Willowsmom's double 75 in 2010 challenge

Okay, two goals: 75 "me" books this year, and 75 books read to Willow this year, as well. And in both cases, a book doesn't count I actually FINISH it...which will most likely be a problem for both of us! Willow is just as squiggly as I am when it comes to reading something she doesn't want to (if we could just read That's not my Bunny... 75 times, she'd be all set).

In both cases, our starting date is Jan 1 on the dot. Now I just need to line myself up with something spiffy to start off with...

January Totals: 16 me, 10 Willow.
February Totals: 20 me, 8 Willow.
March Totals: 9 me, 7 Willow.
April Totals: 14 me, 3 Willow.

Oooh - how old is Willow? I may want to keep an eye on this - I have a 1 year old and nearly 3-year-old niece and I'm always on the lookout for cute book ideas they don't have!

Willow is currently 9 1/2 months...you can see a semi-current pic in my profile. Her current fave, which I definitely recommend if your 1 year old likes interactive books, is Dear Zoo. Sooo awesome!

One of my 1010 Challenge categories is for books I read to my boys (2 years and 2 months). I'll be back to see what you guys get through!

Welcome to Willow and her mom!

Welcome to the group!

Thanks for the welcome!

I've been mumbling to myself for the last few days over Willow's half of this challenge...is it too hard? too easy? something I'll finish in two months and then lose interest in? I admit this problem arises from the fact that she's 9 months old, and so her books are going to be mostly picture books because of her attention span (we are currently reading D'Aulaire's book of Greek Myths, but that only represents a small minority of our reading). So I did the math...if I read two new books to her every week, leaving the other days for repetition (this would represent 15-20 reads of the book, if it's in favor), that's 96 books. Which is alot! That's not including all the books we own and would be rereading in addition all week long.

So...argh. I'm a little on the fence about this...I had also considered changing it to 75 authors, with at least two books read per author. That would more than double the actual number of books we were reading. But while this is a challenge, and in order to keep my interest it has to actually be CHALLENGING, I also want Willow to be enjoying this experience. Oftentimes, she completely pouts when I'm reading 'new' book until the third or fourth read, when she starts to recognize it. So if I'm only reading each book once or twice...well, let the pouting commence.

Speaking of, the cheerio ticker tape highchair parade has begun, so I need to shelve this. Still thinking...anyone have any suggestions/comments?

In our household we have two different reading times. We read childrens books to the kids all day long (whenever they bring them to us, really, which is frequent), and at bed time I read a chapter or so of a novel. So Brooks gets the same books he loves all day long, and something new at night. He may not understand the novels, but I'm hoping it will become a familiar spark when he starts reading for himself and help encourage him to read. Brooks is 23 months now, and we've followed this reading pattern since birth. He sits very calmly during his bedtime reading, and loves to help me turn the pages.

My daughter is 7 so it's a totally different experience that a 9month old. We always pick up books for her to read, books for me to read, and books to read together. We try to read at least a chapter a day (although I won't push it if she's uninterested for the night) of our book together, and she read at least one a night on her own. This way she can read the same book over and over and over on her own if she prefers, but I still have a chance to show her something new (and broaden her vocabulary) when we read together.

such a cool idea, i might take it and run with it for my daughters. Of course my oldest daughter would be at 75 in a week. She loves to read, and could spend hours just reading and reading. Something I am very glad that she does.

Thanks for the input, Luxx--I think I might try reading a few of my favorites with her, just to see how it goes. I admit that I've been sticking with board books because I enjoy allowing her to fully appreciate the book while we read with all her senses, taste included :). Did Brooks ever go thru a stage where he wanted to do this with the flimsier books? What did you do?

My hope is to help her grow up to be someone who appreciates the simple enjoyment of curling up with a good book...so thanks for the perspective from someone who has an older child too, jasmyn9 and irunsjh!

We've always kept a large stack of board books with his toys so he has access at all times, but I keep books with paper pages on a higher shelf. He did used to try to chew on all books, but after a lot of swapping ("No, you can't chew on that one, but you can chew on this one") he finally started leaving them alone. The bigger trick was teaching him not to go on our shelves (a 20-foot wall in our living room), but he eventually got that as well.

He started "reading" books with paper pages when he was about 18 mos, and is now fairly gentle with other books. He likes to flip through my husband's art books, which I think is adorable.

Does Willow like the Touchy Feely books? Brooks' favorites are That's not My Monster and That's Not My Dinosaur.

>Does Willow like the Touchy Feely books?

Oh yeah. Her personal favorite is the girly version of that series, That's not my Bunny... but I wish we had That's not my Monster, too! Darn my parents for buying her only the girly version :).

Hehehe. We also have That's Not My Pirate and That's Not My Bear. I really want to get him That's Not My Fairy...

My January:
1. The Bloody Chamber, Angela Carter (Msg 17)
2. Nightschool, Vol. 1, Svetlana Chmakova (Msg 18)
3. Uncanny X-Men: First Class - Hated and Feared (Msg 19)
4. Cybele's Secret, Juliet Marillier (Msg 22)
5. Handmade Home, Amanda Blake Soule (Msg 24)
Abandoned: Fallen, Lauren Kate (Msg 31)
6. Outlander, Diana Gabaldon (Msg 34)
7. Cake Wrecks, Jen Yates (Msg 38)
8. The Mammoth Book of Time Travel Romance, ed. Tricia Telep (Msg 42)
9. If You Desire, Kresley Cole (Msg 43)
10. If You Deceive, Kresley Cole (Msg 43)
11. Peter and Max: A Fables Novel, Bill Willingham (Msg 44)
12. Organic Crops in Pots, Deborah Schneebeli-Morrell (Msg 48)
13. Flora Segunda, Ysabeau S. Wilce (Msg 48)
14. The Year of The Flood, Margaret Atwood (Msg 51)
15. Calamity Jack, Shannon Hale (Msg 54)
16. Playing With Fire: Tales of an Extraordinary Girl, Gena Showalter (Msg 54)

Willow's January:
* Catwings, Catwings Return, Wonderful Alexander and the Catwings, Ursula K. Le Guin (Msg 16)
1. Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type, Doreen Cronin (Msg 21)
2. Hey! Wake Up!, Sandra Boynton (Msg 21)
3. Jamberry, Bruce Degen (Msg 29)
4. The Illustrated Book of Fairy Tales, Neil Philip (Msg 34)
5. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, Bill Martin Jr. (Msg 42)
6. Happy Hector, Polly Dunbar (Msg 47)
7. New Adventures of Curious George, H.A. and Margret Rey (Msg 47)
8. Jane On Her Own, Ursula K. Le Guin (Msg 47)
9. Momma, Will You? Dori Chaconas (Msg 51)
10. While The World is Sleeping, Pamela Duncan Edwards (Msg 54)

Catwings, Catwings Return, Wonderful Alexander and the Catwings, by Ursula K. Le Guin:

Technically, we read these between Christmas and December 30, so I'm not counting them (hee), but I wanted to record them regardless. This is a series that I loved when I was little--it has the perfect combo of cats, flying, and 'children' venturing out on their own a la The Boxcar Children (another fave). Each book is short, under 50 pages, and their are full color drawings throughout which definitely add to the charm for Willow. I loved reading them now as much as I did then...there's not much action, but this book is overflowing with imagination and creativity. I mean, cats. With WINGS. Who escape the big city, end up on a farm, and befriend (sigh) two cute little kids (in the first book), return home to rescue their littlest sister (second book), and have adventures with a perfectly ordiniary cat with an extraordinary personality (third book). Loved it!

Me #1: The Bloody Chamber, by Angela Carter

This was an excellent pick from my SantaThing! I love fairy tale adaptations, and this collection of stories were some of the best I've read. Most decidedly adult, though: the author has a very lavicious and bawdy tone at times. I found myself snickering often :). My personal favorite was The Courtship of Mr Lyon, which is not too surprising as I love Beauty and the Beast retellings. My one quibble: this is a book that I wish I had read before Willow was born! The rich, innuendo and wit laced writing really deserves one's full attention--and this is something which I can very rarely give these days. I was a little exasperated, as I WANTED to have more time to really savor certain phrases and richly detailed scenes, but only rarely was able to. This is one which I will certainly be returning to again this year.

Me #2: Nightschool, Vol. 1, by Svetlana Chmakova

Quick manga read, awesome premise: from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., 'Nightschool' is held at the local high school, complete with classes, teachers (including a smarmy vampire, hee), cliques, and a 'night principal'. The action is split into three main storylines, following the school's 'night keeper', her younger sister who is homeschooled along with her cookie-loving astral projection, and a group of hunters-in-training (of the Buffy version, natch). Me likey.

Me #3: Uncanny X-Men: First Class - Hated and Feared

I really enjoy the X-Men: First Class series; I find the writing much more interesting, and I love the 'weightiness' of the female figures. Drives me nuts when Storm and Phoenix are willowy little waifs :p. Also, funniest scene EVER: Wolverine is fighting off zombie clowns of Budapest ("We will...juggle...your brains...). Snort. In addition, there is an excellent story arc with the Nightcrawler and the Inhumans that was visually stunning. If you like the lighter side of the X-Men, highly recommended.

Great start to your reading year, Jasmine! Congratulations.

Willow#1: Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type, by Doreen Cronin

Farmer Brown has a problem: his cows have absconded with his typewriter, and are demanding electric blankets for the chilly barn via letters left on the barn doors. This is a re-read for us; I've gotten this for Willow several times she loves it so much. There is a repetition of Click clack moo, Click clack moo, Clickety clack moo throughout the story which Willow really gets into, especially since I can put a very heavy and loud emphasis on the 'ck' and 'oo' sounds. I love the silly plot and unexpectedness of this story--so even on it's tenth (or fiftieth) re-read, I still enjoy it too. Cronin has written an entire series with Farmer Brown and his feisty animals, but this, the original, is still best in my opinion.

Willow#2: Hey! Wake Up!, by Sandra Boynton

This is a great book for me in lieu of coffee :). It's a quick read, but the caffeine-infused perkiness of the writing sticks with me. I can definitely identify with the bleary-eyed parents shuffling off to shimmy shimmy shimmy themselves awake, and Willow loves all the colorful animal drawings (on a side note: all 4 animal parents in one giant bed together makes me giggle every time). And yes, I do shout out loud "GOOD MORNING, SUN! HAPPY MORNING, EVERYONE!"...

Me #4: Cybele's Secret, by Juliet Marillier

This is a companion novel to Wildwood Dancing, an adaptation of the story of the 12 dancing princesses. This story is set almost in it's entirety in Istanbul, and deals with the adventures of Paula, one of the youngest sisters from Wildwood Dancing. Paula travels to Istanbul to aid her father in the acquisition of a fabled artifact from an extinct religion which worshiped the goddess Cybele.

I love, love, love Juliet Marillier: her reinvention of classic fables and tales, the depth of her knowledge of Irish, Celtic, and (now) Muslim cultures, and the vibrancy with which she paints her characters and settings. Marillier writes the types of characters that stay with me when I'm not reading; I found myself thinking of Paula on and off since I started this novel. I devoured this novel, in as close to one sitting as I can manage these days. Although the setting was very different from what I normally associate with her tales, I found the vibrancy of Marillier's Istanbul--especially though Paula's eyes as she is exposed to Muslim culture for the first time--fascinating. It's a very touching love story, as well...while perhaps not as strong as Wildwood Dancing or Daughter of the Forest, it brought me a smile and the sense of zen that comes from finishing a great story.

