2011

For this challenge, we have to list five books we’re looking forward to reading in the months ahead. Interesting… let’s see…

Ami McKay’s new novel, The Virgin Cure. I know it’s got a 2012 publish date but I’m hoping to get a copy early… Hi Sassymonkey… Hi Ami… pretty please…

Jeffrey Eugenides – The Marriage Plot. It’s on my shelf now and I thought I’d have already started it but … no. Next week, though, for sure!

Jeff Lindsay’s – Double Dexter. What can I say, I’m a Dexter fan!

Rick Riordan’s – Heroes of Olympus, book two. (I’m falling behind in all of my series reading all of a sudden. Oh heck, I’m falling behind on all of my reading. Gah!)

Lauren Willig’s – Garden Intrigue!!!  I don’t love the name (a garden is not a flower!) but I can’t wait for the next book in the series!

Bonus Book: (Also, Willig’s Ivy & Intrigue… I was going to download it to Kindle but decided I should just order it and then forgot to order it.)

Posted via email from Life. Flow. Fluctuate.

Offically, 4  hours 41 minutes though the first hour was really spent getting some work done, visiting some #readathon bloggers and tweeters, fixing coffee (cleaning up the mess when the first pot exploded) and driving a kid to work – only one chapter actually read during the first hour.

After 4 hours and 41 minutes:

–          I’ve read 36 pages of Fitzwilliam Darcy, Rock Star and 10 chapters of Redemption.

–          I soaked in the tub for awhile.

–          I had 8 lemon abelskivers for breakfast.

–          I’ve had 4 cups of coffee (black).

–          I tried some funky black bean and rice chips with horseradish hummus dip (all from Trader Joe’s)

I’m going to crack open some children’s fiction during the fifth hour… and I’m waiting for TW to decide it’s naptime because I’m feeling like a short nap might be in order.

It’s been a great day, so far!

Posted via email from Life. Flow. Fluctuate.

My first book is Redemption (by R.K. Ryals) – and it’s about two sisters who go to live with their aunt in Blackstone Abbey after their parents die. Amber is the good one – angelic in looks and behavior. Dayton is the problem child – and scary bad things are happening. Aunt Kyra, head of the Abbey is… well… we will find out what she is, soon, I think.

This photo, my contribution to the Character Photo Mini-Challenge, feels like a mixture of the three women. When I took the photo at first, I thought it was going to represent Dayton but as I resized it and really thought about it – it’s the three, together. And I don’t think these three can really be separate entities at all.

Posted via email from Life. Flow. Fluctuate.

Posted via email from Life. Flow. Fluctuate.

We’ve entered the second hour and I’m not sure how many pages I’ve read because I’m reading on my iPhone right now.  Two chapters – whatever that might be in real pages.

I stopped by the Readathon blog and the 2^nd hour post inspired me to create a new Pinterest board where I’ll pin all of the books I read during the #Readathon. Go make one of your own and share the link!

Now on to my abelskivers and more reading.

Cheers!

Posted via email from Life. Flow. Fluctuate.

Good morning and happy #Readathon. My start time has officially arrived and the only words I’ve read have been on blogs, twitter, and a package of TJ’s abelskivers (which is our first special snack of the day. – we don’t have meals during #readathon, just snacks.) I’m waiting for the coffee to finish brewing, doing a wee bit of work (I know, I know. But, I had no choice this time) and then I’m going to kick it off for real by picking up where I left off last night with R.K. Ryals’ Redemption – Chapter 6. (More about Redemption and Ryals later…)

It’s also intro meme time, in the world of #Readathoners – so here’s mine:

1)      I will be reading, mostly, from my bedroom in Glenview, Il. I will also do some reading in the car since I’ll need to take/pick up my daughter from work. And I’ll do a little reading from the back porch, too.

2)      Three random facts? This again? (Where is that thing I wrote about how nothing in a random fact meme is really random?) OK Fine.

a.       I really hate it when my coffee pot explodes all over the place (which it did just as I was typing this. Sigh. Not an auspicious start for this season’s #readathon.)

b.      I have 9 jars of peanut butter on the shelf in the stockpile room and I am considering buying 3 more tomorrow.

c.       I read Fluke, by Christopher Moore, once a year.

3)      I have thousands of books in my TBR pile but for the purpose of #readathon, I’m calling it 16.

4)      My #Readathon goals are:

a.       Finish as many books from my Challenge lists as possible (in this case, it looks like Cybils and Nancy Drew though I can always grab something From the Stacks if necessary) and to just relax today. (It’s been a rough month/year.)

5)      I am a veteran and my advice is… have fun. If a book isn’t doing it for you, for goodness sakes – put it down.  Don’t overlook visiting other participants and cheerleaders, either. That’s part of the fun of it all. And, if can are able, choosing a worthy cause to donate to during the #readathon will make it all that much better. (I’ll be donating to the NYPL through Elizabeth Willse this year.)

Now, on with the reading.

Good luck everyone!  See you in the stacks!

Posted via email from Life. Flow. Fluctuate.

Posted via email from Life. Flow. Fluctuate.

I chuckled when I saw Elizabeth Willse’s post saying she might be more excited about the Readathon than she is about Halloween. Well I know I am. I always say that I like Readathon more than Christmas – and it’s true. I do. I really love Readathon.

I also chuckled about Elizabeth’s post because she has her snacks planned – we don’t but I’m already looking forward to them.

We always buy special snacks for Readathon – which means a trip to Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods – or both. We’ll stop working early tomorrow (early = 5pm) and wander the aisles, choosing “healthier” junk food. TJ’s has a new candy bar that TW mentioned a few days ago – I think we’ll have to try that for sure. What else will we end up with… no idea but it will be yummy.

And, I chuckled again because she has her books planned. I sort of know what I’m going to read… here’s a tentative list:

Some Nancy Drews for the rough moments – they’re easy to read when you’re really tired or after you’ve read some non-fiction for awhile.

Fitzwilliam Darcy, Rock Star because I think you kind of have to read something Jane Austen-ish during the Readathon.

I’ve got four picture books (or picture type books) from the Cybils shortlist challenge that I’ve been saving for the Readathon.

I’m reading Redemption by RK Ryals (a BlogHer.com community member) on my iPhone and iPad and I think I’ll try to finish it.

The Blue Tattoo is the only adult non-fiction on my list (I think…)

Mama Ruby and Doc are due back at the library soon so I’ll see how far I can get with those.

And, I’ve got Kneebone Boy from the Cybils Shortlist to round things out.

I wonder how far I’ll get… I can hardly wait to find out. I’m also going to make a donation to the NYPL for Elizabeth. You should make a donation, too.

Posted via email from Life. Flow. Fluctuate.