Well, I’m back. (Gold star if you can tell me what book this line is from. Hint: it’s the last line.)
Last week turned out to be a bit of a debacle in terms of blogging. I had no intention of leaving things blank around here but a work conference took up a big part of my life and I couldn’t find the energy to do anything so Just Book Reading went quiet for a week. Not the end of the world I know but since I do enjoy writing, it was a bit of a disappointment on my end.
While work did manage to suck the energy out of my writing, it didn’t do the same for my reading. Conference work is boring with a decent amount of downtime so I did manage to read off and on. I finished:
Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen — This one is wicked in terms of the social commentary and very enjoyable. I only have Lady Susan and Mansfield Park to finish in my Complete Works of Jane Austen book. And, well, there is Emma but I’ve never been a fan of that one and after several attempts to read it failed, I may skip it once more.
Abandoned by Amanda Stevens — This is a short story prequel to The Restorer which I read over a week ago and liked. In Abandoned, some parts felt as though they weren’t fleshed out but that also may have been due to the fact that I read this after finishing The Restorer and was expecting it to fill in some additional background on certain characters which wasn’t the point of the story. Once I got past my expectations, I enjoyed it.
Heat Wave by Richard Castle — I have no idea how this one ended up on my Nook; I think it may have been a recommendation from my uncle but can’t be sure. After some ghosts stories, a classic take on a gothic novel, and a failed attempt at classic children’s literature, I thought a cop story might just be what I needed. It was short which was also appealing. It was goofy, clichéd, I figured out the killer early on, and parts made me laugh out loud, but I found it fun. Odd how that works some days.
The Secret Garden by Frances Hogdson Burnett — I don’t remember reading this one as a child but I’m familiar with the story from the movie. I started it earlier in the week but left off on page nine. I’ll go back but I need to be in the mood for it and wasn’t this week.
I started Poison by Sara Poole yesterday and that will probably be my reading for today.
Some links to peruse:
A peek inside homes of writers.
People aren’t using the iPad to read. Not surprising to me.
That’s it for me. Happy Sunday.
Just Book Reading 
The Secret Garden is one of my childhood favorites, but I can see how you’d have to be in the right mood to read it.
Little Mistress Mary is a handful plus I think I needed something I didn’t have to think too much about and somehow a crime novel fit better than this one.
Oh, I’ve been wanting to read The Secret Garden, since I missed it as a child. I’m curious about Heat Wave, since I watch Castle every week.
Some day I plan to read all the Jane Austen books!
Now I’m off to check on your links, which have piqued my curiosity.
Here’s MY SUNDAY SALON POST
That’s where its’ from! I knew there was a TV show that went with Heat Wave but I couldn’t remember what it was. I’ll have to see if I can pick up an episode.
It took me very, very long to eventually love Emma, so I must recommend that you try it again. I read it at least four times before coming to love it, and now it’s probably my favorite of Austen’s books.
Really? Maybe I’ll give it another chance and this time I maybe I’ll get through it. I just can’t get over Emma — she annoys me to tears.