The Department of Lost & Found

The Department of Lost & Found by Allison Winn Scotch

Book is about a 30 year old who is diagnosed with breast cancer and is evaluating the five loves of her life as she goes through chemo.  She ends up evaluating more than just her loves, she also takes a look at her career with a high profile Senator. 

Started this book on Friday night and finished it Saturday morning.  I love Scotch's writing style...easy to read, fluid, quick.  Book is somewhat predictable, but I was okay with that!  Book club books have been a bit more on the serious side lately, so this one was refreshing.  And the fact that there is a happy ending, I liked that too.  Some people don't like to read books that are wrapped up in a nice little package, but I don't mind that at all.  Go read it. 

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot.

This is our August Vines 'N Spines book.  I didn't love the book; however, I did give it 3 stars on Goodreads.  Learning about Henrietta Lacks and how her cells have changed the course of history is cool, especially because not being a scientist myself, I had no idea.  She died at 31, but her cells still live today.  The book gets a bit too technical from my perspective though.  I like the idea and the story behind it, but I'm not into the science of it all.  Can't wait to hear what my other book club gals thought about it.  Glad to be finished, and am now reading for pleasure until the next book club book comes around. 

Been Awhile

It's been awhile.  I have lots of excuses.  Collin turned one.  Then we had Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Birthday #35, New Years, and before I know it it will be 2012.  I have read some books here and there.  Let me go back and think...I think I'll go from most recent, because I know what I just finished reading.

The Book Thief - excellent quick read.  A story of a girl in Nazi Germany as told from Death's perspective.  Loved it, loved the writing, loved the story.  Everything about it was wonderful.

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close - This was my book club's last book.  Was a bit hard to follow in the beginning because the story lines are blurred.  But in the end it was good.  Not great.  Not horrible.  I probably won't read it a second time around - or maybe I should because it's might be better?

Currently reading our latest Vines N Spines book...Man In the Woods - it's okay - I'm about halfway through and I'm not in love with it, we'll see how it ends - if I finish it. 

I have not been reading as much as I like to.  I have about 5 books piled on my nightstand looking at my longingly and asking me to pick them up.  Collin still doesn't sleep at 15 months, so I'm just plain tired after a long day at work and maybe a walk in the park after work.  Thank goodness for our 70 degree Januarys though! 

p.s. November Vines N Spines was My Name is Memory.  October Vines N Spines (my pick) The Thirteenth Tale - LOVE LOVE LOVE this book. 

p.p.s I think I know why I've neglected my blog (okay, so this is just one excuse) - I hate the font that pulls over when I bring reviews from goodreads.  I'll just have to start reviewing without any pretty pictures that come from goodreads.  Times New Roman = not my favorite font in the world.  Then nothing is consistent and it just doesn't look good.  Cheers to 2011!

Here We Go

I was at work today talking about a book I recommended to a co-worker.  She said something to the effect of, "You should start a blog, you always offer such great suggestions."  I took that as a compliment, and now here I sit.

Now what.  

Who, Where and How I find books:

I guess I'll start with where I find the books I read.  I am in a book club called "Vines & Spines."  We meet on a monthly basis, each person picks out a book to read for that month, and hosts the group at their house or another venue to discuss the book. 

Our "book club lead", The Leader, has signed up with publisher's and we now get local books sent to the club.  I think I'm one of the few who has read several of those freebies.  In fact, one of the freebies I had already read on my best Christmas present ever....

My best Christmas present EVER this year was a surprise from my husband - a Kindle.  I am in love with that thing (although the battery life has dramatically decreased in the 8 months since I received it and I never have the wireless on except to download new books, of course!).   I have found books through recommendations on the Kindle.  

I ask friends at work for recommendations, friends from organizations that I'm involved in for recommendations, and my great network of friends both near and far for recommendations.

I look at Amazon for books, and am on Borders and Barnes & Noble's mailing lists. 

When:

I read a lot.  At least three to four books a month, and no, not just the short stories that I read to my 10 month old at night.  If I included those in the mix it would be more like three to four hundred books a month.  I'm trying to instill in him early that reading is a great thing.

I read mostly at night before I go to bed.  If it's a good book I will stay up WAY past my 10:00 bedtime and continue reading.  I read on the weekends when the baby is napping.  That's pretty much it, because not only do I have a baby, I also work full-time. 

What:

What am I reading today.  Well, I will say that I am always reading my all-time favorite book Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.  I have it on my Kindle, I have the copy I bought the summer before my junior year of high school sitting on my nightstand, and I have another copy of it on my bookshelf in our office, for good measure.  I have read this book no less than 100 times over the last 18 years (yes, that's how long it's been since I was a junior in high school, kind of shocking to write that down).  

Kindle: My Name is Russell Fink by Michael Snyder

This is my second time to read this book, by accident.  I read it in the wee hours of the night when the baby was more of a baby and didn't sleep at all.  I completely forgot what it was about and now that I'm 74% through the book I still don't remember how it ends.  I'll give you my opinion of it when I finish it up, probably tonight or tomorrow night.

I'll leave my first post at that for now.  I feel like it's already WAY to long, but I like to write too.  So here we go, into the land of a blog about books.