The Sunday Salon

Good Sunday Afternoon! I'm slowly coming back from my break. Last Sunday my husband and I rode in the Chicagoland Ride for Kids on our motorcycle. This ride benefits The Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation and has become one of our favorite rides. We rode 140 miles roundtrip which is nothing when you think about what these kids and their families are going through.

This week I managed to finish The Glass Castle by Jeanette Wells for bookclub and was less than thrilled with it. I felt there was no emotion in the story. I am amazed that she came through her childhood so well. I will have a review up this week.

I have about 50 pages left of The Questory of Root Karbunkulus which was sent to me by Pump Up Your Book Promotion. I have to finish it today and get my review posted. I am so behind.

On top of having a mounting tbr pile I threw my back out today and this is the first time I have gotten up. I have been doing way too much! The worst part is when I am in so much pain I cannot concentrate on reading. I am not traveling this week so I will be able to get some reading and reviewing done! Yeah, it's about time!

I hope everyone has a great reading week!

I've Been Awarded!

Wisteria over at A Bookworm's Diner has nominated me for a Brilliant Weblog. How exciting! Thank you Wisteria.

I have just been nominated by Wisteria at A Bookworm's Diner. Here are the guidelines given to me: Once an award is received, the rules are as follows:

1. Put the logo on your blog.

2. Add a link to the person who awarded you.

3. Nominate at least seven other blogs.

4. Add links to those blogs on your blog.

5. Leave a message for your nominee on their blog.

My nominees (In NO particular order):

1. Wisteria over at A Bookworm's Diner

2. Naida over at The Bookworm

3. Tracee over at Amateur de Livre's Weblog

4. The ladies over at The Friendly Book Nook

5. Jen over at Devourer of Books

6. N Baker over at Book Escape

7. Natasha over at Maw Books

The Sunday Salon

Good Sunday Afternoon Everyone! I seem to have taken a hiatus from blogging. Last week we had 3 parties so by the time Sunday rolled around I was exhausted. This week we went to Wisconsin for the weekend and just got home.

Unfortunately, my reading has also taken a "mini-vacation". I have several books that I have to read this week for review and bookclub. I hope to be back full force this week! The weather is going to get really hot and humid and there is no better way than to stay cool with a good book and air conditioning.

I really did not anticipate this Summer being very busy and thought I would continue on the pace I was working on. Has anyone else felt their reading pace slowing down with Summer here?

Have a great Sunday everyone!

June Wrap-up

I was inspired to check my monthly progress for June from Naida over at The Bookworm. June was somewhat of a disappointment, with only 5 books read. That bring my total to 36 books for 2008. I was hoping that I would surpass 50 which I most likely will but not by much. I was on a very good pace until Summer hit! Anyway, here is my June recap:

Blackwave by John and Jean Silverwood
Songs for the Missing by Stewart O'Nan
The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson
The Dangerous Joys of Dr. Sex and Other True Stories by Pagan Kennedy
Matrimony by Joshua Henkin

I have been very fortunate to receive many books this month and now need to kick my reading up a notch! I have about 50 pages left of The White Mary so hopefully I can sneak that in before July officially begins.

Literature Map

I saw this fun site on Librarything today and thought I would post on it. You type in your favorite author's name and it aligns authors who are similar. How fun! Here's an example, I typed in Jane Austen and it mapped up to Harper Lee, Tolstoy, Maeve Binchy, C.S. Lewis, Charlotte Bronte, Edith Wharton and Charles Dickens to name a few. Give it a try!

Great Book Giveaway

Trish over at Hey Lady Whatcha Reading is having a HUGE giveaway! Hachette Book Group has graciously given her 14 books to giveaway in honor of Summer. The best part is up to 5 people can win totaling 70 books to giveaway!

There are several ways to enter so be sure to check it out and tell her I sent you!

Sunday Salon

Good Sunday Morning! I managed to finish one book this week, Matrimony by Joshua Henkin. It was a quick read and very reminiscent of my college years. Last night I started White Mary and was immediately drawn in. So far it is fantastic and will probably make it to my top 5 reads of 2008 along with The Gargoyle.

I also started The Watercooler Effect yesterday which is a study of the psychology of rumors. So far it is very interesting. My only complaint is that it is a bound manuscript so the text is very small making it very difficult to read but I'll get past that, hey it was free!

Congratulations to all of the 24 hour read-a-thon participants! I wish I would have found out about it sooner, I would have loved to participate. Although I am not sure how my husband would react to me reading for 24 hours straight!

