Fall is here!

And I am loving my first Pumpkin Spice Latte of the season while enjoying some Fall color out my window.

Little Fish - Ramsey Beyer

Little Fish: A Memoir
By Ramsey Beyer

From publisher's website:

Told through real-life journals, collages, lists, and drawings, this coming-of-age story illustrates the transformation of an 18-year-old girl from a small-town teenager into an independent city-dwelling college student. Written in an autobiographical style with beautiful artwork, Little Fish shows the challenges of being a young person facing the world on her own for the very first time and the unease—as well as excitement—that comes along with that challenge.

I'm doing this review a little differently.  Above it a synopsis and below are my feelings...in the form of a letter to the author...which (in going along with the theme of this story) includes a list.

Dear Ramsey-

Can we hang out?  I think you are:

-Awesome

-Hilarious

-Creative

-A lot like me

-Similar to many college freshmen

-Courageous

-Genuine

-Talented

-A risk taker

-Unique

Thank you for writing a book that was so easy to read and connect to and yet said so much.  I was drawn into the story but still had a running list in my head of things that were like me and parts of me that I hadn’t even thought about yet.  When I looked up from the book it took me a moment to remember where I was and what day it was, like coming out of a deep dream.

I loved learning about your experiences in such a unique way and I appreciated all the ways we were similar.  My first year of college was a year before yours and I felt the connection in the time-frame but your story is so real that I know people who have been out of college for decades, are in college now or are thinking about going to college will all connect to it in their own way.

**Source: Amazon Vine

Don't Tell My Husband

I hope you can keep a secret because my husband is about to become frustrated with me otherwise. I went to the library today to pick up a couple items I requested. I walked in with just my keys and library card planning on making it a quick trip (I didn't even bring in my coffee) but I had to turn right around and get my wallet because they had shelves of books for sale in the entryway that I just couldn't pass up.

Since moving, I have been trying to be really good with my book buying. I have even put together some boxes to donate and my husband has been oh so patient with me.  This was just too much for me to pass up.

They were all in the $.50 - $2 range so it was quite a deal. Yes, I already own one...or two but they are in different formats.  I know I have a problem people!!  One I have been curious about for a while.  One I grabbed because I will eventually read it.  And because of the loving, devoted, caring wife that I am, I picked up a book for the husband as well....and maybe as a bribe to not judge me for my addiction.

Wish me luck!

Wordless Wednesday

More Wordless Wednesday here.

My Doh! Moment

I was so proud of myself today because I finished a book yesterday and wrote the review TODAY.  Only the day after.  That is something that hasn't been happening lately.  Reviews in general haven't been happening.  I just feel disconnected from the little blog and all the wonderful peeps behind it and I want to get back in it but I have to post to do that and in order to post I have to write something and to write something I have to FEEL like it and I don't because I am so disconnected and it is a vicious cycle.  So today I was all on my game and I wrote my review and didn't happen to to look at the publication date on the ARC and was all...


It isn't out until September.  I was just THAT excited to tell you about it.

My mom and me at the fair...just because it's funny

But then I thought...why must I feel the pressure of posting a review.  I can get back into this world other ways.  I loved posting Saturday Snapshot but that's not happening anymore because I work 8am - 10:30pm on Saturdays but I like Wordless Wednesday too...I just tend to have a problem with the whole wordless part...

But I can do it!  And I will.

So tomorrow I will be back and sometime in September I will have a review.

Also, I came across this little gem thanks to Shelf Awareness for Readers today.   
Harry Potter Fun Facts; Reading Cats
Check out Emma Watson mouthing Rupert and Daniel's lines.  Funny and adorable.  


(Little Fish was the book...in case you were wondering)

Book signing: Andrew Sean Greer

I went to a book signing today and it was a total fluke. I normally work until 10:30pm but I was asked to come in at 7am today which meant I got off at 6:30 and I just happened to notice in my Copperfields Books newsletter that Andrew Sean Greer was going to be doing a signing at 7pm. Well I haven't yet read The Impossible Lives of Greta Wells but it has been on my TBR list since reading such good things about it and I thought "what the hell, I've never been to a signing for a book I hadn't read yet but the stars seem to be aligning."

Well Andrew was awesome! He was entertaining (and adorable...always a bonus) and the sections he read had me captivated. I can't wait to start this book! I just have to figure out how to read my signed copy without hurting it.

Oh, and Andrew ended his talk with a serenade on the ukulele. I told him that I work with a bunch of boys who play as well and he drew me a little ukulele picture in my book. So awesome!  

Okay...one more thing...I just have to share the conversation I overheard while perusing the shelves before the signing began. It was between a mom and daughter who was about 7.

Daughter (pointing to a book): "Can we get this for daddy?"
Mom: "How about you let daddy's girlfriend buy a book for daddy instead of mommy."

Bet you weren't expecting that answer!
And yes, I wrote this down to make sure I remembered it verbatim.

Catching up...

Hey friends! Well what can I say...it has been crazy here.  I have a new job...that I LOVE...working with teen boys (enough said on the insanity factor). I moved and am still unpacking my library.  The house is bigger but the spare bedroom is not conducive to all my bookshelves so I have had to make some adjustments.  We have since sold our condo and it is super bittersweet...more sweet than bitter. We made money which we weren't expecting to really do but it was our first home we owned so it is sad to say goodbye.   You may remember my first library and all the love I had for it. But I have embraced my new bookshelves (I have a color-coordinated bookshelf that I have always wanted...and the roses are from my new garden).

This bookshelf that now resides in my kitchen.

Needless to say, it has been stressful yet fun to find new ways of rearranging my books so that they all fit (and no, they won't actually all fit, some will have to go in a box to the garage to live a sad existence until we move again and some are being donated to the Free Bookmobile).

My new library space.

I'm not going to make any promises about the blogging frequency for awhile but I will say I have a new Ikea desk and a comfy chair and pillow that will hopefully make it a more frequent occurrence because I miss it here.