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It’s countdown to the first day of the semester on the 27th. I only realized last week that I don’t have many days of freedom left. Since then, I’ve been reading as much as I possibly can. It’s funny how your reading mojo comes back when you’re determined to have it back!
Last week I read and reviewed American Grown: The Story of the White House Kitchen Gardens and Gardens Across America by Michelle Obama. I also read The Spare Room by Helen Gardner, a present I received last Christmas from Deb (Readerbuzz), Not the Israel My Parents Promised Me by Harvey Pekar, The Hard Questions by Susan Piver, and Ichiro by Ryan Inzana. I enjoyed the whole stack but probably loved Ichiro more than the others since I finished it in the wee hours of this morning.
I’m currently reading The Sandcastle Girls by Chris Bohjalian which is about the Armenian genocide. It’s an excellent read so far and I think it’s perfect timing after reading Not the Israel My Parents Promised Me and Ichiro, all three are about history and war. I’m about halfway done so now it’s time to start eyeing my stack of library books, ARCs, and books I own to see which ones I should try to squeeze in this week.
This week’s stack of possibilities:
Our Kind of People: A Continent’s Challenge, A Country’s Hope by Uzondinma Iweala is a book I received a few months ago for review. It’s about the AIDS crisis in Nigeria and those that are being affected by the disease.
The Distance between Us by Reyna Grande is the author’s coming-of-age tale about living with various relatives after her parents move to the United States from Mexico.
It by Stephen King. I’m a scaredy cat but I couldn’t help joining the It read-along with Jill (Fizzy Thoughts) and Christina (Reading Thru the Night), which goes on until October 14th. Christina has been giving out clown noses to participants but I really think we’re going to need night-lights!
Seraphina by Rachel Hartman. Memory (Xicanti) and a few other bloggers have been raving about this book for months now. I have no idea what it’s about except that it’s about dragons.
What are you reading this week?
I have more Stephen King novels on my TBR than I care to count. I had a fantastic week of reading so it’s really difficult to pick a favorite book. I’m going to have go with a fan girl response and say the best (out of an extremely good set of books) was The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland and Led the Revels There by Catherynne M. Valente. Please come and see what else I’m reading.
Seraphina by Rachel Hartman looks particularly luscious. I read IT in college when I had my Stephen King phase – alongside Pet Sematary, The Shining, and Needful Things among others. Glad to hear you got your reading mojo back.
*grin* I haven’t read It since I was in my teens and I remember desperately trying to find a comfortable way to juggle such a fat paperback for hours at a time! Fun book to do a readalong with though, red noses or not.
For a moment, I thought that the photo below was your view from your holiday destination
I feel the same way: my reading mojo was lost to me for months and then suddenly, it returned when I was determined to read more. I like how you call your list of books your “stack of possibilities”! Reading should not be a chore. It is really good, but it’s better if you don’t know the ending. Is it a first-time read? I hope you’ll enjoy Seraphina and/or anything else you choose to read this week! As for my reading, I’m trying to finish Jane Austen’s Lady Susan/The Watsons/Sanditon and Mansfield Park.
I’m a scaredy cat too so I’ll have to see how you do with It!
I haven’t read It…saw the movie, I think. The Sandcastle Girls looks good! Enjoy your week, and here’s MY MONDAY MEMES POST
Ack! Scary clowns! Yes, I’m one of those people – clowns creep me out. Seraphina sounds good though. Haven’t read a book with dragons in a while. Hope you get in plenty more reading before classes begin
Looks like some fun reading. I love the cover of Seraphina.
I’m curious about Seraphina! The Bohjalian book has a difficult topic but I think I should try it, everyone seems to love the book.
Have a good week! Enjoy your “freedom” while it lasts.
I am also hoping that the new Bohjalian is good, as I have heard some really interesting things about it. I just finished The Age of Desire, and am working my way through Cloud Atlas. Have you seen the previews for the movie? They look amazing! Have fun with your time off, and read as much as you can!
I am very intrigued by Our Kind of People and The Distance Between Us. And I definitely want to read The Sandcastle Girls. I’m glad you like it, although I can understand that you need a break from reading about war.
http://eclecticbooksandmovies.blogspot.com/
I will be interested in your thoughts on Seraphina!
I didn’t realize that Bohjalian had a new book out…sounds like an interesting topic.
I’ve got The Sandcastle Girls on my Mt. TBR, so I’m glad to hear it’s a promising read. Our Kind of People sounds like interesting reading, I’ll be looking forward to hearing your thoughts!
Seraphina is a huge book at my library right now
The Brunette Librarian’s Blog
Have a great week
Be sure to let me know what you think of these books. I rely on you!
I hope you like Seraphina! I enjoyed it a lot once I got past the beginning, which is a bit exposition-heavy. Or not exposition exactly, but world-building-heavy. Once you get past this, it’s such a good book. I’m excited for a putative sequel.
I’ve been seeing The Sandcastle Girls pop up here and there and I am so interested the more I see it. I will be curious what you think of it!
Glad you got your reading mojo back! Those look like some great books. Oh my gosh, I read IT at the end of last year as part of a read-a-long as well and it was fantastic! Happy reading
Yes, you may need a night light for that one…lol.
LOL! Glad to hear that you enjoyed it.
You’re braver than I am to join in the IT readalong! I have Seraphina on my wish list and I think it looks fabulous!
Alyce, ha ha ha! I know! I hope my night light is strong enough!
YAY #italong! Lots of good books listed here.
Thanks, Care! How’s It going so far?
I’ve heard so many lovely things about Seraphina. It’s on my hold list at the library, but I’m so behind right now I haven’t requested it yet.
Kim, I know that feeling. I hope you’re able to get caught up with everything.
I’m interested in Ichiro. Must try to find it sometime.
I hope you enjoy Seraphina. I loved it!
I recently read The Sandcastle Girls, great read.
Good luck with IT…eeek, so darn scary. I hate clowns, I hate clowns, I hate clowns!
(and that book is the reason why)