Books I've read....and a few I haven't

Having a lot of extra time on my hands allows for alot of quiet time. I've recently taken to reading books on the beach on Sunday afternoons. Definitely a nice way to get out without having to spend a dime. After visiting a fellow bloggers site and admiring their book reviews, I thought i'd follow suit:

To The Nines by Janet Evanovich: This is #8 in the series of Stephanie Plum's bail bonds adventures. If you're looking for some fun, flirty and what I call, "mindless" reading, you'll enjoy this fabulos series. The perfect "vacation" book because it's small and easy to pick up and put down at a beck and call of beaches and sunshine!

Atonement by Ian McEwan: This is one that I would not have chosen on my own. One of the parents in my class invited me to join a book club. This is the first book I read for the club. Definitely a slow start, but incredible character development. Ian McEwan paints a very intricate web of characters where their personal agendas lead to revengeful acts and deception reigns.

Plan B by Anne Lamott: The sequel to Traveling Mercies, Lamott is opinionated and honest, warm and spiritual. This book was given to me as a going away present. I read it the first month I was here and thus found myself quoting Lamott in various emails and throughout my days, finding that I was living my own version of Plan B. A few quotes that I enjoy: "Please, please help me. Please let me feel You while I adjust to not getting what I was hoping for." and "It's good to do uncomfortable things. It's the weight training for life."

Gift from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh: A wonderfully petite beach afternoon read full of morsels of wisdom about the waves of life, and how to understand the different tides of love and relationships...Some things are as predictable as the waves crashing. Being a huge fan of analogies, the wisdom and insight gathered from the shells found on the beach was decadent. Short and sweet, but sometimes that's all we need.

The Year of Yes by Maria Dahvana Headley: A memoir of a single girl who says yes to any and all who ask her out. This witty singleton entertains you for 270 pages with her raw approach to dating and relationships. Let's just say she has more guts than I would ever have to say "yes" to some of her suitors. And yet she remains hopeful for the ONE! Headley is a Seattle native.

Nurturing the Spirit by Aline Wolf: A definite must read for my fellow montessorians! Not having a lot of folks to debrief with after a long day "at the office", this book came at a crucial time in my discovery of how i am as a Montessori guide. It was Chapter 8 , "Community for Teachers" that helped solidify the reasons for not staying another year at my current job. I have realized how important it is for me as a guide to create the space to able to nurture my spirit, so that I can in turn nurture the little spirits that have been entrusted to me. And on top of that, to be a part of and to receive support from a community of helpful and like minded individuals.

"Women of the Silk" and "Language of Threads" by Gail Tsukiyama : Here we meet Pei and Lin and are introduced to the life of a silk worker. Beautifully narrated, we walk through life's joys and tragedies with Pei. Having not read many novels of chinese history and culture, this refreshing approach was both intriguing, peaceful and deeply moving. Language of Threads is the sequel to Women of the Silk and was equally as breath taking. Tsukiyama has a wonderful way with words. We continue through trials and tribulations with Pei encounters. I highly recommend these as a pair. I could hardly put this one down after I started reading.

Driving over Lemons: An Optimist in Spain by Chris Stewart: A captivating read of one couple's adventures after purchasing a villa in Spain, course it had no running water or electricity. Despite the lack of emotion and vague scenery description, Stewart's quick humor is just enough to make you feel sorry for him yet wanting more. Another refreshing read with short chapters which makes for a great beach trip totealong. This was another book club selection and once again, not one that I would have picked out on my own. Oddly enough, I rather enjoyed reading about someone else's experience living abroad.




Books I've collected...some i've started and a few that are waiting to be read. I'd love to hear your recommendations. What's on your nightstand?