., nine hundred Jews held out for months against armies of Romans on Masada, a mountain in the Judean desert. According to the ancient historian Josephus, two women and five children survived. Based on this tragic and iconic event, Hoffman’s novel is a spellbinding tale of four extraordinarily bold, resourceful, and sensuous women, each of whom has come to Masada by a different path.”
  5. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern might be one of the best books I have ever read. It’s one of those books that sucks you in and captivates you from the beginning to the end. Beautifully written with an amazing love story – this is a book you absolutely must read or we’re not speaking anymore. “The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night. “
  6. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows was one of the first books that I read with my current book club and it continues to be one of my absolutely favorites. Written as a series of letters, this book is just masterful from beginning to end. ““ I wonder how the book got to Guernsey? Perhaps there is some sort of secret homing instinct in books that brings them to their perfect readers.” January 1946: London is emerging from the shadow of the Second World War, and writer Juliet Ashton is looking for her next book subject. Who could imagine that she would find it in a letter from a man she’s never met, a native of the island of Guernsey, who has come across her name written inside a book by Charles Lamb….”
  7. Lamb by Christopher Moore is one of my favorite “funny” books. The fictional story of Jesus as told by his best friend Biff is an excellent introduction to the world of Christopher Moore and probably his best book written. It’s crass and silly but also extremely well written and clever. “Verily, the story Biff has to tell is a miraculous one, filled with remarkable journeys, magic, healings, kung fu, corpse reanimations, demons, and hot babes. Even the considerable wiles and devotion of the Savior’s pal may not be enough to divert Joshua from his tragic destiny. But there’s no one who loves Josh more — except maybe “Maggie,” Mary of Magdala — and Biff isn’t about to let his extraordinary pal suffer and ascend without a fight.”
  8. I love me a good memoir of any kind and Jen Lancaster has become one of my favorite memoir-style authors. Such a Pretty Fat by Jen Lancaster is one of my favorites, chronicling her attempts at weight loss which were all too easy for me to relate to. This will be the funniest weight loss book you ever read. “To whom the fat rolls…I’m tired of books where a self-loathing heroine is teased to the point where she starves herself skinny in hopes of a fabulous new life. And I hate the message that women can’t possibly be happy until we all fit into our skinny jeans. I don’t find these stories uplifting; they make me want to hug these women and take them out for fizzy champagne drinks and cheesecake and explain to them that until they figure out their insides, their outsides don’t matter. Unfortunately, being overweight isn’t simply a societal issue that can be fixed with a dose healthy of positive self-esteem. It’s a health matter, and here on the eve of my fortieth year, I’ve learned I have to make changes so I don’t, you know, die. Because what good is finally being able to afford a pedicure if I lose a foot to adult onset diabetes?”
  9. The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde, and all the Thursday Next books, is one of my favorite Smart Funny books. It is an English Major’s paradise with some awesome sci-fi twists thrown in. These books always take me awhile to get through as the plots are incredibly complex – but it is always worth the ride. “Welcome to a surreal version of Great Britain, circa 1985, where time travel is routine, cloning is a reality (dodos are the resurrected pet of choice), and literature is taken very, very seriously. England is a virtual police state where an aunt can get lost (literally) in a Wordsworth poem, militant Baconians heckle performances of Hamlet, and forging Byronic verse is a punishable offense. All this is business as usual for Thursday Next, renowned Special Operative in literary detection, until someone begins kidnapping characters from works of literature. When Jane Eyre is plucked from the pages of Brontë’s novel, Thursday must track down the villain and enter the novel herself to avert a heinous act of literary homicide.”
  10. Lastly, having just finished devouring Trail of the Spellmans last night, I am reminded why The Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz has become one of my very favorite series books. Light quirky mystery books centering around Isobel Spellman and her family of private investigators – these books are hysterical and cleverly written with the funniest footnotes you will ever read. I love a book with great attention to detail – the kind where you find yourself reading every inch, the cover, the spine, the appendix – just to check for little nuggets of carefully included funny. This is one of those books. “Meet Isabel “Izzy” Spellman, private investigator. This twenty-eight-year-old may have a checkered past littered with romantic mistakes, excessive drinking, and creative vandalism; she may be addicted to Get Smart reruns and prefer entering homes through windows rather than doors — but the upshot is she’s good at her job as a licensed private investigator with her family’s firm, Spellman Investigations. Invading people’s privacy comes naturally to Izzy. In fact, it comes naturally to all the Spellmans. If only they could leave their work at the office. To be a Spellman is to snoop on a Spellman; tail a Spellman; dig up dirt on, blackmail, and wiretap a Spellman.”

