Where Does the Time go.....

I ask myself that question constantly. For a number of reasons. At the end of each day I try to figure out where all my time went. I feel like I'm constantly behind....in just about everything! Of course, I'm pretty sure it's mostly my fault. I've stretched myself so thin, you can barely see me sometimes!! I'm taking 18 hours of class this semester. Yes, I know. What was I thinking?? Well....I was thinking that as much as I love being a college student, I REALLY need to finish this degree and get myself back out into the world of the steady paycheck again. Money is TIGHT right now. Seriously tight, and I struggle with it on a daily basis. Mike's year is coming up quickly at FedEx, and we are hoping for full-time for him soon. We are also even looking at relocation. Memphis and San Diego are both huge FedEx depots, and there are always jobs coming open. But the girls are so against it, it's hard to even bring the topic up when they are around. I understand their frustrations....I really do. They have friends and school here, in the only home they've ever known. But economically speaking, Illinois is ranked at the bottom for jobs and at the top in families that are considered poverty level. A new start for all of us would be welcomed by Mike & I, but it would have to come with a serious paycheck for us to really consider it.

Back to time....it is so fleeting these days. I'm working more hours than I have in a long time on top of my class schedule. And yet, I am making less than I did last year. But I keep put on that uniform and trying to make it work. Then there is the chauffeur aspect of my life. Each kid is completely immersed in activities, and I need a spreadsheet to keep up!! Ana made the travel softball team, and is in soccer. Practices and games seem to happen almost every day. If I had one child that would be great. But then there is Bella. She has taken to Jr. High like a fish to water. She shook off her disappointment of not making the school's softball team, and starting joining. She joined the speech team (which isn't really speech if you ask me. It was called Literary when I was in school). Being in band, she is now in concert band, mixed choir, and Show choir. Ah....she also tried out and MADE the school basketball team!! I am super proud of her, but she has practice for something everyday. Sometimes before school at 7. Sometimes after school....and can be there as late as 7. Pile on the homework, and she is as busy as I am.

Chad just got his learner's permit, and is ALWAYS bugging me to go driving. He decided he was going to focus more on school this year and didn't go out for football. However, he is joining the wrestling team again this year, and they are already starting workouts. Oh...and the girls! That boy has more would-be girlfriends than anyone I know!! They are constantly calling or texting or coming over. Sheesh. He just goes with the flow....he's going to Homecoming with his best friend, Carly. I just don't think he actually wanted to choose a date!

Time....I should be cleaning my house right now. Or doing laundry. Or grocery shopping. My house is close to being designated a hazard. And yet, here I sit. Another thing to put off. I have a paper due on The Crucible tomorrow. As well as my first set of Reading Cards for Child's Lit, a Humanities test on the Modern Assault.....and a group research project on the ancient Greek Playwright, Aeschylus. And that is just what I have due for tomorrow!!

Time.....I wish I had more to read for fun, though I have 40 books I have to read for Child's Lit!! Of course, some of those are actually picture books, so it's not quite as bad as it sounds at first. For the Newbery selections I just reread The Graveyard Book (always a favorite of mine), The Higher Power of Lucky, Evolution of Calpurnia Tate (EXCELLENT!), Holes, and I'm trying to finish Tale of Desperieux today. I'm going to be soliciting ideas for my next set of books. So get your thinking caps on!! I would love to be more involved with blogging, join me some challenges. RIP is going on, but I just don't have the time. I will try to pop in on all of you though and see how YOU are doing.

 

 

Time......sometimes I look in the mirror, and wonder "When did I get so old?" There are days I just feel my age in my bones. It seems like just yesterday I was in college the first time....or picking Chad up out of his crib. Where has it all gone?? How does it slip by so fast?? I guess if I had the answer to that, I would be a very rich woman. Doesn't keep me from asking though.  This past weekend, Mike and I celebrated our 17th wedding anniversary!    It has been a long 17 years, and we've had some good times as well as bad.....but I don't think I would trade them in for anything!

Time....I have to be at work in about an hour. So, I guess that means this post should end soon. Hopefully, there is some money to be earned today. And if not, then I just come home and start my paper. You know...that paper I should be writing instead of posting here!! I just felt the need this morning to try to re-connect with my friends. You know who you are. The people that are always there even when I seem to be completely ignoring you. Just know that I am not ignoring you....and you are all always close to me....in my heart!!

Later!!

Alas, Summer is Almost Over......

and still, I haven't been able to post! It seems that not blogging has left this big hole in my life. And yet, there seems to always be something that is taking my time away. I always thought not working full-time would mean I had MORE time to blog. Just doesn't seem to be the case. Ever since we moved the kids back to our house full-time, I have been non-stop on the go. When Mike and I both worked 3rd shift, the kids spent a majority of nights with my in-laws. It was the only thing we could do. They were too young to be alone at night. I missed them like crazy, even though I saw them every day. It just wasn't enough. Losing my job was hard, but not being with my kids was harder. It seems we are closer than ever. All that time apart really helped build some special bonds with those little rats....who are not so little anymore. Although sometimes I feel more like a chauffeur than a mom, I count my blessings every day.

