LauraBrook's 75 in 2012 - Chapter 2

Welcome! Pull up a chair, grab something to drink, and make yourself comfortable.


by the wonderful SARK!

Books Read

1. Hurricane Story by Jennifer Shaw
2. The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
3. Pawnee: The Greatest Town in American by Leslie Knope
4. Peter Doig by Judith Nesbitt
5. Fanny by Holly Hobbie
6. Priscilla and the Splish-Splash Surprise by Nathaniel Hobbie
7. Beach Ball by Peter Sis
8. Madlenka by Peter Sis
9. Madlenka's Dog by Peter Sis
10. The Three Golden Keys by Peter Sis
11. Komodo! by Peter Sis
12. Impressionists by the Sea by John House
13. Gaga by Johnny Morgan
14. The Paris Apartment by Claudia Strasser
15. Holly's Inbox by Holly Denham
16. The Most Beautiful Libraries in the World by Guillaume de Laubier
17. Tsar: The Lost World of Nicholas and Alexandra by Peter Kurth
18. Howl and Other Poems by Allen Ginsberg
19. Chucaro: Wild Pony of the Pampa by Francis Kalnay
20. Hyacinth Bucket's Hectic Social Calendar
21. Keeping Up Appearances: Hyacinth Bucket's Book of Etiquette for the Socially Less Fortunate
22. Hurricane Story by Jennifer Shaw
23. Frog and Toad All Year by Arnold Lobel
23. Frog and Toad Together by same
24. Cinderella by Beni Montresor
25. Topsys & Turvys by Peter Newell
26. A Midnight Carol by Patricia Davis
27. The Rose Garden Susanna Kearsley
28. The Weed That Strings The Hangman's Bag by Allen Bradley
29. Spell Bound by Rachel Hawkins
30. Kim by Rudyard Kipling
31. A Red Herring Without Mustard by Allen Bradley
32. The Dressmaker by Kate Alcott
33. Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde
34. Becoming Jane Austen by Jon Spence
35. Unfamiliar Fishes by Sarah Vowell
36. The Kingdom by the Sea by Paul Theroux
37. The Complete Book of Massage by Clare Maxwell-Hudson
38. The man That Corrupted Hadleyburg by Mark Twain
39. Schloss Schonbrunn guide
40. Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling
41. 100 Unforgettable Dresses by Hal Rubenstein
42. The Magician's Nephew by C.S. Lewis
43. The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe by same
44. The Horse and His Boy by same
45. Prince Caspian by same
46. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by same
47. The Last Battle by same
48. The Silver Chair by same
49. Bringing Tuscany Home by Frances Mayes
50. Mrs. 'Arris Goes To Paris by Paul Gallico
51. Follow the Dream: The story of Christopher Columbus by Peter Sis
52. Play, Mozart, Play! by same
53. Tibet: Through the Red Box by same
54. Starry messenger: Gallileo Gallilei by same
55. The wall: growing up behind the iron curtain by same
56. the tree of life: charles darwin by same
57. pilgrimage by annie leibowitz
58. midnight in austenland by shannon hale
59. chopsticks by jessica andrews and rodrigo corral
60. unpacking my library: writers and their books by leah price
61. through no fault of my own by coco irvine
62. crossed by ally condie
63. strawberry shortcake murder by joanne fluke
64. full service by scotty bowers
65. a month of summer by lisa wingate
66. firefly: the official companion volume 1
67. holly's inbox by holly denham
68. shades of grey by jasper fforde
69. the dressmaker by kate alcott
70. when i were a meerkat by andrew davies
71. the anglo files by sarah lyall
72. the magician's elephant by kate dicamillo
73. let's pretend this never happened by jenny lawson
74. leviathan by scott westerfield
75. world war z by max brooks
76. evan only knows by rhys bowen
77. the golden pencil by w.f. herzel
78. holly's inbox: scandal in the city by holly denham

okay, somehow i've miscounted the books in this list and i'm too lazy to bother finding out where i went wrong. *shrug* i'd trust the counter at the top for a total, rather than this giant list.

Heellllooooo! :D

HEELLLLOOOOO Stephen! Boy, you're fast!

I hope I didn't post too soon! I figured 10 minutes was long enough to wait. :P

found you !

Hi Laura- Congrats on Thread 2!! Yah! Hope you are keeping cool, it's going to be hot the next few days!

Nope, not too soon at all!

Hi Kath & Mark! Yes, I am keeping cool - hope you can stay as comfortable as possible at work for the next few days. Yikes! I don't envy you on crap weather days like the ones we've got coming up. Take it easy!

Hi Laura! Congrats on a new thread and on being past the 75 mark too! Woo hoo! :-)

Laura, looks like you're having a great reading year.

Stay cool. Looks hot for at least the next week.

Hi Laura, just passing through and inspecting your new digs. Hope you can find somewhere to kick back, stay cool and enjoy some reading.

New digs!

Hi Laura!!!

Hey Laura! Just caught up on both your threads. Congratulations on reaching 75 books already.
Also, I just realized that I haven't posted to your 75 thread yet this year, only your 12 in 12 challenge thread. It's so much easier to keep up over there. Well, when I'm around to keep up.
Stay cool in the heat wave.

Hey, Laura, love your image at the top!!

You take it easy too! Crazy hot, and stormy. They almost promised us more rain this morning. I hope they were right...

Hi Vi! No worries, everything I read gets copied onto each thread - you just missed the "fascinating" conversations that occurred. ;) Regardless, it's great to see you here.

Hi Roni - Thanks! I love SARK, and have been a fan for nearly 20 years. I'm just introducing a friend of mine to her work, so I've got her stuff all around me - it makes for a fun, inspiring place!

Morning, Kath! We've had a "chance of rain" for days, but all it's done so far is get a little darker for an hour or two, not a drop has fallen in weeks. There's even a sprinkler ban in effect, hasn't happened here in years. I keep hoping for a big thunderstorm and a day or two of solid rain. Looks like I'll just keep crossing my fingers and trying to make deals with the goddesses. ;)

Time for a little life update. My massage business is so slow it's sloth-like, and the hours I spend every day (at least 4) searching for jobs don't have much to show for themselves aside from achy shoulders and the occasional foot that falls asleep. The cats are very happy to have me home so often (and I'm happy to be here), but I don't think I can barter with WE Energies to pay my upcoming bill. So, my new job is selling things on eBay! Right now I'm mostly posting clothing (most of it still with tags) and will be adding costume jewelry over the weekend. Once I get the two garbage bags full of clothes steamed, hung, photographed and listed, and the same for the jewelry, I'll be hitting some of the "stuff" in my house. There are SO MANY THINGS that were my grandparents and that don't hold any memories/genealogical ties that I'll be busy for quite some time. My parents (mostly my Mom, I suspect) think that this is a crazy way to try and earn money, but one of my best friends has made thousands doing the same thing in less than a year, so it certainly can't hurt me to try.

Alright, off to finish reading the threads, grab another cup of coffee and keep at it!

Sorry about the job thing.. not good. I hope things start looking up soon..
and that your ebay business explodes.. ! Take care..

Stopping to say hi!! Hope selling on ebay is a success for you!! I know a few moms from Ty's baseball team that do the same thing.

Hi Laura - So sorry to hear about the job issue, but good luck with your ebay business!

Sorry about the lack of job. I can totally understand how sucky that it. I've been somewhat looking but not super hard. Come this fall I will be looking a little more seriously.
Good luck with your ebay sales. I've heard that can be a good way to make some money!

I know too many people who use it as either their sole or extra source of income, so it's got to work for me! I've already sold a few things, and will just keep plugging away while the job search continues. But, OMG you guys, look what I picked up today!!!!!!



I have to do some updating here ( I finished 4 books during the read-a-thon yesterday, and have a few others that never made it to LT), but I think I need to get some serious reading time in my new book!

Haha! Love that picture! :)

I love the pic, too! nice find!

Where did you get that?! I thought it wasn't being release for 4 more days

I see the sparkle in your eyes of the satisfied book fiend. ;)

Great picture, Laura. You look very happy with your find. I guess I better going and read the first book!

Hello ladies and Stephen! Yes, I am ECSTATIC to get the book early (sorry, if I told you how I got it early, I'd have to kill you), but I have yet to start reading it! >:( My BFF, G, (not a reader) has been obsessed with the Fifty Shades trilogy and had a question about how the 2nd book ended. So, I picked it up to finish it and then just wanted to be done with the whole damn series, so I picked up book 3 too. I'm almost halfway through it (hoping to finish it tonight), AND THEN I can get stuck in Shadow of Night. :D Hope you guys don't mind my ridiculous face peeking out of the side of the picture there, I had to send it to 2 of my friends and brag - they needed proof that I didn't just grab a picture off of the interwebs!

Okay, off to read about kinky fuckery a traditional relationship. ;)

I think your "ridiculous face" looks adorable. :)

I also think it's adorable and absolutely perfect. I'm pretty certain I make that face...well, just about every time I walk into a public library... :D

Thanks, kids. :) Unfortunately, my brain decided not to pay attention to anything written last night, so I ended up watching DVR'd stuff instead. But, now that my parents have gone (came over to help me cut the cats toenails), and I'm on my sprinkler schedule (move it every hour), AND Girls Night has been cancelled tonight, I'm nearly ready to step away from the computer and start reading again. Wahoo!

Love the personal touch on the photo, and eager to see how the second book reads!

Thanks Roni, and me too! Still slogging away with the third Grey book, keep getting distracted.

Speaking of, I'm thinking of starting a new blog, and I'm having a hard time finding a good name for it. Here are a few options, let me know what you guys think of them. (And, if they all stink, let me know that too!)

The Copper Peanut
Not Wet Enough (no, Stephen, this is not gross, it's an old inside joke)
Better Late Than
Awkward Anglophile

That's all I've got for now. Thoughts?

What kind of blog is it, Laura? Just a general one?

I kind of like Awkward Anglophile. :)

I was so not thinking anything dirty. Honest! Or, at least, I was, but only because I was thinking other people might think that kind of thing, y'know, not me of course...

just keeping up and saying hi!

Time for some quickie reviews...

Book 81: Fifty Shades Darker by E.L. James

Better than the first, and I have to admit that I turned off my brain to read this one - I enjoyed it much more than I expected to! The pages flew by, and I'm reading book 3 now. 3 stars

Book 82: I Am Half-Sick of Shadows by Alan Bradley

Wonderful, fun, macabre, excellent holiday installment in the Flavia series. Looking forward to book #5! 4.25 stars

Book 83: The Path of the Dream Healer by Adam

Interesting, thought-provoking book that deals with energy work, self-healing and jives with my worldview. Pretty great. 4 stars

Book 84: The West Wing by Edward Gorey

Gorey is just great and this is wonderfully creepy. 4 stars

Book 85: Werewolves of Wisconsin by Andy Fish

A quick, graphic novel of American myths and urban legends. Fun to read and look at, and an ER win to boot! 3.75 stars

Book 86: Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell

A sweet book about nothing in particular in small town England, made all the more enjoyable by reading an 1892 copy with illustrations. 4 stars

Book 87: A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

Simply put, a great novel, one of the best of the year for me. 4.6 stars

Book 88: TroubleMaker 2 by Janet Evanovich

Good, and the graphic novel aspect is fine, but I much prefer reading these in a regular book format. 3 stars

Book 89: Houses of the National Trust by Lydia Greeves

Drool-inducing and made me want to go to the UK even more than I did before, which is really saying something. 4.5 stars

And another DNF - Romola by George Eliot. For some reason, I have a really hard time reading her work. The book sounds very interesting though, so I've saved it to try again at a later point in my life.

Hi Laura! I love Edward Gorey as well. I'm also interested in the Elizabeth Gaskell book. I've had Mary Barton on my wishlist for quite a while. Should also probably read an Alan Bradley book, since they seem to get such rave reviews. Have a lovely weekend!

Whew, Laura, that's an impressive list. I really should read Cranford at some point as the miniseries from the BBC looks good and I want to read before I watch. As for George Elliot, I've only read Middlemarch but I found that one pretty readable. Maybe it's an issue of wrong book, wrong time, for you?

*waving* at Laura

Lost in Milwaukee last night. Went to the Brewers game but then bith894 and 94 were closed. Argh. Detours kept sending us to closed ramps. It was quite an adventure.

Game ended at 9:30. Got home at 1 am, after stopping for late night dessert and coffee, to regroup.

Great picture, Laura!

*Waves back* Hi Stasia! Thanks for stopping. :)

Linda, you should've called me! (Actually, do you have my number? I'll PM you.) I watched the last 2 innings at my neighbors house - didn't see you in the stands. :) If that happens again, just give me a buzz and I'll talk you through it. Since I avoid the highway usually (mostly on the way home from work) I've gotten really good at finagling alternate ways to get to where I need to be. And I think dessert and coffee were a requirement after all of that bs just trying to get home!

Thanks Terri! :)

Hi Laura- I see you are cranking out the books! Good for you! Hope you are enjoying your Sunday.
Hey, we are meeting up with Kerri & her husband next Saturday. The LT Meet-ups keep on coming!

Hiya Mark! Well, I'm working hard at cranking 'em out - though I haven't read much in the last few days outside of magazines. That's awesome that you guys are meeting up with Kerri and her husband! Hope you have a great time (and I'm sure you will), and please say hello for me! Hope you're having a good Sunday as well!

