Jude's 25 for 2010

THE LIST:

1) REASONS-Tracy Fabre ***
2) GHOSTWALK- Rebecca Stott **
3) THE GREEN AND THE GRAY- Timothy Zahn ****
4) KILL DRESS- John Young *
5) STILL LIFE- Louise Penny ***
6) GRACE AFTER MIDNIGHT: A MEMOIR- Felicia "Snoop" Pearson ****
7) OOM- D J Webber ***
8) THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO-Stieg Larsson ****
9) UNNATURAL FIRE - Fidelis Morgan ****
10) DIGITALLY DAUNTED: The Consumer's Guide to Taking control of the Technology in Your Life - Sean Westcott & Jean Riescher Westcott ****
11) THE CHINATOWN DEATH CLOUD PERIL- Paul Malmont ****
12) THE VANISHING OF KATHARINA LINDEN- Helen Grant ***
13) BROWN GIRL IN THE RING- Nalo Hopkinson ***1/2
14) SUMNER ISLAND-Michael Cormier ***
15) THE TRANSFORMATION OF BARTHOLOMEW FORTUNO - Ellen Bryson ***1/2

here's the cool Ticker Thing:

Got you starred ;-)

Happy Reading!

thank you much...

Cute ticker! Followin' ya for 2010...

Oh lord, this is not how i wanted to start the year..but i didn't finish this in time to post it last year.......;-(

#1 Reasons by Tracy Fabre

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Romance/Romance Lite is not my Genre of choice, but i received a copy of this book from the Author...i owe a review..

Our protagonist, Delphi Brent, survived a hit-and-run accident at age 17...ten years later she is set to visit old family friends before starting a new job.However...the facts of the accident have been a close-kept family secret..and the family she is visiting?...one of the sons was driving the fatal car. Here comes a Summer to Remember!!! All goes fairly well until Delphi develops a serious Jones for the younger surviving son, Tam (the actual younger son perished in the same Accident).....and stumbles upon said Fatal Car, shrouded in a barn....i know, Soap Opera City....right? Right..but Delphi is a spunky gal with a sassy mouth and the requisite angst of anyone trying to forge ahead in life. I just wish she hadn't been such a Mush-Head toward Tam....but then, i'm no romantic...

I liked the character in this book....no real Caricatures and nary a Devil or Angel in the mix...the Spirituality was more Human than Godly..and if Jesus was present he was probably waiting in the wings to see how the story played out.

If Romance is your thing..this might be for you. The story does not devolve into Soft Core Porn.....but neither is it Message-ridden. since i try to read outside of my own Genre Boxes at least once a year..i have to say i enjoyed this without going into sugar-shock...and my girlfriends who Do like Romance are already asking to borrow the book. Go figure...it's a good story with believable characters....nuff said

3 Stars (i liked it)

a good story with believable characters....nuff said

I'd say that's a really, really good and rare thing to find in the genre you don't care for. Kudos for readinig outside the box.

xoxo

What Richard said!

Oh lord, this is not how i wanted to start the year..but i didn't finish this in time to post it last year.......;-(

Don't worry, Jude, I didn't manage to neatly tie up 2009 either! I was midway through a vampire novel, definitely outside the box a bit for me (The Twilight Saga excepted - and this was much darker, all-out fantasy anyway), but the IMPORTANT thing is that we both liked our first books of 2010, right?

Looking forward to book 2...

I'm having one hell-of-a-time finishing Ghostwalk....just when it gets seriously interesting..that whole narrative tone..the cool distance, bloodless omniscience....drags me down.....maybe i'll start something else in the meantime....

Anything interesting on deck to take the curse off Ghostwalk?

Ah, Richard...way too many books are clamoring for my attention....way too many......

Please, Miss Jude, please read Still Life by Louise Penny if you haven't yet. I'm about 2/3 done with it, and I got it this afternoon! Goooooood.

Irony, anyone? I was checking my local Library's database for Louise Penny's books...just yesterday afternoon...of course, they are all "checked out"..but i put my name on the lists for them...now i just have to wait..and hope no one decides to swipe any of the books rather than return them...thanks for the recommend, by the by.....you're sweet that way, Richard.
;-}

The Louise Penny books are worth the wait, Jude, but do yourself a favor and read them in order.

Thanks, Stasia...but, if i get them from the Library i'll have to take them in "whatever" order......;-(..........if i decide to buy them...that's a different story......

oh, i receive Louise Penny's newsletter in my email every month (or so)....i think i signed up for that on an ARC Giveaway from Shelf Awareness....i don't have a link for the newsletter...at this moment...but i'll post it toot-sweet...pretty interesting, tres Canadien stuff therein...

;-}

.........as to what i'm going to read...whilst finishing the dreaded Ghostwalk????? i have a small stack to sample from today....hopefully something will "take".........

#2 Ghostwalk by Rebecca Stott

whether i will be able to "review" this thing is a question for the ages......

as of now i give it:

5 Stars- for the Idea....Isaac Newton's career at Cambridge University...both as a mathematician AND an alchemist...what potential!!

2.5-3 Stars.......for the actual delivery. I won't say this baby was stillborn....but pretty darn close. Brain damaged at best......*shiver*

;-}

I started an Oldie from Off-My-Shelves......The Green and the Gray by Timothy Zahn

.......aliens living underground in NYC (no, not Mexicans!)........a white Yuppie couple whose marriage is in trouble........a kidnapped twelve-year-old ...rescued from potential "sacrifice".......detectives.......noise.......and don't forget the Aliens!........*yipes, she said*

this one rocks!

#17: Yikes! I have that one sitting next to my bed ready for me to read this year. I may have to rethink it.

Stasia...just because i don't like the book doesn't mean that you (or anyone) shouldn't read it for yourself...i know people who think Ghostwalk is a pretty good read..i am just not one...could be a matter of what life is like right now..but it's probably that i really don't like the main character/narrator....oh well.

