Book a Week in 2015 - BW9

[mumto2]

 

 

"And she treated us like pack mules at the library. We both had to help carry books to the car." *sniff sniff* "Sometimes it took TWO trips to the car."

 

*tears*

 

*everyone crowds around and hugs them*

 

 

It'll be the only support group where most of it's members bring a book with them ... just in case.

 

 

:lol:

 

Love the book....just in case, but my dd travels with a back up book too! You never know.......

 

I have been accused of having them so I would have free pack mules! They don't appreciate hearing that pack mules would actually be cheaper!!!!

[aggieamy]

I have been accused of having them so I would have free pack mules! They don't appreciate hearing that pack mules would actually be cheaper!!!!

 

Pack mules probably wouldn't complain about my cooking either.  

[Lady Florida.]

Ah! Thanks. I don't really care if a book has "A Novel" written on it or not. (I often end up liking the ones that do have it, :lol: . Well, except for Wuthering Heights, which is given as an example in the first article.) I think I'm much more tuned into cover art vs. an actual title. I think these days, most titles are added by the publishing house, so I don't usually go by them as far as necessarily being indicative of the content. I'm guessing that oftentimes, the person coming up with titles (or ideas for titles) has rarely read the proof itself.

 

The Guardian page led me to another article that was fun (imo) to read: Baddies in books: Woland, Bulgakov’s charming devil. It makes me want to read The Master & Margarita again. Looks like there is a relatively new series on the site where various Guardian writers tell about their favorite literary villains.

 

 

Those villain articles look like fun. I read a few and bookmarked it to read more another time.

 

I don't judge a book by its cover and only occasionally do by the title. Sometimes a title will sound intriguing and sometimes it will sound silly, but it rarely does it make or break a book for me. Mostly I just look at the blurb and category (or genre if you prefer that term).

 

I'm pretty sure I've read several books with A Novel in the title recently. The only ones that come to mind though (without checking my goodreads list) are Middlesex and Out Stealing Horses

[Angel]

 

I have been bingeing/binging on Jane Austen knock-offs and am not impressed so far.  

 

 

Have you tried the Carrie Bebris series?  They are mysteries with Elizabeth and Darcy but they visit all the other books and characters.  I found them quite fun!  The first book is Pride and Prescience.  There is a little paranormal mixed in with a few of the mysteries.  The second book was probably my least favorite but I loved the one in Highbury.

 

I've been making dd swim in the little kids pool all week because I wanted to read my book instead of going into the big pool with her. Mean mamma.

 

Swimming...I remember when it was warm enough to swim...sigh.  I can't wait for summer!  You are not at all a mean mamma, in fact you are training your dd so she will know exactly what to do when she grows up, has kids, and wants to read a good book :laugh:

[Angel]

LOL.  You're a great mamma!  Just tell yourself that you're building character by making her suffer by playing in the little kids pool.  

 

 

My kids will be there.  I can just see it now.  

 

"Hi, my name is John.  This is my sister Sophia."  

 

*Sophia waves*

 

"One time we had to eat pop tarts for dinner because our mom was reading a Georgette Heyer book and was on the last fifty pages."

 

"And she treated us like pack mules at the library.  We both had to help carry books to the car."  *sniff sniff*  "Sometimes it took TWO trips to the car."

 

*tears*

 

*everyone crowds around and hugs them*

 

 

It'll be the only support group where most of it's members bring a book with them ... just in case.  

 

 

What a fun week!  I'm glad you have had some fun things to do after all your stress lately.  (((HUGS))

 

Re: the bolded ... that's what I was going to post that my kids would say.  Though ...shaking my head in shame ... it has happened much more than once! 

[Nan in Mass]

LOL - I remember asking my mother a question only to have her tell me "just a minute" over and over and over again while she finished her book. I did the same thing to my children. Ask mine how long it takes to finish a cup of tea and you will get groans. I spent a lot of time babygated into a small area, surrounded by toys (think giant playpen), so I could read. It was lovely. Along with waiting rooms, it is about the only guilt-free escape reading I have ever done in my life. Sometimes, there was a kiddie pool in the "playpen" with us, in which case I sat in the pool. The book got a bit damp, but that way, nobody could drown. I am far better at not keeping teenagers and twenty-somethings waiting when they want to tell me something grin. They have less patience and persistance than toddlers. It is very funny to hear other, non-family people talk about these things...

 

Nan

[TeacherZee]

When my siblings and I were teens we knew that the best time to ask mom something was when she was buried deep in a book. The grunting noise she responded with could be interpreted as a yes and then later when she claimed she had no idea what we were talking about and she couldn't possibly have said yes we could truthfully say that we had asked and she had said yes :lol: :lol:

[mumto2]

Yesterday DH came into the room dd and I were in to tell us where he was going. Unfortunately we were both reading. About an hour later (we got hungry) and had absolutely no idea where he had gone or for how long. What to do about dinner....ended up with pizza, late. :lol:

[LaughingCat]

Read this week (another very BaW week!):

 

Ancillary Sword (2nd book in series after BaW rec) -- took a few pages to get into but other than that I enjoyed it -- however, it felt like a 'middle' book, not much going on other than setup for whatever comes next

 

The Tropic of Serpents (2nd book in series after BaW rec) -- I enjoyed this but agree it is more fluff than the first one and the end felt a bit rushed -- and I didn't feel like 'on to the next one!' like I did after the first (although I will no doubt read it when it comes out at the end of the month anyway)

 

Northanger Abby (BaW monthly author - Jane Austen) -- hmm, well... moralizing fluff all wrapped up in a bow at the end  :leaving:    i could see the satire but it didn't feel funny, all I felt was..  gah! another long satiric bit! enough already! --  which leaves only moralizing fluff for the rest of the story (I did enjoy the late night 'gothic scare' bit I must admit -- but even that felt way overdone before she was done with it )

[NoseInABook]

I can't stop giggling at the reading stories. That happens here quite often. My mom did the same when I was growing up. One of the first times I remember really relating to her as a mother was when I had three small kids bugging me to do something and I said in complete exasperation, "Can I just PLEEEAAASE finish my book?" Then I flashed back to a time where I was about 5 and my mom did the same thing. *snort* 

[LaughingCat]

My kids will definitely be in that counseling group :lol:   I'm a bit envious of those who say their Mom was like that too though- so far I am the lone reader in my family (although I have hopes for DD²).

