Currently {April}

Listening to:
Twelve Ordinary Men by John MacArthur. In this {audio}book, the author individually explores the lives of the 12 called by Jesus as disciples. I’m less than halfway through, and already I’ve learned more than I expected.

What Are You Waiting For?

In Still Waiting: Hope for When God Doesn’t Give You What You Want: , author Ann Swindell beautifully weaves her own personal battle alongside the Biblical story of the bleeding woman in order to meet her readers in whatever season of waiting they find themselves. Swindell’s medical condition, trichotillomania, is rare enough that the reader doesn’t get caught up on the object of waiting.

Currently…

Reading…
A few weeks ago, I started and finished Lincoln’s Treasure by Chris Schultz in one afternoon. While Jay was doing yard work, I built a fire in our fire pit and settled in for the story. Part of the novel is set in Gatlinburg and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and I enjoyed reading about familiar places as the backdrop for a treasure hunting mystery.

Preview of ‘The Broken Way’

As I mentioned on Thursday, I received an advanced copy of The Broken Way by Ann Voskamp as a member of her book launch team. Today is the release day, but I haven’t finished the book in able to give it a proper review.

Currently…

Reading…

Brave Enough by Nicole Unice. I found the video series via Right Now Media, a subscription based service my church provides for all members. RNM bills itself as “Christian Netflix.”

Since Jay and I have been attended the chapel service in our subdivision, I haven’t been able to attend Sunday morning Bible study. While not the same as gathering with a group for discussion, her teaching is effective. I’m learning as well as preparing my heart for the worship service.

Sailing to Another World Via a Friend’s Couch

Where was I again? That’s right, after sleeping over at a friend’s house, I sat in her living room. Via my Kindle for Android app, I read The Sea of Monsters (Percy Jackson & the Olympians, Book 2) by Rick Riordan.

The author had so carefully crafted the story that, for a moment, I forgot everything. My immersion in the story transported me alongside Percy and friends as they battle evil in several challenges in an effort to rescue a friend and save their half-blood camp.

Until, of course, my friend’s daughter awoke and cried out into the darkness out of fear.

The feeling so well crafted by Riordan, among many other authors, compels me. I perpetually am in the middle of a book while looking for something to read when I’m done with the current title.

Recently Finished:  The Dangerous Days of Daniel X by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge

The first installment of the Daniel X series got mixed reviews on GoodReads.com but I enjoyed it. I like to keep light reading on my phone for moments when I have 5 minutes of waiting. This book fit the bill perfectly.

Currently Reading: Simply Jesus: A New Vision of Who He Was, What He Did, and Why He Matters by N.T. Wright

I wrote about this book last time as well. This volume requires some thought after reading each chapter. To fully digest it will take some time, but I enjoy books which make me think. Books which challenge (or affirm) what I believe and why can only help me grow in my faith.

On deck: ???

The current plan is to watch the Harry Potter movies up to the 7th before starting the book. At this point I’m uninterested in the characters but am committed to seeing the series through.

Otherwise I have no plans for the titles on my nightstand beyond “to read.” 

Of course for the library holds, I’ll take those as they come available to me. I’m currently using 12 of the possible 15 holds placed on a variety of titles. Hopefully they won’t all become available at the same time.

What are you reading this week? Anything I should add to my must-read list?

Books, Books, Books: A Three Things Thursday post

After focusing on what I haven’t been doing in Tuesday’s blog post, I thought I would switch it up and share something I’ve been stellar at these past few months. READING. Every year on Goodreads I set a yearly goal for myself.

In my first year of tracking (2012) I surpassed my book-a-week goal, reading 64 over 52 weeks. The next year I upped my goal to 75, and fell just 2 short. Last year started off slow, but then I picked it up and finished with a respectable 59.

This year, I set my goal at 60. By April I was over half way there (counting audiobooks). At this point, I’ve consumed 101 books, with 58 of those being actually read by me (either a print or ebook). Barring anything horribly tragic in the next couple of days, I think I’ve got this in the bag.

Currently Reading

1. I’ve been on a roll lately listening to autobiographies (in audiobook form, of course) of comedians as well as humor essay compilations. I mostly listen during my commute, or while doing mindless data entry at work. These lighthearted tales keep my mood upbeat despite the mundane.
   
   Photo credit: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25154938-neil-patrick-harris
   
   

   Neil Patrick Harris: Choose Your Own Autobiography by Neil Patrick Harris, read by Neil Patrick Harris is no exception. He had to alter the Choose-Your-Own format for the audio structure, but his team did a good job with their workarounds. Of course having him perform the books, rather than just a straight read makes it enjoyable as well.
   

2. My current fiction read (Kindle loan from my library) is Sea of Monsters – Percy Jackson & The Olympians, Book 2 by Rick Riordan. I’m only a couple of chapters in, so I can’t really speak to this particular story, but I loved the first book.
   
