Tag: reading

fun

Books Read in 2014

Shanny

1. Divergent by Veronica Roth

2. Dark Places by Gillian Flynn

3. The Fault In Our Stars by John Green

4. And The Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini

5. The Husband’s Secret by Liane Moriarty  81+ICMn8DkL._SL1500_

6. Insurgent by Veronica Roth

7. Sweet Tea and Southern Grace by Glenda Manus

8. Lies You Wanted to Hear by James Whitfield Thomson

Currently reading Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple.  Numbers 2, 4, 5, 7, & 8 are all book club picks.  Lately I’ve found I’ve had a hard time finding time to read beyond my book club obligations.  Hopefully I’ll find more time this Fall and Winter so I can have a decent showing on my books read in 2014 list!

fun

Books Read in 2013 (so far)

Shanny
  1. Under the Dome by Stephen King.
  2. Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris
  3. Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris
  4. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
  5. Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling
  6. Life As I Blow It by Sarah Colonna
  7. The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen
  8. Deadlocked by Charlaine Harris
  9. MWF Seeking BFF by Rachel Bertsche
  10. I’ve Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella
  11. Every Secret Thing by  Laura Lippman
  12. What Happened To Goodbye by Sarah Dessen
  13. Fallen by Karin Slaughter
  14. Somebody To Love by Kristan Higgins
  15. Girls in White Dresses by Jennifer Close Unknown
  16. It Looked Different On The Model by Laurie Notaro
  17. Wedding Night by Sophie Kinsella
  18. Bad Monkey by Carl Hiaasen
  19. Full Moon Bride by Shobahn Bantwal
  20. Bossypants by Tina Fey
    Cover of
    Cover of Snow Flower And The Secret Fan
  21. Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See
  22. The Next Accident by Lisa Gardner
  23. Margot by Jillian Cantor

Am currently reading Orange is The New Black by Piper Kerman.  Can’t put it down!  I’m embarrassed at the lack of reading I’ve done this year!  Pitiful!  Usually I’ve read this many books by Spring!  Must do better next year!

 

reading

Literary questions for you

Shanny

I’m curious as to what makes for an exciting, fun read for you.  When you are reading a novel specifically, what point of view creates more of a sense of involvement for you as the reader?

If you have any other opinions or comments about what qualities in a fun novel make you love that book and want to read another, please leave a comment!

pop culture, reading

What I’ve read so far in 2010

Shanny
Cover of "The Hunger Games"
Cover of The Hunger Games

I haven’t updated this list since June and this summer I did a lot of reading.   I’m including short reviews for each book.  Here we go:

