Weekly Update

It's Monday!  What Are You Reading? is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey. Posted: Meeting the Authors: Kate DiCamillo Meeting the Authors: Rick Bragg Movie Review: The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies--2 Stars I also posted my sign-ups for the Eclectic Reader Challenge, European Reading Challenge, and Banned Books Challenge. Read: Maus: A Survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds History--A re-read for book club. It's still five stars. Maus II: A Survivor's Tale: And Here My Troubles Began--Five stars as well. I won't write another review of these fantastic graphic novels, but please read them for yourself. Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman--I've enjoyed listening to the BBC Radio 4 adaptation this week. You can listen free at the link for another couple of weeks. Currently Reading: Curtsies & Conspiracies by Gail Carriger Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal by Mary Roach Time Stops for No Mouse by Michael Hoeye, read by Campbell Scott Up Next: I probably won't finish anything except the audio book this week. I don't know what I'll be in the mood for then. But I am finally up to #2 on the hold list for the audio book of Cress by Marissa Meyer! What are you reading this week? I have an affiliate relationship with Malaprop's, my local independent bookstore located in beautiful downtown Asheville, NC; and Better World Books. I will receive a small commission at no cost to you if you purchase books through links on my site. My opinions are completely my own.

It's Monday!  What Are You Reading? is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey. I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and/or happy holiday and/or good week! I know I did. Posted: I posted the sign up pages for the three challenges I host. I try to keep my challenges attainable so you can read only one book and meet the challenge! If you're a fan, I do have higher levels in my challenges as well. I hope you see something you like and you decide to join me in one, two, or all! Books in Translation Reading Challenge Sign Up Nonfiction Reading Challenge Sign Up Southern Literature Reading Challenge Sign Up Read: The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry Interworld by Neil Gaiman and Michael Reaves, read by Christopher Evan Welch Currently Reading: Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal by Mary Roach--I read Stiff by this author several years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. I'm off to a good start with this one too. Maus I: A Survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds History by Art Spiegelman--This is a re-read for me and my choice for my book club's January read. None of them have ever read a graphic novel so I'm curious to see what they think of it. Up Next: I should finish Maus I quickly and move on to Maus II: A Survivor's Tale: And Here My Troubles Began. What can I say? My book club ladies were good sports when I insisted we had to read the whole story. I also just downloaded Time Stops for No Mouse by Michael Hoeye, read by Campbell Scott. Can you believe that it just dawned on me that I'm on a mousy theme here? It was all done subconsciously! I guess I wanted some (hopefully) happy mice in the mix too.…

It's Monday!  What Are You Reading? is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey. It's been a few weeks since I posted, but here goes. Posted: Review: Walden; or, Life in the Woods by Henry David Thoreau--2 Stars Happy Thanksgiving! (Including some books I'm thankful for) Winner of my five-year blogiversary giveaway--Alejandra C! Congratulations! Read: The League of Seven by Alan Gratz The Mummy Case by Elizabeth Peters, read by Susan O'Malley Mutation by Robin Cook "Hero of the Five Points: A Tor.com Original" by Alan Gratz (short story) Currently Reading: The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry Up Next: I need to choose a new audio book but I don't know what I'm in the mood for. I've been on the waitlist for the audio edition of Cress by Marissa Meyer since at least September. I've finally worked my way up to #3! That means I should have it within six weeks! Woohoo! (Yes, you do detect some sarcasm there. Oh well. At least it is available for me to checkout, eventually) What are you reading this week? I have an affiliate relationship with Malaprop's, my local independent bookstore located in beautiful downtown Asheville, NC; and Better World Books. I will receive a small commission at no cost to you if you purchase books through links on my site. My opinions are completely my own.

Welcome to my weekly update for November 24, 2014! It's Monday!  What Are You Reading? is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey. My five-year blogiversary was last Sunday and I completely forgot! I can't believe it's been so long already! Posted Five-Year Blogiversary Giveaway! (International) This I Believe, edited by Jay Allison and Dan Gediman: Book Review--4 Stars Lost Lake by Sarah Addison Allen: Book Review-3 Stars Read Walden; or, Life in the Woods by Henry David Thoreau--Finally finished! Woohoo! The Bone Garden by Tess Gerritsen, read by Susan Denaker Currently Reading The League of Seven by Alan Gratz Up Next As usual, I'll be choosing another audiobook as soon as I get this posted. I need to read a cozy mystery and a medical thriller to complete the Eclectic Reader Challenge. Do you have any recommendations for an audiobook in either category? What are you reading this week?

It's Monday!  What Are You Reading? is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey. Posted: Review: Dreadnought by Cherie Priest, read by Kate Reading--4 Stars Review: The Bat by Jo Nesbø, read by John Lee--1 Star 2014 One Book, One South hosted by the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance--I won't have time to join in but maybe you will! Read: Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger Currently Reading: Walden; or, Life in the Woods by Henry David Thoreau--I'm shifting all my actual reading time to this book. I've been dithering around with it for months now and I'm tired of looking at it! The Bone Garden by Tess Gerritsen, read by Susan Denaker Up Next: Nothing until I finish that dang Walden. Thoreau will not defeat me! What are you reading this week? I have an affiliate relationship with Malaprop's, my local independent bookstore located in beautiful downtown Asheville, NC; and Better World Books. I will receive a small commission at no cost to you if you purchase books through links on my site. My opinions are completely my own.

