Is it over yet?
Considering that I took a sick day and slept most of the afternoon, yesterday was endless. I had every intention of going to work but my stomach was upset and I just felt lousy. I planned on taking it easy, which was happening. And then the fire alarm went off. At first I thought it was one of my smoke detectors. Then I realized it was the main building alarm. I wasn't dressed. It turns out that one of the unit owners got a guy with a leaf blower to blow the dust out of the garage. The amount of dust was so great it tripped the fire alarm. She's an idiot and I am going to bill her for my car wash. We were out there for a good half hour. At least I got some color.
I couldn't wait to get back inside, though. My stomach was not happy.
So instead, I read. And read. And read. I also did another productive item - I'm coordinating a part of a contest for the UT Romance Writers. I'm in charge of the paranormal category for the HOW contest. Yesterday, I got all the packets out to the judges. I'm also judging this contest in another category. I need to start reading those this weekend.
As for books, I read some good ones:
Book #65, Secrets by Jude Deveraux. She's a hit or miss author with me and I don't read her regularly anymore. But my mother had recommended this so I got it. It's light and fluffy and the heroine has a couple of too-stupid-to-live moments, but I loved it. Cassie has been in love with Jefferson Ames since she first met him. She was a child and he was the security chief of whatever conference her high-powered mother was attending. He may have been 12 years older but she didn't care. In fact, she spent most of her life keeping track of him and managed to insinuate herself into his life by becoming his daughter's nanny. But things are not what they appear and everyone has secrets. Jeff has kept track of Cassie also but keeps her at a distance. It's only when she walks out that he realizes what he's lost, but getting her back is going to mean revealing secrets that he hid even from his wife. Secrets that got her killed. This book is filled with characters, real characters. Because no one is exactly what they seem. It's a feel good book without the tearjerker aspect. 4 stars.
Book #66, Fruits Basket #20 by Natsuki Takaya. I can't believe there are only 3 more volumes left. I found out at ALA that there are only 23 volumes in the series. I will miss it. This volume takes us interesting places but I felt like I was missing things. There was a lot about Akito but as more people look alike, it's harder to figure out who is who. But at least Tohru and Kyo are coming closer to declaring themselves. Overall, it's a super series. 3 stars.
Book #67, Knuffle Bunny and Knuffle Bunny Too by Mo Willems. I probably shouldn't count these as a book since they are picture books but I'm going to try to do some of them in batches. Willems was an Emmy award winning Sesame Street writer before turning his attention to children's books. These two books are illustrations on top of photographs which is very cool. Knuffle Bunny is about baby Trixie who takes the bunny everywhere before losing in the wash at the laundromat. The sequel is about Trixie taking Knuffle Bunny in to pre-school for show and tell only to discover that another girl has one also. And then the bunnies get switched. I thought it was hilarious. Both are Caldecott Honor books and I can see why. 4 stars and 5 stars respectively.
Book club was last night. There were only 4 of us, but the other 3 are my favorite people in the group, so I didn't mind that it was small. Plus we were at Cayenne's so I got to hold the baby. He's gotten even cuter if that's possible. We even talked about the book. We tended to feel the same way about Into the Wild, which was that the premise was great but it didn't live up to its promise. I think I will take the sequel out of the library when it comes out, however. It's a new author and she may well improve the story during the sequel.
Tonight I see Micah. Can't wait, sort of. I need to get back on track with the exercise. I've been lax because I've been away but I don't have the stamina that I want because ALA was exhausting. On the other hand, it was probably easier this year than in prior years, I just forget. But I am looking forward to growing ever stronger!
I couldn't wait to get back inside, though. My stomach was not happy.
So instead, I read. And read. And read. I also did another productive item - I'm coordinating a part of a contest for the UT Romance Writers. I'm in charge of the paranormal category for the HOW contest. Yesterday, I got all the packets out to the judges. I'm also judging this contest in another category. I need to start reading those this weekend.
As for books, I read some good ones:
Book #65, Secrets by Jude Deveraux. She's a hit or miss author with me and I don't read her regularly anymore. But my mother had recommended this so I got it. It's light and fluffy and the heroine has a couple of too-stupid-to-live moments, but I loved it. Cassie has been in love with Jefferson Ames since she first met him. She was a child and he was the security chief of whatever conference her high-powered mother was attending. He may have been 12 years older but she didn't care. In fact, she spent most of her life keeping track of him and managed to insinuate herself into his life by becoming his daughter's nanny. But things are not what they appear and everyone has secrets. Jeff has kept track of Cassie also but keeps her at a distance. It's only when she walks out that he realizes what he's lost, but getting her back is going to mean revealing secrets that he hid even from his wife. Secrets that got her killed. This book is filled with characters, real characters. Because no one is exactly what they seem. It's a feel good book without the tearjerker aspect. 4 stars.
Book #66, Fruits Basket #20 by Natsuki Takaya. I can't believe there are only 3 more volumes left. I found out at ALA that there are only 23 volumes in the series. I will miss it. This volume takes us interesting places but I felt like I was missing things. There was a lot about Akito but as more people look alike, it's harder to figure out who is who. But at least Tohru and Kyo are coming closer to declaring themselves. Overall, it's a super series. 3 stars.
Book #67, Knuffle Bunny and Knuffle Bunny Too by Mo Willems. I probably shouldn't count these as a book since they are picture books but I'm going to try to do some of them in batches. Willems was an Emmy award winning Sesame Street writer before turning his attention to children's books. These two books are illustrations on top of photographs which is very cool. Knuffle Bunny is about baby Trixie who takes the bunny everywhere before losing in the wash at the laundromat. The sequel is about Trixie taking Knuffle Bunny in to pre-school for show and tell only to discover that another girl has one also. And then the bunnies get switched. I thought it was hilarious. Both are Caldecott Honor books and I can see why. 4 stars and 5 stars respectively.
Book club was last night. There were only 4 of us, but the other 3 are my favorite people in the group, so I didn't mind that it was small. Plus we were at Cayenne's so I got to hold the baby. He's gotten even cuter if that's possible. We even talked about the book. We tended to feel the same way about Into the Wild, which was that the premise was great but it didn't live up to its promise. I think I will take the sequel out of the library when it comes out, however. It's a new author and she may well improve the story during the sequel.
Tonight I see Micah. Can't wait, sort of. I need to get back on track with the exercise. I've been lax because I've been away but I don't have the stamina that I want because ALA was exhausting. On the other hand, it was probably easier this year than in prior years, I just forget. But I am looking forward to growing ever stronger!