Roni 'ncats' thread: the Quarter Finals

My previous thread can be found at:

http://www.librarything.com/topic/95180







Books read in 2010:

(touchstones will be in the messages containing the reviews, * signifies a re-read, # indicates an Off The Shelf book, + is a library book):

December
129. Jane Eyre* by Charlotte Bronte (462 pp.)
130. The Eyre Affair* by Jasper Fforde (374 pp.)
131. A Child's Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas (47 pp.)
132. A Christmas Memory by Truman Capote (39 pp.)
133. The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi (359 pp.)
134. A Regency Christmas* (347 pp.)
135. The Dean's Watch* by Elizabeth Goudge (384 pp.)
136. Hogfather by Terry Pratchett (292 pp.)
137. Miracles and other Christmas Stories* by Connie Willis (298 pp.)
138. 100 Cupboards by N. D. Wilson (289 pp.)
139. The Father Christmas Letters by J. R. R. Tolkien (44 pp.)
140. The Lost Gate by Orson Scott Card (378 pp.)

November
125. Unquiet Dreams by Mark del Franco (292 pp.)
126. In the Dead of Winter by Nancy Mehl (141 pp.)
127. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows* by J. K. Rowling (759 pp.)
128. My Reading Life by Pat Conroy (333 pp.)

October
106. The Shadow Pavilion by Liz Williams (346 pp.)
107. Surviving the Holocaust: Stan Kijowski's Journey in a Wicked World by Anna M. Mitchell (108 pp.)
108. The Postman* by David Brin (321 pp.)
109. Changeless by Gail Carriger (388 pp.)
110. 84 Charing Cross Road+ by Helene Hanff (97 pp.)
111. Blameless by Gail Carriger (355 pp.)
112. Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman (370 pp.)
113. The Joy of the Snow by Elizabeth Goudge (268 pp.)
114. Blackout by Connie Willis (491 pp.)
115. Return Engagement* by Glenna Finley (185 pp.)
116. To Catch a Bride* by Glenna Finley (213 pp.)
117. The Puppet Masters* by Robert Heinlein (175 pp.)
118. All Clear by Connie Willis (641 pp.)
119. Cryoburn by Lois McMaster Bujold (339 pp.)
120. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon+ by Grace Lin (278 pp.)
121. Pegasus by Robin McKinley (397 pp.)
122. The Curse of Chalion* by Lois McMaster Bujold (442 pp.)
123. Paladin of Souls* by Lois McMaster Bujold (456 pp.)
124. Bellwether* by Connie Willis (247 pp.)

September
92. Sylvester: or The Wicked Uncle* by Georgette Heyer (286 pp.)
93. Mouse & Dragon by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (354 pp.) (June 2010)
94. Nine Gates by Jane Lindskold (467 pp.) (May 2010)
95. Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui+ by Karen Kingston (166 pp.)
96. Charlie Bone and the Red Knight by Jenny Nimmo (466 pp.) (May 2010
97. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (391 pp.)
98. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (398 pp.)
99. Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos+ by R. L. LaFevers (344 pp.)
100. The Haunted Bookshop by Christopher Morley (253 pp.)
101. D. A. by Connie Willis (76 pp.)
102. Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal (302 pp.)
103. Unshapely Things by Mark Del Franco (305 pp.)
104. Saint Vidicon to the Rescue by Christopher Stasheff (308 pp.)
105. I Shall Wear Midnight by Terry Pratchett (347 pp.)

August
78. The King of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner (400 pp.)
79. The Masqueraders* by Georgette Heyer (320 pp.)
80. The Talisman Ring* by Georgette Heyer (234 pp.)
81. Regency Buck* by Georgette Heyer (300 pp.)
82. Thresholds by Nina Kiriki Hoffman (243 pp.)
83. Heavy Words Lightly Thrown+ by Chris Roberts (202 pp.)
84 The Foundling* by Georgette Heyer (316 pp.)
85. The Secret Fiend by Shane Peacock (244 pp.)
86. Emily Dickinson is Dead by+ Jane Langton (245 pp.)
87. A Conspiracy of Kings+ by Megan Whalen Turner (316 pp.)
88. Howards End on the Landing by Susan Hill (236 pp.)
89 Sprig Muslin* by Georgette Heyer (222 pp.)
90. Black Sheep* by Georgette Heyer (232 pp.)
91. The Zen of Fish+ by Trevor Corson (327 pp.)

July
62. Lirael* by Garth Nix (324 pp.) group read
63. Magic Below Stairs by Caroline Stevermer (199 pp.)
64. Saltation by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (325 pp.)
65. The Lives of Christopher Chant* by Diana Wynne Jones (230 pp.)
66. Charmed Life* by Diana Wynne Jones (222 pp.)
67. The Magicians of Caprona* by Diana Wynne Jones (223 pp.)
68. Witch Week* by Diana Wynne Jones (211 pp.)
69. Death in the Air: The Boy Sherlock Holmes, His Second Case+ by Shane Peacock (264 pp.)
70. Conrad's Fate* by Diana Wynne Jones (375 pp.)
71. The Pinhoe Egg* by Diana Wynne Jones (515 pp.)
72. Abhorsen* by Garth Nix (234 pp.)
73. The Aeneid by Virgil (translation by Robert Fagles) (425 pp.)
74. Magic Bites# by Ilona Andrews (260 pp.)
75. The Thief# by Megan Whalen Turner (219 pp.)
76. The Queen of Attolia# by Megan Whalen Turner (360 pp.)
77. Mixed Magics by Diana Wynne Jones (138 pp.)

June
55. Travels with Herodotus+ by Ryszard Kapuscinski (275 pp.)
56. Song of Scarabaeus by Sara Creasy (354 pp.)
57. I Saw Three Ships by Elizabeth Goudge (75 pp.)
58. Sabriel* by Garth Nix (216 pp.) group read
59. The Enchantment Emporium by Tanya Huff (473 pp.)
60. Eye of the Crow by Shane Peacock (250 pp.)
61. Children of the Lens by E. E. "Doc" Smith (254 pp.)

May
48. Surrender None* by Elizabeth Moon (530 pp.)
49. Second Stage Lensmen* by E. E. (Doc) Smith (271 pp.)
50. The High King*# and The Foundling and other Tales of Prydain by Lloyd Alexander (231 pp.)
51. The Healing Powers of Chocolate by Cal Orey (294 pp.)
52. The Empress of Mars by Kage Baker (303 pp.)
53. The Blue Castle* by L. M. Montgomery (218 pp.)
54. Stopping for a Spell by Diana Wynne Jones (132 pp.)

April
34. Emissaries from the Dead by Adam-Troy Castro (387 pp.)
35. The Willoughbys+ by Lois Lowry (168 pp.)
36. Taran Wanderer* by Lloyd Alexander (138 pp.)
37. Beyond the Deepwoods# by Paul Stewart & Chris Riddell (278 pp.)
38. The Four-Story Mistake+ by Elizabeth Enright (177 pp.)
39. Gray Lensman* by E. E. "Doc" Smith (253 pp.)
40. Enchanted Glass by Diana Wynne Jones (292 pp.)
41. The Key to Rondo# by Emily Rodda (342 pp.)
42. Bitter Angels by C. L. Anderson (438 pp.)
43. House of Many Ways* by Diana Wynne Jones (404 pp.)
44. Sheepfarmer's Daughter* by Elizabeth Moon (506 pp.)
45. Divided Allegiance* by Elizabeth Moon (522 pp.)
46. Oath of Gold* by Elizabeth Moon (501 pp.)
47. Oath of Fealty by Elizabeth Moon (471 pp.)

March
23. Jane Bites Back by Michael Thomas Ford (299 pp.)
24. Galactic Patrol* by E. E. (Doc) Smith (237 pp.)
25. The Castle of Llyr* by Lloyd Alexander (111 pp.)
26. Cold Comfort Farm# by Stella Gibbons (233 pp.)
27. The Accidental Sorcerer by K. E. Mills (535 pp.)
28. Heartless by Anne Elisabeth Stengl (253 pp.)
29. When You Reach Me+ by Rebecca Stead (197 pp.)
30. Superior Saturday by Garth Nix (278 pp.)
31. Lord Sunday by Garth Nix (317 pp.)
32. Bound in Blood by P. C. Hodgell (296 pp.)
33. High Wire (Edgar & Ellen)# by Charles Ogden (189 pp.)

February
12. My Father's Dragon# by Ruth Stiles Gannett (87 pp.)
13. Elmer and the Dragon# by Ruth Stiles Gannett (87 pp.)
14. The Dragons of Blueland# by Ruth Stiles Gannett (88 pp.)
15. Precious Dragon# by Liz Williams (351 pp.)
16. First Lensman* by E. E. "Doc" Smith (252 pp.)
17. The Black Cauldron*# by Lloyd Alexander (127 pp.)
18. HaveMercy# by Jaida Jones and Danielle Bennett (431 pp.)
19. The Anubis Gates* by Tim Powers (pp.387)
20. The Phantom Tollbooth*+ by Norton Juster (pp. 256)
21. Soulless by Gail Carriger (357 pp.)
22. The Lost Fleet: Dauntless# by Jack Campbell (293 pp.)

January
1. The Riddle-Master of Hed* by Patricia A. McKillip (222 pp.)
2. Heir of Sea and Fire* by Patricia A. McKillip (207 pp.)
3. Harpist in the Wind* by Patricia A. McKillip (257 pp.)
4. Triplanetary* by E. E. "Doc" Smith (240 pp.)
5. The Book of Three* by Lloyd Alexander (129 pp.)
6. Iorich by Steven Brust (319 pp.)
7. The Phantom Lover by Elizabeth Mansfield (250 pp.)
8. The Book of Dragons# by Edith Nesbit (153 pp.)
9. Three Cups of Tea# by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin
10. Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde (388 pp.)
11. The Sorceress of Karres by Eric Flint and Dave Greer (307 pp.)

Books entering my house (adopted):
January
1. Iorich by Steven Brust (Borders, 33% off coupon) READ
2. Powers by Ursula LeGuin (Borders, $3.99/hardback)
3. Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde (Amazon) READ
4. The Sorceress of Karres by Eric Flint and Dave Greer (Amazon) READ
5. The Alchemy of Stone by Ekaterina Sedia (Amazon)
6. The Phantom Lover by Elizabeth Mansfield (BookMooch) READ
7. The Healing Powers of Chocolate by Cal Orey (ER book) READ
February
8. Blackout by Connie Willis (Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore)
9. Except the Queen by Jane Yolen and Midori Snyder (Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore)
10. Soulless by Gail Carriger (Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore) READ
11. Lamentation by Ken Scholes (Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore)
12. The Accidental Sorcerer by K. E. Mills (Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore) READ
13. The Domino Men by Jonathan Barnes (BookMooch)
14. Murder of a Real Bad Boy by Denise Swanson (PaperBackSwap)
15. Murder of a Botoxed Blonde by Denise Swanson (PaperBackSwap)
16. Jane Bites Back by Michael Thomas Ford (Borders 25% off coupon) READ
March
17. Heartless by Anne Elisabeth Stengl (ER) READ
18. Oath of Fealty by Elizabeth Moon (Amazon) READ
19. Superior Saturday by Garth Nix (Amazon) READ
20. Lord Sunday by Garth Nix (Amazon) READ
21. Bound in Blood by P. C. Hodgell (Amazon) READ
22. Witches Incorporated by K. E. Mills (Borders 40% coupon)
23. Emissaries from the Dead by Adam-Troy Castro (Mysterious Galaxy) READ
24. Bitter Angels by C. L. Anderson (Mysterious Galaxy) READ
25. Changeless by Gail Carriger (Amazon)
26. A Wizard of Mars by Diane Duane (Amazon) READ

