nightstand notes/ wanna view some reviews?

Another month down, another look forward to the book pile awaiting me. In honor of 5 Minutes for Books' What's On Your Nightstand?, I'm sharing with you today what I'll be reading in the next few weeks. I've made it a habit to be pretty modest with my goals, focusing on just five books each month. Last month's goals were fulfilled 4/5 of the way, but that's just because some other novels bumped one that was releasing later. Not too shabby. This month I'm going for a couple of novels that look fabulous, a memoir and a piece of unique nonfiction.

*Skinny by Diana Spechler -- Here's my repeated title, which I do now have in hand and is holding my current bookmark. Last month, I oohed and aahed in excitement to get this one, and from the little bit that I've read so far, I know I'm not going to be disappointed. I'm in great need of a deeply engaging novel right about now, so I'm hoping the weather stays nice this week so I can sit outdoors with this one!

*The Last Letter by Kathleen Shoop -- I'm going out of my contemporary comfort zone again with this one, which is sometimes challenging for me. I don't recall much from the pitch of this piece of historical fiction, but something must have called out to me since I requested it. I believe there's a twinge of mystery and a significant plot point about a mother/daughter relationship. Looking forward to it.

*Planting Dandelions: Field Notes From a Semi-Domesticated Life by Kyran Pittman -- Oh, this memoir sounds like it's going to be just what I like about parenting/family memoirs: funny, self-deprecating, and honest about the dirty details of married life with kids. I sneaked a few pages when it first came in, and I was giggling right away. This will probably be one that I pass around to my pals.

*The Ninth Wife by Amy Stolls -- Yeah, I have to admit that I was initially intrigued by the title of this upcoming novel, and once I read the premise, I had to think on whether or not I wanted to request it. I decided to go for it, because really, the story of a woman who seeks out the previous eight wives of the man who has just proposed to her? Who could resist? That, and I'm a sucker for books that take place (even just a little) in the DC area.

*The Art of Roughhousing by Anthony T. DeBenedet -- Yay! I sought this one out for several reasons, mostly because the premise is one that I think I need. I'm the parent who is too often telling the kids to calm down, but as an early childhood educator, I know that "rough and tumble" play is important and necessary. I'm hoping this book has something to offer this conflicted me!



We'd love to hear what you're reading, too. Head over to 5 Minutes for Books to share What's On Your Nightstand!

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If you're so inclined, you can check out my reviews from the past few weeks:

*Baseball Season in Picture Books --three really cool books just in time for baseball!

*An Apple a Day --a cute book about the origins of many familiar phrases and idioms

*Pirate vs. Pirate --love this funny picture book

*Life From Scratch --a novel about a woman trying to restart her life, and there's blogging, too!

*What Do You Believe --amazing and informative DK book about world religions

*I Spy Spectacular --twenty years of I Spy!

*Press Here --my new favorite, totally unique picture book

*The Fourth Stall --a wacky middle grade novel that JAM and I both enjoyed

*The Loud Book --companion picture book to last year's The Quiet Book, of course

*What Does the President Look Like? --nonfiction picture book with an interesting premise

*The Girl Who Was On Fire --this month's if-you're-only-going-to-click-one-link-make-it-this-one link. Fabulous book of essays about The Hunger Games series, and it's a giveaway that closes tonight!

*Attachments --fun, fun, fun new novel with a surprise depth

*We Were Not Orphans --a collection of personal stories from decades' worth of former childhood residents of a state home for children in Texas

*Monday is One Day -- a new picture book perfect for families with working parents, and another giveaway!


Happy reading,