Leperdbunny's 75er leap! for 2010 Thread 2

Hi Kids!

1)Little Women by L.M. Alcott
2) On What Grounds by Cleo Coyle
3)Ill Wind by Rachel Caine
4) Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon
5) Too Many Crooks Spoil the Broth by Tamar Myers
6) Through the Grinder by Cleo Coyle
7) Grave Sight by Charlaine Harris
8) Nice Girls don't Live Forever by Molly Harper
9) Real Murders by Charlaine Harris
10) Grave Surprise by Charlaine Harris
11) Ice Cold Grave by Charlaine Harris
12) Anubis Gates by Tim Powers
13) Grave Secret by Charlaine Harris
14) False Mermaid by Erin Hart
15) Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Crime by Tamar Myers
16) Merciless by Richard Montanari
17) The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe
18) Souless by Gail Carriger
19) The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephenie Meyer
20) Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris
21) What's a Ghoul to Do? by Victoria Laurie
22) Spook by Mary Roach
23) Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin
24) Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
25) The Day the Falls Stood Still by Cathy Marie Buchanan
26) The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver
27) Heat Wave by Richard Castle
28) Vampire Tapestry by Suzy McKee Charnas
29) Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux
30) Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
31) Dracula by Bram Stoker
32) War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells
33) A Novel Bookstore by Laurence Cossé
34) Murder Past Due by Miranda James
35) The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde
36) Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins
37) Angelology by Danielle Trussoni
38) March by Geraldine Brooks
39) The Ice Queen by Alice Hoffman
40) The Lost Cyclist by David Herlihy
41) The Romanov Prophecy by Steve Berry




glitter-graphics.com

Gonna try to read a little bit before bed. . .

Pulled a muscle in my back while trying to change clothes- how pathetic is that?

Did anyone see the last episode of Walking Dead last night?

I'm here. You're starred!
Love the snowflakes!
Claudia

I love the snowflakes, too.

I'm first! I'm first! Hey congrats on joining the big kids! 75ers rule!
We just watched the last episode of "Walking Dead". It was a decent finale but overall I liked the series. Let's see where it goes.

I guess I'm not first! This is what happens when you type so damn slow!

Like the snowflakes too! As long as they stay in gifs and OFF THE SIDEWALK. Just saying...

Love the snowflakes, Tamara. Unlike Suz, I want some of them!

Aawww. Quite pretty out this AM. Light covering of snow on the trees and cove. :)

Ron just got a call (proprty damage only) of a car -vs- snowplow... guess it's a bit slippery out. Kinda spoils the fun. :P

Well, excellent! 'Bout time you jumped in... :)

Welcome Claudia! It is quite beautiful here too- just as long as I'm not outside brrr!

Yes Mark- I iz a big kid now! Yeah loved the finale- but was surprised there was only 6 episodes??!?

LOL Suzanne! Too late in my neck of the woods- we've already gotten a ton!

Here you go Stasia:



*waves at Jim*

Hi there! I was wondering why I never saw your thread...

I think they only gave "The Walking Dead" six episodes, just to see how well it did. Well, it became a big hit, so it'll be back with a full 13 show season, sometime next year.

Hi Luxx!

True Mark. . that makes sense but then I watched the finale and I was like nooooo gots to watch mooore! Don't they know I need my zombie fix??!!??

oh oh oh I just LUV "The Walking Dead"

Haven't seen the finale yet, it is on the DVR for the weekend.... couch, snack of choice and hubby :)

oops almost forgot, got you starred :)

drive-by hug

Have you guys seen "Dead Set", the British zombie series? It's only 5 episodes. It was running on IFC. It's also a lot of fun.

I'm 2 days late, but I'm here Tammers!

Muah Richard!

No, I'll have to check that out Mark!

Hi Stephen!

Oh, and on the topic of The Walking Dead, it was good. I liked it enough, I'll be watching out for season 2 for sure. :)

Me too Stephen!

Ok taking a little mini pole- when you are in a book funk what do you do?

I have read through to almost my halfway mark of Jane Eyre and read a quarter of Eifelheim. I am also still reading The Lost Cyclist- I also have at least 3 or 4 other books that are unfinished but we won't talk about those shhhh.

Should I start another book or man up and try to read what I've started?

>20 leperdbunny: I move on. If I ever feel like it, I come back to the relicts. No sense wasting eye-blinks on something not calling out to you!

Yeah that's a good way of putting it. I can be a bit of spaz sometimes (ADD is probably more appropriate) and lose interest quickly and well . .I feel a tad guilty about it.

