Morphy Gets Her Groove On - Part 1

This is my second 75 Books Challenge. I read about 250 books a year, so I'm not worried about meeting the challenge!

I mostly read fantasy, preferably urban, but also enjoy general and genre fiction, historical romance, classics, popular non-fiction, and will honestly try any genre at least once.

I have more challenges and lists than I know what to do with and am not going to list them here except as notes to the books I've completed.

My best books of 2011 are:

The Forgotten Beasts of Eld by McKillip, Patricia
Bridge of Birds by Hughart, Barry
Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood by Wells, Rebecca
Garden Spells by Allen, Sarah Addison
Soulless by Carriger, Gail
What I Eat by Menzel, Peter and D'Aluisio, Faith
Ready Player One by Cline, Ernest

My favorite books from the last five years are:

Essential Spirituality by Roger Walsh
Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader by Anne Fadiman
The Stand by Stephen King
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
Katherine by Anya Seton
Sweet Liar by Jude Deveraux
84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff

I read 290 books in 2011 for a total of 103,201 pages with an average of 24 books per month and 356 pages per book. I read an average of 283 pages per day. On average, I finished a book every 1.26 days.

January - 20 books
February - 28 books
March - 31 books
April - 28 books
May - 22 books
June - 26 books
July - 26 books
August - 22 books
September - 17 books
October - 19 books
November - 18 books
December - 33 books

Over the past six years, I typically read the most books in May (average 27) and the least in September (average 14.)

Categories

Fantasy - 73
Urban Fantasy - 51
General Fiction - 31
Nonfiction - 29
Romance - 19

Mystery - 18
Science Fiction - 18
Children - 11
Spirituality - 9
Horror - 6
Classic - 4
Romance, Paranormal- 4
Fiction, Historical - 3
Humor - 2
Memoir - 2
Books - 1
Chick Lit - 1
Erotica - 1
Graphic Novel - 1
Inspirational Fiction - 1
Poetry - 1
Self-help - 1
Steampunk - 1
Writing - 1
YA - 1

Twelve percent of the books read in 2011 were non-fiction.

By Century First Published

1800 - 3
1900 - 110
2000 - 177

By Decade First Published

1900 - 2
1910 - 0
1920 - 2
1930 - 0
1940 - 2
1950 - 4
1960 - 11
1970 - 10
1980 - 28
1990 - 50
2000 - 116
2010 - 61

Library - 223 books
Own - 35 books
Ebooks - 16 books
Audiobooks - 6 books
Early Reviewer - 4 books
Daily Lit - 3 books
Borrowed - 2 books
Read at Bookstore - 1 book

46 of the books I read in 2011, were re-reads.

My average rating for a book was 6.63.

Ratings

10 - 0
9 - 7
8 - 56
7 - 120
6 - 63
5 - 27
4 - 9
3 - 6
2 - 2

The 9's are:

The Forgotten Beasts of Eld by McKillip, Patricia
Bridge of Birds by Hughart, Barry
Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood by Wells, Rebecca
Garden Spells by Allen, Sarah Addison
Soulless by Carriger, Gail
What I Eat by Menzel, Peter and D'Aluisio, Faith
Ready Player One by Cline, Ernest

Did Not Finish

Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky
The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole

More than 1 work by author

29 books: Mercedes Lackey
10 books: Anne Bishop
5 books: Ilona Andrews, Stephen King
4 books: Gail Carriger, Charlaine Harris, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Anne McCaffrey, J.D. Robb

I read books in 33 different Dewey Decimal numbers.

000s - 1
100s - 3
200s - 8
300s - 7
400s - 2
500s - 1
600s - 9
700s - 3
800s - 4
900s - 9

The 2011 Book Meme:

Describe yourself: Fat Girl
Describe how you feel: Damsel Under Stress
Describe where you currently live: At Home
If you could go anywhere, where would you go: Sanctuary
Your favorite form of transportation: Howl's Moving Castle
Your best friend is: Dreams Made Flesh
You and your friends are: Acquired Tastes
What’s the weather like: The Snowy Day
You fear: Mortal Danger
What is the best advice you have to give: Imagine
Thought for the day: Carry On, Jeeves
How I would like to die: Among Others
My soul’s present condition: A Light in the Window

***

My 12 in 12 challenge categories:

1. Family Science Fiction Read
2. TIOLI Most Popular Books
3. Prior Year Challenges
4. 1001 Fantasy Books to Read Before You Are Turned into a Newt
5. US 50 State Challenge
6. Around the World in 80 Sleuths
7. Reading Romances Challenge
8. The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Ultimate Reading List
9. LT Recommended
10. Off the Shelf
11. Nonfiction
12. Most Popular Books by Year by GoodReads

Lots of nice information there, Morph. Looking forward to the new year here with you.

Looking forward to another great reading year.

Happy Reading on 2012, Morphy!

Wow! The statistician in me loves all those numbers. And your favorites list is so diverse! Can't wait to see what 2012 brings!

> 2

I got a kick out of your listing of The God of Small Things as one of your DNF books. I liked that book, but my husband hated it as much as you did and refused to continue reading it as well. :)

Glad to see you back with us again, Morphy! Love your mode of transportation in the meme.

Yay! Morphy. Starred!

Hi Morphy! Got you starred!

Hi, Morphy - good to see you!

Glad to see you back, Morph!

Great to see you back, starred!

Yay, Morphy ~ you're back! Happy New Year!

Amazes me how many books you read! Wish I could do it... but I'll have to just watch you do it.

Happy New Year Morphy! May there be much mutual wishlisting in 2012... ;)

I'm having a blast following your reading of Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell. It's one of my favorite books, but it did take me several tries to get through it. Good luck to you!

Add me to crowds dropping off a star, Morphy!

Got you starred, particularly cos you loved the Bridge of Birds, one of the best series of books ever :-)

> 18

I'm also lurking on your tutored read thread, Morphy. I know nothing about the book you're reading but the information provided and the answers to your questions are fun to follow!

Starred and soon to be book stalked :)

Hi Morphy, looking forward to 2012, and lots of great TIOLI challenges!

Found you and starred your thread! Really looking forward to hearing about what you read this year. I haven't read the last 2 books on your Favorites of 2011 book and plan to look them up.

Hey there, Morphy! :)

I'm also lurking on the Strange and Norrell Tutor thread. I loved the book and am finding the discussion really interesting.

You going to start up a 2012, elfchild?

Hey there, Ape!

Starring you! How did I not have you starred last year? You read more Mercedes Lackey than I did!

How could I not star such a groovy thread? Verrrry impressed with your reading stats!
Good luck with the Strange Norrell book. Sorry, I couldn't resist. Not one of my favorites. ;-)

#27> I would tell you that I finally started my thread but you found it already :-) I still have not completed a book and I would really like to get to the point where I average 2/week. That will change now that I have started a Mercedes Lackey last night...if I can just get the 2-year-old to let me read (the 6-year-old is happily engrossed in her own book!).

Hi, Morph! Starred!

I've just admitted to myself that I'm not finishing JS & MN. I think. Maybe I'll have to look up this thread people are talking about.

Dropped by to say 'Hi! Happy New Year!'

>31 Cynara: It's over at:

http://www.librarything.com/topic/129806

How are you enjoying your experience at being tutored on LT?

I found it so much fun. I liked the actual being a "tutee" even better than I liked the book I read. :)

It's good! It's a challenge for me as I'm an introverted reader, I guess you could call it. I tend to not talk much about what I'm reading, so this pushes my boundaries.

Fabulous! I'm glad you were brave enough to take on this venture. As enough others see how it works, they, too, will become less hesitant to become a "tutee". :)

Huzzah! Found you & starred!

Hi Morph, I'm going to check out the tutored read thread to see what I might have missed with that Strange book. I actually liked many parts of it or I wouldn't have kept on reading a book that size.

I was wondering (after seeing War Horse) if you were going to create a TIOLI movie thread again this year. Or perhaps I've overlooked it amongst all the new threads?

Yep, the movie thread is here:

http://www.librarything.com/topic/129401

It's been pretty dead!

1. Archangel's Consort by Nalini Singh

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Notes: TIOLI #8 (verb and other), next in series (12 in 12)

Summary: Elena goes back to Guild hunting duties as an ancient archangel awakens causing havok in the world

Opinion: I like the emotional intensity between Elena and those around her. I get totally absorbed in the world Singh created. The plot felt more fractured than in previous books for some reason but it still kept my interest. Recommended for urban fantasy lovers.

