Showing posts with label books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label books. Show all posts

30 Books to Add To Your TBR Pile in 2015 | My Reading Goal for the Year

Monday, April 6, 2015

*This post contains affiliate links

Last week I went to book club for the first time in months and realized how much I miss talking about books. It's not uncommon for most of us to have a notebook or the Notes app open on our phones all evening long, writing down titles other members recommend. I love finding new authors and my club members rarely disappoint.

I drove home thinking, "there's so many good books out there just waiting for me to find them!" Please tell me you feel the same so I don't feel like a complete fool.

Between book club, book podcasts, magazines, Facebook pages, Goodreads, Oyster, and my mom; my TBR list is so long it's bordering on ridiculous. But, since I don't think I'll be giving up reading anytime soon, I remain optimistic that I'll make my way through it eventually.


30 Book Suggestions to Add to Your TBR Pile

In 2013 I set a goal to read 40 books to take some of the sting out of turning 40. When I started this post it dawned on me I never published the update as to if I reached the goal or not (I did, barely). I'm cutting myself some slack and limiting this year's goal to 30. Before, I didn't allow any padding for books over 400 pages. Plus, because of the new Outlander series on Starz (which I LOVE!), I think I may be jumping back into those books.

Since putting it out in public will keep me accountable, here, in no particular order, are 30 books I'm hoping to get through this year.

1. The Language of Flowers, Vanessa Diffenbaugh
2. Mermaids in Paradise, Lydia Millet
3. Ocean at the End of the Lane, Neil Gaiman
4. The Miniaturist, Jessie Burton
5. We Are Not Ourselves, Matthew Thomas
6. Station 11, Emily St. John Mandel
7. The Girl on the Train, Paula Hawkins
8. Men Explain Things to Me, Rebecca Solnit
9. The 5th Wave, Rick Yancey
10. The Life We Bury, Allen Eskins
11. A Land More Kind Than Home, Wiley Cash
12. This Is Where I Leave You, Jonathan Tropper
13. Friendswood, Rene Steinke
14. I'll Have What She's Having, My Adventures in Celebrity Dieting, Rebecca Harrington
15. Look At Me, Jennifer Eagan
16. Everything I Never Told You, Celeste Ng
17. Landline, Rainbow Rowell
18. The Martian, Andy Weir
19. Yes, Please, Amy Poehler
20. As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride, Cary Elwes
21. I Regret Nothing, Jen Lancaster
22. Zero to One, Notes on Startups, Peter Theil
23. The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace, Jeff Hobbs
24. The Paying Guests, Sarah Waters
25. Long Man, Amy Greene
26. Best to Laugh, Lorna Landvik,
27. Brown Girl Dreaming, Jacqueline Woodson
28.  The Hypnotists Love Story, Liane Moriarty
29. A Spool of Blue Thread, Anne Tyler
30. The Woman Upstairs, Claire Messud


Bonus book: I confess, while I was putting this post together, I read both The 5th Wave and the second book in the trilogy, The Infinite Sea. They were both really quick reads. If you enjoy YA dystopian/sci fi you'll enjoy these. But, be forewarned: the third in the series will not be out until spring of 2016. 


Should I decide to up my goal to 40, which of your recent 
reads should I add to the list? Follow my progress on Goodreads

Six Young Adult Books I Can't Wait to Read

Thursday, May 23, 2013


I'm not ashamed to admit how much I'm enjoying reading young adult and teen fiction. I think there's a creativity and story variety that isn't present in 'grown up' books.

Do you read the online op ed section, Room For Debate, from The New York Times? About a year ago, several writers weighed in on the topic of adults who read teen fiction. The opinions were predictably varied. I 100% agree with author Patricia McCormick's statement:
"Authors who write for young adults are taking creative risks -- with narrative structure, voice and social commentary -- that you just don’t see as often in the more rarefied world of adult fiction."
You said it, sister. Also, I have only given up on a young adult book once. I started The Book Thief and couldn't get into it, but I'm much more willing to give it a second chance than I would some of the grown up books I've tossed aside (I Know This Much is True, Slammerkin, Freedom, The Year We Left Home).

