It's Monday 12/4! What Are You Reading?

Whew, what a busy week! After 10 days away, I spent most of last week trying to catch up - on e-mails, online support groups, blogging, etc. Every time I cleared 100 e-mails out of my inbox, another 100 would appear! Sorry I didn't get around to visit many blogs last week - just snowed under. And, it was also Cyber Monday, so online shopping kept me busy much of the week, too. The good news is that I finally cleared my e-mail inbox yesterday, and I am almost finished with my holiday shopping!

One wonderful thing last week was the weather. We had 50's or 60's most days and gorgeous blue skies and sunshine, so I took advantage of that and got out to take a walk most days. One last nice day today (going out for a walk when I finish this) and then more seasonal weather sets in tomorrow.

Another good thing (any week) is our books! Here's what we were reading last week:

• I finished Hap and Hazard and the End of the World by Diane DeSanders, my next review book for Shelf Awareness. It's told from the point of view of a little girl growing up in Texas in the 1950's, and the author does a great job of describing things from a child's perspective. It is disturbing in parts, but it is also funny and nostalgic.
• Now I am reading Picking Cotton: Our Memoir of Injustice and Redemption by Jennifer Thompson-Cannino and Ronald Cotton for my neighborhood book group this week. Wow, this is a stunning true story co-authored by a woman who was raped and the man she incorrectly identified and sent to prison for 11 years before DNA evidence finally exonerated him. It's a really powerful and stunning story.
• I finally finished listening to Where the Past Begins: A Writer's Memoir by Amy Tan. This was a fascinating memoir by the famed author, featuring her beautiful, lyrical writing and sharing details of her life and her family history. I enjoyed it.
• Next, I listened to another nonfiction audio book, Bored and Brilliant: How Spacing Out Can Unlock Your Most Productive and Creative Self by Manoush Zomorodi. I listened to it nonstop and finished it in less than a week! This is a very interesting and motivating book about our addiction to technology and how we fill every moment now instead of allowing ourselves some quiet time to just let our minds wander. Ironically, it inspired me to leave my iPod in my pocket and stop listening to the book during one of my walks last week!
• My husband, Ken, finished reading To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis, a time travel farce, combining historical fiction (set in Victorian England), time travel, and plenty of humor. I enjoyed it (review at the link), and he did, too. He found the beginning a bit confusing (makes sense as the main character is confused!), but enjoyed it once he got into it.
• Now, Ken just started reading The Farm by Tom Rob Smith, a thriller set in Sweden that sounds really good and was highly acclaimed. I gave it to him for his birthday.
• Our son, Jamie, 23, is re-reading a favorite trilogy, The Night Angel series by Brent Weeks. He is (I think) on book 2, Shadow's Edge. I suspect his reading slowed way down this week with being back at school!

Last week's blog posts:

TV Tuesday: Norsemen - hilarious parody of Vikings we enjoyed on vacation

Fiction Review: Local Girl Missing by Claire Douglas - creepy mystery/suspense

Summary of Books Read in October - an all-fiction month for me!

Saturday Snapshot: West Palm Beach, Florida - highlights from our mini-vacation, from the beach to the city to the swamp!

What Are You Reading Monday is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date, so head over and check out her blog and join the Monday fun! You can also participate in a kid/teen/YA version hosted by Unleashing Readers.


What are you and your family reading this week?  

You can follow me on Twitter at @SueBookByBook or on Facebook on my blog's page.    

On one of my walks last week! More fall pics on Saturday.