Unfortunately, this week will not be a great reading week. I have neglected laundry and housework long enough and really need to take care of that today. This week we are having 3 barbecues, yes, I know crazy! This has become an annual event over the 4th of July. Our town has a festival that we can walk to with live music and a beer garden so we usually bbq here and then walk over to the fest. I did take two vacation days this coming week so hopefully I will sneak some reading in somewhere!

That's it folks, I hope you have a great reading week!

Addictive Blog Award

Naida over at The Bookworm was kind enough to award me with her addictive blog award. Thanks Naida! Head on over to her blog to read her great reviews and see what she is crocheting.

Review of Matrimony by Joshua Henkin

Matrimony

Joshua Henkin

2007







Matrimony is the story of Julian Wainwright and Carter Heinz who meet at Graymont College. Julian and Carter come from different worlds, Julian the son of wealthy New Yorkers and Carter the son of working class parents from California. Carter meets and falls in love with Pilar and Julian meets and falls in love with Mia. The two couples develop a friendship and spend much time together in college.

Senior year, Mia's world is crushed when her mother is diagnosed with breast cancer. This sends her looking for security with Julian and the two marry shortly before the end of their senior year. Carter spends most of his time trying to make Julian feel bad about where he came from. Always throwing comments about being a "trust fund baby" his way. He always feels inadequate to Julian and this is his own doing.

Things come out into the open when Julian visits Carter for his law school graduation and a dirty little secret is revealed. Julian's whole world is crushed when he finds this out. He and his wife separate. Julian spends the next few years soul searching and finds forgiveness.

This story was very reminiscent of friends of mine from college. Sadly, my friends did not end up the way that Julian and Mia did. I am sure many people can identify with the main characters and the issues that they face. I would have liked another chapter going into Julian's reconciliation with his parents and his relationship with Carter. Overall, this was a good, fast-paced book that brought back many memories from my own college experience.

Joshua Henkin has been kind enough to offer an autographed copy of the paperback when it is released in August so stay tuned for your chance to win!

Sunday Salon

Good Sunday Morning! This week I managed to finish The Dangerous Joy of Dr. Sex and Other True Stories by Pagan Kennedy and really enjoyed it. My full review is below. Most of the stories were very inspiring and this was a welcome break from all of the fiction that I have been reading.

I am almost finished with Matrimony by Joshua Henkin. I hope to finish it today. Henkin has been gracious enough to offer a signed copy to giveaway so be sure to check back here in August for giveaway details.

Up next, The Fires by Alan Cheuse which is another book from Santa Fe Writers Project. I must start The Laws of Manu today, I must! I have been dragging my feet on starting this. I received it 3 weeks ago and only have 3 weeks to read and review it for Penguin Classics. It may take me 3 weeks to finish it!

While I was out of town this week my husband called me to inform me that our car was stolen from right in front of our house. Horrible! I felt so helpless being in another state while hearing this news but honestly what could I do here, drive around to look for my car? Unfortunately, my Ipod was in the car with 6 audiobooks loaded on it. I know, I should not have left it in the car and normally don't leave it in there but I was running late and honestly forgot about it. I know, my car was stolen and I'm complaining about my Ipod, sick, I can't help it! I also had 3 books in the car. Our insurance company said it will take 30 days to process the claim. This just sucks.

On another note, have you checked out the "Unsuggester" on Librarything? I had no idea about this feature until I read about it on koolaidmom's blog. Here are the top 10 books that Librarything does not see as a good fit based on the books listed in my library.

The new 'Mayflower' by Alan Villiers
The pleasures of God : meditations on God's delight in being God by John Piper
Benedict's way : an ancient monk's insights for a balanced life by Lonni Collins Pratt
The Purpose Driven Church: Growth Without Compromising Your Message & Mission by Rick Warren
Christian-theistic evidences (In defense of Biblical Christianity) by Cornelius Van Til
Brothers, we are not professionals : a plea to pastors for radical ministry by John Piper
The Radical Reformation (Cambridge Texts in the History of Political Thought) by Michael G. Baylor
The American College Encyclopedic Dictionary by Clarence Barnhart
The Passion of Jesus Christ: Fifty Reasons Why He Came to Die by John Piper
My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers

What are your "unsuggesters"?

It looks like it is going to be another stormy day here in Chicago. I plan on curling up with a good book until the Cubs game starts. Game 3 of the cross town classic, hopefully the Cubs will sweep the Sox today! I hope you have a great reading week!