TinaV95's Mackdaddy May and Jumping Jehoshaphat June

My gorgeous wife and I just celebrated our first wedding anniversary. I've been promising pictures of the couture stationery I purchased for her from my college friend. I'm late, but here you go!



Here's a closer shot so you can see a little better. This is with my phone camera; so excuse the quality.



Last shot: This is the back of the card... so you can see how gorgeous the marbling on the paper is



And that's Angel Robinson at WriteRobinson.com

She's amazing. She lost everything in Katrina. Worked in the Mayor's office at the time of the storm. Instead of trying to recapture her life, she decided to roll the dice and live her dream and create her own business. She is my hero. We were both psychology and sociology majors in college and worked on projects together but weren't terribly close. When Katrina hit, I was devastated for her and we have been close ever since. She has inspired me much more than she will ever know!

My completed and intended plans for Mark's American Author Challenge:

January: Willa Cather Death Comes for the Archbishop Successful! Loved!!

February: William Faulkner The Hamlet Completed; barely. My first AND LAST Faulkner. Loathed the chapter about the intellectually disabled character. What the heck???

March: Cormac McCarthy The Road Completed

April: Toni Morrison Beloved Completed; LOVED!

May: Eudora Welty Delta Wedding Just could not finish...made it to page 80 and gave up My sincerest apologies to Mrs. Welty.

June: Kurt Vonnegut Slaughterhouse Five Thoroughly enjoyed!

July: Mark Twain The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Waiting on my shelf

August: Philip Roth

September: James Baldwin

October: Edith Wharton

November: John Updike I barely made it through The Witches of Eastwick, so I may boycott this month BUT... Roberta says I can read a short story and still be considered a purist, so there you go!! :)

December: Larry Watson Montana 1948 on my shelf

2014 at a Glance

Read in January
1. Hexed 4.5 stars
2. Death Comes for the Archbishop 4.5 stars
3. The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner 3.5 stars
4. Midnight Riot 4 stars
5. Changeless 4 stars
6. Babbitt 2.5 stars
7. The Impossible Knife of Memory 4.5 stars
8. The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie 3 stars

Read in February
9. The Grimoire of the Lamb 4.5 stars
10. Hard Choices for Loving People 4.5 stars
11. Death Masks 4 stars
12. Scarlet 4 stars
13. Glitches 3.5 stars
13.5 The Queen's Army 3.5 stars
14. Betwixt and Between 4 stars
15. The Hamlet 2 stars (I'm being generous here...I'm peeved with his treatment of the intellectually disabled; sue me)
16. Blameless 4 stars
17. Hammered 4 stars

Read in March
18. Heartless 4 stars
19. Moon Over Soho 4 stars
20. The Road 3.5 stars
21. Leviathan 4 stars
22. Timeless 4 stars
23. Whispers Underground 4 stars

Read in April
24. Oryx and Crake 4.5 stars
25. Just One Damned Thing After Another 4.5 stars
26. Divergent 4 stars (re-read)
27. Insurgent 4 stars (re-read)
28. Tricked 4 stars
29. Beloved 5 STARS!!
30. Fun Home 4.5 stars
31. Wonder 5 STARS!
32. Fat Vampire 1 star

Read in May
33. A Symphony of Echoes 4 stars
34. Broken Homes 4.5 stars
35. Red Rising 4.5 stars
36. The Cat Who Talked to Ghosts 3 stars
37. Blue is the Warmest Color 4 stars
38. The Cat Who Lived High 3 stars
39. Allegiant 2 stars
40. Experiencing God 4 stars
41. Delta Wedding 2 stars -- Did Not Finish
42. The Coldest Girl in Coldtown 3.5 stars
43. Born Wicked 4 stars
44. The Cat Who Knew a Cardinal 3 stars

Read in June
45. Written in Red 4.5 stars
46. Star Cursed 4 stars
47. Trapped 4 stars
48. Being United Methodist: What it Means, Why it Matters 4 stars
49. Slaughterhouse Five 4 stars
50. Enchanted, Inc. 4 stars
51. Gone Girl 4.5 stars

List of 2014 Book Purchases

To increase my accountability and guilt simultaneously!
NOTE: **These numbers do not count e-book purchases, since they don't take up space in the house!**

1. Still Life
2. The Miracle Worker
3. Hush: Moving From Silence to Healing
4. The Sexual Healing Journey
5. Divergent re-read
6. Montana 1948
7. The Heart is a Lonely Hunter
8. The Daniel Plan
9. You are Not Your Brain
10. Clockwork Prince
11. Changeless read
12. Wintergirls -- signed by the author & got to meet her SO THIS SHOULDN'T COUNT AGAINST ME!! :)
13. The Impossible Knife of Memory -- DITTO above read
14. Blameless read
15. Heartless read
16. Second Wind -- again, signed by the author, so it really shouldn't count in my totals ;)
17. Little Girl Blue
18. Fear Has a Name -- the author was at the store signing books and came up to me as I was shopping. I couldn't resist someone brave enough to do that. So now I have a new series with a signed first book.
19. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
20. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
21. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
22.My Utmost for His Highest
23. No Greater Love
24. Bad Girls
25. Every Visible Thing
26. Quentins
27. Glimpses of Heaven
28. The Wit and Wisdom of Abraham Lincoln
29. Leviathan read
30. Behemoth
31. Written in Red read
32. Fun Home read
33. Blue is the Warmest Color read

Number of Books Culled

1-11-14
Took 14 books to the used book store!

3-1-14
Took 12 books to the used book store

Sometime in March or April, sent approximately 10 books to a friend. ;) Nothing like keeping meticulous records, huh?

My ongoing series are listed on Fict Fact. Come find me!! www.fictfact.com. I'm SweetT95. :)

Favorite 2014 Reads

Best Literary
Death Comes for the Archbishop
Oryx and Crake
Beloved

Best Fantasy
Hexed
Just One Damned Thing After Another
Broken Homes
Red Rising -- also YA, but fits more here IMO

Best Young Adult
The Impossible Knife of Memory
Scarlet
Wonder
Written in Red

Best "Other"
Fun Home
Experiencing God
Gone Girl

All the touchstones are gone... I'll work on that.

All yours! Post away!!

Hello Tina, looks like I am first. Happy new thread and have a great week.

First place prize to Rae!!!! :)

Hey there! Have a happy week, dear one!

Book 34
Broken Homes



All I can say to this one is OUCH! I absolutely hate being left in a lurch and this one ended on such a cliffhanger that I am in pain! I totally was blind sided by the twist at this ending and I'm a bit sad to tell the truth. I was warned by other reviews that this was a cliffhanging ending, but I truly did not think it would be this bad... I am now dying for the next installment to come out! Hurry up, Aaronovitch!

Happy new thread, Tina! I am with you on the Broken Homes cliffhanger. Ready and waiting for the next installment...

I LOVE the stationary that you bought for Lisa! It is GORGEOUS!! Happy Anniversary to the both of you!

Still have to catch up with your previous thread, but I wanted to stop in and say hello here first. Hello!

Book 35
Red Rising



How do I review such a fantastic book full of twists and turns without giving anything away???? I will do my best to give this a go. I refuse to write reviews these days (as you've all seen); I prefer to just tell you my gut reactions to the stories as I see it. It is going to be hard to do that without spoiling anything here!

First... what kind of book is this in the first place?? Is it young adult? Dystopian? Fantasy? Science Fiction? To all of these questions, I'd respond yes. Red Rising is the type of novel that defies pigeonholing, but meets the standard criteria for all of the above. I found it to be one of the most interesting and page turning books I've read in a while (on par with the response I had to Richard's recent warbles). This warble / recommendation came to me courtesy of Ro... who apparently knows me quite well.

This one caught me from the first two sentences... "I would have lived in peace. But my enemies brought me war." Set on Mars, Red Rising finds us in a world where the earth has been used up and civilization is now on other planets. People are different colors and the color of your skin determines your place in society. Top in society are the Golds... lowest in society are the Reds.

Reds live on Mars; our hero, Darrow lives on Mars and is a helldiver; one who operates machinery to drill into Mars' surface to mine the chemical which will make the planet inhabitable for others to live.

It took me the first two chapters to learn the lingo of the land... gravity boots, bloodydamn, etc. Brown has created a fully developed society with a language all its own.

Shortly after we are introduced to young Darrow, he is struck by tragedy that I won't spoil here, but it brings him face to face with a life full of lies that the society has been teaching to all the Reds. He finds that the life that he and all of his family have always known is a sham and that they are the slaves of society.

This crisis and the tragedy that brought him to this point changes the entire course of the book and where we go from here. Darrow is then tasked with a mission that seems like a suicide mission -- but he agrees. He has nothing left to lose. He will take the task...

Oh, I just can't say more without giving away the goods!

Just trust me. Go read this one!

I pre-ordered the second one as soon as I finished 100%. Darn Kindle pre-ordering. I thought it was already ready and was set to go straight to the second book!