  1. Night by Elie Weisel.  EVERYONE should read this book.  Around 100 pages, but the hardest 100 pages to get through.  So worth it though.
  2. Exposure by Brandilyn Collins.  via Kindle for iPhone.  With the exception of the main character’s lame first name (Kaycee, ugh)…it was good!  Esp for a free Kindle book!
  3. 206 Bones by Kathy Reichs.  Love her.
  4. Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson.  Very cute book.  Also a Kindle free read.  There’s a sequel I can’t wait to read.
  5. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson.  Currently working on this one.
  6. Size 12 is Not Fat by Meg Cabot.  Very cute book.  Funny.
  7. Big Boned by Meg Cabot.  See above.
  8. The Shack by William P. Young.  Thought provoking
  9. Look Again by Lisa Scottoline.  Tense.  Good.
  10. The Help by Kathryn Stockett.  Should be required reading.  Fantastic.
  11. Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris… Love!  It’s book 1 of the Sookie Stackhouse books.
  12. Living dead in Dallas. by Charlaine Harris.  Hooked on this series
  13. Precious /Push by Sapphire.  Surprisingly short.  Full of foul language and behavior.  Glad I read it but wouldn’t read again.
  14. Club Dead by Charlaine Harris.  Still loving this series
  15. Twenties Girl by  Sophie Kinsella.  Fun read!  Very girlie.
  16. Dead to the World by Charlaine Harris.  This book is where you really notice the split from the tv series.  I kinda wish the tv show would stay more true to the books.
  17. Dead as a Doornail by Charlaine Harris
  18. Definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris.  This one got REALLY corny!  But I’m invested and I want to see what happens!
  19. The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak.  SO good.  Haunting. Had no idea it was a Young Adult book until after I read it.
  20. Hunger games by Suzanne Collins.  Amazing.  Seriously.  Devoured this and Catching Fire in one weekend.
  21. Catching fire by Suzanne Collins.  Could not put down.  Great characters, storyline.  Can totally see as a movie. Can’t wait for book 3!
  22. Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang by Chelsea Handler.  Ok, but not nearly as funny as Are You There God, It’s Me, Chelsea.  I only laughed out loud like once.  She even said on her show that she was rushing to finish this book and you could totally tell.
  23. Maneater by Gigi Levangie Grazer.  Listened to this one on the way out to the Outer Banks on CD.  It was pretty good.  Light stuff for a road trip.
  24. Anyone But You by Jennifer Cruisie.  Listened to this on the way home from the Outer Banks on CD.  Wish we had picked this one first to listen to instead of Maneater.  Super cute and we were both disappointed when we arrived home before the story was over.  Immediately checked the book out of the library and finished the story.  Would be a really cute Rom Com movie.
  25. Altogether Dead by Charlaine Harris.  I think this is the one that deals with Hurricane Katrina.  I really liked how she dealt with it.
  26. Guernsey Literary & Potato Pie Society by  Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows.  Delightful!  Just a lovely book.  I’m so glad I read this.  Loved the letters format, loved the depiction of WW2.  Not as romanticized as other books I’ve read.  Wished there was more book to read.  As soon as I finished it I instantly missed the characters.
    Charlaine Harris' Dead and Gone
    Image via Wikipedia
  27. The Cinderella Deal by Jennifer Crusie  Very cute.  Could definitely be a movie.
  28. Wild Ride Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer.  Liked this a lot more than I thought I would.  After the first chapter I almost stopped reading it but I’m sure glad I didn’t.
  29. Nature Girl by Carl Hiaasen.  Funny & clever.
  30. Undone by Karin Slaughter.  Very good.  Creepy.  Sticks with you.  Unfortunately once I was finished reading this I found out it’s the book that brings together 2 of Slaughter’s series.  So now I’m going to go back and read all the books I skipped.  Doh!
  31. Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris.  Liked this one a lot.  A little more somber. She didn’t do as much “Previously on Sookie’s life” as she’s done before and that made it much more enjoyable.
I have been using a fun app on my iPhone called Get Glue.  Every time you read a book or watch a movie or a show or listen to music you check in.  This has been a fun way to keep tabs on my reading list.  You earn badges that they actually mail you in sticker form! Fun!   Unfortunately I couldn’t find all my check ins from when I was reading these books.  That would have helped with this post.  I suppose I’ll use Goodreads more often so my mini reviews will be saved.
Since my last post in June I’ve read all the books starting at #11.  Keep in mind I had pneumonia and was sick for pretty much all of June so reading was about all I could do!
Next on my list is Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins.  I’m on the wait list at the library for that one.  I’m also reading Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro.  So far it is very intriguing!
fun

Vacation brain

Shanny

It seems like every time I write up a trip report I forget a few things.

  • One day at the beach I let Jacob & Joey bury me in the sand.  Oh my goodness, I got sand everywhere!  They loved it though and had  fun doing it so that’s what matters.  I swear, 2 showers later and I still had sand & sea life in all my nooks & crannies!
  • The first day we went to the beach the water was the coldest I’ve ever felt!  I run hot and I have sensitive skin so I’m used to cool showers and cold water.  But y’all, Y’ALL, I have NEVER in my life felt water this cold.  This was feet numbing frost bite conditions cold.  Insane.  By the next time we went in the water it had warmed up enough to not freeze you to death on impact.
  • I took 3 books to the OBX with me.  Apparently I thought all you do at the beach is read and I underestimated the amount of beer pong we played.  I’m a big library patron, I don’t buy books.  So imagine my horror when I accidentally got water on my book Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang while brushing my teeth.  Yikes!  When I got home I ironed out the pages to try and make this brand new book look less ghetto and keep me on the nice list at the library.  I don’t think I’ve been blackballed just yet.  Whew!
fun, reading

