The Close of Another Chapter (Pun intended).

Alright, folks.  I've had enough.  Enough of disengaging from my brain with terrible television shows on Netflix (save watching the first season of Downton Abbey over and over again).  Super Why is the extent of my reading knowledge at the moment, and I've quieted the raging revolt long enough.  It's time to close this chapter of reading abstinence. So, here are some of the things piled up on my nightstand ( or on the Amazon wishlist, slowly making their way to the cart, and then to my house) that I'm going to attempt to get around to.

1.  It seems as though I'm attempting to prove something by listing the Bible first- but if I'm to be honest, I haven't been reading it as often as I would like to, and since I happen to believe it's pretty important to do so, number one it is.

2.  One Year to an Organized Life: From Your Closets to Your Finances, the week-by-week guide to getting completely organized for good!   Sounds good, huh? I've been feeling a bit overwhelmed lately, and aside from  trusting the Lord, I think cleaning out certain areas of my life might be helpful.

3.  Hungry Monkey-  I love books about food.  I love books about kids.  I think I will love a book that tells parenthood's story from a Papa's perspective- a Papa who loves to eat and who refuses to believe that kids will only eat chicken nuggets and apple juice and that their little palates are fully capable of appreciating the richest fois gras, the darkest chocolate and the freshest eel handroll. As a parent of a child who loves portobello mushrooms and blackened talapia, I whole-heartedly concur.  I can't wait to read this.

4.  Lunch in Paris: A Love Story with Recipes- I love the idea of Paris.  I love love stories- if they're not written by Mr. Sparks.  I love lunch.  I'd say, this book's lookin' pretty good.

5.  Wondla- Nothing warms my heart more than a good, sci-fi/fantasy book written for young adults.  Truly.  I'm not sure why.  But I can't wait to dig my dorky fingers into this series.

6.  The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook-  I feel as though Deb Perelman and I are old friends, so it irks me just a little that she doesn't value our long standing friendship enough to send me her first published work, signed, as a gift in the mail for reading every single blog post she has ever written long before anyone knew who she was.  You know those annoying music people who always claim to have known "that band" long before they became popular?  Did you ever imagine there could be a different breed of the same kind of annoying with food blog stalkers?!??!?!?!  There are.  I'm one.  I'd still like a signed copy, but I just can't wait on Deb.  Truth be told, I NEED her book.  To breathe.  To love.  To know what the hell I'm making for dinner tomorrow.

7.  Cracking the GRE-Princeton Review- This has been sitting on my dining room table for 4 weeks.  Yes, I have opened it.  Yes, I have sweated through the first few practice exams.  No, I'm not ready to talk about it yet or why I'm taking it, but it is prominent on the reading list.  Very prominent.  Frighteningly prominent.

8.  Bad Religion- How We Became A Nation of Heretics- Frankly, I'm terrified to read this book.  Which is exactly why I should.

And there you have it.  There's my list.  It's low on fiction, which makes me sad ( A little help, please?) but other than that, I can't wait to crack them open and remember what it was like to read words without pictures of duckies or large, colorful lettering.  Words that challenged and inspired me, words that moved me, changed me, comforted and encouraged me.  Words that angered me, made me think and roused me to action.  Gosh, I've missed reading.

If you feel as though I've missed something, please feel free to let me know what else should take up a slot on the list!