Jolerie's Book Hoarding 1

I'm super excited to be back for the second year and hopefully this time will also be able to achieve that magical number of 75!! I love reading books in pretty much all genres. If it has a good story, good characters, you will find my nose in it. I have a 16 month old son as well, so reading times are precious and is guarded with a passion.
Looking forward to catching up with old friends and meeting new ones! :)

Currently Reading:

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

RATING SYSTEM:
5 Stars: WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN MY WHOLE LIFE??
4 Stars: As satisfying as scratching that itch that is just right out of my reach...
3 Stars: Purr...I'm content...
2 Stars: Anxiously eyeing the next book in my pile...
1 Star: Fire fodder...BURN BABY BURN!!




July's Selection
OTS:
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
The Giver by Lois Lowry
East of Eden John Steinbeck
Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel
Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
The Heretic's Daughter by Kathleen Kent
No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy
The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt
The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
Library:
Chime by Franny Billingsley
Eona by Alison Goodman
Once was Lost by Sara Zarr
The Lying Game by Sara Shepard
Haven by Kristi Cook
Wither by Lauren Destefano
Siren by Tricia Rayburn
Behemoth by Scott Westerfield
Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool
Heart of a Samurai by Margi Preus
Leviathan by Scott Westerfield
Lament by Maggie Stiefvater
Toby Alone by Timothee De Fombelle
Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce
ER:
Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff

Last years ALL STAR BOARD for BEST READS of 2011!

FICTION:

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

SCIENCE FICTION:

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

HISTORICAL FICTION:

Mary Queen of Scotland and the Isles by Margaret George

YA:

The Maze Runner by James Dashner
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

CLASSICS:

The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins
1984 by George Orwell

FANTASY:

Ysabel by Guy Gavriel Kay

Some notables not to be forgotten:
The Birth of Venus
The Lovely Bones
The Wind in the Willows
Water for Elephants
Lullabies for Little Criminals
The Arrival
Anne of Green Gables Collection

Hi there and welcome back!

I'm glad you're back! You are starred.

Thanks for the welcome Joaquín and Kerri! It is nice to be back and hopefully I will be able to do a better job at keeping up this year. :)

*starred*

Have you read the next two in the Dashner series? I just finished Scorch Trials and loved it... more than the first book, actually. I'm planning to read the final book (The Death Cure) this weekend.

Glad to see you back with us for 2012, Valerie!

>6 dk_phoenix: Hi Faith! I had the second book on hold from the library, but had so many books on the go at the time so I didn't get a chance to pick it up. I REALLY enjoyed the first one so definitely excited to read the second in the series, although, I heard it opens whole can of different questions instead of answers!

>7 alcottacre: Hi Stasia! This group is just too great to not make time for it! :D

#8: I think it is a great group too! Glad to see we are of like minds!

I like your All Star Board! It sounds like I'll have to read The Maze Runner.

>8 jolerie:: Oh, that's for sure! But in a good way. :) I see you're also reading Chrystallia and the Source of Light... I got that from the ER program as well (as I'm assuming that's where your copy is from?). How are you liking it so far? I started it last month and haven't managed to pick it up again. Really need to get back to that for the sake of reviewing it for the site here...!

Glad you are back Valerie! Hope the holidays were good for you and your family!

Got you starred

Good to see you here Valerie.

Hi Jolerie, I love your rating system. I've got you starred again. I'm looking forward to what you are reading and to stories about your busy boy!

*STARRED*

Glad you're back!!

>9 alcottacre: Yah, I couldn't agree with you more! We do have GREAT minds. ;) Stasia, I'm guessing you haven't started your 2012 thread yet?

>10 _Zoe_: Read it! Read it! :D

>11 dk_phoenix: Well Faith, I do catch myself eyeing other books on my shelves and itching to finish the book. It's not bad if I have the mindset that I should be reading it like a CHILD would, but all those references to crystals and minerals, along with the random accents is a tad too much for me to get into. At this point, I just want to finish it, get the review done, and move onto my next read.

>12 ChelleBearss: Thanks Chelle! Looking forward to 2012!

>13 calm: Hi Calm. It is nice to be back!

>14 Donna828: Thanks Donna. I look forward to seeing what YOU will be reading since everytime I leave your thread my wishlist undoubtably expands beyond my controlling. :)

>15 katiekrug: Hi Katie! Glad to to be back with all you fine folks. :)

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I LOVE the fact that the whole group is only 2 pages. It feels so much more manageable then the dozens of pages that I know will it eventually expand to by the end of the year. For the time being, I will relish the feeling of being able to stay on top of all the threads. :D

Hi Valerie! Thrilled that you're back again this year. Stars, of course. :)

Welcome back!

Hurrah! I'm so glad you're back for another year of reading adventures! Happy 2012 to you and your lovely family, Valerie!

Hi Valerie, hope 2012 is a good one for you, see you on the threads :)

>17 MickyFine: I'm thrilled to be here, Micky! :D Looking forward to more great YA suggestions from you!

>18 drneutron: Thanks Jim!

>19 Carmenere: Thanks Lynda. Since I'm staying at home, hopefully the pace of reading will only be better than last year. Just gotta space out the chunksters to keep a good pace. :)

>20 LovingLit: Hi Megan. Will be keeping up with your thread to see the adventures you and your monkeys will embark upon this year. :)

#16: No, I do not have a 2012 thread yet. I am sure I will get around to it eventually.

Valerie, look forward to keeping up in 2012. Happy new year

>23 alcottacre: Looking forward to it! I just hope I don't end up missing it entirely in this explosion of threads. :)

>24 PaulCranswick: Hi Paul. Wishing you and yours a happy New Year as well.

I hope everyone has a great New Year and may your first read of the New Year be a 5 STAR one! :D

Happy 2012 Valerie! Will try to keep up...
I'm planning to readThe Inheritance of Loss next year (well, I was planning to read it this year, too) so I can't wait to see what you think of it.

Love the ice cube man, Valerie! Happy New Year to you as well!

*starred* :)

Happy New Year, Valerie! And congrats on the nifty new thread! I've missed you these past couple months. Maybe things will slow down a little...

Hi Valerie! Excitedly gathering new 2012 threads here!

Hi Valerie! Hoping you have a great New Year!!

Hi Valerie! Welcome Back. I really like the idea of the "All Star Board"... I may need to borrow a similar idea for my thread :) Starred and Happy New Year!

>26 AnneDC: Thanks Anne! I just started the book today and so far, the writing is absolutely divine!

>27 MickyFine: Happy New Year to you as well Micky! Hopefully you are enjoying some relatively warm weather right now. I was a bit bummed to see it end up being a brown Christmas this year. :(

>28 curlysue: Hi Kara!

>29 msf59: Hi Mark! It is so good to be back. Just the thought of all the good book recommendations that I would be missing made me come running back to this awesome group.

>30 lit_chick: I know what you mean! It is nice to catch up with old friends and to meet new ones as well!

>31 ChelleBearss: Thanks Chelle! Happy New Year to you as well as I'm sure you have a super exciting year ahead of you with all the wedding and moving plans!

>32 JechtShot: Please go ahead and steal. :) I think we are all here to "borrow" from one another in some form since there are so many good ideas out there!

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I was thinking that I would narrow down the number of threads that I would star since I wanted it to be a bit more manageable this year, but true to my hoarding nature, I end up with more threads than last year! I guess the upside is that it means there will be EVEN MORE book recommendations to add to my obese wishlist. :)
I am wrapping up 2011 with a total of 90 reads which is completely unthinkable! Thanks to all you fine folks who have given me motivation and inspiration to read beyond my goals! Here's to an even better 2012!!

Hear hear! That is quite a commendable year end total, considering you have a toddler on your hands full time! I'm also impressed with how you've managed to narrow down your favourites of 2011 like that. I'm not sure I could manage that. Still have to come up with my final list... we'll see how that goes.

Happy New Year Valerie!

Valerie, hi. I love reading your take on books because sometimes it's identical to mine, and yet other times it's a complete 180. So interesting to see what others think and why.

A very happy, healthy new year filled with good books is wished for you.

Happy New Year, Valerie!

Happy new year to you and your lovely family, Valerie. I've just seen the adorable picture on your profile page and it's making me feel broody. I'll just have to remind myself I'm too old for any more children and perhaps console myself with some new books ;)

Good morning, Valerie, and Happy New Year!

Happy 2012, Valerie!

Happy New Year, Valerie! You're starred:)

Happy New Year! I've got you starred! :)

>34 Smiler69: I'm pretty shocked myself! All the credit goes to LT and the constant motivation I get from seeing how much other people are reading and how many good books are still out there waiting for me!

>35 Matke: I couldn't agree more Gail! So many times, books that people LOVED, I tend to have just an okay response to it, while the ones that I adored don't usually make onto other people's favourite lists. All in all, it's a lot of fun to see what the varying tastes that different people have in books. If anything LT has broadened my scope of reading!

>36 alcottacre: I hope you have a great year too, Stasia!