[Stacia]

Even though I'm not yet finished with The Razor's Edge, I just have to pop in to say what a keen observer of people Maugham is. This book is just a delight, amusing & serious at the same time, & I'm constantly touched & smiling at his warm, wonderful observations of people. I think it would very much appeal almost everyone on this thread -- it's like meeting a dear old friend, spending a great time catching up, discussing news & people, sharing some shocking gossip, having some laughs, discussing some serious topics, & so on -- it warms you through & through.

 

http://somersetbooks.blogspot.com/2010/09/book-review-razors-edge.html

[mumto2]

Even though I'm not yet finished with The Razor's Edge, I just have to pop in to say what a keen observer of people Maugham is. This book is just a delight, amusing & serious at the same time, & I'm constantly touched & smiling at his warm, wonderful observations of people. I think it would very much appeal almost everyone on this thread -- it's like meeting a dear old friend, spending a great time catching up, discussing news & people, sharing some shocking gossip, having some laughs, discussing some serious topics, & so on -- it warms you through & through.

 

http://somersetbooks.blogspot.com/2010/09/book-review-razors-edge.html

Stacia, you will be pleased to hear that not only did the first library I checked have a copy but they have a 3 person waitlist. Very impressive for a but thats been around for 70 plus years.

 

This is just an FYI for anyone planning to read the new Harper Lee sequel to To Kill a Mockingbird - the waitlist at my library is now over 125 and it won't be released until summer. The book appears to be surrounded by a bit of controversyhttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/booknews/11391083/Harper-Lees-To-Kill-a-Mockingbird-sequel-greeted-with-both-delight-and-suspicion.html

[JennW in SoCal]

About reading. 

 

I read much less during my first year as an empty nester, which really surprised me. But then it occurred to me that I no long spent chunks of my weeks reading while waiting in the car (or Starbucks or a library) on a teen who was in class, I didn't need to read to prepare for discussions with my student, and I didn't need to just escape!  There were years in thick of our homeschooling days when I raised an invisible barrier every day around me with my lunch and book.  Woe be it to the young lad who interrupted that sacred interlude in my day!

 

Which is why I think I feel guilty now when I just sit and read.  I still associate reading with escape, except I have nothing to escape from anymore! I still see it as a means of filling time when I'm waiting around at the doctor's office or the airport, but there is less waiting around time these days. Audiobooks are a way of filling the time when I'm driving.  But just reading for the sake of reading can make me antsy, so I turn to the motivation of the challenge of reading at least 52 books, of finding titles I want to explore and wanting to be one of the cool kids on this thread!

 

There are books that will entice me to sit and read for hours, but unfortunately Bertie and the Tinman is not one of them. I fell asleep about 50 pages into it on Sunday.  It is cute, but cute only goes so far and isn't making the book a quick page turner.  I've got an hour and a half round trip commute for a gig this week, however, and a new audiobook to start -- In the Kingdom of Ice: The Grand and Terrible Voyage of the USS Jeanette  by Hampton Sides.  

[Angel]

I am behind on my reviews since I was sick in February, so hopefully I can get caught up in a post or two.  I am waiting on Aly to find her copy of Sherlock Holmes because I forgot to write down one of my favorite quotes.   :glare:

 

I reread Northanger Abbey for our February Author of the Month challenge.  It had been about 3 years since I last read it, and I’m surprised at how I had such different feelings about it in such a short time.  I found Austen’s narrator voice annoying instead of funny this time around.  It’s possible that that could be related to my experience with William Goldman’s narrator voice in The Princess Bride, which interrupted the flow of the book for me.  I suppose it’s possible that that experience was still fresh in my memory.  And then there were the characters.  Austen always has colorful characters that you love to hate, and I love that she does that so well.  However, I found Isabella and John Thorpe to be despicable people that I just couldn’t stand reading about for some reason.  It took some of the enjoyment out of the book for me.  I do love Catherine’s overactive imagination, though.  As someone with the same type of imagination, I can see myself getting into the same type of trouble.   :laugh:   I’m wondering if I just wasn’t in the right frame of mind to enjoy it as much this time around.  Persuasion and Mansfield Park were my two least favorite Austen’s on my last read through.  Well, last year I enjoyed Persuasion much more, and now I think that Northanger Abbey would take it’s place with Mansfield Park.  Strange.  GOOD, I mean it’s Austen, but NOT my favorite.

 

Qutoes: “…her mind about as ignorant and uninformed as the female mind at seventeen usually is.†  :lol:

 

“The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel must be intolerably stupid.†

 

I finally finished reading Archimedes and the Door of Science by Jeanne Bendick.  Aly and I were supposed to be reading this together but she finished way ahead of me.  I think she enjoyed it more than I did.  She really likes science.  I found the parts on Astronomy fascinating and was amazed by all that Archimedes had accomplished or at least got on the table.  Other parts were a bit dry and too technical for me.  Yes, I know, it’s a kid’s book, but I still found myself going “What?† I was saddened that his life should be ended by a soldier who couldn’t respect his elder.  That touches such a nerve with me in real life.  Anyway, INFORMATIVE, even if it was a bit too much for me! 

[Rosie_0801]

Which are the Beka ones? The police ones? I,m so bad at names. I used to write my English papers by describing the characters I was trying to talk about instead of using their names because I could never remember them. None of my teachers ever mentioned it, to my relief.

 

Nan

 

Terrier, Bloodhound and Mastiff.

 

Why am I even on here telling you this, when I could be reading my book?

 

Because dd is eating breakfast and if I have to tear myself away from my book to do school, I shall have a very bad attitude about it. :lol:

[Kareni]

Three free Kindle books ~

 

In honor of the original monthly mini-challenge of reading a work by Virginia Woolf, here's a book with a cover blurb by her:

 

Darkness and Day by Ivy Compton-Burnett (very adult themes)

 

"When Sir Ransom Chace is reunited with his god-daughter Bridget, and her husband Edmund Gaunt, long dead secrets start to creep out of the wood-work.

Chace and Gaunt both have two daughters borne out of happy marriages, but both have also fathered another daughter out of wedlock.

As aging Chace debates age, life, and morality with his best friend and two daughters, he realises he wants to clear his conscience before he dies.

Meanwhile the two young Gaunt daughters overhear a shocking secret about their parents relationship…

What happens when a dignified man comes to believe that his wife is also his daughter…?

