calm reading 75 and beyond in 2013 - part 1

Welcome to any visitors. I appreciate any comments and recommendations. I must admit to being a great lurker on other people's threads but I do try to say something occasionally. Though I tend to just sit in the corner and read:)



I'm aiming for a double 75 -




I will take part in the 2013 Category Challenge and here's a link to that thread http://www.librarything.com/topic/147418

I will also be tracking number of books read per category here

Crime and Punishment - murder and mysteries (2 of 13)
Around the world - contemporary fiction (say from 1950's onward from anywhere in the world as long as it was written in English) (2 of 13)
Long ago and far away - historical fiction (medieval and earlier) (1 of 13)
More from the past - historical fiction (post-medieval) (1 of 13)
Short and Sweet - short stories or books under 200 pages (2 of 13)
Chills down my spine - ghost stories, gothics and horror (1 of 13)
On and On - series and sequels (1 of 13)
Unlikely things - fantasy (4 of 13)
New friends/Old friends - recommendations, early reviewers, new to me authors, continuing series/authors and re-reads that don't fit anywhere else - basically a pot pourri category. (2 of 13)
To space and beyond - science ficton (1 of 13)
It's Greek to me - books in translation (2 of 13)
Need to know - non-fiction (1 of 13)
Great books I should have read - classics and prizewinners/nominees (3 of 13)




and I can't abandon last year's owl and book worm so here they are


glitter-graphics.com



Let the reading continue:)

Books Read in January (13 books/4801 pages)

1) New Finnish Grammar by Diego Marani (post 73) 187 pages (TIOLI; 13 in 13)
2) Under the Dome by Stephen King (post 109) 880 pages (TIOLI; 13 in 13)
3) Where Time Winds Blow by Robert Holdstock (post 112) 286 pages (TIOLI; 13 in 13)
4) The Somnambulist by Jonathan Barnes (post 121) 284 pages (TIOLI; 13 in 13)
5) All Passion Spent by Vita Sackville -West (post 132) 297 pages (TIOLI; 13 in 13)
6) The Woman Who Loved an Octopus and other Saints' Tales by Imogen Rhia Herrad (post 158) 150 pages (TIOLI; 13 in 13)
7) Low Town by Daniel Polansky (post 184) 359 pages (TIOLI; 13 in 13)
8) Sunrise in the West by Edith Pargeter (post 185) 195 pages (TIOLI; 13 in 13)
9) Bodily Harm by Margaret Atwood (post 186) 301 pages (TIOLI; 13 in 13)
10) Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimanada Ngozi Adichie (post ?) 453 pages - including additional information (TIOLI; 13 in 13)
11) Galileo's Dream by Kim Stanley Robinson (post ?) 584 pages (TIOLI; 13 in 13)
12) The Invisible Ones by Stef Penney (post 189) 439 pages (TIOLI; 13 in 13)
13) Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson (post ?) 388 pages (TIOLI; 13 in 13)

Books read in February (10 books/ 4465 pages)

14) Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson (post 205) 656 pages (TIOLI; 13 in 13)
15) Into the Green by Charles de Lint (post ?) 254 pages (TIOLI; 13 in 13)
16) Zoo City by Lauren Beukes (post 207) 381 pages (TIOLI; 13 in 13)
17) The Falcons of Fire and Ice by Karen Maitland (post ?) 500 pages (TIOLI; 13 in 13)
18) Railsea by China Miéville (post ?) 376 pages (TIOLI; 13 in 13)
19) The Granta Book of the African Short Story edited by Helon Habila (post 210) 378 pages (TIOLI; 13 in 13)
20) The Magus by John Fowles (post ?) 656 pages (TIOLI; 13 in 13)
21) Death Comes For the Archbishop by Willa Cather (post ?) 299 pages (TIOLI; 13 in 13)
22) The Kalevala by Elias Lönnrot (post 213) 679 pages (TIOLI; 13 in 13)
23) Art of the Byzantine Era by David Talbot Rice (post ?) 286 pages (TIOLI; 13 in 13)

Total Pages read = 9266

Currently Reading

Books into the house in 2013 - total so far 8 + 8 + 1 = 17

Onto the Shelves of Shame - total = 8

January (5)

The Stories of Eva Luna by Isabel Allende
The Meaning of Night by Michael Cox
Thirteen Moons by Charles Frazier
The Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie
The Magus by John Fowles

February (3)

Kissing the Witch by Emma Donoghue
Great Political Thinkers : Machiavelli, Hobbes, Mill, Marx by Quentin Skinner; Richard Tuck; William Thomas and Peter Singer
Quicksilver by Neal Stephenson

From the Library - total = 8

January (5)

The Invisible Ones by Stef Penney - read
Low Town The Straight Razor Cure by Daniel Polansky - read
Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson - read
The Kalevala by Elias Lonnrot - currently reading
The Granta Book of the African Short Story edited by Helon Habila - currently reading

February (3)

Zoo City by Lauren Beukes - read
The Falcons of Fire and Ice by Karen Maitland - currently reading
Railsea by China Miéville

Other sources (free books) - ER/MG

February (1)

The Miracle Man by James Skivington (MG)

。☆ 。☆。☆
★。＼｜／。★
Happy New Year!
★。／｜＼。★

So happy to be able to follow along with you this year :)

Thanks Kath:)

Bright blessings for a new year!

And here we are, complete with star :-)

Best wishes for the new year, calm. I know there's no way I'll keep up with your book intake but I know it'll always be interesting when I do.

And I'm glad the owl and bookworm made the journey too. Always makes me smile.

Hi Morphy and Jen. Thanks for finding me. Hope you both have wonderful book filled years:)

Calm - found you, starred you and happy new yeared you!

Just stopping by to drop a star and wish you all the best for the new year!

Thanks Paul - I'm slowly tracking people down but boy the 75ers are chatty! Beginning to regret not catching up from the start:)

Hi Marilyn - thanks I don't think I've found your thread ... yet! Hope to see you soon:)

Hello calm! Have a happy New Year! That book worm is just so cute... Looking forward to what you're going to read this year!

Stopping in to drop a star & say hello!

Thank you Kathy - I think the book worm has been on every one of my 75 book challenge threads - I would miss him if he went:)

Thanks Tina - I'll have to take a look and see what you are reading this year:)

Hello calm, I know I said it already but again :) I wish you a most wonderful 2013 and I am very much looking forward to your interesting conversations on your thread :).

I love your new reading cat picture at the top!

Well, now I only need to make myself comfortable next to you, with a nice cuppa coffee and a book *smile*

Happy New Year, Calm!

Happy New Year Calm!!

Happy new year Calm.

LOL your group of reading buddies continues to grow, calm! The cats are a very welcome addition.......and owl friendly, I'm sure.
So happy, happy new year. I look forward to your interesting selection of books and cyber visits to Wales.

Thanks Bianca - good to see you in 2013:)

Hello Diana - welcome to the 75ers and thanks for visiting my thread:)

Hello Chelle - thanks for stopping by:)

Happy New Year John - pleased you've joined the 75ers this year:)

Hi Lynda - yes there are a few new faces here - I'm sure the cats will be perfectly owl friendly:)

Hi Calm -Happy New Year!

