Since my last update, I finished reading an additional 10 books, 3 of those qualify as ROOT reads bringing my overall total for the year-to-date to 20 books read. Combining two of my favourite things, reading and notebooks, I’d like to spend a short bit talking about how I keep track of what I want to read and what I’ve read. How I record my thoughts while reading is a post for another day.
As of today, I finished reading 11 books, 5 of which qualify as ROOT reads. I experienced a reader’s worst nightmare with my NYPL card on Monday, it expired! Thankfully I had my WLS card to help fill my desire to check out new reading materials while snow and ice swirled around. I finally got a chance to update my account yesterday. Whew!
Below are four recent reads I really enjoyed; I apologize that two haven’t been published yet. They both impressed me and I couldn’t wait to start talking about them.
Increase, Decrease: 99 Step-by-Step Methods; Find the Perfect Technique for Shaping Every Knitting Project
by Judith Durant
Expected publication: May 5th 2015 by Storey
Review copy provided by NetGalley
A detailed review of this book is forthcoming. Quick thoughts? Preorder this book. Everything about this resource on increasing and decreasing in knitting is well thought out: from content organization, to superb explanatory photographs, to when best to use a particular technique. Everything about it has impressed me and I will give it a space on my reference shelf for use when I’m designing and editing.
All Points Patchwork: A Complete Guide to English Paper Piecing Quilting Techniques for Making Perfect Hexagons, Diamonds, Octagons, and Other Shapes
by Diane Gilleland
Expected publication: June 2nd 2015 by Storey
Review copy provided by NetGalley
A detailed review of this book is forthcoming. Quick thoughts? Preorder this book. It clearly answered every single one of my new to EPP questions I was stressing about. I hope to show you more about what I learned from this book soon. The timing of this review copy was perfect, I had two items on my task list the day I requested it:
· search Diane’s site for EPP tips
· see what’s new at Netgalley
I loved it so much that I almost burnt dinner in my rush to email Diane to thank her for writing it!
Show Your Work!: 10 Ways to Share Your Creativity and Get Discovered
by Austin Kleon
Published 2014 by Workman Publishing Company
How is it that I had not yet read this book? If you haven’t read it yet read it, go find a copy read it now. Your library may even have an ecopy available to borrow; that’s how I read my copy. It’s a quick read, I read it while making dinner the other day. Right? There are many things I do that unless you have worked with me you have no idea I can do. It’s not easy for me to share my work, and I’m trying to do more.
Thug Kitchen: The Official Cookbook: Eat Like You Give a F*ck
Published 2014 by Rodale Books
When Stephanie posted this title on instagram, I was feeling uninspired in my meal planning, so I placed a hold for it. Last week the title came in and I made my weekly menu planning almost entirely from the book. A full write up of my thoughts is coming soon, the quick version: read this book if you are looking to learn how to cook to eat better, if you need inspiration when the only things growing green near you are photographs, if you just want to learn how to quickly substitute. Note that I found I was rolling my eyes at some of the basic instructions that aren’t really needed if you are comfortable in the kitchen, and it’s skim through them and do it your way. That’s the point.
We finally finished the lengthy process of reviewing our bookshelves and reorganizing. We purged more titles than I expected to (without guilt! they went to the thrift store) and still have over 1,400 titles in our library.
How are you doing with your reading goals this year?
Back in January, I stated my plan to read 52 books that I own this year. We’re now at the mid-point of the year, how am I doing?
While I’ve read 54 books so far, some of those are rereads, so 43 of those count toward the general reading challenge. Several should probably be condensed into omnibus editions since I inhaled them in a handful of hours. Of those, only 17 or 32% are ROOT reading. Due to the loose definition I gave of what book could count as ROOT, many of those were acquired this year and there are more library book sales to come this summer.
Do I think I’ll meet my goal of 52 ROOT books this year? I honestly don’t know but I’m definitely going to try!
Another challenge is I’m trying to pause between books to write at least 100 words on each title. It isn’t easy and I’m struggling as I’m very much out of the habit of writing regularly. Writing time is now scheduled into my day; I also need to overcome both my desire for perfection and my fear of inadvertently letting a spoiler slip. My goal to help clear the backlog of reviews is to post ones that are deemed “good enough” and try for at least two each week. They appear on goodreads and depending on the title, also on librarything and other places readers look for reviews.
Next week I hope for some perfection as I plant to review the conclusion to the All Souls Trilogy by Deborah Harkness, The Book of Life. I received my digital galley through NetGalley. In the meantime, please follow these links for my thoughts on the first two books:
Discovery of Witches: reviewed in May 2011
Shadow of Night: discussed in September 2013, reviewed in July 2014 at goodreads & librarything
Wow, it’s July already? I’m thankful the snow is gone, but I’ll now complain about the humidity and poison ivy1. Today I’ll provide a brief overview of where things stand for various year-long pursuits. Over the next few weeks I’ll look deeper into each project.
My participation in the #yearofmaking project is going strong and I’m trying hard to show a variety of making though I often fail in that regard. It’s been good to take a moment to think about all that I make throughout the day. Even if it’s just another row on a knitting project. I’m not doing that great with adding to the flickr album (they keep changing the interface) so I suggest following my instagram account.
I’m not doing as well as I’d hoped with my ROOT reading, even though I’ve purchased quite a few books since January! I’ve read only 42 books so far this year, and of those 42 only 17 are ROOT books, though there were also 11 rereads that don’t count with the 42 completed to-date. There are several upcoming library sales this summer, so I might toe the line as to qualifying ROOT titles. I owe a large pile of book reviews and am working on catching up.
How is the planner system holding up? Overall it’s doing well, though I’m already thinking ahead to 2015 as the flex line was discontinued. I’m researching A5 planner books and have a few ideas though.
Do you have a favourite? Please let me know.
I’ve been posting a few of my morning planning sessions under the tag #dailyplanning and the weekly review and inbox zero as, surprise #weeklyreview. We’ll see where these two tags lead…
1. It’s back. On my hands, between my fingers, and… on my face. :(
