Roni Reads Up a Storm: Books and Crafts IV

Old Postcard image of our Carnegie Library in my home town of Abilene, Kansas


Today, with the new addition/modernization
















Best Fiction Books of 2012

Night Circus
Ready Player One

Best Children's Book of 2012

The Mysterious Howling by Maryrose Wood
(This is the first of the series The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place but it's the only one I've read so far.)

Best Series of 2012

Paladin's Legacy series by Elizabeth Moon
Toby Daye series by Seanan McGuire
Connor Gray series by Mark Del Franco

Best YA Series of 2012

Seven Realms by Cinda Williams Chima

Best Non-fiction of 2012

The Closing of the Western Mind by Charles Freeman
James Tiptree, Jr.: The Double Lives of Alice Sheldon by Julie Phillips

Find my final 2012 Thread here

Goals for 2013:

To read 150 books.

To read 50,000 pages.

These two are at a comfort level for me--I almost always go past them, but I don't want to make reading a chore.

To acquire fewer books than I did last year (95).

I've been making this goal to acquire fewer than I read, but I think that is being too generous. This will be more of a challenge, and includes all books, including gifts and trades, except those free Kindle books.

To read 40 books off my own shelves that were there prior to 2013, and of those 40, 25 must have been in my library by 1/1/12.

I failed miserably on this goal last year, only reading 16 of the 30 I aimed for, but I have joined the ROOT group and want to prioritize reading my own books. This will be about 25% of my total reading, so I should be able to do it if I set my mind to it..

To pass as many books as I acquire on to others through donations and swaps--in other words, they left MY house and went elsewhere.

I was doing pretty well on this one until the last month!

Books read in 2013

* indicates re-read, # indicates library book, + indicates Kindle book, % indicates Book Off The Shelf (BOTS)

January

1. Seven for a Secret by Elizabeth Bear (128 pp.)+%
2. Adam, Eve, and the Serpent by Elaine Pagels (154 pp.)%
3. The Social Conquest of Earth by Edward O. Wilson (352 pp.)+%
4. Unveiling Islam by Ergun and Emir Caner (234 pp.)%%
5. The Becoming by Jeanne Stein (295 pp.)%
6. Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson (652 pp.)%%
7. Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore (288 pp.)
8. The Gray Wolf Throne by Cinda Williams Chima (517 pp.)#
9. The Cookie Book by Maritza Breitenbach (167 pp.)
10. The New Moon's Arms by Nalo Hopkinson (323 pp.)%
11. Reflections: On the Magic of Writing by Diana Wynne Jones (362 pp.)%
12. Necessity's Children by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (336 pp.)+
13. Motel of the Mysteries by David Macaulay (96 pp.)%%
14. Infinity's Hold by Barry B. Longyear (281 pp.)%

February

15. The Hidden Gallery by Maryrose Wood (313 pp.)#
16. The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula Le Guin (175 pp.)*
17. Jhereg by Steven Brust (239 pp.)*
18. The Crimson Crown by Cinda Williams Chima (598 pp.)#
19. Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger (598 pp.)
20. Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay (673 pp.)%
21. The Conjuring Glass by Brian Knight (202 pp)
22. Shadow of Knight by Deborah Harkness (581 pp.)#
23. City of Dark Magic by Magnus Flyte (464 pp.)+
24. The Ghost Map by Steven Johnson (284 pp.)#
25. Goblin Moon by Teresa Edgerton (293 pp.)%%
26. Magic to the Bone by Devon Monk (355 pp.)%%
27. The Clockwork Three by Matthew Kirby (386 pp.)%%
28. The Killing Moon by N. K. Jemisin (429 pp.)%

March

29. Peter, Paul & Mary Magdalene by Bart Ehrman (272 pp.)%
30. Curse of the Pogo Stick by Colin Coterill (240 pp.)#
31. Yendi by Steven Brust (209 pp.)*
32. The Ladies of Mandrigyn by Barbara Hambly (311 pp.)*
33. Taltos by Steven Brust (181 pp.)*
34. Dragon by Steven Brust (286 pp.)*
35. The #1 Ladies Detective Agency# by Alexander McCall Smith (235 pp.)%%
36. Murder Most Crafty by Maggie Bruce (330 pp.)%
37. The Witches of Wenshar by Barbara Hambly (339 pp.)*
38. Rapture in Death#+ by J. D. Robb# (324 pp.)
39. Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld (440 pp.)
40. Alien Tango by Gigi Koch (428 pp.)
41. Teckla by Steven Brust* (214 pp.)
42. Phoenix by Steven Brust* (245 pp.)
43. Midnight Blue-Light Special by Seanan McGuire (338 pp.)

April

44. A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula Le Guin* (205 pp.)
45. Behemoth by Scott Westerfeld (485 pp.)
46. Old Filth by Jane Gardam# (239 pp.)
47. Goliath by Scott Westerfeld (543 pp.)
48. Fire Season by David Weber and Jane Lindskold# (287 pp.)
49. The False Prince by Jennifer Nelsen# (342 pp.)
50. Merchanter's Luck by C. J. Cherryh* (208 pp.)
51. Graceling by Kristin Cashore% (471 pp.)
52. Whispers Underground by Ben Aaronovitch (303 pp.)

Books acquired in 2013

This will be only dead tree books and books for which I actually paid money on my Kindle. All the free Kindle books don't count.

January

1. Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl (kindle, Amazon, 1.99)
2. Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan (gift)
3. NurtureShock: New Thinking about Children by Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman (kindle, Amazon, 2.99)
4. The Cookie Book by Maritza Breitenbach (ER)
5. Blood Maidens by Barbara Hambly (kindle, Amazon, 1.99) Already read, copy for my library
6. Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld (PBS)
7. Cast in Shadow by Michelle Sagara (PBS)
8. Necessity's Child by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (kindle, Amazon, 9.99)

February

9. Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger (Amazon, 9.77)
10. Alien Tango by Gini Koch (B&N, 6.79)
11. The Conjuring Glass by Brian Knight (ER)
12. City of Dark Magic by Magnus Flyte (kindle, Amazon, 9.99)
13. Splendors and Glooms by Laura Amy Schlitz (kindle, Amazon, 2.99)
14. The Stars My Destination by Alfred Bester (gift, Paul)
15. The Practical Potter by Josie Warshaw (AABS, 7.00)
16. The Political Career of General James H. Lane by Ks. Historical Society (AABS, 12.00)
17. The Gammage Cup by Carol Kendall (AABS, 3.00)
18. Foreigner by C. J. Cherryh (AABS, 3.25)
19. A Change of Heart by Candace Hern (kindle, Amazon, 2.99)

March

20. A Trick of the Light by Louise Penny (library, 1.00)
21. Palimpsest by Catherynne Valente (library, .50)
22. Midnight Blue-Light Special by Seanan McGuire (Mysterious Galaxy, 7.99)
23. Whispers Underground by Ben Aaronovitch (MG, 7.99)
24. The Shadowed Sun by N. K. Jemisin (MG, 14.99)
25. Glamour in Glass by Mary R. Kowal (MG, 14.99)
26. Behemoth by Scott Westerfeld (MG, 9.99)

April

27. Cyteen: The Vindication by C. J. Cherryh (pbs)
28. A New New Testament (ER)
29. Terry Pratchett: The Spirit of Fantasy by Craig Cabell (MG, 14.95)
30. In the Shadow of Blackbirds by Cat Winters (MG, 16.95)
31. Fyre by Angie Sage (Amazon, 17.99)
32. Eating Right With Diabetes by Amy Stockwell Mercer (ER)
33. Goliath by Scott Westerfeld (MG, 9.99)

Welcome to my new thread! My company is gone and so I am able to set this one up before my old one reached 300 messages, barely! I'm looking forward to getting some reading done and watching NCAA mens' basketball tournament games today, even though my Jayhawks don't play until tomorrow. I'm currently reading Rapture in Death on my Kindle, from the library, for March Mystery month, but I have to get to Leviathan soon for my book group next week.

ETA Oh, and also starting to catch up on LT threads--I am so far behind now!

Wooah, I am first on your wonderful new thread and here I will also take the moment to wish you a lovely weekend, before I catch up with the 20+ posts on your old thread :)

EDTA: Well, I am glad to hear that you had such a great time with your family. The photos just look absolutely fab. "Leftovers" I am sure you and your hubby will be able to manage and otherwise your may can freeze them, to eat at another time?

Hooray, for lots of reading time. Which I hopefully will have once I get back to Germany in April!

great list!

Congratulations on the shiny new thread - and on your clean and shiny house! It's good to hear that the visit went so well. Enjoy your down time!

Just dropping by to say hallo - hopefully I might keep up with this new thread!

Congrats on the new thread! I'm lurking here!

I like your library photos.

Hi, Roni! Hope all is well with you!

Woohoo! New thread!

I love old Carnegie libraries! And new threads! I completely lost track of your old one, but maybe if I get in early on this one, I will be able to keep up. :-)

Hi Roni, I love the library picture, I am also a big fan of the old Carnegie libraries. I hope you enjoying having your clean house to yourselves, as much as I love having company, I also like it when they leave! :)

Hi Roni, stopping by to congratulate you on your new thread. I missed most of the per-visitor activity reported on your previous thread but I am happy to see that you are now able to put your feet up and relax. Joining every else in loving the old Carnegie libraries. We have a Carnegie library building in Victoria but it has been decades since the building was home to the city's library.



I hope you have a wonderful weekend, Roni!

I love the library images, Roni. It's a lovely building and it looks like they did an excellent job remodeling and expanding it, ambiance intact.
Happy Weekend!

Happy new thread, Roni! I love your library pictures. One of my library branches is a Carnegie library and I'm going to put it at the top of my next thread, although it is rather more modest than yours (even the original version). But it feels much more like a "proper" library than the shiny new ones that have been built in the borough.

Hi Roni and lovely new thread!

Hope your basketball team does well in the NCAA tourney this weekend.

The team I coach didn't do so well last night...we lost by 13. Oh well, on to the next game which will be Monday night!

Hi Roni, what a lovely library! I've never been to Abilene, but I've heard it's charming. My husband did some multimedia work for the Greyhound Hall of Fame (where he first fell in love with greyhounds, and what led to us adopting our Whistler) in Abilene.

Jealous looking at all the lovely libraries Roni. If I could transplant something none familial to Kuala Lumpur an excellent lending library would win out every time.
Have a lovely weekend and congratulations on your latest thread. x

Hi Roni. Happy new thread - what a beautiful library! I hope you enjoy Leviathan - is this a reread for you? For some reason I thought you'd already read that series.

