kath's reads 2009

Okay.. this is the beginning...




1. A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick
2. The Society of S by Susan Hubbard
3. Idyll Banter by Chris Bohjalian
4. Splendid Solutions by Jeffrey Kluger
5. The Family Bones by Kimberly Raiser
6. The Sewing Circle: Sappho's Leading Ladies by Axel Madsen
7. A Winter Haunting by Dan Simmons
8. The Face Of Deception by Iris Johnsen
9. Stalemate by Iris Johansen
10. The Year of Disappearances by Susan Hubbard
11. The Cross: 38,102 miles. 38 years. 1 mission by Arthur Blessitt
12. Easter Island by Jennifer Vanderbes
13. Requiem by Graham Joyce
14 Wesley the Owl: The Remarkable Love Story of an Owl and His Girl by Stacey O'Brie
15. Don't Get Me Started by Kate Clinton
16.The Tricking of Freya by Christina Sunley
17. Children of the Night by Dan Simmons
18. The Shack by William P. Young
19. The Seance by John Harwood
20. Skeletons at the Feast by Chris Bohjalian
21. Kindred by Octavia Butler
22. Second Sight by Meg Henderson
23. A Trip To The Stars: A Novel by Nicholas Christopher
24. You Are a Dog: Life Through the Eyes of Man's Best Friend by Terry Bain
25. See Jane Run by Joy Fielding
26. Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin
27. We Are the Cat: Life Through the Eyes of the Royal Feline by Terry Bain
28. The Hummingbird's Daughter by Luis Alberto Urrea
29. Lark and Termite by Jayne Anne Phillips
30. Tales of Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling
31. The Book of Lost Things: A Novel by John Connolly
32. Paths of Glory by Jeffrey Archer
33. The Kennedy Legacy: Jack, Bobby and Ted and a Family Dream Fulfilled by Vincent Bzdek
34. Then She Found Me by Elinor Lipman
35. The Bestiary by Nicholas Christopher
36. Your Heart Belongs to Me by Dean Koontz
37.The Bird Woman by Kerry Hardie
38. A Certain Slant of Light
39. The Terrror by Dan Simmons

(A Dance for Emilia by Peter S. Beagle not counted)

:) Welcome Kath. So glad you're here.

Hi K! *hugs*

trying to find a ticker..
any suggestions?

eta~ found one!

http://www.tickerfactory.com/ezticker/ticker_designer.php

I just used an 'exercise & fitness' one (fitness for the brain yanno), and changed the text to 'books' and so forth. Lots of options here, and easy to copy to your thread, and profile if you wish.

*runs to have a look...* thanks !!!

kath, what happened? did you fall off the stool in chat?

A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick

It was just a story about...

You will have to make up your own mind. This is a compelling story woven within the lives of A lonely man, a broken woman and sorrow. But there is more. There is love, joy, and contentment. The story is interwoven with emotion. There are so many twists and turns the reader is left feeling amazement, but never left unbelieving.

The lives of Ralph and Catherine have been flawed and empty for many years. The story of their coming together, a poor young woman and a hollow man of wealth is one that will pull you in from the beginning. You keep reading to see where the next turn takes you and and when you find out, you read more because you are so drawn into the complexity of characters and plot that closing the covers of this book begins to feel physically impossible.

What happens to this couple, for so they have become, and the people around them is labyrinth. For me, I was anxious to find my way out, and reluctant to leave it behind. This books is a keeper. I believe it will become a classic piece of literature that will be discussed, shared, read and read again. I will recommend it to everyone I know.

Kath! Hello! I'll be following your books this year. Happy reading!

Oh neat looks like you figured out the updating thingee. :)

Hi Kath,

Welcome to TBR heaven! Your pile will grow so much here.

Welcome to the group mckait! Looks like you have made a good start to the year with A Reliable Wife. I will have to add it to Continent TBR!

Thanks for the nice welcome, everyone :)

TBR heaven? eep! just what I need .. lol

Severn.. not really, I just told it 2 when I made it even though I still have some to go on the one I am reading. I will finish it today though...

Sounds like a great read. I'll be adding it to my tbr. Thanks for the detailed review.

Oh! If you haven't sorted it out - just click on the ticker itself and it will take you to your editing page. Enter your password, and then change the number of books you've read. :)

#2 The Society of S by Susan Hubbard

Ari is a twelve year old girl telling the story of her strange and lonely life.
Her mother disappeared the day she was born and she lives with her father and his
"assistants".There is Dennis who has always been kind and protective, and a woman who is
frightening and unfriendly. Mrs. McG is a housekeeper who has several children of her own,
who takes care of the homeschooled Ari, and makes her odd vegetarian meals. They are always unappealing.

Thanks to Mrs. McG Ari is allowed, for the first time to visit another family, and she becomes friends with the children, particularly Kathleen who is her age. Michael is Kathleen's older brother and he and Ari soon become close as well.

It doesn't take long for Kathleen to notice that Ari's family is unusual. She and Ari both begin to suspect that there is something that Ralph, Ari's dad is not telling. That is when things get interesting.

This is an unusual coming of age novel, that all in all was entertaining and kept my interest. The characters were odd, but Ari herself was quite compelling. I am glad I read it, and will watch to see if a sequel is in the offing. If so I will read it. I do recommend this book for an entertaining read to while away a long afternoon. Especially if one enjoys a vampire story.

#15 mckait: Sounds like an interesting book. On to Continent TBR it goes!

BTW: I checked Hubbard's website (http://www.susanhubbard.com/home.php?p=home) and it looks as if there is a sequel.

thank you! I usually go to author sites to see what might be new.. but I have been concentrating on finishing that one. I will have to ge my hands on a copy....

k

Idyll Banter by Chris Bohjalian

This is a collection of columns written both for his local small town newspaper in Vermont, and for the Boston Globe by novel writer Chris Bohjalian. I found the book to be an entertaining and easy read.
Here you will find stories about the town, his neighbors, family, pets and friends. Small town living will often provide us with good "character" stories. I live in a small town and have told a few of my own.

Do not be fooled into thinking this is another of his novels, it is a completely different Bohjalian from the author of Midwives, but just as entertaining.

Kath, your modesty is becoming, of course, but really now...it's the 5th...you're on book 575 by now. 'Fess up.

Ticker thingie is makin' me sneeze, gotta run!

#4 Splendid Solutions by Jeffrey Kluger

What stood out to me, while reading this book was the character of the man, Jonas Salk. Not only was he a genius, but he was a true humanitarian, as well. There is no indication whatsoeverthat he was looking to make money for himself.

He spent countless hours looking for a solution to this hellish epidemic. He did his research in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania surrounded by the finest men and women in the scientific community. Astoundingly, their dedication was as profound as his own. The people injected first themselves, and in the case of Jonas Salk, his family with the vaccine when he was first satisfied with its effectiveness and safety.

What drew me to read this book was Salks work at the Watson Home for Crippled children. I have reason to be interested in that facility, which is no more. The Watson facility is now a Health South rehab hospital. There is now a Watson umbrella that encompasses several educational facilities for children with different types of special needs . I found that I was so much more interested in the man as I read.

This is not a read for everyone, but perhaps if you know someone who was affected by this disease before Salk's vaccine was able to make it a part of history, instead of current reality, you might want to read it. If you enjoy reading about great humanitarians, by all means, read this book. If you never feel compelled to read it, take a moment to silently give honor to a good, truly good man.

#20: Another one for the Continent!

Have you read Polio by David Oshinsky? If not, I highly recommend it!

have not read it.. added it to consider this list ... otherwise known as shopping list at Amazon.. lol

I wonder how long Amazon will let our lists get? Is there a cutoff for how many items you can have on your Wishlist? I sure hope not!