>37 Soupdragon: Hi Dee! Aww...I hope the broody feeling is a good one. :) Just remind yourself of no sleep, temper tantrums, and potty training days, and maybe that will be enough deterrent!

>38 ronincats: Thanks Roni! I need to hunt down your thread soon!

>39 jnwelch: Thanks Joe! I hope you have a great year too. :)

>40 AMQS: Hi Anne! I hope you and the family are having a great New Years as well.

>41 Kittybee: Thanks Rachel! I completely lost track of you in the second part of last year! I will now have to go hunt down your 2012 thread and make sure I stay on top of it!

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We have a dinner with some friends tonight and I am attempting to bake a triple layer chocolate cake *gasp*. If you get to know me, you will soon find out that I don't have a baking gene in me whatsoever, so I have no idea what possessed me to want to try this for the very first time. I spent about half an hour up and down the dairy aisle to find "buttermilk" and couldn't find the darn thing! I don't even KNOW what buttermilk is?? But, I did manage to find out that my grocery carried goat milk? Oh well, I hope my improvisation works out! I also made another rookie mistake of not making sure I have all the ingredients before starting and so now the Hubby is at the store hunting down some unsweetened chocolate cubes. Hopefully everything works out, otherwise, store bought dessert it will end up being! :D

Good luck with the cake! Happy New Year!

The cake sounds great, Happy New Year and I'm looking forward to following you thread again this year. You've also inspired me to get on with it and try to round up my best reads of 2011.

Happy New New, Valerie! Popped over here from Chelle's thread to see how the cake was coming. I'm constantly forgetting to buy key ingredients and Tomm find himself rushing off to the store for me - just another of those things husbands are so good at.

Valerie- I'm so glad you decided to come back and join us again. You are always such a bright spot around here! Hey, we need a current Monkey photo!

Hi Valerie! I'm sure your cake will be delicious!

If you can't find buttermilk you can just add some lemon or vinegar to regular milk and let it sit 10 minutes.

>47 ChelleBearss: good tip Chelle, Ill be interested to see how the cakes comes out

Good luck with your cake! I bet it will be the first of many. I'm with Mark -- we need a Monkey photo!

Happy New Year Valerie. Looking forward to following your reading during 2012.

Good luck with your cake!

If you cannot find buttermilk in the dairy section, there is always powdered buttermilk on the baking aisle too, Valerie.

I hope the cake turned out OK.

Valerie - so glad you decided to join us again in 2012! I hope your triple layer chocolate cake turns out well - it sounds delicious!

>43 jadebird: Thanks Ren! Happy New Year to you as well. :)

>44 KiwiNyx: Hi Leonie! So glad to have you back with us again. I look forward to seeing what books you will be reading this year as well and hopefully this year will not be as busy for the both of us.

>45 scaifea: Yup and no complaints! I am so blessed. And of course he helped me with all the math part of the baking since I'm not good with fractions!

>46 msf59: Thanks Mark! No wonder they call you the nice guy. You have no problem living up to that reputation. ;)

>47 ChelleBearss: Chelle! You are as smart as Google. As I was standing around in the dairy section pondering my dilemma, I actually searched online and found the same suggestion you gave me. Thank goodness for Smart phones. In the end, my hubby found buttermilk when he went back to the store for other ingredients. Turns out I was just too short to see the writing on the top shelf which clearly said 1% BUTTERMILK. Being short has its disadvantages!

>49 AMQS: Thanks Anne! I am hoping that it won't be my last since I really want to spend time developing my "baking" skills. But the first time was definitely a lesson learned and boy was the kitchen a mess afterwards!

>50 DeltaQueen50: Thanks Judy! I hope you had a great New Years as well.

>51 alcottacre: Ahh, look at the things I'm learning here on LT. Everyone here is so well knowledgable in about every possible area. :)

>52 souloftherose: Thanks Heather. I had a taste of the cake and would say not bad for my very first attempt, although now I have to pay for that bit of indulgence by working out extra hard! :)

If I had been smart, I would have taken a before picture of the cake which looked decent enough for a newbie baker. So all I have is the "aftermath" of the picture which is a chocolate cake that is been decimated and toppled over. Note, it looks really gross..haha!


This WAS originally a triple layered chocolate cake. By the end of the night it looked like.....well, you can fill in the blank for that one. :P

And a picture of the monkey to kick the new year off:

He is now at the stage where he will smile on command at the camera, but will only do so with his eyes closed and mouth wide open most of the time. :D

I hope everyone has a great Monday! TUESDAY. (Thanks Chelle for reminding me what day it is....)

congrats. on your cake! it looks good even partly eaten :) love all that frosting! did you make the frosting too ?

awww Monkey!

>55 curlysue: Hi Kara! Yeah, I made the icing from scratch as well. I had the mentality of going big or going home! You are too nice. That thing on the plate looks not very appetizing to me, but then again it was ploughed through by a bunch of university students with a ridiculous appetite. :)

>54 jolerie: Awww what a cutie!

#54 The cake looks yummy (even collapsed - look at all that chocolate gooeyness) and the monkey is pretty cute too!

Congrats on the cake! It looks like you had frosting finger-lickers in your home. My sister still does that (bless her heart) when no one's looking, and she's over 50!

The monkey is adorable!

It's always a good sign that the cake tastes good when at the end of the night there is hardly any left and the plate looks like a gooey chocolate mess!! Good job :)

I actually had a recipe that I needed buttermilk for recently and my grocery store only had the huge $7 container. I only needed 1/4 cup, so sad to spend that much. I froze the rest and came right home to find out what I could substitute it with next time lol

Cutest Monkey ever! Love the big smile :)

Aw he is so adorable! What a great picture!

Glad the cake turned out well. As for Monkey, he's getting so BIG. Adorable smile of course. Hope you can tear yourself away from all that cuteness to sneak in some reading. ;)

Love the cake and your son's face, hehe! Just noticed your opening photo is Vladstudio - love, love the stuff there. It's an internet haunt of mine : ).

>57 AnneDC: Thanks Anne!

>58 souloftherose: You are too kind Heather. :)

>59 DorsVenabili: Hi Kerri. It definitely looks like someone took their fingers and just ran it all over the dish. I wouldn't be surprised if one of the kiddos managed to do that without our knowing.

>60 ChelleBearss: Yeah, I think next time I will have to take your advice and just make my own since you've done it before and it obviously worked. Right now I have a huge carton of buttermilk in my fridge and I have no idea what to do with it. Making another cake is not an option at this moment. :) Any recipes for that uses buttermilk??

>61 seasonsoflove: Thanks BECCA!

>62 MickyFine: Yeah I know Micky! Everytime I look, I feel like he's gotten a bit bigger. It's crazy to see how much things can change in a year. This time last year, he was just a blob. Now he's running all over the place and I can barely keep track of where he's bouncing off to. :)

>63 lit_chick: I didn't get a chance to check out the site, but it looks like they had some really cool designs. I will be back there when I have some more time to peruse the site.

No recipes that I have personally tried, other than cake. But you can always use it in pancakes, biscuits or in your mashed potatoes. I just froze it for when I need it for baking again.
Here is a bunch of recipes from the food network using buttermilk
http://www.foodnetwork.com/topics/buttermilk/index.html

I love the photo of the little monkey smiling. Hey, who wouldn't be smiling after eating lots of chocolate cake.

I imagine that photo will be one of your favorites throughout the year.

Happy New Year Dear One!

Congrats on the cake success Valerie.

And monkey looks adorable, eyes closed and all.

Well, I think the demolished cake looks amazingly tasty and am now completely craving chocolate. Sigh.
And let me chime in with everyone else to say how absolutely adorable Monkey is! I just want to give him a squeeze!

There's the little guy! I knew you would come through! That's a great expression!

Glad to hear your cake was a big success, Valerie. Your little boy is adorable!

Love the picture of your little boy, Valerie! What a cutie he is!

Judging by the remains the cake was a great success:)

Monkey looks adorable.

Buttermilk makes great scones or pancakes or you could just make another cake!

Oooh, yes, scones! I have a wonderful (and easy) recipe, if you're interested...

Psst! Valerie, >61 seasonsoflove: = Becca, not Heather. (*quietly slipping away*)

>65 ChelleBearss: Thanks Chelle! I will definitely look through that and see if I can do something with the rest of that buttermilk chilling in my fridge

>66 Whisper1: Thanks Linda. Yes, fortunately the monkey only got to taste a bit of that chocolate so he didn't end up bouncing off the walls for the rest of the night.

>67 Smiler69: Thanks Ilana!

>68 scaifea: Sorry about the chocolate crave Amber. But, you know what that say, have everything in moderation and you should be fine! I on the other hand don't have much of a sweet tooth so baked sweets are usually for the benefits of those around me.

>69 msf59: Thanks Mark! He sure knows how to turn it on for the camera these days.

>70 DeltaQueen50: Thanks Judy.

>71 alcottacre: Thanks Stasia.