So....what has been going on since I have been away?? Here, it's more of the same. The summer was spent attending numerous softball practices/games. Both girls played, only this year it was 2 separate teams. Both girls also spent 2 weeks at Kid's College. What an amazing experience for them!! They were both enrolled in a class called "Broadway Bound". Their instructor was a really talented lady. At then end of the session, the class put on a vaudeville style show with singing, dancing, poetry and skits. It was really good. Bella also took an art class. She loves art, and they did some sculpting, Batik and sketching. Ana, the little scholar, took a Chinese Language & Culture class. As the youngest there, she was still tops in her class. She wanted to learn a foreign language, and has now started with Mandarin Chinese. She's scary sometimes.

Me? Other than running them around all summer, I worked at the restaurant. I was going to take a class, but figured I needed the summer to decompress. Last semester was hard, being my first one back. I ended up on the Dean's List with a 3.8 GPA though. So I must have done something right! Fall semester starts in a week, so I'm working almost every day until then. Books aren't cheap folks! Damn. I'm in the hole almost $600 for the Fall's books. Financial aid is a strange thing too. As financially strapped as I am, I don't qualify for any type of aid yet. It's my last semester at the Junior College before I transfer. Since I already have a bachelor's degree, I have too many credit hours to qualify for aid. And that includes student loans too. Which sucks. I'm hoping once I'm enrolled at ISU, that will change. It has too, otherwise, I don't think there is any way I can finish without help. After taking to the registrar's office at ISU, I'm hopeful though.

My class load is even bigger this fall. 6 classes: Children's Lit, Shakespeare, Educational Technology, Education Psychology, Nature of Theater (need that extra Fine Arts Credit), and Early Western Civ (for my History minor). I wrangled my schedule to only have classes Tues/Thursday this time, so I will have more time to work (and study of course!) The kids are as excited to get back to school as I am. Chad will be a sophomore this year. I already got the letter about his "Behind the Wheel" Class. Driver's Ed!!!! I can NOT believe my baby is going to be driving. I'm still a little nauseous about it! Bella starts Jr. High this year. She got her schedule last week and it's packed full. Only 1 study hall on Friday afternoon! All the other free time goes to band, chorus and mixed chorus. Ana will be in 4th. She is almost as tall I am now!! Time has a way of speeding up the older you get. I may be a college student, but I feel so old sometimes. Especially when I look at my kids. It seems like just yesterday they were all in diapers. Now, I have one that is going to be driving soon!

Reading?? How I done any? This has been a good summer for books. I haven't really been blown away by anything lately, but I have read a lot. Mostly YA books. I reread both Hunger Games and Catching Fire, so I could finish the series with Mockingjay. As much as I loved the first two books, I found the end of the trilogy a little wanting. Princess Academy by Shannon Hale was an ok read. Although I liked the premise, the book was a little on the blah side for me. Fire by Kristine Cashore was a really good book. I liked it even better than Graceling. I read the second book in the Thursday Next series, Lost in a Good Book. I am constantly blown away by Jasper Fforde. His use of literary characters and word play is just so much fun. I read the first book in the 39 Clues series: A Maze of Bones. This one was written by Rick Riordan. The series itself is written by a number of authors. The premise is a hunt across the world for 39 clues that will lead the winners to something that will make them the most powerful people in the world. There are 7 teams of people, all members of the Cahill family. FUN series, though targets a younger audience than I usually read. What else? hmmmm....I started rereading The Dark Towers series by Stephen King. I read the first 4 books years ago, and I finally decided I needed to finish the series. So far, I've just read The Gunslinger, but will definitely pick up The Drawing of the Three soon. I just finished The Summoning (Darkest Powers) by Kelley Armstrong. Another good book, and another series I seem to have gotten stuck in. Dead Witch Walking by Kim Harrison was also a great beginning to the Rachel Morgan series. That's all I can think of now, off the top of my head.

Since school is starting in another week, and my for fun reading is going to be cut to a bare minimum, I have a stack of books I'm going to try to get through before I get back into all that homework. They include Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen; Zombie, Ohio: A Tale of the Undead by Scott Kenemore; Enna Burning by Shannon Hale; A Hat Full of Sky by Terry Pratchett; Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie; The Good, the Bad, and The Undead by Kim Harrison; The Awakening (Darkest Powers, Book 2) by Kelley Armstrong; and finally Fearless Girls, Wise Women, & Beloved Sisters: Heroines in Folktales From Around the World by Kathleen Ragan. Let's see what I can get done in such a short time!!

On a sad note, we had to have my beloved St. Bernard, Rocco, put to sleep a few weeks ago. In all my years as a dog owner I've never had to make that decision before. And it SUCKED! But he was getting old and in constant pain from arthritis, lost most of his hearing...then started having neurological problems. By the end, he couldn't walk. He was way too big for us to have to carry outside anymore. It was heartbreaking for all of us, but the kids especially. Still breaks my heart to think about it.

Now...I want to hear from all of you! What is happening in your lives??? I've missed you all terribly and want to know.

Once Upon a Time....Again

Every once in a while you stumble across something out there in the great big blogosphere that changes you. Sometimes this something is little, like a new book that will take your breath away. Sometimes, it's less tangible, like a feeling that you get when you read a post that fires up your sensibilities. And sometimes, it's meeting a new person that you have so much in common with, it's like you've known them all your life. For me, when I stumbled across The First Once Upon a Time Reading Challenge, all of these things happened. This challenge literally changed my life. I had just begun blogging, and Carl from Stainless Steel Droppings hosted the first challenge. The month before I had read American Gods by Neil Gaiman....a book that literally did take my breath away. A few people had commented on my review, Carl being one of them. He told me about this challenge and suggested some more books that I might like. In that moment, one little comment literally changed the way I read forever. A relatively new reader of fantasy, I had little experience with authors in the genre. Hell, I had little experience with the genre as a whole. But once I joined the challenge, I found a whole new world out there. And in that world were people that definitely knew their way around. Those people acted as guides to me, showing me books and authors that I would grow to love. Short stories that excited me. And graphic novels that would rock my world. For this I am forever in your debt. Carl, Chris, Nymeth, Debi, and Kailana....you guys have led me down a path that has taken me to worlds and places I will never forget. And for that I thank all of you!! Your friendship and reading guideance has meant the world to me.




