Berly's Books and Stuff - 4

Yay! Summer Sky!! (My sunflower picture is no longer available, which makes certain comments below rather confusing. Oh well!)

Here is 2012!!

My Rating System:
***** excellent, go get it!
**** very good
*** still enjoyable
** disappointing
* not worth finishing

January

1. Me, Myself and Bob, by Phil Vescher ****1/2
2. Still Life, by Louise Penny ****
3. Chess Story, by Stefan Zweig *****
4. Cannery Row, by John Steinbeck ***1/2
5. Shadow Tag, by Louise Erdrich ****
6. Year of Wonders, by Geraldine Brooks ***
7. A Fatal Grace, by Louise Penny ****1/2

February

8. 77 Shadow Street, by Dean Koontz ***1/2
9. Inheritance, by Christopher Paolini ***1/2
10. Catching Fire, by Suzanne Collins *****
11. Behemoth, by Scott Westerfield ****
12. Shadow Spinner, Suzanne ***1/2

March
13. Dead Man's Folly, by Agatha Christie ***1/2
14. Lone Wolf, by Jodi Piccoult ****1/2
15. The 9th Judgement, by James Patterson ***
16. Mr. Churchill's Secretary, by Susan Elia MacNeal ****
17. Mennonite in a Little Black Dress, by Rhoda Janzen ****
18. The Cruelest Month, by Louise Penny ****
19. Somebody Tell Aunt Tillie She's Dead, by Christiana Miller ****1/2
20. Mockingjay, by Suzanne Collins ****

April
21. Executive Privilege, by Phillip Margolin ***
22. Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese ***/didn't finish

May
23. 1Q84, by Haruki Murakami 5.0
24. Remarkable Creatures, Tracy Chevalier 3.5

June
25. Habibi, by Craig Thompson 4.0
26. The Psychopath Test by Jon Ronson 3.5
27. Sarah's Key, by Tatiana de Rosnay 4.0
28. Off Balance, by Dominique Moceanu 4.0
29. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green 5.0
30. Through a Window; My Thirty Years with the Chimpanzees of Gombe, by Jane Goodall 3.5

July
31. Fifty Shades of Grey, by EL James 3.5
32. Between the Lines, by Jodi Picoult and Samantha Van Leer 3.0
33. Fifty Shades Darker, by EL James 3.5
34. Fifty Shades Freed, EL James 3.5
35. Shadow of the Night, Deborah Harkness 4.0

August
36. Morgue Drawer Four, by Jutta Profijt 4.0
37. Forgotten Waltz, by Anne Enright 2.0
38. The Shape of Water, by Andrea Camilleri 3.5
39. Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick 4.0
40. Paris In Love by Eloisa James 3.5
41. little night by Luanne Rice 3.5
42. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline 4.5
43. Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker 4.0
44. The Ship Who Sang by AnneMcCaffrey 3.5

September
45. "E" is for Evidence by Sue Grafton 4.0

Favorites from 2011...

Charlie Bone Series, by Jenny Nimmo (YA)
The Ask and the Answer, by Patrick Ness
Cloud Atlas, by David Mitchell
The Tiger's Wife, by Tea Obreht
A Discovery of Witches, by Deborah Harkness
Little Bee, by Chris Cleave
Night Circus, by Erin Morgenstern
Spooner, by Pete Dexter
The Invention of Hugo Cabret, by Brian Selznick
The Vanishers, by Heidi Julavits
Life Itself, by Roger Ebert

And 2010...

Shades of Gray, by Jasper Fforde
The Widow Clicquot, by Tilar J, Mazzeo
The Art of Racing in the Rain, by Garth Stein
The Elegance of the Hedgehog, by Muriel Barberry
The Lonely Polygamist, by Brady Udall
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, by Stieg Larsson
The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake, by Aimee Bender
The Help, by Kathryn Stockett
Author Patricia Briggs

Hello One and All! Time for a new thread. I am still feeling meh from the E-coli in the water system here in Portland, but better!



35. I just finished Deborah Harkness' new novel, Shadow of Night which I enjoyed very much, but perhaps just a tad less than the first one, A Discovery of Witches. We follow Diana and Matthew as they time travel back to Elizabethan England to search for a suitable magic teacher for Diana. Anyone who loves this time period will like the book, as will anyone who likes magic, witches and vampires. Filled with a little romance, lots of historical and colorful characters, this is a very fun book. 4.0

Hi Kimmers! Congrats on the new thread. Sorry you are still not feeling well. Hope that changes soon. Hugs!

Hi Kim! Just reserving my seat to make sure I have front row privileges to see what other great book you will be reading. :)

I saw Shadow of Night at my Costco today, but it was a hardcover and since I haven't even read A Discovery of Witches, I think I can wait to get my hands on this one.

Nice new thread here, Kim. Sorry about the water. Hope you're feeling 100% soon.

Hi Mark! You are first (in so many ways!!). : )

Hi Val! I saved a seat for you, first class of course! I think A Discovery is out in paperback now. So, by all means, start with the first and cheaper one.

Hi Crazy! (I love calling you that!) I should be all better by tomorrow. Thanks. I am a wee bit behind on threads and when I saw how many posts there were on yours...Yikes! I will do my best to catch up soon.

Kim - mightily impressive progress this month on your threads which have gone ballistic including presumably your latest one.

Hi Paul! Thanks for stopping by. My thread popularity seems to be directly proportional to my ACTUALLY being HERE! Funny, huh? Oh, and there was a lot of smut talk on the last thread. LOL. So nice to be a regular again!

Hi Kim! *Shuffles about awkwardly searching for something polite to say*

*Looks around, wondering where all the usual smutty talk went*

Stephen-- Hi works. : )

B--Is that all I am good for now? Dang, I better find a different book to read...

Love the new thread! The sunflowers at the beach are so pretty!

Glad to see you liked Shadow of Night even if not as much as the first! I have that sitting here waiting to be read and I'm looking forward to it!

The sunflowers remind me of a parent looking down to their child, and vice versa. Not sure if that was the intention all along...

Beautiful vibrant colors in your opening picture, Kim. Glad you're on the road to recovery. I'm also happy that you are back to regular posting here. You were missed when you went AWOL!

Hi Chelle-Glad you liked the sunflowers up top. I am sure you will like Shadow of the Night when you get to it!

Stephen--No, no thoughts of parenting involved. Just pretty flowers, beautiful water and lots of sunshine.

Donna-Hi there! Thanks for missing me when I was AWOL. When I was really sick I had lots of time to be on LT because I couldn't do much else. When I got a little better it was all I could do to get RL stuff done before I fell apart at the end of the day and I was hardly ever on. Now, I have time and energy to take care of family and still do fun things for me! I am not sure I am every going to be back to 100%, but I am at about 90 and I am still here, so I'll take it! I just find I have to get a nap in most days now. Oh well. Could be worse...glad to be a regular again!

Like you in Portland, up here in Seattle everyone is all agog with sunshine. This time of year, we remember why we live in this part of the world. Love it.

Hi Ellen--I feel so lucky to live in this part of the world, especially this time of year; it's just gorgeous! And we have another straight week of this to come. : )

So yesterday I shipped the boys (hubby and son) off to Seattle for a soccer tournament. Then us girls tackled the clothes. My middle daughter had a big growth spurt last year and shot past everyone but Dad. So we purged her stuff; she got to gift some things to her older, but no longer bigger, sister (which tickled them both) and then off we went to the store to get her things that actually fit. It was a very fun time. Now I need to get them to help me purge my stuff! I have things from college still!!

Purging is always fun when you know you are going to get new things!
I know what you mean about stuff from days gone by. I still have stuff from high school. I should have purged those ages ago, but there are certain things that I am ever hopeful that I'll fit into one day. But, pregnancy and one child later, who am I kidding?? And really, do I want to wear the same things I wore in high school?? :)

Hi Kim! Just stopping in to catch up. We did the clothes purging thing when we were getting ready to put the house on the market - that always feels so good to clear things out, doesn't it?

Oh, it must be in the air, that purging instinct. I keep planning to plunge in, but I've embarked on what is (so far) a successful campaign to shed some weight, so I'm holding off on everything except the true rags. By the end of the summer I should be able to ditch some of the oldest or least liked stuff.

