Bout of Books - Goals & Day 1!

So because I totally suck, I actually didn't realise until this morning that Bout of Books was starting today! Luckily I had three books with me, so I got started on the train :-) At the moment I'm pretty manically busy with work, sorting out my craft business, entertaining an 18 month old, trying to keep the house livable, oh, and being 8 months pregnant and knackered, so i'm going to keep my goals simple! The manic activity is represented in the books I'm currently reading, all of which I'm part way through, so my basic goals are thus;

• Read every day
• Participate in at least one challenge a day
• Visit two new to me blogs a day (and pop across and say hi to Ellie, Katie and Hanna)

That's it! Seriously simple. Because you've not seen them yet, here are my books:

And here are my stats for day one:

Monday

Pages Read: approx 120 

Books read from: Flora & Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo, Craft Show & Sell by Torie Jayne, and (not pictured) Toast & Marmalade (otherwise known as 'the bacon book') by Emma Bridgewater. 

Number of books finished: 0

Time Spent Reading: Probably about 2.5-3 hours all in. 

After having forgotten, as previously mentioned, that Bout of Books started today, I managed to kick off to a good start reading Flora & Ulysses on the train. I've never read any Kate DiCamillo and it was one of those surprising times where Rhys has discovered an author and pushed her on me, and I'm really glad he has. Flora & Ulysses is about a girl called Flora and a squirrel with superpowers called Ulysses and so far it's hilarious and great. I love it. I also dipped into Craft Show & Sell a bit on the train. Basically it's full of tips on how to run a successful craft business, and probably not all that interesting to those of you who don't do that :-p Toast & Marmalade is not pictured because *mumbles* we sell it at work and I haven't actually bought it, I just read it when it's quiet. It's an interesting, very self-interested account of Emma Bridgewater (who runs the pottery business) and her many talents. It does have great photography though, and recipes, so it's a winner for me despite the self-absorption!

Challenge

The first challenge for this Bout of Books is a recommendation challenge, and I thought I'd give it a go because obviously everybody needs more books on their tbr... :-/

Here are my recommendations:

If you like Scott Pilgrim vs the World by Bryan Lee O'Malley, try Flora & Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo.

If you like beautiful writing and magical fantasy, try The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

If you like mythology and amazing stories, try The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

My last one is kind of an anti-recommendation? I don't know, see what you think!

If you don't like Twilight by Stephenie Meyer, try The Radleys by Matt Haig

So that's day one! I'm off to visit a few of you now :-) SO EXCITED to be blogging again!!