Thanks Rhian:)

Welcome back! Happy New Year!,

Thanks Jim - hope you are coping with this rapidly growing group! I actually remembered to add myself to the thread book for this first thread:)

An owl and a pussycat went to sea, with a beautiful green book-worm!

Hi Jenny - nice idea :)

Oh, I love the kitties reading picture!

So do I Roni - found it on Google Images:)

Happy 2013, calm!

Hi calm, found your thread and stopping by to drop a star and to wish you a very Happy New Year!

Helloooo calm! Found and starred!!!

Found you at last! While I do like the cat with her steaming mug of tea sitting beside her, I confess I was sad to bid farewell to the bookworm. And then I scrolled down....

Thanks Julia:)

Hi Lori - good to see you:)

Hi Faith:)

Suz - it is quite hard to find everyone at the moment. I'm beginning to think that each year my set of pictures in the opening thread is going to get longer and longer as I like to find something new each year but don't want to lose the old friends:) I'm sure the bookworm is going to be a permanent resident:)

I'm glad the owl and bookworm are here again too - it wouldn't be the same without them - or you! Here's to a good reading year...

Thanks Genny - I guess some people are original but I like to keep things:) Hope you have a great reading year as well:)

"Beginning to regret not catching up from the start:)"

Oh boy, yes - me too!

I'm glad to see you, the owl and the bookworm back this year and joined by a pussycat this year too :-)

#26 That came into my head too Jenny!

Hi Heather - I'm still working on it but people are still posting faster than I can read:) Lot's of new faces and I still don't think I've tracked down everyone I followed last year:)

I just seem to have a thing about cutesy animal reading graphics and someone last year said something about the owl and the pussycat. I guess it stuck in my head when looking for this year's image:)

Back to follow you for another year, both here and in the 13-13 group. You did an EXCELLENT job last year!!!!

Thanks Laura - you don't really need to follow in both groups - all my reads will be here:)

Thank you for the advice for inserting the image. Much appreciated. I will try it again. I had looked on the advice within the 2013 challenge and I was trying to figure it out. Eveyone's thread looks so great and now I will try and insert another image.

No worries:) we all had to start somewhere and it took me a bit of experimenting until I got it right:)

Such cute little critter pics! Looking forward to seeing your reads :)

Happy New Year!

Thanks Michelle:)

and a Happy New Year to you Linda:)

Hi, calm, I think yours were the threads I read most last year, and I look forward to reading more.
New Finnish Grammar looks really interesting, but I can't say it's earned an immediate place on my wishlist! Actually, upon rereading the information about it, I have caved and clicked that dreaded 'add to wishlist' button.
Happy New Year, too!

Thank you gaidheal01. New Finnish Grammar is definitely intriguing, finished it this morning and I am still mulling it over before writing some book comments:)

Given the time of year, you should mull with some mulled wine :)

Nice idea Jenny - maybe some mulled cider as I don't get on with red wine ... or rather it doesn't get along with me!:)

I don't get on with wine either, but given how little alcohol mulled wine has, I am alright.

Mulled cider is also a very good choice :)

Just strolling thru to say hi! Hope your day is going well!

ETA: I have no problem with wine, but I've learned that the tanins in it can really make people very sick.

Jenny - Well as I don't get on with it there is no red wine in house OTOH there is cider and spices and maybe even a few chestnuts - so I think I know what I might be doing a bit later:)

Hi Lynda - Not too bad today:) Busy lurking the 75ers threads but, as of 7.40 LT time, I had at least skimmed all the personal threads. Starred the ones I lurk on, hopefully managed to post a few words to the ones I don't want to lose but people are still setting up threads and at this time of year it is never ending.

I don't get really sick - just a very bad headache within a few minutes of drinking either red wine or regular tea so I guess that's a reaction to tannins:( Si I just avoid both, there are plenty of other delicious non-headache inducing beverages out there:)

I finally made it here calm!

starred :)

Hi calm, just stopping by to wish you a great weekend! What are you reading now?

I started listening to The Knife of Never Letting Go and to read Oryx and Crake. I finished Low Town which was a very good read, also I sort of needed the dictionary a lot again *grin*.

I don't drink much at all anymore. Maybe 1/2 glass of wine a year. #1 I get very tipsy very quickly and #2 I get instant heartburn.

Once in a rare, rare while I'll have a strawberry margarita.

Good to see you Kara:)

Hi Bianca - I'm reading Under the Dome - it's a chunkster and a lot gory at the start but I am enjoying it. I haven't got around The Knife of Never Letting Go yet and haven't heard of Low Town but I did like Oryx and Crake.

Morphy I have no problems with alcohol though I guess I get a bit more talkative than usual but I'm also one of those people who don't get hangovers:) Never tried a strawberry margarita ... sounds good.

Oh mei, I think I am absolutely boring. I don't drink any alcohol at all - meh - I can't even stand chocolate or sweets which contain alcohol *shudder*. The only time I use alcohol is for cooking :)

I haven't read any Stephen King since my early twenties. However, I have seen here mentioned so many times now, that I am reconsidering. *smile*

I do use it for cooking as well Bianca:) I think most of my family likes the occasional drink :) But there is nothing boring about not drinking and in fact it is probably better for you, especially ignoring alcoholic chocolates - actually while I was in hospital many years ago (over New Year's Eve) my sister gave me a box of cherry liqueur chocolates and I did get slightly tipsy:)

I haven't read much King recently but I have read a lot of his books in the past:)

Hi calm, I am 1/2 way through Oryx and Crake and enjoy it very much, also I found it a bit scary to start of with.

Haha I have heard that before, that you actually can get a bit tipsy from alcohol chocolates. I love to use red wine in cooking and there is a hot red wine soup which I absolutely love.

Hope that your weekend with Mr. King goes swimmingly in West Wales dear Calm. Looking forward to your review.

Hi calm! Trying to catch up...

>57 drachenbraut23: if it is 11/22/63 I recommend it.. very thought provoking... non-typical King imo.

Ohh, I like the sound of a hot red wine soup even though I don't like red wine that much. It wouldn't be my drink of choice, but if wine is all there is on offer I'd much rather have red than white. The white is very rarely sweet enough for my taste - do like dessert wine or cheap sparkling sweet stuff.

#60 You really shouldn't wish for a 'swimmingly' weekend anywhere in the UK Paul, given our recent problems with flooding! Although I woke up this morning and was staggered by the sky being this weird colour........blue. Not sure it's supposed to be like that. AND there was this shining ball thing. Very weird :/

Ooh, I very much enjoyed Under the Dome--parts of the ending definitely have stuck with me. Not always such a fabulous thing with King books, but there ya go--he has staying power!

Hi Bianca - I remember Oryx and Crake being very good though a bit disturbing in places. I'm waiting for the third to be published and then might reread the first two.