Having a good Sunday so far - slept in, still in pj's at 3:30 pm (happiness is...), and aside from cranking my iPod on shuffle (the 3 most recent songs I remember are "Old Man" by Neal Young, "Poison" by Bell Biv Devoe, and "Domine Ad Adjuvandume" by my college choir. Currently "It's You" by Tony Lucca is on) and changes loads of laundry, I'm working on a custom perfume for one of my best friends for her wedding as a present. I'm testing it out on her tonight when I give her a massage, so I'm hoping there aren't a lot of tweaks that need to be made. *crossing fingers* Okay, back to it!

You've had a few good reads lately! I also loved Discovery of Witches and I'm looking forward to the next one to come out!

Wow.. it pays to spend a tab less time on LT.. you are able to read!
Glad you had yourself a jammie day !

Hi Laura! I hope you're doing well. We did have a great time this past Saturday, with Mark and his wife. I look forward to meeting the rest of the Chicago people at some point.

Hey Laura -

Sorry I haven't been in touch. This puppy of mine is taking up any and all free time plus more.

And I also sorry to hear about the job hunt. We should connect about that again.

I saw you mention about posting on eBay. Another local alternative for cash for clothes is Uturn Consignment in Wauwatosa. Have you been? They give you 40%. I have made some good cash on things I don't wear any longer.

Hola! I just realized that I didn't post my 12-12 post from yesterday over here - so here's that (#1), and then today's follow-up (#2).

#1 Blerg.

Yet another long absence on my part. I've been spending far too much computer time on sites like etsy and Pinterest (which I'm sure is sponsored by some kind of Time-Wasting Demon), and I've been thoroughly enjoying my first viewing of The Gilmore Girls! I finished season 4 last night (what a cliffhanger!) and am picking up season 5 in a couple of hours. Oh yeah, and the Olympics! I've been a good chunk of daytime TV hours watching that too. And, because I'm a soppy, sentimental girl, I cried through most of it, in the good way.

I have some potentially good news on the job front - I have an interview tomorrow morning! It's for a part-time editorial assistant at a local publishing company. In a strange twist, just after I hung up from setting up my interview, a friend and client sent me a text. I replied back and asked her if she could cross her fingers for me since I had an interview this week. I told her where it was and what it was for, and she had that exact same job just after she got out of college! She's still friends with people who work there, so she sent one of them an email saying that she knows me and how nice and talented I am. In the 24 hours since then I found out that a different client of mine works there and that my grandmother worked there in the late 70s/early 80s. Crazy, hey?!? I'm trying not to get too hopeful (and trying not to get too nervous), but this is the most promising job that I've applied for in the last decade. If you guys wouldn't mind, could you cross your fingers for me too?

And of course I've gotten a little reading done too. Ready?

Books 90 & 91: Big Stone Gap and Big Cherry Holler by Adriana Trigiani

I really liked BSG and just liked BCH. The main character, Ave Maria, was so scarily like me that I got a little freaked. Fun, easy reading books - I always enjoy Ms. Trigiani! 4 and 3 stars, respectively

Book 92: The English Landscape: Its Character and Diversity by Bill Bryson

In actuality, Bryson only wrote the intro, and the rest of the book is a lovely combination of photographs, maps, and essays on each small part of England written by people, some famous and some not. A beautiful book (though heavy, sheesh!) to sit and dream with. 4.25 stars

Book 93: Wicked Business by Janet Evanovich

I'm so glad that Janet returned to this series, this is such a fun little world she's built (similar to Stephanie Plum's New Jersey, with a little extra spookiness and special abilities thrown in for good measure). This second outing deals with finding the second SALIGIA stone (and sadly I don't remember what that stands for) and lots of laughs are to be had along the way. 4 stars

Book 94: Japan Ai by Aimee Major Steinberger

Similar in style to French Milk, this is an illustrated travel memoir of a trip to Japan by a tall self-proclaimed cute-obsessed nerd and her two friends who are equally nerdy in their own way. Fun and interesting (who knew about Japanese ball-joint dolls and the VOLKS store?!? Not me!), I'm glad I finally checked this one out of the library. 4.5 stars

Book 95: Catch & Release: The Insiders' Guide to Alaska Men by Jane Haigh, Kelley Hegarty Lammers and Patricia Walsh

Funny and really very honest, it was a nice read, though I have to wonder what made my Grandmother purchase this on her last trip to visit my Uncle. Hmm, best not to think about it too much. 3 stars

Book 96: 1900 House by Mark McCrum

Actually, this book was better than the series. I didn't like the family much (lots of whinging) and had to semi-force myself to finish watching it. The book included some world and local history which was very nice, and to see stills of the series was a nice treat. 3 stars

Thankfully this is it, I need to dash off to meet a client! See you all soon!

#2 Thanks for the crossing of fingers and positive thoughts - it went really well! I had 3 computer tests and 2 interviews (1 with an HR lady and the other with the editor) and I think I did a very good job on all of them. Everyone was very nice, especially the editor, and I hardly felt awkward or self-conscious once I got the computer testing out of the way. I didn't ask for a time frame for their decision (duh!) but the job is listed as open to apply for until the end of August, so who knows? I'll keep picturing myself sitting at that desk and I'll know when I know. I'll be sure to keep you guys posted!

Andrea, I think you were the one who turned me on to Japan Ai, probably a couple of years ago now. Thanks, and I've got Shenzen making its library way towards me as I type. :) Do you, or anyone else out there, know of any other books that are that same genre of illustrated travel narratives? I've read Blankets, which is more memoir-y, and French Milk, but that's all that I can recall off the top of my sleep-deprived, adrenaline-come-down-y brain right now.

In other, book-buying, news, I was at the Dollar Store yesterday, in the book aisle looking at envelopes, and somehow a book just jumped into my arms. Crazy how that happens, hey?!? (BTW, it's The White House Garden.)

Even though it sounds like you were terrific in the interview - and of course you would be! - fingers still crossed. With all that happenstance, how can you not get the job?

Hi Nancy! How's the puppy doing? They're so wonderful and worth it, but boy it's a lot of time to put in while they're young. Thanks for keeping 'em crossed. I know, it really seems like there are too many coincidences for this not to work. And, I just heard today about 2 other people that I'm acquainted with who work there. Disney was right, it's a small world after all!

I hope you get the job, Laura! Even if you do neglect us LTers... :P

Hi, Laura! Wow, did I fall behind. Fingers crossed for the new job - it sure sounds like lots of connections are saying yes. Love the pic at the top!

Thanks, Stephen. Way to lay on a guilt trip, kid. :)

Howdy, Joe! Nice to see you around these here parts, I'm afraid I haven't caught up on the latest Cafe thread yet. Thanks for the crossing of fingers! It does seem like things have lined up nicely. I thought that picture was appropriate for this place! Hope you're doing well!

Huh? What? Me? I don't know what you are talking about. I never know what you are talking about. It's like I don't even know you anymore!! :P

Okay, I'll stop now.

*Hugs*

Aw, man? Now I feel bad! ;) ***HUGS*** to you too, Stephen!

I'm glad your interviews went well, Laura. :) Hope things keep looking up for you!

Laura- All crossables crossed for you, my friend! Good luck. How is Milwaukee doing after that horrid incident? OMG!
On a much lighter note, I listened to the 1st disc of Let's Pretend This Never Happened. It's wickedly funny. And it's great that she reads it too! What a stitch!

Fingers crossed, Laura!

Hi Laura. Fingers crossed for you. Good luck.
I've added the English Landscape book and Japan Ai to the wish list.
Have you read Craig Thompson's illustrated travel memoir Carnet de Voyage? The illustrations are gorgeous.
Enjoy the Gilmore Girls. (I can't remember how the 4th season ended.)

Fingers crossed for you about the job, Laura!

Good luck with the potential job! It sounds like a good one.

OH yeah :) I want to read Wicked Business by Janet Evanovich, too! I read the first one.. good fun.
Sending good job mojo your way....

Adding my crossed fingers as well, Laura. :)

Sending all positive energy your way regarding the potential job. You are such a great person and kind friend and naturally, I want the best for you.

Hello and thank you to everyone for crossed fingers and positivity! I'm starting to get paranoid that I did something wrong, but I know that's my crazy-pants nervousness running out of control a little. Will hopefully hear soon from my friends' friend who works there to get a little inside scoop on what's going on.

Mark - Glad you're enjoying the audio CD! She is hysterical. The whole shooting thing was and is horrible, and mostly everyone here is in shock. It's so sad and unexpected. The moron who did it deserves to pay for it but he took the wussy way out, IMHO.

VB - hey there! I have read Carnet de Voyage, it's excellent. Don't you wish you could draw like that? Season 4 of GG ends with Rory sleeping with Dean, and Lorelai and Luke finally kissing and getting interrupted by a naked sleep-running-because-of-night-terrors Kirk. Good times.

I'm only a little into Season 5 of Gilmore Girls, the Olympics got so distracting! Plus, I also decided to start watching The X-Files, season 3 of True Blood, and Jonathan Creek this last week. It's no wonder that I'm hardly reading anything these days - so much great TV! Yesterday I volunteered to help a friend of a friend out during her wedding by taking care of all non-alcoholic drinks and was planning hoping to have a good chunk of read time between serving people and things. Instead, everyone was drinking alcohol so I got to sit at a table by myself, trying to look not awkward or annoyed and like I was having a great time with strangers, and most importantly, to not look like I wanted to be anywhere else or doing anything else. *sigh* I'm glad I could help her out, and she would've been a little screwed if I couldn't do it, but it was a long, 11-hour, day of no reading. *grump* Isn't that always a bummer when you lose out on book time?

Currently reading:
A Fatal Grace by Louise Penny
Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness
House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter
Franny & Zooey by JD Salinger
The Roald Dahl Omnibus - this is taking forever!

I am so with you in the boat of watching more TV and reading less. I just started getting into Doctor Who and it's so enjoyable but I do feel a bit guilty as I've been ignoring the Shakespeare blog as a result. Hope you continue to enjoy Gilmore Girls, it's always been one of my favourites. :)

Micky, I wholehearted endorse your Doctor Who immersion - I LOVE the good Dr!!! A friend and I were just discussing a Time Lord Extravaganza viewing party, and if you were anywhere near me you would be invited to join in on all of the Timey-Wimey fun! Halfway into GG season 5 now, and have taken a break to watch more of the first season of X Files, and then it'll be on to more of season 3 of True Blood. And then finishing the first season of Jonathan Creek. And THEN back to GG! :)

Book 97: A Fatal Grace by Louise Penny

In this second installment of the Inspector Gamache series, we find Gamache simultaneously trying to solve two murders - one of a homeless woman killed on the streets of Montreal and the other of a despicable, selfish b---- who recently made her home in Three Pines and was electrocuted in the middle of a frozen lake - and whether they're related or not. Also, that idiot Agent Nichols reappears.

I don't know why I waited so long to return to this series, it's so enjoyable. As ever, I see more and more of myself in Myrna. (God, I hope that she doesn't turn out to be a horrible person in other books.) Even though it took me a little bit to get back into Ms. Pennys rhythm, once I did, it was hard to break the spell. I cannot believe that Yvette has the gall, or whatever, to come back and join the team, even though she was ordered to. And I have a few questions about why she is the way she is, and about the whole Arnot case, but I'll figure it out in the next book or not. I can't say I blame whodunit in CC's murder, but in Elle's I certainly do - what a twisted, sick individual. A great reading experience, and I already have the third book pulled from my shelves. 4 stars

Book 98: Albert and the Others by Guy DeLisle

This quick, illustrated, no-words book about 26 men and their unreal lives seems almost like a peek into their respective heads. My first DeLisle, certainly not my last. Don't know why I like this so much, but I do. Quirky. 3.5 stars

Hah! I know what you mean about Myrna, Laura. Penny gets us all so invested in her characters. I'm up to date except for the new one coming out, so I know you have some good reading ahead of you. Need I say, all is not as it appears, even from book to book? As Richard says, Penny is fearless, and she takes us all on quite a ride.

I know - I remember skimming some of his reviews, and saying that she isn't afraid to kill off main characters. That fact alone has me nervous that Myrna is going to turn out to be some psychotic serial poisoner or something. *gulp* I may be forced to read the rest of them in a streak now, just to see how much I may regret that statement. ;)

I got an email late this afternoon from the job people - they hired someone else. :( Crap. Looks like I'd better chill that bottle of wine for the night....

Ah, darn. Sorry about the job. Enjoy the wine! Seems like everybody these days has to pound on a lot of doors before the right one opens.

Phooey. Sorry to hear that, Laura. But at least it was a good interviewing experience for you, right? That's a good thing.

btw, thanks for point out my time discrepancy. I would've shown up at that event a half hour early but would be a half hour late.

Sorry to hear that, Laura. Having recently been through the same thing with the local library job, I know what a bummer it is. :(

Thanks, Joe, Linda, Stephen. You're right, Linda, it was a good interviewing experience (haven't been on one of those in 10 years), and they got to know me a little. Maybe if this person they hired doesn't work out they'll call. Probably not, but you never know. Tomorrow starts the search again!

Hey, this second glass of wine is helping!

Sorry to hear about the job. Enjoy the wine. Another job wil be there for you!

Thanks, Roni!

Second glasses of wine help everything. Crossing my fingers that an even BETTER job comes along for you.

HI Laura - I'm so sorry to hear about the job - it's really rough out there, but I know something good will come along. Take care.

Sorry to hear about the job, Laura. I had a similar experience last week as well (although I still have a contract job right now that I love so it's not crazy disappointing). However, I don't drink, so my consolation prize was ordering all of the series of Doctor Who from Amazon. I have such a tough life. ;)

Hopefully something even more amazing comes your way soon!

I feel your pain about the job. Very difficult.... I am not even finding anything remotely possible...
With jobs, as frustrating as it is.. I have to think that there is something just right out there waiting ....
sending energy for that one!

