Monday, May 28, 2018

Looking at My Health

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?
I had a book team come to a crunch last week, where we had to read a book as quickly as possible, but we didn't know which book until the last minute. So I gathered up ten possibles just in case, and now I have a lot of books out from the library that I kinda want to read but only maybe? And I'm trying to get serious about all the health advice my doctors are showering on me, so I'm eating more fruits and vegetables and thinking about FIBER and even contemplating more exercise. I even read some books involving very fit people.

I cooked a pasta/egg thing that came out kind of bland; it clearly needed more bacon. And probably some veggies, although the boys disagreed about that. And then on Friday night I planned a salmon thing and ended up eating it alone because all the other fish eaters couldn't make dinner. It was really good, and then I made it again for Saturday lunch and it was even better. Yum.

Somehow my currently reading is still at 32, so I guess I should finish some of them. Especially the rereads.

The Book Date does a weekly roundup of what people are reading, want to read, or have read each week called It's Monday! What Are You Reading so I'll sign up there. There's also a version that is kidlit focussed at either Teach Mentor Text or UnLeashing Readers. My Cybils reading keeps me eligible for that (at least for a few pages) so I'll sign in there as well..

This Fortnight I started:

How to Raise an Honest Rabbit (Granby Knitting, #2)The Winter Courtship Rituals of Fur-Bearing Critters (Granby Knitting, #1)Blackbird Knitting in a Bunny's Lair (Granby Knitting #4)Knitter in His Natural Habitat (Granby Knitting, #3)
Mackenzie's Magic (Mackenzie Family, #3.5)End Game (Will Robie, #5)A Mackenzie Family Christmas: The Perfect Gift (MacKenzies & McBrides, #4.5)It Takes Two to Tumble (Seducing the Sedgwicks, #1)
One Crazy Summer (Gaither Sisters, #1)Rump: The True Story of RumpelstiltskinCrouching Buzzard, Leaping Loon (Meg Langslow, #4)

How to Raise an Honest Rabbit, Amy Lane. For a book team.

The Winter Courtship Rituals of Fur-bearing Critters, Amy Lane. Because the rabbit book was cute.

Blackbird Knitting in a Bunny's Lair, Amy Lane. Cute and quick reads!

Knitter in His Natural Habitat, Amy Lane. Because it actually comes before Blackbird, oops.

Mackenzie's Magic, Linda Howard. This family just cracks me up.

End Game, David Baldacci. I am apparently on several author kicks, including Baldacci.

A Mackenzie Family Christmas: The Perfect Gift, Jennifer Ashley. Different Mackenzies; this was a back up for my book team.

It Takes Two to Tumble, Cat Sebastian. Another back up.

One Crazy Summer, Rita Williams-Garcia. For my elementary book club.

Rump, Liesl Shurtliff. For the other elementary book club.

Crouching Buzzard, Leaping Loon, Donna Andrews. For my Friday book club.


I finished:

Black Sands (Aloha Reef, #2)How to Raise an Honest Rabbit (Granby Knitting, #2)The Winter Courtship Rituals of Fur-Bearing Critters (Granby Knitting, #1)Blackbird Knitting in a Bunny's Lair (Granby Knitting #4)
Knitter in His Natural Habitat (Granby Knitting, #3)Mackenzie's Pleasure (Macke...Mackenzie's Magic (Mackenzie Family, #3.5)
End Game (Will Robie, #5)A Mackenzie Family Christmas: The Perfect Gift (MacKenzies & McBrides, #4.5)One Crazy Summer (Gaither Sisters, #1)

Black Sands, Colleen Coble. I liked the Hawaiian setting, especially the work on volcanoes done by the main character Annie (very timely!). The habit of the characters to suddenly remember they were devout Christians, and then do nothing about it, seemed jarring to me but maybe I just don't understand that kind of faith (not works based). The conclusion of the mystery didn't really work, but I could buy the relationship progress.

How to Raise an Honest Rabbit, Amy Lane. I read this because it had a rabbit on the cover, but it was just up my alley -- a con man turns straight! He worries about his background. There are alpacas. Knitting solves everything!

The Winter Courtship Rituals of Fur-bearing Critters, Amy Lane. This was almost the same story from a different point of view, which I really like in controlled doses. More knitting and a different relationship, but it was fun to see another side of the farm.

Blackbird Knitting in a Bunny's Lair, Amy Lane. Another bunny on the cover! I liked how this book dealt with both a lot of the problems with their different backgrounds and the age difference, as well as ending up very sweetly.

Knitter in His Natural Habitat, Amy Lane.  I finished up the series. This was my least favorite, but it was still easy to finish. I felt like the author was scrounging for men to make up her couple, and the characters weren't as firmly established. And one of them never even learned how to knit!