I try to keep my wishlist down to 2 pages. I have found that if I keep one on Amazon, one at B&N and yet another at BetterWorld.. this is quite doable...
:)

Hi kath, quick dip in to encourage you to read some fluff and froth for a change of pace! The Salk book sounds fascinating. I wonder if you've heard about the Salk vaccine's connection to the introduction of HIV into the pantheon of disease...interesting stuff.

I have now... This was a very good book~

hmmm cannot edit above post.. They mentioned the HIV connection at the end of the book...Family Bones was sent me by the author..and it looks rather a hoot.

That is going to be my next read.

#5 YA

The Family Bones by Kimberly Raiser

I found this books to be entertaining, earnest, and full of unexpected twists.
It is about a family who lived with a secret. It was a secret than none of them were aware of until a death in the family brought them to an inherited homestead. There they found an old house, filled with secrets of its own.

On exploring their new home, peculiar things began to happen, and the family including the children became separated. The more time they spent there the more dangerous things became. Steven, the dad, began experiencing vicious, crippling headaches . The children began behaving oddly, particularly Sara the young daughter. They finally begin to find answers, but not the ones they had hoped.

This is a story that I believe would be most enjoyed by young adults who are interested in the paranormal

Next up for me~

The Sewing Circle which came in from BWB today.

eta

There are two options under touchstones...
I noticed the first one and chose it..

If you go to my profile and click.. it takes you to a page that says I am the only one to have this book...

methinks this is a job for mighty combiners!

maybe?

Kath, I'll be looking forward to your review. The only one on LT isn't very helpful. It simply states 'Namedropping'. Well not to be overly critical but it's a book about famous people who sew. I think name dropping is a little necessary.

#28: Sounds like a book my oldest would be interested in reading. Thanks for the review!

#6 The Sewing Circle: Sappho's Leading Ladies by Axel Madsen

The Sewing Circle was a euphemism used to describe sapphic Hollywood. Offering a long list of sources, Madsen presents a picture of lesbian and gay Hollywood from the twenties until (almost) current times. Everyone is aware of how the big studios controlled the lives of the actors under contract to them, and anyone who was bi-sexual or gay was forced into so called "lavender" marriage to hide that fact.

The book focuses mainly on playwright Mercedes de Acosta, Greta Garbo, Marlene Dietrich, Tallulah Bankhead and a few other big names. It is an interesting read, but not a compelling one, as it feels more like reading a gossip column that it does a history.It seems it was meant more to titillate than to inform.

The Society of S is one I will definitely add to my ever growing and never ending TBR pile. Splendid Solutions and The Family Bones are also making their way to the pile.

*sigh*

30. Wow, was I off on my guess on what the book was about. I hope you posted a review because there wasn't one or a description the last time I looked.

I see that you did post your review. Thanks!

mmm About the family bones...

my fault there, cal.. I didn't post the full title. I would have guessed the same thing.. Sorry *woe is me *

Oh and richardear... thank goodness you are so wrong.. I would never be able to feed that habit! I am reading quickly right now.. short books, a little more time. I will slow down soon, no doubt.

#7

A Winter Haunting by Dan Simmons

This was an excellent read. It held my attention from beginning to end.
I will definitely be looking for more by this author, and have already added Drood to my wish list.

oh my...why do I look at these threads....

A Winter Haunting sounds great!

Another for the TBR mountain.

Darn, it was already on my wishlist. Sigh, I'm so lost.

cal - The madness never ends!! :)

#38: Kath, if you liked A Winter Haunting by Dan Simmons, may I suggest The Terror? It is excellent, if a bit long.

ooooo thank you! I will look around for it, and put it on my wishlist...

eta

I just realized that it isn't even safe to read my own thread. I try to avoid reading other threads here so I don't go broke, I have zero self control.
forget wishlist, I bought The Terror and also the Crazy Horse book from Stasia's thread. I simply cannot buy another book for a while. And don't even bother with the library suggestion.. 'cause I want... must have... gotta keep..

sigh

Hi mckait. Good luck on the 75 this year.

#43: I use the library to vet books - after I have read them, I ask myself "Will I reread it?" If the answer is yes, then I buy it! Unfortunately, too many of the books I read initially, I will reread.

And I do not even want to talk about the ones I cannot get at my library . . .

#8
The Face Of Deception a thriller
GOOD read. I do like Iris Johansen, and have had this book and my next read Stalemate put aside for some time. For whatever reason, I am in the mood to read them.

They are both Eve Duncan Stories.. Eve is a forensic artist.. with a tragedy in her past that makes her more compassionate and intuitive than most. This book mentions a president who was killed in office, and ....

I like Johansen too. She writes an exciting mystery and her series stay interesting.

Count me in among the Johansen fans. I have loved her books ever since I read the first Eve Duncan one, The Face of Deception, years ago.

#9

Stalemate by Iris Johansen..
Not as good as Face Of Deception, but it was an okay read.
Much time has gone by in the life of Eve Duncan between the two books.

>37 mckait: *snort* Slowing down. *chuckle* Slowing down! Who, please, is the person whose thread this is who has posted 9 books in 12 days of reading? Hmmm?

And I, fiend incarnate that I am, have a suggestion for your WISH LIST{cue spooky music with evil laughter}:

The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears by Dinaw Mengestu. Simply superb. 49 cents at the Salvation Armani today and I finished it before dinner because I simply ignored everyone around. It is well worth adding to the pile.

#50: Richard, I imagine you do evil laughter very well.

OK, I am putting The Beautiful Things that Heaven Bears on Continent TBR, I do not know about anyone else.

You know richardear, I see nothing of you for days, then you pop in here snorting and chuckling and taunt me with another book for the pile.
Good think I am totally mad about you, you evil man.

Seriously, I will be slowing down. I can't always read a book a day. For instance, I started another last night, and I am sure that I won't finish it today. AND, they are all fairly mindless reads. I now have several to read and review, including
The Cross from Early Reviewers. That one came in early galley format, so it will be harder to curl up with... lol

I have one due any day from vine, and by the end of the month will have at least two more from them, so... slowing down will happen.

>7 mckait: Kath -- that looks great -- super review!
Bk 4 -- the one on Salk. Thx. Bday gift for dad found!
and, re: Dan Simmons. His books are definitely not equal IMO. Hope you like the next one of his you pick up.

You have had your revenge, ma'am, for my unseemly abandonment: you (possibly conniving with porchy) did this to me.

>54 richardderus: Richard Dear, the normally quick-witted Tortoise shakes little tortoise head in bewilderment - It made you want to sign on to Yahoo?! :)

- TT

Oh NO! Wrong link! Joke's on me.

ETA that I fixed the link.

Sadly I had nothing to do with it richardear.. I wish I had.. but I do love porchy!

Are ya itchy? sneezy?

well.. at least you are BACK!

#10

The Year of Disappearances by Susan Hubbard. Sequel to Society of S. Neither one of these books will ever be called fine literature. I will call them entertaining and enjoyable reads. I liked both of them enough that i will likely read them again. Good books to relax with in front of a fire. This continues Ariella's story, and her coming of age, in a vampire ish kind of way. She does not age, since "turning" but is able to pass as older. It is helpful that she is so intelligent. Give it a chance, I am glad I did.

#58: I like entertaining and enjoyable reads - especially lately since I am interspersing them with my reading of the Vietnam War books - I need all the entertainment I can get!

I like them too.. and not ashamed to say so. I read all sorts of books, but I do enjoy my pure entertainment. :)

This one was an ER from LT. I guess it will never have a touchstone.

#11

The Cross: 38,102 miles. 38 years. 1 mission by Arthur Blessitt

This is an anecdotal account of one mans journey of faith. Although I say one man, it is important to know that this is not a journey he took alone. Family and friends were there with him from beginning to end.

