bibliotecara's 2009 booklist

Here's the start of the new list!

1. Home to Holly Springs - Jan Karon
2. High Profile - Robert Parker
3. Heroes - Robert Cormier
4. The Parting (Courtship of Nellie Fisher, #1) - Beverly Lewis - If you enjoy reading about the Amish or simply good Christian fiction, it's hard to beat Beverly Lewis. This series is off to a good start.
5. A Virgin River Christmas - Robyn Carr
6. The Forbidden (Courtship of Nellie Fisher, #2) - Beverly Lewis
7. Dewey: The Small-town Library Cat Who Touched the World - Vicki Myron.
8. Peace Child - Don Richardson
9. Bud, Not Buddy - C.P. Curtis
10. The Man Who Loved Clowns - June Rae Wood
11. A Boy No More - Harry Mazer - Fascinating look at Pearl Harbor and the aftermath.
12. Song of the Buffalo Boy - Sherry Garland (reread from years ago).
13. The Mouse and His Child - Russell Hoban - An excellent read on pursuing your dreams, learning about who you are and the nature of love.
14. The Appalachians: America's First and Last Frontier - Mari-Lynn Evans - Wow! If you ever wanted to read an informative, enjoyable, yet painful work on Appalachia, this is it! Excellent!
15. Eternity Code (Artemis Fowl #3) - Eoin Colfer - interesting series about a thirteen-year-old genious with criminal tendencies.
16. Witness - Karen Hesse - Hmmm.... interesting!!!
17. I am David - Anne Holm - excellent book and excellent movie.
18. Neverwhere - Neil Gaiman - Wow! Made me want to revisit London...
19. Maximum Ride: The Final Warning - James Patterson - Great series!
20. Roots and Wings - Many Ly
21. Hornblower and the Hotspur - C.S. Forester
22. Pascal's Wager: The Man Who Played Dice with God - James A. Connor - Made me eager to get to heaven to meet Blaise Pascal!
23. Chocolat - Joanne Harris - interesting... the movie was a bit different.
24. I am Apache - Tanya Landman - An interesting look at female warriors!
25. Hitched - Carol Higgins Clark - another good Regan Reilly mystery.
26. The Lost Colony - Eoin Colfer
27. The Time Paradox - Eoin Colfer
28. Goodbye, Mr. Chips - James Hilton - Excellent! Made me want to read more about English public (private) schools!
29. Aquamarine - Alice Hoffman
30. The Opal Deception - Eoin Colfer - Another entertaining Artemis Fowl book!
31. Anansi Boys - Neil Gaiman - Interesting!! I think I'm now definitely a fan of Gaiman!
32. The Longing - Beverly Lewis - Book 3 of The Courtship of Nellie Fisher series. Excellent!
33. Gideon's Gift - Karen Kingsbury - Part of the "Red Gloves" series. Quite good.
34. Hannah's Hope - Karen Kingsbury - Another good "Red Gloves" book. Made me really feel for families of soldiers!
35. Chasing Redbird - Sharon Creech - An interesting story about love and death.
36. Come, Tell Me How You Live - Agatha Christie Mallowan (yes, HER) - excellent account of the author's life at an archaeological dig.
37. The Invention of Hugo Cabret - Brian Selznick. A wonderful look at the dream world of films and imagination.
38. The Cellist of Sarajevo - Steven Galloway. Powerful! Made me want to read more about the seige and the war in the former Yugoslavia. An excellent read.
39. Inkheart - Corenelia Funke. YUM!!! A great combination of fantasy and reality.

Welcome back!

Hey, alcottacre!
How was your holiday? Great, I hope! I spent many hours during mine reading and compiling (or at least, starting) my TBR list for 2009! Thought I'd actually get started recording things from the first of the year, this time! ;)

wlecome back!

>1 bibliotecara: Is that a new(er) series by Karon? How was it? I have the one on the bachelor priest who marries his neighbor. I liked it a lot.

