The countdown is on: T minus 1 day until I'm back in the homeland! And you know what that means? Time to read a million books!

So last we talked, I had a list of 11 books that I was currently reading, and Tom was implementing new house rules.  Since then, I've finished four books on that list, and have let go of three others that I've come to terms with the fact that I'll never finish. That puts my currently reading list at:

1. Searching for Sunday by Rachel Held Evans
2. Son by Lois Lowry
3. Working Stiff by Judy Melinek, MD & TJ Mitchell
4. Not That Kind of Girl by Lena Dunham

Which is within Tom's new 5 book limit that he's implemented!  (Plus all 4 books on this list are actually in storage right now, so that technically means I'm down to 0 - time to start reading some new books!!)  And actually I've managed to finish a lot of other books that weren't on my list - thanks to my new, slightly longer commute, I've been reading up a storm.  So much, that I've put myself on a book diet this week.  I found that I was starting a book on the way to work, and by the time I got home I was in too deep to stop!  Which meant I would get nothing done after work, and stay up too late until I finished it.  Not always the most productive plan.

So what have I been reading lately?  Well I read a few memoirs, including one I randomly stumbled across by Lisa Jakub.  (She was in Independence Day and Mrs. Doubtfire)  Her memoir gave an interesting perspective as a former actor who actually didn't really enjoy acting.  Think the opposite of Rob Lowe's "Stories I Only Tell My Friends."

I also read two books that were recommended to me, both of which also have a movie companion.  However, while I loved the adaptation of "The Martian," I loathed the movie version of "The Shining."  To be fair, I broke my own rule and watched it too quickly after finishing the book, so all of the differences between them were glaring.  And if you haven't read "The Martian" or seen the movie yet, what are you waiting for!?

And of course I read a few books I'd throw into the "beach reads" category.  Extremely light reads, I finished two of these books in the day I started them.  "Where She Went" is the sequel to "If I Stay," a book that was turned into a movie earlier this year, and Christmas in Good Hope was free on my kindle!

Besides "The Martian," nothing I'd really suggest everyone go out and read RIGHT NOW.  The others were entertaining and enjoying, but nothing I'm still thinking about.  I've got a few books downloaded on my kindle and one John Grisham book I'll take with me back to VT, but I'm open to suggestions on what I should read next!  I'm also looking forward to Christmas, because as always, my list was pretty book heavy.

What are you currently reading?
What was your favorite book (or movie based on a book) that you read/saw this year?