As a child Arthur Blessitt felt that he heard the voice of Jesus speaking to him. Even though he was a well behaved boy who did as he was told, listening to Jesus came first. It was not an easy time for him, until he learned to compromise with the help of his Jesus.

As he grew so did his faith, and he felt compelled to spread the Good News among all and sundry, to anyone who was willing to listen. In the 1960's God called him to minister to the young people in Hollywood California. He spoke to runaways, drug addicts, flower children and bikers. At least to those who would give him a moment to listen.

He brought the children of strangers into his home, giving them food and shelter and The Word. In March of 1968, he opened His Place, on Sunset Strip. A place to gather and to worship. His Place was far from the average religious center, as it was decorated with fishnet and wild lighting and so on, to appeal to the young people that Arthur hoped to reach. Soon after this, Arthur once again heard the voice of Jesus telling him that he had a new mission for him. That mission resulted in this book.

The Cross tells of Arthur's Journey through 315 nations and island all over the globe.He walked more than 38,000 miles carrying a life sized cross every step of the way. It was not easy. There were difficulties in getting the cross into planes to cross oceans, and some countries were not eager to give aid to a Christian, he explains. Difficulties aside, he managed to continue to do as he felt his God wanted him to do. His efforts were recorded by the Guinness Book of Records in 1996 as well as in the Millennium edition in the year 2000.

Over a time period of four decades he carried on. As the years passed he was accompanied by his wife and children. Not an easy task for them. His second wife has added a bit of her own story to this book, to give another perspective. She too, is a woman of great faith. His children have learned much from this journey . They too are faithful to Jesus.

I did not read this book for religious reasons. I do not practice any organized religion. I read this book because I enjoy reading about other people, ordinary people, who do extraordinary things. This by anyones estimation is extraordinary. Four decades spent carrying a cross over his shoulders across friendly and unfriendly lands, in all weathers with every imaginable block thrown across his path and removed by diligence and faith is extraordinary.

I found myself bringing this up for discussion whenever possible when with friends, family and co-workers. An interesting pattern developed. I noticed that those who were loosely affiliated with their churches, or had no church or religion in their lives were interested in this man and his mission. While not necessarily believing in any god or religion, each of these people, myself included, were intrigued by his dedication and his beliefs. I also found that those among my friends who are deeply involved with their own faith were very quick to judge him, or apologize for him. The word wacko came up more than once. Intrigued by this trend, I sat down and tried to count up those with whom I discussed this book.
I estimate twenty seven people over a period of five days. Of these twenty seven, five are religious, or faithful or call themselves Christian. Each of them denounced the man and his journey. I include this only because I am perplexed by it, and wonder if others have different experiences when discussing The Cross.

mckait, you wrote an interesting review of a book I normally would not give much more than a glance. Good writing. And I find your results with surveying discussions also very perplexing. One would think the faithful would be the first to recognize this man's extraordinary faith. Perhaps they felt judged by his actions.

#12

Easter Island

At first I found myself a bit disconcerted by the leaps from one time period to another.
It seemed that perhaps a smoother transition might have been possible. Perhaps it could
have been. But as I read more deeply into the pages I found myself wondering about the characters in the other time. I was anxious for the transitions that would allow me to see how each of the characters fared.

Elsa and her sister Alice drew me in, and left me feeling grateful to live in a time when a woman could make her own choices more easily. A time when a woman could provide a living for herself and her family. They had to depend on a man, a relative stranger, for their means to survive.

Decades later things had changed...but perhaps not as much as it would seem. Women could indeed work for a living, provide for themselves and seek more and higher education. Women were able to aspire to the same heights as any man, but they were still vulnerable in many ways.

Greer's education had become her obsession, her life. On her journey she met a man who seemed to be the very one to teach her, encourage her and help her in her quest to become the best in her field of botany. When she lost him to death, the second time she had lost him, it seems, she determined to carry on and follow her own dream. This dream took her to Easter Island. The Island of mysteries, as well as great beauty.

There the lives of Elsa and Greer not only intersect, but come together in unimaginable ways. This story has it all. There is science, mystery, passion and more. I found it to be a fantastic read, one that I will recommend many times.

Looks like another great read! I am putting both this one and #11 on Continent TBR.

ooh Easter Island sounds yummy!

>62 mckait: I've been thinking about this, and here are some ideas which surfaced. I think many Christians, of whom I am one, feel defensive. This fellow looked foolish to some, and they may want to distance themselves from that. This is sad. God does not always, or perhaps even often, call us to the comfortable or 'normal.' This man's dedication to following his calling could as is suggested in msg 63 call in to question exactly how far their own obedience goes. There is also the fact that many folks who wear the name 'Christian' really don't understand that being a Christian means living one's life at God's direction rather than their own. When God's in charge uncomfortable and even strange or wacko things are in His plan for us -- give the Bible a read and you'll see all sorts of bizarre things He's had his people do. Happily one also finds that as God 'sees the end from the beginning' these odd, from our perspective, things have a place and combine to work out his plan. No doubt, many Christians will find exception with what I've said, but there's part of my take on the matter.

The Small Woman is another book describing remarkable doings of a lady at behest of God's call. She too met ridicule, but, in part no doubt due to Ingrid Bergman's portrayal of her, has landed in the 'respectable' category. Maybe in 50 years he'll be viewed in another light.

This also reminded me of Granny Brand who had to run away from those who wanted her retire from her work in India and then continued to labor for almost another 30 years. She was remarkable!

Thank you for your thoughtful review.

#67: I had been thinking about it, too, but was withholding judgement until I actually read the book, but I agree with your assessment. I think that as Christians sometimes we are too afraid of what others believe about us or categorize us that we act defensively before anything has really been done and sometimes people have legitimate questions or comments.

Interesting thoughts susan and stasia.

We as a culture are way too fond of labels. I despise them, myself..because I find them limiting. I see no good in them.

Its funny. The one woman I spoke with is a nice woman. She has a little prayer group at work.. which she has to do on the sly btw. That is another thing I don't get. She never drags anyone to the library to pray... why can't she just have her group? The powers that be do not allow it. anyway.. that is OT. She is a nice woman, has a nice family. I like her. However, she refused to vote for Obama because of his religion and color. ( ??) We had a rather loud discussion about that one. I will never understand things like that.

I can see how it could be a defensive mechanism, of course.

btw. Granny Brand sounds good!

Granny Brand is one of my fav books. I wouldn't vote for Obama either but I would have leapt at the chance to vote for Republican black man!

#69 kath: Personally, I do not care if the candidate for President is purple with pink polka dots. What I care about is whether or not I believe he/she/it is the best person for perhaps the hardest job in the world.

I agree we are too fond of labels in this culture and we start it way too early - I was put in a 'box' in elementary school for heaven's sake! Not that I am defensive about it or anything :)

See... labels. I got so sick of Democrats and Republicans using the party name like an insult! Gak!

Personal principles are one thing.. but using the label as a reason makes no sense to me. There are very good republicans, democrats and independents.
I know many people who vote straight tickets, which also makes no sense. When I was a registered democrat, I never voted a straight ticket. It is way too individual, imo. I want good leaders, not good democrats. I am now a registered independent.

#72: using the label as a reason makes no sense to me Agreed.

me too -- hate 'em. Have to use them sometimes, but can't remember a time when I was pleased to do so.

I guess they are necessary as a tool to identify, but when the label is more important than what they identify, it makes no sense. Well, off to get more coffee! Too serious for so early!
:)

#13

Requiem

From the group of books that make you say hmmmmmm

eta

next up Wesley the Owl

#14

Wesley the Owl

This was an extraordinary, compelling, beautiful and educational read. It made me laugh out loud more than once, and eventually it made me cry. What a remarkable friend Wesley was to his girl.

Sounds lovely.

#50 thanks for the recommendation. I have added this to my TBR mountain.