Rating: 7

2. The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch

Genre: Fantasy

Notes: TIOLI #23 (first book/new author), Group Fantasy Read, 1001 Fantasy (12 in 12)

Summary: A thief and his cohorts survive in a dark and deadly city

Opinion: Lynch is a good writer when it comes to his pacing, dialogue and story telling - yet I could barely finish this book because of the violence, torture and language. A couple times I got annoyed at the author when the time changes became manipulative. Lastly, I didn't like the main character. He didn't have enough positive qualities to negate the bad. Not recommended except for those who don't mind graphic and depressing stories about criminals with few redeeming qualities.

Rating: 5

3. Still Life by Louise Penny

Genre: Mystery

Notes: 50 Mystery, TIOLI Most Popular (12 in 12)

Summary: An artist is shot in the woods in rural Canada

Opinion: I can see why Penny is popular. The characters and charm make this a fun read. The style was a bit simple for me though. It might be because this is a first book. I've been told that the books get even better. Also, one of the secondary characters really annoyed me and I'm not sure what the purpose was of including her except as a foil for the chief inspector. Recommended for cozy mystery readers.

Rating: 7

4. State Fair by Susan Lambert Miller

Genre: Nonfiction

Notes: TIOLI #8 (verb and other), Nonfiction (12 in 12)

Summary: A photography book of the Minnesota State Fair

Opinion: This would have been a much more enjoyable book with some accompanying text. There was just a few pages of short personal experience stories - more like blurbs - at the beginning. The photos were interesting but I was surprised at how amateurish they seemed. Some of the match ups between the photos were amusing - baby ducks next to a picture of plastic duckies, for example. Not recommended.

Rating: 5

5. The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan

Genre: Fantasy

Notes: To complete bibliography (12 in 12)

Summary: Percy and his friends have to make their way through the labyrinth for their next quest

Opinion: This is a mash up of Harry Potter and Greek mythology. Riordan tells a good story with likable characters yet I wish he'd slow up the pacing. I imagine he won't though as the frantic pace is common in books aimed at this particular age range. I'd like to see more character growth as well. Otherwise, recommended for fantasy and adventure lovers.

Rating: 7

#41: I have that one sitting on my night stand waiting for me to read it, but I think I am going to ship it off unread. Thanks for the heads up about the torture, bad language etc., Morphy.

6. Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls

Genre: Fiction

Notes: TIOLI #16 (fraction), WCC Book Club

Summary: Fictionalized memoir of author's grandmother

Opinion: I enjoyed reading about growing up in the Southwest and how she survived during the war years. Lily grew up on a ranch, taught in the backwaters, broke horses, played poker and in general was a real character. There were times, however, when I didn't like her or her choices very much. Recommended for those that like memoirs and tough western women.

Rating: 7

Grabbed from Amazon - offered at LT as an ER but has no available pic?

7. Cruising Attitude by Heather Poole

Genre: Nonfiction

Notes: TIOLI #11 (narrative nonfiction), off the shelf (12 in 12)

Summary: Tales of Crashpads, Crew Drama and Crazy Passengers at 35,000 Feet

Opinion: I smiled and rolled my eyes at the goings-on of the crew and passengers. The insights into the "backstage" of flight attendants were fascinating. While a breezy read, it was a bit too episodic for me, perhaps because the author was a blogger first. Also, it is obvious this is a new author as the book needed tightening up. There were a lot of tangents. Recommended for those that like reading behind the scenes memoirs.

Rating: 7

Stasia, I've heard others didn't have the same problem I had. However, I read a lot of urban fantasy and there is lots of violence and sex in them, but Lies just hit me wrong. Maybe because it felt gratuitous.

#41> I second what Stasia said, thank you for the heads up. I might try it at some point but dark, violent and graphic is not what I need right now so I am cancelling my hold request. There are a couple of mystery authors that I read only occasionally because they come right up against (and sometimes past) my comfort zone - Minette Walters for one, who is excellent but psychologically creepy and Karin Slaughter for another (very often too graphically violent for me). I think I have less tolerance for graphic violence in fantasy...that's not why I read it.

