leahbird TRIES to talk books, food and farming while attempting 75 in 2012 and holding down 3 jobs (

I know, I know, it's not October yet. And I typically hate the whole thing about celebrating and decorating for holidays WAY in advance, but this is my favorite picture of my sister and me and we both love Halloween, so it's the appropriate way of starting a thread that will, ultimately, stretch through the good holiday. That's me in the bunny costume and my very upset sister is the pumpkin. I might have been laying it on a little thick...

“She is too fond of books, and it has turned her brain.”― Louisa May Alcott
"If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need."― Cicero

*Note: Descriptions are not mine, but mined from LT or other sources. Thoughts are all me.

38. The Dark Monk by Oliver Potzsch


Description: 1660: Winter has settled thick over a sleepy village in the Bavarian Alps, ensuring every farmer and servant is indoors the night a parish priest discovers he's been poisoned. As numbness creeps up his body, he summons the last of his strength to scratch a cryptic sign in the frost.

Following a trail of riddles, hangman Jakob Kuisl; his headstrong daughter Magdalena; and the town physician’s son team up with the priest’s aristocratic sister to investigate. What they uncover will lead them back to the Crusades, unlocking a troubled history of internal church politics and sending them on a chase for a treasure of the Knights Templar.

But they’re not the only ones after the legendary fortune. A team of dangerous and mysterious monks is always close behind, tracking their every move, speaking Latin in the shadows, giving off a strange, intoxicating scent. And to throw the hangman off their trail, they have ensured he is tasked with capturing a band of thieves roving the countryside attacking solitary travelers and spreading panic.

Delivering on the promise of his international best seller The Hangman’s Daughter, Oliver Pötzsch takes us on a whirlwind tour--once again based on prodigious historical research into his own family tree--through the occult hiding places of Bavaria’s ancient monasteries, bringing to life an unforgettable compassionate hangman and his tenacious daughter, painting a robust tableau of a 17th-century Bavaria still negotiating the lasting impacts of war, and quickening our pulses with a gripping, mesmerizing mystery.

Thoughts: I really liked The Hangman's Daughter. It was a historical mystery that actually held my attention and didn't rely on some grand, improbable conspiracy to drive the plot or only work because the main character was the only person in the whole world that could solve a particular puzzle.

Maybe you can guess where this review is going.

I do want to start by saying that I still love the characters and the historical atmosphere that Potzsch creates. While Simon has some silly addlepated boy crush moments, he is sharp and funny and willing to strike out on his own path. The hangman is solid and reliable and kind but also ruthless when it's called for. Magdalena gets to shine so much more in this one which was wonderful.

But the plot. Oh the silly, Da Vinci Code-esque plot! As soon as I read the blurb and saw "treasure of the Knight's Templar," I knew I was in trouble. This is decidedly NOT my thing. Conspiracies mostly bore me unless really driven by something special, and I feel like conspiracies around the Templars and Christianity are soooooooooooo overdone and BORING. Blurg.

***SPOILER***

And the fact that Simon, who dropped out of medical school and gets most of his knowledge from the scant libraries of the Hangman and Skreevogel, could so deftly unravel a centuries old riddle that the most well read and dedicated Church scholar could not... well, it didn't make me cheer for them so much as wonder how silly the next escapade would be.

***END OF SPOILER***

Don't get me wrong, I will definitely read the next book in the series, The Beggar King, but this one left me quite underwhelmed. PLEASE let the next one NOT involve anything remotely close to a Knight or Monk.

Rating: 3.7

Liked: 3.5
Plot: 3
Characterization: 4.5
Writing: 4

It's hard to believe that 3 years ago today, my precious, precocious, perfect little niece was born. Time certainly flies when you want nothing more than for the moments to pass slowly so you can savor them. However do parents deal with it?!?

Saying hello on your new thread!

Wonderful picture in your bunny suit! And I love the pics of you and your niece.

Nice review--I like the way you rate the various elements of the book.

I just love the look on your face and your pose in the bunny costume. Such a 'tude!

Based on your review, I don't think I'll be in a hurry to read the new Potzsch book although I'll probably eventually read it. I gave The Hangman's Daughter 4 stars when I read it.

Morphie- Thanks, I love the tude too! Sometimes I wonder where it's gone and then I find it again when I'm not looking. ;)

Lori- I gave the first one a 4.3 rating and this one probably only got a 3.7 because of my established enjoyment of the characters. I'm hoping the next one pulls it back together.

I'm sure it's the same with many businesses, but there are times when it doesn't matter how little a couple is paying us for wedding services because they are a joy to work with and make us feel like they appreciate everything so much.

And then there are the times when they could be paying me $1 million and I wouldn't work with them again because they are inconsiderate and take advantage wherever they can. Today was, unfortunately, one of those days. It was one of the most beautifully decorated weddings we've hosted because of the amazing talent of a local planner, but the bride was super self-centered and apparently ignored half of what I told her, they didn't show up when they said they would which means I got up early for nothing, they broke rules left and right and, the icing on the cake, stayed until 1:30AM even as I was stacking chairs and turning off lights around them. And at least 1/2 the guests were hammered. Sometimes you just can't predict the people who will give you the most grief, but I sure wish I had a better system for weeding through the riff raff.

If you are thinking about going into weddings, you need to be prepared for days like this. They suck the will to carry on right out of you.

September Round-Up

Books read: 1
Fiction: 1
Non-Fiction: 0
Classics: 0
Young adult: 0
Fantasy: 0
Cookbooks: 0

Average rating: 3.7 stars

From my shelves: 0
New: 0
Library: 0
Kindle: 1

Sorry you met a bridezilla yesterday!

Back in the days when my kids were going to daycare, there was a largish extra fee if the kids were there past a certain time. Would that be something you could do with your weddings? (heehee I think I just said that if someone was going to act childishly, daycare rules should apply.)

>9 leahbird: Definitely don't host that woman's second wedding ;-)

Sorry you had such a difficult wedding yesterday! I hope it was an expensive one (for them, making you lots of money). I see having 3 jobs affected your reading this month. ;-) Just remember, this too will pass.

Oh, and lovely new thread with wonderful pictures!

#11 by @streamsong> We are reworking our contract to be more specific about times. We have NEVER had a problem before but you learn from every wedding and our lessons from this one are changing the way we will deal with people in the future. Which is depressing because lots of decent people will have to jump through more stringent hoops because of these sucky people. Anything outside our now narrow hours will be charged a hefty price.

#12 by @norabelle414> Her now mother-in-law works for my dentist who is a family friend. I'm pretty sure if they break up, Debbie will be paying us a hefty sum so she can throw a celebration party. Now THAT is a party I will host. ;)

#13 by @ronincats> Not nearly as much as I would have liked. Our basic package is dirt cheap compared to everywhere else because a lot of people we know were struggling to find places they could afford and we didn't like that. This couple laid it on thick about being on a tight budget. They still had to pay our full price, but we were a little soft hearted towards them. When I was talking to vendors last night, it turns out they spent a FORTUNE on the dumbest (although nice) stuff: $700 for table linens and hangings because she wanted the super fancy ones, $700 for a planner who brought in all the lovely decorations, and $3000 for a band, who was AWESOME but TOTALLY unnecessary. They were late paying us their final payment by a few days and the bride was complaining that it was because the bank wouldn't give her fiance's parents the money.... her parents were supposed to cover everything but when she went bride nutso and needed all this stuff she demanded his parents cover it. It was awful.

And yes, 3 jobs is hell on my reading. Although this does, in general, seem to be my reading slump time of year.

I checked on my book delivery this morning and saw "delivered," which was exciting and surprising because UPS never delivers in the morning. It's raining so I sent my mom to check and put it inside.

No package.

I double checked the tracking again, and it definitely said delivered. I started to panic.

I checked a third time and noticed that the book wasn't coming UPS as I assumed but USPS. I forgot that Amazon does that sometimes. So I chilled out a little and sent Mom to the mailbox.

THEN I noticed that it says "Delivered 9/29/12 at 9:42 AM." See what happens when you don't check your mail regularly?!? I was expecting the book today and just never thought it would be early!

Can't wait to get home and start The Casual Vacancy!

In other book shipping news, the 3 books that are supposed to be here tomorrow still haven't shipped. Which is annoying. But I'm trying to remind myself it doesn't matter when they arrive because I will HOPEFULLY be loving the Rowling. Fingers crossed all around.

Third Quarter Review 2012

Books read: 37
Books paused: 7*

Paper books: 27
Kindle: 10
New reads: 35
Rereads: 2

From my shelves: 10
New: 17
Borrowed: 10

Fiction: 33
Non-Fiction: 4
Series: 14
Fantasy: 27
Young adult: 13
Fairy Tales/Myths & Retellings: 6
Classics: 3
Cookbooks: 2

LT rating of 4.00 or higher: 15
My rating of 4 or higher: 22
Average rating: 3.86

Pages read: 11,884

Average book length: 321.19
Longest book read: 594
Shortest book read: 42
Average pages read per day: 44
Average pages read per week: 308
Average pages read per month: 1,232

*don't count towards other stats

I read an abysmal 5 books in this whole quarter. Where I was only 6 books behind schedule at my last quarterly review, I am now 19 books behind. Crap. While I know I will be speeding through several books in the next month or so, I don't think I'm in any position to reach 75. Oh well. I'm still having fun participating!

Hi Leah! Don't worry about your 75, it's the journey on LT that's the fun part.

I'm curious to start hearing about the new JKR book. It hasn't been on my radar to read, but I do want to know if it lives up to expectations.

OUCH on the horrible bride. I think people act that way because they;ve always gotten away with it. Or they figure they'll try to get away with it and have no shame of being called out on their bad behavior. Who's going to come down on a bride on her wedding day. right? :/ So why not do whatever makes us feel good at the moment. Someone else will clean up behind us.

Working with customers in my line of work, I have those days too. Those people who just do not care about rules, and think they are untouchable. So frustrating!

