I read non-fiction, sort of

The experts' guide to 100 things everyone should know how to do by Samantha Ettus
This was hilarious and I listened to the audiobook. I learned about how to make coffee, how to shake hands, how to paint a room, how to breath, and all from experts! Short brief concise explanations, to the point about without flair. Beautiful. 6.75 hours.

The concise guide to sounding smart at parties: an irreverent compendium of must-know history from Sputnik to smallpox and Mao to Marie Curie by David Matalon. This was actually a little too snarky for me, and the opinions a little too conservative, and to really enjoy it, you have to already know a lot of information about each topic to begin with. I guess my reference librarian standards are a little high....302 pgs.

Recent book group reads

For January's book groups I read Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen, 176 pgs.
and White Oleander by Janet Fitch, 390 pgs.

For February's book groups I read The Learning Tree by Gordon Parks (part of the Kansas Reads statewide project. It was EXCELLENT to read and even better to discuss! 230 pgs.
And I read The Bookseller of Kabul for our Sunday book group - 287 pgs. I just noticed that our library has it cataloged in non-fiction, 958.1, although we discussed it as fictionalized reality. The lines between reality and fiction are so blurred and interesting! I think that in February we had some of our best book group discussions -- interesting people and complex discussions add so much to my reading and understanding of the books.

Plenty O' reading

His Last Lover by Mary Blayney - classic regency romance, just the ticket for a little diversion. 254 pgs.

Pirates! : the true and remarkable adventures of Minerva Sharpe and Nancy Kington, female pirates / by Celia Rees - . While I hope this summary intrigues you, I mostly love the title of this book - Pirates! - plus the storytelling by the main character, Nancy, grabbed me right away.
Set in the 1800's, this YA adventure story features Nancy, a British teenage girl who is in love with a young sailor named William. Her wealthy sugar-importing father dies and her brothers try to take over the family planation in Jamaica by marrying Nancy off to the evil Brazilian next door. She flees into the wilderness with other escaped slaves, and eventually joins a band of pirates. Although going on the account (slang for becoming a pirate) is difficult and complicated, she is much more worried about what William, now a naval officer, with think of her piratical ways when they meet again. Nancy's nightmares tell her that the angry Brazilian is coming for her, to fulfill their marriage or possibly just for revenge.
I listened to it. 9 hrs.

Recent Reads

Natural Born Charmer by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
How could I not love a new book by SEP featuring the hot quarterback from her last book, Catch me if you can, who meets a woman named Blue wearing a beaver costume? I read it in a day, albeit a day that lasted until 3am when I finished the book.....
I checked it out. 392 pgs.

Also, two new ones for freshfiction.com:
The Hopeless Romantic's Handbook by Gemma Townley
Cute intermingling of old-fashioned advice book with growing-up romance. 316 pgs.

Cover Girl Confidential by Beverly Bartlett
Sexy immigrant makes good, does bad, gets caught, writes tell-all from jail. 253 pgs.