Let's Revisit Booking It in 2011

We are now almost done with February (where does the time go?) so I think it's a good time to revisit my apparently lofty goals for reading in 2011 and do some course correction!

I have come to realize that I am in a season of life where I just cannot plan for the entire year - my life is way too wishy washy right now.  For example, I would love to get up before sweet baby girl so that I can take care of my own personal morning routine and be ready for her when she awakes but that has been impossible for the last several months.  I've had to come up with "work arounds" to make sure I get dressed in the morning because most of the time my baby is in bed with me in the morning and 1) I need more sleep, 2) Getting up would cause her to wake and 3) it bears repeating, I need more sleep!  So, you can find the schedule I previously posted for 2011 here and below I am posting an UPDATED schedule for 1st quarter only with no firm dates.  I have decided to only commit one quarter at a time for right now and I might have to scale back to one month at a time but we'll try this and see what happens!

The Pirate Queen by Patricia Hickman - completed and wrote the book review for Blogging for Books
The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin - still reading
Listen by Rene Gutteridge - my first ebook on my new NOOK!
Like Dandelion Dust by Karen Kingsbury - trying to get ebook since I let my hold expire on the hard copy at the library by accident
Sisterchicks On The Loose by Robin Jones Gunn - this is for my March book club
Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois - also for March
TBD book for Blogging For Books - update - I have requested my next book and the request is in process

Book Review: The Pirate Queen by Patricia Hickman

Disclaimer:  I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review; however, these statements and opinions are entirely my own.  This statement is required for compliance with the Federal Trade Commission.

First, I have to say that reading books post-baby is a totally different experience for me and I am struggling with it!  I am used to reading a book in a few days or maybe a week, NOT THREE MONTHS!  Yep, you read that correctly, it has taken me almost three months to complete the reading of this book that was so graciously provided to me by WaterBrook Multhoman Publishing Group.  I'm so embarrassed.  They will actually suspend your account if you do not post your review within 90 days so I am skating on thin ice right now!

Okay, so onto the review....

I actually enjoyed The Pirate Queen and would recommend it.  It grabbed my attention right from the beginning when I saw that the story is set in North Carolina, my own home state.  And if that was not enough in the first chapter the main character, Saphora, is about to leave her cheating husband, Bender, when she finds out he is dying.  This definitely set the stage for good "chick lit".

I see so many reviewers telling the book's story so I'm just going to jump to my thoughts.  Overall I was pleasantly surprised that the storyline took the direction it did because from the outset I was sure it would be just about the relationship between Saphora and Bender with a large focus on his illness.  While the book was about that, it was about so much more.  The characters in the book are well-developed and interesting.  There are alot of different stories going on throughout the book that kept me curious as to how things would turn out.  Honestly though I was fairly shocked at the point where the storyline shifts to another character - I did not see it coming at all.  That is when I picked up speed and pushed ahead to get to the end.  So, I would say the book intrigued me at beginning and end but maybe was a little slow and less interesting in the middle.

And lastly, I loved how the final chapter of the book was a look forward years ahead to what had happened with the main characters.  I like to know "what happens next" when I read.  I'm geeky in that way!

The one disappointment I had with this book is that the spiritual component was not as developed as I would personally like but that makes the book more attractive to a larger audience so I am okay with that.

Booking It in 2011

Reading has always been a passion of mine going back to elementary school.  I have been known to read more than one book in a week and to stay up til the wee hours in order to finish a particularly exciting book.  But alas, along came Olivia...  She is truly the joy of my life but I have to admit she has really put a kink in my reading schedule.  In fact, I am fairly certain I've not read more than 3 books since she made her appearance back in June.  I really miss reading.

So, for 2011 I am hoping to reclaim reading!  In an effort to have more accountability around this I am posting my 2011 reading plans.  Also, I decided to join Life As Mom's Book Club also to broaden my reading interests. 

Here is my list of books for 2011.  (Note, some of these are for my church book club, some are from the Life As Mom list and some will be tied to Blogging For Books which I will be posting reviews for throughout the year).  For my church book club we only have the books identified through May so I'll have to add the remainder to this list later in the year and for Blogging For Books I don't know until I finish one provided book what the next one will be so I'm just planning to read at least 4 books this year in relation to that.

January:  Same Kind of Different As Me by Ron Hall and Denver Moore
The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin
The Pirate Queen by Patricia Hickman

February:  Like Dandelion Dust by Karen Kingsbury
Mansfield Park by Jane Austen

March:  Sisterchicks On The Loose by Robin Jones Gunn
Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois
TBD book for Blogging For Books

April:  Front Porch Princess (book 1) by Kathryn Springer
Finding Your Purpose As a Mom: How to Build Your Home on Holy Ground by Donna Otto

May:  June Bug by Chris Fabry
The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan

June: TBD book for church book club
TBD book for Blogging For Books
Dancing with My Father: How God Leads Us into a Life of Grace and Joy by Sally Clarkson

July:  TBD book for church book club
The Help by Kathryn Stockett

August: TBD book for church book club
Organized Simplicity: The Clutter-Free Approach to Intentional Living by Tsh Oxenreider

September: TBD book for church book club
TBD book for Blogging For Books
Not Your Mother’s Casseroles by Faith Durand

October: TBD book for church book club
The Reluctant Entertainer by Sandy Coughlin

November: TBD book for church book club
The Monster in the Hollows by Andrew Peterson, the third in The Wingfeather Saga

December:
TBD book for church book club
TBD book for Blogging For Books

Anyone want to join me?