Marie's (mbellerose) 75 Books Challenge: Part One

Hello, my name is Marie and welcome to my second 2012 thread. I am an aspiring librarian and military spouse whose husband is currently deployed. I read all over the place, but I seem to lean towards literary fiction, interesting non-fiction, memoirs, young adult and a little bit of fantasy thrown in there. I hope you will grab a seat and leave some comments below!

Previous Threads:

50 Books Challenge in 2009
75 Books Challenge in 2010
75 Books Challenge in 2011

Books Read In 2012:

1. More than Petticoats: Remarkable South Carolina Women by Lee Davis Perry
2. North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell
3. The Uncommon Reader: A Novella by Alan Bennett
4. The Grand Complication: A Novel by Allen Kurzweil
5. What Is the What by Dave Eggers
6. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
7. Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt
8. The Future of Us by Jay Asher
9. I Love a Man in Uniform: A Memoir of Love, War, and Other Battles by Lily Burana
10. Stay Awake by Dan Chaon
11. Next to Love: A Novel by Ellen Feldman
12. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
13. 11/22/63: A Novel by Stephen King
14. Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling
15. The Night Bookmobile by Audrey Niffenegger
16. Shopgirl: A Novella by Steve Martin
17. The Pleasure of My Company by Steve Martin
18. Rose: My Life in Service to Lady Astor by Rosina Harrison
19. Sabriel by Garth Nix
20. Divergent by Veronica Roth
21. On the Road by Jack Kerouac
22. The Age of Miracles: A Novel by Karen Thompson Walker
23. Lirael by Garth Nix
24. Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler
25. Abhorsen by Garth Nix
26. She Got Up Off the Couch: And Other Heroic Acts from Mooreland, Indiana by Haven Kimmel
27. The Woman in Black by Susan Hill
28. Fifty Shades of Grey by E L James
29. Fifty Shades Darker by E L James
30. Insurgent by Veronica Roth
31. A Night Without Armor : Poems by Jewel
32. Henrietta Johnston of Charles Town, South Carolina; America's First Pastellist by Margaret Simons Middleton
33. Fifty Shades Freed by EL James
34. Quiet, Please: Dispatches from a Public Librarian by Scott Douglas
35. Veronica by Mary Gaitskill
36. Extra Virginity: The Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil by Tom Mueller
37. The Favored Queen: A Novel of Henry VIII's Third Wife by Carolly Erickson
38. Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand
39. My Man Jeeves by P. G. Wodehouse
40. The First Elizabeth by Carolly Erickson
41. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
42. For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund
43. The Inimitable Jeeves by P. G. Wodehouse
44. Carry On, Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse
45. Very Good, Jeeves! by P.G. Wodehouse
46. Giving Up the Ghost: A Story About Friendship, 80s Rock, a Lost Scrap of Paper, and What It Means to Be Haunted by Eric Nuzum
47. Thank You, Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse
48. Right Ho Jeeves by P. G. Wodehouse
49. The Code of the Woosters by P.G. Wodehouse
50. Jeeves in the Morning by P.G. Wodehouse
51. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie, Ellen Forney (Illustrator)
52. The Mating Season by P.G. Wodehouse
53. The Underdog by Markus Zusak
54. Jeeves and the Feudal Spirit by P.G. Wodehouse
55. Jeeves in the Offing by P.G. Wodehouse
56. The Terrorist by Caroline B. Cooney
57. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
58. The Magicians by Lev Grossman
59. I Wish Someone Were Waiting for Me Somewhere by Anna Gavalda
60. What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami
61. Josephine: A Life of the Empress by Carolly Erickson
62. The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling
63. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
64. This Dark Endeavor (The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein, #1) by Kenneth Oppel
65. Such Wicked Intent (The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein, #2) by Kenneth Oppel
66. How I Became an American by Karin Gundisch
67. The Circuit: Stories from the Life of a Migrant Child by Francisco Jiménez
68. Beautiful Creatures (Caster Chronicles, #1) by Kami Garcia
69. Breaking Through by Francisco Jiménez
70. Reaching Out by Francisco Jiménez
71. Sweet Tooth by Ian McEwan
72. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
73. First Grave on the Right (Charley Davidson, #1) by Darynda Jones
74. Stiff Upper Lip, Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse
75. Second Grave on the Left (Charley Davidson, #2) by Darynda Jones

Welcome back!

Looks like you're all set. Good to see you again!

Starred! :)

2: Thanks for having me!

3: Welcome, welcome, pull up a chair!

4: Got you starred too!

Hi, Marie! Glad to see you in here:)

Hi Marie. Good luck reading the books you own. That certainly is a challenge in itself. Especially when 75er's continue to entice with I've gotta read this one books.

6: Hi Bente, looking forward to your thread too!

7: Hi Lynda, I think you're right. I'm afraid that to get around my own challenge I'll just start buying the books I want to read from other people's threads. Technically I would be reading books I own, ugh! :) The reason I'm trying to read my own books is so that I can start donating them so I have more room on my shelves. They are packed in tight.

Dropping off a star, Marie!

Hi Marie!

9/10: Hi Micky and Tammy, welcome!

For those that love movie adaptations of books, I have two recommendations. A few weeks ago I saw Hugo and it was fantastic. The little boy who plays Hugo does a marvelous job. (And you get to see Jude Law for about 3 minutes and he's super hot.) And on Christmas I saw War Horse and cried about four times during the course of the film. It's very good.

The kid who played Hugo is going to play Ender Wiggin in Ender's Game!!!! !! I'm So Excited!!! !!

My favorite bit about Jude Law being in Hugo is that he's not a complete cad like usual ;-)

WHAT! Get out!! He is perfect for Ender! I was enamored with that book in Jr. High. I didn't even know they were making a movie out of it. When does it come out?

(He is a cad in real life/most movies he makes isn't he? But those eyes, that British accent, le sigh...)

I wanted to see Hugo this past Monday but it was gone from my local theater already. I was not a happy camper. Glad to see you enjoyed it so much, Marie!

As far as War Horse goes, I do not think I can handle that one.

I want to know when Ender's Game is coming out too, Nora! Do tell!

It's going to be HUGE!!

Estimated release date: 15 March 2013

Current reported cast:
Asa Butterfield - Ender Wiggin*
Hailee Steinfeld - Petra Arkanian*
Ben Kingsley - Mazer Rackham*
Brendan Meyer - Stilson*
Khylin Rhambo - Dink*
Harrison Ford - Colonel Hyram Graff
Abigail Breslin - Valentine Wiggin
Aramis Knight - Bean
Moises Arias - Bonzo Madrid
Jimmy "Jax" Pinchak - Peter Wiggin*
Conor Carroll - Bernard

* = confirmed

Great! Thanks for the update, Nora!

15: Hi Stasia, glad to see you! Is your thread up yet? I couldn't find it. War Horse isn't something I would have picked either since I usually spend the entire movie stressing about the animal, but it was ultimately very uplifting.

16: Oh my goodness, Harrison Ford and that cute little girl from Little Miss Sunshine! (Abigail Breslin) I'm sold! Ugh, but we have to wait 2 years!

>18 RosyLibrarian: No, only 1 year and 2.5 months. Not that I'm counting ;-)

19: Ha ha ha ha ha, I forgot we're going into 2012. Wow.

I just caught a comment about Ender's Game (which was one of my favourite Sci-Fi read of 2011) becoming a movie?? Is that true??

I am eager for the Ender's Game movie too. I liked that book very much and still recommend it to my students. I will have to say that I didn't care for the sequels as much except for a fondness for Ender's Shadow. But then, I like a lot of the early works of Orson Scott Card and am less thrilled with his later stuff.

I just saw Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows and it give me a strong need to re-read some Sherlock Holmes or, at the very least, the Mary Russell series by Laurie R. King.

I'm trying to whittle down the TBR mountain in 2012 too. I don't have shelves for all the books I have to read. Unread books are in piles on my entertainment center and in crates all over my house.

21: Nora says it true, so if she's lying we get to go angry mob her thread! :)

22: I didn't care for the sequels either, especially Speaker of the Dead. But to be honest, it's been a little since I've read them and maybe I'm a little wiser. (Ha!)

Glad to hear about the Sherlock Holmes movie (which Jude Law is also in, boy he gets around). The first one was so good and the girl from the Swedish version of Girl With the Dragon Tattoo is in this new one. Man, all these book adaption movies to go see...