The tipsy bit might have had something to do with the after affect of the Nil by Mouth a couple of days before and not eating very much after the op:)

As I said earlier I don't have red wine in the house unless I have visitors but the soup does sound interesting:)

Paul - still trying to play catch up with the threads - unbelievably someone is already on their third thread! :) Mr King and I are getting along very well thank you. As I still haven't got around to writing any comments for my first book of the year and I am less than half way through the King it might be a while before I get my thoughts down:)

Kath - catch up seems to be impossible at the moment:(

That is on my to read list but thought I should read the unread Kings on my shelves first:) It does sound very good though.

Jenny - hope you are well. Agree about the soup. I definitely prefer white to red wine and I also like it dry:)

Blue skies sound good Jenny. It has been drier here but I don't think I have seen that strange shining ball thing recently:)

Hi willowsmum - King certainly can write. This one is a bit more gory than some of the others but I can see it being memorable.

I've attempted Oryx and Crake but couldn't get far into it. Maybe it was because it was an audio version. Disappointing because I do enjoy Attwood's writing.

I'm glad to see you are enjoying Under the Dome, calm. I own it but haven't been in a chunkster kind of mood to give it a go. I do enjoy King's not so scary books and think him a terrific writer. But he is capable of keeping me up at night so no more books centered on the demonic supernatural stuff.

Hi calm, just stopping by to wish you a great Sunday!

BTW the soup is brilliant. We usually make it when we have got a large amount of visitors. It's called Mitternacht (Midnight) soup - don't ask me why - and it's delicious. If you are interested I can provide you with the recipe.

Hi alm! Thanks for the tip in Cee's thread...
hope you are enjoying it though....

I would be interested in seeing that recipe :)

Hi Karen - never got into audio books but then I hate being read to and have done since I learnt to read for myself:) Maybe you could try with a print version.

Lynda - it is very readable but some very nasty things are happening. As it is a chunkster I'm only reading it while I'm in bed and didn't realise how late it was last night - I didn't switch the light off until 1.00am last night!

Bianca - I don't mind you sharing the recipe but it is not one I will be trying myself. Hope you are having a good day yourself.

Kath - the "not for Kath" warning will be going up when I get around to writing some comments but I thought that from the first section when the Dome comes down and slices through anything that is in its way and I guess when dogs are in the list of characters it doesn't bode well for all of them:( I'm not sure that enjoyable is the right word but it is very readable even with all the gore and gruesome.

Hi Calm, nice to see you are enjoying under the Dome, i have that and 11/22/63 but have decided to concentrate on books under 400 pages for the time being, on saying that i have a 627 page hardback as my bedtime read but i have had it for a couple of years and have been meaning to read it for the last few months.

Hope you have had a good weekend.

Isn't it funny the restrictions and guidelines we place on ourselves with books at times? Under 400 pages.. time for some funny books, or YA or WWII or? I seem to be on a funny book kick.. but my latest read wasn't that. It was very feel good though.

And yes.. I do appreciate warnings .. somehow these things get harder for me to tolerate reading or hearing about, as years pass.

Hi John - I'm not putting any limits on page counts, I just read the books I want to read. If I get to the numerical target it's good - if not at least I know I read the books I wanted to:)

Hi Kath - I noticed a five star read on your thread - nice start to the year for you:) Hope you find some more gems like that one in your reading this year.

Yes Under the Dome is a not for Kath type of book. Though King does tell an interesting story and I hoped that there would be a happier ending for more of the characters. Finished it last night and need to get going on this year's book comments - though I am still trying to get some written for a lot of last year's books!

Off to see what everyone else is up to - hope to be back later.

Originally spotted on Rhian's (SandDune's) thread last year.



1) New Finnish Grammar by Diego Marani (1 - 3 January)

During the Second World War an unconscious man is found in Trieste, the only clues to his identity a name label in his jacket and a monogrammed handkerchief. A doctor takes this to mean that the man is a Finnish sailor and arranges for him to be sent to Helsinki. After the war Doctor Friari goes to Helsinki himself to find the man but all that is left is the jacket, the handkerchief, three letters, a volume of the Kalevala, an empty bottle and a tattered notebook. The doctor then proceeds to attempt to put the man's story into a coherent tale and to understand what has happened.

From the first we know that the Doctor was mistaken about the identity of the man and as the story unfolds we gradually learn of his fate. Adrift in a foreign place that he believes to be his homeland the man struggles to make connections, find his past and hope for a future. This is a novel about memory, nationality, language and identity. I loved the way that the story was told and the snippets of Finnish mythology; song and the war torn background of Helsinki. A thought provoking novel that I really enjoyed.

New Finnish grammar sounds really good. First my eyes lit up at the title, and then bits of the Kalevala as well. Added to the wishlist.

Hi Calm, I'm so glad you liked New Finnish Grammar as I really liked it too. I went to a talk by Diego Marani a couple of months ago and he came over as a very interesting and approachable man. I'm intending to read his book The Last of the Vostyachs this year sometime, as Mr SandDune read it last year and raved about it.

# 89 I use audiobooks to keep me sane while ironing and to stop me shouting at the news programme interviewers on my drive to work. I was getting funny looks from other car drivers who saw me talking to myself.

Hi Jen - hope you like it:) I haven't read the Kalevala yet but have put in a request for the library's copy. It is in the spare stock section so I'm not sure how long it will take to be transferred to the branch:(

Rhian - yes I spotted it on your thread last year, should have actually given you the credit. Will remedy that now.

Lucky you to have listened to him talk. I'll have to try and find a copy of The Last of the Vostyachs. The only other book by him in the library is a collection of short stories but I doubt if I would be able to understand it as it is in Europanto!

Hi Karen - you snuck in there while I was typing:) I'm pleased audio books keep you sane;) I have heard a few people saying they listen doing chores, exercising and driving. Maybe I should give one a go someday but I do have an aversion to being read to so I am really not sure:(

#76 - Ironing. Something to do with the Iron Age, I wonder?

#77 but I doubt if I would be able to understand it as it is in Europanto! I've got that one as well as I was quite intrigued to see if I could understand it. And I can - just!

Greetings calm, Great review of NFG, thumbed and wishlisted. What an interesting premise and I've not read much about this area of the world.

Just stopping by to pretend that I am actually keeping up.....hope all is well :)

Hello calm, great review of New Finnish Grammar, I have seen it reviewed last year on some of the other threads and thought it looked like a very interesting book. It has been on my wishlist for some time.
I hope you have got a nice week calm!

Jean - quite possible:)

Rhian I went to the library today but didn't pick up that book though I did request that they get a copy of The Last of the Vostyachs. I'm not very good with languages other than English:)

Thanks Lynda - it caught my attention when Rhian read it last year - must admit Finland is an area I know very little about myself.

Kath - thanks for stopping by. Things aren't too bad - the sun was shining today and I visited town and the library.

Thanks Bianca. Hope you manage to track down a copy. Hope you are having a good a week as possible and that Alex gets better soon.

Thank you calm :) He has had an absolutely awful and rough night and I hardly got any sleep. He caught up during the day and he appears to be slightly better tonight.
I forgot my book yesterday when we went to the doctor, but I still had a small stash in my car, and started to read We Sinners a book which was recommended by Richard, a very interesting read so far - not as exhausting and challenging as Oryx and Crake - whilst reading it I thought it would be a book you might would enjoy as well. :)

#79 I think the next Iron Age will have come upon us before I get through the mountain that is my laundry basket.

