Jolerie's Book Addiction Take 4...Slow and Steady

I must be crazy but here I am trying this again! Proud mom of 2, and an unashamed book hoarder to boot! I will most likely NOT reach the goal of 75 books (maybe?? maybe I can do this!?!), but with two monkeys under foot, I take any spare moment to read. I figure this year will be about the quality and not the quantity. I pretty much read books from all genres so feel free to share your recommendations and favourites.
Looking forward to catching up with old friends and meeting new ones. :)

RATING SYSTEM:
5 Stars: WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN MY WHOLE LIFE??
4 Stars: So, so, very hard to put down...
3 Stars: Purr...I'm content...almost...
2 Stars: Anxiously eyeing the next book in my pile...
1 Star: Fire fodder...BURN BABY BURN!!

Currently Reading ☛:

Redemption Ark by Alastair Reynolds

Currently Listening ♫:

Bird Box by Josh Malerman

On Deck:
Library:
The Drowned Cities by Paolo Bacigalupi Book #2
A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
Tell It to the Trees by Anita Rau Badami
The Crane Wife by Patrick Ness
Amulet The Cloud Searchers by Kazu Kibuishi Book #3
Behind the Scenes at the Museum by Kate Atkinson
Gretel and the Dark by Eliza Granville
OTS:
Son by Lois Lowry Book #4
Redemption Ark by Alastair Reynolds Book #3
Dreams of Joy by Lisa See Book #2
Audiobook:
The Running Man by Stephen King
Bird Box by Josh Malerman
Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith
The Farm by Tom Rob Smith

Previous threads with books and reviews:
Thread 1 Books 16-24
Thread 2 Books 25-55
Thread 3 Books 56 - 70

Favourite Reads of 2012:

1. The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards (Fiction)
2. The Giver by Lois Lowry (YA)
3. Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman (Fantasy)
4. Life of Pi by Yann Martel (Fiction)
5. Amaryllis in Blueberry by Christina Meldrum (Fiction)

Favourite Reads of 2013:

1. The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert (fiction)
2. Shades of Earth by Beth Revis (YA/SF)
3. Uther by Jack Whyte (historical)
4. The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka (historical)
5. A Trip to the Stars by Nicholas Christopher (fiction)
6. Flight Behaviour by Barbara Kingsolver (fiction)

Series List
Ongoing Series
These are books that I'm currently in the middle of with hopes that at some in my life I will be able to check them off as completed!
Alan Bradley – (YA) Flavia de Luce Mysteries (1/6) Next: The Weed that Strings the Hangman’s Bag
Alastair Reynolds - (SF) Revelation Space (2/7) Next: Redemption Ark
Anne Bishop – (F) The Black Jewels Series (3/9) Next: The Invisible Ring
Anne Rice – (F) Vampire Chronicles (3/10) Next: The Tale of the Body Thief
David Whitley – (YA) Agora Trilogy (2/3) Next: The Canticle of Whispers
Diana Gabaldon – (FN) Outlander (6/9) Next: An Echo in the Bone
Jacqueline Carey – Kushiel’s Legacy (6/9) Next: Naamah’s Kiss
Jenna Black – (YA) Faeriewalker (1/3) Next: Shadowspell
Jessica Day George – (YA) Princess of the Midnight Ball (1/3) Next: Princess of the Midnight Ball
John Connolly & Jennifer Ridyard – (SF) The Chronicles of the Invaders Trilogy (1/3) Next: ?
Jules Watson – (H) The Dalriada Trilogy (1/3) Next: The Dawn Stag
Kady Cross - (YA) The Steampunk Chronicles (2/4) Next: The Girl with the Iron Touch
Kate Mosse – (H) Languedoc Trilogy (2/3) Next: Citadel
Kazu Kibuishi – (GN) Amulet (2/?) Next: The Cloud Searchers
Kerstin Gier – (YA) Ruby Trilogy (2/3) Next: Emerald Green
Lisa See - (FN) Shanghai Girls (1/2) Next: Dreams of Joy
Marion Zimmer Bradley – (F) Avalon Published Order (2/7) Next: Lady of Avalon
Orson Scott Card – (SF) Ender’s Universe (8/10) Next: A War of Gifts
Paolo Bacigalupi - (YA) Shipbreaker (2/3) Next: ?
Pearl S. Buck – (H) The House of Earth Trilogy (1/3) Next: Sons
Pittacus Lore – (YA) The Lorien Legacies (3/4) Next: The Fall of Five
Robert Jordon – (F) Wheel of Time (9/13) Next: Crossroad’s of Twilight
Shannon Hale - (YA) Princess Academy (1/2) Next: Palace of Stone
Stephen Hunt – (F) Jackelian (1/6) Next: The Kingdom Beyond the Waves
Ted Dekker – (YA) The Lost Books (4/6) Next: Lunatic
Terry Brooks – (F) Shannara Heritage Tetralogy (1/4) Next: The Druid of Shannara
Terry Brooks – (F) The Magic Kingdom of Landover (3/6) Next: The Tangle Box

Up to date Series – waiting next book
Peadar O Guilin - (YA) The Bone World Trilogy (2/3) Next: TBA