Alas, another wait for me...

>12 Crazymamie: Hi Mamie!!! Good to see you! Glad to know I'm not the only one 'torn up' about the Broken Homes cliff hanger! :)

Books 36 & 38

The Cat Who Talked to Ghosts & The Cat Who Lived High



Short, cozy mysteries... featuring a duo of Siamese cats. Neither cat talks as in some of the other cat mysteries. In this series, the cat is apparently psychic and 'digs up' clues to give to his owner, Jim Qwilleran a former reporter turned millionaire who still dabbles in the small town newspaper and tends to be around when crimes occur.

Nothing literary earth shaking here. Just good for late night sleeplessness. :)

Book 37

Blue is the Warmest Color



From the back cover:
Blue is the Warmest Color is a tender, bittersweet, full-color graphic novel about the elusive, reckless magic of love: a lesbian love story for the ages that bristles with the energy of youth, rebellion and the eternal light of desire.

That's a much more eloquent description than I could manage! Clementine is a junior in high school when she begins to feel like she isn't normal... she has a boyfriend that she can't sleep with. A friend kisses her and she gets all "electricity" in her nether regions (my words, not in the GN)... Then her gay friend invites her to go with him to a gay bar and she meets a blue haired college girl named Emma and is entranced...

There are parts of the story that sting. There are parts that did not ring true for me. But everyone's experience in coming of age and learning who they are happens differently and at a different pace.

What I found lovely was this exchange from Emma when she was telling a frightened Clementine about how supportive her mother was when she was coming to terms with who she was...

Emma (the blue haired, older girl speaking)
My mother started to understand. She came to me to talk to me about it. I would have never dared take the first step. She didn't push me one way or the other. She just wanted me to be happy and accept who I was. And little by little I began to understand that there were many types of love. We do not choose the one we fall in love with, and our perception of happiness is our own and is determined by what we experience...

Oh how I wish that every LGBTQ youth had a parent like that. Many lives would be saved if there were more responses like that. The other parents in the story are more like what most kids face. But I choose to remember this passage instead.

Tina...Some mighty exciting reading going on...Congrats. And, I love the stationery. How very beautiful. What a special gift!

Tina I'm glad you loved Red Rising I knew you would!!! Kudos for preordering Golden Son. This kid can write!

Book 5 in the Peter Grant mysteries takes places out of London! NO!!! I love the London aspect but let's hope this next one is good.

I need to get to Blue is the warmest color.

My indie bookstore guru strongly recommended Red Rising but I'm waiting either for the paperback or the library acquisition! Good to know you liked it so much, though.

(So now I'm #17 in line at the library!)

ETA the Aaronovitch ending blew my mind too.

Happy new thead, lady!

Happy New thread, Tina and Happy Anniversary! I also liked Blue is the Warmest Color but was very disappointed in the film version, which was 3 hours long!!

Re: Midnight Crossroad by Charlaine Harris

One thing different with this book. All of her other books have had one POV. This one has multiple POV's because the "main character" seems to be the town itself. The head hopping might turn some people off.

OOo! Still time to say "Happy New Thread, Tina!* I'm happy that you're happy with your current reading - sounds good. I came over to say that you absolutely must read Blonde as soon as you can get a copy and bookhorn it in. I think that you will be mesmerized and thrilled since you already have so much background. (JFK comes off a perfect bottom feeder if that helps at all.)

Happy new thread Tina! The stationary is gorgeous, I love the bold colors.

>11 TinaV95: I know, right! It's so so cruel!

>16 TinaV95: Tina, I have watched the movie, Blue is the Warmest Colour, and it is quite amazing as well - something for you to look forward to.

What are you planning to reading from Philip Roth? Wanna read Nemesis?

I am also extremely glad to see your October author, she is a real favourite of mine, right up there with Conrad.

That stationery is beautiful! The wifey is a lucky lady.

Ditto what Cousin Paws said. I just love marbled papers on the insides of book covers and just about anywhere else! Red Rising is now on my list of books to borrow from the library. I'm sure it'll be a good one. Thanks to your rec I am now a big Iron Druid/Hounded fan.

Tina, it was the last thread, but let me second the recommendation of Leverage TV show. I've only seen the first two seasons but I've watched episodes here and there on the ION channel and it is a show I think you would enjoy. The cast is great.

Hi Tina! Happy New Thread!

The inside of those envelopes is/are gorgeous!

>16 TinaV95: So well put. It's a bit different, but not really so much: at my recent training, I presented data on the difference between the experience of trans youth with supportive parents vs. the experience of trans youth with unsupportive parents. The data totally speak for themselves, but here is my favorite:

55% of trans youth with unsupportive parents report housing problems.
0% of trans youth with supportive parents report housing problems.

Go figure.

Oh, and I liked the graphic novel a lot, too. :-)

Hi Tina! Happy new thread! Not sure if they have National Nursing Home week or something similar here, but they really should if they don't. Love the beautiful paper you had made for Lisa, such a good idea! I had no idea what to get my hubby for our first anniversary being paper, so I ended up getting mini golf gift cards (we had a blast at the mini golf and I won), they were one paper :p, close enough. Hope you are sleeping better my friend!

Happy new thread, Tina! :)

I have Red Rising on my to borrow from the library list, but my goodness your review is making me antsy to put in on hold...haha!
Your 1 year anniversary stationary is gorgeous as well. Happy, happy, Tuesday to you!

I love the new thread, and especially for the choice of topping with your newly created stationery. Gorgeous -- can imagine Lisa would love it.

Lots of wonderful reading going on here. Hate when Insomnia hits. GLad you've put that behind you.

I'm so far behind, Tina, that I'm just going to start fresh with your new thread — apologies for all I missed. I am right there with you on Broken Homes, panting for the new one to be released. And the stationery is gorgeous; I hope Lisa was pleased with it. I have bookmarked your friend's site to check out for gift possibilities myself. Oh, and I heartily recommend the series "Leverage" — it's absolutely wonderful. I have all five seasons on DVD, so let me know if you'd like to borrow them!

Okay, you got me with Red Rising - I purchased it right after reading your review several days ago and forgot to post to tell you so. And guess what? I bought it then for a mere $1.99 on Kindle and today when I checked to read the description off to the kids it was $9.99!! SO thanks for your timely review which saved me some money!

And Leverage - we all love it here at the Pecan Paradisio. It is Birdy's favorite series - she owns all of the seasons! Just saying...

I'm another person waiting impatiently for the next Aaronovich book.

I have Red Rising borrowed from the library. May have to read that one next.

I enjoyed Midnight Crossroad. It starts a little slowly because she's introducing so many new and different characters, but once it gets going, it's a fun read.

Happy new thread, Tina!

Book 39



I've had issues with insomnia again the last few nights so I've dedicated my time to reading this huge waste of a book. My review of Allegiant is a mere two words long.

I'm PISSED!!

I now know why I was warned not to read it and to save my time.

Roberta, if you want my copies of Insurgent & this one, ill send them with my next shipment.

I shall not rant. I shall not rant. I shall not rant.

Piyush, I am sorry to have done that to you!

Calmer responses to your posts above coming directly. :)

>17 Whisper1: Thanks Linda. You're very kind!

>18 luvamystery65: I just can't imagine Peter Grant being anywhere BUT London! Does.not.compute. :) I can let you borrow Blue... it's a super quick read...

>19 ronincats: Ooh indie bookstore guru has great taste!! That's great news! Another mind blown by Ben! Feeling less & less alone...

>20 scaifea: Thanks Amber!

>21 msf59: Hi Mark! Thanks for the well wishes & kindness... I'm perplexed how they got 3 hours out of that relatively thin GN??

>22 Morphidae: OH!!! That might explain a lot! It's harder to stay in the story when an author does that. Roth just did the same thing in Allegiant and I struggled with that aspect...figuring which character's voice I was hearing in my head as I was reading. Thanks for that explanation.

>23 LizzieD: I'll check my library after I sign off here Peggy! Thanks!

>24 Thebookdiva: Thanks Abby! I value your artist's opinion!

>25 BekkaJo: Mean & evil to his fans, I'd say! :)

>26 PiyushC: You didn't think the movie was overly long? Mark mentioned above that it was 3 hours! Seems like a long time... I didn't have anything picked out yet for Roth so I could read Nemesis. I just need to be sure my library has it. I'll check when done here...

>27 PawsforThought: Aww. Thank you, Paws!

>28 Fourpawz2: I didn't know how gorgeous marbled papers could be! I'm honored I had a little to do with your Iron Druid fandom, Charlotte. There were many others singing the praises of that fine series much better than I, so I appreciate you saying that. I hope you enjoy Red Rising when you get to it. Lots of violence...go in forewarned.

