The Towering TBR

In the last two months I have made significant contributionS to my local UBS and a good sized dent in my TBR. Really, unbelievable to me because 2006 was the year I was adding books faster than I could read them. Of course, my job was sucking the ever living life out of me the whole first half of the year so that may have had a little to do with it. Even while working, two kids, a husband, and a household to take care of I have always read 4 to 5 books a week just because I don't watch TV and don't sleep more than 4 to 6 hours a night.

However, the past two months I have read an unprecedented number of books even for me. I was unbelievably slothful in January and read (you aren't going to believe it, because I hardly can myself) 34 books. Yes, I know when did I ever find the time? Well, kiddies, reading is about all I accomplished in January besides some laundry, grocery shopping and the occasional walk. Also, 5 of those books were e-books which weren't more than 120 pages at the longest. February is going to post large numbers too, but I have returned to the living and am getting back on the freeway of life, so the number won't be as high as January.

Anyway the long and short of it was that I felt it was okay to pick up some of the books I've been writing down and noting from reviews and reader blogs as books I want to read. Some are from the UBS and some I bought. Here's my the list from several UBS:

1. Secondhand Wife by Cheryl St John
2. 3 Rock Creek Six books by Linda Devlin (Jed, Cash, Sullivan)
3. Hope's Captive by Kate Lyon
4. Touch the Dark by Karen Chance
5. Silhouette Desire Bound by Marriage by Nalini Singh

Here are the new books I bought from my local B&N:

1. Post Secret Book edited by Frank Warren
2. Emma (my FIRST manga!) by CMX
3. When Darkness Comes by Alexandra Ivy
4. Deadly Game by Christine Feehan

So, I've added eleven more books. I'm reading the new Christine Feehan release that came out yesterday. It's another installment of her Ghost Walker series. I think I've mentioned before that psychic abilities fascinate me. I've enjoyed this series so far and wouldn't dream of missing this one since it is the story of Ken Norton, twin brother to Jack Norton whose story was in the last book CONSPIRACY GAME.

On my TBB list are five books scheduled with a March 6th release date. I'm hoping to keep ahead of my purchases this year and maybe dwindle that TBR to a reasonable number of books. Since alot of you whose blogs I regularly read seem to be making the same sort of effort to read books you have and discipline your purchases in 2007, I feel like I'm in good company. Although I guess that sounds ridiculous considering how many books I've just purchased, doesn't it?

And the Oscar goes to...

THE DEPARTED! Do you remember when we were all a buzz about this movie last fall? I did a post about it. While my family was also big fans of LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE the male contingent was very happy that THE DEPARTED one for Best Picture.

How'd you do on your ballot? I got 14 out of 24 right...which is pretty amazing since I knew zilch about the tech awards or the documentary films. We had alot of fun. Did anyone have a party? Did anyone go down to be in the bleacher seats?

THE DREAM HUNTER by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Let me start this off by noting I've been a Sherrilyn Kenyon fan since she first started writing about Dark Hunters. While I can honestly admit that I've read some books in the series that stretched the premise a bit thin, by and large I have to say I've enjoyed these books...some more than others. I've also enjoyed the off shoot books about Were Hunters as well. Again, some more than others.

However, as more and more mythology seems to be creeping into the books I'm finding myself less and less interested. This is not a commentary on Ms. Kenyon's writing ability. This is about my own interest in a particular subject. Am I the only one who has to constantly remind myself who everyone is in the god families and how they are related to one another in these books? Ms. Kenyon does make references and leaves bread crumbs in each book reminding us of connections, but I still find myself getting confused and have sometimes found myself stopping my reading and going to her website to get sorted out. Sadly my knowledge of Greek mythology is so poor that I don't even know how much license Ms. Kenyon has taken with the actual facts.

THE DREAM HUNTER has a wonderful premise and I must admit I was anxious to give it a try. To have a flesh and blood man just show up when you've only known him in a very up close and personal way in your dreams would be pretty startling and freaky. I also thought it would make for a very interesting story premise.

