"Outside a dog a book is man's best friend, inside a dog it is too dark to read!" -Groucho Marx========="The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid." -Jane Austen========="I don’t believe in the kind of magic in my books. But I do believe something very magical can happen when you read a good book."-JK Rowling========"I spend a lot of time reading." -Bill Gates=========“Ahhh. Bed, book, kitten, sandwich. All one needed in life, really.” -Jacqueline Kelly=========

Sunday, July 31, 2016

Sunday Salon, July 31, 2016

Magical door to unknown treasures.
Weather: (Ha! It is nearly 11 AM and I haven't even looked outside. Excuse me for a minute.) High clouds and cool for a summer day, 64 degrees F. Yesterday ended up being warm and humid (we call if muggy.)

Democratic National Convention: I did little else this week than watch the DNC and read about it after it was over for the evening. I don't want my blog to be political in nature but if you are interested, here are a few of my favorite moments from the week. Click on the links in a new tab.

Hunt for Wilderpeople: Love, love, love this quirky movie which we saw last night in the local Indy movie theater. Set in New Zealand. Click on the link for more info. It is based on the book Wild Pork and Watercress by Barry Crump which I hope to read some day.

Today: we start a full throttle effort at getting Carly packing for New York.  She had her last day of work Friday and her last day volunteering at the Crisis Line yesterday. She is tying up her business here.

This coming week: Don will go to Spokane to be with his father who is having surgery for a pacemaker; later in the week we all head to Eugene for my parents 65th wedding anniversary and for a family reunion at the Oregon coast later in the week.

Books completed this week:
  • Steeplejack by AJ Hartley...a fun and intricate YA murder mystery. I enjoyed it a lot. Print.
  • The Great American Whatever by Tim Federle...a realistic YA novel about a gay boy whose hopes of writing the great American screen play is derailed when his sister dies in a car crash. Audio.
  • We Are the Ants by Shaun David Hutchinson...another YA novel with many similar aspects as the above book, but this one has some paranormal aspects. (I think this book is the superior book.) Print and Audio. (Click on the links for my reviews)
Currently reading:
  • Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton...a fantasy set in the desert. I've only just started but so far so good. Print. YA. 10%.
  • Out of Africa by Isak Dinesen...I am finally getting back to this nonfiction account of Karen Blixen's time in Africa, Print. 10%.
  • My Name is Not Friday by Jon Walter...an audiobook about the Civil War and slavery. I actually haven't started it yet but I have it cued up on my iPod. Audio. 0%.
  • The Well Path by Jame Heskett, MD...a health-oriented book with suggestions how to improve my wellness. Print. 20%.
Upcoming books:
  • The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend by Katarina Bivald...I have the audiobook from the library checked out ready to go for our trip to Oregon the end of the week.
A brag: the author of a favorite YA novel wrote me a note this week how much she liked my review of her book. The book The Passion of Dolssa, the author Julie Berry. (Burnk, Burnk...which is the sound of one's head expanding from conceit!) Click the hyperlink to read the review.


6 comments:

  1. I'll be curious about you'll think of Broken Wheel. I won't say more now.

    ReplyDelete
  2. That's wonderful about the author contacting you! It's always nice to get compliments. Exciting times for Carly and for your family. I wasn't crazy about Broken Wheel.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh dang. I wondered about De Nance's comment above it that meant tthe book wasn't that good. A friend on Facebook has raved about it so I hope I like it and I will be listening to it on audiobooks, which sometimes helps!

      Delete
  3. I just finished Rebel in the Sands a few days ago! Very good - happy reading!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Oh my gosh, it is so exciting when an author reaches out to you! Ellen's horror story is that an author actually 'liked' her review when Ellen published a DNF or 1 star review. So that's a more nerve-wracking moment.
    I have Rebel of the Sands on my read-very-soon TBR list :). Looking forward to your thoughts!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thanks for the tip on the Wilderpeople movie. I'll try to find that. I'm curious to see it.

    ReplyDelete

I look forward to your comments and interactions! Join in the conversation.