>29 luvamystery65: Leverage, huh? Now you're warbling TV shows at me as well? Have you no limits? ;)

>30 EBT1002: Hi Ellen! Wow for that data. No need for fancy graphs or charts there. The numbers say it all pretty darn clearly. Just wow.

>31 NicolePatrick: Hi Nic! I love your first anniversary gift! It totally worked!!

Wow, I missed the start of your thread, sorry , I will try to keep up better now that I have found you again :)

>32 jolerie: Hey Valerie! Go get Red Rising soon so we can chat! :)

>33 michigantrumpet: Hey there Marianne...guess I'm not over the insomnia. I take sleeping meds already so I'm not sure what's up. I have some other medical stuff going on, so it's probably all related. :(

>34 rosalita: Hi Julia! I've missed you! Don't worry about catching up. I rare stay cause caught up these days myself. Another Broken Homes broken heart, huh? He got me and you both! Lisa did love her stationery...so much that she cried. :) Angel is wonderful to work with...gifts for yourself or others! So you're another fan of Leverage? Looks like I'm going to need to check this one out!

>35 Crazymamie: Yay on saving money on Red Riisng! I hope the Pecan gang loves it as much as I did!!! Yet another series of votes for Leverage makes it official that ill be checking Netflix and adding it to my queue if it is available.

>36 BookLizard: I see there are many of us waiting NOT so patiently for the next Aaronovich to be released! Please come back & let me know what you think of Red Rising!! :) I'm going to give Midnight Crossroad a chance...despite mixed reviews. Both you & Morphy now have been favorable so I'm going to give it a whirl!

>37 MickyFine: Thanks Mickey!

38> Sorry you're so pissed. Did you hate the whole book or just the ending?

Sorry to hear about the bad reaction...but I'm curious so I'd want you to rant...hehe. Half the fun of LT is hearing people express how much they love or hate a book. But, of course I wouldn't want to stir up negative feelings... ;)
Hope your next read is pleasant!

>45 BookLizard: & >46 jolerie:

I can't say too much, Valerie, without massive spoilers! That's the main reason I didn't rant too much! LOL

The ending, Liz!!! Now, don't get me wrong... I was disappointed through most of the book and where it "went" once the group got where they were going and found out what they found out... but the ending is what made me almost throw the book across the room!! Have you read it?? Do you know of what I speak?? ;)

Well, that's one series I'd already decided not to read, based on the LT comments, so I'm even gladder after seeing your reaction, Tina!

Tina, that's one negative review that almost makes me want to read the book, so I can figure out what made you so mad!

xoxo

47> I know of what you speak. It was certainly not the ending I was hoping for, but I thought her decision was true to her character at least.

>49 banjo123: LOL - I was thinking that exact same thing!

49 & 52> You'd have to read all 3 books to get the full effect. I still enjoyed the trilogy even though the ending was . . . disappointing. At least it was kind of unexpected and that was refreshing for change. Kind of.

Sorry to hear your last read was a fizzer, to say the least. Hopefully your next read is a whole lot better. Happy weekend Tina!

So, you didn't like Insurgent?

*ducks*

I chose not to go there, it just didn't call out to me. I guess I made the right choice!

Hope you have a great weekend!

>48 ronincats: I really enjoyed Divergent and Insurgent was okay, but after the disappointment of Allegiant, I may have to agree with that decision Roni. I would hate you to miss out on the first book because it was really stellar, though. She should have stopped there. ;)

>49 banjo123: & >52 BekkaJo: Do so at your own risk! Liz is right... you have to read all three books and be invested in the storyline and characters to understand my ferocity. :)

>50 richardderus: Richard, my love! How art thou????

>51 BookLizard: & >53 BookLizard: I wasn't surprised at all by the decision she made... it was totally in character. But still...The ending! REALLY??? I don't want to say it here, but hasn't Roth ever gone to a writing class? Maybe I'll just PM you, lol.

>54 NicolePatrick: I've had better reads since, Nic. Just been too busy to post. I'll get there soon.

>55 mckait: I did like Insurgent, Kath. I just didn't love it as much as I loved Divergent. It was like they all went downhill after the first one!

I've had a massive migraine for the majority of the day, so reading has been nil. We had 9:30am church where Lisa was commissioned for her Mission Trip to the Dominican Republic (she leaves next Saturday!). In 11:00am service, I sang in the ladies ensemble. Then we met my family for lunch. My aunt & uncle are down from West Virginia to help mom & dad clean (and to visit)... This is about the time migraine hit.

We had our last class of "Experiencing God" tonight, so thankfully we had done most of our cooking for the pot luck dinner yesterday evening. I had one more dish I was going to make, but Lisa made an executive decision and put me to bed for the hour we had to spare and sent text regrets on sausage balls to the class. :)

Our facilitator (who is a Methodist now, but was raised Jewish) said it was fine, but had there been bacon involved he would have had to say, "get outta the bed!" I was SO sick when that text came in, but I still laughed out loud!

In other news, I'm hooked on "Firefly." So when I've had trouble sleeping as of late and when I can't read because of my head (i.e. just a few minutes), I'll be watching my newest TV addiction.

Joss Whedon is some kind of sci-fi guru or what?!?!

*De-lurking* to say that Firefly is amazing...and is my all time favourite series to watch if I need a pick me up or just something fun to watch....make sure you watch the movie Serenity after you have finished the series its awesome (apart from the moment when ever fan yells "Damn you Joss" you will know it when you see it). I have a tshirt that states "Joss Wheddon is my master now"
back to some quiet lurking : )

57> Sorry about the migraine, but glad you're hooked on Firefly. Joss Whedon is pretty amazing. Only he could come up with the funniest torture scene ever. No, seriously . . . if you haven't gotten to that episode yet, it's the funniest. Ever.

PM me about the ending. You need to vent. LOL.

Also sorry to hear about the head :/ But also so happy that you are liking Firefly. It was such a damn shame it was cancelled - but Hubby did make a point to me the other day, that it was actually SO good (can't think of a bad episode) that they would have been bound to screw it up if they continued!

Hi Tina! Sorry to hear about the migraine. I hope you get some relief today and can get lost in a little reading. I think Veronica Roth failed to deliver after Divergent. I, actually, thought Insurgent was a drag and Allegiant was moderately better. She is a young writer, maybe she'll come around.
Hugs to my pal!

Booo to the migraine. Hopefully some rest and sleep made it all better. Feel better soon Tina. :)

Wow! Lots of energy bouncing around here. Maybe 'blowing your top' over the awful book led to the headaches? More than willing to heap more blame on Allegiant, 'tho I never intended to read it in the first place...

Hi Tina! Sorry to hear about the Migraine I feel your pain. I had one on Sunday night after spending the day studying, went to be at 7.30 and felt like i was going to vomit all night. I took three stong pain killers which really didn't help that much but it was enough to let me sleep. Hope you are feeling better and reading some great books!

I'll be back later to respond to individual posts, but here to report that I'm officially down for the count.

When I woke up Sunday morning I had a really sore throat. The migraine may or may not be related, but I now have swollen tonsils, very little voice, a fever, and I can't swallow.

I feel terrible. Who gets sick on a holiday??? That'd be me. Anyway, I'm at the doc now & hoping they'll give me some antibiotics to kick whatever this is to the curb.

Lysol'ed hugs all around!

Sorry you're not well, Tina, and hope you get better soon.
(Tons of people get sick on holidays. It's the fact that you de-stress and relax and then the body takes it a step too far and allows viruses to get a foot in.)

>67 MDGentleReader: So sorry sorry you aren't feeling well. Hugs. Sorry that I haven't been around much lately, but you and yours have been in my thoughts and prayers. When you are feeling better, I'll write more.

>66 PawsforThought: Yup, Paws called it. This is your body's way of saying, you will get some rest NOW. So ... get lots of rest.

{{{Tina}}}

No voice, sore throat, tonsil involvement = UGH

happyhealth whammy applied

Strep throat? Very glad you are at the doctor's.

>66 PawsforThought: - you're a wise woman, Cousin Paws. I don't know how many vacations and weekends have been ruined for me cuz I caught some stinking bug! Not fair! Hope it passes quickly Tina and that you're feeling better soon.

Oh dang, Tina! I don't like hearing that you're ill. Firefly it up, sister - there's nothing like a bit of Mal aimin' to misbehave to cheer one up...

Oh, man. Getting sick on vacation sucks. Hope you recover soon!

Summer colds and holiday colds pretty much sucks...

Hope you get some rest and feel better soon. *Hugs*

Thanks a lot. Achy, sore throat, raspy voice, fever... yep. That's me. Barricaded in my office behind lots of hand sanitizer. Heading home to bed now ...

Not strep throat, but a horrible respiratory infection...

All I've done is read, watch TV/Netflix & sleep.

I'm going to try to work tomorrow, so we'll see how that goes.

I promise to respond to you all when I have more energy.

My love to you all... I'm sorry I breathed on you, Marianne!

*Wiping the thread in Clorox*

Still sending healthy thoughts your way, Tina - feel better!

