Marcia's 2010 Reads

Hey, guys! I'm looking forward to another great year of reading with you. Hopefully I won't take as many long breaks away from the group as I did in 2009, and will be able to keep up with others' threads more successfully.

I think my personal goal will probably be 125 again, since I didn't make it in 2009. (2009 75 Book Challenge threads here and here.)

What a wonderful group this is! Your intelligence, warmth, and, of course, book reccomendations have truly changed my life for the better. :D

For those of you who are new friends, I'm Marcia. I tend to read a lot of mysteries, fantasy, YA, romance, various other fiction, and some nonfiction, mostly history, memoirs, and medical.

This is my first thread, and there is now a second, with books 85 and on here.

2010 Books, 1-84:
Books with an {R} indicate rereads. The message in which the book is reviewed is linked in parentheses, when it becomes available.
1. Revenge of the Wrought-Iron Flamingos - Donna Andrews (Msg 14)
2. Paris: The Secret History - Andrew Hussey (Msg 23)
3. Elsewhere - Gabrielle Zevin (Msg 41)
4. Shakespeare's Counselor - Charlaine Harris (Msg 41)
5. Heat Stroke - Rachel Caine (Msg 62)
6. When You Reach Me - Rebecca Stead (Msg 62)
7. The Book of Three - Lloyd Alexander {R} (Msg 62)
8. The Black Cauldron - Lloyd Alexander {R} (Msg 77)
9. Ghost Hunters: William James and the Search for Scientific Proof of Life After Death - Deborah Blum (Msg 88)
10. Anne of Green Gables - Lucy Maud Montgomery {R} (Msg 88)
11. The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins (Msg 95)
12. Assassination Vacation - Sarah Vowell (Msg 95)
13. The Lassa Ward: One Man's Fight Against One of the World's Deadliest Diseases - Ross Donaldson (Msg 95)
14. Evidence - Jonathan Kellerman (Msg 102)
15. A Touch of Dead: The Complete Sookie Stackhouse Stories - Charlaine Harris (Msg 102)
16. Death of a Gossip - M.C. Beaton(Msg 102)
17. Mark of the Demon - Diana Rowland
18. The Wordy Shipmates - Sarah Vowell
19. Indigara - Tanith Lee
20. The Lightning Thief -Rick Riordan
21. Soulless - Gail Carriger
22. The Sea of Monsters - Rick Riordan
23. The Titan's Curse - Rick Riordan
24. The Battle of the Labyrinth - Rick Riordan
25. The Last Olympian - Rick Riordan
26. Prophecy of the Sisters - Michelle Zink
27. Odd Thomas - Dean Koontz
28. Forever Odd - Dean Koontz
29. The Sociopath Next Door - Martha Stout
30. The Cinderella Deal - Jennifer Crusie (Msg 134)
31. Lips Touch: Three Times - Laini Taylor (Msg 134)
32. Rag and Bone: A Journey Among the World's Holy Dead - Peter Manseau (Msg 134)
33. The Dirty Secrets Club - Meg Gardiner (Msg 153)
34. Suite Scarlett - Maureen Johnson (Msg 153)
35. Scarlett Fever - Maureen Johnson (Msg 153)
36. Goddess of the Hunt - Tessa Dare (Msg 153)
37. Murder in the Marais -Cara Black (Msg 161)
38. Too Hot to Handle - Nancy Warren (Msg 161)
39. Still Life - Louise Penny (Msg 161)
40. The Ritual Bath - Faye Kellerman (Msg 161)
41. A Fatal Grace - Louise Penny (Msg 161)
42. Voodoo Histories: The Role of the Conspiracy Theory in Shaping Modern History - David Aaronovitch (Msg 180)
43. The Cruelest Month - Louise Penny (Msg 180)
44. Field of Blood - Denise Mina (Msg 180)
45. The Spellmans Strike Again - Lisa Lutz (Msg 180)
46. A Song for Arbonne - Guy Gavriel Kay (Msg 180)
47. Sacred and Profane - Faye Kellerman (Msg 180)
47a. This is America - Roxana Robinson (short story) (Msg 187)
48. The Partly Cloudy Patriot - Sarah Vowell (Msg 187)
49. Magic Bites - Ilona Andrews (Msg 187)
50. Changeless - Gail Carriger (Msg 187)
51. The Poisoner's Handbook: Murder and the Birth of Forensic Medicine in Jazz Age New York - Deborah Blum
52. The Moonflower Vine - Jetta Carleton
53. Magic Burns - Ilona Andrews
54. Magic Strikes - Ilona Andrews
55. In the Bleak Midwinter - Julia Spencer-Fleming
56. The Children's Book - A.S. Byatt
57. On the Edge - Ilona Andrews
58. Crouching Buzzard, Leaping Loon - Donna Andrews
59. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
60. A Rule Against Murder - Louise Penny
61. Moon Called - Patricia Briggs
62. Blood Bound - Patricia Briggs
63. Iron Kissed - Patricia Briggs
64. Bone Crossed - Patricia Briggs
65. Silver Borne - Patricia Briggs
66. Cry Wolf - Patricia Briggs
67. Hunting Ground - Patricia Briggs
68. Swordspoint - Ellen Kushner
69. The Privilege of the Sword - Ellen Kushner
70. Milk and Honey - Faye Kellerman
71. The Thief - Megan Whalen Turner
72. Strings Attached - Nick Nolan
73. Magic Bleeds - Ilona Andrews
74. Dead in the Family - Charlaine Harris
75. The Devil and Sherlock Holmes: Tales of Murder, Madness, and Obsession - David Grann
76. The Surgeon - Tess Gerritsen
77. I Know I Am, But What Are You? - Samantha Bee
78. The Mark - Jen Nadol (Msg 234)
79. Deception - Jonathan Kellerman (Msg 240
80. Birthmarked - Caragh M. O'Brien (Msg 241)
81. The Passage - Justin Cronin (Msg 245)
82. Something About You - Julie James (Msg 245)
83. She Looks Just Like You: A Memoir of (Nonbiological Lesbian) Motherhood - Amie Klempnauer Miller (Msg 245)
84. A Bad Day for Sorry - Sophie Littlefield (Msg 255)

Welcome back!

Glad to see you back with us again, Marcia!

Thanks! :D

*waving*

Hi, Roni! *waves back*

I've been thinking some about my 2010 reading. I don't think I want to try the 101010 Challenge (is that the right title?) since my attempt at 999 was such an epic fail. I like the idea of reading outside my comfort zone, but the strict categories structure was just not my cup of tea. I think I will read a lot of books I wouldn't normally read just based on you guys' recommendations, so that will help.

I definitely want to read more nonfiction this year. And maybe I'll attempt some "classics." I also want to do some rereads of old favorites. I'm thinking I'll reread the Anne of Green Gables books, and also maybe Tamora Pierce's oeuvre. I will also be taking advantage of the group read to reread The Chronicles of Prydain.

I plan on continuing my reading of the Discworld books, too.

I really want to read more in 2010 and watch TV less. This will be hard, especially in winter, when my TV time doubles as my knitting time, so we'll see, but I'd like to read 1 hour for every hour spent watching TV.

And yeah, I'm totally gonna try to read some of the thousands of books I own and haven't read yet.

I think a lot (or even most?) of the people who do the 999/101010 type challenges don't necessarily try for rigid categories, and just adapt their plans as the year goes on. Rather than choosing your books to fit your categories, you can choose your categories to fit your books :). So, looking at your 75 Book Challenge lists, I think you could be done the 999 challenge right now if you switched to these categories: Fantasy; Mystery; Romance; Supernatural; Non-Fiction; Children's/YA; Just Because; LT Recommendations; New To Me Authors.

Of course, it might seem to defeat the purpose if you just stick with the easy categories. I'm personally going to do a half 101010 challenge next year (five books in each category), so that I can have some more interesting categories without actually restricting myself too much. Just some food for thought, anyway.

Thanks, Zoe! That is some good food for thought. I think last year, in my attempt to push my boundaries, I picked some categories for 999 that were too far from my normal reading patterns. If I do decide to do it this year, I think I'll try some of my favorite genres, like you suggested, and then try to strike a balance with a few more challenging categories. I'm not 100% decided yet, so I'm glad I still have a few weeks to change my mind on whether I want to try it or not!

I have, indeed, decided to attempt the 101010 Challenge! We'll see if I can do it this time. My categories are Children's/YA Fiction; Mysteries; Fantasy; Romance; Vampires, Werewolves, and Fairies OH MY!!!; Nonfiction; Short Stories; Discworld; Books by Non-US Authors; and Miscellaneous Fiction. The thread is here: http://www.librarything.com/topic/79475

Good luck!

>11 KLmesoftly:, Thanks!

Marcia

I wouldn't want to miss your thread. I found you and starred you!

>13 Whisper1:, Thanks, Linda! Looking forward to another year of reading and chatting with you. :)

I finished my first book of the year this afternoon.



1. Revenge of the Wrought-Iron Flamingos - Donna Andrews

This is the third book in the Meg Langslow mystery series, and I quite enjoyed it. This one takes place at a combined craft fair/reenactment of the battle of Yorktown. The book is less about the murder mystery and more about the characters. Meg, her boyfriend Michael, his mother, her crazy family, and the vicious little dog Spike are all along for the ride. This cozy mystery is lots of fun! An easy, funny read. Three and a half stars.

Edited to add cover image.

Marcia: You've started the year off with one of my favorite authors. I just love the Meg Langslow series. I hope you have more of her books because they are all adorably funny

Hey kiddo! Hope this year is the best yet!!

>15 cameling:, Caroline, I'm really enjoying the Meg Langslow series so far! I don't have more of her books on hand, but my library has so far been pretty good at either having them on the shelves, or available from another branch via request. I will probably request the next one in a few weeks!

>16 suslyn:, Hi, Susan! I hope your year is the best yet, as well! I haven't found your 2010 thread yet, but I will search it out soon!

"Hey, guys! I'm looking forward to another great year of reading with you. Hopefully I won't take as many long breaks away from the group as I did in 2009, and will be able to keep up with others' threads more successfully."

I'm guessing that you'll have as much luck in this as I will. I'm already overwhelmed and its only the 3rd. *sigh*

I love it when I'm reading a thread, I go back to my home page to click on another thread,.... and the thread I was just reading already has three more posts!! *sigh*

Hi, Marcia!! Looking forward to a great year!

I found you! Starred ya once again!

I've got you starred as well... I admire your willingness to try the 1010 Challenge. I've never joined as I seem to find that my reading tends to be so mood-based and pretty covers chosen :D. Maybe I will try someday!

>19 profilerSR:, Sherlyn, I totally understand! The threads in this group seem to grow if you look away for just a second! Hi back atcha!

>20 fantasia655:, Hi Catey!!! Good to see you!