How did you like the Parker book? I received a mess of them in that shipment last fall but have never read anything of his.

Hope your holidays were super!

#3 biblio: I had a lovely holiday, thank you for asking. I hope you did the same?

Looks like you have made a good start on your reading list for this year. I am anxious to see what you have on that compiled list of yours!

#5 Suslyn - Yes, it's a new series by Karon & this is the first one (pub. Oct '08, I think). It's sortof a followup to the Mitford series. This focuses more on Father Tim's history, i.e. childhood, education, etc. I enjoyed this one very much. It's about his first journey back to his hometown in 30+ years. If you liked the Mitford series, you probably will this one, too.

As for the Parker book, I enjoy his writing. Sometimes it can seem a bit formulaic, but overall it's very good. This was a good one. If you like P.I./law enforcement/whodunnit plots, try him out!

BTW, my holidays were great, thanks! Yours?

#6 alcottacre - Yes, I had a wonderful holiday, thanks! I hope I can keep up the good reading this year.

I've tried to post a running TBR list in the comments section of my profile page. Don't know if it'll work. Is there another way I could do that so that others can access it?

#9: Heroes (I could not find the correct Touchstone for it) sounds very good. I will look for it, thanks!

>7 bibliotecara: holidays were good but very very busy! We're in the process of packing (yes, that is why I'm here on LT LOL) to return to Bucharest tomorrow where I will sleep for a week!!

#10: Yes, it's a worthwhile read! It's a Young Adult book, so you might find it in the Juvenile/Teen section of your local library. I couldn't find a Touchstone, either.

#11: Hey suslyn, just got your message. Do you live in Bucuresti? I used to live there! I was there for almost three years, living near Piata Alba Iulia and Piata Muncii. If you don't mind my asking, what took you there? I can understand the desire to sleep for a week... That process of packing the house and then jet lag can be a real drag!!!

>13 bibliotecara: Buno sera! (that's just about the extent of my Romanian!) Just outside actually Bucuresti proper, near Baneasca mall on Iancu Nicolae. Steph works for Dacia (courtesy of Renault) just off Pipera here in Voluntari. So 15-20 tops sees us in city limits. When did you leave?

#13: suslyn - Buna seara to you, too! I know right where Iancu Nicolae is and spent quite a bit of time in Voluntari sector. Sounds like an interesting job, working for Dacia/Renault. What does he/she do there? I returned to the US in July of 2000. I've been able to go back once for a visit and hope to do so again this year, perhaps late spring or mid-summer.

#13: How do you like the city? I used to love going to the opera and the ballet at the state theatre. There were also some great little restaurants if you took the time to look around off the main streets. It took me a while to get accustomed to the public transportation, but then I missed it when I left!!

We're a mile by foot to the closest public transport (a bus) which then takes you to the city where you can get the metro et al. Haven't been to the opera or ballet. Didn't do that when we lived in Paris either! Tried to get hubby to take me when we were in Orange last summer -- they were doing Faust in the old Roman theatre there! How cool was that?! Mais non, he doesn't like the story... I did ask him to take me to something like that (including museums) once a month, then changed it to once a quarter. I think we average one per year. That's better than nothing :)

Oh, yeah, I forgot that you're out in the 'burbs where RATB seldom stretches! If you can talk hubby into it, you should try to take in at least one performance - ballet or opera. It's really quite good. Man! It would REALLY be cool to see Faust in an old Roman theatre! Too bad you missed it! I've not spent much time in France - sounds interesting. Bucuresti also has some good museums. I'd recommend the Village Museum or a visit to Cotroceni Palace (president's home) or Mogosoaia Palace (built by Brancoveanu). Maybe hubby would like one of those for your once-per-year visit!

suslyn: If you want to read a good book about Romania and the post-communism experience, you should try "The Return" by Petru Popescu. I've got the Romanian version, but it's also good in the English version.

We did do Peles :) wonderful. And we've done several of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites -- Viscri (wonderful), the Bucovina monasteries...

