Sunday Blatherings: First Big Library Pick Up of 2011

After putting everything on hold over the Christmas Break, I finally returned and got all of my "holds" on Friday night.  I couldn't believe it, when I saw that my holds took up the entire top shelf.  It was all mine! Let the picture do the talking.

This is just about our limit on holds, so for me, this was a first.  Now, if I could just find the TIME to read. 

Having mentioned the time factor, I have to admit that touching back down to earth after a two week break was pretty tough.  Besides teaching full time, I had a huge contract I had to fulfill for my online job, which pushed me into 12-13 hour days all week.  By Saturday, I pulled myself into work one last time to give a practice AP test for my students, then crawled home and slept the remainder of the day.  Talk about a nightmare after so much down time over the holidays!  Thankfully, the contract was met, grades for end of term are just about finished, and after 60+ hours put in last week for work, this next week will be much easier.

The Christmas decorations will have to wait to come down until next week!  I have too many good books (oh yeah, and work) to get through first.

TSS: Happy Easter & Spring Break!

This hasn't been my best week for reading. I've caught some time here or there, but thanks to my lovely Michael Buble concert on Wednesday, an exercise class on Thursday, a Tess of the D'Urbervilles viewing party (of the film) with my students on Friday, and a birthday party yesterday, I haven't read for any length of time. Thankfully, next week is Spring Break, so I have a week to set aside all sorts of time for wonderful reading! Such joy.

Easter has been pretty low key this year. My friend Doc recently returned home from Costa Rica, where she spent a month, so she's been here at my house today kicking back and reading a book. We've had a great day. Rather than going to Easter dinners or egg hunts, we've simply spent our time cooking a simple dinner of baked chicken, asparagus, and funeral potatoes (a delightful concoction if you know what they are), along with a delightful afternoon of lounging around reading. What could be better?

I wanted to share what I'm hoping to get to during this next week off. Now I have to say that if you know me, you know that I tend to read a whole stack of books all at once. In fact, I'm often reading at least four books at once. My "To Be Read" pile for Spring Break is pretty extensive, and I doubt I'll get to half of them, but it's still pretty fun to be surrounded by great options!

Here are my initial stacks:


I also plan on watching a few films and getting more reviews written. In the meantime, I'm going to spend a leisure-filled Easter evening watching some prerecorded television and doing a little reading. I hope you've been able to do the same. Happy Easter to you and yours!

Sunday Salon: Lots of Books & Films

I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, and it's actually kind of scaring me! How is it that school years zip by so quickly and yet feel as if they are killing me in a slow, excruciatingly fatiguing sort of way? It's just kind of strange is all, and interesting as I start planning for my summer. Thankfully, my mother is still in Hawaii, so I get to go back again for another glorious couple of months. Sigh. I can't wait!

As for this past week, I spent a day at home working on my taxes and getting over the opening stages of a head cold. I think they were meant to go hand in hand to torture me. I'm still not ready to head to the tax accountant, but soon.

This week I watched a number of films, including a couple Oscar winners.

I watched Precious on my day off and have to say that Gabourey Sidibe deserved every bit of accolades and praise that she received. It wasn't an easy film to watch, with its themes of poverty and abuse, but an important story of one person's struggle to get an education and rise out of poverty.


I wish I had as many wonderful things to say about The Hurt Locker. Lest I be considered anti-American in some way, and not in favor of our troops, I have to say that I 100% see that this was a shocking demonstration of the dangers and mind-playing tragedies they have to deal with every day; however, I can't say that I liked the film. It was really hard to get through, and felt very much like a real-time film about one man's experience in Iraq.


I also watched The Queen and I, which was about the widow of the exiled former Shah of Iran. After reading Persepolis, I thought this was an excellent additional human story to add to my reading. the documentary was an interesting look at Queen Farrah and her life since her exile, and her fight to continue to help Iran. The queen couldn't completely answer for the tortures played out under her husband's regime, but she could speak to her love for Iran and her desire to see a more settled form of democracy rule the country.