>72 calm: Hi Calm. I'm just glad most of the cake was eaten otherwise I don't know what I would have done with the leftovers. Baking another cake is not something I want to do again real soon since cleanup the first time around was a doozy.

>73 scaifea: Are scones hard to make well??

>74 jnwelch: Thanks Joe! Gosh the confusion in 2012 has started early. Souloftherose=Heather. Seasonsoflove=Becca. Got it! :D

>75 jolerie: At least you don't get Gogs81=Chelle mixed up! Thanks for straightening me out. :-)

#76 Sorry guys, I guess I should change my user name to just my name. would simplify life a little LOL

Found and starred you, Valerie. With this group expanding so quickly, it's been quite a challenge this year to find threads. I hope I'll do better at keeping up with them this year though. :-)

By the way, have you read the whole Emma series yet? I've just finished the Black Butler series by Yana Toboso and am looking for another manga series to sink my teeth into.

>76 jnwelch: Haha, no worries Joe! I blame my blunder on mommy brain. I think we can safely assume that the sheer volume of people swinging by your cafe is the reason for your oopsie. :) But, I must say that set up was just too perfect to have been scripted. Thanks for the little snork I had when I visited your thread this morning.

>77 ChelleBearss: I think everyone should just change their name to Valerie and we would never have that problem again! :)

>78 cameling: Hi Caro! Thank you once again for your challenge. I have been so tempted the last couple of day so make a purchase with Book Depository, but was able to hold back and ask myself if they are really books I NEED right at this very second and the obvious answer is NO, so I was able to restrain. :)
I only read the first book in the series and really, really liked the storyline and concept! I have no idea how many other ones are in the entire series, but I plan on reading them eventually. I was going to ask you if you considered it manga, but you already answered that for me. Is the Black Butler series similar?

Valerie, your little guy is getting big but still cute as a button with eyes open or shut! Thanks for the update.

And, yummmm, I'm craving a piece of chocolate cake with homemade fudge frosting. I thought I was done with sweets (with too much of a good thing the past few weeks) but your cake picture revived my sweet tooth!

Congratulations on your self-restraint, Valerie!

The Black Butler is manga and an interesting series.. I think. It's about Sebastian, a butler to the Earl of Phantomhive .....a commercial tycoon.....and a 12 year old boy. But Sebastian is always at his side, helping him with his schemes and getting him out of funny entanglements ....but how is it Sebastian is so good? ahh...that's the secret you need to read to find out.

Moderation? Excuse me? I've never understood the Greeks and their obsession with Everything in Moderation. Pshaw, I say.

PS: Get it? Obsession/moderation? Sigh. I try.

Love the Monkey picture and have a chocolate craving now.

I starred your thread on the first day, but am just reading it all now! It's been busy around here!

Great job on the cake! My best friend's sister-in-law is a terrific baker who makes a mean chocolate layer cake. I asked her for her recipe and it turns out that just uses the recipe that is on the Hershey's cocoa box! The baking cocoa, not hot cocoa mix. It also has the frosting recipe on there, too. I made it and it was delicious. Pretty easy, too.

Sandy K

Love the photo of the cake carnage! Aftermath indeed :)

Loved the cake, loving the monkey and if it helps, my girls have read the first few of Emma and Black Butler and enjoyed both.

Ahhhhh, your little Monkey is toooo cute! Can't you just squeeze him every moment?!
Congrats on reading 90 books last year. Do you think you'll be able to top that this year?

Oh that monkey of yours is so cute, Valerie!!Dropping a star! My monkeys are 27 and turning 22 ! However did that happen!!! Gasp!

Valerie another post to join the Monkey fanclub. Last year I was flummoxed as to why Valerie kept a monkey at home until the penny dropped!

*snork!* at Paul's monkey confusion!

passing through *waves*

Self-discipline? What?

>80 Donna828: Thanks Donna! You are welcome to any chocolate cake I bake in the future since I don't really have a sweet tooth. All my baking is really to the benefits and cravings of those around me. :)

>81 cameling: Thanks for the applause Caro. And to celebrate all that self restraint, I ended buying my very first book of the year! Costco is so bad for me. I should just walk into that place with a blindfold on otherwise the temptations are always too great for me to walk away from. The prices are too good to pass up!
I will definitely look up the Black Butler series after I'm done with the Emma ones.

>82 scaifea: I got it! It only took me like 5 times rereading the sentence to get it. Not because it wasn't brilliant, but that I'm THAT slow. :) Yeah, moderation is overrated, especially with this group. ;)

>83 ronincats: Hi Roni! I hope you were able to find something to soothe that chocolate craving!

>84 sandykaypax: Hi Sandy! I know what you mean. Just a weekend away from LT and people are starting new threads and such! Just have to remind myself that there is no pressure to always stay on top or this whole place becomes a untameable beast causing untold stress!
Thanks for the tip about the cake. I will have to look that up and see if it's not easier to make..haha!

>85 LovingLit: Cake carnage. Very apt description. :)

>86 KiwiNyx: Hi Leonie! I will get through the series eventually. I find they are nice breaks between some of the heavier books on my shelf. :)

>87 Carmenere: Hi Lynda! I will be extremely lucky to be able to read a number like that again, but there is always hope! There are a number of chunksters that I want to read this year so that will not help the whole 75 books deal, but hey, it's not the quantity, but the quality right?? :)

>88 vancouverdeb: Hi Deb! It's so great to see you again. :) Time flies by fast. I can't believe my little guy is already a year and half already! I can't wait till he's older, but sad at the same time that time is going by faster than I ever thought it could.

>89 PaulCranswick: My house is like a zoo so I wouldn't be surprised to have a monkey, along with my son hanging off my legs at some point. ;)

>90 scaifea: Hi Amber!

>91 curlysue: Hi Kara. I hope you're having a great weekend!

>92 lit_chick: That word confounds me as well, Nancy. That, along with, moderation. :)

This has been a rather whirlwind of a weekend. We have friends over for dinner as well as a baby shower to plan for tomorrow. I spent the majority of my weekend baking cake pops (which should have looked like babies, but ended up looking like senile old men??) for the shower as well has putting together a diaper cake and a gift basket filled with practical things that all new moms should have. Amidst all the busyness, I also got a couple of parcels delivered from book depository (yay!!) and since the books were purchased at the end of last year, I am not going to count them towards purchases made in 2012:

Bridge of Birds by Barry Hughart
Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer
This World We Live In by Susan Beth Pfeffer
The Dead & the Gone by Susan Beth Pfeffer
Mudbound by Hillary Jordon.

Thanks to Caro's challenge this year, I am going to try to read more books than I'm going to purchase. The dollar amount spent on books this year will be matched and donated to a charity at the end of the year. This way I will not just be spending on myself, but also benefiting others in need.

This year's first purchase (Darn Costco and their cheap prices!) was a historical novel. I guess I should be thankful I didn't end up with an armful of books....


The Winter Palace by Eva Stachniak

Oh yes, another picture of he Monkey! Thanks! Oh my, he is adorable.

Good luck with the baby shower -- hope it all goes well.

#94: Nice haul, Valerie! I read and loved Bridge of Birds and Life As We Knew It.

Flyby wave, Valerie. Your description of your cake pops is too funny.
Have fun at the shower today!

Bridge of Birds was one of my favorite books of 2011.

Hello Valerie!! I'm so glad that I finally found you! I'm sorry it has taken me so long!

Hi Valerie- Nice book haul! I read and loved Mudbound a couple months ago. I hope you enjoy it too. Have a nice Sunday.

I've been meaning to read Bridge of Birds too after hearing so many good things about it.

I loved Life As We Knew It; I'll be curious to hear what you think of the rest of the series.

Same as Zoe ^ as I really enjoyed Life As We Knew It but was disappointed by the second and didn't get to the third, so I'm intrigued as to whether you will find all three good. I hope you do.

sooooo where are the pictures of the cake pops? huh? huh?

#101/102: I was the same way about the Pfeffer books.

>94 jolerie:: Mmmmm... cake pops. They would be dangerous to have around here. I went so far as to purchase the "lollipop sticks" in anticipation of my two oldest granddaughters helping me with them... and taking them home when they leave. We ran out of time for that fun project at Christmas. Your 'old men" probably look like a lot of babies I've seen. ;-)

I'm tempted between The Winter Palace and last year's bio about Catherine the Great. Please hurry up and read it, Valerie, so I can have your input!

Have fun at the baby shower.

>94 jolerie: The dollar amount spent on books this year will be matched and donated to a charity at the end of the year.
And that way you dont have to feel bad about buying books, you might even find you will buy more books this year :)

Nice haul of books purchased last year, Valerie. I hate walking through Costco as well because I'm always tempted by their books. However, I've found that their prices aren't always better than what I can get from B&N or Amazon, so my book purchasing from Costco has actually come way down.

Winter Palace looks interesting ... I will wait for your review before putting it on my obese wish list.

The comment about the cake pops that were supposed to look like babies but ended up looking like senile old man made me laugh out loud. Hope at least they tasted good!