The new JKR is an interesting experience. I don't want to say too much now because I've already been formulating my review, but I will say that you shouldn't go into it expecting HP, even with the understanding that it's for adults and not a fantasy. The style is very different. Not bad, but disarming at first.

More soon, if I can stop falling asleep (from exhaustion, not boredom).

It's been such a long time since my "Open Orders" page on Amazon has been only 1 page, rather than pages. It's back to just the one after the past week's rush of deliveries, but it's weird. I should probably remedy the situation real quick and pre-order a bunch of other stuff.

In related news, I got a $.27 credit from Amazon today for a Pre-Order Price Guarantee. While I appreciate the quarter and pennies, it seems a bit strange that they didn't just, you know, NOT charge me the $.27.

#18

I'll be interested to see your review, as I've heard a lot of bad things and not very much good about the JKR.

#20 by @lunacat> I'm trying my hardest NOT to hear anything so that I can read it without an unbiased mind. But it's hard. I really want to troll the net to see what others are thinking, but I'm stopping myself so far. I'm trying to channel all that particular energy into reading, which is much healthier.

I am VERY EXCITED for this evening though. I'm taking my 17 year old book-loving cousin (god I love her) to see The Perks of Being a Wallflower, based on The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky, DIRECTED by Stephen Chbosky. I'm thrilled to see a writer turned director's vision for his own book, especially one with such a great cult status.

A guy who was trying to be my boyfriend when I graduated high school gave the book to me as a graduation gift. We did end up dating for a while, but my attraction towards him was VERY short lived. My attraction towards this book, however, is still strong over 10 years later. If you've not read it, I highly recommend it, with the warning that there is lots of bleak teenage angst amidst a lot of wonderful teenage self discovery and experimentation that might make some people uncomfortable. It rang very true for me, especially reading it when I did, and I've never forgotten the characters. My cousin was assigned it for summer reading, which was shocking but awesome, and we've been geeking about the movie together for months. I'll let you know how it turns out! I haven't read the book in quite a while so I'm sure I will miss tons of things that were left out, but hopefully my cousin can be more on task and remind me of any holes.

I saw The Perks of Being a Wallflower at a press screening a couple weeks ago and it was really great. I hope you like it!

De lurking to say that I just read Perks of being a Wallflower for the first time this week and really enjoyed it!! Can't wait to see the movie now!

I'm catching up on threads and have to tell you how much I LOVE the picture at the top of your thread. That is quite a pose!!!

#22 by @norabelle414> & #23 by @TinaValdes> It was really good. Erza Miller was FAN- expletive- TASTIC as Patrick. Logan Lerman was really good as Charlie. And Emma Watson was good, but I could feel the strain of playing American in several places and it compromised her performance.

I felt it was really close to the novel except for a bit of vagueness at the end. Overall, it captured the spirit of the book and that special moment of, as they say in the film, "infinite"-ness that I felt at that age. I especially love how all the characters are broken in some way but their scars are what give them a purpose in one another, which makes them whole. It's just very poetic.

#24 by @porch_reader> Thanks. I was a camera hog when I was young. ;)

OH, one big thing I was disappointed about in the film: there is a great clip in one of the trailers where Patrick is cheering "Be Aggressive, Passive Aggressive" which totally cracked me up... and isn't in the actual film. I HATE when they do that.

Teenage angst drives me batty so I doubt I'll read the book or watch the movie.

It's not angst for angst sake, so it was fine for me. Like I said, these characters are all very broken and many have had terrible things happen to them, but it's mostly a story of rising above that by finding your identity with others who have found ways to make the best of things. There are a couple of "I'm so broken because mommy and daddy are rich and don't pay attention to me" characters, but they are secondary and used more as a contrast. It was seriously powerful stuff for me at 18 and the movie plucked all the right strings in my heart and mind.

I guess I should just say, for some of these characters, angst was hard won, not just the "Oh my god, I don't know if Johnny likes me. I am nothing without him. I should die." It's not Twilight. ;)

I read the book a while back but can't even remember the plot much. I guess it didn't have an impact on me emotionally. I probably will eventually see the movie when its on the movie channel.

Part of my problem remembering it comes from the fact I read Dog in the Nighttime around the same time and they blended together. I need to go look back at my reviews to refresh my memory of Wallflower.

>28 leahbird: Or the "Nobody loves me. Everybody hates me. I'm going to eat some worms."

Exactly! ;)

I had heard that The Perks of Being a Wallflower was one of those books that teens connected with, and that there is some expectation that the movie will become sort of like what "The Breakfast Club" was for my generation (ok, I was more a "Heathers" kid, but that's just the way it is -- and both date me a bit, eh?). I'm interested to see what happens there. Haven't seen it yet, myself.

I think I'm going to set The Casual Vacancy aside for a bit and move one to one of the faster paced, YA novels that came in last week. NOT because I'm not liking it, but because it's heavy and I need to jump start my reading with something quick and established, like The Mark of Athena or The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland, or maybe I'll just skip straight to The Woman Who Died A Lot. Apparently, I just need a series read to get the bookish juices flowing, let them clear the cobwebs out so that my brain is more prepared for JK Rowling's very realistic portrayal of hardships.

Yeah, YA was the way to go. I'm already 190 pages into The Mark of Athena. Which is more than I've accomplished in The Casual Vacancy in a week. Thank you action novel with little actual human pathos!

I just wanted to take a second to draw everyone's attention to Malala Yousufzai.



She's fourteen years old, and lives in Pakistan. She came to public attention at the age of 11 for writing a diary for the BBC, which you can read here. Since that time, she has become an international figure in the fight for girls' rights, especially education.

Yesterday, she was shot in the head for speaking out against the fact that under the Pakistani Taliban, women are not educated. She was shot in the head for saying she should be able to go to school.

According to various news sources, the bullet did not enter her brain and she is stable.

Malala Yousufzai, speaking in 2009 aged eleven: "I don't mind if I have to sit on the floor at school. All I want is education. And I'm afraid of no one." (emphasis is mine)

How anyone could look at such a bright, shining, promising young woman and then shoot her in the head just makes my heart break. Let's send her all our thoughts and prayers and hope that she recovers. The world needs girls like this.

Leah - This story just breaks my heart too. What an inspiration Malala is.

39. The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan


Description: In The Son of Neptune, Percy, Hazel, and Frank met in Camp Jupiter, the Roman equivalent of Camp Halfblood, and traveled to the land beyond the gods to complete a dangerous quest. The third book in the Heroes of Olympus series will unite them with Jason, Piper, and Leo. But they number only six--who will complete the Prophecy of Seven?

The Greek and Roman demigods will have to cooperate in order to defeat the giants released by the Earth Mother, Gaea. Then they will have to sail together to the ancient land to find the Doors of Death. What exactly are the Doors of Death? Much of the prophecy remains a mystery. . . .

With old friends and new friends joining forces, a marvelous ship, fearsome foes, and an exotic setting, The Mark of Athena promises to be another unforgettable adventure by master storyteller Rick Riordan.

Thoughts: I've really enjoyed the Olympian books over the last couple of years. The Percy Jackson series was good and I've found the Heroes of Olympus books to be even better. So I've been eagerly anticipating this third installment, mostly because I knew Annabeth had to have a staring role.

But something about this book is off. I think it might be the relationship drama/dynamics. The most annoying is Piper's constantly worrying over her relationship with Jason, who comes off as a bit of a doofus in this one (I think more because he's not one of the characters that lead chapters in this one than anything else). However, Annabeth and Percy's relationship is not immune to the icky, clingy stuff of teenage love. It feels a bit more worthy of the emotional wobbles since they've been separated and Percy has been missing, but it didn't feel that true to the pair of them.

Throw all of that into the racing pace that Riordan is known for and you kind of get a jumble of angst, overly fast resolution of action, and a lot of "well, hmm." Which didn't overly excite me, even though I sped right through the book.

I think I'm starting to see that this series isn't going to reach the promise I thought it would and is rather going to be a bit of a repeat of the last series. Which is ok. It's just not all that exciting.

Rating: 3.1

Liked: 3
Plot: 3
Characterization: 3.5
Writing: 3

40. The Last Dragonslayer by Jasper Fforde


Description: In the good old days, magic was indispensable—it could both save a kingdom and clear a clogged drain. But now magic is fading: drain cleaner is cheaper than a spell, and magic carpets are used for pizza delivery.

Fifteen-year-old foundling Jennifer Strange runs Kazam, an employment agency for magicians—but it’s hard to stay in business when magic is drying up.

And then the visions start, predicting the death of the world’s last dragon at the hands of an unnamed Dragonslayer. If the visions are true, everything will change for Kazam—and for Jennifer.

Because something is coming. Something known as . . . Big Magic.

Thoughts: Oh, Jasper Fforde, what rides you take us on! The Last Dragonslayer has been on my radar for a very long time, since it originally came out in the UK. I've been waiting and waiting for it to come out here in the states (although I've come very close to just ordering it from the UK several times). While I can say that it doesn't disappoint in the grand scheme of things, there were some issues.

The most problematic for me is the abruptness, something that I've struggled with in most of Fforde's books. He doesn't usually take what I would deem enough time to set the stage and introduce characters, favoring the approach of throwing readers into the deep end rather than letting them ease in. Sometimes this doesn't bother me so much, but for this book, the first in a new series, a bit more character exploration and explanation would have been nice. Take Tiger Prawns for example: his moral fortitude is clear but his actual personality, physicality, history, temperament, etc, are left as complete unknowns. Which, for me, left him as a rather flat character when I feel like he should be much more fleshed out and important.

And don't even get me started about the Quarkbeast, who should be a wonderfully interesting character who comes off as.... well, just a shape that eats metal. We know nothing about it except it's dedication to Jennifer and it's supposedly terrifying aspect.

All in all, I think the world that Fforde has built is just as interesting and twisty as his others. I think the general plot of this story is compelling. I just wish there had been more development of it all, more time to spend looking around a little and getting acquainted.