That is, if this stiflling summer actually ends some time this year! Wish I were there with you in Portland.

No, no thoughts of parenting involved. Just pretty flowers, beautiful water and lots of sunshine.

Ha! I guess parenting is the opposite of all those things. What about a little lady-flower gazing up into the eyes of her lover?

Thoughts of parenting CAN coexist with the picture up top. They just didn't! LOL. I like your second attempt to personify my flowers though. ; )

Hi Val--I think I have purged high school, but there is definitely some college stuff left. Some of which I fit into, and some of which I wish I fit into. Most of it is T-shirt and sweatshirt stuff, so they are relatively timeless. I do have a few work outfits from shortly after college and they not only don't fit, but are most likely, okay definitely, out of date! I have just been too lazy to take them off the hangar and drive them to Goodwill.

Hi Crazy--Purging feels great! I always like me house when it is less cluttered. The energy feels better. But I don't clean overboard. A little mess makes my house feel friendly and welcoming. I don't like the sterile-clean look. Nor could I keep it for long with three kids!

Hi Judy--Congrats on the weight shedding!! That is awesome. I know...who wants to spend money on clothes when you are still planning to go lower! Keep it up. : )

So, I have just started Gone Girl. Goody, goody!

yay for starting Gone Girl! Hope you Loooooove it!

Kimmers- You are in for such a treat with GG! Enjoy, my friend.

Hi Chelle and Mark! I am eating it up and made it halfway through the book but must pause for RL. There are all these little weird hints and inconsistencies. And I love the alternating narrator voices, but the chapter finished with a cliffhanger!! Grrrr. Who is outside the door?! Dang it!

Well, at least RL is fun today. Out to dinner with just us girls. Then a walk by the shores of the Willamette River, maybe a little more shopping (which actually I don't like but I do like being with my girls) and then we are off to the midnight showing of Step Up Revolution, a dance movie produced by Adam Shankman of So You Think You Can Dance reality TV fame (we love that show!). So, don't expect any early morning messages from me!! LOL

Hugs to All.

I have Gone Girl on hold at the library. I'm #1579 in the queue. Not kidding.

Ellen--1579???!!! I can't believe it! That's insane. Sorry. Maybe you could buy it with a friend and split the cost? I'd send you mine when I was done, but first my daughter wants it and then my sister. I have my own queue!!

So, I had an inkling of what was to come in Gone Girl, but it is even more twisted than I thought! Can't spill any beans here; what a page turner!

Step Up Revolution was a great movie. Several dance numbers moved me to tears. And it even had a decent plot to tie it together. For anyone who loves all sorts of contemporary dance, this is just the coolest movie!

My oldest daughter left today with a group of friends for a summer house. Just me and S left. Tomorrow I will be solo for a day! Very strange. I promised her some cowboy boots for her birthday so we are off to shop.

Just getting to your latest thread. What a lovely, cheery photo at the top!

I must get to Gone Girl. It's always out at our library, partly because I keep telling patrons how everyone is telling me how good it is!

Watching the opening ceremonies. Chariots of Fire was a stitch! But I especially love seeing how proud all the athletes are to be a part of this amazing event.

Hi Terri- Lovely (see, I'm being British) to see you here! Well, my advice on GG is to stop telling everyone how great you've heard it is until AFTER you get your hands on a copy!! LOL

The image I had up top is no longer available. Seriously? Off to find another one...

Really? I still see it. The sunflower photo?

I didn't. Only a message saying "This photo is no longer available on Photo Bucket." So now I have a sky.

Well, I see the sky now. But I did see the sunflower 5 minutes ago or so. Maybe my computer has a long memory? Who knows?

Obviously, your computer's memory is better than mine and maybe yours too!!

Oh, definitely better than my memory! Today was our church picnic, and I'm told that members were making bets as to whether I'd remember to bring the menus I was supposed to print up and bring. Those who bet against me won. (No money really changed hands with these wagers . . . I don't think so, anyway . . . ;-)

T--Oh dear. Perhaps you should stay close to your computer at all times? ; )

In a surprising turn of events, one of the teams has been disqualified in the Seattle tournament, which turns my sons loss into a 1-0 win. The point totals are close enough that if another team loses this morning and they win, then they will be in the finals this afternoon. Crossing my fingers!!

Drop-off for camp today for my middle one and then a few hours to myself before the rest of the family comes homes home. I finished Gone Girl (review to come and can I just say that twisted books like this make me wonder about the author?!), and wondering what to pick up next...I may not read at all though. Just sit in front of the TV and watch the Olympics. I love the swimming, volleyball and gymnastics! I used to be a swimmer and played volleyball so I can relate to these sports, but I just plain admire the flexibility and bravery of the gymnasts. Flips on the balance beam...are you kidding?

Gahhh! Scary. But I love watching gymnastics!

Kim, did you watch the men's yesterday? Those falls off the high bar had my heart in my throat!

I know! And the horse is always a nailbiter too! I am off the watch the women's beach volleyball from yesterday...

gah alright! How those young women perform stuff like that on a beam is beyond me.
Hello btw!

Kim- Looking forward to your thoughts on GG. I read an interview with Flynn awhile back, and she mentioned that her husband is occasionally asked about his wife's state of mind and isn't he sometimes worried. I LOVE it.

Love the action shot! Isn't watching the olympic fun? Nate and I watched Judo tonight. Nate loves to watch it as he used to compete when he was younger and he loves trying to explain it.

Just keeping up - what's up with the sunflowers being not available? Didn't they know you were using it?!! That sky is beautiful, too, though.

Ah yes Gone Girl.........so much more satisfying than.......oh, IDK.........Fifty Shades?

Yes, the Olympics ruined my sleep schedule last night. I watched the women's gymnastics until about midnight - very emotional. and lots of comments about the new rules for qualifying for the all-around.

the swimming was also exciting.

On Saturday, I succeeded in spending an hour on the treadmill thanks to the tv screen in front of me, as I watched women's fencing (foil) and the men's bicycle road race.

My envy of all those lean, hard-bodied people knows no bounds - except the one that says I'd have to work like a dog to even pretend to be remotely as fit as they are. Of course, I could have walked to work today and gotten some of that missing exercise if I hadn't been up past midnight watching the....

Hi Kim! Just passing through and trying to catch up a bit. I think the effort is hopeless!

Glad you liked Gone Girl - it was so well done!

Between wedding and olympics, I barely have time to crack open a book! Love watching the olympics but can only watch the summaries at night time because sitting in front of the TV with a toddler is not an option for me..haha!

I just purged all my shoes......*hangs head in shame* So many! I filled one whole garbage bag of shoes I no longer wear.....ouch!

I hope you're an inspiration to me. I need to purge the same!

Sorry I have been MIA. I've been in MN with my niece, Ashley. She is having open heart surgery today so send good thoughts to her! And I will have lots of downtime in the waiting room, so feel free to eave me a message. : )

Came over here to see if there was more info about the surgery - open heart! Sending all my good thoughts and positive mojo your way.

Thanks Crazy. So far everything is progressing well. I am sure your good mojo will help!

Sending positive energy north to Minnesota!

Kim, I'm hoping things go well with and for your niece.
Take good care ----

Hope everything came out as expected Kim. Sending positive thoughts your way.

Wow, how old is she. Will keep your family in my thoughts today.

Kim, I'm holding your family in my thoughts. I hope Ashley's surgery goes well and that her doctors fix whatever the problem is. Such a tense time for all. Keep us posted when you get the chance.

How did the surgery go?

Hi one and all! The surgery went well. She spent the night in ICU as expected and will probably stay there tonight again. Ashley is 14 and had no clue there was a problem until about two months ago. The Olympics have beena great distraction for everyone. That and really bad movies. Thanks so much for all the positive energy! I know it helps. : ). More tomorrow. Hugs

I'm glad the surgery went well! :)

So glad that the surgery went well - continuing to send positive mojo. Just 14 - so scary!

Your niece is in my prayers, Kim. I hope she continues to improve.

I am also a lover of the Olympics. I am glad finals are over so I can now enjoy watching them!

Kim- I'm so glad everything went well! Poor thing. Keep us posted. Hugs!