I read Wildwood Dancing last year and enjoyed it. I will have to track down the others in the series. Thanks for the reminder!

Me #5: Handmade Home, by Amanda Blake Soule

I've been on a sewing/crafting/repurposing kick lately...especially after successfully managing to make Willow an awesome hand sewn stuffed cat doll for Christmas. I kindof see it as the natural evolution of my pregnancy nesting :). This book is amazingly inspirational--lots of neat ideas, but those are, to be honest, a dime a dozen. The real value of this book lies in the author's introductions and sidebars to each section. She sees thrifting, crafting, and repurposing as a way to connect with her children, her family, and the world around her--the entire book just feels very heartfelt and honest. I appreciate the tone of this book...definitely makes me want to bite the bullet, buy a sewing machine, and start crafting! (In the meantime, I'm thinking I might have just enough time to hand stitch a birthday banner for Willow. Yay inspiration!)

If I had the disposable income, and hasn't resolved to not buy any books this year, I would totally go get this book tomorrow.

Oh I am so glad I found your thread! I have two daughters (2 1/2 and 7 months), so I love to hear how other moms and dads are including reading in their routines and what they read. My girls love That's Not My Snowman - I hadn't heard of the others! I like the idea of trying to read some longer chapter books to my older girl, but am not sure which one I'll try first. She's a bit sensitive to "scary" right now.

I'd highly recommend the Catwings series, if your daughter likes cats. I talked about it above, in (Msg 16). They're short chapter books with great color pictures throughout and a very cute story line. Also, have you ever looked at The Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease? There are some great idea in there for read alouds to any age.

I kindof see it as the natural evolution of my pregnancy nesting

You know, I never thought of it that way, but this statement is so true. Once my oldest hit six months or so I returned to sewing with renewed fervor, and most of it was for him. To this day I love to make pajamas for the boys - so fun.

Do you have a photo of the cat? I'd love to see it!

Willow won't put her down during the day...hence lunch a la Miss Skittles (yup, that's her name--I think it's her crazy eyes that sealed the deal). She does, in fact, have clothing...but I've found that she's much easier to clean after lunch than her skirt is, so she dines nekkid. We're scandalous around here.


(Luxx, my husband just rolled his eyes at me when I told him that I now want to try making Willow pjs! Between my list of things to read and my list of things to make this year, I may have trouble squeezing in much sleep...)

Willow #3: Jamberry, by Bruce Degen

This was a find from the Savannah Children's Book Festival this year; one of those books that I'd heard of, but never laid eyes on before. Well...one look was all it took! This book has some of the most amazingly vibrant, inventive, original, and mouthwatering pictures I've ever seen. Willow loves to look at the pictures now, and I can only imagine that as she gets older we'll spend lots of time talking about all the different berries, food disguised as plants (waffle lilies surrounded by pats of butter...jam roll flowers decorating a strawberry jam skating rink), and silly animals (elephants skating on said jam). The nonsensical language is also great--this is an excellent example of a book that you just MUST sing and dance to as you read it. As silly as it is, the language is also very smart: I appreciate the plays on word combinations, and certain parts are definitely a tongue twister to read. This is a book that, while short in length, will certainly be long in usage...we will be reading, experiencing, and playing with this book for years.

Shoot, go for the mommy-jams - eye rolling be damned! I used to make Brooks a ton of sleep sacks in different weights, and then switched to Simplicity 5874 (super easy footed-pajamas).

And naked lunch sounds just fine to me!

Abandoned (me): Fallen, by Lauren Kate

Ugh. I forced myself to read the first 200 pages of this one, and then gratefully moved on. I should have gone with my gut: the synopsis made this book sound a bit too stereotyped for me--loner girl, new strange school, handsome and alluring yet mysteriously aloof boy, a forbidden love, controversy and sudden revelations, blah blah blah. The author had to work just a liiiiiiiittle too hard to repeatedly bash the reader over the head with the Mysterious! Forbidden! Star-Crossed! hammers for my taste. Plot was fairly nonexistent (girl starts school, meets new kids, moons over boy, embarrassed horribly by mean girl/self/haunted and tragic past), and I was not nearly as enamored by the characters, specifically the wet-rag heroine, as the author obviously was. Only redeeming factor: the setting. I live in Savannah, so it's always interesting to read books set in the city (or in this case the nearby town of Thunderbolt).

Hope the next read for you is better, Jasmine!

>31 willowsmom:: I read Fallen last year, and the plot eventually gets going... in about the last 75 pages. Then it's action galore! But really, by then, it's too late if your reader is bored stiff or has fallen asleep. I almost put it down multiple times when I was reading it, but it was an ARC for me so I was kind of obligated to finish it.

Me # 6: Outlander, Diana Gabaldon

An umpteenth time re-read for me, as this is certainly one of the best books I've ever read. When the sixth book in the series, A Breath of Snow and Ashes, came out I realized that I really needed to reread the first five again. I'm sure I'll get to it this year, but I will need to space them out. It's an excellent and absorbing but very dense series. My perspective has changed a bit since the last time I visited this series--picked up a husband and a daughter, dropped most of my more *ahem* wild habits. I found Jamie and Claire's visit with Jamie's family at Lallybroch much more compelling than in past reads; Gabaldon does an excellent job of portraying very complex familial relationships with a realistic hand. Jamie and his sister spar, fight, and argue, while protecting each other wholeheartedly, in a miniature version of the clan relations which are so important to the plot and action of the novel. In addition, the tale is full of humor...I love books that can still make me giggle even after I know what's coming!

Willow #4: The Illustrated Book of Fairy Tales, Neil Philip

We've been working on this one at night for quite a while! I really like this collection for several reasons: there is a huge variety of stories, from many cultures, the pictures are colorful and often witty, there are little factoids written around the boundary of each page about all sorts of things (other versions of the tales, descriptions of the locations on the stories, pictures from film or stage adaptations of the stories, etc). Willow liked the pictures, and I also think that the shortness of the stories worked well for her. Each story averages 1 to 2 pages in length, which was great for variety and brevity (necessary for crankified evenings when we all just need her to go. to. bed.). However, I definitely will not use this book again without judicious samplings from fairy tales with more current mores and values regarding women. 90% of these ended with the female dead, happily married to a prince, or happily married to a pauper (if she was not a princess). There's nothing wrong with the endings, and I certainly want Willow to hear these stories again, but...I feel the urge to be sure that she understands other endings are possible, and just as acceptable. Y'know: princess happily cooks for a dragon and refuses to marry her prince (Dealing with Dragons), princess happily lives alone with all her pets (Princess Smartypants), princess happily plays accordion and lives in a solar-heated cottage with a dork (Cinder Edna).

Edited to fix my wonky linkage. Sounds like a personal problem, doesn't it?

#34: Count me in with the Outlander lovers! I cannot get enough of the series.

Yeah, I think it'd be interesting to know who didn't like this series. Especially if you've got girl parts :).

Can it be that you have missed the fourth Catwings book, Jane on her Own? Don't do it!

I've got Wildwood Dancing in my TBR pile--I'm going to try to get to it this year!

#37: No, I didn't miss it...but! My library doesn't own it, and neither do (which is the case for the first three). :( Since I'm not buying any books this year, it'll have to wait for Willow's birthday. Ha ha! I'll just get the grandparents to buy it, thus working my way around the no book buying resolution. Wildwood Dancing is sooooo good...you won't regret it!

Me #7: Cake Wrecks, by Jen Yates
Real life is sucking the life out of me at the moment, so I needed a giggle break. This fit the bill nicely! Based on the premise of Yates' website, www.cakewrecks.com, the book is a collection of cakes gone horribly wrong. Horribly, horribly, gut-bustingly wrong. The author's snarkiness is an excellent accompaniment-- most of the book reads like a conversation you'd have with your best friend about the weirdo next door neighbor, your smarmy boss, and the sister with questionable fashion sense. Mean, but oh-so-fun. I often found myself pondering that age-old question: are people really that stupid? Really? (My personal favorite: A cake with "Welcome Baby in Pink" written across it. No, I don't mean pink letters...and don't you just want to sing it? Baaby in piiiiiiiink...is dancing with me...)

Hehehe. I love that blog, but didn't know whether or not the book would be worth it. Is there a lot of extra material, or is it just a printing of the cakes from the site?

A lot of it is extras, but I would only define it as worth it if you're borrowing...not worth buying IMO.

Thanks!

Willow #5: Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, by Bill Martin Jr.

How have I not read this before? Chicka Chicka Boom Boom combines three of my favorite things: a catchy and smart rhyming scheme that sticks in my head, an abecedarius, AND illustrations by Lois Ehlert. Heaven. We've honestly read this one at least eight times today, with no signs of either of us getting sick of it. I loved it, and more importantly, so did Willow. Gotta love the books that she's immediately interested in rereading!

Me #8: The Mammoth Book of Time Travel Romance, ed. by Tricia Telep

Meh. While certainly living up to it's claim of being mammoth, this collection was also overwhelmingly mediocre. I was left with the overwhelming conviction that this genre (time travel romances) is not one that lends itself well to short stories. Ninety percent of these stories were unsatisfyingly abrupt, with very little of what makes a good novel of this genre (Diana Gabaldon's Outlander, for instance) so enjoyable: a chance to experience the vertigo and turmoil that comes from being dumped in a time not your own. Many of the stories were just to brief to have the room for such character development; oftentimes the main character was shocked by, and then came to terms with, their time travel in the space of a few pages, if not a few paragraphs. The one standout in this collection was "Iron and Hemlock", by Autumn Dawn: the characters were original and interesting, and the setting was certainly interesting: a fae woman, so destroyed by her husband's death, transforms herself into a monstrosity of a house so that she can continue to protect and care for her offspring (in this case, by transporting a suitable wife for her great-grandson back in time) even while removing herself from her own all-encompassing grief. Plus, there were gargoyles and griffins. A story I would love to see developed into a full novel, but as for the rest...mediocre at best.

Me #9, #10: If You Desire, If You Deceive, by Kresley Cole

The second two books in the MacCarrick Brothers trilogy; I haven't read the first, but each book is stand-alone, so it didn't matter much. Not my usual fare, but I heart Kresley Cole's Immortals After Dark series. Like, if I was a high schooler and this series went to my school, I'd be doodling 'Jasmine + Immortals After Dark' over all my notebooks. In glittery pink pen, no less...

So, while not as crush worthy as the IAD series, these weren't bad. I much preferred the second book over the third, but I suspect that's mostly because I didn't find the male lead in the third book all that interesting for me. Cole has the ability to write sex without losing track of the plot, or her characters, which I find pretty rare--and it's actually not ridiculously florid writing either, which is always a plus for me (no throbbing turgid sticks of love in sight, phew). Plus, she has a wicked sense of humor which comes thru in her characters, especially the females--while I didn't really rave over If You Deceive, the main female character had some astounding snort-out-loud lines.