>21 Cauterize:, Thanks for the star, Steph! I was pretty reluctant to join the 1010 Challenge but then decided to try and fit it around my books... we'll see if it works. I'm definitely not picking out titles in advance like some people do. I like the pleasure of choosing too much! Also, already I'm starting to see that some of my categories are going to fill up way faster than others.

2. Paris: The Secret History - Andrew Hussey

I enjoyed this book quite a bit. This is an history of Paris from Roman times to the present focusing on the working classes, the revolutionary, the thieves, the homeless, the prostitutes, the students, the literary underground, and other people on the margins. So often history is told from the perspectives of the royalty, the nobles, and the borgeousie, and it's refreshing whenever one gets to read about the lives of everyday people. The sheer scope of the time period covered means that Hussey often doesn't go into a lot of detail, and there are many off-handed comments that left me intrigued and wanting to learn more about certain incidents or people. Still, as an overview, this was a very interesting portrait of a city and it's people constantly in flux. It's fairly readable, although sometimes I found Hussey's style to be somewhat lacking, and there are some bizarre grammar constructs that left me shaking my head and rereading paragraphs over and over to figure out what he was trying to say. Recommended for the casual student of history and those interested in Paris. Four stars.

Marcia
Book #2 looks very interesting!

It was definitely interesting, Linda! It made me want to read some French authors (Baudelaire, Hugo, Zola) that I was never really interested in before, as well. Whether or not I will actually ever read them is a different story!

Are you back at school? If so, I'm sure this will cut into your reading time.

Paris: The Secret History does sound worthwhile. I read something along those lines on London several years ago. I will keep an eye out for this book.

>26 Whisper1:, No, Linda, thankfully my semester doesn't start until the 19th. Hopefully I can get a lot of reading done before then!

>27 profilerSR:, Sherlyn, was it Peter Ackroyd's London: The Biography? Hussey refers to that one in his introduction as one of his inspirations in writing the book, and I've added it to my wishlist.

#23: Looking for that one! Thanks for the recommendation, Marcia.

You're welcome, Stasia! I hope you enjoy it.

Argh, I think you made me do my first TBR to my list in 2010. Sign me up for Paris: The Secret History.

> 28 Yes!! London: The Biography was the book I read!! I didn't recognize the cover at first, but finally found the correct cover. I read the book before 2005, and I didn't keep lists of my books until 2005.

32, Yeah I didn't start keeping track until 2004, so I totally understand. It's so frustrating when you can't remember the title of a book you read before you started keeping track!

Today I went to the bookstore in my local mall (a Waldenbooks) which is sadly going out of business. I made the best of a tragic situation, however, and got the following books at 50-70% off, with the total coming to less than $60:
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet - Jamie Ford
Generation Dead - Daniel Waters
Child 44 - Tom Rob Smith
Assassination Vacation - Sarah Vowell
The Book Thief - Markus Zusak
Malice - Chris Wooding
The Fatal Shore - Robert Hughes
Bloody Good - Georgia Evans
The Good Thief - Hannah Tinti
Glitter Baby - Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Who knows when I will actually get to read any of these, as I currently have 30+ library books out, not to mention the hundreds of books on my shelves, but I am excited nonetheless.

I also finished my third book of the year, Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin, which I will have comments on tomorrow.

The Waldenbooks store near me was slated to close but has been saved from the chopping block. They are having big sales though. I'm trying to contain myself....

It looks like you got some great finds. My husband read Child 44 and could not put it down. I believe Stasia really liked this book as well.

Wow, you did well at the book sale, even if it was a sad one. The Fatal Shore is a great read. I read it 20 years ago for a legal history course, and bought it again a few years ago with great plans to read it again.... one day!

#33: Congrats on the haul, Marcia!

#34: Stasia loved Child 44 and has high hopes for the sequel, The Secret Speech, if she can ever get her hands on it!

> 33 Fantastic haul!! I still need to read Child 44. I've also seen Malice bandied about on the threads, so I'll be interested to see what you think.

The Waldenbooks went out of business in my town 2 years ago. It was a really tragic day for me. I loved that store and the people who worked in it. It was small, cosy, I knew them all, and between them, they seemed to have read everything in their inventory and were so knowledgeable. They recommended some fantastic books to me that I'd not have considered or even found. I still mourn their departure and I think our town is a sadder, duller place without them in the community. Bah!

Somehow I've missed your thread so far this year - starred!

>34 Whisper1:, I'm glad your Waldenbooks didn't end up closing, Linda! I'm looking forward to Child 44.

>35 cushlareads:, I'm excited to read Fatal Shore. I don't know very much about Australian history, so it should be informative. :)

>36 alcottacre:, Thanks for the congrats on the haul, Stasia! Your excellent review (along with other good things I'd heard, and the fact that it was $3) is what inspired me to buy Child 44.

>37 profilerSR:, Thanks, Sherlyn! I hadn't heard much about Malice, but I read Wooding's The Haunting of Alaizabel Cray a few years ago, and really liked it, so I have high hopes!

>38 cameling:, I really am going to miss our Waldenbooks. We still have a Barnes and Noble, an independent bookstore, a fantasy and comics store, and several used bookstores, but I loved the Waldenbooks because it was in the mall, so it was very convenient when you were doing your shopping for anything else to just pop in. Plus I got great discounts with Borders Rewards, and now the nearest Borders is an hour away. Bah indeed!

>39 Cait86:, *waves* Hi Cait and welcome!

3. Elsewhere - Gabrielle Zevin

This is an intriguing and beautifully written young adult book. Fifteen-year-old Liz is hit by a car while riding her bike. She wakes up to find herself on a boat, and eventually ends up in "Elsewhere." This is a really cool, unique take on the afterlife. My only problem was that Liz herself was kind of unlikable. There were several times where I was yelling at her to grow up. I understand that teenagers can be bratty; that doesn't necessarily mean that I want to read about it. The peripheral characters are much more likable than Liz, and Zevin especially shines in her portrayal of the dogs Lucy, Sadie, Jen, and Paco. A well-written, intriguing novel. Four stars.



4. Shakespeare's Counselor

This is the fifth book (and last?) in the Lily Bard mystery series. I can now say that Lily is one of my favorite literary characters in any genre, not just mystery. My favorite part of this one is the deepening of the relationship between Lily and her husband, Jack. The resolution of the mystery in this one is a little weak, but the characters and small town detail more than make up for it. I sure hope Ms. Harris publishes more in this series soon! Four stars.

#41: I already have Elsewhere in the BlackHole or I would add it again :)

Frankly, I think the Shakespeare series is my favorite of Harris' series just because of the character of Lily who grows and changes throughout the 5 books. I am glad that you enjoyed it, Marcia.

Ooh you guys make me wish to be elsewhere ... just about anywhere with bookstores in english!!!!! Hmmm.... maybe a jaunt to Amsterdam with that great used bookstore is in order?

:)

I really like the look of Elsewhere. So much so that its the first time I've been seriously (and I mean SERIOUSLY) tempted to break my book buying ban. Darn you.

>42 alcottacre:, I agree with you, Stasia. Lily really progresses through the books, and I like that, as she deals with her problems while still maintaining her own sense of self.

>43 suslyn:, Amsterdam sounds like fun, lol. I don't know what I would do if I didn't have books in English! Learn another language I guess, but that's hard...

>44 lunacat:, My evil plan is working, Jenny! Embrace the darkness! Buy Elsewhere!

BTW, one of the things I found coolest in Elsewhere was that you could pick your "avocation" for the time you were there, and one of the jobs that was available was transcribing Earth books. Basically you'd watch people on Earth read over there shoulders and record what they were reading so other Elsewhere-ians could read the books. Sounds like heaven to me, indeed.

Marcia

I trust your judgment. In 2009 I added and read many wonderful books based on your recommendations! I hope to find a copy of Elsewhere). Thumbs up to you!

>46 Whisper1:, Awesome! I think you'll really like Elsewhere, Linda. It has some of the same simple, but supernatural feel as A Certain Slant of Light, although they're pretty different in the details.

I too am jumping on the Elsewhere bandwagon .. it looks interesting. So off to the wish list it goes.

I'm lucky in that I've got both Borders and Barnes & Nobel within a 10 min drive from my house. But I find them so impersonal because while they carry most of the books I'm looking for, I really miss that personal service you only get with smaller bookstores. There used to be a great little bookstore in Cambridge, MA called Wordsworth which I loved. They always brought in the most interesting authors who were out on tour. Small, crammed with books, and the most wonderful staff who seemed to know where every single book was shelved and also had opinions about the books (and sometimes the authors too). They closed 2 years ago. *sniffle*

I may have to break my resolution and buy a book. Our local system does not have that particular Charlaine Harris series (any of them!) HORRORS. UNACCEPTABLE. must go log on to Alibris and see what the used boys have to offer.

>48 cameling:, Elsewhere is interesting, and it has a nice message about living your life, whatever circumstances you find yourself in. I don't like the chain bookstores either, except for the discounts. My local independent bookstore is fabulous, and I try to shop there as much as possible, but it's hard when money's tight.

>49 tututhefirst:, Horrors! Unacceptable indeed. It's a fairly popular series, I think, just not as popular as her Southern vampire books (and very different in tone). Hope you find it!

Marcia

Thanks for reminding me about A Certain Slant of Light. This was one of your excellent recommendations in 2009 and it was one of my top ten books! You find such incredible books!

My library has Elsewhere, but I worked late tonight and couldn't stop by to pick it up. Tomorrow is another day.

>51 Whisper1:, Aw thanks! I'm reading When You Reach Me which is one of your great recs, so I think we're even!

I hope you like When You Reach Me. It is very creative.

Loved When You Reach Me! Hope you do too.

>53 Whisper1:, 54, So far so good!

Just found this thread, and will be starring it - you've already got several interesting books listed. I don't know where, but I saw Paris: The Secret History on a thread the other day. I thought it looked interesting but didn't do anything about it. Today, I'm not letting it pass by without adding it to the wishlist.

>56 sjmccreary:, Welcome! Thanks for starring. I hope you enjoy Paris: The Secret History!

I've finished books 5 and 6, Heat Stroke - Rachel Caine and When You Reach Me - Rebecca Stead, and will have reviews for them up later tonight or tomorrow. :)

Hi Marcia! Thanks for posting the link in my thread. I've found you now. Elsewhere is making it's way onto my tbr pile, it sounds interesting!

Marcia
I'm stopping by to thank you for recommending Elsewhere. I finished it today and it is an amazing book!

>59 Foxen:, Hi! Glad to see you! I hope you like Elsewhere.

>60 Whisper1:, You're more than welcome, Linda! I'm so glad you enjoyed it.

5. Heat Stroke - Rachel Caine

This is the second book in Rachel Caine's Weather Warden series. Our main character (heroine would be a strong word, but I wouldn't go so far as to call her an anti-heroine) Joanne Baldwin is readjusting to her new life, after dying and coming back as a djinn. Her relationship with her djinn lover, David, deepens as he tries to teach her about her new powers, but she soon learns of the great sacrifice he has made to save her life and transform her from human to djinn. Joanne's new life is further complicated when the other djinns learn about her new status, and then when she notices something dire happening with the weather. Sex, violence, and the weather--- what more could you ask for? This book is much more exciting than the first, and the action is much tighter and quicker. I'm looking forward to the next installment. Three and a half stars.