Conveyed almost entirely in dialogue, Compton-Burnett’s novel was ground-breaking for its time, experimenting with style and content."

“[my own writing is] much inferior to the bitter truth and intense originality of Miss Compton-Burnett†– Virginia Woolf

 

 

PLUS Who could resist this title?  (No connection I see to Virginia Woolf.)

 

Lessons from Ducks by Tammy Robinson

 

"How do you go on when everything you love is ripped away from you?

Anna Jenkins is sleepwalking through life. Once, she had everything she could ever want, but now she rattles away in her big old house where the silence doesn't just echo, it bounces off the rafters, slides down the window panes, rolls across the bench tops and skids across the floor.

With a job she hates and a manager who hates her, Anna divides her time between work, home and the cemetery. It's not much of an existence, even Anna can admit that. But then, she's spent a fair amount of time plotting ways to not exist at all, so it's the least of her worries.

Enter some ducks, a handful of eggs, an eight year old boy named after a Sesame Street character and his father who can't seem to keep his shirt on, and things are about to change. Whether Anna likes it or not."

 

PLUS a free book from Dorothy Sayers

 

Whose Body? (Lord Peter Wimsey Mystery Book 1) by Dorothy L. Sayers

 

"In the debut mystery in Dorothy L. Sayers’s acclaimed Lord Peter Wimsey series, the case of a dead bather draws Lord Peter into the first of many puzzling mysteries

Lord Peter Wimsey spends his days tracking down rare books, and his nights hunting killers. Though the Great War has left his nerves frayed with shellshock, Wimsey continues to be London’s greatest sleuth—and he’s about to encounter his oddest case yet.

 

A strange corpse has appeared in a suburban architect’s bathroom, stark naked save for an incongruous pince-nez. When Wimsey arrives on the scene, he is confronted with a once-in-a-lifetime puzzle. The police suspect that the bathtub’s owner is the murderer, but Wimsey’s investigation quickly reveals that the case is much stranger than anyone could have predicted.

 

Published in 1923, during detective fiction’s golden age, Whose Body? introduced a character and a series that would make Dorothy L. Sayers famous. To this day, Lord Peter remains one of his genre’s most beloved and brilliant characters."

 

Regards,

Kareni

 

 

[Maus]

14.  "As You Wish" by Cary Elwes.  This one was just for me, just for fun!  It's a delightful description of his experiences being involved in filming the movie, "Princess Bride."  I'm recommending it to my 14 year old nephew, as the least family/kid friendly things in it are a "Wow! Really?"! description of how much alcohol Andre could drink at dinner without getting tipsy, and a description of how Andre "passing wind"  (his words) derailed several hours of filming, because it sent them all into giggle fits.  (Which will probably appeal to my nephew, as I think about it!  About the right level of humor for a 14 year old boy!)

 

13. "The Giver" by Lois Lowry. Yes, another one on the syllabus!  This one will be a challenge.  I had another conversation with my son last night where I bumped against his very black and white thinking.  

 

Kind of related to the book, actually, since the book talks about it being okay for adults to lie.  My son thought I was asking him to lie when I asked him not to mention that I had spoken with a neighbor who is trying to watch over us a little bit, as we cope with DH's mental illness.  But it triggers DH when he knows I ask for help.  So we had a conversation about the difference between lying, which would be saying, "No, I did not speak to so-and-so," and just not bringing it up.  I had to reassure DS, about five times, that if DH asked me outright, I would not lie and I would tell him I had spoken to the neighbor, but that didn't mean we needed to volunteer the information if not asked. 

 

If we can make it through these kinds of books, maybe it will help.  Or not.  He's just getting to logic stage.  We've got a ways to go before rhetoric!

 

12. "My Louisiana Sky" by Kimberly Willis Holt. 

11. "Things I Overheard While Talking to Myself" by Alan Alda.  

10. "When I Was Your Age" edited by Amy Ehrlich.

9. "Freak the Mighty" by Rodman Philbrick.  

8. “Broken Things to Mend†by Jeffrey R. Holland (LDS)

7. “When You Can't Do It Alone†by Brent Top. (LDS)

6. “What to Do When You Worry Too Much†and “What to Do When Your Temper Flares†by Dawn Huebner, Ph.D.â€

5. “Tales of a Female Nomad†by Rita Golden Gelman.

4. “Heaven is for Real†by Todd Burpo.

3. "Your Happily Ever After" and "The Remarkable Soul of a Woman" by Dieter F. Uchtdorf. (LDS)

2. "Cliff-Hanger" by Gloria Skurzynski and Alane Ferguson.

1. "Rage of Fire" by Gloria Skurzynski and Alane Ferguson.

 

[Butter]

I'm reducing the number of books I am cheating on other books with.  I've determined when reading non-fiction, reading a little of one, a little of another, a little of yet another, and back to the first works for me.  Most fiction, it doesn't.  Except things like the Iliad and Les Mis.  I need a break in between reading bits of those.

 

In the last few days I finished four books.  I was close to done with all at the same time so they finished off pretty rapidly.

 

Stuff Matters: Very interesting.  He took a photo and then a bunch of things (paper, porcelain, chocolate, etc.) in the photo and described those things from atoms on up.  Some random stories were given.  On occasion he delved way too far into personal stories.  Sometimes he was a bit boring.  Overall I liked it a lot.

 

As You Wish: Loved it.  I didn't watch Princess Bride until a few years ago, after Cary Elwes was on Psych the first time.  My husband discovered I had never seen it and had to immediately fix that problem.  I love Cary and Princess Bride is utterly hilarious.  Even our Amazon Echo apparently likes it (since she'll tell us in her completely non-emotional way "Stop saying that. I never killed anyone's father" if we say "My name is Inigo Montoya.").  The behind the scenes info was quite interesting (and now I really want to find the time to watch it again to see just how he sat elegantly at that one point, among other things).  It's always nice to find out that people who acted like they were getting along fabulously and having a great time on-screen really were.