Everybody is weighing in on the Haiti Debacle..thought i'd throw my two-cents......... against-the-grain opinion here:
I've been curious..given all the email and telephone pleas i've received..to Help Haiti...how many of you good, kind people know what the political situation was...there..prior to the earthquake....most people lived sub-subsistence..there were basically no roads...gasoline was at a premium...Haiti has always been one of the poorest..and smallest countries in this our world

i worry about all these pleas for Aid...i don't know if things have improved..but a few day ago there were tons of supplies at the Port-Au-Prince airport..and no gasoline available for the truck to haul them in-country

okay with that..but...those of you who willingly send your checks/donations from credit cards....the Haitian Government is tres corrupt...who's to say that your heartfelt donation won't end up in the pocket of the Ton Ton Macoute??

yes i know i will be scourged for this post.....but someone had to say it
J

I agree that much money given in aid by people with best intentions doesn't end up going where they think it will, however I don't think that means we shouldn't give - it just means we should be very selective of the channels we use to give and ask them searching questions about how they use the money.

>22 yfulton:
i was trying to say that..people should be selective..sorry if i came across as..uh...bitchy...but...

No, Jude, you're right - I HAVE donated, but it always crosses my mind to wonder whether it'll ever arrive where it should. Definitely a pertinent question in these situations.

I think the Red Cross is a safe bet, because they are actually there helping out and often stay quite some time to help things get going again.

#3 The Green and the Gray by Timothy Zahn

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Brain Candy Alert!

First, take two alien peoples (Greens & Grays), living seriously underground in NYC for decades who are about to re-stage the Armageddon of their collective past. The only way to Stop The War? The sacrifice of a 12-year-old girl (Melantha Green)....but wait, not everyone favors this move so the girl is abdu.....spirited away at the 11th hour....leaving many unhappy folks, some bent on Revenge

Next, take one Yuppie couple with a creaky marriage, on the way home from a tense "night out"...who are handed said girl at gunpoint and told to "Take her. Protect her"...and the games begin. Because everyone and his brother is on the lookout for the non-sacrificial lamb.

With all this potential for Urban mayhem....let's not forget the NYPD....enter Detective Fierenzo.

Then add some car chases, convoluted subway rides, Hammerguns, Shrieks that can be deadly....at least two abductions..a country idyll that is anything but...allusions to Greek and Norse Mythology....A Romeo & Juliet angle that's "oh so sweet"...Evil Meanies...treachery in the ranks...and an ending that seemed a bit tame to me....Peace is Declared and God Bless Us Everyone...Like i said...Brain Candy!!

I have not read anything else by Mr Zahn, but i get the impression that this was a departure for him, from Hard Sci-Fi..I found the Hard angles herein a bit far-fetched...thought this one was more a Police Procedural with Alien overtones. Since it was published in 2004..the shadow of 9/11 was ever-present..but did not detract from a pleasantly wild ride.

Brain Candy
4 Stars

That sounds interesting; great review;-)

you know...calm...you are one of the first to comment here..and i am offering sincere thanks..you are a treasure, to me
J

back to you.

#26: I am definitely going to have to look for The Green and the Gray. I am trying to expand my science fiction reading and that one looks like it will suit nicely since it is not all that big a departure from my treasured mystery reading. Thanks for the review and recommendation, Jude!

Nice review Jude - I'm still lurking, as ever! You are not alone... *cue spooky alien-movie music*

I figured I'd come out of hiding to say that I like your reviews and I gotcha starred :)

#32..........and i thank you very much. Drop by any time
;-)

JUDITH!! No more books I have to wishlist! NO MORE!

Jeesh, Richard..you "grace my presence" here...by, what, expecting me to Not add books that you will like? What am i, a saint??? or a fool? Maybe i should put a sign "up above"......ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK...

but, when i posted my review of The Green and the Gray i saw that you had added it already, Richard...so what's your problem? Too many books, too little time?

thanks for stopping by, dear...you are always welcome
J

#4 Kill Dress by John Young

My rating: 1 of 5 stars
KILL DRESS...is killing me..no mean feat for such a short book (70 pages)

I know that many people have a burning desire to write novels..i also know that most of those people have neither the skill nor the talent to pull it off. I also know how important is the Editor's job in any Publishing foray.
This poor book displays a serious lack of editing..and not much Skill...evidenced by a lack of "Paring Down"..Mr Young should heed the adage "less is more' regarding description...and the constant repetition..of action...was distracting, to say the least

this would have made a good short story (pared down by half) in whatever passes for Pulp Magazines, nowadays.

which brings me to the STORY itself...that of a glam/sexy dress with the ability to so confuzzle men that they will kill to possess the wearer...SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELING PANTS gone Naughty, Nasty, & Vengeful....Girls just want to have fun and get back at the Dogs/Insensitive men in their little lives.....woot woot.....and i didn't mention the Voodoo overtones..or the shrill Feminist "we have the right to dress as we choose..if men can't take it...that's their problem" 11th hour angle......or the Serial Killer lurking in the wings.

too much here..none of it developed..A short book that should have been shorter........Run, don't walk, from it's spell

(I can't believe i spent so many words on such a trifle)

one to avoid then;-)

you bet..it is a PITY..

#36: I feel no remorse whatsoever in skipping that one!

So what's next, after that fiasco?

I am reading Still Life by Louise Penny...and find it to be "still" for sure...i usually don't read "cozy" mysteries..i find them to be, at times, too long on the "cozy" part...and i owe a review for Oom by D J Webber (a freebie from GoodReads)...but can't find the damn book...i dunno....too many books to choose from....give me time, though....

I can't say as I see Louise Penny making a positive impact on you, Jude. She's very quiet, and her technique of drawing events out by looking at them from several angles isn't one I see as helping matters for you.

One day soon, read Happy Birthday, Turk!...I suspect it's a lot more your taste, and it's fascinating to see how racist Germans are against Gastarbeiter Turks (or were in 1987, though I doubt there's much changed in 23 years).

Richard

I don't have a problem with Penny's technique..."drawing events out by looking at them from several angles"...i'm having a problem with the Angles/Characters..i mean, jeesh..i live in a small town and know these "types"...and don't socialize with them often.....now, Gamache and his Team i like....it's the Village People *snort* with whom i am impatient!!!!

.......and i have heard of Jakob Arjouni...thanks for the recommend...and for keeping an eye on me

;-}

Yeah, I can see that. I like them, the Village People *snort*...they're fun to get to know, I guess because I can go back to the Big City any old time.

I always watch out for my little sisters.

......yeah...Little Sister, indeed...i have an older brother, but....wait, you're younger than me...oh well...Size/Age is relative!

was looking up ARJOUNI on amazon....Kismet.....i recall....and one other whose title escapes me *get back here, you*........he does sound like my cup of poison for sure...thanks ever so much, you enabler!

