My nightstand and I have been having some disagreements lately as to what I want to read and what is readily available. My first trip to the library yesterday proved to be mostly stressful. I’d only been to the downtown library here, which I will certainly not be traveling to just for a book fix, but now I’m not sure I feel like driving the five minutes to our local branch either. Maybe this is normal outside of New England, but I was pretty surprised to find our library was nestled in the middle of a shopping center, like between the dry cleaners and the bank. Have I been spoiled by antique schoolhouses and small red brick buildings filled to the brim with books? This was like a small square room that someone haphazardly dragged some books into.
And what’s worse – I didn’t find a single book I felt like checking out. Not one. Do you even know who I am? How was this possible? It didn’t help that I had MM dragging himself behind me, whining, “No mommy – you don’t want to look at books!” desperate to get to the kids section, which was also lame. The only good thing I got out of the trip was the handy tip from one of the other parents there that the next town over has free water playground, or “splash park,” which I’m planning to check out this weekend.
But back to books. Here’s what I read this month:
- Angels & Demons by Dan Brown – Finished June 8, 2009 – Dan Brown seems to be amazingly good at leading his readers astray. I’m surprised I didn’t guess some of the many twists, after having read The Da Vinci Code, but I was honestly surprised every step of the way. Very enjoyable and thought provoking.
Um yeah, that’s it. Unimpressive, huh? To be fair, there was the whole moving thing. I started reading The Omnivore’s Dilemma shortly after finishing Angels & Demons, but I’ve put it down temporarily in favor of finding something lighter to read as I’m feeling a bit too exhausted at my night time reading for non-fiction, as much as I was enjoying it. The next book I picked up was The Year Of Pleasures by Elizabeth Berg which is beautifully written but it’s also the story of a newly widowed fifty-something. Depressing much? Did I mention I’m pregnant and hormonal? Part of me wants to read it anyway but part of me thinks that I might be a dumb little glutton for punishment.
Here are the books I’d LIKE to be reading:
Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen – I won this in a giveaway at Serendipity‘s blog and as soon as it shows up in the mail I’ll probably start reading it immediately. Here’s a snippet from the book description: “The Waverleys have always been a curious family, endowed with peculiar gifts that make them outsiders even in their hometown of Bascom, North Carolina. Even their garden has a reputation, famous for its feisty apple tree that bears prophetic fruit, and its edible flowers, imbued with special powers. Generations of Waverleys tended this garden. Their history was in the soil. But so were their futures.”
Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris – This is the first book in the Sukie Stackhouse series. It’s also the series that the tv show, True Bloods is based off of. I started renting the first season on Netflix a week or two ago and shortly after seeing the first two episodes I read about the book series online, which was oh so ironic. I am now “dying” to read this series and so seriously annoyed that my library system has like 70 holds of the first book already – I’m trying so hard not to buy books right now so this is really disappointing as I have been craving this book ever since I heard about it. I want it now. 😦
Finger Lickin’ Fifteen by Janet Evanovich – This just came out today actually and I probably have a long wait until I’ll be getting my hands on it, which is pretty disappointing because it is exactly the kind of light read I’m looking for right now. Stephanie Plum books always hit the spot for me.
So what’s on my nightstand? A bunch of other books that aren’t these books. They’re pretty heavy reading because a couple months ago I was really into that and I seem to have stocked up on that style. Silly Jen. Didn’t I know I’d be nine months pregnant and then I’d be the mother of a newborn? Light reading is just the only way to go, I’m thinking. So I’ll hold out for Garden Spells and continue hoping that these other books find their way into my possession soon (or other delightfully light books).