I am in between print and e-books at the moment, still trying to decide what to read next. Something paranormal, I think. Jennifer Harlow's What's a Witch to Do? is calling to me but then so is the more romance-y The Demon Lover by Juliet Dark (first book in the Fairwick Chronicles trilogy).
To offset the heavier topics of my recent reading, I downloaded the audio version of Mary Roach's Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex in an effort to lighten the mood. It's funny, but not quite holding my attention the way I might like. My audiobook lover friends will be happy to know I am appreciating audiobooks more these days, but I still struggle with keeping my mind on the books as I listen. My brain doesn't like to rest! Given that Bonk is nonfiction, I have the constant urge to take notes--which of course I can't do when I'm washing my face or driving to work. How will I ever remember anything to put in a review?! It's so much easier when the audiobook is fiction.
I found my rhythm with Tolstoy's War and Peace at about chapter 11 of Part One. I admit to struggling through the French, and I find always going back and forth between the text and reading the footnotes distracting. What's a reader to do though? I hope to post an update on my progress at the end of the month.
January has been a busy month on the work front. It began slow as the schools were just beginning to open again, but now that classes are back in full swing, the calls are coming in steadily. Last week was a tough one. Hearing about a child dying always is. Mouse got extra hugs and kisses that night, as you can imagine.
Speaking of Mouse, she and a friend recently spent a day at the Children's Discovery Museum of the Desert. We all had a fun time. Mouse's friend is three, and Mouse follows her lead just about anywhere. One thing I love about this particular museum is how it caters mostly to the younger age set. I understand there is a similar museum in another county that has more activities for the older kids. I imagine we'll make our way there one of these days too.
Coming back around to books, Mouse is obsessed with them! You mention the word book to her and she's off to find a book for you to read to her. She counts along with us when we're reading her a number book and will say the letters or animals and objects that coincide with the letters as we go along. It's amazing how much she knows! I'm just in awe of her much of the time.
I recently saw the movie Jack Reacher. You know the one. It's based on one of Lee Child's books featuring the character Jack Reacher. It was an entertaining action movie, but not without its faults. There was one scene in which the defense attorney (whose name escapes me) and Jack Reacher are talking to each other and it felt like a dry reading from the script. Then there was the funny escape scene--that while funny on one hand, was kind of upsetting on the other. At least if it would have happened in reality. Maybe that's just me though. Although I haven't read the book, I found the movie to be entirely predictable. Still, as I said, it was entertaining and I did enjoy it overall.
Anjin and I have a day off together coming up later this week and we are hoping to catch the movie Les Miserables on the big screen. I'm a little nervous. Even despite the rave reviews. I love--LOVE--the musical and am not happy about all of the casting choices made. I'm sure I'll like it just the same. Hopefully.
That sums up my latest news. I hope you all are well and finding time to read.
What are you reading, by the way? Do tell!
To offset the heavier topics of my recent reading, I downloaded the audio version of Mary Roach's Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex in an effort to lighten the mood. It's funny, but not quite holding my attention the way I might like. My audiobook lover friends will be happy to know I am appreciating audiobooks more these days, but I still struggle with keeping my mind on the books as I listen. My brain doesn't like to rest! Given that Bonk is nonfiction, I have the constant urge to take notes--which of course I can't do when I'm washing my face or driving to work. How will I ever remember anything to put in a review?! It's so much easier when the audiobook is fiction.
I found my rhythm with Tolstoy's War and Peace at about chapter 11 of Part One. I admit to struggling through the French, and I find always going back and forth between the text and reading the footnotes distracting. What's a reader to do though? I hope to post an update on my progress at the end of the month.
January has been a busy month on the work front. It began slow as the schools were just beginning to open again, but now that classes are back in full swing, the calls are coming in steadily. Last week was a tough one. Hearing about a child dying always is. Mouse got extra hugs and kisses that night, as you can imagine.
Speaking of Mouse, she and a friend recently spent a day at the Children's Discovery Museum of the Desert. We all had a fun time. Mouse's friend is three, and Mouse follows her lead just about anywhere. One thing I love about this particular museum is how it caters mostly to the younger age set. I understand there is a similar museum in another county that has more activities for the older kids. I imagine we'll make our way there one of these days too.
