From the Family Bookshelf – July 2016

 

Not a lot of reading–or blogging–going on these days. Real estate has taken over my life. I miss my nightly bath time ritual of reading for at least an hour in the tub, but sometimes I can’t stay awake that long.

This week we are on vacation in Kill Devil Hill, NC (the Outer Banks) so I am getting more reading done than I probably have all year. Won’t get to read all the books I brought with me, but I am hoping to read at least half of them.

Just finished A Loaded Gun by Jerome Charyn, a biography of Emily Dickinson. I’ve also been reading Portrait of Conspiracy: Da Vinci’s Disciples by Donna Russo Morin. I’ll be starting A Simple Vow by Charlotte Hubbard soon. Other books I brought with me on vacation:

• Deep Shadows by Vannetta Chapman
• Anna’s Healing by Vannetta Chapman
• Joshua’s Mission by Vannetta Chapman
• The Strangers on Montague Street by Karen White
• When Butterflies Came by Kimberley Griffiths Little
• Iced Chiffon by Duffy Brown
• While We Were Watching Downton Abbey by Wendy Wax

Dad bought four books to take with him on vacation:

• Daring Young Men: The Heroism and Triumph of The Berlin Airlift-June 1948-May 1949 by Richard Reeves
• In Harm’s Way: The Sinking of the U.S.S. Indianapolis and the Extraordinary Story of Its Survivors by Doug Stanton
• Trudy’s Promise by Marcia Preston (already read)
• Vienna Prelude (Zion Covenant, Book 1) by Bodie and Brock Thoene

The Lil’ Diva brought a bag full of books with her, but not sure she will actually read them. Chatting online with friends seems to have taken over her life. The Lil’ Princess is taking a break right now.

That’s it for this edition of From the Family Bookshelf. Hope you’re all keeping up with your reading. Please feel free to share what you’re reading right now.

From the Family Bookshelf – Jan 2016

 

Can you believe it is already February? I can’t. Where did January go? In the middle of preparing my business plan for 2016, selling houses and family life, it seems to have gone by me.

Not a ton of reading going on in our house these days, but doing my best to keep enjoying the books I have. I’m really liking audio books these days. I spend so much time in the car that they really are the way to go. I listened to If You Ask Me (And of Course You Won’t) by Betty White and I’m almost finished with a book on marketing.

In e-book format I am reading The Last Dinner Party by Carly M. Duncan, Touches of Time by LoRee Peery, and No Plot, No Problem by Chris Baty, founder of NaNoWriMo.

Dad is still reading The Key to Zion by Bodie and Brock Thoene. He loves their writing.

The Lil’ Diva has been spending more time hanging with friends than reading, but that will change now that she has Lit and Comp this semester.

The Lil’ Princess received the latest Diary of a Wimpy Kid book for Christmas so we are reading that together.

That’s it for this month’s edition of From the Family Bookshelf. I hope you’ll share what you’ve been reading too.

From the Family Bookshelf

So many books, so very little time. Going back to work has truly hampered my ability to get much reading done. I have been nursing one book for months–not because it isn’t interesting, just no time to read. The only other book I read was because I edited it.

Pulitzer Prize-nominated Caitlin Rother’s book, Dead Reckoning, is a true crime story. French Illusions: From Tours to Paris by Linda Kovic-Skow is a sequel to her first book and continues her story of studying abroad.

Dad is reading a Clive Cussler book in his spare time. The Lil’ Diva just finished the last book in the Harry Potter Series and the Lil’ Princess is reading On the Way Home, a travel diary by Laura Ingalls Wilder.

What are you reading these days?

From the Family Bookshelf – March 2015

 

Can you believe I haven’t posted one of these updates since October? Whoops! As the girls have grown older, it’s become more of a challenge because I don’t always know what they are reading. In addition, my return to work has reduced my reading time when I had hoped last year and this one would see an increase in my reading.

I won’t bother trying to go through every book I have read since my last update, but here are some notables:

• Little Author in the Big Woods by Yona Zeldis McDonough, a middle grade biography of Laura Ingalls Wilder,
• River Spirits by Marilyn Meredith, the latest in her Deputy Tempe Crabtree series,
• Fearless Joe Dearborne by Lisa Whitney, a middle grade adventure novel,
• The Seven Levels of Communication by Michael Maher, a business book,
• Death of a Clown by Heather Haven, a murder mystery set during World War II,
• The Search for the Stone of Excalibur by Fiona Ingram, the second book in her Chronicles of the Stone Series.

As for Dad, he has been reading some Vince Flynn novels. The Lil’ Diva is currently reading the second Harry Potter book–a series she said she would never read–and the Lil’ Princess is reading the latest Dork Diaries book.

Papou (Greek for grandfather) is currently reading Killing Patton by Bill O’Reilly and Yia-Yia (Greek for grandmother) is polishing off another mystery novel–her favorite genre.

That’s it for now. Hope you have a great week.

From the Family Bookshelf – October

 

It’s hard to believe another month has come and gone. Here in New England, the weather started to cool off a bit earlier than usual. We still have some nice days, but it’s chilly in the mornings. I fear winter will come early this year.

As for reading, I’ve been getting a lot done, just haven’t had time to write reviews. On the positive side, I love my new job. Here’s what I’ve been reading:

• The Red Sheet by Mia Kerick,
• The Hybrid Author by Dianne Sagan,
• A Nantucket Christmas by Nancy Thayer, which I read for the Amazon VINE program,
• Real Skills, Real Income by Diana Schneidman,
• Copycat Bear! by Ellie Sandall,
• Harry and the Monster by Sue Mongredien, and
• No! by Tracey Corderoy.

I am currently reading Laura Ingalls Wilder: A Writer’s Life by Pamela Smith Hill. I’m taking an online course on Laura Ingalls Wilder given by this author.

Dad is still making his way through The Zookeeper’s Wife by Diane Ackerman. I’ll be amazed if he finishes it off before Christmas.

The Lil’ Princess is reading Matilda by Roald Dahl for a book report project at school. The Lil’ Diva has curbed some of her reading–not her book buying habits, but her actual reading–in favor of a young man she is talking to online. I’ve talked with him a few times. He’s a good kid. Thankfully, he lives far away, so she can only be so distracted by him. She recently finished The Lost Hero, part of the Heroes of Olympus series by Rick Riordan.

That’s it for this month’s issue. Hope you’re getting to read some great books. Feel free to share.