Plus, it's been a good way for Tyler and I to connect. We've read some of the same titles and he trusts my book suggestions more than he used to. I've got six young adults books on my never-gets-shorter Want To Read list. Three are conclusions to trilogies.

Six Young Adult Book Suggestions

The Fault in Our Stars  by John Green (out now)
The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey (out now)
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs (out now)
Allegiant (from the Divergent series) by Veronica Roth (expected October 2013, last in trilogy)

I will say I liked Divergent more than Insurgent but both are good. Tyler is reading this with me so I'd say this series is good for ages 10 and up. I read both books before him just to be sure.

Reached (from the Matched series) by Ally Condie (out now, last in a trilogy)

Again, I liked the first book better than the second but I really want to know how all the plot lines wrap up. This is also good for 10 and up. I think Tyler would enjoy it if he could get past the romance. There is a love triangle and relationship between two characters with kissing but not intense kissing.

Dreams of Gods and Monsters, the conclusion to Daughter of Smoke & Bone (from the series of the same name) by Laini Taylor (out now)

Here's one where I liked both the first and second equally. I was all set to let Tyler get started on these until I got to the middle of the second book, Days of Blood and Starlight. There's a relationship with the lead characters and there's more descriptive intimacy than I think he's ready for. I'd say this is better for 15 and up.

Certainly some themes are better left to an adult audience but the young adult books I've read are something grown up books rarely are: fun. There's a difference between a quick, mindless read like the Sookie Stackhouse books and one that is really fun to read. It's rare that I've been so excited to sit down and read all day as I was on the Harry Potter release days.

Another Room for Debate contributor, Lev Grossman, also summed up my feelings about YA when he said:
"Bottom line, there's one thing that young adult novels rarely are, and that's boring. They're built to grab your attention and hold it. And I'm not as young as I once was. At my age, I don't have time to be bored.
Preach. There's room on my bookshelves for all kinds of reads. As long as young adult authors are creating such captivating reads, I'll be in line to buy them.


What are your thought on YA books? 
Leave your favorite title in the comments! 

*Affiliate links used, tablet image from freedigitalimages.net

40 Books in 12 Months - I Can Do It!

Monday, April 22, 2013

So, I did something that may end up being really awesome or really dumb. I set a goal for myself to read 40 books by the end of December. I love to read so I'm pretty sure I can pull this off. I'm a little bit ahead of the pace Goodreads says I should be on.


Hopefully I'll remember to do at least short reviews of all the books here on the site, but if I don't you can always follow me on Goodreads to at least see my star ratings. I'm always on the lookout for new titles and authors to add to my To Be Read Pile. If you've come across anything good lately let me know!

See the titles I've read so far in my 2013 reading list
 

2013 Reading Challenge

2013 Reading Challenge
Melanie has read 13 books toward her goal of 40 books.
hide
Image from Google Images

2013 Reading List

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Welcome to my reading list for 2013! I'm terrible at remembering to do reviews in part because I read really fast. I set a goal for myself to read 40 books this year and I'm on track to possibly go even higher. I'd love to know if you've read any of these titles and how you liked the book.

In mostly chronological order:

January
At Home With the Templetons - Monica McInerney
The Shoemaker's Wife - Adriana Trigiani
The Last Time I Saw You - Elizabeth Berg

February
Divergent - Veronica Roth
The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott - Kelly O'Connor McNees
Daughter of Smoke and Bone - Laini Taylor
The Forgotten Garden - Kate Morton

March
A Grown Up Kind of Pretty - Joshilyn Jackson
Days of Blood and Starlight - Laini Taylor 
When in Doubt Add Butter - Beth Harbison

April
Patty Jane's House of Curl - Lorna Landvik
Nearlyweds - Beth Kendrick
Sarah's Key - Tatiana de Rosnay
The View From Mount Joy - Lorna Landvik