>42 Morphidae: Morphy - I highly recommend you continue with Louise Penny. I thought the first two books were sweet, but not up to much. However, from then on, this series really rocks. It's now my favourite series and I cannot wait until the new book is published here in February!

~~~~~

Currently Reading:
Uncle John's Bathroom Reader by Bathroom Readers' Institute (Bathroom read)
The Arabian Nights by Sir Richard F. Burton (SantaThing)
Good News Bible by various (for literary/cultural reasons rather than religious)
The Broken Kingdoms by N. K. Jemisin

On Deck:
Blood Music by Greg Bear
Only With Your Love by Lisa Kleypas
Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck

I'm sorry I read your review of The Lies of Locke Lamora in that those were exactly the reasons I stalled on the book before, and they are now encouraging me not to give the book a second chance despite how much so many like it. I'm also not good on graphic violence and torture. I had to stop reading an excellent mystery writer, Jan Burke, because I couldn't handle it even when it was essential to the story and NOT gratuitous.

I liked The Broken Kingdoms--have the third book here in the tbr pile--soon.

I enjoyed The Broken Kingdoms 99% as much as The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms so hopefully you will as well. I've just ordered the third. So refreshing to have a trilogy come out close to one another.

re #42 above; my recollection of that annoying female character is that she was there to point out the thing that the Inspector does so successfully in solving crimes. I am looking forward to reading more of that series in 2012.

BTW, Morphy, when you note that something is "to complete bibliography" above, what does that translate to? I'm not clear whether it's simply to complete a challenge of some sort or if it is to fill out some annotated bibliographic project that you're doing.

>53 lunacat: I just finished it and am looking forward to reading the third!

>54 jillmwo: There are many authors where I'm reading everything they wrote - their entire bibliography. That's all it means.

#48: I am still going to give it a pass, I think. I am not into violence for violence's sake.

One last question if you wouldn't mind sharing of your expertise: when you post images of the book covers here, what size do you specify in the URL? I just did one on my reading page taken from the Amazon image dbse and the size of the image is very small. Most of yours are big enough to read. So, please oh-great-goddess-of-roomba-rewiring, what's your tweak?

>57 jillmwo: I use LT cover images. They are the perfect size.

You could post your question in the Do Net Things in your Posts thread (or whatever it is called).

I'm glad to hear I wasn't the only one who didn't love The Lies of Locke Lamora. I put it down unfinished because I wasn't really connecting to the characters.

Impressive amount of reviews already! I am the same with Riordan's books. They go pretty fast but are really enjoyable. And you never have to wait long for the next book to come out.
And I am glad for the review of The Lies of Locke Lamora. I hear this title so often I get the feeling I have to read it, but all reviews I read indicate that I won't like it... Let's see what the oracle of LT says... I will probably like it... And based on the recommendations I might... Mmmm, what to do...

Re sizing images, I haven't found a way to pick them up from LT, so I get them from the web and fiddle with the size until it fits. Have a look at the 'Basic HTML' and 'How to do fancy things in your posts'. (will put in links when I get home; or have a look at my 75 book challenge thread. )

To get covers from LT, go to the work page and right click on the cover. Click on View Image. Copy the URL. Much easier than resizing something else.

Finally getting to your thread. I had to stop reading posts in order to read some books.

I also get mine from the book's page, as Morphy said in post 63. If you have Windows, you right click on the picture, click Properties and copy the URL from that window.

8. The Broken Kingdoms by N. K. Jemisin

Genre: Fantasy

Notes: TIOLI #20 (short Acknowledgement), next in series

Summary: A blind artist is blamed for the death of a godling

Opinion: Surprisingly for the second book in a trilogy, I like this better than the first book. The first book was a little too "dreamy" for me. Broken Kingdoms is more direct and set in the present. There was the right amount of tenseness. Too much and I stress out and don't enjoy the story as much. I liked the characters and didn't see one of the "reveals" coming. About the only negative about the book is that the end was a little sad. There was hope, but overall, Oree ended up losing out. Strongly recommended for all fantasy readers but you really should read the first book before this one.

Rating: 8

#66 I enjoyed the first book so I'm glad to hear you liked the second even more.

I enjoyed the first two of the Kingdoms series about evenly, I think, and I have the third, The Kingdom of Gods, in my tbr pile. Soon.

#66> I have to go looking for your Hundred Thousand Kingdoms review. It sounds like book 2 might suck me in (like Chalion did and like Valdemar does. or Jacqueline Carey) which might tempt me to try it. I've been reluctant to start a new long, fat series with all the series I have going already...

I am almost afraid to post here for the sheer number of books you read (which I will in turn probably add to my wishlist)! How in the world? I'm giddy with envy.

>69 elfchild: No need to go look. I keep them all in my database.

The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms - 8 out of 10 stars
Wonderful story. Wonderful characters. Wonderful world-building. It is near impossible to go more into a review without spoilers. The ending, while over the top, fits. Normally I don't rate books this high unless it's a feel good book. And it is, sort of. But it is dark in other ways.

Phew, that's some impressive reading. I was very interested in your comments on Lies of Locke Lamora. My husband read that last year and while he did enjoy it, he struggled at places too. I got him the 2nd book and he read a few pages and decided 'nup' he was over it. I tried to pick up the first one and I couldn't even get started.

Just found your thread and am starring it... it sees like we have a lot of similar interests in books.

Got some, mostly used, copies of the books below at Uncle Hugo's in Minneapolis. My husband and I are going to do a science fiction read every month.

Purchased:
January - Blood Music by Bear, Greg
February- The Martian Chronicles by Bradbury, Ray
March- A Princess of Mars by Burroughs, Edgar Rice
April- Downbelow Station by Cherryh, C. J.
May - Sphere by Crichton, Michael
June - The Man in the High Castle by Dick, Philip K.
July - The Lathe of Heaven by Le Guin, Ursula K.
November - A Fire Upon the Deep by Vinge, Vernor

Still need:
August - The Mote In God's Eye by Niven, Larry and Pournelle, Jerry
September - Gateway by Pohl, Frederik
October - On the Beach by Shute, Nevil

Already own:
December - On Basilisk Station by Weber, David

Ohohoh, Lathe of Heaven! Excellent book. And there's a late-60's/early-70's (I think) movie version that I recommend after you've read the book. Very funky and cool.

#71> Thank you, Morphy. I am in awe of your organization! You make me even more curious...I am determined to finish/catch up on a couple more series before I start a new one but that sounds much more promising than Lies.

Just popping in to say, I love your brief reviews... a few of these books I've already read, others are going on the TBR list. And I'm glad for the reminder that I need to find The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms ASAP!!!

Gosh, you've got lots of good sci-fi planned, Morphy. I look forward to hearing what you think of them.

The Louise Penny books do get better and better...I hope you continue on..

Hi there Morphy! Thanks for stopping by my thread! You really do have a lot of sci - fi planned! Love your comments!. I confess I could not get into Half- Broke Horses but I loved The Glass Castle by the same author. Oh you are so lucky that you and your husband like the same sorts of books.

We don't typically read the same books other than the occasional fantasy (Harry Potter, the various Eddings series) so it's nice to have a "group read" with him each month. He mostly reads Star Trek novels, military sf like David Weber and Clive Cussler. I gave him a large list of science fiction books I wanted to read and he picked which ones he be willing to read as well. We'll see how it goes!

81: Awww, that's awesome! *Melts*

Sorry, I love the thought of bookish couples. :)

LOL. Silly guy.

I was married before and the fellow read ONE book while we were together (5 years of dating + 2 years of marriage). When I met a guy who read faster than I did, I married him. And we've been together 22 years now.

That's a lot of fantasy I've never heard about before. I Guess I have to drop in here regularly (:

LOL, we were married about 37 years before I saw Dan read one book. He has read 3-4 since then..
3 years ago.. I can't even imagine what it would be like to have a husband who reads regularly..

9. Only With Your Love by Lisa Kleypas

Genre: Romance

Notes: To complete bibliography

Summary: A pirate romance set in/near New Orleans

Opinion: I thought from the purple prose of the back blurb that I was going to hate this book, but it was, in fact, pretty good. I don't know what the publisher was thinking. I liked the characters and the romantic roadblocks. She is married to one twin, think she is widowed and falls in love with the other twin. I could have done without the "your mouth says no but your body says yes" attitude in the first sex scenes though. I also liked the back bayou setting. Mildly recommended for Kleypas and mid-list romance readers only.

Rating: 6

10. Blood Music by Greg Bear

Genre: Science Fiction

Notes: TIOLI #8 (verb/other), Family Science Fiction Read, 111 Science Fiction

Summary: Vergil creates cells that can think. Uh oh.

Opinion: An interesting look at research gone wrong - what if the absolute worst happened? - but too much on the hard science fiction for my tastes. It has the flavor of The Stand by Stephen King without the great characterizations. Freaked me out without giving a hopeful ending. It felt more like horror than science fiction in some parts. Recommended only for hard science fiction and horror fans.

Rating: 5

>74 Morphidae:: That's a great idea! Lately my husband and I have been fighting over who gets to read certain books first (and sometimes we both end up reading the same book, stealing it from each other when the other person isn't looking)... LOL... but he just finished Game of Thrones (actually I think he's read them all now) and he keeps bugging me to read it so we can talk about it! He didn't read a whole lot before we got together, but when he took me up on several book suggestions and enjoyed them, he was re-hooked into the world of books. Now he sometimes reads faster than me, which is rather annoying... haha.

My husband reads his in ebook format, so we don't need to fight over the books, thankfully.

My husband and I would also compromise over who would read a new sic-fi book first but now he has his kindle and I have our entire paper library all to myself. Bliss.

Mr Jenn's family would read, but they weren't readers if you know what I mean. They're the folks that ask you what you want for Christmas and if you say a book, would reply, 'But you've got books!' and look confused.

And then he started working in Waterstones. 30% discount on all books. Now that was bliss. Expensive, but bliss.

My husband is very good to me. He lets me read a new book that is for both of us first. Isn't he a sweetie?

My husband doesn't read much, and when he does, his taste is quite different to mine. So I get the run of the library. Yay!

At my house it is no husband = no problems.

>92 Morphidae:: He is sweet! I'm a little jealous... hahaha...

Best husband ever! I'd be jealous except, well, I'm not terribly interested in obtaining one of those husband things. I guess I should just resign myself to reading the new books 2nd. :P

I consider myself to be very blessed. I was pondering today that there has not been one person, friend or family, in my life that has stuck with me or not abandoned me or betrayed me in one fashion or another - except for my husband. We've been through bad and good times over the past 23 years and I make sure to tell him every day how much I love him and how awesome I think he is. People sometimes ask how long we've been married because we are so affectionate and playful with each other that they think we are newlyweds!

Wow, you've been reading some great stuff! Thanks for the reviews. :)

Oh, Morphy, I'm so happy for you and Mr. Morph for finding each other and being so happy! That's awesome.

Well, Morphy - my husband of nearly 29 year tricked me into marriage by seeming to read books!! Gasp! At least he subscribed to the newspaper before I met him. I broke up with a guy partly on the basis of my asking him - what do you read -and he answered " Reader's Digest." Not that I mind Reader's Digest, but if that's the only thing that you read... well.... my husband actually did not read much at all til just lately and now he is very much into mysteries -different ones from me. I can now see the pluses of a non reading spouse. Now he's is getting to be like me - his head in a book and he never hears what I say to him! LOL!

Actually, the only thing my spouse did was allow me to believe (without him ever technically saying so) that he had read Wuthering Heights. As it turned out, he had seen only the movie version and his cover was blown when he made some statement that made it clear he hadn't been aware of the real ending. Still, he has other good qualities. He brings me my first cup of coffee while I'm still in bed in the am.

(Now returning Morphy's hijacked thread back to its regularly scheduled programming.)

11. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares

Genre: YA

Notes: TIOLI #22 (poem/quote), LTMP, GoodReads Popular (12 in 12)

Summary: Four teen girls pass around a pair of jeans during summer break

Opinion: While I found the whiny angst of teenage girls annoying at times, the story eventually redeemed itself with some growth among the group. I liked all the different stories and how each girl had her own unique personality and life issues. I may continue with the series. I'm not sure yet. Recommended for those that like YA.

Rating: 7

12. Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck

Genre: Nonfiction

Notes: TIOLI #11 (narrative nonfiction), Ultimate Reading List (12 in 12), 111 Nonfiction

Summary: Steinbeck travels across the US with his poodle in 1960

Opinion: I smiled a lot through the tales, especially when it came to the logistics of traveling in a truck, the poodle Charley and the various characters they met up with. It sometimes became a bit of a slog when Steinbeck got philosopical. Not much of a travelogue, more of a memoir. Recommended for those that like nonfiction essays.

Rating: 7

13. Unclaimed by Courtney Milan

Genre: Romance

Notes: TIOLI #20 (acknowledgments), next in series

Summary: A courtesan attempts to seduce a male virgin to ruin him (ha!)

Opinion: While the plot seems a mite ridiculous, I loved the characters, their interactions and the dialogue. Humorous, heart-warming and heart-wrenching in turns. Strongly recommended for romance lovers.

Rating:

~~~~~

Currently Reading:
Uncle John's Bathroom Reader by Bathroom Readers' Institute (Bathroom read)
The Arabian Nights by Sir Richard F. Burton (SantaThing)
Good News Bible by various (for literary/cultural reasons rather than religious)
Out Stealing Horses by Per Petterson

On Deck:
How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe by Charles Yu
The Secret History of the Pink Carnation by Lauren Willig
Garnethill by Denise Mina

A courtesan attempts to seduce a male virgin to ruin him (ha!)