But don't let any of my whinging make you think I won't buy the next one the second it comes out, because I will. I have faith that Fforde will delight me again.

Rating: 3.6

Liked: 3.5
Plot: 4
Characterization: 3.5
Writing: 3.5

Also, look at me finishing 2 books in 2 days! I'm on a roll!

>39 leahbird: Yayyyyyy! I finished it last week but I'm in too much of a funk to write a review.

#40 by @norabelle414> Nora, do you remember mention of floon beetles? They are part of the sleuthing quiz but I have a sneaking suspicion that they were actually edited out of this US edition... When I couldn't find what I was looking for in the book I did a Google search and turned up a passage that is decidedly NOT in my book.

The first chapter is in my book (on page 147) but the rest isn't:

"‘Window dressing, nothing more. No one much cares about the reptiles, bugs or fishes, unless, of course, they look nice. Seems a pretty crummy method of selecting species for survival, doesn’t it to you? If you want to redress your overtly mammal supremacist attitudes, I should ban the words “cuddly”, “cute” and “fluffy”, for a start.’

‘At least we’re doing something,’ I pleaded.

‘If your idea of something is helping less than one hundredth of one per cent of the world’s species, then you all deserve a medal. There are great apes — all of which you merit of special attention — but over six hundred different varieties of the floon beetle alone.’

‘Floon beetle?’ I queried. ‘I’ve never even heard of a floon beetle.’

‘And that’s my point,’ said Maltcassion ‘You lot haven’t even discovered one, let alone the other five hundred and ninety-nine. And a floon beetle is a fascinating creature …’"

>41 leahbird: I couldn't figure out those two either (ok, or most of them) but we have until Dec so I'm probably going to read it again.

I've loaned out my book so I can't check, but I did see a passage (possibly the one above?) that did talk about some kind of beetle, but it was not a floon beetle. Perhaps the name got changed in the "translation" to American English. If Jasper hasn't clarified by the time I get my book back I will email him and ask.

Yeah, I remember something about a beetle that became the dung beetle, but that was it. I'm actually emailing him right now, so I'll keep you posted if I hear anything.

Where is everyone? Reading? Come on, I need some threads to entertain me on my slow work day! How could you all be reading at the same time?!? ;)

Seriously bummed that the Ann Patchett interview with JK Rowling tonight is ONLY being streamed to select bookstores and that the ONLY one in the state is 3 hours away from me. It would be SO NICE to watch at Parnassus Books in Nashville, especially since it's owned by Ann herself!

That is weird that they're not showing at her book store!

Oh, they are. I guess that was a little confusingly written. Parnassus is the only bookstore in TN showing it, but it's in Nashville and I, alas, am not.

Oops, sorry! I'm still sad you don't get to watch!

41. The Woman Who Died a Lot by Jasper Fforde


Description: The Bookworld’s leading enforcement officer, Thursday Next, has been forced into a semiretirement following an assassination attempt, returning home to Swindon and her family to recuperate.

But Thursday’s children have problems that demand she become a mother of invention: Friday’s career struggles in the Chronoguard, where he is relegated to a might-have-been; Tuesday’s trouble perfecting the Anti-Smote shield, needed in time to thwart an angry Deity’s promise to wipe Swindon off the face of the earth; and the issue of Thursday’s third child, Jenny, who doesn’t exist except as a confusing and disturbing memory.

With Goliath attempting to replace Thursday at every opportunity with synthetic Thursdays, and a call from the Bookworld to hunt down Pagerunners who have jumped into the Realworld, Thursday’s convalescence is going to be anything but restful as the week ahead promises to be one of the Next family’s oddest.

Thoughts: I definitely should have spent some pre-reading time reminding myself what happened in in the last couple of Thursday Next's prior to One of Our Thursday's is Missing given that OOOTIM was almost completely out of the main storyline and I haven't read the others since... 2007, maybe? Once I got myself reacquainted and refreshed, it was off to the races with Thursday and family (but not much of the old crew).

I was very sad that this book was strictly in the Nextian "real world" and not set in Bookworld at all, because I dearly love the Bookworld. Getting past that disappointment (which should prove short lived as the next book Dark Reading Matter promises it's return), this book was a lot more familial than any of the others have been. It was a bit strange for so much of the story to revolve directly around Landon and the kids, but I really enjoyed it, especially the bit I won't spoil but it involves sandwiches and tattoos. ;)

There were several things I could have used some more detail about, but, as I mentioned in my review of The Last Dragonslayer, that is pretty par for the course with Fforde. His books might confuse me a bit and leave me with nagging questions, but they are ALWAYS fun. Can't wait for the next one!

PS: Long live Jenny!

Rating: 3.9

Liked: 4
Plot: 4
Characterization: 3.5
Writing: 4

So, unbeknownst to me (I need to pay closer attention to local news), the Westboro Baptist Church was supposed to be in Knoxville today to protest a local Iraq veteran's funeral. I was in Georgia for work and didn't hear about it until I was coming back. Had I known, I would have taken the day off to join the people, reports vary from hundreds to 3,000, who turned up to counter-protest and form a human shield for the family and friends.

It's probably best that I wasn't there, however, as I'm sure I would now be in jail for failing to control myself in the face of such inhuman hatred and bigotry.

But, ultimately, Westboro didn't show. Thank god for small graces. I hope the family was heartened by the people who were there to show support for them and to give them the space to grieve without being bombarded by hate.

Very proud to be an East Tennessean today.

In a week, I will no longer be a 20something. I'm not nearly as upset by that as I always assumed I would be, but it is, most definitely, a very strange thing.

Right now I'm reading The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland and Led the Revels There, which is quite good but perhaps not exactly as good as it's predecessor. The thing that's really speaking to me, however, is that September is growing up a bit and has been away from Fairyland for some time. She doesn't have the comfort of her friends as she expected and things have changed ever so much. That is what the last few years has felt like to me. Things have become completely different and it's almost like my home is another world, the one I'd lived in before being altered permanently by my absence, however brief.

Racing towards my birthday and the end of "my youth," Septembers struggles and triumphs feel so immediate and heartening. Leave it to me, on the eve of my 30th birthday, to find such solace in a children's book... ;)

Awww, your 30s will be awesome! It seems to have taken me twenty years to get through mine. I love it, for the most part. I still feel about 24 at heart though. :)

I'm getting through the same book, and I know what you mean about it not being quite the same kind of good as the first book. I swallowed the first one whole. This one, I'm snacking on slowly.

If it makes you feel better, I'm 24 and most days I still feel like I'm 15 (not in a good way). Probably because I felt like an 80-year-old when I was 15.

I haven't read any of the "The Girl Who" books yet, but they are definitely on my radar. That one in particular makes them sound like something I would enjoy a lot.

Oh Nora, I HIGHLY recommend The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making. REALLY highly. This one is almost as good, but not quite. I think you would love both. I'm actually purchasing copies of both for my wonderful bookish 17 yr old cousin for Christmas this year (along with maybe The Graveyard Book and something else I have settled on yet).

HAPPY HALLOWEEN ALL!

Happy Halloween to you! And the 30s are better than the 20s.

October Round-Up

Books read: 3
Fiction: 3
Non-Fiction: 0
Classics: 0
Young adult: 2
Fantasy: 3
Cookbooks: 0

Average rating: 3.5 stars

From my shelves: 0
New: 3
Library: 0
Kindle: 0

3 sounds so measly for October, but I was only 1 day shy of finishing a 4th and got halfway through a 5th, which makes me feel so much better.

42. The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland and Led the Revels There by Catherynne M. Valente


Description: September has longed to return to Fairyland after her first adventure there. And when she finally does, she learns that its inhabitants have been losing their shadows—and their magic—to the world of Fairyland Below. This underworld has a new ruler: Halloween, the Hollow Queen, who is September’s shadow. And Halloween does not want to give Fairyland’s shadows back.

Fans of Valente’s bestselling, first Fairyland book will revel in the lush setting, characters, and language of September’s journey, all brought to life by fine artist Ana Juan. Readers will also welcome back good friends Ell, the Wyverary, and the boy Saturday. But in Fairyland Below, even the best of friends aren’t always what they seem....

Thoughts: I really, REALLY loved The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making. In fact, it was my favorite book last year. The balance of a great adventure with wonderfully interesting characters and the old feel of a dangerous, violent fairy story was just overwhelmingly enticing.

As I said a few posts above, this story finds our heroine September a year older and quote a bit wiser after her adventures. Her longing for Fairyland and the quiet way she clutches her secret amongst all the ordinary girls who shun her at home pulled me right back into the world Valente created.

But nothing is quite the same this second time around, certainly not for September and not for the reader either. This book isn't quite as lush or compelling as the first. The friends we hope to meet again are not exactly what we expect and the world has gone topsy-turvy.

I think, when it's all said and done, that I liked the overall storyline but felt that the pacing and details were a smidge off. Not so much that I would say I didn't still love this book, because the missteps of Valente are better than the heights of many writers in this genre, but I finished this one feeling a little... rushed? a tiny bit deflated?

I will say, however, that this book has the most lovely ending passage, one that brought the BIGGEST smile to my face and leaves lots of promise that Fairyland isn't done with us.

Rating: 3.8

Liked: 3.5
Plot: 4
Characterization: 4
Writing: 4

This might be my new favorite thing.

Love that owl!

I'm one of those people who HATES the fact that Thanksgiving gets thrown over so companies can start decorating and selling for Christmas. I FIRMLY believe in one holiday at a time, thank you very much, and Thanksgiving happens to be my very favorite. I mean, harvest suppers and gratitude, what's not to like? (Well, other than the subjugation of a native people and the conscription of their lands, but you know what I mean).

That being said, I just started Christmas shopping. I feel shameful, but I am a notorious procrastinator when it comes to shopping for gifts (many other things as well but gift shopping is the hardest to get away with) and I wanted to spread the financial burden over many pay periods so as to not overwhelm myself. I'm being SO responsible! Yay me!