So....with my blogging "break" (if you can call it that) officially over, I find it incredibly ironic that it coincides with the Once Upon a Time Reading Challenge V! There is NO WAY I would miss this challenge, even though I will be finishing up my first semester back! I can't guarantee that I will be able to complete the challenge. But that doesn't matter to me. What matters is that I do read some books, write some reviews, and follow along with everyone else. I definitely plan on trying to do the Short Story Challenge. And the movie Challenge. When the dust clears and the challenge is over, we will just see how far I make this year. I'm just happy to be back and be able to add my name to the little Mr. Linky....and hopefully transport myself to a few new worlds this year.

I don't have an exact list. And since money is EXTREMELY tight, I probably won't be able to buy anything new. But I have some books on my shelf that will definitely fit the bill....and maybe I'll even take a few out of the library to fill in the gaps. My reading list, while not complete, may include a few of the following:

• Stories: All New Tales Edited by Neil Gaiman
• The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde
• A Hat Full of Sky by Terry Pratchett
• Dead Witch Walking by Kim Harrison
• The Titan's Curse (Percy Jackson Book 3) by Rick Riordan
• The Maze Runner by James Dashner
• Matched by Ally Condie
• The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff
• The Eternal Ones by Kristin Miller
• Graveminder by Melissa Marr
• Bone Doll's Twin by Lynn Flewelling
• A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin
• Daughter of the Blood by Anne Bishop
• The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch
• Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson
• His Magesty's Dragon by Naomi Novik
• The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe
• Snow White and Rose Red by Patricia Wrede
• Beauty by Robin McKinley
• The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale
• Dreams Underfoot by Charles de Lint
• From a Whisper to a Scream by Charles de Lint

And these are just the books I have on my shelves. I will do my best to pick a few good ones. Any suggestions??

Once again, I just want to thank Carl. You might not realize how important you are to the blogging community. But you are. And I, for one, appreciate all the effort you put into your challenges. You are a good friend and I just want to say thank you!

Sunday Salon - The Longest Week Ever

OK....well, I know I said I was coming back to blogging. I meant it too. And I still plan on being back full-time, posting at least 3 or 4 times a week. But the past week has been amazingly full, and I haven't had a free minute!!

First of all, I have to thank each and every one of you. Not only did you restore my faith in blogging, but you welcomed me back open arms. THAT is the part of blogging that I have SO missed. What I didn't miss was the stress of posting a certain amount of times a week. Worrying about "stats", and whether my blog is "good enough" for certain publishers. Feeling pressured to read a book that I really had no desire to pick up. Feeling like I had to review all of the numerous book review requests that I received. But what all of you told me, and what I finally realized is this: That stuff doesn't really matter. I started my blog oh-so-many-years-ago for me. I wanted an outlet for all my creative juices, and a place to record the books I read. I was never a 1000-hit a day blog. I don't have millions of followers, and not the one that publishers immediately think of when choosing the Best Blogs.

BUT I think I have carved myself a nice little niche, with a few followers, some really good friends and, hopefully, some great discussion about one of my favorite topics: books. And that makes me happy. The funny thing is, even when I didn't even post for over 9 months, I still received tons of review requests. In my possession I have a least a full tote (if not two) of books that I received during my "sabbatical". I'm looking forward to getting back to reading and reviewing and blogging. I can't wait to catch up on all your blogs...and maybe even join a reading challenge of two. It's time...and I'm finally ready.

Of course, I alluded to the fact that this was a busy week. That is an understatement in the biggest way. Mike started working...which is great and wonderful...and he LOVES it. BUT, he has to get up between 2 and 3 am. And it never fails that I end up getting up too. His alarm wakes me, and I usually see him off. Then I try to get at least a couple more hours of sleep. I'm an incurable insomniac, so there are days when I just can't get back to sleep. Either way, I have to be up by 6 to shower before the kids get up. Chad has to be at the high school by 7:45. Band days, Belle has to be at school by 8. And Ana needs to be there by 8:45. The hours from 6 to 9 are just crazy trying to get everyone up, dressed, fed and ready.

Classes started this week, and I can honestly say I absolutely love them!! 4 classes and 1 online class. I'm so looking forward to getting into all of them. And for all of you readers, we are starting with the Romantics in Brit Lit. Poetry, so far by William Blake and Charlotte Smith. And listen to this: a huge project for this class includes creating a blog and doing a "salon" for a British Author!! I'm pretty sure I can handle that one!! I may be posting here on this blog, and am open to any suggestions you all have. I was thinking about Oscar Wilde or Thomas Hardy.....but would love to hear what you guys suggest!!

Frankenstein is my required reading this week in Lit111: The Short Story and The Novel. In fact, I actually picked this section BECAUSE of the reading list! The texts includes a book called Fiction 50, which is a collection of short stories by authors such as Agatha Christie, Nikolai Gogol, Leo Tolstoy, Alice Walker and Joyce Carol Oates. The other required reading is Frankenstein, The Haunting of Hill House, Dracula, Jane Eyre, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and The Eyre Affair.