Beautiful library:)

Roni, it sounds like you had a busy and fun time with your mother and sister. Enjoy the refrigerator full of leftovers and the NCAA tournament. I wonder if the Jayhawks will play Wichita State at some point? That was quite an upset game on Saturday. I know our friend Sandy is on Cloud 9!

Oh, SO many visitors to my new thread. Thank you, Bianca, Brenda, Dejah, Fliss, Rachel, Lucy, Terri, Es, foggi, Judy, Lori, Ellen, Susan, Heidi, Anne, Paul, Heather, and Donna, for being here. I've been neglecting my own thread whilst visiting the others and spending a lot of time the last 4 days watching NCAA basketball! And we had a walkabout sale at the pottery last night so I was there for 5 hours (sold 5 of 25 pieces for $39 total--almost $6 an hour) and finished another scarf. My team, the Kansas University Jayhawks, is playing in about 3 hours to try to get into the Sweet Sixteen. The pictures they are showing at Kansas City and at Dayton (another regional site) show nothing but snow there! So Brenda and Sandy and Donna should be having snow today for sure, and maybe Terri as well.

Thanks for all the library love! It really is special having a Carnegie library, and they did a great job with the expansion and remodel, actually highlighting the beauty of the original library interior more than when it was the main facility. The upper floor of the original is now a beautiful meeting room with all the original details restored. The bottom is still the children's library, as it was when I was growing up. For a small town (about 6000 now) it is a beautiful facility. Of course, Abilene has always been special for a small town--how many of you got to go see the President come visit his mother fairly regularly when you were a small child? And got to see him dedicate the OTHER library in town, from about 20 feet away? We were very cosmopolitan for a small town in the middle of Kansas. And of course, as you say, Anne, we have the Greyhound Hall of Fame right across the street from the Eisenhower center.

Heather, no, I haven't read Leviathan yet. It's one I've been meaning to get to, and I need to start it TODAY. However, I have finally finished a book!



Book #38 Rapture in Death by J. D. Robb (324 pp.)

My first book finished in the last 9 days, this is my fourth book for Mystery March. This was just okay for me. I was pretty sure of what was going on fairly early, and the sex between Rourke and Eve was predominant over any development in relationships both between them and with other characters from earlier books.

I've removed 25 of my oldest pictures to make room in my member gallery for more pictures, but now LT is not letting me import new pictures. I have pics of my mom's teapot, the scarf I finished last night, and my first roses of the season that bloomed while my mom and sis were here. If nothing else works, I'll try to upload them to Photobucket and post them from there.

Feels nice, doesn't it, to have folks buy your stuff!

Hi, Roni ~ Love the old postcard of the library juxtaposed with the current library! Love libraries, no matter what they look like on the outside, but there are a few that are special. Here's one I saw on Facebook the other day:


It is supposed to be in Kansas City. I haven't been there and seen it myself, so I can't vouch that it hasn't been photoshopped, but I love the idea anyway!

It does, Lucy!

Mary, the hard part would be deciding which books to put on the decor!

If I lived there, I'd probably get in trouble for loitering.

Mary, no photoshop was used on the KC Library picture. Maybe at our next meet-up we will take a field trip there for a group photo!

Roni, is there a possibility of you coming to the Midwest in June? There is the Johnson County booksale and the mtg. with Reba in Lawrence on June 13. I hope you can be there!
We had two snow days this week.

Donna, sadly no. I told Reba when we got together, but hadn't gotten together a message letting the rest of you know. Originally I had been planning to come then, but my mom's suddenly deciding to come with my sister during spring break, plus our decision to drive to Pennsylvania in the fall with stops at Abilene on the way there and back, make an extra trip back in between seem rather extraneous. Next year?

Hi Roni - sounds like you've been busy doing spring cleaning and hosting visitors so I'm amazed that you've managed to finish a book at all. I've just read another little gem by Diana Wynne Jones.

Oh I love that Kansas City library photo - how playful and delightful.

Happy new thread Roni! Love all the library pictures, nice touch!

31: Sad indeed. I totally understand and will gladly give you a rain check for 2014. You will get to see Reba in the meantime and hear all about the fun you missed. I love Lawrence for a meetup location. Go Jayhawks!

Which one, Kerry?

Yes, isn't that original, Lucy?

Welcome, Chelle.

Go Jayhawks indeed, Donna. They had me worried the first half.



Book #39 Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld (440 pp.)

Oh, this was a delight! Such an original world! It reminds me in tone of Joan Aiken's Nightbirds on Nantucket series of books. It was a fast read that completely sucked me into the world and characters. Yes, it is YA, but engrossing for adults too.

ETA I hadn't realized that it ends in mid-story though--now I have to get the sequels, and quickly!

Hi Roni! I may have missed the last of your old thread (I'll go check when I finish here), but I hope you had a wonderful time with your family & were able to enjoy them some!

Here is one of the local libraries I frequent. It is a Carnegie library.



Happy Almost Easter to you Roni.

Linda, it looks like the part to the left is the original building, right? It has more and fancier windows than mine.

Yes, Roni, the left most part is the original building.

The upstairs is lovely, simply lovely. The first floor is the main part of the building.

The library is located off the beaten path in Easton, PA. It is lovely.

I really enjoyed the Leviathan series! One of these days, I'm going to try one of his other series, but the steampunk aspect is what got me started on Leviathan.

I've got to get a picture of our Carnegie library. It's not the library any more, unfortunately - deemed not earthquake-safe, and too expensive to fix up. They're trying to think what to do with it, and in the meantime first had the library in a wing of a high school and then built it a new place - which is very nice, but it's all new. No history to it. One of the branches is still in a Carnegie building, though, and that's nice. Small, but nice.

I haven't heard of Nightbirds on Nantucket. Does it hold up well for adults? Actually I'm not sure I've read any Aiken.

That series is amazingly wonderful. It starts with The Wolves of Willoughby Chase and goes on from there, in multiple directions. Children's books, yes - at least, all the protagonists are quite young (I think a few get up to pre-teen or very young teen) - but there's plenty there for an adult reader. Especially if you like alternate history, or surrealism, or sly humor, or steampunk, or...yeah. Lots.

I'd heard of Scott Westerfeld, with various recommendations. I was never much interested in the Uglies etc series - but this one (that Leviathan reads like IsDido's adventures) decided me that I had to find it and read it.

ETA got the wrong heroine for the Nantucket books. They're all great...

Glad you liked Leviathan, Roni! It's such a fun series.

Well, I've got Behemoth and Goliath on order from the library--along with Seraphina, Old Filth, Fire Season, The False Prince, and The Best of All Possible Worlds. The book bullets have been flying fast and furious around here!

Tina, we had a great time. I'm really enjoying your wedding preparations on your thread.

Linda, happy almost Easter to you as well! The entry of our two libraries is almost identical, but yours has three windows instead of one, and they are arched!

Mary and Jenn--yes, the Uglies series never really attracted me, but Leviathan is pure and fun adventure, and I love it.

QQ, it's been a while since I've reread the Aiken books, although that is definitely on my to do list--maybe Juvenile June or July--but Jenn answered your question beautifully.

Blue, see above. I am enjoying it.

I may have to give Leviathan a try, Roni - visiting your thread is always dangerous!

Turn about is fair play, Dejah!

Well, LT has decided to let me post pictures again, so here is the teapot I made for my mom. My sister took the picture up in their hotel room, as I gave it to Mom when we went by the pottery directly. The other side's picture, which is in my gallery here on LT, has a more even glaze run, but she has the lid on crooked and the perspective makes the spout look huge and the handle tiny.


And these are my first roses of the season, that bloomed while my company was here last week. And then they went back to snowfall.


And this is the scarf I finished at the walkabout on Saturday.

Beautiful teapot and gorgeous roses, Roni! We had a freeze warning last night, so I sympathize with the wacky weather issues.

For some reason that scarf makes my think of school colors - I can just envision stands of spectators at the Sweet 16 games decked out in appropriately colored neckwear....

Brilliant image, Dejah!

Perfect, Roni - too funny!

I have to admit I don't care a lick for basketball - college or the NBA. But I am extremely amused by FGCU's run - I may actually watch their next game!

If'n they win their next one, and we win our next one--we'll be playing each other!

Oho! I haven't actually looked at the brackets, but that would be exciting!

Ok - now I've looked at the brackets - wouldn't that be something if the #15 seed played the #1? Wow!

You probably know by now that the DWJ was The game. Dana just wanted to tell me how much she enjoyed the original story about the father (Sisyphus). She went off happily lugging her giant mythology book to reread some of the stories.

That latest scarf looks great. What type of wool, pattern, size needles do you use? I used to knit a lot but mainly for little ones so mainly worked with smaller needles and 3 ply wool. Haven't felt the bug for a long long time though I'd love to have a go at a Dr Who scarf.

Kerry, these are mesh yarns. YOu can really use any size needle, as you are working only with the top row of the mesh and it is the size of the mesh holes that determine the gauge. It is really just 6 stitches of garter stitch, worked in every other mesh space, that makes the scarf. I think Es and I posted photos of the mesh yarn in earlier threads--found it! Here you go.

Roni ... how do you crochet or knit while on a walkabout?! That is just mind boggling!

The roses are amazing! *sigh* and we still have snow on the ground .....

Roni, I'm so glad to read you enjoyed Leviathan. It was the Kindle Daily Deal here recently so I bought it as I'd heard good things - clearly a good decision!

Edited to say that I love your teapot and the scarf :-)

>36 ronincats:: I'm definitely going to need to get to the Leviathan series some time soon...

Well, I got out to get a haircut and while I was out--well, let's go by the book store and pick up a few new releases. So I picked up the following at Mysterious Galaxy:

Glamour in Glass by Mary Robinette Kowal
The Shadowed Sun by N. K. Jemisin
Behemoth by Scott Westerfeld
Whispers Under Ground by Ben Aaronovitch
Midnight Blue-Light Special by Seanan McGuire

They were sold out of Goliath or I would have picked it up. I looked at the new fantasy Czernada, A Turn of Light, but that thing is HUGE! I'll get it for my Kindle so I don't have to fit it on my shelves.

That makes 26 books acquired so far in 2013. Interestingly enough, all of the books I got were the second in a series except for the Aaronovitch, which is the third in a series.

Caro, I wasn't doing the walkabout--I was helping man the pottery while all the walkabout people came in. Much easier for knitting!

