Nittnut - Birds of a Feather Read Together - Three Fantails

A trio of fantail chicks



And a photo of why it's called a fantail.

http://nzbirdsonline.org.nz/species/new-zealand-fantail

Welcome to my third thread of 2015! I am halfway through my 6th year with LibraryThing and the 75ers. I feel pretty lucky to belong to the best book club in the world.

A little about me - I grew up in Southern California. I have been married nearly 22 years to the best guy in the world who kindly puts up with my reading addictions. We have three children ages 16, 10 and 8 and I am doing my utmost to instill an addiction to reading in all three. We have lived in California, Oregon, Colorado, and now we live in New Zealand. We just moved from Wellington north up the Kapiti coast and we now live about five minutes from the beach. The first thing I did after we got the keys to the house was take the kids to the library for library cards.

I thought this year I would top my threads with native NZ birds. My daughter and I are working on seeing as many native bird species as we can - just for fun.

Reading goals (flexible, of course):

Wheel of Time series - enough of you have recommended it and so I will begin
American Author Challenge - I'd like to join in on this fun group challenge
TIOLI - loved it when I was participating and I'm going to get back into it again
2015 Challenge

January Reading

Change of Heart
Countdown
The Ballad of the Sad Cafe and Other Stories
The Way of Kings
Eight Cousins
The Collected Works of A.J. Fikry
The Captive Wife
Now That I've Found You
Sea of Poppies
River of Smoke
The Narrow Road to the Deep North
An Appetite for Wonder
Gilead

5076 Pages

February Reading

Words of Radiance
The Long Way Home
The Alloy of Law
The World Beneath
Warbreaker
Awesome Forces: Natural Hazards that Threaten New Zealand
Tales of Waikanae Estuary
Delicacy
The Kingdom of This World
Wreckage
The House of Strife
Letters From Father Christmas
The Wings of the Dove

4894 Pages

February favorites - in honor of Fantasy February

2015 Challenge

Rollover - books from my 2014 challenge (and maybe one from 2013)
Off The Shelf
Fantasy
New Zealand
Animal Sciences
TIOLI - it's been awhile since I participated here
Book Bullets
Reading Aloud With the Family
Award Winners
American Author Challenge
US History
YA - always
Mystery
Memoir
Next in a Series

American Authors Challenge

January - Carson McCullers - The Ballad of the Sad Cafe (audio)
February - Henry James- The Wings of the Dove
March - Richard Ford - Wildlife
April - Louise Erdrich- The Roundhouse
May - Sinclair Lewis- Main Street
June - Wallace Stegner- American Places OTS
July - Ursula K. Le Guin - Lavinia
August - Larry McMurtry- Lonesome Dove OTS
September - Flannery O' Connor- A Good Man is Hard To Find - started but never finished
October - Ray Bradbury- Green Shadows, White Whale
November - Barbara Kingsolver- The Poisonwood Bible - this is a re-read
December - E.L. Doctorow- Ragtime

ANZAC Challenge

Australia

January- Richard Flanagan - The Narrow Road to the Deep North
February-Cate Kennedy - The World Beneath
March-Michelle De Kretser - The Hamilton Case
April- Roger McDonald
May- Christina Stead
June- Kim Scott
July- Peter Carey
August- Helen Garner
September- Ruth Park
October- Robert Hughes
November- Kerry Greenwood
December- Matthew Reilly

New Zealand

January- Fiona Kidman - Captive Wife
February- Maurice Shadbolt - The House of Strife
March- Elizabeth Knox - Daylight
April- Alan Duff - Once Were Warriors
May- Katherine Mansfield
June- Witi Ihimaera
July- Lloyd Jones
August- Keri Hulme
September- Michael King
October- Patricia Grace
November- Ngaio Marsh
December- Paul Cleave

March Planned Reading

Pages Read: 17924
Jan/Feb: 9970

Currently Reading: A Patriot's History of the United States, The Coroner's Lunch
Currently Listening: Watership Down

American Authors

Wildlife

ANZAC

The Hamilton Case - Australia
Mortal Fire - New Zealand

TIOLI

#3 Well of Shades - completed
#5 A God In Every Stone - completed
#11 Wildlife - completed
#13 The Hamilton Case - completed
#20 The Dark Mirror - completed
Blade of Fortriu - completed
Station Eleven - completed

Read

Labyrinth
Above All Things
Mortal Fire
Foundling
The Dark Mirror
Blade of Fortriu
The Well of Shades
Wildlife
The Mermaid's Sister
Who Moved My Cheese
Lamplighter
The Beekeeper's Lament
A God In Every Stone
How To Betray A Dragon's Hero
Station Eleven
The Hamilton Case
The Silver Pigs
I, Putin
Knucklehead
Bitter Greens
The Convenient Marriage
The Coroner's Lunch

Ready for company!

Here's a beach photo for all my end of winter friends in the Northern Hemisphere.



Full disclosure - this is not NZ, it's Samoa and it's a photo taken at a lovely resort where I was having lunch after dropping my oldest off at his new boarding school.

Happy new thread! Thanks for the beach picture in Samoa. One of my good friends at church is married to a Samoan native.

Happy new Thread! Lovely pictures. I especially love the trio of chicks.

Happy new thread! The most wonderful thing I can see about Samoa is that there isn't any snow! (Can you tell I'm sick of snow?!)

Wonderful new thread, Jenn! Love your intro: interesting and fulfilling family life you lead!

Jen, I suggest you get Right book right time: 500 great reads for teenagers from the library. It's put together by reading specialist Agnes Nieuwenhuizen and is an Australian publication. It has lots of suggestions under themes - adventure, mystery, sports etc etc. Another good one is The ultimate teen book guide published in the UK.
I've used both these books quite a bit for recommendations and now I've dragged them off the shelves, I'll be looking through them once again.

A few more NZ books I thought of:
My New Zealand Story series by Scholastic - lots of great stories based on historic events in NZ - I've really enjoyed all the ones I've read so far. They're suitable for intermediate+
The Loblolly boy and its sequel by James Norcliffe - he's a fantasy writer who might appeal to you, I haven't read that much by him though have a couple more in my tbr pile including The Assassin of Gleam. I loved The loblolly boy, suitable for 10+
The travelling restaurant by Barbara Else 9+ - I think there are 3 books by now, I read the first one
The whizbanger that Emmental built by Reuben Schwarz - delightful, probably 9+
Saving Sam by Susan Brocker - loved this one and I want to read more of hers, YA
A winter's day in 1939 by Melinda Szymanik - I haven't read this but it's on my tbr pile,I think it's 10+

Another Australian YA trilogy you' might like is Michelle Cooper's The Montmaray Journals.

Wait, I'm lost - is Jonah going to school in Samoa?? How did I miss that?

Happy new thread to you. I am jealous of that beautiful beach. We're dodging killer icicles.

>9 thornton37814: Hi Lori, that's cool - all the Samoan's we've met have been really lovely people. There are quite a few living around us now, and of course, quite a few taking good care of our son.

>10 The_Hibernator: Hi Rachel, aren't they cute? I couldn't resist. Of course, it also helped that there were three of them. :)

>11 cbl_tn: I am sure you're sick of snow, Carrie. It is February, after all. Um. No, March.

>12 lit_chick: Well, life certainly is interesting. :) We definitely get variety and it's not boring by any stretch. Lol.

