Books of the Moment

Still plugging away at the bookkeeping, although it's going slower than necessary. Yes, I did this professionally for a decade - and my books are fairly simple, it shouldn't take longer than a few hours. But I'm procrastinating severely since I find it to be about as much fun as a root canal. In the vein of procrastination, I thought I'd take a minute to share some of my current fave page-turners with you:

• "The Likeness", Tana French: This is the post-debut novel from Irish author, Tana French. Her debut novel, "In the Wood" was a captivating read, full of descriptive details to put you in the pages and a suspenseful storyline. I wasn't sure that a follow-up novel would be as good as the first - I hardly could have expected it to be better. Landing main character, Det. Cassie Maddox in an undercover gig, this one's been tough to put down.

• "Animalia", Graeme Base: I used to spend hours reading this book as a girl, and I just recently found a copy for Marley. It's an amazing alliterative alphabet book, with gorgeous illustrations. Another great Graeme Base book for older kids and youthful adults: "The Eleventh Hour".

• "Simple Sewing for Baby", Lotta Jansdotter: Why, oh why didn't I have this book about a year ago? This book has wonderfully simple designs to get you started on creating a full line of carefree clothing, toys, and accessories for your favorite baby and new mom. I think I like the Bib Kerchief on p.28 the best - what a stylish accessory for a teething tot, and super simple to make as well.