Thanks, Susan. I waited for Leviathan become available on PaperBackSwap.com, so it took a while to get it. But now I'm thinking it would be appropriate to donate to my school library, so I'll go ahead and buy the entire trilogy so I can do so when I'm done.

Es, the first book was certainly entertaining!

Hi Roni, glad to see some more beautiful pottery. I actually have a wheel myself in the basement but I haven't thrown anything in eons. But I certainly appreciate your beautiful work. Nice haul from the book store.

>59 ronincats: good haul! :)

Excellent haul, Roni.

I've read two of your pickups - Glamour in Glass and Whispers Underground - and I'll probably read the other three. I asked my librarian to pick up A Turn of Light and she did! It's in processing now. It's not the same as owning it, but it helps keep the book budget down.

Lovely roses. I'm just the opposite with Westerfeld. I read and enjoyed the entire Uglies series but didn't get past Leviathan.

Nice book haul Roni:)

Seriously gorgeous teapot!!

Hi Roni, I am heading out of town tomorrow so thought I would drop by to wish you an early Happy Easter. Your roses are gorgeous and I know the two toned one is called Double Delight and smells heavenly. My daughter has just one rose bush and it's a Double Delight.

Great book haul BTW! :)

Bonnie, you've got a wheel in your basement? But yes, all the stuff that has to go with that to make it work could get overwhelming. That's why I'm happy to go TO the pottery studio and let them worry about clay and glazes and firings. Thank you.

Thanks, Rachel, Calm, and Dejah. There were a number of books there that had been on my list for a while. Dejah, the Kowal one is there because of you--I did read the first one but didn't realize the second was out. At the store, I saw the third is in hardback.

Morphy, I do enjoy my roses. Judy, you are so right! The two-toned one IS Double Delight and my favorite.

Thanks for the teapot love, Tina!

s

Book #40 Alien Tango by Gini Koch (428 pp.)

I knew I should have left well enough alone after the first book in this series. Listen, I'm sure it has its audience, and Koch is rather clever to have herself stand out by putting paranormal romance into a science fiction setting rather than a fantasy setting. And really, her sf situations can be interesting and fun, and the family dynamics very entertaining. IF you don't get distracted by the heroine being a major Mary Sue and perpetually horny and having absolutely mind-blowing sex with her alien boyfriend all over the place. Unfortunately, those things distract me, not in a good way, and I am now officially done with the series.



Book #41 Teckla by Steven Brust* (214 pp.)

This is chronologically the 5th of the Vlad Taltos books, and the one where Vlad has to start confronting reality, rather than living in a fantasy world. This is uncomfortable for him, and since we are him, it is uncomfortable for us as well. While we reach a shaky equilibrium at the end of the book, it's not clear what's going to happen next.

Ahh... Roni... I thought I'd have to raise that pedestal fpr creative talent you're standing on yet another foot thinking you were knitting while on a walkabout. Good to know there are still some goals left for you to strive for... :-)

Do you read any steampunk? I just started reading that genre and I'm looking for more recommendations.

Hi Roni! It's been a while, sorry! Trying to catch up with you now.

I'm loving the pics of the libraries, especially the KC book one. How gorgeous.

Leviathan keeps popping up and it's been on the WL for a while now. I may need to just pull the trigger soon and snag it.

>68 ronincats: It's interesting that you've already seen the third Kowal book, Roni, since I thought it wasn't supposed to be out until the 2nd! I'm still not certain what I think of the long term viability of this as a series, but I'm hoping for good things from the third. I'm looking forward to your comments on number two.

>69 ronincats: Yeah, I know - the premise sounds so much better than the reality for the Koch series, doesn't it? I probably should have stopped at book two with this series, too - it's just too chick lit. She's got some entertaining ideas, but lacks the worldbuilding skills to create good SF. I want to like this series - I keep trying. I keep checking the next one out of the library and returning it unread....

>68 ronincats: I'm still waiting on Dragon, although Teckla and Phoenix have arrived. Hopefully it won't be too much longer!

You've been busy! Roses!

Just swinging by to wish you a very happy Easter weekend, Roni *smile*

Have a Happy Easter, Roni.

Hey Roni - I wanted to let you know that amazon has the kindle version of Agent of Change as a free book! I imagine you've already got it, but I though I'd mention it just in case!

Thanks, Dejah! Of course I have it, but at that price, I'm loving adding it to my Kindle for backup.

Alas, there is no joy in Mudville tonight.

I saw - I'm so sorry, Roni.

Oh such creativity here as always! Lovely!
And those roses are beautiful! My spring flowers are still under a layer of snow :( Hopefully the warm weather will melt everything soon so my flowers can come out!

Well shoot - FGCS lost, too. Oh well, baseball season is all but here!

Hi, Roni ~ Happy Easter!

Thanks, Dejah, Chelle, and Mary. Pottery studio today, and I have a casserole and lid done--see below. I had three pieces to glaze, but spent the whole time working on a large teapot, so won't have anything to show next week.



I'll do my monthly summary and April reading plans tomorrow. And for you winter-weary northerners, here's another of my roses.

Your scarves, pottery, and roses continue to stun me. Very nice! And I love that you show off the scarves with a black-and-white cat. Abby would approve. :-)

That blue glaze is beautiful, Roni! Looking forward to seeing the teapot!

What a neat casserole dish! Well done, you!

Superb casserole dish and that rose is stunning.

I have been so sporadic at holiday wishes and thread visits, that I am going to settle at this point for simply using MY thread to:

Happy Easter wishes to all my friends and their families who celebrate Easter!

I hope my Jewish friends have had a festive and memorable Passover.

And happy onset of true Spring to the rest of you! It's 73 degrees and sun today--a week ago they were predicting grey skies and rain, so it a wonderful day.

Such a pity about the Louisville player breaking his leg--still a tight, hard-fought game but it can't be easy for these young men after seeing that happen to their friend and teammate. Three and a half games left of the season. The team that beat us, Michigan, blew Florida out of the water earlier.

I'm finishing up my last book of the month while the ham is cooking.

Okay, final two books for the month!



Book #42 Phoenix by Steven Brust (245 pp.)

This is the sixth book in the Vlad Taltos series chronologically, and there isn't a whole lot I can say without spoilers. When you get here, we can talk about it over on the Jhereg thread.



Book #43 Midnight Blue-Light Special by Seanan McGuire (338 pp.)

I am a BIG fan of McGuire's Toby Daye series--I think it is one of the best urban fantasy series going. I was less enthused by the first in this InCryptid series, mainly because it seemed less original in its application of urban fantasy tropes. That said, this second book in the series definitely grabbed me more and I found it very enjoyable. I think this is one that may just get better and better as it deepens its characters and their relationships. I can hope, anyway.

Off to clean up the remains of dinner and then to work on both my monthly and quarterly summaries for LT.

Hey Roni -- What gorgeous blue pottery and bi-color roses! So cheerful.

I always feel a little better when the team that knocks my team out goes on to win in a big way. I hope the blow out of Florida is a small consolation....

I tried the first InCryptid book, Discount Armageddon, but didn't get very far. Maybe I should try it again - or better still, try her other series. Thanks for the reminder, Roni.

I would definitely try Rosemary and Rue first, before this series, Dejah!

And yes, it did help that Michigan won big yesterday.

Okay, March summary:

15 books read, 4,392 pages

8 new reads, 7 re-reads
2 library books
1 Kindle book
3 books off my shelves
2 science fiction, 8 fantasy, 1 nonfiction, 4 mysteries

see message 3 for a complete list.

And now for the BIG Quarterly summary! With three months down, and 1/4 of the year gone, how am I doing on my goals (see message 2)?

First Quarter 2013:

43 books read, 14,165 pages read
Goals for year: 150 books, 50,000 pages
I'm well within reach on these two goals.

26 books acquired, $132.19 spent
8 books from Amazon, all but one in Kindle format
2 from the Early Reviewers
2 from PaperBackSwap
2 gifts
5 from Mysterious Galaxy
4 from Adams Avenue Book Store
2 from library sale
1 from Barnes & Noble

My goal is to acquire fewer than last year, which was 95 books. So I need to slow down, because at this rate I'll be at 104 books for the year. I count all physical books and Kindle books for which I pay money

28 books out the door: 24 via PaperBackSwap, 3 via BookMooch, 1 gifted.
My goal is to have as many books out the door as acquired. I'm very slightly ahead at this point.

Of Books I've Read

Books new to me: 34
Library books: 7
Books off my shelves: 18
Newly acquired books (2013): 9

Re-reads: 9

Genre
science fiction 6
fantasy 23
children's 3
non-fiction 7
mystery 4

Gender of author
male 20
female 22
one book co-written by 1 female and 1 male

Country or continent of origin of author
USA 38
Canada 1
England 1
Jamaica 1
Africa 2

Publication year
2013: 4
2012: 9
2011: 2
2010: 3
2009: 1
2008: 2
2007: 1
2006: 2
2005: 1
2004: 1
2002: 1
1998: 2
1996: 1
1991: 2
1990: 1
1989: 2
1988: 1
1987: 2
1984: 2
1983: 1
1979: 1
1971: 1

And finally, plans for April!

Group reads:

Old Filth by Jane Gardam
The Great Transformation by Karen Armstrong

Ongoing series:
Behemoth by Scott Westerfeld
Goliath by Scott Westerfeld (library)
Athyra by Steven Brust
Whispers Under Ground by Ben Aaronovitch
Fire Season by David Weber (library)
Merchanter's Luck by C. J. Cherryh (reread for start of series)

Books off the Shelf:
Airborn by Kenneth Oppel
Graceling by Kristin Cashore

89> I got into the Incryptid series before I ever read Discount Armageddon - I follow Seanan on Twitter, and she's got a bunch of amazing stuff on her site. Here's a few short stories in that universe - http://seananmcguire.com/icshorts.php - and then look at the right sidebar for more stuff (including the Field Guide with a lot of info about the various creatures). Fun stuff. I haven't yet read the Blue-light Special - soon, though. Though I agree that Toby is amazing. And despite disliking post-apocalyptic stories and zombies, I kind of got hooked on Feed, which she wrote as Mira Grant.

I read Discount Armageddon and Rosemary and Rue and liked Discount better. I felt Rosemary was too depressing, Discount had more humor - loved the mice! I've got Blue-light Special sitting here from the library and will be reading it in the next couple of days!

#36 Glad you enjoyed Leviathan Roni. I read the series as he was writing it and had to keep waiting for the sequels to be published. At least they're all done now so you can whiz straight through!

I've finally got The Book of Jhereg and started Yendi. Trying to skip mentions of later books to avoid spoilers but I will be heading over to the Jhereg thread once I've finished.

