nightstand notes/ wanna view some reviews?

While it may appear that I am forsaking my beloved self-applied label of blogger, I actually do plan on being on here again soon. It's been a lovely week of busy times, stressful mishaps, snowy fun, wonderful visits, sick children, and sad goodbyes. Now is the time for catching up, and I'm starting by correcting my mistake of missing yesterday's What's on Your Nightstand? on 5 Minutes for Books.

I feel like I haven't had much time for reading lately, with everything that's been going on, but I have a few books that are hoping for a piece of my attention. I'm almost halfway through Nurture Shock by Po Bronson and Ashley Merriman, a book that I've been recommended by at least a dozen people! Lauren wrote a review of it last week or so on 5M4B, and I'm adding my voice to the many words of praise that I've already heard. It's full of interesting takes on some previously thought of "common sense" parenting practices, and I'm trying to apply much of what I've already read. Definitely a good recommendation!

I picked up a novel at one of my last library visits, and it's been sitting on the shelf ever since. It's going to be due back soon, so I'm thinking I should get started. I don't really know anything about it, but the cover and title caught my eye: How to Paint a Dead Man by Sarah Hall. I'll share my thoughts in a review for 5M4B.

I also have a middle grade novel, The Wish Stealers by Tracy Trivas, coming up for January review that I hope to read with JAM. The mystery component of this story sounds like it will appeal to him, and I'm finding myself enjoying more and more of the middle grade and young adult genres. (Just in time to share with my oldest!)

Finally, good old The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger is still on my shelf since my online book club shifted our reading by a month. This group is made up of many really hard-core readers and quite intelligent folks, so I'm looking forward to a discussion of this classic story. I reread it a few years ago for the first time since high school, so on this third read maybe I'll have something to add to the conversation!

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Shameless plug time!

For the young kids to teens set:
Ballet Kitty: Play Book and Little Lost Unicorn (cute picture books)
The Great Reindeer Rebellion (reindeer on strike? union-friendly Christmas picture book)
The Twelve Days of Christmas in Virginia (a picture book for older kids with cool VA facts)
The Nutcracker (beautiful new picture book edition of the original story)
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and The Wizard of Oz (newly released editions of these classics)
Secrets of a Christmas Box (middle grade novel perfect for the holiday!)
Alienated (an alien-filled & very funny middle grade novel- great for tween boys)
Open Me Up, How to be a Genius and Pick Me Up (three new DK titles with a TON of fun info)
Draw Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Invasion of the Bristlebots (two Klutz titles that will be under the tree in a few days)
Candor (an intense YA novel with a very unique premise)

For adult readers:
Wishin' and Hopin' (Wally Lamb's new holiday-themed novella- HILARIOUS!)
Lime Tree Can't Bear Orange (novel released earlier this year)
Nanny Returns (sequel to The Nanny Diaries)

For online fun:
Words Move Me (a newly launched website by SONY for avid readers to share their "literary moments")

(Note: All the giveaways on these reviews are over now, but the reviews themselves are still helpful, especially for last-minute bookstore shopping!)


Hoping to get some reading time in over the holiday "break,"