April
27. Enchanted Glass by Diana Wynn Jones (Amazon) READ
28. Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale (PBS) (read library copy last year, got this one to keep)
29. California Home Landscaping by Roger Holmes and Lance Walheim. (Books Are Fun)

May
30. Nine Gates by Jane Lindskold (Borders--33% off coupon)
31. Charlie Bone and the Red Knight by Jenny Nimmo (Borders--33% off coupon)
32. The Empress of Mars by Kage Baker (Amazon) READ
33. Smart but Scattered by Peg Dawson and Richard Guare
34. That Crumpled Paper was Due Last Week by Ana Homayoun
35. Stopping for a Spell by Diana Wynne Jones (PBS) READ
36. Storm From the Shadows by David Weber (Borders--$5 borders cash)
37. The Joy of the Snow by Elizabeth Goudge
38. I Saw Three Ships by Elizabeth Goudge (these two ordered used from SCOTLAND!) READ

June
39. The Secret Fiend by Shane Peacock (ER)
40. Still Life by Louise Penny (BookMooch)
41. Airborn by Kenneth Oppel (PBS)
42. Magic Below Stairs by Caroline Stevermer (Amazon) READ
43. Mouse & Dragon by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (Borders- 33% off coupon)
44. The Enchantment Emporium by Tanya Huff (Borders) READ
45. Academ's Fury by Jim Butcher (PaperBackSwap)

July
46. Saltation by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (Signed subscription)READ
47. The Shadow Pavilion by Liz Williams (Mysterious Galaxy)
48. The Anvil of the World by Kage Baker (MG)
49. The Gospel of the Knife by Will Shetterly (MG)
50. Black Ships by Jo Graham (PBS)

August
51. Thresholds by Nina Kiriki Hoffman (Amazon) READ
52. Friday's Child by Georgette Heyer (Borders 33% off coupon) Replacement copy
53. Alien Earth by Megan Lindholm (BookMooch)

September
54. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (Borders 33% off coupon)
55. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (Borders sale)
56. The Postman by David Brin (PBS-replacement copy for October read)
57. Blameless by Gail Carriger (B&N gift card)
58. Grand Central Arena by Ryk Spoor (B&N gift card)
59. Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman (PBS)
60. City of Bones by Cassandra Clare (gift)
61-83 Books acquired for free from Glenda (fellow LT and BMer)
Anderson, Poul All One Universe
Bear, Greg Anvil of Stars
Bear, Greg Blood Music
Bear, Greg Eon
Bear, Greg Eternity
Bear, Greg Legacy
Bear, Greg Moving Mars
Bear, Greg The Force of God
Donaldson, Stephen R. A Man Rides Through
Donaldson, Stephen R. The Mirror of Her Dreams
Leiber, Fritz Swords' Masters
Leiber, Fritz The Knight and Knave of Swords
Miller, Walter M. JR. Saint Leibowitz and the Wild Horse Woman
Sheffield, Charles Proteus Manifest
Silverberg, Robert Lord Prestimion
Silverberg, Robert Sorcerers of Majipoor
Silverberg, Robert The Mountains of Majipoor
Simak, Clifford Mastodonia
Simak, Clifford Thefellowship of the Talisman
Zelazny, Roger A Night in the Lonesome October
Zelazny, Roger Doorways in the Sand
Zelazny, Roger The Chronicles of Amber Vol I
Zelazny, Roger TheChronicles of Amber Vol II
84. D. A. by Connie Willis (gift from David--tapestry100)
85. Cousin Kate by Georgette Heyer (raffle prize from Austenprose)
86. Georgette Heyer's Regency World by Jennifer Kloester (Borders-33% coupon)

October
87. Surviving the Holocaust: Stan Kijowski's Journey in a Wicked World (gift)
88. The Empress and the Acolyte by Jane Fletcher (PBS)
89. All Clear by Connie Willis (Mysterious Galaxy)
90. Cryoburn by Lois McMaster Bujold (MG)
91. The House on Durrow Street by Galen Beckett (MG)
92. Quatrain by Sharon Shinn (MG)
93. Pegasus by Patricia McKillip (Early Reviewers)

November
94. The Death of the Necromancer by Martha Wells (PBS)
95. Cosy in Kansas by Nancy Mehl (BookNook)
96. Storm from the Shadows by Dvid Weber (BookNook)
97. Poet's Choice: Poems for everyday life Ed. by Robert Hass (PBS)
98. The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N. K. Jemisin (Borders Bucks)
99. Native Star by M. K. Hobson ( Borders bucks and coupon)
100. Kitty and the Midnight Hour by Carrie Vaughn (Borders)
101. My Reading Life by Pat Conroy (Borders 50% + 10% coupon)
102. The Better Part of Valor by Tanya Huff (UBS)
103. Grave Peril by Jim Butcher (UBS)

December
104. Miracles and other Christmas Stories by Connie Willis (Amazon gift Certificate)
105. Unfallen Dead by Mark del Franco (Amazon gift Certificate)
106. The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi (Amazon gift Certificate)
107. The Lost Gate by Orson Scott Card (ER ARC)
108. The Bible by Karen Armstrong (Borders bargain book)
109. The Bards of Bone Plain by Patricia McKillip (Borders 33% coupon)
110. Loremasters by Leslie Gadallah (PBS)
111. Devil's Cub by Georgette Heyer, and
112. The Masqueraders by Georgette Heyer (these are the beautiful new Sourcebooks editions--I am gradually supplementing my 1970s era Heyers, which are brittle and falling apart, with these beauties with the 33% and 40% off coupons I get from Borders.)

Book #104 Saint Vidicon to the Rescue by Christopher Stasheff (308 pp.)

Christopher Stasheff wrote a wonderful book in 1969--amusing, clever, original--but it wasn't this one. After The Warlock in Spite of Himself, Stasheff never matched his efforts again, although it wasn't for a lack of trying. He wrote 11 direct sequels and several more related series ones.

This is a stand-alone, not in the universe above, but in our own day and time, which is basically an extended set of adventures/gags for computer engineers. Clever, cute, but really only for the in-crowd, if you know what I mean. Not recommended. Although The Warlock in Spite of Himself is highly recommended.

WoW! I made it first!! And delighted that you're starting a lovely new thread. I just came to back you up in being disappointed in Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell. I had expected to love it so much that I bought it in hardcover (book club, but even so), so I was extremely disappointed. I liked the excursions into faery, but the rest left me cold.

Gotcha starred. I bought Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell awhile back but haven't read it yet. It was only $3 and hardback so of course I had to buy it :) Hopefully I'll like it when I get around to reading it!

Hi Roni!

I liked Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, so it looks as though I am in the minority once again. You think I would be used to it by now :)

No, Stasia, I think most people who posted about it here liked it a lot. Just not me. *sigh*

Welcome, welcome! I've got new decor (the ticker) and a teapot brewing. Pull up a chair. Thanks for visiting. Peggy, I'm becoming quite fond of retirement. Rachel, Stasia's comment about being in the minority to the contrary, you saw in my previous thread that the majority there did like Jonathan Strange better than Peggy and I. I didn't dislike it--I just expected to love it and I didn't. Hi, Linda. How is the pain block working now that the swelling has gone done? I'm so hoping it is effective!

No reading today once I finished Saint Vidicon to the Rescue. I actually did some picking up around the house and made it look neater--amazing! Now I have to pick out a book to start this evening. I've gotten really far behind on the Off the Shelf challenge, so I need to consider some of my older books...

I am sitting here enjoying a cuppa myself, Roni. Thanks for keeping the kettle on for me :)

Ugh, Stasheff...no matter how much I like the chord G major, other chords are necessary for music to be created. (Someone go tell Phillip Glass.)

I refuse to wishlist that milk and honey thing, refuse refuse refuse and a plague of stink bugs on it! But thanks for the nudge to read Unshapely Things, which now vies with Uncommon Fruits Worthy of Attention as the title for my autobiogrpahy!

Hi Roni! :)

Thought of you, Stasia, when I put on the kettle, since I knew you'd be stopping by!

Hi, Richard. Ah, but that one chord is worth it--just don't bother with the rest. I, too, think you'd enjoy Unshapely Things more than Shades of Milk and Honey, unless you are a big Jane Austen fan.

Hi, Angela!

gotcha!

#12: Well, I appreciate the thought!

Book #105 I Shall Wear Midnight by Terry Pratchett (347 pp.)

Ahh, marvelous! No spoilers. Tiffany remains true to her character and all kinds of VERY interesting things take place, and there are lots of Nac Mac Feegles. And a good ending place for this story arc.

I Shall Wear Midnight is currently at the top of my tbr pile and I'm so glad to hear that it's good. I'll have to hurry up and finish my other reading so I can get to it.

I just can't get myself to open a book at night when the baseball games are so exciting and important right now. And I recorded Ken Burns' new documentary updating the Baseball series.

Anyway, those last three games the Giants and Padres are going to play in SF are going to be exciting!

Oh, Mac, I hope they are exciting. It's not been too exciting to be a Padre fan for the last month.

September Summary: Books Read

14 books: 1 non-fiction, 1 Regency romance, 1 general fiction, 2 science fiction, 9 fantasy (2 children's, 3 YA, 4 adult).

3 library books, 1 gift, 1 PBS, 7 bought this year and newly read, 1 off-the-shelf, 1 re-read.

7.5 female authors, 5.5 male authors

(* signifies a re-read, # indicates an Off The Shelf book, + is a library book):

September
92. Sylvester: or The Wicked Uncle* by Georgette Heyer (286 pp.)
93. Mouse and Dragon by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (354 pp.) (June 2010)
94. Nine Gates by Jane Lindskold (467 pp.) (May 2010)
95. Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui+ by Karen Kingston (166 pp.)
96. Charlie Bone and the Red Knight by Jenny Nimmo (466 pp.) (May 2010
97. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (391 pp.)
98. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (398 pp.)
99. Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos+ by R. L. LaFevers (344 pp.)
100. The Haunted Bookshop+ by Christopher Morley (253 pp.)
101. D. A. by Connie Willis (76 pp.)
102. Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal (302 pp.)
103. Unshapely Things by Mark Del Franco (305 pp.)
104. Saint Vidicon to the Rescue# by Christopher Stasheff (308 pp.)
105. I Shall Wear Midnight by Terry Pratchett (347 pp.)

Books acquired this month:

54. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (Borders 33% off coupon)
55. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (Borders sale)
56. The Postman by David Brin (PBS-replacement copy for October read)
57. Blameless by Gail Carriger (B&N gift card)
58. Grand Central Arena by Ryk Spoor (B&N gift card)
59. Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman (PBS)
60. City of Bones by Cassandra Clare (gift)
61-83 Books acquired for free from Glenda (fellow LT and BMer)
Anderson, Poul All One Universe
Bear, Greg Anvil of Stars
Bear, Greg Blood Music
Bear, Greg Eon
Bear, Greg Eternity
Bear, Greg Legacy
Bear, Greg Moving Mars
Bear, Greg The Force of God
Donaldson, Stephen R. A Man Rides Through
Donaldson, Stephen R. The Mirror of Her Dreams
Leiber, Fritz Swords' Masters
Leiber, Fritz The Knight and Knave of Swords
Miller, Walter M. JR. Saint Leibowitz and the Wild Horse Woman
Sheffield, Charles Proteus Manifest
Silverberg, Robert Lord Prestimion
Silverberg, Robert Sorcerers of Majipoor
Silverberg, Robert The Mountains of Majipoor
Simak, Clifford Mastodonia
Simak, Clifford The fellowship of the Talisman
Zelazny, Roger A Night in the Lonesome October
Zelazny, Roger Doorways in the Sand
Zelazny, Roger The Chronicles of Amber Vol I
Zelazny, Roger The Chronicles of Amber Vol II
84. D.A. by Connie Willis (gift from David--tapestry100)
85. Cousin Kate by Georgette Heyer (raffle prize from Austenprose)
86. Georgette Heyer's Regency World by Jennifer Kloester (Borders-33% coupon)
87. I Shall Wear Midnight by Terry Pratchett (Borderrs-33% coupon)

Wow! You had a great month of acquisitions, Roni!