It's Monday!  What Are You Reading? is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey. I start to think that I'm getting caught back up after returning from vacation and then I remember that we still haven't sorted through our pictures and I need to start thinking about Christmas soon. Bear with me. Posted: Nothing. Read: Sorcery & Cecelia: or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot by Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories by Angela Carter This I Believe: The Personal Philosophies of Remarkable Men and Women, edited by Jay Allison and Dan Gediman To Kill a Warlock by H. P. Mallory Currently Reading: Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger Walden; or, Life in the Woods by Henry David Thoreau Up Next: As usual, I'll be looking for a new audiobook to download as soon as I post this. If I finish Etiquette and Espionage, I plan to focus all my attention on Walden for a while. Reading a page or two at bedtime is just taking too long. What are you reading this week? I have an affiliate relationship with Malaprop's, my local independent bookstore located in beautiful downtown Asheville, NC; and Better World Books. I will receive a small commission at no cost to you if you purchase books through links on my site. My opinions are completely my own.

It's Monday!  What Are You Reading? is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey. Whew! I just got back from vacation yesterday. We were fortunate to spend a week and a half in Hawaii for our 10th anniversary. We went on our honeymoon and decided to go back for this milestone. We went to the Big Island for the first time and we re-visited Kauai. We both thought that Kauai could not be as gorgeous as we remembered it being but it's actually even better. It's truly paradise. We left perfect weather and arrived home to snow on the ground! We occasionally get flurries this early, maybe even up to 1" but apparently we got something like 4-5" yesterday! Luckily the roads were too warm to get bad and it had mostly melted by the time we got home anyway. But still--I'm not ready for cold weather, especially not after our vacation! With all that said, I didn't get much done around here, but I did get a little reading done on the planes in between naps. Posted: Review: The Mysterious Howling by Maryrose Wood, narrated by Katherine Kellgren--4.5 stars. If you listen to audio books, you have got to check this one out! Read: Shadows on the Moon by Zoë Marriott--4 Stars Artemis Fowl and the Eternity Code by Eoin Colfer--4 Stars Currently Reading: I find myself in the middle of quite a few books. I'm not quite sure how that happened. Sorcery & Cecelia: or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot by Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories by Angela Carter Walden; or, Life in the Woods by Henry David Thoreau To Kill a Warlock by H. P. Mallory Up Next: I'll be looking for a new audio book…

It's Monday!  What Are You Reading? is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey. Posted: I slacked again. Nothing. Read: The Isle of Blood by Rick Yancey Lud-in-the-Mist by Hope Mirrlees The Mysterious Howling by Maryrose Wood, read by Katherine Kellgren Locke and Key: Welcome to Lovecraft by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodríguez Currently Reading: Well, I had started The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris but I'm not really in the mood for it so I'm going to set it aside for now. I'm still slowly plugging away at Walden; or, Life in the Woods by Henry David Thoreau. I just can't read more than a couple of pages at night before I fall asleep! I'm also slowly reading To Kill a Warlock by H. P. Mallory when I'm stuck inside on the treadmill. Up Next: I just grabbed He Is Legend: An Anthology Celebrating Richard Matheson off my shelf. That seems like a good option for the time being. What are you reading this week? I have an affiliate relationship with Malaprop's, my local independent bookstore located in beautiful downtown Asheville, NC; and Better World Books. I will receive a small commission at no cost to you if you purchase books through links on my site. My opinions are completely my own.

It's Monday!  What Are You Reading? is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey. Posted: Review: The Innocent by David Baldacci, read by David McLarty with Orlagh Cassidy--3 Stars Review: Good Harbor by Anita Diamant--3 Stars Review: The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin--4 Stars Read: Dreadnought by Cherie Priest, read by Kate Reading Currently Reading: The Isle of Blood by Rick Yancey Lud-in-the-Mist by Hope Mirrlees Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning, read by Joyce Bean I just realized this audio download isn't compatible with my phone, so I've moved onto.... The Mysterious Howling by Maryrose Wood, read by Katherine Kellgren Walden; or, Life in the Woods by Henry David Thoreau Up Next: I feel like I'm creeping through my current reads! They're good, I just never seem to have enough hours in the day. Hopefully I'll finish up The Isle of Blood in the next day or two so I can move on to one of my other library books. I'm leaning toward Locke and Key: Welcome to Lovecraft by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodríguez, because what's an October without a writer from the King family? I may go with The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris because I've never read the book and only seen about five minutes of the movie. That seems like a huge gap in my cultural knowledge. What are you reading this week? I have an affiliate relationship with Malaprop's, my local independent bookstore located in beautiful downtown Asheville, NC; and Better World Books. I will receive a small commission at no cost to you if you purchase books through links on my site. My opinions are completely my own.

It's Monday!  What Are You Reading? is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey. I went to Malaprop's for the book launch of The League of Seven by Alan Gratz on Friday. It's a middle-grade steampunk adventure. I had a great time and the book sounds like it's "full of awesome," which is what the author said he was going for. I can't wait to read it! I hope to write more about the event this week. Posted: Banned Books Week Review: In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak--4 Stars Banned Books Week Review: The Witches by Roald Dahl--4 Stars Banned Books Week Review: Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz--4 Stars Banned Books Week Review: Blubber by Judy Blume--3.5 Stars Banned Books Week Review: Fun Home by Alison Bechdel--4 Stars Read: The Awakening by Kate Chopin The Innocent by David Baldacci, read by Ron McLarty with Orlagh Cassidy Currently Reading: Lud-in-the-Mist by Hope Mirrlees Dreadnought by Cherie Priest, read by Kate Reading Walden; or, Life in the Woods by Henry David Thoreau Up Next: It's almost October and time for my annual horror-fest! I'm heading to the library on my lunch break tomorrow. I typically read a lot of Stephen King and Joe Hill in October but I'd like to branch out a little. I may pick up The Isle of Blood by Rick Yancey. Any other recommendations? What are you reading this week? I have an affiliate relationship with Malaprop's, my local independent bookstore located in beautiful downtown Asheville, NC; and Better World Books. I will receive a small commission at no cost to you if you purchase books through links on my site. My opinions are completely my own.