Reading with a newborn

I had read a lot of different articles about how people's reading lives changed once they had a baby. I read a lot and that is how I decompress and relax. So it was one of the things I was worried about when I was pregnant. Will I have time to read? Will I loose that part of me for a while? Now there are certain hobbies or things that we love that I in our eyes defines who we are. Being a reader is a huge part of my identity, always has been. But I did find out a couple things. When my daughter was born I got a lot of reading time in. Newborns sleep a lot. So I was able to read here and there while she slept...when I wasn't sleeping. Now that she is almost 4 months old it is a bit trickier but still possible. I found that reading on my tablet or a paperback book is easiest. I have read tons of graphic novels because those a re really easy to stop and go for me. They are also quicker to read. So I have been enjoying that. I have been reading graphic novels on my Ipad to make it easier. But now that my daughter is starting to take more interest in my screens I would prefer not to read so much on the tablet if I am holding her or she is watching me. Right now I am trying to read a hardcover book and I find those are the hardest to read with a baby in your arms. Another great way to get reading time in with a baby is to listen to audiobooks. That is a great way to multitask. I like to listen to audiobooks when we go for our walks. Baby falls asleep and I get some exercise and listen to my book. So the one thing I have discovered is if it is important to you then you will find the time. It is only a matter of time management. And that includes bringing my daughter into it. When I am reading to her I count that as reading time. It is something I love that I am sharing with her and hopefully she will love books as much as I do.

Lilly Post Box: March

I just received March's Lilly Post box. I really like this subscriptions service. Now you can go on and buy a past box if you want to check it out before getting a subscription.

Each box comes with 5 wrapped board books. There is also a subscription to get 4 picture books a month as well. Depends on how old your child is. Here is how your box will come.

This month came with some really cute board books. The first one I got was Happy Birthday Elephant. This book is super cute and has a small wooden toy that pops out.

The second books was Farm Animals.

The third books is a touch and feel book called I love Puppies. It has a bunch of different puppies and fabrics for baby to touch.

The fourth book is Big and Small mix and match book. This one was very interesting since there is a book within a book and you can match them up or just go through the small one with the book one. This one will be a lot of fun.

The last book is Baby Einstein First Words. It is very colorful and has a large variety of pictures and words. This is a really nice book.

So I am very hapy with the selection that we recieved from this month's Lilly Post box.

Where I buy Baby books

Baby books can be very expensive. I didn't really want to spend almost $20 per book for picture books. Board books can be less expensive at $7 to $10 a book. Here are some great places to get discounted books. Local Library: A lot of libraries have sales or second hand stores in them. My local library has a small used store that is open during the weekdays. They sell books from .25 to a couple dollars. They have a good variety. you can usually get some good children's books there. I got over 20 books for about $4.50 last time I went. Any money this stores make usually help the library, which is an added benefit. If you are not interested in buying books obviously you can check them out of your local library. Second Hand Stores:Used book stores are a great way to support your local community. You can also find some amazing books. Usually they depend on what people bring in. The two stores I go to will give you store credit based on what books you bring in. This can also help offset the cost of children's books (or books for you). I have found some older books with such lovely illistrations in them. You should look up any used bookstores in your area. Book Outlet: Book Outlet is an online discount book site. Their stock revolves so you can't always find specific books. This is more for browsing and seeing what they have available. The prices range but you can get hard cover, soft cover, board books, library bound, or scratch and dent. So there are sometimes a variety of ways to save money on this site. The shipping can seem pricey but for what you are saving on the books I have always found it worth it. They are having a sale this week were you get free shipping so now would be a good time to check them our. Lilly Post: There is also a service called Lilly Post. For $26 a month they send me 5 wrapped board books. When my daughter is a little older it will be more fun to watch her unwrap them. But I have gotten some great books through this. I signed up through Book Outlet so you can go to their site for more info. There is also a plan that sends you 4 picture books each month. Barnes and Noble or Books a Million: If you have a chain bookstore near where you live you may be able to find some deals in the clearance sections of these stores. They also have discount cards you can buy and off coupons fairly regularly. So you probably won't save as much as the places above, but if you are looking for a specific book this may bee a good option. If you don't live near a books store Amazon usually has good prices and offers used books you can buy sometimes as well. That is how I save money on books for my baby. This is also how I get books for myself and my classroom. So sometimes you just need to look around what is available in your community.