Hi Stephen, Stasia, Crazy and Mark--thanks for the good thoughts. I am going to have to make you guys work overtime though...

So Ashley is still in ICU. Her hemoglobin dropped overnight and she needs a transfusion now. Because it dropped so low she had no energy and didn't move around much and was breathing pretty shallow so they also had to put her back on oxygen. Poor kid.

Then on my home front, youngest son Jack fell while playing soccer and broke his arm ( radius near the wrist) all the way through. He grossed everyone out by pushing it back in place at the field, but apparently did a great job because they didn't have to set it again at the hospital. Of course tryouts for ODP (Olympic development program) are today. Sigh. Maybe he should take up chess? Last year he broke his collarbone. And of course I wish I could be home with my baby, but I also know I am needed here. Anyone know any cloning techniques?

I haven't done much reading. Just a little of The Shape of Water which I am enjoying very much, again. ( no cover to recognize on the Kindle and i didnt remember the title.) A perfect read for the situation so I am sticking with it.

Hoping for a better day today!

Sorry to hear about Jack! Yikes! He sounds like quite a trooper though! I'm sure he'll be sad about missing out!

Thanks mark. Jack is doing okay and will hopefully be able to make the rest if the tryouts next week.

Ashley turned the corner and is doing better. The transfusion helped. She is now out of ICU and had enough appetite to want after hour French fries. Yay! My sister went home to get some sleep and I am staying at the hospital.

Hugs!

Craving French Fries is a very good sign. I hope Ashley continues to improve and that Jack heals quickly. I raised three kids with no broken bones (pure luck) but my oldest granddaughter has had a broken leg and her sister a broken arm and then a broken foot a few weeks ago. Sheesh!

Take care of yourself, Kim. Jack will need lots of TLC from Mom when you get home.

Sooooo good news and bad news. I'm glad Ashley has turned the corner (right into a shop with FF) and it sounds like Jack will be a quick healer if setting your own broken arm is any indication. Geesh, I don't think I could do that. Good vibes to you and yours Kim.

I'm so glad to hear she is doing well, Kim. I'm convinced fries are the perfect feel-better food. Tasty, east-to-eat finger food, it's exactly what you need in a hospital bed.

I broke two bones as a kid (well, broke a bone and shattered a joint) and I never found them to be that painful. I broke my finger playing soccer in 3rd grade and played the rest of the game with it broken. I didn't go to the hospital until later that night.

Glad the surgery went well, Kim. Still holding her in our thoughts.

Glad Ashley is doing better, but sorry about Jack's broken arm. Best wishes to both!

What Terri said!

Sorry to hear about the family's health, Kim! Keeping your son and your niece in my prayers.

Just checking in over here, Kim. Poor Jack! Abby used to play soccer - she was the goalie. She broke both arms and dislocated her kneecap before deciding maybe that was enough. She still loves to watch though, and will play recreationally upon occasion.

Glad to hear that your niece is doing better. Now, how's Jack?

Oh geeze, you're having a rough go eh! Glad to hear your nieces surgery went well and she is on the mend!
You totally grossed me out with the story of your son pushing his bone back in, bletch! I guess it would have been pretty gross to see too!
Hope life slows down for you soon!

I hope everyone is doing better, Kim, and that you're home soon.

A rough day yesterday for Ashley and last night (someone was in every half hour for something) , but finally drained all the fluid around her heart so they were able to pull some things out and her pain level dropped significantly. Actually happy and laughing this evening. They are talking about discharge tomorrow...crossing our fingers!!

Jack is doing well. He got his cast...hot pink! Go figure. It is th most popular color for girls and guys his age. Lol.
Thanks for all the well wishes. If all continues to go well, I should fly home soon. : )

Big hugs and thanks for the support. I love LT!

xo

Ashley made it home and now so have I! Glad to be back. Spent the day yesterday catching up on household stuff like laundry and dishes, although my troops really did make a concerted effort to keep the place relatively clean. Only half my plants died. They might have anyhow--we finally got the scorching summer everyone else has been having. Supposed to break 100 again on Thursday, which is pretty rare for Portland. Jack waited and let me sign his hot pink cast first, which made me pretty happy and they made me a really cute welcome home sign. I feel loved! Oh, and I did read some books--reviews to come soon. : )

36. Morgue Drawer Four, by Jutta Profit, was a truly amusing murder mystery. One of the sleuths is the spirit of the deceased, Pascha. The only person who can hear him--the medical examiner who performed the autopsy--is named Martin and becomes, by default, his detective partner. With great difficulty, Pascha cajoles, threatens and guilts Martin into investigating clues. Very funny!

Jack gets bonus points for waiting for you to sign his cast first - how sweet! Glad to hear that all is going well with your family. Morgue Drawer Four sounds like fun!

Hi Crazy! Glad to see you here. I am slowly catching up on LT threads. I promise I'll visit yours soon! Hugs.

Book club tonight. We are discussing Forgotten Waltz by Anne Enright, which I thoroughly disliked. I am interested to hear everyone else's thoughts.

In light of the 100+ temperatures, we have decided to make it a pool party, which will be novel for a book group discussion! And I don't think I will be referring to the book at all since I read it on Kindle and don't want to fry my electronics in the water!!

37. Well, I am not alone. No one in my book group liked Forgotten Waltz, by Anne Enright. It was supposedly "a tour de force" in the reviews and satirically funny, but I beg to differ. I wasn't attracted to any of the characters. After reading Gina's descriptions of her husband and lover, I couldn't figure out for the life of me why she fell for them in the first place. I also kept waiting for more on the story of the daughter, and how all of this infidelity had affected her, but not much was forthcoming. And worst of all, Enright circled back around through the whole mess again and the literary trick of seeing things from a new viewpoint, or with more knowledge, did nothing to help. I cringed when I saw we were back at the beginning. I hated this book. I have to give it two stars, simply because I did finish it. Maybe I should re-evaluate my ranking system.

Hi Kim- Hope your friend is doing much better. Sorry to hear that Forgotten Waltz was a stinker. I've never read Enright. Keep cool!

At least everyone in the group confirmed your reaction to the book! Hope your next read is a better one. :)

Thanks Mark! The air conditioner is on full blast. Niece and son are both doing well. I posted the pictures I took when I was out in MN on Facebook, but I warned my niece to take a look ASAP so I could pull any pictures she didn't want public. Sure enough she didn't like one where she thought she had a double chin (and she really didn't), but it's gone now and she is happy because all her friends are posting get well wishes for her now.

Oops! I missed you there Val! Hi! I am quite sure my next read will be better--it would be horrible luck to hit two stinkers in a row!

Are we pals on FB? If not, why not? I don't get on much but I do follow along on occasion.

I don't think so...we should fix that. Although I have to warn you I am not a frequent user. Mostly I use it to exchange photos with my college girl, who finally deigned to friend me, and now I can lurk and see who all her friends are, LOL.

Thanks for the heads up on the Enright book.....I'm often as thrilled to find a book to cross off the list as I am to find another to throw onto the pile.

Well I have to say that I suffered through Enright's dreadful The Gathering and swore I wouldn't read anything else she wrote. Then Suzanne reviewed The Forgotten Waltz and raved about the unreliable narrator and I thought I might try it. Now you, Kim, have reviewed it in a way more in line with my original thinking. Hmmmm, what to do........

Kim - it is such good news that Ashley has got through such serious surgery seemingly unscathed - trust that she will continue to recuperate and that you all will have a splendid weekend. btw I don't understand the appeal of Anne Enright either.

I've never read Enright. Thanks for taking one for the team! May your next read be better...much better...and perhaps trashy because I love the fun that happens when people report on trashy reads!!

{delurk}
Smoochings for dearest Berly-boo!
{relurk}
.
.
.
.
{delurk}
The Enright sounds execrable.
{relurk}

Tina--Well glad I could help keep the TBR tower from toppling!

Bonnie--Sorry to put you in a quandry. Go with your gut!

Paul--Thanks for thinking of Ashley, and me! And it's nice to know I have some backing on Enright. : )

Crazy--It makes me feel a smidgeon better to know that I have I took one for the team. And about those trashy novels...I certainly had a more active fan base when I was reading all that Grey stuff, LOL!