;-}

**********2 Books 2Books 2 Books********

#5 Still Life by Louise Penny

"Still", indeed..but more like "still waters" It took about 120 pages before this book "kicked in"...I was focusing on the townspeople of Three Pines, and not enjoying their company very much...too many neuroses in the air. Somewhere around page 117, however, something 'clicked" and i began to focus on the investigative team, headed by Inspector Gamache..plenty of neuroses there, but at least those people had a job to do..a plan

i don't usually like COZY mysteries...too often they are heavy on the 'cozy" angle..and the "mystery" gets short shrift...but Ms Penny is very good at pacing her story...and dealing out the Clues in a timely, if tame, fashion. I figured out the Perp's identity early on, which did not detract from reading the actual End-of-Story..

Flawed characters trying to live decent lives, often in spite of themselves...and the Police who step in to clean up the messes when things go terribly awry

I have the second book in the series...waiting in the wings....maybe i'll actually read it

3 Stars

#6 Grace After Midnight: A Memoir by Felicia "Snoop" Pearson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
First off, the title caught my interest...GRACE AFTER MIDNIGHT is not GIRLZ IN THE 'HOOD....it speaks of deeper, stiller waters...Ms Pearson grew up in the 'hood, and by a simple twist of Fate..found a way out...through TV...through the HBO series THE WIRE....through Michael K Williams, who was a member of that show's excellent cast. By essentially playing herself, Snoop (in real life) was able to quit The Life (Thug, drug dealer) and enter the world.

Born a 3-lb, cross-eyed crack baby in East Baltimore...Ms Pearson was a GIRL IN THE 'HOOD....on the stoop...on the corners..in the alleys...in court..and in Jessup (the Women's Penitentiary) at age 15. This is her story, told in her words, in her rhythm...no excuses, no Sugar Coat.

I don't usually read celebrity Bios..especially those written by the under-30 set...but, as i said, this one reached out to me. I am an unreconsructed fan of THE WIRE...and lament its passing (but all good things should end when it's their time)....it's glorious triumphs and imperfections..The character of SNOOP..with her raspy voice...her Corner Boy threads..her nail gun and bucket of quicklime,was an especial favorite...hell, i wanted to bring her home..to liven up the town where i live...

This book will never win a prize in the White world..but i thought it was a compelling read....not "fluff" , or just a voyeuristic peek at a lifestyle i'll never live. Ms Pearson lived THE LIFE and then turned it around..into something better for herself....through Luck, or Fate, or Grace...one. (****)

Jude- I am so sorry! I did not even realize you had a new thread going! Shuffles away, red-faced....
shuffles back- Good review! It looks like you were very kind! But no decapitations, mutilations or gore? You better sit down for awhile, my friend and take some deep breaths!

Mark...don't get smart with me, you hear!!??

New thread? how about New Group...the 25 Challenge/Slowpokes Anonymous......12 Steps and then some!!!!

;-}

Jude...nothing but love, my friend, nothing but love!!

Good review Jude. I haven't been bitten by the cozy bug, they nearly all seem to turn into long series and I have enough of those to keep me going;-)

#7 Oom by D J Webber

...........is still On Hold (hate these international calls!)...

But i finally started Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson yesterday....veddy good so far.....

;-}

I love Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Jude. I hope you enjoy it!

The follow up book, The Girl who Played with Fire, is good too. I have not yet read the third book (although I own it), so I cannot comment on it.

>:Stasia

i have The Girl Who Played with Fire..on my Kindle...and i hope to do TATTOO....soon....weather permitting.......hell, the way things are going,...we could have snow/sleet/freezing rain...a Smorgasbord From Hell.....i might just crawl Under The House.....

;-}

Jude- I'm glad to hear that you are enjoying Dragon Tattoo. After a bit of a slow start, it really takes off. I did get The Girl Who Played with Fire for Christmas and will try to squeeze it in somewhere. BTW, loving Dogs of Riga. i think this book has sold me on his writing, even more so than the 1st!

#53: I would think crawling under your house would be even colder than being in the house?

We are expecting a 'wintry mix' here on Thursday, which probably means about 2 snowflakes will fall.

Winrtry Mix??? I wish.....flurries all afternoon yesterday turned to Rain near evening.....rain earlier this night...now i'm not sure....the spouting fell down from my upstairs back roof...onto my porch roof....luckily the roof wasn't damaged...too much freakin' snow!!!....my boyfriend can fix that when the weather clears......yesterday i cooked ,and fielded phone calls from semi-hysterical girl friends....various and sundry problems with disobedient grandkids ...as if i can do anything about that! So, i didn't get much reading done..but will try to do better today...provided the power stays on....
.............that's all for my Ranting..................

;-}

We actually ended up with 6-8 inches of snow here, Jude, which is a ton for us! I have lived in Texas for 35 years and have never seen as much snow in a winter as I have this one.

Oh Stasia..i know...i've heard from friends in the south who are totally confuzzled by all the White Stuff....can't find warm jackets..and snowblowers?..what are they/them?..I just wish it would quit..this is so stressful (not to whine)...but i have a large section of spouting down on my back porch roof...weird leaks at my window frames....and trying to get my driveway cleared is like planning a military campaign...maybe i need a rocket launcher, eh??

thanks for the note......Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is promising to be Veddy good indeedy!

;-}

Rocket launcher might be a bit drastic. A flamethrower might be more practical - melt that snow! lol

I hope you enjoy The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo!

Flamethrower, yes.....but then the resulting water would freeze..and i'd have ICE!!! Just can't win..so I cook...and eat....probably won't fit into my Jeans come spring...

Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is coming along nicely...what a good story/storyteller!! Indeed!!!

I am glad you are enjoying the Larsson book.

You have a point about the flamethrower, lol.

At long last:

#7 Oom by D J Webber

A boy (Joe Hills) and an Alien (Oom, from the planet Llevro) meet on a drought-ridden farm in the Australian Outback. Oom is in exile from his home planet, come to Earth to commune with those of a Higher Order (than humans? Blue Whales, maybe?) Joe Hills is a curious boy..intrigued by the Big Questions of life..which makes him an Exile, of sorts. Together they find water to save the Hills' farm from foreclosure..and dastardly neighbors. This could be characterized as "ET-with-Philosophy", since it touches on issues such as Multiculturalism, Save The Whales, "Is there life beyond Earth?"..the Big Questions..dealt with in a timely, non-patronizing manner.

