On the Run

I just finished my latest book, The Awakening by Kelley Armstrong. These poor kids in this book can't seem to catch a break. This book was more intense than the first in the series. Probably because there was a lot more action and the characters were never in the same place for very long. I really enjoyed reading this book and I can't wait to read the next book in the series. If the end of The Awakening is any indication, the next book The Reckoning is going to be even more intense. It will be awhile before I get to read The Reckoning, though. I don't even own it yet and there are fifty or so books in my infamous stack.

Next on the agenda, The Lonely Polygamist by Brady Udall. Yes, it is my coveted signed copy that I am going to be handling with kid gloves as I read. It was on Entertainment Weekly's Best Books of 2010 list, so I'm looking forward to reading it. I don't really know what to expect from it (except Mormons), but that is perfectly fine with me. I like jumping in with no expectations sometimes. Also, I really want to read I Am Number Four before I see the movie, but I don't think that's going to happen. My husband is really interested in seeing the movie, (probably because Dianna Agron is in it) so we'll probably see it when it comes out. I don't really think I'll have time to get to it before we go see the movie. Oh well, it's not like I've never seen the movie before I've read the book before... 

Wishes Do Come True!

I'm being overly dramatic, but I did get a very nice surprise today! A few days ago I was lamenting my need for a new Weight Watchers cookbook, and guess what was in the mail when I got home today?! A brand new cookbook! This one is full of amazing sounding recipes that I can't wait to try! We actually tried one tonight. We were having Italian steak sandwiches and we found an oven baked onion ring recipe in the new cookbook that we decided to use as our side dish. They were amazing! Crispy and crunchy and not greasy at all! Plus, they didn't leave me with that weighed down feeling you sometimes get from fried food. I see us making those again very soon! I am so excited about this cookbook that it's a little embarrasing, but I don't care! I just had to share my joy.

A Little Lighter Please

I'm very pleased with my next book choice so far. I was in the mood for something a little lighter. I could do with a good comedy, but that will come in time. Right now I'm reading The Awakening by Kelley Armstrong. It is not a light and fluffy book by any means, but it is by far more interesting than the last book I read. I read the first book in this series a while back and it was very easy to jump back into it. I know I'm not a teenager anymore, but I still enjoy reading "young adult" fiction. I don't know if it's strange or not, but I guess until I have a child, I'll still feel like a teenager in some ways. It wasn't that long ago that I was a teenager and I still find it easy to relate to these books. I've never been one to limit my book choices. I've always been able to read whatever I wanted (my parents never censored my book choices) and I guess that has bled over into my adult life. I'll read almost anything (except westerns, I've never been able to read westerns). I'm not picky about what I read, but I always have an opinion about it. Very rarely do I give up on a book. I can only think of four that I just completely stopped reading (two of which I'm thinking of picking up again and reading one chapter at a time until I get done). We'll see how that pans out.

In other news, I'm still going strong on Weight Watchers. I've even started a workout routine. Next time I weigh in, I'll let you know how much (if any) I've lost.

Happy Reading!

The Wizard of Bore

I finally, FINALLY finished A Lion Among Men by Gregory Maguire. Honestly, I rushed through the end of it just because I wanted it to be OVER!! I can't even say that I remember most of what I just read, that's how much I didn't like it. Honestly, I think Gregory Maguire's talent would have been put to much better use in a land other than Oz. I don't know what happened with this book. I enjoyed the other two "Oz" books that Gregory Maguire wrote. Wicked was fantastic, and Son of a Witch was a perfectly decent book, but I could not get in touch with this Lion at all. (The capital L is intentional, if you've read any of Gregory Maguire's "Oz" books you know what I mean). This book seemed like a rambling, bumbling mess. The story-within-a-story concept didn't work for me at all. I didn't think the book ever made a solid decision on what it was, or needed to be. I just couldn't wait for it to be over. I'm glad it finally is and that I can start a new book now...

On a happier and totally unrelated note, my favorite TV show, Glee, won three Golden Globes tonight! Best Supporting Actor - Chris Colfer, Best Supporting Actress - Jane Lynch, and Best TV Show Musical or Comedy!

The Cookbooks Have Landed

The books in my life lately have consisted of lots and lots of cookbooks. My husband and I have rejoined the Weight Watchers bandwagon. We have a lot of Weight Watchers cookbooks and they really help us keep ourselves on track. I'm dying for a new cookbook, though. There are three cookbooks that I really like. They all have quick and easy recipes. I want another cookbook like that! I like meals that taste good, but don't require a lot of time to prepare. When I get home from work, the last thing I want to do is spend hours in the kitchen. In case you were wondering, yes, I've lost some weight already. Only about 6 pounds so far, but we just started less than two weeks ago. I'm trying to lose at least 30 more, so I've got a long way to go. I know this isn't the kind of stuff I usually write about, but writing about this stuff helps keep me focused (and, hey, cookbooks are books). If you've ever done Weight Watchers and have some recipes you'd like to share, I'd love to hear from you!

To eBook or Not to eBook that is the Question

The case for and against eBooks has been argued by most book lovers. I do not own an eBook device, but I do have the Amazon Kindle app on my phone. (An HTC Wildfire) The only books I've downloaded are the free books they offer (mostly classics). I'm currently reading a collection of Grimm's Fairytales. I'm not a big fan of eBooks, but if I can get books for free, I'll use it. Also, I'm not going to spend more money on a device that is strictly used for eBooks, like a Nook or Kindle. If I can read Kindle books on my phone, why bother? I much prefer holding a real book in my hands, but if I find myself waiting for something and I don't have a book with me, I can just pull out my phone and read a little classic literature. Of course, the Grimm Brother's Fairytales are mostly well-known stories like Hansel and Gretel. If you've never read the original Grimm versions, you really should. They are often a little more gruesome than what we were told as kids. I've also downloaded some Hans Christian Andersen tales because I've always been interested in that material. So, that is my stance on eBooks. If I can get it for free on another device I already own, I say go for it. However, I'm not going to spend money to buy an eBook device and strictly start using eBooks. I love my real books and I enjoy collecting them.
Still reading A Lion Among Men by Gregory Maguire. I have about 100 pages left, but it might take me awhile before I finish it. I'm not enjoying it very much, unfortunately. More on that when I actually finish it.