Thanks Kath for the lovely reviews you give your books. I have added The Society of S and Wesley the Owl to my TBR mountain and I will be keeping an eye on what you read this year as you read such interesting books.

#15
Don't Get Me Started by Kate Clinton

Dated, but entertaining. I would will read more by her.

Good use of strikeout there :)

Reading Edgar Sawtelle

not liking it... page 100 ( because of 2 dog incidents)

>64 mckait: Still thinking about this! LOL

Came across this meditation on Mary (written for the Christmas season) which made me wonder if courage isn't one of the big keys to a successful Christian life. Of course, I think it's pretty important regardless of one's belief system. I have been told and would not be surprised to find it true that the most repeated sentence in the Bible is 'Be strong and courageous.' Anyway I came across this bit yesterday which illustrated some of what I was trying to communicate.

in her book Share My Pleasant StonesPrice is commenting about verses 35 and 38 from the first chapter of Luke, "The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come down to you, and God's power will come over you. So your child will be called the holy Son of God. ... Mary said, "I am the Lord's servant! Let it happen as you have said."
Prices comments: "Mary was a virgin when the angel told her these amazing things. She had lived a clean, moral, lovely life. A life deep in the things of God. And yet, here was the angel telling her bluntly that 'thou shalt conceive in thy womb and bring forth a son...'
"Mary knew God was in this. She lived so close to Him that she recognized His voice. But what courage and what devotion she must have had not to complain or at least try to reason with God. Mary knew God was in the heavenly visit , but what about her husband-to-be? What about her family and friends? Mary would be a social outcast! Her child would have no legal father.
"But what did she do? Did she run to Joseph and ask his advice? No. Did she run to her mother or her friends? No. She loved God so much she was willing to be misunderstood, if He asked it of her. She would obey and trust Him with the consequences.
"The coming of the Holy Ghost upon us, follows normally as a beautiful result of obedience like this. We will be overshadowed by Him when we want to be. When we are, at last,
willing to stop defending ourselves. When we are at last willing to obey before we have all the answers from God. When you and I are simple enough to obey, regardless of the consequences, 'the power of the Highest shall overshadow' us.
"... be it unto me according to Thy word.

This is not always a comfortable way to live. Your walker did it. It challenges us to examine our level of commitment and obedience -- and, depending on how we're doing, this is not an altogether pleasant thing :)

That is my thought. It took courage and faith to devote nearly forty years of his life to this challenge. There is a song that is sung by PP&M on their Holiday album ( which I love) and it popped into my head when you quoted.

The Cherry Tree Carol

When Joseph was an old man, an old man was he
He married Virgin Mary, the Queen of Galilee
He married Virgin Mary, the Queen of Galilee

And one day as they went walking, all in the garden green
There were berries and cherries as thick as may be seen
There were berries and cherries as thick as may be seen

Then Mary said to Joseph, so meek and so mild
"Joseph, gather me some cherries for I am with child"
"Joseph, gather me some cherries for I am with child"

The Joseph flew in anger, in anger flew he
"Let the father of the baby gather cherries for thee
Let the father of the baby gather cherries for thee"

Then up spoke baby Jesus, from out Mary's womb
"Bow down ye tallest tree that my mother might have some
Bow down ye tallest tree that my mother might have some"

So bent down the tallest tree to touch Mary's hand
Said she, "Oh look now Joseph, I have cherries at command"
Said she, "Oh look now Joseph, I have cherries at command"

okay ~ that was kind of random.. lol,, so is this.

I read a lot of books that explore the history of the Christian religion. I also read a lot of fiction that is loosely historical per the Bible etc. Curiosity and an affinity for Magdalene? Oh and since Jesus was a rabbi, I do believe he was married. ( bad Nicea!)

I admit to feeling that the Bible has been edited into a poor version of what was originally, what with Constantine and the Council of Nicea and so on. I also believe it was flawed before all the shenanigans, as everyones perspective is different and time can change "memories".

I do believe though that each of us has to follow their heart when it comes to the life they lead which includes the gods they worship, if any. I do not think that one religion has it all, and the others are wrong. I do believe that none of them are for me. My heart and I get along very well with my own beliefs.

If you're a fan of that carol, there was a great version done by The Chad Mitchell Trio. I don't remember which album.

Thanks Tad!

Good stuff :) Edited because that was a bit cryptic! What I meant was I appreciate your thought process and am glad you shared.

I have Easter Island on my to-read shelves. Mind you, I imagine it'll be awhile till I get to it though. Still, always good to know some thoughts on it and see if highly recommended by you! I thought it looked fascinating when I found it.

The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears: and there's another going on the wishlist.

#88: Severn, Amazon has The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears in the Bargain bin right now. I discovered it accidentally the other night.

Sniffle. It's unfortunate for me that bargain bins don't make much of a difference to me - being at the end of the world shipping is a killer. Whenever I buy on Amazon I have to bulk buy so that the shipping doesn't outweigh the cost of the books! Alas, now is not a time in life to bulk buy. And given how many books are on my wishlist...that's a shame!

Bother.

#90: Oops! I just made a note on Tad's thread for you too. That would have been 2, but I guess still not enough to outweigh the cost of the shipping.

Sadly no. I could use the Book Depository, however the exchange rate cancels out any benefit of free shipping. The best route is always buying in bulk - at least 8 books or more.

The books can just sit woefully on the wishlist heh. Mind you, I have 200 books sitting here at home to read. I don't NEED anymore books. Which has nothing to do with 'want' at all.

check out BetterWorldBooks.com, k

Will do! Thanks for the tip in the right direction, Kath.

I am officially walking away from Edgar Sawtelle. I have spent all of my reading time for two nights finding other things to do so I don't have to read it.
That is not a good sign. So I am moving on.

Good for you! Too much out there that is worth the time.

Picked up The Tricking of Freya by Sunley, Christina . An ARC and a very quirky read, I got to page 108 during lunch~

I never heard of that one. I'll be looking for your thoughts on it.

I lost two days of reading, by trying to hide from Edgar, then last night I spent a long evening with friends. Time to read again....

#16

The Tricking of Freya by Christina Sunley

Quirky. I like quirky. I like unique. I like a good sold story, too. This book has all of these things and more.

Now to define the more.A lot of research has been done about Iceland. Icelandic history, geography, language and gods. I never thought I would learn this much about Iceland in my lifetime, never mind in a single volume of fiction. It was fascinating.

The approach of this story was that the maine character, Freya, is writing to tell her absent, never met, but surely out there somewhere cousin about her life with their shared family. Intriguing, don't you think? It is something of a cross between a journal and a memoir. There is plenty to tell. Famous poets in their lineage, suicide, kidnapping and more.

That is the constant thread throughout this book. More. There is always more than the reader might expect.
I enjoyed every page, cared deeply about Freya and loved the way the story ended. Really, what more can you ask?

I recommend it.

That sounds fantastic -- thx. I have a thing about Iceland and really must go there :)

Sounds like a great book, thanks. Added to the pile.

That sounds like a good book. Thanks, Kath.

Welcome!

I am now reading a Dan Simmons book, Children of the Night. So far I am not liking it.. but I will carry on ( Pearl Rule ).

#17

Children of the Night by Dan Simmons

This book started out with such heartbreaking reminders of some of the horrors that are endured in other parts of the world, I was not sure I could go on. This is a novel yes, but the orphanages are real.

I did carry on though, and was drawn in by the story. This is a vampire story, but it is much more than that. The characters are compelling and interesting. There is enough truth woven through to keep it intriguing. I was uncomfortable with the beginning, I hated the ending. I would still call it a good read for what comes in between.

#105: kath, I have only read one of Simmons' books so far (The Terror) and I have Drood on the way from Amazon, but your description of Children of the Night intrigues me and I may have a go at it.

