Sunday 5 December 2010

Sunday Salon - it has been a long time!


I actually can't remember the last time I took part in The Sunday Salon. It must have been at the beginning of the year. I will actually need to go back to the list of posts to find out.  I thought I would try to get back into writing them as I do miss the friendly weekly chat with all the other book bloggers.

I had hoped to do lots of reading this weekend, but Christmas has started to take over.  We have been busily decorating the house for the festive season, as well as making Christmas cards to send out to our family and friends. My Christmas journal is up to date and I will post some pictures of it on Tuesday.

At the moment, I am reading one festive book, Christmas Eve at Friday Harbour by Lisa Kleypas. It is a romantic novel, which is a lot different from my normal choice of books. It is light hearted and enjoyable. I am also reading Mrs Harris Goes To Paris by Paul Gallico. A rather delightful read.

I thought I might add my November reads into this post today.

I read ten books this month and I am over the moon about that as it was rather difficult to find time to read when your doing NaNoWriMo as well, but I did it.

I did try and take part in the November Novella Challenge and I managed four novellas. I had hoped to read 8 but I was sent three review books that had to be read rather quickly, so it all went pear shaped.

Here are the books I read during the November..

1) The Small Hand by Susan Hill (Novella)

2) Cheerful Weather For a Wedding by Julia Strachey (Novella)

3) Moondial by Helen Cresswell ( Children's)

4) Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger ( Book Club)

5) Finding Sky by Joss Stirling (Review copy)

6) Bright Young Things by Anna Godbersen (Review copy)

7) Henrietta's War by Joyce Dennys (Novella)

8) Three Men In a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome (Library)

9) The Haunting by Margaret Mahy (Novella)

10) I Am Four by Pitticus Lore (Review Copy)

I still haven't reviewed the last four books on the list and hope to get those written soon. I still have Dear Daddy Long Legs to review  too.

How did your reading month go during November?

20 comments:

  1. Did not get much reading done thsi weekebnd either since I am at my bf's parents place. Should read some now though.

    Nice Nov for you, mine was just awesome bookwise..ok most of it

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  2. You had a great November in books Viv. We will all be busy this month I suspect, and I don't plan to pressure myself with a must-read list.

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  3. Most of my reading in November was novellas - I have such a hard time reading long books around this time of year! Now that I'm done being swamped with school stuff, I'm about to be overwhelmed by Christmas. But at least this is a more fun kind of overwhelmedness (yes I'm making up words :P).

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  4. I think I'm doing well when I read two or three. Own up - you have that time stopping watch from Harry Potter don't you? ;)

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  5. Welcome back to the Sunday Salon. You had a great November! My reading was about as far from novellas as you can get - finally finished Bleak House and then read a couple of other long (500 page) books.

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  6. This year, I have tracked my reading on one of my blogs, but I've listed the books alphabetically, so I have no way to know which books I finished in the month. I do have a Works document that tells me when I finished each book, but the books (again) are alphabetical and not separated by month.

    Next year, I will separate them monthly on my blog!

    All of that was my long-winded way of saying that, under my current system, there is no easy way to find out and I'm too lazy to do it the long way! I also did NaNoWriMo, so I'm sure the reading was down. Plus, I think I read two books on most weeks, with an occasional three-book week.

    I see that you have a different header for the holidays! Festive and the close-up of the cupcakes makes my mouth water....

    Here's my salon:

    (click my name)

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  7. We are so behind. I'm only halfway through with our cards and we plan to start putting our tree up today.

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  8. You did extremely well!

    I read three books. Two of those are Tintin albums and other carried over from October!

    Right now I am happy to be back in the reading mode, although a bit slower!

    Here is my Weekly Geeks post!

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  9. Can't wait to see your thoughts on Daddy Long Legs and Three Men in a Boat!

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  10. You've read a lot. And you have children too, so I know how hard it is for you to keep up with everything else. I hope that your writing goes well and that you find the time to write, as you mentioned that it's important to you, so good luck, Vivienne!

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  11. You did really well with your reading all things considered.

    We still haven't even managed to get the tree up. I think we'll tackle that today. I am so far behind on Christmas cards I'm thinking of skipping them this year. lol.

    Hope you and the family have a wonderful day!

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  12. I always get behind in my reviews, but especially this time of year, so I think you're doing fabulous (with your writing too)!

    We haven't decorated and I still need to do cards.

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  13. Glad to see you back here at Sunday Salon. Hope to see you again next week.

    Here's my Sunday Salon post: http://readerbuzz.blogspot.com/2010/12/sunday-salon-salman-rushdie.html

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  14. Blodeuedd - hope you are having a good weekend at you bf's house.

    Diane - I won't be planning what to read too much this month, just making sure there are a few Christmas books scattered amongst the rest.

    Nymeth - I always feel overwhelmed at this time of year. I had a really overwhelming day and cracked. Christmas is far too stressful.

    Carmen - I wish I did have one of those watches. Just imagine actually being able to be in two placews at once. I would get so much done.

    JoAnn - thank you. I did see you had finished Bleak House. I think you did very well reading it in the first place.

    Laurel - it does make it easier to be able to see what I read every month. I need to know! I am glad you liked the Christmas look. I was feeling festive.

    Kathy - I still feel rather stressed even though I am getting there.

    Gautami - sometimes we just need to go slower.

    Amanda - I am bit slow at getting these up.

    Andreea - thanks - it does get easier as the children get older.

    Darlene - I hope you get your tree up today too.

    Readerbuzz -thank you.

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  15. I didn't get in most of the reading I was hoping to do this weekend. Seems like it's happening to all of us.

    I have the Lisa Kleypas book on my wishlist. It really looks like a good read.

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  16. Viv, the cupcakes on your header have me drooling lol.

    Happy reading. It looks like you did great for November.

    I got in 5 books for the month, which is my average.

    http://thebookworm07.blogspot.com/

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  17. I'd be over the moon, too, if I'd read 10 books this month!:) It seems I am always too busy to read as much as I'd like to, and this month I will be lucky to finish a couple of books!

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  18. I'm amazing at how much YOU'VE read, especially when doing NaNoWriMo :)

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  19. I enjoy reading Christmas-themed books during the holiday season. They're often of genres different than I normally read but that adds to the fun! The two you're reading are not familiar to me so I am going to look them up. I may end up reading them myself!

    I think it's fantastic that you read 10 books in November esp. while participating in NaNoWriMo (did I get that right?!)

    Great job!
    Have a wonderful week. Love your blog Holiday decorations!

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  20. 10 books and NaNoWrimo? Wow, I'm impressed! You did great Vivienne.

    I haven't participated in Sunday Slaon in a long time either. I miss it and just need to get back into it. Hopefully in the new year I'll get a bit more organized :)

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