Book Wrap-Up: February 2010

Read in February 2010:

9. Hate List - Jennifer Brown
10. Catching Fire - Suzanne Collins
11. Roasting in Hell's Kitchen - Gordon Ramsay
12. Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim - David Sedaris
13. The Knife of Never Letting Go - Patrick Ness
14. Vanishing Acts - Jodi Picoult

Quote of the Day

"'You give her all your french fries, even when she won't give you back onion rings,' Sophie says. 'And when you say her name it sounds different.'

'How?'

Sophie thinks. 'Like it's covered with blankets.'"

- Vanishing Acts, Jodi Picoult

Library Loot: Week of February 27, 2010

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Marg of Reading Adventures and Eva of A Striped Armchair that encourages bloggers to share books they've checked out from the library.

I haven't posted in a while so this is list is a compilation of books I've gotten from the library over the last few weeks.

The Five Love Languages - Gary Chapman
The Partly Cloudy Patriot - Sarah Vowell
Assassination Vacation - Sarah Vowell
The Wordy Shipmates - Sarah Vowell
Take the Cannoli - Sarah Vowell
Cleaving - Julie Powell
The Shack - William P. Young
Last Night in Twisted River - John Irving
The Strain - Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan
In Defense of Food - Michael Pollan
Noah's Compass - Anne Tyler

Musing Mondays

Musing Mondays is a weekly meme hosted by Rebecca at Just One More Page.

Today's Musing Mondays post is about keeping books. Do you keep all the books you every buy? Just the ones you love? Just collectibles? What do you do with the ones you don't want to keep?

I do have quite a collection of books but they're mostly books I want to read, not ones I have read. I don't keep very many of my books. If I like a book enough that I know I will re-read it, or if it's one of my all-time favorites, I definitely will keep it.

The books I don't want to keep I take to a local used bookstore. They take used books in trade for store credit so I take bags of books there and use my in-store credit to buy more books! It's really a win-win situation for all involved. :)

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Sheila at
One Person's Journey Through a World of Books.

Read last week...

Roasting in Hell's Kitchen - Gordon Ramsay

I enjoyed this book, but not because it's was particularly well written. It wasn't. It's a typical memoir written by a celebrity, so of course it's not going to be well written. But it was enjoyable, mostly because I just love Chef Ramsay! I recently started watching Kitchen Nightmares and reruns of Hell's Kitchen and wanted to know more about the man. If you're a fan of Chef Ramsay, I would recommend this. Otherwise, you're probably not going to enjoy it, sorry to say.

Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim - David Sedaris

Another one I wasn't quite impressed with. My relationship with David Sedaris' writing is kind of touch and go - some of his pieces are absolutely hilarious while others simply fall flat. This is a mix of both, almost most of them were, to put it simply, just boring.

Currently Reading ...

I just today started reading The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness. I've read so many good reviews of this book so I wanted to give it a try. So far I like it but I'm only about 10 pages in so it's hard to tell yet if I'll enjoy it.

Quote of the Day

God: I resent you blaming me for everything. And I do not exist to give you what you want.

- Angry Conversations with God, Susan E. Isaacs

Quote of the Day

All a rainbow is is light that walks behind a raindrop and its colors fall out.

- A Wolf at the Table, Augusten Burroughs

Book Wrap-Up: January 2010

This is what I read this month:

1. Wishin' and Hopin', Wally Lamb
2. The Unit, Ninni Holmqvist
3. In the Woods, Tana French
4. Twilight, Stephenie Meyer
5. Paper Towns, John Green
6. New Moon, Stephenie Meyer
7. Stardust, Neil Gaiman
8. Eclipse, Stephenie Meyer

I don't think I've ever read so many books in one month! I've been back in college for the last four years and I'm finally finished so I'm using all my new free time to catch up on all the reading I've been backed up on in the last four years! Yay!

Quote of the Day

"I think it's beautiful when men show their physical strength openly without being ashamed of it or apologizing. And I think it's beautiful when women dare to be physically weak and accept help with heavy jobs."

