Updates on A Reading Collection

I just finished another week's worth of work. I'm amazed at how those seven days that flew by. Not that I'm complaining. Working 12 hours for seven days straight can be so exhausting. I'm glad that it's over. For now.

I'm really pleased at how I progressed with my reading this past week. I finished reading As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner and Time of My Life by Allison Winn Scotch. Both were very good books so I'll be doing my reviews on them soon.

I started reading East on Eden by John Steinbeck this past Monday but I haven't gone back to it since Tuesday. It was busy last night at work so I couldn't even take a peek at it. Bleah. Leave it work to ruin my reading schedule. ;) I can't wait to get back to it tonight. I can tell it's an awesome book.

Stay tuned. Happy reading.

Sisters by Hulton Getty

This Christmas, one of my sisters, Nikki, gave me a book titled Sisters by Hulton Getty. The book is probably not much bigger than the picture above and has 107 pages. It's not a lot to read but the content of it packs a punch. The book contains many quotes pertaining to relationships between sisters including beautiful vintage pictures.

I have plenty of favorite quotes in the book so I'll share some of them with you.

Your sister will be the first to criticize you, but if anyone else tries to, your sister will defend you until the end of the world. ~ Liselle Favier

A sister is a little bit of childhood that can never be lost. ~ Marion C. Garretty

Even when you are sixty, you are still six to your sister. ~ Pam Brown (So true! I'm 33, and sometimes, my sister still treats me like I'm three. Haha!)

She is your witness who sees you at your worst and best, and loves you anyway. ~ Barbara Alpert

The best thing about having a sister was that I always had a friend. ~ Cali Rae Turner (Love this!)

Having a sister means you'll never be left alone in life or left alone by your sister. ~ Felicity Martin

I could have read through the whole book in five minutes. It actually took me five days to finish. Each quote that I read made me cry because it was so touching.

This book is a definite keeper and something that will remain in my bookshelf or maybe in the drawer of my nightstand where it's easily accessible.

It is probably the best book a sister can give to another. The quotes describe the relationships (no matter how simple or complex) between sisters to a T. Having a sister, I believe, is a special and unique gift one should always treasure.

Out With the Old, In With the New

The holidays are over, and so is my hiatus from my blog. I apologize to my readers for being gone. After two months without blogging, it certainly feels good to be back. I almost didn’t return to my blog. I even made a declaration of it awhile back in Facebook.

One my friends, Christy, was bewildered and she said, “I thought you enjoyed blogging.” I admitted to her that I did at first. I mean, sure. It was fun. I reviewed a book. I met some nice and interesting people and got the chance to talk to them about books.

After awhile though, I felt that I HAD to complete a book to review it. Well, sometimes, I didn’t like the book and didn’t want to review it. I’d feel guilty, and later on I felt that I HAD to blog about it whether I wanted to or not. That part of blogging wasn’t fun anymore. It became a chore.

Many bloggers post reviews everyday. I think that’s wonderful. I wish I can, but I simply can’t. There are priorities in real life that take precedence over my blog. I have a fulltime job as a medical technologist, and sometimes I have to work overtime due to a staff shortage. I also help take care of my elderly father. He’s the reason why I moved back home to Louisiana this year. I don’t and never will regret that decision. I also write part time, and I hope to become a published writer. For those of you who are curious how I did in the National Writing Novel Month, I didn’t reach the 50, 000 word quota. I was only able to complete 32, 620 words.

I know I shouldn’t have too much expectations of myself, which is hard since I’ve always been an overachiever. Just picture me as the girl with the thick glasses from school. Yeah, that was me. I realize that I’m no super woman. I can’t do everything, and I have to accept that.

I’m going to change my attitude for the new year. I’m not going to sacrifice quality over quantity. I’ll still read and review books although I’ll do it at my own pace. I’m not going to feel guilty because so and so finished 3 books in a week while I’m still struggling halfway through a book. I will also do my best to visit other blogs. Best of all, I’m going to have fun.

I look forward to a new year with a new outlook. I am excited to read new (and old books) and share my thoughts on them. I also can’t wait to see book reviews and recommendations from fellow bloggers.

Here’s to a great year! Happy 2010!