I have a big box of books with nowhere to put them, Stasia! 14 read and 34 acquired--now that's really going backwards.

#22: I am sure that you can find somewhere to put them - say in Texas, with me!

I keep forgetting to run by the bookstore to get I Shall Wear Midnight. Glad to hear you enjoyed it!

OMG! OMG! I actually got my first choice from the Early Reviewer's program!!! I can't believe it! I'm going to get Pegasus, the new book by Robin McKinley.

Yay! I almost deleted my other options in the hope of winning that, but I didn't, and I've ended up with George Eliot in Love instead. Ah well. Still excited, and especially so for you. :D

LUCKY DUCK!!!!! I really wanted Pegasus, but alas I got nothing. *sniff*

I hope its good!

Congrats, Roni!

Message #22..
I love that image! I spent some time today trying to get a semblance of order in the house filled with books.

My partner told my friend the librarian that soon, ever so soon, I will be featured...with our house ... on the tv show The Hoarders. He told her that I will be found buried under an enormous pile of books and the floors will be sagging from the weight.

Because she also loves books, she understands and simply laughed at his comments. She told him she has rooms of books and a full room of knitting materials.

I love this woman!

Book #106 The Shadow Pavilion by Liz Williams (346 pp.)

I really enjoy this Detective Inspector Chen series, and book 4 does not disappoint. After book 3 ended with a full-scale invasion of (Chinese) Hell by (Chinese) Heaven, one certainly had to wonder if the story line could live up to the prior books, but it does. No details, as that would create spoilers for the previous books. Suffice it to say that we see lots more of all of our favorite characters, even though it comes from splitting into several story lines, and the badger has a big role this time. ;-)

>1 ronincats:: A nice haul from Glenda. I've read most of them...some I liked, some not so much. You have some good times ahead of you.

>15 ronincats:: One of the things I was most glad of with regard to I Shall Wear Midnight is that he ended things. We're not left hanging wondering how it all turns out. Given his illness, we all know there aren't going to be a ton more books and I'd like to see the various series tied up.

Someone gave me Unseen Academicals as a gift but, as I'm not hugely fond of the Wizards books (would say I actually dislike anything with Rincewind in it), I haven't read it, yet. So, I don't know if he's wrapped that grouping up. I don't hugely care about that one but I would like to see a nice final book in The Watch series, Vimes being my favorite character.

I'm willing to treat the final Tiffany book as also closing out the Witches in general, so that would just leave Death...which needs a closing book less than the others...and the Moist von Lipwig books which, while not as bad as the Wizards, are not my favorite stories, either.

I also liked the way Pratchett wrapped up Tiffany's story, and yes, I'll take that as wrapping up the Witches in general, especially as they all got to make a final appearance here.

I think you would be pleasantly surprised in Unseen Academicals. Unlike the other wizard books, the social commentary is quite evident here, and it is the other, new characters who quite take over the story, while giving the wizards a chance for a final appearance as well.

Unfortunately, the next book appears to be a Moist von Lipwig book--I liked the first a great deal but didn't think the second was at the same level. I would second your desire for a final Watch book--that is my favorite series as well--and while Death doesn't need a close-out, I'd dearly love another Susan book.

#30: I wish my local library had that series!

Is there a specific order to the Pratchett books. Is it possible to read them out of order?

It is probably better to read the Pratchett books out of order, but there are 4 or 5 distinct threads, and within each thread, it is good to read them within order. Witches, Death, and the City Watch books are generally the most popular, with the YA Tiffany Aching books falling into the Witches category. There are also some stand-alones. Check out "Discworld" on Wikipedia to get an overview and the order within each strand. Or you can use
http://wiki.lspace.org/wiki/Reading_Order

I used to direct people to a chart on L-Space, but they have updated and replaced it with one I find unreadable on the computer. It might be readable printed out. It can be found at
http://www.lspace.org/books/reading-order-guides/the-discworld-reading-order-gui...

>35 ronincats:: Roni, if you right-click on the new one at L-Space, it expands to become readable.

There's also this one, though it's a couple of books out-of-date.

Book #107 Surviving the Holocaust: Stan Kijowski's Journey in a Wicked World by Anna M. Mitchell (108 pp.)

A teacher in my home town area had a student in her fifth grade class during study of a unit about WW II. He volunteered his grandfather to talk to the class about his experiences during the war. As a result, she wrote this book. Anna Mitchell had written a book that got published about her father's death from cancer, but this book ended up being self-published (no touchstones).

My sister went to the Abilene bookstore and picked me up a copy with signatures both from the author and from Stan (and a dedication to me) at the reception for the book's publication. She and I both remember when the Kijowskis moved to Abilene in the mid-60s and Monsignor had Mr. Kijowski speak to the whole congregation during Mass about his war experiences in Poland and his escape from the Russians after the end of the war. She knows Stan well--he is still a member of our church--and has spoken with him many, many times. Nan doesn't feel the book does justice to his experiences, and it is indeed stripped down to the bare bones, but it is indeed a story worth telling.

#37: Any idea where I might be able to buy a copy since it is self-published, Roni?

I didn't know, but when I went looking on the back of the title page, it was published through Amazon and Amazon does indeed have it for sale here:

http://www.amazon.com/Surviving-Holocaust-Kijowskis-Journey-Wicked/dp/1453668365...

#39: Thanks, Roni!

Jealous, jealous, JEALOUS that you are getting the new McKinley book!

*goes off to pout*

I'm so sorry, Amy! Sarah (BeSerene) and FicusFan got it too.

Book #108 The Postman* by David Brin (321 pp.)

Mac had this book in his Halloween list on the blackdogbooks Halloween reads thread (I'm not really sure why!), and I decided to read it again, since it had been probably 14 years since I last read it. My copy had disappeared so I ordered it from PaperBackSwap, which usually has really good condition books, but this one wasn't, with corners of the cover cracked off and bent. The story is still a good one, moves quickly with lots of action, and raises interesting questions, but I think this time I question the actions leading to the climax a bit more.

I'm also jealous about the McKinley book! But I can't wait to hear what you think of it. :)

>42 ronincats:: The Postman is the type of book (SciFi/post apocalyptic - if I'm remembering it correctly) I usually ignore, but for some reason I picked it up at the library when I lived in Colorado Springs. Well, I read it and actually liked it! I think it was before I started my reading journal so I have no notes to refer to. I think my point here is that it's good to try new genres.

I'm going to read some reviews to see if it jogs my memory. Thanks for mentioning it. Did you see the movie with Kevin Costner? I didn't but heard it wasn't great.

#42: I read that one for the first time last year and enjoyed it. I am glad Mac's Halloween challenge is bringing it to the fore.

I wouldn't have read if not for Mac's challenge and I really liked it.

Hi, Carrie, Stasia, and Donna. I'm glad you liked it. I actually like some of Brin's other work better, but this is a good story. I am playing with the idea of creating a reading group of books about women's roles in apocalyptic situations, although some are social apocalypses rather than physical as in this case. Maybe next year, if anyone is interested, reading Le Guin's Always Coming Home (the most directly comparable to The Postman), Tepper's Gibbon's Decline and Fall, Elgin's Native Tongue, and I guess we would have to include Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale. That would certainly make for some interesting discussions, although it's an ambitious list.

I'm excited, too, Faith, but sometimes it takes a while to get these ER books. And someone has told me that Pegasus is just the first half of a story, and who knows when the second will come out!

Book #109 Changeless by Gail Carriger (374 pp.)

Well! I am certainly glad that I have Blameless right at hand, with that ending! This is another fine romp. If anything, I think I might have enjoyed it more than the first.

Book #110 84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff (97 pp.)

Read this this morning in the tub. Fascinating. One doesn't realized how LONG the British were rationing after the war. And I have to drool over the prices of those luscious books. Pure envy.

I'd be interested in a group read of the titles you mentioned. The only one I've read is The Handmaiden's Tale, but the others look interesting and I wouldn't mind a reread.

I just finished Soulless earlier this week and loved it, but my library doesn't have the sequels so I'll have to buy them.

#47: Roni, are you going to set up an entirely separate group or just do a group read here within this group? I will take part either way, I just need the clarification - and the complete book list so that I can make sure that I can get hold of all of them!

I meant to do it the way we have been doing so many of our group reads, here in the 75 group, Stasia. It would overlap with your Austen read, but I can't see starting it before January. I definitely want to reread the Austen oeuvre as it has been a good number of years since I have read many of them.

Oh, good, I'm glad it will be in this group. I'm generally terrible at group reads anyway, but at least there's some hope if they take place in a group I'm already part of.

>49 Kittybee: I love it that Changeless and Blameless were released as paperbacks, so that buying them wasn't a huge burden.

Yes, wasn't it nice that they were first released in paperback! I'll lay you odds that #4 won't be...

Book #111 Blameless by Gail Carriger (355 pp.)

This series is simply a romp, no two ways about it. Book 3 continues to be a lot of fun.

Yes, wasn't it nice that they were first released in paperback! I'll lay you odds that #4 won't be...

Book #111 Blameless by Gail Carriger (355 pp.)

This series is simply a romp, no two ways about it. Book 3 continues to be a lot of fun.

#51: Since we always seem to have multiple group reads going on in this group, Roni, I do not think having simultaneous ones will be a problem. Actually, I think it will be quite interesting reading Austen at the same time as reading about women's roles in apocalyptic books.

Could you PM me with the proposed book list? I will have to make sure I am able to get my hands on all of them.

ronin, have you ever read Z for Zachariah by Robert O'Brien? I'm not sure I would have time to commit to your women-in-apocalyse reading list, but if you were looking for a good YA offering, that would be a great title to consider.

No, I haven't, although I love his Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. That book looks like it would fit into a whole 'nother grouping, with books by H. M. Hoover (Children of Morrow) and Wilanne Schneider Belden (Mind Call, MindHold, and MindFind), where teens or preteens are dealing with an apocalyptic event. Many of those are fairly hard to find, although they are excellent. Hoover's This Time of Darkness, for example, has the same plot as The Children of Ember, but was written 25 years earlier. And is a better book.

Book #112 Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman (370 pp.)

Well, I finally got around to reading this--that is, PaperBackSwap came through. It's right up my alley, reading-wise, so it's probably surprising I hadn't read it much earlier. I don't do Sandman. My first exposure to Gaiman was his collaboration with Terry Pratchett on Good Omens, which I adore. Then I read American Gods, which was okay but not a favorite, then Anansi Boys, which was. And lately, Coraline and The Graveyard Book, the latter of which I again loved, not least because The Jungle Books were read over and over again when I was young.

With Neverwhere, I think I may finally be able to determine which elements of Good Omens came from which author!

The story, truth be told, is not that original in its basic elements. This is a theme that, like the Tam Lin ballad, has been used as a source over and over again. While the Tam Lin theme goes back hundreds of years, this theme seems to have arisen in the urban age specifically. A regular, ordinary person discovers an underworld under the city and has adventures thereby. But Gaiman knows how to tell a good story. He interweaves elements from a number of different mythologies seamlessly. And his use of the London Underground subway stations is inspired! I read this from 8:30 to 11:30 last night without stopping until I got to the end, I was so engrossed in the tale. Highly recommended.