Never been in a "book funk". But... I think if I was, I'd stop reading altogether until I couldn't stand it anymore.
If you keep sloggin' thru those books - you'll probably only wind up hating them like I did the last book I read. And I resented every minute I wasted on it. :P

So sorry you are suffering w/this condition... I hope I never experience it. :{
From what I can tell - this too will pass. :)

OK, you guys can keep my share of the snow...

In exchange, a tip on extricating yourself from a book funk: find a new book by an author you know you love, or re-read an old favorite. Don't try to burrow through unfinished books in this mood -- they will become duty reads, and nothing is more toxic to an existing book funk!

Thanks for the snow, Tamara!

I hate book funks as well. I hope you come out of yours soon! When I have a book funk, I 1) give myself permission to take a day off of reading and spend the day doing something entirely unrelated to reading and 2) fall back on one of my comfort reads.

As much as I enjoy reading, it's always nice to take a day or two off and simply indulge in something else. I say try it, and if you come back to the books and find you still aren't into them, move on to something else. :)

Sometimes when I'm in a book funk, I find that reading a magazine or the newspaper helps... that way I'm still indulging the side of me that wants to read, but not pushing through a novel that will just make me frustrated and extend the book funk!

*makes crunchy footprints in the snow*

I find either candy-floss books or a couple of days' complete break best for a book funk - but then I having a dozen books on the go, including some that I've been reading for at least 6 months, is perfectly normal for me. I'm a very moody reader, and I'm forever starting a new book because none of the existing dozen appeal to me.

Thanks for info guys!

I'm a very moody reader, and I'm forever starting a new book because none of the existing dozen appeal to me.

That's me exactly.

Me too, Tamara. It can be the best-written book in the world, but if I am not in the mood for the book, it does not matter.

Wow, coming from you Stasia makes me feel a lot better!! ;)

Highlights of my day off. . Went for breakfast- asked Grant if we had the money for pant shopping- he said yes (woohoo!). Went to liberrrry for some holds. . Back home. . .did the dishes. . need to make a round of the litter boxes and vacumming and cleaning the bathrooms would be nice. . Other than that I'm gonna read. . and the Tourist opens tonight (We've been looking forward to this movie :)!!). .

Sounds like a very relaxed kind of a day! Hope the movie was a good capper to it.

Just got back from the movie- it was fantastic! Very old Hollywood feel to it.

Great news re The Tourist. I want to see that; may try to get to it next week or the following weekend. Although I hope they didn't do too much damage to the book -- I'm a bit worried with Angelina Jolie in there looking like a femme fatale, which is not really how that character is written.

I had no idea it was a book Suzanne!

by Olen Steinhauer. The sequel is The Nearest Exit, which came out earlier this year. Both highly recommended.

I wishlisted that. . :D

So. . .we took Java the puppy up to petsmart today for a little fun- we've been trying to take her every other weekend to get some socialization. ..and they had "Santa" there taking pictures. It took a good fifteen minutes and 3 pieces of jerky but we finally got her to pose with Santa! I'll have Grant scan the picture so I can upload it here. Wish we could do that with chihuahua but she's a handful in public.

Finished The Ice Queen. It was lovely and heartwrenching. At first I thought the main character was whiney, but the ending was wonderful and beautiful, improved the book tenfold. Will post a proper review soon.

Looking forward to both the picture and review, Tamara!

Hi Tam,
Wow... I have new hope! Maybe at the end of my life I will stop being whiney and turn beautiful and wonderful??!! It would improve my life tenfold!
Have a good day!

LOL Claudia!

>40 -Cee-: ROFL Oh you kid!

drive-by hug

Thank you RD!

Trying. .to. . *wheeze* catch up . . .*wheeze* with all these *wheeeeze* darn threads!!!!!

So, I realized this year I am being terribly spoiled. I've always LOATHED wrapping. HATED it with a passion unequal to anything I ever have loathed. Anything I have ordered online- which is 80% of my shopping this year is all giftwrapped! Woohoo!

I need to bug Grant to scan that darn picture!

Ok here it is :D:



The benefits of the sale of the picture and frame (10 dollars each) went to the Allen County SPCA. There were several nice ladies and the camera man- all volunteers who were fun to talk to while we were Java-wrangling. Santa was the hubby of one of the volunteers. :) Santa gave Java two biscuits for Christmas. :)

ROFL

Is it my imagination, or does that Santa look like he's wishing for his shotgun?

Santa had to get on his knees and bless his heart- I think he had bad knees but still persevered.

PA_RICE_LESS

Java got several pieces of duck jerky- so she couldn't have made it out that bad. :P I on the other hand had to deal with the after affects of puppy farts.