Sorry to hear about the job, Laura. Hopefully the right one is just around the corner.

Thanks, ladies! No looking for jobs today, couldn't face it. Instead I have been zoning out, watching DVDs, and the Bunheads-a-thon on ABCFamily - I love this show. Feeling the guilt about not being productive, for sure, but I've at least started some laundry. And once the rush hour is over with, I'll be heading to the library to return a bunch of books and pick up some more X-Files DVDs. Most of the rest of this week will be devoted to doing wedding prep for my BFFs wedding on Friday, with a couple of clients thrown in just to keep my hands busy, so to speak. Next week will be back to whatever-version-of-normal-my-life-is-now.

And, last week when I worked at that wedding I took 2 bottles of wine and there's still one left, so I see some vino in my future. :)

Having my evening glass of wine right now, so here's a toast to future productivity!

ABC Family is the best for indulgent tv marathons.

Just stopping to say Hi and see how you are doing!! My family and I were in your neck of the woods a few weekends ago shopping for soccer clothes and equipment. The guys didn't want to stop any book stores. :-(

Hope you have a great Labor Day weekend!!!

Popping in to say hello and wish you a happy weekend !

Hello ladies. :) Sorry, haven't been here much lately. Real-life and TV on DVD have kept me away.

My plans for this weekend are:
Today - clean up this house, for real this time, and participate in the readathon
Tomorrow - meet 2 friends for breakfast in the middle of nowhere-ville, work on a client at 1:30, and then more readathoning
Monday - same as today

I'm glad to have some time off when everyone else does, it feels a little more "normal". Plus, I keep starting more books and not picking up the ones I'm already reading, so to avoid the avalanche starting shortly, my focus will be on finishing the ones I've been "currently reading" the longest. Hopefully, I can get some of the 10 library books read and out the door this weekend too, that would help my poor coffee table quite a lot. And, finish up 2 mix CDs for friends (and not spend any $$ at iTunes in the process). Oh yeah, and I should look for jobs too, but I don't want to, and it's depressing, and it's a holiday weekend, and I'm avoiding it like a petulant teen. The deal I made with myself was that I'd have at least 2 days off from job-searching each week, but I really can't afford to hold that deal up any more. *sigh* It just sucks. So, avoidance is the answer!!!!

Hope you're having a great weekend, Laura. You deserve it! What books are grabbing you right now?

#88: Ditto on I keep starting more books and not picking up the ones I'm already reading. I think I'm still finishing some up from last year, if you can believe that. :o

Good luck on the job searching. And yes, avoidance is always the answer. No argument there. ;)

I hear you on the avoidance, Laura. Hope you have a lovely long weekend with no applications and then feel more ready to tackle them with gusto on Tuesday. :)

Hi Laura
Sorry to see that you didn't get that job. I guess it just means an even better one is around the corner for you. I understand how much it sucks though, now that my wedding is over I have to start looking for a job :(

Hi Joe! Thanks, it was pretty nice. How was your weekend? I need to get back to the cafe, I've probably missed 5 threads by now. (gulp!) Nothing in particular is really grabbing me, but I've finally gotten re-stuck into Armadale, a chunkster I abandoned 100 pages in 3 years ago. Otherwise, it's just normal reading - nothing terrible, nothing outstanding. How about your fine self? Anything great lately?

Sara, yes, I do believe it (see message above to Joe). I've got lots more on my shelves that I've let marinate for years. What's scary is the stack of books that I need/want to read soon that doesn't seem to diminish and that keeps moving around. That pile is next on my list. Thanks for the good luck wishes and for the avoidance support. Sometimes, it's a very good thing. Hope you're doing well!

Micky, it worked! After 3 days of not allowing myself to entertain the thought of job searching, I feel like I can actually tackle it again without getting all cranky/depressed/stabby. :) How was your weekend? How's the Doctor Who going?

Thanks, Chelle. :) Oy, good luck to you, my dear! I haven't been over to your place in ages (since you moved in!), I'm making a visitation list for later, and you're right underneath Joe, Sara and Micky! Perhaps the job situation is better where you are? At any rate, I'm crossing fingers and toes for you my dear!

Book 99: Horse, Flower, Bird by Kate Bernheimer

A quirky, melancholic, slightly "off", collection of modern fairy tales. A rec from Richard (years ago!), I'm glad I finally got around to reading it! 4 stars

Book 100: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

There's not much to be said about this book that isn't already out there. In short, I thought it was excellent, a very fine example of narrative non-fiction, and richly deserving of the accolades that it's received. Can't imagine that it wouldn't be that way for most people. (One thing, though, and I hope I don't get in trouble for saying this - the family annoyed me to no end in the last half of the book, and when they weren't annoying me, I was almost holding my breath, waiting for them to annoy me again. Yes, I understand each of their individual viewpoints, and their experiences, and why they felt and thought the way they did, but it still bugged me.) All in all, a great book. 4 stars

Book 101: How to Understand Israel in 60 Days or Less by Sarah Glidden

A rec from Eva (a totally awesome chick)!!!!! In this graphic novel/travel memoir, Sarah takes a Birthright Israel tour to both understand her Jewish roots and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. What follows is a very honest book about changing emotions and opinions that have her wondering about her beliefs and who she really is. Like Eva said, she doesn't necessarily have a super-great time, but it was a detailed (and wonderfully illustrated/watercolored) look at a modern gals experience in an historic country. Very glad I read it, and I'd recommend it to others who enjoy this kind of book. 4 stars

Congrats in reaching 100 books, Laura!!

I'lll add my congrats on reaching 100, Laura! Good for me to see your take on How to Understand Israel in 60 Days or Less - I like graphic novels, and I've been thinking about trying that one for a while now.

The best book I've read recently is Shadow Divers, which I reviewed on the book page. Riveting por moi. Now I'm into Steinbeck's Travels with Charley in Search of America, which is charming.

>93 LauraBrook: Yay! I'm glad you're feeling less angry about all the applications. I know how hideous the process can get after a while so taking a good break is sometimes the best thing. Doctor Who is absolutely marvelous. I'm doing a bit of rewatching at the moment while I wait for the box set of specials I need to bridge the narrative between series 4 and 5 (which is supposed to arrive on Thursday, huzzah!). Still heavy on the binging basically. :) How's Gilmore Girls treating you or are you watching a bunch of different things still?

Congratulations on passing the 100 book mark, Laura, and good luck on the job hunting!

Congratulations on 100 books, Laura!

Hiya, stranger! Hope all is well. And congrats on reaching 100! It's a milestone.

Hi Laura, congratulations on reaching 100. Job-hunting is a pain but hopefully your search will pay off in your finding that perfect placement where going to work is something to look forward to.

Thanks to Linda, Joe, Micky, Roni, Terri, Mark, and Judy!

Joe, I've added Shadow Divers to my TBR pile!

Micky, did you get your Doctor Who stuff on Thursday? Fingers crossed! I've taken a slight break from Gilmore Girls (just getting ready to start Season 6), and am currently obsessing over Jonathan Creek, The Book Group, Green Wing (again), Maigret, and am half-heartedly watching the second season of Boston Legal. I'm trying to finish Armadale this weekend, hopefully today, and the Jonathan Ross I'm a third of the way through, if I can swing it. I'd like to finish the excellent audio of Ready Player One too, though so far Jonathan Creek is winning out.

Once I hop in the shower, do some dishes, and run to the library, I'll be back here for most of the rest of the weekend. Parents are coming over to help do some outdoor plumbing fixing and cut the grass (well, the parts that aren't dead - I'm allergic to grass and don't have any real space for a lawnmower here, and Dad LOVES to use his riding lawnmower and get some time to himself), and then it'll be a combo of housework, reading, and paper sorting for the next couple of days. Honestly, it sounds like it's shaping up to be a pretty good weekend.

Book 102: Marcus of Umbria by Justine van der Leun

A short and sweet story of a girl in Italy, looking for love and ultimately finding it with a nervous dog, her perfect companion. Nice writing, and a nice story, but nothing I'd jump up and down for everyone to read. 3 stars

Book 103: Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea by Guy Delisle

A memoir/graphic novel of the authors time spent in North Korea for a job. So many things lately have been pointing me to that country, this being the tail end of a string, though the first that I've read. This was the right place, right time for me to read this book. Excellent illustrations, an interesting experience, and a very unique culture. Recommended - 5 stars

>102 LauraBrook: I actually got it on Wednesday. Down side, one of the discs was scratched so while I've watched them all, I did miss about 10-15 minutes of the last episode (right around the climax, of course). I have a roughish idea of what went down and I did get the last five minutes of the episode so I'm able to move on to series 5 but I have to wait a month to get the replacement set from Amazon. *Shrug* Still, plenty of Doctor Who to binge on. With some reading thrown in sometimes. ;)

Glad you've got a good weekend planned, Laura. Have a great one! :D

*lurking*

You read such interesting graphic novels, Laura! I've now got Pyongyang on my tbr.

103: Thanks, TommyandPatrick - did you like them?

104: Micky, what a total bummer! (And yes, of course, it was during the big action climax.) The same thing happened to me on disc 9 of Inspector Lynley's big mega-set. Nothing you can do but complain and shake your head...

105: Hi Kath - lurk away!

106: Joe, I think the same thing on your thread! :) I think you'll really like Pyongyang.

>107 LauraBrook: Well, my fanvid watching (yes, I'm that kind of nerd :P) filled in the gap. Plus, my replacement disc should be delivered today (yay for Amazon exceeding expectations!). Hope you have lovely weekend, Laura!

Not sure whether to recommend to you the gn I'm reading now, Laura. It's called Starstruck, by Elaine Lee, and it's quite amazing, But I think you'd need to be into bizarre galactic space opera with subversive humor to like it. Needless to say, I'm eating it up. And there's a lot to eat - more than 280 pp.!

I'm looking forward to reading Pyongyang soon, maybe with one more in front of it - I'm already a ways into Neil Gaiman's Black Orchid, which is pretty far up on the bizarre-o-meter, too.

Yay for exceeding expectations is right! I hope you have a lovely weekend too, Micky. I'm home tomorrow and have to work from 8 to 4 on Sunday, so I'm savoring my free time. Perhaps a start on the last season of Gilmore Girls is in order? :)

I don't think I've ever read a space opera before, though it sounds very intriguing - would Starstruck be a good place to start, or is there a different place that I'd be better of testing the waters? You know, I've never read Neil Gaiman before - I know! - but I'm hoping to rectify that next year with the year-long Sandman group read. I should probably hang my head in shame...

>110 LauraBrook: My weekend is packed. I have church duties Saturday morning, I'm going to a bachelorette for one of my good friends Saturday night, a Jack and Jill shower for the same friend Sunday afternoon, and then the theatre on Sunday night. I will probably require a weekend after my weekend to recover. So I'm a little envious of your half quiet weekend. :)

No kidding! Your weekend sounds exhausting! So far, mine is not so quiet. A few hours of yard work with the parents, then back inside for coffee and a tiring and frustrating conversation about my hopeless life (fun times!), and they've just left. AAAAAAAHH! I love my parents, and I so appreciate everything they do for me, but ...

And now I've got to take another shower, go to the library and get groceries, do 2 loads of laundry and then head over to a friend of a friend's place for movie night at 7:00. Ugh. I very much do not want to go to the movie night (we're watching "Tommy Boy", one of my college faves) and make small talk with strangers and eat crappy food (there will be a dozen people there and only 3 of us ever bring food, and it tends to be a bag of chips and salsa, a package of Oreos and a veggie platter - guess which one I bring), and essentially just watch the clock until it's a suitable time to go home. But, I said I'd go a few weeks ago when I was invited, and a mutual friend has been texting me all day long about how excited she is to see me there and what fun it will be, blah blah. I feel like a stick in the mud, but I'd rather just stay here and catch up on stuff and go to bed by 9:00 so I can get up at 6 tomorrow to work. My Dad had a conversation with me this afternoon - he said that I do enough stuff to please people that I don't want to do, and that the scales are firmly tipped to the "bad" side and that I should just skip it and not worry about it. Oh, the guilt!!!

But but BUT - the friend who has been texting me all day is doing a read-a-thon with me this coming Friday-Saturday. That will be a crap-load of time together, and the girl who is hosting tonight will be joining us for half of it. If I don't go tonight, the RAT will make up for it, right? Right? Blerg!

One thing I've noticed, being single all of my life, is that if you're single you are expected to be at every event that anyone has. The attitude is very much "what else do you have to do?" and "yes, but can't you skip someone else's thing and come to mine? I'm more important!", and if someone is in a relationship/married, the expectation is that they have "couple" plans so it makes sense to not be everywhere all of the time. Le sigh! Has anyone else noticed this?

Sorry for the blabbing.... :)

No apologies for the blabbing. I totally understand where you're coming from, Laura. I too often have the urge to not want to go to social gatherings and hermit it up instead. I say that if you're going to be seeing both of these friends in the nearish future and you don't really want to hang out with a crew of people that you can totally plead out. Use a headache as an excuse. Or being consumed by piles of laundry. Or wanting to turn in early because you have to work the next day. If they're really a good friend, they'll understand.

Luckily, I haven't run into the you're single therefore you must come to everything thing yet. I think it helps that most of my friends are still single too.

Whichever way you decide to go for the evening, hope it's enjoyable! :)

I'm with you, Laura. I realized a long time ago that if I'm not happy, ain't nobody happy, so I just do as I please, and if I don't feel like doing something, I make up a lie.

I had a horrible date about 5 years ago, and I decided then that if I didn't think I would enjoy a night out more that sitting at home with a book, I wouldn't do it. There are plenty of fun people to hang out with, and I do my share, but never when I don't feel like it!