Of course there are Caricatures...and a cameo by a pair of "Scully & Mulder" wannbes. George W Bush shows up at his manic, Patriotic "best"...but the whales steal the show..seriously. Who knew that they were the wiser species on this Earth? Not I.

I had my doubts about this book, at first, but came away with a good read. The presentation of ideas was clever and non-didactic. Might just give the YA audience some food-for-thought. My only quibble was the Editing. Could have been tighter...reined in the story's rambling a bit more.

All in all, a good, thought-provoking story. Won't set the world on fire but can start a slow-burn, nonetheless.

Hi Jude- Good review! Interesting premise! Did you finish the Larrson??

Finish the Larrson???? No, not yet...but it's still ticking along....disturbing & good...thanks for the note here, you..

>62 jdthloue: I can't think of a book I've read in recent years that couldn't have used a little tightening in the editing department. There must be a few, but I can't call them to mind. Somehow I think I'm not just being a grump about this. But then again, this is a BookSurge book, so it's entirely paid for by the author; that colors the expectations of the editing quality. Whatever was done was what the author paid for, and that allows all manner of creaks and cracks to go unaddressed.

Still, it was a good job or your review would've been a lot less laudatory. Thumbs up, and added the book to my wishlist.

Congrats on the Hot Review! Sounds like an interesting book.

Thank You....calm.....for your post. You are pretty regular here, and i do appreciate. It's not a bad book

Richard Dear:
I knew the book was self-published from Jump Street..and the Editorial Quibbles were only obvious at the beginning of the book. Once the "story" kicked in..i didn't notice them. I received this book from Good Reads as a Giveaway..and the Author is on that site (and here on LT as well)..i sent him a note on GR..he responded with a "Thank You"...and an assurance that..basically..he's got his S**T together since publishing Oom...will wonders never cease?

;-}

#62: Nice review, Jude. Thumbs up and I am adding it to the BlackHole.

#8 The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
(Touchstones don't work here, sorry. Go to BOOK PAGE)

*SPOILERS*

Intrepid journalist, recently indicted on a Libel charge, is approached by the aging/ailing Head of a noted/notorious Family of Industry..to solve the "mystery" of his Granddaughter's 40-year-old Murder...Let the Games begin.

Mikael Blomkvist is, in fact, an intrepid journalist...albeit on the moody/sexy/nerdy side...which leads him down many a garden path, and through many a bedroom door. LOTHARIO seems to be his second name..distracting to a point...

The VANGERs....give "family values" a bad name..turning said values on their head with a few slaps, punches, whip strokes, and cigarette burns. These people are not Nice, but neither are they truly repulsive. No Borgias here...just wealthy people too accustomed to getting their own way. Poor Grandpops Henrik is both clueless regarding the foibles of the Rest..and all too aware. Which gives his concern regarding dear Harriet's 'murder" an odd flavor..Murder? Disappearance? It seems that he's the only one to care..about anything other than himself. But his approach to Blomkvist...and the whole Family History assignment, is a smokescreen...for the destruction of a dishonest Financier (this part of the book..the Very End..was the best)...Harriet? yes, well......

I'm not squeamish regarding violent subject matter..but one can read only so much about torture/rape..before it becomes laughable...The "villain" in this case (Martin the Pathetic) was merely his father's son (Gottfried the Insane)...and Harriet (the little sister) would have paid if not for.......
but enough of the Vangers..

I love Liz(abeth) Salander..the anorexic, tattooed girl of the title. Wunderkind researcher, consummate computer hacker...Little-Girl-With-A Heart-Of-Ice...She's the only one who emerges from this book with a "clue" and a plan....to destroy those who have tried to marginalize/"destroy" her. The result of a Horrid Childhood, Liz doesn't let that stop her in her quest for Justice...I wish her well on her journey...she can stay with me any time...

4 Stars (****)

#9 Unnatural Fire by Fidelis Morgan

A former mistress of King Charles 11, fallen on hard times, is forced to become a hack for a local Scandal Sheet,,in cahoots with her former Maid...they are given a "case" to follow a supposedly Errant Husband..and
The Games Begin..

And here is where i give my Warning:
This book is a wonderful Comedy of Manners..a Satire..Slapstick Glorious...surrounding a not-bad Mystery...Ms Morgan is an expert in Restoration Comedy..and it shows...I loved this book for the Comedy (I needed a good laugh)..but the Mystery isn't/wasn't bad

Don't be mislead by the Mystery Tag...read this book if you enjoy a good story..if you like good period pieces..if you are CURIOUS...you will not be disappointed.
4 Stars (the Pleasure Factor)

There was a nice radio show today on my local NPR station on Steig Larsson. Quite a bit about its connection with Pippi Longstocking. Here's the link if you think you might want to listen to it. I did only hear part of it, but it was very interesting.

Thanks, Lois

and i did appreciate the KALLE BLOMKVIST reference..

;-)

#70: The reviews of that one do not look too promising. I will be interested in your take on it, Jude.

#10 Digitally Daunted: The Consumer's Guide to Taking Control of the Technology in Your Life by Sean Westcott & Jean Riescher Westcott

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I requested this title from LIBRARY THING's Early Reviewers program, because I was looking for a Consumer Guide to all the Techie Toys out there. I'm glad I got this one.

Who knew that a common sense approach would work in a Consumer guide of this sort? Not I. The language is clear, and concise. The "Geekspeak", when it shows up, is explained in a non-condescending manner. I did not read this book cover-to-cover, as I would a novel...probably because the plot is pretty thin. However, the Table of Contents is detailed enough that an Index is unnecessary. It's easy enough to find what one is after...and then some. My focus was on Computers and Digital Cameras, both of which I own. I learned quite a lot of The Basics....and even some not-so General Info. The chapters on Cell Phones and Televisions were interesting..but I still don't want one of the former...and I've been without Network TV since everything went Digital. I learned a lot that I had not known..especially the bits on HI-DEF TV. I still don't understand why anyone would want a camera on her phone..but this book won't answer that question..it does explain Cell Phone Bills/Features/Networks so that even I understood.

This is not a Bells-and-Whistles Guide..it is Basic and well-written. I'm glad I have it..and plan to share with other non-Techies I know.

4 Stars (****)

Does it offer any ideas on how to buy a laptop that actually works?

Robert

>75 Mr.Durick:

No, Robert..I think that is one of the Life Lessons we learn through painful (and expensive) Trial & Error...

;-}

.........but I, for one, prefer MACs over PCs....

