Friday Fill-Ins September 23, 2011

It's been a while since I've done Friday Fill-Ins-but here we go! My answers are in RED and my mom's are in BLUE (we were chatting on the phone so I had her do them too!).

1. When I walk around my neighborhood I see construction.
Mom: When I walk around my neighborhood I see beautiful trees.

2. Chili is my favorite thing to cook.
Mom: Paella is my favorite thing to cook.

3. Life is wonderful.
Mom: Life is always changing.

4. My Félix makes me feel all warm and fuzzy
Mom: My home makes me feel all warm and fuzzy

5. I don't have one...is my favorite Autumn vegetable.
Mom: I don't have one either...is my favorite Autumn vegetable.

6. Cake is better when it is chocolate.
Mom: Life is better when it is shared.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to spending time with my husband, tomorrow my plans include going to the Farmer's market and Toys 'R Us, and Sunday, I want to sleep in!
Mom: And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to a chicken dinner with friends, tomorrow my plans include enjoying the lake life, and Sunday, I want to do more of the same!

Booking Through Thursday: In Public

Question September 22, 2011:  Do you carry books with you when you’re out and about in the world?
And, do you ever try to hide the covers?

My answer: Absolutely!! When I'm reading a book I usually take it with me EVERYWHERE! Well, by usually I mean before Félix was born. If we're out and about at this point it's because we are running errands so that doesn't really leave time for reading. When we were living in Toronto and I was on the subway for 45 minutes each way I ALWAYS had a book with me. Did I ever hide a cover.....I don't think so but I know there were a few times where I felt a bit self-conscious about a title/cover, but I can't think of any specific examples.

Too long...and The Irish Country Series

I can't believe it's been 1 whole month since I've posted ANYTHING on here-not even a Booking Through Thursday or Friday Fill-Ins!!! How can this be? Well, I suppose having a 2 1/2 month old baby may have something to do with it, plus the visitors we've had, plus the 2 weeks we just spent back home in Winnipeg visiting family.

I have managed to read a few books since my last post-namely the first three Irish Country books by Patrick Taylor: An Irish Country Doctor, An Irish Country Village, and An Irish Country Christmas.

Please check out his website for book descriptions!! I know I should be reviewing them since this is a blog about reading (mainly), but as I think I've mentioned recently, I'm having a hard time finding the time and patience to give a thorough review, but I do want to keep blogging about reading-so I figure it's better to write a little something (even if it's just the titles and author's of the books) so that I don't completely stop, in the hopes that one day I will be able to write more! SO I hope you keep stopping by, but I'll understand if you don't!

Booking Through Thursday: National Book Week

 

Booking Through Thursday August  11,  2011 Question: It’s National Book Week. The rules: Grab the closest book to you. Go to page 56. Copy the 5th sentence as your status
(We’ve done something similar to this before, but it’s always fun, so … why not?)

My answer: I am currently reading an Irish Country Doctor by Patrick Taylor on my Kindle. This question taught me to use the search or "Go To" function! So on page 56 (of the Kindle addition) the 5th sentence is "He finished the last of Mrs. Kincaid's cold lobster salad and put the plate on a coffee table beside his armchair."

Book Review: Minding Frankie

Two books so far this month-woooohooooo!!! I just finished Maeve Binchy's latest novel Minding Frankie. I actually got this one for Christmas but because of the 2nd line in the description I thought I would be too emotional to read it while pregnant (and it's a good thing I waited).

From the author's website: "Baby Frankie is born into an unusual family. Her mother is desperate to find someone to take care of her child and she doesn't have much time. Noel doesn't seem to be the most promising of fathers but despite everything, he could well be Frankie's best hope. As for Lisa, she is prepared to give up everything for the man she loves; surely he's going to love her back? And Moira is having none of it. She knows what's right, and has the power to change the course of Frankie's life... but Moira is hiding secrets of her own. Minding Frankie is a story about unconventional families, relationships which aren’t quite what they seem, and the child at the heart of everyone's lives".  

I love Maeve Binchy's work but the last few novels haven't been as great as some of her earlier ones, but I thoroughly enjoyed Minding Frankie! It was a quick easy read-which is what I need right now!

Book Review: The Passage

Hurray!! I finally finished my first book since I had Félix (5 1/2 weeks ago can you believe it!!). I started Justin Cronin's The Passage at the end of June and finished it yesterday!!I don't think it's ever taken me that long to read a book!! I kept coming across The Passage at the bookstore, on blogs, and from amazon and chapter's recommendations so I decided to give it a go!  A mix of the movie Outbreak + vampires + army experiments + the future, The Passage was nothing like I imagined-and referring to the Cronin's virals/smokes/dracs as vampires does not do this book justice. I am looking forward to the next two novels in this trilogy-as well as the movie adaptation of The Passage!!

Sorry-not much of a description, or review for that matter,  but I'd rather at least write something rather than nothing, because I want to keep up with this blog-if only in a lackadaisical kind of way :)

Booking Through Thursday: Anticipation

Question August 4, 2011: What’s the last book you were really EXCITED to read?
And, were you excited about it in advance? Or did the excitement bloom while you were reading it?
Are there any books you’re excited about right NOW?

My answer: The last book that I was super excited to read was Jean Auel's latest Earth's Children novel The Land of Painted Caves (my review here). Although the first of theses novels was released in 1980, I came across the series a few years ago. I was so excited last year when I read that Auel would be releasing a 6th and final book in the series. I did enjoy The Land of Painted Caves, however it wasn't all that I thought that it would be-see the review.

As for right now, I am pretty excited when I have ANY time to read-but find it hard to concentrate I will be using the "blame the baby brain" excuse thank you very much!!

Does anyone have any awesome book recommendations for me?