Space opera - I'd suggest starting with Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan series. She's won lots of sci-fi awards for it. I'd start with Warrior's Apprentice, kind of a dopey title (to me) for a funny and action-packed intro to hyper Miles Vorkosigan.

Some would have you start chronologically with his mother and father in Shards of Honor, and that's okay, too. Here's a Wikipedia entry that gives you some background: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vorkosigan_Saga. To me Miles and his pal Ivan and eventually a romantic interest of Miles' are irrresistible.

Well, crisis averted! I should be there right this very second, but I'm home. Why, you ask? Because my first appointment tomorrow moved her time up from 9:30am to 8:00am! That means that I should be in bed by 9 tonight so I can get up at 6 tomorrow. Aw, shucks! :) I did meet the other friend (non-host, obvs) for dinner at the mall and a quick trip to the B&N there, but that's it - happy me! The host of the party tonight called the dinner friend after I sent Host a text message cancelling, and she was whining and complaining that everyone is canceling, and why don't people RSVP what they really mean, and maybe I should just cancel the whole thing, etc. When asked how many people are coming, she said eight. 8 people are still coming and she's complaining!!!!! For a lady in her mid-upper 30's, she has got something screwy going on upstairs. Host also said that she thought my excuse was "lame - she could totally still come over and watch the movie" - um, what? Usually we don't start watching until 8:30/9pm, and I have to get up at 6 to work. ????? WTH. Okay, gotta shake it off, it's making me too nuts. (The other part of this issue, is that Host, who is BFFs with the other friend, is a client of mine. She was a client first, and now we're friends b/c of our shared friend. We do things together, and the three of us comprise the newest book club I joined earlier this year. It's awkward for me a lot of the time bc I have to always be on my best behavior and watch what I say for fear of saying something to offend Host and losing her as a client. If for no other reason, I can't imagine ever really being good friends with her for this reason. And, all of her teenage-y self-inflicted Drama is exhausting and does not make me eager to spend a lot of time with her.)

/rant

Thanks for the support, ladies. It was a lot easier when all of my friends were single, Micky, but now that there are only 2 of us left, with the total dwindling every year, it just gets worse. While it's great that people and their kids want to spend time with me, it gets a little ridiculous. TLo, I agree with you! I'm very happy to spend the evening (or day, or multiple days) at home with a book and a movie, especially as I work nights some of the time. And, maybe my age is starting to show, but I don't want to be out too late if I'm not working or at a concert or something. I like a quiet evening with the cats and LT and a book in my hand.

Joe, thank you for the recommendation. I'm sure I've heard you and others mention Bujold's series as a good starting place, but my brain can be Swiss-cheesy sometimes. :) Will add it to my library TBR list!

Okay - off to throw in a load of laundry so I have clean pants to wear tomorrow!

Hi Laura- Just checking in. Glad you "avoided" movie night! Believe it or not, I've never seen Tommy Boy. Hope all is well. I miss seeing you around.

I simply want to say I think you are one of the kindest souls that I know. Thank you ever so much for your emotional support during my recovery from multiple neck fusion surgery!

I deeply appreciate you!

*waving* at Laura

Hi Mark! Me too! I love Tommy Boy, though watching it now for the first time, I'm not sure you'd find it nearly as hilarious as I do. Things are rolling along here, same as usual. I missed being around here! Not sure what happened to me late July/August/early September, but I wasn't here much, and when I was, I just lurked. Strange. Oh well, back to "normal" now!

Linda, right back at you - you are one of the kindest souls that I know too! I don't know how you remain so positive and strong the majority of the time. You matter so much to people, improving lives everywhere you go - what a blessing you are! take care of you, and I hope you have less pain every day. (((HUGS))) to you!

*waving* back at Stasia! Have a good night at work!

*head slap* Just got a text from my first client tomorrow - we are back at 9:30 instead of 8:00. Yay, another hour of sleep! And I don't have to go to bed this instant! :)

>112 LauraBrook: I have the opposite problem. No one invites me to things because they only want to do couple-y things. I do feel your pain though.

112: Blech! This is exactly why I don't have friends in the first place! Oh alright, it's not the reason, but it is a great benefit. :P

Nora: They're wieners. And thanks. :)

Stephen: *eyeroll* Oh, dear, sweet Stephen.... I'd give you a hug if you weren't afraid of girls, and you know, several hundred miles away. :)

Hi Laura, thanks for stopping by... I am hopelessly behind on so many threads....
Looks like you have been busy :)

Hi Laura, just passing through to say Hi, but I see you are busy hugging Stephen (quietly tiptoes away).

Hi Kath, thanks for stopping by yourself! Busy, yes, but starting tomorrow afternoon a friend and I are doing our very own Read-a-Thon, so things will be speedy until 2 and then just the bliss of sitting, reading, and eating. Can't wait! Hope you're doing well!!!

Judy, no need to tiptoe away, Stephen is afraid of girl cooties, so it was just a quickie hug. Come and sit down, stay awhile - can I get you a drink? Something to eat?

Good Night Dear Laura.

I'm not so much afraid of girl-cooties as I am of people-cooties. It's okay though, I find the idea of hugs from LT-folk significantly less mortifying than ordinary hugs. :D

Hi Laura: Starting to feel like myself again after that close call at work. Finished a book. Getting my appetite back a bit.

Take care of yourself.

Hi Laura, I'm back. It's Friday night and I am home alone so I am planning on spending a little time here on LT then curling up and finishing Faithful Place which I have really been enjoying. I am rewarding myself since I was a good girl and cleaned the house top to bottom yesterday. Hope you have a great weekend.

Laura, I say do what you want to do!! They should be happy to see you when you're there and just accept it when you don't want to be. Life is too short and stressful for us to be always putting so much pressure on each other.

Good Night Dear Linda (2 days late...)

Woo hoo! So when you're at an LT meet-up you won't wince and run away from the hugs? Yay Stephen!

Linda, glad to hear things are on the up and up. I know, when stuff like that happens, I get all in a kerfuffle for a bit too. Thankfully a book in hand aids the process. :) Hope you're enjoying your cool-weather weekend!

Judy, I haven't been to your thread in a couple of days - did you finish Faithful Place? You deserve a reward after all that cleaning, most definitely. If you feel like coming up to WI to tackle my house too, you're more than welcome. ;) Hope you're having a great weekend yourself!

Hola, Tammy! Thanks for the support. It is, but (as a friend and I talked about today) the Host gal of the party should really be on an anti-depressant. I know that they get prescribed and abused quite a bit, but this is a situation where a little Zoloft/what-have-you would do wonders for her. If she wasn't a client, I'd be happy to kindly brooch the topic, but said mutual friend doesn't seem willing/able to do it herself. *shrug* Don't know if there's anything to be done about this on my end. At any rate, I hope you're having a good Saturday evening!

Well! I'm coming off of the end of a fairly casual read-a-thon with a friend, and it was mostly a success. I say mostly because I didn't meet one of my goals (to read 100 pages in a certain book I've been reading since July *ahem*), but it was still a good way to spend 24 hours! We started Friday afternoon at J's house, she made potato soup, I brought crusty bread and ice cream, and her sister joined us with veggies and dip. A lot of laughs were had (we all kept reciting lines from "Tommy Boy" and laughing hysterically), and some nice chats, but decent page-turning happened too. Then, the sister and I left around 9:30/10 last night. I came home, prepped and partially cooked the breakfast casserole for today, did some cleaning, and read 50 pages before going to bed at 1:00.

Alarm went off at 6:30 (ugh), and i did more cleaning and breakfast prep. J came over around 8:30, we ate and chatted, and then she did what we were supposed to, and sat and read. Me? Oh, I read for a half hour, then washed a load of dishes, then read for a few minutes, wrote a card and put it in the mailbox, read for another few, then got some coffee, etc. Not so great on the reading today, I can tell you. We ordered Chinese for lunch, tried not to fall asleep, got the fireplace going, and read for a while longer. J left around 3, and I've been reading and putzing ever since. I think I may need a nap (even thought it's 7pm) and I'm hoping to finish another book today. Don't want to stop and play here on LT to update what I've been reading, I think I'd better get back to it (or sleep) and leave that for later tonight or tomorrow. More later....

*waving* at Laura

Reading and putzing sounds like a perfect Saturday night to me!

Sounds like a great weekend so far, Laura. Hope it stays that way. :)

I have spent a fair chunk of my saturday reading. Usually, a good plan,but this is not a good book. I will carry on to the end, because I still believe in miracles. I hope your reads are better.. ! And that you are having a good weekend :)

*waves back at Stasia* Me too - no complaints here! Hope you're having a good Saturday night yourself. :)

Thanks, Micky! Hope you're having a great one too!

Kath, I was just thinking about you - I just started to read Sage-ing While Age-ing! You are a better reader than I, I'd just quit the book most likely. Here's hoping your miracle ending happens, and that you're having a good weekend as well!

Oh yes, I will totally accept hugs at LT meet-ups, and I think its adorable how optimistic you are that I will ever attend one.

Oh, wait, that is not to say that I don't desperately want to go to one, you see, it's just that every single one that has ever been was held on a day when I had an excuse a reason I couldn't attend. *Fake pouts*

Hi Laura! I'm trying to get caught up, but doing a poor job. You've done some wonderful reading lately, particularly the graphic novels, which I think I'll plop on the wishlist. Have a lovely Sunday!

Sounds like a great way to spend some of your weekend!

Stephen, I have faith that you'll go to one, if for no other fact than you already know us! Eventually one of us will figure out exactly where your house is and then you won't have any excuse! :D

K, getting caught up here can be a full time job in itself. Hope you're having a good week!

I thought so too, Roni! Will have to head over to your thread and see if you've posted any more jewelry pics. :)

Books 104 & 105: Home Cooking with Trisha Yearwood and Georgia Cooking in an Oklahoma Kitchen by Trisha Yearwood

I enjoyed reading the personal backgrounds and stories from these cookbooks as much as I did the recipes themselves. While I don't cook "southern" that often, I did pull a few recipes to try in the next couple of weeks. There's even a recipe for cooking a turkey easily - and I think I can manage it this next Thanksgiving! 4 stars each

Book 106: The Golden Hat: Talking Back to Autism by Kate Winslet

The information about these specific autistic kids, Keli in particular, and Kate's relationship with his mother were interesting, and while the celeb self-portraits were alright, I didn't like or understand most of their quotes. Glad I got this one from the library. 2.5 stars

Book 107: Bound to Shadows by Keri Arthur

The eighth book in the Riley Jenson series, this one left me a little flat. While I still didn't quite figure out who the murderer was (again! that's one of the things I enjoy the most about these books), it didn't hold my attention like it normally does. Nothing was wrong with it, but it was just an okay read this time. 3 stars

Book 108: A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick

I wanted to like this book more than I did. While the premise (set in the 1800's - I think - an older man places an ad in a Chicago paper looking for a "reliable wife", a woman responds and marries him, but things aren't exactly what they appear to be on the surface) sounded quite interesting, there is a whole lot of sex in this book. Not necessarily outright sex, but lots of talking and thinking and remembering and... it was a surprise! A friend and I were reading it together during a readathon on Friday night and we played a game - every time the word "sex" or "whore" or "oyster" or something similar came up, we said it out loud. We were nearly constantly talking! There were a couple of twists to the storyline, and that kept me going, but otherwise I would've given up. 2.75 stars

Book 109: Why Do I Say These Things? by Jonathan Ross

Bits and bobs from his life. They're funny and ridiculous and honest stories (he doesn't always show himself in the best life, which is refreshing), and even though I liked him before this book, I like him even more now. Anyone know what he's doing these days? 4 stars

Book 110: Armadale by Wilkie Collins

Holy crap, was this book ever long! I started this in 2009 for my real-life book club, and since I didn't finish it in a month (it's over 800 pages - I got to page 118) and for our meeting we went to a stage version of the book, it wasn't something I was in any hurry to get back to. After all, I pretty much knew the story, right? But of all of the partially finished book on my shelves, this one was the one that bugged me the most. So - I decided to make this the book I'd finish for my first category. After a couple of months of plowing through it, I made it through the end! Normally I enjoy a thick Victorian novel, but this got to be entirely too long-winded in my opinion. Overall it was good, and if it could have been 200 or 300 pages shorter I may have loved it - instead, I'm giving it a generous 3 stars.

I grew up cooking Southern! I'm pretty eclectic now.

I think eclectic is the way to go, Lori! Do you have any favorite Southern dishes?

Book 111: Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

I've been thinking about what to write in this review, and all I can think of is "Totally Awesome"! The 80's were my childhood, and even though I didn't necessarily have the video game and techie experiences in the book, they're a fabric of my upbringing. An excellent story, filled with radical flashbacks and narrated by the tubular Wil Wheaton, I'm only sorry that I won't be able to listen to this again for the first time. 5 stars!!!

Well, I'm going to cook some purple hull peas and cornbread to go along with a pork cutlet that I'm breading. That's what I'm craving so that's what I'm doing tonight! I'll have to start the peas with a little (uncooked) bacon in them (for the purpose of adding flavor) around 3:00 or so because they need to cook down until they are really tender.

I did like Reliable Wife better than you did... haven't read the others...

I am a wil Wheaton fan :)))))

I loved Ready Player One too!

Me, too!

141: I've been trying to get an LT lady to stalk me, but noooooo, apparently I'm not worth the effort. Hmph! :(

I desperately need to read Ready Player One.

Hi Laura- A Reliable Wife received such great reviews when it came out but it's had a lukewarm reception on LT. I own it, so I will read it at some point. His new one has also been getting good reviews but I haven't seen any Lters respond so far.
""Totally Awesome" is totally perfect for RPO! Have a great weekend.