Me #11: Peter and Max: A Fables Novel, by Bill Willingham

Honestly, this has blown every other book I've read this month out of the water--definitely my favorite of January, and on my internal 'will be reread many many times' list. A stand alone novel which slides in snugly alongside the Fables comics series by Willingham, this novel does an excellent job of providing a wonderfully delicious independent tale which still manages to touch on many subjects, characters, and themes seen in the comics. There are simple (but almost unbearably moving) line drawings throughout the novel, which add a graphic novel 'feel' which really enhances the tale. I loved the drawings, and savored each just as I did a cleverly worded paragraph or interesting plot development in the tale itself. Peter and Max Piper are brothers, the only sons of a family of travelling musicians. The invasion of their home country by the Emperor serves as a major catalyst for both boys, and sends them hurtling off in very different directions: *SPOILER ALERT* Peter becomes a master thief and musician in the city of Hamelin, while Max becomes a killer, a monster, a less-than-man who blazes a path of destruction, death, and pestilence through the novel.

I love Willingham's ability to merge traditional fairy tale characters, actual history, and a complex and wonderful world of his own imaginings. Even if you have never read the comic series, Peter and Max is a memorable and moving tale of the twisted paths life can take, and the choices that separate man from monster. Highly, highly recommended.

(This was a pick from my SantaThing. She totally rocks!)

#44: I have never read anything by Bill Willingham. I will look for that one. Thanks for the recommendation, Jasmine.

>44 willowsmom: Glad to hear that Peter and Max is good - I got it as a gift and it's in the TBR pile. :)

Willow #6: Happy Hector, by Polly Dunbar

A quick read; we picked this up because the drawings reminded me of Amy Rosenthal's Little Oink (which I love). Hector is a little pig who has to deal with sharing his favorite person--and having his nose painted blue. Very cute.

Willow #7: New Adventures of Curious George, by H.A. and Margret Rey

An anthology of illustrated Curious George tales--my favorite was George goes to a Chocolate Factory. However--and I know this might be considered sacrilegious--I hate Curious George. Every book follows the same format: George is told not to do something, George does it anyway, George somehow pulls it together and 'accidentally' saves the day (or the man stranded on Mt. Everest, the puppy locked in the closet, the pancake eating contest), George is rewarded for his naughty behavior, George learns to keep doing whatever the heck he wants because it always works out for him in the end anyways. ARGH. Not exactly the message I want Willow absorbing!

So: He may be cute, but bad monkey! Bad!

Willow #8: Jane On Her Own, by Ursula K. LeGuin

Sigh. I caved. I bought this book for us, even after deciding to wait and let her Gramma buy it for her birthday. My rationale: Gramma is soooooo not a reader, and would probably ignore this request and buy her some stupid battery-powered annoyance instead. So, this way I still have to deal with that, but we also have another Catwings book. Yup. Mmmhmm. That's what I told myself, anyway. :)

A cute addition to the Catwings series: Jane strikes out on her own and learns that sometimes being fed and coddled isn't enough, if you're also forced to wear an icky velvet ribbon and perform in fron of cameras. See Msg 16 for my review of the first three books in this series.

Me #12: Organic Crops in Pots, by Deborah Schneebeli-Morrell

My potted vegetables were an epic FAIL last year, so I'm working on it this year. Of course, not having a brand new baby (and a dastardly post pregnancy body) will hopefully help even the playing field this year. Things get going early in Georgia (it gets HAWT in Savannah come May or so), so I'll have a stack of these books coming up soon. This isn't bad: not the most helpful book I've read on the subject, but not a totally fru-fru coffee table book either.

Me#13: Flora Segunda, by Ysabeau S. Wilce

A rec from the Young Adult Thread. Flora Segunda is rapidly approaching her 13th birthday, which has major ramifications for her future. Not only will she be seen as an adult, she is also expected to prepare to follow in her family's footsteps and become a soldier. One problem: she has no interest in being a soldier...and her dad's batsh*t, her house of eleven thousand rooms is falling apart, and her Will is being drained by the wily Denizen of her House. Okay, so that's a bit more than one problem. I really enjoyed this book: there is a very Victorian-era feel to the intricate courtesies, titles, bows, and dress codes of Flora's city. Also very silly: the book was certainly written in the voice of a pre-teen (lots of oh yucky yucks), and the courtesies have descriptions such as 'Meeting as Equals, but Me Slightly Above' and 'Before You and Better'. I enjoyed the added depth the different courtesies added to the interactions, although I think much of that would have breezed past most of the teens I know. Reminded me of kid movies with an added adult undertone: not necessary for the kids to enjoy it, but add to the interest for adults. The book did not end with any glaring loose ends, but there is loads of room for more exploration into Flora's world--the mysterious death/disappearance of her older sister and namesake, her Poppy's madness, the fate of her trickster House Denizen, and even Flora's future as a Ranger in a world where Rangers are outlawed. I will definitely be picking up the sequel to this one.

I have enjoyed the Flora Segunda books quite a bit also. I can find no information as when the third book will be published.

Spring 2010, via her LiveJournal account...but that's the only place I see that, so I would consider it dubious at best. Fingers crossed...

Me #14: The Year of The Flood, by Margaret Atwood

Margaret Atwood is very hit or miss for me, but this was DEFINITELY a hit. Her ability to layer so many layers of depth, history, and believability onto the 'the apocalypse is coming' religious group, God's Messengers. The story is told in multiple timelines which give a picture of the (low on resources, high on corruption, greed, and chemical and biological nastiness) world, the development of God's Messengers, and the stories of our two protagonists, Toby and Ren. They are two of only a few handfuls of people who seem to have survived the 'waterless flood' which, while never fully described, seems to be a very potent, very deadly, and very communicable virus which has swept the globe.

I love this type of story (post-apocalypty) when it is well done, and this one certainly was. Personally, my favorite part of Atwood's world-building was the layers of complexity and authenticity she gave to the God's Messengers--they have their own songs, credos, ceremonies, saints, and holy days. Most interestingly, the saints were (from those I recognized) all real-life individuals who were (or are) involved in ecology or environmentalism. Very interesting...my favorite was Saint Euell Gibbons Day :).

Also, I didn't know this beforehand, but this is a companion novel to Oryx and Crake. Now I have another book to add to the TBR list...

Willow #9: Momma, Will You?, by Dori Chaconas

This was a book from the Ferst Foundation, a group that provides a free book each month to children in Georgia (free plug--if you live here, check them out, it's totally awesome). It's written with a repetitive rhyme, which will be great for Willow once she gets old enough to start reading with me; I love the soothing ask and response format. The story is written as a series of questions from a little boy to his mother throughout the day, with her response. Each question is ended with "Yes, or no, or maybe?", and each of momma's answers begins with the same.

The mother is shown wearing her baby in a mei tai baby carrier in two of the paintings, which I love, since that's often what I'm carrying Willow around in! Also, several of the farm scenes remind me of my grandmother's farm, so it's definitely a warm-fuzzy book all around.

#51: Glad you liked The Year of the Flood. I actually preferred Oryx and Crake (my first ever Atwood) to that one, but I am in the minority on that. I hope you get a chance to read it soon.

I love Click Clack Moo and the second in the series too. I read The Year of the Flood recently, I liked it better than Oryx and Crake because there's a lack of human interaction in O&C, but it made me want to reread O&C too.

Me #15: Calamity Jack, by Shannon Hale

A follow up to Hale's first graphic novel, Rapunzel's Revenge. I did not enjoy this adaptation of the story of Jack the Giant Killer as much as Rapunzel's Revenge, but it was still enjoyable--very smart storytelling. I enjoyed the guest appearance by the Jabberwocky especially! Also, the illustrations by Nathan Hale are faboo.

Me #16: Playing With Fire: Tales of an Extraordinary Girl, by Gena Showalter

This was Showalter's first novel, and it shows...the writing isn't nearly as polished or cohesive as in her later series, Lords of The Underworld. An interesting concept, and the female heroine is very spunky and likable. She has lots of fire (pun intended), and had me smirking with most of her dialogue. I don't think I'll read the sequel, which is due out later this year.

Willow #10: While the World is Sleeping, by Pamela Duncan Edwards

Definitely stupid. The rhyme scheme is only so-so, the illustrator gave the giant snowy owl (which is on basically every page) a basketball head and seems to have not used any sort of actual owl for anatomy reference, and the stag is seen caring for the fawns with the doe, which is grossly inaccurate. A big fat pbbbbbt on this one.

Well, I certainly hope Willow's next book is better!

My February:

17. Runaways Vol. 4: True Believers, Brian K. Vaughan (Msg 57)
18. Runaways Vol. 6: Parental Guidance, Brian K. Vaughan (Msg 57)
19. Big Gardens in Small Spaces, Martyn Cox
20. Soulless, Gail Carriger (Msg 60)
21. Bitten by Cupid, Lynsay Sands (Msg 60)
22. The Unwritten, Vol. 1: Tommy Taylor and the Bogus Identity, Mike Carey (Msg 62)
23. Runaways Vol. 7, Live Fast, Brian K. Vaughan (Msg 65)
24. Angelic, Kelley Armstrong (Msg 70)
25. One Second After, William R. Forstchen (Msg 75)
26.Uncanny X-Men: Manifest Destiny, Ed Brubaker (Msg 79)
27. X-Men: Worlds Apart, Christopher Yost (Msg 79)
28. Just in Case, Kathy Harrison (Msg 79)
29. Flora's Dare, Ysabeau S. Wilce (Msg 84)
30. Incarceron, Catherine Fisher (Msg 84)
31. Hot for the Holidays, Lora Leigh (Msg 84)
32. If You Dare, Kresley Cole (Msg 88)
33. Runaways. Vol. 8: Dead End Kids, Joss Whedon (Msg 88)
Steamed Katie MacAlister (Msg 88)
34. Pleasure of a Dark Prince, Kresley Cole (Msg 93)
35. Glass Houses, Rachel Caine (Msg 93)
36. Wolverine First Class: Class Action, Peter David (Msg 98)

Willow's February:

11. Henry in Love, Peter McCarty (Msg 60)
12. A Very Big Bunny, Marisabina Russo (Msg 64)
13. Pajama Time!, Sandra Boynton (Msg 64)
14. Race You to Bed!, Bob Shea (Msg 70)
15. Olivia, Ian Falconer (Msg 84)
16. The Little Cats ABC Book, Martin Leman (Msg 84)
17. THERE ARE CATS IN THIS BOOK, Viviane Schwarz (Msg 90)
18. Hooray for Fish!, Lucy Cousins (Msg 90)

Me #17, #18: Runaways Vol. 4: True Believers, Runaways Vol. 6: Parental Guidance, by Brian K. Vaughan

I love this series, but the original story arc cannot be matched. All teens go through a stage of thinking their parents are evil and wanting to run away...but to find out they really ARE evil, are trying to destroy the world, and have formed the world's evillest group of super villains? Fabulous. Plus, the ending of the original Runaways story arc (vols. 1-3) just cannot be beat for shock factor. I didn't enjoy these stories as much, but it was still a fun revisit with a great series.

Me#19: Big Gardens in Small Spaces, by Martyn Cox

Ehh...not what I was looking for. The author is London-based, and all his advice is for gardeners in his type of climate zone. Plus, this book is really designed for flower/plant gardeners, not as much vegetable gardeners. It was an interesting read, just not specific to my interests/needs.

>57 willowsmom: Have you tried All New Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew? It's a great book for vegetable gardening in small spaces. I've been a fan since the first book came out.

Thanks ronincats, I'll check it out!