I have seriously looked at MAC's, and would like to try to change. At the Apple Store I figured I could do it for about $2600. Then I got an online ad for the new Powerbook and it looks like it would be over $5000 to do it right. Yes I could settle for less.

I have a retiree's income, and I am still thinking of reaching into deep savings for a MAC which I believe to be an ephemeral purchase (not a house of long term investment). But there are millions of people who get by on PC's; why can't I. Toshiba, Hewlett Packard, and Dell have all made good money selling computers. Why have mine been junk?

Oh, I am a bitter old man.

Robert

I have seriously looked at MAC's, and would like to try to change. At the Apple Store I figured I could do it for about $2600. Then I got an online ad for the new Powerbook and it looks like it would be over $5000 to do it right. Yes I could settle for less.

I have a retiree's income, and I am still thinking of reaching into deep savings for a MAC which I believe to be an ephemeral purchase (not a house or long term investment). But there are millions of people who get by on PC's; why can't I. Toshiba, Hewlett Packard, and Dell have all made good money selling computers. Why have mine been junk?

Oh, I am a bitter old man.

Robert

>78 Mr.Durick:

No, Robert, you are not bitter..you are practical...which tends to make a person bitter. I have only owned my one little iBook G4...and she's been crashing lately..but i am hard on computers..other than cursing their parentage. The one thing i can say in favor of Macs...when all the viruses/worms are about...my Mac has been "safe" whilst my friends' PCs end up as Toast.. but I am a Snob..and Mac is the only way I will go..

I don't know why your PCs have been junk?? Computer/Laptop purchasing is a crapshoot...sad to say....I say...go with the bucks for a Mac...and if that one blows..you can beat Me up for the bad advice...

J

and...one thing I know...Mac Technical Support is very good....online and phone line....

I think the thing that sold me on trying to get by the expense hurdle was that if you have a problem with a MAC you just make an appointment to see someone at the store and then go to see them. To get my Dell fixed I am going to have to jump through hoops.

I am sorry to have hijacked your thread.

Robert

No problem at all. You are lucky to have a Store where you can service a Mac...where i live..nada..i have only dealt with them over the phone or online...I hope you Go Mac....and hijack my thread any time...
;-}

Hi Jude! Interesting review! I'm happy with my PC! Very few problems, I keep up on the maintenance, it treats me right!
I started Horns today, by Joe Hill and it's been very good. It's funny, dark and somewhat twisted...sounds like a "Jude" book?

#74: Nice review, Jude. I will have to look for that one since I am definitely technologically challenged.

Wow! $5,000 for a computer! I suppose it depends what you want or need it to do. We have 2 PC's. We bought one at the thrift store and one at the pawn shop, had both of them serviced. Total invested $500.

And my Dell cost me $900 because I already had the software for it and added no bells or whistles. The slightly better Sony would have been $1500. The equivalent Apple $2600 plus all new software, about $900 to get started. The latest Apple about $5000 with bells, whistles, and the beginnings of software.

Robert

yikes!

I spent some more time at an Apple store yesterday. I can have my Access databases on the Powerbook in a couple of ways. Either demands a few hundred dollars.

There are a couple of good reasons to use applications not native to the MacIntosh on it; that seems wasteful.

I still seem to be moving in the Apple direction, but I am not yet sure how.

Robert

Hi! Found you (thanks to Stasia) and have you starred now!.

#11...The Chinatown Death Cloud Peril by Paul Malmont

My rating: 4 out of 5 stars

A debut novel that casts the rivalry between two of pulp fiction's legendary writers...Walter Gibson (THE SHADOW) and Lester Dent (DOC SAVAGE)into an AMAZING STORY in its own right.

My own experience of the Pulps is limited to a collection of radio broadcasts of THE SHADOW from the 1930s and 1940s...on cassette tape. These tapes are rather fragile now (though I purchased them in the 1980s..i played them a lot) I still get a shiver when I hear that LAUGH..and the stories ain't half bad. I also recall seeing the Pulp Detective Magazines when I was a kid..the covers were a hoot...Scantily clad ladies a-languishing in "terror" whilst the square-jawed "dicks" let loose with their big "guns"...Jeesh ! Titillation sublime! And the stories were fun reading...

This story, as crafted by Mr Malmont, has all the blood, cruelty, fear and vengeance of the old pulps..with a touch...just a touch...of Modern Day savvy. The courageous heroes, damsels in distress (with heaving bosoms and snappy repartee), evil villains, secret identities,are joined by global schemes, deadly superweapons (the Death Cloud of the title), and hideous deaths...which gives this tale a decidedly Modern twist (ouch!)..Full of outrageous lies that are all too true, this story also reminds one that these two fellows, Gibson and Dent, were writers working on deadline, even when they were facing the end of the world.

Where does real end and pulp begin? Maybe THE SHADOW is the only one to answer that. According to the end of this novel, he might just have more to say..another volume to add to his oeuvre....some day...

4 Stars (****)

#89: For how long?

Hi Jude- We will be waiting...!

Great title; great review. Sounds like fun!

It is/was a fun read...not "fluff" but very entertaining. Oh boy!

;-}

As a fan of "The Shadow" (I own them on record, lol), I will definitely be looking for that one. Thanks for the review and recommendation, Jude.

Jude- Terrific review! Worth the wait!

>89 jdthloue: Thumbs upped and wishlisted. Fink.

#12- The Vanishing of Katharina Linden by Helen Grant

Pia Kolvenbach is known as "the girl whose grandmother's head exploded" in a freak accident at the Advent Dinner table. Advent Candle met Aqua Net hairspray...the rest was "history", with which Pia has to live every day. When young girls start to disappear, Pia and her trusty sidekick, StinkStefan, are "on the case". Two pariahs, and the avuncular storyteller Herr Schiller, explore the history of their village, Bad Munstereifel, through folk tales and gossip. Eventually, the dark side of the town begins to show itself, and Pia begins to learn the hard lesson, that people are not always what they seem to be.

I thought this was more a novel of manners, customs, and small town life- not unlike The Little Friend by Donna Tartt. The Thriller/Mystery angle took a back seat to the Town itself...The missing/"vanished" girls were a vital part of the story, but more so as a part of Pia's coming-of-age. The pacing of the story was slow until the last 1/3 of the book. The ending seemed a bit rushed to me, but in hindsight i think it was right, since the leisurely pace of the first 2/3 was good preparation for an ending that wasn't lurid, yet still kept the pages turning.