The problem now is that I've got to a) find places to store/hide gifts that will be here 6 weeks early, b) not forget that I stored/hid said gifts, and c) NOT change my mind because I find something awesome later, thus over-buying. This could be trouble.

I just ordered my bookish, awesome cousin (we do secret Santa so she's the only one I have to buy for): The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making, The Secret Garden, The Graveyard Book, and Haroun and the Sea of Stories, none of which she has read. I'm fighting the urge to go overboard (I'm already $10 over our suggested limit) and sign her up for SantaThing as well when it goes live.

So I'm 2 people down (already bought my niece's gift as well), 8 more to go.

Ahhh, the joys of the holiday season. I'm not that into Thanksgiving, but it is a bit irksome to see the Christmas stuff up so early. And actually it's not the decorations *for sale* that get me, it's pretending it's already Christmas time before Halloween is here. The jingles on the radio, the twinkle lights up on the square, the nativities and concerts... I think it takes away from the specialness of the actual holiday time.

We gave up presents a long time ago. We do for ourselves and not a lot at that any more. I think as you get older it gets less important to do gifts and more important to have that time set aside for friends and family and yourself. Not that I don't love shopping and finding just the right special something for everyone! I do. But I limit myself to a couple of secret Santas and my own child. I don't even do cards anymore... bah humbug. :D

I still do cards just because I like receiving them. We only do gifts for our parents and our neighbors across the street. I bought a Christmas decoration at a consignment shop and my husband was unwrapping it. I was like, "Absolutely not! Put that away until after Thanksgiving."

We do Christmas with my mom's extended family, my dad's extended family, and then my siblings, parents, and I. For each of the extended families we do Secret Santa or I wouldn't be able to cope. There are 20+ people on each side and that's just insane. Buying for one person is totally manageable and fun. On my mom's side, we spend hours sitting around together on Christmas Eve opening presents and talking and it's lovely. Everyone opens their presents in turn, starting with the youngest and working up to my grandfather. The little kids are almost always asleep before the gifts are all opened, but it's nice to be all together.

At my dad's family's Christmas party, it's every man for himself. I hate it. Everyone is just ripping open gifts and then they are ready to go home. For me, it defeats the purpose of getting together. I'd rather just mail them their gifts.

For my immediate family, we all swap gifts, but it's a lot more manageable with 6 adults and 1 3-year-old. We spend all morning Christmas day opening presents (one at a time) and eating brunch. We usually all pile around the tv afterwards and watch a movie (someone almost always gets a movie) and it's just really nice.

Thanks to an NPR interview (here), I'm now aware of The Book of Dust, a continuation of Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials stories about Lyra Belacqua . These are some of my favorite books and Lyra is definitely one of my favorite characters (I named a very brave chicken after her). I own all the books in the trilogy as well as the companion books, Once Upon a Time in the North and Lyra's Oxford. How have I never heard of The Book of Dust, which Pullman has been working on for YEARS?

Anyway, the release is still far off as I understand he's still writing, but it looks like it's going to be 2 volumes, one taking place before the main action of the trilogy and one taking place afterwards, neither strictly continuing the plot of the trilogy, but if it involves Lyra and Dust I don't see how it could be too far removed.

However it shakes out, I am EXCITED!

In other related news, I CAN'T WAIT to read Pullman's retelling of the Grimm stories, Fairy Tales from the Brothers Grimm, which came out on the 8th.

Loving reading about different Christmas traditions, even if it's early to be thinking about it. Our family has very specific Christmas traditions and we do our best to stick to them.

Stockings at the end of the bed on Christmas day morning is the start, for children and adults. The stockings have to contain certain things as well - a book, a pair of socks, a new bra and knickers (for the women obviously), a bag of chocolate coins, a chocolate orange and some loose change at the bottom.

Presents are opened in the afternoon after lunch. In the last few years we've moved a lot more towards home made, thoughtful gifts rather than spending a lot of money.

Those sound like the kind of Christmas traditions I would institute if I had kids! I love the little touches and think Christmas should be more about small pleasures and the joy of each others company than money money money. My Christmas list is almost always a giant list of books and then a couple of expensive kitchen things I covet and can't usually afford. I encourage family members to pool their money to snag me, say, the big expensive Le Creuset stock pot I want that costs hundreds of dollars but would let me turn our leftover Thanksgiving/Christmas turkey carcass into a year's worth of the best soup stock in the world! Those are the kinds of gifts I really love, something I can have forever and use to the benefit of my family and friends.

I'm stuck in Nashville tonight and tomorrow for work and all I want to do is go to Parnassus Book Store and shop. I WILL make time in my schedule tomorrow to do so, even if it means skipping lunch. Let's hope it doesn't come to that because a provolone and pumpernickel grilled cheese and some latkes from Noshville is calling to me even now...

mmm... Did you make it to the bookshop??

I made it to TWO! And my lunch. Because my meeting was postponed 5 hours...

Picked up Parnassus on Wheels, The Haunted Bookshop, the Penguin Threads edition of The Secret Garden for my sister, and an early reader book for my niece. Could have spent a ton more money in Parnassus and Bookman, Boomwoman but I was trying to be good in the run up to the holiday. Bookman, Bookwoman tried my resolve with 2 whole bookshelves of gently used Folio Society and Easton Press editions, but I held out. Next time....

I went to Atlanta to visit friends this weekend and to belatedly celebrate my friend Mary's and my 30th birthdays. We've developed this great tradition where I go down to stay for the weekend whenever fun/funny movies come out and Mary, our friend Megan, and I go see them together. It started with the last few Harry Potters and has grown from there. We did this for Twilight: Breaking Dawn, Part 1 and had the BEST TIME. We went in knowing the movie was going to be terrible because the book was TERRIBLE, but it was actually to most awesomely terrible movie of all time. Not a single one of us could stop laughing for hours afterwards and their husbands were so amused they were actually upset they didn't come with us.

So, of course, we were super excited to see Breaking Dawn, Part 2. My sister went down with me and swears she will never miss another movie weekend because it was so much fun. Firstly, Breaking Dawn, Part 2, is ridiculous. Cringe-worthy acting, terrible script, RIDICULOUS CGI (like the most pathetic you've ever seen and yet so completely, fabulously funny), and just, well, just perfection if the goal was to make the most expensive campy movie ever made. SUCCESS! Luckily, the rest of the theater felt the same because there was non-stop laughter at almost every turn. It was like seeing a film with 300 of my dearest friends who happen to have the exact same sense of humor as me.

It was great. We spent the next few hours drinking wine and talking about the culture that feeds books and films like this and our part in it, even if it's one of derision and morbid curiosity. These trips are my doses of fun and intelligence which get me through the dreariness of my regular workday and limited social interactions here at home. I wish I could find a better balance between wanting to be on the farm and wanting to have that life, but I can't see a way to make that happen. For now, bad movies and good fun will keep me going!

Haha, I went to see it this afternoon!! I agree, it was terrible. But it was the best of the series, I thought. My friend and I laughed non-stop also but unfortunately, the rest of the theater didn't agree. They seemed pretty serious, even in the intentionally funny parts! Someone had even brought a baby (wth?). So it wasn't as fun as it could have been. The CGI baby was disturbing! Seriously SO SO bad... and they messed with the story from the book too, and not for the better.

The ending was a huge WTF moment. Several wtfs actually. But it did make us smile and laugh, and now I can rest easy having seen the whole series. It's over!! ;)

I'm glad you had fun with your friend, that's the best part of it all.

>71 leahbird: I love going to see cheesy movies for pure comedic value! I don't get to do it often enough because movies are so expensive. I did do it with Beastly a couple years ago, though, and it was so much fun.

My friend Ayuni, who lives in Singapore, just posted this picture of her and her 2 year old son. This is why I love this woman. (click it to see it bigger)

Nice!

Leah - your Singaporean friends take their immunity from air borne disease very seriously! Happy Thanksgiving.

Today, I'm particularly thankful for a job that pays me actual, steady money. I don't love being off the farm every day, it's not my ideal job, and sometimes people are a total pain in the ass, but it's giving me the chance to stuff money away like an insane squirrel so that one day, in the not so distant future, I can go back to being my own boss full time and NOT have to worry about making ends
meet while we grow and learn. It might even give me the financial boost that I need to do the thing I've want to do for years: become a foster/adoptive parent. So, thank you job.

Naturally, I'm super thankful for all those that I love and for the chance to be loved in return by some very special people. I'm also thankful for books. And pecan pie. And shows from the BBC. And, as stupid as it sounds, Facebook- not for the ridiculous shit, but for the magical ability to watch my friend Ayu's son grow up and see her become a force of nature and to follow the farming adventures of my friend Paul and his lovely family, all from the other side of the world. And for LT for giving me bookish people to talk to and an endless stream of new books to read!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving, Leah!

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, Leah!

Thank you! Hope you both have a lovely Thanksgiving as well! (It's my favorite holiday!)

Happy Thanksgiving Leah!

Thanks Nora! You too!

43. Werewolves of the Heartland by Bill Willingham


Description: At long last! The long-awaited original FABLES: WEREWOLVES OF THE HEARTLAND graphic novel is here!

Bigby Wolf embarks on a quest through the American Heartland to find a new location for Fabletown, a secret society of exiled fairy tale characters living among the "mundys." In his wanderings, Bigby stumbles across Story City, a small town that seems to be occupied solely by werewolves. Oddly enough, they seem to already know and revere Bigby, but at the same time they've captured and caged him.

FABLES: WEREWOLVES OF THE HEARTLAND tells an epic tale that began well before Bigby Wolf set foot in the bucolic plains of the Midwest. It began long ago when he served in World War II and became mired in a Nazi experiment that would change nations. It's soon evident that murder in Story City is the least of their sins, and unraveling the town's many mysteries may cost Bigby, the seventh son of the North Wind, much more than his own life.