May
The Panther - Nelson DeMille
The Lion - Nelson DeMille
Tall Pine Polka - Lorna Landvik

June 
Notorious Nineteen - Janet Evanovich 

July 
Tapestry of Fortunes - Elizabeth Berg
Gone Girl - Gillian Flynn
Sisterland - Curtis Sittenfeld
Dead Ever After - Charlaine Harris 
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children - Ransom Riggs

August
The Weird Sisters - Eleanor Brown
The Engagements - Courtney J Sullivan

September
Reached - Ally Condie
The Fault in Our Stars - John Green
The Tao of Martha - Jen Lancaster 
Where We Belong - Emily Giffin 

October 
Life After Life - Jill McCorkle
Let's Pretend This Never Happened - Jenny Lawson

November 
Wedding Night - Sophie Kinsella 
One Mississippi - Mark Childress

Family Road Trip : Books, Tech and Gadgets for Kids

Monday, July 16, 2012

I have a confession to make: we've never taken a roadtrip. Sure, we've taken to the freeways to visit family, but we've never loaded up the car with the specific intent of driving up the California coast or heading to Yellowstone (both are items on our family bucket list). So, I've never really had to worry about keeping our son occupied for more than a few hours. That said, we do have several items we always bring with us for car trips.



Headphones: They are a must. Our son has to use them for the DVD player, the Nintendo DS, the iPod Touch, the iPad and anything else that will make enough noise to bother everyone else in the car. We have a pair of Skullcandy headphones and they're great. When he's wearing them we can't hear any of the blips and beeps from his games.

Tech toys: As I mentioned, we're a gadget loving family. Before we head out on the road, I make sure all our apps are up to date on the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch and we look for new games to download. I make sure all my magazine subscriptions have the current issue downloaded. Even though I charge everything before we leave, I make sure we have our car kit, too.

Camera: Our son is picking up my photography habit. He's really starting to enjoy taking pictures. Even though he can take them with his iPod, I like to give him our point and shoot as well. If your kids have iPods too, there are a ton of free and easy to use photography and video apps they can use for the vacation photos.


 
Books: This is a no brainer. Since our son loves to read just as much as we do, a trip to the library is a must. Right now, our son is really into a few series. He's reading The Mysterious Benedict Society, The Secret Series and The Heroes of Olympus series.



It's no accident that I try to steer our son towards books with a high page count! He reads too fast to buy many short books. And yes, we know we're blessed.

Family games:  In addition to the things we played as kids like the license plate alphabet and license plate states game, I found a cute road sign bingo on Pinterest. You can download the bingo template from Oopsey Daisy.



Video camera: Right now my son is on vacation without us. I wish I'd had the foresight to order a waterproof video camera for him. He'll be riding a SeeDo, going fishing, kayaking and inner tubing for the first time. I'd love to have video of those moments captured from his perspective. This DB Power Waterproof Action camera is perfect for water activities.

Hopefully we'll be able to tackle some of the items on our family bucket list soon. There are so many cities, national parks and attractions we want to see. To quote Amy Foster from our trip to Disney this past spring, we only have 18 summers to spend with our kids. Make sure they are all memorable!


What ideas, tips or resources do you have to make road trips easy for everyone? What has been your 
favorite road trip destination?

This is post three in a series of sponsored posts and sweepstakes for the San Diego Honda Dealers Association. Visit and comment weekly for a chance to win Amazon gift cards! Affiliate links used. 

Books and Stuff

Thursday, April 5, 2012

This post isn't really "about" anything. I started three other posts about books and reading but they didn't have enough meat to stand on their own so I combined them into this random one. Do I know how to sell my blog, or what?

Are you tired of me talking about books? I hope not. I really, really love to read and so many in my circle do too. If I had to start from scratch with a blog, I would really consider one solely about books and coffee. Maybe I'd call it Good Books and A Cup O' Joe.