Poor Alex - hope he gets better very soon. The local library doesn't have that one yet, I'll look forward to your final thoughts.

Karen - that's one of the many chores that I very rarely do - clothes just get crumpled in the drawers or wardrobe before I need the item - so it is much easier to just iron when I need it:)

I'm intrigued by your New Finnish Grammar. Happy weekend, Calm!

Adding New Finnish Grammar to the BlackHole. Thanks for the recommendation, calm!

Just stopping by to wish you a happy, calm and relaxing weekend Calm! *big smile*

Finished We Sinners which is indeed a very interesting and partially annoying read and I finished Oryx and Crake which I absolutely loved.

Following in Bianca's footsteps to wish you a happy weekend, calm!

Happy Friday evening; Happy weekend.

I also remembered New Finnish Grammar from Rhian's threads last year and remember wondering what on earth she was doing learning such an obscure language.
Have tried and failed to find it in the shops here so I will have to ellicit the help of Book Depository.
Have a lovely West Wales weekend.

#93 Paul, having seen in the book just how complicated a language Finnish is, I think the chances of me trying to learn it are pretty much zero.

Hahaha Rhian - I am blessed here with a straightforward second language ~ Malay. For plurals or to indicate there are a lot of something you merely say the same word twice!

Hi Calm, just passing by, hope your having a nice weekend.

Hi there, calm. Hope you're having a nice weekend :0)

I honestly don't mean to neglect you calm...things are just getting away from me..
Hope all is well and cozy in your world...

Any sign of the forecasted snow up where you are?

The Finnish Grammar sounds intriguing, a definite for the wishlist.

Wow lots of visitors:)

Hi Diana - nice to see you, hope you like it:)

Hi Stasia - thanks for stopping by:)

Hi Bianca - I'm still not sure about We Sinners and my local library doesn't have it. Pleased you liked Oryx and Crake.

Thanks Lori.

Thank you Linda

Thanks Paul - hope Book Depository can get you the book.

Rhian - I am rubbish at languages. I must say the Finnish sounds very intriguing, very different:)

Hi John.

Hello Lynda

Hi Kath - no neglect going on around here:) You are now a working lady with furkids and Dan as well, just drop in if you have time, if not no worries:)

Karen - I'm near enough to the coast that the snow has to get pretty bad before it hits here, still very cold though so I won't be surprised to see it:)

Hi Michelle - hope you like it.

Well it is pretty cold and windy here, no snow yet though. had an offer of a lift into town and as the book I requested from the library came in I decided to go:)

After reading New Finnish Grammar I decided that I would like to read The Kalevala so that is the book I went to pick up. I also had a quick browse of the shelves and, partially inspired by Richard's short story challenge and the fact that I added short stories as a 13 in 13 category, I found The Granta Book of the African Short Story.

I also bought a second hand copy of The Magus by John Fowles - I've only ever read his The Collector before and think I should try more of his work:)

Miles behind on the threads and writing about the books I have read this year. Off to see what everyone else is up to and hope to get some book thoughts down tomorrow (or soonish!)

Time for a drop-in, so here it is, complete with *smooch* so you'll know it's really me.

Hi calm, looking forward to what you'll think about The Magus by Fowles. I read The Collector about five years ago and I liked it very much.

*smooch* Richard:)

Hi Kathy - the 2013 Category Challenge is doing Fowles in February so The Magus might be read sooner than some of the other additions to the Shelves of Shame:) It is many years since I read The Collector - a very disturbing story. It has stuck in my mind though so that says something about Fowles writing/story telling ability.

Well I have just spent the last few hours catching up and reading/skimming every 75 thread (except the group reads!). Haven't posted on any today but hopefully things will be easier to keep on top of from now on!

I loved The Collector, it's a stunning book and certainly sticks with you. I'd definitely like to read it again. However, I loathed The Magus. Unfortunately it was the only book I left whilst travelling and therefore reading it was marginally better than not reading at all. But I did not like it AT ALL. Pretentious nonsense as far as I'm concerned. But that's just me.

Hello calm, just stopping by to wish you a lovely remaining Sunday :)

Stopping by to see how things are going with you--hope you had a great Monday.

Hi Jenny - sorry to hear that you didn't like The Magus. I hope I like it more than you did:)

Thanks Bianca

Hi Roni.

Frequent visitors know that I sometimes have a problem typing and the last few days my right hand has been swollen and uncomfortable. I do hope to get caught up with some book thoughts later today - after checking out (AKA lurking) some other threads. See you later.

Not for Kath!



2) Under the Dome by Stephen King (3 - 7 January)

Shocking and terrifying - King certainly knows how to tell a story. When Dale Barbara decides it is time to leave Chester Mills after a run in with some of the local boys he doesn't know that things are about to get a lot worse. As he nears the town limits an invisible Dome suddenly cuts the town off from the rest of the world. The Dome is inexplicable and nearly impermeable and the trouble is only just beginning but it is the human element that strikes the deepest horror in this story.

This is a real page turner. King gives us the depths of human actions - rape, murder and other violent behaviour - while a few people try to understand and bring the Dome down. It is horrifying how quickly things break down in the town and there are numerous scenes of graphic violence but King is such a master that, even as I was horrified, I had to keep reading. Definitely not one for those who don't want to read such things but I loved the way King tells this story.

Wonderful review of Under the Dome. I think I have this one somewhere on one of my book cases. I'll look for it.

Thanks Linda:) Hope you like it, though it is rather gory:(

3) Where Time Winds Blow by Robert Holdstock (7 - 9 January)

An interesting SF story from Robert Holdstock. Where Time Winds Blow is set on the planet VanderZande and tells of a team of relic hunters - those who seek the debris from other times which is left when the wind blows. The addition of young Kris to the team is unsettling to old-timers Leo and Lena, both changed by their time on the planet and the character shifting electrical storms.

I had only read his fantasy previously and I am pleased to say that Holdstock reveals the details of his SF planet at a good pace and I liked the characters and world he created. Great ending too.

Good review of Under the Dome! I love that you added the tag "not for Kath"! :)

Hi Chelle - thanks. I guess that the people who read my threads know that "not for Kath" means that furkids are harmed during the book. King is such a good story teller though that I like reading his books and fortunately that sort of thing isn't in all of his books.

Nice review of 'Under the Dome', calm. I have that one waiting for me on Kindle. Or Nook. Or Kobo. Somewhere electronic, anyway. :-)

Thanks for posting about Under the Dome.... doubt I will read it but I have wondered about it...

Thanks for the review about "Under the Dome" it is on my TBR pile and hopefully i will get to it this year.

Hi rosalita - I expect it will be easier to read in e-format as it is a bit of a chunkster. Hope you find it:)

That's alright Kath - it is good but there are a few scenes that I think you would find upsetting.

Hi John - hope you like it.

Catching up or at least trying to Calm :)

hope things are well with you!

Under the Dome and Duma Key are sitting on my bookshelf staring at me daily
doesn't help when my bookshelf is right across the room from my bed!
someday

Hi Kara - good to see you:)

I also keep the *shelves of shame* in my bedroom - sometimes it is a bit daunting to notice that they are overflowing:) Doesn't stop me adding to the piles and borrowing from the library!

