What Mama Reads: So Many Books, So Little Time

Y’all. I may have a problem. I think I’m addicted to library books. I Googled to see if this is a real thing.

Bibliophilia: The classic bibliophile is one who loves to read, admire and collect books, often amassing a large and specialized collection. Bibliophiles usually just possess the books that they love but on top of that, they enjoy having special or old editions with unusual bindings, autographed or illustrated copies.

I don’t know if I officially qualify, as I really don’t like the smell of old books or books in general. I’ve seen people get a new book, open it up, and take a big whiff (you know who you are, and you get excited when you find others like yourself), but that musty, papery smell just doesn’t do it for me.

To be honest, I don’t buy and store books like I used to (before I had a million kid toys to organize). I like the idea of having a house full of books, but I also like spending that extra money on clothes, travel, and good food. Therefore, the piles (and piles) of books in our home are on loan from the local library. Does this make our house a little more germy? Maybe. Does it make our world a little more broad? I tend to think so.

I think mainly I like the idea of reading and reading and reading. I don’t have enough time in the day to read all that I’d like, but I wile away so much time doing other things (see: writing blog posts, changing diapers, scrolling Facebook, biting fingernails, vacuuming with my dustbuster so it looks like I actually cleaned something, etc.).

Therefore, I thought I’d share my unreasonable, completely unrealistic stack of books I personally checked out from the library. When I did it, I knew knew KNEW it wasn’t going to happen, but, thankfully, el biblioteca is a kind and forgiving (and free) master.

Here’s my current stack of books I’d like to read, but will never, ever accomplish before their due dates arrive. Also, the book I don’t get to will, inevitably, be the one the librarian asks me about when I return it. Hello, awkward “yeah, no, I didn’t read it. My bad.”

I thought this would be a fun list if you’re looking for something interesting to read. If you get through any of them, please let me know! I’ll bump it to the top.

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Wonder Woman: Warbringer by Leigh Bardugo – I’ve started this one because I loved the movie, but I’m not sure if I’ll get through it. In other news, there are a number of DC books being written by YA writers. The series is “DC Icons,” and it includes Batman: Nightwalker by Marie Lu, Catwoman by Sarah J. Maas, and Superman by Matt de la Pena. They’re pulling out all the stops, author-wise.

I’ll Have What She’s Having: How Nora Ephron’s Three Iconic Films Saved the Romantic Comedy by Erin Carlson – This was on the recommendation table at the library today. Doesn’t the title just make the check-out worth it? The “three iconic films” are When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle, and You’ve Got Mail. However, I struggle with non-fiction.

Cherish by Gary Thomas – Mr. Thomas is tried and true in the area of marriage advice, especially in the Christian realm. His Sacred Marriage was spot on.

Missy Piggle-Wiggle and the Won’t-Walk-The-Dog Cure by Ann M. Martin, Annie Parnell, and Ben Hatke – I LOVED Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle stories when I was a kid. She was quirky and effective. Apparently, she has left town unexpectedly, so her niece, Missy, has picked up in her footsteps. A nostalgic stroll, I anticipate.

Someday, Someday, Maybe by Lauren Graham – As I mentioned previously, I just finished Graham’s autobiography, Talking as Fast as I Can, so now I’m inspired to read her actual novel.

Thoughts to Make Your Heart Sing by Sally Lloyd-Jones – I wasn’t sure what to expect when I put this one on hold. Kid’s book? Something else? This is the author-illustrator team who brought us the magnificent Jesus Storybook Bible, so I was willing to give this a shot.

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield, Short by Holly Goldberg Sloan, The Crossover by Kwame Alexander, Every Soul a Star by Wendy Mass, and Well, That Was Awkward by Rachel Vail (not pictured, as it’s in a pile of odds and ends on our bedroom dresser) were all recommended in the comments of Everyday Reading’s “Tell Me What To Read: Fall 2017” post. This blogger has wonderful taste, so I tend to take her recommendations and the recommendations of her readers fairly seriously.

Fodor’s Walt Disney World 2016 – We’re going to DISNEY WORLD! (Not as exciting when you live in Florida, but still super fun! George is going to have a blast!)

Plain Proposal by Beth Wiseman – Eh, it was on the sale rack at Books-A-Million. And I’ve heard that Amish is really “in” these days. I’m nothing if not a trendsetter!

Heroine Complex by Sarah Kuhn – (ALMOST typed “heroin,” which would’ve led to a whole new discussion). This book was also on the library’s rec table. A superheroine’s personal assistant (who apparently best knows how to get demon blood out of leather pants) discovers her own superpowers and kicks booty. Sounded light and fun.

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss – I’m not a traditional fantasy reader, but I’ve seen rave reviews about this one. It is a brick, however, and someone else wants it from the library, so my renewals are short and unsweet. We’ll see, but I doubt it. Perhaps our time will come, sweet The Name of the Wind!

Avatar: The Last Airbender – Yeah, still pretending I’ll make my way through the whole series of graphic novels.

Glory in the Ordinary: Why Your Work in the Home Matters to God by Courtney Reissig – So, I started this one and, as a result of the first few chapters, I let our twice-monthly cleaning lady go and decided to “woman up” and clean my own stinkin’ (literal and figurative) house! Vacuuming up those Cheerios does matter! (I think The Hubs was excited about the potential clean-level of our house while I read this…until I got distracted by other books. It’s my recurring non-fiction problem.)

Scrappy Little Nobody by Anna Kendrick – While she started as a side character in Twilight, Anna Kendrick has obviously risen in the ranks. Girlfriend can sing, dance, and act. Plus, she’s funny. I doubt we’d be besties (we differ on some of the important moral issues, I believe), but I do want to learn more about her.

Not Now, Not Ever by Lily Anderson – Yes, you’ve seen this before, loyal reader. This book made it all the way to the beach (twice!), and now rests in wait in my pile. I loved Anderson’s The Only Thing Worse Than You Is Me, but it’s so hard to focus on a book I own when the clock is ticking on so many library books!

L is for Lollygag: Quirky Words for a Clever Tongue by Molly Glover – I checked this out for George, but quickly realized it was far above his current comprehension level (unless he’s hiding something). Who doesn’t want to incorporate words like “humdinger”, “brouhaha”, and “hogwash” into their everyday vocabulary?

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There you have it. I feel vaguely like I just walked a path of shame to admit to you that I’m so far behind. Am I behind? I’ve read 30 children’s picture books this week. Does that count? Regardless, I’m sure some new book will catch my eye soon anyway, so the majority of these will be available to you on the library shelves.

Happy Reading!