Pia Kolvenbach was not a precocious child, by any means. She was witty, a bit of a smart aleck, but all told she was just a kid,trying to deal with a situation where even the adults seemed to be at a loss. Curious, selfish, petulant and persistant, she carried this tale on noble 10-year-old shoulders, and lived to tell it years later.

I enjoyed the book and gave it the rating I did , for being both a coming-of-age story..and a mystery about Life itself, as we grow into it. Recommended.

This is a review of an ARC.

3 Stars (***)

Thumbs-upped your review, but I think I can pass on adding this one to the list. 10-year-old girls give me hives.

Me, too..Sweetie...but this kid never pretended to be something she wasn't...

;-}

Ew! That's worse!

Jude- Nice job on the review! I'm reading something you will love: Sharp Teeth. It's got Jude written all over it!

Sharp Teeth is lovely.

JUDEJUDEJUDE!

I found the **perfect** book for you: I Am Not a Serial Killer.

Jim/drneutron reviewed it and it's the bee's knees for you!

I have seen mixed reviews of The Vanishing of Katharina Linden. I am going to have to get my hands on a copy to see which way I lean on it.

Duly noted, Richard....and, I repeat, I am Not a Serial Killer!!! those people deserved what they got. I was, uh, doing a Public service.....Jeesh!

;-}

I am not one either! I'm just lurking on your thread, not posting, watching, taking notes, with no devilish plans of any sort. PROMISE!

*yeah, sure*

;-}

A chance comment by fellow LTer bonniebooks has inspired me to start a thread to discuss the question, "What book have you bought multiple copies of, intentionally, with the purpose of giving them to friends and loved ones, and what might it say about you?"

Come and play!

Ooooooo! great idea, you. I will come over and play, bet your boots (I mean books!)...

;-}

Always glad to see you come over and play in the group, Jude!

Lucky #13:

Brown Girl in the Ring by Nalo Hopkinson

These are Notes....rather than a fluid review. Be warned!

:Aliens, not extraterrestrial.Cultural. Aliens in their own lands, their experiences as Outsiders while living in the Inner city. The OTHER SIDE, as it were.

:TORONTO-in-the-Future. The privileged and monied classes fled the city, threw up barricades and roadblocks in their wake....left the inner City to fester and rot....left it in the hands of posses/criminal gangs, and the desperate disenfranchised. Until the need arose for body parts/organs...the wealthy needed organ transplants..and the state run Pig Farms were rife with disease (and dis-ease)..... here is where the Posses enter..Oh, the horror!

:Three generations of Afro-Caribbean "seer" women have made a life for themselves amidst the city's ruins..a life of grief, secrets, lies...Herb Lore and ancient ritual...Obeah...Santeria..."the spirits"

:The Two Worlds collide (sometimes literally) in a tale that incorporates both Zombies and organ transplants...a future that contains ancient ritual amidst Urban Decay...A Future that could be "just around the corner"..and, in this case, actually works as story.

:I liked the book for its unique perspective and "take" on Aliens/Alienation. The women characters were strong..to a fault, at times...whereby they couldn't recognize their Strength until it was almost too late. It always took a harrowing crisis to bring on a 'Wake Up Call"..there were plenty of crises. I could have done without the "mushy-mushy" love story...but Ti-Jeanne, the young woman at the forefront of the story, needed it..needed to get through it..to find her own SELF..In the end she was still learning..still "seeking". This is not a New Age tome..more "old as the hills"...no easy answers..no smooth closure. Plenty violence and blood..evil duppy...sadness beyond the grave. As I said, i liked this book..it won the WARNER ASPECT FIRST NOVEL CONTEST back in the day..and as a debut novel...is pretty damned good. Never set the world on fire..but I think it would make a great Graphic Novel. Ms Hopkinson's prose is that sensuous...one can see the action and smell the decay of the dying city. I own the follow-up title Midnight Robber...it's waiting "in the wings". Will get to it toot-sweet, oui.

3 1/2 Stars......

like i said..these are my Notes..but the more i tried to make them FIT into a review..the worse the whole mess looked...hence the scatter-shot. Vague, i know..but if you're interested..it's not a very long book
*rant over*

For how long? I have to get some sleep some time, you know!

Patience, Stasia, Patience (try saying that three times!)! I have someone coming over to hijack my computer..so i might not get the review posted till this evening. Go to sleep, you...we'll all still be here

;-}

Unless you fall through a hole in the universe in your sleep and wake up in oompa-loompa land...but c'mon, that only happens every once in awhile...

Jude - your notes are better than many reviews I've seen. I'll have to see if I can track down a copy of Brown Girl in the Ring - sounds great.

I should have hired you to take my notes for me in high school. Maybe then I would have enjoyed math a little more... :)

#111: I have put that one in the BlackHole. I hope the library get it in soon.

Aw, you guys are so sweet...*she simpers, coyly*

;-}

#118: OK, Jude and simpering coyly just do not go together at all :)

Ta da ... I found you, Jude! ok so it took me a while ,but I've been looking for you in the 75ers group and almost pulling my hair out trying to find your thread

Starred you so you don't disappear again!

Yea, 25 book group, Jude's just being modest. One of these days she's going to go crazy and read like 150 books in a month and blow us all away. :)

Oh Stephen...Modesty may be a virtue..but, it's not my "middle name"....I tend to read in spurts..and am in a dry spell for now...150 books a month??..i did at one time..it was called College. thank god I was an english major..and had an excuse *snort*

;-}

150 books a month??..i did at one time..it was called College.

LOL! Been there, done that . . .

Hey Terri, glad you stopped by

am trying to finish SUMNER ISLAND...though it's becoming increasingly "incredible"...besides, which, it was AWOL under the couch for 4 days...I "soldier"on..

Thanks, CARO..i need all the friends i can get..

;-}

Yeah, Jude, that book started out very promising, but toward the end I found it just too . . . too . . . (?) It's a shame, as it had a lot of potential, I thought.

Hi Jude- Just stopping by to say hey and give you a little lift and some encouragement! Soldier on, my friend!

it was AWOL under the couch for 4 days

As Terri said: Been there, done that! ...I suppose losing things under the couch is a lot less glorious than college though...

150 books a month? I want that kind of reading speed!!

That's only five a day.

Robert

150 books a month? Ok, even on college I've never done that ... forget college... I've never done that, period!

