Library Loot and a Call For Recommendations

You've all probably figured out by now that I'm a "library nut" and I'm not afraid to hide it. I have a strong tendency to check out way more than I can possibly read and one of my favorite things to do is put books on hold. But I ended up clearing out my library pile this week and taking almost all of them back. Except Greywalker by Kat Richardson as that's the book I'm currently reading. All of this means that I only have 8 books checked out...yep, I mean EIGHT!! This is unheard of for me as I usually grab that many in one trip at the library...okay, maybe two trips in one week or something like that :) Since I haven't shared my loot in awhile I thought I better share what I've got now.

1. The City and The City by China Mieville - I've always wanted to read something by this author so I literally snatched this one off of the shelves.

2. Blindsighted by Karin Slaughter - Thriller...need I say more?

3. The Founding by Cynthia Harrod Eagles

4. Grimspace by Ann Aguirre

5. The Magician's Apprentice by Trudi Canavan - Haven't a clue what this one is about but I was intrigued by the cover.

6. Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin - Really, really want to read this one... I think I may read it next.

7. Urban Shaman by C.E. Murphy

and of course Greywalker but that leftover from my last library loot post.

All of these are PLENTY to keep me busy especially since it is summer and I'm busy running around to ball games, boating, spending as much time outside as possible, etc. So you would think that I would be satisfied but that doesn't seem to be the case. I'm in the mood for some recommendations and I'm not sure why or what I'm exactly looking for. I would like to say that I'm kinda going for the lesser known books that aren't all over the blogsphere (The Hunger Games I'm looking at you) and are maybe general fiction, women's fiction, literary fiction, or maybe just some speculative fiction. I really don't know to be honest...but if you would be so kind as to share any good reads that you've come across in the comments (that may or may not fit in with everything I said above) I would be eternally grateful. Seriously. And maybe I'll figure out this weird mood that I'm in.

To Tweet? and Other Random Book Musings

It has been awhile since I share some pics of the kiddos so here they are :) It really made me realize that I don't have enough of the three of them all together (except for maybe ones that are on my camera and not on the computer yet). I better work on that, huh? I'm so bad about actually doing things with the pictures I take...but that is a story for a different day.

First off, I joined Twitter. Not so much because I understand it ( I don't) but more because I keep seeing all of these posts about how people post questions and others help them out. So for purely selfish reasons, I'm joining in on the bandwagon... a bit late I may add :) But I really want to figure out how to create a header that isn't so plain and there are other things that I would like to be able to tweak on the blog as well. My username (?) is samsbooks1020. I tried to keep it as close to my email as possible but had to change it a little bit. And if you would like to follow me, feel free! Except I can't say that I'll be too exciting.

I'm falling behind in reviews again. Again! Not to complain but how do some of you do it??? Working, kids, baseball, reading, I must admit that I just can't keep up. And some days all I can think is what the heck am I going to do when I have two kids in sports..etc.? It is madness I tell you, but I love every day of it :)

I've been wondering about what types of posts are your favorites? Reviews, posts about books or reading in general, meme type posts...let me know in the comments what you like to read about best. I have been toying with making a few changes to the blog so would love to hear your input on it. Anyhoo, I'll leave you with a picture of my youngest. He is almost 5 months now and growing like a weed. He looks so much like my oldest son when he was a baby that you can't tell the difference when you compare baby pictures. Scary but cool :)

Escape by Carolyn Jessop

What to say about this book other than scary???? Seriously, this is one of those books that makes me thank my lucky stars for everything that I have including my parents, family, and the life that I was born into. Sometimes it is as simple as that. And books like this make me remember to appreciate what I have.

This is Carolyn Jessop's memoir of growing up and living in the FLDS (otherwise known as Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints). The FLDS is a closed off religious group that keep to themselves and their community and are an offshoot of the Morman church. At 18, Carolyn was told that she was meant to marry Merril Jessop and become his third wife. He was thirty-two years older than she was. Carolyn's marriage was an unhappy one that was basically a power struggle between all of Merril's wives with Carolyn caught up in the mix even when she didn't want to be. It would take years before Carolyn would begin to realize that the religion and life that she grew up with might not be the life that she truly wanted. And it would take everything Carolyn had to escape.

Wow! That is all I had to say after reading this one. I can't even begin to imagine all of the things that this woman has had to endure...it is just too much. First of all, being told who you are going to marry, having no choice or say in the matter, it is almost too difficult to fathom. And how sad to go into a marriage and know that you may never love the person you are married to. Carolyn's marriage was a constant struggle from the beginning. All of Merril's wives were constantly competing for his attention which just made me a bit sick. Sex and the number of children that a woman had gave them status within their marriage. In other words, the more kids you had in comparison to the other wives gave a woman a better standing in this society and within her "family". Pretty scary in my opinion. Carolyn had no say in the life that she led and was constantly told what she could or couldn't do. And when Warren Jeffs came to power, things in the FLDS got even worse. Carolyn is very frank in the book and shares the reasons why she was content with living there for so long. I mean she grew up thinking that all of this was normal, was taught that the "outside world" was evil and meant for an apocalypse, and that she was one of the "chosen ones" by God. It took her a really long time before she began to think differently and realize that she wanted something else for her and her children. I must say that I think that Carolyn Jessop is an amazing woman!

All in all, one of those books that really makes you think. About the life you live and the freedoms that we have. Because not everyone has these freedoms so for me this kind of book makes me appreciate my everyday life just a little bit more.

Disclosure- Checked out from my local library.

*I read this book for the following challenges:

Women Unbound Challenge

Social Justice Challenge

100+ Reading Challenge

Support Your Library Reading Challenge

New Author Challenge

"E" Title for A-Z Challenge (personal)