>13 avatiakh: I will definitely get a copy of Right Book Right Time. That sounds like exactly what we need. :) I am adding the new titles to the awesome and giant list we have going.

>14 AMQS: Yup Anne, Jonah has been in Samoa since November. I don't think you missed anything. I haven't said anything about it. It seemed like something to not make a big deal until we were sure it was working out. It's an American school and he's settling in pretty well. He loves the island life - he's been spear fishing and snorkeling and apparently does a lot of coconut tree climbing. We miss him, but we get to talk to him every week. I think it's a good thing.

I've got to go. I have spent so much time on here today - which has been fun - but now I have two kids who are Not.Going.To.Bed. Sigh. See y'all tomorrow. :)

*waving* at Jenn

I love the pictures of the native birds that you are sharing! I would probably never have a chance to see them otherwise.

Happy new one, Jenn!

Those birds up top are too cute! Happy new thread, Jenn!

Happy new thread, Jenn. I love the birds.

>17 alcottacre: *waving back* Enjoy your week off school Stasia! You've earned it.

>18 scaifea: Hi Amber :)

>19 Crazymamie: Thanks Mamie!

>20 BLBera: We are big fans of birds around here Beth, and it's a good thing, because there are lots and lots of birds. Lol.

#27 Labyrinth

Coming to Labyrinth straight from The Wings of the Dove was interesting. I've just read one book in which the author is expository to excess, which was confusing and disorienting. I then turn to a completely different book in which the author explains very little, which was confusing and disorienting. In a novel which purports to be "historical" fiction, one does tend to expect some explanation of the setting and historical context. Fortunately, I am not unfamiliar with the Cathars or medieval France, but if I had been, I wouldn't be much enlightened after reading this nearly 700 page book. Instead, the reader is plunged into the Inquisitional terror with little or no idea of the actual conflict or why there is conflict at all. Apparently it should just be enough to invoke the Inquisition and we're immediately there - Catholics bad, everyone else, good. Interestingly, the author uses her sex scenes as tools for characterization and to manipulate the reader. They were obviously placed and obviously constructed to create an assumption about the women participating. There was very little subtlety involved. I do prefer subtlety. The second half of the book, the medieval story sort of broke down and the author appeared to have more interest in the modern story. Things began to feel a little unreal and disjointed and in the end, the "climax" of events was choppy and a little random. The whole thing was just a little off.

So, no then. And I snorted at the word climax. Because I'm shallow.

>23 Crazymamie: Clearly just a little overexcited about it.

Well, it IS in quotations.

So a climax with quotations is superior to one without?

I am guessing not since it was "choppy and a little random".

Yeah, you don't want a choppy climax. A random one? Well, I guess it depends when and where...........and what company you're in at the time.

So true.

Those three fantails are so cute! I had a NZ birds plastic plate for the kids when they were little and "made" them learn the Maori names for the birds, so now they say piwakawaka when they see a fantail. I love it.

Happy new thread, Jenn! I'm loving all the organization and lists because it calls to my inner nerd..ha!

Sorry Labyrinth didn't work for you. With all the time flipping, it doesn't quite seem as "historical" as other books, but I remember getting quite caught up in the story after the initial barrage of confusion. Hope your next one clicks better!

>28 lunacat: >29 Crazymamie: *Snort* Oh me, what a poor choice of words. But as long as you're enjoying yourselves...

>30 LovingLit: Ooh. I like the Maori name. That's fun.

>31 jolerie: I'm not sure any of our Nerdiness is Inner here on LT. I am thinking this is where it all hangs out...
As far as Labyrinth, the story was fine - I finished it after all - but it had some issues. Another one that bugged was this sort of fated relationship between Alice and Will. Weird. And some of the characters were so random. Like the son who was the most petulant hit man I have ever encountered in literature. Anyway, I should probably just leave it now. Lol.

...and clearly I missed the "climax" talk, otherwise I would have giggled too ;)
I have been blessed with eternal immaturity.

I am in love with the fantail birds that top your new thread. So cute! I'm glad Jonah is settling in to his new school. Imagine living on Samoa and snorkeling for fun. It sounds like a great adventure to me. I love the cover of that Tolkien book, one I'm not familiar with. It sounds like a fun book to read in December!

>33 LovingLit:I have been blessed with eternal immaturity We should all have those moments. ;)

>34 Donna828: I really enjoyed Letters From Father Christmas. It was very playful and fun. I imagine his children loved getting those letters.

#28 Above All Things - 2015 Challenge

*Spoilers - if you don't know anything about the history of climbing Mt. Everest

Tanis Rideout has written a novel that highlights the cost of climbing Everest. She details what George Mallory and others were giving up in order to be the first to summit Mount Everest. As the story switches from the efforts of the men on the mountain back to the family they have waiting at home, particularly Mallory's wife and children in England, that contrast heightens the drama and intensifies the sense of loss. Rideout writes beautifully and tells the story of Mallory's determination so well that even though I knew the end of the story, there were times when I still thought he'd make it.
I find stories about climbing Everest both compelling and horrifying. Compelling because of the courage and skill and effort and drama that naturally attend such adventures. Horrifying because of the cost, and because I really do not understand that level of acceptable sacrifice. I don't think my levels of acceptable sacrifice were that high even before I had children, but after? Absolutely not. This was an excellent story. Highly recommended.

Happy new thread, Jenn!

I have Above all Things lurking somewhere on my TBR mountain. Duly noting the Highly recommended comment. :D

Another list for you: The Eight Essential Kinds of Books That Every Kid Should Own
http://www.buildingalibrary.com/board-books/the-eight-essential-kinds-of-books-t...

>36 lkernagh: Hi Lori!

>37 jolerie: Hi Val. :) You'll get to it, eventually. Or you can just cherish the thought of it being there. ;)

>38 avatiakh: Thanks Kerry. It will be fun to have a look and see what we've got, and more fun to see what we Need. lol
I just started Mortal Fire. I like it so far. It's an interesting mix of legend and fantasy.

The link up in >38 avatiakh: wasn't quite all there. Seeing if this one works. better..

http://www.buildingalibrary.com/board-books/the-eight-essential-kinds-of-books-t...

I'll go back and fix the link, that wasn't a list rather a type of book. I see you like lists so you might like Betsy Bird's 100 top children's novels list. She was a NYC children's librarian at the time I think she's moved to another position since then, what I like is that each book is linked to a lengthy blog post on why it was included which makes excellent reading. I think the list was put together about 4 or 5 years ago.
http://blogs.slj.com/afuse8production/2010/04/13/the-top-100-childrens-novels-po...

>41 avatiakh: Building a Library is a fun site and led me to all sorts of other fun things...

SOOOO EXCITED! I just pre-ordered the audio of How To Betray A Dragon's Hero. Wheeee! 12 days, and it's mine. I mean ours. And mine.

YAY! I know the feeling -- I had the audio of Three Men in a Boat "in" my cart at Amazon for well over a year while it remained mostly unavailable. When I finally received a shipping notification I just about jumped for joy.

Enjoy! I have yet to read or listen to one of those books. Need to fix that!

>44 AMQS: Hi Anne. I hope you listen - with the girls. :) So much fun.