Your house sounds like my house. My nightstand is no longer for its intended use. It's just another bookshelf.

#13 & 14: I'm not the biggest fan of Jude Law (due to his tendency of being a cad), but he is not a complete cad in The Holiday either, I have to say quite charming actually, which is sort of unusual. (Just felt the urge to mention it):)

Is Hugo and Ender's Game something I should check in to? Never heard of either of them :)

#24: Ender's Game is definitely worth checking into, Bente! The movie, Hugo, is based on Brian Selznick's wonderful book The Invention of Hugo Cabret. I have not seen the movie yet, but the book is terrific!

I just saw Hugo too - it was a really well-done adaptation. I've never read Ender's Game, but that cast is impressive! I'll have to get to the book some time before the film comes out.

Hi Marie. We have two of the same goals this year - reading more of our own books & doing at least one TIOLI challenge a month. Good luck!

Hi Marie. Good luck with your goals! I'm also hoping to get more involved with the TIOLI challenges this time.

Just chiming in to say that I love Jude Law in the Sherlock Holmes movies as well... he's also not a cad in those, but a very well represented Watson. :D

Hi, Marie!
I can't decide if I like the idea of a movie based on Ender's Game or not; I loved the book so much when I read it waaaay back in college. At the very least, I think I need to re-read it, since I barely remember a thing about it, other than the fact that I loved it.

Happy New Year, Marie!

30: Hi Amber, thanks for stopping by. I probably need to re-read it too to be honest, but I can't help but think it would make a stunning movie if done right. Big emphasis on done right! :)

31: Happy New Years Stasia!

1. More than Petticoats: Remarkable South Carolina Women by Lee Davis Perry (My Library)

TIOLI Challenge #1: Read a book set in a state mentioned in Dr. Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech (South Carolina)

I received this as a gift from my cousin who bought me a slew of South Carolina books since we just moved here. I choose the shortest, just around 150 pages, to get me going into the new year and finished up early this morning. I thought it was going to be rather cutesy, but it ended up being really fascinating. I love good historical stories and this is exactly what that is.

Each chapter focuses on a different woman's story and what she is remarkable for. I had a couple of favorites, one of which was Henrietta Dering Johnston who was America's first female artist. The local art museum here called the Gibbes has a really cool interactive website about Johnston which you can find here. The other was Julia Mood Peterkin who won the Pulitzer Prize in 1929 for Scarlet Sister Mary, a book her family was scandalized she wrote because it was from the view point of African Americans.

So, you might be reading this and thinking, this would be cooler if it were about my state. Well, you are in luck because this book is part of the More than Petticoats series and a number of states have one. I am going to be on the look out for one that features remarkable Nevada women since that is where I am from.

What an interesting series. I see there's one for California - I'll have to look for it. I'm also curious about Scarlet Sister Mary now. Good job on getting off to an early start!

Hey Marie! I found you!

More Than Petticoats sounds interesting. I like biographies.

Sandy K

Happy New Year, Marie!

2. North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell

TIOLI Challenge #22 : Read a book whose chapters are prefaced with a poem or quotation

I actually read the majority of this in 2011 as part of a group read, but just finished this tonight. As usual, doing group reads for classic books such as this always help me navigate some of the language and customs of the day.

And what an interesting classic this was! Margaret Hale has lived most of her young life with her well to do Aunt's family. When her cousin marries, Margaret is sent back to live with her parents in the small town of Helston where her father is the local pastor. Her father soon decides to leave the church (gasp!) and packs up the family to Milton, a factory town in the North where he will teach. The Hale family quickly becomes involved with the Thorton family and in enters their hard hearted, factory running son, Mr. John Thorton. As one can imagine, there is lots of romantic tension though Margaret denies it.

This book was a little different then I imagined it would be. There is certainly the Austen-esque love story, but more than that it is a interesting look into how different parts of England were and what the different social classes were like in both places. It was also a bit more tragic then I had supposed, but it made for a captivating story and towards the end I couldn't put it down.

Hi, Marie. It was the social history and the fact that it looks at the working class in the north of England that I loved most about North and South. Well, that and the wonderful writing, of course!

I enjoyed North and South a lot too, Marie. Glad to see you liked it. Have you tried Gaskell's Cranford yet? If not, I recommend it too.

I've added North and South and Cranford to my Amazon.com wish list. They are both free for Kindle, but I have so many other things on my Kindle that I refuse to allow myself to immediately download them! I'll wait until I know I have time to read them.

38: Yes, her writing was very impressive. Especially the working class accent. It was fun to read what Higgins said.

39: I haven't tried Cranford and I'm glad you recommend it because I remember a few people in the group read didn't really like it so much. But everything that has a BBC adaptation I'm willing to try, ha ha!

40: I love public domain books too! I'm a total Gutenburg fanatic. My Nook is pretty much nothing but free downloads which is probably not what B&N intended, but... :) I don't know how long Cranford is, but North and South was fairly sizable so it's true that you have to make some time for it. I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I did.

I know I have North and South on the shelf but haven't found the time, but your review is inspiring. I've only read Cranford, which is a pretty slender novel that I got a lot of laughs from.

#39: Cranford is very different from North and South, but I enjoyed it a lot. I hope you give it a shot.

Helle Marie! I just wanted to thank you for commenting on my thread - I can't wait to see what sort of books you read for this year, so I have you starred. :) Good luck with your reading and I hope you make the big 75 this year!

Psst . . .

DC Spring Meet-up planning thread

I love the Cranford miniseries soooo much. It really is based on 3 books, if I remember correctly, though...

Sandy K

Hey there. Thanks for stopping by my thread and welcome to Charleston!

Hi Marie! I'm 44 posts behind, geeze feels like I can't keep up with the threads!
You are starred now!

42/43/46: It's decided, on to the wishlist goes Cranford!

44: Thanks for stopping by! I have you starred too, woo hoo!

45: Yeees!

47: Thanks, I'm loving it so far.

48: Yay, glad you found me Chelle! I'm behind everyone too, but I'm trying hard to keep up this year.

And in other news...my husband has to work on my birthday (the 5th) so today he took me down to Savannah, GA where I've been wanting to visit ever since we moved to Charleston. Oh my goodness, I loved it and Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil just got bumped up high on my TBR list so I can go back down and understand what everyone was talking about.

I actually read Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil after my first Savannah visit. The next time I visited, I didn't do one of the paid tours, but I knew where all the mentioned sites were and understood more about them. Be sure to read the book while Savannah is fresh on your mind!

I hope you enjoy Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, Marie. Nice hubby you have there taking you to Savannah!

I'm envious of your trip to Savannah! I've wanted to visit there for such a long time. It looks like such a beautiful city. I loved Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. Read it!

Sandy K

50: I picked up a copy from the library yesterday and I am excited to start reading it!

51: He's a keeper. :)

52: It is such a beautiful city. There are parks galore in the downtown area and all the houses are picturesque. I can't wait to go back and I hope you'll be able to visit one day!

3. The Uncommon Reader: A Novella by Alan Bennett (My Library)

Challenge #14: Read a book you got for Christmas (this year) that you DIDN'T ask for

Thanks to my SantaThing Santa for picking this book for me. I wanted to dive right in when I got it, but decided to save it as a birthday treat to myself. It is a sweet little novella to spend a few hours with. At the center of it is the Queen of England who accidentally finds herself visiting a bookmobile and borrowing a book. With the help of Norman, a man who works in the Royal kitchen, the Queen finds herself immersed in literature for the first time in her uncommon life. Readers, royal or not, will relate to how the Queen feels as reading begins to shift her viewpoint on life. Suddenly she feels as if she has wasted so much time not reading and will never truly be able to read all the books she wants to. It's a feeling I think a lot of us can relate to and Bennett writes about it very beautifully.

A fine little book with a cute ending.

Ooo, I have to read this! I love England and royalty, and books about reading. Perfect! Thank you for calling this to my attention, Marie!

The Uncommon Reader sounds adorable! It's going on my wishlist.

Hope you had a great birthday, Marie!

Found your thread, Marie. Will catch up on reading it later.

I love The Uncommon Reader. I am glad to see you enjoyed it too, Marie.

Oh, that sounds like a charming book! Onto the wishlist it goes.

I read that one not too long ago and liked it so much. The Queen discovering the joys of reading!

