One down, many to go

Well, I polished off my first "Fall into Reading" book last week, Friday morning to be exact. Numero uno...Molly Wizenberg's "A Homemade Life", a fun memoir/recipe book by the author of the Orangette blog. I don't read that blog very often, so I really have no idea how much of her content came directly from her blog. The book, however, did not read like a compilation of blog posts. It was an enjoyable story about her life and her family with each chapter concluding with a recipe.

I really enjoyed her writing. She tells her stories well and describes the recipes in ways that make me want to try (nearly) every one. For example, thanks to this book, I now have a desire to make stewed prunes. She makes them sound scrumptious. I'll let you know how they turn out.

So, what next? Well, I forgot to add a few books to my list last week. My 10-year old has been reading the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series, but I'm trying to read each book ahead of him. So, "The Titan's Curse" became available at the library and took priority over my list, so that he can get his hands on it. I finished it this morning, so now he just has to finish reading his "39 Clues" book.

Now what? Well, I've started The Book Thief and The Whole Life Adoption book. I probably should keep pounding away on those. Like them both but not in large doses...yet. (I've heard The Book Thief gets hard to put down). I have Farewell to Arms and need to read it for next month's book club. And Her Mother's Hope is waiting to be picked up at the library. Hmmm...

When am I supposed to clean my house?

Fall Into Reading 2010

The Fall Into Reading Challenge hosted by Callapidder Days is THE thing that got this blog started a year ago. I liked the idea of making a list of books to read during the fall and putting it out there for all to see, all 5 of you who occasionally check this blog, that is.

So, now it's time to do it again. I've been making my list and checking it twice. Here's what I've got right now:

The Confession (Grisham's newest and already on hold at the library)
A Homemade Life
The Catcher in the Rye (every fall I plan and, subsequently fail, to read this)
Her Mother's Hope/Her Daughter's Legacy by Francine Rivers
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet (this book has been on my Amazon wish list for too long)
Brooklyn (ditto)
My Life in France
The Book Thief
Ape House (I'm hoping to attend a reading/signing by author Sara Gruen in October)
Half Broke Horses (Jeanette Walls is also going to be here for a signing...hmmm)
The Hole in our Gospel (I should probably read this one first)
The Whole Life Adoption Book (And I should probably just read a little of this one each day)
October book club: A Farewell To Arms by Hemingway
And maybe...Ted Dekker's Circle Trilogy

To be added:
November and December book club picks

Other reading goals -
Read to CJ at least 4 nights a week - We've been working our way through the Little House on the Prairie series for a very long time. It would be fun to get to something else.

A Dilemma

I love being able to request books from the library and have them delivered to the branch I want whenever they become available. I spend far less money on books because of this wonderful invention. And, I am very rarely without a list of books that I am waiting for. (Of course, since moving back to Kansas, I've had to get used to waiting just a bit longer.)

Today, however, the book that is currently waiting for me at the downtown branch presents a dilemma of sorts. It is not on my Fall into Reading list! So, today I need to go pick up "The Art of Racing in the Rain", but should I read it? Should I add it to my already-too-long list? Should I read another off my list and then slip it in? I've heard it's a great book, and I only have it for 14 days.

All I know is that I have to pick it up...my library recently decided to start charging $1.00 per book for any unclaimed holds. Ouch.

The Land of Book Blogs

I wasn't going to do this. I already have a cooking blog that I rarely post on (but often think of recipes to add). But, the Fall Into Reading challenge hosted by Callapidder Days just keeps drawing me in. I didn't even know the number of book blogs that existed until I tried to find a good address for this one.

So, I'm going to put a reading list out for all to see. Here are the books in my "to be read" pile that I hope to make a dent in before December 20th. Check out the link above for the challenge details. It's simple! Also, I'll be adding my November and December book club picks when they are chosen.

In no particular order, here is my list:
Escape (for October book club) - finished 9/27
The Time Traveler's Wife - finished 10/9
The Hunger Games* - finished 10/20
A Thousand Splendid Suns - finished 12/8
3 Cups of Tea - finished 11/30
The Story of Edgar Sawtelle
Boundaries
The Strong-Willed Wife
America, America
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
Shanghai Girls - finished 12/4
New Tricks - finished 10/28
That Old Cape Magic - finished 10/19
The Emotionally Healthy Church
Still Life* - finished 11/1
The Forgotten Garden* - finished 10/14
The Broken Teaglass (Nov. book club pick) - finished 10/26
Water for Elephants (Dec. book club pick) - finished 12/10

*Added as a result of reading others' Fall Into Reading lists...it's a dangerous pasttime.