Hi Roni, I am finally catching up one everyone's threads.

Congratulations on your McKinley win!

#42 David Brin is another author I would like to try but still haven't got round to yet!

#47 I would definitely be interested, although my local libraries do not have copies of any of the books you mentioned with the exception of The Handmaid's Tale which I read earlier this year. I would just have to buy my own copies!

#48 I was prepared for the cliffhanger at the end of Changeless but I was still glad I had Blameless to hand. And I read 84, Charing Cross Road recently too and loved it. I didn't really know how long the rationing lasted either. Reading about it like that made it seem more real.

#58 That's one I have tried to mooch several times but it always fell through. One of my local libraries has a copy so I really ought to get round to it.

I love Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH too. And have you ever read The Silver Crown? I almost memorized it, I read it so much as a teen.

Interesting that you noted the predictable elements of Neverwhere but still enjoyed it. I really didn't care for it; the characters were all so clichéd. And I went in really wanting to like Gaiman and get on that bandwagon. Ah well. There's still The Graveyard Book to try, which has gotten an astounding number of rave reviews. Watch, I'll be the first person to hate it, lol.

Gaiman is definitely one of those authors I have a love-hate relationship with. I loved most of Stardust, but there were elements that really turned me off and broke the fairy-tale tone (the sex scenes, Yvaine swearing when she hits the ground, a little bathroom humor). And "The Problem of Susan" may very well be the nastiest thing I've ever read. Uggggh.

I really enjoyed Neverwhere, which was only the second Gaiman book I had read (the other being his The Graveyard Book). I am glad to see you liked it too, Roni!

I really liked Neverwhere too! Have you seen the movie Mirrormask? It was written by Neil Gaiman and I thought it was fantastic. I think you'd probably like it :)

First, in defense of The Postman's place on the Halloween list. I am a 'generalist' when it comes to Halloween. anything related to the fantastic makes it for me, whether it's frightening or unusual. So, the post-apocalyptic nature got it onto the list.

Second, I found myself back in my hometown this last weekend unexpectedly. this is where my favorite and most loaded used booksotre resides. Since it was a last minute trip, I didn't have my list of 'look-fors' but I remembered to look for Emma Bull. They had one again, but not the right one. I'm on the trail now. I love the hunt!

Finally, Go Giants!!!!! Glad you can root for the enemy.

>58 ronincats:: Neverwhere was my first Gaiman and has remained my favorite.

>60 atimco:: I haven't read The Graveyard Book, either. The gushing praise made me set it aside until I could read it without undue expectations. We'll see.

#65: I read The Graveyard Book before it won the Newbery so there was not quite the gushing going on yet about it. I still loved it.

Tad, do you love The Jungle Books by Kipling? If so, you will enjoy this homage.

(NOT the dreadful Disneyfied one, the original)

>67 ronincats:: They are some of my favorite books of all time. However, that can be bad...pale imitations as it were.

#68: Don't let that stop you from reading The Graveyard Book! I thought it was great on its own merit and wasn't like an imitation so much as Roni says, an homage.

My quote of the day, from the autobiography of Elizabeth Goudge I am reading, The Joy of the Snow:

"Flat on my stomach I read the Andrew Lang fairy books, the Waverly novels and Dickens, and later in an upright position much of Thackeray and Trollope and the Brontes, and last of all Jane Austen. I read them in that order, an order prescribed by my father. I read as children do, by suction. My sight was so good and my body so free from aches and pains that I did not know reading could have a physical side to it. A book just flowed in."

Yes, I remember reading like that as a child...

That's great --- I remember those days of reading too. Oh, for a second childhood!
I'm sort of in and out of your proposed group read. I could never finish Always Coming Home, so now I might. I reread most of Gibbon's Decline and Fall last year, and I just received Native Tongue from PBS. Good timing! (Sheri S. Tepper is such a favorite!) I don't think I'd reread *Handmaid* right now, but I haven't read Oryx and Crake, so maybe I could be a sub-group or give a minority report.

Book #113 The Joy of the Snow by Elizabeth Goudge (268 pp.)

This book is an autobiography of a favorite writer, Elizabeth Goudge. I like Goudge's writing because it is luminous with both attachment to beautiful places (English cathedrals and woods, in particular) and a spiritual peace to which the main characters attain. Wikipedia says:

"Goudge's books are notably Christian in outlook, and cover such themes as sacrifice, conversion, discipline, healing, and growth through suffering. Her novels, both realistic and more fantasy works, all use inter-weaving legend and myth to create a very mythic ethos. Whether written for adults or children, the same child-like quality of myth and hope pervades Goudge's work and is the source of its appeal to readers."

This book will be of interest truly only to those who have read and loved her books, telling of her quiet life, her family and the places she lived that made such important settings in her books. But for those of us fitting that description, this is a delightful peek into the author's life.

#72: My local library has that one and I have already put it on hold. Thanks for the recommendation, Roni!

I love the quote @ #70 too.

I still catch myself reading in that belly on the ground pose, and when I get up my back reminds me not to do it any longer. But I forget....

This is a first for me. We went to the (garden) nursery this morning for a winter vegetables class, and then to a breakfast cafe afterward. Because there was a long line, we sat at the counter instead. And there were TWO people sitting reading from their bookreaders while they ate. The lady next to me had a Nook. The guy at the end had his reader on a stand and read the whole time he ate (how convenient!!!)--it seemed larger than the nook so maybe a Kindle? First time I've seen people actually reading on them, and to have two!

Book #114 Blackout by Connie Willis (491 pp.)

I started this book last night because it is a thick one and I needed to be done for my RL book group on Tuesday evening, plus the second book, All Clear, goes on sale on Tuesday and I want to go buy it that morning. But now I am done with this one already! And, as advised, this is just the first half of the story, so now I have to wait three days before I can lay hands on the second. No review of this one--I have to wait until I finish the second and review it all as one book.

*twiddles thumbs*

*sighs*

It's a long time until 10:00 Tuesday morning. Whatever shall I do with myself?

So, Roni? You liked it? I glanced through the reviews at Amazon, and some readers said it wasn't up to Willis snuff. I can't decide whether to put it on the Kindle or wait for the price to come down. (I can buy about 3 things for Kindle right now, thanks to birthday money, and I have to choose carefully. I'm pretty sure that Blackout and All Clear won't be two of them right now.)

It's a marvelous picture of England in 1940. So far it's been multiple viewpoints of the 3 historians sent back--they've only just come together and we don't really know WHAT their story will end up being until the second book is read. Ask me again on Wednesday!

#76: Looking forward to reading both Blackout and All Clear once I get them in my hot little hands. Glad you liked the first book, Roni!

>75 ronincats:: The local small diner smiles when they see us coming in. Five people, all carrying books. The waitresses know to keep plates of food to a minimum so that there's plenty of room for books in the middle of the table.

I see a lot of them when I travel, which is the place they make most sense. But I still don't like the look and feel.....nothing replaces the book.

I have three souvenirs of that time in the mid-70s when I was in my mid-20s and in the middle of an unwanted divorce: nearly all the Essie Summers Harlequin romances (52), nearly all the Betty Neels Harlequin romances (100), and 25 of Glenna Finley's Signet romances. None of which are catalogued yet, btw. In the interests of shelf space, I am considering letting go my Finleys. So I am picking two of them at random off the shelf to read, since it has probably been over 20 years since I have read any of them, to confirm my decision.

Return Engagement by Glenna Finley (185 pp.)

All of Finley's books are contemporary (mid-70's through the 80's), and feature a spunky and capable young career woman, a man who thinks he always knows best, a Place, and an element of physical danger for the woman. In this book, the place is Santa Fe, where Kelsey is house sitting for her godfather. Her former fiance, Brent, shows up with a large Airedale to take over house sitting, and all kinds of sparks fly. As usual, there is more going on than meets the eye, but after the large dog rescues Kelsey, you can pretty much assume the ending. Cover blurbs compare Finley to Emilie Loring, and at the time I considered them better than the typical romance. Now that I no longer read romances, I have no idea of how it would compare to contemporaries, except that in those days, there was no sex. ;-)

I've definitely outgrown these! Onto the trading block they go. That gives me 18" of shelf space!

Book #116 To Catch a Bride by Glenna Finley (213 pp.)

This one was chosen because San Diego was the "Place". Same features as noted above in the first sentence of the review.

I got rid of a ton of my series romances earlier this year, Roni. I have outgrown them as well although I did not gain any shelf space - they were stored in those 'under the bed' type tubs. I think I emptied 8 or so of them :)

This is a bit late in the thread, but I see you enjoyed 84 Charing Cross Road and am glad for the reminder to go pick it up from the library!

>76 ronincats: I love your description of waiting for the second book, Roni! Though I read Blackout 'way back when it came out, I have All Clear on hold at the library and hope to have it soon, too. :)

>84 alcottacre: I will probably get rid of my Neels books at some point in the future, Stasia, but may keep my Essie Summers. I love her descriptions of New Zealand (where she lived) in her books--they have infused me with a life-long desire to visit New Zealand and see them for myself. The two of them take up the bottom long shelf in the front bedroom, about 6 feet or so of linear space.

> I hope you enjoy it, Marie!

#87: If you head to NZ, Roni, smuggle me in your suitcase! lol

Duffle bag for me, please.

#76 Mental note not to start reading Blackout until I have All Clear... I still have Doomsday Book to read so it probably won't be for a while.

Book #117 The Puppet Masters by Robert Heinlein (175 pp.)

Interesting. I haven't read this in years! Classic post-war SF (published in 1951), it is set in 2007. Parasitic alien invaders land and take over the minds of their hosts. Story is not bad for its time, rather dated now. Lots of death and destruction, but the only one I really minded was Pirate.

"O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!"

My Third Thingaversary is coming up Sunday, and coincidentally two new books by some of my favorite authors were released today. So at 10:00 PST I am in front of Mysterious Galaxy (www.mysteriousgalaxy.com), second in a line of three, but the guy in front of me is a true geek and wants the number 6, so I am number one in the signing line for both Cryoburn by Lois McMaster Bujold and All Clear by Connie Willis at their booksignings there next week!! And I also found the sequel to The Magicians and Mrs. Quent and got that. Then, I forgot that this was only my third thingaversary and thought it was 4 and got Quatrain by Sharon Shinn, which is 4 novellas set in her various worlds. I think I was only supposed to get three books, right? (Too bad!) ( 8>P ) I am in reading heaven.

We'll just say that the 4th was a purchase unrelated to your Thingaversary.

Sounds like a great morning, love it when my favourite writers come to town. My third thngaversary was last month and I reckon I used that 3 books rule about 3 times!

WOW! I'm so impressed!!!! Look real hard at both Ms. Bujold and Ms. Willis for a true, true fan!

ETA: I downloaded Blackout on Kindle yesterday!
edited again to fix Touchstone...

Happy Thingaversary!

ditto what Angela said.

And based on your commments I think I have to get Neverwhere from the library, I liked The Graveyard Book and Coraline

Happy Thingaversary! I have no problem with you getting an extra book -- and one to "grow on!" Very cool that you got signed copies of two of your books. Could you get the authors to write 'Happy Thingaversary'?

Actually, Donna, I'm sure that I can. What a great idea!! They always ask how you want it inscribed.

Book #118 All Clear by Connie Willis (641 pp.)

This is the rest of the story started in Blackout. The two volumes ARE all one book, one story--you can't have one without the other, and I am so glad I waited to read the first until the second was nearly here.