Thanks for stopping by everyone. Glad to hear you either enjoyed The Uncommon Reader, or will someday. :)



4. The Grand Complication: A Novel by Allen Kurzweil (My Library)

TIOLI Challenge #14: Read a book you got for Christmas (this year) that you DIDN'T ask for

The Grand Complication follows a New York public librarian, Alexander, on his adventure to solve a case of a missing watch for a patron, the mysterious Mr. Jesson. It's no ordinary watch though, but the real life legendary Marie Antoinette watch that really was stolen out a museum in Jerusalem in 1983. This all sounded delightful to me and I was happy my husband bought it for me for Christmas, but it turns out that the premise is the best thing about this book. It honestly took the author about 150 pages to make the reader even realize what was going on and he kept going off on strange tangents. The characters were also thoroughly dreadful. Mr. Jesson was awful with his pompous shunning of all things modern. Alexander was beyond whiny and was married to a witchy Frenchwoman named Nic. If the book hadn't been a gift I don't know that I would have even finished it.

On a happier note though, the real life case of the missing watch was solved in 2008, about 7 years after this book was written.

#62> It's too bad about the book, sounds like a really interesting premise. Thank you to the link to the actual case solution!

63: I know, it really was quite disappointing. I did see some favorable reviews for it on LT, so perhaps it was just me. I did like that he based it on a real case, though now that it's been solved it takes away a little of the mystery, though of course I'm glad it was recovered.

#62: Too bad about that one. I saw similar blurbs and thought it looked interesting enough to pick up through Bookmooch or somewhere like that (so at least I didn't spend $$ on it), but I'll definitely move it to the bottom of the pile after reading your review. Sometimes after reading a book like that, I realize why it never gained much popularity.

Too bad about that – I hope your next read is better!

Fingers crossed for your next read!

Thanks for that review, Marie. I definitely would have picked up that book based on the premise but I'll steer clear now. :)

Sounds like one to avoid but the Guardian article on the actual discovery of the watch in 2008 was interesting!

65: Thanks for stopping by! That is what I love about BookMooch. If you kind of want to try a book, the only thing you are losing is a point.

66: Thank you! So far I have The Night Circus and What is the What going and I can tell both are going to be better reads.

67: Thank you and thanks for stopping by!

68: Someone had to take the bullet! :P

69: I had never heard of the case before I read this book, so there was one good thing to come out of it. :)

Attention all fellow Downton Abbey lovers! The New York Times published a neat reading list if you love the show. The article is here.

Thanks for the link. I love the show, especially Maggie Smith as the coddled old mother.

Hi Marie - You've had a good reading-start of the new year, I see :)

The Uncommon Reader sounds perfect. Lovely review - you got me hooked - and I've taken a note of that book.

I'm a huge Downtown Abbey fan and are nearly finished with season two. Happy to know there's a season three in the pipelines.

“We’re just riding that ‘Downton Abbey’ wave,” said Stephen Morrison, the editor in chief and associate publisher of Penguin Books. LOL - yes - at least his honest about it - it will be a cash cow for sometime.

72: I love just about everything Maggie Smith touches. She's amazing in her role on Downton Abbey!

73: Thank you, The Uncommon Reader was a great read. I hope you'll enjoy it.

When you're done with season two be sure to check out the Christmas special that just aired last month. I can't wait for season three to begin. I also thought his quote was funny and very truthful, but if it means quality literature, I am all about it.

Hi Marie - ok, I have to check the Christmas Special when I'm done with season two. Thanks.

About the books - actually it could be interesting to read about the real stories that has inspired Downtown Abbey.

5. What Is the What by Dave Eggers (My Library)

TIOLI Challenge #14: Read a book you got for Christmas (this year) that you DIDN'T ask for

This book has consumed my life for the past week. It is the highly recommended account of one of Sudan's "Lost Boys". We follow Valentino Achak Deng from his home in Sudan as civil war breaks out and he is forced to flee his own country and find refuge in first Ethiopia and then Kenya. It is told from the viewpoint of present day Valentino who has immigrated to the United States and lives in Atlanta. Though we assume this means that Valentino lives happily ever after, he paints a stark picture of how hard it is for refugees to assimilate into a foreign country and spends the first half of the novel the victim of a home intrusion. It is the switching back and forth that makes this novel truly unique. It allows the reader to breath in between scenes of wartime horror and root for Valentino in the present day.

I have to confess that I knew nothing of Sudan's various plights before reading this book. I had never heard of the "Lost Boys of Sudan" and because of this spent a lot of time researching Sudan and its political climate. Also of interest is Valentino himself who this book is based on. Though the book is marketed as fiction and is written by Dave Eggers, Valentino worked closely with the author to tell his story and lived much of it. Today, Valentino runs a foundation for the rebuilding of education in the now independent Southern Sudan and more information can be found on his website. I can't recommend this book enough. It's truly an astonishing story.

After all this time, how did I not know what What Is the What was about?? I've seen a couple documentaries on Sudan's "Lost Boys" and have always found it a fascinating subject. Must find a copy ...

77: What documentaries have you seen? Would you recommend any? It is a fascinating subject, and I hope you'll find a copy this year. It's so good!

76: I'm quite tempted by this one as my brother's girlfriend has just moved to Sudan to manage a development project and it's made me realise how little I know about the country.

Great review, Marie.

>78 RosyLibrarian:: I'd recommend "God Grew Tired of Us". It follows some former "lost boys" who have come to the U.S. It was really affecting. Not only what they went through in Sudan, but the extreme culture shock when they arrived here. I also saw "Lost Boys of Sudan". It was similar, but not as well done. If you're especially interested in the subject though, it's still worth watching.

79: I can't recommend it enough, though I have to warn you that it does not hold back. That is neat that you know someone working over there. I hope she has a successful trip and comes home safely. Do you know what part of Sudan she's in?

80: I'm glad you recommend "God Grew Tire of Us" because it just so happens to be playing on Netflix's Instant Stream. Thanks for your recommendations!

Marie - I've heard about the documentary of The Lost Boys but didn't know there was a book behind the movie. It really sounds like an intriguing story. Wonderful to get a surprise book - and then it's such a good read!

81: Marie, she is in Juba in Southern Sudan. I really must read that book!

82: I think that books you love that were a present from someone else are the best. I always make the gifter write me a note on the inside so I can open it in the future and remember what a wonderful person the gifter was. I remember one person telling me they couldn't believe I made people ruin their gift by writing in it, but to me it makes it even better. I don't know though, maybe it is just me. I usually am very anti-highlighting, cover bending, dog earring, etc, but if its a gift...I love how personal it makes it. (Sorry, that was way off topic! I hope you'll read What is the What sometime in the future!)

83: I believe Juba became the capital of Southern Sudan after they became independent, though I remember coming across plans to move it to a different location. I hope you'll read it and love it as I did. :)

OH and also, I just read today that they are making a movie out of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. Kate Winslet is playing Juliet, which I kind of like, so I am happy so far...

Hi, Marie, I just added North and South to my list and starred your thread:). I lived in Savannah for 3 years but just moved away 6 months ago. It was a fun and lovely place to live for awhile! It is still so segregated, though, it's crazy. I'm sure you will enjoy "the book," as it's called. And Savannah really is that crazy and interesting!! Another book I particularly enjoyed, about rural Georgia, was Ecology of a Cracker Childhood. I read a LOT of Georgia books (not the same as SC but close!), and this one stood out.

86: Hi Karen, thanks for swinging by! I hope you'll like North and South when you get to it.

Yes, it was funny how everyone referred to it as "the book". I've only just begun it but I can tell I'm going to like it already. Then I can't wait to go back down and really understand what everyone was talking about. That's neat you lived there for three years. It's a gorgeous little city. I loved how no matter where you went downtown you would find yourself in a park. Thanks also for the book recommendation, I've added it to my wishlist. :)

6. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

TIOLI #21: Read an author's first book

There are many wonderful descriptions of this book on LT, so I'm skipping ahead to my own personal views. Those who have not read it should probably move along and come back when they've read it for themselves.

Spoilers!

And so, after so much talk about what a wonderful book this was, I thought I would see for myself. I'm not sure I fall into either camp who either really loved it or really hated it. The good included the character Celia, who I liked from the get go and the wonderful descriptions of the circus that the novel takes place in. The bad included an ending that fell flat and a fairly undeveloped plot. I was a little disappointed that after so much build up, the two main characters sort of just vanished and the younger characters were shoved to the front. It made me feel like I had just read a fairly long book only to "not get it". I mean, did I miss something?