Mackenzie's Pleasure, Linda Howard. These brothers are hilarious. Barrie is not quite as amazing as Caroline, and her honest and chilling fear of Zach when she disagrees with him is a bit worrisome for their relationship, but she sure doesn't seem a pushover. And the cuteness of little Nick makes it all worthwhile.

Mackenzie's Magic, Linda Howard. It's funny how the author pulls back from letting the sister kill people, although she's clearly up for it. And the epilogue is just another excuse to pull out cute bomb Nick. Not that I'm complaining.

End Game, David Baldacci. Hmm, no more Baldacci's lined up. This was not quite as fun as the previous, partly because the Amos series has that super fun memory thing going on and maybe skipping two books in Robie's timeline (and mostly forgetting the first one anyway) didn't help. But they rolled around, killed the bad guys, and solved problems by being clever and then being bad ass.

A Mackenzie Family Christmas: The Perfect Gift, Jennifer Ashley. This was a fun short read that checked in on a range of couples who all previously had their own books, a few of which I've read. (There were also a few couples that are probably gearing up to have a book.) I liked how Ian has changed but not become normal, and how his family loves him but often has no idea how to deal with him.

One Crazy Summer, Rita Williams-Garcia. This was a reread; I still adore Delphine, the oldest sister, and find the younger ones selfish even for their age. The mom is an interesting, complex character and a lousy parent.


Bookmarks moved in:

Alliance of Equals (Liaden Universe, #19)Too Like the Lightning (Terra Ignota, #1)Wolf Who Rules (Elfhome, #2)
Cold Welcome (Vatta's Peace, #1)How We Learn: The Surprising Truth About When, Where, and Why It HappensSong of the Current (Song of the Current #1)
New York 2140Marry in Scandal (Marriage of Convenience, #2)

Alliance of Equals, Sharon Lee & Steve Miller. Episode 51. Attack on the ship!

Too Like the Lightning, 
Ada Palmer. I feel misunderstood whenever the narrative directly addresses the Reader, who I realize is not actually me but we share the same name.

Wolf Who Rules, Wen Spencer. Nothing like the impending due date of all the books around me to make me continue rereading this old favorite.

Cold Welcome, Elizabeth Moon. This will be good summer reading as it gets super hot and I dip into an frozen wasteland where they huddle together for warmth.

How We Learn, Benedict Carey. Next in my Reading My Library quest, audio edition. This is an interesting read, and fun for passengers in my car to dip into as I shuttle them about.

Song of the Current, Sarah Tolcser. Young whippersnappers are spunky.

New York 2140, Kim Stanley Robinson. For my Tuesday bookclub. I'm trying to slow down and read at the pace of the other slow reader.

Marry in Scandal, Anne Gracie. We are taking a long time to set up the forced marriage. It's funny that this is the second Regency with dyslexia I'm reading this week.

These I'm barely reading; I use them as palate cleansers between books I'm actually reading.

KenilworthA Traitor to Memory (Inspector Lynley, #11)The Quantum Universe: Everything That Can Happen Does Happen
Sammy Keyes and the Art of DeceptionChange of Heart (Robyn Hunter, #7)Reading and Learning to Read

Kenilworth, Sir Walter Scott.

A Traitor to Memory, Elizabeth George.

The Quantum Universe, Brian Cox.

Sammy Keyes and the Art of Deception, Wendelin Van Draanen.

Change of Heart
, Norah McClintock.

Reading and Learning to Read, Jo Anne Vaca.

2018 Challenge Progress:
  1. Cybils 2017! 11/104-ish. Read about 10 pages.
  2. Reading My Library: Enjoying How to Learn. Finished Black Sands.
  3. Where Am I Reading 2018?: 31/51. Progress! Hawaii. Also Kentucky. 

4 comments:

2Shaye ♪♫ said...

I'm amazed at your book club readings. Are these local book clubs or online? I live in a tiny community and wish we had a more active group of people (especially reading YA and MGlit, since that's my area of readings/teaching). I'm adding One Crazy Summer to my TBR list since I've never read it. Thanks for sharing!

Stefanie said...

That is a lot of books! I like how you're taking care of your heart and body. As we get older, it's really important. I've been trying to exercise almost every day but I totally slacked off this weekend. My husband takes fiber 3x a day; he's going on 45 this year and exercises every day, but his system needs that fiber and he's a lot happier for it.

Aj @ Read All The Things! said...

Wow, it looks like you’re reading a lot of books at once. I think I’d get confused. Have a great week!

Aj @ Read All The Things!

pussreboots said...

You and I both have a ton of books going. Have a good week. My weekly update