Lori, that sounds yummy! Feel free to send the leftovers in my direction (if there are any). :)

Kath I think you'd like the audio of RPO - he really does an outstanding job!

Yay Roni!

Yay Joe!

Stephen, it's a smidge too hard to stalk you, simply because a) none of us willing to stalk you are even in the same state, and b) we don't really know where you live! However, if one of us does win the lottery and the free time that comes with it, we could probably track you down in your county by looking for small valleys with a house or two in them. ;)

Mark, I'm curious as to what your review/opinion will be when you get around to reading ARW. If I'd've known about the weirdly pervy sex stuff before reading I probably would've rated it a bit higher. But when you're expecting a hundred-some year old mystery story set in small town Northern Wisconsin, and you get a bit of that plus a whole load of sex stuff.. it was a bit of a turn-off, pun intended. Hope you have a great weekend too!

Weekend plans are to participate in the readathon (of course), help out for a few hours at a friends rummage tomorrow morning, and be occasionally productive around the house. :O)

Well, the few hours at the rummage turned into 5, and I am now halfway through my audio book. I think I need to give that a break though as I'd stopped paying attention to what was happening and just luxuriated in the narrators voice (Alan Rickman!). Am debating taking a walk this morning (which would entail starting a new audiobook), or just picking up around here for a bit and sitting on my butt to read. Hmmmm....

Book 112: Evan's Gate by Rhys Bowen

In this eighth book in the series, we find Evan solving two cases at once, while also trying to get an old shepards cottage approved to fix up, where he and his fiancee, Bronwen, can live once they get married. Crime #1 - a little girl goes missing while playing on an empty beach, and #2 - a child's skeleton is found under the front walk of the cottage where Evan wants to live. Are they related? What about the unsolved case from Evan's childhood, where his blond neighbor disappeared without a trace? And the current girls' father - is he fleeing from the Russian mob, or just trying to take his daughter? And is the mother honest in her account of what happened that day?

I always enjoy returning to this series. The whodunit isn't always a mystery, but watching the characters get there (and in this instance, what actually happened in one of the cases) is always a pleasant surprise. 3.75 stars, and I'm sorry to say that I'm nearly done with Evan Evans!

That's a new one (mystery series) to me, Laura. I'll have to try one.

Hope you're having a good Sunday.

It's a cozy series (thought not as "cozy" as some others), but it's more cozy regarding the role the land plays IMO, if that makes sense. Yep, a pretty good Sunday so far. I saw on your thread that you're reading on the deck - wild man, indeed! I'm participating in the RAT, but I've hardly read today - I got caught up watching the History2 channel, and I've been sorting through paperwork piles and books, thinking about taking a nap. (This channel always has good Sunday TV viewing - hours of "The Universe" back to back.) But I think I'll be sitting down with a book in hand soon enough.

Now if I could just resist the urge to order some Chinese food for dinner and fool myself with something I already have in the kitchen, that would be impressive.

Bah, kitchen food requires far too much effort. My vote is for Chinese. :)

Laura - just sayin you have two books listed as #111. Take it Evan's Gate should be 112 as you had Ready Player One as 111 earlier?

Stephen, I took your advice and got Chinese food. And it was delicious! :)

Paul! Hello there, I didn't know you lurked these parts of the group! Honored that you're here, and that you found my numbering mistake. Thanks for altering me, I'll fix it in a jiffy. Hope you and SWMBO are doing well!

Book 113: The Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy

This classic tells the tale of Eugenia, Clym, Venn, and a cast of misfit characters as they live their dark and love-affair-triangled lives in and on Egdon Heath. While the narrator (Alan Rickman) was excellent, the story itself didn't do much for me. Fairly bleak (and yes, I know that Hardy does that quite well - usually, it works for me), and without much redemption to this Wisconsinite, the whole shebang left me feeling rather flat about all of it. 3 stars

Book 114: The Further Tale of Peter Rabbit by Emma Thompson

What a sweet sweet story! Emma has done an incredible job of getting the tone and rhythm of Beatrix Potter's work, and Eleanor Taylor has somehow managed to draw accompanying illustrations that look like Ms. Potter's yet still have a small something that makes it her own. It transported me back to my own childhood! Simply wonderful! Five stars (Also, the book comes with a CD of Emma reading the book, though I haven't listened to it yet.)

Book 115: The Roald Dahl Omnibus by Roald Dahl

This chunky collection of short stories (all previously published in other books) was really hit or miss for me. Some I couldn't finish at all. But there were seven stories that made an impression:

"Taste" - A guest at a family dinner party tries to guess where and when a bottle of wine is from, and if he's correct, he can marry one of their daughters. But it's creepier than that...

"Lamb to the Slaughter" - A pregnant woman is making dinner for her husband, fixes him a drink, and then goes out to the store because she's forgotten to get veggies to go with the lamb in the oven. She goes upstairs to practice a smile or two, goes to the grocers for the veg, and comes home to find her husband mysteriously dead. After calling the police and they've investigated, she offers them to stay and eat the dinner she's prepared. There's no reason to waste it, right?!?

"The Wish" - inside the mind of a child while he plays in the backyard by himself.

"The Landlady" - A young businessman arrives in a new town and is on his way to a pub for a room when he spots a perfect and charming B&B and decides to stay there instead. He's the only one there, and the landlady is so charming and sweet and grandmotherly, hmmm, I wonder why that dog hasn't moved the whole time I've been here. Or the bird. Huh. Anyway, it's just so warm and comfortable, and oh my a whole meal? What, is this a roast? Wow, uh thank you. Hmm, this coffee tastes bitter. So when was the last time someone stayed here? Three years - oh, the guest book. Those two guys names sound familiar...now if I could just place where I'd heard of them. Was it the newspaper?....

"William & Mary" - upon her husbands death (whom she never really like anyway) she reads a letter from him explaining that he's made a decision about what he's going to do with his body after he's gone. She's to go and visit a friend of his, a scientist, to see if he's made the right decision and to see if he is still "with us".

"The Great Switcheroo" - A husband who lusts after his neighbors wife tells a fib about a "friend" of his. This "friend" and his neighbor switched places in bed without the wives knowing for one hour every other week. The husbands decide that they can do the same, so they rehearse and give it a shot. But the results are not what they expected them to be.

"Bitch" - Two men formulate a perfume that makes both the wearer and the first person who smells it turn into insatiable lust machines. There can't be any bad side to this, can there?

3 stars overall

Book 116: Sage-ing While Age-ing by Shirley MacLaine

A bit difficult to get into at first, this ultimately won me over. In the guise of her unpacking her new house, each chapter talks about different aspects of UFOs, coincidence, Spirit, religion, and all sort of related subjects. Fascinating, and it was nice to read something that shares the same opinions and beliefs as I do. 4 stars

Book 117: Write It Down, Make It Happen by Henriette Anne Klauser

A gift from a friend, this sort-of self-help book was actually helpful! What a concept! 4 stars

Hi Laura- I see you are knocking out the books. You go girl! I have never read Hardy. One of these days. I'm enjoying Pyongyang, thanks to you and Joe. Also, chugging along with 1Q84, which is a big big boy! Hope you are having a great weekend.

Been a bit AWOL, Laura. Glad to see you're stilling chugging through good reads. :)

Hello all!

I just got home from hearing Jasper Fforde speak, and OMG, I have a new author crush! I've got pictures that I'm too lazy to post online and then upload here tonight, but I'll do it tomorrow morning. To sum up: it was EXCELLENT and I was my usual awkward-dork self when he signed my books.

Plus, I made a new book friend! YAAAAAY! So far she's only on goodreads, but I'll see if I can swing her over here to LT. :)

New book friends are the best! I can never convince mine to use LT, but it's still great to have them!

You have a new book friend! You have a new book friend! Yah!

Reading and reading... what a concept! I have been battling the book blues a bit. Hope all is well....?

I'm a bit envious of the chance to hear Fforde... Glad you had a good time!

Glad you had fun!!!!

Where was Jasper Fforde? We hosted him at the bookshop a few times, but I never went. Heard his events are great though.

Hiya, Laura. Great to see all the reading you're doing. Hope you're setting up for a good weekend.

I'm glad the Jasper event was so good, and congrats on finding a new bookfriend. I hope you can get her interested in LT.

Yay for author crushes and book friends. Hope you're having a lovely weekend, Laura. :)

Book friend? Neato! I didn't know those actually existed, I thought they were just figments of the internet's imagination. Well isn't that cool.

Totally jealous about the Fforde event!

Just checking in, Laura. How's it going in your part of the world?

Hello friends! Fforde was excellent (Nancy, he was at Boswell), author crushes are always a good thing, and Book Friends are hard to beat. Things are only so-so in my world right now, but as you'll see below, I've been busy reading! Hello escapism!

And now, prepare yourself for a big dose of short reviews. This past weekend was Dewey's 24 hour read-a-thon. A friend joined me for 12 hours on Saturday (ended up being way more distracting than I'd planned on), and I spent the final 6 hours sleeping, but I still got a few books read. Then on Sunday, after I recovered, I read a few books that I didn't get to, and kept at it on Monday.

Book 118: Page by Paige by Laura Lee Gulledge

This girly, introverted and artsy graphic novel is based on the author, but I believe the high school setting and situation aren't true. At any rate, this was a nice addition to the genre, and would be a great way for teen/tween girls to test the waters. 3.5 stars

Book 119: Mercury by Hope Larson

This dark, time-jump graphic was surprisingly dark. While not necessarily outstanding or a "must read", I recommend this to fans GNs. (Mark and Joe, I think you'd like this.) 4 stars

Book 120: Anya's Ghost by Vera Brosgol

A great GN, with an ending I didn't see coming. It has the same look as Persepolis, but the story is unlike anything else I've read. I was really pleased with this one, and I'm even going to add it to my wishlist. I'm even more pleased that I didn't know anything about the story at all, aside from the fact that both Mark and Joe liked it - what a nice recommendation duo you guys make! 4.5 stars

Book 121: The Professor's Daughter by Joann Sfar

What a fun GN! This Victorian tale of the titular daughter and her love, the mummy Imhotep IV, was so enjoyable. The minor plot issues were inconsequential to this reader - the overall story, and the perfect illustrations were so outstanding that I read it 3 times and enjoyed it each and every time! 4.75 stars

Book 122: Cats, Dogs, Men, Women, Ninnies & Clowns by Jeanne Steig

This hefty collection of unpublished illustrations and short bio information about the illustrator and author William Steig, was a sweet trip to nostalgia-land. As the author and illustrator of some of my favorite books when I was young, I was a little disappointed with this collection, but it was still interesting. 3 stars

Books 123 & 124: CLAMP School Detectives, Volume 1 and Magic Knight Rayearth, Volume 1 by CLAMP

These two are aimed for a younger audience than myself, I think. While they were both enjoyable, I felt like there wasn't much of a story there (especially in the Rayearth), and they were easy to read quickly. Don't know if I'll follow up with the rest of the series or not. 3 stars each

Book 125: Franny & Zooey by J. D. Salinger

One of my Blindfold category choices (picked by Betty/dudes22), I'm sorry to say that I didn't like it. Salinger just doesn't do anything for me, and neither do his contemporaries - I know they're popular, and rightfully so, but they and I were never meant to be friends. This book felt like a novelization of a play, all talk and no action, and really I'd rather just read a play instead. 2 stars

Book 126: Thames: The Biography by Peter Ackroyd

"The Thames is a metaphor for the country through which it runs. It is modest and moderate, calm and resourceful; it is powerful without being fierce. It is not flamboyantly impressive. It is large without being too vast. It eschews extremes. It weaves its own course without artificial diversions or interventions. It is useful for all manner of purposes. It is a practical river." p.9

Another Blindfold book (this one picked by Alison/RidgewayGirl), this one I thoroughly enjoyed. Once I got used to his writing, the pages just flew by. One interesting topic after another, pitch-perfect writing, with wonderful pictures and illustrations, I felt like this could have been longer and even more enjoyable. I actually said "that's it?!?" when I finished! 4 stars

Book 127: Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Another quick read, this second of the trilogy felt a little rushed and haphazard overall. (I thought it was maybe from my lack-of-sleep craziness, but I guess not, according to some other reviews out there.) Fun, great to rack up the page count for RAT-stat-crazy me, but it wouldn't spur me to rec the series to anyone out there who wasn't already a great fan of the first book. Am assuming that it's got "middle child syndrome" and I still look forward to the final installment next year. 3 stars

Book 128: Very Valentine by Adriana Trigiani

A nice story, has that Trigiani feel, just an all-around good book. Nothing fancy, no explosions, no major drama, no lives are threatened, just a nice story. 3 stars

Book 129: Iridology Simplified by Bernard Jensen, DC

A short intro to the practice of Iridology. It's something I've been curious about for years, and if anything this book just peaked my interest a little more. Very interesting. 3.5 stars

Are you still with me? ;)

Book 130: Paris Then And Now by Peter Caine

I love these books. History always seems so near to me, not some obscure thing in the past, and this is the ultimate compare/contrast. I only wish that I could visit Paris again to refresh my brain as to how things look now (this was published in 2003) as I'm sure there are a few minor changes. Exciting and just about perfect in my eyes! 5 stars

I saw Hope Larson at the National Book Festival and she seemed very interesting but I was not familiar with any of her work, so thanks for the mini review!

Hey Nora! I'll have to check out her other stuff. Mercury didn't blow me away, but I did like it, and it was an unusual story. I'll have to troll the library some time. What did she talk about at the NBF?