6. When You Reach Me - Rebecca Stead

Thanks to Linda, Stasia, and everyone else who recommended this excellent YA novel, my first five star read of the year!

I absolutely loved this little gem of a book. 12-year-old Miranda lives in New York City in 1978 with her single mother. Her best friend, Sal, has suddenly stopped wanting to spend time with her and she has started to receive mysterious, strange notes that seem to predict the future. There's a slow build through the first half of the book, but by the end it's going full speed to a unique, creative, and emotional place. Miranda is also a huge fan of my own favorite book, A Wrinkle in Time and carries it around with her constantly, which I can relate to! A fabulous coming of age tale with a time bending twist. Highly recommended! Five stars.



7. The Book of Three - Lloyd Alexander

This is a reread for me. A bunch of 75ers are reading the Chronicles of Prydain for a group read, and I couldn't resist rereading them as well, although I haven't had the time to participate in the discussion yet.

The first book in Lloyd Alexander's classic children's fantasy series, the Chronicles of Prydain, is an exciting introduction to a world of magic and adventure based on Welsh myths. In The Book of Three we meet Taran, Assistant Pig-Keeper and would-be hero; Eilonwy, the talkative princess with an attitude; Gurgi, the half-human creature with a big heart; and Hen Wen, the oracular pig, among others. This is, IMHO, the weakest book in the series, but that's okay; one of the best things about the quintet is the way in which the books progress, the characters grow, and the story improves. Four and a half stars for this individual book, five for the series as a whole.

Reviews coming soon... I've had a stomach bug so I'm kind of exhausted, so I will hopefully have more energy soon.

Edited on 1/22/10 to add reviews!

I hope you feel better soon!

Sorry to hear you are unwell, Marcia. Get well soon!

Get well soon! *positive energy zap*

ugh! Praying you're 100% soonest. Unfortunately I can relate all too well!

Hope you feel better soon. :)

Stopping by to say I anxiously await your comments re. {When You Reach Me.} I really liked this book!

I do hope that you'll be feeling better soon!

Hope you feel better soon. Take care of yourself.

Ugh! There seems to be an army of stomach bugs invading the planet just now ... about 5 of my colleagues are down with stomach bugs, my neighbor and a few friends in different states are down with it as well. I've just gotten over it, so I definitely sympathize.

Hope you feel better soon!

Get well soon, Marcia - stomach bugs are the worst. Take good care.

Finally got to catch up on your thread Marcia. And I'm walking away with Paris:The Secret History and the Lily Bard Series. Ugh. The name Lilly Bard sounds so familiar to me......I'm sure that name was a character in another story by another author although I'm positive it is not the same character. Just coincidence I suppose. Looks like you're going back to school today - so hope you're up to it and feeling better.

>73 Carmenere: It's not The Dead, is it?? She's Lily something-that-I'm -almost-completely-sure -begins-with-B...

Aha! It was Frankie Bard in The Postmistress which I read around October of '09. Thanks for trying to help me out.

Thanks for the well wishes, everyone! I'm finally feeling better. My stomach bug cleared up on Monday or Tuesday, and my energy is just coming back now. Bleccchh!!! As a result, I've been in kind of a book funk/general malaise. I've only finished one more book, a reread at that, The Black Cauldron, in the whole week.

I also had to give up on Mrs. Dred Scott: A Life on Slavery's Frontier because it's due back at the library tomorrow and I can't renew it again. There's no way I'd be able to finish it by tomorrow, and I don't know that I even want to. The subject matter is fascinating, but I just couldn't get into the author's style. Every time I went to read it, it was like having my teeth pulled. Just not worth it.

Anyway, will be back with comments in a bit!

I've edited Message 62 to add reviews of books 5-7, and here's #8!



8. The Black Cauldron - Lloyd Alexander

This is the second book in the Chronicles of Prydain, and it's much stronger than the first, and more than a little darker. Full of adventure and sadness, as well as a few lighthearted funny moments provided by my favorite character, Gurgi, as well as the introduction of the bizarre three witches, Orddu, Orwen, and Orgoch. An excellent installment; highly recommended, but you must, must read them in order, starting with The Book of Three. Five stars.

>77 allthesedarnbooks: - I just picked The Black Cauldron up at the library today. I was already looking forward to it, and your review makes me want to dive right in!

>78 porch_reader:, Awesome! I hope you love it as much as I do, Amy. :)

I'm taking a note from a whole bunch of you and keeping track of my books acquired. Ha, maybe this will make me curb my book buying, or at least read some of the ones on my shelf or that I buy. But probably not. I am an incurable book addict.

I picked up the following for free at my hairdresser's. One of her clients brings in a bunch of gently used romance novels and just leaves them, for free. I got:
Fire and Ice - Julie Garwood
Sunset Bay - Susan Mallery
Dream a Little Dream - Susan Elizabeth Phillips (which I've read before and enjoyed)
When the Duke Returns - Eloisa James

On Fri I acquired the following at Barnes & Noble, using my gift certificate I got for Christmas:
The Day the Falls Stood Still - Cathy Marie Buchanan
The Castle of Llyr - Lloyd Alexander
Taran Wanderer - Lloyd Alexander
Sum: Forty Tales from the Afterlives - David Eagleman

Then, on Saturday, I was at the mall, and the Waldenbooks is still in the process of closing, and had a whole case of books 2 for $1. I got the following for $4 total:
Miracle at St. Anna - James McBride
The Rules for Hearts - Sara Ryan
The Angel Maker - Stefan Brijs
The Edge of Impropriety - Pam Rosenthal
The Deportees and Other Stories - Roddy Doyle
Stealing Buddha's Dinner - Bich Minh Nguyen
Flower Children - Maxine Swann
Karma Girl - Jennifer Estep

I also picked up Evidence - Jonathan Kellerman from my mom, who just finished it.

Marcia

Why curb your book buying when you can get so many for so little.

I can't speak for Marcia, but I personally find it very discouraging to have mountains of unread books that I acquired just because they were cheap. Once my pile of unread books passed 700, I decided that I really have to cut back. In the end, I'm much happier with one $12 book that I really want to read than with 6 $2 books that are only going to sit on the shelf unread, so I've (mostly) adjusted my purchasing accordingly.

I'm running out of space to put books... I have three bookshelves in my room, plus a DVD rack I've converted, overflowing, three in the spare room, three in the attic, plus numerous storage bins of books, all mostly unread. I just feel like I should be reading those, plus not adding to the problem. Half the time if there is a certain book I want to read from the TBR list, if it's not on the shelves downstairs, but in the attic or the bins, I can't find it. It's hard to organize when I just have so many.

I've finished book #9, Ghost Hunters: William James and the Scientific Search for Life After Death. I'll get a review up tomorrow. :)

#80: Wow! Nice haul, Marcia. I hope you enjoy them all.

> 84 The Ghost Hunters book is already on my TBR list. I look forward to your review!!

>85 alcottacre:, Thanks, Stasia!

>86 profilerSR:, The review should be coming up ASAP, Sherlyn. :)

9. Ghost Hunters: William James and the Search for Scientific Proof of Life After Death - Deborah Blum

Another great read I discovered thanks to LT! This one had been mentioned over in the nonfiction thread, and I thought, gosh, that sounds fascinating. My local library actually had it in stock, so I checked it out, and I was not disappointed.

This excellent nonfiction books chronicles the efforts of William James and fellow researchers of the American and British Societies for Psychical Research to explore supernatural phenomenon scientifically. Blum is a great writer; she uses a vast amount of research to recreate the experiments, but, more importantly, to bring to life the characters of a fascinating group of men and women (or rather, one woman, the math genius, Cambridge administrator, and psychical researcher Nora Sidgwick, who worked alongside her husband Henry and continued the work after his death).

There are no easy answers in this book. If you're looking for solid proof one way or the other, that there is or isn't life after death, you won't find it here. What you will find is, in my honest opinion, just as good if not better: descriptions of research and experiments, mediums and charlatans, and most importantly, the discussion of great ideas. What roles do science and religion play in modern society? Is it possible to believe in both? For those, like me, who are as interested in the quest as the conclusion, this book will be a tasty, thought-provoking treat. It made me want to read more about the subject of the paranormal, but also about philosophy, psychology, and religion. It made me want to pick up the work of William and Henry James. If that's the mark of a great nonfiction book, to incite further interest in the reader, than this book was certainly a success for me. Highly recommended. Five stars.



10. Anne of Green Gables - Lucy Maud Montgomery

Two five star reads in a row! Of course, this one's a reread for me, so I knew it would be excellent. Is that cheating?

This is one of my favorite books of all time. I love the beauty in Montgomery's prose, her descriptions of Prince Edward Island, and the people who live in the small town of Avonlea. But most of all, I love Anne Shirley. She is, indeed, a kindred spirit. My love for this book is so strong, it's a struggle to put into words. I feel like I don't have the capacity to describe the wonder and the joy it evokes in me every time I read it. A true classic, and I can't wait to reread the rest of the Anne books this year. Highly, highly recommended. If you haven't read this book, you are, in my opinion, missing out on one of the great pleasures of life. Five stars, and I'd give it more if Library Thing allowed it.

Sounds like you sorta, kinda liked Anne of Green Gables :} My husband only has wonderful things to say about PEI and I hope to get there one of these days but in the meantime I'll put AoGG on the wishlist. Here's hoping for 3 5 stars in a row!

Congratulations on the consecutive 5-star reads! Don't you just love when that happens? I am with Lynda in wishing for another one.

> 88 Oh, I am so excited about reading Ghost Hunters!! Great Review!! If my library doesn't have it, I may have to...*gasp*.. buy it!!!

>89 Carmenere:, Ha, yes, Lynda, I might have liked it a little bit. My mom and I are hoping to get to visit PEI on vacation someday, if not this summer (there's a wedding in Mississippi we will have to plan around). I hope you do read it and enjoy it, it's one of the books that I read as a child that instilled in me the passion for reading I have today. I'm hoping for another 5 star read, too!

>90 alcottacre:, Thanks, Stasia! I do love it. I'm hoping the next one will be 5 stars, too, and since I am about halfway through and enthralled in The Hunger Games, it seems like a very real possibility!

>91 profilerSR:, Glad you liked the review! I loved the book; it's the best nonfiction book that I've read in a while. I hope you can get a copy at your library or *gasp* buy it and that you enjoy it as much as I did!

I loved The Hunger Games! I bet it does end up being your third consecutive 5-star book.

I just finished The Hunger Games tonight, and it was, indeed, my third consecutive 5-star read!!! Just amazing. Look for a review tomorrow. :D

Didn't get The Hunger Games review up yesterday, rather spent the day reading and finished two more books.