Just for kicks, it's raining buckets outside at the moment. So glad I did a bunch of laundry already this week. There wouldn't be any use hanging anything to dry today. Lol

#29 Mortal Fire - ANZAC

This is a fairly complex novel. Knox takes a typical YA theme of coming of age and addresses it in a not so typical fashion. She creates a world where some people have magic and some do not. The ones with magic have isolated themselves from the world, but in so doing have created a magic spell which feeds itself by sucking all the magic around it in, so that when the people who have magic leave, they are stripped of their magic. The heroine of the novel must solve the problem of who she is and where she belongs, and in the process, may solve the problem of the magical spell. I don't know if I would consider this fantasy so much as heavy magical realism. There are elements of fantasy, but the world is too real for it to take hold.
The setting is the same as Elizabeth Knox's Dreamhunter series, but far into the future. References to Dream hunters are scattered throughout the book, and while this is a stand alone novel, the references occur often enough that not knowing anything about that world could be confusing. I had a few other problems with the story, but they didn't affect my enjoyment too much. Overall, this was an enjoyable story. I liked it better than Dreamhunter.

>35 nittnut: I need to read Above All Things. It is definitely my kind of book. The local library does not have a copy though :(

Jenn, I am a bit late to your third thread.

Have you gotten caught up in the cricket excitement at all.

>47 alcottacre: Hi Stasia :) Sorry the library doesn't have a copy. Does yours do inter library loans?

>48 PaulCranswick: Hi Paul. Not much caught up in the cricket, although I would have to be really out of it to not be aware that NZ is doing quite well. :) Truthfully, I've been paying more attention to the end of college BB season in the US and the lead up to March Madness.

For a change, we are having wild windy rainy weather. We need the rain because we were switched off river water and on to bore water last week and it tastes terrible. Awful. Fill up the river quick!

I finished House of Strife last night and enjoyed it. Will continue with the trilogy though won't pick up the next one for some weeks.

Just wanted to suggest a blog for you - http://www.mrripleysenchantedbooks.com/
UK based MrRipley mainly reviews YA and middle grade fantasy and is worth looking up from time to time to see what's about to be published.
I'll recommend another MG trilogy - Charlie Fletcher's Stoneheart (10+), where statues come to life in London. I also liked his Far Rockaway which had shades of Treasure island in it. This month I'm meant to read the last book in the Stoneheart trilogy and just noticed that he's writing another related trilogy about dragons, Dragon Shield.

I was a big fan of the Tanis Rideout novel when it first came out; was sorry to see it not win more readers. OK, she can't write like Joseph Boyden, and the "sitting and waiting" part is tough to do well, but I thought it was a fascinating novel. Although I still struggled to reconcile their story with the fact that reading about the Bloomsbury set, I had always thought Mallory was one of those not terribly closeted gay men -- not as out as Lytton Strachey, but more like John Maynard Keynes, the leopard who changed his spots midway through life, when he discovered he was bisexual.

>50 avatiakh: Thanks for the link. I will have a look tomorrow. I liked House of Strife. I will probably pick up the series again later on.

>51 Chatterbox: I think Rideout hints around it a little when she discusses the Bloomsbury set and Mallory's rather emotional relationship and falling out with them. Hints, but never really goes there. There are definitely a few moments on the climb, particularly with Iverson that seemed rather intimate. Interesting.

>43 nittnut: YIPEEE! I love that series. Though I haven't had the immense pleasure of listening to the audiobook!

>53 The_Hibernator: I highly recommend the audio Rachel. Ask anyone around here. lol. I am constantly warbling it around the threads.

#30 Foundling

Rossamund is a boy with a girl's name. He is an orphan and has spent his whole life at Madame Opera's Estimable Marine Society for Foundling Boys and Girls. He is now off to start employment. Due to his inexperience, a whole series of adventures or misadventures occur and his natural honesty and goodness help him to win friends. The story is set in a world where humans and monsters are at odds with each other and monster fighters are heroes.

This is the first in the Monster Blood Tattoo series. I got it on Kerry's (avatiakh) recommendation. I really liked it. It took me a few chapters to get into the world and figure things out, but once I did, I settled right in. One interesting feature of this book is the definitions at the start of each chapter. Also, my copy had great drawings of the different characters, which I liked. The book was much shorter than it looked due to the extensive glossary provided at the end.

Oh glad you liked it. The second book is my favourite.

>54 nittnut: mmmm yes David Tennant. He did them all, no?

Jenn, since you put me up to Georgette Heyer (big thank you!), have to tell you I just finished another charming read: The Corinthian.

>55 avatiakh: Oh good! I have that one as well. :) Reading something else in between, but it will probably be next.

>56 The_Hibernator: Yes indeed. And very well too.

>57 lit_chick: So glad you enjoy her Nancy. Have you read Cotillion yet?

I've been down for three days with muscle spasms in my back. I have noticed that it has been a common malady around here. Beginning to wonder if it's catching...
On the bright side, I've knocked out two big books and the meds seem to be working.

#31 The Dark Mirror
#32 Blade of Fortriu - 2015 Challenge

Juliet Marillier has written a trilogy based on Bridei, who was king of the Picts. Given the lack of written records, much of the detail of daily life has to be imagined from the available histories, mostly those of the Romans and Christian clerics. In spite of these challenges, the world feels real, and the characters live and breathe and populate the pages of this story with energy. As always, Marillier does a masterful job of blending the real and the magical in her story-telling. Having just read a thesis on how the female characters in fantasy have to perform a quest in order to develop into their true and powerful selves, I was able to observe the development of the main female characters - especially Ana in The Blade of Fortriu make choices and grow and become who she needed to be. This additional insight enriched my reading experience. Perhaps I should read more of this type of thesis?

I'm off to start the last book in the trilogy. Probably not so much that as off to bed. I get to taxi kids to the inter-school swim meet tomorrow. My daughter will be swimming breast stroke. She got first place in her age group at school. She's excited. :)

I'm so sorry to hear about your back issues - I hope they clear up soon for you!

Have fun at the swim meet and good luck and congrats to your swimmer! Hope your back is better and that you're not sitting on a bench with back spasms. Ouch!

I did a bit of a double take when I read that Jonah was in school in Samoa. Sounds like he's having his own adventure and making the best of it!

Hi Jenn! I listened to the entire Monster Blood Tattoo series a couple of years ago -- good stuff!

>60 scaifea: Thanks Amber. I've never had it so bad before. I truly feel awful for people with chronic back trouble. Spasms were so bad on Tuesday that you could see the muscle sort of lumped up on my back. I am not having spasms as much now, mostly just when I wake up in the morning. I am going to make an appointment with an Osteopath today. I know some of it is bad posture and a habit of standing funny from carrying kids around on one hip, and some of it is stress.

>61 Copperskye: Hi Joanne :) I will pass on the congratulations to the swimmer. She did great. She won her heat and made the finals, and came in 4th overall for 10 year olds from 6 schools. The three who beat her are all in the local swim club. She was disappointed, but I told her it's not bad for a girl who swims once a week to beat everyone except the girls who swim every day. :)
Well, I hope Jonah is making the best of this adventure. Samoan words are creeping into his vocabulary and he's learnt how to climb coconut trees. I know it sounds crazy, but it was totally the right thing for him.

>62 AMQS: I may look into the audio for the next two books. They are big books. :)

#33 The Well of Shades

I really liked this last book in the trilogy, although there were elements that seemed familiar. I don't know if that's because I've read so many of Marillier's books, or because I read this particular series long ago and totally forgot. I don't usually forget that badly...
The story not only follows King Bridei and his young family, but also follows his most trusted spy/advisor/assassin Faolan as he journeys back to his home to make peace with his past.