Sorry to see you have been sick but happy to learn it isn't strep! Still, a respiratory infection is nothing to dance happily about so I hope you take things easy and get better real soon!

>75 TinaV95: The only thing attractive about me right now is the deep "Demi Moore" voice. Just sayin'

URIs are rampant around here.. I have had one, lots of people in the family have... :P BOO Hiss!
I hope you feel better soon...
hugs

Sorry to hear you are feeling so lousy, but glad you are taking care of yourself. Don't overdo it too soon!

Tina, Sorry to hear you are unwell. Take care and have a restful weekend!

Feel better soon Tina!

(((Hugs)))

Germs begone! Feel better soon Tina.

Feel better! (((hugs)))

I hope radio silence means you've thought better of working and are awash in crumpled kleenex, Vicks wrappers, and half-drunk pots of tea while Netflix beams mindless fun at you.

Anybody got some Germ-Away Tina can gargle with? That'll fix her up!

Feel better soon!

Hope you are feeling better, Tina, I blame Allegiant for your illness, thats what happens when one reads really bad books!

I have LOTS of responding to do, so this might take a few messages to get in!! :)

>58 apachecat: Oh, Joss is SO my master now! I'm done with the series and the movie and I'm a HUGE-ER fan now! LOL at my grammar. PS -- Thanks for de-lurking!

>59 BookLizard: I finally got to the funniest torture scene ever!!! YOU were spot on there, Liz! I had to laugh out loud. Literally. Lisa just kept glancing sideways at me. ;)

>60 BekkaJo: I guess he has a point there, Bekka... but dang it, it really could have used more episodes. I can't imagine that it was cancelled for lack of an audience?

>61 msf59: Hi Mark... finally a book where we have a different opinion!?! I thought that might never happen! :) I'll think about giving Roth another chance. Maybe. ;) (I tend to hold grudges, can you tell??)

>62 jolerie: & >73 jolerie: & >84 jolerie: Hi Valerie!! Migraine and germs are on the mend! Thanks for the visits!

>63 michigantrumpet: & >78 michigantrumpet: I'm sorry you're still sick, Marianne... feeling any better? I used to have a guy friend in high school that loved it when I got laryngitis for that EXACT reason (the Demi Moore voice effect). He'd ask me to make cassette tapes for him. And like a big dummy, I'd record songs off the radio and talk with the "sexy" raspy voice for him. I was one naive young girl back then. ;)

>64 NicolePatrick: & >81 NicolePatrick: I hope you are better from your migraine, Nicole! They are NO picnic! :( Thanks for both visits!

>66 PawsforThought: I've never thought of it that way, but that makes total sense, Paws. It sucks losing a holiday to sickness when you'd rather be having fun with everyone else, though. :)

>67 MDGentleReader: HEY! I've missed you and have wondered where you've been! I'm glad to see you here! I hope all is well with you and yours. ((((MDGR)))) Frankly, all I've done this week is sleep (it seems like), so apparently that's what my body needed.

>68 richardderus: Richard!!!! Thank you for the health whammy!!! Love you, dear sir!!!

>69 ronincats: & >80 ronincats: Hey Roni!! No strep, thank the good Lord for that! I've worked a little, but my boss has been wonderful this week and said that I've worked plenty to make up for this (I don't have paid time off or sick time until after December so I thought I would be taking this time unpaid). So that is a load off. I've worked a few hours here and there, and then slept when I felt I needed to. I've even worked a few hours today. I'm just doing what I feel like my body will allow and trying to listen to it. I'm trying to get wiser as I get older instead of being stubborn and pushing through the pain.

>70 Fourpawz2: I agree with both Pawses! Not fair is right, Charlotte!! :) ((hugs))

>71 scaifea: & >76 scaifea: When you wrote that / when I read it (I mean) I hadn't caught that line. Now that I'm responding and I'm re-reading, I totally understand "I'm aiming to misbehave." And I'm grinning like a fool. :) I'm guessing I'm an official Firefly fangirl/nerd now.

>72 Morphidae: It TOTALLY sucks, Morph! You got that right!

>77 lkernagh: See my above response to Roni. I am trying really hard to be a good patient this time around. :) Trying to listen to my body and behave.

>78 michigantrumpet: Hey Lori! I'm thrilled it wasn't strep too. That would have put me down for a solid week, at least. I don't do well with strep AT ALL. So, I'm not dancing, but I am thankful anyway. :)

>79 mckait: Wonder why they are so rampant all the sudden? I know it's allergy season, but I see URIs spike in the winter usually; not the summer. Weird.

>82 Thebookdiva: Hi Abby! Thanks for your visit and well wishes!

>83 luvamystery65: There's my Ro!!! ((((Roberta)))) How goes it?? Did you see my not altogether unselfish offer of Insurgent and Allegiant up above? :)

>85 banjo123: Thanks, Rhonda!! Germ free hugs in return ((((Rhonda))))

>86 richardderus: You pretty much nailed what my house has been like this week. Except it's Ricola wrappers instead of Vicks wrappers. The Vicks Vapor Rub was on my chest though. Smelly to high heaven, that was me. Ode-de-love. :)

>87 drneutron: LOL Jim! I actually gargled with viscous lidocaine to kill the pain. Disgusting, but it worked. It's about the consistency of phlegm. Gross but effective. ;)

>88 PiyushC: Hey Piyush!! I need to come visit your thread and see what your thoughts were! I'm totally okay with blaming Allegiant LOL! :D

Glad you are on the mend, Tina!

>92 rosalita: Thanks Julia!! I am!

I've tried to visit threads this evening, but of course can't make it to everyone's in one sitting. I'll continue to try to catch up as much as I can tomorrow.

Continuing to spray disinfectant all around...

Oh...and a request for prayers and good thoughts.

Lisa left this morning for the Dominican Republic with a group from our church for a week long mission trip. I had wanted to go; but I don't have vacation with my new job for the first year and my boss is going on vacation this coming week, so it didn't work out that I could go.

Anyway, the team will be there this week clearing land that was just purchased where the parsonage will be built. After they get the land cleared, they will be pouring concrete for footers. Some of the team will also be painting the church building. During this time, some of the team will be teaching Vacation Bible School to the children. So, they have tons going on this week. It's hot and Lisa ended up with a migraine today because of the heat.

So, prayers for the whole group, but especially for her. She's my biggest concern because of her health and I want her to take care of herself while she's taking care of everyone else. I'm just not sure she will do that while she is being a missionary.

Thanks all. I love each and every one of you. :)

>1 TinaV95: I lost your thread star! But the threadbook aided me :)
I love that story about your friend and her life-changing experience. Good for her turning adversity in to an opportunity. And I love that stationery, the marbled pattern is beautiful, and understated being inside the envelope.

I hope Lisa's trip goes well for her and the locals get lots of benefits from the work she (and the others) are doing.

Oh, and happy belated 1st wedding anniversary. It's been a year? Already??

Hi Tina, I hope Lisa's missonary work goes well for her! Sorry to hear you could not go, maybe there will be a next time? I hope that you are on the mend and looking after yourself. My migrane lasted the whole night and it took me a couple of days to recover, but I am alright now. I think it was a combination of stress and looking at the computer screen for too long. Have a good weekend Tina! I hope you get to read some great books!

Glad to hear you're on the mend. Wishing Lisa the best of luck on her mission.

Keeping Lisa in my thoughts...

Hi Tina- I hope you are feeling better and sending positive vibes to Lisa, on her big trip.

What are you reading? Yes, we would like to know. Taps foot...

Tina, my best wishes to Lisa for her trip to the Dominican Republic. Trust that she will stay safe.

Have a lovely weekend and apologies for being so slow around the threads lately

My wishes are always with you, and your loved ones.

Attagirl for taking proper care of yourself, and bests to Lisa and her group!

Happy healthy Mrs. Tina whammies

Wow! Will be sending positive energy Lisa's way. I am going to be interested to hear about her experiences, because I recently read a book by Julia Alvarez and that made my interested in the DR.

>95 LovingLit: It's Megan! It's Megan!! I'm so glad you found me again!! :) You were missed in these parts! I just figured you were too busy with school to come visiting threads these days, so no worries here! Very glad to see you, though! Thanks for your comments about Angel's story and her stationery work. She's a true inspiration to me! I know I wouldn't have handled what she went through with the grace and determination that she showed. Not to mention her strength and depth of character. Wow. I get amazed again just thinking of it. :) Oh, and YES, it's been a year already! Can you believe it?? I'm not a 'newlywed' anymore!! Time flies around the 75 group I'm figuring out!

>96 NicolePatrick: Hi Nic... I am mending (slower than I'd like, but mending anyway!). I'm glad to see that you recovered from your headache. A few days is an awfully long time to recover. I hate when they last over several days. It just doesn't seem right that they mess up multiple days!! I'm much better now that I take a migraine preventative. It's actually a seizure medicine, but they use it to prevent migraines here in the States too. I get far fewer headache days and they last less time now as well. Do you have a neurologist that you see for your headaches, Nic?