#18

The Shack

"Living unloved is like clipping a birds wings and removing it's ability to fly"

Good read

Children of the Night was one of my used book store purchases (most of my books came to me without my having chosen them). I had just finished his Hyperion/Endymion quartet because my husband was reading them. So I snatched it up, wrongly assuming it was scifi.

Maybe I'll give it another try...

Suslyn, I had trouble with the first 30 pages or so..but was glad I continued on.
I read his book Haunting, also and liked it :)

Drood looks good and is on my wishlist for ~someday~

you are getting through the book I'm still alittle behind!

Hi BB!

I am about to begin reading The Seance, a book I received from vine, today. SO far its looking good...

#19

The Seance by John Harwood

Too much.

That is what comes to mind. Too much to the story. The story is too convoluted. Too many twist and turns. It strikes me that more depth could have been provided rather than more characters. It became difficult to keep track of who was who.

Some characters seemed to simply drop out of the story without explanation. I had high hopes for this book up until the halfway point, when the meandering of the story seemed to get out of hand.

A running theme was the appearance both desired and undesired of spirits, or ghosts. There were fraudulent mediums and gifted ones. There were disappearances never resolved and others that seemed to be. Marriages not blessed by love, broken families and blackmail. It was exhausting rather than entertaining. I cannot think of a single person that I would recommend this book to.

Wow. So let me get this straight (oops!) clear: You did NOT like this book, yes? Just want to make sure I got the gist....

richardear..

I did not, lol. When I requested this from vine, I somehow missed that it was by the same author who wrote Ghost Writer. I didn't like that one either.
Are you having trouble sleeping? I notice the time stamp... a nice soothing cup of chamomile before bed? Perhaps a nice little sip or two of Jamesons? (dare I add bottoms up and then to bed?)

:)

LOL I'm enjoying your friendship :)

I had a lot of trouble sleeping last night. Gout has been kicking my lily-white tush hard for over a month. Last night was awful. The medicine that fixes the attacks makes the stomach throw hissies.

So, since I am up anyway, I took my agent's advice (the Divine Miss, you know, is also my agent as well as my domestic partner) and started writing some historical stuff based on my long-ago romances for A Different Company to submit to Harlequin's online short historicals line. Pays doodlysquat, but since I am sitting here with a computer and a lot of time on my hands, what have I got to lose? Except Internet porn viewing time. That was a sacrifice, but I manned up and turned off the porn.

Savannah Lee Gwinnett St-Roch rides again, in a new and different form! And Captain Halliburton shall woo and win and renounce her afresh, all in 15,000 words. *gurk* That's a lot of story to put in that few words....

# 20

Skeletons at the Feast

This is a poignant and extraordinary story of a family in the midst of WWII.

Beginning in the autumn of 1944 at their farm home, Kaminheim, the Emmerich family brought in their harvest with the help of some prisoners of war that were made available to them for the task.The prisoners were German, British and there was one young man from Scotland, Callum Finella.

At this point things had not changed too much for the Emmerich family. One son Werner had gone to be a soldier and another was about to leave. Helmut who was twin to the daughter of the family, Anna. Their father had served before and was preparing to enter this war as well. The fact of war, and the horrors of what was happening around them had not really come home to Anna, Mutti or Theo the youngest brother.

This was about to change. By the approaching winter They, along with the one remaining prisoner of war that had been able to remain with the family were about to flee their home. The stories of the death camps, the reality of what was really happening to other Jews had intruded finally into their near idyllic existence on their farm. Their days of comfort were over for what soon looked to be forever.

While attempting to find safety and their way to a new life, they met up with many others making the same journey, all of whom affected their lives. Some of them passed through quicky, others lingered and changed them forever.

The characters captivate, the story enthralls, and be warned, this is a story that will stay with you for a very long time. It will touch your heart and mind in ways you never dreamed a book could.

This is a keeper, a gift book and a reread. * * * * *

#117: Definitely one I need to read. Thanks for such a wonderful review.

Great review mckait. I read Midwives when it first came out, but have never read anything else by Chris Bohjalian. Skeletons at the Feast will be going on to my TBR pile.

Oh damn. Another wish list entry. *sigh*

#21

Kindred by Octavia Butler

Dana, a very likable main character, finds that she is connected to Rufus.
She finds out in an unusual manner. One day while sorting books to shelve,
she feels dizzy. Suddenly finding herself in a place that is not the living room she was working in seconds before, it isn't long before she realizes that she is in the antebellum south. This is not necessarily a comfortable place for a strong, independent black woman to visit. It happens more than once. I enjoyed the book a great deal...was a little disappointed with the ending, but would still give it a 3.5 stars. I think this would make a good tv series...
Although I think I liked Parable of the Sower better.. I would recommend this as a good read.

>122 mckait:: Have you read a lot of Octavia Butler's books? I tried one, Dawn, and wasn't wowed by it, so I've never tried another. However, she seems to crop up a lot and perhaps I just picked the wrong one.

I have not, but I would read more.. she just disappeard from my radar for a while after Parable of the Sower. I am waiting to receive
Xenogenesis: Dawn / Adulthood Rites / Imago

>123 TadAD: Tad, the Xenogenesis saga, which you read part of, isn't her best work. I think Parable of the Sower is pretty much the best OEB, and would recommend it. Kindred is a precursor to Quantum Leap, only with an interesting main character in an interesting situation. Scott Bakula doing drag every so often didn't make that show more interesting, IMO.

>124 mckait: mckait, howdy! Hugs! Happiness!

I love being about to go online with my library and place loan requests for books from other locations. I've just placed holds for Kindred, Parable of the Sower, and Dawn.

Why do I do this to myself?

>126 GeorgiaDawn: Georgia, because it hurts sooo gooood!

:) You are so right, richardderus! I'm not responsible; it's totally out of my control.

Well he is right about that, and i understand out of control very well.
BetterWorldBooks is my nemesis.

Richardear, since you and I occasionally differ in opinion on books.. I will look forward to reading the trilogy and see how I like it..

I have a few things to do yet before I can pick up a book for today. I suspect it is going to be mostly a loss as far as reading goes though.. just had to empty and then refill the guestroom, set up the compute/ phone etc ...

clean.. re-shelve 300 ish books..
my old bones are creaky.

I am meant to go out to dinner tonight with some friends... and hear my favorite local band play ( one of the friends is half the band) but they don't start to play til 10. I am not a late hours kinda girl.. 10 pm is my bedtime. :P

Parable of the Sower and it's sequel Parable of the Talents are gorgeous books, among my favourites - I'd recommend you read Sower, Tad, and see if its more to your liking. I have a thing for post-apocalyptic writing (I have The Pesthouse by Jim Crace in my to-read pile, and am looking forward to that).

Thanks, Severn.

#22

Second Sight by Meg Henderson

This was not at all the book I expected it to be. I thought it would be a book about a Scot family and so it was. It was more. This is a story about a family dynasty and war. WWI and WWII in fact. It seemed to me that the the wars ran through the hearts of the family long after they were history, as it would to any family who has family who fought for their country.

The family is extraordinary, and the "second sight" takes a background in the story to the family itself. I am very glad to have found this book. It is a heartbreaking story, but a lovely one too.

wow -- sounds like it really impacted you.

well.. I was able to relate to it in a number of ways..

I am Scot Irish (+ Slovak)
My Irish half of the family has always had a wee bit of the sight..
Many men in my family have served in the military

I recommend this book to readers of rich family stories.

Now OT: a rant

Yesterday I became ill at work. Had to come home and use 6 of my very few accrued sick hours. Felt not good pretty much all day. (vertigo, recurring feelings fading.. or faintness... bleh.

My daughters flight out of Charlotte ( to Atlanta) was delayed.
She missed her flight from Atlant to Pittsburgh by mere minutes
( consider this a line of cursing at Air Tran)

Luckily, I have a son in Atlanta where she was able to stay....