Thankfully, I also got in some reading this week.


I finally started Hunger Games this week, as well as Scones and Sensibility. Since I am always reading a classic at the same time, I've been reading East of Eden and should be finishing it up shortly.


I also started listening to The Masque of the Black Tulip, which is a follow up to The Secret History of the Pink Carnation.


After hearing a lot about the connection between Just the Sexiest Man Alive, by Julie James and Pride and Prejudice, you know I had to read it. Thankfully, I wasn't disappointed, and am excited to post my review hopefully this week.

One last note. While reading is my main hobby, those who know me well know that I have a bit of an obsession for college hoops. I actually avoid watching games up until March, because I wouldn't get any of my work done if I didn't! Thankfully, I'm ending a term at school, and super excited for this Selection Sunday to get my brackets ready. This week starts March Madness, and I am one happy camper! Go JAYHAWKS! I also have a couple of good friends coming into town, so it is going to be a great week. Let's just hope they don't disown me after several days of screaming at basketball on a TV screen.

What are you reading on this Sunday, and are you into March Madness? Am I alone in my college hoops madness?!?

Sunday Salon: Lazy Sundays? I Wish.

Yes, it's another late Sunday Salon, as I've been doing my best to work through a to-do list that I hastily threw aside yesterday morning when I heard the news of the tsunami. Actually, my mom was the one to call with the news that she was being evacuated. Knowing what happened to Hilo back in 196o, people were rightfully concerned and wanted to be prepared. (Let's not forget that my mom has personally lived through a flood, and an island-wide blackout--that I was there for--that left us without power for 24 hours.) I had every reason to be concerned!

Obviously, the news was good, and Hawaii evaded any major catastrophe. Chile, however, will be struggling to dig out and rebuild for some time. My heart goes out to the people of Chile and I hope for their safety and speedy recovery.

Well, having spent my day waiting to make sure Hawaii was going to be all right, I'm now working through a long list of things I need to do before heading back to work tomorrow! I'm hoping to finish all the "must do's" by tonight so I can spend a little time finishing up Shannon and Dean Hale's graphic novel Calamity Jack. I've already read Rapunzel's Revenge and look forward to doing a double review of the two.


I'd also like to dive into Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella. I really like Kinsella's novels, so have had this one for some time and would love to finish it soon.


Finally, let me point out the fun way I spent my Saturday evening! Last night I had a chance to attend the Utah Book Blogger Winter Social. It was such a great time meeting other bloggers and authors there. Since we all have such a love for reading and books, it's wonderful to meet up with others who share their own experiences with blogging or books. Honestly, I couldn't list all the people I met up with there, but will point to a couple of other bloggers who will probably be posting pictures in the near future, as I saw them taking pictures and toting cameras: Natasha at Maw Books Blog, Suey at It's All About Books, and Angie at Angieville. Thanks to everyone else I met, I'd link you all up here, but there's a great list up at the Ning. You can see this pretty impressive list of bloggers in our area at: Utah Bloggers. (Thanks Natasha for providing this link!) Since I can't join in on the awesome blogger conference coming up in May, this gave me a great opportunity to meet and mingle with the people behind the words!

Now, tell me what you've wrapped up or pushed aside so that you can do some reading today?

Sunday Salon: Stress & Reading

I find it interesting on this busy Sunday, that I've actually read more this past week than normal, and yet I felt more stressed than usual. One week ago, I started two new online courses, which gave me at least two to three hours of extra work a night on top of my full-time work. The funny thing was that I would finish grading, and immediately GET OFF the computer and go read. I think that reading was my one huge stress relief in the midst of the craziness surrounding me. How thankful I am for great writers who have given me wonderful escapes in times of need.

Okay! Enough complaining. I love my job, and wouldn't want anyone to think that I didn't. I just can't help whining from time to time. :)

This Sunday I will be ending my day with a stack of books and me, all curled up in bed. Below I'll list what I'm reading.