Books on Writing

This year is my first year to participate in the National Novel Writing Month. So far I've made it to 5,725 words. It's been really fun so far. I say fun because so far I haven't ran out of ideas. Knock on wood.

But what happens if I suddenly run out of steam? What if I suddenly can't put the words on the screen? I know I shouldn't be worrying about getting a writer's block since it hasn't happened yet. But I do know that there were days when I just stared and stared at my monitor. Depending on my mood or events going on in my life, I couldn't write for days, weeks, months, or sometimes even years.

This month though, I'm prepared to do whatever it takes to stay in this contest. Reaching the goal of 50,000 words is hard, but I think that getting those words on paper is also a battle. So to fend of the writer's block, I've chosen three books to read in case I get to a point where I can't write anymore.

My first choice is Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within by Natalie Goldberg. My creative writing teacher recommended this when I took my writing class at Gotham Writer's Workshop. Natalie Goldberg encourages writers to keep writing no matter how bad it is. She also has some writing exercises. She does talk quite a lot about Zen, but I really didn't mind it too much.

The second writing book I'm keeping close by is The Writer's Idea Book by Jack Heffron. There are so many writing prompts to choose from in this book. I use this book often when I run out of ideas for my creative writing projects. It's extremely helpful.

The third book, is Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamont. I haven't read it yet, but I've heard how inspiring and funny it was so I'll give it a try.

And now...back to my writing...

Yet Another E-Reader

Usually just before I start working my 12 hour/7 day schedule at the hospital, I try to review a book. Unfortunately, I've been sick with flu-like symptoms. I tried to continue The Age of the Innocence by Edith Wharton, but it was just too difficult to concentrate when my head felt like it's about to split open. So...no book finished = no review.

I decided to blog about the new e-reader that Barnes and Noble just launched. It's called the Nook. I think they could've have come with a better name, but oh well. I guess it's kind of cute in a weird way. PC Magazine released an article about the Nook. You can also learn more about the Nook at the Barnes and Noble website. You can also pre-order it. The Nook will also be available in November at the Barnes and Noble bookstore.

Am I excited that my favorite bookstore in the whole wide world is finally releasing their own e-reader? Well, yes, in a way. I wish them luck in taking on the e-book competition with Kindle 2, which everyone of my friends, but me, seems to have. Still, when I got my email from Barnes and Noble this morning, I didn't jump up and say, "Oh, boy! Let me pre-order that Nook right now!"

There are times when I wish I have an e-reader. The truth is I'm a little apprehensive shelling out $259 plus tax for something I might end up rarely using. I'm really not a gadget geek like brother who likes to buy the latest and the greatest mp3 player or laptop out there.

Even though I think that I can put that $259 to a better use, like say a monthly car payment, I do wonder if it will be worth it economically in the long run. I have read in some people's blog that if they like the e-book they bought through their e-reader, they will still buy the real book. That's fine. I just don't see any sense spending $14.95 (if it's a paperback) or $24.95 (if it's a hardback.)

I'm not trying to be an anti e-reader here, but I guess I need to be convinced a little bit more. And for those of you who have an e-reader (or e-readers), I have some questions. How often do you use your e-reader? Do you think that it was worth buying it in the long run? Has it saved you money?

I'd love to hear from you.

New Books From the Mail

After a busy week at work and catching up on some rest, I finally had the chance to go through my mail yesterday. The books I ordered from Barnes and Noble came in on Tuesday. I really prefer to buy my books at the bookstore. I like to browse through the book and decide if I like it enough to buy it. However, if I can't find a certain book, I am forced to buy online. Anyway, here are the goodies:

I do apologize for the quality of the picture. The first one is Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome. (That's some name, don't you think?) I heard good things about it from Becky's Book Reviews. The next one is Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami. Ever since I read After Dark, I became a Murakami fan. Then there's David Copperfield by Charles Dickens. I always wanted to read it. Finally, there's Fathers and Sons by Ivan Turgenev. It's about a son who rebels against his father. I know. I know. There's nothing new about the plot, but this is set in 1862. In Russia, I might add. I think it will be an interesting novel.

What do you think of this haul? Have you read any of these books? What did you think about the story?