Thoughts: Well. As the description says, this companion to the Fables series has been long anticipated. It's been on my radar and "coming soon" since 2010. I've got no idea what the hold up was as release dates have come and gone, but anyway, it's finally actually come out.

And now I'm disappointed I waited so long. It's kind of... crap. Firstly, it has no relation to Fabletown whatsoever other than Bigby Wolf and some recent Fables history to explain why he's in the middle of nowhere Iowa. The story is gory for the sake of goriness, has lots of nudity for the sake of nudity (naked werewolf penises just aren't very attractive or exciting), and a plot that is part political thriller, part mob story, and part trying to be The Lottery by Shirley Jackson. It was just really not very good.

Luckily, I was reading it while my Kindle Fire charged so I could watch some more Doctor Who (being an idiot I didn't realize half of season 7 had already aired in the states), so at least I didn't totally waste that hour or so.

Rating: 2.6

Liked: 2.5
Plot: 2.5
Characterization: 3
Writing: 2.5

Ann Patchett's interview with JK Rowling about The Casual Vacancy is now available to watch on Youtube. You can watch it by going here. It was quite good. There were a couple of semi-spoilers, so beware.

#84 -- Thanks for posting that; I loved it. It gave me a little more appreciation for The Casual Vacancy, though I'm glad I didn't see it before reading the book and writing my review of it.

Yeah, I'm almost done with the book and wished I had waited to watch it because now I've got an idea what's coming. Although... now that I have an idea, I'm a bit more anxious to get done with it.

I loved that Ann, as a bookseller, was so open with her appreciation of what JK has done for reading and the industry. I particularly loved when she was talking about "If you want readers, you have to raise them" and therefore need awesome children's sections in your bookstores. Ann's store, Parnassus Books, certainly accomplishes that!

Here's a shot of the door into the kid's reading area. The door is about 2.5-3 ft tall.


And here's a storytime

RIVER SONG ON NCIS?!?! It's totally, awesomely weird.

44. Fairest: Wide Awake by Bill Willingham


Description: New York Times bestselling, award-winning creator Bill Willingham presents a new series starring the beautiful, deadly ladies from his hit series FABLES. Balancing horror, humor and adventure in the FABLES tradition, FAIREST explores the secret histories of Sleeping Beauty, Rapunzel, Cinderella, The Snow Queen, Thumbelina, Snow White, Rose Red and others.

The first 6-issue tale follows the misadventures of Briar Rose immediately after the events of FABLES #107(collected in FABLES VOL. 16: SUPER TEAM), in which she was stolen away by the goblin army. Following this first collection, Willingham will serve as a consultant on all story arcs and introduce new writers from other mediums to the FABLES mythos.

Fan-favorite artist Phil Jimenez (WONDER WOMAN, THE INVISIBLES) returns to Vertigo to pencil the opening storyline. Award-winning cover artist Adam Hughes (WONDER WOMAN, BATGIRL) provides covers, starting with a wraparound cover on issue #1 that spotlights the lovely ladies who will star in the series.

Thoughts: Oh goody! Another Fables spin-off that's really lovely! I really enjoyed the first Cinderella spin-off but found the follow up Fables Are Forever a bit underwhelming so I wasn't sure how this one would turn out. Those Cindy stories are now going to be folded into this larger series that will feature many of the female Fables I love so much.

The first volume of Fairest wasn't a disappointment. I was a bit surprised that so much of the storyline was focused on a lesser known non-Fabletown resident female character, but she is a very interesting one. The intersection of that character's story with that of Briar Rose and how that led to the show down of the story arch was nice and satisfying.

I'm not sure how I feel about the last issue collected in this volume, issue 7 which is a stand-alone story arch. I won't give the story away in case anyone else follows the series, so I'll just say that it kind of turns a whole storyline on it's head completely and I'm not sure why it was done or how I feel about it. It was an intriguing read but I almost want them to come back in Fables and say "Ha! Just kidding, sucka!"

My biggest complaint, as always with comics, is that when a story is really intriguing, I want more. More exploration. More depth. More more more. This is, of course, why I can't really get into comics/graphic novels more than I am. I want novel length/worthy stuff that just happens to have pretty pictures and that just doesn't exist all that much. If only all comics writers were more like Will Eisner.

Rating: 3.8

Liked: 4
Plot: 4
Characterization: 4
Writing: 3

45. The Casual Vacancy by JK Rowling


Description: When Barry Fairbrother dies unexpectedly in his early forties, the little town of Pagford is left in shock. Pagford is, seemingly, an English idyll, with a cobbled market square and an ancient abbey, but what lies behind the pretty façade is a town at war. Rich at war with poor, teenagers at war with their parents, wives at war with their husbands, teachers at war with their pupils…. Pagford is not what it first seems. And the empty seat left by Barry on the town’s council soon becomes the catalyst for the biggest war the town has yet seen. Who will triumph in an election fraught with passion, duplicity and unexpected revelations?

Thoughts: Whew! I finally finished it. I wasn't altogether sure I'd make it, but I did and I'm really glad I stuck in there. The description alone really can't prepare you for what you are about to experience when you open this book. Don't be lulled into thinking it's just a simple story about a bunch of silly people getting their panties bunched because of a local election. Oh man, you'd be so wrong.

The Good: This book is a pretty good study of the evils- big and small- inherent in the human condition, especially in a microcosm such as a small town with divided loyalties. Rowling doesn't idealize any of the social classes or characters she writes about, but she is also very fair to the real experience of a life that can be glorious (even if mundane) in one instant and spectacularly horrible in the very next. The characters, especially the teenagers, feel real and fleshy and, as Fats Wall would say, authentic. That doesn't necessarily mean they are likeable.

Rowling also doesn't seem to hide her personal feelings much in the creation of this story. I appreciate the feeling this book has from that standpoint. Not that I wasn't already very aware of Jo's work for underprivileged and needy kids, she does a lot to help. If nothing else, this book just screams "Don't judge people because you never know what is really going on in their lives to make them the way they are."

While sometimes confusing at first because of it's scope, it's very impressive that Rowling could weave such an involved, complicated, multi-character driven novel. There were times when the point-of-view would change mid paragraph but the changes were mostly seamless and worked to further the feeling of the novel rather than detracting from the narrative.

The Bad: It was too long. It's taken me almost 2 months to finish this book, a bit because of the grim subject matter, but mostly because i felt it got bogged down in the middle. I'm pretty sure that the story could have been just as effectively told even with a major edit to tighten things up.

It also could have probably benefited a bit from a tad more focus. Rowling tackles just about every societal ill you can think of: poverty, drug abuse, rape, child neglect, abuse, mental illness, obesity, unfaithfulness, cutting, political mismanagement, cronyism, teen sex, black market goods, indifference, religious intolerance, bullying, etc etc. I understand WHY she did it, that in a real town you will find all these things and to exclude some aspects of them could make the book feel too preachy about a single topic. But it got heavy and just too much at times.

A small thing which was much more about who Rowling is than the book itself: the swearing and the explicit sexual talk was VERY JARRING as I imagined it coming out of JK Rowling's mouth. It was the thing that put me off in the beginning. It's not out of place, it was just SO WEIRD coming from this author I love so much for something VERY DIFFERENT.

The Ugly: Just about everything and everyone in the whole entire book. This is one seriously grim story. Truthful and honest, probably, but grim as hell. There is no tidy, happy ending, just a brutal kick in the gut. Don't go into this expecting to come out unscathed because you won't. This is the kind of book that I'm glad I have read and I think was actually quite good, but I probably won't ever read it again.

You've been warned.

Rating: 4

Liked: 3.5 (because of it's grimness)
Plot: 4.5
Characterization: 4.5
Writing: 4

Well, now I know to definitely not read the book. I really don't like books where a) I don't like the characters and b) the story is depressing.

I'm thinking about adding rereadability into my score card. The only problem is how to weight it correctly. I don't think rereadability should carry as much significance as the others, but I do think it's an important ingredient.

For example, if I look at The Casual Vacancy:

as it stands
Rating: 4

Liked: 3.5 (because of it's grimness)
Plot: 4.5
Characterization: 4.5
Writing: 4

as it would be with rereadability
Rating: 3.82

Liked: 3.5 (because of it's grimness)
Plot: 4.5
Characterization: 4.5
Writing: 4
Rereadability: 2

The question is then, do I bump all the other numbers up to accommodate rereadability or find some way to undervalue it? As I do it now, "Liked" is counted twice while all the rest just once, giving 5 factors. To weight this correctly, "Liked" would need to be counted 4 times, plot, characterization, and writing twice each, and rereadability once. That gives 11 factors. That's quite a bit more than I want to fool with. My math brain has been dormant for too long to figure this out easily.

November Round-Up

Books read: 4
Fiction: 4
Non-Fiction: 0
Classics: 0
Young adult: 1
Fantasy: 3
Cookbooks: 0

Average rating: 3.63 stars

From my shelves: 0
New: 4
Library: 0
Kindle: 0

I've been putting off reading Casual Vacancy for that very reason... I figure, if I'm ever in the mood to feel horrible about the world, I'll pick it up. But until then? Not so much... :)

I've been planning a major expansion of my closet library for a long time, a couple years at least, but have just now gotten around to it. This closet had shelves along the sides that I put up almost 10 years ago, but the vast majority of my books were still in boxes. 7 boxes. Which had just been sitting around getting in the way and being inconvenient. So we finally tackled the big job. I gained over 26 feet of new book storage!

Here's how it turned out. (Forgive the terrible pictures, but camera phones are shit)


And putting the books back. These are just the books that were there previously. Tomorrow I tackle the boxes.


I'm having a hell of a time figuring out where I want things to go. I've never been a strictly alphabetical type of sorter, but I like some order than makes sense while being visually pleasing and placing my favorite books in the spot light. The center section has been reserved for books deserving pride of place, but the rest is going to be a challenge.

