Book Binge

I just numbered the books for the Fall into Reading Challenge to hopefully make my list a little easier to read. If I would have known I was one book short of 20, I probably would have found another to add. It's likely good that I didn't.

However, I went on a bit of a book buying binge at a conference (Formation in Christlikeness) I attended this past weekend. Fortunately, two of the books I purchased are already on my list (The Good & Beautiful Life, The Good & Beautiful Community, both by James Bryan Smith). And the others I'm really excited about. Can I really wait until winter?!?

What else did I get? Sacred Rhythms by Ruth Haley Barton, Soul Searching by Mindy Caliguire and The Blue Parakeet by Scot McKnight. The latter two authors were both speakers at the conference...ditto for James Bryan Smith. So much to read. Too bad the bathrooms need cleaned. :)

Fall Into Reading '11

Wow...can you believe it's already fall? Although after the very hot (most 100+ degree days EVER) summer we had, fall is more than welcome here.

I'm excited to participate in the Fall into Reading Challenge hosted by Callapidder Days for the third year in a row! Yay.

My list is perhaps a bit of a work in progress still. I'll show you what I've got, but you might check back for possible changes (basically, I think the following is a bit too ambitious given the busy fall we have at our house).

Here it goes:
1. A Trick of the Light by Louise Penny - Her mysteries are perfect for fall.
2. Something by Timothy Keller - There are several to choose from and I'm wanting to leave my options open. I ended up choosing Counterfeit Gods.
3. The Good & Beautiful Life - I've been working on this one for awhile, hope to finish it soon
4. One Thousand Gifts - Ditto on this one. Great book!!
5. Game of Thrones Book 1 - I'm curious what all the hype is about, even though this does not exactly sound like my thing
6. Tunnels - Jr. Fiction that I've been meaning to get to forever...and if I do, I'll probably need to add the next three in the series to my list.
7. The Forgotten God by Francis Chan - This book goes right along with some of the things I'm learning, looking forward to reading it.
8. Joy for Beginners - A book from my Amazon wish list, a little lighter than some of my other selections...perhaps.
9. Unbroken by Laura Hildebrand - Waiting for me at the library as I type.
10. One Dog Night by Dave Rosenfelt - Another quick, easy read to balance out some of the non-fiction. Love this fun mystery series.
11. In the Garden of Beasts - This one may not happen this fall, but I want it on my list anyway, so I don't forget to read it later.
12. A Hole in our Gospel - This has been on my list for every challenge. I got part of the way through this spring and put it down. Time to pick it back up.
13. The Catcher in the Rye - Another repeat...I want to read a classic each fall. This year, this is it.
14. The Summer We Got Saved - Maybe I should save this for summer?
15. The Good & Beautiful Community - The final book in the series by James Bryan Smith.
16. Radical by David Platt- Have this on my Kindle, started it just recently, will definitely finish.
17., 18., 19. Book Club Books - Run like a Girl is the choice for October. November was Lost in Shangri-La. Finally, Major Pettigrew's Last Stand for December.

Whew. That's plenty. Now, head over to Callapidder Days and see what everyone else is reading!

Derailed

I haven't been doing quite as much fiction reading lately. The result is a growing pile of library books. Because every time I go, I can't help but bring a few things home with me. But, I haven't been finishing anything to take back. (We did, however, watch the first 2 seasons of Veronica Mars, courtesy of the library...that cut into my reading time.)

Today, a couple books will go back without reading:
An Amish Love - was never in the mood for hokey.
Amaryllis in Blueberry - never did figure out what this one was about.

Just finished and ready to return:
The Saffron Kitchen by Yasmin Crowther - this was September's book club pick. We read a book set in the Middle East last month (Son of Hamas) and I was a little slow to read this one, since the setting was similar. The book was good, though, just not a speedy read.

Still in the pile:
Divergent by Veronica Roth - I'm excited to read this one. It's very likely next up.
Call me Irresistible by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Bel Canto - by Ann Patchett - on my tbr list for a LONG time
Candle in the Darkness & Fire by Night by Lynn Austin
The Women by TC Boyle

Still reading:
One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp
The Good and Beautiful Life by James Bryan Smith
Radical by David Platt - this one's on my Kindle

Recently purchased:
66 Love Letters by Larry Crabb

What are you reading? What do you want to read?

Harry Potter Overload

Well, I did it. I re-read all seven Harry Potter books. In case you wondered, that's the third time I've read #1-#6 and the second time I've read #7. They're still delightful.