Yes, Peles is beautiful! I also enjoyed the Bucovina monasteries. Too bad they're having such trouble preserving the exterior murals there...

oooh Peace Child! Can't wait til your done and we can talk :)

#24 - Hey, suslyn! I've already finished! I'm assuming you've read it. What did you think?

PEACE CHILD ***SPOILER SPOILER*** I absolutely was riveted by it. I still remember, these 20 years after the initial read, the swap of the child, the indigines' first gleeful hearing of the Judas story, the dismay of the missionaries, the fellow who never really enjoyed eating people anyway :)... so moving.

Do tell me you weren't ho hum about it... unless, of course, you were :)

Not at all! I was captivated! I found myself wanting to weep with the Sawi man and his wife who gave their child ... can't imagine the pain that must have caused. I was also dismayed at the tradition of, basically, snaring others into one's plan of treachery.

Oh, the depths to which we humans sink!

For some reason, and perhaps just because it's one of my fav drums to beat, the combo of Peace Child and your Pearl Harbor read made me wonder if you've read another WWII Japanese prisoner of war camp book: Evidence Not Seen? Absolutely fabulous. It's probably in my top 10 reads of all time.

#30: No, I actually haven't read that one. Sounds like I need to add it to my TBR list! I'll see if I can get it and let you know what I think.

Anyone says anything remotely related to Appalachia and I think of my favorite film (based on a book I have yet to read! -- bad me), Winter People. Oh it's good. Set in one of those lost pockets in the 30s? 20s? good good good 8>) Can you tell I like it?

#32: I haven't read or seen that one. Hmmm... maybe I need to look it (them?) up. 8-) Sounds interesting! What's the general storyline?

SPOILER SPOILER I hate even a general storyline. For me that is a spoiler LOL Single dad clockmaker moves taking his daughter with him. They break down in backwoods Appalachia 'where the sun don't shine' and are accosted by a family of thugs. He's rescued by a girl from a family not on good relations with the thugs. daughter is horrified by the backwoods lifestyle, clockmaker intrigued by his rescuer. A feud ensues, clockmaker's manhood challenged, hearts engaged... every emotion hit upon. good good good stuff.

we have it on laser disc, but our laser discs are in storage. I'd really like to see it tonight...

ETA it's also great seeing Kurt Russell in this dramatic, sensitive role. And Kelly McGillis is sooo good too. In fact I think the whole cast is just amazing ... perfect bad guys (but not one-dimensional as that comment makes it sound), the "flirt" is a honey, the family relationships so realistically portrayed... Okay LOL I'll shut up :)

Except, I have no clue why the rating at IMdB is so low. I don't know anyone who didn't love this movie (I made most of my friends watch it :). My dad saw it when he was in Europe and insisted mom and I watch it ... guess it's a family thing

#34: suslyn - thanks for the "spoiler"! I think i could still enjoy it if and when i get to see & read it. Sounds quite interesting. I know what it's like when you have many of your things packed up and can't get to the one thing you want! Bummer!

For those who may be following my reading list/thread, I've decided that it makes more sense to follow the example of several others and update my list in the first posting, hence, the several deleted posts here.

I just finished reading Neil Gaiman's "Neverwhere". Thanks to alcottacre's TBR list for the suggestion! It was great! I'll be looking for other works by him to add to my own ever-growing TBR list!

I just started "I am Apache", which is a North American debut release for British author Tanya Landman. So far, it's definitely a good read....

17. I am David - Anne Holm - excellent book and excellent movie.

I did not know there was a movie...
I did read I am David long ago and remember I liked it very much. And we had another book by Anne Holm I think it was Peter (no touchstone, although there are 2 copies on LT).

#37: I will suggest a couple of Gaiman's books for you (given my limited reading of his books): The Graveyard Book and Good Omens, which he wrote with Terry Pratchett. I am sure other people will pile on here and suggest a bunch of others!