So those are some of my favorites – the books you must read if you wish to join (start?) my Jen Fan Club – I could list more, but then it wouldn’t be a Tuesday10. But this should get you started!

So what are some of your favorite Must Read books?

Things are pretty simple around here and there is only one requirement for Tuesday10… Make a list of 10 things and share it!



Nightstand 2013: January 22nd

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What's On Your Nightstand carnival @ 5 Minutes For BooksIt’s hard to believe that it’s already time for the first Nightstand post of 2013! I’ve been having a pretty good reading month since the New Year and have just finished reading my third book of the year. That’s sort of a record for me, so to all you ladies with your time for reading more than one book a week, shhhh, don’t ruin it for me. lol Anyway, here’s a peek into my reading habits from the past month and what’s slated to be read next:

This month I have read:

  1. If You Were Here by Jen Lancaster – Finished January 2, 2013 – This book brought back so many memories of house buying in the most hysterical ways. I have been a fan of Lancaster’s memoir type books for awhile and really enjoyed reading a novel from her. It reads like her non-fiction books (funny and easy to relate to) except the antics get even crazier since her imagination is now the limit to how awful a house could be and all the things which could go wrong. Very funny stuff!
  2. Delirium by Lauren Oliver – Finished January 9, 2013 – This was such a fascinating book. I love the concept of a world where love is considered a disease and one which all the world’s problems can be rooted back to. It was so interesting to read Lena’s thoughts and feelings towards love or “deliria” from the beginning of the book to the end – to witness the same society in a number of different lights as Lena counts down the days to when she will be cured from love and finally be safe – or alternately, to when the chance for love will be taken from her forever. Looking forward to book two! – full review -
  3. Orange is the New Black by Piper Kerman (January Book Club) – Finished January 20, 2013 – I thought this book was really interesting and well written. Being able to get that “fly on a wall” look at life inside a prison for a year – and even a couple of different types of prisons – was kind of cool. Kerman serves as a great narrator for this book as she seems like someone who gets along with pretty much anyone. She befriends a lot of different people and also makes for a narrator that is easy to relate to.
    I also like that she takes the time to talk about all the times in her life that she could have asked for help or done something different – and the choices that she has made that brought her to her situation. It is the kind of book that you can learn a lot from without feeling like you are being preached at or lectured. Well written, interesting and easy to read – can’t ask for much more than that!

Last night I started reading Trail of the Spellmans by Lisa Lutz, fifth in a series of funny mystery books about a crazy family of private investigators. Lutz has quickly become a favorite author of mine and I’ve been anxious to read this installment for awhile. I’ve also been reading Betsy~Tacy by Maud Hart Lovelace with MM. We’re about halfway through the book and really enjoying reading it together. In the first book the main characters are five years old and their antics are very easy for MM to relate to and it’s been fun reading the story and experiencing it with MM.

My reading plans for February will likely include:

  • The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman – our February book club pick
  • Insurgent by Veronica Roth – I’ll only be able to keep myself away from this book, the sequel to Divergent, for so long.
  • After this I’m not sure – I have a ton of great books to choose from and it’s really going to depend on how quickly I read the three books above.

What have you been reading lately?

Best Books From 2012

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In 2012 I managed to read 31 books! That’s a little less than last year, but still a pretty good number all told. I thought I’d do a little Yearbook Style recap – giving a few books the superlative honor of being mentioned.

Best Book Read in 2012: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern – Finished August 25, 2012 – Every now and then a book comes along that is so perfect, it kind of ruins all other books for you once you’ve finished it. I have a feeling this will be one of those books for me. I thoroughly adored this book, lingering over the beautiful writing and falling in love with the story. I didn’t want it to end. – full review -

Favorite New Author: Alice Hoffman – I read three of her books in 2012, my absolute favorite being The Dovekeepers (our June Book Club Pick) - finished June 20, 2012 - I really enjoyed this book – more so than I even expected. It was really masterfully written in my opinion, unweaving more of each character’s stories as you read – each character bringing a new dynamic and a new angle to the whole book. I truly just loved it.

Biggest Surprise Read: The Latehomecomer: A Hmong Family Memoir by Kao Kalia Yang (October Book Club Pick) – Finished October 23, 2012 – I really loved this book – I knew next to nothing about the Hmong people and their struggles and found this book to be an excellent way of learning about them. Yang’s writing is vibrant and compelling, her story and the story of her ancestors was fascinating. There were a few moments in this book that just struck me as odd, but on the whole I really enjoyed it. Yet another example of a book I might never have read if not for my book club, that I’m really really glad I got the chance to read.