11. The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins

I absolutely loved this book! I went into it having some reservations. Everyone had praised it so highly; how could it possibly live up to my expectations? Plus, while I love young adult dystopian literature, I wasn't sure that I wanted to read about children fighting to the death on nationally televised reality TV. As soon as I opened up the book, though, I knew I was wrong. Collins writes with a clear, strong voice, and the narrator, Katniss, is strong, resourceful, and surprisingly relatable. The plot is air tight and imaginative, scary and heartbreaking. There was one point (no spoilers) where I cried like a baby. I cannot recommend this book highly enough, and I look forward to reading the rest of the trilogy. Five stars.



12. Assassination Vacation - Sarah Vowell

This book was great! Laugh out loud funny in spots, and packed full of information that I would never have come across on my own. Sarah Vowell travels around the country on a pilgrimage to sites related to the assassinations of presidents Lincoln, Garfield, and McKinley. Her morbid, sarcastic sense of humor and witty asides liven up the history lessons, and I was never bored, which is rare for me in a nonfiction book. Very enjoyable, and made me want to actually read more about those presidents and their assassins. Recommended. Four and a half stars.



13. The Lassa Ward: One Man's Fight Against One of the World's Deadliest Diseases - Ross Donaldson

Ross Donaldson is a medical student, writing a paper about Lassa fever, who decides to travel to Sierra Leone and research the deadly disease first hand. Working alongside Dr. Conteh, a physician who has made Lassa fever his specialty, Donaldson sees the devastation caused not only by Lassa, but hunger, war, and other diseases in the African nation. The familiar (if you read any amount of medical memoirs) story of a student being thrust into healing head first, feeling unprepared, is accompanied by culture clashes and the difference between Western, first world medicine and the medicine practiced and available in Sierra Leone. While Donaldson starts off naive and a little annoying, making some observations that had me shaking my head, by the end I had grown to like him. The real stars of the novel are the physicians, nurses, and patients of the Lassa Ward. Written in an easy-going, simple style, this is an informative and heartwarming story. Recommended. Four stars.

ETA for reviews 2/11/2010

#95: (clearing throat) - I am waiting!!

LOL .... this is perfect, Stasia.

Stasia, oh my, but that cat looks very much like Will (my partner) when he cannot find something he thinks I misplaced......

When he starts the sentence with "Do me a favor", I know then that I am in for a lecture.

Marcia, you are clipping along at a fast pace and reading some great books.

#97: Glad you like it, Caroline!

#98: I now have a picture in my head of Will as a cat, lol.

Oh, the cat has chastised me! But I have a good excuse. Nearly right after I wrote that my computer crashed in a virusy mess. Thankfully, I had been saving up for a while to buy a new one, which came today. So yes, I have been off the grid since late Sunday afternoon... my only internet access being on my cell phone. Quel horreurs! But now I'm back, and as soon as I finish getting my computer set up I will finish those reviews.

My deepest sympathies Marcia on your 'virusy mess' I too seem to have come down with the same disease (or at least my computer has.) At least hubbie has been kind enough to allow me to use his, and I do have a blackberry, but really......after the computer docs charge $69.99 to 'diagnose' what's wrong, they will give me a further bill for what needs to be done to fix it. SO....I too may be digging into savings for a new one. But isn't it exciting! Good luck and enjoy. we are all looking forward to your reviews.

>101 tututhefirst:, I hope all your computer woes came out okay, Tina!

I've got my shiny new computer all set up, but then of course I got a sinus infection. If you read this thread a lot, you've probably realized by now that being sick is a recurring them, lol.



14. Evidence - Jonathan Kellerman

I was pretty disappointed in this latest Alex Delaware novel, as I have been, to be perfectly honest, with the last several. I still love Alex, Milo, and Robin, but the plotting is just not as interesting, the descriptions are too bare, and it feels like Kellerman is pounding the new books out without really putting his heart into it. I also thought the plot was a little bizarre (not in a good way) and far fetched. I will probably keep reading the series, just because they are easy and comfortable reads for me, and I still maintain a glimmer of hope that they will once again obtain their former glory. Not really recommended, unless you're already a fan. If you're not, I recommend Kellerman's earlier Alex Delaware books instead, like The Clinic, When the Bough Breaks, or Bad Love, for example. Two and a half stars.



15. A Touch of Dead - Charlaine Harris

This Sookie Stackhouse book was also a disappointment. While some of the previously published short stories explain things that were touched upon in the novels but not fully explained, the majority of the stories are pretty lackluster. The only one I really loved was "Dracula Night," simply for the hilarious dose of Eric it gave me. Recommended only for the hardcore Sookie fan. Two and a half stars.



16. Death of a Gossip - M.C. Beaton

This is the first mystery in the Hamish MacBeth series. I loved the TV show when it was on BBC America and was delighted to find (via LT, of course!) that there were books. This first one was ok. It focused a lot on fly flishing, which I find to be incredibly boring, and it seemed very, very slow to start. Hamish himself is delightful, although I did have some problems with the way he (and the female author) talk about women. Still, it was a decent, if not spectacular, cozy, and I will probably read the rest of the series at some point to see if they get better. Three stars.

I hope you feel better soon Marcia...

Me too!

Ummm...not for nothing, but wasabi is a super-duper powerful sinus cure. Eat a dollop of that over your favorite piece of sushi and say goodbye to your sinus problem for the rest of the week. Your brain may take a serious zap as well, but hey at least you'll be able to breathe again. ;-)

If you don't like torture, then a friend's aunt used to boil onions and peppercorns and then inhale the steam when she had sinus flare ups.

Hope you feel better soon.

p/s let me know what you think of the Kellerman book too please when you're ready ... I read something by him some time back and thought he was boring. I'd be willing to give him another go if you rate this highly

Can't resist commenting on the wasabi cure--it does work, but you must be careful.. When we first moved to Japan 30 years ago, we were in a restaurant, and my husband (who is from central California) took a HUGE chunk thinking it was guacamole. He swore it cleared his sinus cavities all the way to his toes (and he didn't stop crying for 3 hours!!!)

Ooh, sounds like I'll have to try the wasabi cure!

Thanks for the well wishes everyone, I'm finally starting to feel better.

>105 cameling:, Caroline, Evidence by Kellerman was pretty lackluster IMO. It's his newest book, and I've read pretty much all of his Alex Delaware series. They've been going downhill for the last few years, at least, but I still keep reading them. Some of the earlier books in the series are well worth reading and much better: Bad Love, The Clinic, etc.

I've updated Message 95 with reviews of books 11-13 (The Hunger Games, Assassination Vacation, The Lassa Ward).

Next up: Editing in reviews of 14-16, as listed in Message 102, plus reviews of the books I've finished since:

17. Mark of the Demon - Diana Rowland
18. The Wordy Shipmates - Sarah Vowell
19. Indigara - Tanith Lee

Glad you loved The Hunger Games and Assassination Vacation! I loved them too.

Really? I love the Delaware books. Perhaps I'm too forgiving, but I love Milo and Alex as much as Bosch from Connelly's series.

Hi There Marcia

Happy Almost Birthday. I hope tomorrow is a wonderful, special day for you!!!

>108 Cauterize:, They were both excellent!

>109 PeteLA:, I love Milo the most, and Alex, too, and Robin, but I just feel like the plots were a lot tighter in the first books in the series. The main reason I still read them is that I do love the characters.

>110 Whisper1:, Thanks Linda! So far, so good.

So I'm still way behind on my reviews (not to mention reading your guys' threads!) but I've been sick on and off and in a bit of a book funk besides, so I haven't finished anything new. Today, however is my birthday (advanced age of 25), so hopefully I will be snapping out of the book funk soon!

I got a Kindle for my birthday. Yay! I feel like I'm betraying print books in some way, although I know I'll still read them, since most Kindle books still cost money and books from the library or my shelf are free, plus not everything is available on the Kindle. So far I love it, though. It's so easy to use and light-weight and I can make the print nice and big and if I want a book it just APPEARS! Anyway, yes, exciting.

I also got three print books:
Her Fearful Symmetry - Audrey Niffenegger
Fire - Kristin Cashore
Forest Born - Shannon Hale (which is the latest in the Bayern books, but I have to read the middle two first)

Happy Birthday, Marcia! What a great gift--hope you have fun exploring the possibilities!

Happy birthday!

Happy Birthday from me as well!

Happy Birthday!

Happy birthday, Marcia!

Hope it was a happy one!

I hope you had a great birthday!!

Thanks for the birthday wishes, everyone! I love you all! :D

Hey, guys! Sorry i dropped off the face of LT for a while, things have been mega busy here, and I've also (big surprise) been sick on and off. Anyway, here's what I've read in the last few weeks. I will try to get reviews up on these as well as the back reviews I owe soon, and then I need to catch up with you guys, which I'm sure will be a daunting task knowing how prolific and chatty you are, lol. ;)

20. The Lightning Thief - Rick Riordan
21. Soulless - Gail Carriger
22. The Sea of Monsters - Rick Riordan
23. The Titan's Curse - Rick Riordan
24. The Battle of the Labyrinth - Rick Riordan
25. The Last Olympian - Rick Riordan
26. Prophecy of the Sisters - Michelle Zink
27. Odd Thomas - Dean Koontz
28. Forever Odd - Dean Koontz
29. The Sociopath Next Door - Martha Stout

I'm not sure all those touchstones are working, but I'll come back and fix them later.

How are you guys doing?

Hanging in there, Marcia, just hanging in there. I just read Soulless too. I'm waiting for the paperback of the last Percy Jackson book to finish that series.

I hope you are feeling better now!

I also hope you're feeling better!

And I have to say, I'm jealous that in a few busy and sick weeks you managed to read more books than I've read all year!

I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts about Soulless and also about the Percy Jackson books. I read The Lightning Thief and wasn't inspired to go further, but lots of people have said that they get better....

Nice stack of books there, Marcia. I hope you're feeling better now?

I enjoyed the Percy Jackson books and recently watched the movie too.

122, Roni--- I'm hanging in there, too, so we're in the same boat. *sends you a non-infectious internet hug* What did you think of Soulless? I loved it. I'm starting to feel much better, except for a linger deep chest cough.

123, Thanks, Zoe! I am, a little. And don't worry, it's not the numbers that matter, it's the journey! ;) I will go into more details later, but I absolutely adored both Soulless and the Percy Jackson books. The Lightning Thief is definitely the weakest entry in the series, but if you didn't like it, you probably won't like the others. They get more frenetic and exciting, but it's all in the same tone.

124, Caroline, Thanks! I am feeling better, day by day. I just have a lousy immune system. I loved the Percy Jackson books, and am trying to get my mom to go with me to see the movie when we're both free and I'm feeling up to it.

Marcia, I do hope you are feeling much improved!

I am glad you enjoyed the Percy Jackson series. I am still waiting for my opportunity to read Soulless - I am looking forward to getting my hands on it one of these days.

Feel better soon, Marcia!