 

Wheat Belly: Recently my daughter was diagnosed with severe gluten intolerance.  We've all (except for a couple things the little guys eat) gone gluten free along with her (and, after I ate gluten last week... we realized she inherited it from me and all those weird things that I just thought were my body being strange and doctors labeled as everything from IBS to recurrent infections to hypochondria were actually gluten intolerance).  Some of the medical detail really bogged me down (and I'm a nurse!), but it was well researched and interesting.  I'm not sure I totally buy everything he says (though he does regularly give the caveat of issues will only go away IF gluten is your problem in the first place), but having watched a pretty miraculous change in my daughter's health and noticing how much energy I have and the lack of various issues I've had for years after going off gluten, I totally believe he's seen it a lot in his cardiology practice.  The recipes given in the back of the book that we've tried have all been hits, too.

 

Periodic Tales: This one takes some of the elements on the periodic table and randomly talks about them.  It's a cultural history.  Most of the sections talk about how the elements have influenced societies.  Some of the stories are quite amusing.  (I've been on a periodic table kick... this is my 3rd book in a couple weeks... we're doing chemistry in school.)  I liked this one a lot.  It's got a nice, conversational tone.

 

And now I'm down to just a few books.  I'm re-reading The Well-Trained Mind, reading a book to the little guys at night, reading Les Mis (I'm 11% through... woohoo lol... I'm actually liking this one way more than I expected... though I can't help but hear the songs from the musical - which I just saw last month at one of the local high schools - in my head as I read which is kind of weird), reading the Old Testament and a study guide that goes with it, and I'm about to start reading a book that I selected solely based on its cover.  That was hard.  I had to force myself not to look at the rating or the description.  I hope it is good.

[mumto2]

I just finished the fourth Julian Kestral mystery, The Devil in the Music. Amy recommended these over a year ago and they are very good. This one started a bit slow but the ending was really great. Partly because it was a good ending and partly because it set up a loop back to the first book in the series (which is now back on my list) Normally that wouldn't be significant but the author died after writing this bookhttps://www.goodreads.com/author/show/201535.Kate_Rossso it is sort of interesting to think that her series loops back to the beginning. Sad because Julian never has a real love interest and because of huge forshadowing I am confident he was waiting for a wonderful little girl to grow up.....Book 5 or 6 would have been so special! ;( I highly recommend these to historical mystery readers.

[Chrysalis Academy]

I finished Spillover: Animal Infections and the Next Human Pandemic by David Quammen.  I haven't enjoyed science writing this much in a long time.  Quammen writes with clarity, irony, humor, and precision.  It's a fascinating topic - the ecology and evolutionary biology of zoonotic diseases, but it was brought to life so vividly by Quammen's excellent writing.

 

I'm reading another book of his, The Reluctant Mr. Darwin, another topic I'm very interested in, but I think I'm putting all of his books on my to-read list just based on the quality of his writing.  What a pleasure to read.  Which is kind of a weird thing to say about a book about disease.

 

From the final chapter:  "That's the salubrious thing about zoonotic diseases: They remind us, as St Francis did, that we humans are inseperable from the natural world.  In fact, there is no "natural world," it's a bad and artificial phrase.  There is only the world.  Humankind is part of that world, as are the ebolaviruses, as are the influenzas and the HIVs, as are Nipah and Hendra and SARS, as are chimpanzees and bats and palm civets and bar-headed geese, as is the next murderous virus - the one we haven't yet detected."

[Uff Da!]

 

From the final chapter:  "That's the salubrious thing about zoonotic diseases: They remind us, as St Francis did, that we humans are inseperable from the natural world.  In fact, there is no "natural world," it's a bad and artificial phrase.  There is only the world.  Humankind is part of that world, as are the ebolaviruses, as are the influenzas and the HIVs, as are Nipah and Hendra and SARS, as are chimpanzees and bats and palm civets and bar-headed geese, as is the next murderous virus - the one we haven't yet detected."

This is a great quote.

[Lady Florida.]

So...on the other end of being lost in a book.

 

I remember being a tween and teen and getting so into a book I didn't hear my mother tell me to set the table for dinner or whatever else I was supposed to do. She'd finally get frustrated and yell at me for ignoring her. Only I wasn't ignoring her, I really didn't hear her. I was vaguely aware of a shadowy thing near me but didn't know it was a person. Or that that person was my mother getting more and more frustrated with me.  :lol:

 

 

Ds, with his raging ADHD, was a high maintenance kid. It wasn't possible to get lost reading when he was little. And after he went to bed I barely had energy for dh. In recent years, I've been doing a lot of reading. I'm not an empty nester, but with him being almost done (and now taking 2 dual enrollment classes), I've become more of a facilitator and advisor than a full-time homeschool teacher.

 

There was one time when he was around 9 (and therefore capable of fending for himself for a while) when I got lost in the Stephanie Plum series. I'd start reading, and next thing I knew dh was coming home. 

[Chrysalis Academy]

 

 

PLUS a free book from Dorothy Sayers

 

Whose Body? (Lord Peter Wimsey Mystery Book 1) by Dorothy L. Sayers

 

"In the debut mystery in Dorothy L. Sayers’s acclaimed Lord Peter Wimsey series, the case of a dead bather draws Lord Peter into the first of many puzzling mysteries

Lord Peter Wimsey spends his days tracking down rare books, and his nights hunting killers. Though the Great War has left his nerves frayed with shellshock, Wimsey continues to be London’s greatest sleuth—and he’s about to encounter his oddest case yet.

 

A strange corpse has appeared in a suburban architect’s bathroom, stark naked save for an incongruous pince-nez. When Wimsey arrives on the scene, he is confronted with a once-in-a-lifetime puzzle. The police suspect that the bathtub’s owner is the murderer, but Wimsey’s investigation quickly reveals that the case is much stranger than anyone could have predicted.

 

Published in 1923, during detective fiction’s golden age, Whose Body? introduced a character and a series that would make Dorothy L. Sayers famous. To this day, Lord Peter remains one of his genre’s most beloved and brilliant characters."

 

Regards,

Kareni

 

 

Thanks for posting this! I downloaded it last night and sat up too late reading. Sometimes you have to throw your reading plan out the window and go with what appeals, no?

 

Although I have to say, it's shocking to read the casual anti-Semitism. I know it was a real, and rampant, component of British high society in the 1920s, but still.  In fact, that is what is shocking - it's not being used for effect, or to make a point, it's just how people, including the author, thought.  The very non-shockingness of the point of view within the book is exactly what is so shocking, reading it almost 100 years later.  In other ways Sayers reads like a very modern writer. In racial and class opinions? Not so much.

[TeacherZee]

Popping in to say that today's daily deal on audible is Winnie the Pooh

[Uff Da!]

