Alrighty! So, it's that time again over at 5M4B-- What's on Your Nightstand? Are you surprised to hear that I feel like I'm backlogged? I get so excited when all these books are offered up for review, but then life steps in, and I find that I have so much less time to actually read them than I had hoped for! With that in mind, I'm only going to highlight the next few books on my nightstand, because if I admit that I have many, many more than that waiting to be read and reviewed, then I will become too overwhelmed to continue typing!
* Just a few hours ago, I finished Suzanne Collins Catching Fire, and I'm still reeling. I'll be writing up my review tomorrow morning, (thanks in advance for your babysitting services, PBS!), and I think it will post on the day that the book releases- 9/1. It's good, people. It's terrifyingly good.
* Another book that made me cry happy tears of joy simply to receive as an ARC is Audrey Niffenegger's latest novel, Her Fearful Symmetry, which I have already started, but actually put on hold to consume Catching Fire. I can't wait to get back into it-- quite a melancholy tone, but not off putting at all, if that even makes sense.
* And then there's the nonfiction book that I've been reading for a long time now, slowly, but not because it's a bad book at all. It's more about this book cutting incredibly close to home, and it's an often painfully accurate assessment of my own personal parenting challenges. Checking out the title will sum it all up: Liking the Child You Love: Build a Better Relationship With Your Kids Even When They're Driving You Crazy. Yup, it's going to find a place on my parenting bookshelf for many years to come.
* The next novel that's up will be You or Someone Like You by Chandler Burr. Again, a fantastic title, but I don't know much about it yet. Something about the description must have caught my eye, because I actually requested this one.
* Finally, so that I don't overwhelm myself, is a memoir that I'm really looking forward to getting to by a local author (local for me, that is, as she's DC-based), Up For Renewal: What Magazines Taught Me About Love, Sex and Starting Over. Another fantastic title, and a premise that is intriguing.
And while you're here, feel free to click over to any of these 5M4B reviews from the last month or so:
* I Just Want My Kids to be Happy: Why You Shouldn't Say It, Why You Shouldn't Think It, and What You Should Embrace Instead. I LOVED this one. So logical, so practical, yet not as commonly practiced as one would think.
* Perfect Life- a unique novel with a very different kind of plot setup. I really enjoyed this one.
* Children's Classics: Adventure! This is a favorite monthly feature of ours, and I really enjoyed reading the posts some other folks linked up to this carnival. Fun stuff!
* Homework Helpsters and Vocabulary Power is a fantastic giveaway of two great resources to have for your elementary school aged child. Enter until 8/30!
* Boy Alone- Amazing. You need to read this memoir. Enough said.
* Have you ever heard about my most-favorite-book-ever? Yeah, they made it into a movie. I still want everyone to read the book. Here's my Books on Screen post for The Time Traveler's Wife.
* Sleepless Nights- another part of our Back to School giveaway that closes on 8/30-- comment to win!
* And finally, one last giveaway- the latest Chicken Soup for the Soul's installment, Extraordinary Teens. Winners will be announced next Monday!
There you have it-- my monthly installment of shameless self-promotion, along with a peek at the top tier of my nightstand (book shelf, whatever). What are you reading these days? Please do share over at 5 Minutes for Books!
Wishing it was possible to read for hours on end each day,
I never have enough time to read, and am always amazed by how many reviews you're able to post. You must be a speed-reader!
ReplyDeleteInteresting list.
I'm trying not to be envious that you've read Catching Fire. Can't wait to get my hands on it!
ReplyDeletePS: my word verification is givshe - wonder if that is a message about the book!! LOL
I'm adding the Hunger Games to my wish list. The idea of Catching Fire got me, but I figured I would start with the first book in the series.
ReplyDeleteI don't know how you manage to get so much read each month! I'm jealous.
ReplyDeleteSo glad to hear that "Catching Fire" is a good read! I can't wait to read it, but it will probably have to wait awhile since I just started "World Without End". Good but long...
I LOVE how wrapped up you become in each book that you read. It makes your reviews very fun to read because I know they are going to be entertaining and engaging -- precisely because YOU engaged with the book!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the fun!
I'm going to have to see if I can find Hunger Games now, you've got me all curious lol. I'm in the middle of Lisa See's latest and completely in love with it.
ReplyDeleteEveryone has been reading Her Fearful Symmetry. Here is mine
ReplyDeleteI have been debating if I want to read Her Fearful Symmetry. I look forward to reading what you thought of the book.
ReplyDeletePBS does come in handy. Although, I should use their serivces a bit more for housekeeping vs reading. **smile**
Here is my Nighstand
Must add Catching Fire to our reading list. We'll have to fight over who gets to read it first since my husband also loved The Hunger Games.
ReplyDeleteI just finished Lucky Girl...it's an adoption memoir but much more than that. I think you would enjoy it. And did you read the Guernsey Literary and Potato Pie Society. I just gobbled that up. Currently reading a very interesting memoir "The Unforgiving Minute". And trying to get into the Nook book for September but it's just not grabbing me. I miss the Nook.
Also, can't remember if you liked "The Book Thief" or not? Adam and I both just read "I am the Messanger" by the same author. We both enjoyed it a lot. Very fast read.
ReplyDeleteI love how you included links to past reviews here. Sometimes I'm good about posting them every week or so on my blog and other times I realize I've left out entire weeks of reviews. So this is a good stop-gap measure.
ReplyDeleteAnd I agree that "You or Someone Like You" is an incredible title, which means nothing (about the quality of the book).
I don't know any of the books you mention but I'll definitely come back later to see if you liked them because they do sound interesting. :-)
ReplyDeleteIs Hubs done reading Catching Fire yet?? Bring it here!!!!
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful to have the books you wanted turn out as well as you had hoped! Have a great month of reading!
ReplyDelete