Hope you had a lovely Easter weekend!

Love the blue pottery pic! You're so talented!

Mesmerizing stats, Roni - for some reason I always read yours very attentively. I can't seem to get my books in and out to work - in part because my husband sneaks stuff in - some of which I want to read, some of which I don't - so some of them come and go out so fast I don't even put them in here, since my intention is to read any book that is in here, or that I care about it somehow..... or it is a worthy book, or a book we will keep that our daughter might want..... anyhow....... I've offloaded a lot of his books to PBS but I can't count them and then I get all mixed up!

Anyhow - you are doing pretty well - but isn't it so hard not to acquire books!!!!!!!!

Graceling? Take that one off the shelf, too. :-)

Jenn, thanks for the links. I will definitely go there and read some (all) of the short stories. I knew she wrote the Feed trilogy, but just am not tempted by zombie stories. One of these days, maybe...

Morphy, I have noticed that, while we both like the same kind of stories, within that set we are often offset in our preferences--it's funny!

Heather, delighted that you are able to read the next (two) Vlad Taltos books and hope you enjoy them. I'm also delighted you are going to join Kerri (DorsVenabili) and me in A Wizard of Earthsea. I'm reading Behemoth now.

Tina, glad you are passing through. I need to get over to your thread to see the latest, after you shared that wonderful poem.

Lucy, I guess if there is an advantage to my husband being a nonreader, it is that there is no confusion about books coming in and going out! I have enough trouble as it is. The books my sister returned when she came out (one small bag was all my books) are still sitting in a pile in the living room waiting for me to contrive shelf space. And what a perfectly lovely picture of Posie on your thread--I'm glad you reposted it on your new thread so we could appreciate it longer.

Joe, you are right. I've added it to the list in message 92, as well as a Cherryh book.

Hi Roni! Loved your review of Leviathan. I have read the Uglies series by him but have never got around to his steam punk series. I also loved Rosemary and Rue. I just got the second book in that series through PBS and I am looking forward to reading it.

Sorry about your Jayhawks. :( I just got word that my team is entering the postseason in second place in our division!

Book #44 A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula Le Guin* (205 pp.)

This is my very own cover, creased corner and all, and the original cover, although not my favorite. I was suddenly inspired to pick the book up when Kerri (DorsVenabili) mentioned she was getting ready to read it, despite not being too comfortable with wizards, magic, or dragons. She is going to listen to it as an audiobook--if it has a good reader, I think Le Guin's language will lend itself to listening. So I started last night, and finished this morning, as it had been far too long since I've re-read it. I don't know how the current young generation will find it. It starts slowly, descriptively--I could read it for its descriptions of the various islands of the Archpelago alone--and I don't know how many will have the patience to let the language come to them rather than hunting for the bones of the story. I know some will, of course, but wonder if it will seem "old-fashioned" to the majority, or if it will sweep them up in spite of themselves. Of course, here is another series I now want to completely revisit!

Heidi, I am so glad you are feeling better! I think you would like Leviathan, and am glad you are enjoying the Toby Daye series.

>>92 ronincats:, 99 Yay! Looking forward to your reaction once you read it. If it's yuck, or meh, I'll slouch back into my corner and keep quiet.

Hi Roni!

#101 - I'm drawn to Ms. Le Guin because there's a bit more depth to her writing than you often find in the genre, so I think I'll be ok. I'm really looking forward to it. Yay! Now I just have to hurry up with my current audiobook.

#83 - What a lovely casserole dish!

Oooh, I just brought your #44 home from the library! I've only ever read one other Le Guin before, so I'm excited...

>101 ronincats:: This was always my favorite cover for the book. Perhaps because the cover art is so unlike the general run of pulp fiction covers.


I loved that series; it's still one of my fantasy favorites of all time. But, as time passes, I think I would have preferred it to stop at the original three rather than have the last two books (plus short story coolection) added. I thought the ending to The Farthest Shore was just a perfect way to leave Ged!

Roni, in addition to your stunning pottery, jewelry, and scarves, now we have gorgeous roses to look at. I gave up on tea roses a few years ago when the Japanese beetles moved in. They are voracious eaters that are very fond of rose buds. What is the name of the creamy white rose bordered in pink? Just lovely!

Joe, I've heard so many good reviews from people with similar tastes, I'm sure I'll like it, so you are safe.

Kerri, I'm anxious for you to get started on it. And thank you for your kind words about the casserole.

Amber, I'm excited too. There's no way I'm going to be able not to reread the rest of the series as well. :-(

Tad, favorites of mine as well. I have the second and third books in the cover family that you show, and would love to pick up the first to match someday. I have only read the extra books once each and actually remember little of them. Since I know I'll do a reread now, I'll have to see if I think they add anything to the original trilogy.

Oh, no, Donna! That's terrible! The rose is named Double Delight. I'll need to catch some shots of it in bud and fully open--it moves from mostly red in bud to mostly cream in full bloom. And it smells wonderful.

I'm over half-way through Behemoth and have Old Filth in hand, as well as Karen Armstrong's The Great Transformation, both of the latter for group reads. I picked up four books at the library yesterday: Old Filth, Goliath, The False Prince and Fire Season. I'll wait for Kerry and Amber and, I think, Heather to catch up with the Le Guin, but then I know I will need to move on to The Tombs of Atuan. Fortunately, the Vlad Taltos series is at a natural pause point. But I have to get started with Cherryh soon...guess I'll just have to spend more time reading!

Hi Roni, you make me want to read Le Guin. I only ever read A Wizard of Earthsea. I see you also signed up for the Old Filth GR.

43 books read in the first quarter of the year. Well done, Roni.
I'm into Old Filth and very much enjoying it so far.

I used to have a small rose garden here. However, we go away for about three weeks in late July/early August and, every year, the roses seemed to take crippling hits. Usually drought (I don't have automatic sprinklers). So I stopped. I miss the look, though.

Hi Roni, I can't believe you are up to 44 books, wow! I need to try the Earthsea series again. I remember starting it at some point and now I can't remember why I stopped.

Book #45 Behemoth by Scott Westerfeld (485 pp.)

The action continues apace. I regret that most of it is off the Leviathan and so more prosaic in setting--I loved the setting up of the Darwinist environment and mindset--but one certainly cannot complain of lags in pacing as Deryn and Alek continue to try to counteract the Germans. Next, I'm on to the conclusion in Goliath.

Bianca, join us!

Yes, Bianca and Ellen, I started Old Filth last night. Not too far yet--he's at his neighbor's house in the snowstorm.

Tad, I know what you mean. My roses don't usually need watering once they are established, even in our dry months, but when we go to visit family in the midwest during the summer, our vegetable garden takes a great hit just when it should be producing the most!

Marie, I almost didn't recognize you! Keep up the good work on finishing library school and finding work. Every librarian should have read A Wizard of Earthsea!

112: I know, I'm sorry for the confusion! Thanks for the encouragement...I need it. I also need to finish the Leviathan series. I stopped at number one...man your thread is full of reminders! :)

Btw, I know there are several people here who also enjoy Barbara Hambly's James Asher Victorian vampire series. I found the fourth book on Amazon for Kindle for $3.79, instead of the $29 list price or Amazon's $20 for the hard cover version. It's Magistrates of Hell.

Well, the Science Fiction Fans group turned me onto a new website, worldswithoutend.com, and I've joined the Women of Genre Reading Challenge. This involves choosing 12 women writers of science fiction, fantasy or horror from their data base that one has not read before, and read them this year and write and post a review on their site. And they have so many authors there that I was able to fairly easily find a dozen. Since this was a 2013 challenge, I am counting the Nalo Hopkinson I read earlier this year, since it met all the criteria. In addition, I have chosen Kristen Cashore, Kelly Barnhill, Libba Bray, Nancy Farmer, Andrea Hairston, Justine Larbalestier, Karen Lord, Linda Nagata, Rebecca Ore, Justina Robson, and Sarah Zettel. I know, I'm crazy, but this will get 5 books off my shelves and introduce me to a lot of new women authors.

I love that challenge, Roni. I will watch what you're reading (and liking) since I'm still a reluctant SF reader. Still, this set appeals to me.

Oh, what a wonderful challenge for you! Must feel exciting. I love creating a fresh, new list.

That sounds like a fascinating challenge - I look forward to seeing of you discover any gems:)

Oooh that sounds like a GREAT challenge. Also, Sarah Zettel! I adore most of her work (well, everything of hers that I've read so far). I'm going to have to go check out that website!

Catching up... Skimmed with some alarm past your spring cleaning in the last thread. Just went instant gratification for the Nook with Leviathan...

Massively tempting that new sf site - looking forward to your reports - I've only read two on the list - Cashore and Robson - Robson is terrific and Cashore is very good.

worldswithoutend.com looks wonderful - but I don't think I can keep up with another site! Very, very tempting, though....

Cool beans! Kristin Cashore as in Graceling, Fire, and Bitterblue? Or is there another one I don't know about?

Was Margaret Atwood on their authors list? I sure hope so :)

Ellen, Morphy, calm, and Faith, it did sound to me like an interesting challenge. At only a book a month over a year, even though I am starting 3 months late, it's quite doable.

Katherine, lucky you, skipping my spring cleaning! I hope you are feeling better, and applaud your instant gratification. I'm just getting ready to start the third book, Goliath.

Lucy, the first thing I did was go through the array (it's got pictures of most of the authors, so it's not a list per se) and pick out the ones I knew about AND the ones I have in my tbr pile. So, I have Vast by Nagata, Graceling by Cashore, The Sea of Trolls by Farmer, and A Great and Terrible Beauty by Bray all in my tbr pile, and I have The Best of All Possible Worlds by Lord on the hold list at the library. Along with the Hopkinson I just finished, that's half of the books right there.

Dejah, I'm not really planning to use the site except for this challenge and its purpose, which is to introduce me to a wider range of science fiction authors primarily.

Es, it's worth going to the page just to see all the women authors. After I picked names from my tbrs, I took the unfamiliar names and put them in at the Amazon website to see what they wrote. I weeded out all the horror and manga authors and almost all of the fantasy writers as well, and that's how I picked my other six authors. Well, I'd just run across a title on women in science fiction by Justine Larbalestier that had caught my attention that the library has, so that's why I chose her. I had indeed read many, many of the authors there, and if anyone else decides to try this, I definitely can make some recommendations! But just look through the pictures here:

https://www.worldswithoutend.com/authors_women.asp

ETA and of COURSE Atwood is in the group! A very nice picture of her, too.

