It's true - I haven't been reading at my usual pace. I know I don't have to give excuses, but I'm going to anyway. Here goes:

** Today is our home study for our adoption. It's the last item that needs to be completed before we can get certified by our state. I know it's not a white glove check of my house, but I want everything to look nice, so I've been cleaning like a madwoman. It's amazing how dirty one house can get! My kind husband told me to hire a cleaning service to do it - he promised me he wasn't insulting my housekeeping, just trying to help - but I procrastinated and now it's all on me. So, I'm sore from scrubbing, mopping, dusting and vacuuming, plus my stomach keeps lurching in anxiety. I shouldn't be so stressed - our social worker is a wonderful, completely non-threatening kind of person - yet I am.

** Is that it? Really? Hmm...

I know a lot of authors and publicists are waiting for reviews from me. I promise they are coming! Right now, I have about 30 books on my review shelf, with at least one more arriving every day. I'm also trying to sneak in some personal reading, so bear with me ... I will get to them all. I also have copies of Booklist, The New York Times Book Review and Bookmarks waiting for me to peruse. Perhaps it's telling that I'm currently reading two books at a time, instead of my usual one. I'm enjoying both Mister Monday by Garth Nix and First Day by Allyson Birthwaite Condie - reviews are coming soon!

Anyway, I didn't mean to ramble. I just wanted you to know that I'm still reading, but I'm also living! Summer is my least favorite season (something about 120 degree temperatures, trying to squeeze into a swimsuit, and hearing, "I'm bored" 500 times a day makes me a little crazy) - I'm hoping to break it up with some good books. So, don't give up on me - I'll be back from "vacation" soon - that is if it doesn't kill me first :)

For now, I'm going to leave you with a question to mull over - Is your public library a nice, quiet oasis or a roaring madhouse? I took my kids to the library yesterday to grab info on its summer reading program and the place was teeming with noisy, rambunctious kids (mine not included, of course). Summer vacation has barely started, so I know people are stocking up on books, but I've noticed this trend all year - my public library is NOT a quiet place. Ever. Patrons are constantly clicking away on the computers, gabbing on their cell phones and talking loudly. What happened to quiet libraries? Are they a thing of the past? Do you care? Comment away, folks - I've got to get back to my fishin', uh, cleanin'.