If you liked Doomsday Book, the historicity and the way Willis handles writing about people and relationship, you will love this one. Blackout was more difficult to read (I still finished all 491 pages within 24 hours) because you have a lot of viewpoint switches, chapter by chapter, that are completely unrelated at first. I was wishing for one of those lists of characters--but that wouldn't have worked at all, and you understand why later. But if you put in the effort to go through the extended set-up, All Clear more than makes up for it, and makes it all worthwhile! Can't really say more without spoilers but if other people read it and want to talk about it, we can set up a separate thread.

Perhaps my first 5 star rating of the year!

ETA I forgot to throw in a teaser that Agatha Christie has a cameo and a definite presence in the book as well!

#99: Oh, I cannot wait to get my hands on the Willis books!

#92 Mysterious Galaxy sounds like a great bookshop. And author signings to boot! And by picking the book up beforehand you can tell them how much you enjoyed reading it too :-)

Blackout and All Clear sound really, really good. I have added them to my shortlist of books to buy (as opposed to my ridiculously long list of books to read!)

Book #119 Cryoburn by Lois McMaster Bujold (339 pp.)

Bujold is one of my favorite authors. She writes books with people who are real, who grip you, who grow across books, with humor and pathos and real issues. This book, the most recent of the Vorkosigan series, continues the story at her usual high quality.

I received my copies of All Clear and Blackout in the mail today! I am very excited.

Yay, Stasia! 1132 pages to read! I do hope you enjoy the story as much as I did.

#104: Yep, I will jump right on that - not :) I am waiting on Carolyn, since she and I are going to read them together. I cannot wait!

*sigh* Another series I really want to read... :)

I've put Cryoburn on my Christmas list because I have to provide suggestions, so I won't get to that for a couple of months.

Book #120 WHere the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin (278 pp.)

This is an absolutely charming folk tale! The stories within stories are strung together like pearls on a wire, that in the end merge seamlessly with the cover story of Minli seeking the Man in the Moon. I loved what happened with her parents as much or more so than her own adventures, and I think these layerings are what lift this above the typical children's story into something truly lovely. Many, many thanks to our lovely Whisper, Linda, for bringing this to our attention!

#108: I just read that one this past week and have been shoving it on everyone on my thread! I am so glad you liked it too, Roni!

Oh, shoot! While I presaged my Thingaversary in message 92, I completely forgot about it on the date itself last Sunday. My third anniversary of LibraryThing! I jumped in with a life membership immediately and thought it a great deal! Now I can't imagine life without it. And I still haven't accomplished the original goal, what I thought LibraryThing was going to be all about, of cataloguing all my books--I keep getting distracted by this group instead!

Happy belated Thingaversary!

I think the distraction of this group has really enhanced the way I read. I don't have a lot of bookish friends so it's nice to get to talk about books! I can't imagine life without it either. :)

I will echo the sentiment - I cannot imagine my life without this group or LT either one.

Happy Thingaversary, Roni!

Thanks, Marie and Stasia!

Happy Thingaversary!

I agree that this site has really enhanced the way I read. I'm choosing much better books now, and I'm just much more satisfied with my reading overall. As someone recently put it in another Talk thread: "cataloguing, shmataloguing!" ;)

Just wondering...did you get your new books inscribed with "Happy Thingaversary?"

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon looks like a perfect Christmas gift for one of the many children on my list. Maybe I'll make it easy on myself and buy multiple copies.

Tonight and tomorrow night are the book signings, Donna, and I'm certainly planning on it!

WTMMTM would make great gifts!! Go for it.

Look at what I found in this month's Real Simple magazine. Perfect for us, no?

#117: I cannot read the titles! lol

But how can you read them if they're all stacked up like that? :)

Actually, that's pretty cute and even I could do it!
HAPPY THINGAVERSITY, RONI!

Ta-DAAA!

#121: Wonderful, Roni! What a great Thingaversary gift!!

121: Very cool!

Awesome...

Yes, officially amazing.

That is SO cool! I always forget my thingaversary and remember about two weeks after the fact so no worries about forgetting yours :0)

And HERE is part 2, from the signing last night!

That is so cool, Roni. Those books should have a permanent and special place in your library. I only have one autographed book (that I can think of) and it isn't even inscribed to me. Just a generic "Stephen King" signature. Although, when he was at our bookstore in Colorado Springs he only autographed 100 copies of Insomnia. We had to resort to a lottery system and pay full price! As a store employee, I was used to getting my books 45% off. The funny thing is, I still haven't read the book!

These are two of my favorite authors, and their brand-new hardback books, so they will definitely have a permanent place in my collection!! Thanks again for the idea, Donna.

#127: Woo Hoo! That is terrific, Roni! Happy Thingaversary indeed.

#121 & 127 That's brilliant. Did they ask what a Thingaversary was? Did you get to talk to them much?

#117 The Christmas Tree is also very cute, although am I the only one worrying about the book spines?

Heather, I was first in a long line so didn't get to talk to them for long, but for a few minutes.

I don't think the Real Simple people were into books for books' sakes, as most of the suggestions involved pretty much destroying the book itself. The spines in the decoration were minimal mutilation!

Okay, I've been reading and not posting.
Book #121 Pegasus by Robin McKinley (397 pp.)

Pegasus is an ARC from the Early Reviewers that I won in September. I loved it, and I owe a review on it, and I'm still mulling it over in my head, trying to figure out how to do it justice.

Book #122 The Curse of Chalion by Lois McMaster Bujold (442 pp.)
Book # 123 Paladin of Souls by Lois McMaster Bujold (456 pp.)

The Curse of Chalion is one of the other books I took for Bujold to sign Wednesday night, and since I was there an hour early to get a good seat, I started reading it again, because I love it and it had been at least a year, and of course I got sucked in all over again. It is SUCH a good story. And having read it, I also had to go ahead and re-read Paladin of Souls, which is even better. And both exemplify why I love Bujold's books.

Book #124 Bellwether by Connie Willis (247 pp)

And then, after listening to Willis last night, and reaffirming how much I enjoy her sense of humor, I also had to reread Bellwether (also taken along for signing) just to enjoy it a bit longer.

I picked up my library branch's copy of Middlemarch today, although the Norton edition is on its way and so is Harold Bloom's analysis of it, so I could get started on time--neither of those will make it before Tuesday at the earliest. This one is 799 pages.

Pegasus is an ARC from the Early Reviewers that I won in September. I loved it, and I owe a review on it, and I'm still mulling it over in my head.

#133: Pegasus is already in the BlackHole, I own the 2 Bujold books as well as the Willis book, so I am hoping to get to them. . .eventually :)

Cannot wait to see your review of the McKinley book, Roni!

#133 Well, as usual. I want to read all of those... The Curse of Chalion has been on my bedside table for months and I have been told I need to get it soon by so many people. But I am going to read Doomsday Book this month.

A shame you didn't get to talk to Bujold and Willis much although I imagine everyone else in the queue also wanted longer with them. Glad you enjoyed the rereads so much :-)

Okay, time for my October summary:

I read the most books this month of any month this year: 19 books, amounting to 6117 pages.

3 biography
2 romance (rereads that resulted in culling all 25 books by this author out of my library)
6 science fiction
8 fantasy

12 were new reads, 7 were re-reads.
Of the rereads, 2 were the romances above, 2 were on Mac's Halloween read list, and 3 were rereads of the authors of the new books I read and went to their book signings this week simply because I was enjoying their voices so much.

17 were my own books, 2 were library books, although I liked Where the Mountain Meets the Moon so much that I went out and bought it today to give to my greatniece for Christmas.

Some great reads this month, with three of my favorite authors coming out with new books. The single story arc contained in Blackout and All Clear by Connie Willis is my top rated book(s), with a rating of 5.0. The re-reads of The Curse of Chalion and Paladin of Souls are also 5 ratings. Pegasus may become a 5 but it is only the first half of the story and must wait for the rest of the story to be published to be rated.

106. The Shadow Pavilion by Liz Williams (346 pp.)
107. Surviving the Holocaust: Stan Kijowski's Journey in a Wicked World by Anna M. Mitchell (108 pp.)
108. The Postman* by David Brin (321 pp.)
109. Changeless by Gail Carriger (388 pp.)
110. 84, Charing Cross Road+ by Helene Hanff (97 pp.)
111. Blameless by Gail Carriger (355 pp.)
112. Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman (370 pp.)
113. The Joy of the Snow by Elizabeth Goudge (268 pp.)
114. Blackout by Connie Willis (491 pp.)
115. Return Engagement* by Glenna Finley (185 pp.)
116. To Catch a Bride* by Glenna Finley (213 pp.)
117. The Puppet Masters* by Robert Heinlein (175 pp.)
118. All Clear by Connie Willis (641 pp.)
119. Cryoburn by Lois McMaster Bujold (339 pp.)
120. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon+ by Grace Lin (278 pp.)
121. Pegasus by Robin McKinley (397 pp.)
122. The Curse of Chalion* by Lois McMaster Bujold (442 pp.)
123. Paladin of Souls* by Lois McMaster Bujold (456 pp.)
124. Bellwether* by Connie Willis (247 pp.)

#136: Wow, you had a great reading month, Roni!

Congrats on the good reading month! I can't wait to read Pegasus

I just got an email earlier today that my hardback of Pegasus had been shipped, so it is now available! Yes, I'm going ahead and buying the book because I want the hardback first edition, even though I have the ARC. Support those authors!

I read Neverwhere last year. Not my favourite Neil Gaiman book, but I enjoyed it. Everything else on that list is new to me I think so happy to hear your recommendations.

You've been reading lots of great books lately, so where do I start with Bujold?

For you, Kerry, I would say start with The Curse of Chalion. After you've read that and Paladin of Souls, then try the science fiction starting with The Warrior's Apprentice. That's where I would recommend Stephen to start as well, if he's not read any Bujold. Stephen, there is going to be a special British edition of Willis' duo, Blackout and All Clear, coming out sometime in the near future--I do highly recommend it.

"there is going to be a special British edition of Willis' duo, Blackout and All Clear, coming out sometime in the near future"

*Nearly faints with excitement* :-D

That is such good news - Willis' books aren't all that easily available in the UK atm (by which I mean no discount on amazon and US editions)

Willis definitely said "special British edition" at the book-signing, although she didn't know dates. Only fair--the book is completely set in Southern England during the blitz except for a few scenes and all the characters are British.

It hit 85 degrees here yesterday and 90 today--I haven't felt like reading much for some reason. But my newly planted garden is undoubtedly enjoying the heat for germination.

Mysterious Galaxy just posted pictures from last week's book-signings on their site. This is Lois and crew. I am in the second row directly in front of Lois, behind the empty chair with short blondish hair and a rose-colored print top.

Cool!

I see you - very neat!

Hi Roni, nice to finally meet you face-to-face! LibraryThing is so cool...much better than Facebook. ;-)

Thanks for sharing the pic, Roni!

That's neat that it was such an intimate setting!

I've never gone to a book signing. I suppose I should one day just to see if I like them. My wife went to one a couple of days ago for Stephanie Powers' new book about her life with William Holden and the conservation farm in Kenya.

Nope, sorry. I refuse to believ that is you, Roni. This is you:

http://stargate.blogvie.com/files/2009/03/ronan4.jpg

Although I gues you have more cats.

Thanks, Jim, Donna, Stasia and Marie for visiting.

Tad, I am not indiscriminate or promiscuous in my book signings--but I do try to go for my favorite authors. I've gone to MG over the years for Bujold a number of times, for Willis, for Robin McKinley AND for Terry Pratchett when Monstrous Regiment came out! Now that I am retired, I may try to go to a few more.

I like it, Stephen, although couldn't you have found the same thing (garments, dreadlocks, sword, looks) in a female gender? My WiiFit age this morning was 28, so sprinkle a few cats around, make it a strikingly handsome woman instead of this fellow and, yes, I DO like it!