Willow #11: Henry in Love, by Peter McCarty

Just a cute story, but the illustrations...oh my. As soon as I was done reading this book to Willow, I had to reread it so that I could really savor it. Just beautiful, simple, heartfelt images--awesome. The super-blue and deliciously cute blueberry muffins alone made this book pretty darn amazing and memorable for me.

Me #20: Soulless, by Gail Carriger

A rec from too many threads to count, and they were all right--this is an awesome book! A steampunk-ish tale set in Victorian England with a paranormal twist, this novel had a great concept and truly likable and interesting characters. I certainly can't add anything to the great reviews that are already out there, but I will say this: if you haven't checked it out yet, do it. Do. It. :)

Me #21: Bitten by Cupid, by Lynsay Sands

Sigh. I abandoned several crappy paranormal romance anthologies in the last week (this is how bad they were: not even worth recording as abandoned); I had to hang on by the skin of my teeth to finish this one. Uninteresting plot lines, uninspired writing, and insipid characters abound. Ugh.

#60: Well, I guess the one good book for Willow and the one good book for you outweigh the several abandoned and bad books? I hope?

#61: Yup, I'll jump a hurdle of craptastic anthologies to get to Soulless and Henry in Love any day!

Me #22: The Unwritten, Vol. 1: Tommy Taylor and the Bogus Identity, by Mike Carey

I can't remember if this was a rec from someone's thread--I think it was, but can't find it--or if I just had the good fortune to stumble onto this one on my own. A well crafted and increasingly complex story, this one definitely had me checking Amazon with my fingers crossed to see if there is a volume too yet. (There isn't...volume one just came out. Poo.) The story revolves around the seemingly ordinary Tom Taylor, son of an author whose Potter-esque series of novels are an epic phenomenon. All grown up, Tom was the 'inspiration' for the main character in the novels, coincidentally named Tommy Taylor. The real Tom ekes a living out of signings and appearances, cut off from his missing father's estate. He is hounded by autograph seekers and fans, who often believe her really is Tommy Taylor, the boy magician. Tom desperately wishes for a normal life out from under Tommy's fictitious shadow, but when he gets his wish thanks to a mysterious reporter who exposes him as a fraud, his life is turned upside down and everything about his past, or lack thereof, is called into question.

I loved the premise of this novel from the outset, and the plot became deliciously twisted and magical as the tale developed. The idea that reality is what you make of it is a favorite theme for me, and Tom's increasingly magical and extraordinary revelations as the novel progresses are an excellent take on this theme. Although NOT a novel for children (there's a seriously deranged professional killer lurking about), this is a well-crafted, well-illustrated, and absorbing tale that I'll anxiously await the next installment of.

#62: That one looks good. I will see if I can find a copy. Thanks for the recommendation, Jasmine.

Willow #12: A Very Big Bunny, by Marisabina Russo

A book that I requested from the library based on the title alone, and am very glad I did! This is a book that I will DEFINITELY be keeping in mind for Willow as she gets older; I have a feeling that the theme will be one that we will need to touch on often. In brief, the book teaches being a 'too big' or 'too small' bunny(/child) does not mean that you can't have friends, or that it's right to pick on others for physical differences. With a 6'5" daddy and a 5'9" (and shortest in our extended families) mommy, Willow has gotten some big genes--at 6 months she was already in 24 month clothing, and she towers over all the other babies her age at play dates. Can't see that changing (wouldn't want it to!), so I know that the lesson of this book is one that will be important for us. Sooner than I'd like, too, since other mommies and random asses (uh *cough* people, sorry) we meet already comment incessantly on her size. (At the store today: "Oh my GAWD what do you feed her?" as well as "Are you sure she's only 11 months old?" Sigh. No, you're right, whoops! I've somehow managed to miscalculate how long it's been since I pushed her football head and linebacker shoulders out of my body without any pain meds. Silly me, must not have made much of an impression...)

Anyway, rant over :). It's a cute book, and the bunnies are adorable.

Willow #13: Pajama Time!, by Sandra Boynton

I heart Sandra Boynton. The first time we read this one, I had Willow bouncing and clapping (her new skill, LOL) by the end as I sang Pajammy to the Left! Pajammy to the Right! and danced around the living room. It's a keeper.

Me #23: Runaways Vol. 7, Live Fast, by Brian K. Vaughan

Wow. SO much better than volumes 4-6; this one definitely rekindled my fascination with this comic series much more than the last two. Major character angstiness, but still lots of Buffy-esque teenspeak (I just love Molly: "oh noes!" and "Next time, you should start with the pretty little orange country. Or the one that looks like a jellybean.", referring to Risk) and kickbutt action by a bunch of pretty typical--minus the living under the La Brea tar pits and super powers thing--teenagers. Plus, the next volume was written by Joss Whedon: me likey.

I liked your rant ;-)
And your review of A very big bunny.

>66 FAMeulstee: Ditto.

I've always thought "big" meant healthy for kids (based on personal experience). B is kind of a big kid (although I think Willow has something on him), and I was always thankful for it. No wilting flowers in our house!

Don't you just love all the asinine thoughtful comment strangers like to throw your way when you're pregnant/have kids in tow?

# 58 - I also thank you for that recommendation Ronincats. I'll pick that up from the library next time I'm in. Our problem with growing vegetables is that, although we have a large enough yard, we somehow failed to see the four 50ft+ oak trees hidden in plain view when we bought the house. Gah! I really need a system for growing vegetables in the relatively small space which isn't permanently shaded by the enormous canopy of leaves...On the plus side, we don't need to use our air conditioning much in the summer :)

# 64 - I wonder if there is a parent in the world who actually reads Boynton's books rather than singing them (and if you have the space to dance around at the same time, so much the better!) I still believe I have the entire Boynton collection alive and kicking in my short-term memory even though it's been a couple of years now since I read one. It's just a shame that more important things almost certainly got relegated to the long-term memory as a result and that even more important things almost certainly got dumped out altogether as a result.

#66: Thanks! Always good to feel rant-appreciated :)

#67: Luxx, this is what I've learned thus far from pregnancy/motherhood: 99% of people speak without thinking 99% of the time. And usually, their comments are unhelpful, unwanted, and downright retarded. Snap.

#68: Oh, oak trees. I feel your pain--our yard is surrounded by the scrawny invasive pines that cover the 1/4 inch of decent Georgia soil (before you hit acidic-enough-to-eat-pipes clay) with a think blanket of roots. And then, to add insult to injury, they are constantly falling onto the roof because their inadequate roots can't hold up during storms. Argh.

Me #24: Angelic, by Kelley Armstrong

A fairly mediocre-at-best novella from Armstrong. Set in her Women of the Otherworld series, this is a quickie tale of Eve Levine in her role as bounty hunter bad girl for the Fates. No, that's not how she's really described, but that's how I see her role :). The plot was scanty, not much character development for Levine, and I really wasn't all that interested. In fact, I had started this over a week ago, and then finally decided today I just needed to get on with it and finish it so I could return it to the library...this is never a good sign. I guess if you really like Eve's character in the other novels in this series you might enjoy this more than I did, but it's not all that good--definitely the type of book to borrow rather than buy.

Also, the illustrations in the novella bothered me for several reasons: 1. They were cheesy, cheap looking computer manips. Ugh. 2. Armstrong has never included illustrations in any of her other novels, so why this one? It came off as an (unsuccessful) attempt to fluff out a skimpy and overpriced book. 3. The pictures really looked as though they were meant to be viewed in color--most of the detail was lost in the dark blacks. 4. Cheeeeeeeeesy female figure with a bizarrely vacant stare--she looked like she was possibly concussed.

Willow #14: Race You to Bed!, by Bob Shea

We're officially on a bunny kick! This was okay...a little hyperactive for an apparent bedtime read, but cute nonetheless. The bunny was fabulously fluffy--Willow kept trying to pet it, which was funny.

#70: 4. Cheeeeeeeeesy female figure with a bizarrely vacant stare--she looked like she was possibly concussed.

Possibly she was wondering how she ended up in that drivel?

Too bad about that one. I like Armstrong's books, but think I will give that one a pass. I hope your next read is better for you, Jasmine.

Yep, it was a surprise that is was so bad--I've at least enjoyed, if not downright loved, all of her books in the past (with the exception of The Awakening, which I disliked simply because it suffered so blaringly from middlebook-itis). I even enjoyed her collection of short stories Men of the Otherworld, so it's not that I don't think she is capable of writing a good short story, she just...didn't in this case. Bring's to mind the discussion of Flirt on Luxx's thread...specifically, an excuse of a publication to take advantage of the current fandom...definitely got that feeling here!

To me, it makes no sense to take advantage of fandom - fans are fickle creatures and you take advantage once too often, and they are no longer fans!

I'm with Stasia on this one; I'm a fan of the Otherworld series, but I'm going to give Angelic a pass. No use wasting my time on bad writing, even if it's by authors I enjoy.

Me #25: One Second After, by William R. Fortstchen

A very absorbing read, once I got over the author's truly horrifying excessive use of commas and run-on sentences :). Not the most well written book I've ever read, but the premise (an EMP destroys all electronics in the U.S., and life as we know it goes to hell) is fascinating. The author was able to realistically (as far as I can tell, I suppose) portray reactions and repercussions of such a catastrophic event--definitely a knowledgeable source.

I've always really enjoyed this apocalypse-y genre, but as a parent it makes me think about the possibilities in a more 'what if?' sense than I used to. Granted, I've always been the type of person who will often assess buildings for their strengths and weaknesses in a zombie attack (no, I'm really not joking)...but this type of books takes my brain into more practical and possible suppositions. Not a book I'd ever reread, but certainly one that I'll mull over occasionally.

#75: I have that one home from the library now to read, although it will be a while before I get to it.

I know what you mean about the 'what ifs.' Makes me want to build a bomb shelter and stock up on food and water!

#75 I'm the same way re: zombie attacks - I'm not sure what happened in my childhood to make me that way. I also tend to preface a lot of comments with "of course, when the zombie apocalpyse comes..."

Ha! tash99, that's awesome--I have definitely thought that preface myself occasionally! I say thought b/c there's only so much my hubby can take...he already affectionately calls me a hippie-chick crazy lady. I think adding 'zombie preparer' to that mix would just send him right over the edge, and I need him around :).

In my case, I'm pretty sure all this stems from a very early exposure to Stephen King's seminal work The Stand and an ice storm when I was in high school that knocked out power to the town I lived in for 8 weeks. Plus, my brain is bizarre and interestingly devious, hee!

Willow's a sick baby this week (upper respiratory infection), which means lots of reading for me (while I hold her and she sleeps) and not so much for her (what with all the drugged snoozing). Poor girl :(.

Me #26: Uncanny X-Men: Manifest Destiny, by Ed Brubaker

My favorite kind of X-Men story: lots of Wolverine, more funny and snappy than dark and bloody, and superbly done illustrating. I tend to be more drawn to clean lines and uncomplicated panels with lots of vibrant (read: not all black) colors. Plus, the first storyline was especially riveting: Logan returns to Chinatown to fix a major mistake he made 50 years ago. Chaos, lung puncturing, and typically cantankerous dialogue is plentiful.

Me #27: X-Men: Worlds Apart, by Christopher Yost

Ehh. This one I did not enjoy quite as much--a Storm-centric storyline. She is torn between her devotion to her husband Black Panther and her role as his queen, and her commitment to the X-Men.