Richard--I love when you delurk..specially with kisses and wonderful words like "execrable." Now there's an interesting pairing!

38. The Shape of Water, by Andrea Camilleri. The Pasture is home to drug dealers and prostitutes. While working there one morning, two workers from the Splendour Refuse Collection Company find the dead body of Silvio Lupanello in his car in a compromising position, if you catch my drift. The death is determined to be from natural causes, (the man did have a weak heart after all), but Inspector Salvo Montalbano is not satisfied. Sicily's most respected detective refuses to bow to the pressure from politicians on high and follows his gut through false clues and corruption to the heart of the matter. Montalbano is a most honest detective, who is also cynical, humorous, and compassionate, and never turns down a good meal. A very fun, light read with a few good plot twists thrown in. And my apologies to one and all--yes, this is yet another series!! 3.5

Nice review - I liked that one, too. And the next one is even better.

Montalba! My favourite series at the moment methinks.

Montalbano is a most honest detective, who is also cynical, humorous, and compassionate, and never turns down a good meal.

Encapsulates our hero perfectly if you were to add a little about his sexual incontinence.

Hi Crazy--Okay then...on to the next one!

Hi Paul--Hmmmm. I believe I was encapsulating his strengths. ; ) How many have you read? How many are there? What have I done to myself!!

I picked up The Solitude of Prime Numbers and Ready Player One on sale this weekend. The first is one I have never heard of, and I believe the second will make Mark very happy. : )

Kim, I have read 13 of the first 15 that have so far been published in English. Over here in Malaysia I have to wait patiently (?) for their release and number 13 was kindly passed to me by Caro when we met up. The Age of Doubt is the next up for me when it appears in the shops here.

15?!!! Okay. I am not going to panic. I am glad to hear that you have read that many and obviously enjoy the series. This just means that they are many more enjoyable books out there for me. : ) ( I refuse to look at the LT feature that lets you see how many series you are reading...I might scare myself!)

Kim - I took the liberty of having a peek and....yeah you'd be scared!

Thanks Paul...NOT! : ( Now it's kinda like looking at crime scene. You know it's gonna be bad but you can't look away...

Oh #*!%# me!! 222 series!?! And it never tells you if you have completed them all? I didn't even know some of these WERE series. I mean, Harold and the Purple Crayon has a sequel? What have I done?

How do you look at them? I only know how to look at one series at a time.

It's okay Kim. LT tells me I have 241!! When you actually look at the list though, it's not entirely accurate and I wouldn't consider some of the books part of a series, but who I am to argue with the LT gods. To console myself, I also justify it by saying that a lot of them are on my WL and not actually books I've read or own. It's a small comfort, but a comfort nonetheless.

Hi Judy--Go to your Profile, click on the top Statistics/Memes, then on the side under Common Knowledge click Series. Then read 'em and weep!

Thanks for consoling me Val. I feel slightly better knowing you are worse off than me!! LOL. And you are right...who can argue with the LT gods. I do NOT want them pissed off at me!!

Yeah that series stat is crazy. Half the books they think are series, I don't.

From the time I posted till now, it has changed to 242! *Smacks head* Did I even add a book in that time?? I'm actually working on compiling my own list of series and I don't think it looks as ridiculous as the LT one, although it's not short any sense of the word...haha!

Thank you Bonnie. I agree wholeheartedly!

Val--Run away, run away!!

Kim- Yah, for Ready Player one! It's such a fun read. You're going to have a blast. Plus, maybe that will spark more LTers to read it.
Glad you enjoyed your 1st Inspector Montalbano. these are also fun books.

Don't know whether this helps or not Kim but my series list according to the stats is 1,218!

Wow, that series doohickey is waaay trippy. I am NOT reading 692 series. I noticed that there are several names for some series, and they're counted twice for that reason, but still...!!

Yes, Mark, I am so excited to read Ready Player One! Especially since it's not a series... right?

Paul, give it up. Game over. You are doomed!

Ricardo, ridiculous right? And, yes, they do seem to duplicate somewhat, but still!!!

I think I may have to stay on the lookout for one hit wonders where all the characters die and there is no chance of a series. 'Course then the dang author will probably go back and write a prequel if they have any success, which will then be counted as a series, so obviously the only way to avoid series is to not buy books at all and make any of them popular...like that is going to happen!!

I was gonna roll my eyes and snort, but your last line saved me.

*smooch*

Smooches back!

I was going to boast about my 692 series then Paul blew me out of the water. *whines*

Here I thought my 229 was exceptional! A good laugh to start the day.

I notice some of the series listed are only in the publisher's mind and have nothing to do with authors. This is especially true of the non-fiction, of which I have many unread books anyway. so I can't really say I've been READING so many series, can I?

I "only" have 100 series. Apparently I am a slacker.

oh no. I've now found the statistics page. Now I understand why so many of us pay attention when we register books. I --- will --- resist.

Morphy-- Boasting and whining on this subject matter are allowed and encouraged! Have at it!

Tina--Series only in the publisher's mind--LOL! And 229 is exceptional anyhow.

Carol--Hmmm. "Slacker" is not how I picture you. : )

Resistance is futile. (What are you resisting anyhow?)

I think we all feel better after seeing Paul's stats.... :)

I think we need a Series Survivor Group. I'll go first.

Hi. My name is Kim. I haven't bought a book in three days. I am addicted to books and my reading is taking over my life.... I ask forgiveness from all persons I have ignored while my nose was buried between pages (like when I burned the dinner because I was getting to the really good part)....I will try to make reparations but only when I am not making a searching and fearless inventory of my books. (Yeah...I'll do the laundry in a minute! Now where did I put my book?)

Hi. My name is Mamie. I haven't bought a book... today. I am addicted to books and I would like to never be cured. The only type of "recovered" that I would like to experience is when I put the dust jacket back on the hardback that I just finished reading. I am sorry that I have neglected both friends and family in favor of literature, especially when the book turned out to be not that good. I ask forgiveness for repeatedly saying, "Just five more minutes" when what I actually mean is "when I'm good and ready to put down this book, which probably won't be until I have finished it - pencil me in for sometime time tomorrow or the next day." I will try to make reparations, but already I am feeling only half-hearted about this. Perhaps if we could find you a book to read, too?

LOL at Kim and Mamie's last posts!

It's saying I have 445 series. Some are duplicates/multiple names for same series, some are series "only in the publisher's mind," a few are my son's books and thus not being read by me, some are only wishlisted, some are ones I tried and won't continue . . . but there are still a LOT of series I have going.

Hi. My name is Valerie. It's been 2 days, 2hrs and 2 mins since I've last bought a book, but I gotta be honest and say that I've been thinking about it for 2 days, 2hrs and 2 mins. I no longer have shelf room, and my habit has taken over every spare corner of my house. I'd use my bathtub to store my books except that would be a hazard. I'm thankful that although most my friends and family think I'm crazy, they smile indulgently at me and just look the other way. It's great to know that I'm not alone and that there are people who have worse than me (points to Paul).

Hi Kim - book buying confessions ... oops I got some more today:)

As for the series and sequels - I did have a quick look and is says 665 series but some I have read all the books or, as others have said, are duplicates and others I don't think of as series. Maybe one day I'll sit down and work out which ones I'm still reading ... or maybe not.

Hi, my name is Judy, and I downloaded my last book to my Kindle only 16 hours ago. My problems started as a child, when I could get out of any chore by whining 'Mom, I'm READING'. Afraid I'll run out of books to read, I'd rather buy a new one than read the 560 unread ones already on the shelves. And I have an enabling partner. Every time I clear a space on the shelves, he fills it up with books of his own that I want to read (mostly).

The desk is piled high with mail that is less interesting to read than the latest mystery. The vinyl records and cassette tapes have gone undigitized and pile up in every corner not already filled with books. I'm over four years behind on my New Yorkers. The drapes are held up by safety pins, the carpet is worn to the backing, and I never cook. It's just read, read, read.

I need help.

Can someone come over and digitize the cassettes?

Hello, I'm not giving my name because you might so well as call me Beelzebub. It's been less than 10min since I last got a fresh spankin'-new book and it'll probably be less than 10min before I get another one, and I am not the tiniest speck sorry, sad, ashamed, or chagrined.