Only desultory reading this week. I'm through 9 chapters of Middlemarch for the group read. I listened to a CD and a half of The Colour of Magic for my first try at an audiobook, and am not sure it is for me. I am a highly visual preference person, and kept having to go restrain myself from pulling the book off the shelf to SEE--although I was organizing stuff in the dining room while listening, which was the whole point. I also am a couple of chapters into the second Connor Grey book by Mark del Franco, Unquiet Dreams.

In the last three days, it has been 90, 95, and 101 degrees respectively here in San Diego (our summer, finally!!), but today should be only in the 80s, and then back to the high 60s tomorrow. Of course, the heat came after I started pulling all my summer clothes out of my closets, and made it too hot to get into the attic to get my winter clothes down--but then, I've needed to WEAR my summer clothes this week, haven't I? So it's as well I hadn't completed it. Although with our climate, I always leave SOME shorts and sleeveless tops down for our intermittent Santa Anas during the winter.

#154: We have the same problem with clothes here in Texas, Roni. My husband, every year, will say to me, 'Is it too early to pull out my summer clothes?' and I say 'Yes, it is.' and sure enough we get another chill in April. We go through it the opposite way every winter. It was 80+ here the other day, but the temperature last night dropped down to 39. There is no telling what the temp is going to be at this time of year around here!

#142 Thanks for the info on Bujold's books, I'll try looking for a couple the next time I visit my favourite used bookshop.
Re-signings - I often go to a book signing if it's a writer I really like. I find my children have enjoyed this a lot over the years as well, one of the most entertaining was Daniel Handler aka Lemony Snicket.

Oh, Roni, what a SUPER experience!!!!!!! I adore both Bujold and Willis and I WILL NOT START CHALION or any other rereads right now, but I'd surely love to. And I am now officially reading Blackout.

Dear Friend!

Thank you for your lovely cards and notes! You are a super, super lady! If I could, I would replace your hot California weather with some of the lovely cool fall days here in NE Pennsylvania.

This morning, while sipping tea, I looked outside to see two beautiful bright red cardinals, a blue jay, three black and white cats playing in the wooded area behind our house, and lo and behold, a gray fox!

It seems as though Marlin Perkins nature show was in my back yard.

The foliage is red, yellow and gold and the wind is softly whipping and twirling the leaves as they flutter in the air.

Kerry, you will enjoy Bujold, I guarantee!

Lizzie, how exciting! I hope you have All Clear close to hand, as you will want to move onto it immediately!

Linda!! Lovely lady! I am excited to see you here! I am glad that one of the bonuses of your pain is being able right now, for a time, to sit and enjoy such wonderful scenes!

(That's the wonderful thing about Kindle. When I'm ready (and have the $), it's right there!)

Book # 125 Unquiet Dreams by Mark del Franco (292 pp.)

Once again, Connor Grey, psychically crippled Druid, is drawn into a police case as a consultant for the murder of a human boy by a fey. Again, I liked the characters, the mystery, the politicking among the fey. Yet again, this second book of the series ends in a major "end of the world" caliber of disaster to be averted. There are two more books in the series already--I'll read them because I enjoy them, but how many times can one save the entire world without becoming ridiculous? Oh, and the end of this book leaves an enormous dangle regarding the episode that crippled Grey before the first book started--that's a clever incentive as well.

#145 Great picture Roni!

I am enjoying our autumn and do not envy you your 90 degrees +. Oof - too hot for me!

#161: I still need to get to the first book in the series. Thanks for the reminder!

>145 ronincats: *waves at Roni*

I love Bujold's careful world-building. She's got something special in her writing that makes a place, a person, even a spaceship come alive. Good stuff!

Hey, Richard, you've got THAT right! *waves back*

Dropping by to say hi....don't often comment, but I do lurk!

Good Morning Roni!

Good morning, sweet Linda. May this be a day of healing for you!

Hi Roni!

Waving 'Hello!'

Hello, everyone! Anne and Stasia, we took our little dog and went walking through Balboa Park in the sunshine and the 75 degree weather with everyone else and their dog, after dropping off 4 bags of bonus clothing and shoes at Goodwill--the result of my two-day going through and organizing clothing project. And I have 40 more pieces of clothing waiting for my appointment with the consignment shop. Which is to say, I have just barely made room for my new purchases this year, sad to say. But another non-reading day, although I daresay I shall get book 12 of Middlemarch read this evening at least!

What nice weather! We are finally experiencing cold and snow here in CO after a very warm, mild fall. I don't ever remember it not snowing until November before.

I was working on a writing lesson yesterday with my fifth graders, and modeling with them using my own writing. I had to write about a funny experience, and I wrote about being in college (UCSD), watching the fog rolling in so thick from the ocean, and playing hide-and-seek in it with my friends. No need to hide, really, you couldn't even see your own hand in front of your face :) It made me nostalgic for San Diego! Hope you have a great weekend with more nice weather.

I am a few pages into Chapter 15 of Middlemarch--lots of authorial voice at the beginning of this one, but I stopped by the library today to pick up the Norton edition as well as a book of literary criticism of it edited by Harold Bloom, and What Jane Austen Ate and Charles Dickens Knew.

Also stopped by a used bookstore after my craft class and picked up Cozy in Kansas by Nancy Mehl (because of the setting, my home state) and Storm From the Shadows by David Weber. And a book came in the mail today from PaperBackSwap, Poet's Choice: Poems for Everyday Life edited by Robert Hass.

Sounds like you made out like a bandit today in the book department, Roni.

I read Middlemarch last year and was surprised to find it really quite interesting, although of the classics I read last year, Madam Bovary stands out.

Interesting you say about the authorial voice. That is certainly characteristic of Middlemarch, but seems to be characteristic of 19th century books in general, whereas these days it is very rare to read a book that is not first person or limited third person in point of view, so that authorial voice almost sounds like a writing mistake unless extremely carefully done. Like semicolons though, one finds it hard to imagine a good 19th century work without this, even if modern works have none.

Well, the two I can think of are not typical. Lemony Snickett is imitating the Victorian authors in his series, and Brandon Sanderson's insertion of his authorial voice in his Alcatraz versus the Evil Librarians is simply annoying, IMHO.

Book #126 In the Dead of Winter by Nancy Mehl. (141 pp.)
Okay, I picked up this anthology in a used book store for $3 because it is set in Kansas, my home state. In the Dead of Winter is a cozy mystery set in a small town in Western Kansas, but not much of the flavor of Kansas comes through--it could pretty much be any small town, except when they refer to Colby's ball of twine. Ivy is returning to the town to dispose of her great aunt's bookstore, and we have a lot of figuring out not only who killed the great aunt but who Ivy is. There are some interesting characters, a bit of mystery, some religion, but pretty much a run-of-the-mill cozy.

Hi There Lovely Lady

I'm sorry I missed your birthday. I hope you had a day as special as you are!

Well, you didn't because I still have three hours of it left, Linda. It's been a great day. We went down to Mimi's for breakfast this morning ($10 off birthday coupon) and then to the movie theater to see Harry Potter at 11 am (using gift tickets from retirement), back home for a rest and watched the first half of the KU game before going to the Prado at Balboa Park for paella and then down to Seaport Village for coffee, and just got home. A very nice day, thank you!

Happy belated birthday from me, Roni! Sounds like you have had a wonderful day though.

Thank you, Stasia. No reading though, except for LT threads.

You can always stay up all night and read along with me :)

that's something to think about, a support group to keep each other company late at night.

Well, at least staying on until 10 here keeps me up with you to midnight, Stasia!

There is a substantial group who are up in the wee hours of the night--not necessarily by choice like Stasia! I have joined them some nights, although with retirement the stress level seems to have gone down enough that I don't do it often, beeg.

Another non-reading day. The problem with having husband around full-time. Off to breakfast AGAIN (I shall balloon forthwith!), and then to the local apple dealer's open house to update myself in a workshop on how to keep my Mac healthy. Then home to finish cleaning the living room and cleaning out the armoire that used to house the TV before we got the big screen, and now, after cleaning, houses all my bags of yarns and crochet kits.

And then to catch up on two days worth of Facebook games, which I am still doing, and also today's LT threads...when is there time to read? Tomorrow, I promise!

Happy Belated Birthday, Roni. It sounds like you had a fun day.

I hope tomorrow is a good reading day for both of us. My time has been limited lately, too. I tend to get very testy when I'm not able to read. On that note, I'm taking my book and going to bed. As you see by the time, I won't be joining the night owl group. ;-)

I will keep the night owl group going for you and Donna, Roni. I promise :)

A belated happy birthday from me too!

Blackout and All Clear sound good. I liked Doomsday Book...and have been eyeing those two for a while now..

They are, very good, Kath! I can't wait until Peggy (LizzieD.) finishes them!!

I forgot to list the results of my bookstore visit to Borders last Thursday with a 33% off coupon and $10 in Borders Bucks:

The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N. K. Jemisin (recommended by Aerrin)

The Native Star by M. K. Hobson

Kitty and the Midnight Hour by Carrie Vaughn because the series keeps getting good recommendations from people with similar tastes to mine.

ETA and that makes it exactly 100 books acquired this year.

Nice haul, Roni!

100 books acquired, huh? Are you going to stop with that nice round number?

#188 I will be interested in hearing your thoughts on The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms Roni. I've heard quite a bit about that one.

so many good books, so little time..

Um, sure, right, Stasia, of course I plan to stop at that nice round number, uh-huh, yeah.

I'll let you know when I get to it, Heather.

You've got that right, Kath!

#192: Yeah, I believe you :) Of course, 200 is a nice round number as well, isn't it? lol

Another belated Happy Birthday, Roni! I must agree that 200 is a nice round number, but you'd better hustle! I'm thrilled to see that you bought a David Weber! I love my Honor, and I don't have either of the two newest ones yet....Storm from the Shadows and that other one. I'm still waiting for PBS to come through.
(Meanwhile, I'm finishing The Dervish House - near-future Istanbul and nanotech - before I really get into All Clear. Won't be long though.)

Book # 127 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling (759 pp.)

Okay, I could not resist. After seeing the film, which was very well done, I had to reread the book and see where they stopped. The film went through chapter 23, The Wandmaker, with some of the events there still to come in the last film, although the last event in the chapter is where the film stopped. So, about 500 pages into the book for this film. The biggest omission in the film, as far as I can see, is

s
p
o
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s
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why they omitted all the times they used the invisibility cloak in the book, when it is supposed to be an essential element later.

Also the film was really interesting in who was in it. Snape, for example, shows up in only one scene. The actors who Harry, Hermione and Ron supposedly became when they took the Polyjuice Potion before going into the Ministry had some really rich scenes as a result. Many of the key characters from prior movies showed up only briefly or not at all. Of course, we'll see them in the next film--should be very interesting.

s
p
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s
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Okay, I've bought book #101--isn't that a nice round number as well? Borders had a 50% off coupon, plus 10% for being a Rewards member, and I went and bought My Reading Life for a grand total of $11.25---simply irresistable!!

Happy Thanksgiving to you dear Roni. Your letters and posts have sustained me during a difficult recovery from surgery. I am ever so blessed by you!

Have a great Thanksgiving, Roni!

Sounds like #101 will be a winner, I really need to add that one to my wishlist too.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!

We just saw the movie yesterday -- I thought it was quite good -- that those three have developed a lot of trust as actors and did a very good job, since the focus was so much on them that's a good thing!

Happy Thanksgiving, Roni and those of you in the US!

We've been trying to get to Harry Potter 7 for the last 3 days--maybe tomorrow. I think we'll be too full this afternoon!

