Hey book friends! Well, my husband and I spent a few days last week in Kerrville, TX. I've talked about that Hill Country location before. Hubby plays in two different 3-day golf tournaments there each year - one in the hot summer and one in the fall. And fall arrived with a 50-degree temperature drop between late Thursday and mid-day Friday - literally 50-degrees. It was 94 on our way driving there and the outside temp was 48 by noon Friday (with wind chills in the high 30's). Just a little cool, especially for the guys playing a 5-hour golf round. When I picked him up Friday afternoon, he said he couldn't feel his fingertips. It got better on Saturday and Sunday was very nice. However, once those cold fronts start arriving, fall has truly begun. Of course, it's in the 80's today again.
As he played golf, I had some fun times going to a couple of favorite book shops, attending the 'Kerrville Friends of the Library' monthly book sale, and also going to a very, very interesting festival, the Kerrville Chalk Festival. I'll have a post about the Chalk Festival later in the week with lots of pictures, but I put the one above just for interest. I really enjoyed looking at all the chalk art and talking with some of the artists. I also enjoyed meeting a couple of the 'Friends of the Library' volunteers and talking with them about how their bookstore works, whether they could use volunteers at a later time, and again considering whether this Hill Country town might work for us in retirement. Oh, and I bought books - you're surprised, right?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I have a question for all of you. Do you feel like that sometimes your reading has 'seasons'? What I mean is that you read mainly one type or genre of book for a while or most of the time, but occasionally you find yourself turning to other types of reading. As you all know, I mostly read crime novels, thrillers, and mysteries - usually tipped to the 'New Book' end of the scale. Lately, I've mentioned that I have become a bit weary of the themes and plot devices used in a lot of newer books. So many seem the same. I feel myself wanting to turn to some older books, some rereads, even some non-fiction perhaps. And those were the type of books that I was interested in when I was book shopping this weekend.
I don't know if those (especially the rereads) will be ones that others will be interested in hearing about here on my blog, but I am going to copy some of my blogging friends who have expressed opinions regarding their reading and blogging lately. Cath mentioned recently that she thought it was time for 'blogging to adjust to her rather than the other way around' - I agree! Sam told us that her way of dealing with 'wanting to read all the books' or getting a bit frantic about not finishing anything was to 'slow down and concentrate on one book' and ENJOY IT! Whatever 'it' is. I fully support that. And Gayle (my dear friend Gayle who shares mystery book group with me) related that she took a bit of a break from mysteries but validated that they are her favorite place to read, with a little historical fiction thrown in. Again, I completely understand and think that we all need to gravitate to the 'right book for us at the right time'.
My R.I.P. reading is coming to an end and I'll be sharing my wrap-up post for that event next week - a little early (it ends October 31st). I don't know what all I'll be reading for fall, but I'll be around now and then to talk about it. We've got a trip coming up, so I'll be in and out, but will always be reading your thoughts here and on your blogs.
We had a 30 degree temperature drop like that a few weeks ago. It felt really cold!
ReplyDeleteIt does feel really cold, doesn't it? Yes, 30, 40, 50 degrees - brrr!
DeleteI need to get out to Kerrville (but I won't tell anyone, don't say you like it to much or you know what will happen). I was so happy to start a mystery last night again. And am listening to our book for November.
ReplyDeleteI think you'd like Kerrville, Gayle. And glad you're back to your mystery favorites.
DeleteThese days my reading is all over the place but I do usually have seasons. Just not this year. LOL.
ReplyDeleteThat is pretty cold to have your fingertips go numb. Here it is still warmish. But nice.
Glad to know that I'm not the only one with seasons of reading.
DeleteKerrville sounds like a nice place. We go to a chalk painting event (called I Madonnari) on Memorial Day weekend every year here, it is one of our "never miss" events. Beautiful art and we we get to see the artists and the progress of their drawings.
ReplyDeleteThe only thing I have noticed about my reading is that I am enjoying more variety in types of fiction, and reading more newer novels. But so far no seasonal changes. Sometimes I like to fit in Christmas related books near to December, but I am less willing to read by schedule lately. Maybe things will be different when I retire.
Tracy, I thought of you when I was thinking about older books, mysteries especially. You do such a good job of keeping those older books 'alive' in our blogging world. I had noticed that you'd been reading a few newer titles.
DeleteI'm also intrigued by the chalk painting event that you mentioned. I was fascinated by what those artists could do with chalk on a sidewalk. :-)
Wow, a 50 degree drop in temp. is *huge*. No wonder your husband's fingers were frozen.
ReplyDeleteI've yet to work out how to change my blogging habits but know it will involve doing less challenges next year, resulting in less book reviews and probably more in the way of general book 'chats'. It's a WIP!
Yes, I sometimes have to give all the murder and mayhem a rest and read something else. I tend to have a non-fiction going alongside a fiction anyway but sometimes the non-fiction is all I read. And I'm not reading any crime at the moment, my current fiction book is State of Wonder by Ann Patchett, recommended by Sam at Book Chase. It very much indulges my armchair travelling addiction by being set in Brazil. Plus, in the autumn I tend to get into a weird fiction mood and that can last until Christmas.
