Tag Archives: library books

TBR Tuesday: Latest library loans

There’s still a little room on the I, Spy / Mr. Nice Spy blog launch tour, but it’s filling up fast! More details here.

Who doesn’t love libraries? One of my favorite things about libraries is using the hold system. Okay, so it’s not so great when the book you want isn’t available right away, but with the hold system, it takes like five minutes to get a book you already know you want to read (once it comes in, of course). So here are the last three books that came in on hold for me.

Paige by Annette Lyon
After a bitter divorce from her unfaithful husband, Paige moves from Utah to California with her two little boys and vows to make a fresh start. She finds a job at a dental practice that helps her get back on her feet, but it’s the friends she makes at her new book club who help her realize how strong she is and who give her support to carry on as she faces the challenges of being a single mom. She also meets Derryl, a wonderful, kind, attentive man who treats her right—something her ex never did. Yet, Paige struggles to figure out who she is as a woman rather than a wife, how to help her boys adjust to a broken home, and whether she can ever trust a man or love again. As Paige leans on the book club ladies and Derryl’s ever-present care, one thing becomes clear: healing from the past requires more than a change of address.

With my birthday book budget, I decided I’d rather buy Annette’s Band of Sisters: Coming Home (Side note: Band of Sisters is currently $1.99 on Kindle!), and I put Paige on hold from the library. It finally came in, and it was the first book I picked up off the stack! But then life sucked up all my reading time. Darn life.

Reached by Ally Condie
Cassia’s journey began with an error, a momentary glitch in the otherwise perfect façade of the Society. After crossing canyons to break free, she waits, silk and paper smuggled against her skin, ready for the final chapter.

The wait is over.

One young woman has raged against those who threaten to keep away what matters most—family, love, choice. Her quiet revolution is about to explode into full-scale rebellion. With exquisite prose, the emotionally gripping conclusion to the international–bestselling Matched trilogy returns Cassia, Ky, and Xander to the Society to save the one thing they have been denied for so long, the power to choose.

I’ve read the first two books of this series, Matched and Crossed. I’ll be honest: the characters and the story don’t totally grab me and glue my eyes to the page (which sounds like a horrible, violent torture anyway. . . .), but I can’t stop reading Ally Condie’s beautiful, perfectly poetic writing. Love it!

The Light Between Oceans by M. L. Steadman
After four harrowing years on the Western Front, Tom Sherbourne returns to Australia and takes a job as the lighthouse keeper on Janus Rock, nearly half a day’s journey from the coast. To this isolated island, where the supply boat comes once a season and shore leaves are granted every other year at best, Tom brings a young, bold, and loving wife, Isabel. Years later, after two miscarriages and one stillbirth, the grieving Isabel hears a baby’s cries on the wind. A boat has washed up onshore carrying a dead man and a living baby.

Tom, whose records as a lighthouse keeper are meticulous and whose moral principles have withstood a horrific war, wants to report the man and infant immediately. But Isabel has taken the tiny baby to her breast. Against Tom’s judgment, they claim her as their own and name her Lucy. When she is two, Tom and Isabel return to the mainland and are reminded that there are other people in the world. Their choice has devastated one of them.

This last book is for my new long-distance book club, composed of my mom, my sisters, and my BFF. (With a roster like that, you’d probably think the book club was my idea. Nope.) One of my sisters has already read and enjoyed it and it sounds great!

What are you reading? What should me new book club tackle next?

TBR Tuesday: Library reads

I don’t know about you, but I’m much better about reading library books than freebies, ebooks and even books I’ve bought (*eyes 6 feet of unread books on the table* *turns away*). What can I say? I guess I read best under a deadline.

So when I’m writing on a deadline, typically I don’t check out more library books—but this time I just couldn’t resist.

My best friend recommended this one last week. Who could say no after this kind of endorsement?

Did you ever read that one book I recommended…
gosh…
about the ghost detective?

Really pretty good, IMO
And I hate most books now
So that’s high praise. haha

She meant this:

nots
The Name of the Star

Naturally, I immediately placed a hold on it. No, really, I did. And also naturally, it came in a lot sooner than I was banking on. My best friend said the voice reminded me of my book that I’m writing a sequel to now, so maybe it’s just the thing I need to tap into that voice a little better.

The other book I have out from the library, I just came across recently . . . but I can’t remember how! I’m guessing it was a recommendation from Amazon after looking at some CIA books (which, apparently, I do a lot).

Spy the Lie: Former CIA Officers Teach You How to Detect Deception
9781250005854

It’s a nonfiction book about gauging the whether someone’s telling the truth. I’ve learned a lot about research-supported untruthful body language in classes on emotions and body language from psychologist Margie Lawson’s classes, but I was interested to read more about this methodology. I’m only one chapter in and I’m already in love: they openly admit that there’s no such thing as a human lie detector (stupid TV gets on my nerves), and one real-life scenario from the book has already inspired a scene in my WIP.

Hm. The reasons for reading seem a little . . . selfish. But then, aren’t they always?

Have you read either of these? What are you reading now? How does what you’re reading influence your writing?