Question for you all - I just found out that my neighbor's dog was diagnosed with a very aggressive cancer. The neighbor is a lovely lady. She's been a widow for around 15 years, and she's very active with her social life and family and volunteering in the community. Naturally, She is devastated by this news. I'm not terribly worried about her being alone, but I wanted to be able to be there for her. I was thinking the kids could make cards and that sort of thing, but for those of you who have lost a dearly loved pet, I'd love to know what sort of things you would have appreciated?

I just snorted my way through Mamie and Jenny's antics over here! I miss *all* the fun stuff - no fair!

Re: your neighbor - I think the cards are a lovely idea. I'm terrible with condolences and saying/doing the right thing, but that seems like a lovely gesture.

I think a card is a lovely idea too, Jenn : ).

>65 nittnut: A card is always a lovely thing to receive. Recently a colleague's dog died suddenly and another colleague made a donation to the Arbor Day Foundation -- Plant Trees for Pets. She said she received a card like this when her dog died, and has been "paying forward" this gesture ever since. Here's a link:
http://shop.arborday.org/content.aspx?page=trees-for-pets-tim

Maybe do a search and see if there's a similar program in NZ? Or a donation to an animal shelter (of money or wishlist items) in her dog's name.

As someone whose beloved dog is in cancer remission, I think cards or a donation is a lovely idea. I'm sure she considers her dog to be a family member and she would appreciate the gesture.

I loved the Foundling series. What a crazy world he builds. :)

I think a card is a great idea. It's just a simple and lovely gesture to say you are thinking of her in the hard times. A card from the kids is doubly sweet I think!

I noticed today a new book by Jackie French, To Love a Sunburnt Country, apparently it's the 4th book in The Matilda Saga. The saga looks quite interesting, covering different periods of 20th century Australian history and I'm not sure if the books need to be read in order. Jackie French is a prolific but very good writer for all ages.

OK, I've got to check when cyclone Pam is meant to be hitting us.

Thanks for all the thoughts. We will definitely make a card, and I'm looking into the donation idea.

>66 katiekrug: *snort* is right.

>68 AMQS: Anne, thanks for the link. I love that idea. I will definitely look into it.

>70 jolerie: I am a little way into the second book and I am really enjoying it. :)

>71 avatiakh: I have not read any of the Matilda Saga. It looks like something I might like. Thanks! Like I told Val, I am into the second in the Monster Blood Tattoo series and enjoying it very much. Cyclone Pam is a source of great interest to our friends in the US. It looks like it won't hit us too hard, especially if we get the southerlies they've predicted. I know we had a fierce southerly blowing at the beach this morning. My daughter has a friend who lives in Vanuatu and I have a friend in Tuvalu, so I am hoping to hear from them tomorrow. We will see.

#34 Wildlife - ACC

Joe is an only child, and up until this particular time, his life has been pretty good. His dad is not the most steady character, and although he is able to provide for his family, they don't have a lot of money and they move a lot. They arrive in Great Falls seeking opportunities related to the oil industry boom. A wildfire breaks out in the mountains nearby which affects the local economy and Joe's dad loses his job. The smoldering discontent under the surface of his parents' marriage bursts into flame. Joe has a front row seat, and Ford beautifully describes the way a teenager might attempt to come to terms with the failures and frailties of his parents.

This was a quick and easy read. It is beautifully written and desperately sad. Since I like short stories, and I love Montana, I will probably try Rock Springs next.

>72 nittnut: Looks like Auckland will miss the worst of the storm. Hope your friends are ok.
Anyway yesterday I picked up a Jaclyn Moriarty novel from the library sale table, I thought maybe it was familiar. A corner of white is the first in a fantasy series, The Colours of Madeleine. I haven't read her fantasy as yet but enjoyed 1 or 2 of her YA novels, an Australian writer btw.

There's an interesting article about the godwit in the Sunday Star this morning:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/67335462/Godwits-the-great-travellers

Hi Kerry, Thanks for the article about the godwits. It was interesting to read about the Pukorokoro naturalists project. I had no idea that North Korea would let anyone in - it's a cool project.

A couple of books to add. One I just read, and one I forgot to add a while back.

#35 The Mermaid's Sister

I picked this up free for the Kindle. I had fairly low expectations going in, but I ended up enjoying the book quite a bit. It's a simple tale with love and friendship and a little magic. In some ways it shows that it is the author's first published novel, but it is a sweet story with a happy ending.

#36 Who Moved My Cheese

I read this at the request of my son, who also read it recently. It wasn't particularly ground breaking for me - but I can see how it may have been for my son. It's a book that may be known to some of you as it is often used in training at large corporations. Basically, change happens, and how you deal with the change will determine the level of success that you can achieve. Can you adapt, or will you keep doing the same things and hope for a different outcome? Maybe we should have Congress read it? Lol. I am pretty good at adapting. Something I picked up in the eight or so times my family moved before I was 20.

Off to bed. Big day tomorrow. I am still dealing with back spasms and I am getting my first ever massage. Gasp! I know. But I truly have never been able to bear the idea of going in and getting naked-ish (cue snorts from the shenanigan sisters) with a total stranger. My friend, who is going to school for massage and sport therapy is going to do it. I think I might be able to handle it. Clearly, I am desperate.
Actually, this is a big week. My daughter is off to camp on Tuesday as well. This will be her first time sleeping away from family. I'm a little nervous, and so is she, but we are going to be brave. The camp looks amazing. Kayaks, archery, water slide into the lake, ropes course, all kinds of cool things. And I will be down to one kid at home. Should be interesting. :)

*snort!*

Just trying to live up to my reputation ;-)

Actually, I've never had a massage either, for exactly the same reason! Last year was the year for overcoming my aversion to pedicures, so maybe this year I will finally be brave enough for a massage. I love the *idea* of them....

>76 katiekrug:
Ahem. Massages are nice. I will have another one. Please. But still not from a total stranger.

I had a look at the list previously known as Orange and picked out the ones I want to read. In a half hour of total insanity, I requested the following from the library:
Station Eleven
I Am China
Elizabeth is Missing
The Bees
The Walk Home
A God in Every Stone
The Paying Guests
A few have been in the TBR pile for a little while. A few I couldn't get at the library, so I'm not going to bother right now. A few didn't interest me much. Hopefully they don't all come in at once. Lol

Hahaha...I can't wait to see your reviews for ALL those books. ;)

There are definitely a couple of the Orange list that I want to read at some point...sigh.

>77 nittnut: Great list, I'm not tempted as yet apart from Dear Thief and that was after reading a review.

>77 nittnut: Wow, that list looks ambitious. I've gone for a different selection but will look forward to your comments.

>78 jolerie: Lol. I know. One already came in today, so I guess I will be starting with A God In Every Stone. Fortunately, most of them are popular enough that there are more than one person in the list.

>79 avatiakh: I wasn't going to go for a few of them, but then I read some of the reviews around the threads and thought I'd give Station Eleven and Elizabeth is Missing a try. We just got a couple books from the list - A Wizard Named Nell, which I read years ago and know my daughter will like, and one by Jackie French, The Camel Who Crossed Australia.

>80 charl08: I know. It's ambitious. Sigh. Which ones did you pick?

