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 -

Right 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?

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.

It’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:

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?

Can you even believe that October is nearly over, Halloween practically around the corner? And you know what comes after Halloween? Turkey and an old man in a red suit stuffing himself down my chimney, hopefully with an armful of new books for yours truly. Also I turn 30. But let’s not think about that right now, let’s think about books read and books anticipating to be read… Let’s talk nightstands!

If you are new to the whole What’s On Your Nightstand meme, it’s hosted by the ladies at 5 Minutes for Books and it’s pretty self explanatory – blog about what you are reading, read recently or plan to read soon – the books that might make up the contents of your nightstand!

Since we last nightstanded, I’ve read two books:

1. 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 -
2. 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.

And I am very nearly finished reading this month’s book club pick (just in the nick of time!) The Latehomecomer by Kao Kalia Yang (October Pick): “In search of a place to call home, thousands of Hmong families made the journey from the war-torn jungles of Laos to the overcrowded refugee camps of Thailand and onward to America. But lacking a written language of their own, the Hmong experience has been primarily recorded by others. Driven to tell her family’s story after her grandmother’s death, The Latehomecomer is Kao Kalia Yang’s tribute to the remarkable woman whose spirit held them all together. It is also an eloquent, firsthand account of a people who have worked hard to make their voices heard.”

So what’s slated to be read next?

I picked up a used copy of the Hitchhikers’ Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams that is calling my name. It’s not currently on my Fall into Reading list but I’m planning to add it to my list since we’re allowed to edit them. I’ll also be reading the November book club pick, The Geography of Bliss by Eric Weiner. If I have any extra reading time, I’ll be picking one of the titles left on my reading challenge.

What are you reading right now?

It’s time for the first What’s On Your Nightstand post of Fall 2012! If you’ve never participated before, this is a fun bloggy meme hosted by the ladies at 5 Minutes for Books that is pretty self explanatory – blog about what you are reading, read recently or plan to read soon – the books that might make up the contents of your nightstand!

So here’s the thing. My Fall into Reading 2012 list was literally the last post I wrote, so I’m feeling a little bad about the practically duplicate posts of books I’m planning to read in the near future, but this post is a tiny bit different as it’s dealing mostly with the coming month and previous month only. So bear with me and I apologize if it feels like I’m repeating myself!

When we last Nightstanded I had just started reading  Fool by Christopher Moore and I was unsure if I’d finish it, due to the extreme vulgarity of the first few chapters. Somehow I actually managed to muscle through it and even somewhat enjoy the book. He tones down the vulgarity a tad just as the plot starts to pick up and it was all I needed to keep going. On my book list, I wrote “This was definitely not my favorite of Moore’s books though I did end up enjoying it. It took me awhile to get into the plot and look beyond the incredibly vulgar first few chapters, but the story itself is a good one and Moore’s writing style is funny and fun to read. I’d still recommend Lamb first and foremost to anyone wanting to read a Christopher Moore book.”

I also read:

1. 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.
2. 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.

While Radioactive was on my original list, Momma Zen was a spur of the moment choice, knocking my other two picks out of the running. Now I am in the thick of my Fall into Reading challenge and still trying to decide which books from my list to read next. I think I am going to read:

1. Divergent by Veronica Roth : “When sixteen-year-old Tris makes her choice. She cannot foresee how drastically her life will change. Or that the perfect society in which she lives is about to unfold into a dystopian world of electrifying decisions, stunning consequences, heartbreaking betrayals and unexpected romance.”
2. The Latehomecomer by Kao Kalia Yang (October Pick): “In search of a place to call home, thousands of Hmong families made the journey from the war-torn jungles of Laos to the overcrowded refugee camps of Thailand and onward to America. But lacking a written language of their own, the Hmong experience has been primarily recorded by others. Driven to tell her family’s story after her grandmother’s death, The Latehomecomer is Kao Kalia Yang’s tribute to the remarkable woman whose spirit held them all together. It is also an eloquent, firsthand account of a people who have worked hard to make their voices heard.”
3. Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman (if time permits): “For more than two hundred years, the Owens women had been blamed for everything that went wrong in their Massachusetts town. And Gillian and Sally endured that fate as well; as children, the sisters were outsiders. Their elderly aunts almost seemed to encourage the whispers of witchery, but all Gillian and Sally wanted was to escape. One would do so by marrying, the other by running away. But the bonds they shared brought them back-almost as if by magic…”

What are you reading right now?

