Weekly Update

It's Monday!  What Are You Reading? is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey. Giveaway! Stop by author Kathryn Lively's Guest Post and comment for a chance to win a $10 Amazon Gift Card! Challenges I'm hosting the Dewey Decimal, Books in Translation, and Southern Literature Reading Challenges this year. I'd love to have you join in. Click the links for more details! Posted: Signed up for the 2nds Challenge Review: Fire by Kristin Cashore Review: Dreams Made Flesh by Anne Bishop Review: Inkheart by Cornelia Funke Read: Empire Falls by Richard Russo Second Hand Heart by Catherine Ryan Hyde The Thorn and the Blossom by Theodora Goss Currently Reading: Rise of the Evening Star by Brandon Mull The Bookseller of Kabul by Åsne Seierstad, translated by Ingrid Christopherson Footsteps in the Dark by Georgette Heyer The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, read by Jim Dale Up Next: I have committed to a Gone With the Wind readalong with my aunt starting around January 15. It will be my first time reading it. Go ahead. Get your exclamations of disbelief out of the way. :-) It's one of my aunt's favorite books (possibly even her very favorite), so hopefully she'll keep me on track. What are you reading this week? I have an affiliate relationship with Malaprop's, my local independent bookstore located in 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.

It's Monday!  What Are You Reading? is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey. I didn't find time to post last week with the holiday and all, so here's what I've done over the past two weeks. Posted: Signed up for the Immigrant Stories Challenge Review: The Fat Man: A Tale of North Pole Noir by Ken Harmon Review: When Santa Fell to Earth by Cornelia Funke, read by the author Character Connection featuring Deryn Sharp from the Leviathan series by Scott Westerfeld Review: The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J. K. Rowling Review: Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris, read by the author My Bookish Christmas Gifts Review: The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson, read by David Warner Review: Odd and the Frost Giants by Neil Gaiman Character Connection featuring Major Pettigrew from the novel by Helen Simonson, read by Peter Altschuler Review: People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks My Top Ten Books of 2011 2011 Reading in Review Read: Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes Currently Reading: Empire Falls by Richard Russo Second Hand Heart by Catherine Ryan Hyde The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, read by Jim Dale Up Next: I have to review The Thorn and the Blossom by Theodora Goss in a couple of weeks, so I need to actually read it soon! I've been itching to start since I got it in the mail. It is an absolutely gorgeous book, unlike anything I've ever even heard of. Click through the link and watch the book trailer. You will be amazed! What are you reading this week? I have an affiliate relationship with Malaprop's, my local independent bookstore located in downtown Asheville, NC; and Better World Books. I will receive a small commission at no cost to you if you purchase…

It's Monday!  What Are You Reading? is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey. Posted:Review: Ready Player One by Ernest Cline Review: The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman Review: The Invisible Ring by Anne Bishop Character Connection featuring Marianne Engel from The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson My sign up post for the European Reading Challenge My sign up post for The Eclectic Reader Challenge Read:The Fat Man: A Tale of North Pole Noir by Ken Harmon When Santa Fell to Earth by Cornelia Funke, read by the author Elliot and the Goblin War by Jennifer A. Nielsen Currently Reading:Empire Falls by Richard Russo Second Hand Heart by Catherine Ryan Hyde Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris, read by the author Up Next:I'm still hoping that Wolfsbane and Mistletoe becomes available for me at the library this week. I don't expect to finish anything, so no real plans for the next book yet. What are you reading this week? I have an affiliate relationship with Malaprop's, my local independent bookstore located in 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.

It's Monday!  What Are You Reading? is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey. Posted:Posted a sign-up page looking for Southern authors and those who work with them to guest post on my blog in a new feature called Saturdays in the South Review: The Odyssey by Gareth Hinds Review: The Greatest Generation by Tom Brokaw Review: Graceling by Kristin Cashore My Sign Up Post for the Middle East Reading Challenge My Sign Up Post for the Bookie Friends Favorites Challenge Read: Finally finished up Tales of H. P. Lovecraft. The Sweet Potato Queens' First Big-Ass Novel: Stuff We Didn't Actually Do, but Could Have, and May Yet by Jill Conner Browne with Karin Gillespie, read by the author From a Whisper to a Scream by Charles de Lint Currently Reading:The Fat Man: A Tale of North Pole Noir by Ken Harmon Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes When Santa Fell to Earth by Cornelia Funke, read by the author Elliot and the Goblin War by Jennifer A. Nielsen Up Next:I've put a few hold requests on some more Christmas audio, like Wolfsbane and Mistletoe, a paranormal short story collection. Other than that, I have no idea what I'll be in the mood for. I was actually going to grab Madame Tussaud by Michelle Moran when The Fat Man came flying out of my stacks at me, so maybe I'll get to that next. What are you reading this week? I have an affiliate relationship with Malaprop's, my local independent bookstore located in 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.