Hi Roni - What a wonderful challenge - I think I'll sign up. I actually have sort of an ongoing goal to read female-authored sci-fi, so this works out well. Do you know what sci-fi Joyce Carol Oates has written? I'm not aware of it, but I suppose I can easily look it up. Have a lovely weekend!

ETA: Oh, never mind. I see it's horror too.

What a great site, Roni. Thanks for sharing. I have too many challenges going on this year so I'm not going to do this one, but I will be taking note of the authors I'm unfamiliar with and gradually read at least one work from each of them over time.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Thanks for the info, Roni. I'll have to check it out!

Kerri, I'll be happy to have you join me!

Caro, there are so many authors there, it is quite a resource.

Please do, Es.

I went to the pottery studio before the basketball games today. I didn't have anything ready to bring home, but glazed a teapot, a vase, a jar and a bowl, as well as putting together my largest teapot yet. A good day's work, and the glazed pieces will come home next week.

Another website to explore! I'll have to have a look, not sure if I'll sign up as I'm too committed elsewhere. I like the look of the books you've pulled off your shelves already, at least I can say that i've read 3 of them. I'm probably going to read a few of Iain Banks books seeing I found a May reading challenge on an Lter's reading blog.

Hope you are enjoying the last Westerfeld book.

115 roni - You know Justine Larbalestier and Scott Westerfeld are married? She's fun; I'd recommend Liar or How to Ditch Your Fairy.

>105 TadAD: That LeGuin cover was what got me into Teresa Wentzler's cross-stitch patterns.

I've also done her Storyteller, and the dragon with the crystal ball, and I'm still working on Day (backstitching, yay!)

Ooh, for your challenge, can I recommend How to Ditch Your Fairy by Larbalestier. YA story, high school students, everyone has a small magical ability. The main character has one that always finds a good parking space, but wants one to help her in sports instead. Wonderful school story.

Kerry, I completely understand. Which three have you already read?

Blue, I had no idea! With both you and QQ recommending How to Ditch your Fairy, I'll definitely have to go with that one. I had never heard of Larbalestier until I ran across her Daughters of Earth: Feminist Science Fiction in the Twentieth Century in my library's catalog just the other day, and I definitely want to read that as well, but she is the editor there.

QQ, that is absolutely gorgeous, and I would NOT have the patience for such a complex pattern in this life or any other. My admiration is all for you!

Hi Roni. Just getting caught up. I was momentarily alarmed when you said LT wasn't letting you post anymore pictures! Double Delight roses have always been my MiL's favorite and now they're mine too. They smell like roses should smell. Your pottery and scarves are a pleasure to look at. I'm so happy you're selling some things. Maybe you'll eventually start selling online?

#101 Now that's quite a scary cover and would definitely not say children's book to me which is how it's marketed in the UK. I'm halfway through my reread and it is definitely living up to my recollections so thanks for the nudge on picking this one up.

#115 Sounds like an interesting challenge. I think I'm challenged out this year but will look forward to some more good recommendations!

I've just finished Karen Lord's Redemption in Indigo which was based on a Senagalese folktale and which I enjoyed very much. I also have her newest book The Best of All Possible Worlds from the latest kindle sale which I think is science fiction but with some sociology thrown in?
I've seen good reviews of both from various book blogs.

Otherwise I haven't heard of any of those authors apart from Kristin Cashore.

Wow Roni, I'll have to agree with the rest-- fascinating site to check out (thanks!!) and a great challenge. Looking forward to seeing what comes of it! I'm already getting a list of new titles to look into just from the awards pages over there.

Hi Roni, stopping by to get caught up with all the reading you have been doing as well as for a glimpse of all the great scarves/pottery you have been creating! You are one busy individual and I love all the pictures!

Hi Roni
That looks like a great challenge! I'd be up for the reading but it's the reviews that I suck at. I get so lazy about posting reviews.

Pat, Double Delights are indeed a delight, aren't they? I cut a baker's dozen of roses yesterday and filled a couple of vases, plus a big vase of bougainvillea cuttings, and my first sweet peas--quite a haul.

I had filled up my allotted 250 pictures, so went back and deleted 25 of the oldest, and for several days LT was very intermittent about letting me post new ones! But that seems to have corrected itself now, thank goodness.

Heather, I hope that your day at home is helping you to feel better. The cover for A Wizard of Earthsea is not inappropriate to the story, although the black creature had no head in the story, but definitely not attractive.

I also ordered The Best of All Possible Worlds from the library after seeing a glowing review of it on a blog. It should be here sometime next week.

Kathy, that's my favorite thing from sites like worldswithoutend.com--the exposure to new books and authors! I'm so glad you went for a look and had the same experience.

Good to have you back, Lori!

Chelle, I rarely write a full-blown "review" like Richard and many others do. Usually it is only a few sentences about what I liked or didn't like about the book. But for these (especially since reviews on their site become their property) I'll do a little more than I usually do.

Book #46 Old Filth by Jane Gardam (230 pp.)

I read this lovely Europa edition from the library for the group read going on this month. This story, the story of Edward Feather's life, is folded back and forth and in upon itself like an origami figure, with every fold precise and sharp. I think I was caught from the moment Filth shuts himself out of the house in a snowstorm. Gardam lifts it above just a story of a man's life with the mystery of what did really happen in Wales, so many years ago. It's a haunting story, in many ways. And Gardam ends it perfectly.

Roni, I loved that part about the "reunion" in the snowstorm. So poignant and humorous at the same time. I'll be reading more of her books!

I'll be interested in your thoughts on The Great Transformation. I haven't ready any of Karen Armstrong's recent books but I did love her Through the Narrow Gate when I read it a decade or so ago. Time flies, it seems like yesterday.

I've read Graceling and the first two of the A great and terrible beauty series, got tired and never finished the third book. I've just downloaded the audio of her latest The Diviners.
I've read the first two Sea of Trolls books, House of the Scorpion and The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm - all enjoyable
I've been following Larbalestier's blog for a few years now, she was very prolific with blogging but got RSI so had to stop and only posts occasionally now. She and Westerfeld split their time between Sydney and New York. I've read her Magic or Madness trilogy and Liar.
I'll be reading Helen Lowe and Karen Healey for the June Women Writers of scifi & fantasy theme read in the category challenge.

I read Old Filth earlier this year and enjoyed it too.

What a neat challenge... Maybe I'll check it out post-wedding ;)

I can heartily recommend Cashore -- I'm a new fan of the Graceling series!

Hi Roni, I read Old Filth about a year ago and really enjoyed it too. Somehow I never got to the companion book The Man in the Wooden Hat.

That SF site is interesting. I was surprised at some of the authors that were included, particularly Katherine Dunn. The only book that's been published is Geek Love which I don't think I'd classify as SF/Fantasy but it certainly is hard to categorize. By the time they figure out which genre it belongs in I'll be long gone. Unless they create a genre for it, something like "Freaking Crazy." LOL

I may have to try Old Filth. It's not what I'd normally pick up, but everyone is making it sound so interesting....

Donna, The Great Transformation: The Beginning of Our Religious Traditions will take me a while--it's my nonfiction chapter every day or two book. But I'll be sure to let you know when I'm done.

Kerry, where's the thread for the category challenge? I'd like to visit it. Also, check at the bottom here for related info. I probably wouldn't read the Bray except that I already have the book. Everyone has given such good reviews for Graceling that I'm looking forward to it.

Tina, I'm sure yours was one of the reviews that inspired me!

Bonnie, there seems to be a wide range of authors on there!

Dejah, I would never have picked it up on my own either.

Okay, so on Facebook, Lois McMaster mentioned she had done a guest essay on this blog, so when I went over to read it, the blog is doing a full Women in SF Month! I've bookmarked it and read the first third of the month--quite interesting--and plan to follow it for the rest of the month. Some of you might be interested as well--
http://www.fantasybookcafe.com/

Still working on Goliath and The Great Transformation, but for right now, it's 70 degrees out, the sun is shining, and I've got herbs and tomatoes to set out and green bean seeds to plant. See you all later.

Book #47 Goliath by Scott Westerfeld (543 pp.)

The conclusion of the trilogy is just as action-packed as the first two books. Still a good story, but the first book is my favorite!

Here is the thread, it was meant to be 'Women Authors' but morphed into Women scifi & fantasy writers.
http://www.librarything.com/topic/151749

Checking in - so much to catch up on!

I've forgotten most of the comments I had, but I'll just say I love your pottery. As you already know. In case I don't delurk in the future, please take it as read.

Happy to see you enjoyed the Leviathan series, Roni! Book two of the series, Behemoth was my favorite. overall, the series is a fun read!

Hi Roni, thanks for the link with the women writers bookmarked the link already :)

I got the Leviathan series on my wishlist now! I started to read Old Filth but couldn't get into it for some reason. However, it's still early in the month so I will try again at a later time and there are still so many other good books to read.

I wish you a lovely weekend!

I am quite far behind, but I just realized I have a Patricia Bray somewhere around here, have to go see what it is......

Book #48 Fire Season by David Weber and Jane Lindskold (287 pp.)

This is the second book in a YA series prequel to the Honor Harrington books, detailing how treecats were discovered as humans were settling Sphinx. Decent story for YAs, but probably only through adults who are already Honor Harrington fans and love her treecat.

I was back at Mysterious Galaxy today (mysteriousgalaxy.com) as the result of a visit to my allergist across the street, and of course could not come away empty-handed. They still had not gotten Goliath in (I read a library copy) so I probably will just order that from Amazon and have it sent straight to my sister. But I did pick up an autobiography of Terry Pratchett, Terry Pratchett: The Spirit of Fantasy, and a book recommended by one of the staff, In the Shadow of Blackbirds, which is a YA historical set in San Diego during the influenze outbreak of 1918.

Another acquisition I should report as well--for my sins, my March ER book arrived two days ago via UPS, A New New Testament. Unfortunately, they sent it in a bubble-line manilla envelope, and UPS tore the corner and damaged the corner of the book, but it's still readable. This version is quite different, as it incorporates various of the documents discovered in the last few years that were not incorporated into the orthodox New Testament but that were well-known to early Christians. It also separates out what have been determined to be the authentic letters of Paul from those widely acknowledged to have been "in the tradition of Paul" but not his writing. Finally it has a section of basic historical background for the book. It looks absolutely fascinating, but will definitely take me considerable time to absorb in its entirety!

Hi Roni, I was all set to tell you about the June Sci-Fi/Fantasy Women's read we are having over at the Category Challenge, but I see Kerry beat me to it. I am looking forward to trying a few new-to-me authors, especially one you recommended to me, Lois McMaster Bujold.