#38 Hi FAMeulstee - Yes, there's a movie. It was made in 2003 and stars Ben Tibber (David), Jim Caviezel (Johannes) and Joan Plowright (Sophie). I think it's well worth watching. It's one of those rare instances in which a movie equals the quality of the book on which it was based. I'll look for "Peter." Sounds good!

Hey, suslyn! Who wrote "Winter People"? I've been looking for it, but had no success thus far.

According to IMdB it's John Ehle, but I've not yet read the book.

Thanks, suslyn! I'll keep looking for it!

And the list goes on ...

1. Home to Holly Springs - Jan Karon
2. High Profile - Robert Parker
3. Heroes - Robert Cormier
4. The Parting (Courtship of Nellie Fisher, #1) - Beverly Lewis - If you enjoy reading about the Amish or simply good Christian fiction, it's hard to beat Beverly Lewis. This series is off to a good start.
5. A Virgin River Christmas - Robyn Carr
6. The Forbidden (Courtship of Nellie Fisher, #2) - Beverly Lewis
7. Dewey: The Small-town Library Cat Who Touched the World - Vicki Myron.
8. Peace Child - Don Richardson
9. Bud, Not Buddy - C.P. Curtis
10. The Man Who Loved Clowns - June Rae Wood
11. A Boy No More - Harry Mazer - Fascinating look at Pearl Harbor and the aftermath.
12. Song of the Buffalo Boy - Sherry Garland (reread from years ago).
13. The Mouse and His Child - Russell Hoban - An excellent read on pursuing your dreams, learning about who you are and the nature of love.
14. The Appalachians: America's First and Last Frontier - Mari-Lynn Evans - Wow! If you ever wanted to read an informative, enjoyable, yet painful work on Appalachia, this is it! Excellent!
15. Eternity Code (Artemis Fowl #3) - Eoin Colfer - interesting series about a thirteen-year-old genious with criminal tendencies.
16. Witness - Karen Hesse - Hmmm.... interesting!!!
17. I am David - Anne Holm - excellent book and excellent movie.
18. Neverwhere - Neil Gaiman - Wow! Made me want to revisit London...
19. Maximum Ride: The Final Warning - James Patterson - Great series!
20. Roots and Wings - Many Ly
21. Hornblower and the Hotspur - C.S. Forester
22. Pascal's Wager: The Man Who Played Dice with God - James A. Connor - Made me eager to get to heaven to meet Blaise Pascal!
23. Chocolat - Joanne Harris - interesting... the movie was a bit different.
24. I am Apache - Tanya Landman - An interesting look at female warriors!
25. Hitched - Carol Higgins Clark - another good Regan Reilly mystery.
26. The Lost Colony - Eoin Colfer
27. The Time Paradox - Eoin Colfer
28. Goodbye, Mr. Chips - James Hilton - Excellent! Made me want to read more about English public (private) schools!
29. Aquamarine - Alice Hoffman
30. The Opal Deception - Eoin Colfer - Another entertaining Artemis Fowl book!
31. Anansi Boys - Neil Gaiman - Interesting!! I think I'm now definitely a fan of Gaiman!
32. The Longing - Beverly Lewis - Book 3 of The Courtship of Nellie Fisher series. Excellent!
33. Gideon's Gift - Karen Kingsbury - Part of the "Red Gloves" series. Quite good.
34. Hannah's Hope - Karen Kingsbury - Another good "Red Gloves" book. Made me really feel for families of soldiers!
35. Chasing Redbird - Sharon Creech - An interesting story about love and death.
36. Come, Tell Me How You Live - Agatha Christie Mallowan (yes, HER) - excellent account of the author's life at an archaeological dig.
37. The Invention of Hugo Cabret - Brian Selznick. A wonderful look at the dream world of films and imagination.
38. The Cellist of Sarajevo - Steven Galloway. Powerful! Made me want to read more about the seige and the war in the former Yugoslavia. An excellent read.
39. Inkheart - Corenelia Funke. YUM!!! A great combination of fantasy and reality.
40. Politically Incorrect Guide to the South: And Why it Will Rise Again - Clint Johnson. This was a totally unplanned addition to the list, but very informative and entertaining!
41. Centurion's Wife - Janette Oke & Davis Bunn. A very interesting (and good!) look at a lesser-known biblical personage!
42. Second Chance Pass (Virgin River book 5) - Robyn Carr. Nice story, but a bit too graphic.
43. Sarah's Song - Karen Kingsbury. An engrossing book about the secret of true love.
44. Ballad of Lucy Whipple - Karen Cushman. An entertaining look at the California Gold Rush of the 1800s.
45. Gallows Thief - Bernard Cornwell. Another interesting look at the life of a British soldier in Wellington's army.
46. Temptation Ridge - Robyn Carr. A bit of light fluff in the romance department. Decent storyline, but a bit too graphic.

