Monday, July 4, 2011

Happy 4rth of July!

My kids are off with their dad, my niblings are off with their parents, and I am basking in the warmth of Austin.  If I stay too long it will become HEAT, but right now I'm just enjoying a summer of sweating rather than shivering.  We did make it to the pool a few times, but I was not tempted by the ice cubes pushed around the pool by the chill wind.

So, did I read anything while traveling?  I sign up with the others at Bookjourney's blog to share what we are reading, have read or plan on reading.

This week I finished some things:
  • The Help, Kathryn Stockett (NOOK)
  • Green Princess Saves the Day, Alyssa Crowne. For Reading My Library
  • POD, by Steven Wallenfells, a Cybils book
  • Saba: Under the Hyena's Foot, Jane Kurtz.  Another Reading My Library choice.
  • Switching On the Moon, ed by Jane Yolen and Andrew Fusek Peters, a Cybils poetry finalist.
  • Born Standing Up:  A Comic's Life, by Steve Martin
  • Crunch, Leslie Connor, a middle grade Cybils finalist
  • Smile, by Raina Telgemeier, a Cybils graphic novel now running around the neighborhood
  • This Lovely Life, Vicki Forman
  • Strange Blood, by Lyndsay Jayne Ashford
What trends do I see?  I had a lot of fun reading this week; all of these were fast reads, even the heartbreaking book by Vicki Forman.

I hit my library's ebook selections hard for my NOOK, and only bought along a few paper texts for times of electronic blackout or battery recharging.  So only four five books open on my trip:
  • Truth and Beauty, Ann Pratchett (NOOK)
  • Little Fuzzy, H. Beam Piper (NOOK)
  • Moonshine, Rob Thurman
  • Spilling Ink, Ellen Potter and Anne Mazer
  • Darwin Arkwrignt and the Peregrine Pact, by A.J. Hartley
At home I have left book marks in:
  • Feng Shui, Robin D Laws. On loan from my brother.
  • The Battle for Azeroth, ed. Bill Fawcett. Analysis of the World of Warcraft MMORPG.
  • Omnitopia , Diane Duane (audio).
  • Territory, Emma Bull (vacation book)
  • Downbelow Station, C.J. Cherryh. Reread.
  • Bad Prince Charlie, John Moore (vacation book)
  • The Rogue's Return, Jo Beverly (vacation book)
  • The Secret Duke, Jo Beverly. Found under my bedside table with a bookmark.
  • How I Met My Countess, Elizabeth Boyle. Also found.
  • The Terrorists of Irustan, Louise Marley. I snuck this into my vacation pile.
I'll keep clearing out my library stacks, both electronic and physical, as my next reading priorities.

Quick stats on my Challenges:

A-Z: 38/52. Nothing new. Still stalled.  I have an "X" book waiting, though.
Cybils: 49/76. Big jump!  Comparatively speaking.
Global Reading Challenge:12/21. Stuck.
Read Around the World: 13/20. We've got a new batch of picture books that advance things.
Science Book Challenge: 2.141/3.141... No change.
Stream: 3/3, 1/3, 3/3, 3/3. This is really fun. I have to rein myself in from splitting in too many directions, though.
Take a Chance: 5/10. I'm picking through the Economist's list for #4.
20/11: 17/20. No change.
What's In a Name?: 5/6.  Must read book with movement in title.
Where Am I Reading?: 23/50. I added Mississippi.

2 comments:

Jennifer said...

You had a brilliant week. Happy 4th and enjoy your week and your books.
My Monday: http://www.rundpinne.com/2011/07/its-monday-what-are-you-reading-46.html

Unknown said...

Just wanted to mention that Nicky and I increased your library checkout by 1 when we picked up the Pokemon video on your hold shelf.