Sunday, June 5, 2016

That Happy Place: It's Time for Summer Reading

School's out, and it's reading time for me. I've dived in and I'm neck deep in books. Not only did I finish and review fifteen books, but I also got another fifteen books in, either from publishers or from the library. I'm in a happy place.


What I Finished Last Week


E Is for Enchantment: A New Mexico Alphabet
We're off to New Mexico next week. How best to learn about the wonders of this place? How about taking a look at the wonders a child might seek out?...more 

The Summer Before the War
Simonson starts slow, but, boy-oh-boy, can she ever plot out a story.

This book is the tale of a woman who comes to teach Latin in an English town just
 ...more 


Textbook Amy Krouse Rosenthal
Funny. I tell people I read just about anything but horror and textbooks.

Well, if this is a textbook, you can scratch textbooks from my do-not-read list
 ...more 


The Happiness of Pursuit: Finding the Quest That Will Bring Purpose to Your Life
Happiness. I'm fascinated with happiness. Which led me to this book.

I knew, of course, about Chris Guillebeau and his quest to visit every country in
 ...more 

Imagine Me Gone
What if you knew the person you were marrying wasn't well...wasn't emotionally well? Would you go ahead and marry him? How would it go? What would you ...more


Waiting for Augusta
I know nothing about golf. Who would have guessed that I would read a book about golf? And...believe it or not...love it.

There is just something about
 ...more


Street of Eternal Happiness: Big City Dreams Along a Shanghai Road
Take a street in Shanghai. Zoom in. Closer. Closer. Closer still.

Let's meet the people who live here. What are their lives really like? Where did they
 ...more 


Side Effects May Vary
She's got cancer. He never had a chance before; he was just a friend. But now things have changed.

And then she doesn't have cancer. And things change
...more 

Six Kids and a Stuffed Cat
If Gary Paulsen wants to write a play, I say he should write a play. He wanted to write a play. He did. I read it. It's quite nice, actually.

Six kids
 ...more


Diana's White House Garden
Victory Gardens were big in World War II. But did you ever hear the story of how the White House got involved in the Victory Garden business?

Who got i
 ...more 

Every Exquisite Thing
How many times have I had someone's first novel wow me only to find that the second novel was simply ho-hum? I don't know, but it has happened many, m ...more
Your Idea Starts Here: 75 Ways to Find and Build More Creative Ideas
Need ways to come up with ideas? Here's a great place to start. Seventy-five ideas. With illustrations.


The Tale of a No-Name Squirrel
Squirrel is a slave, and when he receives an unexpected invitation to a wedding, he learns there is a way to become free. This sends Squirrel off on a ...more


Some Writer!: The Story of E. B. White
I love Melissa Sweet's writing, but it's the illustrations she makes to accompany her text that wows me. Sweet's technique is unique; she uses a colla ...more


Vinegar Girl
Anne Tyler. You know what you get when you get Anne Tyler. You get difficult people. Antisocial people. People who don't get along well with others. I ...more




We are headed to New Mexico next week. I love to read books set in the place I'm visiting. Anything New Mexico-ish to recommend to me, friends? I always get my best books from you.


           


What is the Sunday SalonImagine some university library's vast reading room. It's filled with people--students and faculty and strangers who've wandered in. They're seated at great oaken desks, books piled all around them,and they're all feverishly reading and jotting notes in their leather-bound journals as they go. Later they'll mill around the open dictionaries and compare their thoughts on the afternoon's literary intake....That's what happens at the Sunday Salon, except it's all virtual. Every Sunday the bloggers participating in that week's Salon get together--at their separate desks, in their own particular time zones--and read. And blog about their reading. And comment on one another's blogs. Think of it as an informal, weekly, mini read-a-thon, an excuse to put aside one's earthly responsibilities and fall into a good book. Click here to join the Salon.

The Sunday Post is a meme hosted by Kimba at Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It's a chance to share news and recap the past week.

Mailbox Monday was created by Marcia at The Printed Page. We share books that we found in our mailboxes last week. 
 It is now being hosted here.

Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews in which you can share the books you've acquired.

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is where we share what we read this past week, what we hope to read this week…. and anything in between!  This is a great way to plan out your reading week and see what others are currently reading as well… you never know where that next “must read” book will come from! I love being a part of this and I hope you do too! It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is now being hosted at The Book Date.

29 comments:

  1. The classic New Mexico book is Death Comes for the Archbishop,by Willa Cather -- absolutely lovely. And the biographical novel about Georgia O'Keeffe, Georgia, by Dawn Tripp, is well worth reading. Have a good trip!

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  2. I loved The Summer Before the War and I've got Vinegar Girl on my TBR pile. 15 books is impressive for 1 week! I usually read 10 in a month. Enjoy your summer reading and I hope you have a great trip to New Mexico.

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  3. I like the sound of Imagine Me Gone and will be interested for your review...enjoy New Mexico!

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  4. 15 in a week! That would be a record for me... and only ever manageable with picture books I think. Such a great range. I can't wait to see what your next 15 are. Enjoy New Mexico.

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    1. I started Where the Lilies Bloom today. I'm fifty pages in and it's very good so far.

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  5. I think the Leaphorn and Chee series by Tony Hillerman would be good.

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    1. I can't believe it, but I found one of this series to take along. My husband loves mysteries.

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  6. Death Comes For the Archbishop by Willa Cather is the first book to pop into my mind, too.

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  7. 15 books in one week?! That's great :) I finished 16 in one month...lol! Hope you continue to enjoy your books. Have a great week!
    My Sunday Post

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  8. The Chili Queen by Sandra Dallas was the winner of the 2003 Spur Award for Best Western Novel. I haven't read it but it's on my TBR list by a blogger recommendation. Enjoy your holiday!

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    1. Thanks! I found an audio of this one I can take along.

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  9. Wow that's a ton of books! I don't have any New Mexico recommendations unfortunately, but I've heard it's such a beautiful state. Enjoy your trip!

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  10. Wow, what a list of books! I don't have any New Mexico book recommendations, although Death Comes for The Archbishop is on MY TBR list. Enjoy New Mexico! And thanks for sharing all these books!

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  11. WOW. How do you do it? You should write a book like Nancy Pearl did of all your favorite books. I'd buy it! Have a fun trip.

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  12. wow, what a great way to start your summer, great list! Enjoy NM! Emma

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  13. Oh wow... I cannot believe how much you read! I had a slack week last week. I usually read at night but had a few nights where I just wanted to vege in front of the TV when I got home from work.

    Happy summer reading!

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  14. Some Writer sounds just awesome! I'm getting out of children's books since my kids are older, but I have a grandbaby on the way. Soooo....time to get back into the genre.

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  15. Vinegar Girl is one I must have...so it's bookmarked for me on Amazon. Enjoy your lovely books, and thanks for sharing. Here are MY WEEKLY UPDATES

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  16. I love New Mexico. I hope you have a wonderful time, Deb! The Summer Before the War is on my wish list. I read another of her books, which had a slow start too--but I ended up liking it quite a bit in the end. Imagine Me Gone sounds like something I would really like. Have a great week, Deb!

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  17. Love summer and summer reading!!

    I just wish our weather would warm up. :)

    Have a great reading week.

    Elizabeth
    Silver's Reviews
    My It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

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  18. Wow! You finished all those books last week? I'm impressed!

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  19. I don't know any current books set in New Mexico, but Hillerman was the first author I thought of. Martha Grimes, another mystery writer, has one set there called Biting the Moon. Milagro Beanfield Wars is set there, I think. I have one more week of school, then the summer reading commences!

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