the reading rainbow

hello! a few days ago i got a library card.  i have been meaning to get one since july but i guess better late than never.  there are so many books that i want to read, and it can become a pretty expensive habit.  what's nice about this library system is you can request books online, and then they email you when its ready to pick up.  you can request books from any library in the system, and they deliver your books to the library of your choosing! luckily for me, the nearest branch is less than a mile from my house.  every time i get an email about a new book to pick up, it brings a smile to my face.  :)  i'm not one to re-read book so borrowing from the library makes sense to me.

a few weeks ago, i bought a groupon for a barnes and noble gift card, $20 gift card for the price of $10.  monday or tuesday, i ordered 2 books and got free shipping.  i think the whole transaction cost less than $6.  today my shipment came in!  so exciting!

i <3 books - the feel, the weight, the smell of them.  while i know the kindle or nook are hot ticket items, right now i just can't seem to part from real, turn the pages books. 

below are the books i'm current reading/about to read:

• almost home: stories of hope and the human spirit in the neonatal ICU - i'm reading this book because its an easy read, written from the perspective of a neonatologist.  it helps me to put in perspective why i'm working so hard and so many hours to take care of little tiny babies.  i can relate to a lot of the stories in the book and so far it's pretty good.
• tick tock: this is written by a ob/gyn (i swear i don't only read books written by doctors!) who struggles with infertility.  i haven't read it yet (it was one of my b&n orders - this book wasn't available in the library either so i figured why not).  i hope it's good! 
• room:  this is my other b&n order because the book is so new.  its a hard back.  its a story written from the perspective of a 5 year old boy who has spent his entire life living in this room.  his mother and he are basically held captive in the room and the mother does her best to make the room interesting and fun while trying to figure a way out to escape.  sounds intriguing!  i'm debating on whether or not to save this book and read it whenever my husband and i go on vacation in may.  just in case the books i have on my list in the library don't come in on time (i have to wait for others to turn them in. for some i'm #45 on the waitlist).  see, always a planner....

books i've read so far this year:

• the girl with the dragon tatto
• the girl who played with fire
• the girl who kicked the hornets' nest
• cutting for stone - this book is written by abraham verghese, who is an infectious disease doc. he was one of my mentors in medical school and wrote one of my letters of recommendation for residency!  i think his best book is my own country which is about the AIDS epidemic in a small town when AIDS was first being described and recognized.  a fantastic book for medical and non-medical people.

i think this list isn't bad for someone who frequently works close 80hrs/week while on service (5 months out of 12 this year) or otherwise slaving in the lab while reading scientific papers in my "spare time" that sometimes make me want to poke my eyes out they are so boring!

books i've requested from the library and am waiting to get to read:

• the help
• the conception chronicles : the uncensored truth about sex, love & marriage when you're trying to get pregnant
• what he can expect when she's not expecting: how to support your wife, save your marriage and conquer infertility (i'm checking this out for my husband...)
• water for elephants
• the immortal life of henrietta lacks
• the emperor of all maladies: a biography of cancer
• making babies: a proven 3-month program of maximum fertility
• little bee

yes, a few of the books have a common theme - infertility.  while i'm trying to keep a busy, well rounded life, this topic never seems far from my mind. 

do you have any must read books - books for fun and for infertility?  i'd appreciate any recommendations!

btw, i found out what's been going on with the comments i leave on other people's blogs.  sometimes my comments end up in the spam box and thus are never seen or read.  oh well.  at least i tried!