After all, I'm not cookin' meth or runnin' a string of boys for profit. If book prices keep goin' up, that may have to change....

Hi, my name is Ellen and I have a story to tell. I used to buy books almost daily. I would leave my office at lunch, walk to the bookstore, telling myself I was just going to look. Or maybe I was just going to buy one book. Inevitably, I would walk out with a stack of books. "I get 10% back at the end of the year," I told myself. "What's the big deal?" But I couldn't read them all. The stacks at the side of my bed grew. I wanted to read all those books, but work and family got in the way.

So, I made a commitment. I would not buy another book until I had read ten books that I already owned. That's when the real problem started. I just transferred my addiction to the library. I would put as many books on hold as the library would allow. And then I would have to read them before their due date. The books I had bought languished in the stacks at the side of my bed. I managed to read five of them, but not ten.

Well, now I haven't bought a book in weeks!!!! And it's ugly. I hate my job. I hate my family. I hate my library. I'm thinking of disappearing into the wilds of eastern Washington for a week just so I can read five more books that I own. I could risk everything -- a 17-year marriage, a successful career, the registration fee for a half-marathon -- just to read five books that I own!

I.

Need.

Help.

--
-
--
-
--
-

*The story above is not true. Well, parts of it are true, but I won't quit my job and I don't hate my family. Details have been exaggerated for dramatic purposes.*

You guys are seriously cracking me up!!

#130 Crazy--"recovering" LOL! Go look in the mirror and say "I am a book addict" 10 times. Find me a book. Poof! You are absolved.

#131 Terri--445. Clearly you have a problem. I suggest you look deep within your soul...and decide which series you will finish next.

#132 Val--No fingerpointing! We are all in this together.

#133 Calm--Your "Oops" was most insincere. Keep it up.

#134 Judy--Clearly your problems are deep-rooted. I suggest one-on-one counseling, but you should keep up the group read, I mean therapy, as well.

#135 Beelzebub--Book pornographer that you are and unrepentant as per usual, you need to be confined. Liberry hours are 9-7.

#136 Ellen--No more dramatics! You have to face reality. There are not enough hours in the day to read and you STILL have 5 more books to go!

I just don't know if we are good therapy for each other or just egging each other on. Hearing everyone's confession just makes me, surprise surprise, want to go out and BUY MORE BOOKS! :)

Shhh! Don't tell. I want to hear a few more confessions before anyone else catches on.

This crazy stats page says I have 122 series. That is absolute rubbish. I have only picked up a few series and all since I got sucked into the vortex known as LT. Anyway I see the problem now: 1. They think books are a series and I don't consider them as such and 2. They're counting books I read eons ago and never realized were parts of a series.

*vows never to read the series stats page again*

Yes, well. Perhaps it would be better if we didn't make promises we can't keep....

Well, I thought I better check into this Series Survivor Group. According to LT I have over 800 series, but I know these numbers are off so I then checked another site that tracks series, and my actual figure is (gulp) 526 series!!

Hello, my name is Judy and I am serious addicted to series reading. My guilt overwhelms me and I am feeling so sorry for myself that I think a trip to the Book Depository website may be in order ...

Judy--You've been very open and honest about all this. (800!) Just take your sad self right down to that web site. ; )

Haha... Series Survivor Group ... Kim, you're a hoot. That's for a seriously long laugh after I've just been in a mind-numbing meeting, keeping my smile frozen on my face despite being frustrated that the person who usually does the translations during my meetings in Japan called in sick and her replacement was woefully not up to par.

Hi there! Glad you got a laugh tonight. Sorry your translator bailed on you. Better luck tomorrow? And don't forget to give your fake smile muscles a massage.

Hi My name is Paul and I am on my way to the shops to capitalise on the absence of traffic in Kuala Lumpur to add to my stockpile of books series or other. I have 1,218 series listed against my name on the stats page but calculate only 111 active ones being read (as if that makes it better!).

>137 You made me smile - no grin!

"Series Survivor Group", huh? I was expecting a musty basement, with the aroma of stale smoke and burnt coffee. At least this is a bright and friendly room, although the angst is quite apparent. Wailing Souls!

I'm not sure how accurate it is, but LT says I have 323 series books going. WOW!

I'm Mark, (Marky-Mark, if you wish)- I'm a Major Book Geek. I hoard books. I obtain many more books than I can read, but I've come to terms with that and have learned to live with that indomitable truth. What helps, is the fact that I am NOT ALONE. There are legions. I start to sit down but instead...duck out for a smoke.

Morning Paul! You seriously cut your series read est. by 90%? Did you stay up all night reviewing it? WOW! You still win with most series listed in my book. Course haven't heard from Stasia...

Morphy! : ) Back atcha!

Marky-Mark-- Book Geek Hoarder you! You are indeed amongst friends. Course substituting one addiction (smoking) for another is not recommended.

*sigh* My people, my people!

*Mephistophelian laugh*

"Book Geek Hoarder". Sounds like a particularly nasty disease or better yet, a new reality show! Now, that's one I might watch!

According to the stats page group member Linda (alaskabookworm) has the most series reads - more than double mine.
Richard correctly points out that there are some double entries in the lists and things like 1001 books to read are listed as series when I wouldn't call them that.

Ah! It doesn't surprise me that Linda has the most. Her library is ginormous!! Maybe you can still catch her though. And 1001 books to read is NOT a series!! Nice detective work Paul. Thanks. : )

This has been great fun.
I just started another library book last night, but I'm making a commitment to read at least one owned book this month (better get going....) so that I can make an itty bitty dent in my commitment.

You all are going to hear the shouts of joy all over the world when I meet my goal and can go. shopping. for. books!!!!

So when is the next meeting?

Ellen-We stand behind you! Go girl, go!! Come on...put it writing. What book that YOU OWN are you going to read next?

And in response to Crazy's question....

Hi. My name is Kim. I am committed to whittling down my series TBR pile. Rumor has it that September is Series month here on LT, so I am going to buck up! I just found out that The Giver by Lois Lowry has not one, but two sequels. So, I have downloaded on my Kindle book number two, Messenger, for my Series Solution.

Next?

Hi Kim,
I dont think I even know of any series that I have read?! *ducks for cover*
Oh, apart from the Frank Bascombe three by Richard Ford. Ive read two of the three of those. I didnt get very far in the Dragon Tattoo lot, after the first one I threw to book at the wall and vowed never to go there again!
Are series books more likely to be action thriller mystery type books? Maybe that's why Im not aware, I dont read much in those genres.

Ellen and me both are going to try to read one of our own books next. What an idea, actually reading a book that I own. Hm, now that Ive said it it sounds so obvious....

Goodness ....I'm ashamed....I'm ONLY showing 689 series and I refuse to believe that number. LT is wonderful but their definition of a 'series' is somewhat suspect. I use FictFact.com to track series I'm actually reading...and that shows 62. More than enough. But I have really enjoyed this conversation.

Anything with a sequel/prequel or a book attached to it any way. I avoid series like the plague because my small town library doesn't usually have all the books to any single series, so starting them inevitably leads to disappointment. Despite that, I have 132 series and, looking throught the list, it's perfectly true. There's not a book there that doesn't belong to a series, and I only have 481 books in my library.

There are plenty of series that you might read from without realizing. Nonfiction books that belong to a set like the DK art books, or little 2-book series like like this that you some people might not define as a 'series,' but it still count on LT. I'm shocked that I've read or own that many series books, but the stat seems genuine looking over the list. :o

Hi Stephen--my new mantra is Stand Alones Only. I think my chances of success are small...

and Tina!! FictFact.com sounds interesting but if I have to re-catalogue everything then I am out. I still have shelves and shelves downstairs to put on LT!!

So RL news--Jack made the first cut of ODP (Olympic Development Program) for soccer. Whoohoo!! I think he made it because he was so easy to recognize with his bright pink cast. ; ) He is itching (literally) to get it off!

Sarah got her driver's permit. All drivers in WA and OR be on the lookout for a cute blonde driving a red Toyota van. Just saying.

Jess is off in MN enjoying a late graduation present from the uncles and having a blast from the sounds of it.