Feels like Winning the Lottery!

I'm a card-carrying book addict, so naturally when my mom asked me what I wanted for my birthday, I replied with only two words.

A book.

Giving a book as a present to someone who loves books can be very tricky, especially if that person has piles and piles of books in their possession. I have friends and family who love to read so it's always a problem for me to buy a book for them during birthdays and Christmas. I'm always wondering if they'll like the book; if they read the book, or if they already have it in their collection.

With my birthday coming up, I gave my mom a list of some books that I would like to have. I chose about four books from my overwhelming wish list. The four books were all classics since I wanted to expand my classic book collection after I finished the Classics Challenge 2009. I told her to choose one book from any of the four, and that way I can be at least surprised when I get my birthday present.

Want to see what I got?



I got all four! Needless to say, I was shocked and very pleased. I expected one or maybe two books, but she bought four instead! Then my mom apologized (Apologized!) that she didn't give me a hardback book. She wanted it special since it was my birthday. I assured her that wasn't necessary. I was very happy with what I got.

I love books, no matter what they look like - hardback, paperback, fat, skinny, tall, or short. I even buy used books, but I draw the line if I see some notes written on the side. I think writing notes in a novel (textbooks are okay) is a sacriledge. That's just me though since I'm anal. ;)

Before ending this post, I just want to say: Thanks, Mom. You really are the best, and I love you.

Hmmmm...now what am I going to read first?

From left to right: The Age of Innocence (Wharton), Nicholas Nickelby (Dickens), The Bostonians, and The Portrait of a Lady (Both by Henry James). In the back: my coffee mug, my clock, the base part of my lamp, and two other books I'm currently reading. I think I need a bigger nightstand.

The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group
Pub. Date: June 2009
ISBN-13: 9780385528702
Pages: 531
Rating: No rating

Summary: The Angel's Game is set during the early 1900's to 1930 in Barcelona, Spain. It is the story of David Martin, a famous writer who spins crime novels under a pseudonym while living in a mansion with a mysterious history. He later meets Andreas Corelli, a wealthy publisher from Paris, who offers him 100, 000 francs if David will write a book that will change peoples' minds and hearts. David takes the offer but later realizes he is getting more than he bargained for. What's even more intriguing is the former owner of the house, the late Diego Marlasca - a writer just like David. Diego's death also involves Andreas Corelli, and it seems that David's life mirrors Diego's. Will David be able to escape the clutches of Andreas or will he suffer the same fate as Diego?

Thoughts: I wanted to like this book. I tried to like it, but I eventually quit reading at page 300. I almost didn't review this because I didn't think it was fair to rate a book that I didn't finish. In the end, I decided to post my thoughts.

Let me talk about the good points of this book first. The blurb was catchy, and I was drawn to the story because it was about a struggling writer who wanted to be published. I thought: That's cool. I know what that's like because I'm going through the same challenges myself. Another reason why the story appealed to me was because The Angel's Game was also about books. A book about books. How neat, right?

There were three parts in this novel. I didn't have any problems going through the first part of the book. I was able to relate to David who loved books. David was abused as a child and sought refuge in books. As an adolescent, he started to work as a runner for a newspaper company and had a friend in Pedro Vidal who's a writer. Vidal became his mentor and soon David started writing stories for the paper.

The second part of the book started out well. However, it was losing its firepower towards the middle. I struggled to finish part two, and finally I just gave up. Don't get me wrong. The author's brillant. Zafon wrote beautifully about Barcelona. It almost felt like I was there. The writing was dark, but I didn't mind that at all. The description and how the author wrote in David's voice were all wonderful.

What failed to keep my attention was that I lost interest in the characters. I got to a point where I just didn't care about David's findings about Diego. I didn't care who exactly Andreas Corelli was. I especially didn't care if Cristina Sangier (David's first and only love) went crazy because she didn't love her husband Pedro Vidal. In fact, I detested Cristina because I saw her as an opportunist.

If you have read any of my reviews, I love to talk about the characters and how they're the driving force of the story. The plot in The Angel's Game was great but the characters just failed to bring the story around. This might just be a personal thing though since some might care about the plot only. I'm the type of reader who wants to symphatize with the characters and be able to connect with them.

