what i read in march

what i read in march by ricracretro on Polyvore.com


Hmm, I read more than I realized this month . . . once I see the list compiled. Add to that about 100 emails a day, random articles in magazines and newspapers, blog posts, basically anything written that crosses my path and you've got an idea of the state of my curiosity. Here is my list of books (both paper and eInk) that I've wallowed in this past month:

• The Advent Calendar by Steven Croft
• Beastly by Alex Flinn
• A Designer's Eye for Scrapbooking by Ali Edwards
• A Designer's Eye for Scrapbooking with Patterned Paper by Ali Edwards 
• Fairytale by Cyn Batog
• Flip, Spin & Play: Creating Interactive Scrapbook Pages by Memory Makers
• A Girl Named Mister by Nikki Grimes
• Google Apps for Dummies by Dan Gookin
• The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale
• Idealware Social Media Decision Guide by Idealware
• Incredible iPhone Apps for Dummies by Bob LeVitus
• The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith
• Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
• Stuck in the Middle by Jill Eileen Smith
• The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova
• Sword in the Stars by Wayne Thomas Batson
• Sunrise by Grace Livingston Hill 
• Twitter: Tips, Tricks, and Tweets by Paul McFedries
• The Twitter Book by Tim O'Reilly and Sarah Milstein
• What the Great Ate: a Curious History of Food and Fame by Matthew Jacob and Mark Jacob

what i read in february

what i read in february by ricracretro on Polyvore.com

Once again my choices of the month are dictated by books I'm previewing for work, books that I was personally curious about, and books I'm re-reading out of devotion. Some I am glad to add to my "books I've read" list, and at least one I rather wish I hadn't read. Without further ado . . . here is my list of books (both paper and eInk)that I've read this past month:

• The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
• Cleopatra : a Life by Stacy Schiff
• Dreadnought by Cherie Priest
• Eros, Philia, Agape (Adobe Digital Editions sample) by Rachel Swirsky
• Escape from the Carnivale : a Neverland Island Book by Dave Barry & Ridley Pearson
• Forever in Blue : the Fourth Summer of the Sisterhood by Ann Brashares
• Girls in Pants : the Third Summer of the Sisterhood by Ann Brashares
• Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
• The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald
• The Second Summer of the Sisterhood by Ann Brashares
• Sorta Like a Rockstar by Matthew Quick
• Teach Yourself Visually Excel 2010 by Paul McFedries
• Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
• Wicked : the Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire

what i read in january

what i read in january by ricracretro on Polyvore.com

I've decided that I will keep track of what I read from month to month this year. I've always meant to do this; so with a new year comes a new effort. Of course, in addition to the list below, I also read magazines, newspapers, emails . . . the product sales pitch on the back of shampoo bottles; basically whatever lays before me. I read for the sake of reading, of my own curiosity, as an occupational "hazard" (I am a Secondary School Librarian), and for pleasure.

Sometimes I'll read something by an author and be so charmed that I go on a reading binge and consume all material I can find by that author; hence the large number of books this month by Carola Dunn.

And of course I have several books on-the-go as I type, which I will add to February's list.

So then, here are my literary wanderings of January; some pages I had never seen before, and others it was a joy to revisit.

• Amelia Bedelia Helps Out by Peggy Parish
• Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer
• Christmas in the Country by Carola Dunn
• The Clue in the Old Album by Carolyn Keene
• Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer
• The Frog Earl by Carola Dunn 
• From the Secret Place in my Heart by Robin Jones Gunn
• Gunpowder Plot by Carola Dunn
• The Hobbitt by J. R. R. Tolkien
• The Improper Governess by Carola Dunn
• Intertwined by Gena Showalter 
• Kobe eReader User Guide  
• Lady in the Briars by Carola Dunn
• Miss Hartwell's Dilemma by Carola Dunn
• Miss Jacobson's Journey by Carola Dunn 
• My Dearest Valentine  by Carola Dunn
• My Lord Winter by Carola Dunn
• The Mystery of Mary by Grace Livingston Hill
• New Moon by Stephenie Meyer
• The Search by Grace Livingston Hill
• The Sign of the Twisted Candle by Carola Dunn
• The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares
• A Voice in the Wilderness by Grace Livingston Hill

epic page-turner

"The Skin Map", a Bright Empires Novel, by Stephen R. Lawhead is a hold-your-breath beginning to a new series. This novel mixes ancient history, time travel, alternate realities, mystery, physics, and fantasy, to create a story so compelling that I find myself recommending it to any who will listen.
The unlikely Kit Livingstone finds himself in the center of a life threatening race to find the Skin Map; a map of symbols tattooed onto the abdomen of a brave explorer. These symbols hold the mystery of ley line travel, pathways to other worlds, and not merely British legend. As all good epic stories include, evil plots to destroy good and unexpected twists and turns maintain a heart-pounding pace. The only disappointment I felt was that I have to wait until the fall of 2011 for the next installment of the Bright Empires series!



Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

shhhh . . . it's a secret

"A Summer Secret" by Kathleen Fuller is the first book in The Mysteries of Middlefield series. This story follows the summer adventures of thirteen-year-old Mary Beth who is the oldest child of an Amish family. The beliefs and lifestyle of the Amish are explored with compassion and insight. The details of the mystery Mary Beth finds herself plunged into are woven throughout the pages, causing the reader to be curious right from the first page. This is largely a coming of age story where Mary Beth must makes choices based on what she values, is entrusted with increased responsibilities, and learns to view her family and those she cares about in a new light. The characters vivid are charming and I found myself cheering them on. The story wraps up in a heartwarming way, with no disappointments. I am curious to see what mysteries book number 2 of this series holds.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

i wonder . . .

Tim Downs' newest novel "Wonders Never Cease" was my introduction to this author. It is not a forensic suspense novel as are many of his other renown works. The majority of the story is told by, and revolves around the character Kemp McAvoy. His main priority is attaining wealth and stature; schemes and lies swirl around all his doings. He is so thoroughly unlikable that I found it challenging to care enough to find out what happened to him next. Kemp plots a get-rich-quick scheme that involves impersonating an angel. Parallel to this story line is the young daughter of Kemp's girlfriend who has seen angels, but has met with mixed reactions to her "gift". The reader is left drawing conclusions on what an angel's role is, as well as consequences to unbelief. The ending, though somewhat predictable, wraps everything up nicely and closes on a note of wonder. Although this isn't a book I would read again, Tim Downs does have a unique style of writing and it makes me curious if I would like one of his other books better.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”