What a great list! There are quite a few books that I'm adding to my tbr pile. :)

I like the one liners.

Here's the latest update:

47. Shem Creek - Dorothea Frank. An interesting and entertaining look at life in the Low Country of South Carolina.
48. Fatherhood - Bill Cosby. An interesting and comic look at parenting in the 21st century!
49. The Book Thief - Markus Zusak - An outstanding look at life in Nazi Germany from the perspective of a German child.
50. West With the Night - Beryl Markham. This was great! An autobiographical look at a pioneer aviator and very interesting lady.
51. The Host - Stephenie Meyer. An exquisite treatment and different view of the old "invasion of the body-snatchers" idea.
52. The Pearl - John Steinbeck. A very good (composition and theme) look at the impact that a little unexpected wealth can have on a family and community. Sad, but good.
53. Sarah: A Novel - Marek Halter. Interesting. Well written, but disappointing for those who believe the Bible or the Torah.
54. The Graveyard Book - Neil Gaiman. Excellent! A very interesting look at the meaning of family and discovering one's identity.

>47 bibliotecara:: One of these days, I need to rip my Bill Cosby albums to digital. I still love them.

Now, here's a guy going to work, 7 o'clock in the morning...Noahs next door neighbour and he sees the Ark.

Hey! You up there!
What you want?
What is this?
It's an Ark
Aha. You wanna get it outta my driveway? I gotta get to work.
Listen, what this thing for anyway?
I can't tell you
Well, I mean can't you give me a little hint?
You wanna a hint?
Yes, please
How long can you tread water?

Ha!Ha!Ha! That's funny! Bill Cosby is a truly great comedian! I don't have any of his albums, but I wish I did.

I haven't read any of his other books, but I may now!

I love the Rhinoceros in the Living Room, Driving in San Francisco, and his stuff about his brother. My kids were hooked quite young on the routines--because they are just plain funny. Glad to find another fan.

> 50: I'm not familiar with the Rhino or the San Francisco stuff, but I do like his stories about his brother! Sometimes I think that Cosby is the last of a breed. Most "comedians" today have the mistaken idea that vulgarity and/or slamming some particular group are funny. It's sad...

55. Magic Street - Orson Scott Card - A very unexpected and very GOOD find! An interesting look at the life of a foundling in an upper-middle class African American neighborhood, faeries, magic and the bard.
56. No Atheists in Foxholes - Patrick McLaughlin. Really opened my eyes to many elements of life on the front lines of a war. Excellent and thought-provoking.
57. Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen - Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy really are two of the greatest romantic characters in literature!

Sounds like you have had a couple of good reads in a row! I will look for each of them. Thanks for the recommendations.

#51 I wore out LP versions of Why is There Air?; To Russell, My Brother, Whom I Slept With; I Started Out as a Child; Bill Cosby is a Very Funny Fellow...Right! and Wonderfulness and my children got their own CD versions, which they've downloaded to their iPods. This are the original, non-vulgar Cosby routines which were just very, very funny.