Zafon authored The Shadow of the Wind, and from what I learned, it had very favorable reviews. I just might read it one day and hope that it's a better book.

Other thoughts I'd like to share: Usually I post my recommendations after a review, but I'm not going to do that. I don't think I'm in the position to tell people not to read this book because they might enjoy it. People have their personal preferences when it comes to books, and so do I.

A Reading Collection Gets a Facelift

Fall has always been my favorite season of the year. In honor of this special time, I have decided to update the background. Thanks to The Cutest Blog on The Block, I have managed to do this. Although I have tried to choose a background that was close to my previous one, I have ended up changing the color of the fonts as well.

Maybe it's me or I'm just used to the old one, but I'm not sure I'll stick to this one. I get bored easily so only time will tell if I will find another fall theme background.

When Judging A Book By Its Cover

Growing up in a multi-cultural background (Filipino, American, Irish, Italian), one of the first things I learned was to be open-minded and learn to accept people by who they are and their appearance. Part of my childhood was in the American South, and I've learned very quickly that it's easy to be judged by how I look since I have light brown skin.

I admit that sometimes I do judge people by their appearance, even though I try not to. When it comes to books, I am very guilty of such. Yesterday, I went to the bookstore and found a copy of After Dark by Haruki Murakami. I was very intrigued by the cover where there was a picture of an attractive Japanese girl. The colors of her make-up and her flawless face blended well against the dark background.

After Dark was one of the books listed in the Japanese Literature Challenge. I wasn't going to buy this book since I had already chosen (and bought!) First Snow in Fuji by Yasunari Kawabata. Since I liked the story synopsis and heard good reviews about After Dark, I bought it. I was thinking about adding another book to read for the challenge, so why not After Dark? However, I do think that the cover had a lot to do with my decision. I don't think I would have picked it up if I didn't think if it was so pretty.

This isn't the first time I picked up a book based on its beautiful cover. Check out the cover of April and Oliver by Tess Callahan. I love how those different shades of blue and gray blended together.

So how about you? Do you sometimes buy a book because of its cover?

TGIF

Ah! Friday, you're finally here.

Today I joined the Friday Feud from Cathy's Kittling: Books for the first time. Friday Feud is a weekly meme. Today's question was: Name an award you would like to win.

I would like to win the Discover Award for new writers. Although it might be years before I could actually write a book, I can only dream at this point. I've often come across a book where it would leave breathless, and I would say to myself, "Boy, I wish I can write a good story like that!" I hope that one day a reader would express that same sentiment about my work.

Okay. Now that I'm done daydreaming, I guess I better pick up that pen and start writing.

My pen and writing journal

One Down, Two to Go

Yippee! I finished the War Through the Generations Challenge! Now I only have two more challenges to do - the Classical Challenge and the One Hundred Plus Books to Read Challenge. I really should have finished the Classical Challenge first since the deadline is in October, but the WWII books were just so much interesting. I actually started on A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, but it's kind of dragging. I doubt that I will ever finish the One Hundred Books to Read Challenge because of my work schedule, but it doesn't really matter since I still have fun reading books. I started late in the challenge but it would have been a different story if I didn't. I would hate to come to a point where I would be miserable trying to complete an X amount of books in an X amount of time. Reading wouldn't be as fun anymore, and I read for fun and for relaxation...not to add more stress in my life.

Christmas in July

Doesn't that cake look scrumptious?

The books that I ordered finally came yesterday. What a treat it was! I came home past 11 PM after working a twelve hour shift, and I was sooo tired that I just wanted to crawl into bed and forget the whole world existed. Of course, that changed when I saw the packages sitting in the living room. Well, not really. I still wanted to sleep, but I figured that could wait after I opened up the packages.

What's in the mail? I realized that not only did I receive the books I ordered online from Barnes and Noble, I also got the books from the Naval Institute Press. Sweet! I tore those packages like a kid tearing through presents on Christmas Day.

The books that I ordered from Barnes and Noble (and they're still having their clearance sale, by the way) were Heartsick by Chelsea Cain, The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Bloom, North River by Pete Hamill, The Rest of Her Life by Laura Moriarty, and The Best American Short Stories (2008 Edition edited by Salman Rushdie and Heidi Pitlor).