Completed Series
And this is to prove that I am indeed capable of finishing something that I start...
**Bolded ones indicate my favourite series**
Alison Goodman – (YA) Dragoneye (2/2)
Ally Condie - (YA) Matched (3/3)
Anna Carey – (YA) Eve (3/3)
Amanda Hocking - (YA) Trylle Trilogy (3/3)
Arthur C. Clarke – (SF) Space Odyssey (4/4)
Beth Revis – (YA) Across the Universe (3/3)
Brenda Rickman Vantrease – (H) The Illuminator (2/2)
Cornelia Funke – (YA) Inkheart Trilogy (3/3)
Cynthia Hand - (YA) Unearthly (3/3)
D. M. Cornish – (YA) Monster Blood Tattoo (3/3)
Donita K. Paul - (YA) Valley of the Dragons (3/3)
Douglas Adams – (SF) The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (7/7)
Francine Rivers – (H) The Mark of the Lion (3/3)
Guy Gavriel Kay – (F) The Fionavar Tapestries (3/3)
Guy Gavriel Kay – (F) The Sarantine Mosaic (2/2)
Jack Whyte – (H) Camulod Chronicles (9/9)
Jacqueline Carey – (F) The Sundering (2/2)
James Dashner – (YA) The Maze Runner (4/4)
Josephine Angelini - (YA) Starcrossed (3/3)
J. K. Rowling – (YA) Harry Potter (7/7)
J. R. R. Tolkien – (F) The Lord of the Rings (3/3)
Kaoru Mori – (GN) Emma (7/7)
Kenneth Oppel - (YA) The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein (2/2)
Kiersten White - (YA) Paranormalcy (3/3)
Kristin Cashore – (YA) Seven Kingdoms Trilogy (3/3)
Lauren DeStefano – (YA) The Chemical Garden Trilogy (3/3)
Libba Bray – (YA) Gemma Doyle (3/3)
Madeleine L’Engle – (YA) The Time Quintet (5/5)
Lois Lowry – (YA) The Giver Quartet (4/4)
Meg Cabot - (YA) Abandon (3/3)
Megan Crewe – (YA) Fallen World (3/3)
Patricia C. Wrede – (YA) Frontier Magic (3/3)
Philip Pullman – (YA) His Dark Materials (3/3)
Philippa Gregory – (H) The Wideacre Trilogy (3/3)
Philippa Gregory – (H) The Tudor Court Novels (6/6)
Robyn Miller/David Wingrove – (F) Myst (3/3)
Rick Riordan – (F) Percy Jackson and the Olympians (5/5)
Robert Scott & Jay Gordon – (F) The Eldarn Sequence (3/3)
Scott Westerfeld – (YA) Leviathan (3/3)
Stieg Larsson – (C) The Millennium Trilogy (3/3)
Stephanie Meyer – (YA) Twilight Saga (4/4)
Susan Cooper – (YA) The Dark is Rising Sequence (5/5)
Suzanne Collins – (YA) The Hunger Games (3/3)
Ted Dekker – (F) Circle Series (3/3)
Ted Dekker/Tosca Lee – (F) The Book of Mortals (3/3)
Terry Brooks – (F) Original Shannara Trilogy (3/3)
Tim LaHaye & Jerry B. Jenkins – (FN) Left Behind (13/13)
Timothee de Fombelle - (CH) Toby Alone (2/2)
Tony DiTerlizzi - (YA) Wondla (3/3)
Tricia Rayburn – (YA) Siren (3/3)
Veronica Roth – (YA) Divergent (3/3)

Books Read in 2014:
**Books are OTS unless otherwise indicated
January
1. (L) The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer 4*
2. (L) Allegiant by Veronica Roth 4*
Favourite Read:

The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer
February
3. (L) The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd 4.75*
4. (L) Forbidden by Ted Dekker/Tosca Lee 3.5*
Favourite Read:

The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd
March
5. (L) Mortal by Ted Dekker/Tosca Lee 4*
6. (L) Emma Volume 5 by Kaoru Mori 4*
7. The Path of Daggers by Robert Jordan 3.5*
Favourite Read:

Mortal by Ted Dekker
April
8. Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah 4.5*
9. Kushiel's Mercy by Jacqueline Carey 4.5*
10. (L) Emma Volume 6 by Kaoru Mori 3.5*
11. (L) Sovereign by Ted Dekker/Tosca Lee 3.75*
12. (L) Amulet - The Stone Keeper by Kazu Kibuishi 4*
13. The Scorch Trials by James Dashner 3.5*
14. No Country For Old Men by Cormac McCarthy 3.5*
15. The Death Cure by James Dashner 3.5*
16. (L) The Museum of Extraordinary Things by Alice Hoffman 4*
Favourite Reads:

Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah
Kushiel's Mercy by Jacqueline Carey

May
17. (L) Burial Rites by Hannah Kent 4.75*
18. (L) Outlaw by Ted Dekker 3*
19. (L) Emma Volume 7 by Kaoru Mori 3*
20. (L) The Far West by Patricia C. Wrede 3.5*
21. (L) The Steady Running of the Hour by Justin Go4*
22. (L) The Furies by Mark Alpert 3*
23. The Kill Order by James Dashner 3.25*
24. (L) Blue Asylum by Kathy Hepinstall 4*
25. The War of the World by H. G. Wells 3*
26. (L) Our Daily Bread by Lauren B. Davis 4*
27. James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl 5*
Favourite Reads:

Burial Rites by Hannah Kent
James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
June
28. (L) Moth and Spark by Anne Leonard 3.75*
29. (L) Reconstructing Amelia by Kimberly McCreight 4.5*
30. (L) The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire North 3.5*
31. (L) Amulet - The Stonekeeper's Curse by Kazu Kibuishi 4*
Favourite Read:

Reconstructing Amelia by Kimberly McCreight
July
32. (L) The Forest House by Marion Zimmer Bradley 3.75*
33. (L) Awaken by Meg Cabot 3.5*
Favourite Read:

The Forest House by Marion Zimmer Bradley
August
34. Winter's Heart by Robert Jordan 4.25*
35. (L) Frog Music by Emma Donoghue 4.25*
36. When God Was A Rabbit by Sarah Winman 4.25*
37. (L) Longbourn by Jo Baker 4.5*
38. (L) The Martian by Andy Weir 4.75*
39. (L) China Dolls by Lisa See 3.5*
40. (L) Conquest by John Connolly & Jennifer Ridyard 4.25*
41. (L) My Story by Elizabeth Smart/Chris Stewart 3.75*
Favourite Read:

The Martian by Andy Weir

September
42. (L) The Rathbones by Janice Clark 4*
43. Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry 5*
44. The Other Side of the Bridge by Mary Lawson 4*
45. (L) Goddess by Josephine Angelini 3.75*
46. (L) The Confabulist by Steven Galloway 3*
47. (L) The One by Kiera Cass 3*
48. (L) The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton 4*
49. Messenger by Lois Lowry 5*
Favourite Read:

Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry
Messenger by Lois Lowry
October
50. (L) Children of Paradise by Fred D'Aguiar 3*
51. (L) J by Howard Jacobson 3*
52. (L) The Worlds We Make by Megan Crewe 4*
53. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde 4*
54. (L) Sapphire Blue by Kerstin Gier 3.5*
55. Before I Go To Sleep by S. J. Watson 4.5*
56. (L) The Battle for Wondla by Tony DiTerlizzi 4*
Favourite Read:

Before I Go To Sleep by S. J. Watson
November
57. (L) Labor Day by Joyce Maynard 4*
58. (L) The Betrayers by David Bezmozgis 3.75*
59. (L) The Girl in the Clockwork Collar by Kady Cross 3.5*
60. (L) A.D. 30 by Ted Dekker 3.75*
61. (L) A Sudden Light by Garth Stein 5*
62. (L) The Bear by Claire Cameron 4*
63. (L) Shadowspell by Jenna Black 4*
64. (L) ♫ The Cellist of Sarajevo by Steven Galloway 4.25*
65. (L) Us Conductors by Sean Michaels 4*
66. (L) Bathing the Lion by Jonathan Carroll 3*
67. (L) The Children Act by Ian McEwan 4.25*
Favourite Read:

A Sudden Light by Garth Stein
December
68. (L) Gretel and the Dark by Eliza Granville 4.25*
69. (L) A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness 5*
70. Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt 3*
71. (L) Behind the Scenes at the Museum 3.25*
72. (L) Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty 3.75*
73. (L) Where the Moon Isn't by Nathan Filer 3.75*
74. (L) ♫ The Running Man by Stephen King 3.75*
**75. Son by Lois Lowry 4*
76. (L) Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi 4*

2015 Challenges
So next year, 2015, I will attempt to participate in Mark's AAC and Paul's BAC! Reasons are so that I have some help getting some of those books off mount TBR and secondly just to expand my reading repertoire. Books will be from my own personal library and from the public library, if I don't already own it. I know there are some fantastic authors and books that I have yet to read, so this is an awesome opportunity to read with other LT friends and join the fun. :D

American Author Challenge
January: Carson McCullers - The Heart is a Lonely Hunter
Feburary: Henry James - The Portrait of a Lady
March: Richard Ford - Canada
April: Louise Erdich - The Round House
May: Sinclair Lewis - It Can't Happen Here
June: Wallace Stegner - Crossing to Safety
July: Ursula K. LeGuin - Earth Sea Series
August: Larry McMurtry - Lonesome Dove
September: Flannery O'Connor - Wise Blood
October: Ray Bradbury - Fahrenheit 451
November: Barbara Kingsolver - Pigs in Heaven
December: E.L. Doctorow - The March

British Author Challenge
January: Penelope Lively - Moon Tiger/Kazuo Ishiguro - The Remains of a Day
February: Sarah Waters - The Night Watch
March: Daphne Du M. - Rebecca/China Mieville - Perdido Street Station
April: Angela Carter - The Magic Toyshop
May: Margaret Drabble - The Red Queen
June: Anthony Burgess - A Clockwork Orange
July: Virginia Woolf - Mrs. Dalloway
August: Iris Murdoch - The Bell
September: Salman Rushdie - Midnight's Children
October: David Mitchell - The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet
November: Muriel Spark - Momento Mori
December: Hilary Mantel - Wolf Hall

Welcome old friends, new friends, posters or lurkers. Glad to have you all here. :)

Oh, getting close to 75!

Happy new thread, Val!

Happy new thread, Valerie! That image up top is beautiful.

Lovely topper, Valerie. Happy New Thread!

You're so close to 75! I think you can make it.

Dropping by to give some friendly advice. If you want to make 75 hold off on the next Robert Jordan book Crossroads of Twilight. By all means read it but it is one of the slowest of the series. Once you are through it things pick back up. Knife of Dreams is ok but Gathering Storm is really good and a lot of fun.

IMO Jordan went into a slump with The Path of Daggers and Crossroads of Twilight comes at the end of the slump.

Happy new thread Val, you are so close to 75 my dear.

You can definitely make it to 75, especially if you employ some strategic reading. I agree though about saving the Robert Jordan if you are wanting to hit your target - I struggled my way through Crossroads of Twilight, it was a slog! Not sure I even completed it actually, I may well have lost interest. Now I'd like to finish them but it was a few years back so there is no way I remember much about specifics of the plots and the thought of starting from the beginning is somewhat daunting.

>15 lunacat: Just move on! Seriously, I read the books as they came out with the exception of the first three that I got as a Christmas present when I was in high school. I am sure you will miss some of the smaller plotlines but there are so many that you can't keep track of them all anyway. Reach the last four - they are worth it.

Happy new thread!

Happy New Thread, Valerie! Love the topper! I have not read Behind the Scenes at the Museum, but I have read all of her Jackson Brodie books and I do have this one in the stacks.

Love the painting you've used as a header, Val. So mystical! And no matter to not hitting 75 … I won't hit 75 either, and I am certainly not the mother of two young children. Just great to have you back : ).

Hi Val! Happy new thread! Gorgeously evocative image up top.

Happy New Thread, Valerie! I *love* the topper - beautiful!

Hi! Happy new thread! I'm tagging along even though your thread has become a very dangerous place. Even my book bullet dodging vest is useless here!

So, so close I can taste it Jim! :D

Thanks Katie!

Lovely to have you here, Mamie.

Hi Joe. I'm surprised I'm even this close. Will just continue with my reading plans. Not going to try to reach 75 but if I do, it will be worth celebrating! :)

That is sound advice Erik and definitely something I plan on following. No more Wheel of Time for me this year. Hopefully I will be able to wrap up the series next year. They are such chunksters but I don't want too much time in between reading each book.