I scored 17 books at a buck each at a nearby side-road clearance. The guy was really nice and says his house is FILLED with books and he is purging. He said this was just the first pass. After much pleasant conversation, he asked for a way to contact me so he could let me know when the next batch comes up. Whoohoo!! Mostly mysteries, including Agatha, Doyle, PD James, Sue Grafton, a Conrad, and a few MacCaffreys. I think that I am TOTALLY set for series September!! (Kindly disregard my new mantra up top.)

WAY behind on reviews. I blame Ready Player One for my LT absence yesterday. I am on to my most recent Powell's book club, The Age of Miracles, which I am also devouring!!

Hugs All!

Looking forward to your review of RPO and TAoM! I have the former my shelves as well and can't wait to get the latter on my shelves.....at some point :)

his house is FILLED with books and he is purging. He said this was just the first pass.
Sounds pretty great to me! GO back, quick!

Glad you are lost in RPO! Hope you can get back out! Hugs!

I did a list of actual series I'm reading or seriously interested in starting -- of which I'm caught up with a grand total of ONE. (There were two, but the new Louise Penny was released today, officially putting me behind in that one, too.) It's more like 150 series I'm doing, rather than the 445 that LT lists. They count things like collections of reference works as well as non-series lists like the 1001 books, etc. But looking at how many books there are unread in the various series, I am amazed.

I'm doing my part to catch up by now reading a last-in-series, which will give me two series (again) that I'm done/caught up with. Both series by the same author. What does that say?

Hi Val--So far behind. I swear I will do the reviews though before I start another book.

Hi Megan--As soon as his new crop is out, I am so back there!

Mark--I have managed to find my way out of RPO...just! Hugs back to you.

Terri--The fact that you love your book reading enough to cull through the list and find your actual want-to-read series and that you have closed one and are honing in on the second....well, that just makes you my hero!!! That's what that says. : )

Yeah, I leap tall stacks of books with a single bound . . .

But do you wear a cape? And a onesie with pantyhose?

Just stopping by to catch up and say hi. Hi.

Hi there woogums

Hi Kim- Waiting for a full report on RPO! Impatiently, tapping fingers...

I hang my head in shame ... rather than catching up and reducing the number of series I read, I added more to my series list when I brought home a Martha Grimes, Peter Lovesey, John Burdett and Hakan Nessar the other day.

Having said that, I'm definitely well set for September's S&S theme. :-)

39. Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick ****

Again using the technique found in The Invention of Hugo Cabret, Selznick alternates between prose and pictures to tell the story. In this book, Ben and Rose's stories are set 50 years apart and evolve with amazing symmetry: at the outset both children set off on quests to find someone. Ben wants to find the father he has never known and Rose searches for an actress featured in her scrapbook. Their stories intertwine in a touching way. Not quite as good as Hugo, but still wonderful. I especially like the artwork set in the museum.

40. Paris in Love by Eloisa James ***1/2

This is a wonderful little peek into the daily life of New York Times bestselling author Eloisa James. She decided one day to take a sabbatical, sell her house, and move her family to Paris. Her year there is told in funny, loving excerpts, covering the antics of her two children, the wonderful food, and the ups and downs of married life all set in one of the most enchanting and beautiful cities. A light, fun read.

41. little night by Luanne Rice ***1/2

Set in NY city, this story follows Clare, a quiet urban birder and nature blogger whose life is turned upside down when her niece arrives. Clare has not seen Grit for almost twenty years, not since Clare tried to save her own sister, Grit's mother, from domestic abuse and then was wrongfully sent to prison for assault. Can old wounds heal? Can Clare forgive her sister for the lies she told? An interesting story, especially the fallout abusive situations create and bird enthusiasts would especially enjoy this story. I found that I liked the characters more at the beginning of the book than the end, but still a good read with a good plot twist or two.

42. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

First, the plot review. Set in the year 2044, life is no picnic for teenager Wade. His parents are dead and he lives in a trailer pile with his Aunt, who could care less what happens to him. Wade's only friend is someone he has never met--they are comrades in the virtual utopia known as the OASIS, created by Halliday. When Halliday died, he left behind a set of clues: whoever solves the riddles and wins the race stands to inherit control of OASIS and become the richest man on earth. In his effort to win, Wade has devoted his life to studying everything about Halliday. He knows his favorite books, the dialogue from the movies he liked, the words of the music he listened to, and most importantly, how to win the video games he played. One day, Wade finds his name is at the top of the player board and soon everyone is out to get him.

Now the verdict. Okay, this one was fun! ( Thanks Mark!) I loved all the cultural references to the 80s (high school and college for me) and thought the storyline was awesome. It's a page-turner and one that includes a frighteningly plausible vision of digital friendships in a not-too-distant future. Adventure, "cornucopia of pop culture," social commentary, geek fantasy, romance--what's not to like? Recommended!! ****1/2

Hi Crazy and Richard. Mission accomplished Mark!

Hi Caro! Okay now, lift your head up. I did the same thing. Bought more books in NEW series. What the heck...they look good. LOL.

Okay. Back to work catching up on what I have read...

*smooch* for the busy Berly-boo

43. The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker ****

One day, the world stops turning as fast. Just like that, the days lengthen and the world falls apart. We witness everything through the eyes of eleven-year-old Julia. She struggles with the ever-changing catastrophic landscape: climate and gravity change, crops withering, government mandated clock time and the discrimination against the real-timers. Against this backdrop, Julia also struggles with normal teenage angst: shifting friendships, school politics, first love, parental disharmony, and an aging grandfather. Walker finds a great voice for Julia and the story was creative and moving. It didn't quite live up to its potential, but I'd still give it a four-star rating.

44. The Ship Who Sang by Anne McCaffrey ***1/2

I love McCaffrey's Pern dragon series, but this one didn't quite live up to them. In this book, the time line shifts abruptly and her writing seemed less mature. It was still good mind you, just not great. Set in the future, badly disfigured newborns are saved and then medically altered and fitted as the minds to space ships. This story follows Helva XH-834 as she travels the galaxy. At the beginning of the story we meet her brawn, the human partner she falls in love with. Unfortunately, he is dead by page 24 and I just didn't have time to buy the whole soulmate thing. But putting that aside, the adventures are fun and thought-provoking and I loved the chapter of presenting Shakespeare to an alien race. A fun read.

45. "E" is for Evidence by Sue Grafton ****

Yes, I started a new series instead of finishing up all the other ones I have going. So sue me! This one was great--my favorite new detective. Kinsey is an ex-cop, twice divorced, smart and irreverent. I loved the humor in this book! It is also slightly nostalgic; I mean the poor girl is still using a Smith Corona to type her reports! It's Christmas time and it all should be light and merry, but things go downhill fast. First, Kinsey opens a bank notice for a deposit she didn't make. Then she is sent to investigate a warehouse fire, but she didn't receive all the paperwork. Now it looks like she is on the take and covering up arson. In "E" Kinsey finds herself the target and must sleuth her way out of trouble.

I have put off reading this series for forever, because I thought the alphabet idea for the titles was kinda lame. I still think that, but I ate this one up and I am ever so glad there are 26 letters in the alphabet! Off to find "A" is for Alibi!

Done!! Whew. Feeling pretty good here. September 1 and I have already posted my first series book. And it was my 100th review AND I now have logged in over 1000 books. : )

Smooches Ricardo!

Dang. Not done. Forgot to do Gone Girl. All tuckered out. I will have to do that one later....

I just adored Ready Player One and made my husband read it too. One of the rare books we shared and liked.

Congrats on 100 reviews and 1000 books!

I had the same reaction to The Age of Miracles Kim. The premise was so interesting but the story fell flat for me. Gone Girl OTOH...divine.

Wow, what a flurry of activity over here. Very impressive. You liked Wonderstruck and the Age of miracles a bit more than I did, although the artwork in the former, is stellar. I hope he returns with something as strong as hugo Cabret.
Loved your review on RPO. It's such a good time and Cline is an author to watch. I'm so glad you loved it. Now, waiting for the verdict on GG...

Woo hoo 100!

#129 *snort! I am not ashamed to say that I just purchased two new books but I feel it's a reward for the last month of hardly reading anything

Glad to see you enjoyed Ready Player One!