3. On a more serious front, I’m also reading Simply Jesus: A New Vision of Who He Was, What He Did, and Why He Matters by N.T. Wright. I try to always have a non-fiction Christian book in the stack. This is a bit weightier than I am accustom to, but I enjoy his writing style. Having never read Wright, I trust his words based off associations with others I’ve read including Scot McKnight and Timothy Keller.

What are you reading these days? Have you finished any must-reads which I need to add to my list?

FTL of Books

Since being chosen to be a part of the For the Love by Jen Hatmaker launch team, I’ve started incorporating the phrase into everyday conversation. Hence forward FTL = For the Love.

I love books.
I love the library.
I love characters and stories and new places.

I have a short attention span.
I have a 25 minute commute.

I have grown immune to music as anything more than ambient noise.

Enter my friend Kristi. 
She discovered the voodoo magic that is electronic library lending, and was gracious enough to share such wisdom with me. Thanks to her generosity, I’m a 18 books ahead of schedule for my reading goal.  

Is counting audio books cheating? I’m leaning toward yes, but they sure help pad my stats. And after last year’s dismal reading performance, I want all the help I can get!! 
 
A tutorial vlog about how to sign up and use this service would be super-cool-awesome, but given the restrictions of residing in this county, I doubt it would be helpful for my readers. Of course if you are a lurker who knows me in real life, I’d be more than happy to talk you through it.

What I’m Reading Now

I received my paperback copy of For the Love, so I’m rereading it. This round, I’m taking a chapter a day during my morning Bible study to think on the chapter.

A friend recommended Dean Koontz’s novel Lightning to me, so I requested it as an ebook. As with a regular library, there are only so many copies (or licenses in this case) to lend out. I had to wait a bit, but the book became available a couple days ago. If this is any indication of other work by Koontz, he has a new fan!

Currently Listening

I decided to take a break from the Brennan Manning kick I’ve been on lately and am currently listening to Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling. Like her work on the TV show The Office, this is a funny, fluffy book. Perfect for my drive to work, or listening to on my solo lunchtime runs (now that my training buddy is on injured reserve).

Recently Finished Titles

As evidence by the picture, Artemis Fowl is my new guilt pleasure read. While I’m slogging through book 5 of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, I flew through the first 2 books in the Artie series.

 Help a girl out! Who is your favorite author? Anything that you’ve recently found so compelling you couldn’t put it down? Or annoyed the snot outta your friends on social media thanks to your numerous quotes?

#ForTheLove – What I’m Reading Wednesday

In prepping for this blog, I thought I had done a series of posts on reading 7: a mutiny against excess by Jen Hatmaker. Apparently I have one post from 3 years ago where I quoted the book, but nothing more.

excess = picture of my junk drawer. get it? 

Fast-forward to a couple of weeks ago. Mrs. Hatmaker – okay who are we kidding, everyone who reads her stuff feels like they are her bestie and calls her Jen – put out an invitation on social media. Looking for plain Janes (my words, not hers) to preview her new book For the Love, and provide endorsements.

I’m sure I won’t be picked. ~  Doesn’t hurt to try. ~ What do I have to lose?

Then, last Monday morning I got the email. I’m in! I’m one of the 500 #chosen. Just like that, I had a link to the ebook and an invitation to the private Facebook group.

while this picture was old, i truly was asked to climb on a desk by my boss one day

Of course Monday also involved me being pulled in a billion directions. I mean they actually wanted me to work whilst at the office. #FortheLove A pile of petty little annoyances and hurts piled up in my personal life.

Don’t they know?
Have they not heard?
Leave me alone – I have a book to read!!

The book and the subsequent Facebook posts have been like balm for my soul. Is that cliche? I kinda don’t care – its the truth. I finished the ebook a few days ago.

Now I wait, highlighter in hand, for my hard copy to arrive. In one of the book’s chapters, Jen describes life as a balance beam act. In order to successful complete the routine, a gymnast must play to her strengths and know what to let go. Rereading this book and hanging out with 499 of my newest girlfriends on Facebook? Totally #OnTheBeam

Change of Pace – A What I’m Reading Wednesday post

My bookworm aunt passed a Nelson DeMille along to me. Despite the 600+ pages, I was encouraged by the smart-mouthed nature of the lead character. Had I found my new favorite author? After 200 pages, I had a good handle on the characters and setting, yet somehow I wasn’t drawn to the book. As with earlier in the year, the absence of a plot was a glaring omission in this book.

What’s a girl in a reading slump to do? Head to the library of course!!! I picked up several books in the adult section, but ended up walking out the one pictured above.

With talks of A Wrinkle in Time movie making their rounds, I decided to check out a middle school favorite. Its been years since I read the book. I couldn’t find it, but instead picked up a few other classics.

I know nothing about my final two selections. As I was wandering the stacks, the titles jumped out at me. I’m excited to see what they are like. At the very least they are guaranteed to be quick/easy reads!

What do you have holding your bookmark these days??