4) The Somnambulist by Jonathan Barnes (9 - 12 January)

I'm not entirely sure what to say about this book - it is very strange, with lots of freakish characters (as in the kind who might inhabit a circus -giants, bearded ladies, human flies, etc.); an out there story and some rather unpleasant goings-on. But I better try to say something. For a start this is a debut novel and shows signs of it, there are a lot of unexplained pieces to the story and the pace is uneven but I was drawn into the strange and fantastical world of Edward Moon and, just, post-Victorian London.

Edward Moon is a detective who has seen better days and he is also the owner of a theatre where he performs acts of mind reading. Bored he starts to investigate a mysterious death but a secret government agency wants him to work for them and his troubles are just starting. What follows is confusing, perplexing, very bizarre but in a strange way enjoyable. I will probably be reading the second in the series when I find a copy.

Hello calm,

very interesting review on The Somnambulist - aargh, that was a bit difficult to spell. I like strange, weird and mysterious so on my wishlist it goes.

*sigh* shelves of shame - tell me about it, I have got one as well now :(

I saw on the TIOLI that you read Low Town when I entered my book today. I am very curious what your thoughts are on that gritty novel.

Do you have snow in Wales now as well? It started to snow a few days ago where I live in Germany - not huge amounts, only about 30 cm so far - and it is just so beautiful.

I hope that you are going to have a lovely, cozy weekend *big smile*

Hi calm. I hope the swelling in your joints is less painful - do you find cold weather makes it worse? I hope not given the weather forecast at the moment.

Great reviews of New Finnish Grammar and Under the Dome. The first is wish listed but I think the second sounds like it's also not for Heather!

Better late than never...starred again! Happy belated New Year!! The Shelves of Shame...LOL! Not than I have any or anything.

Hi calm, I'm sorry to see your carpel tunnel's acting up :0( - I've got a King lined up this year for my K read. I think it's called Storm of the Century , yup, that's it, touchstone came up. It's not as huge as Under the Dome but it looks interesting. I've found that his books read pretty quickly and I haven't got bogged down in one yet.
Have a good Friday!

Hi Bianca - The Somnambulist was very bizarre but I did like it:) I've still got a couple of other books to write comments for before I get to Low Town but once again I can say that it is very much a debut book, a bit patchy but had interesting ideas unfortunately, apart from Warden I didn't feel that the characters were fully developed. It will be interesting to see where Polansky goes with the series though.

It is snowing now and the electric is flicking on and off as well. Not sure how much computer time I will get today:(

Heather - it can flare up at any time, not just the cold:( Not too bad today and it is pretty cold out there!

Hope you like New Finnish Grammar and I can understand Under the Dome being a "not for Heather":)

Hi Kim - good to see you, the start of this year in the 75ers has been hectic! Pleased you found me and thanks for the star:)

What would it be like if we didn't have those shelves - all those potential new friends:)

Lynda - yes King reads quick, I haven't heard of that one - I will look forward to seeing what you think. Hope you have a good day as well;)

Well every time the power goes out I lose internet connection, at the moment it is just for a minute or so at a time so probably because of snow or wind on the power line somewhere. Just hope it doesn't get worse. Going to see what everyone else has been up to while I can - hope to be back with some book thoughts later.

I hope your weather improves :) and thank you for the good wrap up of the Somnambulist..
Losing power is no fun, and I hope it doesn't come to that... keep warm!

Hi Kath - well after all the flickering on/off this morning there was an hour long power cut but it has been stable for the last hour. I hope that the weather doesn't get any worse - it might make it difficult for the electricians to fix the problems. I'm getting off quite lightly here - it is a lot worse in other areas.

Keeping warm is no problem - I have a multi-fuel stove, had a delivery of logs and coal yesterday and I also have lots of duvets!

Hope you are having a good day:)

Good afternoon calm, glad to hear that you manage to keep yourself nice and warm :) and I remember that the power cut's are something you are used to, in your part of Wales. I cross my fingers, thumbs and toes that the weather doesn't get worse and that the power cuts won't affect you to bad. :)

In regards to Low Town I agree with you on the character development. Warden was very well portrait, but the rest of the characters suffered a bit. Hm, I think I should start mentioning things like that in my reviews as well. Will do next time :)

I am 1/2 way trhough The Year of the Flood and agree with everyone else, that this installment is even better as it explains a little bit more some of the things from Oryx and Crake.

We have got quite a few busy days ahead at home, as we finally started to redecorate our house. Yesterday, they ripped the old kitchen out, the tiles, the wallpaper and the floor had to come of - soooooo messy *shudder* - and today the Electrician was here to change the ? electrical wiring. I stayed in the frontroom with Ayke, so that he could work in quiet and it was really funny - I could hear him talking the whole time and thought one of his collegues had arrived - well, when I checked he was talking to himself :) .

Wish you a lovely Friday calm :)

Glad to read your review of The Somnambulist because I have it and The Domino Men here in my tbr pile and hope to read it this year. I'm happy to hear you are staying warm and hope the power stays on.

Hi Bianca - I'm much luckier than some others here as where I am the power has stayed on so far:)

I hope Polansky's second book addresses some of my quibbles - it looked like the other characters had a lot of potential and I did like Warden and the world Polansky created.

I didn't re-read Oryx and Crake before reading The Year of the Flood but when the third comes out I think I will do so as I think they might be better for reading at the same time.

Your electrician sounds interesting, hope the disruption of the decorating is over quickly and you have a lovely new kitchen at the end of it:)

Hi Roni - hope you like it and I will be interested to see what you think of The Domino Men, the library doesn't have that one yet.

Definitely staying warm:) It looks like the power is staying on so I might risk trying to write some book comments.

5) All Passion Spent by Vita Sackville -West (12 - 13 January)

This is a quiet and thoughtful book. At the age of 88 Lady Slane is widowed, after a life in the public eye as wife of a statesman. Unexpectedly it turns out that she has ideas of her own, as she decides to rent a small house in Hampstead, not give into her children's expectations of her being passed around amongst them. Unexpected friendships blossom even at this stage of her life - her landlord; the man who renovates the house and an eccentric art collecting millionaire. Only these are fully welcome into her life as she remembers her past and the giving up of her own life to marriage and children.

I enjoyed this quiet story with its picture of a changing life and times and the touch of hope for the future at the end.

I'm tempted. It's not my normal type of book but I like the story. How dense or lyrical is the writing? I prefer story over language so sometimes it can be an obstacle for me.

Hi calm, just seeing news about very bad snow conditions in Wales and more on its way, so I came to check you are ok. We've had snow falling most of today, but I've mainly stayed in and kept warm; but in general it's not too bad up here I think.

I have a copy of All Passion Spent on the TBR shelves; yours is the second positive review I've read recently, I really must get to it soon...

Calm - Stay warm and safe and hopefully with electricity - do you have an open fire at home as I picture you in a cosy chair in front of a blazing log fire reading of foreign climes whilst the weather does its worst outside.

Have a lovely weekend.