It could happen! ... *Laughs nervously*

>106 Ape: Lol! Poor Stephen. :)

>102 Morphidae: I liked the first Traveling Pants book too, Morphy, when I read it back in high school (ugh, I'm so old!). But I just couldn't get into the subsequent books. Hopefully you have a better experience.

>106 Ape: *Performs the evil Bwhahahaha and rubs her hands together*

>107 MickyFine: I don't know how you could possibly be old if you read them in high school considering that I was in high school TWENTY YEARS before the book was written. So nyah.

Calm down, children! Well, I saw the film; or rather, the ending of it. It looked good.

Did Not Finish

How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe by Charles Yu

When it's not hard science fiction about time travel that is way above my head, it's random thoughts about other stuff - the nature of time, his father's handwriting, bits of past memory. There is little to no story. Nothing that holds it together. Not for me.

>108 Morphidae: All right. I'm a baby and you're a very lovely young lady. Better? :D

>111 MickyFine: Much! ;)

G had a long (5-day!) weekend and I spent evenings discovering and catching up on Downton Abbey series 1 and boy am I behind on threads. At least I have caught up on yours, Moprhy! I'm glad to know that Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants has character growth, it's been on my radar to sample at some point.

108: Eeeek! *Searches for a hiding place*

14. Out Stealing Horses by Per Petterson

Genre: Fiction

Notes: TIOLI #5 (transportation), Best of LT 2007 list (finished challenge), Random

Summary: An old Norwegian man looks back at his teenaged summers with his father after World War II

Opinion: There was very little story here and what story there was was rather banal. Also, there were too many unanswered questions in the end. It's like you got a few snap shots in time with nothing leading up to them or happening after. And it happened in both time lines - as a teenager and as an old man. I liked reading the interactions with others - they were done well. Not recommended.

Rating: 4

15. The Secret History of the Pink Carnation by Lauren Willig

Genre: Romance

Notes: TIOLI #19 (pg 10 beverage - tea), Calendar challenge (January flower), Random

Summary: A historical romance set in the Napoleon era with a few trappings of a modern day researcher thrown in

Opinion: First, the modern researcher part really did feel thrown in. I rarely get thrown out of a story, but those parts were really jarring. Willig is a good enough writer that I was able to breeze through the story but the characters were so flighty, I couldn't believe in them. The hero was fluffy and shallow and I couldn't imagine him as a spy. I liked the humorous family episodes, but they went on too long and didn't fit in the story. And the villain was so over the top - I mean, "Take him to the extra-special interrogation room!" Really? I was laughing instead of being nervous for the hero. Recommended for those that like light-hearted mid-list romance and only with reservations.

Rating: 6

>116 Morphidae:

I tried reading The Secret History of the Pink Carnation several years ago and gave up part way through. As I recall, 'flighty' is an excellent description of the characters -- I thought the whole thing was ridiculous! Nevertheless, the series seems pretty successful, so there must be many who like it.

Thanks for the review of The Secret History of the Pink Carnation. I have yet to start the series - I have checked this book out of the library twice now and returned it unread both times because other books were calling out to me. I can do 'flighty', 'fluffy' and even ridiculous but I tend to reserve that kind of reading for when work is completely sapping all of my energy or I when I am sick and in need an easy read. Sounds like this series will probably fit my 'work sapped' and 'sick' reading periods.

I've tried one or two of Willig's novels and I can't get into them at all. The humor doesn't work for me.

I read the first book in Willig's series and decided that was enough for me.

Hey, Morphy! *wave*

>97 Morphidae:: Well, Morphy, at 23 years, you guys are sort of newlyweds. July will mark the 44 years that DH and I have been married. We're not exactly a bookish couple, although we do listen to audiobooks together on road trips. Daniel Silva is an author we can both enjoy, but we're about to run out of his books.

>103 Morphidae:: I really enjoyed Travels with Charley... even those philosophical parts.

You are a reading machine, Morphy. I may have been married 20 more years than you, but you have read 3x as many books as I have... and the year is young. ;-)

>118 lkernagh: Lori, oh yes, Pink Carnation would be fine for those times!

>119 jillmwo: Jill, For me, the humor was fine, there was just too much of it.

>120 alcottacre: Stasia, heyas, girlfriend! *waves back*

>121 Donna828: Donna, congrats on 44 years! I hope to have as many and more! I'm not familiar with Daniel Silva. Hopefully you'll be able to find a new "favorite" author to listen to. I struggle any time things get especially philosophical in books. I can only handle it in small doses. I didn't like The Elegance of the Hedgehog at all. You'd probably love it.

#122> I like Daniel Silva. I started reading him last year and I like the protagonist though there were 2 or 3 books in a row with strong WWII Nazi connections and that was a bit much for me too close together. To be expected though, given that Gabriel Allon is an Israeli spy.

#s122-123, I too am a fan of Daniel Silva; have only read the first 3 so far, but look forward to the others.

> 122

My husband is a great fan of Daniel Silva and especially of one of his protagonists, Gabriel Alon. In fact, my husband has read all of Silva's books. Silva is a local-to-me author and belongs to the same synagogue as one of my good friends. :)

I started to read one of Silva's books myself, but quit because I'm just not into spy mysteries. I'm more the literary fiction type. :D

16. Garnethill by Denise Mina

Genre: Mystery

Notes: TIOLI #19 (pg 10 beverage - wine), Around the World in 80 Sleuths

Summary: An incipient alcoholic's boyfriend is murdered in Glasgow

Opinion: I liked the setting. I'm unfamiliar with Scotland or its people though I wonder at the darkness. Are they really that criminal, foul-mouthed, depressed and alcoholic? I would have marked the book up another notch for the characters. At times I really didn't like them, especially the main character. But because they were nuanced, I was able to relate. Typically, I don't rate a book an 8 unless I want to read it again, so Garnethill missed out on that. But it really was well done, I thought especially how mental illness was treated. Recommended for mystery readers.

Quote: "…the concentration of a spliffed goldfish." Bwhahaha.

