What's in my little black book
Unlike most little black books, mine doesn't list the names of all my boyfriends. Instead, it is a little journal I carry with me. Scott had a friend pick it up in Italy and it's just the right size - I can slip it in any purse, write indiscretly on the subway, and there are plenty of pages to fill.
The begining pages are filled with my random thoughts and ideas on books I've read, my life, or story ideas. The last pages list all the books I've read since I got it. But before I share the list, know that I'm quite proud of it.
Here's why: I used to be a book worm - burying my head in any story I could check out from the library. Then I got busy with school, friends, drama, college, boyfriends, then one boyfriend, then a fiance, marriage and finally settling in. My senior year, Scott worked late into the evenings, so I had extra time to fill. It had been almost 4 years since I read a book for fun. I visited one of my favorite places in the world - the local library - and picked up my old habit. Only this time around, I've balance out the reading time with other fun things so I'm not so anti-social.
And on that note, here is my list of books I've read since I've started keeping track, along with notes on recommendations. They are rated out of 5 stars (1 the worst, 5 the best):
Books read Jan. 2006 - Jan. 2007:
Jan. 2006
"Widow of Larkspur Inn," Lawanna Blackwell **
"How the Garcia Girls lost their accents," Julia Alvarez ***
"Chasing Fear," a mystery I dug out of Scott's mom's Hawaii book box. ***
"Whip Hand," Dick Francis, another good mystery from the hawaii book box ***
Feb.
"Speak," Laurie Halse Anderson **
"Northanger Abbey," Jane Austen ***
March
"Count of Monte Cristo," Alexander Dumas, I liked the movie and now love the book ****
"Kaliedescope Season" **
"Ender Game," Orson Scott Card, One of Scott's favorites. I finally agreed to read it and was surprised at how much I like it. ****
April
"Confessions of a shopaholic" Sophia Kinsella, This makes me laugh and it is PG ****
"Nesting: It's a chick thing," All about homedecorating and cooking for chicks - pretty fun **
"Anne of Ingleside," L.M. Montgomery, Anne books make me feel warm and fuzzy**
May
"The Historian," Elizabeth Kostova, A readers book - very long, but a great Dracula story ****
"The Anastasia Syndrome," Mary Higgins Clark **
June
"Clan of the Cave Bear," Jean Auel, Recommended by Jamie and Terry - I want to go live in a cave now ****
"White Out," Ken Follett ***
"North and South," John Jakes ?? (I never finished it, so I guess it doesn't count)
July
"Beach Roses" Jean Stone, Four women surviving cancer **
"The Undomesticated Goddess," Sophia Kinsella, Still made me laugh, but not as good as Shopaholic **
August
"Captain & Commander," Patrick O'Brian, Not at all like the movie; great characters ***
"The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter," Sharyn McCrumb *
"The Long Way Down," Nick Hornby, **
September
"Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister," Gregory Maquire, Love the twist of telling the "bad" character's story ****
"Big Fish," Daniel Wallace, The book inspired one of my fav. movies; colorful narrative***
October
"Pat of Silverbush," L.M. Montgomery, I wish Pat and I could be friends ****
"Mistress Pat," L.M. Montgomery, ***
"The Sisters Grimm," Michael Buckley and Peter Ferguson, The Grimm brothers decsendants save the day. Fun juvenile fiction **
November
"Valley of Horses," Jean Auel, sequel to Clan of the Cave Bear-now I want to raise a lion. ****
"Narnia: Prince Caspian," C.S. Lewis ***
"Broken for you," Stephani Kallos, THIS IS ONE OF MY NEW FAVORITES. I Can't describe it, you just need to read it. *****
"A Wrinkle in Time," Madeleine L'Engle ***
December
"Deception," Dick Francis, Another good mystery from our favorite ex-jockey ****
"On Agate Hill," Lee Smith, Bitter-sweet story from the Post-Civil War era ****
Jan. 2007
"The Thorn Birds," Colleen McCullough, I might add this to my favorites list, also ****
Coming Soon...
