NQAC: Biweekly Update #24: Near the Year's End Reading

You may notice I published a Confession on Saturday, only to do this post on Sunday (even though this is usually just a fill-in post). It turns out this post has me addicted- it's nice to be able to keep track of my reading, crafting, and book buying habits. I may end up changing the name and making it the regular counterpart to Sunday Fun Five, with Confessions as a sporadic whenever post.

Recent Acquisitions (or the Piling of the-Piles):

the-pile Additions:

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand
I won this from the Travel the World in Books Readathon giveaway hosted by Mom's Small Victories (thanks, Tanya!)! I had wanted to read this before I saw the movie, but I couldn't find it for my version of a cheap price ($2.99 and under). Even though I've since seen the movie, I still want to read this one- it's among my top picks for 2016 reading.

Currently Reading:

Ghost Boy: The Miraculous Escape of a Misdiagnosed Boy Trapped Inside His Own Body by Martin Pistorius
I was only going to read a little bit, and then I ended up reading half the book. It's kind of the same theme as the one I finished before it (Autobiography of a Face- see below), but I've wanted to read more memoirs lately and this one is very good so far.

Finished These Books:

I didn't read this edition, but this cover is magical

The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux
Rating: 5 Stars
My second five star read of 2015, this one started out 'meh' and ended with my opinion completely changed. That doesn't happen that often.

Aesop's Fables by Aesop
Rating: 4 Stars
I read these as a kid, but it's clear that was an edited version. I don't remember as much violence in these fables as there actually was.

The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka
Rating: 3.5-4 Stars (haven't quite made up my mind)
This is the first book I've read about a giant insect as an adult. That's really all I have to say at this point.

My Man Jeeves (Jeeves #1) by P.G. Wodehouse
Rating: 5 Stars
I could have highlighted this entire book. It's funny, it's charming, and it's very human. I loved it.

Autobiography of a Face by Lucy Grealy
Rating: 4.5 Stars
If you're one of those people with low self esteem, or you don't like the way you look, this is a good perspective book to read. As a girl, the author lost half her jaw during a battle with cancer, a battle she was lucky enough to win. Throughout the book, her views on her looks are redefined by people, and then she finally defines her own views on her face. This would be a difficult read if you absolutely can't stand descriptions of medical procedures, though, since she spends much of her life under the knife and then recovering.

In the Blogosphere:

Rose Red @ Goldilox and the Three Weres posts about her Best Books of 2015.

Wendy @ Musings of a Bookish Kitty reviews her Bookish Thoughts on A Dictionary of Mutual Understanding by Jackie Copleton.

Innocent Smiley (the blog) is celebrating its second blogiversary!

Rachelle @ Fortified by Books is done with college! (I forgot to comment, but congrats, Rachelle!)

In keeping with the theme of milestones, there is now a Mini Bookworm at the Bookworm's Closet! And she even has a bookish name!

And if you're looking for more hand-picked book blog posts, head over to Blogger Shout-Outs!!! #49 - Bookish Neighborhoods, Boredom, & How to Cook a Book from Becca @ I'm Lost in Books. I found quite a few that piqued my interest.

In My Life:

Gaming:

Since I spend all my funds on books, I still have a good ol' Xbox 360, on which I'm playing Fallout New Vegas (for the first time). Back when the game originally came out, I couldn't find it anywhere for cheap, so I snagged it during a Cyber Monday-type deal. I don't do well with games where you shoot things, but I've gotten further on this one than I did with Fallout 3.

Loom Knitting:

The big scarf piece will be the back, the round is the collar.

Last year I knitted Keisha (my smallest dog) a sweater for a picture for my holiday card. After I finished it, I knew I'd like it in a more salmon/coral looking color since she looks her best in that sort of shade. I also tried Keisha's old sweater on my mom's friend's dog, and the dog loved it, so I let her have it (Keisha prefers her store bought sweater). Anyway, this was the yarn I found to suit Keisha's blonde hair, and I hope she'll like this one better than her last one. Keisha is pretty attached to her store bought sweater, though...

Keisha's Store Bought "Gator" Sweater

Another Early Christmas Gift:

My compact camera I've had since 2011 has been wonky lately, so I asked for a new camera for Christmas. It's hard to believe how nice a camera you can get for so little these days, but this one was a Cyber Monday deal at Target for the same price as my original camera (a Sony Cybershot 14MP). I'll still be using the Sony for some things, but the new one will be nice for taking non-spur-of-the-moment pictures. I've tied yarn on the lens cap so I will hopefully remember to take it off before I begin shooting.

Until next time,