Just checking in! I'm looking forward to your further thoughts on the books and hope you're feeling better.

Hope you're feeling better, and I'm just stopping in to *wave*

Thanks for the good wishes, everyone! I'm finally feeling better. :D Now we'll see how long it lasts... I've also been super busy, as I got a new volunteer position community organizing, which is taking up a lot of time.

I've managed to finish three more books, however:

30. The Cinderella Deal - Jennifer Crusie

31. Lips Touch: Three Times - Laini Taylor

32. Rag and Bone: A Journey Among the World's Holy Dead - Peter Manseau

Further thoughts on these eventually, and I plan to start on the back reviews tomorrow, if all goes according to plan!

#130: Rag and Bone looks interesting. I cannot wait for your review.

Yes indeedy. I'll have to look into that one...

Me, too! It's going on the list & I'll just take it off if say it's a dud. But it sounds fascinating!

I've updated Msg 102 with comments on books 14-16. I will now post reviews of my latest reads, since there seems to be a lot of interest in Rag and Bone, and then continue working on the back reviws as I have time. I only have like 14 of them, lol. :)



30. The Cinderella Deal - Jennifer Crusie

I loved this book. It's a lovely, light hearted, thoroughly delightful romance, and, IMHO, Crusie at her best. It's a tale of two opposites attract: artist and free spirit Daisy Flattery and tight-laced professor Linc Blaise. Linc needs someone to pose as his wife; Daisy makes a living storytelling or is, in Linc's words, "a professional liar." Of course he hires her. And of course the one weekend turns into a longer contract, and of course they fall in love. The plot may be predictable, but the characters shine, and there are lots of laugh out loud moments. I was sick when I read this one, and it was just what the doctor ordered. By the time I was finished, I felt much better. Four and a half stars.



31. Lips Touch: Three Times - Laini Taylor

I am absolutely in love with this book. No exaggeration. It's my favorite read of 2010 (so far), and I simply cannot recommend it highly enough. A finalist for the National Book Award in 2009, this book transcends young adult and fantasy, while still being a sterling example of both. The three short stories/novellas are all joined by the theme of a kiss. Each kiss has consequences beyond the ordinary. The first story, "Goblin Fruit," is a reinterpretation of the Goblin Market legends, set in the present day. The second, "Spicy Little Curses," takes place in colonial India (and, partially, Hell). The third, my favorite, "Hatchling," is full and vital enough to be a novel, introducing us to the Druj, demons based on ancient Zoroastrian legends. All three stories are breathtakingly told, lyrical, and filled with life. There are also amazing illustrations by Taylor's husband, Jim di Bartolo. Go out and buy this book. I'm not kidding. You won't regret it. Five stars.



31. Rag and Bone: A Journey Among the World's Holy Dead - Peter Manseau

This was an interesting nonfiction book. Manseau travels the world, visiting religious relics. Whether he's in a mosque in Aleppo, Syria, or a monastery in Goa, India, his travels and recounting of the history of relics are always interesting. Sometimes the book felt a little too breezy, and I would've liked a more traditional narrative structure. In the end, I was left wanting more, more information, more stories, more relics. Overall, a quick and enjoyable travelogue worth a read, especially for those interested in religion, history, and the human condition. Three and a half stars.

#134: Now you have gone and done it! I have to add all 3 of those to the BlackHole. Yikes.

#134 I loved The Cinderella Deal, too. I've been after a copy of this for years, and I was so pleased that it was re-released. I'm just itching for the re-release of Trust Me On This later in the year.

>135 alcottacre:, Bwahahaha. You won't regret it, though, Stasia. They're all great reads!

>136 Eat_Read_Knit:, Ooh, I've never read Trust Me On This... I can't wait!

#137: They may all be great reads, but my local library does not have a single one of them!

> 134 I still haven't read The Cinderella Deal. I love Crusie's books. There was a discussion over on LTers with Dogs, about books where the dog lives. At the time, I forgot about Jennifer Crusie. She has great dog characters in her books and they are not harmed in any way. They make cute book covers too!!

I am additionally adding (okay, that was redundant) Rag and Bone and Lips Touch: Three Times

ETA to spell "Cinderella" correctly!

I had heard of Lips touch: three times, but it didn't appeal to me until your review. Now ... must read.

Also adding Rag and bone on your recommendation.

>138 alcottacre:, Shame on your local library, Stasia! I'd offer to send you my copy, but I read all three on the Kindle.

>139 profilerSR:, Sherlyn, Yes! I love Crusie's dogs. The Cinderella Deal has a great dog, although it looks nothing like the dog on the cover, plus two fantastic cats. Hope you enjoy them all!

>140 swynn:, Yay! I want to convert the world to read Lips Touch: Three Times, lol. It's that good, IMO. Of course if you guys all hate it now I will feel very guilty... I hope you like Rag and Bone, too!

#141: Well, you could always send me your Kindle instead :)

>142 alcottacre:, Ha, ha, ha. In the three weeks or so that I've had it, I've become very bonded to the Kindle. You'd have to pry it our of my cold dead hands.

#143: Where is it you live again?

>143 allthesedarnbooks:... Umm... Timbuktu.

____

Have finished three more books, with reviews up hopefully tomorrow (or, properly, later today). I also have decided I probably will never get around to doing those 14 back reviews, so if you have a question on books 17-29, ask away, and I will answer you.

33. The Dirty Secrets Club - Meg Gardiner

34. Suite Scarlett - Maureen Johnson

35. Scarlett Fever - Maureen Johnson

#145: if you have a question on books 17-29, ask away, and I will answer you.

Hopefully more truthfully than about the question of where you live :)

I don't know what you're talking about, Stasia. The weather's lovely here in the capital of the ancient Mali empire.

#147: Yes, I can see how today's high of 101 might be considered lovely :) NOT!

Hey Marcia, I'm just dropping by to say that I'll be adding Lips Touch to my TBR, as well.

Wow, I never knew you lived in Timbuktu as well. I grew up there! Of course, I now reside at the top of Mount Everest but I remember my time fondly.

Do you know the Jones'? They live down by the river ;)

Great reviews and conversations. Had to laugh at tutu's description of her husband's wasabi experience (106). I did the same thing in NY -- everyone else got california rolls and I saw green (thinking guac) and was a total pig and threw the thing in my mouth! LOL My friends were urging me to spit it out (loudly). I'm sorry we were in the middle of a nice restaurant in NYC -- no way! So I swallowed several tablespoons of that lovely horseradish expecting a lot of pain in the days to come. But having been raised on tex-mex must have done me some favors because other than a hot mouth (!!!) I was fine :)

Glad I finally got back to your thread -- I've been missing all sorts of good stuff!

>149 Cauterize:, Awesome! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

>150 lunacat:, Ah, the Jones'! I know them well.

>151 suslyn:, Hi, Susan! Great to "see" you. I have to catch up on your thread(s), too! Hope you are doing well!

33. The Dirty Secrets Club - Meg Gardiner

Thanks to whomever recommended this one! (Stasia?) I really enjoyed this mystery, the first in a series featuring Jo Beckett, a forensic psychiatrist. Jo is a very appealing lead; she's flawed, but still believably smart and strong, and you root for her. The climax of the novel is edge-of-your-seat thrilling, and the plot is unique and intense. I really liked this book, and am looking forward to reading more by Ms. Gardiner. Four stars.



34. Suite Scarlett - Maureen Johnson

I loved this young adult novel! I read Johnson's Devilish a few years and really enjoyed it, but for whatever reason, I had yet to pick up another one of her books. This was a great reintroduction. 15-year-old Scarlett Martin lives in a rundown, once-grand hotel in Manhattan with her parents and her three siblings. Her older brother Spencer is an aspiring actor, her older sister Lola is a beautiful neat freak, and her younger sister, Marlene, is a grouchy cancer survivor. Into the hotel and Scarlett's life breezes Amy Amberson, an eccentric rich woman and former actress. There's boy trouble, a troubled production of Hamlet with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern on unicycles, and a little bit angst as Scarlett struggles with her family's financial situation. The hijinks and the drama never overtake the characterization and the realness of the novel, and by the end you feel like you're a Martin, too. I immediately went and bought the sequel. Four and a half stars.



35. Scarlett Fever - Maureen Johnson

This is an equally delightful sequel to Suite Scarlett. Scarlett's adventures continue as she goes back to school while still working for Mrs. Amberson, who's opened an acting agency. She is trying to get over Eric, and is paired with a difficult new bad boy, Max. Spencer gets an unpopular part on the hit show Crime and Punishment, which leads to an unexpected backlash against him and his family, Lola has eloped, and Marlene is up to something. Another great and quick read, and I can't wait for the third book in the planned trilogy. Four and a half stars.



36. Goddess of the Hunt - Tessa Dare

This historical romance is mostly good, but not great. Dare shows a lot of promise. The characters are well-drawn, in spite of being somewhat cliched. The heroine, Lucy, is a young tomboy, and the hero, Jeremy, an older friend of her brother's who suddenly sees her as the woman she has become. The first half of the book, in spite of the familiar premise, is pretty good. The relationship develops realistically, and the two main characters are both likable, and the sexuality is pretty steamy. The second half of the book devolves, however, as the conflict that separates the now married couple appears. Their problems are nothing that wouldn't be cured by the smallest attempt at communication, and for the last two hundred pages or so, I was practically yelling aloud at them to just talk to each other already, for Pete's sake! I liked it enough that I will probably read more by Ms. Dare, in the hopes that her storytelling abilities will rise to the level of her style. Three stars.

adding #34 to be list. Thanks for all these YA recommendations!

>154 Whisper1:, You're welcome, Linda! And right back at you; you always rec great YA books, too. :)

>107 allthesedarnbooks:
What did you think of Indigara? I liked it not so much...

>156 amobogio:, I liked Indigara more as it went on. At first I thought I wouldn't like it very much at all, but in the end I found myself kind of charmed in spite of myself. Still, it seemed to be much better in theory than in practice, and wasn't up to the level I usually expect from Tanith Lee.

#153: I did read The Dirty Secrets Club, so the recommendation may have come from me, although I am sure I picked it up from someone else's thread.

I am adding the Scarlett books to the BlackHole. Thanks, Marcia!

adding The Dirty Secrets Club to be never ending tbr pile.

Thanks, this one sounds great!

>158 alcottacre:, While thanks to both you and whoever you got the rec from, Stasia! You're welcome, I hope you enjoy the Scarlett books!

>159 Whisper1:, You're welcome, Linda! It's a fun book.

37. Murder in the Marais - Cara Black

This is the first book in Black's series starring Paris PI Aimee Leduc, and I really enjoyed it. The plot is very action packed, dramatic, and not more than a little ridiculous, but the effects of World War II on the Jewish population of Paris, the Gentile residents, and even the Nazi invaders are well drawn. Aimee is a strong, smart heroine, with more than a few flaws, and the city of Paris is described lovingly. I will definitely be reading the next in the series (Murder in Belleville). Heck, I've already bought it. Four stars.