Sorry to be late in welcoming you to the 75 challenge group. I've found you and starred you and look forward to following your thread with concentrated effort in the New Year.

I do not think either Santa or Java looks very happen about the situation :)

Java has that spaced out look in most photos! ROFL

Ditto what Stasia said, lol...

Precious !

Awwwww... cute!

That's a PUPPY???

yeah she's six months in like a week? She's gonna be big.

java is a cutie.....

santa looks like he's done :)

wish my pups would sit still for a picture like that.....there's always someone screwing around and part of the picture comes out blurred LOL

Santa's expression is exactly why I haven't tried taking my cat to get her photo with Santa... she'd definitely be the cause of bad knees, scratches, gaping wounds... but what a trooper that he got down to get the photo with Java! Very cute :)

but what a trooper that he got down to get the photo with Java! Very cute :)

Yes, what Faith said, very cute...even if it looks like Santa is about to axe-murder the person taking the picture. :P

lol guys!

I met "Santa" after he changed from his outfit- actually a very nice guy.

My right wrist hurts something fierce today- hope I'm not getting carpal tunnel. Work sucked- its too intense- the last few days I've been feeling guilty about taking breaks. Not a good sign. . . Glad to be off though- all I'd like to do tonight is relax and read. :) (Oh and check LT).

Oh noes! The Lost Cyclist is due at the liberry tomorrow. . .no renewal bc its a requested hold. Mini-readathon time. Eeeek!

Tamara: I used to get a lot of bad wrist pains as well and, being addicted to the internet/computer games and whatnot, thought similarly. I eventually realized it was because of the way I was reading. I laid on my side and rested my head on my hand with my wrist bent backward. Silly me.

Cute picture! I got my dog's picture with Santa at Petsmart last year. The year before that we took our guinea pigs.

Glad you liked The Ice Queen. It was not my favorite by Alice Hoffman. Off to see if you posted your review...

#60: I hope your mini-readathon was successful, Tamara!

It was good- still got 100 pages to go! I can do eet!

Need an opinion:

I got a gift thru amazon. It was beautifully wrapped. Also got a gift thru b&n. As soon as I took the Barnes and Noble gift out of the box the paper for the wrapping ripped substantially. I will have to rewrap- should I ask for a refund? It was only 4 dollars but jeez- they shouldn't offer if it doesn't even last 5 seconds!!

I am guessing that the B+N gift is for someone else not a gift sent to you.....

personally I would not ask for a refund, 4 dollars is not worth refund haggling

but I would go to the complaint section/person and tell them of your gripe, who knows maybe you will get a credit or some other goodie.... can't hurt :)

I agree with Kara, Tamara. Sounds like good advice to me.

Its snowing again! Thanks guys, I will be calling them today.

I am going to finish The Lost Bicyclist today. Hopefully I will get some other reading in too. I was going to read last night but I fell asleep early- I was soooo tired.

I want some snow! Everyone is getting it but me!

no snow for me either :(

Makes three of us - and none in the forecast. :P

*raises hand* I have snow. But not enough to share: only about 1/4 inch. Last night's overnight snow mostly melted during the day, but now it is building up again. I'll be surprised if we get more than an inch, though.

We had a very light dusting of snow last night in suburban Philadelphia, which was gone by mid morning.

Title: The Ice Queen
Author: Alice Hoffman
Genre: Magical Realism, Romance
# of pages: 211
Start date:
End date:
Borrowed/bought: bought
My rating of the book, F- worst to A best: B

Description of the book: The story opens as a little girl wishes her mother dead on a snowy, ice night in New Jersey. Full of illusions to fairy tales, our heroine grows up to be a librarian who moves to Florida to be closer to her brother Ned after their Grandmother dies. Tragedy strikes again and she finds herself a lightning strike victim. She finally starts living when she seeks out Lazarus Jones, another fellow lightning strike victim.
Review: I have only read one Alice Hoffman book Practical Magic. I do enjoy magical realism, and this book sated me. I had no idea it was going to feature lightning strike victims- I read about this in a Charlaine Harris series and I still find it fascinating- these tidbits about survivors was probably my favorite part of the book. Hoffman layered her characters guilt and sadness with fairy tales. Reading some Anderson or Grimm brothers will be a nice follow up to this. Overall,a nice way to spend an afternoon and with a cup of tea.

