Hosted by Shannon at River City Reading.
I wasn’t planning to do any of these this year, because I was going to cut way down on library use and read my own damn books. But…
My excuses? I blame Kay, Carolyn and TJ for Our Souls at Night, and Susan for Elephant Winter, both of which are still unread. Canada Reads gets the blame for Birdie (my review) and Sitting Practice (still unread). Terry Fallis gets the blame for All Inclusive (review to come). And, I’m holding Cathy responsible for Instructions For A Heatwave (currently reading).
Sadly, Pillow and This Cake is For the Party had to go back unread (this time).
I also picked up a lot of books for the kids, hoping that it would help deter me from going into the adult end of the library. This tactic did work a couple of times, and I will be using it again. Unfortunately, though, there are a couple of books that I got for my daughter that I also want to read while they’re here (We Are All Made of Molecules and A Monster Calls). She also loved Library of Souls. They won’t take long, right?
Last, but not least, I took out a few books by poet Rita Joe (yes, I am even going to try to read them!).
Still on hold:
- The Motorcyclist by George Elliott Clarke (my own fault, for Reading Atlantic Canada)
- The Piano Maker by Kurt Palka (same)
- Ballroom by Anna Hope (I’ll blame this one on the many wonderful book bloggers who live across the Atlantic ocean.)
- Chrysalis: Maria Sibylla Merian and the Secrets of Metamorphosis by Kim Todd (the blame for this one goes to Katie at Doing Dewey)
- Minister Without Portfolio by Michael Winter (Canada Reads)
- Fallen Land by Taylor Brown (I think I put this on hold after reading Kerry’s review at Entomology of a Bookworm, but I’ve already forgotten what it’s about.)
Consumed by Ink 
Wow! You went nuts, didn’t you? Thanks for the mention!
And this is me trying very hard not to go nuts… 🙂
Well, just at the library, hopefully!
🙂
I plead guilty! Can’t wait to hear what you think of Heatwave, it’s one of hers I haven’t read!
Loving it so far! I really wanted to read The Hand That First Held Mine or The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox, but this is the only one my library had, so this is the one I’m reading, and I can’t say that I’m sorry. I’ll just save the others ones for another time!
Oh good!
What a lovely haul!
Unfortunately, I’m not familiar with many of the books you checked out. But I am excited for Library of Souls. I thoroughly enjoyed the first two books in the series, so I’m glad your daughter did too.
She loved them!
I think you’ll love Our Souls at Night. Such a beautiful, quiet book! And I wish my library had Anna Hope. (BTW, I do the same thing… go to the kids’ section to get my library fix but not check anything out. The kids’ section and the cookbook aisle.)
It does work up to a point, but then… better than nothing, though!
I forgot that you had reviewed Our Souls At Night – you read it so long ago, before everyone else started reading it! Adding the link. 🙂
Thanks for the link, Naomi. You didn’t have to add it, but I appreciate it. 🙂
I like to add as many as I can! 🙂
You think you got it bad? Our local library’s moving premises soonish, and in preparation for that they’re having a fairly rigorous discard program. So every time I go in the place — which is approximately daily at the moment, for work reasons — I’m confronted by not just all the usual borrowing temptation but shelves of yummy books that they’re selling off at 25c a pop. It’s almost impossible to come out of there without at least one or two purchases to add to the piles at home . . .
Sounds heavenly (and painful)! Our library is going to be moving this spring – maybe they will do the same! I’ll be watching…
Ah, the wonderful Kent Haruf. I’m sure you won’t regret that.
No regrets, just panic trying to fit them all in, so I don’t have to send any back unread. And Haruf’s is so small… 🙂
I’ll take some of the blame for encouraging you to read Rita Joe and George Elliott Clarke sooner rather than later! And I’ll happily add some encouragement, if any is needed, to go back to the library to check out This Cake again. I have a special fondness for that book because a friend invited me to the Halifax launch — and I couldn’t go because I had to bake a cake and take it to my brother’s engagement party. (I liked the stories a lot, too, when I later bought a copy of the book. Still sorry to have missed the launch, though.)
I will go back and get that one again! It hung around for about 8 weeks before I finally gave up on it.
Yes, you are to blame for the Rita Joe books for sure! And, have you read The Motorcyclist yet? I’m hoping I’ll like it as much as George and Rue. Good thing I’m not judging it by its cover!
I haven’t read it yet. I was hoping to hear him read when he was in town recently, but I missed it. I have been reading Rita Joe, though. Hope to see you in April!
I hope so, too!