Rating: 7

~~~~~

Currently Reading:
Uncle John's Bathroom Reader by Bathroom Readers' Institute (Bathroom read)
The Arabian Nights by Sir Richard F. Burton (SantaThing)
Good News Bible by various (for literary/cultural reasons rather than religious)
The Ox-bow Incident by Walter van Tilburg Clark

On Deck:
500 Ideas for Small Spaces by Kimberley Seldon
Progeny by R. T. Kaelin
Tempting the Beast by Lora Leigh

Hi Morphidae!

Interesting reviews. I think I enjoyed The Secret History of the Pink Carnation a bit more than you did.

I hope you continue with the Louise Penny series. They do keep getting better and better.

A series I would recommend, if you haven't already read any of them, is the Inspector an Rutledge series by mother/son team Charles Todd. Rutledge comes back traumatized from his experiences in the trenches in WW I and resumes his job as a Detective Inspector at Scotland Yard. I love the era, and I find these books well written.

I'lll be interested in following your threads this year.

What are you using for a book mark right now?

I'm reading Progeny by Kaelin and along with the book, he sent me a Progeny book mark (white lion on a black background) with a silver bead hanging off the ribbon.

Secondary bookmark is a Pomegranate bookmark of the Khnopff painting Medusa Asleep.

I once saw a girl in the train who had a bookmark, regular cardboard, with an elastic band coming from the top. You can slide the bookmark between the pages, and use the elastic to keep the book closed. Since I nearly always read paperbacks, I knew I needed one, but I could never find one.
Then last year, we went to Germany, and of course I visited the bookstores there. And they had them! H. found them for me, and I immediately got two. They keep my ratty old second-hand books nice and closed, so I don't accidentally push my wallet in between the pages and ruin the book...

Oooh, yes, I love those kinds of bookmarks! Here's the kind I have (I'm a sucker for all things Levenger):

http://www.levenger.com/PAGETEMPLATES/PRODUCT/Product.asp?Params=Category=17-671...

I have the book bungees too, Amber, and love them.

Jean: They're about the only thing I can afford right now from Levenger. Sigh. Love that store.

Yeah, like that, but without a part that sticks out from the top of the book (those would get ruined in my work bag....)

Hi Morphy!

I love following your Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell thread. I see you're getting frustrated with thar book, though.

How are you enjoying the tutoring? Does it have an effect on whether or not you'll be finishing this book? Is this a book that you'd finish if you didn't have a tutor?

Yes, I'm enjoying the tutoring. Yes, I'm probably more likely to finish it. I think I would finish it without the tutor. But I don't think I would have started without one.

My forever bookmark is a beautiful hand embroidered one my mom bought for me when she went to Lucern, Switzerland. It's a lovely green, with cows (complete with bells) and goats rambling across little hills. I love it.

#129> I generally use one of the hold or routing slips the library puts inside our books as a bookmark. I miss the hot pink ones that LAPL used - I used to use them for grocery lists because they were easier to locate. Charleston uses yellow, which is OK, but not as eye catching as bright pink.

I actually collect bookmarks and try to rotate through them (although there are a few that don't get used like the lace ones my mom brought back for me from Venice) so whatever is at the top of the stack.

> 139: I collected bookmarks too and have enough for the rest of my life, so I stopped collecting ;-)
Now I use them until they are all cracked and I can't see what was the picture. Good reminder, I should pick a new one now.

I have enough bookmarks for several people's lives. I was part of a bookmark club for a couple of years and now my sister-in-law works at a library so I get a stack twice a year (at least 3 to 4 inches worth) for Christmas and my birthday.

I suspect you would all shoot me, but I don't use bookmarks at all. Cannot get into the habit, I've tried so many times, but I simply lose them.

Oooh, you dog-ear? The shame! A thousand lashes with a wet noodle!

Nope, I don't even dog-ear. On old books, I lie them open and pages down, on newer books, I try and remember what page I was on!

I never had any luck keeping up with bookmarks either, usually resorting to receipts and other various bits of paper. But getting this one from my mom which I love so much has made me very protective of it and the curse seems to be broken.

I pretty much only use folded up library receipts for bookmarks - even for non-library books. I've got a ton of them lying around in various places.

I used a free (promotional) bookmark I got with a book I won here on Librarything for YEARS! Recently I ordered a book on Amazon (Marketplace) from Housing Works Bookstore and they slipped a bookmark into it, so I'm using that now.

...before that I used Magic: the Gathering cards. *Blushes*

I have some nicer bookmarks but I also use whatever piece of stray paper I can find, like empty envelopes that brought me some piece of something, like a bill. I do like the pretty ones, but can't bring myself to spend money on them.

I love collecting bookmarks but always seem to misplace them.

#141--How does a bookmark club work?

>149 phebj: Oh heck if I remember. I know you'd get on a mailing list and request what you'd like and other members would send those themes to you. Also you'd get a slew of them on your birthday from people around the world.

I also have the Levenger bungee bookmarks and love them, but I have a million others as well, plus use those cards that come in magazines and the library receipts. I'm omniverous. My favorite bookstores have them for free. I especially like the coated or plastic ones, so when I'm reading in the bathtub they don't soften and shrivel.

Book bungees for me, I have large ones, small ones, wood ones, plastic ones. Never lost my place with a book bungee!

I like vintage bookmarks--cool ones I find in used books.

I generally use scraps of paper. I accumulate bookmarks and put them in a nice pile somewhere, but I always seem to be someplace else when I actually want one.

I used to use the stubs from airplane tickets, back in the day when they had those. Now I use business cards, or bookmarks I get from bookstores, or scraps of paper with notes on them if the book is complicated.

I'm pretty sure there's a bookmark blackhole in my house somewhere. I've had millions of them but I can never find them when I need them.

I'm with Zoe and Nora!!! I collected bookmarks for years, and sometimes still pick one up if it grabs my eye... but within minutes of arriving home it seems to vanish into thin air and I end up using scraps of paper... receipts, plane ticket stubs, sticky notes, grocery lists, magazine renewal cards... but I never dog-ear (*shudder*) and never ever place the book face-down and risk cracking the spine (*violent shudder*)!!!

EDIT: I just re-read Nora's message and realized she uses plane ticket stubs too!!! I thought I was the only one who's terrible at throwing out paper garbage... hahaha. They're just the perfect size, is all...

>129 Morphidae:: I love the painting on that bookmark. I think I've seen one or two of his works in galleries.

I accumulate bookmarks; every time I see free ones at a shop I pick them up. I also like when I buy a used book and find that the previous owner left a bookmark left in it - or sometimes a newspaper clipping related to the book. Yet in spite of owning many, many bookmarks, I too will use whatever is at hand. If it's a ticket stub, I tend to leave it in the book upon finishing, to remind me of where and when I read it.

I place books face-down - bwa ha ha ha! (Though, okay, often on the edge of a table, or something to keep them from opening 180 degrees)

My paperbacks all have creased spines, too. I don't think it seriously shortens their lives - I've read secondhand paperbacks with uncreased spines whose perfectbound spines cracked like a pistol shot partway through, leaving me with two books connected by a thin shred of paper.

Any little scrap of paper will do--a receipt, the library hold slip, an opened or unopened envelope, a dollar bill. The dust jacket on a hardcover works very well. I have a huge stack of Borders bookmarks that they handed me during the endless going out of business sale

I love it when I get a book from the library and somebody else's boarding pass is stuck in it somewhere. I like to think about the person reading this book on their way to Milwaukee, or wherever.

But I actually came by to say, Morphy, that I finally read Dragonsong (my first Anne McCaffrey book) for the dragon appreciation challenge, and I really loved it. Thanks for postin not one but two challenges it was appropriate for.

Ah, Dragonsong is a great little book! My bookmarks end up all over the house, but their home is in the drawer in the nightstand by my bed.

I thought I was the only one who's terrible at throwing out paper garbage... hahaha.

No, no, we're being good! We're supposed to re-use things instead of throwing them out!

That explains why my purse is full of receipts, right?

Receipts are very useful as bookmarks. How else would I know how much was left on my Starbucks card as of Dec 14, 2009?

#162

Essential information you could never survive without ;)

I keep my library recepits...and can tell you everything I've checked out since August 2007...

Receipts aren't bad. It's the used Kleenex getting out of control. It's official - I've become my grandmother. I swear she left Kleenex in every purse she had.

>156 dk_phoenix: The best part about using plane ticket stubs is that they also remind you of awesome trips you've been on :-)

>165 Morphidae: For Kleenex I keep 2 ziplock bags in my purse: one with used kleenex and one with unused. (I put some colored paper in the "used" bag to tell them apart.) It's nice because the bags don't really take up any more room than the Kleenex themselves.

Hilariously, Amazon just recommended this book to me: Forgotten Bookmarks: A Bookseller's Collection of Odd Things Lost Between the Pages... good timing.

I've been hesitating to tell this story, but finally decided to do it: I use old library check-out cards as bookmarks. The library at the college I worked at decided a couple of years ago to get rid of all the old cards stuck in the front of the older books, since everything is done with barcodes now. But they didn't do it wholesale, going shelf by shelf; instead, they would just take them out of the books that people brought to the circulation desk to check out. And then what did they do with them? *GASP* They threw them away! When saw them do it for the first time, I decided to take silent - and perhaps slightly not legal - action. I started going into the library 2-3 times a week, picking a shelf, checking left and right for an all-clear, and systematically pulling them out of the old books and pocketing them. No way I was gonna let those things get thrown away. Some of the really old ones are all browned and yellowed, and were clearly written up with fountain pens. Each one has its own history of who checked them out and when. I have a huge stack of them, and I treasure them (I only use the most recent ones for bookmarks - the really old ones are tucked away for safe keeping (some of them are marks with dates as far back as the 1910's!); haven't decided exactly what to do with them yet).

Amber: That's...awesome. :D

I keep most of the things I find in books, unless it's useless scrap paper. I keep other people's due date slips, and I JUST a couple days ago found someone's (very dated) driver's license in a book I bought at a library book sale last year. Yeah, I'm the creepy to Amber's awesomeness. :)

Nope, not creepy at all, Stephen; I *love* finding stuff in books - an old driver's license is super cool!

>168 scaifea: I love your larcenous heart!

I believe I have found a home :) I like to collect the odd things people leave in books that they return to the library or give to the second hand stores. So far I've got airplane tickets, a voter's registration card, a college student's computation of her tuition for the classes she was registering for, interesting little things. In recent years my family lost two rather beloved members - my sister and a cousin - both of whom were avid readers. As a memorial, we made laminated bookmarks to give to everyone at the services. When I'm reading a book that I think they would have enjoyed, I use their marker so they can enjoy it with me.

Not too creepy, I hope?

We are so much in the right place. None of the above is creepy, IMHO.

>168 scaifea: I love it, Amber! You preserved them when they just would've ended up in a garbage dump somewhere. And you're right, there's a little history on each one. Very cool that you saved those.

>172 dragonaria: Not creepy at all. Great way to remember them. And welcome home. :-)

I didn't keep it, but in a library book I recently checked out, someone had left a set of photos from a photo booth in as a bookmark. I would feel creepy keeping pictures of strangers, but that's me. :)

I'm cranky today. I went to the eye doctor yesterday and she fussed at me a little for wearing my contacts too much. There is damage to my corneas because they are oxygen-deprived. I have to wear my glasses for two hours a day from now on. I don't like wearing glasses because they give me a headache (anything against my temples does - hats, etc.) But if I do what she says, the corneas should heal in about six months.

My choices are two hours less of contacts a day now or in a year or two, I won't be able to wear contacts at all.

Guess which I'm doing?

I hate having things against my temples too. I have loose plastic frames for my glasses (which I wear probably one day a week) and they bother me slightly less than metal frames.

Eye issues are so frustrating. I actually randomly reverted back to glasses after 10 years of contacts, just because I got a pair of "back-up" glasses that I really liked--but now I'm worried that I'll have to switch to contacts again soon, because my prescription is so high that the increased distortion in glasses is more noticeable, or something. I don't really understand the issue, but when I went for a new prescription this summer, the one that was strong enough that I could see perfectly was also strong enough to give me a headache, and so I switched to a slightly weaker prescription that means I don't quite have 20/20 vision anymore. Not really a problem for now, but the trend is disturbing.

Oh, speaking of getting older. Who else has issues with slower focusing?

My husband and I like to go out to eat and read. We were at a local diner on Friday and when I'd lean forward a little bit to take a bite, my book would go out of focus! Argh!

I talked to the eye nurse about it and she says it's typical for the mid-40s.

*whines*

Hope that you can balance your difficulty with glasses with aid to your eyes. I have trouble with lenses as my eyes dry out with so long in the office daily and the eyestrain through glasses does generate fearsome headaches. Try to get enough sleep Morph as that is one of the very best therapy for your eyes.

Thankfully my prescription is so low that I can wear night+day contacts that only need changing once a month. I am supposed to have one night a week where I don't wear them but I rarely bother. I can only imagine how annoying it is to have problems with contacts - it's been nearly 4 years and I rarely get more than a little dry eye sometimes.

I've been wearing contacts every day for 33 years now. It's a big adjustment for me to go to glasses, even for just 2 hours.

ACK! Duplicate.

17. The Ox-Bow Incident by Walter van Tilberg Clark

Genre: Western

Notes: TIOLI #23 (first book/new author), US50, Ultimate Reading List

Summary: Two drifters join a posse to hunt down some rustlers

Opinion: No matter how good the writing, if I don't like the characters, if I feel that the events are horrific and nothing good happens, I won't enjoy a book. I'll give westerns one more try (also read Lonesome Dove), then I'm giving up on this genre. Not recommended.

Rating: 4

18. Tempting the Beast by Lora Leigh

Genre: Erotica

Notes: TIOLI #23 (first in series/new author), Romance Challenge (Erotica)

Summary: Playboy letters meets paranormal romance

Opinion: I liked the concept of genetically engineered warriors having to hide from their evil creators but the execution left a lot to be desired. Too much sex, too little plot. I know, I know. It's erotica and supposed to be like that. This is another genre that's not for me, I guess. I prefer my smut with more story. Not recommended even for erotica lovers.

Rating: 4

19. Archangel's Blade by Nalini Singh

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Notes: To complete bibliography

Summary: The vampiric lead bodyguard of an archangel meets the love of his life - again

Opinion: *SPOILERS*

I never did like the reincarnation idea in romances. It feels too much like not being able to let go - especially after 1000 years. However, I like Singh's story-telling, world-building and relationship dynamics. She also handles sex scenes a lot better than Leigh. They feel real rather than like something out of Penthouse. Recommended for Singh readers.

Rating: 7

20. Guilty Pleasures
21. The Laughing Corpse
22. Circus of the Damned by Laurell K. Hamilton

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Notes: Reread for the umpteenth time

Rating: 7 (used to be higher, but I've read these A LOT, some of the sparkle is gone.

23. Progeny by R. T. Kaelin

Genre: Fantasy

Notes: TIOLI #21 (first book), Off the Shelf

Summary: Farm boy AND farm girl fantasy. Whoo hoo!

Opinion: I never read self-published books and thought I never would. But after several good reviews and recommendations here on LT, I decided to give it a try. It also helped that the author sent me a copy. Smart guy. Because now I'm willing to buy the sequel. It is obvious this is a first book - it could have been tightened up by a 100 pages or so. But it is also obvious that this guy has talent. I liked the world-building, magic system, and the characters. Kaelin was clever in how he explained the many coincidences that often plague the plots of epic fantasy. The only reason it didn't get an 8 is because it dragged at times. Otherwise, a solid good read. Recommended for epic fantasy lovers.

Rating: 7

24. Lottery by Patricia Woods

Genre: Fiction

Notes: TIOLI #21 (first book), LT Recommended

Summary: A mentally challenged man wins the lottery

Opinion: I liked the story and the characters but I found the voice tedious. I understand using Perry's voice, but it wasn't something that appealed to me. It is probably a more realistic version of what really happens to lottery winners than I imagined but I had hoped for a bit more "fun." All that being said, it's a lovely and tender story and you really root for Perry. Recommended for those interested in the issues of the mentally challenged and those that liked Flowers for Algernon.

Rating: 7