#53 - Hey Stasia! I'd especially recommend "No Atheists in Foxholes." It made me laugh, cry and think deeply about my own faith and the way that I live (or fail to live) it out.

#54 Do you know where the cd versions are available? Sounds like something I'd enjoy.

#55, I forgot about the "No Atheists in Foxholes" but my children can tell you their own reactions to "Toss of a Coin." My daughter laughed herself out of her seat when she was watching "The Patriot" and the red coats marched in a straight line. My son is highly amused by the descriptions of the football referees because he played the game.

#56, as for finding the CDs--try any of the retailers that sell spoken word/comedy materials. There's some Smothers Brothers routines and Lohman and Barkley routines around as well. They're more political, but still very, very funny.

58. War Prayer - Mark Twain - an unusual commentary on the effects of war and the efficacy of prayer.
59. Inkspell - Cornelia Funke - an excellent fantasy sequel to Inkheart. It reminds you of the power inherent in, and importance of cultivating, an active imagination.
60. Dingo - Charles de Lint - a very enjoyable modern twist on several themes that are common in the mythologies of a number of aboriginal peoples.
61. Spite Fences - Trudy Krisher. Wow! A good treament of the nature and importance of "truth", set amid the '60's civil rights movement.
62. Treasures in the Dust - Tracey Porter. A look at friendship in the Dust Bowl of the OK panhandle during the Depression. Very worthwhile read.
63. The Book of Lost Things - John Connolly. Marvelous! An enchanting tale of loss, death, hope, fantasy, nightmares, fairytales and the power of love in the life of a young boy.

#57 - is "Toss of a Coin" a Cosby book/routine?

#59--it's a routine on one of the early Cosby albums. He ruminates on the fairness of a toss of a coin to settle anything. And, it's quite funny.

#60: sounds good. I'll have to look for it!

Lot of good stuff happened while I was away! My fav Cosby might be Chicken Heart :) LOL just thinking about it makes me laugh! My fav Card to this point is Pastwatch -- I'll have to look up the one you mentioned. Thx. Happy reading!

#62: Yeah, I've been a bit busy! I haven't heard "Chicken Heart". I'll have to look for it. I've also not read "Pastwatch." Maybe I could tack it onto the end of my ever-growing TBR list! LOL! Yous should try Magic Street. It's pretty interesting. Hope you're doing well!

Updated list:
64. Spirit Gate - Kate Elliott - Book 1 in the "Crossroads" series. Intense! Sort-of a "Dragonriders of Pern" (with eagles instead of reptiles) involving several different races, warring kingdoms, intrigue & mysterious "guardians." I couldn't put it down!
65. Shadow Gate - Kate Elliott - Book 2 in "Crossroads." A sequel that's just as good as the first! I wonder what it would be like to see and hear ghosts like Shai or to ride with Captain Anji.

#64: Those two look very good, Leslie. I will have to see if I can find them. Thanks for the recommendations!

The almost-to-75-halfway-to-120 update:

66. Inkdeath - Cornelia Funke - Outstanding! A great conclusion to the series, although I wish it didn't have to end at all! An excellent story of the meaning of "family" and families fighting together for right against seemingly insurmountable odds.
67. Year of Impossible Goodbyes - Sook Nyul Choi - A very good look at the Japanese occupation of Korea and World War II from a young person's perspective.
68. People of the Book - Geraldine Brooks - What a wonderful, imaginative tale of the possible history of the Sarajevo Haggadah. Brooks does an excellent job of interweaving scenes from the life and work of a 20th century conservator with episodes from the lives of persons from the 15th-19th centuries who encountered the fabulous book in different ways. Made me want to read more about the actual Haggadah and its true history!
69. Secret Life of Bees - Sue Monk Kidd - A charming, well-written novel about a young girl's quest for the love of her father, information about her mysterious mother and a sense of identity and self worth, set against the turbulent background of the Civil Rights movement.
70. Older But Wilder - Effie Leland Wilder - This is a hilarious look at the ins and outs and daily life in a retirement home. Written in fictional diary format, the author (herself an older resident of a retirement community) looks at the lives of residents in "Fair Acres" retirement home and their interactions with each other, family members and their town.

