Sunday, March 08, 2009

Sunday Salon: Reading, Read, To Read #10


Happy Sunday everyone! I'm in love! Can you guess with whom? Hint: I checked his books out of the library on Friday. Read and reviewed my first book (by him) yesterday. And I stayed up to the wee morning hours--on the very day of the worst time-change of the year--reading my second-ever book (by him) just because I couldn't bear to say goodnight. If you guessed John Steinbeck, you're right! Have you ever fallen in love with an author? Read one book and just had to rush right into the next? Just been so utterly amazed that you find yourself gushing to anyone and everyone with a pulse about how great an author is? Share your experiences, please! That way I won't feel so silly.

What I read in a previous week, but reviewed this week:

The Squad: Killer Spirit. 2008. Jennifer Lynn Barnes. Random House. 324 pages. (YA Adventure/YA Romance)
Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross. Edited by Nancy Guthrie. Crossway. 152 pages.
The Passion of Mary-Margaret by Lisa Samson. Thomas Nelson Publishers. 313 pages.

What I read this past week and reviewed:

North of Beautiful by Justina Chen Headley. 2009. Little Brown. 373 pages. (YA Realistic Fiction/YA Romance)
Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco X. Stork. 2009. Scholastic. 312 pages. (YA Realistic Fiction)
Love You Hate You Miss You by Elizabeth Scott. 2009 (June 2009) HarperCollins. 288 pages. (YA Realistic Fiction)
Who Lives Here? Forest Animals by Deborah Hodge. 2009. Kids Can Press (Nonfiction Picture book)
Have You Ever Seen A Duck In a Raincoat by Etta Kaner. 2009. Kids Can Press. (Nonfiction Picture Book)
The New Jumbo Book of Easy Crafts by Judy Ann Sadler. 2009. Kids Can Press. (Nonfiction/How-to/Craft)
1, 2, 3 I Can Collage by Irene Luxbacher. 2009. Kids Can Press. (Nonfiction/Picture Book/How-to/Craft)
Pop-Up House of Inventions: Hundreds of Fabulous Facts About Your Home. 2009. Candlewick. (Novelty/Pop-up/Nonfiction)
Chocolat by Joanne Harris. 306 pages.
Tortilla Flat by John Steinbeck. 207 pages.
What's The Weather Inside by Karma Wilson. 2009. Simon & Schuster. 170 pages. (Poetry)

What I read this past week and haven't reviewed yet:

Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson. 2009. Viking. 278 pages. (YA Realistic Fiction)
Fade by Lisa McMann. 2009. Simon & Schuster. 248 pages. (YA Fantasy)
Travels with Charley in Search of America. By John Steinbeck. 224 pages. (Adult/Classic)

What I've read and really really need to review:

TROPICAL SECRETS: HOLOCAUST REFUGEES IN CUBA. by Margarita Engle. 2009. (March 31, 2009 Pub.)Henry Holt. 198 pages.

What I'm currently reading:

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame Smith
Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens (I'm only three chapters in. But...I've technically started.)
Journey to the Well by Diana Wallis Taylor.
Riding by H.S. Cross* (I'm over halfway through, but it's a long book and it's dragging a bit...)

What I'm semi-reading:

Book Thief by Markus Zusak.
Emily Climbs by L.M. Montgomery.

What I've abandoned:

The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri
Dune by Frank Herbert

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
If you're reading this post on another site, or another feed, the content has been stolen.

10 comments:

Ana S. said...

Yep! That's what discovering Terry Pratchett was like for me. It's a great feeling :D

Debi said...

I'm glad you're enjoying Steinbeck! I personally have a love/hate relationship with him. I honestly can't think of another author that I can say about. Of course I've only read a few of his books, but I LOVED Of Mice and Men and The Pearl and I DESPISED The Red Pony. I promised Dewey I would give him another chance, and am really hoping to read The Grapes of Wrath soon.

Shonda said...

Becky-

When I read "The Last to Know" by Wendy Corsi Staub, I was immediately hooked. That same summer I spent reading all her books. She reminds me of Mary Higgins Clark.

Jodi Picoult was the same way. After reading My Sister's Keeper, I decided I HAD to read everything she has written.

So yes, I can relate to you.

Karen Harrington said...

I'm having your Steinbeck experience right now with Elizabeth Berg. I'm reading everything she's written. Woo! My first visit to your blog. I'm going to look around a while....:)

Becky said...

Nymeth, I need to discover Terry Pratchett...any recommendation on where to start?

Debi, I know what you mean. I have a love/hate relationship with some authors. I'll be reading Grapes of Wrath in the next week or so because it's a library book. I'm really surprised at my self-control. I haven't stormed Amazon and ordered all his books yet. Do you think that will last long?

Karen, welcome!! I hope you do look around and that you like what you see! I love interacting with my readers. And I'm always open to taking book recommendations :)

Just Your Typical Book Blog said...

I completely know what you mean! Sarah Dessen is the author for me. I read her during high school, then kind of faded out of reading books for a while (I know - sounds crazy, but it does happen), then spent one entire day and well into the wee hours of the morning reading three of her novels - one I skipped some parts, but you get the drift!

And I envy how much you can read in a week!

--Amber

Vasilly said...

I'm so happy that you're enjoying Steinbeck. He is a great writer. I plan on reading The Grapes of Wrath for the Steinbeck Challenge also because it was Dewey's favorite book. You have to read East of Eden. I haven't read Travels with Charley yet, but it is on my list!

Stephanie said...

I haven't read a Steinbeck that I've disliked yet!!

Anonymous said...

I'm not a huge Steinbeck fan. The only novel I loved of his was Of Mice and Men; then I had to read it in one too many lit classes and I was done with it.

However, I fell in love with Tracy Chevalier's novels. First was The Girls With a Pear Earring. I did become burnt out after reading all of her novels; but I will always buy her books.

There are two types of books for me: books to get from the library and books to own. If I'm spending money on a novel; it better be a good one!

Anonymous said...

Becky! You've 'discovered' John Steinbeck? I consider you a friend for life now. :o)

The most sublime, the most incredible, the most nurturing, the most titillating, the most sensational writer in the history of the world!
Keep reading and keep losing sleep. Your soul will be touched forever.
Warmest
Rob