Thanks so much for dropping by John. We will have to wait and see if I reach that magical number.

Haha, Jenny, I'm not going to strategize my reading to reach the target. I started this year with full knowledge that it was unlikely since my youngest was still a baby so now I'm just pleasantly surprised that I did manage to find so much time to read. We will just have to wait and see how it goes for the next couple of weeks. ;)
Honestly, the books are so big and there are so many of them with so many characters and storylines that if you asked me to sum up what has happened so far, I'd be at a loss for words. Wouldn't even know where to start and my memory is horrible.....ha! Hopefully you can pick it back up at some point. It's one of those iconic series that I would feel a sense of accomplishment for completing. Maybe I'll give myself a gold star..haha!

Heya Foggi!

Hey Mark. I'm definitely going to try one of her Jackson Brodie books at some point just to compare and plus it seems like he gets a lot of love around here so need to find out what that's all about.

Thanks for the support Nancy. It's just a number right?? We won't get kicked out of the club if we don't reach it.....I hope! ;)

Hi Mary!

Thanks Amber!

That's probably the best compliment to receive Lynda. Glad to know you come well prepared but still it's futile. ;)

C25K Update: Week 5 Round 1

Brisk five minute warmup walk, then: Jog for 5 mins. Walk for 3 mins. Jog for 5 mins. Walk for 3 mins. Jog for 5 mins. Total of 31 mins.

Well having my cold really threw me for a loop and I missed my treadmill time for about a week, but last night got right back on it and started the next stage. I know 5 minutes of running doesn't seem like a lot, but when I first started, I really didn't think I would be able to make it this far... Now I actually look forward to the running, partly because I know I can do it and partly because I look forward to the audiobook time. Getting healthy while doubling my reading efficiency is exciting stuff people! :D

Regarding the poster. I actually have a salty tooth and not so much a sweet tooth. Desserts don't call to me as much as carbs. I can totally turn down a cake, but pasta? Impossible. We are soul mates. :)

Hi Valerie! Glad you are feeling better and back on the treadmill.
I am looking forward to your thoughts on Case Histories, once you get to it.

Happy New Thread, Valerie and congrats on your running update.

Happy New Thread, Valerie!!

Happy new thread Valerie!

'I know 5 minutes of running doesn't seem like a lot'

It does because I remember when I was doing that training how difficult it was at first! I expect I would be back to square one with jogging now but I am doing a couple of miles of brisk walking every day as part of my commute.

Five minutes is a LOT! There is no way I'd be able to run for five minutes so don't sell yourself short. One round of five minutes would kill me (and I'd like to think I'm fairly fit in some ways - riding for 40 minutes 4 or 5 times a week), let alone three rounds of it!

>24 jolerie: That's great! Go Valerie! Champion!

I have both a salty tooth and a sweat tooth. :-|

I hope you're enjoying Behind the Scenes at the Museum!

Thanks Mr. Mark! I'm glad to get back to my routine as well. Will have to see if my library has Case Histories. It should. I don't see why it wouldn't.

Thanks for the support Barbara! :)

Hi Roni. :)

That's excellent Heather. Any movement is better than no movement. Even on days where I'm not feeling up to running, I try to make an effort to at least do some walking on it. Helps keep me motivated as well. I can't wait for the day I can run 30 mins straight!

Thanks for the encouragement Jenny. It's strange because at each stage I always think that it's going to be too hard but then I look back and think hey that wasn't so bad. 1 min seemed hard. Then 3 and now 5 mins. The key for me is baby steps. Riding for 40 mins seems impossible to me. I wouldn't last...ha! :)

Kerri, I know for a fact that I probably wouldn't have kept it up if I didn't make my thread a source of accountability. Knowing that I've committed to reporting about it makes me want to progress and keep at it.
Right now I don't know what to make of Behind the Scenes at the Museum. I think my lack of British culture is affecting my enjoyment of it. Still have half the book left so I will see if my opinion changes along the way.

>7 jolerie: oooh, you have me thinking about stealing your AACII challenge list :)
It looks great!

Well done on the running challenges too, running is bad for you me, I am sure, but good for you for getting fit!

Happy new thread Valerie and wow, on jumping right back into your exercise regime after a week down with your cold!

Steal away Megan! The more people reading the same books the more interesting the different reactions are. :)
It's okay. I understand. My one friend said to me...I'd run too except I'm ALLERGIC to the wind.... Err.....uhhh....okay...now that's a first..haha!

Thanks for the encouragement Lori! :)

We've been having some crazy and not normal weather in December the last couple of days. The warmer temps have been nice but with it comes horrible migraines......
All I want to do is turn off the lights and hibernate in the dark for a bit with two little ones, it's kind of impossible to do....

Everyday I get to deal with this.....

So....it's rather difficult to be grumpy for very long. Never get tired of his smiling face. :D
Side note, his brother teaches him all these useful things like spitting and sticking out his tongue and he is darn proud of it! Fun times! :D

Sorry to hear you're feeling less than excellent, Valerie. I just miss the snow. At least I'll have a white Christmas at home.

It would be very hard to have a down day when you have that cutie to keep you company!

>35 jolerie: OMG how adorable, Valerie. Lucky you:-) That might almost make up for feeling under the weather.

I'm sorry you haven't been able to get into Behind the Scenes at the Museum. I really loved it as I have all the Kate Atkinson books I've read. You might be right about the lack of exposure to the British culture but I've never had a problem with it. As a matter of fact, I probably read more British authors than American lol.

Oh dang, I'm sorry to hear about the migraines, Valerie. But please give that cutie-patootie (and his cutie big brother, too) a big squeeze for me! A-dorable!!

>35 jolerie: - Awe, lookit that happy face!

>35 jolerie: Awe!

>31 jolerie: Sorry you're not completely taken with Behind the Scenes at the Museum. Keep us posted, but no pressure. We certainly don't have to all agree on everything. :-)

Hope you're feeling better!

