Tamara's (Leperdbunny) reading 2013 gearing up for fabulous 2014! Thread 2

1) Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman
2) Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood
3) The Resurrectionist by E.B. Hudspeth
4) Angelopolis by Danielle Trussoni
5) Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz
6) Monsters of Templeton by Lauren Groff
7) The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides
8) Mr. Penumbra's 24 Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan
9) Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
10) Book of Killowen by Erin Hart
11) The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

5 * star - loved it, breathtaking, keeper, will re-read. Possibly life changing!
4.5 * star - very good, possible keeper
4 * star liked a lot
3.5 * star - very satisfying
3 * star a solid read, nothing extraordinary, worth 1 read
2.5 * star- failed potential but somewhat engaging
2 * star- A mixed bag not worth reading unless desperate
1.5 * star- It was a book
1 * star- Fail ! A bunch of words cobbled together

Currently Reading:




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Welcome Everyone, pull up a chair and stay awhile. :)

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

**spoilers ahead**

At the core of Kazuo's novel, it is a kind of screwed up love story (specifically a love triangle), and a coming of age story. I had to slog through bits in the middle because I found the teenage angst too much for me. Had I read this book maybe 5-10 years ago I could see liking it a lot more. It did have a gothic-atmospheric quality to it that I did enjoy, and I found the last 80 or so pages particularly engaging. Kazuo does a great job of making you read between the lines, which is mirrored by the way Kathy deals with interactions with her peers, too. Most of the story is kind of the high school angst that most teenagers deal with in their adolescence. Kazuo, through Kathy's eyes slowly builds a picture of what these "students" understand to be their role in the world, as donors. The "Guardians" i.e. teachers never come out to tell them verbatim why it is that they exist and why they are having a private education with no explanation about their family and parents. What really floored and frankly, frustrated me, was the level of complacency that they had about their condition, and why they didn't fight to have more of a human existence. Kathy, who's perspective we have in the novel seems very clinical through most of the novel, which drove me crazy. It seems through the novel the clones had trouble with expressing extreme emotion and I theorize this is why Tommy having such strong emotional reactions was shunned by his peers. I also think that there is a possibility the students were conditioned or "bred" to be less combatant. I think that Kazuo may be drawing parallels between these students and Jewish people during WWII or really any oppressed group. We learn that many of the people that interact with the students find them disturbing. I couldn't help but feel disgusted. The whole idea behind Hailsham giving them a humane existence still disturbs me because oppression and not having the freedom to be human to me is still inhumane. Also, I wonder if the last names of H. or J. make me wonder if this is the version/iteration of the clone model. Kazuo succeeds on making this a horror genre, a kind of horror wherein you see the ending coming in slow motion, but you can't stop what's happening, like a slow motion car crash. Then, trying to prove that they have souls because of the art they produce and still no one does anything- its like a cruel experiment. They prove their point, but still, no one does anything to help them.

It is a book that makes you think about lots of things. 3/5

Tamara, I read Never Let Me Go a few years ago.

It haunts me still. I really liked the book.

>2 leperdbunny: It took me a while to think more about the book, a full 24 hours and I am still reeling. Maybe one day I'll reread it to see if I can catch anything I didn't the first time.

#1: Aawww, cute puppy pic! :)

#2: Never Let Me Go sounds interesting. I might try reading it sometime, but I'll probably end up watching the movie first. Thanks for the rec! :)

>5 saraslibrary:, yes puppies+christmas=awesome! I thought they did a good job at the movie, actually, which is rare.

What a perfect specimen of Golden Retreiver, Tam to welcome in a quick-fire second thread. I can see that you will take some stopping next year!

>7 PaulCranswick: LOL, I hope to have a staggering thread count next year. ;)

#6: It definitely does (though my cats would wholeheartedly disagree). That's good to know about the movie. I saw on IMDb that it got a pretty high rating, too. I'll have to track that one down tomorrow.

>9 saraslibrary: Let me know what you think. :)

WHY IS IT SO COLD? brrrrrrrrr. . .

Um, I'm gonna guess it's cold because it's winter. ;)

>12 saraslibrary: I officially hate winter. That is all.

Really? I kind of like it. As long as I have heat and electricity, I'm good. :)

ETA: Oh, and running water.

I would not hate winter so much if only I had a job that let me stay home whenever I didn't feel like going out and scraping all the ice off my car and driving on slick roads. But I don't, so ... I hate winter.

