Reading Stack (No Sitting Books!)

My daughter left her reading book at school.

I don't recommend leaving the book you need to read at school. I told her so in many different dialects. Mostly upset, aggravated ones.

I then dragged my butt away from the New Jersey Devils v. New York Rangers hockey game screaming on my TV, and skipped us both to the library.

We were only going to check out the book she needed so she could get her homework done, I swear.

Who am I kidding. I came home with a stack of books.

So this is what I'll be reading for the next three weeks. And I really hope to read, rather than watch books sit, which is what I did last time I brought a stack home from the library.

Watching books sit doesn't get books read. To watch books sit, you use renewal after renewal until there are no more renewals left, and the sitting books have to go back to the library...unfinished.  Unfinished books!  The thought makes me cringe.

So here's my stack:

Beautiful books waiting to be cracked open

Feed by M.T. Anderson

Initially, I read a few blog reviews which sparked my interest. At the library, I found Feed standing upright on top of a bookshelf, instantly recognized the cover, and grabbed it hoping for some creepy distopian flavor. We shall see!

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kid

I haven't been Ms. Avid Reader this year. In fact, I've started so many books I haven't finished it's quite embarrassing. I'm so behind on all the popular reads in the past several years, not to mention the box office-hyped movies that come from these books. I've heard enough about this one to predict it will make me cry. I scanned the book flap to gather what could possibly come from a bunch of bees. When I read that it's “about mothers and daughters and the women in our lives who become our true mothers,” I knew The Secret Life of Bees wanted to come home with me.

Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu

The Immortal Fire, Book #3 of Ursu's Cronus Chronicles, sat on the shelf next to this one. I still need to read The Immortal Fire to complete the series, but Breadcrumbs is Ursu's latest. Since I'm not ready to experience the end of a fun series, I picked up Breadcrumbs instead. I'll check out The Immortal Fire next time.

The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown

A no brainer for me. I've read every other Dan Brown book and he does not disappoint. Plus, I'm already invested up to Chapter 77 in the paperback version. Since I am in constant fear of ruining the pristine spine of a loaned book, I figured I'd return it to the owner and finish the book on the library's dime. I'll probably finish this one first before reading the others.

Writer's Market 2012

I check out the most current copy of Writer's Market whenever I get the chance, to peruse writing opportunities and gather fresh writing ideas. Not only does Writer's Market provide me with tons of great information, it inspires me.  My pen needs inspiration for the page, as well as my brain for the keyboard. Ultimately, I need to write.

And read.

I need to read.

No more sitting books allowed.

Trip to Library and Writing Goal #1: POEM Haiku for Leighton

Took a trip to the library yesterday, and as usual, left with a hefty stack of books.  Not sure how long it will take me to read these bad boys, as I'm not putting a time limit on myself, but I will have plenty to read for the upcoming Oct. 9th Read-A-Thon  (More on this in another post.  And I hope some of you will join me!) 

The list:

Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer retold by Peter Ackroyd

Alice I Have Been by Melanie Benjamin

The Immortal: Book 3 of the Cronus Chronicles by Anne Ursu

The Crowning Glory of Calla Lily Ponder by Rebecca Wells

All In One Place by Carolyne Aarsen

Dismantled by Jennifer McMahon

I read the Canterbury Tales in college but found them extremely difficult to get through without the helpful translation of my professor.  I loved the stories though, (and wrote one myself as an assignment - I'll have to post that to share soon) so here's a retelling that I can read and hopefully enjoy in modern day English!  I can't wait to revisit the tales of the The Knight, The Wife of Bath, The Cook, The Friar, etc.  They were actually hilarious tales that were "a mirror for medieval society."

Also in college literature classes I became fascinated with Charles Dodgson, better known to most as Lewis Carroll, the infamous author of Alice in Wonderland.  So when I heard about Alice I Have Been, a historical fiction novel based on the original Alice who inspired Mr. Dodgson to spin his legendary tale, I knew I had to get my hands on it fast!

The Immortal Fire is the third book in a series that I started reading when my daughter brought home the first book, The Shadow Thieves.  She never got around to reading it so I, being the book raptor that I am, snatched it up and read it in a couple days.  What fun it turned out to be!  I love children's novels that spark the imagination and tell a story with such rich description and believable characters.  So I read The Siren Song next and the mythological fun pulled me towards the 3rd installment in the series.  Can't wait to get back into the adventures of cousins Zee and Charlotte!  

Rebecca Wells had me with The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood.  So much so, that I read both follow-ups: Ya Yas in Bloom and Little Altars Everywhere pronto upon completion.  My love for all three of these fantastic novels makes reading The Crowning Glory of Calla Lily Ponder a no-brainer, regardless of an entirely new set of characters.  Rebecca Wells paints worlds where you want to be, and I can't wait to enter another of her worlds again soon!

All in One Place and Dismantled are both random picks.  I like to surprise myself by pulling something off the shelf I've never heard of before.  Let's hope they deliver! 

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So because of my lack of blog posts, I'm really behind.  Behind on book reviews, (keeping up to date on Goodreads), reading challenges, goal updates, etc.  So for the next few days and weeks I am going to work my tush off trying to get caught up.  I have a lot of reviews to write and I finished so many of these books months ago!  I hope I can remember enough to write worthwhile reviews!  I will do my best, and that is all I can promise.

On to my writing of the day!  It's a short one, but written with love for my granddaughter, Leighton, who visited me this weekend.  I wrote it as we went on an afternoon walk.

Haiku for Leighton

Leighton loves her walks

The shady trees smile and wave

Cheers!  Leighton is here!