Or, I mentioned on Twitter that I'd love to work in the book section of Costco. I see people reading the covers of books I've read and sometimes I can't help but offer my opinion. I still feel it's my social obligation to tell everyone not to bother with the first 100 pages of Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

*****

Are you listening to podcasts? I am. I hardly ever listen to the radio anymore. I recently found Books on the Nightstand and I really enjoy it. Part of me wishes I hadn't heard of their site because now my list of 'to be read' is beyond ridiculous. They posted a link to a fun little reading test from Staples. Take a look and see how fast you read. I'd love to know your score. 


***** 

I'm reading The Night Circus and I'm enjoying it. $10 says someone will try turning it into a movie. I think it could be visually stunning and have the most amazing costumes. If you listen to The Nerdist podcast, the book totally reminds of Neil Patrick Harris. I can't explain it, you'll have to take my word for it (or listen yourself, it's a great podcast though NSFW). Next I'm either going to re-read A Discovery of Witches (with book club) or read Roses by Leila Meacham. My mom read it and said it was great. It's 609 pages, so I hope she's right.

*****

What podcasts are you listening to? Have you read anything I need to know about? Do you read books multiple times or just once?

4/11/12 Update:
So, I realized yesterday I forgot the real reason I started this post. I was going to let you in on a little secret. I found out about a great site for free and cheap Kindle books. It's called Pixel of Ink. They post several offers a day across different genres. I admit, I've never seen an offer for a well known author, but it's been a good way to discover some new authors. It's been easier for me to keep up with Pixel of Ink on Facebook than remember to check their site. Enjoy!

The Hunger Games and Matched | Dystopian Book Comparison

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

If you've been around my blog for awhile, you can probably see the correlation between light content here and my reading consumption. After my last book reviews for Explosive Eighteen and If You Were Here, I decided I needed to read The Hunger Games again*. The timing worked out well because, while finishing the last few chapters, I got the email notification that another Dystopian book, Matched, was ready for me to download from the library.



Aside: Colleen of Classy Mommy told me about Matched over dinner at the Big Miracle press trip. I believe six of us went out that night. The conversation turned to books and all of us had our phones out, tapping away with each new title mentioned. It was wonderfully nerdy.

Reading the two series back to back was interesting. Both are young adult fiction, set in the future and have a ruling class system but that's about it for similarities. At least for the first books. There are hints of unrest in Matched so maybe the story will heat up. The Hunger Games is such a page turner. It's gripping and hard to put down. I think it's because the action starts off so quickly. The first book sets everything in motion and second two are the aftermath of Katniss' actions.

Matched was smooth and more of a story. I feel like this trilogy is going to be the reverse of The Hunger Games where it starts off slowly and then builds to a final climax. I haven't read any of the reviews or synopses of the other two books (Crossed and Reached) so I can't say for sure. In fact, I had no idea what Matched was about before I read it. I checked it out because it seems Colleen and I love the same books so I trusted her recommendation.

Imagine this society: people are classified by the skills they have and jobs they can do. Food is fuel. Your movements are tracked and recorded. Illness has been eradicated. Marriages are arranged. Days are structured and scheduled. Knowledge is limited and controlled by the government. Negativity is discouraged. Death is predetermined. This is the world Cassia, the heroine, lives in. And she's perfectly happy, until her grandfather shares a secret in the form of forbidden poetry. 

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light. - Dylan Thomas

Again, with the way Matched ends (and the book cover images) hints at events to come, I smell a revolution. Or at least an uprising. I've already put Crossed on hold at the library. Review to come, of course.

Are you reading young adult fiction and/or Dystopian fiction? What other titles should I look into (please don't say Twilight)? Other books Colleen suggested are Divergent by Veronica Roth and Delirium by Lauren Oliver.

*I'm glad I read The Hunger Games again. Now the details are really fresh in my mind for the movie! *affiliate links used*

Explosive Eighteen, If You Were Here: Book Reviews

Monday, March 12, 2012

When I go to my local library, right off the bat I do two things: cruise through the used book store and check out the new releases section. Occasionally I get lucky and a book I've been wanting to read is on the New Releases shelf. I love it when I don't have to put a book on hold and wait for it to be available. Last week fate smiled and I was able to grab two titles on my Want To Read list; Explosive Eighteen by Janet Evanovich and If You Were Here by Jenn Lancaster.