Hi Tam- I wouldn't say I hate winter. If I didn't have the job, I currently have, I could handle winter much easier. As I get older, my tolerance and stamina for the cold, snow and ice, has diminished. We had 2 fairly decent winters in a row, so this wasn't a big surprise.

#15: Totally understood. :) Luckily, I live 1.5 miles from my job, so I just hoof it (with boots on, of course) if the roads are too bad.

Is everyone getting snow? Just curious. We're remarkably snow-free. Maybe a little frost in the a.m., but that's it. (Btw, I live in Washington state.)

>14 saraslibrary: My problem is that once I get out from under the blankets I get cranky!

>15 rosalita: I *loved* working from home for that very reason. We have a one car garage so I really wish we didn't have to deal with defrosting one of the cars.

>16 msf59: I know, it has been a mild few winters and now. . I'm sad. The first winter I moved here it was pretty brutal. Icky ick ick.

>17 saraslibrary: We keep getting snow, but not much, just an inch or so. The storm that came through a few days back through the midwest (Texas,Oklahoma,Arkansas,Indiana,Tennessee etc etc) hit some parts hard but not us. That's really the first snow and ice we've gotten.

#18: Solution: stay wrapped up in your blanket all day, no matter where you go--to the bathroom, grocery store, etc. ;)

I'm glad to hear you guys weren't hit hard by the snow. I hope it doesn't get too bad when winter officially comes around. (fingers crossed)

We did not get hit with snow - we got hit with ice. Snow, I can deal with. Ice is a whole different matter. I flat refuse to drive on it - I made Kerry take me back and forth to work. Some of my friends were without power for upwards of 20 hours. Luckily, we did not have that problem.

Oh, ice is definitely the worst, Stasia! Especially for those of us who are mobility challenged and use a cane to walk even in the best conditions. I'm terrified of slipping and falling on the ice.

>19 saraslibrary: Bwahahah!

>20 alcottacre: I hear ya, I hate ice! For some reason places like Oklahoma and Texas get harder hit when it comes to ice I think.

>21 rosalita: I am totally clumsy - I hate ice!

I am discovering a lot more about my tastes this time 'round. . I *really* love magical realism, dystopian novels, and police procedurals. :) Kind of interesting to discover that. I used to love YA, and not to say I don't enjoy it but I guess as I have gotten older the angst isn't my cup of tea anymore. I guess I am in an introspective mood today.
So, it is kind of snowing a lot today. I usually volunteer for dog walks at the shelter on Wednesdays. Halp! I don't wanna go out in the cold, but I *love* cute dogs! I am so lucky to have two great dogs that I just absolutely love to pieces. I realized a couple days back that I really need to get a warm coat for Java. She's much more likely to go on car rides and such and her poor tummy was soo cold. (She's kind of lacking on tummy hair, I guess). I don't understand how people can keep their dogs out in the snow and ice. I freak out if they are out there more than 5-10 minutes to potty. I keep a couple of clean blankets in the car and so she got wrapped up on our car ride. I was looking online last night and I don't see a whole lot of jackets that have good coverage on the tummy. Some seem to have flaps that kind of go under and have velcro or something so that there is kind of a flap for tummy coverage. Any recommendations would be appreciated. I was thinking, if I can't find anything maybe I'll make one. We'll see.

I am just *loving* Book of Killowen. If you like police procedurals, romance, or historical fiction or any combination thereof, I highly recommend this series. I hope she will do more or a second series. Hart is a talented writer. I saw some interesting recommendations for this genre, so I am kind of excited to try some other authors.

Tam, I hate to see dogs left out in the below-freezing temps, too. I'm not sure I understand why someone would have a dog if they don't want it in the house. Have you ever posted pics of your pups?

I'll have to look for "Killowen" at the library. Sounds pretty good!

Java and I cuddling while reading. :) She is a Shepherd, Collie, Doberman? mix we think. Java just turned three this summer, so she's still a baby.



Sugar, with a fresh haircut. She is a chihuahua Pom? mix we think. Sugar is 10, and she's my little old lady. I adopted her at 2 1/2. I wish I could have seen her as a puppy.

Oh hey! That's the very same edition of Oryx and Crake that I'm reading right now! :)

> 26 It is a good version! They look like cherubic Angels to me.

Well, I wouldn't go that far. I was too embarrassed to take it to the checkout counter at my local library for many months...

>28 Ape: awww! Most of our libraries have self check out but I guess I am a heathen because I didn't even think of that.