Okay, people...150 books a month is probably stretching the truth....but it seemed like that many when I was doing my Senior Project.....bits & bobs of 150 (or so) books and articles.....seemed like a sea of verbiage, for sure..

;-}

Hi Jude- What's happening? Did you have a nice weekend?

Jude? Where have you run off to, dear?

Richard....I'm still here....where are you?

You tend to fade into invisibility for me at times... I look and look and no judelink..
thanks for hooking me up again...

and it's no wonder... 25 books challenge? Listen jude... it isn't how many books you read, it is who you discuss them with! I will try to keep better track of you...consider 75 next time ??? Then read whatever you want/can/choose to
like the rest of us!

*waves*

Woot! Woot!

I know...it doesn't matter how much one reads..but there was no 25 Book Challenge..hey, I did a public service! *excuses over* I mostly use this thread for reviews and do the chitchat on other folks' threads..Lazy Me!

Next year I'll probably join the 75 again..but no way will I read that many! I'd scare myself!

;-}

#136: Next year I'll probably join the 75 again.

I hope you do, Jude!!

hmmm you better!!!

*continues to melt away*

Thanks guys/gals!!

*she continues to swelter*

;-}

Definitely, you should be in the 75, Jude!

*Rejoicing that the heat wave seems to be breaking!*

#14

Sumner Island by Michael Cormier

Ghost-Hunting at the Smythe, a luxury hotel/resort located on Sumner Island, off the coast of Maine. The very same Smythe where Maria Boudreau, "America's Princess" in the last century's Golden Age, met an untimely and violent end in 1924....eighty years before this story takes place. Mitchell Lambert, history professor at Fowler College, made his literary mark with a popular biography of Miss Boudreau. Mr Lambert is a tad obsessed with our Maria...some would call it LOVE. The ghost hunt is the result of several sightings of Boudreaus's ghost..by people not in love with her. Psychics, bystanders,and a cranky, psychotic spirit plus a Wise Old Man with a personal stake in the story's outcome...all make for a fine cast of characters.

Paranormal Romance is not my genre of choice but I did enjoy this book. Mr Cormier is a crackerjack story teller, and a decent stylist. the prose had "flow" and only hit a few bumps toward the end, when all the paranormal "Bells & Whistles" flew thick and fast...a bit much, in my opinion. All the "massed spirits of the long dead", the phenomenal thunder storm with attendant lightning strikes/fires..and the sudden lack of oxygen...left me a little breathless..and impatient for the story's end. The malevolent spirit was so, indeed..then came across as a petulant frat boy with a murderous streak.. Mitch Lambert was a bit "soft" as a character..too moony by half, but maybe Academics are like that now. In my day, they just drank too much and tried to charm the pants off college girls..Oh well. Small complaints, when all is said and done. the ending was..well...paranormal. Love does endure through the ages...

I liked the book,in spite of the "flaws" which are not such...just my quibbles. This is a good summer read if you like your novels not-too-heavy..but not floating off into the air. The period detail was good..be it present day or late-Victorian past. This is not Paranormal of the Heaving Bosom variety, rather it's more cerebral....unto the slightly obsessive. The Passion here is of the hopeful sort. Good food-for-thought that won't give you a headache, or set you to yawning.

This is a review of an ARC.

3 Stars (***)

Jude, I've thumbs-upped your very tasty review!

Thank you, Sweetie!

;-}

Oh Jude, if only you had more time to read. Love your reviews! Thumb from me, and no dainty one either! :)

Wonderful review jude and I have got to read that one! sounds good to me!

thumbed and added to my wishlist.. due to your review.. :)

Sounds like a good read. As always I love your reviews;)

Awww, I gotta Fan Club....sweetest people in the world...until others get on our Bad sides!

#144 Stephen..I have plenty of time to read..but when it's 100 degrees in the shade I veg out in front of the DVDs.....and, other times, I get lazy....and I felt that Thumb...hmmmmmm

;-}

Hi Jude- Terrific review! You will also get a worthy thumb from moi! And yes, I think the heat is kicking most of our butts! I was just talking to my sis in Oregon and they're having a heat wave, although minus our blessed humidity! Lucky them!

Hey Mark..my bestest buddy

thanks so much!

;-}

Hey Jude, that's a really good review. It's not a genre I typically read, but you made it sound so interesting and fun that I've added it to my obese wish list and I'm going to give it a shot

What DVDs are you watching while you veg?

hmmm that reminds me.. I was going to try to find a movie to watch....

I liked your review of Sumner Island. I think I was a bit harder on it in my review, but I did generally enjoy reading it. As you said, the end was a bit much.

BTW, what did you make of the moths???? That was the one element I just did not "get." Is there some well-known paranormal symbolism about which I haven't a clue?

Although Sumner Island is not to my taste, you did a great review, Jude.

Thanks, Stasia, for stopping by. I know I've been ignoring your threads lately..blame it on the heat and my wobbly tummy..I've had some nasty bug since Tuesday, but think I'm getting better now.

PARANORMAL isn't a genre I usually read..but this was an early Reviewer book, and went down surprisingly smooth (if a tad syrupy!). Not a bad story, but the "Bells & Whistles" were distracting..

>152 tymfos: Teri
I didn't know what to make of the Moths, either. I don't read enough Paranormal to know if they're symbolic or not..so, I didn't mention them at all. The coward's way out, I know. But hey, it was my review!

Ugh to wobbly tummies and a pox on all nasty bugs! Just stopping in to say hello there .....

Glad you're feeling better, Jude! Nasty stomach bugs are never fun. Oddly, bug spray never seems to get the job done...

Just passing through.... *heads back to so fa with book*

I liked your review. I don't like stomach bugs. Hope you feel better!

I hope you are feeling better as well, Jude!

I'm better today...but the weather is sooo humid..feels
like I'm breathing through a wet towel. Yuck! I am seriously beginning to hate this summer...

;-}

It isn't my favorite either... glad you feel better tho.

I'm also glad you feel better. :)

This weather, though . . . :(

Hi Jude- Just swinging by to say hi! Yes, I think the heat is kicking all of our butts! Hope you are feeling better!

Jude-ele: Go here!

Hey there pookiewoogums honey pie apple fritter sweetness! I got The Green and the Gray today! Many thanks.

You are veddy welcome, Sweetie!