First Quarter Reading Stats

First Quarter Reading Stats

So I got the idea to look at my reading stats every quarter from Rincey over at Rincey Reads. If you haven't seen her videos you should check them out. (https://www.youtube.com/user/rinceyreads)

So I went through my reading spread sheet and looked to see what I have been reading for the first three months of the year. So here is how it plays out.

Total books: 25 books

Total pages read: 5,017

Gender:

Male: 11 books (44%)

Female: 11 books (44%)

Both: 3 books ( 12%)

This doesn't really surprise me. I usually end up reading more female writers but it usually is pretty close to 1/2.

Translated: 1 book

I do need to read more book that have been translated into English. So I need to be aware of that.

Written by a person of color: 6 (24%)

My goal for this year was 30%. In the beginning of March I realized this category was pretty low and I started taking a bit more time carefully selecting which books I was reading on my TBR. I think I can get this percentage a little higher in the next quarter.

Genre

Mystery: 12%

Graphic Novel: 40%

Fantasy: 8%       

YA: 12%

Humor: 4%

Short Story: 8%

Sci-fi: 8%

Non Fiction: 4%

Poetry: 4%

So for my genres I am reading very broadly right now. I actually had not realized how many genres I had read so far this year. I have gotten more into graphic novels and have been reading a lot of trade paperbacks of great new titles this year.

Format:

Paperback: 76%

E-book: 12%

Hardcover: 16%

Audio: 0%

I was surprised I hadn't listened to any audio books this year. But I have been listening to a lot of podcasts this year so I think that is where my listening is. So I need to listen to a couple audio books in the next quarter. I usually read a lot of paperbacks so the fact that the paperbacks are the highest is not surprising.

I am completing a 25 book challenge, Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge and a Classics Challenge.

  25 Book Challenge: 11 books read

Read Harder: 10 books read

Classics: 6 books read

So I am doing really well with my challenges this year!

I found going through this very helpful. I know which areas I need to be more aware of and which areas I am doing well in.  So we will have to see what the next three months brings!!

Watching What I Read

Watching What I Read

                Every year I take tracking my reading a bit further. In 2013 I just listed what books I read. In 2014 I listed the books I read and included the date I finished it. I started tracking how many books I read each month and how many pages I read each month. When Book Riot posted a reading spreadsheet I entered all my data and kept that as well. This year I have several ways I track and a lot of data I collect on my reading. I am curious about my reading stats and I honestly enjoy it. So in 2015 I am using the reading spread sheet with the following categories: Title, Author, Gender, Translated, POC (person of color), Date Published, Nationality, date started, date finished, pages, genre, format, where I got it, and if it fits into one of my challenges.  That is one epic spreadsheet. I also keep a book journal. I track how many books I read each month, how many pages I read, and what genres I have read that month.

                This year I am making more of an effort to evaluate what I read. I already read a lot of female authors and I do read somewhat diversely. This year I wanted to watch what I read and where I need to improve. I wanted to read more diversely  and I wanted to explore genres I do not  typically read. Last year my main focus was on new genres. This year I am continuing that but I am also looking at the authors I am picking up. I also want to explore different cultures through books.

                There are several ways I am doing this. I reflect on what I am reading as I go so if I see quite a few no's in my POC column I know that I need to improve in that area.  In March I noticed I had not read as many diverse authors and made it a point to go through my TBR and select books that would help me look at other cultures and points of view.  This is also the same with the my translated column. That is also a column I need to focus on this month and next month. Which is why I find a lot of value in tracking what I read closely. I won't know where to make improvements if I am not looking at trends.  

                Another great way to make sure I am reading a variety of genres and authors is my TBR jar. What I do for my TBR jar is a have a small mason jar and I put slips of paper in it that I pull out when I want to. I don't do it once a month or anything like that. I like to pull the slips when I need some guidance on what to read. I am completing three challenges right now. I am doing the Read Harder challenge, a 25 book challenge my friends made, and a classics challenge. I put the different categories in my TBR jar, not book titles. The only challenge that is not in the jar is the classics challenge because I read one a month and my book club votes on a classic each month.