The only time I ever interact with other humans is at checkout counters, so I should probably appreciate that. But of course I don't, because interacting with humans at checkout counters is surely one of the most unpleasant things imaginable! Except at libraries. I would go so far as to say I enjoy checkout counters at libraries. ...so long as I'm not wanting to checkout a book with naked people on it. :P

>30 Ape: lol

You know what is perfect on a snowy evening? Chicken and dumplings and hot tea. ;) Nom nom nom

Those are two adorable pups! We have 3 little rescues. I haven't figured how to post pictures yet!

Hiya Diane! Thank you! I love rescues. :) Click here for how to do all the fun stuff! I just took a peek at your profile, some cute pups!

Chicken and dumplings are AMAZING! *Drools*

Also, I just realized that the puppy in post one has the perfect "Sexy and fierce" facial expression all the popular models use. That weird combination of "I'm an innocent little school girl" and "I'm going to rip your clothes off and eat you alive right this second." Except with the puppy it's more like "I'm a cute little puppy" and "The second your turn your back I'm going to eat your shoes and pee on the carpet."

Not that I haven't seen a human model use that last one a time or two. :P

Thanks, Tamara. Good thing you looked at my profile to see the pups since it will take me awhile to figure out that fun stuff. My daughter's name is Tamara! I've loved that name since I was a little girl and saw Miss Hickory (NC) who was named Tamara. A beautiful name not often heard.

> 34 lol, I love that look puppies give.

>35 Dianekeenoy: I don't know a whole lot of people named Tamara. I like it, too! I think my mom got it from a romance novel or something like that.

Grant says he thinks the roads may be bad tomorrow. . Is it bad I'm crossing my fingers and toes so he'll stay home? :P

wow this is just beautiful!

Your puppies are adorable, Tamara! So cute. We need more puppy pics around LT to offset all the kitties. :-D

>39 rosalita: Agreed!

Dis is cute. That is all.

Hi Tam- Just trying to visit a few threads before my eyelids become to heavy. Hope you had a good day. Love the swans.

Super adorable! :)

>42 msf59: Awww, I did have a great day! I love swans, mother and baby are too sweet.

>43 Ape: I know, right?

#25: Omg, so cute (both of them)!!

>45 saraslibrary: Ty, they try. :P

For some reason, I was dreaming last night of Gloria by Laura Branigan, disco goddess. Random song to have playing in my dream! So, apparently this was either about a prostitute or a woman looking for love in all the wrong places. Color me surprised. :P

Today, it is snowy! The roads are terrible, so we are staying home as much as possible. Dr. Tamara says books, movies and coffee. Yep yep. :)

Your skies above the clouds pic is a stunner, Tam. Hope to see a little bit of it myself tomorrow as I am off to Hanoi for a few days of business.

Have a lovely weekend.

Morning Tam- I wish my day could be just coffee, books, football and then beer, but we have a family function in the early afternoon. At least it's at a restaurant so it shouldn't go to long. Have a great Sunday!

Wow... sorry I missed the opening of a new thread. It's really beautiful! Not caught up, but at least checking in to wish you a happy sunday.

>48 PaulCranswick: Oooh, I hope so too. I hope you have a good time in Hanoi, Paul. :)

>49 msf59: You too, Happy Sunday!

>50 mckait: Welcome, welcome! Happy Sunday!

I am trying not to be stressed out today. Snap out of it, Tam! Ugggghhh! My friend I think might be annoyed with me for something that is out of my control. I'm trying not to dwell on it, and I don't feel like talking to her about it just yet.

Hang in there, Tam! I hope it all works out eventually.

*Hugs*

>53 rosalita: & 54 Thank you!

Book of Killowen was yet another stunner from this author. She mixes together police procedural/murder mystery, historical fiction, romance, forensic anthropology, and Irish culture into an engaging storyline. In all the stories she has one historical "bog man" story and one modern murder mystery as well as the romance of the two main characters. To me, her writing is so engaging and flows so well I don't feel like I am reading at all. ( I know that sounds strange, but it feels like I am watching a very polished movie or show in my mind). Make sure when starting this series that you read them in order, as there is a background story (Particularly with the main character Cormac Maguire's father) that sort of resolves in this fourth book). My only complaint is that I did feel like the romance between Cormac and Nora fell a little flat. I felt like Hart could have spent a little more time with the romance or some kind of twist that way to keep the readers interested. 3.5/5

What's for dinner? I'm pretty excited about this meal. Bon Appetit!

Hi Tam- That soup looks fantastic. My wife made a chicken and vegetable soup too, that was amazing, along with some home-made bread. Mmmmmmmm...

