The Sunday Salon

And now a bunch of useless information you never wanted to know about me. ;-)

Outside my window: It's been raining off and all week and I absolutely adore summer thunder storms. One night I just turned off all the lights and sat with my cat by the open window and enjoyed the storm.

I am listening to: I downloaded a new song!!! OK, I'm a bit obsessive about having something new to listen to.

I am watching: I went and saw Super 8 on the 4th and it was awesome! I love movies that have you at the edge of your seat in suspense and then make you laugh right in the middle of it!

I am thinking: My families reunion is this weekend and I'm in charge (eeek!)  I just hope the whole thing goes OK.

I am grateful for: AC, I truly am!

I am reading: Divergent and am still working on Middlemarch. I finally put my foot down and am working on reading 50 pages a day of Middlemarch. 

I am photographing: I went to  the gardens at Thanksgiving Point this week with my sister and her two boys and took some ridiculous picture. I'll share a few. If you live in Utah and have never been to this garden you should go. And if you're ever in Utah, you should go. It's so pretty!

My nephew William

My nephew James

Lilly pads in the koi pond. My favorite!

My sister being tragic

Me being tragic

William and me. And isn't it pretty?!

William and me grinning cheesy grins inside a caterpillar.

I am listing: A to-do list for the reunion this weekend. Argh! Can you say stressed out?!  

I am creating: Hmmm, nothing much.

Around the house: I had to take drastic measures but I've got the ants sort of under control and I've only seen one earwig in the house this week, so, that's something.

From the kitchen: I have a new recipe I want to try out but it's probably not going to happen until next week.

One of my favorite things: The above mentioned summer thunder storms. LOVE em!

The children this week: No kids, just my cat Buns and I'm praying she does OK while I'm gone this next weekend. Sigh! She tends to get very lonely and then mad and do naughty things when I leave her for too long.

Plans for the week: Get ready for, and go to the reunion. Wish me luck!




Thanks to Ibeeeg of Polishing Mud Balls for the inspiration for this post's layout.

Shelving Saturday

Shelving Saturday is a fun new meme hosted by Eastern Sunset Reads that deals with, you guessed it, our shelving dilemmas.  It's a fun way to see and hear about other bloggers book shelves that I personally love! 

So, Ang from Eastern Sunset reads didn't post a Shelving Saturday this week but I worked so hard last weekend reorganizing my shelves that I had to post. And I thought I'd still give her the credit cause she is the one who inspired me. Thanks, Ang.

I spent 4 long hours last Sunday and after all that work I kept thinking, Gee, the only thing that was fun about that was seeing how many books I have in each genre. Sigh, oh well, at least there's some semblance of organization now. I decided on genre and then author as my organization method so here are the pics. Just so you know, though, I own 501 books and haven't read 255 (I think) of them so, if some books are in the wrong genre it's because I guessed where they should go based on synopsis. Once I read them I might switch where they go. If you click on each picture you can see it bigger and better.  And, yeah, I'm a crappy picture taker. But in my defense, I hadn't eaten for 6 hours and was tired of lugging big piles of books all over!

Middlegrade and signed books

 

Writing books and Religious books and a tiny little Non-Fiction/Memoir section

Classics, Political thrillers, and Adult Mysteries

Adult Urban Fantas, a few Jane Austen knockoffs, and Adult Paranormal/Horror

Adult Fantasy, Adult Contemporary and yeah, some YA Fantasy had to go on the bottom there

YA Supernatural/Paranormal

More YA Paranormal, Steampunk and a tiny section of Fairytale re-tellings and a few more Non Fiction. I was getting desperate at this point.

YA Contemporary and YA Fantasy

YA Dystopian

So there you have it. And, yeah, I need a bigger better bookshelf. Sigh! So, what do you think? Do I have stuff in the right Genre? Have I encouraged you to organize your shelves or just scared you off?

Follow Friday!

Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee's. It's a fun way to get to know other bloggers. Today's question:

Q. Let's step away from besties...What is the worst book that you've ever read and actually finished? 

 I just had to join today for this question. I loathe and will NEVER read again Jane Eyre.

  Now, before you get out your torches and pitchforks let me explain. No book has ever made me so furious before. I hated it before I read it! I hate Rochester! I hate Jane's gullibleness and the whole story just drives me insane!