So last night I read Gone Girl, and I really didn't like it. I'm not counting it officially, since it technically is a DNF, but I did "read" it. (I skimmed most of it.) Thing is, this book did nothing for me. The "twists" and "surprises" that were supposed to be there, weren't. It's a chunkster, and with a 7-day checkout time that wasn't enough for me to get fully invested. So, I picked it up and after 30 pages of not liking a single character (I never liked any of them, or could even empathize with them enough to really engage), I started to skim. I don't think I missed anything, and I did actually read the last 40 or so pages so make sure I got every single last shocker that could be thrown in, and ... nothing. *sigh*

I know it's really popular, and some of my good buddies here just adored it, but I have to say that I'm part of the minority who didn't care for it. I'm going to give it 2 stars and call it a day. :-/

Wow! that's a lot of books... Isn't that funny? Gone Girl gets a lot of raves.. I'm always happy when someone who has a disenting opinion isn't afraid to speak up!

Good on you!

Thanks Kath. I have to admit I was a bit nervous to do it, but it's what I thought about it, and well .. not every book is for every reader. I can see why it is so popular and gets such raves, but it didn't do a thing for me. *shrug* At the very least, it's one (big) book off of my TBR! Hope you have a peaceful weekend ahead. :-*

>174 LauraBrook: She adapted and illustrated a graphic novel version of A Wrinkle in Time, so at the festival she was on a panel of three people who were discussing the 50th anniversary of aWiT.

Hi Laura! Sorry you didn't like Gone Girl, but thanks for sharing your comments. I recently admitted to not enjoying Wolf Hall all that much and that might be even more of a sacred cow. Have a lovely weekend!

Morning Laura- Wow, that's quite a list of books! You've been busy. I like how you mix things up. Speaking of GNs, have you read Chris Ware? I'm starting my first.
Sorry Gone Girl didn't work for you. This happens sometimes. Have a good weekend.

Oh, that's right! I'll have to read AWIT first, and then get ahold of her GN adaptation.

Kerri, I think you're right - that is more of a sacred cow! This weekend I've got off today and have to work tomorrow - not quite lovely, but pretty good, so I'll take it. Hope you have an excellent one yourself!

Morning Mark! Chris Ware seems to have escaped me, but I'll rectify that soon enough. Thanks for letting me know - I've also been trying to find a copy of Underwater Welder around here and it looks like I may have to bite the bullet and buy it if I want to read it. Yeah, bummer about GG for me, but that's okay - they can't all get knocked out of the park! Have a good weekend yourself!

Book 131: Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea by Barbara Demick

Wow. Powerful and affecting, amazing and sad, terrifying and hopeful - this is outstanding narrative non-fiction! I will be reading more about this crazy country in the near future, it looks like there are a few books to choose from that are recently published. Thanks to Mark, et. al, for the push to read this book on my shelf. 5 stars!

Hi Laura, boy, you did well with the Dewey's read-a-thon. There's a few graphics there that I must check out.

I think Nothing to Envy may already be on my wishlist (from Mark) but if not, it is now.

I think my severe dose of Outrage Overload will prevent me from reading Nothing to Envy any time soon.

Thanks for stopping by my thread to help welcome me back from the wilderness I was consigned to by Sandy!

Hi Laura! Hope all is well in your world :)

Wow, lots of good reading, Laura. Glad you liked Anya's Ghost. What a gooder, eh? I liked Joann Sfar's The Rabbi's Cat, so I'll have to give The Professor's Daughter a go. Nothing to Envy is on my radar; glad to hear your positive reaction to it.

I'm looking forward to Convergent (I think that's going to be the title), to wrap up the series. I thought Insurgent suffered from middle child syndrome, too.

Hi everyone! I've missed being here on LT the last couple of weeks, I'm feeling a little unmoored. :)

There have been lots of one-off chair massage jobs the last 2 weeks, and then most of my "regulars" all called and wanted to come in, so I've been busy. Thankfully, things are slowing down. Aside from last night, the most I've been able to read is 10 pages at most before falling asleep - very very bad!!! And, to top off all of the craziness, I'm switching to AT&T UVerse for TV service and they've been to my house 2 times (so far) to try and get it hooked up - they'll be back again on Wednesday afternoon to hopefully, finally, get everything taken care of on their end and finishing the installation then. It doesn't really bother me at all that it's not already done (mostly because, as my ex-employer, I SO understand how the company "works"), but the only pain in the ass is that I don't have internet access. So from this past Saturday afternoon until Wednesday afternoon (God help me if it's longer than that) I won't be able to check in on anything (even email - yikes!) unless my iPhone access works for some strange reason, and that's fairly spotty. I'd grab my laptop and sit in a coffee shop somewhere, but my computer is 4 years old and the last time I tried, it was being all farty and dumb and wouldn't let me stay connected to the WiFi. So - I'm at Mom & Dad's house to use their computer, and no offense to them, but I hope I don't have to come back again tomorrow or Wednesday morning.

I finished a few books, just after my last check-in here, but I wasn't prepared to come in here and use their computer when I left the house this morning, so it'll have to wait until Wednesday.

How are you all doing? What's new and exciting? I'm halfway through the new Royal Spyness mystery by Rhys Bowen, The Twelve Clues of Christmas, and it's so good that I'd be thrilled if it was 4 times as long as it is. Other than that, I'm just trying to jam in the few books that I "have to" read for the 12-12 challenge (and I still have to make my 13-13 thread!) before the year is up. And Thanksgiving is at my house on Thursday. And you'd think that a paper factory exploded in my house and things landed in piles all over my dining room table. Blerg.

Okay, off to check a few other threads quickly, and then I need to head home to put away groceries! See you all soon - hopefully!!

Hello Dear Friend

As Thanksgiving approaches, I count you as a wonderful blessing. The world needs more like you -- kind, considerate, genuinely, naturally sensitive and wonderful!

>185 LauraBrook: Yay! Laura's still alive! ;) Totally understand about the busy. Just glad to hear from you when you have the time. Hope the internet installation goes smoothly. If it doesn't, you can always head to the public library for free internet *shameless plug from a librarian*. Hope you have a great Thanksgiving (although you guys should really think of switching it to October when the REAL Thanksgiving happens ;)).

Busy is bad good! I am busy. Too busy. I was busy NOT working. Being back at work is a huge change. I am trying to see it as a good thing.

eta
sorry
got interrupted by the phone...

take care and find some down time okay?

Glad to see your post!! Keep telling yourself busy is a good thing.

And want to wish you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving!! Hope you have a wonderufl day and lots of good food!!!

Happy Thanksgiving, Laura!

Happy Thanksgiving to you Laura!

Just dropping by to wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving, Laura.

Happy Thanksgiving, Laura!

I wish you a Happy Thanksgiving as well, Laura! :)

Me, too, Laura! Hope you're having a great Thanksgiving.

Happy Thanksgiving Laura!

Hi there friends, and Happy Thanksgiving to all! I hope you had wonderful, tummy-filling dinners and had the chance to nap for a bit too. Mine was very nice - parents came over about 11:30, our friend Marcia came over an hour after that, and we watched Spaceballs while we ate and then ended the day with pie, ice cream, and Young Frankenstein. Everyone was gone by 6:30, and I spent the rest of the night half-heartedly shopping online, watching movies, and regretting the fact that I said I'd work this afternoon. But oh well.

I'm hoping that I remember to come back later today and update the few books I've read, but with the way my brain works lately, it's a 50/50 shot.

Oh! And my internet works!!!!! Someone came on Tuesday, said I didn't need something the other guys thought I would, set everything up and quietly left. There have been a couple of minor issues with working out some kinks, but things get fixed within a few minutes of my putzing around, so no biggie. And, AND, I can record 4 things at once, which is seriously amazing!!!! :D

Okay, one of my "co-workers" from my "new" office is coming over any time now to discuss ways we can boost our business, so I'd better unlock the front door and tidy up a bit of newspaper. See you all later!

Wow! 4 things at once is pretty impressive. Our PVR can only handle 3. Hope your afternoon flies by quickly so you can enjoy your weekend, Laura!

*Turkey-scented hugs*

Hello there, friends! Despite many promises and good intentions, I can't seem to summon the minimal effort required to update my reading from the last few weeks. Harumph. However, I did have time to make a quick mental note of the books that need reading in the next month. They are:

1. Winter Shadows by Margaret Buffie (An October ER, only partially overdue)
2. Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides
3. The Palace Under The Alps by Bill Bryson
4. Julia's Chocolates by Cathy Lamb
5. Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell
6. An Area Of Darkness by V.S. Naipaul
7. Sacred Space by Denise Linn
8. Recipes for a Perfect Marriage by Kate Kerrigan
9. Encore Provence by Peter Mayle
10. one book from my work bookcase
11. and one more from my travel bookshelf

Oh brother. I think I am officially screwed.

There is another outstanding ER book that needs reading and reviewing, but at this point, it's going to have to wait until I get these suckers finished off.

HEEEELLLLPP!

I'd volunteer to help you read some of them but....well, I have this list of my own.....

*Pat pat* There there, you'll make it through this. Just take a deep breath, count to 10, and then...aw hell, you are SO screwed!!! :P

Hi Laura- Miss you! Sounds like you've been very busy but at least you are working, which is always a good thing.
Nice reading list! I loved Middlesex. Have a great weekend.

Yay for your having the Internet again, Laura!

That's a daunting list of tbrs for December, all right. I suppose Cliffs Notes are out of the question.

Poor Laura, just remember the books don't mind waiting. Just adopt a zen attitude. If the book is meant for you to read now, it will happen.

Wishing you much luck with those. There are some serious chunksters in that list.

Aw, c'mon, TLo! Hey, why don't we read each others lists!?! ;)

Stephen, don't I know it!!!

Hi Mark! Miss you too, and glad to hear that you loved Middlesex - here's hoping that it's a very fast read, despite the size. *gulp* Hope you're having a great weekend yourself!

Joe, I think Cliff may become a good friend of mine. I've been keeping him at arm's length, but that may very well change when my desperation level amps up. :) Your thread (and Mark's too) move so fast that it's hard to keep up. I need to swing by both of yours and see what you've been reading lately!

Judy, thank you for the sage advice. A zen attitude may be the only way to try and fit them all in, and even if I can't get to them, there is always next year.

Ugh, Micky, I'm a-skeered by that fact! All I want to do is read the fun, mindless stuff I'd like and now I have to do stuff like "think" and "pay attention" and "hold up heavy books". The sacrifices I make... ;)

Okay, here we go! The books I've read in the last month...

Book 132: Beauvallet by Georgette Heyer
I know this isn't the best way to start Ms. Heyer's impressive oeuvre, but I had to start somewhere. It was underwhelming and seemed unevenly paced (I listened to this one). I'm happy to say that while this wasn't the ripping yarn I was hoping for, I do have several other titles of hers that I'm looking forward to reading. Not bad, but certainly not great. 2.5 stars

Book 133: Jim Henson's Doodle Dreams by Jim Lewis
A short, sweet, uplifting book. Would be a nice stocking stuffer for the Henson/Muppet fan in your life. 3.5 stars

Book 134: Old World Murder by Kathleen Ernst
A fun and promising start to a mystery series! I wasn't sure whodunit, though I had my suspicions, and even if I did figure it out, I still would've enjoyed the book. Why, you ask? Partly, it's due to the fact that I know the author, though only casually. The other part is that it's set in my backyard and in my childhood years! It takes place in the early 1980's at the living historic site, Old World Wisconsin, in Eagle, Wisconsin. I've spent many happy days there as my Grandparents built a house on a lake about 10 miles away from Eagle, and my family would spend weekends during the school year and weeks at a time during the summer, at the house, and driving around the countryside. There's something sort of magical about this book for me, it so has the pace and feeling of my childhood afternoons. I look forward to the next in the series! 4.25 stars

Book 135: Jerusalem: Chronicles from the Holy City by Guy DeLisle
Another outstanding book from Guy. Man, is he ever talented! This time, we follow Guy and his family as they spend a year in Jerusalem for his wife's (or is she his girlfriend? hmmm) job. There's something about his work that sets you so firmly and pleasantly inside his world that it's always a treat to spend time with my nose in one of his books. 4.5 stars

Book 136: Green Mansions by W. H. Hudson
Read this for my Classics bookgroup, and I couldn't tell you much about it except that I found it sexist and a bit overwrought and ridiculous. Not in a necessarily horribly offensive way, mind you, but it just didn't do anything for me. 2 stars

Book 137: Thyme of Death by Susan Wittig Albert
Yet another start to another mystery series. The first of the China Bayles series, it's set in Texas in the early 90's (and some of the fashion so reminded me of my middle school years that it made me laugh out loud), and features China and her herb shop, solving mysteries and getting to know the residents of the quirky town. A nice plot without many surprises, but as it's the first one, a certain amount of world-building needed doing. I'll happily return to the series, but it's not one that I'm chomping at the bit to get at. 3.5 stars

Book 138: Rural Britain: Then & Now by Roger Hunt
I so wanted to like this book more than I did. Filled with photos from the Frick collection (and only sometimes with accompanying "present day" shots, often taken from different angles - I was hoping for more of a side-by-side photo book) and lots of historical information, it could've done with both different (ideally, matching) current photos and a much larger format. It's the size of a slightly wider trade paperback and while my eyes are good, I had a hard time reading the teensy print more often than not. 3.8 stars

Book 139: When Things Fall Apart by Pema Chodron
A heartfelt, common sense book about how to cope with life when things fall apart. Buddhist in nature, yes, but the lessons in here can apply to anyone at all. One of the best "self-help" books that I've read. 4 stars

Book 140: The White House Garden by William Seale
A dollar store find, it's filled with gardening information and photographs, yes, but it's also chock-full of info about the White House itself and the presidencies that have been in the building and influenced the landscaping. 3.5 stars, and rec'd to anyone with an interest in any of these topics.

