Well lovies, another month has come and gone and it’s time for another What’s On Your Nightstand? post – which is a blogging carnival hosted by 5 Minutes For Books. For anyone new to this carnival, the premise is fairly simple : write a post about whatever you are currently reading, recently read and / or plan to read next. You could even take a picture of said books if you so desire.

So in the past month I’ve read:

1. American on Purpose by Craig Ferguson – Finished August 1, 2010 – This is one of the better memoirs I’ve read – I love Craig and his talk show and reading about his life was a lot of fun. Craig’s life reads like something out of fiction – so much has happened to him and he’s really come along way – and his writing style is clever and funny. I really enjoyed this one from beginning to end. [FIVE STARS]
2. Peony in Love by Lisa See – Finished August 13, 2010 – There were things I liked about this one and other things I didn’t like. I felt like the plot on a whole was very interesting and unique but sometimes the main character seemed way too slow to pick up on really obvious things. I much prefered See’s previous book, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan but it was still a good book for the most part. [THREE STARS]
3. She’s Gone Country by Jane Porter – Finished August 23, 2010 – This was my third Jane Porter novel and like the previous two I really enjoyed it. Her conversational writing style makes the sometimes heavy subject matter easy to digest – and feels like a friend telling you a story. I love this new genre of “mom lit” – chick lit but so much better. I also really enjoy how the characters from Porters other books end up making appearances in the other books – so none of their stories ever really end – very true to life. [FOUR STARS] – full review–

Right now I’m reading The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows which is a book I’m sure most of you have heard of and probably even read by now. I am very late to joining this bandwagon but so glad I finally jumped on – a book club I’m  planning to join has this slated as it’s next book and that was just the kick in the pants I needed to finally find a copy to read.

The book is written in the form of a series of letters – a format I’ve seen before and not always enjoyed. Writing a book in this fashion is not easy but this one… this one really works. The writing style is just perfect and you really do get lost in the story. I’m only about 30 pages in as I started it last night but already… love. My only complaint is the lack of actual chapters because it’s hard to put a book down when your still in the thick of it – and this book so far feels like it’s always in the thick of it.

When I finish this book, I plan to read:

• That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo – this is the book club’s pick for October so it seems likely that I’ll pick this one up soon.
• The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan – this is next book up for me in the Percy Jackson series and I’ve been eager to get my hands on a copy – I know my husband is getting impatient to read this next installment also.
• Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery – I’ve never read this classic series and lately I’m obsessed with finding a copy for myself. This one I will likely just buy in the hopes that little BB will want to read it also someday.

What are you reading right now?