~ Anonymous
I am a book nerd.
At every stage in my life, I can remember curling up with a good book. Staying awake into the wee hours of the morning, I'd transplant myself into other lives I'd never live, escaping whatever real world stress existed for me.
As a girl, my favorites were Blubber and Deenie and the entire Baby-sitters Club series. In college I poured over The Vampire Chronicles and early Stephen King.
by moriza on flickr
More recently, James Patterson, Anita Shreve and Jodi Picoult have had their turns as my favorites.
Light-weight and small, their works are easy to transport. No one would be the wiser if I were to smuggle one into the back of a dull college English class. A few pages could be stolen during breaks from work or over the lunch hour. And if I finish a chapter while the kids play?
Well, I'm a good role model.
But as with everything else in the life of being an overworked mother, I was finding it hard to find new and interesting books to read. When I did hear of a good tale, I'd forget what it was as soon as I was standing in front of the fiction shelves at the local library. (Because, face it, just getting the kids there and keeping them from pulling all the books off the shelves is work enough!)
Then one day I got an e-mail from a co-worker friend that changed my book-lovin' life.
An invite to join a book lovers' social networking site!
Eureka! I could save a list of the titles I intend to read, visit chat forums to share feedback on what I did read, and –joy of all joys–I could keep track of what I've already read as well. (Because it sucks more than you know to take two kids to the library, deal with all of their shenanigans and then trek them back home again only to realize later that you've already read the book you picked out. Dang it!)
Shelfari.com and Goodreads.com are two such sites. I have to say I prefer Shelfari a bit more (I'm a visual type) but both seem to have many of the same features.
Use whichever suits your tastes. You'll thank me for the few extra minutes of peace in your day!
Colleen blogs about her life as a workin' Momma and her battles with two small boys at Mommy Always Wins. Want to see what's she's been reading? Link up with her on Shelfari and Goodreads!
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If you like mystery and witty banter, then you have to check out Laurie R. King's Mary Russel series. I fell in love with those books in high school and I read the first one (The Beekeeper's Apprentice) so many time that it has literally disintegrated. Even 10 years after reading the first of the series and losing count of how many times I've read each one, I still crave reading them. Enjoy your book addiction! It's the best kind to have
It has been hard to read after becoming a mother, and it was my way of relaxing and getting refreshment. I didn't read too much last year, but this year I started a list of recommendations from family/friends. We went to the library every week when I was growing up…no matter how busy my mom was, she took us. I think even if it's an easy read, you still something in the end. I'll have to check out those sites. Thanks.