Not to be morbid but here's my thoughts from my reading this morning:   In "To Live Again", Catherine Marshall has some not so nice things to say about mortuary science which I was taken back by for a moment as it is a career I seriously considered for awhile.  Then I realized that her gripe with it, that the person is gone and we are investing in preserving a body, is a view I've held since I was a child.  It's the walking with people through that initial blow/transition and honoring a life that attracted me to that career. 

[Kareni]

Yesterday I read with pleasure Dictatorship of the Dress ("Much ""I Do"" About Nothing") by Jessica Topper.

 

"As the dress-bearer for her mother's wedding, comic book artist Laney Hudson has a lot more baggage than the bulky garment bag she's lugging from New York to Hawaii. Laney is determined to prove she's capable of doing something right, but running chores for her mom's fairytale nuptials is proving to be a painfully constant reminder of her own lost love.
 
So when she's mistaken for the bride and bumped up to first class, Laney figures some stress-free luxury is worth a harmless white lie. Until the flight crew thinks that the man sitting next to her is Laney's groom, and her little fib turns into a hot mess.
 
The last thing Noah Ridgewood needs is some dress-obsessed diva landing in his first-class row. En route to his Vegas bachelor party, the straight-laced software designer knows his cold feet have nothing to do with the winter weather.
 
When a severe storm leaves them grounded in Chicago and they find themselves booked into the last available honeymoon suite, Laney and her in-flight neighbor have little choice but to get better acquainted. Now, as her bridal mission hangs in the balance, perhaps the thing Laney gets right is a second chance at love."

 

Several times while reading this, my husband asked, "What are you laughing at?"  It was a fun read, and I look forward to reading more by this author.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Lady Florida.]

Re: Jane Austen's moralizing

 

There's moralizing in all of her work. Her villains almost always get what she thinks they have coming to them, but she's especially hard on her "bad girls". She was writing to a particular type of reader and she knew her audience well. Also, even as she skewered social conventions, she probably agreed with many of them.

[TeacherZee]

My kids will definitely be in that counseling group :lol:   I'm a bit envious of those who say their Mom was like that too though- so far I am the lone reader in my family (although I have hopes for DD²).

 

I come from a long long line of what-oh-wait-you-mean-you-want-food-today-too-but-I'm-reading?! parents. On all sides. Several generations. Before my grandmother on my dad's side passed away she read at least one book every day. And we are talking big thick books.

[Angel]

Back with the rest of my reviews  ;)

 

 

We read The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle for co-op in January.  Though we picked only seven of the stories to read for co-op because of time constraints, I finished all of them and enjoyed them.  Holmes wasn’t exactly what I had expected.   I was surprised to find him anti-social and condescending, though brilliant.  Yet, at the same time, I felt that he needed Watson, he just didn’t or couldn’t express it.  He came across, to me, as being on the spectrum.  I kept forgetting that Watson was writing the stories from his point of view and found myself rereading certain parts to get who was speaking.  Some of the mysteries I figured out, some I found surprising.  But again, ENJOYABLE. 

 

Quotes: “…for strange effects and extraordinary combinations we must go to life itself, which is always far more daring than any effort of the imagination.â€

 

“…we were forced to raise our minds for the instant from the routine of life, and to recognize the presence of those great elemental forces which shriek at mankind through the bars of his civilization, like untamed beasts in a cage.  As evening drew in, the storm grew higher and louder, and the wind cried and sobbed like a child in the chimney.†

 

What fun I had revisiting Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone again!  We are planning another trip to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter this spring, and I want to reread as many of the Harry Potter books as I can before we go.  It’s been a while since I’ve visited Harry and the gang at Hogwarts.  I’m enjoying getting lost in the story and remembering the differences between the books and the movies.  It’s also fun as Skye is reading the books out loud to the girls she nannies for.  Skye says it is the closest thing to reading them for the first time.  I am amazed at how many little hints and clues Rowling has already dropped in the first book!  This is truly one of those special series.  CLASSIC READ!  LOVE IT!

 

Quotes:  “It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live, remember that.â€

 

“There are all kinds of courage,†said Dumbledore, smiling.  “It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends.â€

 

Aly and I did A Murder for Her Majesty as a read aloud.  It was my second time reading it, and technically it was Aly’s too, though she doesn’t remember it.  It was one of my favorite books from the one Sonlight year we did (and there was a small list of favorites because most of those books are depressing!).  It was one of Skye’s favorites too.  Aly really enjoyed it.  It’s a great historical story set in the time of Queen Elizabeth I.  I found Alice’s story and relationship with the choir boys and masters heartwarming.  Aly loved the action and intrigue lol!  Definitely a LOVELY historical fiction!

 

*01.  As You Wish by Cary Elwes (non fiction)

*02.  The Strange Library by Haruki Murakami (January Author, BaW rec, Japan)

*03.  The Princess Bride by William Goldman

*04.  Fortunately, the Milk by Neil Gaiman (BaW rec)

*05.  Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen (England, February Author, reread)

*06.  Archimedes and the Door Science by Jeanne Bendick (biography, Greece)

*07. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (England, classic)

*08.  Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling (England, reread)

*09.  A Murder for Her Majesty by Beth Hilgartner (England, reread)

 

Right now I'm in the middle of the new Flavia book (which will actually count for Mystery March) and Mary Poppins for co-op.  I also picked a book by it's cover from my Amazon wish list and ordered it from the library.  We are doing that challenge in my IRL book club for the month of March.

[Jane in NC]

Hello everyone!

 

As reported earlier, my reading time was cut short over the past week as I was off visiting my best friend who was renting a place at Saint Simons Island (GA) with her husband.  Best friend and I are avid readers who tend to put books aside for nonstop chatter when together.

 

Nonetheless I did read the first Inspector Rutledge book by Charles Todd, A Test of Wills.  I have some hope for the series but was not completely won over by this mystery.  The question is whether I should try the second Rutledge book or would I prefer the other series, that of nurse Bess Crawford.  Opinions?

 

Driving to and from SSI I listened to Alan Furst's novel Spies of the Balkans. Excellent book for the interstate as it completely captivated me!

 

Travel notes to follow later.

[aggieamy]

I never thought I would say this.  Never.  I'm abandoning a Agatha Christie novel.  

 

*shocked silence on the BaW thread*

 

I know.  I love her books but I have also realize something.  I love all her books before a certain time.  