Blimey! I hope they’re good at giving extensions! 😉
I get up to 9 weeks, as long as no one else decides they want it in the meantime!
Gosh, that’s brilliant! I haven’t used the library in ages but I’m sure it used to be two weeks back then!
I remember a time when it was 2 weeks, but now it is 3 weeks, and you can renew twice.
Walking into a library is even more dangerous then walking into a bookshop because they let you take the books out without having to pay for them. I am every bit as culpable and sometimes think that I have more of their books on my shelves than they have on theirs. It encourages me to know that there are others like me out there.
Exactly. The worst that could happen is that they won’t get read. But I hate it when that happens!
Doesn’t it feel good to walk out with an armload of books? The possibilities…
This is so awesome, Naomi. Firstly, I have to find a good library in Chennai. Looks like there isn’t one. So, I am going to keep myself happy by seeing lovely posts like this. 🙂
No library? I hope there is an exceptional book store. 🙂
Ha, we started our Library Checkout posts in the exact same way. We just can’t keep ourselves away, can we? 🙂
Ha, yes we did! It’s really a lot harder than I thought it would be!
Your comment about food cooked by others tasting better is spot on. The grass is always greener when it comes to library books! 😉
I was thinking I could try donating my books to the library. Then maybe I’d read them!
Always happy to be blamed for library use!
It’s an honour! 🙂
The only way you’re going to resist the library is to burn the darn thing down. And I wouldn’t advise that. 🙂
True! And, really, it goes against everything I believe to resist the library. But, I have to figure out some way to read my own books… Maybe if I donated them all to the library, I would read them!
I am so weak when it comes to the library. Even when I think I’m being strong, I know that I’m really actually being weak — like I resisted making an extra library trip this Saturday, and I felt all virtuous, as if I don’t have like 35 books checked out of there and sitting in piles next to my bed. :p
Haha, so true!
Maybe libraries pump out a subtle book smell that draws us in, like food smells from a restaurant.
I just bought Our Souls at Night for my Dad, I hope he brings it with him when he visits in April! I have 4 books from the library and find that hard enough to get through, your stack is so impressive!! What a joy!
I love seeing it sitting there everyday. How boring my windowsill would look without it. 🙂
Oh yes, I’ve just removed all my books and reshelved them and its like I have brand new books, so many more visible than they were before, I never get bored with a bookish landscape!
I LOVE seeing your huge book stacks!! So glad you had a few people to blame 😉 I have a copy of Instructions for a Heatwave I’ve been meaning to read for a long time – can’t wait to hear what you think.
I can tell you right now that it’s good! It’s my first Maggie O’Farrell, but definitely not my last.
Ohhhh Naomi, you should definitely read We Are All Made of Molecules and A Monster Calls! Both five-star reads in my book (and both made me cry). I’d love to hear what you think of them!
I’m really hoping I’ll have time to read them before they have to go back!
I’m interested to see your thoughts on Minister Without Portfolio. I feel like it’s getting the LEAST amount of Canada Reads buzz but it’s my favourite so far – a little bit of a dark horse, maybe.
So happy to hear it’s a favourite! I’ve heard a lot of people saying the opposite, so I’ve been nervous about it. I’m really hoping it comes soon!
Ha! A library can be a dangerous place! I walked in to pick up a reserve yesterday….and walked out with a bagful of books. Good think I keep the carry-all bag folded up in my purse! Or maybe not….
Enjoy your books!
That’s exactly what happens to me (minus the bag – it doesn’t help to leave the bag at home)!
Haha, I would apologize, but that sounds like a great read! 😛 I can’t wait to hear all about it.
It’s ready to be picked up at the library! I hope I have time to read it. 🙂
I’m glad I’m not the only one with large stacks from the library. But looks like you have many greats to choose from!
I do love the process of deciding which book to read next!
That is quite a haul! I love the library, though. It is a great place to bust out of a book slump- wandering the aisles just waiting for something to jump out.
Have you read Our Souls at Night yet? Haruf writes such beautiful prose. His novel Benediction is one of my all-time favorites.
I still have it sitting here waiting for me. Lucky for me, no one else seems to want it right now. 🙂
Hahaha, I loved your photo after photo after photo…;-) I have to head to the library tomorrow too, to return an unread book (Far from the Tree, which Emily J had recommended some time back…I love it but it’s very long, I may need to renew it 2 or 3x to finish ;-)). I will probably walk out with a few more books anyway 🙂
I got that book for Christmas, but haven’t read it yet. It is long, but I heard it was very good! I’d love to know what else you picked up. 🙂