Books Read in January 2010

Shanny
  1. Night by Elie Weisel…..EVERYONE should read this book.  Around 100 pages, but the hardest 100 pages to get through.
  2. Exposure by Brandilyn Collins…..via Kindle for iPhone.  With the exception of the main character’s lame first name (Kaycee, ugh)…it was good!  Esp for a free Kindle book!
  3. 206 Bones by Kathy Reichs…..love her.
  4. Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson….very cute book.  Also a Kindle free read.  There’s a sequel I can’t wait to read.
  5. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson.  Currently working on this one.
reading

Reader’s block

Shanny

I’ve done pretty well with my reading this year up until a week or so ago.  Here’s my list of books read so far in 2009:

  1. Black Notice, Patricia Cornwell
  2. True Believer, Nicholas Sparks
  3. A Walk to Remember, Nicholas Sparks
  4. All About Him, Denise Jackson
  5. The Lucky One, Nicholas Sparks
  6. Remember Me?, Sophie Kinsella
  7. Change of Heart, Jodi Picoult
  8. Last Precinct, Patricia Cornwell
  9. Vanishing Acts, Jodi Picoult
  10. Memory Keeper’s Daughter, Kim Edwards
  11. My Sister’s Keeper, Jodi Picoult
  12. Undomestic Goddess, Sophie Kinsella
  13. The Pact, Jodi Picoult
  14. Nineteen Minutes, Jodi Picoult
  15. The Artist’s Way, Julia Cameron
  16. Are You There Vodka?  It’s Me, Chelsea,  Chelsea Handler
  17. Picture Perfect, Jodi Picoult
  18. Confessions of a Shopaholic, Sophie Kinsella
  19. The Idiot Girls’ Action Adventure Club, Laurie Notaro
  20. An Idiot Girls’ Christmas, Laurie Notaro
  21. Twilight, Stephenie Meyer
  22. Shopaholic Takes Manhattan, Sophie Kinsella
  23. Mr. Maybe, Jane Green
  24. Little White Lies, Gemma Townley
  25. New Moon, Stephenie Meyer
  26. Eclipse, Stephenie Meyer
  27. Breaking Dawn, Stephenie Meyer
  28. Shopaholic Ties The Knot, Sophie Kinsella
  29. Shopaholic and Sister, Sophie Kinsella
  30. Shopaholic and Baby, Sophie Kinsella
  31. The Hopeless Romantic’s Handbook, Gemma Townley

Something happened though.  Once I finished the Twilight books & Shopaholic series I lost my mojo.  I finished Hopeless Romantic just fine, but since then I haven’t had much interest in reading.  The library emails me when a book from my list is ready to pick up, but nothing is getting me excited.  Hmmm.  I do have Knit Two here at home so maybe that will get me going.

pop culture, reading

Books read in 2009

Shanny
  1. Black Notice, Patricia Cornwell
  2. True Believer, Nicholas Sparks
  3. A Walk to Remember, Nicholas Sparks
  4. All About Him, Denise Jackson
  5. The Lucky One, Nicholas Sparks
  6. Remember Me?, Sophie Kinsella
  7. Change of Heart, Jodi Picoult
  8. Last Precinct, Patricia Cornwell
  9. Vanishing Acts, Jodi Picoult
  10. Memory Keeper’s Daughter, Kim Edwards
  11. My Sister’s Keeper, Jodi Picoult

I’m trying to read more this year.  My goal is at least 30 books.  So far I’m doing pretty well, but it is Winter.  I’m also tracking this on Facebook in the visual bookshelf app.  So do any of you have any recommendations for me?  And don’t say Twilight because I KNOW.  I’m on the waitlist at the library.  Number 9 now!  In fact, I’m about to leave for the library to pick up 6 more books.  More Jodi Picoult and Sophie Kinsella.  But I’d like more suggestions! What are you reading right now?