Ghost Stories

Today, I went to the library. Now, really, pretty much every blog post I write ever (assuming I am back to regular blogging, which I am attempting now that life has settled down a bit) could start with today, I went to the library. Because I go to the library a lot--there are some weeks where I go literally every day.

Lately, I haven't checked out any books I'm totally in love with. I've checkd out many audio books that I'm totally in love with, that's for sure, but nothing that I've read. So today, I checked out two books I've already read. But I checked them out because the third book in the series comes out today: The Strangers on Montagu Street.

I originally checked out the two pervious books for the cruise, without knowing that they were more ghost stories than they were historical house stories. And for those of you who don't know, I have a huge fear of ghosts. They freak me out--in fact, they are the reason that I am afraid of the dark. I did actually have nightmares on the cruise while reading them, but I can't resist them because they are that good. Plus, it always does us a little good to face our fears, which is why I checked these out again and also why I'm trying really hard to listen to people's birth stories and not immediately hide my eyes when someone gives birth on TV (yes, giving birth is my second biggest fear).

With a lighter work week ahead, maybe I can get these books finished before Friday and then head over to barnes and noble and read the third one on my nook . . .

Library Love: Everything Else

It might seem like I read a lot of chick lit, and I'm fine with that, because I do, and I love it. But today we'll look at some books that I've read that fall into the "anything but chick lit" category, including some non-fiction I've grabbed--mostly biographies.

Fiction Still Alice. Genova, Lisa. 
My name is Mary Sutter. Oliveira, Robin. 
First grave on the right. Jones, Darynda. 
The 19th wife. Ebershoff, David
The art of racing in the rain. Stein, Garth. 
The Paris wife. McLain, Paula. 

Non-Fiction Jeannie out of the bottle. Eden, Barbara.
The Diana chronicles. Brown, Tina. 
Deceptively delicious. Seinfeld, Jessica. 
Prairie tale.  Gilbert, Melissa

Library Love: I Want To Live In The South Books

I recently discovered a new favorite genre of books, and I call them, I want to live in the south books. They have several different things in common: female characters, family secrets, history, a southern setting, and occassionally a bit of magic or some ghosts. Also, they are generally by one of two authors: Karen White and Sarah Addison Allen.

Of the two Sarah Addison Allen books, I am most likely to reccomend The Peach Keeper, though I checked out another one by her today that sounds pretty good. And of the Karen Whites (some of which are not on here, I must add--the library must have not tracked them), my favorite was Falling Home, followed closely by The Lost Hours. Her "house" series is also good, which starts with The House On Tradd Street. Can you tell I'm a bit in love?

The peach keeper. Allen, Sarah Addison.
The beach trees. White, Karen. 
The girl who chased the moon. Allen, Sarah Addison. 
Learning to breathe. White, Karen. 
The memory of water. White, Karen. 
The lost hours. White, Karen.

Library Love: YA Books

A neglected blog during the week means Friday treats with extra posting! I still have several categories left in my I Love The Library week (as well as a book to pick up at the library!) so we'll get started bright and early this morning!

I still love to read Young Adult books, and I've found some good ones at the library recently, so I would recommend all of these titles.

Bumped. McCafferty, Megan. 
The summer I turned pretty. Han, Jenny. 
It's not summer without you Han, Jenny. 
Everything I needed to know about being a girl I learned from Judy Blume. O'Connell, Jennifer

Library Love: Chick Lit

There is something about summer that makes me want to read beach/pool reads, and so most of the books you see below have been checked out this summer. Some of them are more serious than others, while others look at the powerful career route that I'm not quite sure I would have ever survived had I head down that path. I would say the top pick for me is Kindred Spirits by Sarah Strohmeyer, but you all know my love for her books based on some other posts.