Funniest book: I read some pretty hysterical books this year by authors like Ellen Degeneres, Tina Fey, Carrie Fisher and Caitlin Moran, but the absolute best was Let’s Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson - Finished May 8, 2012 - I loved this book even more than I was expecting to (picture me three weeks ago hassling the mail man and my husband about why the book wasn’t here yet already minus the hassling the mail man part because I only did that in my head). This memoir is not only laugh out loud (seriously) hysterical in a way that had me shaking the bed at night while my husband was trying to sleep and occasionally wanting to wake him up on purpose so I could read sections outloud… it was also insightful and touching in all the ways that Jenny’s blog posts often are. If you are a fan of her blog or even if you’re not… read this. But be forewarned, there will be a lot of dead animals. – full review -

Best YA Dystopian Series: This is one of my favorite genres and I have read some really great ones over the years. In 2012, my favorite new-to-me series was Divergent by Veronica Roth - Finished October 7, 2012 - I really liked this story – the plot and the dystopian setting were fascinating and the main character was very likable even in her most naive moments. While her love story occasionally irritated me, the main storyline of the book kept me reading on late into the night until I’d finished it. Looking forward to book two! – full review -

Best Historical Fiction read: These Is My Words by Nancy E. Turner (February Book Club Pick) – Finished February 22, 2012 – I really loved this book. Though it was a bit slow to get into initially (mainly due to the dialect and the main character’s poor grammar early on), this story really sucked me in. One part Oregon Trail meets the Arizona Territories, one part epic love story that rivals Scarlett and Rhett, one part coming of age story that follows our main character from a young, naive girl of 17 to an experienced mother and housewife approaching her thirties. – see my book review -

And the Rotten Tomatoes Award for book I enjoyed the least goes to : Radioactive: A Tale of Love and Fallout by Lauren Redniss – Finished September 12, 2012 – While I enjoyed reading about the life and work of Marie & Pierre Curie, I have to say, I would have preferred a more traditional narrative that delved into further detail. I found a lot of areas of their lives I would have loved to know more about that weren’t able to be fleshed out. That said, the format of the book was interesting and easy to read and some of the illustrations and photographs were interesting – and I was able to finish it easily in 3 nights.

Here is a full list of all the books I read last year, for anyone interested.

What was the best book you read last year?

nightstand: december 27th

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What's on your nightstand @ 5 Minutes for Books

Can you believe that the month, and along with it 2012, is almost over? The ladies at 5 Minutes for Books decided to post the What’s On Your Nightstand carnival a couple of days late due to Christmas, so here’s a peek into my reading habits from the past month and what’s slated to be read next.

I’ve been reading a bit more than usual this month, or perhaps just tackling smaller stories – a couple of YA / middle reader type books and a small Jane Austen novel proved to be very quick reads, in addition to my last book club pick and a pretty intense Alice Hoffman novel. It has been a good month of reading to end a good year of reading.

This month I read:

  1. The Geography of Bliss by Eric Weiner (November Book Club Pick) - Finished November 27, 2012 – I really enjoyed both the concept of this book and the author’s writing style and humor. It was fascinating to read about the way of life in so many different countries – and what makes the people there happy or unhappy, what makes these places tick. And despite being a self professed “grump”, I found the author terrifically funny and his writing easy to enjoy. – full review -
  2. The Story Sisters by Alice Hoffman – Finished December 6, 2012 – This was a much darker story than I anticipated reading, but it was beautifully written and quite moving. I did feel that the ending left much to be desired – this was not, at any point, a “feel good” kinda story but it has definitely left a lasting impression on me. – full review -
  3. Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen – Finished December 14, 2012 – This was such a different Austen experience from previous books of hers that I’ve read. It was fun to read her poking fun at essentially her own usual genre in this very satirical and light hearted novel – and I definitely found myself rooting for the heroine, despite her major naiveté. My only complaint with the book is that all of the major obstacles in the book were resolved almost as soon as they were brought up – everything tied neatly with a bow. I’m sure that this was her intention, being a light satire and not her usual literary endeavor, but I much prefer her “usual literary endeavor” – this was a fun, light read and I enjoyed it, but by no means adored it as I have her other works.
  4. Home For the Holidays (Mother Daughter Book Club #5) by Heather Vogel Frederick – Finished December 18, 2012 – This was a nice easy winter read, perfect to be read around the holidays. The girls in the Mother Daughter Book Club read the Betsy Tacy books by Maud Hart Lovelace, which of course I am now dying to read myself. There is a LOT of boy drama and best friend fighting but it all gets worked out in the end with plenty of interesting things on the horizon bringing us into the next book in the series. I cannot recommend this series highly enough for tween or even teen girls. So refreshing and I love how the author ties the books they are reading into the plot of the story.
  5. The Teashop Girls by Laura Schaefer – Finished December 24, 2012 – This was a cute story – I thought it had good role models and would be great for young tween readers. I also loved all the references to Madison, WI. Any Wisconsinites will love reading about a story that takes place there with lots of references to places that a Madison dweller would recognize.