Oddly enough though, this is one of those books that I could see benefiting from a movie adaptation. There is so much spectacular imagery that I imagine it would make for a visually stunning film. Perhaps too they could iron out the plot to be less confusing and the love story more convincing. (Though I did love the dialog where Marco told Celia she was breaking his heart.)

Well, that was the most wishy washy review I think I've written to date. Perhaps I'll revisit this book in the future.

Marie, I cannot tell you how excited I am that Kate Winslet will be playing Juliet in the film version of Guernsey Literary! AND Kenneth Branagh directing! It's sure to be good.

I loved Dave Eggers' book A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, but I think that What Is the What sounds a little too intense for me right now. Nice review, though.

I have The Night Circus on my wishlist. I'm actually glad to read a review that isn't glowing--my expectations will be more realistic now when I read it.

Sandy K

Sandy, have you seen who will play Dawsey yet? I am very excited to see who will round out the cast.

It is an intense book. I need to check into Dave Eggers' other books because I hadn't heard of him until this one. It seems from all the reviews that you either love him or hate him and that What is the What is unlike a lot of most of his work.

I wanted to make my review glowing of The Night Circus. It has all the elements there, but never lined up the way I had thought it would. Still, I seem to be in the minority though so perhaps you'll love it. :)

Thanks for stopping by Sandy!

Marie, according to imdb, Kate Winslet is the only person confirmed in the cast. I'm hoping that the film has all those wonderful British character actors that pop up on PBS miniseries!

Sandy K

Checking in, Marie :)

Sorry to hear that you did not enjoy The Night Circus more, since that was one I loved. I put The Grand Complication firmly on my 'Do Not Read' list despite the intriguing premise.

92: Thanks for stopping by Stasia! I hope school is going well for you. I know I'm doing a lot of homework this weekend. I was sad not to have loved The Night Circus more myself. It had everything I enjoy in a book, but perhaps it is one of those reads where you like it more the second time. And I think The Grand Complication will fit right at home on that list. :)

Two documentaries that I watched after reading What is the What were "The Lost Boys of Sudan" and "God Got Tired of Us'. I think their themes are pretty similar--following the lives of boys that came to the US from Sudan. I can't honestly remember the distinctins between the two, but I have them both marked with 4 stars on Netflix.

Kate Winslet sounds like brilliant casting in the GL&PPP. Thanks for the tip.

94: Hi streamsong, thanks very much for your recommendations! I saw that "God Got Tired of Us" was Instant Streaming right now on Netflix so I am looking forward to watching it. I will check into the other one as well.

I too think Kate Winslet will be a marvelous Juliet. I can't wait to see who else they cast and will definitely post something should I come across any news.

>88 RosyLibrarian:: I'm skipping your thoughts until after I've read it! Which will hopefully be soon. I'm hoping to find it somewhere on discount... keep crossing my fingers...

7. Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt

TIOLI #1: Read a book set in a state mentioned in Dr. Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech (Georgia)

Let me just say that I picked this book up after spending a day in Savannah a few weeks ago. I had never been and so I was a little confused as to why everyone kept referencing "the book". After I got home I looked into "the book" and found out they were talking about Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. Wanting to visit Savannah in the near future and know what was going on, I snapped this book up at the library.

The book follows writer John Berendt as he spends a number of years down in Savannah getting to know the city and its people. Berendt comes across the zaniest cast of characters I have ever read about. Stand outs include the drag queen Lady Chablis who made me laugh out loud and the charming, but up to no good Joe Odom. But Savannah shows her darker side in the story of high society Jim Williams and his employee Danny Hansford. Williams shoots Hansford one night and for the next few years all of Savannah follows the mystery of whether or not it was self defense or murder. I was speed reading at the end just to find out what happened. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.

I always smile when reading the TIOLI challenge - funny "backstory" for your Savannah-read, Marie :) It adds something extra to the novel...oh yes, there was a movie based on it although I never saw it.

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil is the best narrative non-fiction I have recently read. Loved it!

98: I saw that there was a movie of it. Better yet, I guess Kevin Spacey plays Jim Williams. I'm going to have to check it out.

99: Hi Lori, thanks for stopping by! I am fast becoming a fan of narrative non-fiction myself. I think my first brush with it was Devil in the White City and now I want to read Berendt's other book, The City of Falling Angels.

#97: I enjoyed that book too, but still have not gotten to The City of Falling Angels. Thanks for the reminder that I need to do so.

Glad you liked "the book"! I read it a few years ago and remember loving it!

So glad that you enjoyed Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil! I loved it.

Definitely watch the movie version. It did not get great reviews--the book, OF COURSE, is better than the film. But, totally worth it for Kevin Spacey's performance AND The Lady Chablis plays her/himself!

Sandy K

101: I just realized that I actually own a copy of The City of Falling Angels. I have no excuses now!

102: It is so very, very good!

103: The Lady Chablis plays herself! That is awesome. She was one of my favorite characters. I really need to rent it.

In other news...

Today I'm doing the happy dance because I just found out I was awarded a scholarship for this semester. Yay!

8. The Future of Us by Jay Asher

TIOLI #1: Read a book set in a state mentioned in Dr. Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech (Pennsylvania)

This book is a completely cutesy YA book that had me giggling in places because it was so silly, but that may be part of its charm. The premise is what made me look twice at it. It follows two best friends, Emma and Josh, as they navigate high school in the 1990s, a magical time when the Internet was just beginning to become used by the public. One day Emma logs onto AOL (ha ha) when a webpage called Facebook appears. She finds her profile only to find that it is her 15 years into the future. Together she and Josh try to change the present so that they end up with happier lives.

I mean, the moral of the story all but wacks you over the head, but I found myself really enjoying it. All the characters act exactly like teenagers and while it made me want to throttle them at times, it also made the book realistic. There was only one thing that made me shake my head and that is only because I am currently in school to become a librarian. There is a part where Emma goes to the library, does some rooting around in a phone book and leaves. Josh follows her there and asks the librarian what Emma was looking at and the librarian actually shows him! Such a breach of privacy! Still, I understand it was meant to move the story along, but I had to share.

My impressions of The Future of Us were much the same as yours ... glad you enjoyed it despite the librarian's invasion of privacy! ;) And congrats on the scholarship!

Yay for the scholarship, Marie! The Future of Us is on the TBR list because of it's premise and I'm glad to see another positive review.

Congratulations on the scholarship.

Marie...some great reading so far this year. Most of them already on my hitlist/shelves and I also managed North and South this month. Well done on the scholarship too! Btw I also enjoy the forays into cinema....my tribe and I (Self, SWMBO, Yasmyne, Kyran, Belle and ofttimes Erni) catch on average half a dozen films a month so it is good to see a fellow addict.

Congrats on the scholarship! Well done, you!!

Love the Fry picture, btw.

The Future of Us is one of those books I hope to read if I can find it at the library sometime. Sounds interesting enough to spend a few hours with! Congrats on the scholarship as well... free money! Huzzah!

106: Hi Mere, glad you had the same thoughts. I just went and starred your thread to see what you had written. I thought it was funny too that they thought their future selves were crazy for posting so many mundane things. (Why do we post what we're having for dinner? I have no idea...)

107: I look forward to seeing what your thoughts on it are!

108: Thank you and thanks for stopping by!

109: Hi Paul, thanks for adding me to your interesting library list. I must admit to lurking in yours when we were both doing the group read for North and South. I used to be way more of a movie addict when I worked at a local movie theater. My favorite part was projecting the film. There was something quite magical about it. With today's prices I tend to go a lot less, but I love that libraries let you check out movies. I actually just picked up Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil yesterday and can't wait to see how it compares to the book.

110: Thank you! I have to say I stared at a lot of "happy dance" gifs before selecting Fry, but I love Futurama so much that I had to choose him.

111: Huzzah indeed! I hope you find the Future of Us at the library. It is a good book to spend a couple of hours with. It leaves you feeling sort of nostalgic for the 90s.

Hey! Congrats on the scholarship!

How cool that you used to work at a movie theatre! I love seeing films at the theatre. I used to work at a video store, back in the olden times when such things existed. Now I borrow all of my dvd's from our library, although we've just recently started using Netflix streaming on the comp, as well. My hubby mainly watches stuff on one moniter while he plays games on the other one. I still like watching films on a larger screen.

Sandy K

113: I worked at a video store for about a month in high school. One night as I was closing, the old vacuum I was using caught on fire and the fire department responded to whatever alarm system we had. Everything was fine, and it's not like I was fired, but it rattled my nerves and so I quit to work at the movie theater.