- from The Unit, Ninni Holmqvist

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by J. Kaye at J. Kaye's Book Blog to discuss what we are reading this, as well as books completed the previous week.

Books completed last week:

Stardust, Neil Gaiman
Eclipse, Stephenie Meyer

Books I gave up on:

Again, none. So far my choices have been good!

What I am currently reading:

Fluke, Christopher Moore

After that:

I will be finishing off the Twilight series with Breaking Dawn.

Quote of the Day

"There is not one big cosmic meaning for all; there is only the meaning we each give to our life, an individual meaning, an individual plot, like an individual novel, a book for each person."

- Anais Nin

Quote of the Day

"... then he turned to me in the darkness, pulled me close, one arm around my shoulders, the other holding my head against his chest, and I pressed myself against him with my arm around his waist, my forehead against his breastbone and one leg wrapped around his thighs, almost as if I were climbing him"

- from The Unit, Ninni Holmqvist

Friday Fill-In #161

Friday Fill-In is hosted here.

1. Wouldn't it be easy to run away and start over.

2. The love is better than ever!

3. I love the taste of chocolate!

4. There are too many books in the living room.

5. The first thing we're going to do is finally watch the last two episodes of Doctor Who.

6. Ting, ting, ting; drip, drip, drip; plop, plop, plop.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to boyfriend time, tomorrow my plans include family time and laundry and Sunday, I want to figure out what I'm doing on Sunday!

Quote of the Day

"Even more, I had never meant to love him. One thing I truly knew - knew it in the pit of my stomach, in the center of my bones, knew it from the crown of my head to the soles of my feet, knew it deep in my empty chest - was how love gave someone the power to break you.

I'd been broken beyond repair."

- from New Moon, Stephenie Meyer

Quote of the Day

Starting a new feature here at You Are Quite the Human ... the Quote of the Day. Being a book addict, I of course love words themselves, and oftentimes certain lines or passages in books (or even movies sometimes) catch my eye and I have to remember them. I have a notebook I keep just for these quotes.

So, to get us started, here's a quote about books!

"But the not-very-highbrow truth of the matter was that the reading was how I got my ya-yas out.

For the sake of my bookish reputation I upgraded to Tolstoy and Steinbeck before I understood them, but my dark secret was that really, I preferred the junk. The Dragonriders of Pern, Flowers in the Attic, The Clan of the Cave Bear. This stuff was like my stash of Playboys under the mattress."

- from Julie & Julia, Julie Powell

WWW Wednesdays

WWW Wednesday is hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading.

To play along, just answer these questions:

- What are you currently reading?
- What did you recently finish reading?
- What do you think you'll read next?

My Answers:

I am currently reading: Stardust, by Neil Gaiman, and really enjoying it. It got off to a semi-slow start but it's picking up. Neil Gaiman has a great writing style. I've heard him speak before, and I think his voice and accent are beautiful, so I am kind of reading it with his voice in my head (if that makes sense!) and that's making it even better!

Before that, I finished: New Moon, by Stephenie Meyer. It was a lot better than Twilight (which I did enjoy) and I'm really looking forward not only to reading the next in the series but also seeing the movie. ('Cause I think that Taylor Lautner is a cutie patootie!)

Next Up: Continuing the Twilight series with Eclipse...

Teaser Tuesdays

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Here's this week's teaser:

"Tristran Thorn, at the age of seventeen, and only six months older than Victoria, was half the way between a boy and a man, and was equally uncomfortable in either role; he seemed to be composed chiefly of elbows and Adam's apples. His hair was the brown of sodden straw, and it stuck out at awkward, seventeen-year-old angles, wet and comb it howsoever much he tried."

From Stardust by Neil Gaiman

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

It’s Monday! What are you reading? is a weekly meme hosted by J. Kaye at J. Kaye’s Book Blog

to discuss what we are reading this week, as well as books completed the previous week.

Books completed last week:

Paper Towns / John Green

New Moon / Stephenie Meyer

Books I gave up on:

Again, none. So far my choices have been good!