Sandy K

A great haul of books, Valerie. I too have only read the first Pfeffer book, but definitely plan on trying the next one. It's always so disappointing when the other books in a series don't live up to the first.

Ohh! I've got Mudbound waiting for me too. I know what you mean - darn Costco and their " cheap " books! Difficult to resist! I'm trying to keep to a budget with my books this year, but just last night I purchased Renovating Heaven and Hero's Walk. LOL! A couple of nights prior to that I purchased a bargain book The Betrayal which is my current read! :)

#94 Valerie nice to see you are joining us on Caro's Read More Than You Buy challenge. Must admit though when I see other people listing down their fabulous purchases I don't know how long I can remain strong!

I also admire you plan to donate the equivalent dollars on books to charity this year. Nice touch and you know that what you do spend will be well thought out purchases.

Dropping by at last, Valerie. Nice book haul you have there - at least, I really liked Mudbound - I don't know the others.

Good luck with your reading aims for this year!

Just popping in to say Hello - hope everything is going well with you!

Valerie....hello? You must be busy doing baby stuff ;)
See you back here soon!

LT is just crazy this year...soooo busy.

Didn't want you to think I forgot you! Whatcha reading these days?

Psst ... you good? Any reading going on? Bueller?

I feel like I lost track of your thread but now I'm caught up. I have Mudbound checked out from the library but that's the only one from your latest haul (that end of 2011 one) that I'm familiar with. I too am on the "read more than you buy" plan for the year. So far, so good, but it's early!

*waving* at Valerie

Valerie haven't seen you around for a fortnight...hope everything is ok and look forward to a resumption of your entertaining thread soon.

Adding my hello Valerie. Hope you're ok and you can come back and visit us soon.

Hey Everyone! Sorry for the absence the last couple of weeks. There have been some new commitments that have popped up that will keep me busy for the next little bit. I don't think I will have the time to maintain a thread, but I will definitely be lurking around to see what you guys are reading. Thanks for all your care and concern and I hope I can catch up with you all sooner than later!

Nice to see you back Valerie!

Yaay... glad you're ok, and just busy Valerie.

Hi Valerie! Glad to hear that all is well.

Whew! So glad that you're okay! Busy is understandable. We'll see you when you get a chance to pop in!

Glad to hear that everything is going well, and you are happy and busy, Valerie. We'll be here when you get time to check in.

>122 jolerie: phew, always get a little concerned about lack of posting! Hope you and the little one are thriving :)

Hi, Valerie : ). Catch up later!

Good to know all is well Valerie!

Hi Valerie! We'll be here waiting for you when your commitments subside. Take care :0) and give your little monkey a smooch for me.

Hi Valerie - yes it was good to hear from you. Sometimes real life does have to come first! Look forward to seeing/hearing from you when you have time to drop in to LT.

Hi Valerie, glad to hear things are okay although we all have our moments of real life getting in the way of LT! ;) Hope you get some good reading squeezed in amongst your new busy schedule.

I second what Kiwi says (us NZers gotta stick together right?).
Hope you've got time for books if not LT :)

Hey Valerie! Just passing through!

Hi Valerie, wow you really are too busy for LT.
Hope everything is going well with you and the family.

Just stopping by to say hello!

Miss you and little monkey updates. Hope all is well!

Just adding my voice to say hi and hope all is well with you and family.

Adding my voice too - hope you are all well.

Lynda hit it on the head you and the little monkey are sorely missed. Hope you are ok and that you will post soon.

Valerie - where are you?!

Hope everyone is well!

Thanks everyone for checking in! The family and I are doing well, but just super busy and swamped. Sorry I haven't had the time to keep this thread up to date but hopefully by the fall things will slow down enough for me to catch up with everyone and see what great readings you have done this year!

Hi Valerie - Glad to hear you're doing well! I hope you're able to return in the fall. Take care.

#144 Glad to hear you're all ok Valerie. Hope life eases up soon.

Hooray Valerie is back.....or not.
Nice to see you still around, hope you'll be back for longer next time! :)

Glad to hear everything is okay!

Great to see you're doing fine Valerie look forward to you being back in the groove as the leaves turn golden brown.

Hi Valerie! Thanks for checking in and it's good to know everything is going well with you and the family.

Yay! A message from Valerie! So glad to hear that things are going well with you and yours.

Good to hear that all is going well!

It's great to hear from you, Valerie. Personally, I'd like to skip over summer and jump right into fall! Take care and we'll catch up when you catch your breath.

Glad to hear everything is going well with you. Hope you are still getting some reading time in your busy life! hugs!

Hi Valerie, I know all about swamped. I've had a very hard time keeping up with LT, so I can sympathize. Hope all is well in your world.

Valerie! I've been super-duper busy and off LT for a bit too. Although I tried to keep up with sporadic updates! I hope you are doing well!

Hi Valerie
*lurk lurk*
Bye Valerie

Hope you are well - looking forward to the autumn when hopefully you'll have time to visit again.

Thanks for dropping by everyone!
I think I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. We are back from our family vacation to Taiwan. Everyone is finally adjusted and healthy. Just one more wedding in August and I think we will be back to a regular, I can catch my breath, kind of pace. :)

I will post the list of books that I've read so far this year (no reviews) and hopefully find time to make my way to all your threads in the near future!

Books Read in 2012:
**Books are OTS unless otherwise indicated
January
1. The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai 3.5*
2. (L) Anahita's Woven Riddle by Meghan Nuttall Sayres 3.75*
3. (L) A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray 4*
February
4. The Rose Labyrinth by Titania Hardie 3.5*
5. (L) Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver 4*
6. (ER) Every Body Matters by Gary Thomas 4*
7. The Rosetta Codex by Richard Paul Russo 3.75*
8. (L) Princess of Glass by Jessica Day George 3.5*
9. Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie 4*
10. Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens by J. M. Barrie 3.5*
11. (L) The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie 5*
12. The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards 5*
13. (L) Across the Universe by Beth Revis 4*
March
14. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson 3.75*
15. (L) I am Number Four by Pittacus Lore 3.5*
16. (L) Jane by April Linder 2.5*
April
17. A Book about Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived by Rob Bell 3.75*
18. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte 3.75*
19. (L) Chalice by Robin McKinley 4*
20. (ER) The Last Song by Eva Wiseman 3.75*
21. The Scions of Shannara by Terry Brooks 4.5*
22. (L) Factotum by D.M. Cornish 3.75*
23. Transforming Discipleship by Greg Ogden 5*
24. The Princess and the Goblin by George Macdonald 3.5*
25. (L) Eve by Anna Carey 4.5*
26. The Princess and Curdie by George Macdonald 3*
27. (L) Emma Vol. 2 by Kaoru Mori 3.5*
28. The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison 4*
29. The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter 4*
30. (L) Un Lun Dun by China Mieville 4*
31. Shanghai Girls by Lisa See 5*
May
32. (L) The Children of the Lost by David Whitley 4*
33. Amaryllis in Blueberry by Christina Meldrum 4.75*
34. (L) The Haunting of Alaizabel Cray by Chris Wooding 3.5*
35. The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman 4*
36. (L) Rebel Angels by Libba Bray 3*
June
37. The White Mare by Jules Watson 3.75*
38. Shadow of the Hegemon by Orson Scott Card 3*
39. (L) I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith 2.5*
40. A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry 4*
41. (L) When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead 3.75*
42. (ER) The Serpent's Bite by Warren Adler 2.5*
43. (L) Stealing Athena by Karen Essex 4*
44. (L) The Selection by Kiera Cass 3*
45. Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger 3.75*
46. (L) Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini 4*

Hope the little monkey (dressed as a frog) and I will be able to catch up with everyone real soon!

Hi, Valerie! Great to see you surfacing here, glad things are going well. You've been reading a lot of good fantasy this year--I have the first Libba Bray book here in the tbr pile, love the MacDonald classics and McKillip is always good!

Very nice to see you post Valerie. Look forward to you being back with us all more regularly soon. 3 5 star books already is not bad going either.

Hi Valerie great to see you back. Hope life calms down for you and that you had a great vacation.

Monkey is looking great:)

Hi Valerie! So glad to hear that everyone is healthy and that the vacation was a success. Great reading so far and I look forward to keeping up with you. And adorable photo of the monkey!

Valerie- You just made my day! It's great to see you. You've been missed. It's good to see you've been still knocking out the books too. Hugs!

Oh, I can't explain how happy I am that you're back on LT! You and your monkey are a beautiful sight!

Welcome back, Valerie!

>160 ronincats: Hi Roni! I am surprised at how many books I've been able to read thus far, but then upon closer inspection there is a large majority of YA books lurking on that list. I used to snub my nose at the thought of reading a "teen" book, but oh how I've learned my lesson since they are such a large staple of my reading time now. I hope you enjoy the Libba Bray series. I've read the first and second, and will eventually get to the third.