Me #28: Just in Case, by Kathy Harrison

Hee. I've been reading this one for a few weeks--originally, I picked it up because I've been trying to get together some 'get up and go' hurricane evacuation bags. Um, yeah--see post 75 above :). Anyways, it was very informative--lots of straightforward, clear, NOT fear mongering information. I got quite a bit of interesting info on food storage, especially. Plus, I learned how to do two super-cool new things: build a solar oven (I made cookies!) and grow sprouts from lentil seeds. I looove sprouts, but can never eat a full container of them by myself--and I had always assumed that I'd have to buy special seeds or something. But no! Just the lentils I had stashed in the cupboard!

Super awesome book--definitely recommended, especially if you (like me) are floundering along with homemaking-esque projects (cooking, baking, gardening, etc) without the benefit of any people to get all these sorts of great tips from. Yes, it's also got lots of info on how to prepare for bad situations, but it's also just a really interesting read.

#79 Poor little thing, hope she feels better soon!

Just in Case sounds great - I've been trying to teach myself 'homemaking' skills like baking, gardening, home brewing and so on in a bid for a degree of self-sufficiency. Not because of the zombie apocalypse (though obviously that is a concern), but because I had a moment a while ago when I looked around my house and realised that I don't know how anything works, and it's nice to let myself feel like I'm not totally reliant on other people for everything by making a loaf of bread every now and then.

it's nice to let myself feel like I'm not totally reliant on other people for everything by making a loaf of bread every now and then

Word. Bread baking especially has been a bit of an eye-opener for me--it's fun, it's easy, and I am easily saving us $25 a month by baking it all myself. Plus, feeling even mildly self sufficient is very cathartic for the days when Willow's unhappy, the house is messy, and nothing else seems to go right...at least I've got my bread :).

Have you ever tried Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day or Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg? I enjoy kneaded breads too, but these recipes are really easy and since the dough just sits in the fridge, I can have fresh bread with little to no prep time every day.

Thanks for the bread links! And I hope Willow feels better.

I hope Willow is feeling better soon, Jasmine!

I am adding Just in Case and the 2 Hertzberg books to the BlackHole. I bake bread several times a week and am always on the lookout for new recipes.

Edited to correct Touchstone

Willow #15: Olivia, by Ian Falconer

Tee hee. Willow loves Olivia, and especially Olivia's cat--she always tries to pet his picture. A simple introduction to the daily life of Olivia, pig extraordinaire. I'll definitely be keeping my eye out for more of this series!

Willow #16: The Little Cats ABC, by Martin Leman

This is actually our own book, and we have read it many times; Willow's been requesting it often lately. And by requesting I mean dragging it out of her book bin and chewing on it :). A charming abecedarius all about cats! My personal favorite is 'X is for Xerxes, the King of our Street'...

Me #29: Flora's Dare, by Ysabeau S. Wilce

The sequel to Flora Segunda, which was a million times better than the first. So glad I listened to the chatter on the YA thread about this series...this was an enjoyable read. Flora is accosted by a giant tentacle coming out of a nasty toilet, which leads to her realizing the city is in big trouble. And (of course) only the tenacious and intrepid Flora can solve this disaster! Definitely recommended.

Me #30: Incarceron, by Catherine Fisher

A really great premise, not executed quite as well as I would have wished...Incarceron is an incredibly complex, self-aware prison. After developing Incarceron, all 'undesireables' are shuttled into it--the thieves, murderers, malcontents, and political dissidents. Incarceron becomes self contained: noone in, noone out...or at least that's the theory. I will certainly read the sequel (and yes, I'm sure there will be one--definitely set up for it), as the premise of the book was very interesting, especially Incarceron's self-doubt.

Me #31: Hot for the Holidays, by Lora Leigh

Meh. Smutty McSmut smut. It was okay, but not a memorable or re-readable anthology.

#84: I really want to get my hands on the Flora Segunda books. They look fun!

I have Incarceron in the BlackHole. The premise sounds very good, too bad the execution is not done as well. I will still look for it, though.

#84 I love reading about your little one trying to pet the pictures in her books. My eldest is 5 now and she still tries to pet characters in picture books. Now that she's a little older she doesn't do it so much because the character is cute but rather when they are being bullied or badly treated or such like, then she makes her attempts to pet and cuddle them. Her last petting incident was just this week when one of the girls in a Strawberry Shortcake book broke their friend's favorite sunglasses and were too afraid to tell them. Very cute to watch! BTW, we've loved all of the Olivia books, even Olivia Helps With Christmas which, if I recall correctly, didn't receive quite such favourable reviews as others. Olivia Forms a Band was rejected at first as there is one particular picture where Olivia has applied quite a lot of lipstick which scared the living daylights out of her (?!) but we revisited it just a few months back (on loan from the school library) and she now loves it too!

#85: Flora Segunda is great--hope you have a chance to read it soon!

#86: Hee hee, lipsticked Olivia sounds like something not to miss...thanks for the suggestions.

Catching up...

Me #32: If You Dare, by Kresley Cole

First in the MacCarrick brothers trilogy--read the last two out of order, so there weren't any surprises in this one. It was decent, but not too memorable.

Me #33: Runaways Vol. 8: Dead End Kids, by Joss Whedon

A somewhat bizarre continuation on this series--the Runaways commit a heist for Kingpin, then zap themselves back in time 100 years. Hopefully things get back to business in the next volume; I've got the next three in queue at the library, yay! (Oh, and best moment of the volume: Molly punches the bejeezus out of the Punisher, who is left fighting tears and death by internal bleeding. So silly.)

Abandoned (me): Steamed, by Katie MacAlister

DARN YOU, Katie MacAlister! Darn you for sucking me in (yet again) with your awesome premises, then sucker punching me repeatedly with crappy characters and poorly written dialogue. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME YOU'VE DONE THIS TO ME, DARN IT! Sigh. I am now officially holding a grudge. (And also, as a side note: making your main character a Quaker particle scientist who has a yen for Steampunk and Indiana Jones-esque adventures was totally bizarre. Were you drunk when you came up with his character? Did you lose a bet? Randomly draw adjectives out of a hat??)

Heh. Great review of Steamed! Thanks for the warning.

Willow #17: THERE ARE CATS IN THIS BOOK, by Viviane Schwarz

Yup, true to the title, there are cats. And lots of lift-the-flap pages, which Willow adores. Definitely a hit, and I can see that it would appeal to older readers, as well: the cats interact with the reader, and you get to 'save' the cats , throw them a yarn ball, uncover their pillow, etc by lifting flaps.

Willow #18: Hooray for Fish!, by Lucy Cousins

While not a huge fan of Maisy (the series Cousins in most known for), Willow is ALL about the fishies in this book. A great rhyming pattern and vibrant colors add to the appeal, and mom gets to giggle at a pineapple fish and strawberry fish along the way. Definitely a (many times) re-read for us!

Oh, I am totally onboard with shaking my metaphorical fist at Katie MacAlister.

I've read a couple but only even marginally liked one of her books. And they look like they'll be so much fun and then they're not. This one sounds like a real train wreck.

And they look like they'll be so much fun and then they're not.

YES!! I was so excited by the premise of Steamed, which made the awfulness that much more...awful...for me. And the worst part? I didn't even realize she'd written it until I'd gotten my hands on it, and I just KNEW what was coming. I just went ahaead and gave her the benefit of the doubt again anyway, and where did MacAllister lead me? To Crapsville! Ugh!

Me #34: Pleasure of a Dark Prince, by Kresley Cole

This is what I love and hate about this series: the plot lines are so intertwined that Cole keeps hitting on the same events for, like, the 10th time. Granted, it's from a slightly different perspective but I still find myself skimming the 'review' impatiently. However, it's a really interesting (and complicated) story, so I do appreciate the refresher (I mean, honestly: there's like a billion characters, and each is complex and really developed)...I always seem to lose track of someone between novels. Plus, bonus! The book ended with a new and major plot development, so while I generally find teasers for the next novel irritating as hell, I'm glad to know that we're about to move forward in the timeline with the next book. Because let's face it: the last...oh, six?...books or so have just dealt with the same timespan told from different perspectives.

Me #35: Glass Houses, by Rachel Caine

How did I miss this series for so long??? I was totally shocked to find that there are eight books in this series, and she's been writing it for years. Woo hoo! A well-written story with a fabulously spunky and likable main character really helped raise this novel above the standard YA vampire fare...I'm definitely getting the rest of the Morganville Vampire books ASAP. I had an odd 'parental' moment while reading this...the main character is sixteen, and gets mildly smoochy-face with a much more experienced eighteen year old...in her bedroom...while wearing nothing but a t-shirt. Major mommage alarms going off there, so I was pleased to find that neither tried to get too physical, and the boy kicked himself out quickly. Funny, I don't know as I'd ever had that type of reaction before :).

#93: Glad to see that you have discovered a series that piques your interest, Jasmine. I hope you enjoy them all.

#81 Hi, I know this is from ages ago now, but I've had a bad case of BCS (busted computer syndrome) and have only just got it back from being fixed. You're about the millionth person to recommend the Artisan Bread book to me, so I might have to see if I can get hold of it. I have a great book called the River Cottage Handbook: Bread which I use religiously and highly recommend.

BTW, your daughter has excellent taste in books already! Have you come across the the Mo Willems books Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus and The Pigeon Finds a Hotdog?

Thanks, Stasia! Hoping I enjoy the rest of the series as well.

tash99, Healthy Artisan Bread is my all time favorite bread book...it makes super awesome, super fast bread. I like Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day as well, but the basic recipes are not as healthy or as tasty IMO. Thanks for the rec, I will definitely check out River Cottage Handbook: Bread!

Also, Mo Willems is stupendous. I've been able to meet him and hear him speak/read his books at the Savannah Children's Book Festival, and was a big fan even before Willow came along. The pigeon!! Ha!!

And holy crap, people, it's March. Willow turns 1 in FOUR DAYS. Mind boggling...

Since I'm sure inquiring minds want to know, this is how a 361 day-old eats her oatmeal. :)

Okay, last book of February:

Me #36: Wolverine First Class: Class Action, by Peter David

Wolverine and Kitty are kidnapped by the Super-Skrull (odd Runaways tie-in there) and kick super butt. Muah hah hah...

In looking at our numbers, WOW I read alot of graphic novels and comics...and Willow didn't read too much at all. Actually, that's not entirely true--we spent most of the month doing re-reads of 6 to 8 books constantly. She's not so much into the 'new' reads right now...maybe March, as a mature one year old, will be different :).

Congrats to Willow!

Thanks, drneutron!

My March:

37. Wolverine and Black Cat: Claws, Jimmy Palmiotti (Msg 102)
38. Firespell, Chloe Neill (Msg 105)
39. Finnikin of the Rock, Melina Marchetta (Msg 105)
40. Real Men Last All Night, Lora Leigh (Msg 105)
41. Lips Touch: Three Times, Laini Taylor (Msg 105)
42. Hearts at Stake, Alyxandra Harvey (Msg 118)
Abandoned: The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance 2, Tricia Telep (Msg 121)
43. Wild Ride, Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer (Msg 122)
44. Moon Craving, Lucy Monroe (Msg 123)
45. Pride and Prejudice(Graphic Novel), Jane Austen (Msg 123)

Willow's March:

19. Fifteen Animals, Sandra Boynton (Msg 105)
20. Five Little Ladybugs, Melanie Gerth (Msg 105)
21. The Going to Bed Book, Sandra Boynton (Msg 105)
22. Goodnight Moon, Margaret Wise Brown (Msg 105)
23. The Jolly Postman, Allan Ahlberg (Msg 105)
24. My Garden Kevin Henkes (Msg 123)
25. Little Hands Love, Piggy Toes Press (Msg 123)

Me #37: Wolverine and Black Cat: Claws, by Jimmy Palmiotti

Meh. Not that good, all told. Wolverine and Black Cat are captured and dropped on an island with a buncha goons. Not an original plot, and I've seen it done better in other places (Buffy, hello?).