Of course, getting back into the hang of studying has been a bit difficult. The last time I was studying this many classes at a time, I wasn't married. Didn't have kids or other responsibilities. I have a feeling this is going to be tougher than I originally thought. I really hope I can do it.

To top it all off, we had kind of a rough week. Chad is on the wrestling team this year. It's his first year doing it. His HS freshman football coach is the head wrestling coach, and actually suggested Chad try out for the team. Turns out, he's good. Real good. So good, in fact, this could lead to scholarships in the future. 2 weeks ago, he hurt his shoulder. We spent all day in the ER, but it was just a sprain. It put him out for a bit, which just killed him. Yesterday was the conference meet, and he was SO excited to get back to it. Then he hurt knee. Badly. We go to the orthopedic tomorrow, but his trainer is pretty sure he blew his ACL. Which is going to mean surgery and months of PT. He's devastated, but I told him at least it his freshman year. Actually, I'm kind of devastated for him. It kills me to see him so sad. He hasn't left his room since he got home from the meet yesterday.

And if that wasn't bad enough, I had to work last night. About 7:30, I was coming out of the back room carrying a bunch of plates, when I rounded the corner of the kitchen. Someone has spilt some balsamic vinaigrette (all greasy) on the floor, and I wiped out. I fell on my left hip, and hit my elbow hard on the metal counter. I jumped up pretty quickly, and went right back to work. But in about 15 minutes, the throbbing in my elbow as too much, and the swelling was pretty bad. They shipped me off to the ER too!! Good news for me is that I didn't fracture anything. It hurts like hell, is swollen, and is starting to turn ugly colors. But it won't keep me out of work too long.

This week it seemed like it was just one thing after the other. Belle is sick. I'm pretty sure it strep throat. Ana has had basketball and we've spent many hours studying multiplication tables. Chad's had a couple of doctor's appointments with his shoulder....next week it will be his knee. My washing machine took a dump, and now I have to go up the street to the Laundromat to do my laundry. Cross your fingers that I can hold it all together!

For now, I will let you all go. Check in frequently, I have a lot of books I'd like to talk about that I've recently finished, including the YA books Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl, Wither by Lauren DeStefano and Nightshade by Andrea Cremer. Also the 1st 3 books in the Walking Dead Series. I also want to talk about the 9 new books that I've received the past few weeks, and the 3 that I got for my birthday. Till then, take care and I will be back soon!! Later!

Having a Rory Gilmore Moment......

I never once watched The Gilmore Girls when it was on TV. We have DirecTV, and can not get the CW channel. So for over 7 seasons, I missed out on this FANTASTIC show. When I was off work, with my arm in a sling about 2 months ago, I really wanted to spend time reading. But every single time I picked up a book, I fell sound asleep. Probably partly from the sheer exhaustion that had built up, and partly from all the pain medication. So....I went to the library to try to find something that would hold my interest.....and I stumbled across the first few seasons of The Gilmore Girls. And I fell in love. Absolutely, truly in love. For those of you that haven't watched the show, it's about a single mother, Loreli, and her teen daughter, Rory. And Rory is a reader.

Now...to the Rory moment: Because we have been slow at work, I've spent more than a lunch hour reading. Lately, I have taken to carrying a tote bag to work with me. It's just more convenient. I throw my small purse in it, a bottle of soda, a bottle of water. My written reading journal. And books. Not just one either. But a few.

Last night, I was sitting in the break area, and my co-worker came up to me and peered in my bag. Tom looked at me kind of funny. Then he asked me, "Why do you have so many books? You can't possibly read them all." How do you explain it to a non-reader?? The fear of not having something to read. Well. I tried. I said, "Tom. Look. This is the fiction book I'm reading right now. It's a paranormal/Gothic book. But in case that doesn't interest me at the moment, I have another fiction book. It's historical fiction. I'm also reading a book of essays. I have a de Lint book of Newford Short Stories going. Oh...there's also a graphic novel thrown in there. Just in case the mood strikes me. And finally, a memoir. Non-fiction. A girl just doesn't ever know what she is going to be in the mood for when she leaves the house."

Apparently, I did a lousy job of explaining. Tom looked at me like I had just sprouted a third eye. Oh well. Check out the video below. See why I adore Rory. It's me!! Is it really a sickness? On a side note, I did see that someone was doing a "Rory" Challenge. I. Must. Join.

Library Loot, Christmas Shopping and A Much Better Night....

Well, I guess my pity-party worked, because I feel much better today. Honestly, I think it's just my way of releasing all that stress that builds up. I don't really have a lot of close friends that live around me anymore. It's weird. I have tons of acquaintances. But they usually fall into group of people that think of me as "Bella's Mom" or "Mike's Wife" or something like that. Most of my close friends don't really live around here. And truthfully, with the schedule that I keep, I seem to have alienated the ones that are still around!! So, when I feel the need for someone to unburden myself to, it seems the most logical place is to take to my blog and dump. Whatever the reason, I feel "lighter" today.