Coming back around to books, Mouse is obsessed with them! You mention the word book to her and she's off to find a book for you to read to her. She counts along with us when we're reading her a number book and will say the letters or animals and objects that coincide with the letters as we go along. It's amazing how much she knows! I'm just in awe of her much of the time.
I recently saw the movie Jack Reacher. You know the one. It's based on one of Lee Child's books featuring the character Jack Reacher. It was an entertaining action movie, but not without its faults. There was one scene in which the defense attorney (whose name escapes me) and Jack Reacher are talking to each other and it felt like a dry reading from the script. Then there was the funny escape scene--that while funny on one hand, was kind of upsetting on the other. At least if it would have happened in reality. Maybe that's just me though. Although I haven't read the book, I found the movie to be entirely predictable. Still, as I said, it was entertaining and I did enjoy it overall.
Anjin and I have a day off together coming up later this week and we are hoping to catch the movie Les Miserables on the big screen. I'm a little nervous. Even despite the rave reviews. I love--LOVE--the musical and am not happy about all of the casting choices made. I'm sure I'll like it just the same. Hopefully.
That sums up my latest news. I hope you all are well and finding time to read.
What are you reading, by the way? Do tell!
© 2013, 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 am reading Sweet Tooth. I sort of just fell into it. It totally sucked me in.
ReplyDeleteTi - I love it when that happens! I hope you continued to enjoy it.
DeleteI am sure that you will be able to enjoy Les Mis! I thought it was really, really good!
ReplyDeleteIt always takes me a while to work out how the footnotes work in each book. In Les Mis, I started reading the footnotes for the whole chapter and then just read through which I think worked for me.
Marg - Somehow I'll figure out how to make those footnotes work for me with War and Peace! Hopefully. :-)
DeleteWe did enjoy Les Miserables very much. I am glad you did too!
I am so glad that Mouse seems to enjoy reading as much as you do! You will make a book lover out of her, and that is just great!! I am listening more than I am reading, and at the moment, I am listening to White Horse, after finishing Dark Places. In paper, I am going between The Reckoning and Y: A Novel.
ReplyDeleteI have sort of stayed away from the Reacher movie, because Tom Cruise is kind of a nutball to me, and I don't really like him. I would like to see Le Mis though!
Heather - I love that Mouse is so into books right now. :-) I wish I could say the same about listening. I am about half way through the audio of Bonk. I don't know if it's the book or me . . .
DeleteI know what you mean about Tom Cruise. He's . . . interesting.
I've listened to a lot of audio books and my mind still wanders from time to time as I listen.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad Mouse loves books! My son learned how to read early because he loved books so much.
Kathy - So it isn't just me? I try to stay focused, but it doesn't always work.
DeleteMouse has parts of her favorite books memorized. It's so cute when she reads along with me. :-)
I've always kind of avoided audiobooks myself because I do know that my brain tends to phase out, and I'm pretty sure I'd miss whole chunks of the book. LOL! Somebody once suggested that I could use audio to re-read. I think that might be more my speed because, hey, if I miss a part I already knew what happened anyway. ;-)
ReplyDeleteSounds like you won't have too much hard work on your hands turning Mouse into a bibliophile. Sounds like she's already well on her way.
My mom, my aunt, and I went to see Les Mis together. We all LOVED it - hope you do, too!
Megan - I think listening to a book you've already read is a great way to go. I did that with the first Dresden Files book by Jim Butcher and think it worked well. I'm still finding nitch with audio books. I think nonfiction and essays/short stories are something I'll avoid in the future. Suspense novels seem to work best for me--or funny memoirs (which I don't read a lot of so probably won't listen to too many)--at least in terms of holding my attention. Mostly. LOL
DeleteI want to watch Jack Reacher movie, but I'm not sure how I'll feel about Tom Cruise being the hero though, lol.
ReplyDeleteI'm currently reading "The One I Left Behind" by Jennifer McMahon. A great suspense thriller and I can't wait to find out the ending!!
Melody - I'm not that familiar or invested in the character of Jack Reacher to care who plays him and Tom Cruise is generally a good action hero in movies--so I didn't mind him in the role. I know some did though.
DeleteI'll have to look for your review of McMahon's book!