I usually borrow DVDs from the library too since going to Blockbuster is just about useless these days. They never have anything I want. Netflix is pretty handy too for their streaming, especially watching TV series. I'm with you though Sandy, I like a larger screen.

Glad you liked North and South. I have Gaskell's Cranford on my TBR pile. It's a second hand copy so it's kind of ratty. But it was a steal so it's worth it, I guess.

Congratulations on the scholarship!

115: Cranford is also on my to-do list. Perhaps even this year. I love a good steal on a book too - as long as you can hold it in your hands and read the print, I'm good.

116: Thank you!

It's my husband's birthday tomorrow so we're meandering down to FL for the weekend. I'll be back with a book review soon. Have a great weekend everyone!

Yay!!! Congrats on the scholarship!!!

I watched the movie Midnight In the Garden Of Good and Evil a long time ago. It was pretty good. John Cusack was also in the movie, one of my favorite actors.

Hope you have a great weekend in FL!!!

Yes, congratulations on the scholarship!

The Future of Us - I like the premise - Hope there's an audioversion of it. Reminds me of the years when we had to wait to get on the internet with the crazy sounds from the 28 kb-router. Crazy-days...

I read and liked Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. I guess I need to check out the movie!

Congratulations on the scholarship! That is great news.

118: Thanks Tammy! I just watched the movie for the first time and really enjoyed it. I love anything that John Cusack and Kevin Spacey do too, and both did a great job. (Kevin Spacey looks just like Jim Williams did. It was almost spooky.)

119: Thank you Jennifer!

120: I checked and there is an audiobook version of it with two voice actors for the male and female chapters. I remember listening to that weird dial-up sound too...

121: It's a really enjoyable movie, so I hope you'll enjoy it too!

122: Thanks Roni!

We just got back from a nice few days in FL so I am catching up on threads and one more book review for January. I can't believe it's already almost February.

9. I Love a Man in Uniform: A Memoir of Love, War, and Other Battles by Lily Burana

The library on base has a number of these military love memoirs in their stacks, but this one looked a little different. The author also wrote a book called Strip City that depicts her life as a stripper. It seemed like an interesting combo and so I picked it up for some fun reading. And it is fun, but it also paints a realistic description of military life. The majority of her book takes place right after 9/11 and her Army Officer husband deploys right after they tie the knot.

What I liked about this book, as a military spouse, is that she doesn't shrink back from telling it how it is. It can be lonely and sometimes hard to fit in to military life, especially when you're moving a lot. Perhaps I'm being a downer, but that may be why I enjoyed this book so much. It was nice to commiserate with the author who struggled a bit to find her niche too. There are plenty of other reasons to enjoy this book too. One of those reasons is the author's snarky sense of humor. For that reason alone I'll definitely be on the look out for her other book.

January

1. More than Petticoats: Remarkable South Carolina Women by Lee Davis Perry
2. North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell
3. The Uncommon Reader: A Novella by Alan Bennett
4. The Grand Complication: A Novel by Allen Kurzweil
5. What Is the What by Dave Eggers
6. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
7. Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt
8. The Future of Us by Jay Asher
9. I Love a Man in Uniform: A Memoir of Love, War, and Other Battles by Lily Burana

Favorite: What Is the What by Dave Eggers
Runner-Up: Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt

Oooh, lookit that list of January reads! I have at least 3 of those on my TBR list. Looks like you're off to a good start this year. :)

126: Hi Faith! I was off to a great start, but then school started up again... Still, not too shabby and we get an extra day of reading this month.

#124: Seems that there would be a lot of inside jokes you could laugh about and regognize. A good launch of the reading-year for you, Marie :)

10. Stay Awake by Dan Chaon (My Library)

TIOLI Challenge #11: Read a 2 Word Titled Book BUT the First Letter of the First Word Must Come After the First Letter of the Second Word

Stay Awake is a collection of short stories dealing with the people of the world with tragic stories. Some have lost their wives and children. Others deal with mental illness and divorce. But each story is told delicately and with careful attention to the little things we think about even in the face of strong emotion. For this reason a few of the stories reminded me of a male, modern Shirley Jackson.

As with any collection of short stories, there were ones I especially liked and ones I thought were weaker. "The Bees" was especially chilling. “Long Delayed, Always Expected” had a lovely ending scene. "Slowly we Open Our Eyes” was probably my least favorite of all of them. All in all though, great writing and recommended for lovers of dark short stories.

Reviewed for LT's Early Reviewers Program.

Good recommendation and I'll be looking for that one.

I've just realized I haven't updated in over a week, but I've been busy with school and planting a garden in front of the house. (I'll post pictures when something hopefully blooms!) Man, my arms are sore today. But I did manage to finish a book I received from my SantaThing Secret Santa and am still working on 11/22/63 by Mr. King.



TIOLI Challenge #12: Read a book with a cover that depicts love

11. Next to Love: A Novel by Ellen Feldman (My Library)

Next to Love is the story of three women whose husbands are soldiers during World War II and the impact it has on the rest of their lives and the lives of their children. This book packs a punch and I often had to put it down because it felt so heavy. It really is a wonderfully written book though and I could almost feel the way these women felt. I only recommend it with reservations because I think you have to be in the right mood for such a somber book. I think that is why it took me so long to finish despite it only being about 300 pages.

Phew, I really, really liked it, but I am ready for a happier book!

I liked that one, too, Marie. I prefer your cover, though; mine had a letter and a (smaller) soldier photo too, but also the dreaded awkwardly chopped off head.

Good luck with the garden!

Mere, I think I saw the one you are talking about. I suppose the thinking behind it is to create a pensive, feminine feel to the cover, but I'm a fan of the one I have too. Plus, it fits the TIOLI challenge. :)

Thanks for the good luck, because I'll be needing it. It feels strange to start a garden in February but I guess that is the time to do it in South Carolina. Funny enough the temperatures went below freezing last night, but as we planted bulbs and they haven't grown to the surface yet, they should be fine right? Does anybody with a green thumb know?

Marie, check if your local newspaper has a gardening section, and if it does (maybe weekly), check out the archives. Also, usually there is a gardening association in the area that can be a good resource--often their meetings are in the paper as well. Your bulbs should be fine.

Great advise Roni, thank you!

Happy Valentine's Day!



Some good news from me today...I have a job interview with the base library today! I am very excited/nervous, so wish me luck!

Good luck!!!!!

Oooh, good luck! Let us know how it goes!

Good luck on your interview!

Good luck!!

Good luck! Although, since you're an awesome book reader and LT'er, I hope you won't need it.

Good luck, Marie!

Thanks everyone! I think the interview went well, but they always make me so nervous, so we shall see...

My husband and I are crafting our own Melting Pot sort of night with the fondue set we got for our wedding, so hopefully we don't burn the house down. I hope you all have a great day whether you are celebrating the day of love or not. :)

Yum! Fondue...are you having the main course kind of fondue where you cook the meat in the oil or the cheese or dessert fondue?

Sandy K

Good luck with the job! Hope you get it.

I am not celebrating Valentine's Day but hoping all of you people with someone special in their lives have a happy one! :-)

144: We just did the cheese and dessert courses. I think when I'm feeling a bit braver we might try the meat in oil. It turned out really great by the way, but the serving size for both recipes was waaay too big for two people.

145: Thanks Porua!

Hmm, I've never actually heard of meat in oil fondue. Interesting.

I'm glad the interview went well ... they're always so nerve-wracking, at least for me! Hope it turns out in your favor!

Mmm, dessert fondue. Here's hoping you knocked their socks off with your interview. :)

12. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

TIOLI Challenge #10: Read a Book with a Title Written in the First Person

Well, suffice to say I cried for about the 50 last pages of this book. What a touching book about two teenagers diagnosed with cancer and the life and love they find in one another after meeting in a support group. You'll come to love them for their dry sense of humor and the realistic way they deal with the enormous weight of a terminal disease. I knew it was going to be a difficult read for me because my mother passed away from cancer when I was ten and I think for that reason it really struck a cord with me, but the writing is so beautiful that I would not hesitate to recommend it to others.

Okay, now I really need to read a happier book...suggestions welcome!

Not reading the above review until I can get my hands on the book....

Mary, it is so good, I hope you find a copy soon! You'll blaze through it in one day.

I've got a hold on this at the library, and it is taking forever. I'm 32 in line. Sigh. Oh, well, it'll be here in a month or so, and I'll be a blubbering mess by the end.