Kindred spirits. Strohmeyer, Sarah. 
Little pink slips. Koslow, Sally 
Last night at Chateau Marmont. Weisberger. Lauren
Immediate family. Goudge, Eileen. 
The divorce party. Dave, Laura. 
Wedding season. Fforde, Katie.  
Boy meets girl. Cabot, Meg.   
I think I love you. Pearson, Allison
Girls in trucks. Crouch, Katie. 
Men and dogs. Crouch, Katie.  
Love : a user's guide. Naylor, Clare
The second assistant : Naylor, Clare.
The first assistant : Naylor, Clare

Library Love: DVDs

It seems like it's been forever since I've talked about what I've read/done a book review. Recently, I discovered that the local library keeps a record of everything you've checked out, a reading history. Just another reason to love them! This week, I'll go over what I've "checked out" lately (I believe this is since March), broken out into different categories. Today's category is the DVDs I've gotten from the library, because I think it's awesome how big of a selection is available. Once netflix charges us more for DVDs, we'll start having a "queue" at the library instead, because those are free...

I'd also like to note that the only one I requested was Modern Family. Everything else was an impulse grab. I was really surprised I was able to find all of these without requesting them! And most of these are probably from this summer, rather than since March, so even more impressive.

Coco before Chanel. 
Everybody's fine. 
Fool's gold. 
Remember me.
Salt. 
Black swan. 
The lovely bones. 
The kids are all right. 
Modern family : Season 1.
Toy story. 

Library Addict

Everyone, I'm starting to go a little crazy at the library. Turns out that it's OK to check out eight babysitters club books when you're 10, because you'll read all of them in the alotted library time, but checking out eight grown up books from library as a 25 year old means you might not finish them. I know I should just put them on a list or something and read as I have time, but I never find anything browsing the card catalog, only when I'm looking in person. And when I want to find lots of books to read, such as for a road trip or something, I can never find anything. Like when I give myself permssion to buy books, there's nothing there.

Thus, here is the list of books I currently have checked out, followed by books I've recently read and returned. Or read and kept, as the case may be.

To Read:
The Summer I Turned Pretty and It's Not Summer Without You, Jenny Han (picked up after seeing them at Barnes and Noble at a Sarah Dessen display)

Everything I Needed To Know About Being A Girl I Learned From Judy Blume, edited by Jennifer O'Connell (found in the same area as the above two)

Secrets To Happiness, Sarah Dunn (an author I really like)

Wedding Season, Katie Fforde (impulse grab; you know I can't resist wedding books)

The Art Of Racing In The Rain, Garth Stein (has been on the list for a while, and I finally found it at the library)

The Penny, Joyce Meyer and Deborah Bedford (impuse grab--1955 setting means I will probably love it)

Half-Broke Horses, Jeannette Walls (also on my to-read list, after listening to The Glass Castle)

Recently Read:
Boy Meets Girl, Meg Cabot: love Meg, and this was a fun, light story written in journal entries, emails, notes, etc. Kind of a fun concept.

Ape House, Sarah Gruen: listened on tape. Wasn't quite sure where it was going, but ended up loving the story. Also a good look into animal rights and testing.

So, what have you checked out lately?

Library Visit

Today during lunch I made my weekly trip to the library to pick up a book I had requested. It’s the closest we have had to “fall” weather, and it made for a nice outing. My favorite part about the Lincoln Library System is that you can pick stuff online and pick it up at whatever library you want. That, and you can return books to wherever you want. I have three near my everyday life that I can pick from, and so this is very convenient.

I spent some time looking at the sewing books before grabbing my book, but I didn’t find anything that really fit with what I was looking for. I’ll probably have to go request one as soon as I find the right one at Barnes & Noble. Or maybe that’s something I should consider buying.

Returned:
The Sleeping Beauty Proposal, Sarah Strohmeyer
The Cinderella Pact, Sarah Strohmeyer
The Secret Lives Of Fortunate Wives, Sarah Strohmeyer
My Name Is Memory, Ann Brashares

Checked Out:The Handmade Marketplace, Kari Chapin
Sweet Love, Sarah Strohmeyer