There was a lot of laughter while we had some delicious food and coffee from this cafe. We continued the good conversation while we did a wine tasting (yum) and there was some serious shopping done too. I bought some jewelry, a cute journal and then we saw this place.

Oh yes, I bought some crafty supplies. I got some stencils, ink and papers. I found out they also have classes so one day I hope I can go back.

We also got to see a movie (well, not in Salado as that is quite a small town) but nearby. We saw The Great Gatsby which we both really enjoyed. I know I’ve read some of your posts and it seems everyone has really liked it so I was looking forward to it. It’s been a long time since I’ve read the book and after seeing the movie I wouldn’t mind reading the book again.

Anyway, fun, fun, fun. Now, to get ready for the work week. How was your weekend?

So there may not be a lot of reading happening this weekend but I do think there’s a bookseller in the town so I’ll definitely drop in and see what they have. I promise to report back.

As far as my need for faraway travel is concerned for now I’m reading and both are set in London. A couple of months ago I added Book Lust To Go by Nancy Pearl to my bookshelves and if you can’t decide on a place, pick up this book and you’ll soon be doing some armchair travel. By the way, I picked up this book thanks to an interview I heard on Travels with Rick Steves.

So what about you, where do you wish you were traveling to this weekend?

Amazon also sent me an email with info on new books coming out (or that are just out) on art journaling and mixed media. Next to reading, my other obsession is crafty stuff. I’m constantly popping in at local craft stores and browsing online for supplies. Needless to say, I’m sure I’ll be buying some of the books that are featured in the email.

On my last visit to my favorite indie bookstore I didn’t find a copy of BookPage, it’s been hit or miss lately, so today I happened to catch up online and look what I find out: Chimamanda Ngozie Adichie has a new book out, Americanah. I’ve loved her two other books so you bet this one is going on my booklist.

What books are you excited about today?

The story begins when Sarah finds out that someone has been asking about Catherine, the little girl she’s been hoping to adopt. And, that someone is claiming to be Catherine’s mother. Sarah is sick with worry but wants to do the right thing and she’ll ask Malloy for his help. Of course this is a murder mystery so someone dies, there’s a murderer to be found and the truth must come out.

Part of the reason I was racing through to the end of this book was not so much the mystery but I wanted to know what was finally going to happen between Sarah and Malloy. The author has been promising that readers would be happy. The series spans two years in the characters’ lives so it’s not really that long but for readers who’ve eagerly read through 14 books, well, it’s been quite a wait. And, waiting that long of time I was expecting a bit more than just a few pages at the end. I won’t post any spoilers but if you read this series I’d love to hear if you thought the resolution worked well?

I also know this is a mystery not a romance but I just really like these characters. I don’t expect mysteries to have a romance element to them but if they do and if they are written so that it doesn’t feel tacked on then I am all for it.

How about you? Do you care if your mystery has some romance in it or do you just want the characters to stick with solving crimes?

Now I’m getting ready to delve into The House of Silk: A Sherlock Holmes Novel by Anthony Horowitz. This Holmes-inspired story makes me think maybe I should try to get in a real Holmes mystery first. Unfortunately I don’t think I have enough time to do so as my mystery book group meets next week.

I am excited about this book:

“He had greeted me warmly, and as I took my place opposite him, I felt the strange sensation that Iw as awakening from a dream. It was as if the last two years had never happened, that I had never met my beloved Mary, married her and moved to our home in Kensington, purchased with the proceeds of the Agra pearls. I could have still been a bachelor, living here with Holmes, sharing with him the excitement of the chase and the unravelling of yet another mystery.”

Now, if I was to read a Holmes mystery first which one would you recommend? Ok, guys, I’m off to read because the game’s afoot!

So that was productive. I also finished Murder In Chelsea by Victoria Thompson. I stayed up very late on Friday finishing it and I’ll have to tell you more about it. I also went to the library to pick up The House of Silk by Anthony Horowitz which I need to hurry up and start for my next book group meeting. Can you believe I didn’t check out any other books? I tell you, I’m on a roll with trying to read more from my shelves.

