After almost a year of blogging, I’ve finally realized that I can do header tags in my posts. Brilliant, huh?!

Let me say first, that with the exception of having two c-sections and newborn babies, I have never been so tired in my life!  September was awesome and I seriously don’t know how I did it and kept my kids alive at the same time.  But it’s been so worth it!

Here’s the last month in review for your reading and browsing pleasure:

Books Read in September

Fiction

• When the Emperor Was Divine by Julie Otsuka
• To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
• The Leper Compound by Paula Nangle
• The First Hurt, Stories by Rachel Sherman
• Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress by Dai Sijie
• Saturday by Ian McEwan
• A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
• Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

Young Adult Fiction

• This is What I Did by Ann Dee Ellis
• Rapunzel’s Revenge by Shannon Hale (graphic novel, book review and author interview coming)
• The Thirteenth Reality by James Dashner (book review and author interview coming)
• Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry
• Hope Was Here by Joan Bauer
• Messenger by Lois Lowry
• Go Ask Alice by Anonymous

Middle Readers

• What Jamie Saw by Carolyn Coman
• Clementine by Sara Pennypacker
• Clementine’s Letter by Sara Pennypacker
• The Talented Clementine by Sara Pennypacker
• Where I Live by Eileen Spinelli
• A Long Way From Chicago by Richard Peck
• A Year Down Yonder by Richard Peck
• Second Grade Pig Pals by Kirby Larson
• Yankee Girl by Mary Ann Rodman
• Are You There Go?  It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume
• James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl

Non-Fiction

• The Devil Came on Horseback:  Bearing Witness to the Genocide in Darfur by Brian Steidle
• Darfur Diaries:  Stories of Survival by Jen Marlowe
• Tears of the Desert, A Memoir of Survival in Darfur by Halima Bashir with Damien Lewis
• Of Beetles and Angels, One Boy’s Remarkable Journey from a Refugee Camp to Harvard by Mawi Asgedom (Juvenile)
• Genocide in Darfur by Janey Levy (Young Adult)

Picture Books

• The Two Bobbies:  A True Story of Hurricane Katrina, Friendship, and Survival by Kirby Larson and Mary Nethery, illustrated by Jean Cassels
• The Magic Kerchief by Kirby Larson
• Baby and Toddler Board Books by Leslie Patricelli

How I Recommend Them

Highly Recommended

(this recommendation usually for social issues)

• To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
• A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
• Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
• The Devil Came on Horseback:  Bearing Witness to the Genocide in Darfur by Brian Steidle
• Darfur Diaries:  Stories of Survival by Jen Marlowe
• Tears of the Desert, A Memoir of Survival in Darfur by Halima Bashir with Damien Lewis

I Enjoyed and Would Recommend

• When the Emperor Was Divine by Julie Otsuka
• Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress by Dai Sijie
• This is What I Did by Ann Dee Ellis
• Rapunzel’s Revenge by Shannon Hale (book review and author interview coming)
• The Thirteenth Reality by James Dashner (book review and author interview coming)
• Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry
• Hope Was Here by Joan Bauer
• Messenger by Lois Lowry
• What Jamie Saw by Carolyn Coman
• Clementine by Sara Pennypacker
• Clementine’s Letter by Sara Pennypacker
• The Talented Clementine by Sara Pennypacker
• Where I Live by Eileen Spinelli
• A Long Way From Chicago by Richard Peck
• A Year Down Yonder by Richard Peck
• Yankee Girl by Mary Ann Rodman
• Are You There Go?  It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume
• James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
• The Two Bobbies:  A True Story of Hurricane Katrina, Friendship, and Survival by Kirby Larson and Mary Nethery, illustrated by Jean Cassels
• Of Beetles and Angels, One Boy’s Remarkable Journey from a Refugee Camp to Harvard by Mawi Asgedom (Juvenile)
• Genocide in Darfur by Janey Levy (Young Adult)

Good but Maybe You’ll Like It More Than Me

• The Leper Compoundby Paula Nangle
• Saturday by Ian McEwan
• Go Ask Alice by Anonymous
• Second Grade Pig Pals by Kirby Larson
• The Magic Kerchief by Kirby Larson
• The First Hurt, Stories by Rachel Sherman

Not Worth It

none this month

Author Interviews/Guest Posts

What a great month!  Check these guys out if you missed them!

• Guest Post:  Dennis Burke, Co-Author of The Translator, A Tribesman Memoir of Survival in Darfur
• Interview with Kirby Larson, Newbery Honor Author of Hattie Big Sky
• Interview with Leslie Patricelli, Children’s Author and Illustrator
• Interview with Susan McBride, Author of the Debs
• Guest Post:  Christina Meldrum, Author of Madapple
• Interview with Cynthia Lord, Newbery Honor Author of Rules

. . .  and Shannon Hale and James Dashner interviews are coming up!

