Sunday Salon: September reading, a pitiful total

Looking at my September total, I really feel so bad. I could read only three novels. And one is a pretty light read. I started so many but couldn't get through any of those. My mind was not into reading. It still is not. I don't know what to do. My target was 12 books a month, that makes it 108 till date. I finished only 83! I don't think I will make it. Coming back, I read the following, 81 and 82 being mystery novels: :

83) Angel Mine by Sherryl Woods

82) The Cold Light of Mourning by Elizabeth Duncan

81) Bones of Contention by Jeanne Matthews

I have a reading slump but my poetry writing has not stopped. In fact I am writing lot more than I usually do. Today in the morning, I wrote two poems and last night I wrote one. Somehow my words are flowing and I have to get those out. Here I write about my reading slump: 

I hunt for you
not finding you anywhere
when did you leave me?
in a place I don't like

where I can't find you

I am not sure if I will read anything at all, today. The Commonwealth Games start from today. 

Weekly Geeks: Read-A-Thon Plans

Glad that this Weekly Geek post is about Read-A-Thon Plans.

Like in the past, I am participating in it. As a reader. I think I will sign in for being a cheerleader too. I don't have any set strategy. I will simply go along. I do have certain books in my mind but not sure if I will read from those. I might pick up completely different books. I will try to finish at least three books, that is around, 1200 pages. But I don't know. I also plan to read a poetry book. My reading is very slow right now. I need to get out of my slump. I will make the Read-A-Thon do that for me. I will take breaks and will visit other readers to cheer them. Will also participate in mini challenges. I will drink a lot of tea! That's about it.

What about you?

Angel Mine by Sherryl Woods

Title: Angel Mine
Author: Sherryl Woods
ISBN: 1551666006
Publisher: Mira/2000
Pages:401

When Heather comes to Wyoming in search of Todd, with her 3-year-old daughter, Angel. she does not anticipate that he would not accept his own daughter. True, he did not know about Angel but one look at her, anyone could tell she was his daughter alright. 

Todd has some issues to deal with. Heather wants him to share the responsibility of bringing up Angel. But he wants both of them out of his skin. However, he does not like it when Heather has to leave Angel in care of a 10-year-old while she works. While both deal with it, we meet some interesting characters in the novel. Those are supportive and make the novel move forward.

The beginning was very fast, the middle kind of dragged and the end 20 pages hurried through. However, I liked the way Angel pushes her way through her dad's heart. He simply can't resist her. No one can. After a lull in my reading, I liked getting back to a book, be it a romance novel!

Book Blogger Hop/Follow me

Follow Friday, is hosted by ParaJunkee and Book Blogger Hop, is hosted by Jennifer (Crazy-For-Books), check both out and follow/hop to some new blogs.

Jennifer asks: "How do you spread the word about your blog?"

Mostly by visiting others and leaving a comment. Only recently I started twittering my posts.

ParaJunkee asks: What books have bitten you?

I say, too many! You will understand that better when you read the quote on my blog header!

Meanwhile, you can explore my blog. You will definitely find something that interests you. I read wide range of genres, except maybe for a few.  Do check it out!

Booking through series

If you read series, do you ever find a series “jumping the shark?” How do you feel about that?
And, do you keep reading anyway?

I am not much of a series reader. I prefer stand alone novels. I did read the Harry Potter series and also read the first two novels of the Millennium trilogy. Looking forward to read the third one too.

I have read all the Tintin albums in the proper order. And none was disappointing.  I simply stop reading any novel, which doesn't hold my interest, be it of a series or otherwise!

A-Z Wednesday: In Harm's Way by Irene Hannon

Title: In Harm's Way
Author: Irene Hannon
ISBN: 978-0800733124
Publisher: Revell/2010
Pages: 326

When Rachel Sutton comes in contact with a Raggedy Ann doll, she has an unexplained feeling of terror. When it happens more than once, she thinks there is something, which needs to be found out. She goes to the FBI office, fully well-knowing no one is going to believe her story. Nick Bradley, a special agent of the FBI, is skeptical as expected.