38. Too Hot to Handle - Nancy Warren

This is another fun Harlequin Blaze by my favorite go-to category romance author, Nancy Warren. In this one, our heroine, Lexy Drake, is a jewelry designer; our hero, Charles Pendergraff III, is a thief. They meet, he tries to steal priceless gems from her safe, they are both pursued by bad guys, he kidnaps her, and then they fall in love. There's more to the story of course, but I don't want to give the adventure away. There's some hot sex, but, as in all Warren's books that I've read, it compliments the story and the characters rather than becoming the story itself. Loved it. Four stars.



39. Still Life - Louise Penny

Everyone and their mother had recommended this book to me, but I was still skeptical. But all the rave reviews were right! This delightful first book set in Three Pines and featuring Ispecteur Gamache won me over almost immediately. Three Pines is, indeed, a place I'd like to live, and Inspecteur Gamache a man I'd like to know, not to mention Ruth Zardo, Clara Morrow, and Olivier and Gabri. And as soon as I was done reading, I was already trying to get my hands on the next one. I also learned a lot about Quebec and it's dual cultures. There were parts where the book dragged a little, and I guessed who the murder was fairly early on, but otherwise I really enjoyed it. Recommended. Four stars.



40. The Ritual Bath - Faye Kellerman

This is the first book in yet another mystery series, starring LAPD Detective Peter Decker, and his romantic interest, Orthodox Jewish widow Rina Lazarus. I absolutely loved this book. Peter and Rina are both well developed, as is the description of life in a yeshiva. The plot (involving rape and murder in a place where Rina and other women feel most safe) is disturbing, but the chemistry between Peter and Rina is light and natural in the most dark and unnatural of circumstances. Highly recommended, and I'm looking forward to the rest of the series. Four and a half stars.



41. A Fatal Grace - Louise Penny

This is the second book in the Three Pines series, and I devoured it just as quickly and liked it just as much as the first one. Four stars.

You've been busy!!

>162 ronincats:, Yes, I have! Although to be fair, I've been pretty lax in posting, so my reviews are way behind again, so when I post a ton at once it looks like I'm reading a lot more than I am. I've been busy in a non-literary fashion as well, so my reading has been pretty much all escapism, with mysteries and romances and the occasional YA.

I obviously lied like a lying liar who lies when I said that those reviews would be up last night. Hopefully I can get them done sometime today, although I do have a ton on my plate this afternoon and tonight, so who knows, might not be til tomorrow.

Marcia

Did you see Terri's post about her dream that included you?

No worries -- the pressure is self-imposed, although we'll be glad to read them...

Ooh.. can't wait to read your review of Murder in the Marais.

>164 Whisper1: You should go to my thread and read it, Marcia. I must have been taking some pretty heavy drugs that night!

I've edited Msg 161 to include comments on books 37-41 (Murder in the Marais, Too Hot to Handle, Still Life, The Ritual Bath, and A Fatal Grace).

Meanwhile, I've finished the following, which will hopefully have reviews soon, so I don't get ten behind again, lol.

42. Voodoo Histories: The Role of the Conspiracy Theory in Shaping Modern History
43. The Cruelest Month
44. Field of Blood
45. The Spellmans Strike Again
46. A Song for Arbonne
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>164 Whisper1: & 167, No I haven't seen the post about the dream yet; but Terri's will be first on the list of threads I need to catch up on now!

>165 suslyn:, Hee, Susan, you sound like my therapist!

>166 cameling:, It's up now! :)

And, because all the cool kids are doing it, and despite the fact that I have not been doing monthly summaries, here's my first quarter of the year in review (not including A Song for Arbonne, which was my first book for April).
___________________
Books Read: 45
Pages Read: 14,764
New Reads: 42
Rereads: 3

Authors Read: 34
Female Authors: 26
Male Authors: 8
New to Me Authors: 22

Nonfiction: 8
Fiction: 37
(I was going to break the fiction down into genre, too, but have discovered, alas, that I am far too lazy.)

So, for the next quarter... I will try to read more male authors (men deserve a fair shake and all) and more nonfiction. And some poetry and drama, of which I read neither.

Nice summary, Marcia. I am trying to figure out if it is worth my while to do one of my own, but I just think it will take too long.

>170 alcottacre:, Thanks, Stasia! I'd love to see your summary, but I certainly understand why you wouldn't do it... you've read so many books, it would take forever!

#171: I think I have decided my summary is going to be x number of fiction, x number of nonfiction and let it go at that. I am not going to start dividing into genders and genres.

Yeah, I only read 45 and the counting for genders and such took me quite a while... Mostly because I kept recounting to make sure I got the same results, lol.

The way I look at it, I could do all kinds of statistics on my reads and I do not have the time or inclination to do so. The main thing I worry about is getting at least 100 nonfiction reads per year in, so just dividing into nonfiction and fiction is perfect for my needs.

I worry that if I start deciding on books based on the gender of the author or the country of their origin or the genre of the book that I will manage to skew my own reading patterns too much. I would much rather read for the sake of the book rather than any of those things.

I agree! That's kind of why I stopped with my 1010 Challenge... I don't like having to read according to certain guidelines, even if they are my own. I want to read more nonfiction this year... if I read 8 in the first quarter, I think I will aim for 40 for the year.

The 1010 Challenge would never work for me and I know it, so I have never been tempted to try it.

There are certain areas that I want to continue to study, namely the Civil Rights movement and the Vietnam War era, but I do not need a 1010 challenge to do so.

Why are some counting author's gender? I don't get the significance...

> 161 I am a fan of the Faye Kellerman Lazarus/Decker mystery series. I am glad you like them. The first one The Ritual Bath is a favorite of mine, but they continue to get better and better IMO.

>176 alcottacre:, I'm always tempted, Stasia, but I can never stick to it!

>177 suslyn:, I can't speak for anyone else, Susan, but I counted the gender because I know I have a tendency to read mostly female authors, and I'm trying to see if I can read a few more men, just for a little change in perspective.

>178 profilerSR:, Sherlyn, I absolutely loved The Ritual Bath! I just finished the second book, Sacred and Profane today actually, and I liked it a lot, but just not quite as much as the first one. I will definitely continue with the series, though!

42. Voodoo Histories: The Role of the Conspiracy Theory in Shaping Modern History - David Aaronovitch

This was an extremely interesting and insightful read. Aaronovitch examines a multitude of conspiracy theories, their believers, and the effect these fringe ideas have on politics, history, and the general population. He focuses mostly on US and Britain, with some forays into Western Europe. He examines it all with a skeptical eye, which works for me, because when it comes to conspiracies I am a HUGE skeptic, but for those with a less skeptic mindset, he may be biased, in that he believes that very few conspiracies actually exist. For me, the most intriguing chapters were the ones on modern conspiracy theories, ie. during the Clinton years, the 9/11 Truth movement, and the Birthers. Aaronovitch examines conspiracy theories from both the right and the left; there is no partisan bias. What emerges is a portrait of a mindset where those on the extremes on both sides let their paranoia defeat their common sense, with results that are sometimes harmless, sometimes dangerous, whether to themselves or society as a whole. This is an important book and I highly recommend it. Four and a half stars.



43. The Cruelest Month - Louise Penny

This is the third book in the Inspecteur Gamache/Three Pines mystery series, and my favorite yet. I loved the occult angle (there are seances and the evil Hadley house explored). I also loved the (partial) resolution of the plotting against Gamache within the Sûreté du Québec. The characters and the setting almost overwhelm the mystery and the intrigue, but in the end Penny finds a perfect balance. Highly recommended, as is the whole series, which should be read from the beginning and in order, IMO. Four and a half stars.



44. Field of Blood - Denise Mina

This is the first book in Mina's series starring Paddy Meehan. Paddy is a great, if not always likable character, and her struggles to balance her ambitions as a reporter with her family's demands and Catholic morals are fascinating. The prose is dark and lush. The mystery itself is okay, although I guessed the murderer long before Paddy did. The scene that opens the novel is stomach-churning, and I would warn readers that it features not only a crime against a very small child, but a graphic description of the crime from the child's point of view. Overall, I liked it a lot and I will definitely be reading more in the series, because Paddy's such an interesting character and Mina's such a skillful author. Four stars.



45. The Spellmans Strike Again - Lisa Lutz

This is the fourth and final book in Lutz's series starring Izzy Spellman and her eccentric family of private investigators. It's excellent, probably my favorite since the first one (The Spellman Files), with a great mix of wacky hijinks and real, subtle emotion that was often lacking in the middle books. I will definitely miss the Spellmans, but I can't wait to see what Lutz does next. Four and a half stars.



46. A Song for Arbonne - Guy Gavriel Kay

As an avid reader and aspiring writer, there are a few authors who, when I read them, I am left so dumbfounded, so inspired, that I'm jealous that I didn't write that. Guy Gavriel Kay is at the head of that group. A Song for Arbonne is just... breathtaking. Set in a world like medieval France, where troubadours write songs of courtly love for their ladies, it's a beautiful tapestry of politics, war, music, and love. There's not a lot of magic like in Tigana, and the book reads more like excellent historical fiction set in an unfamiliar world. There are many characters, and each one is a fully realized individual, and the way they interact is perfectly drawn. The prose is lovely and while my copy was over 600 pages long, I still felt like it ended too soon. Just an amazing, unputdownable, epic confection of a book. Highly, highly recommended. Five stars.



47. Sacred and Profane - Faye Kellerman

This is the second book in the Peter Decker and Rina Lazarus series. In this one, there is less interaction between Peter and Rina. Peter is attempting to convert to Orthodox Judaism so that he can be with Rina, but has trouble reconciling religious belief with the dark world he sees everyday at work. There's a lot of fighting between Peter and Rina, and Peter is really kind of a jerk. Still, their relationship is very real, and if I cringed when they were arguing, it was because I truly felt like I knew them. The mystery is very dark and graphic, and I was extremely disturbed by it. Not for those with a weak stomach. I didn't like this book quite as much as the first, The Ritual Bath, but it was still a pretty good read and I look forward to the rest. Three and a half stars.

>180 allthesedarnbooks: -- works for me. Thx for the explanation.

Nice stack of books there. Looking forward to the reviews after your well deserved nap. ;-)

I have A Song for Arbonne coming to me from PBS, so I anxiously await your review of that one.

I've edited Msg 180 with reviews of books 42-47 (Voodoo Histories, The Cruelest Month, Field of Blood, The Spellmans Strike Again, A Song for Arbonne, and Sacred and Profane).

I've finished The Partly Cloudy Patriot by Sarah Vowell, so look for a review of that sometime today or tomorrow.
______________________________

>181 suslyn:, Cool! You're welcome. It turned out to be the next day instead of later that night, but close enough.

>182 cameling:, Hi, Caroline! They were a pretty good batch, if on the dark side. My nap was great.

>183 alcottacre:, Awesome! I loved, loved, loved A Song for Arbonne; I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

#184: 5 stars? I hope I enjoy it as much as you did too, Marcia!