That looks delicious! *Drools*

It was delicious but a tad light for dinner. I did have tortillas for dipping though. :)

I am visiting my parents next week in Oklahoma and I definitely will want some reading material. I am trying to decide what to bring. . Probably three hardbacks and my Kindle should be enough. Here are the contenders:

A Christmas Carol : and other Christmas books by Charles Dickens
The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
The year of the flood by Margaret Atwood
The Maze Runner by James Dashner
The Scorch Trials by James Dashner
Nexus by Ramez Naam
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (Kindle)

I need to plug in my Kindle to see if I have any other goodies on there. . It has been a while. Mr. Leperdbunny also wants to have a couple of books (at least) ready to go on audio and we also have the book we are reading together for the loooongggg drive. I'm kind of fudging a little by breaking into some of the books I've been wanting to read for 2014 but it is *only* one week early. So sue me. :P *Thinks of ways to avoid clothes packing for more books*

Soup is very popular in this house.. We have it all winter long, not so much in the summer. Hope your day is a good one !

Mmmm soup... we have it all the time here too right now. I like to make it when the temperatures drop, and I have a few recipes I go to that are staples. We had Creamy Cauliflower Basil soup yesterday!

Also, The Maze Runner series is fantastic. I thought it ended better than the Hunger Games trilogy, to be honest, though it is just as brutal in some ways. If you choose to bring it (and bring the second book at the same time, trust me on this one), I really hope you enjoy it. :)

>61 mckait: Same here, we love soup and stews.

62> Ooh Cauliflower Basil??? *Drools* We've been subbing cauliflower and sweet potatoes for a lot of recipes requiring potatoes and I love basil!!

I heard this series was really good so I am excited to read it! Thanks for stopping by Faith. :)

Mmmmm, Dinner today is Rogan Josh i.e. onions,carrots, and beef (recipe says lamb but beef is great too!) with the Rogan Josh sauce and lots of pepper! Recipe is here. We actually used a sauce by Saffron Road brand, it is YUMMY! I'm not a spicy person at all and this stuff is good. We also make rice and cook it in coconut milk.

I posted this over on the "interesting articles" section but thought I would post it here:

Forget the selfie, here's the "shelfie". I think that the article is kind of assuming the group that would take a selfie would be the same that would show off their books. I beg to differ. Just sayin'.

Tam- I like your vacation book choices. Of course, I love the Gaiman, Atwood & Collins and I also liked The Maze Runner but never did read the follow-up books. I heard they weren't as good.
That dinner looks mighty tasty.

>66 msf59: Thanks!

Mr. Leperdbunny had more vacation time than he anticipated so he took off half day today and full day tomorrow to officially kick off his vacation. He will not be going back to the office until Jan. 2nd,2014. I am super duper excited he's home. :)

A Graveyard Book was a fun romp into a new world that Gaiman created about a baby boy (Nobody "Bod" Owens) who escapes the clutches of an evil murder and finds himself under the protection of a ghostly cast of characters in a cemetery. It did have that classic Gaiman feel to it but something else? Maybe Dickens, Henson, and Burton all rolled into one. Particularly some parts where Nobody Owens gets taken into an underworld of sorts where he gets thrown around by Ghouls who are described as monkey-like had me picturing in my mind's eye a Henson-esque world. I felt like the last 100 or so pages fell a little flat story wise and I would have liked to have heard a better explanation for the evil group behind Bod's attempted murder ( and his family's). 3/5

>63 leperdbunny:: In fact, here's the recipe! *CLICKY* I love it because it literally takes 5 minutes to make. Steam the cauliflower, dump everything into a blender or food processor (or pot, if you have an immersion blender), blend and eat!!! I do recommend doubling the recipe, however. I find that 3 cups of broth gets it to the right thickness for us when doubled, but add more or less depending on your preference for soup texture.

This other one (*CLICKY*) is also a staple around our house, and takes only 5-7 minutes to make (depending on how long it takes you to cut up sweet potatoes / onion). Throw everything into a crock pot, wait 3 hours, blend and BAM! We dump parmesan cheese on both these soups and add shredded rotisserie chicken to make them fuller meals. :D I'd say we eat both of these once a week right now. Cheap, quick to make, and delicious!

In happy anticipation of more fun and hijinks in 2014, Tamara:



Celebrate the return of the light with feasts, merriment, and gratitude for all the wonders of this wide green earth.

RMD

oops I put this over on the old thread first *derp*

>69 dk_phoenix: YUM! We love love soup/stew in our house so I'm sure we will try these very soon. Thank you!