Happy almost-birthday to Miss Willow!

Woo Hoo! Another March baby. We certainly have a lot in this bunch. Happy birthday Willow.

Ack! Out of town for Willow's birthday has led to a terrifying build up of books I need to record...kept putting it off, but somehow that only added to the problem :). So, in one big pile:

Me #38: Firespell, by Chloe Neill

I really enjoy her Chicagoland vamps series, so I checked this out. Not bad...a paranormal take on the 'girl sent to mysterious boarding school' genre. I'll read the sequel, I'm sure.

Me #39: Finnikin of the Rock, by Melina Marchette

SO GOOD! A dark YA book--Finnikin's homeland is cursed, and half the residents escape while the rest remained trapped in the kingdom behind an impenetrable wall of darkness. Can the curse be broken, allowing the refugees to return to their homeland? Will they even want to return? I devoured this book, and would highly highly recommend it.

Me #40: Real Men Last All Night, by Lora Leigh

Ugh. Crappy anthology. I was desperate :).

Me #41: Lips Touch: Three Times by Laini Taylor

Oh my, this one blew me out of the water. Three fairytale adaptation-esque stories, each preceded by an illustrated series of images from the tale. Beautiful, beautiful illustrations, luscious writing, and downright haunting imagery made this a memorable read. A great one to pass on to Willow when she hits the puberty years: lots of ill-fated love, messy doomed relationships, and flawed but realistic female characters.

Willow #19: Fifteen Animals, by Sandra Boynton

A silly book, not surprisingly! There's even a song version of the book that you can download for free from Boynton's website. Me likey.

Willow #20: Five Little Ladybugs, by Melanie Girth

This book is very textually appealing to Willow--she enjoys trying to pick off/eat the little ladybugs. Also, this is the first book she started participating in--she really enjoys turning the pages on this one, which is awesome.

Willow #21: The Going to Bed Book, by Sandra Boynton

Can you tell what Willow asked for for her birthday? :) Sandra Boynton books galore! This is an oldie but goodie--I remembrr reading it to my (much younger) youngest brother when he was Willow's age. This makes me feel like Methuselah, but I still enjoy reading it.

Willow #22: Goodnight Moon, by Margaret Wise Brown

Honestly, I'm not as into this one as everyone else seems to be. Eh.

Willow #23: The Jolly Postman, by Allan Ahlberg

Yay! It's like a Willow-sized fairytale adaptation, which I love. Our version is super spiffy--each piece of mail the postman delivers can actually be removed from a little envelope and read. Personally, I especially loved Jack's postcard to the Giant. He's such a naughty boy! :)

Yikes! I need to not let that list get so long between updats again...it's taken me hours to find the time to get this whole thing written...

#105: I already have your two winners, Finnikin and Lips Touch, in the BlackHole.

Looks like Willow has had some nice recent reads, too :)

#105 We got a copy of Ten Little Ladybugs and The Jolly Postman from our local library book fair at the weekend. I could not believe what good condition the ladybug book was in (I would have expected at least for the dots to have been rubbed off the ladybugs due to little ones petting / picking / rubbing them every day as my 3 year old has been doing since we got it). Incredibly, The Jolly Postman had all its pieces, unlike The Jolly Christmas Postman which my kids got for Christmas a few years back and which was missing a couple of jigsaw pieces within weeks. By the way, if you and / or Willow like The Jolly Postman you might perhaps consider having a look at the other one when you're next in a book store or library as it is also jolly good. I thought we were finished with Sandra Boynton books but they had a copy of Philadelphia Chickens complete with CD at our book fair as well and we couldn't resist (at least not for 25 cents!) I have all the other Boynton books still committed to memory from repeated reading (I dread to think what useful nuggets of knowledge got knocked out of my brain to make room for them - "Switzerland shares a border with Italy, France, Germany and... erm.... oh shucks I can't remember the others but the animals in The Going to Bed Book definitely hang their towels on the wall and find pajamas big and small")

I am so glad you've expressed your views on Goodnight Moon. I know it is a very, very popular book here in the US and I once mentioned to a fellow mother that I really didn't think much of it and wouldn't be buying a copy. I got such a response that I haven't dared voice that opinion again - until now!

I think Goodnight Moon is cherished for nostalgic reasons. My MIL read it to my husband as a kid, so he was really excited when someone purchased the book for our oldest. I find it kind of dull, but I experienced it for the first time as an adult. ;)

So this comment is about a book you read a while ago--Organic Crops in Pots. How helpful was it? I have a big deck but no yard so can only grow stuff in pots, and it's hard to find helpful books about container gardening. I can manage herbs but completely failed with peppers last year.

Yes, I can understand that. There are plenty of books I remember fondly from my own childhood which I re-read as an adult to my own kids and think "Why on earth did I love that one quite so much?" I found a copy of a 365 bedtime story book at the weekend which was the exact same one I had as a girl. I was quite enthusiastic when I found it and said to my daughter (5) "Oooh! look! I had this book as a girl. Grandma used to read me a story from it every night!" Her reaction was "That's nice mom". I said "Would you like to get it?" Her reply was a rather categorical "No". Well, I bought it anyway and will keep it on the shelf for when I'm next feeling nostalgic. I'm not sure the actual book itself was a problem in this case however but rather she feared we might be downgrading our bedtime reading from a couple of chapters a night to a story which was only half a page long :)

Protecting story time doesn't sound like such a bad thing. ;)

Brooks (2) started demanding that he pick out his own bedtime stories now, so I've sadly had to put aside Huck Finn in favor of The Napping House and Elfis. I think it's time we start building the boys' children's book collection - I can only handle If You Give a Pig a Party so many times!

Ah the 'If you give a mouse / pig / moose a cookie / pancake / muffin' books. Now there's a set of children's books which I first encountered as an adult only a few months ago and don't mind reading at all but, as you say, there's a limit to how many times you can read any of these books without starting to lose enthusiasm (it's just a pity the children never seem to lose interest!)

My girls, on the other hand, loved Goodnight Moon when they were young. For a week after we first got the book, Beth would say goodnight to everything, thus delaying the inevitable bed time :)

Phew, thanks verdelambton and Luxx! It's good to know that I'm not the only one who found Goodnight Moon boring :). I definitely agree that some books are much better through memory-tinted glasses; I loved Pippi Longstocking when I was little, but a recent re-read left me yawning. I understand why I enjoyed it so much when I was 8 (no parents! freedom! a monkey!!), but the appeal is definitely lost at 28.

#107: I didn't know there was a Christmas version of The Jolly Postman! We'll definitely check that one out. I am slowly but surely memorizing all our Boynton books as well...which is perfect timing, since Willow now turns the pages too fast for me to actually read a complete page now.

#109: Organic Crops in Pots was only so-so...the most helpful books I've read for container gardening are All New Square Foot Gardening (not specifically container, but lots about that), and Garden Anywhere. The second I found especially helpful on thinking out of the box in terms of setting up container gardens. That being said, Organic Crops in Pots was quite informative on organic growing specifically.

#111: Much like verdelambton, I'm all about the library book sales if you're looking to expand your children's book collection, Luxx! I actually went way overboard when I was pregnant and working as a library manager: almost every book that was discarded b/c of rips, age, etc came home with me for nine months :).

Yargh, this is the problem with me starting a message at 9 a.m. and finishing it at 2 p.m.! I agree that there's a limit to the 'Give a Mouse a Cookie' series...the only one that I can't get enough of is If You Give a Cat a Cupcake. Much like all Willow's other books about food/cupcakes, I'm okay with reading those repeatedly (Jamberry especially)--the only problem there is that they make me hungry.

Thanks!

Our library is only a block and a half away - the boys and I should really wander over now that the weather is improving. Thanks for the idea!

Me #42: Hearts at Stake, by Alyxandra Harvey

Better than I thought it would be...a YA vampire novel with characters that surprised me by how much I enjoyed them. The book is told in alternating voices, two girls that are best friends on opposite ends of the spectrum: Solange, the soon-to-be vampire princess who wears cargo pants, loves making pottery, and is queasy of blood, and Lucky, the tough and bold child of vegetarian peace loving hippies who prefers punching noses and sneaking chocolate ice cream.

I have Lips Touch: Three Times home from the library right now. Have heard nothing but good things about it.

Have also added Lips Touch: Three Times thanks for the recommendation :)

Hope everyone likes Lips Touch!

Me abandoned: The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance 2, by Trish Telep

Ugh. What is up with all the crappy paranormal anthologies lately?!? Someone help me, I have a problem :). This one was so bad, I couldn't finish a single story...and I tried quite a few. Mammoth only in its awful mediocrity.

Me #43: Wild Ride, by Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer

I love all of Crusie and Mayer's collaborations--Agnes and the Hitman, Don't Look Down, and now Wild Ride. They do an awesome job of combining a male and female voice into a single cohesive tale, while still retaining both masculine and feminine characters and plot elements. Case in point: Wild Ride has guns, weapons, war veterans, and (unsuccessful) waterboarding alongside love, awesome ice cream flavors, a little sex, and maternal instincts from a demon. :)

The book is set in an amusement park which serves as the prison for five demons, which are imprisoned within various statues around the park. The workers and owners of the park, known as Guardia, are the demon keepers. When a Guardia dies, a new one is chosen (a la Buffy), and the choosing of several new Guardia, as well as evil scheming by the head honcho demon, leads to much craziness. Plus, the park still needs to be open for the public, and the big Halloween festival is right around the corner...

I loved both the main male and female protagonists (actually, I liked pretty much all the characters, which is typical for a Crusie/Mayer concoction--very interesting, believable, likeably flawed people). Although it bogged down for me a bit in the middle, overall this was still a great read.

Catching up...too busy outside in the broccoli and sunshine lately!

Me #44: Moon Craving, by Lucy Monroe

Highlanders and werewolves, hee hee. This is late in a series I've never tried before, but the combo just tickled me so I had to check it out. A light and fluffy read...but those've the kinds of days I've been having lately.

Me #45: Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen

The graphic novel version--adapted by Nancy Butler. I liked it, but I didn't looooove it, which was a shame. P & P plus graphic novel sounded like a great combo to me. It was very likeable, but I found that it referenced some of the movie adaptations a bit too literally for me...there were several scenes that looked like deja vu (if that makes any sense). Glad I read it, but also glad I didn't buy it!

Willow #24: My Garden, by Kevin Henkes

Lush illustrations, which I very much enjoyed. A cute daydream by a little girl about how her garden will be different than her mother's (for starters, you won't need to chase the bunnies out...because they'll be chocolate).

