I am sneaking in a quick moment at the computer while Mouse enjoys her morning snack. After yesterday I wasn't sure I'd have time on the computer at all! I have posts ready for this coming week, but whether I have time to prep them will be another issue . . .Winter seems to have taken a break the last few weeks in my part of the world, giving Spring an early peek at the year ahead. It's made for beautiful weather during the daytime and Mouse and I have enjoyed being outdoors. The nights are still very chilly, often in the 30's. It hasn't helped Mouse's cough which just won't seem to go away no matter what we try (and we've tried just about everything!).
On the reading front, I finished reading Between Interruptions edited by Cori Howard this past week. It's a collection of essays about motherhood. Although my intent is not to get too involved with review books this year, I couldn't resist joining the tour for this one (my review will go up January 23rd). I'm kind of sad I missed out on the tour for Cinderella Ate My Daughter by Peggy Orienstein. I have been looking for an excuse to dive into that book. Oh well, it's for the best. I have enough reading I need to do in the next few weeks.
As of right now, I am reading Archon: The Books of Raziel by Sabrina Benulis, a young adult urban fantasy novel about a troubled girl who has visions of the supernatural, particularly angels. It's been compared to Twilight (what young adult fantasy series isn't these days?), but from what I can tell the similarities are very small.
I seem to be stuck in an urban fantasy and mystery phase right now--makes sense given they are my two main comfort reads. I do want to mix it up a little more this year, which is why I joined a couple of challenges that will force me to venture into my other loves, like historical fiction and literary fiction. That's the plan anyway!
I can't go without announcing the big bookish news of the week!
The short lists based on your nominations are up for the Independent Literary Awards. I hope you will go take a look! I am a judge on the mystery panel and over the next several weeks will be busy reading the five finalists. It'll be a challenge given how little time I have to spare for reading these days, but I am determined to make it happen! I, along with the other judges, are excited about seeing who will come out on top in each of the categories.
Biography/ Memoir
Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother by Amy Chua (Penguin)
Bossypants by Tina Fey (Reagan Arthur Books)
I Pray Hardest When Being Shot At by Kyle Garret (Hellgate Press)
Little Princes by Conor Grennan (William Morrow)
Tolstoy and the Purple Chair by Nina Sankovitch (Harper)
GLBTQ
Well With My Soul by Gregory Allen (ASD Publishing)
Swimming to Chicago by David Matthew Barnes (Bold Strokes Books)
Songs of the New Depression by Kergan Edwards-Stout (Circumspect Press)
Nina Here Nor There: My Journey Beyond Gender by Nick Krieger (Beacon Press)
Huntress by Melinda Lo (little brown books for young readers)
Fiction
Dance Lessons by Aine Greaney (Syracuse University Press)
Cross Currents by John Shors (Penguin Group: NAL Trade)
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (Knopf/Doubleday Publishing Group)
Silver Sparrow by Tayari Jones (Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill)
The Last Time I Saw Paris by Lynn Sheene (Penguin Group)
Mystery
Missing Daughter, Shattered Family by Liz Strange (MLR Press)
The Cut by George Pelecanos (Reagan Arthur/LIttle, Brown)
A Trick of the Light by Louise Penny (St. Martin’s Press)
The Two Deaths of Daniel Hayes by Marcus Sakey (Dutton)
Fun & Games by Duane Swierczynski (Mulholland Books/Little, Brown)
Non-Fiction
Berlin 1961 by Frederick Kempe (Putnam Adult)
In the Garden of Beasts by Erik Larson (Crown)
Lost in Shangri-La by Mitchell Zuckoff (Harper)
Physics of the Future by Michio Kaku (Doubleday)
The Social Animal by David Brooks (Random House)
Poetry
Beyond Scent of Sorrow by Sweta Vikram (Modern History Press)
Catalina by Laurie Soriano (Lummox Press)
What Looks Like an Elephant by Edward Nudelman (Lummox Press)
Three Women: A Poetic Triptych and Selected Poems by Ramos, Emma Eden (Heavy Hands Ink)
Sonics in Warholia by Megan Volpert (Sibling Rivalry Press)
Speculative Fiction
A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness (Candlewick)
The Magician King by Lev Grossman (Viking)
11/22/1963 by Stephen King (Scribner)
Among Others by Jo Walton (Tor Books)
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline (Crown)
So many of the nominees from all of the categories look tempting! I imagine my wish list will be growing by the dozen the more I read about some of those books. A few already are on my wish list.