But somehow the Raggedy Ann doll is connected with a kidnapped child, even though no one can understand how. Rebecca and her husband colin have given up hope of finding their child. The Raggedy Doll in a way helps the strange connection between Rachel and Rebecca, and also leads to the kidnapper. But by this time, Rachel's life is in danger, and Nick has to save her and also find the abducted toddler.

The horror of having a child kidnapped is well brought out. Rachel's relationship to the child can feel a force/pull which leads to the kidnapper. We also winess a romance between Nick and Rachel and a bonding between Rachel and Rebecca. As a child was involved, I couldn't put down the book until I finished it. However, the subject might not gel with readers who have young children. 

Teaser Tuesday: powders of stones

As I am not reading much, or even wanting to pick a book, today I tease you with one of my recent poems. This is a Haibun where there is a sprinkling of prose with haiku!:

powders of stones

Layer by layer, he chiselled the surface, hardened over time. Now time had no meaning, but for his work. Destruction, construction, it was not for him to decide. On his feet lay the debris, powdered monument, was it? Nothing made sense any more, only the task, burdened with overcast ripples of thumbed ocean.

only a chipped thought
flies away to the cerulian sky
sacred invasion

His skin had that sheen, although weathered. He was the monument, and its love, which none remembered. If memories had a tapestry, he would win hands down. But memories, for him,  were traps of fire, a quagmire, with no immediate escape.

swat flying creatures
they can't take you far away
you will die anyway

I close the chapter, with a snap, find my fingers breaking the spine. Horrified I observe the pages falling apart, just like the miniscule powders of stones, flying around him. Not bothered, he hammers the ground now. When the earth shakes, he laughs out loud, a sound I had forgotten. I like the crying earth, the bursting sky, awaiting for water to engulf me.

oceans are so hungry-
always swallow those stones
whole city underneath

Network problems

Right now I have connectivity problems. Will get back to all of you as soon as possible.

Sunday Salon: Back to reading!

As usual I woke up around 5 AM, and believe it or not finished a novel after more than three weeks of slump. Angel Mine by Sherryl Woods is a romance. Although it is no great shakes but I did like the quaint story line. It is really about a little girl and her reluctant dad. And there are some very lovable characters. I received the novel from Stacy  of Stacy's Books. I will post my thoughts soon.

Right now I am feeling very happy about being back on reading. I have already checked out a few crime fictions and will start one today, in the evening. I am kind of busy with evaluation work too. Examinations are going on and the terminal results have to declared on the 30th. After that Autumn break from 1-17 October. I look forward to that with lot of outing. reading, poetry and simply having fun! I will buy some books too. It is never enough, is it?

Book Blogger Hop/Follow me/Friday Find

Follow Friday, hosted by ParaJunkee and Book Blogger Hop, hosted by Jennifer (Crazy-For-Books), and follow/hop to some new blogs.

Jennifer asks us this week “When you write reviews, do you write them as you are reading or wait until you have read the entire book?

I write the review after I finish the book. I don't even take notes. I don't want to give away too much to the next reader. My point is, how can anyone write a review without finishing the book?

ParaJunkee asks: What is your high fashion book? --- translation --- best book cover ever?

There are so many book covers I have loved over the years. How can I name a favourite?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Friday Find:
All the Colours of Darkness by Peter Robinson
A beautiful June day in the Yorkshire Dales, and a group of children are spending the last of their half-term freedom swimming in the river near Hindswell Woods. But the idyll is shattered by their discovery of a mans body, hanging from a tree. DI Annie Cabott soon discovers he is Mark Hardcastle, the well-liked and successful set designer for the Eastvale Theatres current production of Othello. Everything points to suicide, and Annie is mystified. Why would such a man want to take his own life? Then Annies investigation leads to another shattering discovery, and DCI Alan Banks is called back from the idyllic weekend he had planned with his new girlfriend. Banks soon finds himself plunged into a shadow-world where nothing is what it seems, where secrets and deceit are the norm, and where murder is seen as the solution to a problem. The deeper he digs the more he discovers that the monster he has awakened will extend its deadly reach to his friends and family. Nobody is safe.