I appear to be a day late and a dollar short, but better late than never – before I forget, let’s talk about What’s On Your Nightstand or rather, my nightstand.

Confused – this is a fun bloggy meme hosted by the ladies at 5 Minutes for Books that is pretty self explanatory – blog about what you are reading, read recently or plan to read soon – the books that might make up the contents of your nightstand!

Since we last talked nightstand stuff I’ve finished two books per usual really:

1. Then Came You by Jennifer Weiner – Finished August 8, 2012 - Like most of Jennifer Weiner’s books, this novel managed to tell a lot of different stories about a lot of different things that all tie back to each other in a messy but fantastic package. By having four characters telling their sides to an interlacing story, you really get a full picture of this slightly atypical story of becoming a parent. I also liked that the story felt very realistic even when unexpected things are happening. Her characters were very fleshed out making all of them easy to relate to even if at first you felt like you wouldn’t like them at all. I wasn’t entirely thrilled with the ending, which felt a bit too rushed and then neatly packed back up but on the whole this was a great story and definitely not your typical chick lit novel! – full review -
2. 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 -

Right now I’m reading Fool by Christopher Moore but frankly unsure if I’ll finish it. The first two chapters were, um, gross. And by gross I mean crude. And a bit raunchy. And by a bit, I mean, luckily there were a lot of words I didn’t entirely understand. But somewhere in chapter three a plot started to emerge and Moore seems to have at least temporarily let his characters take a break from shagging and such and moved on. I am grateful but skeptical that it will last long. But also oddly curious about the emerging plot which is apparently all based off of Shakespeare’s King Lear, told from the fool’s perspective, obvy. I actually haven’t read King Lear and I’m guessing the book would be funnier if I had. But the chapters I read last night were FAR better than the previous so I’m going to stick with it if only out of remembrance of Lamb, another Moore book which I absolutely adored.

Books I have slated to read soon include:

Radioactive: Marie and Pierre Curie, A Tale of Love and Fallout by Lauren Redniss – which my book club will be discussing in late September and is also the UW Big Read this year. “This highly visual book depicts the Curies discovery of radioactive power. Through her writing, Redniss, captures the complexity of the intersections between science, history, and biography. The images of the book were developed using a technique called “Cyanotype.”" I’m not sure how I feel about the coffee table book qualities of this book but I’m hoping that either way it will mean I’ll be able to flip through it somewhat quickly.

Unbearable Lightness by Portia de Rossi – I’ve been meaning to read this for awhile and almost started reading it the other night and was even enjoying it… sort of. Because really it’s hard to enjoy reading about someone’s eating disorder. So I suppose I’ll say I was fascinated. And that I feel I really should read it – as a mom and seemingly serial dieter, it seems like it should be required reading and also it’s terrifically well written from what I’ve read so far. So if I don’t finish Lamb, I’m planning to pick this one back up and deal with the fact that the subject matter is a bit scary to me.

Buddha: A Story of Enlightenment by Deepak Chopra – This is another book I might read soon, possibly alongside my husband. We’re both very interested in Buddhism and have taken up the habit of occasionally reading various spiritual / religious books together and then discussing them. I mentioned this book in my last nightstand but haven’t gotten to it yet, probably because it isn’t actually ON my nightstand! Remind me to remedy that!

What are you reading right now?

I feel like I literally just wrote up my What’s On Your Nightstand post (a fun bloggy meme hosted by the ladies at 5 Minutes for Books that is pretty self explanatory) for June, but nope, it really has been another month – another busy month with a lot of travel and much less blogging than usual. May the following month bring less travel, less appliances dying and more reading AND blogging. This is my wish.

Anyhow, I know I’m like three days late and several dollars short, but I don’t want to miss out on a chance to tell you about all the books I haven’t been reading, SO…

Since we last talked nightstandy stuff I’ve finished two books and naughtily abandoned one:

1. Crossed (Matched Book 2) by Ally Condie - finished July 3, 2012 - I don’t know that I enjoyed this quite as much as the first book – the love story started to get a little bit much, very “swoony” – but the overall plot of the story continues to intrigue me and I’m looking forward to seeing what happens in book three.
2. Wishful Drinking by Carrie Fisher - Finished July 16, 2012 - I really enjoyed this memoir. Carrie is terrifically funny and i learned a lot about her reading this book. a short, fun read.