>161 PaulCranswick: Yes Paul, I too am hoping for regular. :) Three 5 star ratings is nice. Not too shabby, but definitely wouldn't sneaking a couple more in there!

>162 calm: Thanks Calm. :) The fall will definitely go at a more relaxing pace, or at least that is what I am going to keep telling myself.

>163 DorsVenabili: Thanks Kerri! I am super excited to be back with everyone as well. Now, catching up on all the threads is another workout in itself. :)

>164 msf59: Thanks Mark! I definitely enjoyed all the time I got to read so far but am still shocked at how some people are already past 75 books!! How? How??

>165 scaifea: Amber, I can't say enough how much I love this group and the people in it. You guys are such a great group of people, and of course since everyone here shares a love of books, that's just the cherry on top of my already ginormous cake. :D Looking forward to seeing more crafty updates with Charlie as your ever handsome model. ;)

>166 katiekrug: Thanks Katie. I will have to swing by your thread when I go through my rounds. It feels like a marathon. Slow and steady!

What a cute picture of the little green frog, Valerie. I'm glad you're going to enjoy some downtime after your trip to Taiwan.

Woo Hoo, Valerie is back with a cute little green monkey. Too cute. I'm glad your long break is almost over. You've been missed!

Hi Valerie!
Dont you just love that "smile for the camera" face that little ones pull! lol, it's a classic. Great to see you back, and reading still!
Your only June one that ive even heard of is A Fine Balance which I loved.

>168 cameling: Thanks Caro! I'm hoping for and looking forward to a calm and quiet fall after all the summer busyness. :)

>169 Donna828: Thanks Donna! It feels so nice to be back and have some time to see what everyone has been up to and reading. Hopefully I didn't miss too much, but a couple of months away, several threads later, I know that there must be some gems that I missed, but my wishlist is far too obese anyways...so I guess it might not be such a bad thing.

>170 LovingLit: Tell me about it. Grandma now us instructs to NOT say smile whenever we take family pictures because the monkey without fail will close his eyes and bare his teeth! Now, he just goes into an automatic grimace face whenever we whip out the camera. People always wonder if my child is crying or in pain when they look at pictures..ha!
June definitely had a lot of newer YA titles which were fun to just plow through. :)

Glad to see you around the threads! Your little monkey (frog) is super cute

Valerie's back! *does a happy dance* It's SO good to see you back around. And the Monkey is adorable as always. Pretty impressive list of books completed so far this year too. :D

Oh my goodness, your little monkey has grown so much! Hope you're having a great summer.

What a lovely photo of your little guy! How very precious.

So glad to see you back, Valerie. Your little monkey looks adorable (as do you, too!)

Valerie! It's so nice to see your smiling face! Little monkey is such a cute little fella.
Glad you're home and things are slowing down. You've been greatly missed.

Wonderful to see you back, Valerie. Baby Monkey is adorable! Some good books up there, too.

Hi! Your little monkey is getting so big! Good to see your thread active again. You got some good books read while you were being so quiet.

Haven't we talked about Graceling and Fire? I just picked up Bitterblue today - so excited to read it.

>172 ChelleBearss: Awww Chelle, we are friends now. :D

>173 MickyFine: *Happy happy dance dance*. I'm pretty stoked to be back. Can you tell??

>174 AMQS: Thanks Anne! I have no idea where all the time has gone. One minute I'm super pregnant, feeling like a beached whale, and the next I have toddler who is about to turn 2!

>175 Whisper1: Thanks Linda. I need to go mosey on over to your thread to check out your books!

>176 DeltaQueen50: Thanks Judy. It feels so nice to be back amongst people who share my love of book hoarding. :)

>177 Carmenere: Thank Lynda. I feel like I'm finally home after reconnecting with so many of you!

>178 Matke: Hi Gail! Yup, being absent from LT for the last couple of months was no fun, but being able to see the amount of books I was able to read is a nice consolation. Now I need to go and find your thread!

>179 nittnut: Hi Jenn! He FEELS big as well. I don't know how much longer I am going to be able lift him up and hold him in my arms. Will enjoy it for as long as I can.
I am super excited to get a copy of Bitterblue as well since I really enjoyed the first two books. I will exercise my super human power of restraint and wait until the craziness at the library dies down. Looking forward to seeing what you think of it! :)

Valerie - since you have been buzzing womanfully across the threads to catch up (I don't envy you after so long away) I hope you will take pause sufficiently to have a wonderful weekend.

Paul - It'g go big or go home for me. :) LT is rather addicting. I'll check out one thread and say it's my last one only to find that 2 more hours have flown by and I'm still hunched over at my kitchen table on my laptop. But then the sound of my son destroying my house behind my back is a rather quick way to bring me back to reality.
I hope you and yours are having a great weekend as well!

Welcome back Valerie! It's been nice seeing you pop up around the threads. Catching up with everyone here is a full-time job, so take it easy or you'll get burned out!

I'm glad you're back!

#47 Mr Darcy Takes a Wife by Linda Berdoll
Source: OTS
Genre: Fiction/Classic
Pages: 465
Rating: 3.75*
Recommend: Not if you REALLY liked P&P in its pristine and untarnished form

Where Jane Austen has left off, Linda Berdoll has continued. What Jane Austen lacks, Linda Berdoll goes over and beyond in excess. Mr. Darcy and his love interest, Elizabeth are now married and with legality comes a whole lot of romping around the bedchambers and mysteries pertaining to parentage. Their marriage is as passionate as their courtship was proper. The only adequate way to summarize the books is Victorian classic meets Desperate Housewives.
If you are a diehard Austen fan, this probably is not your cup of tea since Pride and Prejudice is literally transformed into a lusty and lascivious experience. For those of us who aren't loyal Austen fans, it's just a fun time imagining the life, post the happily ever after ending, of one of English literature's most romantic couple.

Hi Valerie! So nice to see you back and posting! I love the photo of your little green monkey. As a diehard Austen fan i'll probably pass on your last read.

I read the Berdoll book ages ago under a different title - The Bar Sinister. I love P&P and all of Austen, but it was still good (rather smutty) fun!

I can't handle any kind of Austen follow-up so I'll definitely be skipping this one. But I'm glad you enjoyed it!

>183 Smiler69: Thanks Ilana. Yup, gotta remind myself that I need to pace myself or else I'll get NO reading done in July. :)

>184 _Zoe_: Thanks Zoe! It's nice to be back among familiar friends. I gotta go track down your thread as well.

>186 AnneDC: Hi Anne. That's probably a good call if you love Miss Austen. :)

>187 katiekrug: Katie, did you ever read the second book? I am debating whether or not I want to give it a try. I enjoyed this one, but the sheer size of it is a bit daunting and it took a while to get through the whole book. You are definitely right in that it was rather smutty. ;)

>188 MickyFine: Haha, I thought of you while I was reading the book Micky! I kept thinking that those who love Austen and actually understanding the brilliance behind it would probably not care for this sequel. For someone like me who doesn't really "get" Austen, I found this sequel a little bit more relatable and at the end of it all, felt like something actually happened in the 400+ pages that I read. :)

**********************************************************

Today was the warmest day we've had so far this summer. I know that I have nothing to complain about since our friends down in the South have had it much worse and for a much longer time. Without the luxury of AC (since it's not really needed in my neck of the woods), fans are on full blast and all windows/doors are open. Game plan is to sleep in the basement tonight as the upstairs is way too stifling to spend the night in.

I was looking over some lists of books that I've read in the last couple of years and realized that my rating of the books is somewhat inconsistent. A book may not be well written, but is a page turner will more often then not get a higher rating than a book that is really well written, but not really exciting in terms of storyline. That got me wondering what everyone else thinks? Do you guys give a higher rating because it's a "good"story (exciting, pageturners, etc.), but with mediocre to poor writing, or, does awe inspiring, that is pure literary magic, but only an okay story get the higher rating?

I didn't know there was a second book. I probably won't look for it - the first was fine for what it was but I've already got too many books I want to get to!

As for ratings, my are probably pretty inconsistent, too, and for the same reason. I rate books almost as soon as I've finished them, and I try not to compare the book to any others. I just go with my initial gut reaction to it.

My rating system is terribly inconsistent and poorly thought out. I don't have any problem with giving a page turner a 4 if I really enjoyed it, but I probably wouldn't give it a 4.5 or 5 if it wasn't also well written. So I guess I do consciously downgrade for mediocre writing. But I rarely give 5s anyway, and I definitely wouldn't give one to a book that was beautifully written that I just didn't like. I seem to rate almost everything a 4, come to think of it.

Yay! You're back : ). Love your review of Mr. Darcy Takes a Wife! I am an Austen fan, but I think I might find Pride and Prejudice meets Desperate Housewives irresistible, LOL!

eta: Anne (#191), you've described my rating system beautifully!

I rarely rate any books, probably because of laziness, or because I go back and change ratings constantly. It's very hard to do, and the result is that I only rate books that I really love or really hate. Every once in a while I read a book that is a solid 3-star book, and that ends up being not only my rating, but also my review.