Not only is Arikos a guy who walks through human dreams, he is a god. While the mixing of real life and those of the "gods" takes a leap it's no worse than the leap we take when reading about werewolves or vampires. However, I do think here that the real life characters accept the existence of these gods a little too readily. Even so, that wasn't my problem with this book. Frankly, I just felt mired down by all the mythology. While Ms. Kenyon made attempts with humor and character devices to teach us about the world of ancient Greece that she obviously loves and finds intriguing I was just not interested. I didn't feel it gave the story gravitas or progressed the plot in anyway. It seemed like a way for her to show off her knowledge and how she was cleverly weaving it into her story.

This isn't a bad book by a long stretch. I did finish it. I just felt disappointed and dissatisfied when I was done. I found myself more interested in the secondary characters than the main characters in this book. Go figure...like that's never happened before. Those that like all things mythological and fantasy will probably love it. For me...not so much.

FREEDOM IS NOT FREE

I saw the info and link for FREEDOM IS NOT FREE on Marjorie Liu's site WEB PETALS and thought I'd share it with you. Maybe you've already heard about it since they've been on several TV shows promoting the charity. Yeah, I know it's February already, but buying one of these calendars is for such a good cause. I got one for each of my sisters...maybe I'll make it a annual tradition.

BTW, cool pic of Gerard Butler on Ms. Liu's post today as well. Yeah, well, I'm a fan what can I say.

Hah! Another One (or Three) Bites the Dust...

What a relief that I'm slowly but surely plodding my way through that "To Do List" we all hate. You know the list of stuff you are putting off until you absolutely can't stand it any more and have to do it?

Here's part of my list:

1. Clean out the filing cabinet in our office. Update and relabel files. Make new 2007 files.

2. Tag old posts on blog.

3. Add links on blog and delete others.

4. Clean out computer, phone and online files. Reorganize, alphabetize and delete. Sift through photo files and do same.

5. Update monthly menus and shopping list and start using them again.

6. Update my 2006 book list and reorganize list and enter books for 2007.

There's more but they are all as loathesome and boring as these. For instance I need to figure out and plan when I'm taking all my drapes in for Spring cleaning. I rotate them so all the windows won't be covered in sheets at once and I won't owe the drycleaners my first born to get the drapes back.

Honestly some of these are on the list when they ordinarily wouldn't be like number 6. Usually I log and organize as I go, but when I did my project over November and December I got behind. It was only a few books, because I was busy with the project, but then I just let them start piling up. Thankfully I've emerged from my stupor and taken care of that one.

In fact of those I've listed 4. and 6. are done and I'm working on 3. which is mostly done. Cleaning up my files on my phone and computer was a major undertaking. All done now and it feels great to have gotten rid of stuff. In fact as I look at my list I've completed a couple of others like going through ye old bookshelves and culling books to take to the UBS. I had 4 bags of books to take in. I think I can rewrite my list and maybe cheer myself up even more.

10 Weird Things About Me

Tagged by Scooper...here's more than you wanted to know about me:

1. While I'm middle aged, overweight and have a rewarding and active sex life, I don't want to read about women like me. I'm more interested in reading about women in their mid 20s to 30s who are trying to figure themselves and life out. I don't like stories where the woman's full figure is part of the storyline or plot and while I know that women can have great sex in their 40s and 50s I don't want to read about it.

2. I have a very loud and on-going internal dialogue all day. It's frequently annoying and always exhausting.

3. I feel very strongly about women's issues but in my real life choose and celebrate a very traditional life style.

4. I celebrate education, have told my sons they are going to college no ifs, ands, or buts, and I only have a two year degree myself.

5. I make lists for everything to make myself accountable because without them I sort of drift through life and don't get things done I really want to.

6. I used to be compulsive about my bra and panties matching everyday and now I purposely don't match them and I don't know why.