I've read Outline,The Walk Home,The Paying Guests (well, I tried and got bored so sent it back to the library) and How to be both and Elizabeth is Missing. Have ordered The Girl who was Saturday Night,The Table of Less Valued Knights. I'd already ordered A Spool of Blue Thread from the library, and The Life of a Banana was on free digital download - seems quite light and easy so far.

Hi Jenn - You know all those books are going to come in at once! I also have A God In Every Stone from the library. It looks good; we can compare notes. The only one I've read is Station Eleven, which I really liked. I've reserved Outline and The Girl Who Was Saturday Night and A Spool of Blue Thread from the library.

I hope your back is feeling better.

>82 charl08: Funny how we are all attracted to different books. I did want The Table of Less Valued Knights, but it's not available at my library, so I'll wait on that.

>83 BLBera: Two of them have shown up so far, and I'm still working my way through the second in the Monster Blood Tattoo series as well as Beekeeper's Lament, so I won't be starting them for a few days. I am passing on the Anne Tyler. I've tried her books several times and I just don't get into them. Not really sure why. She is a talented writer.

The back is sort of better. I only have spasms in my neck now, as opposed to my whole back. This is not good for sleeping at night, but not so terrible for getting through the day in general. I had the massage, and I saw an osteopath today and will see her again in a week. She said yoga and gentle Pilates and stretching. I can probably manage that. I am really looking forward to waking up some morning with no spasms in my neck. Meanwhile, Ibuprofen is my good friend.

I really enjoyed my Elizabeth Knox read, Wake, not sure if it would appeal to you but it did feature a kakapo sanctuary. Now reading another NZer book, Anna Smaill's The Chimes which is set in London.

Hope you feel better soon, Jenn!
I woke up with stiff neck last week or so and it was a major inconvenience. Thankfully it went away with some hot shower therapy and was gone the next day. Glad to hear drugs are helpful. ;)

>85 avatiakh: Ha Kerry, no. Wake doesn't really appeal. :) I will be interested to hear what you think about The Chimes.

>86 jolerie: Thanks Val. I am definitely gaining compassion for people with chronic back pain.

I went out to a Upick vege place today and picked a bag of jalapenos. I am thinking of making a bunch of salsa. Otherwise, I will somehow preserve the jalapenos to get us through the year until we can buy fresh again. They are not terribly common around here, but essential to my cooking needs.

#37 Lamplighter

The adventures of Rossamund continue. He is apprenticed to become a lamplighter, and he is a loyal and hardworking little soul. He has the gift of making friends of the right people. It's a good thing, because he will need their help. There is a mystery about Rossamund that is only just beginning to be solved, and I am interested to see where the next installment will take him. I liked this second book in the series even better than the first one. I will definitely keep book three on my list.

Salsa is simmering on the stove. My daughter is back from camp and tan and happy, and her little brother is so thrilled to have her home. He did not like being an only child.

Here's a photo I took the other day of our local book shop here in Paraparaumu Beach. It's tiny, but it has a pretty decent selection.

Happy weekend everyone!

#38 The Beekeeper's Lament - 2015 challenge

Hannah Nordhaus has written an easily accessible and fascinating book about bees and their keepers. She discusses the connection between bees and food, chronicles the challenges modern farming presents for bees, and makes itort clear how fortunate we are that there are people willing to carry on the thankless and difficult task of bee keeping. This book made me want to keep bees, sort of. It's not really a good fit for me since bee allergies run in my family. But I will be ever more thoughtful about where my honey originated and about what I plant in my yard.

Now I will begin my reading of books on the previously known as Orange list that I requested and which have been arriving apace at the library. Why is it that one can request a book (The Narrow Road to the Deep North) and still be 30th on the list after two months, but one can request 8 books (see list above) and they just pop along in one right after the other? Sigh.

Hi Jenn! I remember making an emergency trip to the library when I was near the end of Lamplighter. I'll be interested to read what you think of Factotum and the series as a whole.

Let me know how you fare with jalapeno preservation. I remember when we were living in Cyprus trying to make do with substitutions for essential ingredients. Now that Cyprus is in the EU it is a lot easier to get more produce year round (I think -- typing this makes me realize I've only ever been there in the summer in recent years), but I can remember not being able to get things like celery (who can make chicken noodle soup without it?) and garlic year round. Of course, when produce is in season, it hardly resembles our limp transport-hardy stuff.

Hope you're having a wonderful weekend. I still can't absorb that Jonah is in boarding school in Samoa!! How are you managing?

Ha! What a superb name for a bookshop, Jenn!

Jenn, is your jalapenos pickled?

>90 AMQS: Fortunately, most of what you might wish for is easily found in NZ. Prices might not be what you want though. Mexican food ingredients can be hard to find. Imagine paying $4 or $5 for a can of refried beans? We made salsa last night, and it turned out great. We have 10 little jars of it. So happy! Funny you mentioned celery. The celery here is enormous. I usually buy half a stalk, which is about the size of what I'm used to in the US.

As far as Jonah goes, I am coping very well, most of the time. I miss him, but he was in a space where he needed to try some independence and it has been very good for him.

>91 lit_chick: Hi Nancy, I thought so too. :)

>92 jolerie: No Valerie, not pickled. I don't like pickled jalapenos. So nobody gets them Lol. We made salsa with some and then we roasted the rest out on the BBQ. I will skin them when they are cool and freeze them. They won't be nice for fresh things like pico, but they will be great in beans and soups and things.

#39 A God In Every Stone

“If a man is to die defending a field, let the field be his field, the land his land, the people his people.”

The story of Vivian, an English woman and archaeologist, and the story of Quyyam Gul, an Indian soldier sent to fight in Europe are intertwined to show the closeness between individuals that is possible in spite of cultural differences and the distance that remains between indivuduals when one culture dominates yet does not seek to understand the other culture.

Kamila Shamsie explores the far-reaching effects of World War I. Specifically, how British Imperialism in its blatant disregard for the customs and religions of the people of India/Pakistan created conflict within the Empire. Thoughtless leaders commanded Muslim Indian soldiers to fight against fellow Muslim Turks, seeing the soldiers simply as tool, as an arm of the Empire. Shocked and offended by the soldiers' refusal to fight, they responded with court martials and executions and extended the suspicion to every other Indian regiment, regardless of where they were fighting or their record. Previously loyal Indian men, proud to fight for the Empire, returned home wounded and confused about what they were fighting for, and joined the movement to free India from British rule. The influence of the British in India brought opportunities and technology that allowed growth and development that might not have been possible otherwise, but at what cost?

I loved this book. It was unputdownable. Well deserving, IMO, of its spot on the previously known as Orange prize list.

Up next? I Am China.

>94 nittnut: wow, what a review! I remember enjoying Kamila Shamsie's Kartography, which I read several years ago. This one looks amazing, so onto the WL it goes. Hope you have a great week.

>93 nittnut: I know what you mean about sourcing Mexican ingredients here in NZ. I ended up sourcing online from a local company that imports. http://www.tiopablo.co.nz/
Also http://www.mexicanspecialities.co.nz/ - Mexican Specialities also runs a small restaurant twice a week and has been quite a good source for the fresh corn tortillas etc

Unfortunately jalapenos are hard to track down, I also get a bulk lot when I come across them. I read that you cut the stem off and freeze them, but then they are only suitable for cooking.

I really liked Kamila Shamsie's writing in Burnt Shadows. I was recently burned by an archaeology- styled book so I don't think I am ready to read A God In Every Stone just yet, but definitely adding it to the future reading list after such a great review!