Happy Sunday, and a fresh week ahead for all! What fun reading did you do this weekend?

Sunday Salon: A Need for Shelves

What a glorious weekend! With any big grading projects behind me last week, this weekend has been pretty stress free for once. Having said that though, my mind has turned to the remnants of my move, and where to put all the boxes of books and DVDs that are still stacked and lying around. I went out in search of some decent shelves, but kept changing my mind on what I wanted. Do I want them all to be oak (or faux-oak from my college days), cappuccino (that's what the box called the color), or black (like the one's in my bedroom)? Should I get two, or should I go ahead and get three so that the room is filled with bookshelves? Funny questions, but that's what I've been mulling in my head!

Here's the deal. When books become an obsession, a passion, and in my case, a profession, they start becoming almost impossible to house! As you might recall, I purchased an APPLE BOX full of books at a book sale in Hawaii. Well, after several boxes mailed home, and my last suitcase over Christmas crammed full, I finally got them all home. Hmm...do you think I paid too much for a box of used books by the time it was all said and done?!? Yes. I'm sick.

Having said all that, I don't see my book obsessions changing anytime soon, so I'm going to have to just surrender to them. Books make me happy, and I'm thankful for great writers that continue to keep my shelves filled to the brim.

As for this Sunday, my goal is actually to write two posts for this coming week. I finished the Princess Diaries series with the last three books over last weekend and the first of this last week. The series turned out pretty cute, so I'm happy to have finished the series. I can now begin Ransom My Heart, which Meg Cabot helped her character, Princess Mia, to write. It should be a fun connection.


As for what I'll be reading, much of it continues to be things I've been reading for some time. I'm still reading Marian Keyes, The Brightest Star, and really am quite enjoying the story; it just happens to be long, large pages, and small type.


I should be finishing up Shannon Hale's The Actor and the Housewife, which I'm having pretty mixed emotions about. I'll hold off on my final opinion for after I finish!


Well, since I seem to read a million books at one time, only to settle on one after I'm part way through, we'll see what I actually settle down to reading. Regardless, I love having choices! Also, if nothing else, I'll tune in to PBS Sunday night to watch the American broadcast of the new BBC version of Emma. Don't forget to tune in!

Sunday Salon: I'm Back

Okay, so it's a little early to be posting a Sunday Salon post, but in a way, I feel like this is my Sunday! After a crazy couple of weeks trying to get back into the groove with work, we had our end of term. That forced me into a quick stress zone of late-night grading, last-minute panicking (on the part of students wanting that better grade), and change of term schedule hopping. We had other stressful events at school that I won't go into, but let's just say that I'm more than thankful to be on our way to a new term! I'm also thrilled over the things I'll be teaching the second half of the year. These books and play include: Arms and the Man, Les Miserables, Tess of the D'Urbervilles, and Brave New World. I'm excited to get started on each one of these great pieces!

Now that I have a little more breathing room, I have much to look forward to in my own reading. This weekend, I'll be organizing what I'd like to teach next year for our school's new Popular Fiction class. That means I'll be reading some of the following, to see which books I'd like to teach.
I pretty much have decided on Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I think that will be a great, exciting read to dive into with the students, and one that many of them will already own.

For my own enjoyment, and ARCs and other books I'm getting ready to review, I'll be reading some great books over this wonderful three-day weekend.


Thankfully, I'm back into the reading groove, and hope that responsibilities hold off for a little while! I hoped to fix up my office this weekend, buying THREE new bookcases to hold everything; however, thanks to my goal to try to pay cash for things, I'm going to hold off until next month. In a way, that gives me an excuse to let it all sit there another month while I go read!

I'm curious. Since I've been out of the loop for the past several weeks, what have you read lately that you really enjoyed?

Sunday Salon: TBR Pile is Falling Over

Happy Sunday. I had anticipated a weekend filled with snowstorms, but instead, we have nothing but rain. Weird. I'm actually hoping that we do get snow before I leave for the holidays, as it will be my one chance to get a "white" Christmas.