Congrats on logging in 1000 books and your 100th review, Kim!

I would have been hit badly today if a few of the books you've reviewed weren't already on my obese wish list. Glad to hear you liked Paris in Love. I've had that on my obese wish list after I caught part of an interview she did a few months ago .....(forgot with whom.. Charlie Rose, perhaps? Maybe not.)

Wow....I'm out of breath just catching up here! Many congrats on your 100/1000 achievements. Some great reading you've been doing. Can't wait to see what's to follow.

100 books. Well done, Kim!!!

I didn't read a book I owned in those waning days of August.... too many library books!!
Aaauuughhh!!

Morphy--I am so jealous that you got to share a book with your hubby! Mine is a non-reader. Love him anyhow!!

B--Same reaction here! I might even downgrade Age of Miracles...I am going to sit on it a few days.

Hiya Mark! Yes...we had flurries here in the middle of summer!!

Richard--Oh! That's beautiful and thank you. : )

Chelle--you can still be in the Support Group even though you are off to a bad start. ; )

Caro--Thank you and dodging book bullets is not a bad thing. Now you won't be afraid to come back here!

Hi Tina! Thanks and it is so nice to see you. Just breathe slowly now...

Ellen--The books you own will be waiting for you. You just don't want any library fines!! So, you did the right thing.

So my entire family spent the day purging clothes. Old, out of fashion and just plain outgrew. I have a huge stack to send to my sister in MN and a bunch of stuff for Goodwill. Right now the house is a mess with all sorts of piles, but as soon as I clear them out it should feel a lot better! And I even talked my hubby into getting some new clothes (big Labor Day sales!). I haven't managed to get him to the store in about 8 years!! He had three gift certificates to Nordstrom's from Christmas and his birthday and the Chrismas before that...you get the idea.

Believe me, a shared read is huge. Mostly he reads Star Trek novels and re-re-re-re-reads Cussler and Weber's Honor Harrington series. Although surprisingly enough, he's really getting into the urban fantasy series, Sisters of the Moon, by Yasmine Galenorn. He's a book or two ahead of me, in fact.

Kim, it sounds like your September is starting off great with more room in your closets and some milestones here on LT. Congrats on cataloging 1,000 and reviewing 100. I run hot and cold on writing official reviews. Mine were all starting to sound alike to me. There's only so many ways I have to say 'great book' or 'this book sucks'. ;-)

Morphy--Well, I am just glad you got the chance and now you have Sisters of the Moon to share too!

Hi Donna! I know what you mean about the reviews. I probably only get about 1/3 of my books reviewed. 1) I don't seem to have the time. 2) I'd rather be reading the book than writing about it. 3) My books don't tend to be abysmal so I can't be too scathing. 4) Even if they are really bad I tend to be too nice to be truly scathing (even though those reviews are kinda fun to read!). Occasionally I pull off a good one and that will have to do. ; )

I think some of the most interesting reviews to read are the ones where the person did not like the book. Hi Kim! Just checking in over here. Sounds like you had a productive weekend - I love purging old stuff, makes you feel so good.

I agree Crazy. So first I should read some really bad books, and then I should get some guts and just lay it all out there! Those reviews are so much more fun! And then an additional perk is that everyone likes you better because you haven't added any books to their TBR pile! ; )

How about The Hunger Games? That was a *terrible* book. My review wasn't nice at all.

Richard--You are the MASTER of truthfully snarky reviews. That's why everyone loves them! Even when I love a book and you don't, I admire your wit and wondrous way with words!!

Signed, Your number one fan. Smooch.

Awwww thanks Berly-boo!

...wait...you didn't *like* that second-rate Harry Potter ripoff, did you?

Wow that spammer is getting around! Flag!

So many good books while I've been gone, Kim! Many of them are already on mount TBR or on my WL so will get to them in good time.

Well, I came by for more Series Survivor Support but I fell in amongst your recent reviews and now have added even more titles to my evergrowning wishlist. Now I need to find a support group to help curb my wishlisting tendencies!

Hi. I'm Mamie and...

Ricardo--Clearly you have not read Hunger Games or you would not call it a Harry Potter ripoff. No kids in school, not the same magic concept, Quidditch is not a game to the death, etc. etc. And I loved reading this book with my kids. : )

Spammers not welcome.

DQ! How nice to see you here. Glad we share the same taste in books. Happy reading!

Crazy- and.....what?

Sorry to be offline lately. I am under the weather. : (

Hi Kim- Just checking in. Sorry you are feeling poorly. Hope you have a good book to keep you company. Gentle Hug!

Kim - It was supposed to be funny...see Judy's post above mine where she states: "Now I need to find a support group to help curb my wishlisting tendencies!"

Sorry you're not feeling well. Sending healing mojo.

Sorry you're under the weather. I hope you feel better soon.

Congrats on the 100/1000 milestone!

Kim - I hope that you are now over the weather and have a great weekend. Congratulations for whizzing past the 100 mark.

It has been far too long since I visited here. ((Hugs)), Kim!

Under the weather? How so? I hope you are on the up and can enjoy some of the weekend.

*smooch* for unwell Kimmers...better soon *whammy*

Hi Kim, sorry to hear you're not feeling up to snuff. Hope that reverses itself quickly.

Get well soon.

Congrats on 100 reviews and 1000 books! Hope you're feeling better soon.

Hi Mark, Crazy, Terri, Paul, Stasia, Megan, Richard, Bonnie, Judy and Carol.

Thanks for the ALL the good wishes and congratulations. I am "well" again, but pooped. Took my sorry ass down to Eugene this weekend to help my oldest move into her apartment for her sophomore year. I felt horrible Friday and half of Saturday, but then I recovered. We spent the weekend assembling the myriad pieces of furniture from IKEA and buying all sorts of crud from Bed Bath and Beyond and Target. But the bottom line is she is all set! Her room looks great and feels very functional and the common area is shaping up nicely. Spent time with her roommates and that was really fun. She came back home with me for the week and then she heads down Friday to stay. Whew!! (I hope I don't see a screw driver or hammer for quite a while!)

Still not much reading going on this week...I am taking a glassworking class this week M-F all day. I can't wait!! I will try to post a little of what I do each day and maybe I can catch up on your threads.

PS Crazy--204, 207 It was funny! I was waiting for the rest of the confession.... ; )

I'm glad you're feeling better, Kim. I kept dropping in all weekend to check on you and now I found out you were playing Tim the Tool Man! I can't wait to see the "pretties" you make this week!

I am also glad to see that you are feeling better, Kim.

What exactly is 'glassworking'? Is that the technical term for glass blowing?

Hi Donna. As long as you don't call me Bob the Builder!

Hi Stasia. Not glass blowing, but cutting pieces, fitting them together in patterns, firing them, slumping, fusing, etc. I have only done one beginner class before so this will be a steep learning curve! Stay tuned...

That sounds fun - when does your class start?

Here is a photo of the glass plate I made in my first class. I had so much fun! No clue what today's project will be.

Gorgeous! That is so cool!!

>221 Coooool

I love that kind of stuff! We have some coasters that are like that.

Thanks you guys!! So class today: The morning was spent learning the best techniques for cutting glass--straight, curvy and circles. Then we made five identical squares with whatever patterns we wanted on them and they are being heated to different temperatures overnight to see the results. They are supposed to be samples we can label and keep for future reference. Since I don't own a kiln, this may be a bit premature. But that is no surprise since...

I am in WAY over my head!! There are only two of us from Oregon. Everyone else has flown in from out of state to take this class. The other guy from here? He actually WORKS at the glass studio!!! Gulp. The person with the least amount of experience (besides me) has been working with glass 7 years. The one with the most? Thirty years and another one is opening up her own teaching studio. I, on the other hand, have done one, let me repeat that, ONE PROJECT!! LOL. They are all being very nice to me and I did actually manage to cut out some very nice circles. And I am having a blast!!!
I will try to take pictures of the project tomorrow.

Kim - That is exactly the spot that you want to be in! You are no threat to them, so they will all share their knowledge and good will with you. They will take pity on you, and you will learn twice as much as you would have. Besides, if you finish just one more project, you will have doubled your experience!!