Hi Jenn - I, too, am loving A God in Every Stone.

>95 AMQS: Hooray! I got you with a BB!

>96 avatiakh: I have had a look around the Tio Pablo website. I find them a little pricey. We have found masa flour at Moore Wilsons for a pretty decent price. They also have pintos, but the good deal is the 100 kg bag of black beans we bought last year. We make up a huge pot about once a month and freeze it in dinner size packets.
We roast and then freeze the jalapenos and they work great for most recipes. Just not fresh pico. Most everything else I use them for is cooked, so it's no big deal if they are mushy. Roasted they have a really nice flavor, I prefer it to the raw. Now that I know Penrays has them, I'll probably drop by again before the season ends and get another kg or so for roasting.

>97 lkernagh: If it helps - the book is not as much archaelology as you would think. It's more of a side thing. The real story is in the interactions of the English and the Pashtuns in Peshawar and the coming of age of the main English character, Vivian. But, don't read it until you're over that other book. It is worth a fresh perspective. Lol

>98 BLBera: I'll head over to your thread and watch for your review!

Re-reading my review, I think I made it sound more like a geo-political history book instead of a novel. It's totally a novel, and a good one. I guess that it was just really thought provoking on a geo-political level as well. If that's the right word. It's what comes to mind.

Today is rainy. Makes me glad I did tons of laundry on Saturday. I'm off to the market for groceries and the library to return a couple of books. Then I need to tidy up, and by the time I've done that, I am sure to need a nap. My neck is way better this morning, so one more visit to the Osteopath should do the trick. That and more yoga and pilates and stress management...

I started I Am China. I am going to give it 100 pages, but there are things I do not like. I love the letters that are being translated and the mystery surrounding the writers. I don't love the translator. Every so often we have to go with her to some sexually self indulgent moment that has nothing to do with the story, so far as I can tell. It's just distracting and annoying.

A God in Every Stone sounds like a gooder. Onto my library list it goes. Thanks for the review Jenn!

>100 jolerie: Always happy to send a BB your way Val. :)

I have a question. I have been applying for jobs without much success, and I am wondering if it's partly an issue with my CV. I don't think that my CV is poorly put together, but more that I left my last full-time job in 1999. I have a bunch of good volunteer work, including charter school start-ups, but I've always read that you put your volunteer things after work experience. I also read that the time I've spent as a SAHM shouldn't affect my ability to get a job, but I just don't think that's true. I have applied for things that I am perfectly suited for and not even got an interview.

Right, the question. How can I improve my chances of getting a job after 16 years of not being out in the work-force?

Regarding your CV question, the one thing I have learned, based upon my own recent experiences - I am always on the job search for something different/better - and those of individuals I know who are job hunting at the moment, is that unless your CV is custom tailored to show how you meet all (or most) of their specific requirements as mentioned in the job posting - basically, peppered with their exact buzz words and catch phrases - a lot of hiring organizations are unable or unwilling to take the time and effort to examine CVs and make proper assessments of the information they contain. If your CV doesn't have their buzz words/phrases, they move on to the next candidate who's CV does. Everyone wants a cover letter, but I question whether or not they give the cover letter - which is really supposed to answer the fit to position question - anything more than a passing glance.

Another troubling trend I have noticed is that education appears to be taking precedence over experience in the hiring arena, especially when the organization has the opportunity to hire someone younger that they can then mold to their way of thinking/processes. That is not necessarily a bad thing when an organization is prepared to train the employee, but more and more companies these days expect the new employee to hit the ground running with no additional training, so I question why experience doesn't play as big a role as it should in the hiring process.

Those are my two cents and I wish you good luck with your job search!

I think Lori's post is spot-on. It gibes with some of what I've been hearing from friends and family job hunting.

I couldn't tell from your comment about the volunteer work, Jenn, if you had put it after paid experience or decided to incorporate it. If you are keeping it separate, maybe try reorganizing it so you have all work experience together - it sounds like much of your volunteer work has been exactly that - work! Might be worth trying...?

>102 lkernagh: Thanks Lori. It's a lot to think about - I know that tailoring the CV to the specific job is important. It's too bad that education takes precedence. Education is a good thing, but it doesn't give you experience or common sense. Not reading the cover letter is silly. When we were hiring a principal for one of the charter schools, the cover letter told us whether we wanted to look at the CV at all. Some of the cover letters were appalling. IMO, anyone can put together a list of jobs and experience. Being able to write a letter that is brief but gives the employer an idea of who you are and why they should interview you, much more difficult. Sigh.

>103 katiekrug: I have the volunteer stuff listed after paid experience. I suppose I could incorporate it, but that puts a good 15 years of volunteer work in front of paid experience. Not sure if it's helpful. Most of my volunteer work was definitely work. Lol Strictly no sissy stuff. Starting schools or catching injured ducks in the rain. That's my range. ;)

Jenn - Good luck with the job hunting. I would agree with Katie. It sounds like you have done a lot of volunteer work that has given you valuable experience. I would give that equal weight, especially because it is the most recent.

I totally get what you mean when you talk about the political aspect of the novel. I've only read the first 100 pages, but I can that it's headed in an anti-colonialism direction.

Thanks Beth. I am going to try to reorganize the CV and see what happens. :) Why not.
Definitely anti-colonialism. I hope you're enjoying it. :)

I am abandoning a book! It rarely happens. There are two stories happening in I Am China. There is the story of an estranged Chinese couple, told through letters and journal entries being translated by a British woman named Iona. Then there is Iona's story. I found the story of the Chinese couple interesting at first, and even though I was annoyed by Iona, I thought I'd give it 100 pages. I actually gave it closer to 180 pages. I don't think I can take the lack of connection in this story. Or the violent sexual images that occasionally attack me out of nowhere. All of the characters are islands and can't seem to connect with anyone around them. It's melancholy and depressing. I suspect that on some level that is inaccessible to me, this story is about the marginalization of people, especially women, in every culture and about having the will to overcome that, but I just don't care.

In other news, I am down to the last hour of How To Betray A Dragon's Hero and the tension is mounting. There is only a day left to get to the Isle of Tomorrow with all the Lost Things and be crowned King of the Wilderwest. Who will have the things? Who will be King? And it turns out, Toothless isn't such a pathetic little dragon after all. David Tennant is as wonderful as ever. I would still be listening except my phone battery died.

>88 nittnut: Moby Dickens' Bookshop! Cool.
I am all for sending condolences before the event, as it shows you care. This is re: your neighbours dog, btw. I sent my midwife a card and message and photos of the boys when she was diagnosed with cancer.

^ abandoning a book? I rarely do it...but needs it's and all! Was it that it was letters?

I can help myself, Elizabeth Knox just mentioned this booklist on twitter and I think you'll like it, I like it: Fantastic Fiction:
Great Fantasy Books for Ages 11 to 17

>107 LovingLit: Thanks for the thoughts on sending condolences. Regarding the abandoned book - the letters were the part I actually liked. It was the incidental other stuff. Like, she's translating letters and then goes to the bar for drinks and suddenly I'm in the middle of a meaningless and overdescriptive one night stand. Or, again letters being translated, a peek into the real time life of one of the letter writers and suddenly a violent rape scene. It was like whiplash. Blergh.

>108 avatiakh: No need for restraint Kerry. Lol. I'm all over that list. My daughter is really into fantasy right now.