Oops. Baby calls. Do drop me a comment and let me know what you are reading and have been up to so far this year! I hope you all have a wonderful week. Happy Reading!
© 2012, Wendy Runyon of Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved.If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.
I just can't get over this weather! Of course, I have a cold, so I want it to rain...it'd be a more accurate reflection of how I feel. :-D
ReplyDeleteI'm reading Rooftops of Tehran. I figure it's about time to get that one off of the shelf.
Happy reading to you to!
Looks like your mystery selections for awards will be fun. I've read A TRICK OF THE LIGHT and it was my top read of the year. However, the others sound good too. My mystery book group is discussing THE CUT in February. I haven't been to a meeting for a while, but may pick this one up so I can attend and discuss.
ReplyDeleteHave a good week, Wendy! Hope your little one's cough will subside. My girlie had a lot of cough/ear infection issues when she was little. Still does. LOL
Yes, the weather here is crazy! I can't believe the temps for January so far. It still gets chilly at night, but during the day it is sweater weather.
ReplyDeleteI hope you have a great week!
We have experienced unseasonably warm weather here as well but I am a bit grateful as it is makes house training our newest family member a bit easier :)
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping to make it through the Harry Potter series for the first time this year.
I wish you and your family a wonderful 2012.
The weather has been spring like here as well. I just keep waiting for the other shoe to drop and for the temps to drop below freezing. I tend to read mysteries when I need a comfort read as well :) Hope you have a great week!
ReplyDeleteWe're having really mild weather here, too, but it's fine by me!
ReplyDeleteGood golly, I've hardly read any of these. Hope you enjoy your reading!
ReplyDeleteWe have had weather in the high 70's down here. I don't get it, but it sure is nice. Those Indie Lit books look great. How about that Speculative Fiction list! Woo hoo!
ReplyDeleteThe weather here in Michigan is crazy!! It was 52 degrees the other day and we're not looking to have bad weather until maybe the end of the week!! The awards look like fun and pure craziness to boot! I'm reading Secrets by Freya North which I'm actually having a hard time getting into. My next book will be The A.B.C. Murders by Agatha Christie. My reading is going to be more for me and less review books this year. In fact, so many bloggers have been reading such great books already that I feel like chucking all review books and just grabbing a book that my fellow blogger loved!! Have a great week!
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy to see John Shors' Cross Currents show up on the Indie Awards list! I loved that book. :)
ReplyDeleteWhenever I see award lists I'm always shocked at how few I've heard of! Do hope to get to Bossypants and Night Circus soonish, though.
ReplyDeleteHope little mouse gets to feeling better soon! I'm sure that coughing is terrible for sleeping. :(
I'm loving the warmer temps as Spring and Summer are my favorite. Glad you've been able to enjoy them with Mouse.
ReplyDeleteI'm not a fan of winter so I've been happy it's been warmer than normal. It's so nice to be able to have my door open at home.
ReplyDeleteWell our weather was just great up until today. The wind is blowing so hard I can barely stand outside in it and it's cold. Still we have no snow left which is really unusual but I'm ok with it. I hope it lasts all the way to spring. Hope that cough of Mouse's goes away!
ReplyDeleteI have fallen so far behind an responding to comments again. I apologize. Thank you so much for taking the time to drop in and say hi.
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