5 stars indeed! Probably the best book I've read so far this year... tied with Lips Touch: Three Times maybe.

47a. "This is America" by Roxana Robinson

(This is a standalone short story, published by the Atlantic as part of a series of short stories for Kindle. I will probably be reading more of this series, so the single short stories not part of a book will be listed in a similar fashion, after the number of the book before, with a letter after.)

This was an interesting short story and a great introduction to a new author whom I'll be looking to read more of. The story focuses on Anna, a literature professor, who loves Chekhov, Tolstoy, and Russian literature, but doesn't like the Russian immigrants who are flooding New York City after the end of the Soviet Union. Anna is in a relationship with British David, who lives in her apartment rent free and treats her with contempt, but she feels that, at her age (late forties), she is lucky to have a man at all. Robinson uses Anna's relationship with David, her contempt for the Russians she meets, and her sympathy for an African cashier at a boutique who was discriminated against for her skin color, to examine the roles of immigrants in American society and the thinly veiled hypocrisy underneath the surface of those who think they are the most open minded. Recommended, and I've gotten one of Robinson's books of short stories from the library.



48. The Partly Cloudy Patriot - Sarah Vowell

This collection of essays was mostly "meh" for me. I love Vowell's writing, her humor, and her enthusiasm for history, and I continue to feel that we would be great friends if we were ever to meet it (stalkerish as that sounds), but this book just didn't do it for me the same way that Assassination Vacation and The Wordy Shipmates did. These essays lack a cohesive theme, although they are all tangentially about patriotism, but that proves to be a nebulous topic. Some of the essays are strong; in particular, the title essay, about Vowell's reaction to the remaking of the American political landscape after September 11th, is great. The majority of the essays, however, are lackluster, boring, and not that funny. It's an average book, and from Ms. Vowell, average is a great disappointment. Three stars, mostly for the excellent title essay.



49. Magic Bites - Ilona Andrews

I loved this urban fantasy novel, the first in a series featuring Kate Daniels and set in an Atlanta of the future where waves of magic overcome technology periodically. The worldbuilding is excellent, and while Kate is gritty and tough like the typical urban fantasy heroine, Andrews' deft hand with characterization makes her real, fascinating and not a cliche. I can't wait to read the rest of this series!



50. Changeless - Gail Carriger

This is the sequel to Soulless, which I absolutely loved. I was a little concerned that I mightn't like this one as much, since Zoe was disappointed in it, and we often have similar tastes. I was relieved to find that I loved this one too, if not with the same passion that I felt for Soulless.

Soulless was a romance; this book is an adventure/mystery/steampunk confection with a little bit of romance thrown in. There are interesting new characters (I loved Madame Lefoux, the French inventor who dresses in men clothes) and a lot more action than the first book. There's not as much verbal sparring and other interaction between Alexia and her now-husband, Conall, which is the main reason I'm not giving the book five stars. It also ended on a cliffhanger, which, since the third book, Blameless, doesn't come out until September, left me feeling somewhat disappointed. I can't wait until the next book comes out! Carriger is definitely becoming one of my favorite new authors. Four and a half stars.

Promises, promises!

Well, I read #48, #49 and didn't like Soulless enough be hungering for #50, so no need to increase the TBR right now.

Back on A Song for Arbonne: It's interesting how Kay seems to have two styles. The Fionavar Tapestry, Tigana are more traditional fantasy in their inclusion of magic. Then there's A Song for Arbonne, The Lions of Al-Rassan, Last Light of the Sun, Sailing to Sarantium and Lord of Emperors, which read much more like re-imagined historical fiction.

Given that the first category were his early books and the latter his later, I wonder if it's a deliberate decision or just an unconscious evolution of style.

Ysabel (his last) was, admittedly, sort of a blend of the two styles...a historical story line with strong magical elements...but, given that it's a sequel to The Fionavar Tapestry, it might simply have been carrying over the "magical" elements of its predecessor books.

I'm really looking forward to Under Heaven coming out in a couple weeks. I haven't seen any early reviews to know what it's like, other than reportedly based upon China.

I'm looking forward to the reviews, especially for Changeless!

>188 alcottacre:, I am all promises, no action. But the reviews will be written after I respond to you guys, and maybe finish reading today's NYT Book Review.

>189 TadAD:, Hi, Tad! I just picked up The Last Light of the Sun from the library yesterday, so that will probably be my next Kay read. I generally like magic in my fantasy, but with Kay's mastery of the written word, I don't seem to mind the more historical style, if A Song for Arbonne is any indication. I can't wait to see what you think of Under Heaven! The idea of it being based on China is really exciting to me, as I love fantasies that are based upon something other than the traditional medieval Europe ideal.

>190 _Zoe_:, The reviews should be up soon, I swear. In the meantime, suffice it to say that I enjoyed Changeless a lot more than you did! :P

In this case, I'm glad to hear that we disagree!

Have edited in the reviews just upthread in Message 187. :)

I'm also thinking, as we approach 200 messages here, perhaps a new thread might be in order sometime soon. What do you guys think?

>192 _Zoe_:, Me too, Zoe, me too!

#193: I normally let the threads get to about 250 posts before a new thread, but it is your call, Marcia :)

>194 alcottacre:, That sounds like a good plan, Stasia! :)

I've finished three more books:

51. The Poisoner's Handbook: Murder and the Birth of Forensic Medicine in Jazz Age New York - Deborah Blum
52. The Moonflower Vine - Jetta Carleton
53. Magic Burns - Ilona Andrews

I don't know when I'll get the reviews written... mostly because I've been ruminating since yesterday on how to translate my love for The Moonflower Vine into words.

I find that I never really want to write reviews for books I love. I just want to enjoy the glow of the book without worrying about how to translate it into insightful sentences.

Magic Bites sounded too interesting to leave alone ... so off to the obese wish list it goes. hmm... I take it Magic Burns is part of the series?

#196: The Poisoner's Handbook looks like one I would enjoy. I will have to see if the local library has it.

Susan (suslyn) popped over to my thread to let me know about The Poisoner's Handbook, so here I am to say... it definitely looks like something I'd be interested in! I'm looking forward to your review, as it sounds great... yay poison! Er, wait a minute... :D

>197 _Zoe_:, I agree, Zoe! I think it's going to be awhile before I can say anything insightful... so now it's a matter of do I throw up a half-baked review or wait and ruminate on it some more?

>198 cameling:, Magic Bites is great, Caroline! Magic Burns is the second book in the series, the third is Magic Strikes and the fourth book, Magic Bleeds, comes out at the end of May, I believe.

>199 alcottacre:, Stasia, I hope you can track down a copy of The Poisoner's Handbook, Stasia! I really enjoyed it. It's a new book, just came out in February, I think, and I had to wait quite a bit before it came into my library (or the other people's reserves wore out.

>200 dk_phoenix:, It was a great book! Hopefully I should get the review up sometime tomorrow. I love true crime and medical history, and it was a nice combination of the two. And Blum even made the chemistry aspects of the poison interesting, which is really saying something for me, as I am not a chemistry girl.

#201: My local library has a copy and I have already put The Poisoner's Handbook on hold, so I hope to have it in hand very soon.

>202 alcottacre:, Oh yay! I hope you like it as much as I did. I read Deborah Blum's The Ghost Hunters: William James and the Search for Scientific Proof of Life After Death earlier this year, and I think she's going to become one of my favorite science writers.

I always love discovering new authors that become favorites! I am glad you have found one you like.

Oi! I have not been around on LT much at all lately. Sadly, I have been a busy bee, which means often when I am home I am too lazy to go on the computer. It's hard to type, you guys, really. Anyway, I have got some reading done, and some excellent books at that. I don't know when/if I will get reviews up on these (and the last batch), so if you have any questions in the meantime, feel free to ask away.

54. Magic Strikes - Ilona Andrews
55. In the Bleak Midwinter - Julia Spencer-Fleming
56. The Children's Book - A.S. Byatt
57. On the Edge - Ilona Andrews
58. Crouching Buzzard, Leaping Loon - Donna Andrews
59. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
60. A Rule Against Murder - Louise Penny

Hi Marcia

I hope you are well these days.

Congratulations on reading 60 books thus far in 2010!

I hope you liked the Guernsey and Penny books.

Nice to see you back. I join with Linda in hoping you are well.

Great reading list! I also hope you liked Guernsey. I am planning on reading The Children's Book sometime this year. If you get a chance, I'd love to know what you thought about it. Hope you are well!

Still lurking :)

Oi! I have been horribly neglectful of LT and this group of late. I hope you all can forgive me! Things have just been busy and a bit intense here. I hope you guys are all doing well. I hope to post more in depth and catch up on your posts eventually, but in the meantime, here's a simple list of what I've read since last I showed my face in these parts. (I'm almost at 75!)

61. Moon Called - Patricia Briggs
62. Blood Bound - Patricia Briggs
63. Iron Kissed - Patricia Briggs
64. Bone Crossed - Patricia Briggs
65. Silver Borne - Patricia Briggs
66. Cry Wolf - Patricia Briggs
67. Hunting Ground - Patricia Briggs
68. Swordspoint - Ellen Kushner
69. The Privilege of the Sword - Ellen Kushner
70. Milk and Honey - Faye Kellerman
71. The Thief - Megan Whalen Turner
72. Strings Attached - Nick Nolan
73. Magic Bleeds - Ilona Andrews

I hope life slows down for you soon!

Hi Marcia

I was thinking of you and hoping all was well. How is your health? Congratulations on almost completing the 75 challenge goal.

>211 alcottacre:, Thanks Stasia! Me too.

>212 Whisper1:, Hey, Linda. My health is okay... been having good and bad spells, as usual, but seem to be on an upswing at the moment. How are you?

> 210 Have you done some reading in May, or what?!!! Fantastic list. I see you read Kellerman's Milk and Honey and I hope you liked it.

I hope your health stays in the upswing. It's no fun to be feeling poorly.

Good to see you back, even briefly!

I take it you'd recommend the Patricia Briggs books?

>214 profilerSR:, Thanks, Sherlyn! I hope to stay in the upswing too. I'm sick of being sick, lol. I liked Milk and Honey a lot... I'm def going to continue reading Kellerman's Decker and Lazarus series, I'm loving them.

>215 _Zoe_:, Hey, Zoe! I hope to be back more than briefly in the not so distant future. (Maybe even later today or this week!) And yes, I'd recommend the Patricia Briggs books, lol. They are amazing well-written, well-plotted, compulsively readable urban fantasy with great kick-ass heroines.

And... I've reached 75. Yay!

74. Dead in the Family - Charlaine Harris
75. The Devil and Sherlock Holmes: Tales of Murder, Madness, and Obsession - David Grann

I'll try to get some back reviews/commentary up for the massive amount of books I've read and not talked about, and then my next task is to get caught up on you guys' posts... that is a daunting challenge! :)

Congrats!