The Fault in Our Stars is amazing. Glad you enjoyed it. If you want something a little bit happier, An Abundance of Katherines also by John Green is now my second favourite of his novels (it got bumped down by TFiOS, obviously).

152: 32! Holy wow! I hope it gets to you soon.

153: Sweet, I've added An Abundance of Katherines to the 'soon to be read' list.

13. 11/22/63: A Novel by Stephen King

TIOLI Challenge #1: Read a book with an animal on the left hand page, a beverage on the right hand page, and the number 3 in both page numbers

Some of it is spoiler-ish, particularly the second paragraph!

Hooray, I've finished my first Stephen King novel and wow, what an epic story. So epic in fact that I am not sure where to begin because so much happens throughout this book. Simply put, a high school teacher named Jake in present day travels back in time to stop the assassination of John F. Kennedy because he believes it will stop the chain of events leading to the Vietnam War and other atrocities. He stays in the past righting various wrongs and even manages to fall in love with a librarian he meets while biding his time waiting for the assassination to occur. But the past doesn't like to be messed with and strains against the changes that Jake makes.

There is a lot to like about this book. The plot is elaborate and captivating and most of the time I liked the hero of the book and the people he meets along the way. I also loved the setting of the late 50s and 60s. There are some parts that felt bogged down, particularly when Jake stalks Oswald waiting for him to formulate his plan of attack on Kennedy. Sometimes I also felt like he injected a lot of unnecessary drama into the narrative too. SPOILER! Did Sadie's ex-husband really need to be a psychopath who came back to take revenge on his ex-wife? Did he have to kill off one of his best students in Jodie? I've never read another book by King, so perhaps this is the mark of a good thriller writer, I don't know. All in all though, a satisfying and action packed novel.

14. Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling

TIOLI Challenge #10: Read a Book with a Title Written in the First Person

I knew I was going to like this book the minute Kahling wrote this line: "...I don't think it should be socially acceptable for people to say they are "bad with names". No one is bad with names. That is not a real thing. Not knowing people's names isn't a neurological condition; it's a choice. You choose not to make learning people's names a priority. It's like saying, "Hey a disclaimer about me: I'm rude." For heaven's sake, if you don't know someone's name, just pretend you do. Do that thing everyone else does, where you vaguely say, "Nice to see you!" and make weak eye contact."

She was writing what I think every time I go to a party and the first thing someone tells me is, "I'll probably forget. I'm just not very good at remembering names!" Ugh! If people are bad with names, then I am very good with them and it annoys me when people blatantly tell me they will forget mine. It's the worst first impression ever! Whew, sorry, but when I read that I almost jumped for joy. The rest of the book was fun too. It reminded me a little of Tina Fey's book except that I never watch 30 Rock, but I am a huge Office fan and for that I think it made me connect more to this book. A fun, brain candy book to spend the afternoon with.

Haha... glad you liked it!

And FWIW, I'm terrible with names. I try, honestly! I'll do the "repeat it 3 times" thing, but it doesn't always work. I'm great with faces, though -- and if you tell me something about your life, I'll remember that and ask about it next time I see you. Just don't ask me to introduce you by name to someone else, because I won't remember. I swear, it is a real thing!!!

157: Ha ha, Faith, I believe you! :) It may be that I am just in the minority of people who are good with names and was happy to read about someone else who is too.

I'm also great with names, but terrible with faces, so it does me no good. :(

I can remember names if I see them written down. I'm a visual learner, which is why I remember faces very accurately. However, if I can't remember somones name, I just do the vague, "Oh, hi! It's so good to see you again!" It works!

Yeah, nametags are a great help--if I can hear AND see a person's name, it's much easier for me to remember. In addition to the vague "nice to see you," if it's someone I have only met once or maybe twice, I say my name again, in part to help them out if they forgot my name and also to (I hope) spur them to say their name again, too.

Nonetheless, I agree that it's rude to tell someone "I'll probably forget" as soon as they tell you their name!

I also belong to the "great with faces bad with names" camp. However, instead of saying "I'll probably forget" and tend to go with "you may have to remind me."

HI Marie! Glad you liked 11/22/63! I'm a big King fan and that one is now one of my favorites!

159 - 162: I think it's really interesting the different ways people learn and remember things. I'm sure there has to be some sort of study out there why people do or don't remember names. (Micky, your way is a lot nicer!)

I think one of the most awkward things on Earth is when you've met someone several times and know that you should know their names by now, but can't even begin to remember what they said. My next door neighbors fall into this camp. I've met the wife a number of times now and it's almost embarrassing that I can't remember her name (and I usually am so good with names!). In my defense she always has a crying baby in her arms when she says it, but it's no excuse. It's Mindy? Misty? Mandy? Ugh! It's way past the point of asking her again...

163: Hi Chelle, it took me almost two weeks, but I really did like it for the most part. Would you recommend any other King books? (I'm not a big horror person.)

Add me to the list of people who are terrible with names! I can usually tell you everything about the context in which I know you and still not be able to bring your name to mind.

However, the author has a point — it really is quite rude to say to someone, "I'm not going to remember your name." You might as well say, "I'm sorry, I've already decided you are not important enough to both remembering."

I have learned that if I have forgotten someone's name and a few minutes' conversation at the next meeting doesn't job my memory I will just apologize and ask. (Of course, that only works the second time you meet them. You can't keep asking their name every time you run into them.) Most people seem to be fine with that. Or — oh, gosh! — maybe they are just inwardly seething like that author? Now I'm giving myself a complex ...

Do you like fantasy and creepy? A lot of his books border between horror and just plain creepy
My favorite is The Stand. It's a end of the world type book but it's rather creepy

I don't forget the name of someone I just met or someone I see on and off. But I never forget a face even after many years and most of the time I just don't remember their name. Sometimes I even remember how or why I know them, but in the end they have to tell me their name.

165: Ha ha, don't have a complex! I never begrudge someone who has to ask me for my name again. I think it shows they at least want to get it right. What I do begrudge is when someone tells me they will probably just forget my name. Why did they bother asking for it?

166: I do like fantasy and I can do creepy most of the time. I will look into The Stand, thanks for the recommendation!

167: Hi Tammy! I think it's funny what we remember about a person, even if we can't remember their name.

And in stressful news, we just got a call today that the base we're living on wants us to move to the main part of base so they can line us up for the brand new housing that is going up. It makes no sense to me why we have to move twice just to be able to get into the new housing, but that is the military for you. So now we have two weeks to move after we get the keys tomorrow. Don't they know I'm already stressing about homework and whether or not I got the job I interviewed for? Uuuughhhh!

I feel your pain, Marie. I'm a DoD contractor and my whole office is moving at the end of April (due to BRAC) . . . . and then moving again in a year or so.

169: Ah, it's like being in limbo, right? To me it is so unsettling. We looked at the house today and while it is a lot nicer and on the main base, the lady told us not to unpack the things we don't use everyday because the brand new housing will be up by this Fall. So we're moving things over tonight and through the weekend...

15. The Night Bookmobile by Audrey Niffenegger

TIOLI Challenge #6: Read a book whose author's surname has a "Scrabble value" of 12 or more

This is a teeny, tiny graphic novel, but it packed such a punch for me. I don't know whether it hit me harder as an avid reader or as a library student, but it really stopped me in my tracks. In it we meet a woman who stumbles upon a mysterious bookmobile that contains all the books she's ever read. It appears at random times in her life and makes her want to be a librarian. She becomes one and spends all her time reading, but keeps wishing that she instead worked for the mysterious bookmobile. It has an ending I did not see coming. Truly thought provoking.

Aww!! I hope things go smoothly for you!!! One of my sisters was in the army for several years and she was always telling us about senseless ways things were handled and how it took longer to get things done.

>171 RosyLibrarian: I loved so many things about that book but I had issues with the ending.

172: Thanks Tammy! The military is full of senseless ways of doing things and there are saying for it like, "Hurry up and wait..." or being "Voluntold". But at the end of the day my husband likes his job and there is always adventure to be had. (If you call moving three times in one year an adventure, hehehe!)

173: I know what you mean Micky. It could have been told an entirely different way in which reading wasn't presented as such an isolating and sad pursuit. The joys of librarianship and the ways in which it connects people wasn't looked at either. That being said though, the ending was so dark that it rattled me and I can't help but admire it for that.