                A  book club is also a great way to get some strong recommendations. The members of my book club have very different tastes in books. That is why typically we just bring what we have read and talk about great books we loved. We would occasionally do group reads or buddy reads.  This year we are all trying the classics challenge to expand out horizons.

                I also like to look at what genres I am reading because I love romance novels and I tend to slip very comfortably back into reading that genre. I love crossover genres as well. Paranormal romance and mystery romance are some of my favorite genres.  I also love YA, which is a good thing since I am a middle school teacher. So I never have to struggle finding books I want to read in those genres. But I have also found out that I like certain kinds of sci-fi and fantasy. I would never have said I was a huge fan of either genre just two years and now I am finding aspects of those genres that I love.

                Many of us have lots of reasons for tracking our reading or not. Whatever system you have that works for you is a great way to help you explore who you are as a reader. I would love to know how other track their reading. 

Classics Challenge: March

Classics Challenge: March

Classic read: Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier  

WHEN I Discovered This Classic: This has been on my list to read for awhile. I have wanted to see the movie based on this book for a while as well.

WHAT Makes It A Classic: This book was published in 1938 and is still very popular. It is a widely read book that is loved by many.

WHY I Chose to Read It : My book club is doing the classics challenge and this was the ick for March.  

WILL It Stay A Classic: I would say yes because of the character types and how popular it still is today.

WHO I’d Recommend It To: I would recommend this book to people who love mysteries and suspense. I would also recommend this book to people who are just starting out with classics and need a place to start. 

Review for Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman

                I loved the movie and when I first saw the movie I didn't know it was a book. Well I finally got around to reading the book. I had been looking forward to reading it for awhile.  Typically I love the book just as much or more than the movie. In this case I love the movie a lot  more than the book. I was very disappointed in the book. The plot felt a bit slow and the characters where not very likable. I was very surprised how unlikable the characters where.   I did not actually care what happened to them. I thought magic would also play a bigger part in the story, and it doesn't.  My biggest problem with the book was the character development. I would have liked more three dimensional characters and for them to be more likable. I gave the book 2 out of 5 stars. 

Classics Challenge: January

Classics Challenge: January
Classic read: One, Two, Buckle My Shoe by Agatha Christie

WHEN I Discovered This Classic: I actually found this book in the bookstore in Logan Airport in Boston.

WHAT Makes It A Classic: Agatha Christie is a staple in the mystery genre. I think her books are classics because they stand the test of time and are still widely read. 

WHY I Chose to Read It : I had decided to pic up one of her books because I loved the new editions that have been released. 

WILL It Stay A Classic: I think it will stay a classic. 

WHO I’d Recommend It To: I would recommend it to anyone who loves mysteries or historical fiction. 

Trail of Kisses by Merry Farmer

Trail of Kisses by Merry Farmer I received a free copy of this book to judge for RomCon. I liked this book. I thought it was interesting to set it on The Oregon Trail. I liked the hero of the story. I wish he had been a little more developed, I thought he was a bit flat. I also did not really care for the heroine of the story. I liked her more around the last 50 pages of the book. I actually wish the book had been a bit longer and the the author taken more time to develop some of the characters and the relationship between Lynne and Cade. I wanted to see a bit more interaction between then that would have made their relationship just a bit more believable. Like I said in the beginning I thought the setting was interesting and brought back all the games of The Oregon Trail I played as a kid. I am interested in reading the next installment of the series because I was very interested in the couple the next book is going to focus on.

Seducing the Ruthless Rogue by Tammy Jo Burns

I received a free copy of this to judge for Rom Con. I love historical fiction, so I was very excited to receive this book. This is the first book I have read by Tammy Jo Burns. I really enjoyed this book. I think thing the setting was done well. I liked the characters and I loved how they interacted with each other. I did feel some of the characters where mildly inconsistent and it was hard to understand some of their motivations. I would have liked to see more development to some of portions of the story line. I was concerned with how quickly some of the conflicts were solved and the last third of the book I was not sure where the author was going with the story. I liked the ending and want to read more books by this author.