Congratulations, Marcia!

Congratulations, Marcia! Way to go!

Alright, Marcia!!! Great job and congratulations!!

Congratulations!

Piling on with congrats!.

Congratulations! Book 75 sounds interesting, too.

Wow! 75 already - way to go!!

Thanks for the congrats, everyone! I've finished 2 more:

76. The Surgeon - Tess Gerritsen
77. I Know I Am, But What Are You? - Samantha Bee

>225 Foxen:, #75 was very interesting, Foxen! I read Grann's The Lost City of Z last year, and he's a very good writer, IMO. The book is a collection of essays/articles ranging from true crime (murder, the Aryan nation gang) to science (the hunt for the giant squid). I enjoyed it a lot, and it was a pretty quick read for nonfiction.

Edited to fix double-counting.

227: Sounds good! That's going on my wishlist, thanks!

Congrats, Marcia, but...don't you have two #75s here?

I was wondering the same thing, Roni!

I loved, loved, loved The Devil and Sherlock Holmes... the essays in the first half in particular. Fantastic book.

Congratulations!

Thanks for all the congrats, everyone!

>228 Foxen: & 229, Roni and Stasia, you are very observant... I did double count. Editing the post! :)

And... in a stunning change of pace... I shall actually be posting a review of my latest read. Shocking! Daring! Tell all your friends.



78. The Mark - Jen Nadol

I loved this young adult novel. When I first started reading, I was wary. Did I really need to read about another 16-year-old girl with paranormal abilities? But I was very pleasantly surprised. Cassandra Renfield has a gift, not of seeing dead people, but of seeing the mark on those who are going to die that day. After the death of Cassie's grandmother, she moves into live with an aunt she's never met (her parents died when she was young, as well) who's latch-key guardianship leaves her with the time to explore herself and her abilities. She gets involved with a somewhat controlling older guy, but unlike in a lot of YA fiction, Cassie is not a doormat. She doesn't let "love" make the decisions for her. This is as much a coming of age story as it is a paranormal novel, and because of the nature of Cassie's strange talent, she must deal with a lot of philosophy and questions about not only her place in life but her responsibility towards those whose death she foresees. The ending leaves it open for a sequel, and I've read that Nadol is working on another related book, which I very much look forward to read. Four and a half stars. Recommended.

#234: I will look for that one Marcia. Thanks for the recommendation!

> 234 The Mark sounds good. I think my daughter would like it also. I like teenage heroines that have some thinking ability.

>235 alcottacre:, You're welcome, Stasia!

>236 profilerSR:, I hope she enjoys it, Sherlyn! I, too, am a big fan of teenage heroines who can think, especially considering the damage that I believe a certain Bella Swan of Twilight fame is doing to the YA heroine.

Yet another book added to my list because of your excellent recommendations.

The Jen Nadol books sounds great.

>238 Whisper1:, I hope you enjoy it, Linda!

79. Deception - Jonathan Kellerman

This is the latest Alex Delaware mystery by Jonathan Kellerman (although I feel at this point I should be labeling them Alex Delaware and Milo Sturgis mysteries because Milo has taken over, lol). Alex and Milo investigate the death of a teacher at an elite prep school. This one's a lot better than the last two or three (Evidence was especially lackluster, IMHO) but still not as good as the older entries in the series. The conclusion to the mystery isn't too weird or unpredictable, but there's nothing too brilliant in the journey to answers, either. There are some nice moments of interaction between Alex and Milo, and we get to see Robin and Blanche, too, although briefly. Not a bad summer read at all. Three and a half stars.

80. Birthmarked - Caragh M. O'Brien

This is an excellent, well-written young adult book that takes place in a distant, dystopian, post-oil future. 16-year-old Gaia has just, after apprenticing with her mother for years, delivered her first baby on her own as a midwife. This baby is the first of a quota of infants she must deliver to the Enclave, the walled compound she lives outside of, each month. When Gaia returns after handing the baby over, she finds that her parents have been arrested and disappeared into the Enclave. When she decides to go and find them, she starts on a journey in which she will eventually find not only the truth about her parents, but answers and new questions about the rigid society in which she lives, as well. A very interesting, thoughtful book with a strong female heroine. Highly recommended, and I look forward to read more by Ms. O'Brien. Five stars.

Marcia

Drat...just when I am really trying to curb the tbr additions, I visit here and find another great book to add

Ah, Linda, I too have tried to curb the tbr additions... It never works, sadly. :)

#241: I already have that one in the BlackHole. Glad to see you enjoyed it, Marcia!

Just got back from vacation, including a break from the computer. Here's three books I've finished in the meantime, and I will add reviews in ASAP. :)



81. The Passage - Justin Cronin

What can I say about this book? I heard about it before it even came out. It's one of those books that has a lot of "buzz" attached to it, which made me skeptical. When I first started reading it, I couldn't get into it at all, and I was worried that the hype was all false and I would have to place the book aside, unfinished. And then, somewhere along page 100 or 200, something changed. The magic hit me, and I was hooked.

This is a MASSIVE book, truly epic. It starts out, in the near future, with a little girl named Amy, some scientists and soldiers looking for a "cure for death" in a distant South American jungle, and a pair of FBI agents recruiting death row inmates for mysterious experimentation. This first section is slow building and somewhat fragmented. But don't give up. Eventually the threads come together (well, at least somewhat). And the last two thirds or so of the book, the part that takes place after the vampire apocalypse, is absolutely riveting and brilliant, action-packed but also filled with pieces of true, tender human emotion. I loved this book, and in spite of its giant scale, was left feeling that it ended too soon. Thank God Cronin is writing a trilogy; I cannot wait for the next book. If you like post-apoc, I highly recommend this book. If you like vampires, action, and horror, you'll probably love it. If none of those sound like your thing, you might not pick up the book, and if you do, you might hate it. But it's just as possible that if you stick with it you will be genuinely surprised, and, in the end, maybe even emotionally moved. Four and a half stars.



82. Something About You - Julie James

I read this well-written contemporary romance while I was on vacation, at the beach, and it was just what I needed to get away from my everyday cares. Ms. James writes stylishly and cleanly. Her characters are well drawn, and the heroine, Cameron, is not only beautiful but intelligent, and what's more, she doesn't wait around for the hero, Jack, to save her. She's always part of the action, protecting him as much as he protects her. And while I don't always go in for the antagonists-become-lovers romance trope, in this book it really works. Recommended for contemporary romance fans, and fans of strong heroines. Four stars.



83. She Looks Just Like You: A Memoir of (Nonbiological Lesbian) Motherhood - Amie Klempnauer Miller

I enjoyed this memoir quite a bit. Amie Klempnauer Miller writes with honesty and tenderness about her relationship with her partner, Jane, their decision to have a baby, and the arrival and infancy of their daughter, Hannah. For me, this book was a lovely affirmation that families can come in all shapes and sizes, and the relationship between the three of them is beautifully depicted. Sometimes the writing can be a bit dry and overly analytical, but it really is a good read. Recommended not just for LGBT individuals and allies, but also for those who are looking to expand their understanding of what makes a family and be more open and accepting of loving, nontraditional families. Three and a half stars.

ETA to add reviews.

The Passage seems to be all the rage. I'll look forward to your review. Looks like you've done some great reading lately.

ETA forget the touchstone, it's not correct

I'm anxious to hear your impressions of the Justin Cronin book.

I hope you had a great vacation Marcia!

Glad to see you back. Hope you had a wonderful vacation!

I am currently reading one of the books you recommended, The Poisoner's Handbook, and enjoying it. Thanks again for the recommendation!

>246 profilerSR:, Hey, Sherlyn! I've noticed a lot of people have been reading The Passage, too. It seems to be one of those books that people either love or hate. I, for the record (until I get those reviews written), loved it.

>247 Whisper1:, Hi, Linda! I loved The Passage, and I will give more indepth impressions soon, hopefully. It's one of those where I'm trying to let my thoughts ruminate so I can express why I loved it so much properly. My vacation was fun, but very tiring. Pretty much all I've done since I got back is sleep, read, and watch soap operas.

>248 alcottacre:, Hey Stasia! It's good to be back. I had a good time on my vacation and got to spend time with friends who have moved away. It's great to be home, though! I need to catch up on everyone else's threads, too. I'm so glad you're enjoying The Poisoner's Handbook. It's one of my favorite books I've read this year.

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Reviews coming ASAP, hopefully today/tomorrow (Fri?). In the meantime, I also finished another book, which will be reviewed, too:

84. A Bad Day for Sorry - Sophie Littlefield

I finished The Poisoner's Handbook and immediately put it on my 'Need to Buy' list if that tells you anything!

>250 alcottacre:, Awesome! Have you read Blum's The Ghost Hunters: William James and the Search for Scientific Proof of Life After Death? My library has a couple other titles by her. I totally need to look them up next time I'm there!

#251: Ghosts are not something I am really interested in, so I am passing on that one. The local library does have some others of hers: Love at Goon Park, Bad Karma, and Sex on the Brain that I may check out some time.

>252 alcottacre:, Fair enough, Stasia! Ghosts are not for everyone. Of course, I am a ghost myself, so I find reading about my own kind endlessly fascinating. *cue spooky howling*

I've edited Msg 245 with reviews for The Passage, Something About You, and She Looks Just Like You.

84. A Bad Day for Sorry - Sophie Littlefield

This debut crime novel introduces Stella Hardesty, a menopausal survivor of domestic violence, who supplements her income from the sewing machine repair shop she owns with a side business, avenging women who have been abused. When one of her clients shows up crying on her doorstep and tells Stella that her son has been kidnapped by her no good ex-husband, Stella sets out to find the child. A lot of action, a lot of violence, and a lot of heart follow. Stella is a unique, kick ass character, and I can't wait to read more about her. This book is a great piece of Southern-fried, women-empowered, gritty noir. Four stars.

I got this one from the ER program and hope to get to it by the end of July. It looks really good. Thanks for not doing spoilers.

edited to say OOPS - I got the sequel Bad Day for Pretty as an ER.

>256 tututhefirst:, You're welcome! I try to avoid spoilers, but sometimes they slip in without realizing it. I hope you enjoy it!

New thread time?

Stasia..

Be careful of the company you are keeping. Is Richard whispering in your ear to tell people to start new threads?

I am nicer about mentioning it than Richard is. I am just trying to spare everyone :)

Wow your last read sounds ... um... interesting :)

love the title!! LOL

New thread! Look at the shiny new thread!!!

http://www.librarything.com/topic/93715

:)

>261 suslyn: Yes, Susan, interesting is one word for it! I can see how it might not be to everyone's tastes, but I enjoyed it. The title is great, isn't it? I have the sequel on reserve at the library, and it's called A Bad Day for Pretty, which I think is even better. :)

LOL. Dunno. I could really relate to the 1st. Just might have to give those a go should I get the chance :)

>263 suslyn:, It was pretty fun... kind of reminds me of the old Dixie Chicks song, "Goobye Earl."