Karen's Book Nook

March was a good month for reading and I whittled down my TBR pile a bit. (Of course, as soon as I read one, I add two to the list…hehee!)

• The Reader (Movie Tie-in Edition) (Vintage International) by Bernhard Schlink
• Now and Always by Lori Copeland
• Twilight (The Twilight Saga, Book 1) by Stephenie Meyer
• Last Kiss by Luanne Rice
• Flat Belly Diet by Liz Vaccariello
• Banana Heart Summer by Merlinda Bobis
• For One More Day by Mitch Albom
• Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult
• Nature Girl by Carl Hiaasen

A coworker left this one in my box at school and I know I’ll end up watching the movie once it comes on Pay-Per-View so I’m starting The Reader by Bernhard Schlink now.  I don’t know anything about it other than the movie was nominated for awards this year. It’s not too long so it should be a quick read this week.

Today’s audio book is Nights of Rain and Stars by Maeve Binchy.  Having finished Twilight in record pace, I’m waiting for the next installment to be ready at the library. I’ve read some of her novels in the past and I love books set in different countries so always captivates me. Listening on audio book is great because the narrator uses different accents and inflections.

Picked this one up at the school book fair and it’s a good one to get some ideas for some outside units with my students. I’m such a nature lover, books like this attract me all the time. <3  I’ll be scanning i love dirt! by Jennifer Ward looking for good ideas.

Well, I did it.. I got sucked in. I didn’t think that I would be interested in the immensely popular Twilight saga by Stephenie Meyer but we watched the movie the other night and I’m hooked. I was mesmorized by the story (and they picked the perfect actors to play the roles to do it!) I downloaded the audio version from my library as soon as I finished the book I was reading in the morning. I ended up listening to about 2 hours last night while cleaning and so far it’s very similiar which is a credit to the film folks as well. I love this!  Reading this first one via audio because it was the fastest way for me to get my hands on it but I’m not sure about how I’ll read the future additions.

Picked up Now and Always by Lori Copeland in the new book section at the library based on the soothing cover of meadow flowers and horses in the mist.

From the jacket:  Very few things distract Katie Addison when she’s on a mission whether it’s opening her home to abused women, rehabilitating injured horses, or helping tall, gorgeous Warren Tate mend his broken heart. But when financial difficulties pile up for her, Katie hesitantly admits she may need help…

My current audio book is Last Kiss by Luanne Rice. I’ve never heard of her or the book but I grabbed it while at the library the last time I went. It’s likely to be a light romance book in the midst of the non-fiction that I’m currently reading.

From the jacket:  A face on a poster, a name in the news, an inexplicable tragedy. A promising young man goes out one warm summer evening and is found dead–murdered– less than twenty-four hours later. No motive. No clues. No answers……

Nell won’t rest until she finds out what really happened to the boy she loved…

Since I’m a Prevention Magazine reader and the Flat Belly Diet by Liz Vaccareillo and Cynthia Sass is one of theirs, I figured I’d check it out and see what the hype is about. I’m not really  a “diet” type but I do like to read various diet and nutrition books.

From the Jacket: Sixty-seven percent of Americans say the belly is the body part they most want to change. Health-wise, belly fat is the most important kind to lose– because it’s the most deadly. Even small amounts of excess belly fat can significantly up your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and certain kinds of cancers.

This week’s audio book is Mitch Albom‘s for one more day. He’s the author of Tuesday’s with Morrie and The Five People You Meet in Heaven. It’s a really short one, read by the author that I’m listening to back and forth to work.

From the jacket:  For One More Day is the story of a mother and a son, and a relationship that lasts a lifetime and beyond.  It explores the question: What would you do if you could spend one more day with a lost loved one?

Thanks to school vacation week and my reunion with audio books, I  read more last month than I have in a very long time:

The Choice- Nicholas Sparks

Blessings- Anna Quindlen

Ya-Yas in Bloom  Rebecca Wells

The Shack William P. Young

A Painted House John Grisham

Tallgrass Sandra Dallas

The Memory Keeper’s Daughter Kim Edwards

The Lucky One Nicholas Sparks

Nature Girl Karl Hiaasen