How can it be Monday again already? Sometimes, it feels like the week has a lot more Mondays than Fridays, and that just doesn’t seem fair.

This is kind of a quiet week here at Alive on the Shelves. I thought I was going to be on the road, but it looks like I’m home for a few days. I’ve got 3 or 4 reviews that I need to get posted for you (including one I promised last week), along with some changes to the decor around here that I’m working on. Hopefully, I’ll have some time to get caught up this week.

Monday: I’ve got a post a little later this morning about some new books on my shelf. Check those out to see what I’ll be reviewing over the coming weeks.

Also, be sure to check out my HOT READS post – it’s not too late to add your hottest read of the month to the list.

Tuesday: As always, I’ll have a teaser from my current book. Right now, I’m reading The Mirage by Matt Ruff. It’s an interesting twist on 9/11 and the war on terror and I can’t wait to see where the story goes!

Wednesday: I hope to round up some new words for Wondrous Words Wednesday.

Thursday: My review of A Train in Winter by Caroline Moorhead.

Friday: I hope to have another review ready to go, probably The Informationist, which I missed last week. But who knows? I’ve got at least 3 other books finished and waiting for reviews. Could be anything.

Also on Friday, a late night, adults only review of The Reluctant Muse. The nice folks at House of Erotica have got me on their list and they have been sending me some steamy stuff!

Saturday: Saturday Snapshot — hopefully, this week I’ll be able to take a picture with no snow involved!

That’s the plan for this week, so mark your calendars and stop back to see what’s happening!

Okay, time for a little taste of what you’ll get this week on Alive on the Shelves!

Monday: Some great new books came in while I was out of town, so you’ll get a chance to peek in my mailbox.

Tuesday: I’ve got a teaser from my current book, A Train in Winter: An Extraordinary Story of Women, Friendship, and Resistance in Occupied France for Teaser Tuesday.

Wednesday: I hope to have some new words for you for Wondrous Words Wednesday and a review of the last (sniffle!) Robert B. Parker mystery, Sixkill.

Thursday: Another review — The Informationist. Really interesting mystery/spy novel with a fascinating female protagonist.

Friday: I will be talking about this month’s Hot Reads. And in this case, I mean hot as in steamy!

Saturday: More Saturday Snapshots and I know just the picture I want to take.

How can it be Monday already! I’m on the road and worked all day Saturday and most of the day Sunday, so it still seems like last week. But even on the road, the site must go on! This week, I’ve got the usual full plate of stuff for you:

Monday: just my recap so far.

Tuesday: I’ve got a teaser from my recently-finished book, The Night Strangers by Chris Bohjalian.

Wednesday: I’ve got a lot of cool words from The Night Strangers — an odd mix of herbs and aviation.

Thursday: My review of The Bad Always Die Twice by Cheryl Crane — really fun read! Definitely check back for that.

Friday: Mark your calendars to come back on Friday! I’ve got a great author interview with Thaisa Frank, author of Heidegger’s Glasses. Sometimes, getting good answers from authors is like pulling teeth, but this is a great interview!

Saturday: My weekly Saturday Snapshot. I haven’t decided yet what to use, but I’m sure something will pop out, even if I have to dig into the archives.

Hey folks, Monday again and time for a little pre-cap of what you can expect to see this week. I’ve really started to enjoy doing these posts — they keep me honest as we go through the week.

Monday: my pre-cap and the end of my Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy giveaway.

Tuesday: Teaser Tuesday and an interesting bit from my current read, The Bad Always Die Twice

Wednesday: Wondrous Words Wednesday and the last of the words from Other People’s Money

Thursday: my review of Other People’s Money - a real pleasure to read

Friday: my review of The Tiny Book of Tiny Stories: Volume 1 - also a pleasure to read and a really amazing concept. I may also have a guest post on Friday, but there seems to have been some confusion with the publicist, so we’ll have to wait and see.

Saturday: as always, I hope to have something for Saturday Snapshot. I’m traveling for work and I’ll be on the road, but maybe some pictures from my trip to Detroit.

There it is, a busy week! Mark your calendars and be sure to stop back.

Okay, this week got off to a slow start — this is my last day off and I have really enjoyed this vacation. I didn’t get as much reading done as I would like, but then, when do I ever?

Tuesday: a Teaser from one of my current books. I haven’t decided which one just yet.

Wednesday: Wondrous Words Wednesday, if I’ve got some new vocabulary to share with you.

Thursday: my review of Black Thunder by Aimee and David Thurlo

Friday: be sure to come back on Friday for a chance to win some cool swag from the new movie Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy!

Saturday: I might have some new snapshots to share, even if it’s just my front yard in winter.

Happy New Year! May 2012 bring you stacks of books and plenty of time to read them.

This is going to be a rather quiet week around the site.

Monday: I’m spending today with a distant friend, catching up, having cocktails and perhaps taking in a movie. Thank heavens the weather is clear and it should be an easy drive.

Tuesday: my Teaser is from the book I just finished, A Bitter Truth by Charles Todd. Check back soon for a review.

Wednesday: My current book yielded a nice crop of words for Wondrous Words Wednesday. Be sure to check them out.

Thursday: my review of Blood and Other Cravings by Ellen Datlow. Thursday night I will also be posting my Top Spot post, the best book of the month. Be sure to check out my Top Spot and, while you’re at it, grab the button and join the fun.

Friday: I’m taking Friday off work. I’ve been promising myself a day to lounge on the couch with a book (an 1,100 page book, so I might need some lap support) and that’s what I plan to do.

And who knows what the weekend may bring?

This is from the good folks at Vladstudio. Buying a membership there has kept me in lovely wallpaper for a very long time.

May your holidays be the happiest yet!

Oh, an early birthday present arrived for me in the mail! A while back, I read and reviewed the first 2 books in Guillermo del Toro’s vampire trilogy: The Strain and The Fall. Today, I got the third book, The Night Eternal in the mail! I had to wait until I was done with work for the day, but I expect to spend the rest of the evening on the couch, with a pot of tea and a very good book!

Tags: The Night Eternal

I must admit that I am not familiar with John Scalzi. I haven’t read any of his books. But since reading this, I have already put them on my wish list:  Auction of rare special edition to benefit Bradford, Ohio library. It makes me wish I had extra cash to bid — like $50,000 to bid:

$50,000: I will travel to any place in the continental United States, present you (or whomever you choose) with the complete, signed John Scalzi collection, take you/them to dinner***and at the end of the evening read you/them a bedtime story written especially for you/them and then play you/them a lullaby on the ukelele. Travel dates to be decided between us but in probably in the next 12 months.

Although, to be perfectly honest, you could have my eternal devotion at a much lower price point:

$10,000: I will commission a large black velvet painting of the two of us, fighting space aliens WITH LASERS.

Who wouldn’t want that, I ask you? And what sort of author does this sort of a benefit? An extremely cool one, I have to say.

More info on John Scalzi.