>97 BookLizard: & 98 Thank you Liz and Amber!

>99 msf59: Thanks, Mark! And one end of May wrap up book summary posting flurry to come after my catch up / responses!

>100 PaulCranswick: Hi Paul! Thanks for your wishes for Lisa --- no apologies needed for timeliness around me. I'm the Queen of Slow these days!

>101 PiyushC: & 102 Thank you, Piyush and Roni!

>103 richardderus: Health and happiness whammies for Lisa much appreciated, Richard!! :)

>104 banjo123: I can't wait to see the pictures and hear all about the trip too, Rhonda. I'll be sure to post some since you've asked (kind of, didn't you in a way??? lol)... She can't send pictures right now, so it will be after she gets home before any of us get to see anything. No cellular data; only a few minutes per night to hear her voice; limited texting. I'm trying to be strong and remember why she's there!

Book 40
Experiencing God: Knowing and Doing the Will of God



This is the book I've been reading with my small study group at church over the past 14-15 weeks. It is a 12 week study, but due to holidays and schedules, we took a bit longer of a time with the study moving things around to fit our schedules.

Although there were points where I may have disagreed with minor theological issues (Blackaby is definitely Baptist in some of his thinking, lol), overall this was a great small group study and it has really fostered a much closer faith walk than I've ever had previously.

Book 41
Delta Wedding



I apologize to Mrs. Welty, as I'm sure she is a perfectly nice individual. I just could NOT find anything that made me want to read this book! I even surpassed the 50 pages of the Pearl Rule and gave it to page 80. I've never just "given up" on a book before. I even finished Anna Karenina and Faulkner, both of which I loathed... just to give a fair shake. But I'm learning that life is just to short to be stuck reading books that are boring you to tears or making me want to tear my hair out. So, with the help of friends off a new "therapy" thread called Friends of Nancy P, I was able to put down Delta Wedding with only the smallest sense of shame.

I will be returning this to the used book store for points (from whence it originated).

Book 42
The Coldest Girl in Coldtown



Since I'm losing the ability to focus my eyes for some reason (I guess I'm a bit more sleepy than I realized!!), I'm going to have to do some quick updates and make do...

Nora is the reason I read (via audio) this particular book. Here's her review to show you why I was entranced:

http://www.librarything.com/work/13872008/reviews/102235461

I was NOT disappointed... this one is different than the other YA vampire novels on the market out there...

So I have two more books from May to add, but apparently need to go to sleep like now. :)

More to come later, then...

I'm glad you liked The Coldest Girl in Coldtown, Tina!

I have it on my LT Recommended list already. I guess I'll have to bump it up higher on Mount TBR.

Glad to see you are on the mend and hopping around LT again Tina! :)

Will keep Lisa in my prayers for sure! I went on a missions trip to Costa Rica years and years ago, before the kids and marriage and it was a life changing experience!

>110 norabelle414: I did, Nora!! I was just thinking about you again, actually! I just finished up OUAT on my DVR and was thinking it might be safe to venture to your thread now that I can go there and click on spoilers now!! :)

>111 Morphidae: I think you'd enjoy it, Morphy! ;)

>112 jolerie: I'm still mending, Valerie, but I'm trying to slowly catch up. I've never been on a missions trip before but I am making a promise to myself (and God) to go as soon as I have vacation time. I think it will change my entire perspective on what is actually a "problem".

My leftover May reading update:
Book 43
Born Wicked



Let me start out by saying I gave this book 4.5 stars... let me follow this up by saying I read this when I was in a near death semi-coma so my recollection of the details of the novel is fuzzy. What I can tell you is this. I THOROUGHLY enjoyed this and read it with relish, even though I felt horrid.

Born Wicked...how do I describe thee?? Alternate history? Supernatural fiction? Young adult? Feminist struggles? Religious paranoia? A touch of romance? Ummm... YES!

A tale of three sisters who just happen to be witches, set in the 1800s in a history different from ours... this story enchanted me from the beginning.

Cate is the eldest of the three Cahill sisters. They have recently lost their mother and have a mostly absent father. Cate has taken on the role of protector of her younger siblings... in this setting "The Brotherhood" (a religious sect) rules over society and women who are suspected of possessing magical abilities are considered evil and sent away to prison or asylum. Cate enforces her mother's rule of not performing magic, but her sisters tend to fight her and want to practice.

Women in this society have only two choices... when they come of age, they must publicly announce their intention to wed (if they have been courted / asked) or announce their intention to join "The Sisterhood" -- the less powerful wing of the religious sect. Cate is quickly approaching the age of making her announcement and much of the action in the book revolves around her father's decision to hire a governess to help foster a good "arrangement." None of this sits well with Cate.

Upon her death bed, her mother made Cate promise to protect her two sisters. She receives a note from a mysterious source that indicates that there is a prophecy indicating that there will be three witches in one family that will change history and therefore she and her sisters may be in grave danger.

Much of the tension in the book revolves around the relationship between Cate and her sisters and the angst of her mother's untimely death and Cate not knowing much of magic.

Much more happens, but to continue would be giving too much of the plot away.

Last May read:

Book 44
The Cat Who Knew A Cardinal



Just another quick, cozy, kitty mystery! ;)

Ouch! Got me with Born Wicked. Will check the library for that one. Thanks Tina! :)

Glad you are still taking care of yourself, Tina. Will you hear from Lisa during their visit?

Born Wicked sounds fascinating. Onto Mount TBR it goes!

Hope you are feeling better hun.

I seem to be amongst the few who enjoyed my Welty in May - that said I think I'll give Delta Wedding a wide avoid!

>105 TinaV95: I was busy with school work etc, but I also was trying to pop over to some threads at least now and again :) Yours got lost, but not any more.

>114 TinaV95: I read this when I was in a near death semi-coma so my recollection of the details of the novel is fuzzy.
LOL- maybe that is a good state to read in, it seemed to work out well for this book :)

A lovely glut of reviews up Tina, and I am steadfastly refusing to be pulled in by any of them, as my list is full. Full I say. OK, maybe I will just look at Born Wicked.....just a peep ;)

114> Glad you liked Born Wicked.

>114 TinaV95: Tina...I must read Born Wicked! Must! Even keeping the semi coma in mind...

Hope you are better and Lisa stays safe and well :)

Hey there Tina. Hope you are improving. I'm now on the mend.... But, COMPLETELY exhausted. I've been taking Delsym at night to keep from coughing, so can get through the night. Still zombie like during the day. Nodding off in the middle of Jeopardy some nights. So glad the weekend is here, nothing pressing on the social calendar and I can just *rest*. Hoping some of the same for you and Lisa.

>114 TinaV95: Hmmm, adding to the wishlist. It's been awhile since I read anything about witches.

Have a fantastic weekend Tina.

Hope you are having a great weekend and surviving the separation from your better half. When does Lisa get back?

Just keeping you on my radar :) Hope all is well!

UPDATE ON TINA

Tina sent me a text that she has been dealing with her best friend's dad passing away. Lisa is back and she is catching up with her as well. She is still sick so she has to take care of that and she is still traveling!

She sends her love to everyone and she thanks all of you for checking in on her.

Thanks for the update, Roberta! that is very kind!

Sending positive vibes to Tina!!!

Thanks, Ro--I was beginning to worry and it's good to know Tina is just busy with RL.

Thank you for the update. Thinking of you Tina. Sending positive thoughts your way.

xoxoxoxo

((((((((((((((Tina)))))))))))))

Hang in there my friend, things are bound to get better....

>>>>positive energy >>>>>>>>>>

>128 luvamystery65: Thank you for updating.

Sending loads of love Tina - RL is not being kind to you lately. Hope everything levels out soon.

Thinking of you, Tina...

Whoa Tina! Sounds like you have a lot on your plate at the moment. I hope all is going well.

Loved all the comments on the Divergent series since I totally agree with everyone who felt Allegient went off the rails in a bad way. I feel like reading that series was a complete waste of time.

We miss Tina!! Sending hugs!

{{{{{Tina}}}}}

>138 ronincats: that's what I came here to do :-). Can't have too many, though.

{{{{{Tina}}}}}

Checking in on you... I hope the weekend is better than the week just passed!

Hey everyone! Thank you so much for all of the visits and kindness! I'm sorry I've been away so long...a huge thanks to RO for coming and updating you all. I had every intention of catching up and explaining about my best friend's dad's passing, but then the respiratory crap hit me again and I had to go to bed immediately after finishing each day's work, just so I could make it through the week. Luckily, Lisa had a leftover Z-pack of antibiotics from the mission trip that she didn't need so I didn't have to wait on the MD to call in something else. "Dr. Lisa" treated me and I called the NP's office to let them know and request other meds (no need for all the details... lol). Anyway. I am still weaker than normal and I'm still coughing, but I am starting to feel better. I'm still needing lots of rest though, and taking naps whenever I can squeeze them in, so that's odd... but we're seeing improvement now so YAY!

