Ice Storm Holds Up Reading

I managed to tame my distractability a bit this week, finishing roughly a book a day.  I even finally finished one of my bedside books in which I tend to only advance a few pages a night.  Soon I will be able to fit all the books I'm reading in my portable book-bag.  And my library count continues to drop, so in general my reading life is moving in the proper direction.

This is the meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey.  Here's my report on the finished books, the book-marked books, and the upcoming books.

This week I finished:

• The Red House, Edith Nesbit (NOOK)
• Hereville, Barry Deutsch (Cybils)
• This Is a Book by Demitri Martin
• Amelia Lost, Candace Fleming (Cybils)
• The Terrorists of Irustan, Louise Marley
• With a Single Spell, Lawrence Watt-Evans
• The Man Who Would Be King, Ben Mcintyer
• Bindi Babes, Narinder Dhami
• White Night, Jim Butcher (audio)

I've also read some of the Cybils picture books, but this year I'm not keeping track of my picture book count.


I'm currently reading sixteen books, but luckily they are all different so I don't get confused.  And for anyone who doesn't know me, yes, I have a system.  I'm reading one book I've recently acquired, one book from my library stack, and one book from my challenges stack.  On Sundays I pick up a new RML (Reading My Library) book so that I average a book a week there.  On Wednesdays I pick up a book from my TBR list on Goodreads.  I usually have two books going on my NOOK, one a library book and one I purchased.  I have the five or so books on my bedside table, and I have some book about a topic I'm interested in, currently popular culture & philosophy.  In the car I have one or two audio books, depending on whether I have a second to listen to when the kids aren't around.  And sometimes I have other books I've somehow started reading, or a book club book, or something shiny...

• A Lady Awakened, Cecelia Grant.  I think she's pregnant now.  That's the plan. 
• The Male Brain, Louann Brizendine.  Too much overgeneralization -- "all boys do this" when my boys didn't.  Also, I think gays may not have as much breast obsession as she thinks.
• Ancient, Strange and Lovely, Susan Fletcher.  I finally managed to renew this. RML.
• Toad Away, Morris Gleitzman.  Australia toads head for South America. RML.
• As If Being 12 3/4 Isn't Bad Enough, My Mother Is Running For President, Donna Gephart. RML.  The title seems self-explanatory.
• Which Big Giver Stole the Chopped Liver, Sharon Kahn.  I have no idea how this book stumbled onto my TBR list, but here it is.
• Among Others, Jo Walton.  Rereading so I can decide which library to donate it to.
• Twilight and Philosophy.  Jane Eyre was cooler than Bella, but she's cooler than everyone.
• Enchanted Glass, Diana Wynne Jones.  Audio book for when the kids are in the car.
• London Eye Mystery, Siobhan Dowd. RML.  Kid has not yet returned it, but he's loving it so I don't complain.  (His dad doesn't like him to read non-fiction, so he leaves his books at my place.)
• Twenty Palaces, Harry Connolly. On my NOOK.  When his publisher didn't pick up the Ray Lily books (BOO), he self-published the extra one.  I like this author.  And Ray Lily, who is more open about his ambitions in this book.
• Anna and the French Kiss, Stephanie Perkins.  Girl goes to posh school in Paris for her senior year.
• The First Men In the Moon, H.G. Wells.  They made it to the moon.
• Traveling Mercies, Anne Lamott. Boy does she lack confidence with her son.
• The Secret Duke, Jo Beverly. My goodness, she thinks he's impersonating himself.
• The End of Racism, Dinesh D'Souza.  More panic about the fringe elements.

What will I read next? Mostly more library books coming due.  The only new books entering the house will be for book clubs and Cybils finalists.  After I conquer the library mountain, it's time to look at my home TBR bookcase, which I hope has a few books from my online TBR list.

Challenges I've signed up for (for which I've signed up?):

1. Cybils: 13/80.  Or I should say 13/73, since the 7 Apps aren't possible.
2. What's In a Name?: 3/6.  I will hope for cooler candidates though.
3. Where Am I Reading?:  3/50. Illinois, for three. I'm hoping for five by the end of the month.
4. TBR Double Dare.  3.
5. Comment Challenge.  Staying on target.