Sadly, this takes away quite a few of the never enough hours I get to spend with her during the year. Who knows where her luggage might be, but I am hoping it goes out on the first flight this morning with her.

Last night I dreamed a weird dream about work.. I often dream about my job and the kids... It was a very odd dream, but it involved my leaving three books on a table because I could no longer carry them. I made a mental note to rate them when I got to LT in the morning. This morningn when I signed on I went to my library to rate them...

We are under a high wind warning... if this delays her flight more my head might explode, especially as I woke from my 3 hours of sleep with a headache. Fingers crossed for an uneventful landing for my daughter.....on time!

Kath,

I will keep my fingers crossed that your daughter arrives safely (and on time) and that you have a wonderful visit!

I hope everything works out with your daughter and you get to spend some quality time with her.

:) Thanks for the kind words to an early morning whiner.

>137 mckait: I take exception to anyone calling my dear friend a whiner. She is NOT A WHINER. She chose to share her real, heartfelt feelings with us, and should NOT BE JUDGED for doing so!

Even when She is doing the judging.

(/spanking)

ROFL @ rdear
*sniffing and feeling lucky to have made such a good friend, who makes me smile and laugh and stuff *.* *

My darling girl is home and showering after her difficult journey.. I am going to pamper her with nice food and drink and then pamper her some more. Everyone needs some pampering now and then~ I do draw the line at napping though. I have already lost half a day with her due to the airlines of evilness, so no naps.

:P

Thinking of watching Secret Life of Bees and eating popcorn.

#138: Go, Richard, go!

#139: I am glad your daughter arrived safely, if belatedly. Be glad of the time you have. Can I share the popcorn?

kathleen
I am glad your daughter made it safe to you, enjoy!
Anita

Kath, I am eating popcorn right now in your honor!

Yes, I am.

Well, OK, I am just eating popcorn because I love it. I am not watching a movie, I'm half listening to Oprah while I read my way through threads.

Hope all is better for you today.

We didn't watch a movie last night, but we did eat popcorn.
It is nice having her here... she is showering again, and we are off to where I work so she can meet my team and students..
:)

We went to look at my niece's baby yesterday, and did little else. It is wonderful to do nothing with my daughter :)

Isn't it? I think that's what I miss most about having my daughter nearby, the opportunity to sit and do nothing together. I'm glad you get to do that!

A Trip To The Stars: A Novel by Nicholas Christopher 4 stars.

Excellent read.

#24

You Are a Dog: Life Through the Eyes of Man's Best Friend
by Terry Bain

Funny but touching, and maybe a little sad around the edges here and there..

~ reading See Jane Run

meh!

no wait.. more like bleh!

okay, finished it

#25 See Jane Run

Not my cuppa tea. It was suggested by a friend some time ago.
I found it somewhat annoying. But! that's just me, I know it has fans out there..

1.5 stars in my book though

Team of Rivals, an extraordinary telling of the life of Abraham Lincoln and the men who ran against him, then worked with him during his years in office The horrors of the Civil War, as well a personal grief and loss are all brought together to form this picture of a man without measure.

It is said that this is Barack Obama holds this book in high esteem I can only hope it is true, and in fact, can see the influence of the man Lincoln, described in this volume on the man Obama. It is my hope that we will be witness to another extraordinary time in history.

We Are The Cat, an entertaining and amusing read for those who love cats and those not so fortunate.

These are my reads #26 and #27 for this challenge. I am continuing to read Hummingbird's Daughter Which will be the next book I finish. It is a wonderful read, and a "keeper".

#149: Kath, I am glad that you liked Team of Rivals. It was one of my memorable reads several years ago.

I cannot wait to see your review of The Hummingbird's Daughter. It looks very good.

Team of Rivals was a wonderful read. It may be daunting to some, but it is well worth the time it takes to read. I have to say that this is the first time in a very long time I read a book in the background of other books. My husband ( who in the 40 yrs I have known him has never read an entire book) wanted to read it. I was deferring to him. Yesterday he was busy with something else, so I just finished it. Hopefully he won't give up, although when you read 5 pages or so at a time and then days go by, I am not sure you can retain interest..

It is a good read. The way she writes, it reads like a good novel. Nothing stodgy or dull ( Such as with Holy Blood Holy Grail, another subject that interested me, but was not easy to get through) .

I admit that my favorite part was after he was elected president, but until then it was interesting and informative. As I have said before, after reading this, I think I will always see the shadow of Lincoln standing behind Obama~ and smiling.

#151: If you are interested in Lincoln or Civil War history, I highly recommend April 1865: The Month That Saved America by Jay Winik as well. It is another nonfiction book that reads like a good novel (well, it did to me anyway). It made my list of memorable reads for last year.

Thanks Stasia!

You're quite welcome!

kath, I think I can imagine Lincoln also appreciating Obama, and perhaps the Kennedy brothers also.

True! I bet there will be a lot of "ghosts" in the White House for the next 8 years :) Hope it helps, there is a huge amount of work in our future.

#28

The Hummingbird's Daughter

The author, at the end of this work of wonderous and beautiful fiction, this history, tells us it is the result of 20 years of historical and cultural research for the this book. It is the story of Teresa Urrea, also known as The Saint of Cabora. It is a story that was carried down through his family for many generations.

It takes you from the days before her birth, a fatherless child, in a hut with a dirt floor through her childhood, her life and so much more. This is a work of history, of spirituality and religion, of war, love hate and betrayal. It is a story of God, and healing and deep humanity.

Teresita, as she was called was eased from her mother's womb by Huila, a midwife and healer. At the moment of her birth, she was recognized as a gifted child. One who would be a healer in her own right, in the years to come.

Abandoned by her mother, she lived a life of poverty and abuse with her mothers sister and that sister's own children. It was only after an episode of extreme abuse that Huila took the child under her own protection, and saw to it that her life would be eased. Huila not only looked into her eyes and saw a gifted girlchild, but knew who her father had been.

Circumstances forced her to leave the only home she had ever know, and follow Don Tomas' Urrea to a new home, and a new life. Her aunt chose another path, which freed her to live with Huila, whom she learned to love and respect. Huila was free to become the teacher the child Teresita was waiting for.

The words to describe the terrible beauty of this book fail me. It is a book filled with love, with hate, with food and music, with worship and heresy ( but not where you expect it to be). It is a tale of opportunities, war , betrayal and martyrdom, joy and earthiness. This is a book that should sit on a shelf in every readers home. It is one to read again and again. IT is a book with no need for a sequel, as to read it again is to read more, learn more and see more.

A moving review.

Will be adding The Hummingbird's Daughter to my TBR pile. It sounds wonderful. Thanks for the great review.

What a great review, Kath. I will be on the look out for it.

thank you as always for the reviews!

:) thanks... but this does not do it justice at all... amazing book, and LouisBranning tells me that there will be a sequel!!!

Thanks for the review mckait. I've added The Hummingbird's Daughter to the TBR pile.

#29

Lark and Termite by Jayne Anne Phillips

I received this book as an advance reading copy . My first impression was that it was an awkward shape and size. Hopefully this is something that will be different in the actual first printings. I found it uncomfortable to hold, as it seemed much taller than a regular mass market paperback.

The first part of the book had a peculiar cadence to the writing. I found it to be uncomfortable to read. I assumed that I would get used to it, but the main body of the book was written in a much more familiar manner.

Lark is a very likable character. She is selfless and loving, as well as smart and practical. I liked her. Termite, an amazing and insightful little boy who was physically handicapped, but unfettered emotionally and spiritually.

Aunt Nonnie and Charlie and Elise were good people. Simple and practical themselves, they also know all about unconditional love. The same could be said about Lola, and Robert Leavitt, but Lola was also fragile and disturbed.