Thanks for the the thanksgiving wishes, Roni. I hope yours was good as well. and yes, I am thankfoul for the Giants. I got my World Series Champions hat, program, and t-shirt just before the holiday. I had to wear the t-shirt down to my families place, as my nephews, a Ranger fan and a Braves fan, were in attendance. They were not amused.

Hey, Mac, if you've got it, flaunt it! That's what I say.

book #128 My Reading Life by Pat Conroy (333 pp.)

I had a chance to pick up this not-cheap book with a really good coupon, and after all the buzz in this group about it, had to get it. It is fascinating reading. Conroy is clearly a passionate reader and writer, and this makes for good reading. He loves my favorite poem, "Fern Hill". What was interesting was we had just been discussing poetry on SqueakyChu's thread, and perhaps sharing favorite poems, so "Fern Hill" was uppermost in my mind when I next picked up My Reading Life and read the following on page 141. ""...I fell in love with and tried to memorize Dylan Thomas's "Fern Hill," which I found to be the most elegant prayer ever written, a hymn of God coughed up into his soft Welsh hand."

To read the text of Fern Hill for yourself, go to
http://www.sss-mag.com/fernhill/poem.html

Hi Roni, well how many people have to rave about this book before I get it and read it; love the poem.

#203: I need to put that one on my Christmas wish list - and hand the list to my hubby! Glad to see you liked it as well as everyone seems to have done, Roni.

Hiya Roni!

Drive by wave.... *WAVES* ... *zooms off*...

Wilkommen, bien venido, welcome, even the drive-bys (Faith!). Always glad to have visitors.

Haven't been getting much reading done. Have completely stalled out on Middlemarch at the moment, simply not picking it up. Have started Jane Eyre and The Eyre Affair concurrently, both rereads, for those groups.

Also have been watching my Jayhawks play basketball and crocheting Christmas gifts, housecleaning, prepping for starting Christmas cards and working on my Christmas lists.

Found the perfect gift for my greatniece, a Project Runway Fashion Design Projector Challenge Kit, just by chance at Costco the other day--she's a fourth grader interested in fashion design. I was going to get her an art set, by request, but this was perfect.

Sounds like a great gift...

Roni, I'm so glad you liked My Reading Life. It has supplanted Ex Libris as my favorite book about books.

Thanks for posting the link to "Fern Hill." If my boy Pat likes it, I'm sure I will, too. I just drooled (again) over his description of the poem: ... "the most elegant prayer ever written, a hymn of God coughed up into his soft Welsh hand." *sigh*

Roni

Thanks for the link to the beautiful poem!

Just checking in, Roni! Sounds like you found the perfect Christmas gift for your greatniece. I love when that happens!

Book #129 Jane Eyre* by Charlotte Bronte (462 pages)

It has been quite a few years since I last read this, and I was glad to come back to it for the group read. I always forget the richness of the language and the degree of immersion into Jane's thoughts and feelings, and how fascinating that is!

Unfortunately, my copy is a 1945 Junior Book Club Victory Edition, therefore published under the constraints of the War Production Board, which evidently extended to the typesetting, because I have never read a book with so many missing or incorrect letters, and that interfered so much with the pleasure of reading! I think I need to get me a new edition.

On to finish The Eyre Affair, where I get to re-meet Mr. Rochester and Jane and Pilot in quite different circumstances.

#213: I need to re-read Jane Eyre again as well. It is one of my all-time favorites and it has been far too long since I read it!

I really need to read it! Another classic I never got round to yet.

I ought to re-read Jane Eyre, too - I think it's been fifteen or twenty years since I read it.

I liked The Eyre Affair a lot, despite all the weirdness.

I now have the Conroy book ( TY Jude) and hope to read it early in the new year.. if not the very end of this year.

Hi Roni - just checking in to say that I picked up a copy of The Curse of Chalion yesterday and will put it near the top of my tbr pile.

Well worth a re-read, Stasia and Caty. Stephen, even the guys usually like this one.

Kath, the Conroy one is a good one to pick up and just read a chapter when you have the time--sometimes a good quality during holiday time.

Hey, Kerry, put it VERY near the top of your tbr pile! Woo Hoo!

Will do Roni, but you realise there are more books at the top of my tbr pile than the bottom of the pile, still it will be put on my bedside table which is prime positioning for a tbr.

Stopping by to say hi to one of my favorite LT members!

I hope your day is a good one!

Woo Hoo!!! I got a shout-out from Linda. I so hope you are feeling better and better every day!

Roni

I rec'd. your card and lovely letter... Thanks for your outreach that sustains and cheers.

>223 Whisper1: Only you know how truly boring my life is! ;-)

Book #130 The Eyre Affair* by Jasper Fforde (374 pp.)

Imagine a 1985 England where the populace is passionate about literature, riots break out between the Baconians and Marlowians regarding who really wrote Shakespeare's plays, the megacorporation Goliath has undue political influence, and England is still fighting the Crimean War with Russia.

Thursday Next, a Literatec (literary detective) usually is involved in catching fake ripoffs of valuable manuscripts and keeping the Baconians under control, when she is pulled onto a case involving arch-enemy Acheron Hades and his theft of the original of Martin Chuzzlewit. Soon it becomes personal, and after Hades steals the original of Jane Eyre, Thursday has to pursue him into the book itself.

This series is great fun. You'll wish you had the opportunity to attend the regular Friday night Ritz Theater production of Richard III yourself. Hades is a worthy villain, and there is a rich cast of side characters, including Pickwick, Thursday's pet dodo. (Plock! Plock!) Don't take it too seriously, and a good time will be had by all!

not boring at all. It sounds like you enjoy your retirement...something I personally look forward to in four-five years.

#224: You are retired now. Why am I still having to wait for the review? :) Tap, tap, tap. . .

jane Eyre is an old favorite. Have you seen t he previews for the new movie based on the story. It looks good!

Stasia, review is now posted above. My brain just wasn't working last night.

No, Mac, haven't seen any previews yet. I'll look for them.

Hope you have a great day, Linda!

*plock*

The obvious response is "You dodo!"

LOL

hi Roni

I haven't been on your thread for way too long!
Nice to see a picture of you andvery belated happy birthday ;-)

Book #131 A Child's Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas (47 pp.)

Despite Dylan Thomas having written my favorite poem in the world Fern Hill, I had never read this story. So this year I am inaugurating my Christmas theme reading with it. And it was delightful, the phrases lyrically sliding into one another as the boys raced through the nearly house-high snow! Thanks for the inspiration from my LT friends to finally get to this. Next in line is Capote's A Christmas Memory, also recommended by LTers.

Let me share what I've been up to the last few days instead of reading!
http://tinyurl.com/2c3qor9

Love the kitties....thanks for sharing, and have a great holiday.

I love all the cat themed ornaments, especially the Christmas meow. Enjoy your holiday time with them!

>233 ronincats:

I would have said, "when did we ever get that much snow before Christmas in Wales", but looking out my window this morning, I see that it is indeed quite possible.

Good book though. I must re-read it.

Well, actually he doesn't say the snow is nearly house high. I was borrowing from Fern Hill--
" All the sun long it was running, it was lovely, the hay
Fields high as the house,"

"In the sun born over and over,
I ran my heedless ways,
My wishes raced through the house high hay"

But there was definitely snow!

Book #132 A Christmas Memory by Truman Capote (39 pp.)

My first time reading this book as well, it is. It has beautiful illustrations by Beth Peck that nearly double the number of pages, and the book itself has no page numbers, so I needed to count the pages myself to record it. A lovely if somewhat haunting story. A beautiful relationship. One has to wonder how the boy was shaped by the environment, and to love how he treasures these memories.

Hi Roni

I haven't read A Christmas Memory but I have read many books re. Truman Capote. His life was a very interesting one.

#239: I have not read that one either. Maybe next year.

Hi Roni, found you again! I'm also planning to read A Child's Christmas in Wales this year.

So glad you loved both of them Roni!!!!!! There's a recording somewhere of Thomas reading it himself that is absolutely shiver-making, wonderful -- hmmmm - it might even be in the public domain, I might go poke around......

Well, The Father Christmas Letters are awaiting me at the library, but we are having our biggest rain storm in 6 years--it has not let up all morning, so I suspect that it will wait for another day or two. It is lovely being able to stay home (alone--the husband had to go to work, hee-hee!) with the cats and the Christmas lights and hot Christmas blend tea knowing I don't have any urgent reason to go out, my roses and garden plants are getting soaked, and I have a house full of books.

And, last night I finished Book #133 The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi (359 pp.), in plenty of time for my online book group tonight. Of course, then I woke up at 3:30 in the morning and couldn't fall asleep because the book plots were circling in my mind.

This book has won numerous awards but received mixed reactions from the science fiction reading community. Many have liked the world-building a lot, some have said "meh", and one said the science therein was total junk. But I think he missed the point. This book is not about science but about our fears about science and the political repercussions thereof. In this world "generippers" have modified DNA in crops, animals, and people in ways not currently possible. In essence, humans have attempted to take over nature, and nature has attacked back. Between the "caloriemen" strive to maintain their monopoly on safe but sterile seeds and the quickly mutating viruses and diseases attacking humanity's food sources, sending many plants into extinction, the independent city of Bangkok deals with its own political and economic struggles. We follow half-a-dozed characters around, each with their own agenda, in a fascinating milieu as they struggle and interact with each other. I think it was well worth the read.

I have had The Windup Girl in the BlackHole for a while now. I sure wish my local library had it. I enjoyed the one book of Bacigalupi's that I did get to read, Ship Breaker.

I'll probably not rush to read The Windup Girl, but only because I'm so overloaded with tbr books in scifi and fantasy. I also liked Ship Breaker and I see that there is a sequel either out or about to be.

I'm so glad you liked The Windup Girl. It was easily one of my top reads of 2010.

I have now added The Windup Girl to my wishlist.

#244 I also enjoyed The Windup Girl this year. Hope your weather has improved.

Happy Holidays, Roni.

Book #134 A Regency Christmas* (five stories by different authors)

I have been thinking that I am getting crotchety in my old age and difficult to please. Although Heyer's are the only regencies that I read regularly, I have collected this series of Christmas regency novellas and reread them at Christmas time each year. This year, I picked up the first two (and the earlier ones are definitely better) and enjoyed 4 out of 5 of the first book and only 1/5 of the second book. Since I know them so well, I can quickly tell which ones meet my idiosyncratic standards, at least, and skip over the others.

So then I go to a favorite old standby that I have not gotten back to for YEARS, because it has a major Christmas scene in it, and I still love it! I'm only 66 pages in, as I started it late last evening, and already I've seen so many quotable lines.

"Isaac was aware of all the lamplit rooms in the crooked houses, little and big, that climbed upon each other's shoulders up the hill to the plateau at the top where the Cathedral towered, looking out over the frozen plain to the eastern sea. Another night he would have shivered, remembering the plain and the sea, but tonight he remembered only the warm rooms and the faces of men and women bent over their bowls of steaming soup, and the children already asleep in their beds. He felt for them all a profound love, and he glowed. The moment of his loving was in the world of time merely sixty seconds ticked out by his watch, but in another dimension it was an arc of light encircling the city and leaving not one heart within it untouched by blessedness."

Isaac is a clockmaker, in the 1800s, and is bipolar, although they didn't have that label then. Such a wonderful character in Elizabeth Goudge's The Dean's Watch.

Merry Christmas!

I love The Dean's Watch, I should pull it out and reread it.

Merry Christmas Roni!

Merry Christmas Roni!

Merry Christmas, Roni!

Have a very merry Christmas, Roni.

Happy Christmas, Roni!

Merry Christmas Roni

Merry Christmas, Roni!