I even started Christmas shopping!! OK, that may not seem so amazing, unless you REALLY know me. My usual start for holiday shopping is around Dec. 18th! But the girls picked out some iPod's, and Best Buy is running an amazing sale this week. Plus I could put them all on an 18 month plan with no interest. Each kid is getting a "big" gift, then probably a lot of books!! I'm still not sure what to get Chad. Truthfully, I don't even want to think about Christmas. Normally, each year we have a Santa Saver account that I drop money into each week. This year, with Mike being off, not so much. But I'm trying to pick up one extra day at the restaurant a week. That day, all my money is getting put up just for Christmas. Mike and I have pretty decided against buying each other much. But the kiddies have worked hard all year. They deserve a nice Christmas. They are going to get it too.

Well....I guess I should just get on with my library loot. I swear, I really need to stay off the library's website. Seriously. At least this week, I actually returned about 6 books. This is the list of books that I have picked up in the last week:

This is actually one of the books I'm most excited about. I'm reading it as a part of the Women Unbound challenge. It's Couldn't Keep It to Myself by Wally Lamb and the Women of York Correctional Institution. Lamb teaches writing workshops at the prison and these are some essays that have come out of that experience. So far, I've only read Lamb's introduction, but it had me in tears. Can't wait to read more!

Non-fiction read #2, and another Women Unbound Challenge book is Factory Girls: From Village to City in a Changing China by Leslie T. Chang. Deals with the hardships of women in China. I'm really not a huge non-fiction fan, but this sounds really interesting. I guess we will see how it goes.

The House at Sugar Beach: In Search of a Lost African Childhood by Helene Cooper is a memoir that I wanted to read for the Non-Fiction Challenge (which I failed at MISERABLY!) I liked memoirs. And I've read a couple based in Africa. I'm hoping this is just as good. If I can get to it, I think this will be a great selection for the Women Unbound Challenge.

Bastard out of Carolina by Dorothy Allison is a fiction selection for the Women Unbound Challenge. See what I mean about the library website?? I find a challenge I want to start, make a list of books, and then just go online and FIND them. I've been wanting to read this book for years. Figure now would be a great time!! Heard great things about it.

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater is a book I've seen lately across the blogosphere. YA and paranormal are my favorites these days, so this one jumped right out at me. I'm thinking it has to do with werewolves. Always kind of liked them!!

The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson was kind of a spur of the moment kind of book. I saw it on the shelf as I was browsing. I remember reading a lot of good reviews. Another YA book, it seems a little science-fictiony. Can't hurt to try it!

Halloween may be over, but that doesn't mean my love for horror novels is completely satisfied. I read about Dark Harvest by Norman Partridge at Carl's blog. He always finds fun creepy reads during RIP time. Thought it would be a good one for those long nights at work when I'm alone and want to scare myself silly. Or maybe not!

I've been loving Rachel Caine's YA series, the Morganville Vampires so much (I have a review to write for Book 5, which I just completed), that I wanted to try her adult series. Ill Wind is the first book in the Weather Warden series. It looks like it will be a fun read!

Breathers by S. G. Browne is another zombie book. I read Chris' review and thought it looked like a whole lot of fun. Besides, the cover just rocks, doesn't it??

Dangerous Angels by Francesa Lia Block is a selection for the GLBT Reading Challenge. I've read a couple of Block's books before and just the lyrical way she writes. When Nymeth and Debi reviewed this one, I knew I had to add it to my challenge list. Besides, it's another book with an awesome cover!!

I'm Not Scared by Niccolo Ammaniti is a book I read about during the Read-A-Thon. I think I saw it over on Eva's blog. Then again, it was really LATE and I could be wrong about that. Regardless, it looks really good. Ammaniti is an Italian writer and this is his American debut.

Reservation Blues by Sherman Alexie is a book that I KNOW I read about on Eva's blog. I've wanted to read Alexie for a while now, and this one deals a lot with music. Another one of my loves. Can not wait to given this one a chance.

Finally, a book I am SO excited about. And one that was a complete impulse. I just happened to be passing the New Release shelf at the front of the library and this book practically jumped off the shelf at me. In fact, I think I might have even squealed out loud!! The Gates by John Connolly is his newest novel. After reading The Book of Lost Things and just finishing Nocturnes, Connolly is becoming one of my favorite authors. I can not wait till I get a chance to read this one!!

That's it was for this week's Library Loot. Of course, it's more than enough for me. The number of books coming in seems be WAY higher than the amount of books going out. Gotta work on that!!

Thanks For Introducing Me to this Book!!! BBAW

From the BBAW Website, here is today's assignment:

Can you believe it’s already Day 4 of BBAW? Where has the time gone? Well hopefully you’ve discovered plenty of new book blogs to clog up your RSS feed readers and introduce you to more marvelous books throughout the year! But let’s talk about that book you know, the one you discovered only because you read about it on a book blog and then you realized you couldn’t live without it! And then you read it and you loved it so hard! Tell us about it and about the blogger (or bloggers!) that introduced the book to you!

Well, as you could probably tell from yesterday's 5 words answers, I don't do very well following directions!! It's not like I don't READ them. I do. I just choose to ignore them, and make up my own. Besides, since I've started blogging, I have read some of the most wonderful books!! And I'd have to say that 95% of the credit goes to bloggers. With that said, I'm going to list a few more than just one. Because, when you say that book, the one you can't live without - I say there are more than just one!!

When I started blogging, I discovered Neil Gaiman. I haven't read anything that he's written that has been a disappointment to me. Not in the least. But one of the best of his books so far has been Neverwhere. I read this one last year for the Once Upon a Time Challenge. It was through urging from Carl. Although Gaiman has legends of fans (me included), Carl could possibly be one of his biggest!!