The story moved back and forth from past to present. I was fairly easy to follow as each time period was noted at the top of the chapter. It seemed to me that The ending was rather abrupt and hurried , and left too much of the story unfinished, this is what prevented me from being able to give it four stars. It was an interesting read, but somewhat disappointing to me.

Bottom line? I didn't like it much. It had some redeeming value, and I struggled between a 2.5 and 3 stars. I gave it the benefit of the doubt, and went with 3.

I think it had a lot of potential, but for me it was just missing something.. was a sort of quarter turn off, or something.

So, there you go.. my book for today.

I need a light, cheering read next folks.. any suggestions for me?

#30

Tales of Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling

nice read 3 stars.

#165: How about either of a couple favorites of mine: Ex Libris, which is a book of essays or 84, Charing Cross Road, which is a book of letters. I have no idea if you have read either of them before . . .

I have not read either.. but sadly own neither.. although 84 is on my wishlist.
It gives me an idea though... maybe The Bookshop?

I picked up a book that I really bought to give to my sister. It looked funny, and was also related to a sort of family joke. Dear Neighbor, Drop Dead thinking might be silly/funny. Well only paragraphs into the first chapter they were losing their home. Not to mention it looked more stupid than silly. ah well. ( jk being she once told a guy .. a neighbor, to drop dead, and he did. Well not promptly, but soon after. That had actually happened once time before, and ironically it was this guys brother. She never says that any more)

I swear I almost threw it on the fire. I restrained myself and put it on my giveaway pile, but...

I then went with Beedle, which was good. Today? Not sure.

eta
I have another from vine I might tackle..Paths of Glory by Jeffrey Archer or
Book of Lost Things, or maybe Isabella Moon. or a Jasper Fford?

Jasper Fforde's good. There's also The Spellman Files and sequel about this dysfunctional family of PIs who spend more time investigating each other than their clients' cases. Or Gil's All-Fright Diner starring redneck vampire and werewolf trying to save the world.

#31

Book of Lost Things.. I liked the beginning and the end. The middle dragged for me a bit.

That's on my TBR pile. Someday...

I chose Jeffrey Archer's Paths of Glory to read next. I read 100 pages since supper, and I am really enjoying it. I have never read Jeffrey Archer before, that I can remember. I am pretty sure I will read his work again.

happy to see you picked up Tales of Beedle the Bard! Book of lost things is on my list!

Hi BB! I did, and enjoyed it :)

Today I finished #32

Paths of Gloryby Jeffrey Archer.. and posted a review. I really liked this book. It is a novel based on history about the mountain climber George Mallory. An absolutely extraordinary story. I recommend it. This is my first Jeffrey Archer
but it will not be my last~

eta:

The Kennedy Legacy: Jack, Bobby and Ted and a Family Dream Fulfilled by Vincent Bzdek will be next up I think..

Hurro dearest Kath.

Just dropping by to give you hugs, loves and misses. :)

>174 mckait: I've found Archer to be pretty diverse in style and subject matter. I haven't liked all of them, but at least he's not as formulaic as many seem to be. Glad you enjoyed yours -- I haven't read that one yet :)

#33

The Kennedy Legacy: Jack, Bobby and Ted and a Family Dream Fulfilled
by Vincent Bzdek

I just posted a review for this one. I gave it five stars. I could read it again right now....

Hey, kath, you might enjoy reading books by Robert Caro. He wrote biographies of Robert Moses and LBJ. The one about Robert Moses is called Power Broker and is about New York. Amazing documentation about a guy who had huge power and was never elected to any office.

The several volumes he wrote about LBJ are considered to be definitive, I think.

Fun reading your thread. Hope live is treating you good. I miss seeing your witty posts more often. lol

I just looked at my profile ~ I have apparently listed my 1,000 book

Three cheers for Kath! I love your little guy.

I haven't been paying much attention to my count. I don't think I will ever add the ones upstairs...it just seems so.. so...many~

You have such good will power!

As in I will power up my laptop and buy books???

I just finished A Dance for Emilia by Peter S. Beagle. I enjoyed it.. would give it a 3.5 star rating. I am not going to add it to my counter though because its only 87 pages long. That would feel like cheating

#179: I really would commiserate, Kath, except my library is over 3000 and still counting . . .

I would need to add another room to hold them. They are already everywhere I look.

#186: I still do not even have all the boxes in from the garage. I think there are at least 20 more out there, sigh.

#34
Then She Found Me, a light fluffy fun read.

#35

The Bestiary. Incredible, fascinating, filled with magic. This is a keeper.

( thanks RD for reading this first, so it made my wishlist/TBR pile/challenge list)

#36

Your Heart Belongs to Me

No dogs died in this book.

Well done Dean!

The Bird Woman

~meh~

Heh I love that out of 5 tags 'boring' comes up on the Bird Woman more than once...hehehehe....

#38

A Certain Slant of Light

I have never read a book like this before. What a wonderful read! Fear, sorrow and guilt hold back our spirits. We know this, and love, devotion and patience restore us. These things and more are given life in this story. Read it.

192 #

Severn... LOL. Not surprising! I think I will add it myself.

Kath
I just knew you would love A Certain Slant of Light. It truly is an incredible book! Your comments are very well written and so true. Don't you just want to stand on a mountain and tell all to read this wonderful story!

SPOILER:
The author really gets some jabs in there about the hypocritical church people.

Personally, I think hypocritical church people deserved to be jabbed A LOT, lol.

I loved it. I couldn't put it down. I want to read it again right now !
I am going to pick up her other book as well...
and I SO agree with your spoiler !

I am so happy that your post sent me flying to Amazon to buy it!
Thank you ~

Sounds like another great read. Its already gone on the TBR mountain. Thanks

Well I made it to page 230.. Chapter 16 of The Terror today. I went out with a friend and to my sisters for dinner~and have now run out of energy. I am done for the day. So far the story is intriguing. It is also horrifying, although I admit that the horror to me is the days, weeks, months of living under such brutal conditions. I think I would prefer death to surviving in those conditions.
I think that merely reading about it has exhausted me.

>199 mckait: and this is a GOOD read...? Sounds grim and unpleasant to me. We watched a movie tonight, "A Kiss Before Dying," which starred Joanne Woodward in her first screen role, and Robert Wagner as the BAD guy, which was weird. It was fun, a murder mystery and a terrible terrible kitschy sudser all at once. It was very satisfying.

Now I need to review King of Cats for Blake. Tomorrow.

#199: I thought The Terror very good when I read it last year (I admit, though, that I am drawn to stories of Arctic exploration). I hope you like it, Kath!

Yes, The Terror was a good read! Man, I want to say more, but it's hard to do that without giving some things away...8^}

I'm adding The Terror to the ever growing tbr pile.

I agree, it is good but it is disturbing, richardear......
I like Dan Simmons.. and this book looks as if it will be another good one.
Dr Neutron.. I am dying to hear what you have to say.. lol

The Terror has been on my TBR list for awhile and it sits waiting for me.

Georgia, I think it is a good read, but I also think you have to be in the mood for a long sometimes convoluted time of it, or it will fail you.

Do people eat each other? If so, I'm going to have to reconsider adding it to my tbr pile...

Tough question..

A woman ate something ...unidentified.It might have been a bear?
There is gruesome death.. not sure about having people for dinner...

eta....

uh oh... there was just a suspicious meal ...will keep you posted~

# 39 The Terrror by Dan Simmons




Run away! Run Away!

Finishing this book was like banging my head against a wall..
and refusing to stop. I am going to find a nice psychiatrist to donate
this one to. One who is down on their luck and needs patients.
They can give it to someone and immediately schedule a session
twice a week.

It is finally over.........

Kath,
I love the smiling faces!

And, I sincerely hope your next book is much better.