 

The book I'm reading was written in 1961 and it just isn't as enjoyable to me as her earlier books.  There's a definite "times are a changing' feel to it.  (I don't want times to change darn it!)  Multiple times a character in the book makes a reference like, "young men these days just seem dirty unlike when I was younger" or "girls just aren't as attractive in these modern clothes" or "nobody has any respect for tradition anymore".  

 

I know and agree, Dame Christie.  But that said I don't want to hear about it in the books.

 

Also I was 30% into the book and still had no idea who was who or what was going on.  

 

Hello everyone!

 

As reported earlier, my reading time was cut short over the past week as I was off visiting my best friend who was renting a place at Saint Simons Island (GA) with her husband.  Best friend and I are avid readers who tend to put books aside for nonstop chatter when together.

 

Nonetheless I did read the first Inspector Rutledge book by Charles Todd, A Test of Wills.  I have some hope for the series but was not completely won over by this mystery.  The question is whether I should try the second Rutledge book or would I prefer the other series, that of nurse Bess Crawford.  Opinions?

 

Driving to and from SSI I listened to Alan Furst's novel Spies of the Balkans. Excellent book for the interstate as it completely captivated me!

 

Travel notes to follow later.

 

The people who recommended the Inspector Rutledge series to me said that get much better.  I haven't tried the next one yet but I will add it to my to-read list this month (it's a mystery!) and report back.  

[JennW in SoCal]

Nonetheless I did read the first Inspector Rutledge book by Charles Todd, A Test of Wills.  I have some hope for the series but was not completely won over by this mystery.  The question is whether I should try the second Rutledge book or would I prefer the other series, that of nurse Bess Crawford.  Opinions?

 

 

The people who recommended the Inspector Rutledge series to me said that get much better.  I haven't tried the next one yet but I will add it to my to-read list this month (it's a mystery!) and report back.  

 

I was contemplating being totally unlinear and nonconformist by jumping several books ahead in the Rutledge series to see how it is.  Of course I was contemplating this while standing in front of the shelf at the library which ONLY held the later titles. But, instead of boldly making a decision I left. Empty handed.

 

*Second shocked silence on the BaW thread.*

[aggieamy]

JennW - Is there a full moon tonight because there are strange things going on in the BaW thread?!?!

[Lady Florida.]

 

 

What fun I had revisiting Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone again!  We are planning another trip to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter this spring, and I want to reread as many of the Harry Potter books as I can before we go.  It’s been a while since I’ve visited Harry and the gang at Hogwarts.  I’m enjoying getting lost in the story and remembering the differences between the books and the movies.  It’s also fun as Skye is reading the books out loud to the girls she nannies for.  Skye says it is the closest thing to reading them for the first time.  I am amazed at how many little hints and clues Rowling has already dropped in the first book!  This is truly one of those special series.  CLASSIC READ!  LOVE IT!

 

 

 

I used to read them over and over and we listened to them endlessly in the car. It's been a while, and I've been thinking it's time to revisit the series. How long has it been since you've been to Wizarding World? Have you been since the opened the new section (Diagon Alley and Nocturn Alley)? If you can spring for tickets for both parks, do, because that's the only way to see all of the Wizarding World. Also, when you ride the Hogwart's Express, ride it both ways because the stuff you see is different going to Hogwarts than it is going to London.

 

 

As reported earlier, my reading time was cut short over the past week as I was off visiting my best friend who was renting a place at Saint Simons Island (GA) with her husband.  Best friend and I are avid readers who tend to put books aside for nonstop chatter when together.

 

Nonetheless I did read the first Inspector Rutledge book by Charles Todd, A Test of Wills.  I have some hope for the series but was not completely won over by this mystery.  The question is whether I should try the second Rutledge book or would I prefer the other series, that of nurse Bess Crawford.  Opinions?

 

 

 

I hope you had a wonderful visit with your friend, even if neither of you got to read. 

 

I felt the same as you did about Inspector Rutledge. I have the Kindle version of the second book on hold at my library, and will wait until I've read it to decide how I feel about the series. 

[Angel]

I used to read them over and over and we listened to them endlessly in the car. It's been a while, and I've been thinking it's time to revisit the series. How long has it been since you've been to Wizarding World? Have you been since the opened the new section (Diagon Alley and Nocturn Alley)? If you can spring for tickets for both parks, do, because that's the only way to see all of the Wizarding World. Also, when you ride the Hogwart's Express, ride it both ways because the stuff you see is different going to Hogwarts than it is going to London.

 

 

 

We were last there in 2011.  Aly turned 11 on the day we went (so she's was going to Hogwarts like the kids in the books).  We are looking forward to seeing Diagon Alley!  Actually, we are thinking about getting the annual pass because it might actually be cheaper (with the hotel discount).  And, we will be back in Florida in June and just might be able to swing by again :)  We can't wait!

[Jane in NC]

Now for my non-bookish post.

 

Saint Simons Island is absolutely lovely with its magnificent live oak trees draped with Spanish Moss.  When I arrived, temperatures were cooler (relatively speaking) and rainy.  This gave us an excuse to investigate the Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens in nearby Jacksonville, FL.  The special exhibit of large and lively abstract painting was great fun. The museum also has a surprisingly rich and interesting permanent collection.  But what completely delighted us were its formal gardens along the river with blooming azaleas and delphiniums. 

 

Fortunately the skies cleared so were were able to do some biking.  We spent one afternoon on Jekyll Island which has outstanding bike trails--as well as the eerily wonderful Driftwood Beach.  Here the "driftwood" does not means small pieces or a six foot log, rather a large swath of beach covered with driftwood trees.  It is said to resemble a graveyard but I see a cathedral.  (Online photos from a promotional site here.)

 

Saint Simons is also conducive to biking--and birding. In addition to the beach, there is a massive salt marsh with egrets, herons and marsh hens. On my first day there I saw a wood stork.  Later, in a tidal pool along the beach, I saw a black skimmer and a pair of oyster catchers. Beautiful birds all.

 

This is the second winter that my friends have rented a cottage at SSI and invited me to visit. What a treat!

 

She who said she does not need any more yarn went to the yarn store in Saint Simons on one of those rainy days.  I left with a variety of skeins from a company called Noro, yarns from Japan that are described as "the world of nature".  Gorgeous stuff. 