I want to read State of Wonder - heard some things about it recently. I'll watch for your thoughts. And, yes, you do a good job of reading a wide variety of books, Cath.
DeleteMy choices can skip around, but I do tend to be drawn to mysteries. As you mention, however, some plots and characters are beginning to seem repeated over and over. Like the book covers that attracted attention until every book cover was simply a slightly different version of another.
ReplyDeleteI think I've just gotten a bit 'stuck' in the 'new book' section and as we know, themes will take over at times. I'm enjoying thinking about and actually reading some other types of books. Think I'll continue that for a while.
DeleteThe chalk festival sounds so cool, I can't wait to see pictures!
ReplyDeleteI think my reading goes through phases - I was reading a lot of YA for awhile, mostly fantasy, and I just got burned out on it. All the stories were feeling indistinguishable. It's good to mix it up once in awhile, although I do think I read pretty broadly.
I think you do read broadly Angela, but I understand what you mean about too much of certain type of book (like your YA fantasy). And, yes, that chalk event was really interesting. I'll try to get my post about it up by the end of the week.
DeleteA chalk festival sounds wonderful... my brain practically explodes with thoughts of how colorful and beautiful it must be! My reading does tend to go in streaks, but not necessarily related to the season. I mostly read lighter fiction and thrillers for the past few months, but am ready to get back to more nonfiction and literary fiction now.
ReplyDeleteI always admire how much non-fiction you read, JoAnn, and I also have completely copied your 'read/listen' mode. Often I go through several books in that way. Yes, those chalk drawings were quite colorful. I'll try to get my post up by the weekend.
DeleteI tend to be a seasonal reader when it comes to fall/winter and summer at least. I like psych thrillers and mysteries in fall and winter (with a few holiday books to lighten it up) and beach/lighter reads in summer along with some NF.
ReplyDeleteThe Chalk Festival sounds like a unique experience.
That festival was unique to me at least. I was very impressed with what those artists could do on a sidewalk.
DeleteHi Kay! I don't think my reading habits are particularly seasonal. Like you, I have several genres that I read quite a bit (thrillers and mysteries mainly). When I've had my fill of those, I mix it up with historical fiction, cozies, contemporary fiction, and the books getting the most buzz.
ReplyDeleteCatherine, I think you have a great mix of books in your reach to try. Libraries are like that, right?
DeleteI definitely like to shake up my reading now and then. I get tired of a genre when I read too much of one type of book.
ReplyDeleteI can’t wait to see what the Kerrville Chalk Festival is all about.
Early next week on the chalk festival pictures. Yes, Deb, I think you read a wide range of books.
DeleteI had never heard of the Chalk Festival! How fun. Can you believe I still haven't made it to Kerrville. One of these days I need to go check it out. What's one of your favorite Tx towns? I would say Wimberley is high up there for me.
ReplyDeleteI've enjoyed Fredericksburg a lot. For several years, when my husband played in the golf tournament he attended last weekend, we'd stay in Fredericksburg (about 15-20 miles away) and I'd shop and visit the bookstore and the library and museums while he golfed. Now I'm doing the same with Kerrville.
DeleteBrrr! I remember those big drops in temps when we lived in Nebraska. It could be 80 or 90 and drop down to freezing within 12 hours. Too abrupt for me!
ReplyDeleteI'm really anxious to find out where you wind up in retirement! The Hill Country is so beautiful and with our friends in New Braunfels, I know we'd make it out to you for a visit there. :)
My reading is usually much slower when we travel (I've only read one book this month) and I tend to read a lot of mysteries for a few months each year, but try to mix it up with contemporary fiction, as well. November is devoted to nonfiction and I'm anxious to pick out those books once we get back home.
We're still in the early stages of deciding, Les. It will be a few years, but we think it will be good to plan. Our area is just exploding with growth, with many more developments planned and more people moving here daily. Literally. Quite frankly, the infrastructure will not be able to keep up with the growth. The traffic already horrendous. It's not the old Austin that I grew up in for sure.
DeleteIt's supposed to reach 91 today. I do like that the mornings are a bit cooler, but I will be happy when the temperatures during the height of the day go down a bit. I am glad you had a nice time in Kerrville, Texas. My husband and I occasionally dream about where we would like to retire. It'll be a long while before that happens.
ReplyDeleteIt seems like several bloggers are re-evaluating their reading and blogs these days. It seems to come in waves. I have always liked to mix up my reading between different genres so as to avoid burnout on one. I recently read three cozies in the same series in a row and was reminded of why I don't do that often. As much as I enjoyed the cozies, there were certain aspects of the writing that I found repetitive after awhile.
I hope you have a great week, Kay.
Yes, sometimes I can read a series back to back and then at others times - no. I've been listening to a bunch of Anne Bogel's podcasts on What Should I Read Next?. Her visits with readers make me want to try to read outside my comfort zone. Or maybe outside what I normally read. Especially if I'm a bit weary of certain themes or types of books.
Delete