I ordered, and received The Fetch from Amazon today.

http://www.librarything.com/work/5756240
I hope this one is as good as A Certain Slant of Light.

That one is in my cart, waiting for a little disposable income. :)

eta : at Amazon

thank you for the sugestions, sorry you had a bad read!

I love your little computer critters that keep popping up all over the place--too fun.

Snugglebunny...why on earth are you reading Dan Simmons books?! He's not anywhere near your kind of writing in anything! He's not good at plots, he stinks at characterization, and his shockeroo style of climax-creation is inimical to your far more refined and educated literary palate. I can think of few writers I'd more rather see you avoid than Simmons...except maybe Ivy Compton-Burnett, and that's only because you're a decent human being.

Oh, well, I guess I do not have any of the lovely qualities Richard mentions in message 214 because I read The Terror last year and thoroughly enjoyed it. Sorry that you did not, Kath, and I sincerely hope that your next read is better for you!

Thanks arubawoman :) I have been gathering them up for years. I like them too. They are fun :)

aw, richardear... I love it when you call me snugglebunny... lol.

I am going to start The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters today. Soon. I have chores first. I know that it will be wonderful. All of her books are wonderful.
And the films well done.. Then I have an arc to read..

but now, on to housekeeping stuff ( bleh) and back later.

eta:

The reason I hated The Terror was it was front to back misery, in my opinion.
No one was warm, happy, loved, comfortable..content.. nothing good.
I hoped the end would redeem the book, so I kept going. For me, it did not.
I just kept feeling cold, and sad. ick.

While I originally added The Terror to my tbr list, after your recent comments, I'm removing it from the pile. Thanks for saving me the time wasted in reading it. There are so many wonderful books out there -- why waste energy eh?

#217: Well, I liked it, lol.

I think it might have something to do with frame of mind, Stasia. If I were in a more upbeat place .. if the world were happier, I might not have fallen so deeply into the cold, do you know what I mean?

I haven't had one minute to read today. I am turning out the beds, and switching from flannel to cotton sheets and doing the guest room beds, too. It has been laundry and cleaning and laundry some more.

I still have plenty to do , but need a break~
tomorrow, reading again!

Don't you hate it when the real world gets in the way?!

LOL I think I just saw The Terror on my shelves... wonder which camp I'll be on IF I ever pick it up :)

I'd come back here just to see the cute emoticons :)

#220. Yes, my "real" world will come crashing into my reality when I return to a stressfilled job on Monday after three weeks recovery from surgery. I'm not looking forward to it.

*grin* I do indeed..

BUT! My bedroom is freshly painted. It is a pale mauve. I found lightweight curtains for 7.00$ a pair! They are white and have rosebuds embroidered on. I have had them for months. I bought a quilt from QVC about three years ago, and never used it. I find it goes well with the curtains and the room. So I am very satisfied with how it is working out. And I moved the furniture around.. so I hae more room... so nice! So I guess the book will still be there tomorrow :)

oops! Missed your post Linda... You have my sympathy... it is so easy to get into that not working mode.. so hard to get back to reality...

I am glad you are well now though..

Now what do I do? Should I keep The Terror on the list or take it off? Decisions, decisions!!

I'll chime in as one who liked it too!

mckait, that sounds very pretty.

#225: Georgia, try the 50 page rule on it :)

I, too, have been wondering why you read the Dread Butcher Simmons hehe. Sorry you had such a bad experience. Why finish it dear? If it's so bad...walk away. Or do you have the Must Finish compulsions? I know how that goes. Oh, I have a special tag for the books of nonredeemable misery: Can You Be Anymore Depressing?

*hugs*

Sometimes I can walk away from a book, usually I just can't. I have actually read and like other books of his. A Winter Haunting for instance.

At any rate, I began The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters last night. I had to stop for earth hour though, and went to bed soon after.

Today is a kind of day so it is perfect for reading. I still have chores, but they will not be all day things like yesterday.

To me, picking up a Sarah Waters book is like sinking into a soft warm chair with a a toddy on one side and a kitty on the other.. it is cozy and good. She has the gift of storytelling, like few others I have read.

kath, my father has a quotation (not sure from whom) that seems apropos: "The best thing about beating your head against a wall is stopping."

I'm of two minds about the 50 page rule. Most of the time it is applicable, and I use it several times per year (see my comments on Nazi Literature in the Americas). However, there have been one or two recent books that I started to give up on or save for a rainy day, but decided (for one reason or another) to continue reading, and I am glad that I did. The one book that comes to mind is The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, which I didn't like in the beginning. I almost gave up on it twice, but kept going because it had received great reviews (and won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction last year), and because I had read and enjoyed his book of short stories, Drown.

But, IMO, if reading any book is "misery", then it deserves to be cast aside. Too many books, too little time (that will be on my gravestone).

I agree doc, but some things you just can't explain. I am a finisher at heart, I guess. I like to finish things that I start. :)

I found this on Photobucket, which I just joined:

ouch! his poor nose!

LOL~ I enjoy photobucket. All sorts of fun things to be found there, and it is a handy little storage space :)

mckait deariepookums: Mauve and rosebuds...my goodness me, are you ever a girlie-girl!

Now MY bedroom is painted a restful shade of red called "Frosted Pomegranate" and the wall-art is all black and white. Curtains, so far, aren't located. The place-holders are plain hideous.

Mauve indeed.

here's to "girlie girls!"

Kath, I smile thinking of your relaxing Sunday with a good book! I believe you had a difficult week last week and thus I'm glad you have the opportunity to rest today.

Well not so much a girlie girl, but I like my retreat spaces to have flowers

I agree - it can be worth plodding on to find a book that turns into a gem. I did that with Peony in Love. The first 50 pages were a slog, and I just thought there was no way I could enjoy it. So I started skimming....and then I stopped skimming and really loved it by the end.

I came back to see if my manatee was still smacking his nose against the glass. Ouch! You'd think he would have stopped by now...

hehehe :D

kidzdoc
Perhaps the manatee is not middle aged. Perhaps he hasn't learned the sheer joy and freedom of walking away from things that might tend to lead you to smack your head again and again.

>241 Whisper1:, when in middle age does that kick in? I'd like to mark my calendar. As of today, 49 years hasn't been enough for me.

Well, in my 64 years of experience, 50 is the middle of middle age. One can then decide how long middle age "should" last and figure it all out from there. So, let's say middle age should be at least 50 years long. So it starts at 25 and ends at 75. How's that work for you? as a working hypothesis of course; not a Law.

#242: Somehow, I am not surprised at that :)

okay

so it takes me a while to get it..like never

thanks whisper ! lol

good one doc, sorry I missed the point.

Whew! Finally go the time to read all the way through your thread. Thanks for the review on The Hummingbird's Daughter--it's been on my shelves forever and I'm now intrigued to really add it to my TBR.

Add me in the fans of The Terror by Simmons, but I also like Arctic expedition stories (also Antarctic), and it didn't hurt to be reading it in the middle of snow and cold of St. Louis a year ago (I'm an Angeleno in normal times). I was in true empathy with that crew!

Also a huge fan of Octavia Butler--really liked her collection of short stories called Bloodchild and her vampire family in Fledgling. Her Patternist and Xenogenesis (or Lilith's Brood are interesting, but I found them slightly less compelling than the Parable books. What I love about her writing is the importance, always, of family--no matter how it is defined.

Now I have to tag your thread!!

Would you believe that I am reading your thread for the first time today. And only because Richard directed me to it. I kept looking for mckait on the L. when scrolling down. Strange, because I feel like I know you so well from you simply posting on mine and others threads.
I am so ashamed. But now that I know, it won't happen again.
just,
me

She has a new thread. It is found here-http://www.librarything.com/topic/65452#1340626

Many thanks cal8769.
I will prolly see you there.
belva