Social Distance Reads

Hello! We hope everyone is safe and well. Since we're all in the north east, we've had to spend a lot more time at home, as many people have had to across the country. What better thing to get you through all the social distancing than a good book! We can get as close to fictional characters as we want, after all. Check out what we're reading now and feel free to share your current reads in the comments!

Jenn N. - I just read an Elin Hilderbrand book - What Happens in Paradise. Most of her books are set in Nantucket and I thought a virtual vacation was just what I needed. This book was set in the US Virgin Islands and provided a great escape to a beautiful beach destination that I needed.

Alan - I just started Out of the Dark, by David Weber, on Audible.

Eileen - I'm a little over halfway thru Brothers, by Yu Hua. It's a sad book but I'm learning a lot about a place and time period I didn't know before.

Rachelyons - I’m almost done with Legendary by Stephanie Garber! Then onto Finale!

Rebecca T - I'm listening to Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi - working my way through the series again in preparation for Imagine Me coming out next week! Even though it's a dystopia, it's such a fascinating world to return to, and it's the first time I've read all the way through the series since the 3rd book came out.

NaomiRuth - I am reading The Broken Kingdoms by NK Jemisin, the second in The Inheritance Trilogy. I am over halfway through and cannot wait to see what happens next. I love her world-building!

What I'm Reading Now: August Edition

I hope you've been getting some summer reading in, whether by the pool or curled up in an air-conditioned room. I've been back in the reading groove and here's what I've got going on right now.

On my Nook: I have been working through Andrew Lang's collected Fairy Books and I'm on the twelfth and final one - The Lilac Fairy Book. These have provided a lot of fun and some ideas for novels, as well. The further I got into the series, the less familiar the stories became and the wider the cultural spread, though I do have to wonder how much was changed when they were translated and "adapted" for children. An excellent place to start, though, if you want to spread your fairy tale wings.

On my Phone: Still chugging along in Don Quixote - got past the familiar parts and realized I haven't, in fact, read this before. Enjoying it when I have a few minutes to read here and there.

In Print - Fiction: I just started Fairest by Marissa Meyer. Now getting into the part of the series I hadn't read before and loving every minute of it. I'm particularly curious to see Levana's back story, because I have a feeling there are going to be some big surprises there. The Lunar Chronicles is an excellently told and crafted YA fairy tale retelling and I highly recommend them.

In Print - Non-Fiction: Also just started All Over But the Shoutin' by Rick Bragg. I'm already intrigued and I'm only a chapter in. I really enjoy memoirs and biographies.

On Audio in my car: The Serpent's Shadow by Rick Riordan is the final book in the Kane Chronicles trilogy and I'm thoroughly enjoying it. It's a fun series and a fun take on Egyptian mythology. And, as I mentioned before, the narrators totally sell the story through their narration.

On TV: I just binge watched the entire first season (all 8 episodes of it) of the new Stranger Things on Netflix. Loved it. I was trying to describe it to NaomiRuth, who I knew would also enjoy it, and it's basically X-Files meets Pretender meets Super 8 with some Lost sensibilities. It's dark and fun and creepy and mysterious and most of the main cast are middle schoolers.

So what are you reading or watching? Share in the comments!

What I'm Reading Now: July Edition

This summer has been an absolutely crazy one for me, so I haven't had much time for reading, but here's a look at the books I'm crawling through right now.

On my Nook: I just started rereading Cinder by Marissa Meyer. I've read the first 3 books in the series before, but I want to finish it and it's been long enough that I really felt like I needed a refresher before I read Fairest and Winter. I love this series so much, so I'm really excited to read the first 3 again and then attack the rest of the series.

On my phone: I've made it a few more pages into Don Quixote. I'm so familiar with many of the story events that I can't remember if I've just read excerpts/heard plot points or if I've actually read the whole thing before. I'm leaning toward the former, but we'll see how familiar it stays as I continue through the story.

In print - fiction: I made it through almost all of L.M. Montgomery's novels before the conference, and I'm determined to finish them off. I'm about a third of the way through Pat of Silver Bush. It's been so long since I read it that I don't remember anything at all about it, so it's like reading it for the first time all over again! It's definitely a very different novel from most of Montgomery's others.

In print - non-fiction: Still reading All Cracked Up by Patsy Clairmont. I love her and her style, but I have not been in the mood for non-fiction lately. I read a bit here and there and have made it about half way through, but I've been saving my reading time for other things.

On audio in my car: Having worked through A Series of Unfortunate Events and Harry Potter I was looking for another "kids" series to listen to. I really enjoyed the audio version of Rick Riordan's Kane Chronicles so I started those on my drive to Prince Edward Island. Now I'm almost done with The Throne of Fire, the second book in the trilogy. The narrators do a really good job of bringing the story to life.

On TV: I'm going back and forth between Leverage and Star Trek: The Next Generation on Netflix. But the show I'm absolutely loving right now is So You Think You Can Dance: The Next Generation currently airing on Fox.