;-}

apple fritter ? honey pie? you must have been hungry when you came to post your thanks :)

*waves to jude... tiptoes out*

Actually, Kath, he knows that I really dislike the "baby talk"...so he piles it on to annoy/tease me....I forgive him..the Ole Sugar Bear ;-)

Morning Jude- Hope you are keeping cool, my friend! The temp has dropped to 70 but it will still be warm & muggy later!

"Keeping Cool" is wishful thinking, old chap. It's 85 here and looks to be hotter....no "cool" spot in my house...boo hoo, right?...i hope some of your rain arrives soon..otherwise........

;-}

Oh Christ

Just when i was going to post a review..the damned power went out. Now, I have no ceiling fans...a load of damp laundry in the dryer...and hesitate to open the Fridge!

somebody..send me a ton of snow!!!

;-}

We only got a little bit of that storm. Only lasted a couple hours. Now it's sunny and heating up again. :(

Electricity/Power..is Back (for now)

>172 Ape:
Stephen...we finally got the "promised"storm...Damn the consequences!

Hope you are okay

J

Oh yeah, I'm fine, we didn't get much of anything. Well...the satellite went out for like 10 minutes I guess... *shrug*

Lucky You!!

now I am sweaty..with 2 hungry cats to feed

and people to call..what were worried about l'il ole me

;-}

Jude, dear, you can still feed the cats when the power is out! ;)

>176 Ape:

Stephen..

and you are still a Smart Ass (but my cats love you...and so do I)

;-}

Jude- Hope this has cooled you off a little, my friend! Sorry no snow! Can only send good music & good books! Best I can do!

Jude, I hope it cools off for you soon! (of course, I hope the same thing for here too, lol)

The weather is beautiful here today in my part of Ohio! Perfect! :)

The weather here is great, too...I got some yardwork done (my lawn resembled a Hay field!).....hopefully I will get some sleep tonight!....and I actually feel hungry....it's refrigerator-raiding time..

;-}

Find anything good in your refrigerator, Jude? :-)

I just fixed a nice salad with 3 different kinds of tomatoes from my garden, green peppers, beets, roasted figs and goat cheese. Grilled some sword fish and made up a side of chick peas with onions, garlic, chopped tomatoes, cumin and basil. A nice crusty loaf and a chilled bottle of wine, and we had a great dinner out on our patio since it's been a nice breezy evening.

All I usually find in my fridge whilst food pillaging is serveral-months old vegetables and empty lunch meat packages. *fail*

176 LOLOL

Gorgeous day yesterday! Beautiful, perfect weather... son home.. ahhhhh

today is humid and son leaving. Bah!

I watched the diners show on tv last night.. it made me hungry and I am still hungry!

Jude, go here and see if this kid isn't the long lost son you forgot you gave birth to.

185: But you said on my thread he was my long lost brother. So...does that mean Jude is my mommy? ;)

Oh sweet Jesus! I am no one's Mommy (but I can be a MOTHER)...actually, one of them creatures looks like my boyfriend!!!..the high-domed one.

And I think , if I had given birth (as loathe as I was to the very thought) I would know...since I Never Forget!!!

;-}

Oh sweet Jesus! I am no one's Mommy (but I can be a MOTHER)...

Hmmm, well, I need a mommy, not a mother, but that'll do I suppose. I believe you owe me 18 years of allowance and 4 years of gas money? ;)

Dream on Sweet Pea...dream on....

;-}

Stopping by to say hi and tip-toeing out...very quietly!

*Wakes up* Wow, that was a weird dream...there was a birthday cake with legs sneaking around your thread, Jude!

...err, oh, hey mark! :)

#15
The Transformation of Bartholomew Fortuno by Ellen Bryson

These are my "reading notes"

They will not make any sense...but, what the hell..

Here Goes

>Nights at the Circus is referenced here...Take note!

>"Freaks" from the inside..."inside" as in Prison..or in Safety

>Before P T Barnum became the Circus impresario we all know and love... he was the owner/operator of the AMERICAN MUSEUM....home to freaks and geeks of several persuassions....through tableaux and individual performance

>BARTHOLOMEW FORTUNO...THE THINNEST MAN IN THE WORLD....our protagonist...thinks his physical abnormality is a "gift"

> Heirarchy within the museum residents..is "over the top"...adolescent to a fault...gossip...insecurity

>Enter IELL...THE BEARDED LADY....a sensuous, gifted, 'other"....Love arrives....Barthtolomew is unprepared...he wants to woo her...save her..."Love is a rose..the thorns are toxic"....watch out! The lady has more secrets than her beard!!

>This is a story from the "other" side...where the Freaks look at us..Shit, I lost this post...and We are Them....vice versa...and their vision is very clear.

>Bartholomew's Transformation?? becoming "normal"...and remembering why he became an Oddity..in the first place...His world crashes...but he survives..the beauty of this story..Love nearly killed him...then he started to EAT...

I loved this story...told from the "inside" of the Side Show world....Ms Bryson mentions Nights at the Circus...and i heartily recommend

This "review" makes no sense at all..I make no apologies...go somewhere else for intelligence

I apologize to my LT friends...I couldn'r post a 'smart" review ( )

dunno~ sounds fascinating to me...

Stop teasing me, Stephen...those were my legs!!!

194: That explains why the cake had a gun on its hip! I thought it was just planning to rob a Dairy Queen...

This "review" makes no sense at all..I make no apologies...go somewhere else for intelligence


Your reviews are perfectly intelligent, Jude dear! Granted you format isn't always, er, typical (i.e. that last one, or the review for Brown Girl in the Ring) but your thoughts and opinions are there, and they are just as valuable as anyone elses. I see you get your fair share of thumbs, and in this tiny group of all places, you're clearly doing something right! ;)

Very cool review and if you had written it deliberately to entice me ... damn it, woman, you've succeeded! *running to add to my obese wish list*

#192: Sweet! My local library actually has that one!!

Aw ,thanks for the kind thoughts!!

Stephen...i was trying to construct a review from those notes..and it wasn't working. If I spend too much time trying to make a review..I get angry & frustrated. That's why, sometimes my rough notes are "better"....just the way it works for me...since I do take notes "on the fly" while reading (have to save all that cleverness *snort*)

Sorry to add to the Obese One, Caro..I live to serve.....

Good, that you can get this one, Stasia..it's a pretty good story..

I might have my copy of The Transformation of Bartolomew Fortuno up for grabs, soon (someone has already borrowed it...will keep you all posted.

;-}

New Thread http://www.librarything.com/topic/95935

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