Roni - the touchstone for your New New Testament goes to Grimms Complete Fairy Tales!

Thanks, Kerry, I got it changed. The first option when I clicked on it WAS the correct one, so I have no idea how it ended up with the Grimms!

Judy, yes, I've starred the thread so I can follow the discussions. What Bujold are you thinking of starting with? I'd recommend either Cordelia's Honor or The Warrior's Apprentice. Unless you want to go with fantasy, in which case The Curse of Chalion is the place to start.

Lucy, I'm not sure where Patricia Bray came from?

Bianca, I'm glad you are safely home and hopefully getting some rest--although with another major home redecorating project, I fear you might find it disruptive.

Lori, yes, I enjoyed the Leviathan series quite a bit, just like you!

Nina, thanks for stopping by and the kind words about my pottery.

And Kerry, thank you so much for the link to the June discussion. As I told Judy, I've got it starred and hope it will generate lots of discussion. Have you picked anything to read yet?

And I think that catches me up with everyone here. I'm off to read my last library book, The False Prince, so I can return all 4 books tomorrow and pick up the Karen Lord book waiting for me there.

>153 ronincats:: and of course could not come away empty-handed

Don't be ridiculous. Of course not!

(Never leave a bookshop empty-handed. This motto has caused me a lot of trouble - and given me a lot of good books)

Thanks for the support, Nina! B^P



Book #49 The False Prince by Jennifer Nielsen (352 pp.)

We meet Sage as he is being sold into service from the orphanage to one of the King's regents. Along with two other boys, Sage is going to be groomed to impersonate a missing and presumed dead prince, as the royal family has just been murdered, to avert a civil war. This first novel is full of typical fantasy tropes, from the medieval-like setting to the characters involved. However, the character of Sage does stand out in its originality and stubbornness, despite a fairly conventional plot. This YA will entertain young teens, but might not be enough to hold the attention of adults. Still, this is only the first of a trilogy, so perhaps the books will deepen with experience.

#159 -- I have the sequel waiting to be read. I need to get on that soonish.

Sounds like a great plot anyway.

Hey, foggi, let me know what you think!

Lucy, the problem is that it's been done and done and done again recently in YA literature (The Decoy Princess, The False Princess, and several more) and so something has to stand out from the crowd. In this case, I think it was the character Sage.

I've been going through my thread correcting touchstones and making sure books are added to my library, and checking on my April reads progress. Here's the status at the moment:

Group reads:
Old Filth by Jane Gardam
The Great Transformation by Karen Armstrong in Chapter 9

Ongoing series:
Behemoth by Scott Westerfeld
Goliath by Scott Westerfeld (library)
Athyra by Steven Brust
Whispers Under Ground by Ben Aaronovitch
Fire Season by David Weber (library)
Merchanter's Luck by C. J. Cherryh (reread for start of series)

Books off the Shelf:
Airborn by Kenneth Oppel for book group 4/30
Graceling by Kristin Cashore

I think I'm going to pull the Cherryh and Graceling off my shelves to start next. I've been very poor on the BOTS lately, after a good start the first two months. But I've also got the Karen Lord book waiting for me at the library.

Updated 4/19/13

Off to the pottery studio. I'll be bringing something home today, so look for pictures later tonight!

Another batch of beautiful pottery, Roni!

Roni and Dejah, if you do pick up (and read) Old Filth, I hope you enjoy it. I loved it but it's not necessarily what would have been in my wheel-house, either. Roni, I realize that you have read and enjoyed it. Forgive me.

Your pottery is, as usual, so wonderful and so tempting. I'm not blowing smoke when I say that I hope I encounter your art work at a festival/fair sometime..... The Fall Festival in Corvallis, OR, was always one of my favorites....

>164 ronincats:: Gorgeous, as always.

I like that design on the pot; I don't recall you doing that kind of thing before, or is my memory failing me again?

Hey, amazing coincidence. I'm just about to pick up and read Whispers Underground, too!

I long to be hip like you, Roni :)

Thanks, Ellen. The festival sound fun, but I think I'd better try out the local venues first!

Nina, I have done some carving on two prior pieces, but it's not something I've typically done. I haven't Tad's talent in that area. That piece is for my sister.

Hey, Morphy, I've still got a couple in front of it, but I'll definitely read it this month.

Es, ???? Me, hip? where did you get that?

The pictures I took last night of that first grouping of pieces, all with the same glazes on black clay, looked like black and green whereas it is actually a gorgeous blue and green. I think this photo may capture the effect better.

>170 ronincats:: You rock out so many books, say such cool and witty things, knit like mad (I'm still only halfway through my second scarf for the month!), and make this awesome pottery. You're so COOL!

Es, can I keep you on retainer? What a boost for my ego! Thank you!

Love the glaze in the bottom of the piece above. . .

I agree with Es. I love your work and really wish I could see it in person (or would that be "in pot"?)!!

Hi Roni, I read so much more fantasy than sci-fi, that I thought I would try for some new-to-me female authors in sci-fi. I have Shards of Honor on my Kindle and I think that is considered a sci-fi so I will probably read that in June. Of course, The Curse of Chalion is on my wishlist and I will get to that eventually.

What beautiful colors on that batch of pottery! You're so talented, Roni.

I haven't tried black clay yet. Those pieces make me want to give it a shot. I'll have to see what the local ceramic supply store has in the that way that's for the right temperatures. I particularly like the marbling effect you got in the bottom of that last photograph and the sides of the lower bowl in the first photograph. I think an entire bowl done that way would look great with something bright like oranges in it.

ETA: On looking at the pictures again, I also missed the right-hand bottle in the middle picture, but I really like it! I love the unobtrusive roughness of it. It feels old and sandy, if that makes any sense.

>170 ronincats:: WOW!

>175 DeltaQueen50:: Yay for Bujold!

Great ceramics, Roni! I like those colors. And I second that Yay for Bujold!

Lovely pottery Roni. Blues and greens are my favorite colors.

I'm also a huge Bujold fan. I have liked both her scifi and fantasy stuff. She's just a fantastic storyteller.

Roni, your pottery is just wonderful. You have convinced me now, that I definitely have to take up pottery. I love the colourschemes of all your potts.

180 Heidi - ahem *blush very deeply* I have got Bujold on my TBR and on my wishlist, but I didn't realize that it is a "SHE".

#170 it is actually a gorgeous blue and green. Very much so - they look lovely!

#175 Shards of Honor is definitely science fiction in my book Judy, and I think a good one too.

Yes. Cordelia's stories area actually easier for me to read than Miles' - he wears me out. I eventually had to read most of his backward (from Diplomatic Immunity, then I wanted to see how he got there, then...). I'd stalled at Brothers in Arms or Mirror Dance three times before that.

Bujold was a serious SF author in my book, to the point where I was ignoring her fantasy because it couldn't possibly be as good. Finally read Curse of Chalion and now I'm just as hooked on her fantasy as her SF.

181> "Lois" doesn't read as a female name to you? I think it's exclusively female in English, but I know I've stumbled - or just been entirely wrong - about gendered names in non-English languages. And Lois isn't all that common, either.

>172 ronincats:: I'll be glad to be kept on retainer for necessary ego boosts :)

Roni, I've been taking my daughter to the "paint your own pottery" places recently. We've gone about 3 times so far, because she loves it. I have to say, I do enjoy the painting but I can't get over how the colors change in firing! It makes me appreciate your artistry even more. You manage to get such lovely colors and textures in your stuff, I'm impressed. :) Plus the fact that you actually make your pottery!!

Love the textured handle on the teapot above.

Hi Roni - Thanks again for all the LMB help - you're a gem!

I'll have to check out Daughters of Earth: Feminist Science Fiction in the Twentieth Century - sounds like my sort of book, although I sometimes have trouble with short stories. We'll see.

Hello to all my lovely visitors! So, yesterday I got up and got out my tax forms (the prep was all done, I'd picked them up from my tax preparer last week) and wrote out all the checks (federal and state 2012 returns, federal and state estimated tax for first quarter, check to preparer) and moved the money around in my bank accounts to cover everything. After lunch, we headed out to the PO, where there was a long line of people (at 1:15!), many with tax envelopes in hand. I'm sure the post office sends more certified letters on April 15 that any other day of the year! Then we went to Costco and spent a LOT of money replenishing staples. Then to the library to return four books and pick up The Best of All Possible Worlds, but as a pleasant surprise, Paranormalcy was waiting there for me as well. Then home. And getting older sucks, because both of us were exhausted, my feet hurt, I ached and was beat up the whole evening. Luckily The Voice was on so I didn't need to do anything productive. This morning I woke up with a headache (probably weather related--we have been chilly (high 50s) and damp for the last several days with an associated low pressure system in the area) and I have only just managed to pretty much shake it. I think I mentioned that my sweet peas have FINALLY started blooming and here is today's harvest.

Lovely flowers, I bet they smell real good.

Brenda, playing with the glazes is the most exciting and frightening part of the whole game! I had seen this combo on black clay that another student had done and loved it.

Ellen, why don't you make a trip to San Diego instead? After all, Caro got a piece of pottery out of it!

Judy, Shards of Honor is definitely science fiction, and I love it, but as I tell everyone, it was Bujold's first book and therefore not her strongest. I want you to be sure and read Barrayar--the second half of the story arc--which was her 8th book written and really shows her strengths, as well. And The Curse of Chalion is wonderful fantasy. As you can see by the comments of Nina, Joe, Heidi, Heather, and Jenn after you, Bujold is well-loved.

Thank you, Amber. I wish I would get around to pulling out my sewing machine, as your projects are always inspiring, but I haven't managed it yet.

Tad, thank you. The black clay limits the glazes you can use, but is really dramatic with the ones you can. The undercoat is metallic green, which is a thin glaze that stays put, and then the rim is peacock, which is a highly runny glaze that gives marvelous effects, but on the outside you only want it on the top third of the piece, because otherwise it runs off the piece in the kiln and glues it to the shelf--not good. The bottle is indeed rough and grainy--the glaze was too thin on it, but I agree, I rather like the effect.

Nina, Joe, Heidi, and Heather--great minds think alike! Thank you for your appreciation of the pottery, and three cheers for Bujold!

Bianca, you are so busy I can't think when you could find time to take up pottery, but I have to admit I look forward to those two hours a week immensely and find them very relaxing.