I finished The Fault in our Stars. What an incredible book. Thanks for your comments.

175: Thanks for swinging by Linda! The Fault in Our Stars was fantastic, though I honestly cried through the last few chapters. Micky recommended some of Green's other books (#153) so I am looking forward to seeing what else he has written.

Oh, sorry to hear about the moving fiasco, but, hey, new housing - that sounds promising...

Well, the Internet in my new house got turned on today. Hallelujah! Unfortunately I am super behind on everyone's threads, but I think I am all caught up now. It's been a crazy, stressful week of moving and working on really long, intense papers for school. I didn't manage to read any books this past week, but I'll be posting February's stats sometime today. Also my step-sister, whom I adore, got some bad news this week that her father has stage 4 pancreatic/liver cancer, so it's also been a very sad week for our family and I expect I will be heading home soon for his funeral.

On the bright side, I'm going through a background check right now for the job I applied for and hope to hear back soon. And yesterday I caught a library book sale and got about 12 books for $12. It was an awesomely good haul. So here is hoping for a better week...

Yes, I wish you a better week too! That's a lot of upheaval in a short amount of time. Good luck in your new job!

Glad you are IN the new house, have the internet on, got a great haul of books, and are likely to get your job.

Sorry about your stepsister's dad--my dad went from liver cancer too.

Hope you have a great week now.

179/180: Thanks guys!

Sorry to hear about your Dad, Roni. I too lost a parent, my mother, from cancer. It's an awful disease and takes such a heavy toll on the family left behind.

February

10. Stay Awake by Dan Chaon
11. Next to Love: A Novel by Ellen Feldman
12. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
13. 11/22/63: A Novel by Stephen King
14. Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling
15. The Night Bookmobile by Audrey Niffenegger

Favorite: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
Runner-Up: 11/22/63: A Novel by Stephen King

Just stopping to say Hi!

183: Hi Tammy, have a great week!

Yeah for having interwebs again!!! Crossing my fingers that you'll get the job. And here's hoping that your papers turn out well. :)

Back on the Internet is very cool! Hope the job situation goes well.

185/186: Yay interwebs! The funny part is that besides LT, I didn't really feel like I was missing much. Coming home from the book sale and not being able to immediately catalog my purchases was torture though!

16. Shopgirl: A Novella by Steve Martin

TIOLI Challenge #23: Read a book with the word "Girl" in the title

I love Steve Martin, and I don't really mean him as an actor, though he has quite a few good movies. I love him as an author. He has a way of capturing people, and surprisingly, women in particular. The shopgirl of this slim book is Mirabelle, who sells gloves at a Neimans department store. Her life, though not undesirable, is one of repetition and likely to go nowhere without the help of another. In steps 50 year old, computer millionaire Ray Porter who wines and dines Mirabelle, but does not express a desire to take it any further than this. It makes for a wonderfully written character study of people who misinterpret the actions of others and the motivations that drive them.

Recommended for those that don't mind a novel that really never goes anywhere, but exposes the characters beautifully.

I haven't read The Night Bookmobile yet, but I definitely have it on the list... I used to visit the bookmobile as a child, when it came to our Nova Scotia tiny town. I even entered a poetry contest in the bookmobile newsletter and won a t-shirt... haha.

>188 RosyLibrarian: I'm glad you liked Shopgirl. I haven't read it yet, but I have seen the movie and I think you would like it. Clare Danes and Steve Martin and Jason Schwartzman are all really good in it.

189: You'll have to share your t-shirt winning poem! I'm afraid I've never been in a bookmobile. There was always one parked outside my childhood library, but I think it only went around to smaller neighbor towns and some of the Indian reservations. One day...

190: I haven't seen the movie, but I am going to have to with those three actors. I guess Steve Martin's other book, An Object of Beauty, is getting turned into a movie too.

17. The Pleasure of My Company by Steve Martin

TIOLI Challenge #18: Read a book where the author's name or a word in the title has a military connection

Though not as compelling as his other two books I've read, I did enjoy this short novel. I think I would recommend you start somewhere else if you've never read Martin's books. This one is about a young neurotic man named Daniel Pecan Cambridge who tries to combat his mental illness by connecting with those around him. It's kind of a sweet little tale with funny moments interjecting throughout the plot.

I've only been in a bookmobile once myself. I was a child (probably somewhere between the ages of 5 and 7 who was visiting my brother and sister-in-law for the week. They lived in a small community. The bookmobile parked at the RCDC which was almost adjacent to their house. I remember going over with my sister-in-law where she checked out a few books for me to read. I was amazed that they could have that many books inside a bus. I've always lived where I've had access to a physical library so bookmobiles were not needed by me. I'd be quite thankful for them if I lived someplace that was a bit more remote.

I didn't know Steve Martin was an author. I will have to give 1 or 2 of his books a try. My father loved Steve Martin, especially his King Tut skit. My grandma hated him.

My dad likes Steve Martin, too, and I think he's pretty funny as well. His and my favorites of Martin's are "Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid" and "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels." Even though we predicted the ending of "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" it was still hilarious!

I saw Steve Martin play the banjo in concert once and it was awesome

>192 RosyLibrarian:: Necrotic? Did you mean neurotic? Or is he actually dying/decomposing? Because that would be interesting (if done in a non-zombie way...)!

194/195/196: This makes me realize that I have not seen enough of Steve Martin's movies, but Shopgirl should be coming today from Netflix. Nora, I am insanely jealous that you got to see him play a banjo. What can't this man do?

197: Ha! LOL! Yes, I did mean neurotic. I just changed it. He was not dying, but he did have mental issues. Steve Martin should wrote a zombie book though. :)

And in super awesome news, after a very lengthy hiring process of background checks and fingerprinting, I start my new library job tomorrow! Yay!

Congratulations, Marie! That is fantastic!

Awesome news Marie!!! I'm jealous, you will be surrounded by books all day long!!!

18. Rose: My Life in Service to Lady Astor by Rosina Harrison

TIOLI Challenge #5: Read a book about a 20th century woman, group of women or women’s organization

This book was originally published in the mid-seventies, but was recently brought to light again as the fervor for Downton Abbey continues to grow. In fact, Rose, the author, passed away over 20 years ago in 1989. However, it doesn't feel dated when you read it because Rose is a wonderful narrator who feels like a friend sitting in the same room as you. She writes about the 35 years she spent in service as a lady's maid to Lady Nancy Astor. I knew virtually nothing about Lady Astor. Perhaps that was for the best because I was unbiased in my view of her and had nothing to rely on besides Rose's account of her. She was a demanding woman and Rose doesn't sugar coat some of her worse treatment, but neither does she forget the beauty of their relationship. Just like family, she talks about the good and the bad.

I was fascinated by this book. I loved reading about her travels all around the world. She even stopped in some of the places I have lived like staying in Tucson, Arizona and visiting Charleston. It was also an interesting peek into the very rich during the first half of the 20th century. I loved her stories about keeping track of all Lady Astor's furs and jewelry. She also touches upon wartime Britain and the constant bombing of Plymouth where Lady Astor had a house. She seems to have lead a remarkable life and I was glad to follow her journey. I wish she had talked about herself more after the death of her mistress, but it all but stops on the day of Lady Astor's death. Rose herself lived to be 90 and I like to imagine she enjoyed her retirement.

199/200: Thank you! I'm a little nervous to re-join the ranks of the employed, but I am looking forward to a new challenge.

I just started Rose: My Life in Service so I'm glad to hear it's good!

Congratulations, Marie! Excellent news and I hope that it all turns out excellently for you. ^_^

Rose: My Life in Service sounds very interesting! You've made me want to read the book, even though I have not had the oppurtunity to watch Downton Abbey.

YAY! Congrats on your new job! I hope you love it.

Congrats! Enjoy your new job!

Huzzah for successfully getting the library gig! Now send some of that employability mojo my way, as I'm in the process of finding another library job after my current contract ends. :)

Congrats on the new job, Marie!

I really like Steve Martin, too--in every way! Have you ever seen or read his play, Picasso at the Lapin Agile? It's funny and wonderful.

I liked the film version of Shopgirl very much. Claire Danes is wonderful.

Sandy K

Just wondering how the first day went?

203: I hope you'll like it! I'll be sure to swing by your thread to see your thoughts on it.

204: I really enjoyed the book and I don't think you need to be a Downton Abbey fan to enjoy it. In fact, the book predates the series by 20 years! But if you do enjoy the book, be sure to check out DA because it's a great series.