Responses next!

It's super late for me and we have early church tomorrow so I won't get to visit threads tonight, but I wanted to at least try to make an appearance and begin trying to get back in the groove. I've really missed everyone!

>116 jolerie: I hope you enjoy it, Valerie!

>117 ronincats: Lisa had a limited international plan while she was gone. She had 200 outgoing texts and 67 talk minutes. That was it. So we were VERY limited on the communication we could have, but apparently we had much more communication than some folks did with their families, so I am extremely grateful... I'll try to post pictures sometime this week!

>118 Morphidae: I think Born Wicked is right in your wheelhouse, Morphy! I read Written in Red over the past week or so and I absolutely LOVED it!! I mean LOVED it!!!! Thank you! :)

>119 BekkaJo: Maybe you are smarter than the rest of us, Bekka! Or perhaps you chose a better Welty to try? Or could it be because you've been reading so many more classics lately? Anyway, you win that one. I lose. ;)

>120 LovingLit: It's only fair that you be pulled in once in a while, Megan!!! You've done your fair share of damage to the rest of us!! :)

>121 BookLizard: Thanks, Liz. I hope you are well!

>122 mckait: I do really think you will enjoy Born Wicked, Kath!

>123 michigantrumpet: I'm glad you're feeling better, Marianne! I'm now doing Delsym in the day and NyQuil at night so I can sleep. This is a bad one!

>124 RosyLibrarian: Just dropped by your thread and have several additions to my wish list now, Marie! I hope you like Born Wicked!

>125 GeezLouise: Thank you Rae; you are so sweet!

>126 banjo123: Hi Rhonda! Lisa flew back last Saturday afternoon. She called mid-week with a request for Italian as soon as she was able to get through customs. :) So, as soon as we dropped folks off at the church, a group of us headed off to a great little local Italian place and the three mission team members ate like gangbusters! It was great fun to watch (and to hear the noises they made -- they were quite funny over having bread again!).

>127 mckait: Thanks, Kath! You are wonderful!

>128 luvamystery65: You are a jewel, Roberta. Thank you so much for updating everyone!

>129 msf59: Thanks for the positive vibes, Mark!

>130 ronincats: That's so sweet, Roni! (((Not-the-Mama)))

>131 NicolePatrick: Thanks for the positive thoughts, Nicole!

>132 richardderus: Love to you, Richard!!!

>133 mckait: Thanks for the positive energy! Always can use more of that!!!!!

>134 BekkaJo: Thanks for the loads of love! One can never have enough of that!

>135 scaifea: Thanks, Amber!!!

>136 Cobscook: "Off the rails" is a GREAT way to put it! I agree with you about a waste of time! I wish I would have only read Divergent and just stopped with that one. She needn't have ruined a great story with the other two! ;)

>137 msf59: ((((Mark))))

>138 ronincats: ((((Roni))))

>139 MDGentleReader: ((((MDGentleReader))))

>140 mckait: Thanks, Kath! It has been better... :) Must be all this positive LT energy and love I've been getting and didn't know it!

Glad to see you back, Tina. It sounds like you have been in a crazy time (perhaps still are). Life huh? It is sent to try us!!

And just cos I am interested, what kind of Italian meal did you have to celebrate Lisa's return? I haven't had Italian for yonks.

Glad to see you are back! Sorry to hear that real life is testing you of late. Hope you are on the mend by now. How did Lisa go on her misson trip? Hope you are resting up and that the rest of your weekend is good :)

>144 LovingLit: Well Megan, I was boring & chose lasagna. But apparently, if you've been in the Dominican Republic for a week, what you REALLY want when you return is a large spinach salad (with boiled eggs, bacon, & warm bacon vinaigrette dressing) and a pizza with pepperoni, mushrooms, and onion. That's what she ordered!

She ate the entire dinner salad (undoubtedly veggies aren't too common in the food in the DR), but she shared the pizza with another of her team members. They only ate half the pizza because they were so hooked on their salads. :)

>145 NicolePatrick: Hi Nicole! I'm doing better now. I hope to be fully recovered soon. This has been a busy weekend for me but a good one. It's Fathers' Day today in the States. :)

Lisa went on the mission trip through our church. She had a grand time and is already talking about when she can go on her next one. She says it's life changing. I can't wait to experience it for myself. She is still talking about the kids, her team, and the whole trip.

Mrs. Lisa! You're feeling better, which is wonderful, and Mrs. Tina's home, which is wonderful, and you're here, which is best of all! *smooch*

Two words for you:

Chicken soup

Two more words:

Feel better! :-)

Hi Tina! I'm glad Lisa is home safe and sound, and that she had such a wonderful trip. It sounds really affecting, in a good way. And I love the story about the spinach salad as yay-I'm-home food. :-)

No book chat to contribute but wanted to say hello and let you know that I'm thinking about you.

Hi Tina! Hope you had a nice weekend and you continue to feel better. Hugs!

>142 TinaV95: I think I'm three for three on recommending Written in Red. So glad you enjoyed it!

>147 richardderus: And you know what's better than all of that, Richard??? You're well enough to type!!!! Yay!!!!

>148 BookLizard: I really should be eating some soup, probably, Liz! But I am feeling much better, so... :)

>149 EBT1002: Hi Ellen!!! Who knew she would be craving spinach? I thought a hamburger or fries or something greasy, but veggies and pizza were the mid week call! I'll drop by to check on you and see how things are going in Ellen land.

>150 msf59: Hi Mark-tastic! (((((Mark))))) I had a good weekend and I trust you did as well.

>151 Morphidae: I know you got both me and Roberta... who else did you get with Written in Red?? I really need to update my books read list and do some mini reviews. I'll do those soon.

So glad you are feeling better and life has slowed down a bit, Tina!

Enough already! Be well, happy and have some fun, got it?

>152 TinaV95: I can't remember. I think it was an "M" name. Perhaps someone in The Green Dragon group.

ETA: Yeah, it was Sakerfalcon from The Green Dragon.

Thank goodness for both of those blessings, Roni!

Yes, m'am, Kath! We are going to Biloxi this coming weekend with Lisa's mom & brother. She's financing the trip, actually. It's the only thing she's asked for since all the heart stuff happened. We tried to get Lisa's dad to take her so they could have a romantic trip, but he won't leave his dog with ANYONE. So, after putting her off for a while, here we are with her one and only desire... So. Lisa's brother is driving her & we are meeting them there!

I will be spending my money on a massage (not blowing it on gambling). I'm taking books to read by the pool too! If I come home with any money, I'm paying bills (unless Lisa tells on me). Otherwise, I'll find a bookseller there! :P

>155 Morphidae: A 3 for 3 is a better average than 99% of baseball players, Morphy!!!

>155 Morphidae: & >156 TinaV95: You got my Mom with Written in Red and the sequel Morphy. I haven't read it but I definitely plan to do so.

Wonderful to have you back Tina! I'm sending happy thoughts your way.

Glad to see you are feeling better and that Lisa had a great mission trip to the DR!

Dropping by to say hi!

Hope you have a lovely weekend! Books by the pool sounds great.

Tina posted a message on FB about approaching Pascagoula, Mississippi...she's a giant nerd, our Mrs. Lisa is:

"Started seeing signs for Pascagoula, MS and had to get out the iPhone, break out You Tube and sing along to Ray Stevens' Mississippi Squirrel Revival. Good memories. Good times. Yes, we're huge nerds."

Hey Roberta, Abby, Lori, Roni, Rhonda, & Richard! RD -- You're so sweet to come and share the big secret here. LOL I think everyone here already new of my nerd status.. :)

Thanks for all the visits!

We had a very busy weekend in Biloxi and are back now just in time to return to work.

It was a very bittersweet weekend and Lisa's had several tears since we've gotten home.

I haven't shared the whole story, but Lisa's mom is now having liver issues and will be having a liver biopsy on Tuesday.

So in addition to this being the one thing she asked for as a celebration of her last big medical hurdle, now she's talking about this being the last one. Tears were shed as we ate meals, but it was mostly a fun and enjoyable trip. It was already planned that we would do whatever she wanted since this was HER trip, but with all the other stuff going on, it was even more important to make sure she had a blast.

She just sent a few picture texts to Lisa of winning screens (that woman has crazy luck, but when you put that much money in the machine, I guess the machine likes you!!!).... and the texts said "I'm going to be looking at these over the next few days when things get bleak. This makes me very happy."

So say some prayers for her and the whole clan over the next few days!

Lisa and her mom as we are waiting on the car:



Rusty (Lisa's brother), Linda, and Lisa:

I'll post more about details later...

And some day soon, I'll try to catch up with reading updates.