Jenn, my first Bujold was The Warrior's Apprentice back in 1986--I have the first printing of the paperback with the infamous "battle nighty" cover. Infamous because it is SO inaccurate and inappropriate! And many years later, I got Lois to sign it for me as she came through SD to promote one of her other books. Here's the cover:
Anyhow, I think I fell in love with Miles at the get-go because of his disabilities, and that carried me through all his hyperactive "gitness" in later books. And I'd fallen in love with his parents as well once I read Shards of Honor and Barrayar. So it was a family thing. But I'm glad reading backwards worked for you.

Es, it's a done deal. Now, what would your retainer fee be? And I will note that my crochet/knit output has fallen dramatically now that college basketball season is over.

Kathy, glazes, as I said above, are the most unpredictable part of the whole process! If your daughter continues to love it, you might look for a class in hand-building for the next step. And thanks for noticing the handle--that was a different detail for me this time.

Kerri, I consider myself a Bujold promoter, and love to bring others into the fold! I also am not usually that fond of short stories, but the thing that attracts me to Daughters of Earth is that the stories are followed by essays that "explore the stories' contexts, meanings, and theoretical implications." That level of critical thinking sounds fascinating.

:) Keep me supplied with chocolate every now and again, and I'll be good.

Love (well, am amused and horrified by) the battle nighty cover for The Warrior's Apprentice, Roni. I'd never seen that before. All the covers for it have been lousy, as far as I'm concerned, but that one really takes the lousy cake.

New Zealand Kerri, you slipped in between my posts! Yes, they do smell wonderful! I have them here on my computer desk so that I can take a big sniff every so often.

Es, I hope virtual chocolates will work!

LOL, Joe! Yes, I think that they changed that cover as soon as possible after the original printing. Remember, it was one of Lois' earlier books and a new, relatively unknown author doesn't have much clout with the publisher re:covers. I remember how thrilled she was with the cover to Paladin of Souls, and rightfully so!

Yes, Paladin of Souls was a good one. How she must have suffered over the years with the covers they've given her for others.

Roni, I love your sweet peas! and am so glad you post pictures of them each season!

Aww, lovely flowers! Hope you can remain headache-free. :)

This is today's project. I have a number of fused or dichroic glass pendants, a few of which I have made, but most of which I bought via eBay a number of years ago and which, now that I'm retired, I rarely wear. So my idea is to take these pendants and "dress" them up with a beaded necklace. This pendant was pretty uninteresting by itself, but hopefully by pulling the colors out with beads, it now is a bit more enticing.


Thanks, Brenda. I do love them so.

Kathy, I devoutly hope so as well! Thanks.

I had the same cover - not sure what I have now, I've been trying to go omnibus. Ah, yes, it's in Young Miles, with the card cover (Lord Vorkosigan/Admiral Naismith). But I do inclusions, cataloging the books in my omnibuses (so I can review them separately, and so I get checkmarks and they don't get suggested in recommendations), and that's the cover I'll use for The Warrior's Apprentice. It's what I had, originally...

You have read Dreamweaver's Dilemma? That's Bujold's book of short stories and essays - I found it fascinating, as it discussed how she saw the Vorkosigan universe at various points. And, you know, good stories too, but what remains in my memory is the essays. I see you've got it cataloged, but no reading dates - I don't know if you do that.

Sweet peas are pretty. I like my peas, too - they flower pretty (purple) and then turn into food... :).

>192 ronincats:: Definitely.

Sweet necklace!

That necklace is gorgeous, Roni.

On the other hand, that cover is just---just---

Battle nighty. {*snicker*}

Hi, Roni. What delicate flowers.

Actually, in your photo, the pendant looks like it'd be quite nice by itself - but it's hard to disassociate it from the beads. Mind you, the beads are gorgeous, too.

Roni, I love your pottery glazes up the thread, and also the pendant. Those blues and greens are so beautiful. That The Warrior's Apprentice cover is funny - it's like the sci-fi equivalant of the 1980s romance cover :-) I hope your headache is all gone now.

What a ridiculous cover on the Bujold. I too am a huge fan. Probably have said this a million times but she is one of the few authors I couldn't 'hoard' - once I started reading her I had to just read them all the minute they were in my hand - including the latest Vorpatril.

Sweet peas are a favourite flower and I always mean to grow them ...... I did for a few summers but then I don't know why I got lazy.

Hi, Jenn. Yes, that's a classic cover, all right. Yes, I've read Dreamweaver's Dilemma. I have not yet read all of The Vorkosigan Companion though, and I'm trying to figure out if the new collection of Bujold's nonfiction they are offering has anything that's not in those two.

My peas are done producing now. I have no idea why the sweet peas are so late.

Thanks, Es.

Liz *snort*

Nina, really, the pendant faded into insignificance on its own, but I really felt the right surroundings would bring out its colors, and I think they did.

Thanks, Susan. The headache disappeared about mid-day yesterday and I've been fine since, thankfully.

Lucy, there's no sense in hoarding Bujold's books because they are just as good if not better when you go back and reread them--again and again. They are like a naturally self-replenishing resource!

Oy, and you've got the climate for it too, Lucy. I could never grow them in Kansas--the period between too cold and too hot was just too short, but I love growing them here and having my house full of them for months.

I never liked this pendant. I had a summer top that was red and yellow that I was trying to accessorize when I bought it on eBay, but the colors were always too strong for me. So this will go into my inventory for eventual sale.

I'm working on necklaces this week because I have an number of pendants I never wear now that I've retired, and so I want to make them into necklaces for sale, and the Gem Faire is this weekend so I want to have a good idea of what I'll need to buy to finish the projects.

Wow, yeah, that pendant is...difficult. That's a good mix of beads to go with it, though.

Book #50 Merchanter's Luck by C. J. Cherryh (208 pp.)

First Printing DAW #488 (for swynn)

This is a re-read in preparation for filling in of Cherryh's Alliance-Union series. It probably shouldn't count as a re-read since it's been 30 years since I last read it--that's a generation, isn't it?

Cherryh pulls me in with her sparse diction, her tight third person view which holds me at a distance at first until all of a sudden there I am, up close and personal, fully engaged in this tale of a solitary merchanter trying to keep his ship flying in a universe where the politics are shifting and alliances are changing, and he looks to be crushed in the middle.

Another not-so-favorite pendant--this is one that I made--that I'm trying to redeem with a necklace surround.

Okay, now this one is for me, as I do like this pendant, and I'm asking for feedback. As I have it here, I am picking up all 4 colors in the pendant--red, green, purple, and yellow. Is that too much--should I make it with fewer colors, or group the colors more rather than having the sections between my big beads with all different colors? What do you think?

I like the blue and orange together. Is that copper in the pendant?

LOVE the red pendant. But the beads... I see Christmas apples. Sorry! My preference would be more of those cobalt blue beads instead.

>204 ronincats: Not your best work, agreed.

>207 ronincats: It's okay, I like the blue and the irridescence.

>208 ronincats: For me, IMHO, this is too busy and the little white doodads are a bit too fussy.

I like the tree/swirl shape a lot.

Given those responses, I'd say to keep the necklace as simple as can be and not try to bring in all the colors. I myownself would say to use very simple-shaped beads, too.

Kathy, thanks for the feedback. I'd still like to use the large red handmade glass beads, as they are the exact same color as the pendant, but will try to calm things down. And yes, that is a copper iridescent color in the blue pendant.

Richard, re message 204--the pendant is not my work at all, just my poorly judged purchase. I've tried to salvage it somewhat with the beading. Someone will like it.

The pendant in 207 is my work, but not what I was aiming for. Hopefully someone will like the color scheme.

The white doodads are actually silver, like the bail on the pendant.

Thanks to the both of you for your input. It really is appreciated!

Okay, I've got two people saying too busy now, so I will rework it. Still interested in the opinions of anyone else who comes by.

Interesting what you've done with those necklaces, Roni. The first one works best for me - I think my MBH would snap up that one.

What Cherryh would you recommend as a starter book? I've never read her, and I keep trying to figure out which one I should give a try.

I feel like those red beads are just too large since there is so much red in the pendant. Whoever said that the blue beads look really great and there should be more of them was on the right track, I believe.

Oh, I'd recommend The Pride of Chanur! It's a self-contained story in that book, but there are three more that follow that up that have to be read together if you like the first. I love that series--it's my most re-read of all the Cherryh oeuvre. But she does aliens so well, and there has been a lot of love for her Foreigner series, which I haven't started yet.

Oops, Es, you posted while I was writing the above. There is no blue in the pendant in #208--there is purple and those are purple beads right around the pendant. I have lots of those purple--I'll see what I can do.

>211 ronincats: re 204 oh I *am* relieved. I don' t like it.

Last one tonight--I've got some alternative beads laid out next to the large black beads and have tried to be more monochromatic here. I also could use some of the turquoise beads where I have the light golden beads between the black beads.



Can you tell this is an area where I struggle more?

No I like what you did already! It looks almost like a matryoshka. Lovely.

Have to say I think it works well as is.

Nice jewellery work. I've never seen a design board before - looks like a good idea.

I think I did read some Cherryh a long time ago, but I wasn't much for SF; I'm more open to it now. So it maybe time to pick her up again.

>208 ronincats:: I thought that it needed less red in the necklace to let the pendant stand out more, too. Gorgeous colours in the pendant. It's not the same one as in 216, is it? The design looks different. Oh, I see.

>216 ronincats:: I don't see the turquoise in the necklace, so those beads don't seem to go, in this photo. I think you do need larger beads to balance the size, so either the gold or the black. If pressed, being conservative, I'd say the gold.

It's amazing isn't it how when making something like jewelry you can lose track of everything while your mind is filled with images of colors and shapes.... like you come out of a trance state or something and there is the world going on all around you!

>208 ronincats: I also think there needs to be more purple. The pendant itself is lovely.

>216 ronincats: I think there needs to be more balance in size. Some medium beads between the larger ones perhaps.

Great work though. I always enjoy coming to see what you are working on.

Jumping back to >152 ronincats:, the Weber/Lindskold book, does it read more like one author than another? I'ved liked some Lindskold (esp Changer, although not her current series which mixes Chinese astrology and mah jongg) but I've lost interest in Honor Harrington.

And I'm seconding Daughters of Earth, it really clarified for me what was happening with the women's movement through the twentieth century, by using a medium I could understand.

If you're still working on >216 ronincats:, I vote for more turquoise.

Thanks for the feedback, Kathy, Richard, Nina and Morphy. And the empathy, Lucy! QQ, I am still working on the necklace in >216 ronincats:.

Today I didn't put together or work on any necklaces, but I laid all my beads out on the table with my pendants and pulled out some strands that seemed to go with certain pendants. Clearly I then need to have some other beads worked in to keep it from being boring, but I think I have the base beads for at least three of these pendants.