The books I received from the Naval Institute Press were the Women of the OSS Sisterhood of Spies by Elizabeth P. MacIntosh and Stranded in the Philippines by Scott A. Mills. I am especially excited to read Stranded in the Philippines. I'm not sure if I should ditch the books I am currently reading now and start reading this one.

Even though my To Be Read pile list had gotten longer, I can't wait to read them. The next question is: Which one should I read first? Oh, the life of a bookaholic.

Kreativ Blogger Award

Woo-hoo! I have just been given a Kreativ Blogger Award by Shellie of Layers of Thought. It's so wonderful to get an award, don't you think? So what is the Kreativ Blogger Award?

The award is a meme. Here's what you do if you decide to accept it. List seven of your favorite things...and then choose seven people who deserve this. Whether it's their writing style, their background layout, or blog content, decide whatever factor or factors that make the nominees' blog creative and stand out.

So...I'll start with my 7 favorite things. You don't have to say why these are your favorites, but I just wanted to share.
1. Books, books, and more books - I can never get enough books.
2. Writing - I love, love, LOVE to write.
3. World History - Some people might groan at this, but to each his own. Heehee. :)
4. Chocolate - ice cream, cake, candy...you name it. I am a chocaholic as much as a bookaholic.
5. Mocha cappuccino - I love coffee but this is my favorite kind.
6. Fall season - I like how the leaves turn into different colors. The weather is not too hot or cold either.
7. The scent of Gain Original Scent detergent - Hands down, it is the best smelling detergent I have ever used. If it was a drug, I will probably get high on it.

Now I'm going to list the nominees. Honestly, there were so many creative blogs out there. I ended choosing eight instead of seven. I also included why I picked them.

1. Shesten of I Heart Monster.
I love her blog. Shesten titles the categories in her blog rather differently. For example, the title of her book reviews is Book Inspection. Creative? Yes, definitely.

2. Jules of Jules' Book Review.
I love the background of her blog. It's so pretty...and her layout is so organized. When I first visited her blog, I stayed there for hours. She also joined these reading challenges. I don't know how she does it but wow.

3. Sheila of One Person's Journey through a World of Books.
Sheila seems to do it all in her blog - reviews, giveaways, author interviews, and guest bloggers. There's just a wealth of information there. I think her blog is one of the coolest blogs I've ever come across upon.

4. Fantaghiro23 of Coffeespoons.
I've always liked the title of her blog. It's very original. Most of the books she's reviewed are books I've never even heard of...so it's very interesting whenever I visit her blog. I also love the heading of her blog - very cool, very hip.

5. Amy of Chic Book Reviews.
The picture of the chick is always such a nice welcome whenever I visit her blog. It's so cute with its glasses. She also hosts giveaways like Self Help Sundays and Free Fridays. Great titles and very original. What I like about her blog best is her enthusiasm...especially the way she ends every entry with, "Read on Chicks." Delightful!

6. Sumthinblue of Bookmarked!
Talk about variety! Sumthinblue reads and reviews different kinds of books and also blogs about her book adventures which makes her blog very interesting and enjoyable. When I visit her blog, there's always something new.

7. Nana of Everything Victorian.
Books, poems, even pictures - Nana blogs about anything that has to do with the Victorian Age. It's a fairly young blog, but I'm really fascinated by its content. I love the poems of the different poets she posts and pictures of the Victorian ladies she posts are so beautiful. So if you like anything or everything Victorian...give her blog a visit.

8. Peter of Kyusireader.
I've nominated Peter before for the Lemonade Award since he always has such a good attitude when he blogs. Now I'm nominating him for a second award for the creativity in his writing style and his blog subjects. This guy just never seems to run out of ideas to blog about books. I'm never bored whenever I visit his blog, and I get good laugh when he writes something hilarious.

That's it, folks. Congratulations to everyone.

What's On Your Desk Wednesday?

What's On Your Desk Wednesday is a weekly book blog meme hosted by Sassy Brit of Alternative-Read.Com. Here are the rules, and they are pretty straight-forward.

You can do one of two things or both.