Willow #25: Little Hands Love, by Piggy Toes Press

Willow has been on a no-I-will-only-read-THIS-book kick lately; I can generally get through a page of anything else before she's up and squirming away. It's getting old :). She'll sit still for twenty readings of Little Hands Love or a counting book with zoo animals, but anything else gets rejected immediately. As such, her (new) reading has ground to a standstill. Hoping for progress next month, but I won't hold my breath on it!

ugh, with my kids it was The Clown Arounds, every night the same book....

Hah! I totally remember LOVING that book when I was little, but I imagine it will have lost quite a bit of appeal for me now. My sympathies :).

My April:

46. A Madness of Angels: Or, the Resurrection of Matthew Swift, Catherine Webb (Msg 127)
47. Boneshaker, Cherie Priest (Msg 127)
48.The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, N. K. Jemisin (Msg 131)
49. Silver Borne, Patricia Briggs (Msg 134)
50. Runaways: Dead Wrong, Terry Moore (Msg 134)
51. Runaways: Rock Zombies (Msg 134)
52. The Self Sufficientish Bible, Andy and Dave Hamilton (Msg 138)
53. Midnight Alley, Rachel Caine (Msg 140)
54. A Certain Wolfish Charm, Lydia Dare (Msg 140)
55. Starter Vegetable Gardens, Barbara Pleasant (Msg 140)
56. How to 'cook compost, Anova Books (Msg 140)
57. The Backyard Homestead, Carleen Madigan (Msg 140)
58. Don't Kill the Messenger, Eileen Rendahl (Msg 142)
59. The Reckoning, Kelley Armstrong (Msg 142)

Willow's April:

26. Dear Zoo, Rod Campbell (Msg 134)
27. Erroll, Hannah Shaw (Msg 140)
28. The Barefooted, Bad Tempered Baby Brigade, Deborah Diesen (Msg 140)

Me #46: A Madness of Angels: Or, the Resurrection of Matthew Swift, by Catherine Swift

This was quite good--reminded me a bit of Charles DeLint's urban fantasy style. Matthew Swift is (as the title suggests) resurrected in a home which is not-quite-his, with a body which is almost as he remembers it. He soon finds that the London he left is no longer, and the sorcerer he was has become a bit more complicated thanks to some unusual additions. The sequel, Midnight Mayor, is next on my TBR pile...it has a quote at the top which summed the book up for me nicely: "A Neverwhere for the digital age...one of the best books you'll read this year."

Me #47: Boneshaker, by Cherie Priest

Two awesome reads in a row: a great start to April! I love Cherie Priest, and this foray into the steampunk genre was awesome. A great mystery, alternate history of Seattle, a mother's quest to save her wayward son, scary zombies, and airships combine into a perfect blend, and very well-written to boot. This was so good, it has me tempted to break my book buying ban...but at the very least, I'll be asking for it for my birthday.

#127: I am adding the Catherine Swift book to the BlackHole. Boneshaker has been there forever.

they both sound good :) love Charles DeLint

(silly me, Boneshaker is already on my list)

Me #48: The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, by N.K. Jemisin

And an even better than the last two reads...at this rate, my next book will blow the lid off my skull or make me spontaneously combust with joy. April rocks!

Hard to really describe...coming up for air at the end of the first chapter, all I could think was Oh, this is going to be good. Yeine has been called to her grandfather's side following the death of her mother to meet a man, a kingdom, and a culture she has never had any expectation or interest in joining. I didn't have very high expectations for this one, as it is both a first novel and the back jacket blurb was rather unexciting. Color me happily impressed--the characters were extremely detailed and fascinating, the plot and world building intricate without being confusing, and the writing was well developed and absorbing. I very highly recommend this, and am definitely looking forward to more from N. K. Jemisin!

#131: Adding that one to the BlackHole. It looks too good to pass up. Thanks for the recommendation, Jasmine.

Hmm, I'm gonna have to move The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms up on my TBR list. I have a good friend who read it recently and absolutely loved it as well.

Hope you both like The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms! As for me, the hits just keep on comin'...

Me #49: Silver Borne, by Patricia Briggs

I love, love, love Patricia Briggs. That being said, I was very relieved by this most recent entry into the Mercy Thompson series! I've felt that the series has been going downhill in terms of plot lately--overly complicated, too detailed, uninteresting. Silver Borne really reversed this impression for me; the plot was tight and fast paced, with lots of interesting developments in this world. I've felt like Samuel was a bit of a loose end in these books for quite a while, so I was happy to see his story advanced. Overall, I wouldn't recommend this a starting point into this series (the first book, Moon Called, is a far better starting point), but definitely a hit for anyone familiar with Mercy and her crew.

Me #50, 51: Runaways: Dead Wrong, Runaways: Rock Zombies, by Terry Moore

Almost at the end of this series *pout*. I liked both of these entries into this graphic novel series...the Runaways return to L.A., have run-ins with hostile aliens, and have to deal with a Howard Stern-esque zombie raising shock jock. Silly, but entertaining, which is what I've come to look forward to.

Willow #26: Dear Zoo, by Rod Campbell

This isn't a new read, but it's all Willow's wanted to read lately! As we took her to the Jacksonville Zoo yesterday, it's pretty appropriate timing. She loves to 'send the animals back' by closing the doors to their shipping crates :).

Dear Zoo is popular here as well - it was one of Danny's 1st birthday presents nearly 2 years ago.

Oh yay! I just picked up Silver Borne tonight, so I'm glad to hear it is good. I haven't been able to really get into the last Kim Harrison book, so it would be nice to breeze through Briggs with my regular enjoyment.

I haven't been on in awhile but wanted to pop in and say hello! I just love your reviews about your reading with Willow. My girls are 3 and almost 1, so many of the books you've mentioned are favorites with us as well. We love Sandra Boynton, too as well as Eric Carle (of course!), Todd Parr and Karen Katz. By the way....I totally agree with you about Goodnight Moon. My oldest likes it, but I always thought there was something vaguely creepy about it. (I feel that way about Love You Forever, too....creeeeepy!)

Hah! callen610, we just got Love You Forever as a gift for Willow's birthday...I'd never read it before. When I read it the first time, I almost wet myself I was laughing so hard when I got to the page about the mom driving across town to climb in her son's window with a ladder at night. I started envisioning the news headlines if his neighbors had called the cops on the 'prowler' :). But I agree, if a mom did that in real life...yes, very creepy.

Me #52: The Self Sufficientish Bible, by Andy and Dave Hamilton

Covers lots of topics in small detail: gardening, herbal medicines, fair trade foods, cooking/preserving/beer making, foraging, eco-friendly building, etc. The authors are British, so some of the info was not applicable (lots of info on gardening allotments, which is not an American thing unfortunately!), but I enjoyed the Brit-speak throughout. Nappies is such a silly word :). I learned a few tidbits here and there--I found it to be mostly review, and some info seemed a bit dodgy (their jam making recipes were quite fly-by-night), but it was well-written and had great illustrations throughout. The pictures of the brothers were funny--it was hard to tell if they were serious, but I found the super crunchy setting hilarious (example: reading from a book together while sitting in front of a tent, grinning in a hideously fluffy purple sweater concoction while doing tai chi in a field). An interesting, diverting, and enjoyably 'hippie-ish' quick read overall.

#138: Sorry to hear that The Self Sufficientish Bible was not better. I would have been interested in that one.

Big update! Again!! Such a slacker... :)

Me #53: Midnight Alley, by Rachel Caine

Third in the Morganville Vampires series. I am enjoying these, but the extreme maturity of the 15 year old protagonist is slightly getting on my nerve. Yes, it's a book about vampires, but still...it's SOO unrealistic! She's a cool cucumber, not at all insecure, hesitant, or uncertain--I mean, honestly...when's the last time you met a fifteen year old like that?

Me #54: A Certain Wolfish Charm, by Lydia Dare

Tee hee. I read this one based solely on the title, which tickled me. A quick, but quite unexemplary, regency werewolf romance novel. Obviously set up for a series-starter, but I will not follow this on.

Me #55: Starter Vegetable Gardens, by Barbara Pleasant

Love, love, love this one: lots of interesting, EASY, well explained ideas. Great diagrams of gardens, including easy-to-follow info on seasonal rotations. I thought the gardening in bags (literally: planting in bags of soil) was awesome, and the long season gardening diagram for growing all-year long in Georgia-esque areas. Definitely a standout gardening book for me!

Me #56: How to 'cook' compost, by Anova Books

What is UP with my library having all these Brit-themed gardening books??? Actually, all the info was still pretty applicable, so I didn't mind. Much.

Me #57: The Backyard Homestead, by Carleen Madigan

I asked for this one for Christmas, and have been reading it on and off since then. An excellent reference: covers gardening (fruits/vegetables/herbs), raising chickens and other animals, preserving, fermenting, etc. I have literally used this book every day for the last few weeks...it's been really helpful as I harvest broccoli, gather seeds, choose vegetable seeds for my fall garden, and try to keep my peas in line.

Willow #27: Erroll, by Hannah Shaw

So silly...Erroll the squirrel comes home with a little boy inside his box of nuts. Hilarity and peanut butter chaos ensues....I loved the pictures in this one! They were so detailed and funny, and reminded me of Richard Scarry.

Willow #28: The Barefooted, BadTempered, Baby Brigade, by Deborah Diesen

Cute concept, but the prose kept throwing me off with strange wiffle-waffling between rhyming and not. A bit distracting for mom, but baby liked it well enough.

(Willow's still not at all willing to sit down and read with me, so I'm reading to her during lunch. Sigh. It's working, but I'm so frustrated!)

#140: I am adding both Starter Vegetable Gardens and The Backyard Homestead to the BlackHole. As a matter of fact, I ordered them from ABE already. I had looked at the Madigan book a month or so ago and held off on it, but your review pushed me over the edge. Thanks, Jasmine.

Nice to see you back! Sorry Willow is frustrating you at the moment.

Hi Statsia! Hope you enjoy the books as much as I did...and Willow, I am discovering, was born to frustrate me. And amaze me, so it's an even trade. :) I have a feeling I won't be back here too often until things get a little less hectic, but I'll try to keep my list updated so I don't fall too far behind...

And with that in mind, finishing up April:

Me #58: Don't Kill the Messenger, by Eileen Rendahl

A slghtly-better-than-average paranormal chick lit selection. The most interesting part by far were the baddies: kiang-shi, crazy hopping Chinese zombies. And yes, they really did hop--the more they killed, the higher they hopped: early on, the heroine was able to turn them away by putting a planter in front of them and they couldn't hop high enough to get over it. Hee hee :).

Me #59: The Reckoning, by Kelley Armstrong

Third in Armstrong's YA series set loosely in the Otherworld...I enjoyed this better that the second book (which suffered heavily from middle-book-itis), but was still irritated by the 'let's set the scene for the next series' ending. SO irritating. Glad I read it (devoured in one night, actually), but Armstrong's inability to actually FINISH a plot line to my satisfaction was a major irritant in this series.

And Willow, you ask? Well...she will occasionally sit (on top of out TV table!) and let me read to her from several feet away. No new books, though. I think she's just decided that she prefers me reading to her like the librarian at storytime each week :). She's odd, but I would expect nothing less...

Sounds like Willow has a mind of her own!

Foster that oddity and independence! It will serve her well in the future.

I think I may actually skip out on Armstrong's YA series, now that I've read your review. I liked the first one well enough, but not enough to have to buythesecondrightnow. If they don't live up to it then I think I'll let it slide, and just look forward to her next Otherworld book.