More Posts During September

• Spotlighting Rich Women Sisterhood and An Exciting New Book Club You’ll Want to Join
• Can We Pretend the Month Doesn’t End Tomorrow
• New York Times Bestsellers - September 28th
• Spotlighting Literary Ventures Fund
• It’s Banned Books Week - How Will You Be Celebrating?
• 100,000 Hits - We Have a Winner!
• Giveaways for Reading & Blogging for Darfur 
• New York Times Bestsellers - September 21st
• What a Week - BBAW Comes to a Close
• Oprah Announces Her New Book Club Selection
• Eeek!  Thank You for BBAW/Most Altruistic Blog
• Day18:  Reading & Blogging for Darfur
• Wow!  I’ve Won BBAW/Most Extravagant Giveaways
• Stephenie Meyer on Ellen Show Tomorrow
• Let’s Party!  It’s Book Blog Appreciation Week
• NY Times Bestsellers - September 14th
• Did You Know My Husband Published a Book?
• Day 8:  Reading & Blogging for Darfur
• Submit Your Questions for a Shannon Hale Interview
• Author Events this Week in Salt Lake City
• New York Times Bestsellers - September 7th
• I Made the Finals! Come Out and Vote!
• 100,000 Visitors.  Let’s Celebrate!
• Dinosaur Books for Babies, Toddlers and Preschoolers
• Day 1:  Blogging & Reading for Darfur

 Challenge Updates

Non-Fiction Five Challenge from Joy ended this month.  Thanks Joy!  This is my original list:

1. Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Fight Terrorism and Build Nations . . . One School at a Time by Greg Mortenson
2. Christlike Parenting: Taking the Pain Out of Parenting by Glenn I. Latham
3. I Am a Mother by Jane Clayson Johnson
4. The Translator: A Tribesman’s Memoir of Darfur by Daoud Hari
5. Not on Our Watch: The Mission to End Genocide in Darfur and Beyond by Don Cheadle

As you can see I didn’t get to the first two although I had both checked out from the library, but never got to them.  What I think is hilarious, is the fact that during this time period I thought I would be lucky to read the 5 Non-Fiction selections above.  Not only did I read three of them but I also read these:

1. We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed With Our Families:  Stories from Rwanda by Philip Gourevitch
2. We Are On Our Own by Miriam Katin (Graphic Memoir)
3. Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler’s Shadow by Susan Campbell Bartoletti (Young Adult)
4. The Sudan Project: Rebuilding with the People of Darfur, A Young Person’s Guide by Melissa Leembrugeen  (Juvenile)
5. The Complete Maus by Art Speigelman
6. Slave: My True Story by Mende Nazer & Damiel Lewis
7. The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom
8. Admit One: A Journey Into Film by Emmett James
9. Shattered Dreams: My Life as a Polygamist’s Wife by Irene Spencer
10. Escape by Carolyn Jessop
11. Monique and the Mango Rains by Kris Holloway
12. Hana’s Suitcase by Karen Levine
13. The Devil Came on Horseback:  Bearing Witness to the Genocide in Darfur by Brian Steidle
14. Darfur Diaries:  Stories of Survival by Jen Marlowe
15. Tears of the Desert, A Memoir of Survival in Darfur by Halima Bashir with Damien Lewis
16. Of Beetles and Angels, One Boy’s Remarkable Journey from a Refugee Camp to Harvard by Mawi Asgedom (juvenile)
17. Genocide in Darfur by Janey Levy (Young Adult)

So despite the fact that I didn’t complete my original list, I don’t think I failed this one!  20 Non-Fiction in 5 months is pretty darn good!

Visit my Challenge Blog for progress on all of my challenges.  Challenges that I’m currently participating in are:

Jessica’s Lit Flick Challenge
Trish’s Classics Challenge
3M’s1% Well-Read Challenge
Joy’s A-Z Challenge
Africa Reading Challenge
Lynne’s I Heard it Through the Grapevine Challenge
My own 52 books in 52 weeks list.

Click over for my lists.  And if somebody could recommend a U author for the A-Z challenge I’m all ears.

Awards

Wow, it’s been ages since I’ve acknowledged any of the awards you’ve recently sent my way, to which I apologize greatly.  I don’t want you to think that they aren’t appreciated, because to tell you the truth, I do get a little giddy.  I think I caught them all.  THANK YOU!

I Love Your Blog was given to me from Kim at I Smell Books, Jen at Devourer of Books, and Serena at Savvy Verse & Wit.

The Brilliante Weblog Award was given to me from KT at What KT Reads, Nikki at Fyrefly’s Book Blog, Jeane at Dog Ear Diary, Erin from My Journey Through Reading, Jen at Devourer of Books.

The Super Commenter Award was given to me from Serena at Savvy Verse & Wit.

E for Excellent Award was given to me from Nikki at Fyrefly’s Book Blog, Jen at Devourer of Books, Softdrink at Fizzy Thoughts, Heather at Book Addiction.

The Art y Pico Award was given to me from Mrs. B. Roth at It Is I, Mrs. B. Roth.

And if you have any desire to read the really nice things that these wonderful bloggers said then click on their names.

Are you going to kill me if I bow out graciously, say thank you, and say that I feel so overwhelmed at the moment with trying to pass these on?   The thought almost makes me want to cry with stress.    So I’ll just send them right back out to you and to all those who have supported the Reading & Blogging for Darfur campaign and said so many nice things about the project.  Thank you!

I wanted to also say thank you one last time for not only nominating but awarding the Maw Books Blog with the Book Blogger Appreciation Week (BBAW) Most Extravagant Giveaways and the Most Altruistic Blog.  I feel like I’m one lucky gal!  Thanks!

Reading & Blogging for Darfur

What a crazy, crazy, crazy month!!  Did I say crazy?  I still have two more book reviews and giveaways to put up but ran out of month.  I hope to have a wrap-up post of the Darfur Awareness campaign up sometime around the end of the week.   I’ll be posting and emailing about giveaways, sponsorships, etc.

I wanted to say THANK YOU to everybody who was so supportive and absolutely amazing!   I wish I could name everybody by name but then I’d leave somebody out and stay up all night worrying about it.  I seriously love you guys and the amazing community of fanatic book lovers out there!

The response was great and I’d do it all again in a heartbeat!  And I’m about to cry, so I’ll wrap it up.  Watch for the wrap-up of this.

Okay, I think I’m done now.  If you even made it to the end . . .