You can see a family resemblance, eh? Sending lots of positive thoughts your way. Hoping Miss Lisa is coping.

>166 michigantrumpet: Thanks, Marianne! She's not doing so well, but I keep encouraging those positive thoughts!

Dropping by to check on you next!

Book 45
Written in Red



4.5 stars on a YA fantasy!!

Here is the Amazon description: YES, I'm borrowing.... I read it in early June, so sue me!! :)
No one creates realms like New York Times bestselling author Anne Bishop. Now in a thrilling new fantasy series, enter a world inhabited by the Others, unearthly entities—vampires and shape-shifters among them—who rule the Earth and whose prey are humans.

As a cassandra sangue, or blood prophet, Meg Corbyn can see the future when her skin is cut—a gift that feels more like a curse. Meg’s Controller keeps her enslaved so he can have full access to her visions. But when she escapes, the only safe place Meg can hide is at the Lakeside Courtyard—a business district operated by the Others.

Shape-shifter Simon Wolfgard is reluctant to hire the stranger who inquires about the Human Liaison job. First, he senses she’s keeping a secret, and second, she doesn’t smell like human prey. Yet a stronger instinct propels him to give Meg the job. And when he learns the truth about Meg and that she’s wanted by the government, he’ll have to decide if she’s worth the fight between humans and the Others that will surely follow."

I have to give a HUGE THANK YOU to Morphy for recommending this one! This was pure fun! I've already requested the next book in the series from my library and am patiently waiting... :)

I'll try to do better with a real review next time. :)

I've waited too long on most of my June reads to give a good overview.

Book 46
Star Cursed



Warning!!! Don't read this review if you intend to get to Born Wicked one day -- this is the second in the series and contains spoilers for the first one!

I had to get to this book just as soon as I possibly could because I enjoyed Born Wicked SOOOO very much! Well, let me tell you... Star Cursed did NOT disappoint me!

This book resumes action with Cate now living in the Sisterhood where she has given up her life to save her fiance and his family, as well as her sisters. The Brotherhood's torture of women / girls continues and worsens and with the current violence, Cate feels the need to bring her sisters to the convent, despite the prophecy that seems to indicate that one of the three of them will end the kill another.

I enjoyed the action in the story, but the ENDING???? It blew me away. The twist at the end left my gut in knots and had me crying... I loathe one sister. I want to strangle her. I want book 3 and I want it NOW.

I love the family photo! Linda's new situation sounds like it'll need a lot of new strength, so I'll whammy some up for all the Mrs. Lisa clan, shall I?

>170 richardderus: PLEASE do, Richard!! You are a dear. ((((Richard)))))

Book 47
Trapped



Ahhhhh.... A satisfying scratch to my Atticus and Oberon itch!!! Oh, how I do ~~love~~ this series!!

All imma say about this one is FINALLY (you can fill in the blank with your imagination if you aren't reading the series *wink, wink*)!!!! :)

>172 TinaV95: I know, right!

Hope you have a lovely weekend - you definitely deserve one.

Yup, finally!!

Strength and blessing whammies to Lisa and her mom!

Hi Tina! Just checking in. Sorry to hear the news about Lisa's mom. Hugs to you both.

Glad you enjoyed Trapped. I am looking for the audio of Tricked, so I can move on in the series.

>173 BekkaJo: & >174 ronincats: I'm glad some other folks share my sentiments here!!!

>175 msf59: Get a move on, Mark! You'll enjoy Trapped!

And also thanks for your kind thoughts about Lisa's mom, y'all.

We had vacation Bible school every night this week, so Lisa was already run ragged (she had a rowdy group of 4-5 year olds). She has been having a really rough go of it emotionally and physically this week. (Lisa has RA but likes to pretend she doesn't and that she is superwoman).

Linda's liver biopsy was on Tuesday and the results came back today. No cancer (praise Heaven), but she does have something called hepatic fibrosis. It's pretty early in the disease, and of the "real bad" news, this was the best news she could have received.

I haven't had a chance to talk to Linda myself, so I don't know what her spirits are like, but Lisa is not well. I'm trying to encourage her to stay positive and remain the uplifting force, but when she is so sad, my heart just breaks.

We could certainly use all the prayers, whammies, light, love, and whatever other kind of LT energy you have to spare for Lisa & her family.

Since they don't know what has caused the fibrosis (it's usually because of alcohol or hepatitis and she doesn't have either of those problems), we don't know about treatment yet...

I've said this to Lisa & I'll say it here... Linda has been granted one miracle already. Who's to say there's not another in store for her?

I have finally caught up with you, Tina, and boy, have you been busy with life. I am glad to see that you are feeling better, but saddened by the news concerning Lisa's mom. We will keep all of you in our thoughts and prayers.

Loved reading through the book reviews, hearing about Lisa's mission trip, and seeing the photos. Sounds like I need to add Born Wicked and Written in Red to the WL.

Hugs to you, dear friend!

Keeping you and yours in my thoughts, Tina.

So sorry to hear about Lisa's mom, but happy to hear that it's the 'best' of the bad news. Thinking of you both and hoping for your second miracle.

>168 TinaV95: I am so happy you enjoyed Written in Red!

Thanks for posting the picture of Lisa's family--Lisa and her mom look so much alike! And they both look super-sweet.

Hope you are having a great weekend and get some good reading in.

{{{Lisa}}} {{{Tina}}}

Happy weekend Tina!

Hepatic fibrosis ohhhh nooooooooooooo

So so so so sad to hear this. *smooch* for Linda

I'm sorry to hear the news about Lisa's mom. You all are in my thoughts and hoping right along with you for hopeful treatment options.

Better news is more positive than the worst of news, and I myself believe in miracles.

Go for it. As for Lisa pretending she has no health issues, I say YOU GO GIRL! Not giving up to it is a good thing. IMO

Nice to see you Tina.. stay well, be happy and feel hugged.

I've been reading about hepatic fibrosis and the news isn't all bad. Even the most advanced cases can be reversed. It's a symptom rather than a disease. It's most important to find out what's causing it. But you probably know all that already.

>178 Crazymamie: I think you'd like both of those choices, Mamie! :) thanks for your kind words. You're awesome!

>179 scaifea: Thank you, Amber!

>180 Fourpawz2: Thanks, Charlotte! Fingers & all other crossables crossed.

>181 Morphidae: I loved it, Morph!! I was going to give it away and let someone else enjoy it, but when it came time to post I just couldn't do it. I was afraid I might want to read it again. It was THAT much fun! :)

>182 banjo123: You're sweet, Rhonda! And you are correct! They are both pretty awesome women!!

>183 michigantrumpet: Returning hugs, ((((Marianne))))!

>184 The_Hibernator: Thanks!!! :)

>185 richardderus: ((((RD)))). Thanks for smooches! Need them...keep them coming!

>186 rosalita: Thank you, Julia! Your kind words mean a lot!

>187 mckait: (((Kath))) You are right!! Thank you!

>188 Morphidae: Thanks, Morphy... That is our current problem. They can't figure out why she has it. The usual suspects aren't causing it, in Linda's case so she's presenting a bit of a mystery.

Book 48

Being United Methodist: What it Means, Why it Matters



I recently purchased this at our church's educational fair. There was a rep there from Cokesbury, the Methodist publishing company. Imagine my bliss... Then turned to horror to find that (1) I had to order the books with no immediate book in hand, then (2) to find the credit card machine the guy brought wasn't working!!!!

Egads!! Luckily, we had just met the couple working the table at a small group dinner rotating deal we've signed up for. Brilliant me didn't have a checkbook or cash on me, so since we'd been to their home & I'd just helped the lady clean, she let me do check on delivery!

;) Crisis averted at the first of my church book fairs! Next time I go in prepared!!

Oh, and I know I didn't log in my Christian books... I just bought a few more too. Somehow I feel like they don't count against me if they have anything to do with my spiritual growth. I might be reaching here....

Book 49

Slaughterhouse Five



This was my first Vonnegut and I read it for Mark's AAC. I had no idea what to expect going in, even after skimming through the reviews.

Let's just say I now understand why its so difficult to describe this book in a quick review. It sounds like the ravings of a mad person... But I really enjoyed the trip and will definitely try more of Mr. Vonnegut!

I still owe more June reviews, but they are hard to pull off on my tablet...

Here's my "IOU" and a hope that tomorrow I feel up to pulling out the computer after work!

Tina -- I am sooo with you, girl, on the rush to finish those June reviews! Managed to finish my last one at about 11:44 last night! Whew! Just squeaked in.

Of course, Christian education books don't count! (I won't tell if you won't!) ;-P

Oh well... It was a long, tough day at the center so I didn't pull the computer out this evening.

I will not be a good LTer like Marianne and finish my reviews for June.

Slap me with a wet noodle if you must. ;)

>193 michigantrumpet: Thanks for the support, Marianne! I knew someone was bound to believe and encourage my non-recording habit. Lol

It's all okay if I have God approval, right???? ;)

Never mind things like budget & book shelf space...

