#Readathon, The First Hour

1 Comment / 2014, Books in Bed, Dewey's Readathon /

– Small kid crisis was a distraction.
– Cinnamon rolls were really really good.
– I’m five chapters into a book on my Kindle app.
– I finished two books about Washi Tape craft ideas for a total of 268 pages. It was a very good idea to start out this way. It made the morning feel like a success though I was less than completely focused on the #readathon.

Onward with The Harlot’s Tale.

Updated with the photo from the Mini-Challenge, Coffee or Tea

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#Readathon Begins with the Intro Meme

1 Comment / 2014, Books in Bed, Dewey's Readathon /

1) Yep, still stuck in Chicagoland and reading from the brand new king size bed this time around. Still with three dogs who will hopefully be better behaved than they were in April. Hah. I’m kidding myself, I know.

2) I’m most looking forward to, hmm. Oddly enough, I have no idea. I usually save something really really good for #readathon but this time around — they’re all going to be good and I’m not dying to read any one in particular. That might not bode well for my day…

3) We hit Fresh Market again and another $170 down — we cannot resist the Fresh Market. Mmm cheese straws. Mmm pimento cheese. Mmmm yummy cheese bread. (You’re seeing a trend here, right?) I’m gonna kick things off with cinnamon rolls. Or pumpkin bread. Or both. Probably both.

4) Let’s see, what can I say about me this year that I haven’t said before? No idea. I’m feeling kind of boring right now. It’s been a long, rough year.

5) I really should count up and keep track of how many times I’ve participated — I’m putting that on my to do list for April’s #readathon… so many times and it’s awesome every time. What am I doing differently this year? I’m starting off with an easy book instead of diving right into something serious and long. I don’t know why I’ve never done this before — it makes perfect sense for me.

Happy Reading, one and all!

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Ready for #Readathon

2014, Books in Bed, Daily Dose, Dewey's Readathon /

We have books.

We have snacks.

We have dog toys and treats.

I’ve set up my browser home page(s) to always open the Dewey’s Readathon blog, my blog, the #readathon twitter stream, and the Dewey’s Facebook page. (This makes it easier for me to interact with those who are reading along and participate in the mini-challenges.)

I have a plan for my day (though I may not stick to it):
– I’m starting with an art book because the first hour of #readathon is always rough for me. I’ll have to work. I’ll want to blog the opening intro challenge. I’ll want to check out the stream to see what everyone is doing and of course I’ll break out the first of the yummy food. So — an easy book is always best.
– Next, I’ll go for a novel, adult or YA, which should get me through til lunch.
– Then, I’ll go for a graphic novel.
– From there I’ll hit the children/middle grade books.
– I’ll end the evening with more art books.
– And of course, I’ve got a couple of fantasy novels on my kindle app and I’ll be reading those throughout the day and night.

I’m psyched!

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The Girls of August

2014, Books in Bed, Chick Lit, Fiction, Women /

When I want something light and quick to read, it’s hard to say no to Anne Rivers Siddons. A book that feels like home but doesn’t get me riled up because she’s flopped streets and landmarks down in the wrong damn place.

The Girls of August was a nice easy read but… if you’re a hardcore ARS fan you’re not going to like this one very much. It was… lacking in character development and the ending, sheesh, the ending. I enjoyed it but don’t particularly feel like I can actually recommend it to anyone. Darn it.

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City of Jasmine

2014, Books in Bed, Chick Lit, Fiction, Women /

Look! I read an adult novel and it didn’t take me a month! City of Jasmine was cute. I mostly liked Evie and Gabriel and I very much liked Aunt Dove. I was a little frustrated by Evie because it was OBVIOUS that her husband who she thought was dead wasn’t simply an asshole — he was something else entirely (along with being an asshole, sort of.)

The story got a little convoluted there in the desert — too many people all of whom were not who they appeared to be etc. etc. etc. but it was a fast read and I enjoyed it quite a bit.

I’m wondering if I should read the one that came before this… I don’t think it’s really a series but the characters are connected. Might be fun. Maybe. I’ll think about it.

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The Night Bookmobile

2014, Books in Bed, Comics & Graphic Novels, Fiction /

Nuthinfancy asked a bunch of us if we’d read The Night Bookmobile — we hadn’t so some of us reserved it at the library and read it.

I have such a love/hate thing with Niffenegger I was almost afraid to read it but I did because Nuthinfancy liked it so much and my mother also seemed to like it.

I liked it, too. Mostly. She does that thing that she does, (no I’m not gonna get specific — if you read her books, but particularly her graphic novels), at the end of this one, and … love/hate y’all, love/hate.

I really think I should just stop reading her graphic novels, even though I liked this one more than any of her others. The more of them I read, the more I want to not read her work and I’m hoping that some day she goes back to publishing something besides graphic novels…

PS. This is not a children’s book. It’s not even shelved YA. There are some folks who are angry about it because they think it is YA or a children’s book. It’s not. It’s not. It’s not. If you want to hate the ending do so because you hate the ending not because you’re worried about the childrennnnnnnn. (eyerolling here, lots of eyerolling.)

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Plain Simple Useful

2014, Books in Bed, Non-Fiction /

Yep, this is me still playing catch up. Plain Simple Useful is what happens when I wander aimlessly through the new non-fiction shelves waiting for TW.

A home decor book. Conran Style — which, if you know who Conran is, tells you everything you need to know.

Love/hate, love/hate.

And, with that — I think I’m caught up. I know you’re thrilled.

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All About Homesteading

2014, Books in Bed, Don't Read This, Favorites, Non-Fiction /

I’m playing catch up with the non-fictions now. Homesteading. A lot of books about homesteading. Some were good. Some weren’t. Let’s start with the one I didn’t finish.

Rural Renaissance — dry as I don’t even know. I won’t say burnt toast because I effing like burnt toast, (I know. I’m weird. Blame my mother.) I couldn’t finish it. There are not enough reading hours in one lifetime for me to have wanted to finish it. TW tried to warn me, she didn’t finish it either, but I didn’t listen. I should have listened. I wasted half an evening on that.

The Practical Homestead — Hoo boy. This book could scare you off the idea of homesteading, lol. So much to think about. And it’s all very serious. And they do warn you off of trying x,y & z quite a lot. At first glance, the layouts for various farm sizes seem cool but then you realize it’s really not what you personally are interested in. Unless you win the lottery or come into some inheritance because no, all we really want is a kitchen garden, some fruit trees, some chickens and a big ass yard for the damn dogs. Cool book. I might read it again in a couple of years. Seriously.

The Weekend Homesteader was interesting. I liked the way it was laid out — a few assignments each month. Cool way to start slow and keep encouraging people to make small changes and take on small projects.

Back to Basics: Traditional Kitchen Wisdom was a pretty cool book. I skimmed a lot because I don’t particularly need to digest all of that kitchen wisdom at once. It’s a good book to just have on the shelf.

I believe this is the last of the homesteading books. I hope. I kind of also hope I don’t read anymore of these for at least a year. I’m homesteaded out.

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