Title: The Lost Cyclist
Author: David Herlihy
Genre: Biography
# of pages: 301
Start date:
End date:
Borrowed/bought: borrowed
My rating of the book, F- worst to A best: C
Description of Book: In the 1880s bicycling was gaining attraction as a new sport and past time for Victorian gentlemen. These were referred to as wheelmen. During this time, we see the transition from the old bicycles (with the huge wheel in the front) to the modern bicycle with equal wheels. This story is of Frank Lenz, an up and coming competition bicyclist, who decides to go around the world on his bicycle.
Review: Let me first state that the title is misleading. There was a lot of back story about the history of the bicycle (which made sense and I enjoyed thoroughly). What was strange was the author going back and forth between The Story of Frank Lenz and following the Story of William Sachtleben and his friend go around the world previously. This did not make sense until you read the last 100 or so pages- in which Sachtleben is directly involved in helping solve the disappearance of Lenz. So, I think maybe the title should have been more carefully chosen so it doesn't confuse the audience. In the last chapter the author does make some conjectures which I felt were helpful in resolving the story.

Oh yeah- go see The Black Swan! It was excellent!!!!!

We had a 10% chance of snow here Friday morning. Needless to say, we did not get any :(

I live in the tropic - would give my eye teeth to have it snow :)

We are even going to New Zealand next year in Winter so I can have a holiday in snow !!!

Morning Tam- Just swinging through to say hi and hope you have a nice weekend!

Thanks Mark!

Hi Tamara, I'm just swinging with Mark.

Errr, you know what I mean! :o

Tamara, Alice Hoffman is one of my favorite authors. I enjoyed The Ice Queen because once again Hoffman wove magic throughout her story.

http://www.alicehoffman.com/

I hope to read her latest book soon.

checking in on you lady.... :)

I thought for sure I read The Ice Queen your description of it sounds so familiar

going to go check my TBR list again, if it isn't there on the list it goes :)

Spotted The Lost Cyclist at the library and almost borrowed it last week... (Well, the fact that I have 2 dozen unread library books sitting here and glaring at me stopped me...) It does sound intriguing, and I remember from the book jacket that the two narratives were both there -- i.e. cyclist #2 was trying to find #1. Too bad the author didn't make it more clear in the text, though.

Don't demand a refund on the wrapping -- just send an e-mail expressing your disappointment that when you pay a premium for something that is sub par, you are disappointed -- and compare it to the Amazon wrapping. I'd be surprised if you don't get some kind of credit. If you don't, shame on them.

Dealing with some family issues. . .And going to another state for the holidays (I will be getting in some reading-so yay!). . .didn't want anyone to worry about me. . I'll be back in full force by the new year. Hugs and Kisses

{{{Tam}}}

Group hug! {{{Tammers}}}

Remember dear, they *always* find the bodies. Strong acid, or self-restraint and no gun purchases. *smooch*

Tam- Have a great Christmas holiday! Hope you will be reading some good ones! Big hug back!

Tam, Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Safe travels.

Tam, please do not make me have to come bail you out for the holidays :)

I hope you have wonderful Christmas!

merry Christmas Tam :) see you when you get back

Merry Christmas Ms Bunny! See you in 2011.

Merry Christmas. Safe travels, have a good trip, and I hope the family issues get sorted out okay. ((Hugs))

Way back up to message 74, it looks like I may need to check that book out since Frank & I share a last name! There aren't that many of us out there, from what I can tell. Did it mention where he was from? I think our branch of Lenz started in Minnesota, but I'll have to check with my Dad for confirmation.

Have a very Merry Christmas Tamara!

Happy St. Stephen's Day! Or Boxing Day! Whichever you prefer, TaMara, may it be a happy, happy occasion!

Hi Tamara!! Just trying to get caught up with everyone. Hope you had a wonderful Christmas and sending you Best Wishes for the New Year!!

Thanks everyone!!! Merry Christmas and Happy new Year. . be back in a bit to post a review! I will be starting my 2011 thread shortly!

@ Laura/msg 95 I think he was from Pittsburg?

Title: The Romanov Prophecy
Author: Steve Berry
Genre: Historical Fiction
# of pages: 400
Start date:
End date:
Borrowed/bought: borrowed
My rating of the book, F- worst to A best: B+

Description of the book: A new era has dawned for Russia. The government is looking to restore the monarchy by finding the closest relative by blood to the Romanov Dynasty. Our hero, Miles Lord, is an American Lawyer sent over by his employer to ensure there are no problems with the current background of the most likely contender, Stefan Baklanov. What Lord ends up finding out and entangling himself in is much more than he bargained for.
Review: A classically themed adventure for the adventurist and history buff in all of us. Rasputin's prophecies are used in the story extensively. I wonder if these prophecies were real or made up by the author? Hmm, this would be a fun research project.

Last read of 2010!

New Year New Thread!

New Thread 2011