So, I've at it off and on (mostly on) for about 5 hours and I think I'm getting there. I've been really good a purged a BUNCH of books I should have gotten rid of a long time ago. I also found some books I'd been looking for for a while, so that's good!

I've already had to rearrange major sections 3 times to satisfy my need for order and attractiveness, but I'm feeling pretty content now. I had to walk away for a little while before I fell over or started seeing double.

Question: How do you guys deal with the incoming books issue when sorting alphabetically along multiple shelves? Do you try to strategically leave gaps that can be filled in later?

I have so many books that I have to double-shelve most of my books. Books I have read go in the back, and incoming books go in the front (so that I can see them and am thus maybe slightly more likely to actually pick them up).

But I would say in your case that leaving strategic gaps sounds like a good idea.

I try to leave gaps, but usually I just end up filling up all of the shelves, then stacking new arrivals until I get the chance to re-organize / buy another bookshelf. ;-)

#97 by @foggidawn> That is my great fear. This one is so full already that I can't imagine many more new books fitting on it. Which means I spent nearly $200 on shelves that are already obsolete. And I've NO MORE ROOM for more shelves.

Man, I wish I was in the house I want to renovate already. This would sooooo not be a problem then.

#98 -- Yeah, right now I'm in the stacking phase -- and my current organizational scheme worked so well that I kind of dread re-organizing.

Books up! I managed to cut out 3 whole boxes to donate!



You can see more closeups (and try to id my books!) here.

Leah it looks great!! I love how you turned the closet into an office!

I have my books thrown willy-nilly onto the shelves, double stacked and horizontal, however they fit. My Christmas wish is to go get several more bookcases and spread the love around a little. I have an unused dining room area that is begging to be a "library". :)

Still not close enough for me to ID any books, but that last shot is MUCH better and really shows it off. Beautiful! I do like to leave some strategic spots on shelves, but always reach the point where they are completely full, and then it's major reorganization. My sister sent me back two boxes of my books after she had read them, and I had half a dozen to go into my hardback case, so had to go through the ordeal of removing books from the end of one row to go at the beginning of the next. Easiest to start at the bottom and just work my way up in reverse alphabetical order (and I DO organize alphabetically by author--I do want to be able to find my books--but I have different collection--nonfiction religious, crafts, cats, and then fiction hardbacks, paperbacks, and children's books. The hardbacks and paperbacks are in different bookcases because I have adjustable height shelving and so the spacing is different for the two.)

In my front bedroom--my hardback case:



and my paperback case:



Does anyone know how to create links to these pictures in my member gallery rather than actually posting the pictures here?

For the top picture, you'd get the address and the it's just

a
href=http://www.librarything.com/pic/271724

whatever word placeholders you want to use

/a

but you need to add carrots at the beginning and end and in all the spaces above.

So, it would link to here.

PS: One of these days I will have bookshelves like yours all over the house!

I knew there must be a way. At least I made the pictures small so they don't take up much space. Thanks.

You know the best thing about being done with The Casual Vacancy? My purse weighs about half as much as it did and I can actually find things in it now!

>105 leahbird: Hahaha I know that feeling well.

After my book reorganizing and purging, I took the next steps: I double checked my inventory on LT to that on my shelves AND, drum roll please, I EMPTIED my inventories on BookMooch and PaperbackSwap. I've had boxes of books sitting around waiting for new homes and bugging me. No more. They are going to be donated and that is that. I feel like a new woman! And about 75 book lbs lighter!

But it is also very strange to see nothing listed on those pages...

ohhhhhhh!

ohhhh that's lovely . . .

46. Meant to Be by Lauren Morrill


Description: Meant to be or not meant to be . . . that is the question.

It's one thing to fall head over heels into a puddle of hazelnut coffee, and quite another to fall for the—gasp—wrong guy. Straight-A junior Julia may be accident prone, but she's queen of following rules and being prepared. That's why she keeps a pencil sharpener in her purse and a pocket Shakespeare in her, well, pocket. And that's also why she's chosen Mark Bixford, her childhood crush, as her MTB ("meant to be").

But this spring break, Julia's rules are about to get defenestrated (SAT word: to be thrown from a window) when she's partnered with her personal nemesis, class-clown Jason, on a school trip to London. After one wild party, Julia starts receiving romantic texts . . . from an unknown number! Jason promises to help discover the identity of her mysterious new suitor if she agrees to break a few rules along the way. And thus begins a wild goose chase through London, leading Julia closer and closer to the biggest surprise of all: true love.

Because sometimes the things you least expect are the most meant to be.

Thoughts: This book was written by a friend of mine from high school. I've been SO excited for her, getting a big publishing deal with Random House and everything. It was really exciting. I mean, I KNOW an author! The blurb didn't excite me quite as much but that wasn't really the point of it all. So I preordered my copy. Unfortunately I missed her launch party because I was out of town, but she signed my book with a sweet inscription.

If I had to make some sweeping comparisons, I would say that this book has a healthy dose of Pride & Prejudice, a book which also features in the story, and a light sprinkling of almost Cyrano de Bergerac-like intrigue. But set on a high school trip. With cell phones and texting.

First, this book is not exactly my speed. In general, I go for something grittier or more fantastical, unless it's an actual classic, which I also love. Unfortunately, stories about regular, modern high-schoolers just don't really whet my whistle. But that isn't a book's fault, that is my issue.

Second, apparently anal retentive, smarty-pants heroines annoy me. Which is funny because certain characteristics that fall into that category could describe me! Julia, the narrator and lead character, is so OCD about being perfectly organized and prepared and following the rules. And it's annoying. Especially since she seems to think everyone should conform to her standards. Her counterpoint, Jason, can be equally annoying in his quest to be the biggest class clown and mischievous flirt in the world. His disregard for how his antics make people embarrassed and uncomfortable is just as repellent as Julia's insistence on correcting everyone all the time. These two things were what made this book a bit hard to get into for me. Where Pride & Prejudice has all the same stubbornness and miscommunications, it also oozes charm and dignity. While Lizzy might find herself loathing Darcy at times, she is still a lady and does not go ranting about it and screaming at him in public (well, except that one time). And Darcy is impeccably, if stiffly, mannered. Julia and Jason can't come anywhere near that.

But I think that their extreme personalities are supposed to rub us the wrong way, are supposed to make the reader REALLY appreciate how their roughness polishes the other up a bit. They do balance each other out and become better people because of it. It's all pretty predictable, but more because it's such a classic construct rather than some flaw in the writing.

In the end, I probably would not have picked this book up had I just come across it in the bookstore. I generally steer away from light romantic comedy, especially the teen variety. But it was a nice quick interlude, especially after finishing The Casual Vacancy. I definitely feel a lot less tainted by the grimness of existence now. The 6 reviews that have been posted on LT thus far have all been pretty glowing. So, if you need something light to make the world look not so dingy, give this one a try. Support new authors!

Rating: 3.5

Liked: 3.5
Plot: 3.5
Characterization: 3
Writing: 4

Anyone know when the next year's group is usually started? I'm definitely continuing on and I hope to have a pretty seamless transition so I don't want to miss when it gets rolling. So far I don't see it, just the category challenge for next year.

It's usually up in the last week of December.

Yup. I'm planning to start the new group in late December. Too early and we stomp on the end of 2012.

Re: 108 -- LOVE.

That is all.

BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! ;( ::sniffle sniffle::

I just watched the unfilmed bit of "Angels Take Manhattan" called P.S.. If you haven't seen it, watch at your own risk, it's a tearjerker. You've been warned.

Happy Holidays, friends.

(In case you can't read it, it says "Peace on Earth, Or Whichever Planet You Happen to Land On" and the snowflake is made of sonic screwdrivers)

Love!

Ok, I feel the need to say that I don't go searching for these things, they just fall so perfectly into my lap via the Geek tab on Pinterest. And they are always just too good not to share. Everyone has probably seen almost everything that I think is so new and fun, but I'm still a newbie, so feel free to ignore me.

This, however, is the best talk show thing I've EVER seen. Ever.

3 Min Doctor Who Explanation

I did some shopping today and got myself some earrings. I'm not really sure why, seeing as I've not worn earrings in years- probably 5 or more. Anyway, I went to try them on when I got home. To my annoyance, 2 of my 4 ear piercings have closed up, one in each ear. The OPPOSITE holes, second of my left and first of my right. Damn. So typical. If I go get them repierced, it will be the third time my "first" hole in my right ear will have been pierced because the first time I got them pierced (at a mall kiosk of course) they got infected and I had to let them heal up. Maybe the universe is trying to tell me I'm not meant to wear earrings.

I have more trouble with the backs to earrings so I've pretty much quit wearing them because about the only ones I can wear comfortably are the ones with the u-shaped posts that just hang there.

Yeah, I have a pretty significant nickle allergy that has always made wearing earrings difficult. It's why I stopped wearing them years ago because I lost one of the only pairs of good, nickle free earrings I had found. I just gave up trying. But now I cut all my hair off and I wanted to get fun earrings again.

I also have a major nickel allergy, but these day, almost all earrings are made without nickel, and there are lots and lots of stainless steel hooks and posts. So if you want to wear them--go ahead and get repiercced!

I'm still just reeling from the terrible news from Connecticut. I'll never understand how people can do terrible things to each other, but it's especially unfathomable when someone harms children. I hope those families are able to find some peace and healing, but I don't know how you get past something like that.

This is a great mash-up. Thank you, Colbert!

Breaking Abbey

Another great mash-up!

Aw, I can't see Breaking Abbey. The picture is funny though. :)

Aw, damn Copyright!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtNUZ9b5MIs

Get it while it lasts!

Ohmigosh, it's actually them! LMAO!

Oh yeah, it's totally legit... in a completely illegitimate way!

ETA: I've never seen Breaking Bad but I knew what it was about. Breaking Abbey is just too freaking hilarious!

>126 leahbird:: Oh, that is FABULOUS.