I have a copy of All Passion Spent too. Hoping I might be able to squeeze it in this month. Hope your power stays on this weekend!

Hi Morphy - the language isn't dense or lyrical but to be honest not a lot really happens. Just a quiet story about a woman near the end of her life so I'm not sure if you would like it or not.

Hi Genny - The really bad snow is not in my part of Wales fortunately:) Hope you can keep warm and dry and relatively snow free.

I had All Passion Spent on the TBR pile for a while as well but it is a nice quiet read, I think I needed a contrast to some of the other things I have been reading and did enjoy it.

Hi Paul - well it isn't an open fire, but a stove and I am reading three books at the moment - The Kalevala which is about Finland (not exactly warm!); Sunrise in the West which is about 13th Century Wales so not to far from home and a book of short stories by African writers so there are some foreign climes in my reading:)

The weather is not too bad, the wind has dropped, it is not snowing but it is still very cold and the snow that fell yesterday is still there - but the roads look very icy and I am not venturing out:)

Hope you are enjoying your family free weekend.

Hi Heather - All Passion Spent is a quite a quick read so I hope you can squeeze it in:) Unless the weather takes a turn for the worse it looks like the power will stay on here, actually it is a lot more stable than it used to be and they are pretty quick about reconnecting the supply when things go wrong.

Well I signed up for the readathon and haven't managed to get much reading done - stayed snuggled up in bed and went back to sleep:) First I'll be catching up on what everyone else has been up to and then I better get some reading in.

I'm okay with a slow story as long as the language isn't a barrier. I'll give it a shot and add it to Mount TBR.

Interested to hear that you are reading The Kalevala at present. You probably know that it was one of the texts that were an early influence on Tolkien (as well as the language of Finnish being an inspiration - along with Welsh - in his creation of Elvish languages). The story in The Children of Hurin in particular echoes some aspects of the Kalevala - whether that means you want to get to reading that one sooner or later I don't know!

Glad to hear your power is on and you are warm and cosy. The news said that the snow was up to a foot in South Wales--how much did you get? And how unusual is that for your area?

I suspect Calm had more of the snow than we did in our little corner of Wales.

Morphy - hope you like it then:)

Genny - somehow The Kalevala had escaped my attention (or I had completely forgotten about it!) until I read about it in New Finnish Grammar - fortunately my local library had a copy:) I definitely want to get around to The Children of Hurin sometime, I gave up reading Christopher Tolkein's publication of his father's notes but that one sounds like it will be one that I would like.

Roni - not very much snow here - probably 2 or 3 inches, it is sticking on the grass and the road is still icy but I am reasonably close to the coast (a couple of miles as the crow flies) and it rarely gets very severe though I have been snowed in during previous winters.

Karen - I thought you were in the South where it has been more severe. Pleased to hear that you didn't get too much snow.

Off to see what everyone else has been up to, then back to the readathon. See you later:)

Hi calm! Looks like you're as snug as a bug in your little corner of the world. Hope you're having a great day.

Hi calm... glad to hear that your power outage was brief, and that you have ways to keep warm :)
Still just reading lightweight stuff... because I want to. I have an LTER to get to tomorrow, that looks good.

HI calm, just stopping by to wish you a lovely and cosy Sunday. It started to snow again a couple of hours ago and we have got at least 10 cm new snow. It's snowing so heavy that you hardly can see anything. So, what's left? A beautiful day to hide in the house, read and drink coffee. I wasn't allowed to help with the work in the kitchen anyway. My parents decided to make a fuss, because of my back! Well, good for me - LT, reading and coffee as said before :) .

#143 they have indeed had a bad time where my parents live but luckily this corner of s Wales got off lightly

Hi Calm,
The Dome sounds scary! Its out of my genre comfort zone, but if I was in a bind Id definitely pick up a Stephen King. I remember liking his novels when I was younger.

Lynda - not too bad here. Hope you had a great weekend.

Kath - hope you are enjoying your lightweight reads and good luck with the ER - hope it is good.

Bianca - haven't had any more snow here ... yet! ... but what is here isn't thawing. So still very cold here. Hope you had a relaxing day and that the new kitchen is progressing.

Karen - I haven't been in touch with my father who lives somewhere that might have had heavier snow though he did send me a funny email so suppose they still have power:) Looks like there might be more snow on the way though.

Megan - not sure if scary is exactly right for Under the Dome - gritty; gory; gruesome and full of the evil people can do but, for me, it was a real page turner. King can definitely tell a story:)

Hi Calm! I love Stephen King, but have yet to read Under the Dome, and I could always use a page-turner! Happy Monday.

:( Lost you, sorry...
Happy weekend to you.. WARM happy weekend!

Oops haven't been to my own thread for a while!

Kim - hope you like Under the Dome when you get to it.

Kath - not surprising as this thread has been very quiet:)

I know, sometimes I am so busy visiting everyone else's thread that I forget my own!!

I need to find my copy of All Passion Spent. I know it is around the house somewhere!

Glad to see you enjoyed Where Time Winds Blow. I read the book several years ago and liked it.

Not seen much of you this last week or so Calm. I hope that the weather in West Wales is not oppressing you too much. Keep warm and curl up with a good book or three.

Popping in with another hello ....

Ice falling from the sky here.... hope it is nicer there :)
They are predicting warm weather here, for tomorrow. That will be good, if it happens.. plenty of snow that needs melting, and now ice.

Hello again. : )

Hi Kim x2:) Thanks for stopping by my neglected thread:)

Stasia - hope you can find your copy of All Passion Spent - it will be a nice, short gentle read as a break from all that studying:) Where Time Winds Blow was a good read:)

Paul - I've just been a bit quiet:) Though there have been a few power fluctuations and broadband issues - all very short lived but not exactly conducive to being chatty on-line. Of course that means that I am way behind on book thoughts ... though (for your stat collecting purposes) I have listed them in post 2. Hope to catch up a bit before February is too far along:)

Kath - dry and blustery here though more rain (and possibly snow) is forecast. though there has been a problem in other areas with flooding as the snow melts and more rain falls. Hope you can stay dry and warm.

Hope you get the work situation sorted soon ... if you sign up for a part time job you expect it to be part time.

6) The Woman Who Loved an Octopus and other Saints' Tales by Imogen Rhia Herrad (9 - 14 January)

A collection of 12 short stories based on the lives of early Celtic female saints. In some Imogen Rhia Herrad has stayed close to the time of the original stories but for the majority she has used contemporary characters to reflect the old stories.

I must admit that I was drawn to this because of the title and the premise but I can't say that I understood all of the stories. I should also say that I actually preferred the more historical stories but that probably says just as much about me as the stories themselves.

I am trying to think about what to say about the whole collection but I think a short quote might illustrate what I believe the author was trying (and partially succeeding) to do:-

It's as if they've forgotten. It's only been a few months, and already this legend of my parents is stronger than reality.

But it can't last. Can it?

In other words a myth or legend is stronger than reality. The lives of these women have been used for another agenda and would they recognise themselves in the stories that have been told over the centuries. Herrad has given us another version of the stories and reinforces the power of myth by doing so.