Preludes & Noctures: The Sandman, Vol. 1 by Neil Gaiman is the very first graphic novel that I've ever read. Not only did I love it, I was blown away by the awesomeness of it!! The story itself is a first-rate fantasy tale, but the artwork is amazing. I can't remember exactly who the first person was to bring up this series, but I'd lay money on a couple of people: Carl, Chris, and Debi. And because it's a graphic novel, I'm throwing Nymeth in to boot. Because she is one of the people that pushed me into reading a GN in the first place.

Moon Called by Patricia Briggs is the first book in the Mercy Thompson series. There is just something so incredibly appealing to me about books with strong female characters. And Mercy is definitely one of the strongest. This isn't great literature, by any means. But it's escapism at it's best: it's fun, fast, and exciting. I first read about this from Kailana. She reads enough fantasy/paranormal/speculative fiction, that if she likes it, I'm positive I will too!

Looking for Alaska is another book that I give full-credit to bloggers for. It's quite possible the first review of this book came from the phenomenal Dewey. In fact, I'm sure that's the first place I saw it. But since that time, it was Nymeth, Chris, and most recently Debi that pushed me over the edge to read this WONDERFUL book. Have you ever felt like you were a better person for reading a certain book? THIS is one of those books.

I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith is such a new read for me, I haven't even had a chance to review it yet. In fact, I just finished it this morning. But I wanted to add it to the list because it was completely and utterly delightful!! And I wanted to give Nymeth peace of mind. Since I had a less than stellar reaction to one of her favorite books, I just wanted to let her know how fabulous I though I Capture the Castle was! So much so that I need to savour it for a few days before I write the review.

Don't forget to sign up for my Hush, Hush Giveaway!!

Happy BBAW!

Library Loot - The Challenge Edition (and some Random Thoughts!)

Seriously...it feels like I'm been gone for ages! I go a little stir-crazy when I don't get to post for awhile. But my computer was down again for a few days. Don't ask. (it was a totally easy fix, but I had to go through 3 different service people on the phone before I packed it all up for Best Buy and the Geek Squad. It took the service girl literally 2 minutes to fix it. If I wasn't so relieved, I probably would have been fighting mad!) Also....work. The kids. Right now, both Bella and Ana are in soccer and Chad's in football. A few nights a week, I have all 3 on some practice field at the same time!! Life is busy, that's for sure.

I ended up having to take some books back to the library without reading them. It's the nature of the beast I guess. That, and I check out 30 books at a time with no possible chance of being able to read them!! Keep that in mind when you see the haul that I made the last week or so. When RIP IV was announced, I immediately logged on to the libraries website and put some books on hold. Then I realized I was lacking in other challenges, so I put MORE books on hold. In addition to all the holds, I started wandering through the movie section. Like I don't have a million books to read, but I found they had Season One of the Gilmore Girls! I've heard endless stories about what a wonderful show this was, so I grabbed it too. The girls and I spent most of the holiday weekend devouring it. Why did I not watch this show when it was on?? It's fantastic!! And Rory is a reader!! The girl carried a book with her to a formal!! Gotta love it!! Anyway, here is this week's edition of Library Loot, The Challenge Edition:

GLBT Challenge (or The Challenge that Dare Not Speak its Name):

Suicide Notes: A Novel by Thomas Ford. Young Adult book about a gay boy that wakes up in a psych hospital after trying to commit suicide. Could be depressing, but is supposed to a humorous way of showing self-discovery. Looks good too me!

Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters. After reading so much about Sarah Waters, I knew I had to add her name to this challenge. This is her first book, and I am super anxious to read it!

The Canadian Reading Challenge III:

Green Grass, Running Water by Thomas King. I don't remember where I heard of this book first. I think it was from Kailana. I did horrible in this challenge before, and this looks like a book I would like. And besides, I liked the cover art!!






Dewey's Reading Challenge:

Mister Pip by Lloyd Jones. I loved the book Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. I still haven't figured out the connection, but if Dewey liked it, that is a good enough recommendation for me!!









Young Adult 2009 (though I'm pretty sure I've already filled my YA quotient for this one):

The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl by Barry Liga. I love the cover. I love the title. The inner Goth Girl in me is excited about this one. I first saw this one over at Becky's Book Reviews. Another blogger that holds a lot of stock with me.

Its Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini. I don't know where I heard of this book. Another high school/psych ward story. Looks like a good one too, and I've seen only positive reviews.

And Finally, a WHOLE buttload of books for RIP IV:

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan. Everyone and their brother has been raving about this book. It's a Zombie book. I've decided that Zombies are the new Vampires. SUPER excited about this one!!

Rare Beasts by Charles Ogden. This is the first book in the Edgar and Ellen series. I have no idea if it fits for the RIP, but the cover is awesome!!

Pearls from Peoria. This is a huge book of short stories that are pulled from fanzines and other small publications. It's a mix of sci-fi, fantasy and who knows what else. I stumbled across this one at the library. And since I LIVE in Peoria, I thought I would give it a try!!

Four and Twenty Blackbirds by Cherie Priest is described as a "Southern Gothic" tale. I've been excited to read this since I saw a review at Chris' blog. I think I'll be reading this one with Kailana.

Baltimore,: Or the Steadfast Tin Soldier and the Vampire by Mike Mignola. Carl read this one for one of the RIP Challenges and raved about it. If his recommendation is enough (and trust me, it is!) there is "Vampire" in the title!! Good enough for me!

