Library Loot XXXII

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Claire from The Captive Reader and Marg from The Adventures of an Intrepid Reader that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write up your post-feel free to steal the button-and link it using the Mr. Linky any time during the week. And of course check out what other participants are getting from their libraries! This week's Library Loot is at Claire's.


As a result of budget cuts, my public library reduced their hours of operation last week and already I'm suffering for it. Now the only time I have to get to the library is for 30 minutes on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday or Saturdays. I suppose it could be worse, but I'm still unhappy about it.

In fiction:

The Lover's Dictionary: a novel by David Levithan
I was excited to learn about the recent release of this adult fiction novel by David Levithan whose prior published works are all young adult fiction. I was even more excited to learn my library got a copy so soon after its release date. I borrowed this book last week and read it in just several few hours. Creatively written, but not as fulfilling a story as I had hoped for. It's more like a collection of insights on the joys and trials and tribulations of falling and being in love. My teenager is reading it now and I predict that she's going to enjoy it more than I did.


Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie
I have been wanting to read this widely loved contemporary romance novel for ages and am finally making it happen by choosing it for this month's book selection for the Authors by the Alphabet Book Club. There are several book club members and numerous other book blogging friends who are reading--or rereading this book this month for a discussion that will take place here on my blog on Thursday, February 24, 2011. So if you'd like to join in, grab yourself a copy of Bet Me and get reading! It's a fun, easy read, too, so you should have no problem reading the book in a day or two.

Elfland by Freda Warrington
This the reading selection for February's Women of Fantasy 2011 Book Club hosted by Erika at Jawas Read, Too. I don't know a lot about the book, but I'm looking forward to another great fantasy selection this month. Kristen of Fantasy Cafe has an fantastic two part interview with the author, Freda Warrington posted on her blog. I learned a bit more about the world of Elfland which sounds really interesting. Hopefully I can finish this one in time for the book club discussion.




In non-fiction:

Well Preserved by Mary Anne Dragan
I have borrowed this book on home preserving at least a half a dozen times in the last year. We have been getting a lot of oranges from my organic co-op lately and I am thinking of making marmalade. I found several trusted recipes online, but they all sounded so complicated with the process of making marmalade lasting two days or more. One of the things I love about Well Preserved is that everything is done so simply--including the orange marmalade.


The Chocolate Connoisseur by Chloe Doutre-Roussel
A little pink book on chocolate. Need I say more?

Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites by numerous contributors to The Moosewood Collective 

I have two Moosewood cookbooks on my shelves that I love, especially The Enchanted Broccoli Forest. I am constantly on the hunt for healthy and delicious recipes for vegetables, grains and soy. This cookbook is laden with amazing sounding recipes for soups, salads, beans, grains, salad dressings, desserts and more! Moosewood Restaurant cookbooks are traditionally vegetarian, but this one has several recipes that include fish. There are menu suggestions for almost every recipe and each recipe includes nutritional information, which is a major plus for me since I'm still tracking my calories in the Lose It! app. These last several pounds are so stubborn! Maybe some of these recipes will help me get there. :)