Books and such

I've been a huge bookworm pretty much since I learned to read.  My entire family is comprised of big readers, actually, and there was always something to find on one of our many bookshelves.  At one point my mother said I needed to move on from Goosebumps because I was reading them in half an hour and it was becoming an expensive habit.

I want the same sort of experience for Thumper, and we do have a set of bookshelves, but our stash is nowhere near what it could be.  A busted water heater at a former residence got rid of a good chunk of the inventory, and now that we're living in a smaller apartment, we're much more choosy about what we keep and what we give to Goodwill.

Which is not entirely a bad thing.  I love shopping at Goodwill and used bookstores; it's not uncommon for me to come home with 30 new books (mostly cozy mysteries) and tear through them like junk food. I also love my Kindle; I prefer the original, not the touch-screen, because with the original you can use either side to move forward and back, and I think that's genius.  Oddly enough, I'm selective with the Kindle; I always make sure I'm not paying a ridiculous price for something (and really, I should get a library subscription).

After I had Thumper - even before, while I was pregnant - my concentration was shot all to hell.  I went from reading novels every day to lacking the attention span or desire to curl up with one.   Lately, though, I've finally been feeling like I have enough room in my brain for something more than Internet posts.

Finding the time is something else again.  Many days I'm still in a form of survival mode - sleep when possible.  Then there's usually some form of cleaning I could do.  I think I'm willing to postpone a little cleaning to recharge my brain, though, and luckily the Yeti is of the same opinion.  By the way, when you don't marry someone in an "Odd Couple" situation - when you're both the messy one - you get a lot of mess enabling, in case you're wondering.

So here's what I've got lined up to read, when I've got a moment:

Outlander, Diana Gabaldon - First book in the Outlander series.  This was recommended to me years ago, but now that there's a TV series a fire has been lit under me (I did the same thing with the Song of Ice and Fire, aka Game of Thrones, books).

I've already started this one, and it has sucked me in.  Time travel?  Historical fiction?  Romance?  I'm in.

1491, Charles C. Mann - I started this book before I got pregnant.  Because I'm not used to reading nonfiction, it fell first to my diminishing attention span.  Still, it really is a fascinating book about the pre-Columbian civilizations in North and South America, and I mean to finish it.

Evil Eclairs, Jessica Beck - the Yeti bought me this for Christmas.  My all-time favorite genre is the cozy mystery, and the Yeti likes buying me ones with the weirdest "themes" he can find.  I think I haven't read this one yet because I've felt like I haven't had the time to really properly enjoy it.  Now I'm sort of over waiting for the perfect undisturbed moment and it's next in line.

Best Kindle case ever, from the best Nancy Drew book, bought on Etsy here.