>108 avatiakh: Obviously I meant to type 'I can't' rather than 'I can'

>109 nittnut: I love how they have divided the fantasy into subject headings. Did you see the link to the list for younger readers as well. Kudos that they keep updating these lists for the past 10 years.

Sending you positive vibes for the job hunting. Lori gave some really good tips that I'm going to pass along to my husband who is also job hunting. :)

So, NZ friends, would I rather see a concert in Auckland or Christchurch? Vector or Horncastle?

>110 avatiakh: I really like the subject headings. That is so helpful. I also like the recommendation on what age the book is good for.

>111 jolerie: Thank you. :) I realize that I have to be patient. I am looking for a good job, that is part time, that fits in the hours my kids are at school. Not a lot of those, and the competition is pretty fierce.

I am reading Station Eleven now. Kinda liking it.

Thanks for your comments on I am China. I think I'll pass on that one. I'm anxious to hear what you think of Station Eleven.

I am currently listening to Station Eleven. Part one was interesting until it wound up and left me going "Whaaat?" and I am not quite invested in what I have listened to so far in part two.

>114 BLBera: I am not very opinionated, of course.

>115 lkernagh: Agreed. That last little bit of part 1 was a little abrupt. Then part 2 is rough at first because she is (maybe?) using a device of giving names to the people that matter to the story, but only positions to those that don't? I'm on to part 7 now. I think part 3 really starts to flow.

Kind of a funny story, a little nervous-making. I have been working on a bit of a marketing campaign for my business. I am a little nervous about the direction Etsy is going, and recently they announced that they are filing for an IPO. I am not sure that is a good direction for handmade-ology.

I am seriously considering a move to my own website. Anyway, I need to build up my client base and beef up my marketing campaign. One of my goals was to get my product featured in more magazines and on big blogs and into the hands of the people with connections. Initially, I sent out about 15 promotion request packages to the 15 best magazines and bloggers I could find. So far, three have replied and all three want to work with me. I figured if I sent out 25 requests and got 1 positive response, I'd feel pretty successful. Remember, I aimed as High as I could. Lol. This is both a good and a frightening trend...

Part 2 of my campaign is getting nightgowns onto the children of more famous people. For example, Sarah Jessica Parker has twin girls...

Part 3, approach exclusive boutiques for designer children's clothing.

It's all part of my plan to keep on working at home. Because job hunting is no fun at all and you can't take naps when you work away from home.

Kind of makes you think. If you really want something to happen, you just have to put it out there. You can't be afraid or insecure or worry about potential failure. But you might have to worry about the potential success. Ha!

Interesting -- I was just reading an article about that today:
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/16/business/media/etsys-success-raises-problems-o...

I know what you mean, though. You want to be successful and to have your business take off, but what would be the implications of that?

Jenn, your business marketing campaign sounds excellent! Awesome that you've had three magazines/bloggers reply and all three want to work with you. SJP's twins: here comes Jenn!

eta: Jenn, would you be comfortable posting the link to your Etsy store? Would love to see your nightgowns!

>118 AMQS: Thanks for that link Anne. I hadn't seen that article. It does illustrate one of my main issues with Etsy. I also hope to grow to a point where I could employ someone, but I always thought that would mean I had outgrown Etsy, not that Etsy had to change. Sigh.

>119 lit_chick: But of course I'd love to share :) and feel free to pass the link along to anyone you think might be interested.
Lavender Avenue

#40 Station Eleven

In a crowd of YA dystoptian love stories and zombie apocalypse horror, Station Eleven stands out. The collapse of society is described, but the rest of the story, the survivors and how they cope years on from the cataclysmic event remain central to the tale. The tales of the survivors are blended with references to Shakespeare, the Bible, zombie apocalypse novels, and an epic graphic novel that is the great treasure of one of the survivors. The survivors all have different stories, but some things they do have in common. Adaptation and an ability to retain hope amid total chaos. The writing is wonderful, and the book was beautifully edited. Good editing is so refreshing. The pacing of the book is even and the author doesn't seem to feel pressured to reveal what happened to all the characters, even some pretty central characters have some mystery around them in the end. That felt really realistic to me.

I think this would be a great book club book. Lots of ideas to discuss. In the face of a total collapse and loss of technology, does it make sense to teach children about what was lost? Is it actually possible for there to be a complete loss of technology? IMO, no, and that was one thing that really bothered me about the story. I couldn't really buy into that. I was relieved to see that my concern was addressed in the end in a pretty cool way.
Don't go and read the last page now, but I was starting to wonder if it was possible to end the book in a way that both showed that life goes on, but didn't imply a sequel. It was one of the most perfect endings I think I have ever read. A great read.

Jenn - I'm so glad you liked it; I really thought it was a nice way to approach dystopia that hadn't really been done. I'm going to use it in a class next fall. We'll see how it goes; I've given up trying to guess.

Hi Jenn, thanks for sharing Lavender Avenue. Love your work! Well done!

Jenn - Beautiful nightgowns! I love them. I'll have to think about my little Scout...

#41 The Hamilton Case ANZAC

The Hamilton Case is divided into three distinct sections. The story begins in Ceylon in the early 1900's, a British colony with a complicated social structure. The social structure is a cascading one, with the British at the top, then the Sinhalese and under them the Tamil, and so on.

Part one of the narrative is in first person - Sam is telling the story of his childhood. It is one of loneliness, attempts to get the attention of his parents and struggles to fit in socially. He says, perhaps foreshadowing his experience with his own son, For myself, I believe that sons are born to disappoint their fathers. In that respect, every man fulfills his destiny. In contrast to what I perceived as the reader, Sam maintains that his school days were some of the happiest of his life.
Section two is a third person account of Sam's life, beginning at the point where he leaves school and starts work. Any affection or sympathy I may have developed for Sam in part one is completely obliterated by the narrative of part two. As the narrative progresses and the characters lives unfold, two mysteries emerge. The first is the Hamilton Case with its impact on Sam's career. The second is more subtle, and concerns an event from Sam's childhood and how it has shaped his life and the lives of his mother and sister.
The third section returns to the first person narrative, but from the point of view of an outside observer. I will call this narrator The Closer. He attempts to clarify The Hamilton Case and at the same time, clarify the costs to Ceylon of British colonialism and the costs of the rebellion against it.

The characters in the story are all unhappy. Either by nature, or because someone close to them makes them unhappy. Is the point that British colonialism made people unhappy? Maybe, but so do military coups and civil war. Is the point that ignoring or brushing off unpleasant things in life makes people unhappy? That a lifetime of such behavior can cost a person their grip on reality? Perhaps.
Life is bearable only if it can be understood as a set of narrative strategies. In the endless struggle to explain our destinies we search for cause and effect, for recurrent patterns of climax and denouement; we need beginnings, villains, we seek the hidden correlation between a rainy afternoon remembered from childhood and a letter that doesn't arrive forty years later.

#42 How To Betray A Dragon's Hero

The tension is mounting. There is only a day left to get to the Isle of Tomorrow with all the Lost Things and be crowned King of the Wilderwest. Who will have the things? Who will be King? Whose side is SnotLout on? And it turns out, Toothless isn't such a pathetic little dragon after all. David Tennant is as wonderful as ever. We will be waiting impatiently for the 12th and final book in this series.

And I am abandoning The Paying Guests. Ho hum.