7. I have very few pieces of female nightwear. I usually sleep in a man's oversized t-shirt or in the winter a flannel night shirt.

8. I don't like perfume and I don't like any scent on a man (especially mine!) other than soap.

9. I like Cocoa Puffs. I never ate them until I was in my 40s and didn't buy them for my kids. My first taste was by accident and now I buy them for a treat. I had a bowl for dessert last night.

10. I don't think most sit-coms or stand up comedians are funny. I will be the one person in an audience or room not laughing. The quirky and unusual are what make me laugh.

3 Nephews, History 118, a 101.5 Fever & SEP

Mea culpea! I can't believe how erratic my interaction in the great blogosphere and Romancelandia has been since November. Every week I think I'll get back to my routine and somehow I never get there.

My three nephews age 8, 7, and 4 are here. We are in the middle of a six day visit. Their Mom (my sweet sister Mary) went to Alabama to surprise her husband. He was attending a class for the Air Force for the last seven weeks. My sister flew out to surprise him and make the drive back. Even though it's a long drive back at least they are getting some time together and the nevvies are here entertaining me mightily. However, since my guys are 16 and 20 I forgot how high maintenance little guys are. Sheesh, I'm making three meals a day! And the laundry...Oy Vey!

Number one son decided to take a six-week online class over winter quarter. Yes, indeedy...History 118. The kid had sometimes two papers a week to do and tons of reading. I only mention it because he was on my computer about 6 hours a day...which while I'm on a roll with my whining...really cuts into blog time.

My last entry about my cold, which was barely over when the nevvies arrived, was nothing compared to how sick my younger son got. He not only got the cold, but the flu and for three days was running a temp of 101.5. The only thing that worked keeping the temp down for good was alternating tylenol and advil every three hours. You would think it would get easier when they are sick when they get older...you still worry.

Consequently I'm clueless about what is going on. I haven't been to another blog site in about 10 days. I'm practically a newbie again. My nephews will be here until the 15th so I probably won't be catching up much until the end of the week. If you have a minute let me know what you've been up to.

I do want to end this on a high note by saying I read NATURAL BORN CHARMER by Susan Elizabeth Phillips and thoroughly enjoyed the book. Since I read CROSSROAD CAFE by Deborah Smith last year I hadn't read a book I've enjoyed as much. If you are a SEP fan you won't be disappointed...if you aren't, it's worth the HC price.

BTW, Scooper, tagged me for what?

Ah-CHOO!

I've been laid low by a cold my husband brought home. That's what I get for sleeping with a sneezy, runny nose, stuffy head guy. Of course for the last four days I've sweetly and gently reminded him that he brought home the vicious germ that laid me low. It seems like I always get what he had times two. Anyway, I'm much better now and no longer threatening to lay waste to any and all who disturb the cranky lady in her flannel jammies with the red nose and chapped lips.

The panting you hear isn't from my cold. It's me running around like a crazy person trying to get organized again and catch up with stuff. I'm making lists so I can actually see all the things I need to do like still go back and label my posts prior to beta and update links on my page and list all the books I've read in January on my spread sheet. I'm a masochist that way. On the other hand, it is very enjoyable to cross through something and see the list dwindle and disappear.

Wow! What a fabulously thrilling life I lead, huh? I'm working on an incentive to get myself to do all this stuff. In the nick of time Steadman called. There's a wedding in June. So my first trip to Minnesota is in the offing. Also, my sister in Georgia would like a visit. Yeah, I admit it, I bribe myself to get stuff done and use trips, meals, books as bribes to get motivated. It an act of desperation to slingshot myself back into the swing of things when for whatever reason I get behind.

Right now I'm contemplating chocolate for breakfast. No not hot cocoa...chocolate of the Godiva variety. No more soup or tea for a while. For suffering and sneezing through two boxes of tissue surely God has rewarded me with a few lost pounds, so chocolate for breakfast isn't such a bad thing. Am I right?