I found you again and reacquainted myself with the books you were talking about! I really need to get some sleep - I have been up for 22 hours now I think.

#64 I loved Elliott's Jaran (but not the rest of the series half as much). So I'm really glad to know about this series. I think she does fantasy-type stuff really well.

#64 I haven't read Jaran - I'll have to look for it. What's the series it's in? I've enjoyed the Crossroads series immensely, thus far. Can't wait for Traitors' Gate to come out!

Hooray! Almost to 75!

71. Caravan - Dorothy Gilman - Actually read this in June but somehow left it off the list! An entertaining fictional account of a woman who was lost and presumed dead in the deserts of North Africa and the experiences of her life.
72. Letters of a Woman Homesteader - Elinore Pruitt Stewart - This is one of those "not-originally-written-as-a-book" books. It's a collection of interesting letters from Elinore Stewart to her friend and former employer. These letters provide a fascinating look into the daily life of a female homesteader in rural Wyoming around the turn of the 20th century. Also has outstanding illustrations by N.C. Wyeth!
73. One More Time: Just for the Fun of It! - Effie Leland Wilder - A bit different from the others, but still made me laugh and warmed my heart!

>70 bibliotecara:: I enjoyed Caravan also. It was interesting how different it was from her Pollifax books.

Ditto what Tad said!

#71-72: I agree! It was quite different from her Mrs. P books (which I love) and also from several of her others. One I really enjoyed is "Thale's Folly." If you haven't read that one, you should.

#73: On to Planet TBR it goes!

#74: Let me know what you think, whenever you get to read it!

Passing 75, on the way to 120!

74.) Cold Comfort Farm (Stella Gibbons) - Very interesting! A strange "adaptation" of some classic gothic novel themes.

75.) Roger Caras' Treasury of Great Cat Stories (Roger Caras, ed.) - This is a MUST for all cat lovers! An excellent range of stories by numerous authors in which the main characters are those wonderful felines! It made me want to look up other works by some of the authors!
76.) Cursed -- (Carol Higgins Clark) - Another good read in the Regan Reilly dectective series.
77.) The Story of Lucy Gault - (William Trevor) - An excellent tale of an Irish family at the beginning of the Troubles and what happens when an only daughter is lost and believed dead in the lives of the girl, the parents and the man considered responsible for her death.

78.) Lonely Werewolf Girl -- Martin Millar - Hilariously fun, different twist on the world of werewolves, fairies and other unusual beings. Came upon it by accident, couldn't put it down.
79.) Holes -- Louis Sachar - A nice and heart-warming look at "juvenile delinquents", friendship and the lengths to which some people will go to satisfy their own selfish desires.
80.) Star Ka'at World -- Andre Norton - a fun kids' book about cats, aliens, space travel and the importance of taking care of our world.

#77: I have heard good things about that one from several people. I really must find a copy of it.

#77: Sounds fun, hope I can find it somewhere. :)

#78: It made me want to look for and read other things by Millar.

#79: It was quite fun! I found it at my local public library and by the time I finished it I was saying "What happens next? I want more!"

Oooh you have two books on my 'to read' list (meaning, I actually have them here) in recent reviews. And you didn't hate them! How encouraging :)

#83: Which two are they?

81.) The Angel - Carla Neggers - If you like cops, mysteries and things Irish (or Celtic), this is one for you! It made me wonder if fairies and "Wee Folk" really do exist! Or maybe those legends are just stories about encounters with real angels.
82.) The Mist - Carla Neggers - A stand-alone/followup to "The Angel", this one made me think more about what it really takes for someone to work for the CIA, FBI, SAS or MI6. Good!