Aw, that is a fabulous happy, mischievous little face you get to deal with every day, Val!

Aw, what a gorgeous picture of your littlest! Love the side tongue too ;)

>35 jolerie: You're right Valerie - how to stay grumpy very long with that cheeky little grin aimed in your direction.

Have a lovely weekend as you close in on 75 Books.

Get well soon, Val and wishing you a relaxed weekend.

>35 jolerie: What a little cutie! How could you be grumpy around that? :)

Hope you are feeling better, Val!

De-lurking to wave hello. You have done an amazing lot of reading for having a couple of little guys around. Hope you're feeling better!

Micky, I think we might actually get a sort of a brown Christmas *gasp*. Part of the perks of living in Calgary IS the white Christmas so all this warm weather we are getting is just odd. Oh well, we will just have to wait and see. ;)

Hi Judy. It's so true. Even on my most tiring day, a smile on one of their faces or hearing them laughing with each other reminds me why each moment is worth it!

Bonnie, it is so nice to see you! Yes, I am convinced it's because I'm not exposed to a lot of British humour and customs that a lot of it might have just gone over my head. I definitely still want to give her other books a chance.

Done, and done, Amber. :)

He's a happy babe, Lori!

Thanks Kerri! Yes, it's a good thing we all don't have to agree because that is part of what makes this community interesting, right?? ;)

Yup, we've dubbed him our little mucker since he pretty much mucks around with everything in sight, Nancy. :)

Megan, we have his lovely older brother to thank for teaching him the ropes on how to be cute and get away with things..... ;)

Hi Paul. I'm so close I can smell it.....ahhhhh! :)

So peaceful and tranquil. Thanks so much Barbara. It's a perfect way to start off the weekend.

Thanks Mary! The migraines have come and gone. It's a wonderful feeling to not feel like I have a little drummer beating in my head. ;)

Hi Jenn! Thanks for the well wishes. I can't believe we are almost at the end of the year and everyone's beginning to tally their readings. Craziness!

Hi Valerie,

congrats to another wonderful thread. I love your threadtopper and I adore the pick of your little monkey in >35 jolerie: .

Just stopping by after an incredible busy week to wish you a wonderful weekend.

#71 Behind the Scenes at the Museum by Kate Atkinson
Source: Public Library
Genre: Fiction
Format: TPB
Published: 1995
Setting: England
Pages: 333
Series: n/a
Rating: ★★★¼
Notes: family, women, secrets, mothers, growing up
Books noted: Tales of a Thousand and One Nights, Little House on the Prairie (Laura Ingalls Wilder), Little Women (Louisa May Alcott), What Katy Did (Sarah Chauncey Woolsey), Black Beauty (Anna Sewell), The Railway Children (Edith Nesbit), Swallows and Amazons (Arthur Ransome), Peter Pan (J. M. Barrie), On the Road (Jack Kerouac), Tristram Shandy (Laurence Sterne), Hansel and Gretel (Brothers Grimm)

"The past is what you leave behind in life, Ruby," she says with the smile of a reincarnated lama. "Nonsense, Patricia," I tell her as I climb on board my train. "The past's what you take with you." Page 331

Ruby Lennox is our intrepid narrator, weaving a tale that begins with her conception and all the subsequent years in between. Atkinson takes us through the stories of Ruby's family, generations of people, countless names, faces, and experiences. Secrets are revealed, memories are recovered, and at the core of it all is the relationships between people, the bonds that are broken and restored and the reality that life so exquisitely ordinary can also be painfully beautiful.

I can definitely see the hype that comes with Atkinson's books because she is one heck of a storyteller. The problem is with my ability to connect with plethora of characters in the Behind the Scenes at the Museum. (Sidenote: can anyone explain to me the meaning behind the title? Can't figure it out....) There is a lot of them and there is a lot of jumping around with different times and different lives so that each time I would have to reorient myself and mentally picture which part of the family tree I've landed on. Despite all that, there were definitely moments where I marvelled at how she was able to write about rather mundane everyday living and still make it readable and enjoyable. If nothing else, it has perked my interest to read her other books for comparison to see if perhaps there I will find more connection with her characters and the stories they have to share.

Up Next: ☛


Little Big Lies by Liane Moriarty

Hi Bianca! You snuck in there as I was fiddling with the review.
Thanks for stopping by even though I know you are busy. Will stop by your thread soon to see how you are doing. :)

Happy Sunday, Valerie! Glad to hear the migraines are behind you for now. I enjoyed your thoughts on Behind the Scenes at the Museum. I will have to get to that one.

Have you read Fangirl? If not, you might like that one.

>50 jolerie: Good review, even if you weren't super crazy about it.

I can't think of the reason for the title either. It's been so long since I read it too. :-| If I was more of a rereader, it's probably one I'd read again. Sometimes I "reread" in audiobook format, but I think this one would be a confusing audiobook.

Hi Val, I am so impressed with you reading almost 75 books with two little ones to care for. Picture of Littlest upthread is absolutely adorable. I love smiling baby faces! How cool that big brother is teaching him all the fun stuff.

>50 jolerie: I can't help you. I struggle with Atkinson's books. Not sure why. She's sort of in the same category for me as Anne Tyler and Proulx, although I am always willing to try again - just picked up a copy of Close Range at the op shops. We will see how it goes.

It's driving me crazy Kerri, because I can't even think of a ridiculous connection let alone a plausible one between the title and the actual story.... Maybe I'll go google it or something..ha!

Hi Donna. I'm quite surprised myself but it goes to show just how accommodating by boys are...ha! ;)

Oh, it's nice to know I'm not alone Jenn. Lots of love for Atkinson around here it seems. I'll have to read another one of her books to see if she is someone I'm just destined not to connect with of if it's just a one off thing.

