Update: Read 50 books in 2011

Well. I’m a tad lot behind. I’m currently reading book number 25, which puts me at exactly half way with 4 1/2 months to go. And a Master’s degree to start. Oh, and a full time job and a part time job. I’m betting that my 50 books goal (drastically cut back from my initial (poorly thought out) goal of 100 books in a year) will not be achieved. But I’m still reading away.

Lately, I’ve read:

The Hunger Games

I didn’t want to read this book for a long time because the premise freaked me out. It was a good book with a compelling (although bizarre and somewhat unbelievable) story but I was right – it sufficiently freaked me out. I got half way through the 2nd book before I had to take a break. I’ll pick it up again when I feel less creeped out.

The Carrie Diaries

I needed some light reading. This is the story of Carrie Bradshaw as a high school senior. Good YA reading. I love Candace Bushnell’s writing. The next book, Summer in the City is on hold for me at the library

From This Moment On

I always love to read about famous Canadians, and Shania Twain has such a compelling story. She has had a very interesting and heartbreaking life and she’s a great writer to boot. I’m glad I read it!

One Day

Ugh. Everyone raved about this book. It was slow for me in the middle and I wanted to throw the book across the train (where I was reading!) when I got to the end. Verdict? Huge waste of my time. Wish I had listened to my gut and not read it!

The Book of Negroes

This is an amazing book. I spent a fair bit of time sobbing for the characters. A fantastic writer. You must read this book.

and currently reading

The Wild Rose

This is the final book in one of my favourite series of all time (The Tea Rose and The Winter Rose). I’m half way through and it’s getting intense. I’m nervous for the characters! I don’t want the series to be over, so I’m trying to take my time.

 

The next few on my list are:

• Summer in the City by Candace Bushnell
• Triumph: Life after the cult by Carolyn Jessop (I read her first book and I’d like to keep following along with her story)
• Close your eyes by Amanda Erye Ward

Anything I should add? What have you read lately?

xox,

b

My Book Challenge: I’m failing miserably

Remember how I had that insanely lofty goal of 100 books in 2011? That’s a book every 3.65 days. I thought, oh, I’ll have lots of time when I can read a book a day and then it won’t be so bad when the long ones take up more time. Hahahahahaha. How silly I was. My brother got in his accident and life was thrown way off track, including book reading time (although, I must admit, I was already crazy behind before he hurt himself). I’ve decided to alter my goal to as many books as I can. Cop out, for sure. But then I won’t feel stressed to read!

Since my last update I’ve only finished a few books, but here they are. (All photos from Amazon.com)

Amber told me to read this book and I’m so glad I did. It was fantastic. A bit dark and twisty, romantic, suspenseful. I loved it (even though it took me forever to read. It’s got a complicated story line and I had to go slowly to make sure I had all my facts straight!)

This was on a “best Canadian reads” list and I’m so glad I picked it up. It’s about midwives in rural Nova Scotia in the early 20th century. It’s a great book to read if you’re at all interested in birth/midwives. The author actually even lives in an old birth house!

This is actually the 2nd of a trilogy. Born in Fire was the first book. Both of these (Fire and Ice) I’ve been listening as an audio book while commuting an hour each way to my teaching job on the weekends. It’s a great way to pass the time driving (and also helps to calm down any road rage!). My library has thousands of audio books I can download onto my iPod and then I just use my AUX jack in my car. I’m so glad I discovered it! These books are good – very Nora Roberts-esqe. No big deviation from her norm here, but it’s good light reading and it makes me dream of Ireland.

I mentioned this before I think, but I’m loving this book. It’s hilarious and bizarre. Definitely not for the easily offended, but I’m finding it (almost done – about 50 pages to go!) entertaining and light – just what I needed in my life right now.

This one is next on my list. The series I just can’t get enough of. I picked it up from the library yesterday and it still smells new

So there you have it. Feb/March reading.

As always – if you know a book I have to read, leave it for me in the comments so I can add it to my library list!

xox

b

Blog Book

I finally decided to make a blog book with my years of old posts. Unfortunately, it took me forever to compile everything because of the way I had saved my old blog before I deleted it. Oy.

Either way, I copy and pasted each old post into a word document separated by  year. Then I went to Lulu publishing and uploaded my word files into books. I had to separate my books from 2006-2008 and then 2009-2010. I went with the cheapest option of black and white, lower grade paper and soft cover, but there were lots of other options if you wanted to spend more money than I did. Including shipping and tax, I paid $36 for the two of them together.

So without further ado!

You could design the cover colours and pick different themes. I’m a tree girl. I like how they turned out.

 

For the price, I’m quite impressed with my books. Now I have printed copies of all my blog posts for history’s sake.

Anyone else attempted this?

xox

b

Books so far

I made a pact with T that I’d get all my books from the library this year. I also made sort of a secret bet with myself that I’d try to read 100 books this year. So far, I’ve read 5. Not too shabby.

They are (photos from chapters.ca):

Love love loved The Help by Kathryn Stockett. Great book about young white women and their black servants.

 

I originally got the Golden Mean by Annabel Lyon because she’s a writer from British Columbia. The book is a fictional account of Aristotle tutoring Alexander the Great. I found it interesting enough to keep reading, but quite graphic and sexual (almost out of the blue?).

 

The In Death series by J.D. Robb (pen name for Nora Roberts) is a guilty pleasure of mine. There are numerous (20+?) books in this series and this was the latest one. Indulgence in Death is like the rest of them – set in the future, a homicide cop and her multi billionaire gorgeous Irish husband solve a crime. I can’t help it. I read every one.

My sister gave me Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater which was the first book in this trilogy. It’s a young adult book about a girl who falls in love with a warewolf. This is book two. Quick read, definitely young adult fiction, but I want to read the third one, just to get the closure.

The Wife’s Tale by Lori Lansens was a great read. I really enjoyed the way she wrote the story. I felt very invested in the character. Lansens is another Canadian author and I’ve reserved her other two books from the library after reading this one. This is a story of a very overweight woman who’s husband left her on her 25th wedding anniversary (sounds depressing. It is a bit) and the story of her self discovery as she tries to find him and herself along the way.

 

So there you have it. 5 books down. The next one I have to read is The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton. I really love how I’ve so quickly fallen back into my love of reading. Any great book recommendations and I’d love to have them!

xox

b

Recent Reads

This is what I’ve read recently. (All images from Chapters.ca)

Totally disliked this book. Read it because I hate to not finish, but I found it wordy and drawn out. Confusing most times as she switches back and forth between first and third person constantly. This one is not worth the $20 price tag.

 

Loved this book. A recommendation from a friend and it didn’t disappoint. I read it quickly as I felt very invested in the story. I might pick up Carlos Zafon’s earlier novel as well now.

This was a blog recommendation (Megan was it from you??) and I loved it. Found it funny with a decent story line. My mom put it down after 4 pages saying Hugh Laurie was trying to be too witty. Yes, that Hugh Laurie.

Just finished this one and thoroughly enjoyed it as well. Insight into her experiences in women’s prison for a money laundering charge. Well written and interesting. I just wish I got more of what happened to everyone at the end.

This is my next read. Just picked it up. I haven’t heard spectacular things, but I can’t not read it since I love the Time Travellers Wife so much!

And of course, I’m reading HP7 again for the umteenth time because the movie is being released soon and I need to be refreshed. I could read these books over and over and over (and I do!)

 

Read anything good lately?

xox

b