Fall Into Reading Update

1. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, by Stieg Larsson
2. The Elegance of the Hedgehog, by Muriel Barbery
3. Brooklyn, by Colm Toibin
4. An Echo in the Bone, by Diana Gabaldon
5. Sammy's Hill, by Kristin Gore
6. The White Queen, by Philippa Gregory
7. Dead and Gone, by Charlaine Harris

So, as you can see, I added two more books to my list, which I've already read. I'm currently working on The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. If this were not a book club pick, I never would have chosen it. If this were not a book club pick, I would not have gotten past the prologue. But it is, and although I'm not opposed to giving up on book club picks, I'm about 200 pages in and getting somewhat interested in the story. I'm just not much of a mystery reader in general.

As for the others, well, I loved An Echo in the Bone, but I expected to. I wouldn't recommend it if you haven't read the other 6 Outlander books, though. I even got to go to a book signing with Diana Gabaldon! I got my copy signed, and one for my sister.

Sammy's Hill was cute. I chose this one because I found it on the bookshelf in my communal laundry room, and I like books that take place in Washington. I liked it enough to get the second one, Sammy's House, from the library.

The White Queen was not my favorite Philippa Gregory book. By far. It just didn't seem as well written, and the story did not draw me in in the same way that others of hers have.

And Dead and Gone, well, I love Sookie Stackhouse! One more unread to go in the series.

Fall into Reading

My friend Amy always participates in Callapidder Days's reading challenges, and I decided to do Fall into Reading myself this year! Here's a list of 5 books (to start) that I plan to read this fall:

1. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, by Stieg Larsson
2. The Elegance of the Hedgehog, by Muriel Barbery
3. Brooklyn, by Colm Toibin
4. An Echo in the Bone, by Diana Gabaldon
5. Sammy's Hill, by Kristin Gore

I'll update as I read these, and add more, as this will not be enough to get me through the fall!

A PSA

I just thought I'd tell you guys about an online thing I've discovered that I think is really cool. Paperbackswap.com. You list books you own but are willing to trade with others, and they do the same. You pay for the postage to mail your book if someone requests it, but someone else pays the postage to send the books you request, so it all balances out. I love it. I've got so many books that I'll never read again, and that's a good way to clean house a bit and get new books. I use it mostly for the books I want that the library doesn't have, and I generally post them back as soon as I'm done reading them.

I remembered yesterday that they have a sister site, Swapacd.com, which is the same idea. It's legal because the CDs are used, so royalties have already been paid to the artists. I posted some CDs yesterday and ordered two new ones. I also filled my wishlist! My favorite thing about both sites is the wishlist. You list what you would like, and if someone posts it and you're first in line on the wishlist, they send you an email asking if you want it before it gets posted to the whole site.

Generally, I don't get rid of CDs the way I do books. I will go through phases where I listen to CDs that I haven't listened to in years. However, I do have some stuff that I just can't EVER see myself listening to again. I went through a very mainstream music period, AKA high school. (embarrassing fact: my favorite band was New Kids on the Block.) Just ask my friend Martha. She was always trying to get me in to her music, but I couldn't be bothered. Souxie and the Banshees? Too weird! She'll confirm I've come a long way, baby.

I've also got CDs that I bought because I loved that one song, but turns out, I didn't love the rest of the CD. Those can go. And if someone else will enjoy them, so much the better.

Of the 10 CDs I posted last night, 2 have already been requested. Godspeed, Eric Clapton and Lynyrd Skynyrd. I hope you will be happy in your new homes and get more play than I ever gave you.