Calm, a great review, and an interesting book. I've been hit by a BB with that one!

drive-by *smooch*

Love the book title - the contents don't seem to live up to its promise though. Pity.

#158 Interesting review calm and I also love the book title. I'm undecided about whether or not I want to read it myself and I think the fact that my library doesn't have a copy has decided me against it.

Tiptoes in quietly and whispers, Hi calm :0) - everything okiedokie over here? Just lots of serious reading huh? Hope all is well.

I've got to add The Woman Who Loved an Octopus and Other Saints' Tales to my wish list. My art group has been studying the early Celts, and I'm very interested in the contacts between the early Christians and the "pagans".

Stopping by to wave hello.

Laura - to be honest it didn't completely work for me. I liked maybe three or four of the stories:( I'm beginning to think I was too generous with the star rating.

*smooch* to you as well Richard

Karen - I agree - actually the title might be the best thing about the book:)

Heather - yes I wouldn't go out of my way to find a copy and I doubt very much if it one I will ever want to re-read but I only paid £1 for it so not a big loss:)

Lynda - I think I have been a bit overwhelmed by how quickly the 75ers are moving this year. Also a bit bleh here - I'm still reading but haven't got much to say:)

Deborah - I don't think The Woman Who Loved an Octopus fits with the early Christian/"pagan" theme - most of the stories are in a contemporary setting, loosely based on the original saints tales.

Thanks Linda - love the graphic:)

Managed to go to town on Monday, came back with a killer headache and it took most of yesterday to recover but here are the books that came home with me. Trying not to add too many to my own shelves so the first three are from the library.

Zoo City by Lauren Beukes - read already!
The Falcons of Fire and Ice by Karen Maitland - currently reading
Railsea by China Miéville - to read

and one onto the shelves of shame
Kissing the Witch by Emma Donoghue - feminist/lesbian fairy tales retold.

Going to try and catch up with what everyone else has been up to. Might also try to catch up with some book thoughts later - no promises though:)

Sorry abt the bleh and the headache calm but some good books to compensate. I still haven't read any Karen Maitland although I would like to one day but whenever I see one of her books I think of you :-)

Sort of caught up...Kissing the Witch by Emma Donoghue looks good, must investigate..
Hope all is well in calm world...?

Sorry to hear about the headache--tends to wipe out a couple of days when that happens.

So many of us in the 75 challenge group suffer from migraines and/or headaches.

I hope you feel better soon. Can you rest this weekend?

Hi calm, haven't been on LT for two weeks now - well, got pneumonia myself and I am still in recovery mode - however, I am sorry to hear about your migraine, which seems to be indeed a very common problem in this group. I am curious what you think about Railsea I started the audiobook last year, but couldn't quite get into it as it was very difficult to follow. However, Rhian mentioned that it was quite a difficult book to read.

I hope to see you more regular soon again, but have to agree with you that this group is moving incredible fast. I thought last year already that the group is very fast moving, but it seems to be even more so since the new year.

I hope you have got a cosy Sunday and that your migraine is better. :)

Just a quick visit to say hello and hope all is well and calm in your world!
Are you feeling better?

I have been a bad 75er:) I have been lurking ... a lot! but not posting. Still reading ... slowly and have updated the ticker and books read list up top. Been feeling really down but not sure why:( Sorry to have ignored you all for so long.

Heather - I like Karen Maitland but think she tried to do too much in her latest ... so not quite as good as the first three I read. Hope you like her books when you get around to reading one:)

Kath - haven't read it yet but it does look interesting. It has gone on to the shelves of shame and I am not sure when I will get to it - there are books that have been there for years!

Roni - yes that was a bad one.

Linda - I do get the occasional mild headache but that was one of the worst I have had in years - fortunately I don't get migraines though I do have trigeminal neuralgia and those attacks are pretty unpleasant.

Bianca - I noticed that you went missing, sorry to hear about the pneumonia and hope that you are recovering. Things seem to have finally slowed down a bit and I might even start doing more posting and less lurking:)

Kath - well I feel like posting again so hopefully I am feeling better:)

Sorry to hear that you have been feeling down and hope you will feel better soon yourself. Don't you think it could have something to do with this dreary time of the year? I sometimes just feel I would like to flee into hibernation for a few weeks.

I hope you are going to share you book thoughts with us soon. I saw on top of your thread that you finished Railsea by China Mieville.

Hi Bianca - well it is pretty miserable weather-wise but I do get "hermit" days (weeks!). Just don't feel like talking to anyone - I even turn off Skype!

Hopefully I will start catching up on book thoughts soon. Railsea had some great ideas but I didn't really connect to any of the characters and it was difficult to get into to begin with - I kept getting distracted by all the ampersands but I eventually got used to the style and ended up liking but not loving it:) He has a great imagination and builds incredible worlds so I will carry on reading his books.

Good! glad to know you are feeling a bit better. I hope the trend continues!

Hi Calm, sorry to hear you have been feeling down lately, hope you feel better soon. Have you had any of the snow that was forecast for today, we have had a bit but it has turned to rain. On the plus side, i have been reading your reviews and your read list and i need to get some books as i want to read these.

Hope you feel better soon calm. Hugs.

cyberhugs and pats for better feelings in the days ahead

I hope you're feeling better, calm. I know how you feel about "hermit days". I was hoping for a snowstorm that would leave me snowbound for three months so I would have an excuse to be a hermit but it never transpired. *sigh* Glad to see you're back in the saddle

I do also hope you are feeling better and will feel like posting. I want to hear about all your February reads. You know I just read Warbreaker myself and few weeks ago and want to know what you thought of it, as well as the de Lint, Zoo City and the Maitland book sounds really interesting as well.

calm

Did you see this ?

http://www.librarything.com/topic/149848#3910698

Thanks for stopping by everyone. I really must start posting my reads so will try and get back fro individual replies later.

7) Low Town by Daniel Polansky (13 - 15 January)

A pretty good debut novel. It is refreshing to have a tightly focused fantasy novel instead of the vast sprawling epics that seem so popular at the moment. I did enjoy most of the story and the central character, Warden, was interesting. Unfortunately the other characters were not as well developed. Also some of the clues to the mystery were heavily signposted to the reader. I will pick up the next in the series though and look forward to learning more about Warden and his world.

8) Sunrise in the West by Edith Pargeter (16 - 19 January)

The first in The Brothers of Gwynedd Quartet this is a solid historical novel chronicling the early years of the four grandsons of Llywelyn Fawr, Prince of Gwynedd. Most of them brought up in various forms of imprisonment. The eldest by his uncle in Wales and the two youngest in the Tower of London. The desire for personal freedom and an independent Wales underlies the story. Well researched with solid characters this is a fascinating look at medieval Wales. I will be moving on to the rest of the quartet very soon.

9) Bodily Harm by Margaret Atwood (19 - 20 January)

Not my favourite Atwood novel. A fashion/life style journalist travels to a little known Caribbean island and gets involved with local politics. She has recently broken up with her partner and is suffering the after effect of cancer. Her story is broken up by the reminiscences of another character and it takes some time before we come to the point where these might have been told. Still a quick read but not her most memorable work.

10) Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimanada Ngozi Adichie (21 - 24 January)

Thoughts pending

11) Galileo's Dream by Kim Stanley Robinson (25 - 28 January)

Thoughts pending

12) The Invisible Ones by Stef Penney (29 - 30 January)

Stef Penney writes another solid story. This time about a group of Gypsies in England. A private detective is hired to find a missing woman - one who had married into a notoriously reclusive family. From the beginning we know something goes wrong with the investigation as Ray, the detective, starts the story in a hospital bed, how he got there and the fate of Rose, the missing woman, are only part of the story. The other is the story of the Janko's, the family she had married into, told through the eyes of 14 year old J.J.

A fascinating story as the secrets are slowly revealed. I liked the characters; the world Penney describes and, even though I guessed part of the answer to the mystery, she created a novel that I loved reading.

13) Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson (30 - 31 January)

Thoughts pending

Wow you've been doing some good reading lately! I've added The Invisible Ones to my wishlist, thanks!
I agree with you about Bodily Harm not being a super great read. I remember being disappointed after reading it.

AS Chelle said, you've been doing some good reading, calm. I had never even heard of the Atwood book before, but it sounds like I wasn't missing much. I think I'll tackle her other more acclaimed books first. I've read and enjoy 'Alias Grace' and 'Year of the Flood' so far, and I have a couple others at home in the TBR shelves.

#185 this sounds like a good one. Have you read the sharon penman books on the same period? I thoroughly enjoyed those.

The Invisible Ones sounds fascinating. It is now on the tbr list.

I would have added The Invisible Ones to my TBR, but it was already there! Thanks for the recommendation, anyway!

Karen O.

Woah, calm sooooo much brilliant reading! :) I am curious to see your thoughts on Half of a Yellow Sun that was one of my fave reads last year.

I hope you are going to have a wonderful weekend calm *big smile*

So this is where you've been, hiding all these good books to yourself until now. Well good to see you up and about and see your time was well spent. Have a good weekend!

Hi everyone:) Well I managed to post covers and reading dates for all my January reads yesterday, still have some thoughts to write sometime and I have to make a start on Februaries reads as well:(

Chelle - I think my favourite Atwood's so far have been the historical Alias Grace and her speculative fiction. Hope you like the Penney when you get around to it.

Julia - looks like you have read two of my favourite Atwood's so far, hope whatever you read next is just as good:)

Karen - I think I read the Penman's some time ago. I do have the first and third of the trilogy on my shelves but am still looking for the middle one before (re)reading:)

Linda - hope you like it.

Karen - pleased not to add to that TBR/wishlist - hope you can find the book soon.

Bianca - to be honest I wasn't bowled over by Half A Yellow Sun. I think I was expecting too much after so many rave reviews. I will still read another of her books someday though.

Thanks Lynda - hope you are having a great weekend.

Good amount of books being read here.... well done!

Take care and keep cozy!

*waves*

Nice crop you've managed to finish up lately! The Invisible Ones does sound interesting. Albeit, it sounds quite unlike the books I normally read, but hey, why limit myself? On the list it goes!

You've definitely been busy reading! I look forward to your thoughts on the books.

Calm..
I hope your weekend was indeed calm!

Hope you are feeling a bit better, calm. I look forward to reading more reviews when you have a chance to get back to the 'pending' ones - I've taken that approach too, it helps to get the framework in place at least while the thoughts are brewing...

Hello again - I am not being a very good 75er this year:( I had a slight accident last week and damaged my left hand (the normally good one!). Saw the doctor today and he confirmed that it was healing nicely and no permanent damage done. I am reading other people's threads but not commenting. I think as it is the first of a new month I might just list the books I have read recently and then take advantage of that "continue this topic" button:)

But first I will say thanks for visiting everyone. Not sure how I am going to do with getting to the pending thoughts and I have another list of books to add - I have updated the list in the second message though

Minor confession time - I did pick up one book from the library and one from a second hand book shop today but I do think I am doing a lot better at not adding to the shelves of shame this year.

The Bones of Avalon by Phil Rickman - historical fiction by an author who I do like but haven't read for a few years. Must admit I have forgotten how far I read in his Merrily Watkins series:(

The Enchantress of Florence by Salman Rushdie - looks interesting.

14) Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson (1 - 3 February)

A great standalone fantasy novel from Sanderson. Though the ending does leave things open enough for him to return to the story if he chooses. Two sisters, daughters of a King, travel to a city in very different circumstances - the younger as bride to the God King and the older because she had always expected to fulfil that role. They both find themselves caught up in things greater and more unexpected than they imagined.

I love Sanderson's creativity in world building and unique magic systems; varied characters and a complex plot. Through the twists and turns of the story I really wanted to know where the story was going and was satisfied by the conclusion. Another solid, winner of a book from Sanderson. I hope he carries on writing to this quality for many years to come.

15) Into the Green by Charles de Lint (4 February)

16) Zoo City by Lauren Beukes (5 - 6 February)

Well this was certainly different. An alternate world where criminals are animaled unable to be very far from their companions but also given an ability; the heroine is involved in some very shady things that she is trying to get away from and takes one job to find a missing person in order to pay off her debt.

Lots of things are left unexplained but I did like the world that the author created. The inclusion of news and internet articles helped to flesh out the premise. I kind of guessed one of the twists but I still enjoyed this unusual urban fantasy and look forward to reading more of Beukes work.

17) The Falcons of Fire and Ice by Karen Maitland (6 - 9 February)

18) Railsea by China Miéville (9 - 12 February)

19) The Granta Book of the African Short Story edited by Helon Habila (15 - 22 February)

Twenty nine short stories from various African authors, all with a style and a tale of their own. Some were written in English and others have been translated. Some look at contemporary life in Africa or as an emigrant; others look back to other times; male; female; life and death - there is a vast range of stories. I can say that they weren't all memorable to me but I am sure that there is something for everyone in this collection.

20) The Magus by John Fowles (13 - 22 February)

21) Death Comes For the Archbishop by Willa Cather (23 - 26 February)

22) The Kalevala by Elias Lönnrot (16 January - 28 February)

In the mid Nineteenth Century Elias Lönnrot collated various traditional Finnish songs and stories into one huge epic poem that captured the Finnish imagination. Keith Bosley has translated that poem into a version that took me weeks to read. This is not because it was a difficult work but that epic poetry is something I can only take in small doses. I'm not sure that I am the best person to judge how successful Lönnrot was in his task but it was a fascinating book to read and I did enjoy it.

What did you think of the Karen Maitland book? I've read one of hers (Company of liars I think), and enjoyed it. Railsea is one of my favourites.

23) Art of the Byzantine Era by David Talbot Rice (22 - 28 February)

Hi Rhian - I don't think that the Maitland was one of her best. I liked the idea of it more than how it turned out. Maybe she tried to put too many ideas in one book and it might have been better if she had written one book about Portugal and one about Iceland instead of mixing everything into one story. I really did like her earlier work though and will give her another go when she gets around to publishing another.

Railsea was great - I like Mieville:)

New thread is up http://www.librarything.com/topic/150755

I hope that March turns out to be a better month for me and that I don't neglect everyone as much.