I think I said before I'm worried that the Stephanie Plum series is heading for Jump the Sharkville. The last few books felt as though they had lost their spark. Explosive Eighteen brought the spark back (see how I did that?). The plot wasn't vastly different than any of the previous books, (Stephanie, bad guys, Vinnie, Grandma Mazur and viewings and Ranger vs Morelli) though I liked the little twist in the beginning. I didn't see it coming and when it was explained, it definitely left room for more stuff to happen between the characters.


What won me over was the conversation Stephanie and Lula had about social media. Here's where my husband calls me a dork. Yes, having the characters talk about Facebook and Twitter brought me back to liking the series again. I would love to see Lula's Twitter stream. I'm hoping that the 18th book in the series is the start of a turn around and the books will be good again. It's hard to get that far in a series and not feel really invested. There's a bit of a cliffhanger so there is definitely room for things to get juicy.

If you've read any of Jenn Lancaster's memoirs, you know she's hilarious. I had no idea what If You Were Here was about and I didn't even bother to read to read the jacket. If Lancaster was ready to try fiction, I was ready to read it. It did not disappoint. The book started off well and chapter five pushed me over the edge in love with it. Her characters have my kind of sarcasm and humor and I laughed out loud in a few parts.


I don't want to reveal too much because I want everyone else to have the same combination "Yay!" and swoon moment that I did in the first pages of chapter five. But, the book is essentially about first time homebuyers Mia and Mac and their decision to completely remodel rather then buy a move in ready home. Anyone who has remodeled will sympathize with everything they go through.

I will say one thing: If you are in a book club, If You Were Here would make for a great theme-night book discussion. That's all I can say. I know it's cryptic, you'll just have to trust me.

Both of these books are my typical light, fast reads. If you have read either of these titles, what did you think?

*If someone starts Tweeting as Lula, you heard it here first. Affiliate links used.

A Soft Place to Land, Crunch Time | Book Reviews

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

I haven't done a book review for 2012, but that's not because I haven't been reading. Back in late November, I started (re)reading the Outlander series because it was finally chosen as our book club selection. So I read the first and then couldn't resist continuing on with the next three*. Since the beginning of the year, I've also read A Soft Place to Land by Susan Rebecca White and Crunch Time by Diane Mott Davidson.

I've said before I like books that deal with the relationship between sisters. I'm sure it's because I've always wanted to have a sister. This book follows two sisters from childhood to adulthood as they deal with the after effects of a tragedy. It's not a sad or depressing book, which is good because it really could have been.


Ruthie and Julia are young when their parents die in plane crash (not a spoiler, this is on the back of the book). After their parents' will is read, the girls' lives go in two totally different directions. It sounds weird to say, but one thing I liked about this book is that it wasn't too long or too short. some books zip through the conflict and resolution and others drag it out for way too long.

Crunch Time is the 16th book featuring the murder mystery solving caterer, Goldy. I've been starting to worry that this series is jumping the shark. It's kind of to be expected since it has to be hard writing the same characters year after year and coming up with new situations. I continue to read them because I feel so invested, kind of like the 'number' and 'alphabet' books by Evanovich and Grafton, respectively.


I wanted to like this book more. I didn't dislike it, but I was hoping there might be a new spark to the series. It did end in a way that future books could make me enjoy the series the same way I did in its beginning. Let's hope. If you need some 'I don't want to think about what I'm reading' fluff, this is a series for you.

I started Dreams of Joy by Lisa See right after Crunch Time. Night Circus is next for book club so look for reviews of both soon.

What's on your bookshelf? 

You can talk books with me on Pinterest and Goodreads.

*My love for this series is almost fanatical. This was my ninth (maybe tenth) reading of Outlander. When we met to discuss the book, many members didn't enjoy it. My talking about the other books in the series swayed some to keep going. 