Just a quick fly by to say howdy! Hope the germs have migrated away from your household. Have a great a day with the boys! :0)

Apparently the name comes from the idea there are hidden stories behind objects and our recollections of said objects can get distorted with time, so that when we see an item, we remember some things and not others. This is also the same when we see an exhibit in a Museum - we can get a glimpse of a few things as we look at it but we can never know the whole story.

Howdy Lynda! Yes, I think we are all healthy once again and hopefully it stays that way at least until after the holidays. :D

THANK YOU Jenny! That makes SO much sense..ha! I don't think I would have ever made that connection on my own. :)

#72 Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
Source: Public Library
Genre: Fiction
Format: HB
Published: 2014
Setting: Sydney, Australia
Pages: 458
Series: n/a
Rating: ★★★¾
Notes: parents, investigation, families, marriages
Books noted: Little House on the Prairie (Laura Ingalls Wilder)

Let me be clear: This is not a circus. This is a murder investigation. Page 7

On the outside the town of Pirriwee is your quintessential poster card suburbia with your neat, but also sometimes not, little family packages and carbon copy children. Underneath the veneer of perfection and a well to do community is really a page out of the parents behaving badly guidebook. Every family has it secrets and one of those secrets will result in drunken party turned brawl, rampant injuries, and one dead body.

Big Little Lies isn't in the running for any literary awards by any stretch but it's a page turner not unlike an accident that you simply can't tear to turn your eyes away from. The parent's who should be the responsible and moral examples to the children are a bunch of gossipy, competitive, selfish, and conniving members of society, but of course, it's done all in the name of love for their little progenies. Lots of guilty pleasures abound in this story, but if you are looking for depth and substance, this book is probably not the place to find it. What you will get is story with lots of twists and turns and adults behaving like children.

Up Next: ☛


Where the Moon Isn't (The Shock of the Fall) by Nathan Filer

C25K Update: Week 5 Round 2

Brisk 5 minute warmup walk. Then: Jog 3/4 mile (8 mins) Walk 1/2 mile (5 mins). Jog for 3/4 mile (8 mins). Cool down 5 mins. Total of 31 mins

Okay, we are starting to hit the real serious running portion of the training. 8 minutes is HARD but not impossible. I did it and I probably looked ridiculous doing it, but I DID it. *Pats self* I cheated and looked ahead and realize the next round is run for 20 minutes. Who goes from running 8 minutes (barely) to running 20 minutes straight?? I may have to modify this if I don't want to die...... :/

One more week left of Caleb's preschool and then we have 2 weeks off. Woohoo for not having to do all that driving for the next little bit. The husband will be taking some time off work for the holidays and boy am I ready for it! Hope everyone is doing well as the holiday and New Year is right around the corner! :)

Happy Thursday, Valerie! Congrats on the workout! You are doing an impressive job. High Fives!!

Yay for your progress in your training regimen! Sounds hard, but you're doing it. That is huge! Kudos!

Maybe you can adapt the workout from this week to give you a better stage next week? Go to 14 minutes as a stop gap between 8 and 20?

Woo hoo, good for you Valerie. You inspire me to jump on the stationary bike and pedal!

Um, 8 min to 20 min does seem like a bit of a jump. I support your plan to modify. lol

Hope you have a nice relaxing weekend.

High fives Mark. Thanks for celebrating with me! :)

Thanks so much for the encouragement Mary. This group is doing wonders for my motivation!

I was thinking of doing something along that line Jenny. Who knows, maybe I'll surprise myself and just go for the 20 minutes and see if I survive that. It's all about pushing beyond my comfort zone, but without injuring myself of course. :)

Go, Judy Go!!

I'm glad you see the craziness as well Jenn. I wonder why they would even plan it that way. I'm nuts, but I might just go ahead and attempt the 20 minutes because I'm OCD and I want to just complete the program as is......otherwise I'll feel like a cheater....ha!

#73 Where the Moon Isn't (The Shock of the Fall) by Nathan Filer
Source: Public Library
Genre: Fiction
Format: HB
Published: 2013
Setting: Bristol, England
Pages: 307
Series: n/a
Rating: ★★★¾
Notes: mental illness, grief, brothers, families
Books noted: n/a

Writing about the past is a way of reliving it, a way of seeing it unfold all over again. We place memories on pieces of paper to know they will always exist. Page 306/7

Matthew Homes isn't your average boy and neither is his brother. One night, they set off from their vacation home. Only one of them returns. What unfolds is a life long journey of learning to deal with grief, of letting go, of forgiveness, all while battling an enemy that is often untouchable but no less insidious.

Books that can offer a perspective on subjects that are either unknown or unfamiliar to me are always an invaluable experience. Where the Moon Isn't is no exception. Delving into the subject of mental illness and all the struggles that are inherent in such an existence is both eye opening and terrifying, all at once. Filer gives us a glimpse of the daily struggles, the constant battles, and the unending journey of coping through the story of Matthew. A very poignant and worthwhile read. Recommended.

Up Next: ☛


Son by Lois Lowry (Book #4 of 4)

Val, I wish you a lovely weekend and Merry Christmas.

Your progress with running is great, Valerie. Running is my sanity, along with reading (of course).

I'm glad you're giving the thread-keeping another try. The 75-in-2015 group will soon be posted and we'll all be off and running for another year of wonderful reads!

Happy Christmas, Valerie! I hope you and yours have a wonderful holiday!

You Rock, Valerie! You're running during this busy season and with two kiddos. You're my inspiration!

Happy Weekend, Valerie! I hope you are getting plenty of R & R in. Fingers crossed.

>70 jolerie: Such a good review of Where the Moon Isn't, Valerie. I'm glad you had such a positive experience with it. Me, too.

The Son is in my future, too, so I'll look forward to your comments on that one. I recently read Messenger, so that's next.

Hope you're having a relaxing weekend, or as relaxing as possible with two little ones.

I am liking the "next up" teaser and then the review, so closely following! You have your system working perfectly. :)

Happy Summer winter solstice!!

Congrats on the running success!

>70 jolerie: Very good review. I feel like I've read a great many mental illness themed novels in recent years, and may check this one out too.