Book 141: Locke & Key, Volume 5, Clockworks by Joe Hill & Gabriel Rodriguez
The fifth in the excellently dark "Locke & Key" graphic novel series. Nothing outstanding in this one, but it was a really decent read and makes me with the next (and final) title was being released sooner than later. 4 stars

Book 142: The Twelve Clues of Christmas by Rhys Bowen
I don't think there are adequate words to describe just how much I loved reading this latest in the Royal Spyness series. The charming small-village-at-Christmas setting, the murders, the Great House, the cottage, and her family and friends (though no Belinda!) - it's all just perfect. 5 stars

Book 143: The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau
Read for my other real life bookclub, I didn't expect to be so fully immersed in this literally dark and unique world. A breeze to read, and such an interesting premise - the next two books in the series are sitting on my coffee table right now! I didn't know anything about the book before opening it up, and I'm so glad that it was that way - do yourself a favor, fans of YA and alternate worlds and the Hunger Games and all things like this, and get this book ASAP! 4.5 stars

Book 144: Homeland by Barbara Hambly
Chosen by my friend Jenna for me to read for this challenge, until the last 30 pages, I didn't know what in the hell this book was really supposed to be about. We follow the lives of two best friends, one in the North and one in the South, throughout the American Civil War, and get to know both of them and their lives in all of their happiness, misery, triumph, and struggles. A very good read, and one that I wouldn't have known about without my friend - Thanks, PJ! It feels incredibly accurate and real. 4.25 stars

And now, I'm almost done with The Hunger Games, though it is most certainly not on my TBR In The Next Month list, and my Christmas decorating is only partly finished, so I'd better wrap that up too.

That is a LOT of books.... :o

Woo, that is a lot of books, Laura! You hit me again with that Guy Delisle; I'll track it down.

Yeah, but it doesn't feel like it, guys! I know it's crazy... but it's true. ("When you get caught between the moon and New York City..." Sorry.)

Joe, I'm beginning to think the guy can do no wrong. :)

Friends, I need your assistance! I'm getting ready to make my 13-13 thread very soon, and would like you all to pick a book for me to read. If you could choose from my To Read collection here, either by trolling through and selecting a specific title or by picking a random number, I'd greatly appreciate it! (Of course, if it's part of a series and I'm not there yet, I'll read the next book on my list.)

I just updated my To Read list and I have 787 books to choose from. This sounds strange, but shouldn't that number be higher?!?

Thanks in advance!!!

I agree, Beauvallet is not the strongest spot to start with Heyer. It was the third novel I tried by her and it falls short of the glittering delights that were Cotillion and Frederica.

As for picking books, I've already sent you a PM. Enjoy! :D

I keep hearing good things about Ember... I need to give it a try one day..
*waves*

>210 LauraBrook: Do you want us to post our picks here, or via PM??

Micky, thanks for your pick(s)!

Kath, I think you'd like it. There is a movie version of it, but it's different from the book (which is, of course, better). Maybe after the holidays you'll have more time?

Hi Nora, either is fine, whatever works best for you. :)

I'm getting some great choices, thanks so much! I'll post a list of titles after dinner so you can all see what's on my schedule for next year, and I'll put a 2013 tag on each one too.

>214 LauraBrook: I pick A Great and Terrible Beauty.

Awesome! Thanks, Nora!!!

Oh, no, Beauvallet is one of Heyer's historicals, not to be mixed up with her romances! And also one of her very early books. Heyer loved her historicals, and they have lots of fascinating information, but usually not the entertainment value of her Georgian and Regency romances.

Oh, what a wide variety of excellent books you have in your tbr category! I am so torn (Cotillion! The Night Circus! The Little Princess!) but my choice for you is Those Who Hunt the Night by Barbara Hambly.

Oooh hooo, I just got that one through PaperbackSwap! Thanks, Roni - it looks too tempting to have to relegate it to a "someday" read, and in the face of so many chunksters left for me to finish in the next 28 days I just want to forget about them all and read that book and any and all "fluff" that I can get my hands on.

Hi, Laura. On another thread (can't remember which!) I saw you asked for YA book suggestions for a project of some sort. I have a bunch! Hope this is helpful. I liked all of these. Some of them are the start of a series.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian by Sherman Alexie
The Adoration of Jenna by Mary E. Pearson
Among Others by Jo Walton
The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak
Cinder by Marissa Meyer
Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert Murdock
The Day No Pigs Would Die by Robert Peck
Divergent by Veronica Roth
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
The Giver by Lois Lowry
The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale
Graceling by Kristin Cashore
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Holes by Louis Sachar
Hope Was Here by Joan Bauer
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
I Heard the Owl Call My Name by Margaret Craven
Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George
King of Shadows by Susan Cooper
A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco X. Stork
Matched by Ally Condie
Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool
One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia
Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli
Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
Unwind by Neal Shusterman
The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin
When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
Wonder by R. J. Palacio
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle

Joe, my man, that is AWESOME! Thanks so much, I sincerely appreciate this excellent list and all of your typing effort. :) You get extra book points in heaven.

Woo, you're welcome, Laura. And thanks for those book points in heaven. I can really use those if I can just make it past that tough pearly gate interview.

Oh, you're a shoo-in. Just slip Ol' Pete a copy of your favorite book and you're in.

Hmmm. OK - but now I've got to figure out what my favorite book is! You suppose showing up with a bagful would be all right?

Absolutely! Then you get in the Express Lane.

LOL! :-)

>214 LauraBrook: You're welcome! :D

Okay - here's what I have so far for 2013 Picks. Those that have 2 picks are for me to decide if I want to tackle something dark/heavy/enormous or something smaller/lighter. Or, they couldn't decide. :)

Mark/msf59: 1. The Sparrow by Maria Doria Russell
2. A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin

Joe/jnwelch: Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand by Helen Simonson

Linda/lindapanzo: The Cruelest Month by Louise Penny (or whatever is #3)

Micky/MickyFine: 1. Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
2. Soulless by Gail Carriger

Sara/saraslibrary: Esio Trot by Roald Dahl

Linda/Whisper1: The Awakening

Nancy/alphaorder: Astrid & Veronika by Linda Olsson

Stephen/Ape: Sixpence House by Paul Collins

Lori/lkernagh: Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt

Alison Kay/RidgewayGirl: A Passage to India

Lori/thornton37814: The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

Eva/-Eva-: Astrid & Veronika by Linda Olsson

Terri/tloeffler: Thunderstruck by Erik Larson

Nora/Norabelle414: A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray

Roni/ronincats: Those Who Hunt the Night by Barbara Hambly

You've got some awesome reading ahead of you, Laura!

Joe

What a wonderful, impressive list! I've read many of those gems!

>230 Whisper1: Thanks, Linda! I gave Laura the best of the ones I've read. I found all of them really engaging.

Looks like a good mix on the list of picks from everyone else, Laura. Go team! :D

Oh, I see Eva picked A&V too!

Laura- That's a great reading list for you. A nice mix too! Enjoy and good luck!

Glad you liked my choice, Laura!

Thanks! I'm really looking forward to next year and some more "free" reading and wiggle room.

Book 145: Sacred Space by Denise Linn
An excellent source for making any space you spend time in more harmonious, open, etc. A truly enjoyable book, and I can't imagine a better reference book for the subject. 5 stars!

Book 146: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
How I haven't read this before, I don't know. Really great, and I'm thankful that a friend has leant me her copies of the rest of the series! 4.5 stars

Book 147: Anatomy of the Spirit by Caroline Myss
Another one out of the park, an outstanding book on chakras, personal health and healing, spritual power (from many religions), and how to see yourself and your body in a new way. Rightfully considered one of the essentials of the genre. 4.5 stars

With two of these counting towards my 12-12 challenge, that leaves me the following to finish it up:

1. Gone With the Wind
2. Julia's Chocolates by Cathy Lamb
3. Recipes for a Perfect Marriage by Kate Kerrigan
4. Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides
5. An Area of Darkness by V.S. Naipaul
6. The Palace Under the Alps by Bill Bryson
7. Encore Provence by Peter Mayle

It seems mostly doable, with the exception of GWTW. *sigh* I don't know if I'll be able to finish this. The other books I'm "supposed" to read in the same time period are Winter Shadows by Margaret Buffie, Pure by Juliana Baggott, The Stranger by Albert Camus, and Under the North Light by Lawrence Webster.

You've read sooo many books! :) You definitely put me to shame (I don't even remember what number I'm on; all I know is I won't reach 75 this year). I'm glad to hear the Locke and Key series is good. I've been wanting to read a Joe Hill book for ages, and I just love graphic novels, so I'll have to see if we have that one at work.

#220: Nice list! :) I'm sad to say I've maybe read parts of one or two of those books, but they're all ones I want to read eventually, especially The Hunger Games.

#236: Yikes! Would it still count if you read one book, listened to another on audiobook, and "read" another book in braille? I can't think of any other way to make it through your list...unless you decide to take a ton of speed/cocaine/meth/take your pick (and maybe a cup of coffee or two ;) and consequently never sleep until the end of the year. So joking. I'm sure you'll be able to do it. Your reading pace is quite impressive. :)

Gone with the Wind is definitely one of my favourites (I reread every few years) but there's no denying it's not a super quick read. It usually takes me a good week or so to get through it depending on how much time I can give to it.

Glad to see you liked The Hunger Games and I'll be interested to see which part of the reaction spectrum you fall into when you finish the series.

Hi Laura, like many of us I am a sucker for lists so it was fun to arrive here and first read Joe's excellent list of YA reads, and then your great list of proposed reads for next year - you've got some great reading ahead of you!

Hi Laura! I just got caught up and see that I missed the recommendation thing. Poop! That's such a good idea.

Good luck with your wildly ambitious December reading plan!

Psst - Kerri, you (and anyone else) can still pick a book if you'd like!

Judy, I too am a list sucker. (That sounds wrong.) I can't wait til I can start digging in to that fabulous pile of books!

Micky, if you reread GWTW every few years, that gives me hope, but you must have some kind of Mad Reading Skillz that I don't, because you probably read a crap-ton more than I do every year, and more regularly too. Someone on my 12-12 thread also gave me a heads-up to try and ignore all of the racist stuff too, or I'd go nuts. And I'm glad for that warning too, or I'd probably get so disgusted that I'd give it up, even though I kinda figured that there'd be that kind of stuff in there. Still though, if you can reread that behemoth, then maybe I can get through at least half of it. ? ? ?

Sara, I predict you will love the Joe Hill GNs. I think the final one in the series comes out in the spring or summer, and would wait until then to gobble them all up, if I were you. Thanks for having faith in me that I can finish the 12-12; I seriously have my doubts personally, but will take all of the virtual cheering I can get at this point. The Stack (as I've come to call it) is staring at me right now, over a foot of pages that need reading in the next 19 days. Right now, I think it's going to kick my butt.

And now, I'm going to take the fastest shower ever known, get some $$ so i can pay for my haircut at 10, and then come home to a ridiculous amount of things that need doing before I leave for work at 4:00. Yay.

Hi Laura! I pick Full Moon Rising for you! I started that series this year and I'm really liking it!

I don't know if I read that much more than you, Laura. You're total book count is double mine this year. ;) There is definitely some racist stuff in GWTW but I just love Rhett and Scarlett so much that I don't notice it too much.

Hope you're crazy full day goes well!

#241 - Ok then. I pick The God of Small Things. It was a really tough choice between that and the Rick Springfield memoir. : )

I have wanted to try Ember.. maybe after the holidays...maybe..
I bet you would have enjoyed the drum circle.... it was nice..
hope all is welll in your world... !

Chelle, I'm so glad you're reading the Riley series! I just have one book left to go, so I'll move your choice to the final book instead - Moon Sworn. I just found out that there's another series set in that world, with a different main character (whom I don't think you've met yet, if you're just in the beginning of the Riley books). They're next on my list to read! Also, are other books by Keri Arthur available at your library? Mine only has this series and a couple other random books in other series. I'm wondering if it's a thing in the States.

Micky, the crazy full day was fine, and this week is somehow shaping up to be equally nutso. Every year it's like this and I always forget. Even though there are some open times on my calendar, my list of to-do's seems to get longer and longer, despite the crossing off that happens. Ack! Is it like this for you too?

Kerri, I'll put both of them on my list as an "and/or" option, if you don't mind. Mark and Micky did the same thing, and I like having another pick if I can't get into one or the other. Though, if I'm honest, I was eyeing up Mr. Springfield yesterday, thinking it would be an easy read to start the new year. ;)

Kath, I've only been to 1 drum circle, and have done small circles (are they still circles with 5 people?) in continuing ed classes I've taken. I even have a CD of drumming, and while it's nice it's just not the same, you know? Ember will be waiting for you when the time is right. Thanks for stopping over here, I know your world is crazy these days. Working outside of the home is always stressful, no matter how many hours it is. :)

I feel like my to do list is relatively managable, luckily. But I'm sending you psychic ninja powers to DO ALL THE THINGS!!! :D

So fun seeing you today, Laura. Happy Reading Holidays!

Actually Laura I've been buying the Riley Jenson series instead of taking it from the library. I am trying to be good with buying books but there weren't enough of that series available at my library so I decided to buy it. When I finish the series I'll have to try the rest from Keri Arthur!



Hope you have a Merry Christmas!

Hello Laura, just stopping by to wish you a wonderful Christmas *smile*

Have a very Merry Christmas, Laura.