Alright friends, I need to mine the depths of your knowledge of great books for a gift idea. I've mentioned my bookish cousin Annie a couple times in my threads. She's 17 and loves books almost as much as I do. She's a BIG Harry Potter fan, loves Hunger Games, and geeked about The Perks of Being a Wallflower with me. She's into "indy" stuff these days. For Christmas, I bought her The Secret Garden, The Graveyard Book, The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making, and Haroun and the Sea of Stories.

So, my mom and I do most of the shopping for my grandmother. Annie asked specifically for The Fault in Our Stars, which I've bought, but she couldn't think of anything else specifically that she wanted, other than books. She told me to pick some good ones.

So, based on that info, are there any that you would suggest? I've made a list of some candidates but I know there are probably some amazing books that you guys have read that I've missed.

Here's what I've come up with so far:
The Thirteenth Tale
The Book of Lost Things
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie
The Girl with Glass Feet
Un Lun Dun
The Magicians (this one I'm torn on because I hated the second half and there is a lot of casual drug use and sex... maybe not something I should be putting my stamp of approval on for a teenager)
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

And a couple I've not read but that have good hype:
Why We Broke Up
Beauty by Robin McKinley
The Barnum Museum, stories by Steven Mullhauser (I've read the title story and it's AMAZINGLY awesome, but I've not read anything else by him)

Books for Annie, right? I really love both The Book of Lost Things and The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, as well as the others you already bought her. I'd also recommend Never Let Me Go, Ready Player One and (if she likes books-to-movies) Warm Bodies. Warm Bodies isn't my absolute favorite zombie story, but it is good. And the movie comes out in January I think.

Has she read any Vonnegut? I loved Galapagos, Mother Night, and Harrison Bergeron at that age. (The last two are also well-made movies!)

How about The Name of the Rose? It's not exactly YA, and it has murder galore in it, but it's a classic and such an enjoyable book (also a movie, lol!). If she's into the erudite and likes references and allusions, she'll like it.

Brave New World was another favorite of my youth. Along with War with the Newts and Italo Calvino's novellas.

I'm sure she'd enjoy anything current, but when giving to younger readers I also like to work into the gifts something more classic or substantial whenever possible. :)

Well, the lucky girl is getting a great variety (I think).

The Fault in Our Stars
Ready Player One (Thanks Kathy for that suggestion)
Why We Broke Up
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie
The Book of Lost Things
The Thirteenth Tale

So, those plus the ones from me and she's going to be getting 10 books on Christmas Eve alone. I'm sure she's probably getting some books from her other family as well so she's going to be a busy reader! Hope she's happy with them.

I think that's a great list. I'd be thrilled to pieces to get a great stack of books like that!

Me too!

Ah, to be Annie this Christmas! No one ever gets me books anymore, besides SantaThing.

#138 -- Same here . . . or, at least, nobody gives me books that I haven't requested. I usually put several on my wishlist, but those are often ones I have already read and liked enough to want to put them into my permanent collection.

Same here. I always get a few books but only because I put them on my list. I usually get a gift card for books from one of my grandmothers because she knows that's what I want and has no idea, not even the tiniest inkling, of what books I would want. The only books she reads are trashy, cheap romances. On the rare occasions that my cousin Kelly Jo draws my name for Christmas, I might get books from her. She is an English teacher after all.

Hey, how ya' doing today?

*hides the trashy romance she's reading at the moment*

There's nothing WRONG with trashy romance novels. I mean, reading is reading and I support that. It's just that that's her entire scope of books. She just goes to the grocery store and picks up whichever one she thinks she hasn't read, which about a third of the time she actually owns and just has no memory of. It's weird. It's not like some of us who own so many books that sometimes we forget everything that's on our shelves, we're talking a stack of like 40 books that she can't remember.

But, on the gift giving front, I'd be very disappointed to get a romance, trashy or not, as a Christmas gift. Romance is definitely not my speed.

If you have any interest in watching the BritList: The Doctor Who Ultimate List of Lists and don't want it spoiled, then ignore this post. Because I'm about to go on a tangent. These are compiled from a viewer's poll from the BBCA Anglophilia blog.

List 1: Best Companion

5. Martha Jones
4. River Song
3. Amy Pond (EXCUSE ME?)
2. Rose Tyler
1. Donna Noble (EXCUSE ME EVEN MORE?)

So, obviously I don't agree. My list would be very different.

1. Amy Pond
2. Rose Tyler
3. Rory Williams
4. River Song
5. Jack Harkness
6. Donna Noble
7. Martha Jones

First, I will at least concur that Donna Noble has the most awesome and then devastating end of all the modern companions. To have traveled with the doctor, been saved from your humdrum life, to have saved all the universe and learned all the secrets of time and space and then to have it wiped away from your memory completely... just totally gutting. And I liked that she wasn't taken by the Doctor like the others. But she was grating. Loud and screechy.

Second, I think it's folly to ignore the guys that tagged along in the Tardis. Rory Williams is just the most loyal, brave, determined, geeky, pushover tag along EVER. I love him. And Jack is just ridiculously funny and a total horn dog. And he RODE THE TARDIS through the Time Vortex! Come on!

But, most importantly, I love Amy Pond. She is smart and funny and bad ass. I love that she has the audacity to jump the Doctor just to see what it's like. And I love that, as much as the Doctor means to her, she doesn't hesitate to leave him when faced with the loss of Rory to the Weeping Angels. It was terrible to watch. But it made me love her even more.

List 2: Scariest Moments

5. Death of Rory (all of them)
4. Reveal of Dalek asylum
3. The return of The Master
2. The Doctor is shot (by the Impossible Astronaut)
1. Blink, all of it

Most of these don't really seem like "scary moments" to me. They are more shocking, upsetting moments. If that was the list, I'd go with what they had. But for truly scary, that just doesn't cut it.

1. Blink
2. the hotel in The Angels take Manhattan
3. the orphanage nest of Silence
4. the apartment complex from Night Terrors
5. most of The Time of Angels and Flesh and Stone
6. every second of the kid in the gas mask

Ok, I guess you get the point that Weeping Angels creep me out hard core.

List 3: Guest Stars

5. Hugh Bonneville
4. Kylie Minogue
3. Carey Mulligan
2. James Corden
1. Andrew Garfield

Well, I didn't even remember Andrew Garfield was on the show... so obviously he wouldn't have been on my list. I think I would have bumped everyone up and added Russell Tovey, basically because I just love Russell Tovey and because he gets chatted up by Captain Jack. Or Simon Pegg.

List 4: Monsters

5. The adipose
4. The Cybermen
3. The Daleks
2. The Silence
1. The Weeping Angles

I'm going to commit Whovian blasphemy here, but I really don't care for the Daleks or the Cybermen. They kind of just annoy me.

1. The Weeping Angels
2. The Silence
3. The Empty Child
4. House (the planet that eats Tardises)
5. the crack in the universe (that can be a monster right?)

I'd also have to say that a lot of times you'd have to consider Human Beings as one of the worst monsters. From Harriet Jones blowing up that space ship, or Donna's fiance helping the Racknoss, or Cassandra the last human, to that really morally wobbly episode where the human race has left earth on the back of a tortured space whale, humans can be pretty bad.

List 5: Things You'll Only See on Doctor Who

5. fish fingers & custard
4. bowties are cool
3. sonic screwdriver
2. 11 Doctors (regeneration of main character)
1. the Tardis

Ok. Done geeking for a bit. There's just so much Doctor Who stuff on right now On the run up to the Christmas Special.

What would your lists look like?

Because I will probably forget to do this tomorrow... MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

I think I agree with your lists more than theirs!

Merry Christmas, Leah!

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, Leah!

#146 by @ronincats> Couldn't have said it better myself! Merry Peaceness, Roni!

Merry Christmas Leah!

Just dropping by (and delurking) with some Christmas cheer from me and the Moomins (another great LT find). I really enjoyed following your various projects this year.

Christmas gifted books:

Jane Eyre, the Penguin Deluxe Edition
Fairy Tales from the Brothers Grimm, the Philip Pullman retellings
Luka and the Fire of Life
The Last Unicorn, Deluxe Edition

SantaThing Books:
The Penelopiad
The Lost Books of the Odyssey
and another one that escapes memory at the moment, but it's another in the same vein

Oh oh oh! Doctor Who Christmas special. LOVE Clara and now I'm even more excited to see the explanation of who she really is. I still miss Amy and Rory, buy Clara is going to make the transition a lot easier.

My Best of 2012 list. I'm hoping to finish my current book this year, but I certainly won't get to any more. There is a small chance that the book I'm reading now will bump something from the list, but I'll deal with that as it comes.

Leah's Best Books of 2012
1. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern 5 stars
This one just blew me away. The intricacies and the wonderful characters and the tension between the 4 sorcerers, it was all just perfect. Let's face it, that circus sounded like one of the most amazing and exciting things to be imagined. I keep hoping it will pop up in my town.

2. The Hangman's Daughter by Olier Potzsch 4.5 stars
I don't typically go for historical fiction mystery, but this book really pulled me in. The details are rich and enticing and the characters are very compelling. This was probably the most surprising book I liked this year.

3. What-the-Dickens by Gregory Maguire 4.5 stars
I loved this story within a story. The character of What-the-Dickens and his journey to find where he belongs had me as captivated as the children the story was being told to. I didn't want it to end. But that's what I've come to expect from Mr. Maguire.

4. Sacre Bleu by Christopher Moore 4 stars
Oh Chris Moore. You do naughty things. I love that all of Chris's books are twisty and funny but still find a way to be human and real. This one has probably just snuck into 2nd place behind his most perfect book, Lamb. I will never look at paintings the same way again.

5. Soulless by Gail Carriger 4 stars
While the series went downhill for me, this first introduction was not only a fantastic romp but so shockingly sexy and scandalous that I was almost left dumbfounded. I never expected the juicy bits! And I certainly never expected to like a steampunk mystery with paranormal romance. But I seriously loved it. I probably snorted with glee or surprise on almost every page.

