What I'm Reading

I don't have much that I want to write about lately, mostly because I have a lot going on and not enough distance from it to write about it very well. Suffice it to say that I'm still in the throes of the "baby craze" that I thought I had finally escaped, our outside commitments are threatening to overtake our family commitments, and time is getting away from me.

My escape: read a good book. Four weeks ago I read Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, which is so witty and charming, I don't know how I managed to miss this one until now. If you haven't read it, you definitely should.

Next, I moved on to Ender's Game, which made me feel very unoriginal when I read the beginning and felt like I was reading the beginning of my own fictional work in progress, The G.E. Kid. Once I got past the beginning, though, I realized it goes in quite a different direction than I am headed with mine, so I felt a little more inclined to work on mine some more, but not inclined enough to actually do it...yet.

Ender's Game is science fiction for adolescent readers, middle to high school, and I enjoyed it. Before you start judging me for my YA fiction choices, let me remind you that the Twilight series was written for teens as well, and we all know who wound up loving it the most. Yep...Moms. At one point I even heard them called "Twi-Moms" for their crazier-than-the-kids behavior at book signings and movie events. So I'm not alone in my less-than-mature reading material choices.

Next, I have just received a copy of The Time Traveler's Wife from the library's Books by Mail program. I love checking the mail and finding a good book there instead of junk mail! Especially when it's a surprise. I was #30-something on the list when I reserved it online several months ago. It's really interesting so far. Anyone else read it?

After this, I plan to read Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief. The movie is coming out very soon and it looks really good!

How's that for an eclectic mix of literature? I love to read and my kids know it. We finished The Swiss Family Robinson with the kids and I have just started reading the first Harry Potter book to them. They are completely enraptured by it. It probably doesn't hurt that I do all the accents, including a thick Scottish brogue for Hagrid. I love reading aloud and hearing Paul read aloud to the kids. It's so cozy when we all pile up on the couch for a good story. I can forget about the outside world in that moment.

What are you reading? How do you "escape" at home?

Show me yours and I'll show you mine...

Favorite books, that is! Summertime is looming, and I'm sure we will all be lounging by the pool or on the beach every day. ;) I know I need some fresh reads, so why don't we trade book lists today? Here are some of my faves:

Diane Mott Davidson, The Goldy Schulz Culinary Mysteries

There are 15 books in this series about Goldy Schulz, a caterer in Colorado who stumbles upon crime scenes at nearly every event she caters. It's a cozy series that has likable characters and an ongoing hint of romance as well as fun recipes throughout the books. I recommend reading the books in order starting with the first, Catering to Nobody. This is by far my favorite series.

Kathy Reichs, The Temperance Brennan Novels

Kathy Reichs is a forensic anthropologist, and her work is the inspiration for these novels and for the TV show Bones. Temperance Brennan is a forensic anthropologist who works in both Charlotte, North Carolina and Montreal, Quebec. The books alternate between the two locations and there is a healthy dose of French much to my delight. If you like shows like CSI and Bones you will probably like these as there is quite a bit of technical jargon. The stories flow easily, and I have read 10 of the 11 volumes. I did not read Deadly Decisions as it was about motorcycle gangs and I just couldn't get interested.

Mary Higgins Clark

I love (almost) all of her books--they are full of suspense but without tons of violence. I don't actually read these anymore, though, I listen to them. Her books are our favorite road trip audio books because they keep us enthralled even through the straight, unending stretch of I-75 through Georgia. The one book of her mysteries that I didn't care for was No Place Like Home, and I didn't finish reading it because I was TOO SCARED. Given the books I read, that's saying a lot. I'm not a real fan of her Christmas books, either.

I could go on (and on, and on), but I want some ideas from you! Do you have a favorite series? A favorite author? Let's call this "Titles Tuesday" and throw out some reading recommendations!