~~~~~

Currently Reading:
Uncle John's Bathroom Reader by Bathroom Readers' Institute (Bathroom read)
The Arabian Nights by Sir Richard F. Burton (SantaThing)
Good News Bible by various (for literary/cultural reasons rather than religious)
The Hollows Insider by Kim Harrison
500 Ideas for Small Spaces by Kimberley Seldon
Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke
The Lunatic Cafe by Laurell K. Hamilton

On Deck:
Needful Things by Stephen King
Across the Nightingale Floor by Lian Heran
Ragtime by E. L. Doctorow

Oh man, I'm sorry about your contacts situation. I wear glasses all the time and have never wanted to try contacts - I have issues with sticking stuff in my eyes. I definitely have slow-focus issues too - if I read for any extended period, and then look up at the TV or some such similarly-distanced thing, it takes my eyes awhile to adjust. Sigh.

Morphy - sorry to hear about the eye problems - ain't growing older a pain?

> 183 Are they really that criminal, foul-mouthed, depressed and alcoholic? I can tell you from experience the Scots aren't that criminal - rather law-abiding, actually. However for the rest of it, we'll have to plead quilty (I personally blame the weather!)

Morphy, I will tentatively recommend a Western to you that I read last year and really loved: Doc by Mary Doria Russell. I will admit that I quite like Westerns as a genre, but I also know people who don't and they loved the book, too.

I've been meaning to read Laurell K Hamilton's series for a few years. Thanks for the reminder :)

Morphy, glad you enjoyed Progeny! I can't wait for the sequel, I know he is working hard to refine his writing skills.

A tentative recommendation for The Virginian by Owen Wister if you haven't read it. Problem is, I read it long ago, but I'm pretty sure it had some redeeming characters and some good history as well.

I always have a special bookmark for each book I'm reading. Found a cool one in a used book I picked up. It's actually a set of unused stickers with some Manga (?) characters portraying the Seven Deadly Sins.