Aside from that the weekend seems to have gone by way too quickly. There was art journaling, craft shopping (I bought some fun scrapbook paper) and organizing going on around here and I just wish I had a bit more time to get more of that in but now it’s time to start getting ready for bed and ready for the week. What about you, is there something you wish you had gotten around to doing this weekend?

So far I’ve come up with these book titles:

• Interred with their Bones by Jennifer Lee Carrell
• The Poison Tree by Erin Kelly
• The Girl Next Door by Brad Parks
• The Other Woman by Hank Phillippi Ryan

Have you read any of these and can recommend them? Think they’d be good for a discussion? In case you are wondering, no I usually don’t nominate books I’ve read because of course I want to read some new books/authors. Ha.

Hope you all you have a wonderful weekend and I’ll let you know how my library trip goes.

González & Daughter Trucking Co. by María Amparo Escandón. Who doesn’t love a book about book groups? Well this one is slightly different in that the book group members are all  women serving a prison sentence. Libertad González reads to the group of women but the story that emerges from the pages is not necessarily the one that is within the book but the story of Libertad’s life and how she came to be in the Mexican prison.

She tells the story of a couple in love, the woman who dies and what happens to the man now alone and with a baby daughter. On the run from authorities and living life transporting goods in their big 18-wheeler. The girl grows up and loves the being on the road with her father but she also dreams about what it would be like to have a home. To stop in one place for good. This was such a good book. Quirky, with some humor and some sadness and just a story about a father and his daughter.

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. I don’t think I need to tell you much about this book because I’m sure everyone has read it by now, right? What I really liked about this story was that I thought both of the main characters were completely unpredictable. I couldn’t trust them and I didn’t really like either one but I was hooked by the mystery and wanted to rush to the end to see what would happen.

And, that is where I ran into a problem with this book. To me the fell flat.  I was expecting a jaw-dropping moment or some big reveal and then nothing. I’m not going to go into details but for those of you who have read it, did you like the end? Anyway, I’m sure when her next book is out I’ll be waiting to read it. I did enjoy her previous novel Sharp Objects.

Broken Harbor by Tana French. I didn’t like her previous book as much as I’ve liked her other books so I was excited to see what this one would be like and am happy to report that it did not disappoint. I think part of the reason this book was so good for me was that at the time I was reading it we were also dealing with a pest in our attic and needless to say I was a bit scared and excited to see what the father in this book was going to find. Luckily my husband did not go to the lengths the father in this book did!

Anyway, I’ve become a fan of her books because I always feel like I really get to know the place and this was no exception. I could just picture what this community was like. With regards to the characters, I thought the main detective was interesting and liked him even though sometimes he got a bit on my nerves with his actions. Not sure if I agreed at all with how he dealt with another detective.

So these are some good books I’ve recently read. I’ll try to do another quick update on some other good reads soon. Let me know if you’ve read these and what you thought.

This means some of my shelf-sitters may just end up leaving the shelf. I think some of my longest shelf-sitters have been there for at least 10 years (probably more). I’m sure when I’m going through them I’ll probably think I just can’t part with a book that sounds that good. You’ve been through that yourself right?

My plan is to donate some books to the library, some are going to Half Price Books and some of my mysteries are going towards my mystery book group exchange (we have an exchange twice a year).

Of course you know why I’m making room on my shelves right? To add more to them! Haha…. How about you, are you running out of bookshelf space too? How long have you had some of your shelf-sitters?

• A Murder at Rosamund’s Gate by Susanna Calkins. A historical mystery set in London. Oh yes, this is definitely going on my list.
• Wrecked by Charlotte Roche. According to the publisher, “There are things in this book that could even spark a new sexual revolution.” Hmm….
• This Beautiful Life by Helen Schulman. I admit the title caught my attention but the story does sound good.
• A Spear of Summer Grass by Deanna Raybourn. I’ve read several of her books in her mystery/romance series and didn’t realize she had a new book out. Love the cover of this book.
• Dante’s Wood by Lynne Raimondo. Another for the mystery list.

If you’ve read any of these and recommend one let me know. I’ve really missed making book lists for my blog. I still keep reading lists in my journals but it’s nice to collect them all here.