mishmash Monday 2

No Library Loot for me this week. As much as I love using the library, I am actually very happy with myself. Am seriously trying to cut back on the number of library books I bring home, for the simple reason that they are keeping me from working through my own TBR pile. And face it, whose TBR pile doesn't need some serious attention?!! (Yeah, and if you answered, "Mine's not that bad," just keep it to yourself, would you?)

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Of course, just because there's no Library Loot, that does not mean there is no blame to be placed. A few books did somehow manage to worm their way into our home. Not sure how that happened. Oh, okay, I visited a new bookstore...some bargain outlet place. AND it was Educator's Week at Borders. And frankly, considering all that, I'd say I did well to keep my purchases to three little books.

The Sisters Grimm: Tales from the Hood by Michael Buckley. Yeah, I know I haven't read Books 2-5 yet...but I will. I loved the first one so much.









The Twits by Roald Dahl. After writing about how much the boys and I love The Witches, Carl recommended this one. I just know we're going to love it! Point for Carl!









Farewell Summer by Ray Bradbury. Ummm, yeah, it's Ray Bradbury. 'Nuff said.











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Be sure to head over to J.Kaye's to join in the fun.

I actually didn't do too bad last week...managed to finish all the books I was "determined" to finish, plus one.

Read last week:

*House of Stone by Christina Lamb
*Down to a Sunless Sea by Mathias B. Freese
*The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare
*Poverty: What If We Do Nothing? by Cath Senker
*Lives of the Artists by Kathleen Krull

Books I'm currently reading and am determined to finish this week:
*Looking for Bobowicz by Daniel Pinkwater
*The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents by Terry Pratchett
*Fax from Sarajevo by Joe Kubert

Books I'm currently reading but probably won't finish this week:
*Africa: A Biography of the Continent by John Reader
*The Scientists by John Gribbin
*The Dead and the Gone by Susan Beth Pfeffer
*Summer of the Gods by Edward J. Larson

Books I hope to start this week:

*Cat, What Is That? by Tony Johnston
*The Hoboken Chicken Emergency by Daniel Pinkwater

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Challenges joined this week:

*Once Upon a Time III













*Spring Reading Thing 2009

mishmash Monday

Hmmm...where to begin...

Many thanks to our lovely hostesses, Eva and Alessandra.










Quirkology: How We Discover the Big Truths in Small Things by Richard Wiseman.

I read about this one at the site where reviews for the Science Challenge are posted, but I can't really award a point, because I don't actually know who wrote it. Just sounds like a very fun read.





The Sandman: Season of Mists by Neil Gaiman.

Couldn't believe it was actually there. :)










...I never saw another butterfly...: Children's Drawings and Poems from Terezin Concentration Camp, 1942-1944 edited by Hana Volavkova.

I'm sure many tears will be shed reading this one.







Cat, What Is That? by Tony Johnston.

Bet you can guess why I picked this one up, huh? Yep, a read for Maxidoodle and me. Wish I could have found a bigger image of this one...the paintings are so beautiful!

I realize that's not a huge pile of library loot. Yet still I'm going to try to cut back for a while. I keep finding myself not able to read the books I'm eagerly wanting to read from my TBR shelves because I'm always feeling the pressure of "due dates" for all my library acquisitions. We'll see how it goes though...as we go to the library every week for school. And I'm not exactly known for my wealth of willpower.

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Okay, and what purchases entered my home in the previous week? The answer should have been "none" as I'd put myself on a book buying fast. But see, I also started a battle with the scale. And fighting both these battles at once was just too much for this weary old lady. So I bought a couple books...

Peeps by Scott Westerfeld.

I HATE this cover, but it was the only one they had. Anyway, after Nymeth's review, I knew it was only a matter of time. I was able to "rationalize" a bit though, saying I was sort of buying it for Rich. Sounds like one he's going to love...in fact, he started reading it last night. Point for Nymeth!




River Secrets by Shannon Hale.

Man, I really HATE this cover, too. But what are you gonna do, huh? Anyway, it seems like I waited forever for this to come out in paperback, and by the time it did, it had sort of fallen off my radar. But I saw it the other night, and I tried to resist...





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Okay, so what else is new? I already admitted that I joined Becky's It's the End of the World Challenge. Guess I should now 'fess up...I joined her Elizabeth Scott Challenge, too. Excuses: a. I have one of her books that I've really been wanting to read anyway, b. I can use these books for other challenges, and c. come on, it's Becky hosting!

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And finally, the sweet and lovely J.Kaye is now hosting It's Monday. What Are You Reading?.

Books I read last week:

*American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang
*The Sandman: Dream Country by Neil Gaiman





Books I'm currently reading and am determined to finish this week:

*House of Stone by Christina Lamb
*Down to a Sunless Sea by Mathias B. Freese
*The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare
*What If We Do Nothing? Poverty by Cath Senker

Books I'm currently reading but won't finish this week:

*Africa: A Biography of the Continent by John Reader
*The Scientists by John Gribbin
*Looking for Bobowicz by Daniel Pinkwater

Books I hope to start this week:

*Cat, What Is That? by Tony Johnston
*Lives of the Artists by Kathleen Krull
*The Dead & The Gone by Susan Beth Pfeffer
*Summer for the Gods by Edward J. Larson