I didn’t finish The Poisoner’s Handbook by Deborah Blum, our July book club pick mostly because of being on vacation and not doing much of any reading due to staying out late every night and spending time with family and friends instead of reading – I know, who does that? While I found this book to be well written and interesting, the subject matter was a little much for me. When I didn’t finish it in time for the meeting and then heard lots of spoilers at said meeting (all dealing with death of one person or another because well it’s a book about poison), I lost interest and decided to read something lighter instead. Like about surrogate pregnancies and all the shenanigans that can be involved in such arrangements!

Right now I’m reading Then Came You by Jennifer Weiner, whom I puffy hearts adore. Goodreads says about this novel, “The lives of four very different women intertwine in unexpected ways in this new novel by bestselling author Jennifer Weiner (In Her Shoes; Best Friends Forever). Each woman has a problem: Princeton senior Jules Wildgren needs money to help her dad cure his addiction; Pennsylvania housewife Annie Barrow is gasping to stay financially afloat; India Bishop yearns to have a child, an urge that her stepdaughter Bettina can only regard with deeply skepticism until she finds herself in a most unexpected situation. Interlocking dramas designed to ensnare; bound to be a bestseller.” I’m about 5 or 6 chapters in and already hooked.

Next month our book club will be discussing The Princess Bride by William Goldman which I read last summer so I’ll need to brush up on that in addition to likely reading some of the following books:

• Buddha: A Story of Enlightenment by Deepak Chopra – I just bought this on Amazon and I’m looking forward to reading it soon, possibly alongside my husband. We’re both very interested in Buddhism and have taken up the habit of occasionally reading various spiritual / religious books together and then discussing them. I thought this would be a good one to read together soon.
• Glamorous Illusions by Lisa T. Bergren – I downloaded this onto my kindle a few months ago and have been meaning to read it. Description from Amazon “When Cora Kensington learns she is the illegitimate daughter of a copper king, her life changes forever. Even as she explores Europe with her new family, she discovers that the most valuable journey is within. The first book in the Grand Tour series takes you from the farms of Montana through England and France on an adventure of forgiveness, spiritual awakening, and self-discovery.”

Or something else entirely. I’m planning to try and read some of the books that have been taking up precious space on my bookshelves, and likely some of the lighter books because that feels appropriate for the summer. I’m not feeling the need to commit too closely to a reading schedule right now, preferring to see where the remaining summer months take me.

How about you? What are you reading right now?

June is silently slipping away and it is time once more to join in with the ladies at 5 Minutes for Books with yet another monthly Nightstand post. New to this fun meme? Just write a blog post about the books you’ve read recently, are currently reading or plan to read soon – essentially “What books are on your nightstand?” It’s incredibly open ended and a nice chance to talk about books with fellow bloggers, get some recommendations for new things to read and also a fun way to chronicle your reading habits.

Since we last nightstand-ed, I’ve actually only finished one book! Can you believe it? But it was one lengthy yet fantastic book that was well worth the time.

1. The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman (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.

Right now I’m reading the sequel to Matched by Ally Condie, this one titled Crossed. I’m about 30% through it (I’m on a Kindle kick right now) and enjoying it though I’m still not sure if I’m liking it as much as the first book. It shows a lot of promise and I still find the plot concept to be very interesting. You know I love a good YA dystopian novel!

So what’s slated to be read next? I’m honestly not entirely sure. Summer makes me less willing to make bookish plans and frankly I have sooooooooooo many choices that I’m a tiny bit overwhelmed. I just got a handful of novels by Alice Hoffman from amazon.com after finishing The Dovekeepers so I’m considering them but also dabbling with sticking to some lighter, quicker reads to breeze through the summer months with. Some Jennifer Weiner perhaps? Or any of the dozens of free books that I’ve downloaded onto my Kindle over the past couple years? The only book that seems certain at the moment is our next book club pick:

• The Poisoner’s Handbook by Deborah Blum: “Deborah Blum, writing with the high style and skill for suspense that is characteristic of the very best mystery fiction, shares the untold story of how poison rocked Jazz Age New York City. In The Poisoner’s HandbookBlum draws from highly original research to track the fascinating, perilous days when a pair of forensic scientists began their trailblazing chemical detective work, fighting to end an era when untraceable poisons offered an easy path to the perfect crime.“

Apart from that, I’m planning to keep things simple and just read what’s appealing to me.

How about you? What are you reading right now?