#85: I will have to check those two out. Thanks for the recommendations!

I'm finally back on LT! Been reading, just haven't had time to log for a while! Here's the latest:
83.)In the Footsteps of Jesus: One Man's Journy Through the Life of Christ - Bruce Marchiano - Intriguing, fascinating, insightful and enjoyable. The actor's account of his experiences as a Christian getting to know Jesus and portraying him in the film "The Gospel According to Matthew." Definitely one to add to my own library!
84.)The Last Jihad - Joel Rosenberg - One word: Amazing!
85.) Deck the Halls - Carol and Mary Higgins Clark
86.) The Last Days - Joel Rosenberg - Book 2 in the "LJ" series. Couldn't put it down.
87.) The Ezekiel Option - Joel Rosenberg - Book 3 in the "LJ" series. Made me run to my Bible to read the last half of Ezekiel. I was up reading 'til 4:30 am, when I had to be at work at 8!
88.) The Copper Scroll - Joel Rosenberg - Book 4 of "LJ." I can't wait to see how actual events turn out!
89.) Just Take My Heart - Mary Higgins Clark - A bit of a different twist on the detective-attorney theme. Interesting and a good "break" from the depth of Rosenberg.
90.) Dead Heat - Joel Rosenberg - I sure hope things don't turn out EXACTLY this way, but I'm pretty sure it will be close. This one was a real page-turner and heart-gripper.

Mmmmm, looks like I'll have to check out this Joel Rosenberg guy.

Me, too. I will also be looking for the Marchiano book. Thanks for the recommendations!

#88: Sorry I've been out of the loop for a while! Yes, you should definitely check out Joel Rosenberg. I'm moving on to his nonfiction works next!

91.) Bel Canto - Ann Patchett - Definitely a worthwhile read and an interesting take on Stockholm Syndrome.
92.) The Higher Power of Lucky - Susan Patron - an excellent juvenile book about the true definition of family and finding your place in the world. Newberry Award winner.
93.) Tempting Fate - Carla Neggers - An interesting, involved "whodunnit-and-how-and-when." Entertaining.
94.) The Purpose of Christmas - Rick Warren - Very good. It reminded me of the overwhelming importance of remembering the true meaning of Christmas: Christ.
95.) Secret of the Andes - Ann Nolan Clark. Another Newbery Award winner. I liked it, but I kept wishing the author would think of another word to use to describe the main characters other than "the Indian." Perhaps this was a sign of the times, since it was written in the '50's.
96.) The Barn - Avi - An excellent book for young adults about families, pioneers, dealing with loss and overcoming challenges.
97.) The Secret School - Avi - This was a good one about a young girl who overcomes significant challenges in pursuit of her dream of becoming a teacher.
98.) Hangman Blind - Cassandra Clark - An interesting medieval mystery about a second-career nun who investigates questionable deaths and other events. Although the theme is perhaps a bit repetitive, the author managed to hold my attention by giving interesting details about medieval life. A glossary might have been helpful.
99.) Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch - Neil Gaiman. An interesting "what-if" account of cosmic fence-sitting in the battle between God and Satan. Good read.
100.) Christmas Bus - Melody Carlson. An entertaining, light story about celebrating Christmas with friends.
101.) Home Country - Ernie Pyle. Outstanding! A compilation of columns that this great journalist wrote between 1935-1941 about various places that he visited and people he met during his travels around North America as a roving reporter. An excellent read.
102.) (Story of the Other Wise Man) - Henry Van Dyke. The last read of the year. Very interesting!

Bel Canto was one of my favorite reads last year. Glad to see you liked it.

#92 What did you think of the character development in "Bel Canto"?

#93: I liked how much the characters changed - realistically I thought - although I thought the ending was a bit forced. Even the minor characters, like the accompaniest were well-realized, IMHO.

#94: I liked the character development too. I didn't really care for the ending, though. It seemed unrealistic, given today's global environment of tolerance and negotiation.

#95: Agreed.