Tina - I completely support your idea of not counting Christian books. I've been keeping count of the books that I've bought this year, and I've bought more books than I've read! So I'm thinking of creating some loopholes too. For example, maybe I shouldn't count the books that my mom reads too (which is honestly most of the books that I buy). Or the ones that cost less than a cup of coffee. Or maybe I should just quit keeping track of purchases. ;) Hope your July is off to a good start!

Sorry to hear about Lisa's mum, I hope your second miracle turns up soon. I'll keep you both in my thoughts.

{{{{Tina and Lisa}}}}

Have a terrific 4th of July Tina and a lovely holiday weekend.

Tina, I think the LT has been bad for my book-buying habits. I feel so moderate next to some other members, so that I manage to justify extra books.

But, hey, there could be worse addictions!

Just wishing you a Happy Independence day :)

Happy 4th of July!

Thinking of you and Lisa and Lisa's mom while sitting on the deck sipping margaritas and making wire trees!

>196 porch_reader: Thanks for the support, Amy! I'm thinking we all need loopholes. ;) So that means so far, I've given myself two loopholes -- ebooks and Christian books. I think that means your two loopholes (mom's dual reads and anything priced less than a cup of coffee) are good to go and perfectly acceptable!

>197 fairywings: Thanks, Adrienne! I hope you are doing well with all that you have going on. I'll return the hugs, just in case you need them... ((((Adrienne))))

>198 GeezLouise: Thanks, Rae! Hope you had a happy 4th too!

>199 banjo123: I think you've hit the problem on the nose, Rhonda! Well spotted. You've summed it up for me too, I think.

>200 mckait: and >201 The_Hibernator: Happy (belated) 4th, Kath and Rachel!

>202 ronincats: You are very sweet, Roni! :) Sounds like a very nice day / evening!

My brother and sister-in-law came from Houston to visit for the 4th so this is what I have spent most of the last few days doing...



Playing with and cuddling this precious little one! She had just been crying so her nose is a little bit red... She's wearing Aunt Lisa's hat in an attempt to make her smile and stop crying. It worked, as you can see. I'll post more pictures on my upcoming July thread! ;)

Book 50
Enchanted, Inc.



Billed as a blend of 'Sex and the City' meets 'Harry Potter', Enchanted, Inc. is indeed a mix of chick-lit and fantasy. I found it very enjoyable for its escapism merits, even though it is on the fluffy side. We all need a bit of brain candy from time to time. I chose this one for my trip to Biloxi and this was EXACTLY what I needed for the poolside and getaway weekend.

A nutshell synopsis -- our heroine (Katie) is a southern girl who has moved to NYC. She has one hell of a boss, whom she loathes because she treats her like crap. On top of having a tough time at work, she is seeing odd things around the city that no one else seems to notice.

It turns out that these weird signs are a good thing... it means Katie is a rare breed of human who can do no magic and can recognize magical signs (kind of like a magic lie detector system). She's recruited by a new company and is able to leave her horrific job.

Once she's joined the new company she learns that there is a bit more to this magical world than she was originally told. There's a bit of a crisis going on and it looks like there may be an all out war about to begin. Oh, and she's attracted to a wizard -- one of the guys who recruited her. There's that romantic underlying plot line too, of course.

Anyway, if you want a fluffy bit of chicklit with a bit of fantasy this one will work. I will probably even continue the series just for fun.

Book 51
Gone Girl



It seems that I am the last person on earth to have read Gone Girl, so there is really NOT a lot I can say about it that hasn't already been said.

I will say this... I both loved and hated this book!!!

I thought the characters were loathsome, but I simply couldn't stop reading. I had to know what was next and what crap they would pull on the other one next.

I should also point out that my favorite classes in college were abnormal psychology and I originally wanted to study serial killers in the FBI -- so that should give you some clarity as to why this book would ring my psychological bells. The mind of a sociopath is just a conundrum to me and always has been.

Looking back at my feelings at reading this book... I felt ill most of the time I was reading, but again I could NOT put the book down.

Damn Gillian Flynn.

I totally get why folks would hate it outright though!

Loathsome characters and a compelling story make for a deadly combination, Tina. I think you hit the nail on the head with that review. I'm glad you've "finally" read it. :-) I wonder if you would consider reading any of Flynn's other works? After reading Gone Girl I went back and read her debut, Sharp Objects and found it also interesting though not quite as well written.

>207 rosalita: Hey Julia! I think I will definitely read more of her work. Even though I had a physical reaction to GG, it was truly compelling, as you said. I think I'll go put Sharp Objects on my library list now, as a matter of fact. Thanks for that reminder! :)

>206 TinaV95: Not the last - I have it in the 2014TBR :) Now slightly apprehensive...but then I figure it can't be any more revolting than, for example, Crash which I managed to get through. Though I honestly sort of wish I hadn't...

Anyway Happy Sunday! I hope everyone is in better health and that Lisa's Mum is okay (as far as she can be).

Every single time I see a review of Gone Girl, I first thank the goddess that I never bothered to read it, and then wonder how it got so crazy popular anyway! lol

I won't go so far as to say that I will never read anything of hers, but I feel good about dciding not to read that one!

Happy Sunday to you :)

Hi Tina! Miss seeing you around, but I am glad to see book musings. Glad you enjoyed your first Vonnegut and came out on top with Gone Girl, and just in time for the film, later in the year. Yah!
Hope you had a good holiday and are enjoying a fine weekend.

>205 TinaV95: I do enjoy Swendson's Enchanted series when I want an easy, fun piece of fluff.

Your niece is so cute!

Have fun cuddling cutie! *smooch*

PS I meant your niece, not Lisa

What a cutie patootie! I'm sure you had lots of fun with that little one this weekend!

I'm another one of the Haven't Quite Pulled Gone Girl From the Stacks Yet Club. I'll get to eventually, but I figure I'll have to be in the 'right' mood for it.

Glad to see you back and posting again m'dear.

I haven't read Gone Girl, so you're not the last! I'm guessing I'd be in the "hate" camp, but I'm leaving my options open. Someday, I might read it. :)

>216 The_Hibernator: It depends on how you feel about reading books with unlikeable main characters. Some people can do it. I, for one, can't.

Morning Tina!

>209 BekkaJo:. I never read Crash, so I can't compare...although after your statement, I don't think I'll be adding it to my wish list. :)

>210 mckait: I can understand your sentiment, Kath... But having now read it I see what makes people read it. Same reason I read Helter Skelter in college. Sometimes, you just have to read it to believe it. Thank the good Lord the Dunnes are a fictional couple.

>211 msf59: The weekend was good, Mark! You now have made me want to see the stinking movie of GG thanks to that trailer post. Poor Lisa won't sleep for days! She doesn't do well with those sort of films, but now I must see how they adapted it.

>212 Morphidae: Yay! Someone else who knows the series!!

>213 banjo123: I think so too, Rhonda but I'm a bit biased! Lol

>214 richardderus: I had so much fun with her, RD! She was gone by the time I posted that picture. Had a bit of a teary time later in the day missing her. It's hard to fathom how much I love that little one & I hardly get to see her. Wonder how bad I'd be if they lived closer? And yes, I grinned at your funny!

>215 michigantrumpet: Glad I'm not the last to read it, but definitely be ready going in! *** See my post to Richard above about my Caroline. :)

>216 The_Hibernator: & >217 Morphidae: I agree with Morphy, Rachel. It is a hard one, especially if you enjoy liking your main characters. It's also not one to read if you're feeling down in ANY way, IMO.

>218 Thebookdiva: Hi Abby!

>196 porch_reader: & >203 TinaV95: I had a revelation which leads me to a confession.

I don't have just two book buying loop holes. I have three.

I also haven't been recording any of my audible purchases since they only cost "credits". It just hit me this weekend when I was using my credit, that I PAY FOR THE STUPID CREDIT EVERY MONTH! So, once again I've subconsciously allowed myself to purchase more books than I'm tracking.

I think when I start my next thread, I'll try to fix this.

Boo on my subconscious. That id will get you every time. Dang her.

>220 TinaV95: Those audible books get you. Sneaky little books. ;-) Sorry, I got you hooked on that site.

^ Cracking me up. I recently had the same revelation. There are so many ways to spend money on books.....

>204 TinaV95: Well, if that doesn't distract you, nothing will. :-)

>221 luvamystery65: It is totally your fault, Ro, but I do SO love my Hearne on audio!!! :)

>222 EBT1002: Hey, at least I'm in good company here!

>223 EBT1002: I know it! Isn't she just precious?!?

I promise to try to start a new thread soon, but until I get to my computer.... I have a question.

Is anyone watching "True Blood"? Lisa & I just watched Sunday's episode and I need to dish!!

Okay... so I'm going to take a bit of my lunch break to start a new thread! Come see me!! :)