I almost didn't make it here today! It's been an insanely busy week that's going to continue into today. Life This week has been a combination of busy at work and busy at home. The kids did not have school on Monday, which is also typically my busiest day at work. So when Monday ended, I felt as if I sucked at both life and work. The rest of the week was better - at least I was able to keep work and life separate. This weekend just happens to be one of those when I have so much to do - thanks to the many tasks and chores deferred from previous days/weekends. We were getting quotes for some home improvement projects, had to start prepping rooms for my parents' arrival next month (mainly because I still haven't moved my daughter's online school materials out of the room from the Fall school year), and do lots of seasonal shopping. If it weren't going to be constantly raining this entire weekend, I would be prepping my garden beds as well, but now that needs t
Where Mailbox Monday meets Library Loot
It's been a really long time since I talked about any of the books I acquired or borrowed recently. I don't much like keeping track of all the books that walked in, even though I take plenty of pleasure in staring through them.
This Saturday, my husband was craving some iced tea while we were outside. I showed him the perfect place to get it - the indie bookstore right down our apartment. He smirked. Of course, we weren't going to walk out with just a $1 iced tea. I would probably have a few books in my arms and maybe a delicious coffee. Which is just what happened.
I love browsing through the huge discount shelves at the indie store. They always have something in there that I want to buy. And at almost $4, they were quite a steal, especially when we're talking about chunksters or prized books. In these stacks, I found the first part of Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis, which is one of my favorite graphic books. I had been looking for the books forever, but I didn't really want to spend a chunk of money on them. I also picked up David Grossman's To the End of the Land, which has been on my wishlist since I heard him talk and answer questions on BBC's World Book Club. And then I found The Wednesday Sisters by Meg Waite Clayton, whose The Four Ms. Bradwells was one of my 2011 favorites.
I've been picking books indiscriminately from the library, some of which I know nothing about, but their cover looks enchanting or their title sounds smart. Many go back unread. But I do discover some jewels among the lot.

2. George Moore's Albert Nobbs, which has a movie based on that I didn't know about, and which I took mainly because it is a very slim book. Albert Nobbs is about a woman who disguises as a man in 19th century Ireland, and whose secret is discovered one night when he/she shares a bed with a traveler.
3. Kristín Ómarsdóttir's Children in Reindeer Woods, which is about a girl in a temporary home in a war zone, who witnesses a bunch of soldiers murder everyone around her and then kill each other. The lone surviving soldier who happens to be very troubled is now renouncing his soldier's life. I'm only a few pages in and so far it is giving me mixed reactions.

5. Half-Blood Blues by Esi Edugyan, which was nominated for many awards last year. I don't think I'll get the time to read this one, but I hope to.
6. 12.21 by Dustin Thomason, which I picked for the husband. Yet another book on the Mayan prophecy that seems to be the theme this year. But I did notice that this one is getting better reviews than a lot of the Mayan doomsday books and movies out there.

Comments
ENJOY!!!
Elizabeth
Silver's Reviews
http://silversolara.blogspot.com
I love the Strand bag...it's too perfect.