6. The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland and Led the Revels There by Catherynne M Valente 4 stars
This one is not as good as The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making, but even the less-than-perfect Valente is apparently still better than the best attempts at many. I'm hoping, hoping, hoping for more in the series.

7. The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt 4 stars
Eli Sisters is a man with a complicated inner life and a lack of enthusiasm for his career. Since that career is murdering henchman, it's a bit problematic. From his delusions of love for a hooker he's just met to his problematic relationship with his new horse, Eli's narrative is funny and sad and pathetic and, to a small but important extent, heroic.

8. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs 4 stars
You should be warned that this book ends extremely abruptly. Like, basically in the middle of a scene. But up until that point, it's a very interesting story about some amazingly peculiar kids. This was another book that surprised me.

9. The Woman Who Died a Lot by Jasper Fforde 4stars
Well, I love Fforde and I love Thursday Next. As disappointed as I was that there wasn't any Bookworld in this one, the story was a pleasantly family-oriented adventure. Always look forward to these.

10. One Day by David Nicholls 4 stars
A good, solid look at a changing relationship over decades from the point of view of only one day. I thought the movie of this book was very good and wasn't disappointed by the book. If anything, I got to appreciate Dex so much more from the book, which was a nice rounding out of his character.

Honorable Mentions:

Best Book Ever Written by Someone I Know: Meant to Be by Lauren Morrill 3.5 stars
A small category, of course, but a special one.

Most Promising New Series (I hope): The Last Dragonslayer by Jasper Fforde 3.5 stars
I didn't love this book as much as I thought I would but there is great potential here. I'm not so worried because I had a similarly cool reaction to the Nursery Crimes series, but the second one was great.

Best Cookbook: The River Cottage Bread Handbook by Daniel Stevens 5 stars
Hands down the best how-to bread book I've ever read. So easy to follow and obviously a labor of love.

Best Non-fiction: In Praise of Chickens by Jane S Smith 4 stars
I LOVED this little book of historical quotes about chickens. I would recommend it even to people who don't have chickens just because it's so fun.

Most Beautiful Book of the Year: The Last Unicorn Graphic Novel Deluxe Edition by Peter S Beagle 4 stars
Without a doubt, this deluxe graphic novel is BREATHTAKING. One of my favorite stories was shaped into the most lovely large format ART experiences of the year for me. Wonderful.

Most Socially Conscious: The Casual Vacancy by JK Rowling 4 stars
It couldn't possibly go to any other book. It was so hard to read because it's sad and graphic and gruesome and you just want to save everyone. But the messages are clear and the characters still haunt my head. Most impressive because she could have written nothing but fluff for the rest of her life, but she choose to use her position (and her lack of concern over sales) to give people a book that deals with the things we'd all like to think aren't real.

Nice list - and a bunch made my top few as well.

Oh man, I sat down to "check" LT and ended up being on here WAY longer than I meant to be. So typical. Now I've gotta rush out and do what needs doing. Man, being off work has turned me super lazy. I just want to cuddle up on the couch and rewatch Doctor Who Christmas specials.

::sigh:: Off to be semi productive.

Not at all productive, but this is awesome!

Harry Potter in 99 seconds

Fun meme time!

Book title meme! Use titles from books you read this year to fill these in

Describe yourself: What-the-Dickens

Describe how you feel: Sacre Bleu

Describe where you currently live: Wuthering Heights

If you could go anywhere, where would you go: Un Lun Dun

Your favorite form of transportation: The Last Unicorn

Your best friend is: Heartless

You and your friends are: The Rescuers

What’s the weather like: Fahrenheit 451

You fear: A Discovery of Witches

What is the best advice you have to give: Fables Are Forever

Thought for the day: Spindle's End

How I would like to die: The Woman Who Died A Lot

My soul’s present condition: The Grimm Legacy

Well, today I did what I promised I would never do again. I took books to resell at Hastings. UGH! Why did I think that was a good idea? I was on my way to simply donate 4 boxes of cast offs and figured that since Hastings is basically next door to Habitat, I'd just swing in and make a little book spending cash. WHY?

First, it took over an hour because they are horribly unorganized and understaffed. Second, they took almost nothing- maybe 20 books out of the over 100 I took in. I can't seem to figure out what they want because they took some I was sure they wouldn't and left a bunch I figured would be easy resales.

Grand total earned: $29 in-store credit. In that hour of forced browsing I managed to find a grand total of 0 books that I wanted. I guess I will be renting a lot of movies.

It sure felt good to drop those other books off at the Habitat Restore. They aren't cluttering up my house and hopefully someone who really needs books will enjoy them.

Reminded to self: DON'T fool yourself into doing that again.

Hmm, I love our local Hastings. But I have never tried to sell them anything! Seems like they'd take almost anything, the used section is so huge and full of... everything. Sorry it sucked for you. I don't take books to Half-price either any more. Not worth my time; I'd rather donate and be done with it.

Leah, I've had that same experience at Hastings too many times and finally just stopped taking books there. Now I just donate them to my library to resell. I actually wonder how they're doing as a bookstore considering you can easily purchase used books online. I used to love browsing in there but at some point the magic disappeared.

I used to LOVE Hastings. I could spend forever in there and always walk out with a stack of books. Now, I don't even go in usually and if I do, I almost never buy anything. If I'm buying a book locally now I try to buy from one of the great indies in Knoxville. Sadly, I don't do that enough. I hate it, but I am a sucker for saving money on books. Even though I don't approve of the big chains and discount stores, I justify it with my wallet.

Hastings here, however, has just fallen apart. They never seem to have anything but the super mass appeal stuff in stock and they hire people who are not very knowledgeable. Reselling is really the worst thing in the world there. What they can take is apparently really narrow and they offer almost nothing. If I hadn't been just ready to get them out of the house, McKay's is a much better resale option, but I wasn't up for driving to Knoxville on a vacation day.

Part of what I can't figure out is whether I just have so many books now (I went through a major buying spree a couple of years ago) and I just don't want or need that many more and therefore all book stores are somewhat less attractive to me. Like you, it's hard to resist getting books for less online and when I'm in the local independent bookstore or even B&N and see a book I'm interested in, I often think about how much less I could get it online or even just take it out of the library. These days it seems like I can get almost anything out of my library and just put it on hold via the computer. And because I don't live in a really crowded area, there's often a very short wait even for new popular books.

I haven't been in any of the Hastings stores out here (Boise ID metro area) for over a year so I'm not sure how they're doing but the last couple of times I was in, it seemed like most people were renting movies from them rather than buying books.

My sister and I went to see the new Les Mis today. That should be counted as reading a book, right?

We see Les Mis every couple of years and each time I tell myself we should stop seeing it since all we do is cry for about 3 hours. Why do we torture ourselves so much? Oh, right, because it's amazing and the has the best songs ever.

I mean, besides the injustice, cruelty, poverty, prostitution, TB, child abuse, murder, thievery, unrequited love (that ends up getting you killed), improbable love at first sight, a failed rebellion, and an oh so fun romp through the shit filled sewers, it's all about love, man.

Final word: It was very good. Some amazingly emotional performances by Jackman, Hathaway, and, surprisingly, Crowe. Eddie Redmayne was freakishly beautiful as always. That boy was born for period pieces. Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter were PERFECTION as the Thenardiers. But it was little Daniel Huttlestone as Gavroche that 100% stole the show (as Gavroche usually does) in only a few short scenes.

"Do you hear the people sing?
Singing a song of angry men?
It is the music of a people
Who will not be slaves again!
When the beating of your heart
Echoes the beating of the drums
There is a life about to start
When tomorrow comes!"

I loooooove Eddie Redmayne. I have no idea why, but I do.

Something about that strange, seriously unmodern facial structure and. all. those. freckles. And the hair. Oh boy. I need a fan, somebody fan me!

I'm so glad to hear that Les Mis was good. I love it in the theater, but wasn't sure how it would translate to the big screen. Now I have the song in my head. . . can you hear the people sing. . .

If you want to see it, I would definitely suggest the big screen as some of the scenes are really close up and intense and would translate better in the large format.

Leah - Happy New Year!

Thanks Paul! To you as well!

Happy New Year, Leah!

Happy New Year to you too!

And Happy New Year to all my LT friends!

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

Same to you Roni!

December Round-Up

Books read: 1
Fiction: 1
Non-Fiction: 0
Classics: 0
Young adult: 1
Fantasy: 0
Cookbooks: 0

Average rating: 3.5 stars

From my shelves: 0
New: 1
Library: 0
Kindle: 0

I did not finish my last book like I had hoped because I was much too busy spending time with family and friends and gushing over my not-yet-even-born godchild. Which is the best reason I can think of not to get reading done.

My "last post of 2012" is a few hours late and I was WAY off the mark reaching 75, but this was a great year and I had a BLAST in the 75ers group. Thank you all for making me welcome, giving me lots of new books to be excited about, and participating so eagerly in both book and totally off-topic chat! Lots of love to you all!

Fourth Quarter/End of Year Review 2012

Books read: 45
Books paused: 6* and one almost finished

Paper books: 35
Kindle: 10
New reads: 44
Rereads: 1 (this is the most shocking number for me as I usually reread a lot each year)

From my shelves: 10
New: 25
Borrowed: 10

Fiction: 41
Non-Fiction: 4
Series: 27
Fantasy: 33
Young adult: 19
Fairy Tales/Myths & Retellings: 9
Classics: 3
Cookbooks: 3

My rating of 4 or higher: 26 (maybe I'm a bit too generous)
Average rating: 3.81

Pages read: 14,516

Average book length: 322.58
Longest book read: 608
Shortest book read: 31
Average pages read per day: 39.77
Average pages read per week: 279.15
Average pages read per month: 1,209.67

*don't count toward any other totals

The fun will continue on my new 2013 thread! Hope to see you there.