I was hoping for a fresh start on this Monday morning, but I still I am still in bad shape. I've been down and out for a couple of weeks now, and last week was the worst. I think I was exposed to a virus (probably the cold my son had a few weeks ago!) that triggered a severe flare-up of my immune disorder that has now developed into bronchitis. I was feeling a bit better yesterday after a few days on antibiotics, but I probably did too much and woke up today feeling totally wiped out again. So, I am resting (again) and trying to recover (still).
I was so bad last week that I couldn't manage a single review, but I did accomplish one thing: I started a Facebook page for Book By Book! Check it out, click "Like", and you'll get updates on new reviews and blog posts, the chance to interact with other book lovers, and plenty of reading fun! I have lots of ideas for fun, interactive features using this page.
The only good thing about being so sick is having an excuse to read a lot:
- I finished my first book for Dangerous Reads Month, Unbroken by Paula Morris, a teen/YA ghost story set in New Orleans and sequel to Ruined. I enjoyed both books very much, and Unbroken set the perfect spooky mood for this month!
- A kind neighbor went to the library for me so that I could begin our book group selection for this week, City of Women by David Gillham. I chose this one, and I am loving it so far! It's about women in Berlin during World War II, when most of the men were off fighting the war. Lots of twists and turns; I am totally engrossed in the characters and the story. My husband told me last night to stop talking to the book because the characters never listen to me!
- I am listening to a teen/YA post-apocalyptic novel on audio, In the After by Demitria Lunetta. This is another engrossing story and another one for Dangerous Reads Month, with a teen girl trying to survive and take care of a toddler after human-eating aliens attack the earth.
- My husband, Ken, is reading NOS4A2 by Joe Hill, a gift from the kids and I for Father's Day. He says it is very Stephen King-like so far (Hill is King's son). I've heard this one is super creepy, so it is a perfect choice for Dangerous Reads Month!
- Jamie, 19, was home from college yesterday for a few hours and said he'd finally had time to finish the book he was reading when he started school in August! He's been sick a bit lately, too, so he also had some reading/resting time this week. He finished Luck in the Shadows by Lynn Flewelling, book 1 of The Nightrunner series.
- Now, Jamie is reading Shadows Edge by Brent Weeks, book 2 of the Night Angel trilogy that he started this summer while we were on vacation.
- Craig, 15, is still reading Beowulf for his British Lit class.
October is Dangerous Reads Month!
Book By Book Now on Facebook
What are you and your family reading this week?
(What are you reading Monday is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey, with a kid/teen version hosted by Unleashing Readers.)
6 comments:
You have done wonderful reading. I have read nothing for months now!
Here is my post
I don't like scary, generally. I did read a murder story though. It was a little creepy. The Light in the Ruins by Chris Bohjalian. Have you read any Bohjalian? I think I'll read more of him.
Sorry to hear that you haven't been feeling well. My clerk has been out of the library for three weeks and I just learned that she had been misdiagnosed, she really has spinal meningitis and only recently started treatments. Lucky she is alive. There are some very serious bugs out there. You take care!
I LIKED your new Facebook page. Let me know if it increases traffic on your blog. I was reading another blog post from someone and they were lamenting how traffic has really trailed off and comments have gone way down, too. I think people get fatigued of too much technology. At this point I want to keep going with my blog, if for no one but myself and my few friends that are loyal readers but it does get frustrating when it seems like all the work of writing, reviewing, researching is for naught.
Hope this week shapes up better for you.
Heidi -
Bohjalian is great for creepy reads! Though he always has some excellent historical fiction, too. I haven;t read The Light in the Ruins but last Halloween I read his The NIght Strangers - very creepy! I think one of his best is Double Bind - not scary so much but there's an excellent twist in the story at one point.
Sue
Thanks, Anne -
Wow, that's scary about your clerk.
Yes, I've noticed the same about blog traffic and comments. In thinking about it, I realized that I don't have enough time to visit many blogs anymore either, and I thought that a lot of people might be logged onto Facebook more now. I figured if people could get blog updates right from Facebook, it might help keep them connected to my blog. So, I am trying it with both Book By Book and my chronic illness blog to see if it helps. I;ve already had several people say on Facebook that they couldn;t figure out how to comment on the blog so they look forward to more interaction on the Facebook page.
Sue
I love that reading is a family affair. Trying to get soon to be an 11 year old into reading. She is reading Haddix right now, "Among the Hidden." Here is my info.
Mary-andering Creatively
Mary-andering Among the Pages
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