205: Thanks Mary! I wanted to tell you I'm half way through Sabriel right now based on your latest review. It was sort of slow going at first, but as soon as they introduced Mogget I was in love. :)

206: Thank yooou!

207: *puts her arms out and wiggles her fingers* There, I sent some employment mojo your way. I should really keep some for myself though because my contract ends in September.

208: I haven't read his plays at all. I'll need to do so. We watched Shopgirl last night and I really liked it. Claire Danes made a wonderful Mirabelle and Jason Schwartzman brought some good comedic moments to the film. Steve Martin seemed like a more tragic figure in the movie then on paper, but I thought it made for a really thoughtful film.

209: Hi Tammy, thanks for asking! It was a good first day, though it's a military base library so the military aspect to it was kind of intimidating. I didn't realize that things like base wide exercises would affect the library, but it's a federal building so of course it does. It was a lot to process, but I have a good feeling about it all.

Chiming in as another huge Steve Martin fan (*love* his banjo skills!), and with my own well-wishes and congrats on the new job!

>210 RosyLibrarian: Thanks for the mojo. I'm hoping my next gig will be a longer term contract or *gasp* permanent. I found getting P/T stuff while I was in library school was a lot easier so hopefully it works that way for you come September. :)

I agree, Steve Martin DID seem more of a tragic figure in the film version. A 50 something man who really should grow up,is resisting having strong attachments, even though he realizes that this way of life is not really fulfilling him anymore. Thoughtful is a good word to describe the film.

Sandy K

Congrats on the new library job! I'm pleased you had a good first day too. They can be daunting even without the military aspect!

Excited that you are getting into the Abhorsen trilogy--Mogget is a great character!

211: Thank you! :)

212: I'm crossing my fingers that you get a permanent position too. Being on a contract is so weird.

213: You said it Sandy. The last scene where he said, "I did love you..." broke my heart.

214: That's true. First days are the most nerve wracking. It's only uphill from here! :)

215: I'm loving Mogget. The book needed his sarcastic sense of humor to liven it up a little bit. Sabriel is such a serious character and I was glad when she met him. I guess it makes sense she's so serious though since she is trying to save her father...

19. Sabriel by Garth Nix

TIOLI Challenge #15: Divisible By Three: Read a book where the author's last name is divisible by three

Thanks @bell7 for reminding me to read this series. It's wonderfully different from a lot of other fantasy books I've read because the main character is something called an Abhorsen. This means she is essentially a necromancer that ensures the dead stay dead. Death is an interesting concept itself in this book because you only truly die after reaching the final gate. Until then you are able to linger between gates and the Abhorsen is able to move around in death to seek out those who have not crossed into final death. It made for a compelling world in which death is treated a lot differently than it is in the real world.

In any case, the book did start off rather slowly. The main character, Sabriel, lives outside the Wall of the Old Kingdom where her father, the current Abhorsen lives. She remains there until she learns of her father's death and crosses the wall to find him. Along the way she meets Mogget, my favorite character, whose snide bantering made me laugh out loud. Mogget is a Free Magic creature captured in the shape of a cat. To set him free is to unleash a very deadly creature which I thought made for an interesting character. From there the book really took off until she meets Touchstone, a Charter Mage she saves and eventually starts to fall in love with. Together they quest to find the former Abhorsen and find out what evil has been unleashed on the world. It's a good questing story and I'm excited to start the second book, Lirael.

20. Divergent by Veronica Roth

At age 16 everyone takes an aptitude test to see what faction they will belong to. The factions are based on what kind of person you are. The main character, Beatrice, has been raised by the Abnegation faction who value selflessness above all things and struggles with whether she will abandon her family to choose a new faction. Her test results come back abnormal and she is told she is divergent, but that her results will be covered up because being a divergent will get her killed. Beatrice then chooses to become Dauntless and the majority of the book focuses on her new way of life and the training she must endure and the secret she must carry.

I finished this book in a day because I wanted to find out what happened. It was exactly the kind of book my brain needed right now to take my mind off homework. The writing flowed easily, the characters progressed nicely and the ending left me wanting the second book to come out sooner. Divergent has been compared to The Hunger Games, and I can see why, but I thought it held its own and had an interesting concept with a lot of great action. Insurgent comes out in May!

Divergent has been on the TBR list for a while now and I have it on hold at the library. Now I just have to wait my turn. Glad you liked it, Marie! Hope that last of your assignments turn out well. :)

Hi, Marie! Glad you enjoyed Sabriel - and ooh! You read Divergent! I loved that book; I've been recommending it left and right at work, and I'm really looking forward to the sequel. :)

220: I checked my copy in the other day from a woman who was like, "Will you have the next book as soon as it is published?" I knew I had a promising book in my hand, so I checked it out and had it finished by the next day. Now I understand where that lady was coming from! I hope your turn comes soon Micky. :)

221: Me too! I will be happy when it comes out in May. I'm also in the middle of Lirael right now. I hadn't expected the main characters to switch, but I'm settled in now and enjoying it.

21. On the Road by Jack Kerouac

TIOLI Challenge #6: Read a book with a title word that is a heterograph/homonym (Road/Rode)

On the Road is a non-stop adventure of hitchhiking, drugs, drinking and women in the 1950s. For me, it was also about the relationship between its narrator, Sal Paradise, and the man he idolizes named Dean Moriarty. I don't mean that in a sexual way, but rather that it felt like Sal envied Dean's love of life and would follow him literally around North America to be a part of whatever trouble Dean was getting himself into. And Dean was in a lot of trouble, a lot of the time. Especially with women. I think he was married and divorced about four times over the course of the book.

I get why this book remains a classic. That ancy feeling of wanting to be in constant motion resonated with me. I also know what it is to really admire someone and to find yourself doing stupid things to impress them. I don't know that I would follow them from New York to San Francisco, but I enjoyed reading about someone who did.

Yay, Sabriel! I have yet to read the third book in the series, but I liked the second one too. I have Divergent around here somewhere but just haven't managed to get to it. Soon! Glad you liked them!

Oh speaking of Insurgent, I was very happy to find out that my library catalog has a record in there already (no book, but you can put a hold on), so I'll be the second person in line when it comes out...'

Glad you've settled into Lirael. The character change threw me for a loop the first time I read it, too.

224: Now would be the perfect time to read Divergent since the next book comes out in May. Just sayin'. :)

225: That reminds me that I should put myself on hold for Insurgent, thanks!

22. The Age of Miracles: A Novel by Karen Thompson Walker (My Library)

In this book, the world's rotation begins to slow down. The days and nights stretch longer and longer. Havoc is wrecked on the world's food supply and birds begin dropping out of the sky. At first the world divides into two groups. Those that stick to clock time and adhere to the 24 hour rule or those who follow the movements of the sun. The concept of the book is striking and makes the reader think about how they would react in a similar situation. Some take to stock piling food and creating fall out shelters while others drift with their families waiting for the world to end.

Julia, the main character of the book, experiences the world's slowing as an 11 year old girl with two parents whose marriage is strained. Her experiences are not untypical for a girl taking her first steps towards becoming a teenager. She's lonely, struggles to find acceptance and often compares herself to the other girls in her class who make growing up look so easy. She's a likeable character, but I felt like the author sold herself short. She created such an interesting world, but tells it from the perspective of such a young person that I didn't find myself very engaged with that part of the story. I wanted to know more about how the world was changing rather than how an ordinary girl dealt with her parent's marital problems. It was still a well written, enjoyable book, but I wish the author had dug in a little bit deeper and really introduced a character that wowed me.

Received from LT's Early Reviewer's Program.

Too bad that one wasn't as good as it could have been. The premise would have grabbed me too.

228: I know, it was kind of a let down, but it was still an enjoyable read.

March

16. Shopgirl: A Novella by Steve Martin
17. The Pleasure of My Company by Steve Martin
18. Rose: My Life in Service to Lady Astor by Rosina Harrison
19. Sabriel by Garth Nix
20. Divergent by Veronica Roth
21. On the Road by Jack Kerouac
22. The Age of Miracles: A Novel by Karen Thompson Walker

Favorite: Divergent by Veronica Roth or Shopgirl: A Novella by Steve Martin
Runner-Up: Rose: My Life in Service to Lady Astor by Rosina Harrison

I was going to wait and start a new thread at 250, but this seemed like a nice place to stop. Join me on my new thread HERE.

I ended up really liking Rose: My Life in Service, too.