Yesterday I spent several hours reading, when I probably should have been grading, so today I HAVE to get my grading done before I can go back to reading. Honestly, the piles of books are getting a bit out of hand. I've reached my limit that you are allowed to check out from the public library, I have way too many ARCs coming down the line, I have stacks of books to read for the new Popular Fiction class I'm teaching next year, and I have all of my own books that I've been wanting to read for ages! Listen, I love stacks of books, but even this is getting to me a little. So, for today, let me just share in a nice list of what I'd like and need to finish or get to.

These are the ones I'm already in the middle of reading.

These are the ones due back to the library soon, and I really want to read ASAP!


Well, wish me good luck. I don't know how much reading I'll be doing between now and my vacation that starts on December 23rd. I have a feeling that all my reading will happen once I hop on that plane to Hawaii, and after getting there! Christmas is always a great reading time for me. How about you? How much reading do you do over the holidays?

Sunday Salon & Review: The Chocolate Lover's Club by Carole Matthews

After a busy week, I'm a bit behind (as usual) on my reviews AND my grading! On Friday night I went to our local Festival of Trees. All of the revenue made from decorations and trees sold go to Primary Children's Hospital, and is supposed to be their biggest fund raiser of the year. I will say that it was pretty fun, but the crowds were a bit much. I'm assuming that everyone decided that Friday night was the night to go see the trees! Below is a tree dedicated to Harry Potter, which I thought was pretty cute.


On this Sunday, I won't be reading much until later in the evening, as I'll be at a family Christmas Party. However, I thought it would be fun to share a quick review of another book I read recently, The Chocolate Lover's Club, by Carole Matthews. If the title doesn't say it all, I don't know what does.

Synopsis: The basic premise of the novel is that four women, all good friends, meet together in a local chocolatier to discuss their lives. Each of the women have different family or relationship issues that plague them. The main story seems to center around Lucy Lombard, who finds that her boyfriend has cheated on her, but each woman in the group also takes a turn having her story told. Two of the women are married and having serious problems with their marriages, while the final friend is having trouble with her drug addicted brother. On the whole, it is a life story that shows the diverse ways women deal with modern issues and problems.

Review: I really wanted to like this book, but have to say that the "chocolate" was only a backdrop. I didn't expect it to take center stage, but a girl can wish can't she? :) The two married women had seriously flawed relationships with their husbands. I think that these were realistic situations, but overblown in the case of the couple not having sex, which drove the wife to illicit sexual encounters. The one single woman was mainly dealing with a brother on drugs, and the main female protagonist of the story had a flaky, cheating boyfriend and trouble holding down a job.

In all, the story was engaging. Please understand when I say that I was totally engaged in the story; however, I did wish that I could have just dealt with the main character, for instance, rather than bouncing from character to character. I realize this is a popular technique right now, but I really wanted to understand more about each individual story. With a bit more understanding, I might have not felt that it was being over dramatic. In the end, I started to feel like I was reading a soap opera on paper. The elements were there for an amazing story, but maybe just needed a bit more depth added to certain individuals so that you could relate to them more? (For more information see: The Chocolate Lovers' Club. This book was one I checked out of the local library.)

I love stories that deal with decadent things like lovely chocolate or gourmet foods. Even if it's only in the backdrop, there's something fun about a book that mentions something sweet or yummy sounding. Maybe it's because I can't get any calories from them? What is it about books that talk about food in them? I still remember reading Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder, and loving the scenes that talked about all the great things that Almonzo would eat. To this day it still makes me smile to think about those scenes. Thankfully people haven't been bringing goodies to work to torture me with, but reading about decadent goodies instead of eating them doesn't hurt, right? Then again, I'd love a box of these from Jacques Torres...(his hot chocolate is the best I've ever had).


Happy Sunday, and I hope you're reading something decadent and yummy!