Sending you good mojo so that you will not make a fool of yourself - just kidding!! But I am sending you good mojo! Just relax and have fun.

Thanks Crazy. I will take ALL that good mojo! And I like your positive take on the benefits of my inexperience. You are a friend indeed. : )

*sigh* Poor Berly...can't hear the cackles of derisive glee behind her back. Hearing goes first as one ages, I've heard. Clearly and sharply. Since I'm only 21.

*brisk hand-dusting* There, I've counteracted all Mamie's work.

Glad to hear you are on the mend, Kim. :)
It's now my turn to deal with sick patients as the hubby has come down with a nasty virus and I'm on high alert and hoping the monkey doesn't catch it... :(

Lovely glasswork! I am always impressed with all the side art projects the people in this group take on. You guys are all so talented and creative!

I FINISHED IT!~! I am one of those literary idiots who simply finds it so hard not to finish a book that I have begun Berly. From page 194 on, it became quite good actually. So I guess for The Strange Fate of Kitty Easton by Elizabeth Speller, I have extended the Pearl rule (& thanx ronin) from 50 pages to 194 pages. lol!~! It took me nearly three weeks to read this one. Arghhhhhh!~! But I was quite happy with the latter part and found the ending surprising but satisfying.

How's U?
hugs,

Richard--Did you say something? Speak up boy! (He always mumbles...)

Val--No! Not a sick hubby (they make the worst patients!!) Hope no one else gets it. : ( And you are so right--I love hearing about everyone else's lives and side talents here on LT.

Belva--Way to persevere! And stretch the Pearl Rule! I am glad the ending was the better part of the book and that it was worth it.

Class was great again today. Man, it is hard to be on your feet all day! Today, we made a 9" circular pattern which we are fusing overnight and then tomorrow we will choose the slumping shape (one of two bowl choices) and re-heat it to set the glass to the new form.

Then we worked with Fritz, which is ground up glass of varying sizes, to check the interactions between glass types (lead, sulfur, copper). Some are reactions that look really cool--others not so much.

We also worked with negative space. First we coated the entire surface with black Fritz and then used brushed to sweep away some of it and then added different colors in the areas we had cleared off. This was hard to do, because you are working on the back side and what you see is actually underneath.

We also used stringers (pulled glass) to create an outline picture.

I LOVE this class!!!

Your glass class sounds fantastic. Will we get to see pictures of the projects? Please?

Pictures--yes!! I hope to have some completed projects today that I can take pictures of and post. : )

That's the kind of creativity that makes me sigh enviously. I'm no longer capable of the physical part. *waaah* poor me.

So I live it vicariously through you and Roni and the other artsy fartsy types! I love LT.

This was heated at a lower temp, just enough to make the pieces stick.



Medium heat--glass starting to melt together and some pieces beginning to change color.



And the last one, full fuse and color change.



And the cool thing?! Their marketing guy was there taking photos and he asked if he could borrow my pieces to use in one of their tip sheets. He also used a few other pieces and I think it was to show successes as opposed to "what not to do". At least I hope....!

Very cool! That class sounds so interesting!! I'm sure your pieces were to represent success...

It doesn't really matter how a lot of these pieces turn out. It's all for learning purposes. I might get two to three keeper pieces out of the whole week. The rest is all just experimentation. Which is sooooooo fun! The ones up above are all reference pieces as a reminder of the different stages of kiln firing and what happens at what temperature.

Here's one where we worked on bending strings of glass...

How fun - you are going to learn so much! My daughter Abby would just love that class.

wow wow wow on the glass making classes.
Im impressed. And sounds like you are pushing yourself being in with the experienced lot.

Wow! You are very talented. Stopping by to thank you for your continued energy sent my way during recovery. I appreciate you..

Crazy--I think just about anyone would love this class!! Except maybe hemophiliacs...

Hi Megan-- Thanks! Yes, it is a push. I had to have a little one-on-one explanation for one part today. He could tell by the slightly frozen panicked look on my face! LOL.

Hi Linda! Wow!! Not only posting on your thread but mine too!! Boy have I missed you. SOOOOO glad to see you "out and about." And you are so welcome. Turn about is fair play ya know.

Staying on top of the pain is so hard, but so necessary--good luck with the meds and don't push yourself too hard. I continue to be awed and amazed at your strength of spirit. You are truly an inspiration to me!

Hi Kim- You're not required to take LSD during this class are you? Because that could be very enlightening. Sounds like you are really having a good time in this class. Good for you!

>238 ...my birthday's comin' up right quick...

I love that last one! Very cool and something I would totally buy from a store!

This is the negative space one working with Fritz described in #230

Those pieces are beautiful, Kim, it must be very exciting to see your ideas take design and shape.

They are all great but my favorite is #238. I love the swirls. It's sort of a peacock.

That looks like so much fun! Can I ask where you are taking these classes? My daughter would love to do this when she's a bit older. She's done some tiny glass fusing projects through her school, but this kind of exploration would be right up her alley!

That is one of my favorites too, Morphy! I love the curves and the different thicknesses. : )

Hi Carol--I am taking the class at Bullseye in SE Portland. I think you have to be 18 to take a class there though. Somewhere, I wrote down the name of a place they recommend that doesn't have that age restriction. I will try to find it later today. My 16-year-old also wants to take a class. Maybe we could do a four-some?

Off to class. More pictures tonight...

Have a great day everyone!

wow your glass class looks so awesome! I would love to learn that!

Hi! I swear I will get back to books soon, but not yet. ; ) My class ended yesterday and it was sooOOOO much fun! Here are some more pictures...

Four layers and three colors of glass after fusing.



and then in the kiln to be slumped to fit a curved shape.



I have to go back to get the finished piece next week. The class actually has a two-hour wrap-up today but I am off to a wedding--my former babysitter's, which is making me feel a little old!!

More later, in the meantime, Happy Weekend!! : )

So beautiful - I cannot wait to see the finished piece! That is just so cool!

Kim - the classes look enticing and show you to be mightily talented. Have a lovely weekend.

So apparenlty I missed a few visitors when I was posting my pictures. Sorry! I so appreciate your visits and comments, so belatedly...

Mark--No LSD required. Just goggles. ; ) Maybe you could get tinted ones.

Richard--Happy plenty-three!! Smooches.

Val--Thank you very much! That's a super nice compliment. My relatives are begging for me to make them something and I don't even have a piece for me yet!! Maybe Christmas....if they are good.

Judy--Nice to see you here! Thanks. Yes, it is nice to see something take shape. I am taking this class because I thought it might be nice to actually make something that I could finish and hold and admire. Mom stuff can be somewhat ungratifying (like endlessly folding laundry) and I wanted something that was for me that I could say "I did that."

Hope I got everyone I missed before. Now back on track...

Crazy--Thanks. I know it is driving me wild that I have to wait, and even more so since I know the rest of the class is getting theirs back today. I asked one of them to take a picture and send it to me. Hope she does.

Paul--Thanks for the compliment! I don't know that I am talented at all, but I sure do love glass work. I am already trying to figure out what class I can take next and when they have open studio times so I can go again.

I love all the pieces you've done but especially #238. You must be having so much fun Kim!

I love the glass pieces you made! I searched online and found some glass places that let young people attend. They are all "project" classes, where you make a specific pre-determined thing. I know my daughter would enjoy those, but I know she would LOVE the "exploration" aspect of the class you just took. Oh, well. The good thing about the single-project classes is that they are usually just a one-time thing, so easier to schedule for a busy family. :)

#219: Thanks for the clarification.

I love the pictures you are sharing of your work. You are one talented lady!

Hi B! Thanks and you are so right...It was a blast! I picked up my last two pieces today so I will try to post pictures soon.

Hi Carol--I have found the same to be true: project classes for younger people. But it is still so cool! Usually they give you a brief overview of how the piece should work and then you get to play with shapes and colors or even mold shape, so there is always some creativity involved. I mean, that is the point, isn't it?!

A Stasia visit!! Yay! I am glad you like my pieces--thanks for the compliment. : ) Hoping your classes are off to a good start.

Hi Kimmers! Just swinging through and saying hi! Hope the weekend went well and you are feeling tip-top!

Hi Mark! Same to you!

Time to start a new thread...