Spring has returned today--it was in the mid-70s today with the Santa Ana winds blowing from the desert, and will be in the 80s tomorrow. We did some work in the garden and yard--I got parsley, cilantro and basil planted, and fed some plants. So I didn't get much done this afternoon.

On the book front, after supper I started Graceling and finished Part 1--I'm enjoying it, as so many of you told me I would. And it meets my ROOTS challenge, as it's been in the tbr pile for over two years. Amazon delivered Fyre today, the last of the Septimus Heap series, which I shall have to make room for soon. That brings to 31 the number of books acquired this year.

ETA QQ, if you've gotten tired of David Weber, and we agree about being underwhelmed by the latest Lindskold series and in loving her Changer duology, I don't think you will find anything of interest in this series. It's very much YA.

Dearest Not-the-Mama -- I'm loving your crafts, as usual! But that green and blue pottery!! Do you sell any of your pottery pieces at all? It is GORGEOUS. The up close look at the inside of the bowl just knocked my socks off! :)

>233 susanj67:: Looks like you're going to have FUN!

Hi Roni, I am super late to your necklace discussion. I love the images you have posted.

> 208 - Beautiful pendant! I do like the large red beads but maybe only use a couple as accent pieces and have the majority of the necklace smaller beads. Question: Do you like to incorporate silver beads - or silver tone beads - in the necklaces? That might work well here with the silver pendant loop. If you like to work with non-metallic beads, than I like the idea already suggested of more purple beads.

Thanks, Tina. Yes, I sell pieces at the quarterly student sale at the studio--there's no way I can keep all this stuff at home, and it offsets a bit of my expenses. But my best pieces I usually give as gifts.

Nina, aren't you anticipating me a bit? (re >233 susanj67:?) I went to the Gem Faire yesterday and spent way too much boosting my stock. Now I have to get back to work.

Lori, good to see you. I actually do have some silver in there, but you can't see it well in the picture. I'm going to get back to work on these tomorrow, since I have pottery today.

Again, people, don't hold back or be afraid of offending me--I enjoy doing this but know good and well that I am not a particularly gifted beading designer. This is true--I've seen those that are, and I'm simply not in the same league. But I figure I like playing around with it, and I may learn something in the process!



Book #51 Graceling by Kristin Cashore (471 pp.)

Book Off The Shelves--acquired before 2011, read 4/19/13

Many people have recommended this book as entertaining YA, and it is a fun, quick read. It's taken me so long to get to it because of that phenomenon so often noted here--once you have a book in your possession, all of the newer and library books suddenly take precedence. It is definitely YA, focusing on Katsa and her feelings throughout. The only drawback is that it would have been interesting to see more of other people in that world, and to get more of an idea as to what the consequences of being Graced were, especially since so many were of an innocuous nature. Perhaps the other books of the series will provide more in that area.

*smooch* for dear Roni, and a wide wide berth for Kashore since it sounds like something I'd HATE.

>227 ronincats:: You and my husband had the same thoughts exactly! He saw the same drawbacks.

Wow, your pottery is gorgeous! I love the colors. A few years ago I went to one of those pottery shops in NYC and made my dad a father's day mug. Well, let's just say it turned out to be a mug only a parent could love. I told him he was to inform anyone who asked that I made it for him when I was in 2nd grade.

Here's the two pieces I brought home yesterday. The cup is the same clay and glaze as the teapot and bowls, with the same marbling effect in the bottom.


And I've finished another book:



Book #52 Whispers Underground by Ben Aaronovitch (303 pp.)

This is the third book in the series by Ben Aaronovitch. Following the career of a constable in London, this book finds Peter and his mentor Nightingale trying to find leads to the Faceless Man who nearly killed Peter in the previous book, while Peter is also involved in a murder investigation with some uncanny elements. Aaronovitch definitely has that weird British sense of humor and a vivid imagination!

ETA and, oh! my December ER book finally showed up yesterday! It's not super-exciting--The Smart Woman's Guide to Eating Right with Diabetes, but I wanted it so I could better know how to manage my husband's eating (one cannot call it a diet!).

Go, Roni, go!

I love those big cups, Roni! The shops don't seem to have them any more, but maybe I should try a craft shop, for a pottery one. The jug is lovely too. I'm a blues and greens person, like you, it would seem!

Just catching up, Roni ...

>206 ronincats:: Ooh, 488 seems like such a high number. Every time you review a Cherryh book I think I'll bump her oeuvre up the list ... but Pride of Chanur is already in my possession ... and then there are library books and shiny things ... I guess I'll just get to Cherryh someday "soon."

>231 ronincats:: Aaranovitch's series also looks good. Into the swamp with it!

Does that photo show the true colours of your pots? They're so vivid! I love that blue. And nice, cuddly shapes, too.

Are you making yourself a set, or do you plan to sell them?

Your cups are rather like the blue Denby coffee set my best friend gave me for my wedding gift, which I wish we had the opportunity to use more often; I keep it for guests, and chuck the usual assortment of mugs in the microwave for everyday use.

My reading time has been patchy over the last couple of days, but I'm enjoying Rivers of London, the first Aaronovitch. I can't help surfacing occasionally to wonder if some of the language is uniquely British, though. When they're 'doing a ton down the Great West Road' for example (which was the route we use to take to get from our place to my uncle's on many a weekend), did you recognise that they were going at over 100mph?

Based on the cover of the edition I'm reading, the dog, the baby and so on, I have an idea of what direction we're heading in, but I'm not sure yet how it's going to work out. But to pick up on those clues, you might have to know something about traditional seaside entertainments of the past.

ETA: >234 swynn:: Hands off the shiny things!

235> Huh. I knew "doing a ton" was going fast, it never occurred to me it was an actual speed. Funny.

I'm an American who grew up with more British teachers than Americans and as many British friends as American, and then went to university in London later on. I'm always pausing and checking my idioms for Britishisms (and sometimes have to ask my audience if they understand a phrase). But I had to do the reverse when I was living in England - check my idioms for Americanisms.

Great - thought you'd enjoy Graceling, Roni. Yes, you learn more about Katsa's world in the well done other books. Hard to call them sequels exactly.

>237 jnwelch:: That's good to know. My husband and I were longing for a bit of fleshing-out ourselves after we read Graceling.

Hi Roni

Running in place and far behind in visiting threads. I'm dropping by to say hello and let you know you are missed.

Glad you enjoyed Graceling - very good point you make.

Hi, everyone. I've been working on Karen Armstrong's The Great Transformation and getting ready to start The Best of All Possible Worlds. We went to Balboa Park yesterday and the rose garden is in full bloom, as are the bottlebrush and coral and orchid trees--but I didn't have my camera.

Susan, thank you for the kind words about my pottery.

Steve, I'm delighted you made the decision to take The Pride of Chanur with you on your trip--good decision!!

Nina, I'm trying to make some matching cups to go with that last teapot. I know a fair amount of Britishisms from being a big Austen and Heyer and Cadell and Goudge fan, but not the more modern slang, and had no idea what "doing a ton" meant other than going fast.

Jenn, thanks for dropping in!

Es, I agree, it's good to know Cashore fleshes out her world in the later books.

Linda, so good to see you here! I know you are looking forward to the end of the semester very SOON!

Thanks, Lucy.

So we lost a great singer and a good man yesterday in Richie Havens. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozX0KazFoDk

And I know that May Mayhem is on the books for next month, but I was thinking of promoting a May Mars, Make-believe and Myth month, as the time between February Fantasy and September Science Fiction is just too long. Anyone want to join me?

I'll join you on the May thing...

I might be interested - what's your plan?

I need a month off, or I'd so be in. I'm going to try to read some of the things I have stacking up, waiting for me to read them, and if they fit into challenges or whatever, then so be it :)

Great, Kerry!

Lucy, nothing special, really. Post the thread and let everyone who wants to post about their reading in science fiction and fantasy and mythology for the month, just like Fantasy February. Those of us who are already reading books in that genre can just post there as well as on the thread, those who want to beef up their reading in that area can set some goals, and people like Es who have been doing group reads like crazy can just post anything she is already reading that fits, right Es? These type threads seem to generate more discussion and sharing about the books than the generic "What We Are Reading" thread for the genre.

ETA oh, what scans the best?

May Mars, Make-believe and Myth month

May Make-believe, Mars and Myth month

May Mars, Myth, and Make-believe month

Sounds good to me. You know I'm in for anything Fantastic.

ETA : I'll look out for those cups!

245> The last one, I think.

I _may_ come post there - I'll certainly be reading some SF/F, I always do - but I've got too many threads I'm supposed to be posting in now! So far behind in my garden thread...less bad, but still behind, in my reading thread.

Ah, yes, I can definitely post anything that fits :) I'm in.

*waving* at Roni

Hi Roni, I am planning on a lot of mysteries for May Murder and Mayhem, but I am sure that I will also be reading a fantasy or two during the month as well.

Re #245 - I like the last one as well. May Mars, Myth and Make-Believe has a nice ring to it.

I loved the Earthsea books when I was a teenager. But I've only read the trilogy - didn't even know there were more books to the series after that. I don't expect them to be as fantastic as the first three, but I'm sure I'll get to them someday.

Roni, your latest pottery and jewelry creations are wonderful. I hope you sell the jewelry you don't wear or want to give as gifts. Great way to recycle.

Roni, Donna is right...Your creations are wonderful...And, I might add that you are wonderful as well...

Popping by for a "hey" and a *wave*!

Your Sweet Peas are blooming. Nice.
We have trees, lots of trees blooming.
Earlier this evening, P said folks at work were complaining about allergies, and she responded "what? what's the problem? you just take an antihistamine every day, put eyedrops in your eyes, use an inhaler, and irrigate your sinuses. what's the problem?" Heh.

Oh, and I WILL be in San Diego in October of this year! I sense a meet-up brewing! :-D

I was wondering if there was a Mars theme!!

Nina, Jenn, Es--come when you can--there will be no pressure!

Waving back at Stasia!

Judy, that's the version I'll go with, then.

Rachel, the later Earthsea books are okay, but not as transcendent as the first three. But that may be because I read the first three at a much younger age, too.

Donna and Linda, thank you so much. Yes, Donna, my goal is to sell what I don't keep for myself.

Waving hi at Kathy.

Ellen, we'll have to see if we can make it happen. I should be back in town after the first week in October.

Lucy, no, the Mars is just an alliterative shortcut for science fiction.

I invite everybody to come join me on my new thread now!