>179 nittnut:, 180 I have never read Changeling, but I have Fire on deck for this week (it's Fantasy Week in my class). I look forward to it!

I rate books a lot on how I feel after I read them. If I'm happy and content, they get rated higher than if I feel depressed.

Valerie- Hope it's cooler for you today. I STILL need to get to Graceling. I have moved it to the "Must Read Now" shelf, although there is plenty of company over there too!

I think your rating system is perfectly reasonable. If a book is "well-written" but boring, I probably won't give it more than three stars either.

My rating system is quite similar to yours. If I like a book it gets more stars than one I don't like, no matter how well the writing is. Reading is all about enjoyment for me.

>190 katiekrug: I can't imagine what she would write in the second book since pretty much everything is covered in the first book. I'm probably like you. There are just so many other books on my list and on my shelves that I want to read first that it won't be a high priority on my need to read list.
I think comparing one book to another is where I run into most of my inconsistencies. Thank goodness there is no such thing as a rating police!

>191 AnneDC: Your 4 would have to be my 3.5 stars. I give those out more often than not and it makes since. Most books are average reads for me with a small minority being excellent reads and a smaller minority being horrendous, I want to throw you across the room kind of reads. :)

>192 lit_chick: Yay! I'm sure that combination of proper Victorian values with scandalous bed romping with appeal to a small niche of people. :P

>193 AMQS: Ooh, I hope you enjoy Fire, Anne. I enjoyed it more than Graceling in terms of the story.
I think for me rating is the easiest part since I usually have a number floating around my head while I'm reading the book and unless something dramatic happens, that number usually sticks at the end. Writing the review is the part that is time consuming...

>194 Morphidae: I'm pretty much the same, Morphy. So much of my rating is dependant upon my gut reaction to the book without much thought to the actual quality of the writing...but I guess there is absolutely nothing wrong with that!

>195 msf59: Shame on you Mark! But you are forgiven since it's not like you are reading garbage instead...haha! I do hope you enjoy it whenever you get around to it. :)

>196 _Zoe_: It's nice to know that I'm not alone Zoe!

>197 ChelleBearss: A good story trumps good writing. Now we all need to find a good story with good writing. Those are gems! :)

Summer is finally here! Just walking from our back porch to our garbage bin was enough to set me hightailing back into our house to hibernate. It is WAY too hot outside to try to venture outdoors and it's only 10 in the morning! Days like today makes me wish we had AC, but it just is so not worth it when we we only get weather like this 1 week out of the entire year...
Now, I just need to find ideas for indoor activities to keep the monkey occupied for the rest of the day.

Oh man, I know what you mean, Valerie. It's hot here too and the humidity is up for some weird reason (I can tell because I'm having a really good hair day) because I don't think it rained last night. Definitely hanging out inside with all the curtains and blinds closed to keep out the sun with a fan running nearby.

As for rating systems, I have my personal rules that I set out and get applied whether it's trashy or Literature. :)

It's summers like this that make me begrudge every minute I spend in the office when I could be at the beach. I tried working from the beach one year and completely wrecked my laptop .... apparently sand and microchips are not compatible. Oops?

Yeah Micky....the humidity is a mystery here as well. Does nothing for my hair but gives me annoying heat rashes. I believe they issued a warning in parts outside of Calgary. I've been hibernating in the basement for most of the day so it hasn't been too bad.

Caro, you definitely make me miss living next to a beach. But even if we were, I don't the lure of cool waters would get me out of the house today. I was just thinking my hubby is so lucky because he gets to go to work and enjoy the AC (the heat is making me silly in the head). If you can't go to the beach, bring the beach to your office! :)

*****************************************************

Due to excessive heat and the inability of fans to cool down the house, I will be vacating the premises and mooching off the AC at the malls for the rest of the afternoon. :)

Heading to the mall sounds like a good idea.

I also rate my reads immediately after I finish them, and there are many times I would like to go back and change the rating. I rate a book on how it affected me not on it's literary merits as I am not sure that I would be qualified to judge.

>189 jolerie: I have to rate books on overall performance, if they are fantastically written but not engaging, they get mediocre-high ratings, and if they are averagely written, but highly engaging the same. Badly written books annoy me so much they get poor ratings, even if there is a good story in there.

>202 jolerie: I remember doing that when I lived in Perth, Australia. Used to go the movies and or mall if it was too hot! Good luck with the little monkey, maybe a paddling pool? In the shade?

Thanks Judy. I love the mall on a hot day like these. AC galore and I don't have to pay for it. :)

Took your advice Megan and whipped out the baby pool. That killed time and cooled us all off!

********************************************************

Pick up husband from the mall after this dentist appointment...check.
Filled the backyard baby pool with ice cold water.....check.
Watched as the bugs dive bombed into the pool because they too have a sunburn....check.
Played with the monkey in the back yard pool....check.
Went to the mail box and found that I received my ER book -- Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff (Japanese Steampunk novel with mythic creatures, civil unrest, and a strong female protagonist. Sounds either really promising or a complete disaster..will have to find out!).....very BIG AND HAPPY check. :D

All that's left is to put the monkey down to bed, kick back, and have some down time with the hubby, a slurpee, and my book. Great day indeed.

Valerie- You know what book is getting some great buzz, is Shadow and Bone and it's the 1st in a series. I picked it up a couple weeks ago and hope to bookhorn it in, in a month or so. Check it out. Hey, there's another check!

Thanks Mark! Will have to check out the book to see what all the buzzzz is about. :)

**************************************************************
The following is by no means a list of books that I will remotely come close to completing in July and of course you can't account for the random books that will meander along your path in the meantime. It just feels nice to have choices. :D Happy July Readings everyone!

July's Selection
OTS:
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
The Giver by Lois Lowry
East of Eden John Steinbeck
Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel
Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
The Heretic's Daughter by Kathleen Kent
No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy
The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt
The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
Library:
Chime by Franny Billingsley
Eona by Alison Goodman
Once was Lost by Sara Zarr
The Lying Game by Sara Shepard
Haven by Kristi Cook
Wither by Lauren Destefano
Siren by Tricia Rayburn
Behemoth by Scott Westerfield
Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool
Heart of a Samurai by Margi Preus
Leviathan by Scott Westerfield
Lament by Maggie Stiefvater
Toby Alone by Timothee De Fombelle
Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce
ER:
Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff

That is a very ambitious list Valerie! I look forward to seeing what you do read:)

I'd probably get more reading done if I got myself off LT...haha!

Same here:)

Valerie- Wow, you have set a mighty reading task up for yourself. Some great titles on there too! Enjoy!

Mark, I have no intentions of reading every single one of those books, but that is my shortlist from my library books and books off my shelf instead of choosing from hundreds of books. Although, I am looking forward to one day being able to boast that I can get through that many books in one month as some of our fellow speedy LTer's do on a regular basis. :)

>205 jolerie: Japanese Steampunk novel with mythic creatures, civil unrest
Um, no comment?

There's some pretty big titles off your shelf! Some chunksters too.

#48 Eona by Alison Goodman
Source: Public Library
Genre: YA/Fantasy, Sequel to Eon, Final book in series
Pages: 637
Rating: 4 Stars
Recommend: For fans of non-stop action with strong Asian themes

**May contain spoilers for those who have not read Eon, the first book in the series**

With the shedding of her male disguise, and the healing of her crippled body, Eona, one of the last two remaining Dragoneyes is faced with the difficult choice of choosing between her heart and her obligations to the people of the Empire of the Celestial Dragons. The fate of those around her will depend on her ability to control her newfound powers, but possibly at the sacrifice of losing the one thing she desires - the love of a king. A king she is inexplicably compelled to kill.

In my experience, a well written YA book will ironically, not read like a YA book. The characters are multidimensional and the conflicts are not frivolous. Eona does a good job in that department where the characters are varying shades of tones and colours. The face of evil is not necessarily without compassion, and good, is not a halo walking on legs. The story is fast paced, almost too much so in that there is rarely a dull moment where someone is not dead, dying, or in danger of dying. Overall, a very entertaining read and definitely recommended for those who enjoyed Goodman's first book.

Megan: What? Too strange for you? Haha, that description was written right on the cover of the book by Patrick Rothfuss . I checked the main page it looks like it's getting some pretty good ratings, so we will have to see when I get around to reading it. :)

#207 - Hi Valerie! I love making ambitious monthly plans too! Lots of good stuff on your list.

Yay! Valerie's back :-)

Love the little monkey 'smiling' in his frog outfit :-)

#185 "If you are a diehard Austen fan, this probably is not your cup of tea since Pride and Prejudice is literally transformed into a lusty and lascivious experience" *shudders*

#214 I never got around to reading Eon but that series sounds like a good one (and it's only two books long!)

Thanks Kerri! I like having a plan for the month but at the same time leaving it wide open so there is flexibility in choosing what I want to read. Even if I get to a third of the books on that list, I will be a happy camper. :)

Hi Heather! So great to hear from you. I hope you give the series a chance and hope even more that you will enjoy them. It's nice that is only 2 books, each book is about 600 pages, but they are easy and fast reads.