A quick catch up (again!) while I can:

Me #60: The Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romance, by Trish Telep

Mleh.

Me #61: The New Dead: A Zombie Anthology, by Christopher Golden

A great first few stories gave me high hopes, but this collection fell off for me towards the middle and never regained it's earlier steam. Not bad, and there were a few standouts--Family Business by Jonathan Maberry, especially. On a related note, the hubs got me a collection of zombie comics for Mother's Day. Muah hah hah...he knows me too well :).

Me #62: Changeless, by Gail Carriger

Aah! The ending!! September, and the release of the last part of this trilogy, cannot get here fast enough, as far as I'm concerned. This series is definitely on my 'covet' list...

Me #63: Song of Scarabaeus, by Sara Creasy

The concepts behind this futuristic space travel-and-terraforming novel were really neat--the writing left most a little underdeveloped for my liking. That being said, I enjoyed this quite a bit; had a bit of a Firefly-esque space cowboys thing going on which I always enjoy. It's definitely the set up for a sequel, so I'll keep an eye out for more from this author...

Okay, Willow's crawling on my back and the pepper plants look droopy. Back to work I go!

well thats two books I have to add to my wishlist 62 and 63, looks like you had a good reading week :)

My May: (*snicker*. now that it's almost June...)

60. The Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romance, Trisha Telep
61. The New Dead: A Zombie Anthology, Christopher Golden
62. Changeless, Gail Carriger
63. Song of Scarabaeus, Sara Creasy
64. Dead in the Family, Charlaine Harris
65. White Cat, Holly Black
66. The Big Bad Wolf Tells All, Donna Kauffman

Willow's May:

Me #64: Dead in the Family, by Charlaine Harris

Is it just me, or is this series getting very episodic? I mean, honestly. What really was the focal plot line of this book?? Sigh. Of course I liked it, but still. Get a central plot line and stick with it already!

Abandoned: Fever Crumb, by Philip Reeve

Saw where this one was going way too soon for me to actually be able to get into the book at all. Pretty amazing concept and world building, though. If I wasn't so smashed for time to do anything for myself, especially read recreationally, I'd have finished it. Alas...

I've got to read some Gail Carriger!

It's so neat how you keep track of your books and then Willow's books, too.

#148: I have not read that Reeve book yet. I have read the first couple in the Mortal Engines series and enjoyed them both.

#148 - I have found that the further away Harris gets from the paranormal the more I like her. I've always had a rocky relationship with Sookie, but I'm glad you liked the last one.

Blargity blarg blarg, I still haven't managed to find a copy of Changeless!!!

*runs off screaming*
*comes back*

Glad to hear you liked it, though! I've heard a few mixed reviews, so the more positive things I hear, the more I want to read it...

*runs off again*

#149: Thanks! Willow is finally starting to move away from the 'no mommy you may NOT read a book to me' stage, so I need to update her list too. Eventually. :)

#150: Stasia, you would probably enjoy it. I picked this one up because I liked the Mortal Engines series, as well. Definitely an interesting world...I love that the main femal character starts out living inside an abandoned metal statue head with a group of male scholars/priests/archaeologists...

#151: I haven't read anything else by Harris, and I resisted falling into this series until Willow was born (all that 3 a.m. breastfeeding really lent itself to lots of fluffy reading)...I might need to try some of her non-paranormal stuff, though.

#152: Blargity blaaar! Find a copy, you will NOT regret it. Piffle on all those mixed reviews, I say.

Me #65: White Cat, by Holly Black

Loved loved LOVED this one. A very interesting mix of magic, mystery, family intrigue and betrayal, and mafia-esque hierarchies. Although I did figure out some of the plot twists, there were several (including one HUGE, earth-shattering one) that I did not see coming; I love it when an author manages to both intrigue and surprise me. A very absorbing, very quick YA read for me. Will definitely check out the sequel, but it also works beautifully as a stand-alone.

Me #66: The Big Bad Wolf Tells All, by Donna Kauffman

Light and fluffy chick lit. Fairly standard, run of the mill material...but the baddie's *cough cough AHEM* 'surprise' certainly made me giggle.

>148 willowsmom: I just got done with Definitely Dead and while I do love the Sookie books, I sort of felt like she'd gotten to the point where she went, "oh, I have a whole lot of little tiny lose ends lying around - I shall do a book of spring cleaning and just tie these up and call it a plot!" ;)

I suppose this is inevitable, but sometimes when spring cleaning, one just has to toss old stuff - you don't need to address every little thing, you know? Of course, I'm totally going back for more.

Oh, dear god. I have been dreading this update...

In the order that I dredge them from my fuzzy brain:

Me #67: Magic Bleeds, by Ilona Andrews

Sigh. I love this series. LOVE it. Kate Daniels totally kicks ass verbally, mentally (her inner monologue cracks me up), and physically what with the giant flesh-melting sword. Anyways, I considered this (the fourth book) an excellent entry into this series: tight, interesting story line, lots of great character interaction, and lots an' lots of Curran. Mrraow. A book tthat, as soon as I had finished it, I immediately flipped back through to re-read my favorite sections.

Me #68: The Book of Lost Things, by John Connolly

For reasons I can no longer explain, I kept putting off this fairy tale with a twist of Alice in Wonderland tale. I really, really, really enjoyed it--but it was at times darker, much darker, than I would have anticipated. Definitely not for the kiddos.

Me #69: Putting Food By, by Janet Greene

Me #70: The Ball Blue Book

Me #71: Home Preserving, by Judi Kingry

Sigh. Lots, and lots, and LOTS of canning and jamming and preserving and dehydrating going on around here. So much fun, so addictive, so YUMMY...especially the peach jelly with fresh picked organic Georgia peaches from my local farmers market. :)

Willow #29: Maisy's First Vacation, by Lucy Cousins

Gotta love Maisy! We read this one the day after a trip to the beach, so it was perfect timing...

Willow #30: Baby Goes Shopping, by Monica Wellington

Simple pictures with a single word per page. Willow reads this one to herself in the car alot.

Willow #31: One Duck Stuck, by Phyllis Root

Very cute! All the animals and insects try to help the duck get unstuck from the muck.

Willow's strictly on board books right now, after Mommy had to drop mega cash at the library on books that she 'improved upon'. Haha! Chew to your heart's content, baby!!

oops at the eating library books.

Conor has become very attached to a copy of The Very Hungry Caterpillar - 3 year old Danny likes the story too, but Conor carries it round and grizzles when parted from it. He really likes to have a book in his hand and I often give him a board book to play with while we're reading other stories.

Ok I'm intrigued by Magic Bleeds do you know which one is the first in the series (too lazy right now to dig)

Tee hee. It's Magic Bites. Totally phenomenal, totally check it out!

#156: Ha! I tried the board book in hand a few times, but Willow prefers to just pound the book I'm reading with the board book I give her. Gotta love it :)

Hopefully I'll get back to reviewing all of these, but for now a list will do. Ack! WHY have I suddenly decided to immerse myself in multiple new hobbies (sewing (with a machine!!)! canning! yay!) during my busiest gardening time?!? Madness.

Me #72: Mine till Midnight, by Lisa Kleypas

How have I not read any of her books before? LOVED it. (As evidenced by all the Kleypas to follow...)A faboo rec grabbed from...someone's list...was it f_ing kangaroo? Can't remember.

Me #73: Married by Morning, by Lisa Kleypas

Me #74: Tempt me at Twilight, by Lisa Kleypas

Me #75: Seduce me at Sunrise, by Lisa Kleypas

OMG, this one practically scorched my eyebrows. Not recommended for reading on days with a heat index of 114! :) And HEY! 75!! Woo hoo!

Me #76: Secrets of a Summer Night, by Lisa Kleypas

Me #77: Worth Any Price, by Lisa Kleypas

Me #78: Scandal in Spring, by Lisa Kleypas

Me #79: Sew What! Skirts, by Francesca DenHartog

I really like this one...lots of unique skirt ideas with directions to sizing them to YOUR body measurements, not some standard pattern. Love it! Hopefully, I'll love my first skirt when I finish it, too...

Me #80: Bend the Rules Sewing, by Amy Karol

Fun and inspiring, much in the vein of her website

Me #81: Blood Song, by Cat Adams

Paranormal chick lit...definitely rose above the crowd for me. The heroine is a happily normal and mundane (or so she thinks...) bodyguard who is attacked and partially turned into a vampire. And, in this paranormal-savvy world, if it looks like a vamp and fangs like a vamp, you behead it like a vamp. Makes for some interesting snags for the still firmly not-eating-people protagonist! Will keep an eye out for the sequel...

Willow #32: Beatrix Potter The Complete Tales, by Beatrix Potter

An oldie but goodie from mommy's collection...we especially enjoyed the Tale of Two Bad Mice. (Much to my surprise, as she's usually aaaaaaall about the bunnies!)

Willow #33: I Will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato, by Lauren Child

This is the best part about having a child--lots of gret new authors to discover! Well...okay, not the best part, but still pretty good.

Willow #34: My First Fairy Tales, by Tomie dePaola

A sparkly princess cover+fairy tales+Tomie dePaola= MUST HAVE!! :)

Willow #35: Who Wants to be a Poodle I Don't, by Lauren Child

Willow #36: Say Cheese!, by Lauren Child

So. Funny. Charlie and Lola rock!

Willow #37: I am Too Absolutely Small for School, by Lauren Child

Wow. If you read thru all of that, kudos to you :). *Fingers crossed this posts correctly...*

What a list!

Hooray for new hobbies, even if they cut into your reading time. I'm neck-deep in sewing projects myself, and I really want to try canning this year. What are you up to?

Oh, the pickles...I love me some pickle-y goodness. I've been loving The Joy of Pickling and Homemade Living: Canning and Preserving with Ashley English. The Persian refrigerator pickles, pickled carrots, quick dill pickles...sigh. My whole house smells like vinegar. Mmmm. I am impatiently waiting for my garden watermelon to ripen so I can pickle the rinds :).

Hee. Also, peach jelly and peach ginger jam with fresh Georgia organic peaches...num num num.

I am slooooowly trying to relearn all my rusty sewing skills, as I haven't had a sewing machine since I was 16. It's fun! Especially as finding kickass clothing that fits is a pain in the ass...plus, Willow-sized clothing are just so darn fun to make! And don't think I've forgotten about your boys and their stupendous pjs...once it's slightly less than 110 degrees here, I'll totally try some out for Willow :).

I desperately want a little girl to sew for. I don't have to give birth to her; I would be very content with a niece or two. ;) PJ's are fun, but I dream of dresses and costumes and tutus. One of my brothers is getting married in August, and my best friend just moved in with her partner, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

I want to make pickles, salsa, peach jam, and apple butter this year. My vegetable garden has been ... an interesting experiment. My peppers and tomatoes are doing VERY well, though, so I'm hoping to use them for salsa!

Congrats on reaching the goal! And backing it up a little, I've heard so many recommendations for the Illona Andrews series, I guess it's high time I stopped ignoring them and just resigned to putting it on the TBR list. Sigh. Too many good books!!!

#159: Glad you enjoyed them! Kleypas' books are on a slew of threads, but I did binge on a whole bunch recently, so it probably was me. I just finished the latest Hathaway book, Love In The Afternoon, and thoroughly recommend it.

Congrats!