I've been a fan of SYTYCD for years now and this new twist has been so interesting. The kids are incredibly talented and I cry at least 3 times during each episode. I do wish there had been a way for them to do both a regular and a kids' version of the show rather than switching from one to the other. But if you're looking for a great dancing competition with talent that will blow you away every week, I highly recommend it. The first live show was Monday and it looks like Fox has a few episodes available for streaming on their website if you want to catch up a little. If you've watched the show before, the kids are paired with all-stars from earlier seasons so you get to see some of your favorites dance and mentor the next generation, which is all kinds of cool and warm and fuzzy.

What are you reading or watching?

What I'm Reading Now: June Edition

May flew by and we're heading into summer! Here's a peek into the things I'm reading right now.

On my Nook: Still mainlining L.M. Montgomery's works - now reading through her collected short stories, which I've never read before. She certainly has a fascinatingly broad spread of fiction.

On my Phone: I thought I would try reading some classics on my phone and I started Don Quixote, but I haven't had any time to read it, yet - I think I'm still on page 1!

In Print - Fiction: Did I mention I'm reading a lot of L.M. Montgomery? Right now I'm in the middle of Magic for Marigold and I'm finding it not quite as enjoyable as the last time I read it. I thought maybe I was just getting Montgomery'd out, but I'm still really liking the short stories and I actually picked up and read A Tangled Web and had no trouble getting caught up in that one. I can't put my finger on why this one isn't captivating me as much as it has in the past.

In Print - Non-Fiction: All Cracked Up by Patsy Clairmont. She is one of my favorite speakers and her voice carries over well in her book. The short little chapters make it easy to read a little whenever I have time.

On Audio in My Car: Nothing right now. I know, shocking. I finished Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows last week and haven't figured out where I want to go next. Maybe a re-reading of The Chronicles of Narnia is in order.

On TV: I just started watching Leverage on Netflix. I've watched a lot of individual episodes before, but I always find it interesting to see how the story lines build when you watch something, even a serial type show, from the beginning. I just love the different characters and their tics and how they work together (and get on each other's nerves). It's just a fun show.

What's on your summer reading list? Anything good that you're reading now or are looking forward to getting to this month?

What I'm Reading Now: May Edition

It's been a busy month, but enjoying the books I'm reading right now. Here's a quick look at what I'm reading now!

On my Nook:
The Story Girl by L.M. Montgomery - I finished the Anne series and moved on to the next one available on my Nook. Montgomery just has this way of making her characters live so vibrantly.


On my Phone:
Ghost Bird: The Academy Omnibus Part 1 by C. L. Stone - I haven't quite figured out the appeal of Stone's books, but I find them a lot of fun to read.

In Print-Fiction:
I just started the third book in Brandon Sanderson's Alcatraz series, Alcatraz Versus the Knights of Crystallia. The series is a fun middle grade romp and I'm looking forward to learning more about the world.

In Print-Non Fiction:
I finally finished Alexander Hamilton and I haven't started anything new yet, but next up I think is going to be another Milne book that I have still checked out from my library.

On Audio in My Car:
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling - I can't believe I'm almost done with the series! I love it so much! There are so many amazing things in this series.

On TV:
I'm still working through Star Trek: The Next Generation and am about half way through the third season. It's really interesting seeing it all in order since I've seen a lot of episodes but sort of randomly. Definitely get to see the character development more this way.

What have you been reading lately?

What I'm Reading Now: April Edition

On my Nook:
Rainbow Valley by L.M. Montgomery - I had forgotten how much I adored this volume of the series. The Blythe and Meredith children are so much fun to read about. I've really been enjoying my re-read of the Anne books!

On my Phone:
Picking through the many items I downloaded for free, I started reading Equoid: A Laundry Novella. Though I haven't read any of the Laundry books and I'm only 8 pages in, I am finding the world intriguing, so I'm curious to see where this goes.

In Print-Fiction:
I just started Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank, one of the books I've been meaning to get to but never did. Yay for working through my unread books! I pretty much just started it, but it is really interesting and I'm glad I finally got to it.

In Print-Non Fiction:
Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow. Still. BUT I only have about 80 pages left, so I should finish it this month! It's so fascinating and I'm still really enjoying it, but I've just been moving really slowly on it for some reason. My next biography I think I'll go for something a little shorter to give myself a bit of a break.

On Audio in My Car:
I am on the last chapter of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - it took me longer to get through this than I thought it would. I guess I've done less driving than normal. I'm enjoying it much more than I did last time, though. This has always been my least favorite, but I don't think it is any more (which means I don't know if I have a least favorite anymore).

On TV:
I've been catching up on one of my guilty pleasures: Pretty Little Liars. I can't quite figure out why I find this show so fun, but I do! I'm about a third of the way through S5 - so no spoilers!

What have you been reading lately?

What I'm Reading Now: March Edition

I'm reading some great books right now! Here goes.

On my Nook:
Anne of the Island by L.M. Montgomery - I'm re-reading Montgomery's works in preparation for the conference I'm going to in June and I love these books so very much. They're like my comfort food in books. I love how they're just about the everyday lives of these people and yet they're so interesting and engaging and have such depth of human character in them.