Book # 135 The Dean's Watch by Elizabeth Goudge (384 pp.)

Such a wonderful story and wonderful characters. As usual, I cried my eyes out the last few pages, but it was worth it. And it ends on Christmas Day.

To all my Christian friends out there, I hope you had the merriest and most blessed of Christmases, as we celebrate the birth upon Earth of that most perfect Love. To all my friends of other faiths and of unfaith, let us celebrate together as the Earth turns from darkness and death back toward life and rebirth. In our love for each other, the divine speaks out and is made flesh, and it is in love and compassion that I think this group excels. Merry Christmas, my friends.

Merry Christmas, Roni! I hope you and your loved ones had a wonderful day!

Happy St. Stephen's Day! Or Boxing Day! Whichever you prefer, Roni, may it be a happy, happy occasion...and I suppose you're getting your revenge for the crummy weather your are suffered from with this BLIZZARD we've got headed for us. *sigh* I hope the houseguests wake up in time to be ferried to the station.

Hope your Christmas was merry and that the festivities continue, Roni! We have SNOW!!! Add it's still snowing!!!! That just doesn't happen here in December and hardly ever any other time either. (And besides being St. Stephen's Day and Boxing Day, it's also Our Anniversary - 40 years!!!)

#260 Elizabeth Goudge is still on my list of authors to read one day. Hope you had a good Christmas Day.

Hope you're still riding high on Christmas spirit! Here's to relaxing with a good book in anticipation of the new year :)

Thanks, everyone! Glad to hear the storm has moved on out over the Atlantic and everyone can settle down to digging out!

Just finished Book #136, a reread of Hogfather by Terry Pratchett (292 pp.)

Book #137 Miracle and other Christmas Stories by Connie Willis (298 pp.)

This is a book of short stories featuring Christmas and Connie's snarky sense of humor. She loves Christmas stories (she tells you so!) and you can tell it. And even better, she ends with an appendix of her top 10 Christmas stories and her top 10 Christmas movies.

And this wraps up my Christmas-themed reads for 2010--actually, it doesn't! I have Tolkien's Father Christmas letters waiting for me down at the library. Almost forgot!

But, it gave me an idea. What think you, Jim and Stasia, of a thread for people to talk about their favorite Christmas reads? It could be up all year, and then people who celebrate Christmas could pick from them when the season comes around again.

ETA I just realized that at some point here, like Christmas Eve, I slipped over the 250 mark. But, like a few others, I think I can hang on another 3 days here before moving into my 2011 thread. The thread police seem to have been having their own problems lately, and have been lenient on these end-of-the-year threads.

I don't usually read Christmas themed books but I think I'll have to have a look at the Tolkien one.
The thread police have moved to the 2011 group and no longer work here.

Ooh, I didn't realize Connie Willis had written a book of Christmas stories. I'll have to look for that one next year, if not sooner.

I like the idea of a Christmas thread; maybe there could be other seasonal threads as well. I don't think we can really have too many general thematic threads.

I wouldn't worry about the thread police at this point.

I did not know Willis had written a Christmas book either! I am going to have to be on the look out for that one. Thanks, Roni.

ETA: a thread for people to talk about their favorite Christmas reads?

I like the idea, Roni, but think perhaps it should be 'holiday' reads? I know several of the people in the group are Jewish and would hate to exclude them.

Another morning of rain for us here in Southern California! I'm definitely staying in and wearing my sweats. I should have been reading, but I've been reading threads instead.

I have no problem with it being "holiday reads", Stasia. I thought of it, but many people are looking specifically for either Christmas or Hannukah or Kwanzaa reads--but it won't hurt anyone to read through a bigger selection to find what they want.

I ended up with an extra copy of the Willis book somehow, if anyone wants it. Let me know, and I'll be glad to send it.

Roni - as you are reading Christmas stories you might like to look at the one mentioned in Katherine Langrish's blog, Seven Miles of Steel Thistles, it's an old folktale by Queen Marie of Romania.

>270 alcottacre: For the record, I'm Jewish and still love Christmas (displaying so much enthusiasm that my roommate last year bought me a necklace with a cross on it, which I'll never wear). I have nothing against a general holiday thread, though.

>272 avatiakh: Thank you, Kerry! I very much enjoyed both the story and the information about Queen Marie.

As we approach the New Year, I want to take time to thank you for the special person you are and for all your support during my recovery from surgery.

I appreciate you.

I'm enjoying everyone's recommendations of Christmas books so much that I think I'm almost planning what I'm going to read this time next year!

The Connie Willis has gone on the list, at some point in 2011 I think I am going to have to do a Connie Willis order from bookdepository or amazon.

#273 "displaying so much enthusiasm that my roommate last year bought me a necklace with a cross on it, which I'll never wear" - that made me laugh! A couple of girls who lived next to me at university were Jewish and I spent some time in my first year agonising over whether it would be more rude to give everyone except them a Christmas card or to give them a card and assume they celebrated Christmas in some way. In the end I also wrote Happy Hanukkah in their cards because I thought it was roughly the same time of year and they didn't seem to mind.

Book #138 100 Cupboards by N. D. Wilson (289 pp.)

I've been reading about your rain! Wow. I'm a little late with the Merry's -- time to move on to the Happy's!

Roni

What do you think of 100 Cupboards? I didn't care for it.

Sorry, I was running off to the PO and the library, returning the book, and didn't take time to comment on the book before I went.

I liked 100 Cupboards for most of the book, Linda. Undoubtedly influenced by its Kansas setting and my sister's recommendation. But I did not care for the final scenes and the (temporary) conclusion (this is clearly the first of a series)--it seemed too dark for this level of book. I liked the setting and Deke and Penelope and Henrietta, and also Henry. I thought the premise had a lot of promise, and am sorry that it took that dark turn at the end--not necessary!!

The rain has moved on, but it's gotten nippy here. Warmer in Kansas today than here, although that won't last. Got my desk cleared off, stuff mailed including the year's charity checks, and stopped by the library to pick up Tolkien's Father Christmas letters--that's where I'm headed now.

#280: Well, between you and Linda, you have me confused as to whether or not to try 100 Cupboards. Argh!

>276 souloftherose: I definitely think you made the right decision in giving them cards and writing "Happy Hanukkah" in them. I know I wouldn't be at all offended by that, whereas it might be upsetting to be one of the only people who didn't receive anything.

I've read some mixed reviews of 100 Cupboards too and I'm still on the fence as to whether not to add this to my obese wish list.

Wanted to come in and send you new year greetings because I'm likely to be out for the rest of the day and night, Roni.



Looking forward to talking to you and seeing what you're reading next year. :-)

Book #139 The Father Christmas Letters by J. R. R. Tolkien (44 pp.)

These letters written by Father Christmas to Tolkien's children over 15 years are amusing, and the pictures are great.

I will probably not post my end-of-year wrap up until later this weekend--we've been off running around all day getting a new dryer (no heat) and cat litter and other supplies. I'll be moving to my new thread to share New Year's wishes for you all. Thank you so much for visiting, and I look forward to seeing you all in the new year!

Still an hour and 50 minutes to go here before 2011 arrives, and I just finished book #140 The Lost Gate by 1036572::Orson Scott Card (378 pp.), an ER book that I put down in the middle about a week ago and finally got back to finish up tonight on a nice round number!

The Lost Gate is an Early Reviewers book that I received for free in exchange for reviewing it. I probably got it because I have a lot of early Orson Scott Card in my library. It sounded very promising, a fantasy involving a young man from a "gifted" family finding his powers, pulling in mythology, particularly Norse mythology, as part of the backstory. These are interspersed with occasional chapters set in a fantasy world with a POV character who is somewhat of a mystery himself.

Two-thirds of the way through the book, I set it aside while I read 3 or 4 other books before coming back to finish it. What does that tell you? While the problems faced by Danny in learning about his powers and developing a moral structure were intriguing, I was not engrossed in the story. It felt like there was too much talking, not enough showing. And the characters in the alternative world were not at all likable, and it's hard to stay involved when you have a viewpoint character you can't empathize with at all, especially with the violence at the end. This book is the first of a series, ending at a stopping point but clearly not at the end. I'm undecided at the moment as to whether I'll continue or not.

Happy New Year, everyone back East, in England, and in the Midwest!

Happy New Year Roni, I'm looking forward to the review.

Happy New Year, Roni! Thanks for some great reviews and recommendations in 2010! I am looking forward to many more in 2011.

Happy New Year Roni

Happy New Year Roni!

My new thread can be found here: http://www.librarything.com/topic/104733

Okay, here are my resolutions from 12/31/2009 for 2010:

Okay, it is New Year's Eve, and time to consider my new thread and my resolutions for this year's reading.

First of all, like so many, I resolve to make a dent in my TBR pile.
1. The first step, and part one of the resolution, is to go ahead and input them into my LT catalog. I have always waited until I read a book to put it in, but now with our categories, there is no need to wait.
2. I will aim to make every 5th book at least one that I already own, unread--making 20% of my reading from my TBR pile.

3. I resolve to track pages read as well as books this year.

4. I also resolve to track and record books acquired during the year, another thing I have never done.

I didn't come close to my 150 goal last year, after making it the year before. I may well come closer next year but, hey, no pressure. I'll set 100 as a very reasonable goal for me. This means I will expect to read 20 books from my TBR pile.

5. Finally, I resolve to thoroughly enjoy my reading this year, as well as my interaction with my wonderful LT family here on our thread.

So, how did I do?

1. I did start entering books as I bought them, but inconsistently, and I still don't have all of my TBR books entered in yet.

2. I read and cleared 22 books off my shelf, which would have met my goal had I read 110 books this year, but I fell 6 books short given that I read 140 books. However, I also pulled another 23 books off without re-reading them, to get rid of. So I think I came pretty close.

3. Well, I did track pages read for the first time. I had estimated I would read 50,000 pages, but that turned out to be optimistic. I actually read 41,012, or an average of 300 pages per book. So that is what I will use as my figure for the coming year.

4. I did track books coming in, and did pretty well on that. I have a couple that came in for Christmas and the last week to add, but I acquired 115 books this year, and have read 49 of them. I exceeded my goal of 100 books read by 40 books.

5. And I met my goal of thoroughly enjoying my reading and interacting with my LT family!! Hooray!

#5 was the easy one, considering the crew you have. :P

You are quite right, Nathan! Have you set up your thread yet for 2011? I was working on them today and don't remember seeing your name in the Wiki.

Stasia, I added the review of The Lost Gate above. I'm in the minority on this one, I think.

Reading count by month:
January: 11
February: 11
March: 11
April: 14
May: 7
June: 7
July: 16
August: 14
September: 14
October: 19
November: 4
December: 12

Obviously, wrapping up the school year and clearing out my stuff for retirement ate into May and June drastically this year. I don't know what happened in November! I averaged 11-2/3 books per month. 52 books, or 37%, were re-reads, and a goodly percentage of those (22 books) were for group reads.

#294: Thanks for the review, Roni. I have seen several reviews of that one and I will probably give it a go at some point (assuming my local library ever gets it!) just to see if I like it or not.

No, I've not set my thread up yet. I've been meaning to do that and write some reviews, but I've been journaling an awful lot and need to finish a short story for writer's group on Tuesday. So no reviews or thread set-ups 'til Wednesday, unless something changes.

Okay, I'll keep an eye out for it, Nathan.

Stasia, I think I'm just getting picky in my old age. In my 20s and 30s, I probably would have loved the book, but at my age, I've read so many books with similar plots that the story really has to grab me to stand out!

Since I am still re-discovering the fantasy and sci-fi genres, the plots are not old hat to me, so I may enjoy it more than you did, Roni.