Now, I'm ready to see the movies. And, on Saturday night we had dinner with some friends and they just happened to own them all (minus the new one, of course) and sent them all home with us. Now, I think I've mentioned before that we don't watch many movies, so to have a pile of 7 waiting to be watched...this could take awhile.

After an intense two weeks spent at Hogwarts (ha), I didn't feel much like reading anything. So, it's been slow going since then. I've collected quite the pile though.

Currently reading:
One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp
The Good & Beautiful Life by James Bryan Smith
The Wilder Life by Wendy McClure - memoir by a woman who explores the world of "The Little House on the Prairie", very interesting read as a person who LOVED those books as a child

Waiting in the wings (to be read or returned):
Son of Hamas - book club book for August
Ratio - a cookbook of sorts that is unfortunately requested by another library patron, preventing me from renewing it for weeks on end
Unlocked - Karen Kingsbury's latest, don't think I'm actually going to read this one
In This Mountain - the next Mitford book, I think I'm officially further along in the series than my first go-round
An Amish Love: Three Amish Novellas - probably every bit as hokey as it sounds, but a girl needs options, right?
Amarylis in Blueberry - I know nothing about this book, just grabbed it off the New Release shelf at the library
Finally, and the only non-library book in the pile, Tunnels - I told one of my book club members I would read this series and started the book, got distracted and really want to get back to it...especially since I bought the next two books in the series.

That's all, folks.

Something about Summer

I know I've said this before, but there is just something about summer and books for me. No other season holds the same reading appeal as summer. Maybe it's due to the library reading program when I was a child that rewarded my obsession, er, I mean habit. Maybe it was the fact that during college and even for quite some time afterward, summer was the only time I got to read for fun. Whatever the cause, summer says reading to me.

And, this summer has meant lots of trips to the library...obviously. (Sometimes I think my blog title should be "What I picked up at the library today"...boring, I know, but it sure captures what I write about). I'm thinking of abandoning the library books though and digging out one of my favorite series. Yep, Harry Potter, here I come.

The release of the final movie has made me want to read the series again. I've never seen any of the films, but I'm getting the itch to see what all the hype is about. Before I do that, though, I think the books deserve one more reading.

I probably should ask my husband's permission before embarking on this project. It's a whole lot of pages. Hmmm...maybe not. I'm afraid he might look at me like I'm crazy. (And he'll figure it out quickly enough).

One other reason I have for re-reading the books - I would like to read them with my soon-to-be sixth-grader in mind. He's asked about reading them, and I've put him off for now. So, this would give me an opportunity to evaluate whether or not he's ready.

So, Harry, Hermione and Ron, here I come. Can't wait to spend some more time with you!

In the Pile

First of all, I really enjoyed the "Uglies" series by Scott Westerfeld. If you liked the Hunger Games, I think you would enjoy this teen sci-fi series as well. It doesn't quite match up to the Hunger Games, but really, that's a tall order, don't you think? So, check it out...Uglies, Pretties, Specials and Extras.

I went to the library to return a few things and can't leave without taking home some replacements.

On my nightstand:
Ratio (a book about cooking) by Michael Ruhlman
In This Mountain by Jan Karon
Sing You Home by Jodi Picoult...better purchase some tissues
Unlocked by Karen Kingsbury...they were talking about this book on the radio a few days ago
Death in the Andes by Mario Vargas Llosa...my book club book, haven't convinced myself to read it yet. This is not good, because book club is mere days away.

Also, on my nightstand, not from the library:
The Help...I want to re-read this before the movie comes out in August
Tunnels...started it and may need to start over.
The Hole in our Gospel...ditto. I was doing really good about reading this for awhile. Need to get back to it.

Obviously, that's more than enough to keep me reading for awhile.

What are you reading?

A Trip to the Library

It's time for a trip to the library again. We have a stack of things to return and I'm in need of a few new books for the TBR pile.

I had a dream last night that I showed up at book club in July without realizing I never read the book, didn't even check it out. So, first on my list, is a book by Mario Vargas Llosa. We are free to choose any book that he has written, so I think I'll just see what's there. (This might necessitate a trip to the main library, as the branch I usually visit doesn't seem to have any of his books).

Also, I'm hoping they have in Pretties by Scott Westerfeld. I really shouldn't read it until I read The Last Olympian (Percy Jackson series) so that my son can read it. To be honest, I'm not terribly excited about reading it. Thus, the procrastination.

We'll see what else finds its way into the pile. Stay tuned.