 

 

 

 

[Kareni]

I just finished Wildfire at Dawn (Firehawks) by M. L. Buchman; I enjoyed it as I have all of the author's other books that I've read.

 

"Johnny Akbar Jepps, lead smokejumper for Mount Hood Aviation, is always first out of the plane, first into the fire, and first with the ladies. But the one thing he never puts on the line? His heart. Until he meets a woman who gallops away with it. Laura Jenson, wilderness guide and expert horsewoman, leads tourists from the Mount Hood Timberline Lodge into the wilds of Oregon. She knows the game and has no interest in some lady-killing, full-of-himself smokejumper. Not until Johnny lights her heart on fire. They both risk everything without getting burned in the Wildfire at Dawn."

 

Regards,

Kareni

[TeacherZee]

Yesterday I was offered, accepted and read the ARC of Sarina Bowen's next Gravity book Coming in from the Cold. It was so good. It had me in tears, in a very good way. Highly recommend it (and you don't have to have read the other book in the series). It is due out on the 16th.

[mumto2]

Just finished Faith Hunters Raven Cursed. I can understand why Robin just reread these!

 

Because of our groups recent zentangle fascination which seems to have crossed over to some of my quilting friends I am going to post a link for a tangle pillow sham tutorial.http://tweloquilting.blogspot.com/2015/03/sys-2015-tutorial-2-quilting.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+QuiltingPaperPiecingAndCrafts+%28Quilting%2C+paper+piecing+and+crafts%29. If anyone decides to have a go she also has a skill building tutorial to practice with first.

[Kareni]

Yesterday I was offered, accepted and read the ARC of Sarina Bowen's next Gravity book Coming in from the Cold. It was so good. It had me in tears, in a very good way. Highly recommend it (and you don't have to have read the other book in the series). It is due out on the 16th.

 

I'm only slightly jealous!

 

 

Last night I read Jill Sorenson's novella Wild for Him (Aftershock) and enjoyed it.  This is currently free to Kindle readers.

 

 

"Mitch Stone is a man with a plan. Drive to San Diego, rescue his lady from the earthquake rubble and salvage their long-distance relationship. But instead of playing hero, he gets stuck volunteering at an evacuation center with his girlfriend’s quirky best friend.

 

Gwen Tagaloa is a woman on the edge. She’s a tattoo artist do-gooder who would never cross the line with her best friend’s man. Especially not an iceberg of a man like Mitch Stone. She appreciates his help and doesn’t even notice his rock-hard muscles. Much.

 

After Mitch gets his heart broken, Gwen discovers that love—like an earthquake—can strike when you least expect it."

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Lady Florida.]

My IRL book club's next book is When I Found You, by Catherine Ryan Hyde. Reviews are mixed on both Goodreads and Amazon. It's also not the type of book I would normally read, but that's one of my reasons for being in a book club. Anyway the person who chose it is not only the mother of ds' girlfriend, but also a good friend of mine. I feel pressure to like it and I haven't even started it.  :svengo:

 

In the meantime, I'm enjoying North and South so much that I haven't been reading any of the other books I have in the Currently Reading folder on my Kindle.

[aggieamy]

Finished Have His Carcase with Lord Peter Wimsey and loved it.  In Strong Poison I thought the "romance" was hard to believe and an awkward addition.  Here it's lovely and since we really start to know Harriet Vane it's believable.  I'm going to pretend that this is the first book with romance in it and refuse to read Strong Poison again. 

 

I'm going to try and ask a question that doesn't give anything away because I was slightly confused at the end.  Even though it will be hard to prove/convict, do the police prosecute the murderer?  I thought that was left a bit up in the air and I want to make sure there aren't any additional murders.

 

 

[mumto2]

My IRL book club's next book is When I Found You, by Catherine Ryan Hyde. Reviews are mixed on both Goodreads and Amazon. It's also not the type of book I would normally read, but that's one of my reasons for being in a book club. Anyway the person who chose it is not only the mother of ds' girlfriend, but also a good friend of mine. I feel pressure to like it and I haven't even started it. :svengo:

 

In the meantime, I'm enjoying North and South so much that I haven't been reading any of the other books I have in the Currently Reading folder on my Kindle.

:grouphug: I hate feeling pressure to read anything. Tends to set me up for failure says the woman who hasn't finished her Austen yet. Everyone in my life except dh seems to be curious about my lack of progress. grrr I don't even dislike the book just find it hard to read under pressure.

 

Please note: I finished my Bronte.

 

When I found you actually looks interesting so will be curious about your reaction to it. I admit it looks like something that I would add to my stack and shuffle around for a month or two before returning in a book purge.

[Mom-ninja.]

I have a problem. I've read all the chapters for my class that I need to so far. Next week is spring break so no class. I have time to read a book! I'm so giddy and overwhelmed with my temporary freedom that I am frozen and can't make a decision!  I'm in the middle of Northanger Abby and will be done with it in a day or two. 

 

What do I read!?!

[Butter]

I finished reading Alexis Tappendorf and the Search for Beale's Treasure to the little guys last night.  It was really good.  We're all just a little bummed that there was a great set up for a second book... and it looks like the author hasn't written one (that one was from 2012 so I doubt there will be a second).  That's the second time we're read a book with a great lead up to a sequal and the author never wrote another book.

 

I am rather surprised that I am enjoying the book I chose solely based on the cover.  I'm halfway done.  It's not amazing, but it's still pretty good.

 

And I am LOVING Les Miserables!

[Robin M]

 

Those who enjoy fantasy might enjoy browsing the lists on this site.

 

The link takes you to a list of the best urban fantasy books; however, if you look on the right hand side of the page, you'll see many other lists such as:

 

Top 100 Fantasy

 

Best Fantasy series

 

Best Stand Alone Fantasy

 

Best Anti-Hero Fantasy

 

Best of the Dresden Clones

 

Best Fantasy Books for Women (also for Children and also with Dragons)

 

Best Steampunk (also Asian themed and also Literary and also Young Adult) Fantasy

 

and many more

 

ETA: Ah, I managed to add a few direct links:

 

• Top 25 Fantasy Books
• Best Fantasy Books of 2014
• Best Fantasy Series
• Best Stand Alone Fantasy
• Best Fantasy You've Never Read
• Most Influential Fantasy Books

Top 25 lists:

• Best Stand Alone Fantasy
• Good Fantasy Books
• Best Fantasy You've Never Read

Regards,

Kareni

 

You are awesome, Thank you.