Same to you Barbara!

Thanks Ellen! I know you are a regular runner so I'm curious as to how long you usual run for on average and how many times during a week? I know what you mean about it keeping you sane. I definitely can work through some stress and frustration by getting on the treadmill and it feels so good afterwards to know that I've worked my body out.

Great to see you Stasia! Hope your studies are wrapping up and you are able to enjoy a stress free holidays. :)

Thanks for the encouragement Lynda. I do most of my running at night when the boys are off in dreamland so that helps. I wish I was more of a morning person so I could do it in the mornings instead. I imagine it could do wonders for getting me up and going...but frankly I'm just not a morning person. ;)

Thanks Mark. I wrapped up one audio book and one tree book so all in all I'd say that made it a pretty excellent weekend. :)

Heya Joe. I just finished Son this weekend. Review to follow shortly. I'd say the last book was a nice and neat resolution to the entire series. The Giver will always be my favourite out of all the books but the entire series will go on my favourite series list for sure!

Haha...thanks Megan. My husband would say that it is a glowing example of my type "A" personality. Secretly I think he's thankful for it otherwise our lives would be a chaotic jumble of uncompleted list of things that need to get done. At least that's what I tell myself...ha!

Thanks Kerri! I hope you do get a chance. I know a few 75ers who have read the book and have all gotten something from it. There is a portion of the book that is narrated by a child, but all in all it is quite an illuminating book.

My wife said Son really pulls all the narrative threads together. I'm looking forward to it.

#74 The Running Man by Stephen King
Source: Public Library
Genre: Crime, Mystery, Thriller
Format: ♫ Audiobook (Kevin Kenerly)
Published: 2010
Setting: America, 2025
Pages: 7hrs 42min
Series: n/a
Rating: ★★★¾
Notes: dystopia, game show, prize money, society
Books noted: n/a

He understood well enough how a man with a choice between pride and responsibility will almost always choose pride - if responsibility robs him of his manhood.

In the year 2025, society has gone to the dogs with a clear distinction between those who are the dogs and those who own the dogs. The corporation who owns the television network has all the power and everyone else either works for them or is fodder for a corrupt system that ensures that entertainment trumps everything and human life is cheap, worth a dime a dozen. Ben Richards has no choice but to subject himself to an organization that he loathes with every fibre of his being and yet his submission turned defiance may be what leads to an anarchy of a scale that this ruined world has never known.

Written under the pseudonym Richard Backman, King sets out to paint a bleak and utterly hopeless world where game shows are a common fixture of society. These so called games are inherently rigged with odds stacked against the contestants and only the desperate need to apply. I wonder if he wrote these books during a particularly dark and angry season of his life because if the goal was to make the reader feel dejected about life and to rue at the unfairness of just existing, that he accomplishes with words to spare. In fashionable King style, the ending leaves you with a sour aftertaste and a gratefulness that no matter how bad the current state of the world may be, it can't possibly be as dark and dreary as the fictional world you hold between your fingers.

#75 Son by Lois Lowry
Source: OTS
Genre: YA
Format: HB
Published: 2012
Setting: Unknown community, village
Pages: 393
Series: #4 of 4
Rating: ★★★★
Notes: dystopia, society, mothers, sons, evil, last in series
Books noted: n/a

To me you're a child, still. And a mum always loves her child.

Claire knows that she has lost something precious. She should move on with her life and conform to the ways of the community. Move on. And yet what her body has lost, her heart cannot let go. Against the odds, against common sense, and against everything she has been taught growing up, she will search for what was lost and reclaim what has been stolen from her.

In this conclusion to The Giver Quartet, Lowry takes us back to the beginning, drawing a full circle from all her previous characters and stories. Although the writing is deceptively simple, the ideas of freedom, freewill, and love are all intricately interwoven into all her books and Son does not disappoint in that regard. If I were to be critical it would be the fact that her previous three books were short, concise and straight to the heart of the matter, whereas Son being almost twice the size of its predecessors felt at times a bit drawn out. The power of her style that completely worked with her previous novels seems to have lost a bit of its steam and impact of delivery in this final installment. Nevertheless, the entire series is a must read and will undoubtably be a favourite of mine for years to come. Recommended.

And hey....what do you know?? I did manage to reach 75 this year. Celebrations to ensue! :D

Joe, your wife is completely right. What she did do is manage to resolve everything nicely and leave you feel at peace and satisfied with what happens to her characters.

Up Next: ☛

The Drowned Cities by Paolo Bacigalupi Book #2

Up Next: ♫

Bird Box by Josh Malerman (Narrated by Cassandra Campbell)

Go Valerie! Go Valerie! Congrats on hitting #75! That is always a special number, especially around here.
I have to get back to The Giver books. I have only read the first.
I hope you are enjoying Bird Box.

Congratulations on hitting the 75 book mark, Valerie!! Way to go!

Yay for hitting 75! Well done. Fantastic achievement.

I keep thinking and thinking about starting running but I haven't got the motivation yet. I'm considering joining a gym in the New Year, hoping that spending money will make me use it as I won't want the money to be wasted. But I can run for free on the roads, so it seems stupid to spend money I don't really have on something I don't need.

But I really need to be fitter to compete Connie so I need to do something..........and the gym has a swimming pool as well..........and I wouldn't have to run in bad weather...........but I can do it for free outside..........

Can you see the thoughts going round and round in my head?!

Congrats on reaching

A very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, Valerie! Your son is a cutie!

Hi Valerie, congratulations on reaching 75 for the year my dear, hope you are having a good day, love and hugs.

Huzzah for reaching the magic number, Valerie!

Congrats!

Valerie, it's Chrismas Eve's eve, and so I am starting the rounds of wishing my 75er friends the merriest of Christmases or whatever the solstice celebration of their choice is.

Hi Valerie, just posting to wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas from John and Karen, have an absolutely fabulous day my dear.

Doing the rounds with a festive Connie to wish you a very Merry Christmas full of joy, love and books.