What I am currently reading:

I just started Stardust by Neil Gaiman, for the second time. I just love his writing style.

After that:

I will be continuing with the Twilight series and reading Eclipse.

Books for which I still need to write reviews:

Um, pretty much all of them? I’ve read In the Woods, Twilight, and Paper Towns and have to write those reviews. I’m still very new at this blogging thing so I have to find a rhythm for reviews.

Musing Mondays

MUSING MONDAYS is hosted by Rebecca at Just One More Page.

This week, Rebecca asks:

Where do you keep any books borrowed from friends or the library? Do they live with your own collection, or do you keep separate? Do you monitor them in any way?

I generally don't borrow books from friends, mostly because I have so many books of my own in my to-be-read list that I know I probably won't get to theirs for a while and I wouldn't want to keep them waiting for their books.

As for library books, I do get many, many of them, and they go in a pile separate from my other books. My own books are stacked up in bookshelves in my living room; my library books live in a pile on my desk in my living room. I even try to keep them in order of due date so I can at least try to get them read before they have to go back. It almost never happens, but I try!

Friday Fill-Ins #160

Friday Fill-Ins is hosted here.

1. You have a chance to change the world. Do it!

2. I need some chocolate right now!

3. There is a castle on a cloud.

4. Break it now and pay later.

5. It's time to eat!

6. His feelings for me are up in the air but it'll all work out in the end.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to boyfriend time, tomorrow my plans include a visit with old friends, and Sunday, I want to clean my kid's room and get some laundry done.

Library Loot: Week of January 17, 2010

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Eva and Marg that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library.





I didn't bring home much this week, only because I've already got a big pile from my last trip!

Island of the Sequined Love Nun - Christopher Moore


















Catching Fire - Suzanne Collins

Booking Through Thursday

Booking Through Thursday is hosted here.

Who’s your favorite author that other people are NOT reading? The one you want to evangelize for, the one you would run popularity campaigns for? The author that, so far as you’re concerned, everyone should be reading–but that nobody seems to have heard of. You know, not JK Rowling, not Jane Austen, not Hemingway–everybody’s heard of them. The author that you think should be that famous and can’t understand why they’re not.

Without a doubt, I would have to say Christopher Moore. I LOOOOVVVEE this guy's books, and even the people I know who read almost as much as I do haven't ever heard of him. His books (especially Lamb) are clever, funny, smart, and just great reads. He's a fabulous writer.

It's Monday, What Are You Reading?

It's Monday, What are you Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by J. Kaye's Book Blog to discuss what we are reading this week, as well as books completed the previous week.

Books Completed Last Week:
In the Woods / Tana French
Twilight / Stephenie Meyer

Books I Gave Up On:
None! So far my reading choices for 2010 have all been good ones. I hope I can keep up that trend.

Books I am Currently Reading:
I just started Paper Towns by John Green.

After That:
I think I'm going to keep on with the Twilight series and read New Moon next.

Musing Mondays

MUSING MONDAYS is hosted at Just One More Page.

Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about tidy reading around people.

When is it inappropriate to read in front of others? Is it ever appropriate?

This is a great question! I'm sure the answer would be vastly different if you asked a non-reader, but as a reading junkie, I have to say that, while it can be inappropriate to read in front of others, I still do it! I feel that it's absolutely fine to read while in a waiting room, if you're eating alone at a restaurant, or even if you're hanging out with a friend - in certain circumstances. I have a friend / co-worker who reads just as much as I do, and when the weather is nice, we go outside during our lunch hour and sit and read together. I think it's okay as long as you're not being anti-social, or rude, and if the person with whom you're sitting is okay with it. I even read while spending time with my boyfriend! He's a big sports fan, and when he turns on the hockey game or soccer match, I open my book. He doesn't mind, and it's actually the most peaceful reading time I have, because I'm with the person whose company I enjoy the most, doing the activity I most enjoy.

Friday Firsts

Friday Firsts is hosted at Well Read Reviews.