1. Grab a camera and take a photo of your desk. Or anywhere you stack your books/TBR pile. And no tidying! Add this photo to your blog.Tag at least 5 people.

2. List at least 5 BOOKISH things on your desk (Examples are TBR pile or books you haven't shelved...) List at least 5 NON BOOK things. (Like some of the more unusual items on your desk/table?) Tag at least 5 people to do the same.

Once you're done, go to Sassy's blog and post your link. That way people can visit your blog and see the pictures you have posted.

Peter from KyusiReader tagged me last Wednesday, but due to time zone differences and my work schedule, I wasn't able to post pictures of my desk and tag people. If you can't do it this Wednesday as I am already late posting this (at least according to my time zone), no problem. Just post your pictures and tag your fellow bloggers next Wednesday. It's a lot of fun though.

So here's my desk:

Yes, I know. It's small, but it has so much junk on it.

I have more than five bookish things: three how to write novels/short story books; a writer's idea book which I use when I have a writer's block or if I need to do any writing exercise; and two books that I'm currently reading, Shanghai Girls and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. As for non-bookish things (and I have more than five in this category), I have a red notebook sandwiched between the books. Piled on top of the books is a see-through plastic case where I put all of my essential writing tools: index cards, pens, pencils, highlighters, post-it markers and notes, and etc. Behind that is my printer, scanner, and copier. I also have my red cellphone, my coffee cup, and my mouse.


More non-bookish things: my HP desktop PC with a red (my favorite color) background; my MP3 player; and my bills, which I pay mostly online. I also have a cushion for my wrists in front of my keyboard since I have arthritis in my hands.

Tag! You're it! Here are the 5 people I've chosen for this fun activity.

1. Yvette of True Crime Books Reviews.

2. Suzanne of Chick With Books.

3. Alaine of Queen of Happy Endings.

4. Anna of Diary of an Eccentric.

5. Okbolover of Okbo Lover.

No cheating, guys. And remember...have fun. :D

Sites to See

It's been almost a week since my last entry. Apologies, my dear readers. My new work schedule is a little weird. I work for seven days straight and then I'm off for seven days. Yesterday, which was my first day off, all I did was sleep all day. I remember using the bathroom and eating once, but the rest of the time, I devoted it to rest.

I'm supposed to do my reviews tonight, but my mind is just in a fog right now. I will do them sometime this weekend.

I have been doing absolutely nothing tonight except visiting other sites, and I found two that may just be added to my reading collection. My blog is mostly about books and book reviews but sometimes I'd like to talk about other things. Otherwise, it can get boring, don't you think?

Since I live in America, most of the books I have read are by American authors. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but I feel that my reading material is pretty limited. Every once in awhile, I wonder about what kind of stories do international authors have to tell about their country, their people, their customs, and their history. This is where Words Without Borders come in.

Based here in the US, Words Without Borders is a nonprofit online magazine from international authors. The stories posted here are translated into English. They also published a book called Literature from the Axis of Evil, which is made of writings from Iran, Iraq, North Korea, and other countries that the US have had some bad relations with. I think that would be an interesting read though. Sometimes, I think that we are so blinded by the everyday headlines of these countries that we forget that they are people too. And maybe...there are those who love to read just like us.

If you're like me who loves to read anything that has to do with world history, you might enjoy visiting History World. It's a giant online encyclopedia devoted to world history. There are timelines and articles. The articles written vary from broad to specific subjects of history. Being in the medical field, I particularly found the History of Medicine very informative. Under the subject of Surgery, they featured articles such as Minoans performing trephination, which is the scraping of the skull to let the demons escape. They also have an article titled John of Ardene and Anal Fistula. Anal fistula is a surgical procedure done if there's an abscess in the anus which is caused by prolonged horse riding. Ouch! It's a good thing cars were invented.

There you have it, fellow readaholics. Two sites to check out when you're out and about the web. I've definitely added them to my reading collection...although I probably won't read the anal fistula article again. Ugh.