Dreams Underfoot by Charles de Lint. What's a RIP Challenge without a little de Lint? This is one of the first books in the Newford Collection and I can not wait to read it either.

Castaways by Brian Keene. Hmm....Reality Show contest on a deserted island...with Cannibals?? Sounds like a pretty decent horror novel to me!!

The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness. Another book I've seen pop up over the internet. A lot. Don't really know what it's about, but that hasn't stopped me before!!

Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins. Chad brought this home to me from his school library. He read it in just a few days and was super-excited about it. Any time he get excited over a book, he wants me to read it. Who am I too push away a recommendation from my son? And yes, that's the SAME Suzanne Collins of the Hunger Games/Catching Fire. That alone should be enough to read it.

Finally, Ruined: A Ghost Story by Paula Morris is actually a book I got from Amazon Vine. But it TOTALLY fits for the challenge, so I added it here!!

That's all for now. I'm a couple reviews behind, so expect that later on this week (providing my stupid computer stays with me!) I can't wait to begin reading!! Now that I'm almost done with the blog tours I've signed up for, it's time to get into some serious Challenge reading!!

Wednesday Randomness

I was going to do a post like this Tuesday.....but then I saw Carl's announcement of the RIP IV Challenge....and well, I just got too excited!! I mean seriously. I've been stockpiling books like crazy for this challenge. I wait all year for it....couldn't NOT post immediately!

So....school started this week. Ana is in the 2nd grade and Bella's in the 4th. Both were really excited for the first day of school. The social parts of them love to get together with all their friends. But they are both really excited about learning too. I find that so refreshing. This summer, during their summer reading program, we spent hours checking out non-fiction books. They wanted to learn new things. We worked our way through the juvenile non-fiction section of animals, stars, and the weather.

Chad is going into 8th grade. He's freaking out just a bit. He found out he'd been placed in an advanced, high-school level math class. Math = NOT my favorite subject by any means. But he loves it. And has always done extremely well. I have no idea why he's worried about it. Except for the fact that he might actually have to study just a little bit.

Speaking of Chad, his 13th birthday was last week. Talk about making a person feel old. I now have a TEENAGER in the house. With the girlies, I made sure to take each one out separately....dinner and stuff afterwards. But I was a little worried Chad wouldn't want to go. I realize hangin' with your mom becomes super un-cool after a certain age. So I put it out there for him and told him we could go out, but only if he wanted to. He said that was fine. We could do something after his football practice one night. So I rushed him home for a shower and we took off. We went to Borders (and I bought him 3 books, including The Hunger Games which he is almost finished with...and loving!), then out to Applebee's for dinner, and finally a late night movie. While we were sitting at dinner, he said, "Mom, can I tell you something? I've REALLY been looking forward to tonight." Sheesh, I just about lost it. I'm such a sap. But he is my only boy...and my firstborn. I hope he stays as sweet as he is now.

Work has been busy....I swear, I'm putting in close to 70 hours a week with both jobs. And my shoulder is just killing me. I know I'm going to have to have surgery on it. But I can't afford to take the time off now. Maybe after Christmas. That's why I'm working so much. Trying to build up some savings for me to take the time off. The Dr. said the recovery period for a torn rotator cuff could be up to 3 - 4 months. That's a lot of time to NOT be working.

My wonderful friend Michelle, from Master Musings by Michelle (a totally awesome new blogger that you really need to start reading!!) just gave me an award!! She passed along the Me-to-You Blogger Award, and it seriously made my day. I love the little bear, don't you? I'll have to think before I pass it on to anyone else. It's so hard when all the blogs I read are so good!

Since we are talking about things that made my day, I wanted to comment on the BBAW nominations. I haven't had a chance to post about it, but I got *3* nominations! Best Speculative Fiction Blog, Best YA Blog, and Best Reviews. I can't tell you how excited about this I am. Not that I expect to win or anything, because the competition is fierce. But seriously, just being nominated has meant so much to me. It means that someone has noticed the things I do here. And although I really mean for my blog to be just for me, it makes me feel fantastic that someone else out there thinks enough about to nominate me. So THANK YOU so much to whoever you are. It means the world!!

In reading news, I requested a butt-load of books from the library. Mostly for the RIP challenge. Man. They must think I'm crazy. It's not like I don't already have 30 books checked out!! Looks like a library Loot post is upcoming.

On the reading front, I need to post a review for Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick. I always have a hard time with books that don't meet my expectations. :( I'm still reading I Capture the Castle. Slowly but surely, and I'm really loving this book. Not at all what I expected. I'm also finishing up a book for a book tour on Friday....Prayers for Sale by Sandra Dallas. A different read for me, but a good one.

What's going on in your lives?? I really need to catch up with my blog reading. I'm slacking a bit these days. Later....

The Sunday Salon - July in Review

Can you believe July is over already?? This summer is slipping by so fast, I can hardly believe it. This month we survived basketball camp, the end of softball season, a softball tournament, and Bella's birthday. Now, it's time to get ready for school. Am I the only weird one that loves shopping for school supplies?? I can't help myself....I just love to. On top of that, Chad has his last JFL season starting. This year, he will be a Senior (in JFL terms anyway.) My little wide receiver/line backer packed on over 20 lbs and 5 inches since last year! Practice starts tomorrow.

Now...my reading July in review. I pale in comparison to most of you, I realize that. But for me, I've had a decent month reading. I read 7 books, 2 of which were graphic novels. 2144 pages in all. Not too bad.