1 Really, really?! Jane would fall in love with, arrogant, selfish, lying, bossy, deceiving Rochester? Yeah, talk about daddy issues! 

2 He was NOT forced to marry his "crazy" wife! He fell for her pretty face, married her for looks, and got what he deserved! 

3 I'd go crazy too if my husband locked me in the attic and never let me out and then started flirting with, and engaging himself to, some homely governess!  I'd do worse than burn the house down!

4 After all that! Jane decides, oh well, so what, I guess I'll go back and marry the poor sop after all! 

I could go on and on! If you want to get into a big argument...er...heated discussion about this one just let me know!

Review: Back When You Were Easier To Love

Title Back When You Were Easier To Love
By Emily Wing Smith
For Fun
Source I own it





Synopsis
It's hard enough living in Haven but now that Zan's gone Joy is finding life unbearable and it doesn't help that Noah, won't leave her alone. To "get closure" or get Zan back Joy embarks on a road trip to find Zan, too bad Noah's coming along too. 

General thoughts
First off, and I only mention this because it surprised me, this is LDS (Morman) fiction. I couldn't help but wonder if all the religious references, no matter how well they were explained, would make sense to a non LDS person. That aside, this is not a story about religion, per say, but about the pain of a confusing breakup and about the things we all obsess about. By the time Noah and Joy were on their road trip, all the previous questions and annoyances I had about Joy's obsessive behavior were swept away. I began to really enjoy the book and couldn't put it down. My favorite thing about this one was the gradual growth of the characters and the realistic relationship that grew between Noah and Joy. I closed it with a huge smile on my face and it wasn't till hours later that I woke up in the night thinking, "Hey! They didn't even kiss!" I love books that leave you so satisfied you don't even miss something you usually have to have!  

Characters 
Joy's obsessive behavior was understandable but the mopyness was driving me crazy! I tend to get mad not sad so the boo hoo attitude made Joy a little annoying to me.  Noah was written to be seemingly annoying at first and then, as gradually as Joy starts feeling for him, the reader does too. He wasn't some unbelievably perfect guy like most that litter most YA these days and I loved that. He had a temper, had his weird quirks and I loved him for it. ?Mattia? Um, I think that was her name, bugged the hell out of me! She was so know-it-all! Gah! Gretal was the best friend for good reason, she was much more understanding and kind to Joy and isn't that what best friends should be? Zan? Yeah, he was a real jerk! And I don't feel bad about saying it!

Would I recommend it?
Yes, I would. If you aren't LDS I'm not completely sure you'll get some of the references but please don't let that stop you. It's not a religious book that's trying to convert you its a sweet story that you won't want to miss.

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting On Wednesday, is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine and asks the question, "What are books are you anxiously waiting on?" 

(from Goodreads) Not so very long ago, Eragon Shadeslayer, Dragon Rider, was nothing more than a poor farm boy, and his dragon, Saphira, only a blue stone in the forest. Now the fate of an entire civilization rests on their shoulders.
Long months of training and battle have brought victories and hope, but they have also brought heartbreaking loss. And still, the real battle lies ahead: they must confront Galbatorix. When they do, they will have to be strong enough to defeat him. And if they cannot, no one can. There will be no second chances.
The Rider and his dragon have come further than anyone dared to hope. But can they topple the evil king and restore justice to Alagaësia? And if so, at what cost?
This is the much-anticipated, astonishing conclusion to the worldwide bestselling Inheritance cycle.

 Hardcover, 800 pages

Expected publication: November 8th 2011 by Random House

I'm so excited for this one! I've been waiting forever! Ever since I picked up a copy of Eragon at my nephews house and got sucked in, I've been anxiously waiting for each one to be released and eagerly reading them at breakneck speeds. While I will admit the third was a little slower than the rest, I still love these rich descriptive books! I love Eragon and Saphira's relationship and can't wait to see if they make it through alive. I want to know what will become of Murtagh and Arya and Nasuada, not to mention Elva. I'm SO excited I'll be setting aside all my other books come October and re-reading the first three so I remember all the tiny nuances and details. Yeah, I'll shut up now. I'm just super thrilled  it's finally coming.