Happy reading. ^_~

Read, Reflect, Repeat

One day after work, I decided to check out a small independent bookstore in Deridder, which is about 20 miles away from my town. The bookstore not only offered bestsellers and new books, but also sold used books. Since my funds were pretty limited due to moving out of state, I decided to walk over to the used books section. Lo and behold, I saw the Anne of Green Gables series by L.M. Montgomery.

How I loved the Anne of Green Gables series! I read the first two books when I was in the fifth grade. By the seventh grade, I had read all the series. (It took me awhile to find the rest of the books.) Never tired of Anne Shirley, I re-read them again when I was in the eighth grade.

The Anne of Green Gables series weren't the only books I read multiple times. I enjoyed The Little Women by Louisa May Alcott so much that I lost count how many times I borrowed it from the library. I was in the sixth grade then. Of course, now I own a copy of the Little Women and the Anne of Green Gables series so there's no more frequent trips to the school library.

I never got tired re-reading Sidney Sheldon's The Stars Shine Down. It was a rags to riches story of a woman named Lara. The story was simple but the character, though successful, had her flaws. Lara was someone I was able to relate to (though I'm not, by all means, rich) so I believed that was why I kept re-reading the book.

Even though I knew who the perpetrators were in Michael Palmer's The Fifth Vial, I still kept coming back to this book. The story had so many twists, and it was exciting from the beginning to the end.

How about you, fellow reader? What books have you re-read? How many times? Once? Twice? Perhaps you've read more than that? And why? What made you keep coming back to this book? Was it the plot? Was it the character? Please share. I'd love to hear your comments.

Reviews Posted and Some Updates

As promised, I posted my reviews on Tallgrass and Sherlock Holmes: The Hound of the Baskervilles. These reviews were done last night, but it was getting late so I didn't bother posting the links until this evening.

I have also decided to set aside Those Who Save Us by Jenna Blum for now. Currently, I am reading The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath.

I have also updated my blog, One Hundred Books to Read 2009. I've completed 27 books so far. As much as I would love to do reviews on all the books I've read, I don't think I can or will. I started the challenge pretty late and I was right in the middle of moving. I think that if I try to review every book I've read since January, it will take the fun out of blogging. Isn't that why we started blogging in the first place? For fun? I know I did. :)

I mentioned that I will do a review on The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson, but I will also do a review on The Help by Kathryn Stockett. They are both excellent books. So stay tuned and come back soon.

Back from the Dead

Okay. So the title is a bit morbid, but after a month without any updates, I certainly feel like this blog is being resurrected. I surely hope I haven't lost any readers. Now that I have internet access again, I can update more often like I used to.

Is everyone having a great summer so far? Summers in Louisiana arrive early and stay late during the year. Honestly, this is my least favorite time of the year. Fall has always been and always will be my favorite season.

This weekend I will be posting a couple of reviews on The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Tallgrass by Sandra Dallas. I have written them by longhand since I didn't have access to my computer for awhile. I also plan to do a review of the The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson sometime in the future.

Right now, I am reading Those Who Save Us by Jenna Blume. I'm just not sure if I should continue reading it though and it's not because the story's bad. The plot is actually good but some parts are too degrading to read. I'll have to decide whether or not I should set it aside for now and read it later.

There you have it. My first post after one month. I apologize for taking so long, and I hope to see you all here again soon.

Shhh! I'm Reading...or Listening?

I finally got my audio book of The Gargoyle. My friend Suzanne from Chick with Books recommended this to me since I needed to listen to something while I drive home to Louisiana. Even though I have an abundance of mp3s and music CDs, they can get pretty old during a 16 hour drive.
I don't usually "listen" to books since I do prefer reading a real book with my feet up while taking a few sips of french vanilla creamed coffee from my Shhh! I'm Reading mug.

What can I say? I'm old school. I'll probably be the last person on earth to get the Kindle. I realized that I needed to be open minded so I downloaded a free audio book of A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. I thought it was going to be boring, but it wasn't! I actually enjoyed it. I listened to it while I was packing and by doing so made my task bearable. The narrator's voice was engaging, and I can tell she enjoyed doing the narration and the voice overs. I haven't finished listening to it yet, but I look forward listening to the next chapter.

So...do you listen to your books often? Are you like me who prefers to read? Do you have any audio book recommendations? Please share your comments below. I would love to hear them.