Merry Christmas to you and your adorable family, Valerie!

Wishing you and Mr. Valerie and those adorable little monkeys of yours the happiest of Happy Christmases!

Merry Christmas, Val. You'll have such fun with your adorable little munchkins!

Merry Christmas, Valerie, and a joyful Happy New Year!

Wishing you and your family a fun-filled Christmas, Valerie.

Congratulations on getting to 75!!

Congrats on #75, Valerie!

Stopping by to wish you and your loved ones a happy holiday season and all the best in 2015!

Merry Christmas, Valerie!

Dear Valerie, best wishes to you, your husband, and the monkeys for a very Merry Christmas!

A Merry Christmas to you and your family, Valerie

Thanks for all the booksharing this year.

Have a great day, with the family, Valerie! It is so nice to have you back in our "family" again. Smiles...

Merry Christmas Valerie I hope you and those adorable monkeys have a great Christmas

Valerie, wish you and your family splendid Christmas celebrations!

MERRY CHRISTMAS Everyone!

One of the best decisions I made this year was finding and making the time to be a part of this community again. Besides all the book chats (which are awesome), I loved getting to know each and everyone beyond our shared love for all things book. May this season bring you peace and joy and blessings for the New Year. Can't wait for another year to get to know new friends and catch up with old ones.

What a good-looking family you have, Valerie. Happy Holidays!

What a great Christmas card, Valerie!

What lovely family photos, Val! I love the family pyjama pic, and your little ones are just too precious!

Wonderful x-mas card, Val.

Thanks for visiting Joe, Lori, Nancy and Barbara!

We are having a nice and relaxing time together because the husband has a cold. Everyone is just sticking close to home and just enjoying lots of quiet time and movie time, well as much as is possible with two kiddos running around. :)

Have a great holiday despite the colds in the family. xx

Thanks for the sympathy Paul. The husband is off until after the New Years so if we are going to be miserable, at least we can all do it together at home. :)

Sorry to hear about the hubby's cold, Valerie! I hope everyone begins to feel better. I also hope you can work in some reading time. You deserve it.

Thanks Mark. I'm managing to squeeze in a page or two in between nursing the hubby and all the movie watching we've been doing. Lots of R &R for everyone so I'm a happy camper. :)

#76 The Drowned Cities by Paolo Bacigalupi
Source: Public Library
Genre: YA
Format: HB
Published: 2012
Setting: United States
Pages: 434
Series: #2 of ?
Rating: ★★★★
Notes: dystopia, society, civil war, loyalty, gangs
Books noted: n/a

The problem with surviving was that you ended up with the ghosts of everyone you'd ever left behind riding on your shoulders. Page 219

The Drowned Cities is the second book in a series set during a future time where wars and gangs have taken over. Rules, laws, and society has broken down and ironically the Asian super powerhouse, China is playing the role of peacekeepers, trying to bring civilization back to a place that has spiralled into a chaotic mash of violence, children soldiers, and territory battles. Amidst the melting pot of death and survival are two orphans, separated by circumstances, befriended by monsters, both looking for whatever hope remains for those still left standing.

Bacigalupi seems to have an affinity for writing dark and gritty books. The Drowned Cities paints a very grim picture of humanity's future. Civilians and children alike are essentially conscripted for slave labour or to be part of roving gangs bent on pillaging and plundering, all in the name of being the top dog for just another day. Survival is king and sometimes that means sacrificing the very part of what makes us human. Evil is rampant and comes in varying shades and yet friendship can also come from the least likely of places. A taut and above average YA novel that can't be considered light reading, but still eye opening nonetheless. I, for one will be anticipating what this author will be writing next. Recommended.

Up Next: ☛


Redemption Ark by Alastair Reynolds Book #3 of 7

With 2014 quickly winding down and I'm probably not going to finish anymore books before the end of the year, I think it's pretty safe now to make my top 5 list of the year!

In no particular order:


Burial Rites by Hannah Kent (historical)
The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd (historical)
Gretel and the Dark by Eliza Granville (historical/fantasy)
The Martian by Andy Weir (science fiction)
A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness (YA)

Val, I wish you a lovely weekend.

I LOVE your best of list! I am so glad A Monster Calls & The Martian made the cut. I've been meaning to get to The Invention of Wings for several months. I do have it saved on audio.

I am glad you enjoyed the Drowned Cities. I am a fan too. I sure hope he does a third.

Wonderful, Barbara!

It as an excellent reading year, Mark and 2015 looks like it's going to be a stellar year as well.

Okay, my new thread in the 2015 group is up and running. Looking forward to seeing everyone on the other side. Woot woot! :)
http://www.librarything.com/topic/185229

Belated Christmas wishes and a happy New Year to you and your family Valerie!

>121 jolerie: You've reminded me that I've been meaning to make time for the Bacigalupi series - glad you're enjoying it.

>123 jolerie: Great list! A Monster Calls and The Martian are great books. Burial Rites is one I definitely want to read and I remember Gretel and the Dark sounded interesting from your review.

>123 jolerie: What a great list Valerie! Definitely agree with you on Burial Rites, Gretel and the Dark and A Monster Calls can't comment on the other two as I haven't read them yet.

I like that list, too, Valerie. I need to get to Gretel and the Dark! I loved The Martian and A Monster Calls.

Before heading over to star your 2015 thread, I must acknowlege a BB. The Invention of Wings has been on my radar, and it being a top read for you this year made it stick. :)

Hi Valerie, just a quick post to wish you and your family a Very Happy and Prosperous New Year my dear and have an enjoyable reading year in 2015. xx

Happy New Year Valerie. May it be filled with all things that are special to you.

Thanks everyone for visiting and all the New Year wishes!

I can't believe 2015 is just around the corner.


Wishing everyone a safe and wonderful New Year! Here's to a year filled with sharing life, laughter and of course the thing that connects us all...them books!! :D

Valerie, I'm making my final swing through the 2014 threads--see you on the other side!