There are affiliate links in this post.

Overdrive for iPad: Borrowing Library Books with an App

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Tyler and I went to the library yesterday. I've been flying through the Sookie Stackhouse books and needed the next in the series. I noticed a news camera and reporter while I was using the computer. I asked which station he was from because I was going to be on the news myself that night. We chatted and he asked if he could use me in a sound bite. Me be on camera? Absolutely! I love being in front of the camera. It's the Leo in me.

The topic was libraries in the digital age and the new system for checking out books on your portable device. I figured I should give the system a try since I spoke about it! The app I'm using is called Overdrive and it's free in the iTunes store. 

To use the Overdrive app, you need to have an account on Adobe (for the EPUB files) as well as as access to the digital library system in your area. For San Diego, it's the Serra Digital Download Library. Once you download the app, it will walk you through setting up your account including choosing the libraries in your area, adding your library card number and registering with Adobe if you haven't already. 

iTunes iPad screen shot
Once you have your account, it's really easy to search for and check out books. I've got one book available and three titles on hold: Once Upon a Time There Was You by Elizabeth Berg*, Dreams of Joy by Lisa See, Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris and Smokin' Seventeen by Janet Evanovich. Only the Berg title is avaialble now. Once the others are, I will get an email letting me know they're available for download. I love that, just like my regular online library account, the Serra system tells me what number I am in line for the checkout so I know how fast I have to read the books I have now.

Once a title is available for download, you authorize the app with your Adobe account ID. I downloaded the Berg book in just a few seconds and it will be available until August 9th. After that, unless I return it early, it disappears from my iPad. Since I installed the app only yesterday, I can't thoroughly review it but I have experienced some of the feedback in iTunes like the fact that you have to leave the app to search for books in a browser.

I've been wanting to try digital books and this is going to be a great way to dip my feet in. Between this lending system and the freebies that pop up on Amazon and Nook, I can still indulge my voracious habit and keep costs low. I still buy books every so often, but generally from the used books store. Combine the ebooks with the ones I buy, those I get from my mom and the ones I check out; my digital and physical book shelves will always be well stocked!

Have you gotten into the digital book revolution? Are you borrowing from your local library?

See the news piece on Fox 5 San Diego

*She's one of my favorite authors
ETA: you can also download Overdrive for your PC or Mac

How Could I Not?! | (Almost) Wordless Wednesday

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

I had to buy this for the title alone! It was in the dollar bin.

From the cover: "She can have any pair that money can buy...but the shoes she really wants are priceless."



Sookie Stackhouse and Star Island | What I've Been Reading

Thursday, June 9, 2011

I'm one tired chick, but it's my own fault. I've been staying up way too late reading. In preparation for the new season of True Blood, I decided to start the series by Charlaine Harris that the TV show is based on. 

 

In the past two weeks I've read through the first three books (Dead Until Dark, Living Dead in Dallas and Club Dead). I checked out the fourth, Dead to the World, yesterday and I think I'll be finished with it tonight. The fifth, Dead as a Doornail, is reserved at the library and I should have it in a few days. I've heard the books and the series referred to as Twilight for grown ups. Since I didn't read the Twilight series, I can't confirm, but based on what Twilight haters have said, the comparison makes me laugh. 

While I was waiting for book four, I read the new one from Carl Hiaasen, Star Island. A former co-worker turned me on to his books and I've really enjoyed going through his body of work. If you saw the Demi Moore move Strip Tease, it's based off his book (which I have a feeling is way better than the movie). I like that he has the same character pop up in different books. Hiassen also writes young adult books. I've read both Hoot (which was a movie, too) and Flush. They're cute. Tyler didn't get through Hoot, but I think if he tried again and saw the movie he'd like it. 

I've already read the June book for my book club (Something Borrowed, loved it) and I have Breathing Lessons in my library queue (Anne Tyler, I really enjoy her work). 

Whew!

What's on your nightstand?
 
copyright melanie sheridan 2009 template design by Studio Mommy (© copyright 2015)