A good western? How about True Grit? I don't normally read westerns, but this one was fabulous - short, sweet, and sassy!

>191 scaifea: Pain in the butt, yes!

>192 Athabasca: Okay, I'll keep that in mind! Blame it on the weather...

>193 rosalita: Already have Doc on the TBR list!

>194 Kassilem: Different people like different spots in the Anita Blake series. Some only like until Obsidian Butterfly because after that there is a LOT of sex in the novels. Others, like myself, like smut with my story, so I like those, too. A few of the later books the sex did get to be a bit much even for me though I keep reading them. I just don't buy them anymore but get them from the library.

>195 MrsLee: I have hundreds of bookmarks. I use maybe half a dozen. Don't know what to do with them all!

Sorry to hear about your eye issues! I also dislike wearing glasses so I had lasik surgery about 5 years ago. Was wonderful until I started getting headaches reading, and now I need reading glasses at age 30! I'll probably end up wearing glasses full time at some point, and now I'm wondering what the point of the surgery was! oy!

Hope your eyes heal up quick!

>141 Morphidae:: I thought I had a lot of bookmarks, Morphy, but I don't measure mine by the inches! I've been known to match the color or theme of the bookmark to the book I'm reading.

Love the book bungees from Levengers! Thanks for the link, Amber.

>184 Morphidae:: I didn't think I liked Westerns, Morphy, until I read Lonesome Dove last year. Some memorable characters for you to enjoy in that book!

>199 Donna828: Lonesome Dove was the other western I read and I didn't like it.

I think you do have to love some history to enjoy Westerns. Most writers are attempting to capture the flavor and feel of a bygone era, and after all is said and done, that is history.

I gave up contacts at 16 (after 3 years of suffering) because they gave me CHRONIC dry eye- like a bottle of eye drops a week chronic. But that was more about my astigmatism and those damned toric lenses. I've been wearing glasses for 14 years now and I feel naked without them, and my face looks weird. I second the recommendation for plastic frames rather than wire ones as they can sit a lot looser on your head. Mine don't touch the side of my face at all because I have the same reaction to pressure on my temples.

My biggest worry is that my eyesight is deteriorating much faster than it should. So, I have most of the vision problems of people in their 40s-50s, at 29... My grandfather is blind from macular degeneration and all signs point that I'm probably headed down the same road, and at a much younger age.

#193 by @rosalita>

I wasn't overly impressed with Doc. It's not bad, exactly, just pretty underwhelming in my opinion. Then again, it could be that it's a story I've very familiar with (thanks Dad) so it didn't hold a lot of magic.

>201 maggie1944: Well, you have to specifically like American Western history, which I do not.

>202 leahbird: I'm lucky in that I've never had a dry eye problem. *knocks on wood*

Western *and* fantasy - Territory by Emma Bull. What really happened at the OK Corral.

I've been having problems wearing my contacts lately and have reverted to wearing my glasses. The only problem is that I never got a pair of bifocals so when I need to wear reading glasses, I have two pairs of glasses. I'm due for a visit to the eye doctor soon, so hopefully, I can get a pair without the lines.

> 202 I guess differing opinions are why there are so many books in the world! I have a BA in history and have read widely about the Earps (Wyatt Earp was born in my hometown), and I still enjoyed Doc very much. To each his or her own.

Morphy (may I call you that?) and
>205 thornton37814:
I've been wearing contacts for a long time, in fact, I started with contacts and only have glasses for weekends, when the contacts come out. I also have an astigmatism and focus from close to distant has always been slow. Then I decided to try what my doctor calls "omni-vision" where I use the lesser strength of my two prescriptions in both eyes. This way, my right eye is at full strenght for distance, but my left eye, the weaker one, has enough correction to keep me from being blind for driving, and it adjusts more quickly for close work like reading and computer work. I didn't think I'd like it, but it's really not too bad!

>207 dragonaria: You certainly can! Everyone does. That... and other things. *mutters*

January Statistics

25 books
8,343 pages
4 rereads

18 female authors
7 male authors

22 fiction
3 nonfiction

5 - Urban Fantasy
4 - Fantasy
3 - Romance, Nonfiction, Fiction
2 - Mystery
1 - YA, Western, Science Fiction, Paranormal Romance, Erotica

*Ratings*

Average: 6.4

8 - 2 books
7 - 15 books
6 - 2 books
5 - 3 books
4 - 3 books

*Decades*

40s - 1
60s - 1
80s - 1
90s - 6
00s - 10
10s - 6

*Where*

Early Reviewer - 1
Library - 17
Own- 7

>126 Morphidae:. Good grief, Morphy. Do you inhale these books? I always thought I was a fast reader, but I'm a rank amateur in comparison.

Re: Garnethill.

I liked the setting. I'm unfamiliar with Scotland or its people though I wonder at the darkness. Are they really that criminal, foul-mouthed, depressed and alcoholic?

Speaking for my people, no, we're not, or at least, not all the time.

Garnethill is an inner city area of Glasgow, which was allowed to become extremely rundown. Wasn't helped by the city fathers deciding to drive the motorway straight through the city and demolishing the adjacent neighbourhoods for the purpose. The buildings are lovely though, especially the world famous Glasgow School of Art, and the whole area sits on some the steepest hills ever built on, with gorgeous views across to the Campsie Hills.

So far as criminal, foul-mouthed, depressed and alcoholic goes, Glasgow was infamous for its gangs back in the 50s, and I think it's still one of the worst cities for murder in Europe, mostly knife related crime boosted by drinking and drugs. As usual, a lot of that comes from poverty as Glasgow has been hit especially hard by the demolition of the UK's manufacturing industries. Swearing is also pretty common, but often used for emphasis rather than abuse. It's just a part of the language for some folks.

Having said that, Glasgow is stunningly beautiful city and Glaswegians as a whole are some of the nicest people on the planet. And you could spend your entire life there without meeting anyone like those mentioned above. But then nice people aren't the most fascinating fictional characters.

Here endeth the lesson :-)

>210 JenMacPen: LOL, yes, it does feel like I inhale them sometimes. Even so, I wish I could read faster. So many books to read!

And thanks for the lesson. I like learning about places and people.

Just popping in and skimming.. sorry :(
regarding reading with glasses. I always get bi focals and also a pair of reading only glasses..
it makes reading so much more comfortable...

>200 Morphidae:: Oops! I don't think westerns are for you, Morphy. It's a good thing there are plenty of other books out there. Something for everyone.

Quick! What is the book at the physical top* of your TBR pile?

Mine is A Deadly Yarn by Maggie Sefton. It was given to me by my mother-in-law. She read it and thought that since I liked the Needlecraft series by Monica Ferris, I might like the Knitting Mystery series. I won't be reading it for awhile as I have lots of other stuff on deck. I read library books before owned books and I have about 25 library books out at the moment.

*If you have more than one pile, pick the one nearest you. If they are in a row instead of a pile, pick the leftmost one. If on a bookshelf, pick the leftmost book on the top row.

Playing catch-up today.

Re bookmarks, my husband occasionally picks up different types for me. On the rare occasions I can actually locate one before falling asleep ... er ... rushing off to do something important, somehow my toddler usually manages to discover it and pull it out, anyway.

Re eye problems, has anyone considered pince new (à la Hercule Poirot)? :)

Re macular degeneration, my dad has it (I don't think it's hereditary, is it?), but it is stoppable; therefore, I assume, if you're susceptible, it should be preventable.
Good luck with all eye problems. My eyesight is OK at the moment, but there are enough people around me with serious problems that I am grateful that it is.

#214 I'll play:)

Closest to me at the moment is the pile of two library books that I just added to LT - so God's Philosophers by James Hannam.

My only "problem" with bookmarks is that when one is not in use, I sometimes put it next to me on the couch. This automatically makes it the dog's play toy and she'll grab and run off with it.

>214 Morphidae: ummm...The girl who circumnavigated fairyland in a ship of her own making a little slow starting off, but picking up nicely. It's also the one I AM reading.

I makes my mate crazy, which is one reason I do it, but I like to stack as many books as possible on my end table with the smaller ones at the bottom. He's VERY OCD, so I'll get up most mornings to find my books re-organized. FUN!!