>70 richardderus: Thank you RD, what a pretty picture, too!

Stealing this from Richard:



I love Frieda Kahlo and I love the message. I used to think that I internalized reading in my own way but as I begun to get older and speak with other readers (especially on here) I realize that my weirdness is not weird at all. :)

The snow is melting! The SNOW IS MELTING! *Does zoomy happy dance*

Interesting soup ideas and great graphics :)

I love cauliflower, too!

Our snow is melting too, thank goodness.

>74 mckait: I used to not like cauliflower when I was little but I love it now!

I am watching Dracula the show and I love the clothes. I know they aren't entirely historically accurate, but they are beautiful. What I would love to wear if I had a lot of money. .



Mina Harker's character on the right wears a lot of sheer, pretty patterned blouses and high waisted, cinched skirts. She also wears a lot of pretty tailored overcoats.

"The snow is melting! The SNOW IS MELTING!" I am dancing right along with you. The old white guy boogie!

>76 msf59: Woohoo, I love old white guy boogie!

I've just about had a conniption over here! I think most people know it is very uncouth to write in a library book or mar it in any other fashion (like food stains, bending the cover, etc). So WHY, on God's green earth, do people think it is acceptable to dog ear the pages because they are too flipping lazy to use a piece of paper???!!??? I am reading a book right now that has suffered thus, greatly. Mind you, I have no issue with what you do with your own paid-for book. But a library book? Harumph! I say.

^^^This.

Agreed! Dog-earing IS damage! If every person who checked out a book dog-eared the pages, the book would be a mess in no time. Is it so hard to toss a loose piece of paper into it? Sheesh.

However, as much as I love libraries, I have to admit that I do so loathe how the damage books as well. I know it hard to avoid with paperbacks, but is it so hard to put the plastic stuff on first, then put the stickers on that?

When I buy ex-library books I cut off the plastic (and usually end up with a like-new hardcover book for practically nothing) but I bought one recently that had the plastic and the flap jacket GLUED down to the inside cover. *Shudders*

Dog-eared pages and purposefully cracked spines are enough to send me into a blind rage. If it's your own book, fine! Just... don't do it where I can see. HAH.

Once I saw a man purchase a book, open it up to the middle, and crack the spine right in front of the teller. He made some smarmy joke about it too... I wanted to jump the line and slap him for his insolence.

...er, I'm not a violent person, really... o_O

>79 Ape: Glue?? Shudder indeed!

>80 dk_phoenix: LOL! Okay, I must be dumb, but I guess I don't even seen the point of cracking a spine? The book seems to immediately fall apart.

Happy Day to you Tamara!

>82 Whisper1: Thank you Miss Linda!

I have never dog-eared a book in my long long life! And will never do so. Should I do the old white guy boogie, again?
Use a bookmark for crying out loud!

>84 msf59: Preach it! Yes, this is a boogie zone!!!

Ugh! I hate being female! I am on a medication that calms me a lot i.e. anti-anxiety/depression/all that emotional stuff medication BUT I can tell when I am having a hormone related moment sometimes that maybe isn't just normal emotions. . I can't imagine what pregnant women must go through. *shudders* I felt like bursting into tears earlier but I didn't. I'm proud of myself.

I can't wait for tomorrow! I am traveling to Oklahoma for the holidays to see my family and friends. . .So excited! I should be still checking and updating regularly, though. (With the exception of tomorrow- 14 hr drive- yikes!).

Have a safe trip, Tam!

>88 rosalita: Thank you!!!

I am pretty busy today so I will try to catch up with threads on Tuesday, for those of you who are wondering where I am. :)

Have yourself a merry holiday!

>91 leperdbunny: Thank you Linda, so pretty!

Tam, you have graced the threads with charm, warmth and energy during the last quarter upon your return to the group. Looking forward to more of the same in 2014. Have a wonderful Christmas.

>92 PaulCranswick: What a beautiful classic card! Thank you!

I hope everyone is having a good day today with family and friends. :) Happy Holidays!

Hope you have a great day, Tam, filled with love and reading. I am so happy, you decided to come back into the fold. It's nice having you around.

>95 msf59: Thank you, Marky-Mark!

Merry Christmas, Tam! Hope it was filled with fabulous!

Beautiful picture, Mamie! Thank you. :)

Hope your Christmas was full of warmth & celebration! :)

>99 dk_phoenix: Thank you so much!

Come join me on the new thread:

2014 Thread. See you there!