The focusing thing is why I've not read many audiobooks. Sometimes it's difficult to concentrate on the written word, let along an audio you know will take a long time. Good point about not being able to take notes, I hadn't thought of that. When an opinion or thought is strong enough, though, you remember it anyway, so maybe it might help filter out the minor issues? Hope you enjoy Les Miserables :) I'm reading Lisa See's Shanghai Girls.
ReplyDeleteCharlie - I worry that I'm taking so long to listen to this nonfiction book that even the points that stand will be forgotten by the time I write my review. I guess that says something about the book though too, doesn't it? It's not a very memorable one.
DeleteI'll be curious to know what you think of Shanghai Girls. I always meant to read more by Lisa See after reading Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, but I haven't managed to yet.
I hope that you enjoy Les Miserables. I was distracted by the close-ups but the rest was wonderful. The only acting choice I didn't care for was Crowe as Javert. Think his singing was a weak point in the movie. Anne Hathaway was fantastic.
ReplyDeleteAnd back to War and Peace? Do I remember you tackling that one a few years ago? ;)
I struggle with audiobooks as well. There were some parts of Bleak House that I listened to three times and finally just read on paper! 11/22/63 really caught my attention, though--never once did my mind stray from the story which is so so rare for me.
The museum looks fantastic. I need to look and see what I can find around here. I know both Fort Worth and Dallas have children's museums but I'm not sure if they're for little little babes.
Hope you have a wonderful week!
Trish - I agree with your about Crowe as Javert. I think presence wise he did fine, but he couldn't carry the solos. Still, I really liked the movie and loved how it brought out the emotion of the piece.
DeleteI gave up on War and Peace when I tried to read it years ago. Second time's the charm! Hopefully.
The Discovery Museum is a bit out of the way (an hour and a half drive there), but Mouse hasn't minded the drive yet, thank goodness. It's a fun day's outing, at least.
I listened to Bonk and really liked it … but it isn't one you want to listen to with other people!
ReplyDeleteJenners - Bonk is funny, that's for sure! I am not enjoying it as much as I liked Stiff or Spook though. You are definitely right--not one I want to listen to in front of other people. LOL
DeleteThe museum sounds amazing! And I love how much Mouse is already into books - I think you have a future power-reader on your hands. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm currently loving The Map of the Sky by Felix J. Palma.
Carrie - A friend had told me about the museum. She takes here twins there often (since they have friends in the desert). Mouse just loves it there. We've only been twice so far, but I hope we can go a couple more times at least before the summer heat sets in.
DeleteI like the sound of The Map of the Sky! I will have to look for that one.
We have a Children's Museum here and Gage loves it! If it were a little closer we would be there all the time.
ReplyDeleteI thought the movie Jack Reacher was fine, not great. Tom was okay but no Reacher but I dod not blame him for the movie. The script wasn't great.
I've never seen or read Le Mis in any way and Jason and I will be going to the theater in a few weeks to see it :)
Stacy - Same here. Our museum is about an hour and a half drive away.
DeleteI hope you like Les Miserable when you see it!
I really can't watch Tom Cruise any more...loved him in Top Gun and Rain Man, but these past 7 years or so I avoid his stuff.
ReplyDeleteLooks like Mouse had fun with her friend!! She is growing up way too fast!!
i just finished Mockingjay...loved it! And now I'm reading The Fault in Our Stars!
Staci - I can only take Tom Cruise in small doses. His earlier stuff was definitely much better.
DeleteI am so glad you liked Mockingjay! I know not everyone did. I thought it was good though.
What a great museum - love the photos.
ReplyDeleteSuziQ - Thanks! It's such a fun place, especially for the little ones.
DeleteIt's wonderful to see your child falling in love with books. :-) Trisha, who just turned 9, has just recently gotten really excited about reading independently. It's so amazing to watch. Mouse looks like she's having a blast at the museum!
ReplyDeleteSteph - Yes, it is! It warms this reader's heart. :-) How exciting for you and Trisha! I hope Mouse will enjoy reading on her own one day.
DeleteSounds like you have been up to all kinds of fun! Mouse is adorable and no surprise that she is becoming a book lover!
ReplyDeleteKathleen - Thanks, Kathleen! We had a lot of fun. Hopefully we can go again soon.
ReplyDelete