• The Sandman, Vol.2: The Doll's House by Neil Gaiman
• Fables, Vol.2: Animal Farm by Bill Willingham
• Two Years, No Rain by Shawn Klomparens
• The Latent Powers of Dylan Fontaine by April Lurie
• City in the Lake by Rachel Neumeier
• Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan
• Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Although I loved a couple of the books I read, I'd have to say Catching Fire was my favorite read this month. It's hard to beat that one!!

I bought 8 books, and checked out more than I can count from the library. I think my total check-outs is still somewhere in the 30's!! Every time I take back a bunch, I always end up with more in my hands. Again, I just can't help myself. I also joined 3 challenges: The Canadian Book Challenge 3, The Harry Potter Reading Challenge, and the GLBT Reading Challenge (or The Challenge That Dare Not Speak it's Name!)

For August, I have 1 scheduled Book Tour: Everything Sucks: Losing My Mind and Finding Myself in a High School Quest for Cool by Hannah Friedman. It's a YA Memoir and looks fantastic. I'm also starting the Discworld Series with the Tiffany Aching trilogy. There are also a couple other challenges I'm sure I'll be joining....especially the Japanese Reading Challenge. I'm also challenging myself to post more often this month. I've been rather lax, sometimes taking long breaks. But starting this month, I'm vowing to do better!

I think that's it for July. Time to put it in the books. Happy Sunday and Happy Reading!!!

Library Loot....Plus the Books I Actually BOUGHT This Week....

Yes, it's that time again! I was going to post a book review today, but my brain is kind of fried, and I'm still trying to put into words my feelings about this book. It's a book that was well written with a unique storyline. And yet, I really hated it. So, I opted for the easy way out!! LIBRARY LOOT!! And of course, my first trip to the bookstore in forever! So...without further adieu, my "haul" for this week:

Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling. Yes, I actually own this one. I own the whole series. BUT, they are all 1st Edition Hardbacks. My Harry Potters are one of my few indulgences. I'm saving them as collector's items. I'd love to get a set of the paperbacks just to have and re-read. Till then, I'll make due with the library. This is for the Harry Potter Reading Challenge.

An Abundance of Katherines by John Green is on my list to read for the Printz Project. I hadn't actually planned on reading it right now. But it was a new purchase for my library, and it was just sitting there on the shelf. Looking at me. Had to grab it!!

The Monsters of Morley Manor: A Madcap Adventure by Bruce Colville, is 100% impulse pick-up. I don't even know what it's about. It also hitting a target audience that is generally a little younger than I normally read (9 -12), but I liked the cover. Looks cute.

The last book I actually checked out of the library is The Dark Hills Divide: The Land of Elyon by Patrick Carmen. Yeah, I know. Another series, right? Like I need to start one. This however is the problem I have going to the library with my kids. I browse the Kids and the YA sections while they are looking for books! It's dangerous, I tell you!

Books that I actually Purchased this Week:

Heck, Where the Bad Kids Go by Dale Basye. Isn't this just the cutest (in a really warped sort of way) book you've ever seen? It's about a brother and sister that die in a freak accident and end up in Heck (a reform school of sorts). Not quite Hell, but close! I'm really looking forward to this one!!

On recommendation from Chris, I bought Eighth Grade Bites, the Chronicles of Vladamir Tod by Heather Brewer. I actually bought it for Chad, but I'm going to end up reading it as well!! A recommendation from Chris goes a long way!

Carpe Corpus (Morganville Vampires) by Rachel Caine is book Six in the series. I have all the others, but I'm only just now getting to book 3. Since I was in the buying mood (and got a free book from Borders) I decided to go ahead and add this to my collection.

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare is the first book in the Mortal Instruments series. I haven't really heard too much about this series, but I really liked the cover. Yes, I know. My shallowness is showing through again. Still, I wanted to give this one a try.

You are so Undead to Me by Stacy Jay is another YA book. This one deals with Zombies. Looks fun. Enough said!

Ballads of Suburbia by Stephanie Kuehnert is one of those books I've seen all over the blogosphere lately. Not really sure what it's about, but I thought I would see if it lives up the Internet hype it's getting.

13 Bullets: A Vampire Tale by David Wellington is another first book in a series. A Vampire Series. I've read one of his Zombie books, and liked it. Thought I would give the vamps a chance this time.

99 Coffins by David Wellington is the 2nd book in the series. What can I say? I love all things Vampire and Zombie!!

One would think this would be enough to tide me over....but on top of all these books, my mailbox was FULL the last few weeks with other books:

• Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (sent as a pass-along from Chris at Stuff As Dreams are Made On)
• The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams (I won this one from the wonderful Trish at Hey Lady! Whatcha Reading?)
• The Night Gardener by George Pelecanos (a giveaway from I Heart Monster)
• Afraid by Jack Kilborn (another giveaway win!)
• Dark Time - Mortal Path (Book One) by Dakota Banks (from publisher for review)
• BabyDoll by Allyson Roy (for a TLC Book Tour)
• The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny (from Shelf Awareness)
• The Twelve by William Gladstone(from Publisher for Review)
• Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick (from Shelf Awareness)
• The Purloined Boy by Mortimus Clay (for a TLC Book Tour)
• Best Friends Forever by Jennifer Weiner (an Atria Galley Giveaway)
• Mercury in Retrograde by Paula Froelich (from Shelf Awareness)

Now....If you will excuse me....I MUST get back to Catching Fire!! Later, dear Readers!