On my Phone:
As part of my alphabetical wanderings through my books, I'm reading Andy Smithson: Blast of the Dragon's Fury by L.R.W. Lee. I wasn't sure at the beginning if I was going to be able to get into it, but it's gotten better as the story progresses. I'm curious to see how much is going to be resolved since this is the first book in a series.

In Print-Fiction:
The Agency: A Spy in the House by Y.S. Lee. I have the second book in this series and since that was up next in my alphabetical challenge, I had to get the first book from the library, since I hate reading books out of order. I am really enjoying this and so excited that I have the second one and that my library also has the third one. An engaging historical spy novel.

In Print-Non-Fiction:
Still chugging through Chernow's Alexander Hamilton biography. I made some serious progress what with jury duty this month, but it just takes a while to get through over 700 pages. Really very fascinating though. (though I think I find it even more interesting because of having been obsessed with the musical first, so I kind of feel like I know these people).

On Audio in My Car:
I'm this close to being done with Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and I forgot how much I love this book. Definitely my favorite of the series for many reasons. Order of the Phoenix is on deck and I'm looking forward to it and hoping I enjoy it more, since that's always been my least favorite.

On TV:
I decided to dive into Netflix's Daredevil after seeing things popping up about the second season. I am enjoying it, but for some reason not as much as I anticipated. I do love Foggy though.

So how about you? Reading anything good?

What I'm Reading Now: February Edition

I've decided to move this post to the first Wednesday of the month rather than the last, so you aren't missing anything - there is no January edition :) I've been in massive reading mode, and here are the books I'm working through now:

On my Nook:
I just started As Red As Blood by Salla Simukka. I was a little confused at the very beginning, but I'm really starting to get into it now. When I saw it was a Snow White retelling I had certain expectations, but this is not your typical fairy tale retelling. Once I realized that and put my expectations aside I found I was able to enjoy it more. I'm really looking forward to seeing where this mystery goes and am really enjoying the protagonist, Lumikki, as well as the setting.

On my Phone:
The Academy: Thief by C.L. Stone. I haven't read enough of this to have an opinion yet to be quite honest, since I've only read about half a page. Haven't had a lot of opportunities for phone reading recently.

In Print - Fiction:
Black Widow: Forever Red by Margaret Stohl. I fortunately caught a review that warned this was not a tale of Natasha's teen years, which let me go into the book with the proper expectations. I am really enjoying this. I was a little nervous, because I wasn't a fan of Beautiful Creatures, so I was relieved to love this story. Natasha "Black Widow" is a part of the story and each of the well-known Marvel characters encountered read like the characters should. I have a bad feeling about where the ending is going though, but in a good way.

In Print - Non-Fiction:
Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow. Picked this up after becoming obsessed with the Hamilton soundtrack and it's so fascinating. It is, however, over 700 pages long. A marathon reading session while waiting for my car to be worked on has gotten me almost 300 pages in, but I have a feeling I'll be working on this one for a while.

On Audio in my Car:
Decided to follow up my re-read of A Series of Unfortunate Events with a re-read of the Harry Potter series. I'm on Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, which was my favorite book of the series. I'm curious to see if that changes on the re-read since I found myself loving Prisoner of Azkaban much more than the last time I read it.

On TV:
I finally wrapped up my X-Files binge just in time for the new series to start. Now I'm going through Star Trek: Next Generation, which I'm loving a lot more than I anticipated, and, when I need something pretty much brainless, I'm rewatching the early seasons of Pretty Little Liars.

How about you? Any books (or TV shows) have you staying up late? Anything I should add to my To Read list?

What I'm Reading Now: December Edition

It's December! I'm wrapping up the year with some good books and thinking about what I want to do in the new year. Any reading plans for 2016?
If you're looking for a good book, here are a few suggestions.

On my Nook: Agnes Grey by Anne Bronte - I loved The Tenant of Wildfell Hall so I dove into this one and I'm really loving it. Why on earth did it take so long for me to read Anne Bronte?

On my Phone: A Soul for Trouble by Crista McHugh - I originally thought this was a YA, but it's more a high fantasy with elements of romance. However, once I readjusted my expectations I really am enjoying it. And the way it's going, it seems to be the first in a series, so I'm looking forward to reading more.

In Print - Fiction: The True Meaning of Smekday by Adam Rex - When I saw that the movie Home was based on this, I pulled it off my shelf. It's cute and different enough from the movie that I don't feel like I'm reading the same thing. If you're looking for a spunky young protagonist, a story of alien invasions, or a book about the importance of cats in your life, you should love this book.

In Print - Non-Fiction: It's Too Late Now: An Autobiography of a Writer by A. A. Milne - seriously. Everything I read by this man just makes me feel like he is my historical spirit animal. His autobiography is interesting and entertaining and informative all at the same time.

On Audio in my Car: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J. K. Rowling - After my giant Series of Unfortunate Events reread I decided to go ahead and dive into Harry Potter again. It still has its old magic.

On TV: Jessica Jones - If you have Netflix and you like a darker, edgier show this one is for you. Also, David Tennant as Kevin Killgrave is horrifically and deliciously evil.

How about you? Anything you're trying to finish before the 31st?