Glitterfy.com - Christmas Glitter Graphics

I want to wish you a glorious celebration of that time of year when we all try to unite around a desire for Peace on Earth and Good Will Toward All. Merry Christmas, Laura!

Merry Christmas Laura!

Merry Christmas, Laura! Hope it's festive and fun. :D

Merry Christmas to Chelle, Bianca, Judy, Roni, Nora, Micky, and all of my other LT friends! I hope your day was very merry and bright!

Merry Christmas, Laura! I hope you had a great day. Did you get any good books, (other than the Swap titles)? I sure hope so.

Merry Christmas, Laura!

Thanks, Laura! I hope you had a good holiday, too. :) Love the cat photo!

Kitties! *is lost to the world for next 5 minutes*

Hi Mark, Merry Christmas to you too! Aside from your swap books (I received Read This! and My Ideal Bookshelf from Nancy/alphaorder), I also got:

The World of Downton Abbey from Linda/Whisper1

Sorcery & Cecelia or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot by Patricia Wrede
Lavinia by Ursula LeGuin (my first Le Guin!)
Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day by Winifred Watson
and To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis
all from my LT Secret Santa, casvelyn!

I don't get books from my parents because they think I've got a lifetime supply (ha!) and know that I feed my own habit often enough. I do have a few real-life book friends, but this year one of them didn't get me a book (!!), and I haven't seen the rest yet. Finger crossed for more titles!

Merry Christmas to you too, Terri!

Sara, it was pretty good! Stayed home, parents came over, we had Chinese food, dessert, played Skip-Bo, watched some TV, and they were gone by 6! And thanks - that's my Christmas card. I had a jillion (actual number) pictures of them sleeping together, and trying to find a few where you see both of their faces was harder to find than I'd expected! And they are my children, so why not stick their furry mugs on the card! Hope your holiday was excellent!

Micky, are you back yet? ;) They're sleeping together on the couch right now, in almost the exact same position. They must be totally zonked because I just folded a load of sheets and they didn't even budge to "help me" fold them - usually, it's a big highlight of the day for them to chase the corners around and jump up between the folds. :)

And, in other news, I finished a book!

Book 148: Encore Provence by Peter Mayle

There is something so restful, calming, charming, etc, about Mr. Mayle's works. It's a little slice of life that's not quite mine, and more like the life I think I want to have. This has been my evening reading for the last few weeks, and, this time especially but, every single time I opened up this book I wondered why I waited so long to get back to his writing. This book is a collection of Peter's Provencal life with topics ranging from the long life of locals to searching for the perfect corkscrew. Just lovely. 4.5 stars

I'm back. I have a serious case of kitty fever but my dad is sticking to his "you can get a cat when you have your own place" rule. Which is mostly fine except I don't want to move out until I have a permanent job and I've been on temporary contracts for a year+. :(

I got The World of Downton Abbey for Christmas from my mom. :)

I have kitty fever too.

ohmygod Downton Abbey. Did you hear that Dan Stevens isn't coming back for season 4?!

Micky, I know your Dad is "right", but dang, that stinks!!!!

Nora: OMFG, are you SERIOUS?!?!?!? Say it ain't so!

Hi Laura- I'm actually re-watching DA with Sue, since she missed the train the first time around. Bad Sue! We only have 2 episodes left in DA 2.
I know fans will disagree with me, but I think 3 seasons of this show will be enough! Please don't throw anything! Stevens might be on to something.

Hola, Mark! Ssshhh, don't say anything, but unless season 3 is outstanding, I'm in agreement with you. Don't get me wrong, I really really like DA, but I loved and adored Lark Rise to Candleford a lot more, and was devastated when it ended with a short 4th season. If I can move on after that, I should okay after DA.

I'm hooked on Downton Abbey. I'm late to the party and only recently started to watch it. I streamed season One from Net flix and then bought season two.

As a Christmas present Will pre-ordered season three from Amazon. I agree though, I wonder how they could make season four. What would/could it include?

Lark Rise to Candleford? Is this another British series? I'm scurrying to google this.

>263 LauraBrook: I know! I'm trying to avoid looking too much up on the internet about how his departure might work as I don't want season 3 spoiled for me before I get to watch it on TV (starting in a week!)

Happy Holidays, Laura! I hope you've been having a good, relaxing break.

I loved Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, so I hope you enjoy that one. The movie, with a good cast, unfortunately is disappointing, but the book is a blast.

I never got into DA. I seem to have developed some sort of focusing failure...
hope all is well in Lauraland :)

Hi Linda! Glad to see you around these here parts! DA is a lot of fun, and I agree with you - what in the world would and could happen in season 4? Yes! Lark Rise to Candleford is a British series (DA's Mr. Bates left the show in the last season so he could do Downton Abbey instead - I still kind of resent him for this, as much as I love Bates), and it's completely excellent. If I could live in that time period (with our modern plumbing, naturally) I would do it in a heartbeat. It's such a charming, old-fashioned show, suitable for families and really, anyone else. My Mom and I are ardent fans (she's saving the last episode for a rainy day when she knows she can really appreciate it and cry as much as she wants to), and everyone I've mentioned it too turns into a big fan. I predict you'll love it if you try it!

Nora, me too. I'm so glad it's starting soon so I don't have to avert my eyes online so much.

Happy Holidays to you too, Joe! My relaxing break started today, and so far so very very good. I saw Miss Pettigrew and thought it was cute, but it seemed to be missing something - or a few somethings, I don't know, but it seemed a bit off. I look forwarding to the presumably-redeeming book! Your endorsement certainly helps. :)

Hi Kath! No worries, there are plenty of other things out there to get into. It seems like DA's fans can be more obsessive and argumentative than some other series' fans for some reason. Is it just me noticing this? At any rate, I hope everything in Kathland is rolling merrily along. Things here in Lauraland aren't really that great, but they could be a lot worse. I'm avoiding dealing with things these next 4 days to just sit back and lose myself in books. Cowardly? Maybe. But I need a mental break from dealing with everyday life, so this is my vacation.

Moving on - I did read 1 of my must-read-in-2012 books from start to finish this morning!

Book 149: Julia's Chocolates by Cathy Lamb

I expected to really kind of hate this book, solely because I'm not a fan of "women's fiction" or "men are bastards let's stand strong in our woman-ness together!" kinds of stories. But since a friend chose this book for me to read, I had to give it at least 50 pages (aka the "Pearl Rule"). So last night I read nearly 50 pages. Thought "Oh crap, I think I'm going to like this", went to sleep thinking about the characters (a sure sign), and as soon as I got up and made coffee I did nothing but sit and read and refill my cup until the last page was read.

This story of a mid-30's woman leaving her extremely abusive fiancee on their wedding day and escaping across the country to live with her eccentric Aunt Lydia and the cast of characters in her small town sounds completely cliche. But Cathy Lamb turned it all on its' head somehow and made me fall in love with each character and their struggles, and even had me tearing up more than once. If you can read a nearly 400 page book in about 5 hours, I have to admit that I was wrong for judging a book by its ridiculous cover and say that I truly enjoyed this book and will happily read more of this authors work in the future. 4.15 stars

Back to avoiding shoveling our sad amount of snow and all household chores! I have 5 books that need reading!

I don't think I've read anything by Cathy Lamb. I'll have to look for her sometime. Thanks! :)

Sara, it was a nice, fun, easy read. A bit predictable perhaps, but it was still a good book. Hope you like her if you try her out!

Book 150: The Christmas Tree by Julie Salamon
Sweet, sentimental, uplifting. I didn't want to like this but but I did, and it made me really cry. If for no other reason, I hope you can find a copy to check out the fabulous illustrations! 3.5 stars

Book 151: The City of Ember: The Graphic Novel by Jeanne DuPrau and Niklas Asker
Meh. It's such an unusual world that I thought a GN would be a natural fit. It wasn't, at least for me. While the movie wasn't outstanding, I thought it did a better job of getting the Ember universe just right. 3 stars

Still no shoveling, and since it's 45 degrees outside it's so warm that I'd feel like an idiot shoveling it now. Plus, why isn't it melting?!?

What thermometer are you looking at? Mine only says 20 degrees...

The one on the West side of my house that's in the sun. Eep! My other one says 25...oops!

I loved the first season of Downton Abbey but I've only managed to sit down and watch one episode of the second season. But I may refuse to watch it at all if they take away Cousin Matthew.

Woohoo, 150 books!

Congrats on reaching 150 books, Laura!!

Congrats on hitting #150! Very impressive. Happy New Year, my friend! Enjoy!

Well done on passing the double 75. Happy new year!

Thanks!

To all of my LibraryThing friends, I wish you a very happy, healthy, prosperous, book-filled year! I'm so thankful for each and every one of you!

Thanks, Laura! Hope you have a Happy New Year's, too. And beautiful pic, btw! :)

Here's to a great new year ahead, Laura!

Thanks Sara and Roni!

Book 152: The English American by Alison Larkin

Read by the author, this was a very well done audiobook, as was the book itself. A fictionalized account of her life (and based off of her play by the same name) as an English girl who finds out that she's actually adopted and that her birth parents are American, it's her story about growing up, and how she builds a relationship with her birth parents, her attempts at balancing a life in both England and America, and about how she (and therefore, we) identify ourselves. I think it'd be a nice book for any adoptee to read, and I've rec'd it to my friend in the hopes that she can both see herself and understand herself a bit better. (She has just recently discovered who her birth mother is and can't quite figure out the best way to approach her and/or what her expectations are.) I'd recommend listening to this book as opposed to reading a physical copy if for no other reason than the excellent accents that the author does. 3.9 stars

After this book I only need to read 2 more to meet my BOMBS challenge of reading/getting rid of 100 books from my shelves this year. I think I can, I think I can...

You can do it! The year's not over yet....

Happy New Year To A Very Special and Healing Person.

You have a unique gift Laura!

Happy New Year, Laura! (I still have an hour and fifteen minutes to go but though I'd be pre-emptive). :)

Happy (official for me) New Year! I finished my last book of 2012 with 10 minutes to spare, plenty of time to cue up music and pour champagne! I'll be back later today with my first book of the year!

With 10 minutes to spare before midnight, I finished my last two books of 2012!

Book 153: Recipes for a Perfect Marriage by Morag Prunty

Chosen for me to read by my friend Nan, this wasn't quite the novel I was expecting, somehow. It was very good, a story of two women in different times (one in Ireland in early 20th C., and the other in modern-day NYC) told in alternating chapters, covering both recipes and how they coped in new marriages with lives that were not what they thought they were going to be. I recommend this book, certainly, but I'm not sure what kind of group would really appreciate it. If it sounds interesting to you, I wouldn't hesitate to find a copy and devour it at once! 4.1 stars

Book 154: The Palace Under the Alps by Bill Bryson

Chosen by my friend Renee (ReneeMarie, here on LT), this early Bryson was a lot of fun to read. It really increased my mental "To See in Europe" list and was funny and smart to read through (some of the sights I've even seen!). If you're a fan of Bryson or of travel writing/guides, I think you can't go wrong with this book. 4.4 stars (This was published in 1985 using his full first name, and while a few of these sites are now more well-known, some of the descriptions and prices made me a bit nostalgic for a less technological time.)

And with that, I'll be wrapping up my end-of-2012 list in just a bit!

Well, 2012 was a fairly decent year for reading! With a total of 154, this may be the most I've read in one year in my adult life - quite a shock!

Total books read: 154
Total hours for audiobooks: 137 hours, 38 min
Total pages read: 30,389

Best Of list, in no particular order. These are the books I think most fondly of or enjoyed the most, not necessarily the best written, etc.

1. Madlenka by Peter Sis
2. The Three Golden Keys by Peter Sis
3. Holly's Inbox by Holly Denham
4. Tsar: The Lost World of Nicholas and Alexandra by Peter Kurth
5. Mrs. 'Arris Goes to Paris by Paul Gallico
6. Through No Fault of My Own by Coco Irvine
7. Chopsticks by Jessica Andrews and Rodrigo Corral
8. Spell Bound by Rachel Hawkins
9. Schloss Schoenbrunn guidebook
10. A Red Herring Without Mustard by Alan Bradley
11. Dracula's Heir by Sam Stall
12. Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde
13. Let's Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson
14. I Am Half-Sick of Shadows by Alan Bradley
15. Houses of the National Trust by Lydia Greeves
16. A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
17. Japan Ai by Aimee Major Steinberger
18. Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea by Guy Delisle
19. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
20. The Further Tale of Peter Rabbit by Emma Thompson
21. The Professor's Daughter by Joann Sfar
22. Paris Then & Now by Peter Caine
23. Nothing to Envy by Barbara Demick
24. Old World Murder by Kathleen Ernst
25. Jerusalem by Guy Delisle
26. The Twelve Clues of Christmas by Rhys Bowen
27. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
28. The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau
29. Encore Provence by Peter Mayle
30. Sacred Space by Denise Linn

While I was three books short of officially completing the 12-12 Challenge (Gone With the Wind, An Area of Darkness, and Middlesex - apologies to Jenna, Lori, and Linda for not getting to their chosen books), I think I did alright in the end.

Thanks to everyone for following along with my reading and crazy life this past year - see you in the 2013 groups!

Here it is, my 13-13: http://www.librarything.com/topic/145661

Here's my 75 2013 thread: http://www.librarything.com/topic/146495

And my ROOTS thread as well: http://www.librarything.com/topic/145825

Wow, I am so proud of you for reading 154 pages! Are you sure you're not part robot? ;) I don't think I've read any of your Best Of books, sorry to say, but I'll probably try to get around to The Hunger Games this year since I just bought a copy at work (yay!). Now off to haunt your other threads. :)