My answer to the TBR survey:

The Cambridge Companion to the Age of Augustus (on a shelf, not in a pile). The reason for why it's next has to do with how I've organized my bookshelves, which makes perfect sense to me, but I won't go into the intricate details here. I also won't go into the details of why it will likely be awhile before I get to it because, again, the explanation involves the complex logic of my reading neuroses. :)

The leftmost book on my TBR shelf: In Conquest Born by C. S. Friedman

A friend gave me a copy and I got a few chapters in - at least to chapter 8, which he thinks is this amazing chapter of amazingness and I...didn't get it. I mean, I understood the chapter, but I didn't get what was so amazing about it. Sometimes things like that make me feel dumb, and so of course I haven't picked up the book since *sigh*

(I should really find out if that book was a lend or a gift.)

My "topmost" TBR is The Happiness Project which is awaiting the month my RL book group will be reading it. I am not sure I would have picked it up all by myself as I think I've read a sufficient number of self-help books in my life. My life is perfect now, and I don't need to help myself any more, at all. Really, it is perfectly acceptable.

hahahaha

Book marks... I just use whatever is nearest. Those little ad flyers which come with bills are frequently put to use.

Eyes: I don't like it but my eye sight is definitely deteriorating with age. I am very near sighted, couldn't find my glasses without having them on my nose. I have the bifocals which do not have a "line" and I do not use them for reading. I continue to read without any glasses and that is sometimes difficult. I love the font changing I can do on the e-readers.

January Book Bullets*

Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick
The Art of Reading by Reading is Fundamental
Mrs. Mike by Benedict Freedman
Kosher Chinese by Michael Levy

*Books recommended by 75ers or Green Dragoneers that I've added to Mount TBR

Closest to me is Troubled Waters by Sharon Shinn.

Next to me at the top of the pile is The Lions of Al-Rassan by Guy Gavriel Kay.

I'm downstairs, away from all my books, but the topmost book in the pile by my bed is Jan Wong's Red China Blues. I have TBRs all over the house in all the bookshelves. Don't know when I'll get to this one.

I used to have really bad eyesight. One year the cost for new glasses and new contacts (because my eyes had gotten worse again) was going to cost more than lasik eye surgery. So I decided to go for it and get the lasik. I need glasses again (something about my eyeballs continuing to grow slightly over the years?!?) But my prescription is much more manageable. I can't wear contacts for many hours comfortably anymore, my eyes get too dry, but I use them for sports activities and watching 3D movies.

I love bookmarks. I will only use bookmarks to bookmark my book. No old tickets or receipts or boarding passes or tissue or leaving my book open upside down. I don't have very many but they seem to last a long time for me. I don't tend to lose them or mangle them too much.

That's a beautiful one in msg 129.

I like Red China Blues!

The book on my nightstand (and probable next read since it's due back at the library soon) is The Heirloom Life Gardener by Jere and Emilee Gettle. The Gettles founded Baker Creek Seeds, which is an amazing seed company that saves, preserves, and sells heirloom, open pollinated, patent and GMO free seeds. They produce the most AMAZING (and beautiful) seed catalog each year and now have this book out.

The Gettles also run a seed farm, the Petaluma Seed Bank, and Comstock, Ferre & Co- America's oldest continually operating seed company (201 years)- which they have rescued from closure and are returning to it's former glory. I love these people!

I have a stack of library books next to my bed but the top-most one that is on my list to read is Kushiel's Chosen - by Jacqueline Carey. As soon as I finish my current book, that's next.

Closest to me is Citizen in Space by Robert Sheckley. Actually, closest to me are 6 banana boxes of TBR books. :D

Most of the books are still in the loft but I got a whole pile from eBay in January. Top one is the one I'm reading: Glasgow, Kyle and Galloway by Theo Lang. Published in 1953, it's a guide to south-western Scotland, made even more fascinating by the fact that it's 60 years old. My home town is just being built :-)

I have a TBR pile beside me that I am going to tackle this month and on top is The Peacock Spring by Rumer Godden, I'll be reading this for the TIOLI Challenge #4.

Sitting right next to me on my desk at work is Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens that I'm currently reading for the bicentennial.

I have two stacks towering side-by-side right now. Atop one is For One More Day by Mitch Albom, a teeny tiny book I bought for $1 at Dollar Tree. The other has Labyrinth by Kate Mosse, a book I want to get around to but the book is 700+ pages and is part of a trilogy, so I'm waiting until I really really really want to read it.

The top of the pile next to my bed is a history of the NZ 19th Battalion and Armoured Regiment in WW2. My grandad was in this regiment and it documents all of the campaigns he was involved with and has the most extraordinary maps where places like Libya and Israel didn't yet exist. I'm not sure when I'll read it in full but I have been skimming it.

>232 MickyFine: I loved the book Little Dorrit, I even tracked down a movie of it that was pretty decent. Hope you enjoy it!

>235 dragonaria: There was a recent adaptation of it by the BBC with Matthew Macfadyen that I plan to watch when I finish it up.

oh reeeeaaaaallllyyy? I shall seek it out...I do so enjoy Matthew Macfadyen

I'm putting this out to the LT Universe.

I am a very morbidly obese woman. I've lost 110 pounds and need to lose a lot more. My goal in 2012 is to lose 100 pounds and I've gotten nowhere. I need a buddy to report my calorie range to each day. I'm with SparkPeople and I've had a couple buddies but each one has insisted on commenting on my food and making dietary and fitness suggestions. That's not what I want. After years of this, I know what I am supposed to eat and drink, etc. What I need is a "stop" so when I am tempted to binge or go over my calorie range (usually for emotional reasons), I know I'm going to have to report my calories and that will help me resist. Also, when I feel like I'm headed toward a binge, I have someone I can contact to talk through it.

I would want to do this through email. The vast majority of days it would just be me emailing my allowed range and my actual count. Days when I'm struggling with wanting to stuff my face, it would be more of a conversation. Typically, one day a week in the late afternoon/early evening I struggle. During "that" week of the month, it can be two or more days.

Anyone interested?

I would be more than happy to help Morphy - I also have a problem with my weight (although less serious) - since getting married I have increased my weight by 50% and also need to do something about it.

Send me a PM if you'd feel comfortable with it being me - given our reading tastes often clash so spectacularly!

I'd be happy to be your buddy too, if you'd like more than one (or someone in your own time zone?) - I'm trying to lose about 30 pounds and am getting nowhere for the same reasons - late afternoon is the worst, and also after Charlie goes to bed, I just want to eateateat. We could even chat over google chat or aim or some such instant messaging, if you like. I don't count calories, but I'd be equally shamed by having to tell you what I ate. Sigh.

I would be willing to be on your email list. I've been up and down in weight before and working towards a weight goal is not an easy process.

I'm working on it too. I've been hitting the gym, but overeating. It's not easy!

I'm on the other side of the world but this is an universal issue and emotional eating I understand only so well. I'd be very happy to help out as well, especially as I think it would benefit both.

Me too, Morph. Emo eating is a universal scourge indeed! I just left you a private message.

I've sent PMs to a bunch of you. Your willingness to help me out touches my heart and will make it possible for me to get back on the wagon and reach my goal of 100 in 2012. Thank you. LT and the 75ers rock!

Good luck, everyone! It's such a tough process... the more support & accountability when it comes to goals, the more likely you are to succeed. :D

I'd offer, too, Morphy, but I see you already have some takers. I'm trying to lose 20 pounds by May (my son's wedding). My husband's niece (who also is invited to the wedding) weighs more than I do and said that was her goal as well. Each Monday (Gulp! That's today...), I report my weight to her by private message. The fact that my weight is now "reportable" to someone I know keeps me more on track with my weight loss. I hope this process helps you as well.

I know with previous times of weight loss, I've reached a point in which it was too easy to just stop being accountable to myself only. I think that was my problem. With someone real to report to, that changes the picture. It's like a Weight Watchers "weigh-in" but without the cost! :)

Here's rooting for you, Morphy! I am sooo proud of your ongoing struggle to improve your health. Keep it up.

I'm a bit late to the party, but maybe we could form a group; I haven't stepped on a weighing scale in years, and I work in kilos, but my goal is just to lose volume. I used to gain weight on holidays and lose it again afterwards, but after getting married, I just gain weight. And two caesarian sections have done embarrassing things to my waistline. So if you need anyone else to help out, count me in!

Re TBR piles, I just have clumps here and there, which seem to be mixed in with books read but not shelved / awaiting book plates & dust jackets. I am organised, really, but it's a work in progress.

Continued:

http://www.librarything.com/topic/132781