The first line can make or break a reader’s interest. Just how well did the author pull you in to the story with their first sentence? To participate in this weekly book meme is extremely easy.

• Grab the book you are currently reading and open to the first page.
• Write down the first sentence in the first paragraph.
• Create a blog post with this information. (Make sure to include the title & author of the book you are using. Even an ISBN helps!)
• Did this first sentence help draw you into the story? Why or why not?

This is from my current read, In the Woods by Tana French (really good, by the way!)

"Picture a summer stolen whole from some coming-of-age film set in small-town 1950s."

It's a good first sentence, and does set up the basic premise of the story, although it is a bit misleading, given the rest of the plot. It didn't exactly prepare me for what was coming!

Library Loot: Week of January 10, 2010

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Eva and Marg that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library.





These books found their way into my home this week. I'm excited for all of them!

Paper Towns - John Green



















Stardust - Neil Gaiman


















Kiss of Life - Daniel Waters



















Hate List - Jennifer Brown



















Fool - Christopher Moore



















Fluke - Christopher Moore



















Coyote Blue - Christopher Moore

Booking Through Thursday

Booking Through Thursday is hosted here.

Suggested by Prairie Progressive:

Do you read the inside flaps that describe a book before or while reading it?

Absolutely. I absolutely need to know what a book is about before I read, and sometimes I even go back in the middle of reading a book to read the jacket flap. I like to know exactly what I'm reading about, if that makes any sense! I'm not someone who can pick up a book with no knowledge of its plot.

Teaser Tuesdays

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. Here's how it works:

- Grab your current read.
- Let the book fall open to a random page.- Share two "teaser" sentences from that page.
- Share the title and author of the book.
- PLEASE AVOID SPOILERS!

"Sometimes Cassie and I forget that we can have that effect on people, especially when we're off duty and in a good mood, which we were. I know this sounds odd, given what we had been doing all day, but in the squads with a high horror quota - Murder, Sex Crime, Domestic Violence - either you learn to switch off or you transfer to Art and Antiques."

In the Woods, Tana French

Review: Wishin' and Hopin' / Wally Lamb

Title/Author: Wishin' and Hopin' / Wally Lamb
Format / Pages: Hardback / 268 pages
Publisher: HarperCollins
ISBN: 978-0-06-194100-9
Genre: Fiction
Where Did I Get It?: Library

From the book jacket: LBJ and Lady Bird are in the White House, Meet the Beatles is on everyone's turntable, and Felix Funicello (distant cousin of the iconic Annette!) is doing his best to navigate fifth grade - easier said than done when scary movies still give you nightmares and you bear a striking resemblance to a certain adorable cartoon boy.

Back in his beloved fictional town of Three Rivers, Connecticut, with a new cast of endearing characters, Wally Lamb takes his readers straight into the halls of St. Aloysius Gonzaga Parochial School - where Mother Filomina's word is law and goody-two-shoes Rosalie Twerski is sure to be minding everyone's business. But grammar and arithmetic move to the back burner this holiday season with the sudden arrivals of substitute teacher Madame Frechette, straight from Quebec, and feisty Russian student Zhenya Kabakova. While Felix learns the meaning of French kissing, cultural misunderstanding, and tableaux vivants, Wishin' and Hopin' barrels toward one outrageous Christmas.

From the Funicello family's bus-station lunch counter to the elementary school playground (with an uproarious stop at the Pillsbury Bake-Off), Wishin' and Hopin' is a vivid slice of 1960s life, a wise and witty holiday tale that celebrates where we've been - and how far we've come.

First line: The year I was a fifth-grade student at St. Aloysius Gonzaga Parochial School, our teacher, Sister Dymphna, had a nervous breakdown in front of our class.

My thoughts: This was a cute little book, a quick read ... that unfortunately wasn't that great. It was good, but it wasn't Wally Lamb good (anyone who has read and loved his previous works should know what I mean by that). I absolutely adored She's Come Undone and I Know This Much is True and was just a little disappointed by Wishin' and Hopin'. It wasn't nearly the same quality of story - but it was worth the read, so give it a try.