Feb. 2007
"Saving Fish from Drowning" Amy Tan
"The Illuminator"
The begining pages are filled with my random thoughts and ideas on books I've read, my life, or story ideas. The last pages list all the books I've read since I got it. But before I share the list, know that I'm quite proud of it.
Here's why: I used to be a book worm - burying my head in any story I could check out from the library. Then I got busy with school, friends, drama, college, boyfriends, then one boyfriend, then a fiance, marriage and finally settling in. My senior year, Scott worked late into the evenings, so I had extra time to fill. It had been almost 4 years since I read a book for fun. I visited one of my favorite places in the world - the local library - and picked up my old habit. Only this time around, I've balance out the reading time with other fun things so I'm not so anti-social.
And on that note, here is my list of books I've read since I've started keeping track, along with notes on recommendations. They are rated out of 5 stars (1 the worst, 5 the best):
Books read Jan. 2006 - Jan. 2007:
Jan. 2006
"Widow of Larkspur Inn," Lawanna Blackwell **
"How the Garcia Girls lost their accents," Julia Alvarez ***
"Chasing Fear," a mystery I dug out of Scott's mom's Hawaii book box. ***
"Whip Hand," Dick Francis, another good mystery from the hawaii book box ***
Feb.
"Speak," Laurie Halse Anderson **
"Northanger Abbey," Jane Austen ***
March
"Count of Monte Cristo," Alexander Dumas, I liked the movie and now love the book ****
"Kaliedescope Season" **
"Ender Game," Orson Scott Card, One of Scott's favorites. I finally agreed to read it and was surprised at how much I like it. ****
April
"Confessions of a shopaholic" Sophia Kinsella, This makes me laugh and it is PG ****
"Nesting: It's a chick thing," All about homedecorating and cooking for chicks - pretty fun **
"Anne of Ingleside," L.M. Montgomery, Anne books make me feel warm and fuzzy**
May
"The Historian," Elizabeth Kostova, A readers book - very long, but a great Dracula story ****
"The Anastasia Syndrome," Mary Higgins Clark **
June
"Clan of the Cave Bear," Jean Auel, Recommended by Jamie and Terry - I want to go live in a cave now ****
"White Out," Ken Follett ***
"North and South," John Jakes ?? (I never finished it, so I guess it doesn't count)
July
"Beach Roses" Jean Stone, Four women surviving cancer **
"The Undomesticated Goddess," Sophia Kinsella, Still made me laugh, but not as good as Shopaholic **
August
"Captain & Commander," Patrick O'Brian, Not at all like the movie; great characters ***
"The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter," Sharyn McCrumb *
"The Long Way Down," Nick Hornby, **
September
"Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister," Gregory Maquire, Love the twist of telling the "bad" character's story ****
"Big Fish," Daniel Wallace, The book inspired one of my fav. movies; colorful narrative***
October
"Pat of Silverbush," L.M. Montgomery, I wish Pat and I could be friends ****
"Mistress Pat," L.M. Montgomery, ***
"The Sisters Grimm," Michael Buckley and Peter Ferguson, The Grimm brothers decsendants save the day. Fun juvenile fiction **
November
"Valley of Horses," Jean Auel, sequel to Clan of the Cave Bear-now I want to raise a lion. ****
"Narnia: Prince Caspian," C.S. Lewis ***
"Broken for you," Stephani Kallos, THIS IS ONE OF MY NEW FAVORITES. I Can't describe it, you just need to read it. *****
"A Wrinkle in Time," Madeleine L'Engle ***
December
"Deception," Dick Francis, Another good mystery from our favorite ex-jockey ****
"On Agate Hill," Lee Smith, Bitter-sweet story from the Post-Civil War era ****
Jan. 2007
"The Thorn Birds," Colleen McCullough, I might add this to my favorites list, also ****
Coming Soon...
Feb. 2007
"Saving Fish from Drowning" Amy Tan
"The Illuminator"
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