Hi Jenn - hope all is going well :)

Hi Reba! We are well here. How are you? Haven't seen you around for awhile. :)

#43 I, Putin - gifted by the author for review

The story opens in 2012 with Gosha, Putin's personal assistant, preparing his mother for burial as fast as he can before he needs to be back at work. Apparently there are no days off, even for a death in the family. Gosha returns to work, discovers that Putin knows where he was and what he was doing. Nothing can be hidden from the former KGB man. This establishes that Putin is powerful and scary. Part of Gosha's work is transcribing Putin's memoirs. This is the device by which the narrative voice changes from third person - Gosha's point of view to first person - Putin telling his own story. Putin describes his childhood and education, judo mastery and meeting his wife, his years with the KGB and his rise to power under Yeltsin. I thought Jennifer Ciotta did a great job presenting Putin as human and clarifying his ideology somewhat - at least that he recognizes the flaws of communism. Alternating between Putin's memoir and Gosha's point of view, the reader arrives in the year 2000 and the first three months of Putin's presidency. The Kursk submarine disaster. From this point, the Kursk submarine disaster dominates the book and is presented as the defining event leading to Putin's acceptance of foreign aid - too late to save the submariners but in time to save Putin's presidency - and solidifying Putin's taking decisive control of Russia.

This is a very readable book. The subject is interesting - at least to me - and generally the flow of the narrative is fairly smooth. A few things bugged me. Occasionally, especially later in the book, the narrative falters. I believe this is due to shifting not just point of view, but also time and location, too often or too abruptly, and sometimes I had to stop and check who was talking and where I was. The other sort of disjointed part of the book was the bit on Bill Clinton. A lot of time was spent on his 1969 visit to Moscow, his marital problems and so forth for a book about Vladimir Putin. None of these flaws prevented me from enjoying the story. A very readable book.

#44 The Silver Pigs

It took me a while to really get into this book. At first Falco just annoyed me, but then he grew on me little by little. It's a good mystery and a fun look at life in Rome and Britain under Roman rule.

You are so talented, Jenn!
I love how you are taking something you are good at and making it profitable! I need to find a way for my hobbies to earn me some money instead of sucking it all up. ;)

So, just not digging The Paying Guests?

>132 jolerie: Not digging The Paying Guests at all. Getting way better at just saying no to books that I'm not loving.
Well, profitable is maybe not the word I'd use. I am trying to make it profitable. I am very profitable at Christmas, which is a bit stressful, lol. But thanks for the compliment for sure. :)

It has not been a fun week around here. My daughter was home sick Thursday and Friday. Thursday night my mouth started hurting. Specifically in an area where there have been three root canals and crowns and endodontic surgery in the past. Friday I called the dentist. No appointments until Saturday. Then Friday at lunch the school called to tell me my youngest had vomited. Got him from school and sorted him out. I struggled through, went to the dentist on Saturday and they couldn't see anything obvious. Put me on an antibiotic for a possible sinus infection and gave me a little anti-inflammatory. This is when things got really fun. My husband came down sick Sunday morning. I'm in Major pain, all through the weekend, Tylenol and Rx anti-inflammatory not cutting it, called after hours dentist number and they said go to doctor. Finally got appointment with doc late Monday. He couldn't really see anything. Nothing against the man, but he took my temp and said maybe I had a low grade fever. I reminded him that I was taking 1000 mg Paracetamol and 50 mg of another anti-inflammatory. Did he think it might mask a fever? Duh. He gave me another antibiotic and more pain killer. So now I am on two antibiotics and three different pain meds. Can we all say loopy-loo? Finally today, there is drainage and I can detect an area of distinct swelling on the roof of my mouth. Pain is manageable except for the odd two hours here and there when the one pain med is wearing off and it isn't time for the next one. On the bright side, my muscle spasms in my back are gone. I am feeling very grateful for the majority of the time when I am NOT sick. Also making a note to take better care of myself. That is all.

Oh. And I've been reading a bunch of books. I may even remember some of them. Lol

#45 Knucklehead - 2015 Challenge

I actually finished reading this over a week ago and I keep forgetting to review it.

Jon Scieszka is one of 6 brothers. Knucklehead is a sort of memoir of his childhood. Since I had the privilege of growing up with 4 younger brothers, all within 5 years of each other in age (I know, right?) I could relate to most of the stories very well. Not the Catholic school, perhaps, but everything else. I read it out loud to my youngest, and we had a lot of giggles together. Our favorite chapter was titled "I Swear" and I swear it was one of the funniest things I have ever read. If I want to send my son off into gales of laughter, all I have to do now is say "gooberbutt". Also the chapter about the road trip and the vomiting cat. I will be sending this book on to my brother soon. Thanks to Anne (AMQS) for the recommendation.

#46 Bitter Greens

A modern re-telling of the tale of Rapunzel, intermingled with a fictional account of the life of Charlotte-Rose de la Force, who is purported to be the author of the original tale. This was just OK for me. I liked the Rapunzel tale, but had a hard time really getting into most of the rest of the story.

#47 The Convenient Marriage

Because when I don't feel good, Georgette always makes it better.

I started reading Fortunately, the Milk but my daughter took it from me and I haven't got it back yet. So I've started The Coroner's Lunch.

Ouch, Jenn! Good luck. I hope it doesn't involve major work. Take care and get well.

Jenn!!!! Sounds like an awful weekend - and a fairly useless GP. I hope things are getting a bit better and I'm sorry I'm no use to you at all down here.

You just whacked me with a book bullet - Fletcher went through a run of loving the Time Warp Trio books by Jon Scieszka a couple of years ago and I think Teresa might like them, and I'll look for Knucklehead.

2 days of term left - am hanging out for Thursday afternoon!

>133 nittnut: Mostly lurking, but stepping into the 'light' to wish you a speedy recovery - hope the Heyer and antibiotic combo works.

Oh, dang, Jenn! I'm so sorry about all the sickness and mouth pain! Here's hoping things clear up soon for you and yours. I've been there with the mouth issues (I had a nasty recovery from a root canal once, which involved some of the worst pain I've ever experienced), so I sympathize.

Oh, Jenn, what a weekend! Hope you and yours are feeling much better! Kind of excitement one does NOT need!

Boo on illness and pain! I hope both are receding now....

Jenn, sorry to hear about your mouth pain. Sounds nasty!

Oh, Jenn, what a terrible weekend! Do you think maybe you could have a low grade fever? ;) Obviously something is going on with your teeth/mouth. Awful stuff. How is everyone else feeling now? And you're still reading -- I'm impressed!

Glad you enjoyed Knucklehead -- it's the gift that keeps on giving.

Take care of yourself!

Happy April Fool's day ;)

Thanks for all the good wishes. I am feeling almost human today. Well, human in the sense that the pain has receded enough that I've slept most of the day. A friend from church brought dinner over and it was the best thing I've had all week. As in not toast dipped in broth or yogurt or rice pudding. Because one of the ironies of being on antibiotics and pain meds for mouth pain is that you have to eat so you don't get a sore tummy...

#48 The Coroner's Lunch - 2015 Challenge

This is a really different kind of mystery. There are a lot of the usual elements, coroner, dead bodies, mystery, and then there is the addition of the supernatural, which I found more believable than expected. I loved the characters. I really enjoyed it and will definitely read another one.

That's a wrap for my March reading.

Just need

to use up

a few more

posts and then

I can make

My new thread

for April

Hooray!

*snork!*