It's Monday 5/4! What Are You Reading?

Wow, where to start? This weekend was the highlight of my 46-year reading life! Seriously. My mother and I attended Booktopia, an event hosted by the Books on the Nightstand podcast, and it was just amazing! Held in picturesque Manchester, VT, there were 80 avid readers/book lovers, 8 authors who hung out with us all weekend, and 2 hosts, plus an incredible bookstore, Northshire Bookstore. It was so much fun! I will post a full summary with lots of photos tomorrow.

I spent most of my weekend talking, not reading, but we did make some time for reading last week:

• I am almost finished with Get in Trouble by Kelly Link, a book of short stories. Kelly was one of the authors at Booktopia this weekend, and I loved meeting her. I can't remember the last time I read a collection of short stories, but this one completely pulled me in. Her stories always have an element of weirdness - a touch of science fiction or fantasy or magic - but they are also about human nature and relationships and real life. I have one more story to go and then I plan to investigate some of her earlier collections.
• As soon as I went to Kelly Link's session this weekend, I set her book aside (reluctantly!) to start Ellis Island by Kate Kerrigan for my online family book group. We are supposed to begin discussing it today, but I am a bit behind because of Booktopia. It is good so far, about a young girl growing up in Ireland in the early part of the 20th century who will (according to the prologue) immigrate to America.
• I finished listening to Rainey Royal by Dylan Landis, another Booktopia selection. This is an adult novel about a fourteen-year old girl growing up in the 1970's with her father who is an immature, musical genius who has turned their home into a kind of musical commune. Rainey understandably acts out in ways that make you both want to throttle her and protect her at the same time. It was captivating, and I loved meeting the author this weekend. Review coming soon!
• On the way home last night, I started listening to Ask the Dark by Henry Turner, a teen/YA novel on audio. It's riveting so far, narrated by a boy who often gets into trouble, about a series of missing boys in his town and how he was the only person who could piece together what happened to them. Excellent so far.
• My husband, Ken, has been reading a thriller I gave him for Easter, Silken Prey by John Sandford. It's the first Sandford novel he's read (I heard about the Prey series on the Books on the Nightstand podcast!), and he's enjoying it so far - nothing too deep he said, just fast-paced fun.
• Jamie, 20, has been busy with school but is reading Mountain Man by Keith C. Blackmore, a book his dad lent him, to continue his Zombie obsession. He would have loved meeting Kelly Link this weekend!

 I was away and offline half the week, but I posted a couple of reviews before I left:

Review of Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt, a middle-grade audio novel

Review of The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey by Walter Mosley, a haunting adult novel

What are you and your family reading this week?    


What Are You Reading Monday is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey, with a kid/teen version hosted by Unleashing Readers.   

Me with Cristina Henriquez at Northshire Bookstore this weekend