Welcome to my weekly update for December 5, 2011! It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey. Sign ups for the second year of my Southern Literature Challenge. There will [...]

It's Monday!  What Are You Reading? is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey. I've been a little AWOL recently, so here's what's been going on over the past two weeks: Posted:Review: 'Salem's Lot by Stephen King Review: Blankets by Craig Thompson Review: 84, Charing Cross Road by Helen Hanff Character Connection featuring Moses Froben from The Bells by Richard Harvell Review: Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See Read:Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford I had to return The Valleys of the Assassins and Other Persian Travels by Freya Stark to the library before I finished it. Someone had placed a hold on it so I couldn't renew it. Currently Reading:The Snow Queen by Mercedes Lackey The Wayside School Collection by Louis Sachar, read by the author Up Next:I am going on a weeklong cruise to the Western Caribbean on Saturday! I am going to try my best to only take my nook; that was my whole rationale for buying it in the first place! If I finish these, I'll start something really short that I can hopefully finish before Saturday. Or, I might start something on my nook itself. Hmm. Decisions... Events:I saw John Connolly, author of The Book of Lost Things, speak at Malaprop's on Thursday. I had such a good time! I will try my best to get a post written about the event, but I'll just say here that of the authors I've met, he was one of my favorites. If he's coming near you, go see him. Here's his tour schedule. What are you reading this week? I have an affiliate relationship with Malaprop's, my local independent bookstore located in downtown Asheville, NC; and Better World Books. I will receive a small commission at no cost to you…

It's Monday!  What Are You Reading? is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey. Posted:Character Connection featuring The Lilim from Stardust by Neil Gaiman Review: The Ruins by Scott Smith--Irritating, cardboard characters but nevertheless a page turner Read:The Curse of the Wendigo by Rick Yancey--I think I liked The Monstrumologist a little more, but I still liked this one The Greatest Generation by Tom Brokaw--I really liked this The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson, read by David Warner--I didn't care for the narrator and I expected a little more from the story. 'Salem's Lot by Stephen King--Stephen King. What more should I say? I'm a fan. Currently Reading:Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford--I literally just grabbed this from the stacks, but I have high hopes The Valleys of the Assassins and Other Persian Travels by Freya Stark--I've barely gotten started, so no real opinion on this yet either The Wayside School Collection by Louis Sachar, read by the author--These are some of the last books I remember a teacher reading aloud to my class. I'm having a lot of fun revisiting them. Up Next:Possibly The Killing Tree by Rachel Keener or The Painted Boy by Charles de Lint. What are you reading this week? I have an affiliate relationship with Malaprop's, my local independent bookstore located in 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.

It's Monday!  What Are You Reading? is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey. Posted: Review: The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff--Creepier than I expected. That's a good thing. Review: Horns by Joe Hill--Loving this guy Character Connection: The Morrigan Review: Frankenstein by Mary Shelley--I really, really dislike Victor Frankenstein. Read: The Everafter by Amy Huntley--The main character irritated me Currently Reading: The Curse of the Wendigo by Rick Yancey--I've just gotten started. I just hope my expectations aren't too high. The Greatest Generation by Tom Brokaw--Still enjoying this one The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson, read by David Warner--I'm not loving the narrator, but I do like the story Tales of H.P. Lovecraft is on the back burner for a bit. I got bogged down with one long story I just didn't care for. I'll get back to it soon though. Up Next: I really don't know. I don't expect to finish anything up this week. What are you reading this week? I have an affiliate relationship with Malaprop's, my local independent bookstore located in 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.

It's Monday!  What Are You Reading? is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey. Posted: Review: Ruined by Paula Morris--A ghost story that was a little too young and tame for my personal taste Review: The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey--Scared me to death! Highly recommended if you're looking for a good Halloween read! Character Connection featuring Ebola. (Yes, you read that right) Review: Cujo by Stephen King--I read this in one very slow shift at work. Oh, those were the days.... Read: Nothing! I am really enjoying H. P. Lovecraft, but he is slow going! Currently Reading: Tales of H.P. Lovecraft--Some genuinely freaky stuff in here The Greatest Generation by Tom Brokaw--Really, really enjoying this The Everafter by Amy Huntley, read by Tavia Gilbert--The main character is irritating me, but luckily it's short. Up Next: I've already downloaded The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson on audio, so that will be next. What are you reading this week? I have an affiliate relationship with Malaprop's, my local independent bookstore located in 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.

Welcome to my weekly update for October 010, 2011! It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey. It's beginning to look a lot like Halloween around here! I've been posting reviews of horror-ish books and diving headlong into more spooky reads. I'm hoping to devote Character Connection to villains this [....]