Right now I’m reading If You Were Here by Jen Lancaster and also flipping through The Collected Stories by Dylan Thomas – one is a terrifically funny novel about the sometimes painful process of buying a home, written by one of my favorite Funny Authors. The other is Dylan Thomas. Beautiful writing, but a bit odd and slow going. I’m not convinced I’ll finish it by the end of 2013, but we’ll see!

Books I’m planning to read next month as 2013 begins:

Delirium by Lauren Oliver - “THEY SAY that the cure for Love will make me happy and safe forever. And I’ve always believed them. Until now. Now everything has changed. Now, I’d rather be infected with love for the tiniest sliver of a second than live a hundred years smothered by a lie.”

Insurgent by Veronica Roth - “One choice can transform you–or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves–and herself–while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.”

Orange is the New Black by Piper Kerman (January Book Club Pick)- “A compelling, often hilarious, and unfailingly compassionate portrait of life inside a women’s prison. When Piper Kerman was sent to prison for a ten-year-old crime, she barely resembled the reckless young woman she’d been when, shortly after graduating Smith College, she’d committed the misdeeds that would eventually catch up with her. Happily ensconced in a New York City apartment, with a promising career and an attentive boyfriend, she was suddenly forced to reckon with the consequences of her very brief, very careless dalliance in the world of drug trafficking.”

There are a bunch of other really awesome looking books taking up space on my bookshelf, as Christmas was very kind to me, but these are the ones most likely to get read first, off the top of my head.

What book are you reading right now?

Which book are you most excited to read next?

Fall into Reading 2012: Wrap-Up

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Fall into Reading 2012 @ Callapidder DaysWinter is here dear readers and that means Christmas is only days away, along with my 30th birthday and the end of 2012. It also means that the Fall into Reading challenge hosted by Callapidder Days has officially ended!

I challenged myself to read 10 books this fall and the results are in! I finished my 10th book on the 18th of December after staying up WAY too late to do so. I really should have gone to bed and finished it the next night, but you know when a book gets to that sweet spot near the end and you know there is NO way you are putting it down until its done? Yeah, that happened. Regardless, I’m super proud of myself for finishing the challenge! The titles that I read changed a tad from my original posting, but my goal was more about number of books than actual titles and I did read a LOT of the original books I listed.

Here is what I read:

  1. Momma Zen by Karen Maezen Miller - Finished September 24, 2012 - This was one of those books that I read at just the right time. While I didn’t always agree with the author’s views, I did see myself in a lot of her stories – I think most parents will see themselves in a lot of their stories. And anyone who has ever struggled to live in the moment, relax and just be – this is a book for you.
  2. Divergent by Veronica Roth - Finished October 7, 2012 - I really liked this story – the plot and the dystopian setting were fascinating and the main character was very likable even in her most naive moments. While her love story occasionally irritated me, the main storyline of the book kept me reading on late into the night until I’d finished it. Looking forward to book two! – full review -
  3. Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman – Finished October 11, 2012 – I have to say, I did not enjoy this book as much as I’d been hoping – perhaps because I’ve seen the movie version so many times. Perhaps because I was expecting it to be as amazing a read as Hoffman’s The Dovekeepers. Either way, I did feel a little disappointed. Don’t get me wrong, the book is not bad by any means, it’s just not amazing. The book while essentially similar to the movie, had a lot of major differences which I know is common but what is less common is that I found myself preferring the movie version which seemed much more cohesive and well thought out, the characters more likable and the story a bit more exciting.
  4. The Latehomecomer: A Hmong Family Memoir by Kao Kalia Yang (October Book Club Pick) – Finished October 23, 2012 – I really loved this book – I knew next to nothing about the Hmong people and their struggles and found this book to be an excellent way of learning about them. Yang’s writing is vibrant and compelling, her story and the story of her ancestors was fascinating. There were a few moments in this book that just struck me as odd, but on the whole I really enjoyed it. Yet another example of a book I might never have read if not for my book club, that I’m really really glad I got the chance to read.
  5. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams - finished October 28, 2012 - I definitely liked the book, but I’m not sure I loved it as much as I was expecting to – I had a hard time settling into the story if that makes any sense. Maybe because of the constant changing of topic and the many, many made up words. Which I understand the reason for, I just personally struggled with it. I definitely plan to keep reading the series though and I definitely found it really funny.
  6. How To Be a Woman by Caitlin Moran – Finished November 6, 2012 - This book had a lot of Laugh of Loud moments and a truly insightful look into the world of women, feminism and life. There were also a lot of uncomfortable, pervy, crass moments. Caitlin Moran tells it like it is and has nothing to hide – so brace yourself. But on the whole, I did really enjoy this book and would recommend it with caution to anyone who is or will be a woman.
  7. The Geography of Bliss by Eric Weiner (November Book Club Pick) - Finished November 27, 2012 – I really enjoyed both the concept of this book and the author’s writing style and humor. It was fascinating to read about the way of life in so many different countries – and what makes the people there happy or unhappy, what makes these places tick. And despite being a self professed “grump”, I found the author terrifically funny and his writing easy to enjoy. – full review -
  8. The Story Sisters by Alice Hoffman – Finished December 6, 2012 – This was a much darker story than I anticipated reading, but it was beautifully written and quite moving. I did feel that the ending left much to be desired – this was not, at any point, a “feel good” kinda story but it has definitely left a lasting impression on me. – full review -
  9. Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen - Finished December 14, 2012 – This was such a different Austen experience from previous books of hers that I’ve read. It was fun to read her poking fun at essentially her own usual genre in this very satirical and light hearted novel – and I definitely found myself rooting for the heroine, despite her major naiveté. My only complaint with the book is that all of the major obstacles in the book were resolved almost as soon as they were brought up – everything tied neatly with a bow. I’m sure that this was her intention, being a light satire and not her usual literary endeavor, but I much prefer her “usual literary endeavor” – this was a fun, light read and I enjoyed it, but by no means adored it as I have her other works.
  10. Home For the Holidays (Mother Daughter Book Club #5) by Heather Vogel Frederick – Finished December 18, 2012 – This was a nice easy winter read, perfect to be read around the holidays. The girls in the Mother Daughter Book Club read the Betsy Tacy books by Maud Hart Lovelace, which of course I am now dying to read myself. There is a LOT of boy drama and best friend fighting but it all gets worked out in the end with plenty of interesting things on the horizon bringing us into the next book in the series. I cannot recommend this series highly enough for tween or even teen girls. So refreshing and I love how the author ties the books they are reading into the plot of the story.

I mentioned in my original post that I may or may not include Momma Zen in my challenge given that I started it before the challenge began. Well given that including Momma Zen means I can pat myself on the back and say I finished my challenge kinda makes me want to include it. But if you aren’t happy with that bit of number fudging, feel free to mentally subtract one book from my total if it makes you feel better. I’ll continue to stick my fingers in my ears and sing “la la la I can’t hear you, I’m so awesome!” though, okay?

Books I didn’t get to from my original list:

Buddha: A Story of Enlightenment by Deepak Chopra & Sarah’s Quilt by Nancy E. Turner : I still definitely want to read both of these books at some point, but they were both fairly dense books in terms of page count and / or writing style and I knew that reading either would be throwing in the towel on hitting my goal of ten books. I added in three extra titles not on my original list, so all told, I’d say I did pretty well staying on task.

How about a bit of superlative fun?

Best book read this fall: It’s a close call, but I’m giving that honor to Divergent by Veronica Roth. I do love me some dystopian YA fiction and this is a very promising story. I’m very impatient to read Insurgent now!

Worst book read this fall: I enjoyed all the books I read for the most part this fall, but I would say Hitchhikers Guide was the biggest disappointment because I was expecting to LOVE it and only liked it.

Biggest surprise read: I was thoroughly surprised at how much I enjoyed reading The Latehomecomer: A Hmong Family Memoir by Kao Kalia Yang and by how much I learned reading it. I didn’t know anything about the Hmong people at all before reading this and I’m willing to bet I’m not alone in that!

Thanks again to Kat @ Callapidder Days for hosting this reading challenge, I always enjoy it so much!

Did you participate in the Fall into Reading Challenge? How did you do? What was your favorite book from the fall?