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Maybe it was the heat, or maybe it's all the stuff on the to-do list for this month (bridal shower, stagette, wedding) that kept me awake last night. So I ended up just getting up and writing a review for the last book and started a new book.

Currently Reading:

The Giver by Lois Lowry
Boy is this one shaping up to be a real good read!

27 books planned for the month Valerie - sounds exactly like one of my lists!

Loved the comment about the bugs also having sunburn. hahaha

I didn't even count how many books are on the list, which only highlights how ridiculous and unrealistic it is to begin with. :)

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Okay, I just couldn't resist. I have not read any shades of any grey and will probably no matter how sensational it is just because it just isn't my cup of tea but the following article had me laughing because it is VERY Canadian.

http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/06/24/forbidden-passion-unspeakable-politeness/

I cringe at the thought of the actual books being written in the same poor/repetitive style. Can't take it seriously. Just can't.
Check it out if you are looking for a chuckle. It is very Canadian eh? ;)

That's hilarious, Valerie. My favorite line: "I can feel a stirring deep within me, somewhere beneath my snow pants."

The first place I saw someone openly reading a copy of Fifty Shades of Grey was on the train in Calgary last month...

Thank you for the link Jolerie - its hilarious - I definately know why I will not read that Trilogy *grin*

Katie, there were so many references in that article that had me cracking! Tim Bits, Canadian Tire, and Head and Shoulders. ROTFL!
The first time I saw someone reading it was on the plane when we were flying to Taiwan. As popular as the book is, I am quite surprised I don't see it in people's hands more often.
You were in my neck of the woods? Too bad you couldn't stay for the Stampede. :)

Drachenbraut: I'm glad you had a laugh with it as well. It definitely lightened my day as well. Yeah, just based on the writing of the article, which I'm sure is an emulation of the actual work itself, I just can't bring myself to read such BAD writing. It's so bad, it's comical!

Nice Canadian spoof, Valerie. It definitely made me giggle. As for why you don't see more people reading it, I have a feeling it would be a popular choice as an ebook so people can't see what you're reading.

>223 jolerie: - When I found out I was going to Calgary, I tried to think if any of my LT peeps were up there, and I remembered you were but you hadn't been around for a while so I figured life was keeping you pretty busy. We have an office up there so I'll probably be back in the future - I'll let you know! Maybe Micky would come down from Edmonton :) (I think she's in Edmonton...?)

Micky, I figured it was probably a hit with the e-books since no one can tell what you are reading giving you all the privacy in the world to indulge in some secret fantasies.

Awww...too bad we couldn't do a mini Canadian LT meetup. That would be so much fun. Next time you are in town, we should for sure think of something. And we would have to lure Micky down here as well!

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Okay so I've got an embarrassing, yet enlightening story to share with everyone....
I went shopping with a girlfriend of mine tonight for another friend who is getting married at the beginning of August. We bought some fun lingerie for her (always fun when shopping for naughty stuff for friends), but I was also looking for a strapless bra for myself. Anyways, I had NO IDEA they sold these cool sticky bra things with adhesive where it basically sticks to you without straps on the shoulders or the back. I haven't shopped for a bra for so long that I had no idea there were such magical things! And then I remembered....
A couple of years ago when we took some engagement pictures in Taiwan, I had to wear some dresses that you couldn't wear even a strapless bra (because it would show through the sides of the dress) and they were going to sell me these funky padding things that you had to pay and arm and a leg for. I was cheap so I opted for (don't laugh) good old fashion BANDAIDS and then tape wrapped around my ladies to take the pictures. By the end of the long day....ripping those the tape off was pain like no other, not to mention the constant itchiness I felt from the tape chaffing against me all the live long day. If only I KNEW about those magical adhesive bras then!!!! Gahhh! @.@

#49 The Giver by Lois Lowry
Source: OTS
Genre: Children/Classics/Dystopian
Pages: 179
Rating: 5 Stars
Recommend: A most enthusiastic YES. If they haven't forced you to read this is school, they should have.

Jonas was the same as everyone else. He looked the same, thought the same, spoke the same. Until his twelfth birthday. On that day he was chosen. Chosen to be different, set apart for a specific task that eventually causes him to see his world in a different light. In world where choices don't exist, and the people are governed by a strict code of conduct and rules, Jonas will see the truth. The truth will force him to do something no one else in his world has done before - to choose.

This book is a gem. As a huge fan of dystopian fiction, The Giver delivers a world so possible, it's scary. Despite being a short book, every page, every word is purposeful, packing a creepy punch that leaves me wondering if we aren't just one bomb away from living in a world not unlike the Community. My only critique would be I wished there was more. More history behind the Community. More on what happens to Jonas. More. Regardless, it was a great read, worth every award and accolade it has received.

Valerie- Good review of the Giver and it's a shorty too! Double yah! I'll have to scope that one out. Not much to add on the strapless bra story, other than...ouch.

>225 katiekrug: I live just outside Edmonton in one of the 'burbs. :)

>226 jolerie: Hmm, being lured by strangers on the internet to go to Calgary? Ok! :D As for the sticky bras, I have one. They're actually pretty comfortable (much better than your bandaids and tape experience) although it is a relief to take them off (true of all bras though really).

>227 jolerie: I loved The Giver when I read it for school. It was either late elementary or early junior high and it was just so awesome. Most of the details are fuzzy now so I should probably re-read at some point. In regards to your demands for more, there are sequels but from what I've heard on LT, they're not as good as this one.

If you haven't read it yet Mark, I'd say you need to remedy that as soon as possible. :) It's a quickie so I'm sure you'll blaze through it in one sitting.

Ooh...one of the burbs. Will definitely have to think of something enticing to get you to come out of the woods. ;)
I feel utterly cheated to find out about those bras just now. I'm thinking of all the shirts, dresses, and whatnot that I've either passed up or I've worn at the sacrifice of comfort. They aren't cheap tho for essentially cloth with adhesive but I'll do anything not to have to tape myself up again...sigh.
Yeah...I don't know if I'd want to ruin the experience by reading the sequels. You confirmed my suspicions that it just won't have the same feel.

>230 jolerie: At this point, offering me ice cream would probably work to get me out of the 'burbs. ;) Did you guys get crazy thunderstorms last night? We had some super heavy rain and hail and lots of thunder/lightning here.

We had thunderstorm/lightning watch here this afternoon but nothing came of it. It is a tad cooler today, thank goodness, but a little rain would have been nice.

Just started Chime yesterday and I'm not really getting this book. I feel like I'm reading the middle book of a trilogy or something because a lot of the context is flying over my head. Anyone else read this book yet?

Thumbs up from me for your great review of The Giver. I love the books of Lois Lowry. One of my favorites if The Silent Boy. If you haven't read it, I highly recommend it.

I haven't read The Giver yet, but I know that it's coming up on one of my lists, so I'm excited now that you and Linda have given it praise!

I loved The Giver too. I have also read the sequels which, as Mickey says, aren't as good as the first book. However, they are very short and not bad...I would say if you are curious about the world, then try them out...but don't expect another The Giver. :)

Found your thread and starred it so I can find my way back again. Love your list of July possibilities. Your little boy is adorable - we have tons of photos just like that with the cheesy smile and closed eyes- too funny! A very nice review of The Giver, which is an excellent book, and such a frontrunner for all the dystopian books that we are seeing today. Lowry set the bar high didn't she?

So great to have you back, Valerie!

You're going to love Bitterblue.

Your review of Mr. Darcy Takes a Wife was right on the money. I've tried a couple of the Austen follow-ups, including this one, and I'm just too much of an Austenite to enjoy the deviations. But your review puts it really well - for those without that impediment, no doubt it can be a fun read.

I'm a Giver fan, too. My kids had me read it a couple of years ago, and I got caught up like you did.

Hi, Valerie. Just checking in with nothing intelligent to say, except that I loved "Victorian novel meets Desperate Housewives". And, I never see anyone reading the Gray books either.

Those bra adhesives sound pretty awesome. I would have gotten those for my wedding dress but I didn't know about them and now I have bra cups sown in (which I guess is pretty ok too)

Thanks Linda! I will definitely have to look into The Silent Boy.
Hopefully seeing you around the threads and posting is a sign that your pain is easing up. Sending you gentle virtual hugs. :)

Amber, you are in for a treat and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Thanks Rachel! I think if I go in without the expectation that they will be as good as The Giver then at least it gives me a chance to enjoy the books on their own merit. Lois Lowry just seems like a really good story teller so I will for sure read at least some of the other books she has written.

Thanks for dropping by Mamie! My July is pretty outrageous since I won't get to read all of them, but the possibilties of doing so are absolutely tantalizing.
Haha, yes, the pictures are super cute and we have photo after photo with him like that so every once in awhile when he decides to grace us with a smile where his eyes ARE open, it is an occasion to delight over.
I was thinking the exact same thing when I was reading the book. I am extremely grateful to her and people like Orwell, who have opened the doors to a genre that could quite possibly be one of my favourites!