Book Review Dead City

As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride by Cary Elwes

Now I am biased. The Princess Bride is one of my favorite movies and I have read the book. On Twitter the first line in my bio is The Dread Pirate of Twitter. My Tumblr is actually titled The Dread Pirate of Tumblr. So I am already in love with the book and the movie. I actually preordered this book once I found out about it because I was so excited about it. Generally I struggle with non-fiction and thought when I read this it would take me a little while to get through it. I read this book in two days. It is not a very long book, about 245 pages, which I actually appreciated. This book was beautifully written. I loved the writing style and I how he told stories. What I also loved about this book was that throughout the whole book there are boxes with interviews from the actors, writer, director, ect. The blurbs relate to what he is discussing in the book. At first I wasn't sure how I felt about them, but I actually really liked the different perspectives and stories throughout. If you are a fan of the movie you have to read this book. It is full of heartfelt stories and perspectives of the movie

Dead City Review

Dead City by James Ponti This book is on the Sunshine State list for 2014-2015. It is about Molly, a seventh grader, who attends MIST. MIST is a school for gifted students and where he mother went to school. She doesn't have many friends and hangs out at the morgue where her mom worked before she passed away. All that changes when she is recruited to join a team of Zombie hunters called Omegas. The story is about her building relationships and learning what she needs to be a member of the team. I really enjoyed this book. It was a really fun adventure story. I loved Molly and the choices she makes really make a lot of sense. I liked that the we got to see this story from her perspective so you get to really understand how the character feels. It wasn't a scary book so it is good for kids. This is the first book the sequel is Blue Moon. I also loved the first page of this book!

The Boy at the End of the World Review

The Boy at the End of the World by Greg van Eekhout This is not usually a book I would pick up on my own to read. I had to think about this book after I finished it because I wasn't really sure how I felt about the book. This book really stuck with me and I am still thinking about it after a week. It is a mix of The Matrix, Terminator, and The Wizard of Oz and that may seem like a really weird combination the book does have elements of those movies. It takes place after humans are no longer on Earth. Humans got to a point where they could not reproduce and survive in the world they had altered. So what they do is create several Arcs. In these arcs they have frozen people, animals, and plants that will be woken up when the Earth is habitable again. Something attacks the Arc Fisher is in and as the only survivor the robot in charge of the Arc selects a personality profile and awakens him. This book is about Fisher's journey to discover if he is the last human on the Earth or if there are others out there. This was a very fast paced book and kept a pretty steady momentum through the story. I also enjoyed the characters. As Fisher travels he meets different animals and the author paints a world in which nature has taken back the Earth. It was a very interesting look at what could happen if humans are not more concerned with the choices they are making. I think books like this are good for kids to read. It allows them to think about their actions big and small and how they do effect people.

Sleepy Hollow: Children of the Revolution by Keith DeCandido

Sleepy Hollow: Children of the Revolution by Keith DeCandido I am a big fan of the T.V. show. When I saw this as an option on the Blogging for Books site I was excited to give it a chance. I really liked the writing style for this book. It definitely had the same feel and mood for the T.V. show. The plot was interesting but I at times I wasn't quite sure where it fit into the season. But the back of the book as an explanation of how the book fits between the episodes “The Golem” and “The Vessel.” The problem I had with this book was that it was structured just like the T.V. show. There were a lot of flash backs for numerous characters and I felt that slowed the book down. While this works great in the T.V. show, in the book I felt it pulled me away from the current story and I wanted to know how that went. The flashbacks where really not that necessary. It also made some of the scenes a bit confusing. So I liked the book for the most part. I gave 3 out of 5 stars to this book. If you are a fan of the show you will probably find it entertaining. I got this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review.

choosing books

I have been giving a lot of thought to how I go about choosing what books to read next. Why do we select some books and pass on others? This year I am completing that 25 category challenge I wrote about in a previous post, so expand what I am reading. I have done that throughout the last few years and each year I try or add something to my reading that enhances how I read. By branching out and exploring different genres I am getting a better handle of what I enjoy as a reader. Now I have always been open to trying different books and as I get older i do read a variety. But I find that there are still some areas I have either moved away from or just don't read as much. For example this year I am going to try and read more new releases. This means I need to be more careful what books I spend money on and budget for that. I am also planning on using my public library more. Some books won't be to hard because I can catch up on my series then read them as they come out. So as I look at what I have read so far and see what changes need to be done or if how I am approaching my reading this year is working well  I also need to consider how to go about selecting books I will enjoy.