Saturday, March 17, 2007

Thoughts on my current reading

I was much more realistic about my reading plan this time. I have a mixture of deeper nonfiction as well as lighter novels. I just finished The Thirteenth Tale (as I reviewed earlier this week) and I'm starting on a cozy mystery to lighten up my brain, Chopping Spree by Diane Mott Davidson. I had never heard of the genre of "cozy mystery" before I read the Tea Shop Mysteries by Laura Childs (which I absolutely adore).

If you have never read any of them, drop everything and immediately go to Amazon (or your local bookseller) and purchase one...pay full price if you have to...most of them are in paperback. She writes a series about a scrapbooking shop, too. However most people I know who have read both believe the Tea Shop Mysteries are far better. She is a gifted writer and the people and places in her Tea Shop are delightful.

So, how can I have Witness by Chambers on my list and a Diane Mott Davidson mystery? If you look where I've listed them on my sidebar, you'll also see some gardening and decorating books, too. Because that is what life is about. It's a balance between learning and doing, culture and working in the dirt, doing dishes and writing books (or blogs in this case).

God is in every detail, whether I am having a solitary tea while reading or preparing homemade soup for my family as I did today (for the weather has turned cold once again). My reading should reflect this.

The mistake I made for the Winter Challenge was putting too many heavier books, those taking more time to read and ponder, and not enough of the lighter that I need once in awhile. I'm afraid I completely forgot about writing a post about what books I finished and which went by the wayside. A few will be coming back in a future Challenge, those I started and didn't have time to finish.

For instance, Nancy Pearcey's book called A Total Truth was truly wonderful but I couldn't finish it before it had to be returned to the library. It is going to have to become a permanent member of my home library! I had to set aside three of the historical fiction novels, only because I ran out of time. They will also return on a future Challenge.

I'm doing much better this time around. Many thanks to Seasonal Soundings for hosting the Challenge!

3 comments:

Heather Anne said...

I've just figured out why I can never participate in these reading challenges - I'm too impatient! If I buy a book or am given one, I read it right away - even if I have to stay up late! I 'devour' books, much to my husband's chagrin. I never plan in advance what to read, I just go to my shelves or his and pick whatever suits my mood. Terrible habits I'm sure and far too random! If I could plan I'd be a more well rounded reader, but I'm just too impulsive in this area of my life!


On another note, I've been meanng to ask you what you clean with, considering your husbands allergies. You mentioned choosing a certain scent and the joy it brought in a recent post, but I wondered what brand/product line agrees with his sensitivities. Our Dreamer has a terrible time with cleaners unless they are mildly scented and natural. We use a lot of peroxide, vinegar, baking soda, rubbing alcohol etc. mixtures that I put together to help with this problem. I love the Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day products but they are a bit strongly scented for her asthma. I make my own carpet fresh with soda and essential oils because all of the synthetic scents send her peak flows spiriling. Thanks!

Janie said...

Brenda, I love to read your reading thoughts! I am finding that I need to continue to work on adapting my reading list to accommodate this new working life.
Janie

Brenda@CoffeeTeaBooks said...

Heather, I'll do a post this week about what cleaning supplies I use.

Well, when I buy a very interesting looking book, I often can't put it aside. So you'll find my reading lists has some extras in it at the end of the season!

I do purchase a lot of books used at booksales and such, those are often the books that go on the shelf to be read later.

I remember what it was like to work outside the home and find time to read. It isn't that I read a lot in the daytime but I'm able to do the work then that would take up my reading time at night otherwise.