Hi Joe! Glad to see you posting after your vacation! Feels nice to have to catch up on hundreds and hundreds of messages right?? :)
Bitterblue is on my to read list once the library waiting less has calmed down a bit. I don't like the pressure of someone breathing down my neck because there are like 100 people behind them also waiting for the book.
That is the overall sense that I've been getting. People who love Austen for Austen obviously will not like someone mucking around with what they love. I personally am not a huge Austen fan, so the mucking just amuses me.

Gail, I have to refer to what Katie said since sing it rings so true. It was pure smutty fun! :)
I've only seen one other person hold a hardcopy of the book. In my opinion, there should be no shame in reading it but I guess the awkwardness for some would be equivalent to a man reading Cosmopolitan in public.

Hi Chelle! I had those sewn in one things for my wedding dress as well. I think they are pretty standard because they give you the "lift" and "support" that I don't think these adhesive ones would give. They work great for like a bridesmaid dress or a regular dress, but for your big day, sewn in cups would be the way to go!

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YAY, it's FRIDAY! :) Hope everyone has a great day today as a kick start to your weekends. The monkey and I have a play date today and the weather has finally cooled down so going outside won't be as uncomfortable! Happy Friday!

Hi, Valerie! I found and starred your thread, so now I'll be able to keep up with you and your reads!

Karen O.

So glad you enjoyed The Giver. Lois Lowry is one of my favorite authors. If you haven't read it, I highly recommend The Willoughbys. It's not dystopian, but it's LOL funny.

I liked reading your list for July. I really enjoyed Lament. Have you read her werewolf series? It's interesting.

Another fan of The Giver here. I loaned my copy out some time ago and have given up on getting it back. I may just have to buy another one for my permanent collection.

Valerie, I just can't say enough how happy I am to see you posting here and on various threads. I always hate it when someone leaves us. Have a great week end. I hope you have some cooler weather coming up.

Karen: Thanks for swinging by! Yes, trying to keep up with everyone seems to be a common theme around here. How people manage to stay on top of their own threads, everyone else's thread, read books, and keep in touch with RL is mind boggling. :)

Jenn: I'm sad that I just discovered her books now. I will look into your suggestion and Linda's suggestions as next books to try of hers.
I haven't because I refuse to buy it and everytime I browse the library selection they always have the second and third book available and not the first. Since I'm in no rush, I'll just wait for them to turn up. Did you like them? They strike me as very Twilight-ish.

Donna: It feels so great to be back amongst people who share my love of books and reading. RL sometimes gets in the way of enjoying all your company but I will always, always come back when the time allows for me to indulge. :) I hope you have a great weekend as well!

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So this whole try to restrain from buying books truly has been thrown out the window, but oh wow do I get excited when the books that I've been waiting for either go on sale, or are released in paperback. I think my husband is going to suggest that Costco stores should post a picture of me on the front doors, banning me from entering their premises.... :/

Tonight's book haul are as follows:
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern: was just waiting for this one to come out in paperback. No doubt I was going to purchase a copy of this book.
A Trick of Light by Louise Penny: So many people on LT have raved about this book, so here we go. Is it okay to read this book first or do I need to read other Chief Inspector Gamache books to understand what is going on in this one?
The Cat's Table by Michael Ondaatje: Interesting premise.
The Hypnotist by Lars Kepler: Haven't read anything from this author before, but the premise of the book sounds interesting.

No guilt, no guilt...and repeat.

They are a bit Twilight-ish in terms of the boy/girl relationship, but maybe not quite so fraught. The girl in the story is not really like Bella. I thought the take on the werewolf-ish thing was kind of unique though. I really like her Faerie Queen books. I like how they make fairies very scary and not TinkerBell. Total beach reads, and fun.

Sorry, but I have to say that you should definitely read the Inspector Gamache mysteries in order. Start something else tonight... :P Good haul!

Hi Valerie! I suppose I should try one of the Louise Penny books at some point as well. Did you know I read mysteries/thrillers/crime novels now? See how LT has expanded my horizons?

Hi Valerie, great to see so much praise for The Giver, I have it patiently waiting on the Kindle. Enjoy The Night Circus when you get to it, I found it to be a very magical read.

#50 Chime by Franny Billingsley
Source: Public Library
Genre: YA/Fantasy
Pages: 361
Rating: 2.75*
Historical/Fictional people noted: Charles Darwin, Jane Austen, Florence Nightingale, Sherlock Holmes
Literature noted: David Copperfield, Jane Eyre, collection of Yeats
Recommend: For people who like things a bit lyrically odd, poetically strange.

Once I had been in the roar-time of my life. Now I was in the hush-time. The people who sat with me were in the hush-time. They made hush-time sounds: a mouse-squeak as they sit in the chair, a crumble of rockers on wood. Father singing, lullaby-soft.

Briony and Rose Larkin are twin sisters. Briony has a secret that no one knows about, except for her Step-Mother, who tells her she must not share this secret with anyone, not even her twin sister. Witches are evil and wicked. Briony is a witch. She is an Old One who possesses the second sight. Creatures of the swamp beckon to her, but she knows that she is evil and must avoid things that will cause her to act out her wicked nature. Then a stranger, a handsome stranger, by the name of Eldric comes into town. Briony, the witch, along with her handsome stranger share with us a story that goes wrong, horribly, horribly, wrong.

Billingsley is possibly quite brilliant with her use of the English language, and word play. The way she strings her sentences together and the sound that rolls off the tips of our tongues is often times, quite genius. As you slog through burble and splat, as you sloggle through slurple and smack. Her imagery is evocative, and poetic. He writes like a child, dragging his left wrist across the paper. His fingertips have now gone white. He turns letters into spiders, sentences into valleys.
So why the 2.75* rating when the writing is so beautifully lyrical? Perhaps I just don't have the refined maturity to appreciate a well crafted language. The writing was so inconsistent and meadering that I couldn't get a grasp on the actual story. There would be moments where I found the rhythm of the story, become engrossed in the happenings, but then the writing would veer off in poetic tangents that seem out of touch with the actual story. Additionally, the main character's voice consistently pops in and out of first person, then third person narrative that it became increasingly hard to relate with her lunacy and off kilter ramblings. As much as Briony vacillated between loathing and loving herself, I too bounced between hating and enjoying this story. In the end, I think there definitely are people who would enjoy this type of writing (especially if you enjoy poems), but the overall experience was much too disjointed for me to give a higher rating.

Are you Stampede-ing this weekend? :)

Impressive book haul I must say. I have The Cat's Table sitting on my bookshelf right now. I got it for my birthday last year and just haven't gotten around to it yet. Hope you're having a lovely weekend, Valerie!

Hi Valerie, hope your next books is better.

I also love Lois Lowry, and second Jenn's recommendation of The Willoughbys. I listened to it on audio a few years ago and loved it. I also loved Number the Stars, and for awhile it was my daughter's favorite book. the Gooney Bird Greene books are great read alouds, too. I'm embarrassed to admit that I have yet to read The Giver. This week was our fantasy/dystopia week in my class, but the book is too old for me to use it:(

Hi Valerie!
I agree with Jenn, you should read the Inspector Gamache books in sequence. You will be glad that you did :)

Jenn: Thanks! I am pretty anal about starting a series from the beginning but you know how some books are sort of related but you don't have to read them in order to understand what is going on. Since you recommend starting from the first book, I guess I will have to go find out where to start! Thank goodness I have hundreds of other books to read in the meantime.... :)

Micky: We were planning on going earlier this week, but it was just too darn hot so we opted out. We decided to go to the zoo instead of the Stampede since I think the little guy would enjoy it more rather than fight the large crowds to see things he wouldn't be interested in.
I didn't think I would purchase The Cat's Table, but I read the description on the back and thought..hmm..interesting and with a good price, I decided to bite the bullet and buy a copy for myself.

Anne: Yup. I'm pretty sure my current read is going to be much better than a two and half star read.
I've added The Willoughbys to my library list so hopefully I will be able to check that one out sooner rather than later.
I wouldn't be ashamed of that! I don't know what is worse. Not having read the book, or having such a great book sitting on the shelf for years just collecting dust (guilty as charged)!

Chelle: Now, I just need to go find out which is the first book and how many books I'm missing in between that one and the one I just bought. More books for mount TBR. Awesome! :)

Valerie, I really enjoyed the MacLeans spoof of Fifty Shades of Cr**. The MOST Canadian thing of all to me was... all the apologizing! Too good! Sorry for using a swear word in this paragraph, by the way. I'd have to be stuck on a desert island with absolutely nothing to read or to do for a very long time indeed before I read that sorry excuse for a book.

>252 jolerie: I'm a big fan of the Calgary Zoo so I can understand picking that over the Stampede with your little guy. I'm guessing in a few years he'll want to try all the rides and then you won't get a choice. ;)