 

An article about tea around the world

Very interesting.  Guess I'm not the adventuresome sort. I prefer my tea straight up, no milk or sugar.

 

 

 

I finished Out of Africa and am rereading Their Eyes Were Watching God, Catherine Marshall's To Live Again (another reread) and am debating trying to finish Barbara Kingsolver's Lacuna.  She put so much effort into this book and all of her other books I've inhaled but this one...it's a laborous read.

 

I also want to report that I passed the 200 mark for times playing Bach's Chaconne so I get to fiddle with a new song and have only about 800 more repetitions to go to reach goal.

I loved Kingsolver's Poisonwood Bible.  So much food for thought!

 

TeacherZee, my first crush was Gilbert as well. 

 

 

 

When I was Brazil I was in the beginning of my 2nd trimester with my first pg. It was a student program in/near the rain forest. While I had the BEST fruit and fish I'd ever had my entire life (even to present) I was craving milk. Cow milk. I really really wanted milk. A pg woman with a craving is not the happiest, and my hosts were all about making their guests happy and welcome. So one day they happily came out with a tall glass of milk. They were all smiles. I was overcome with gratitude. Then I reached out and touched the glass. It was warm. I thought, "Huh, I guess they warmed the milk for me." It was foamy on top. Did they shake it, i wondered? I held the glass up to my mouth for a drink all the while with them watching and smiling. The smell reached  my nose before the glass reached my mouth. This is pg woman smell, remember. Curious, I thought. Smells a bit like....what? Grass. I smell grass. Smells like warm, wet, grass. I glance up at hosts and they are still smiling and waiting for me to drink. I took a sip. Yep. Grass. Definitely grass. Foamy, warm, grassy milk. That's when I remembered the cow I had seen around back of the house. I looked at my hosts, smiled, and repeated thank you (in my broken Portuguese) over and over. The woman said, "Baby like, yes," and tilted the glass towards my mouth again. So I took a deep breath and drank that milk. It was quite a lesson of culture difference for my young 20 something self. I was simultaneously grossed out and touched by their going out of their way to try and give me what I wanted. I will never forget that milk.    

Oh my! You certainly were brave.

 

LOL.  You're a great mamma!  Just tell yourself that you're building character by making her suffer by playing in the little kids pool.  

 

 

My kids will be there.  I can just see it now.  

 

"Hi, my name is John.  This is my sister Sophia."  

 

*Sophia waves*

 

"One time we had to eat pop tarts for dinner because our mom was reading a Georgette Heyer book and was on the last fifty pages."

 

"And she treated us like pack mules at the library.  We both had to help carry books to the car."  *sniff sniff*  "Sometimes it took TWO trips to the car."

 

*tears*

 

*everyone crowds around and hugs them*

 

 

It'll be the only support group where most of it's members bring a book with them ... just in case.  

 

:lol:

 

When my siblings and I were teens we knew that the best time to ask mom something was when she was buried deep in a book. The grunting noise she responded with could be interpreted as a yes and then later when she claimed she had no idea what we were talking about and she couldn't possibly have said yes we could truthfully say that we had asked and she had said yes :lol: :lol:

Yes, I have learned to just 'mmm' otherwise I look up several minutes later saying 'wait, what did I just agree too'

 

Now for my non-bookish post.

 

Saint Simons Island is absolutely lovely with its magnificent live oak trees draped with Spanish Moss.  When I arrived, temperatures were cooler (relatively speaking) and rainy.  This gave us an excuse to investigate the Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens in nearby Jacksonville, FL.  The special exhibit of large and lively abstract painting was great fun. The museum also has a surprisingly rich and interesting permanent collection.  But what completely delighted us were its formal gardens along the river with blooming azaleas and delphiniums. 

 

Fortunately the skies cleared so were were able to do some biking.  We spent one afternoon on Jekyll Island which has outstanding bike trails--as well as the eerily wonderful Driftwood Beach.  Here the "driftwood" does not means small pieces or a six foot log, rather a large swath of beach covered with driftwood trees.  It is said to resemble a graveyard but I see a cathedral.  (Online photos from a promotional site here.)

 

Saint Simons is also conducive to biking--and birding. In addition to the beach, there is a massive salt marsh with egrets, herons and marsh hens. On my first day there I saw a wood stork.  Later, in a tidal pool along the beach, I saw a black skimmer and a pair of oyster catchers. Beautiful birds all.

 

This is the second winter that my friends have rented a cottage at SSI and invited me to visit. What a treat!

 

She who said she does not need any more yarn went to the yarn store in Saint Simons on one of those rainy days.  I left with a variety of skeins from a company called Noro, yarns from Japan that are described as "the world of nature".  Gorgeous stuff. 

Loved St. Simon's island. Went there with my parents and other couple who had a daughter my age way back in teen years.  We spent the days mopeding around the island.  So much fun and so beautiful. I'd like to go back some day.

 

:grouphug: I hate feeling pressure to read anything. Tends to set me up for failure says the woman who hasn't finished her Austen yet. Everyone in my life except dh seems to be curious about my lack of progress. grrr I don't even dislike the book just find it hard to read under pressure.

 

Please note: I finished my Bronte.

 

When I found you actually looks interesting so will be curious about your reaction to it. I admit it looks like something that I would add to my stack and shuffle around for a month or two before returning in a book purge.

It's okay, darlin. I haven't finished my Austen yet either.  :leaving:

 

 

Life has been a bit hectic but now getting a handle on it.  Besides the Method and Madness study group I'm in, decided to take a couple MFA courses over on Writers Village university and volunteered to be in charge of one of the classrooms. Lots of writing and reading.  Just had to figure out how to organize my time. Yes, I probably bit off more than I can chew but loving it.   Currently working through Madison Smart Bell's Narrative Design and Sin and Syntax: How to Craft Wickedly Good Prose by Constance Hale.  

 

However, I did manage to finish Cindy Gerard's Running Blind and M.L. Buchman's Bring on the Dusk this week by staying up way past my bedtime.  Yawn!

 

Just dove into Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express today. 

 

Time to head out on our nightly walk.  See you tomorrow, dear hearts.

[Chrysalis Academy]

I finished Whose Body tonight.  Not a hard mystery to solve, but still a satisfying read.

 

I also decided to bail on The Once and Future King.  I started reading it today, and it just did not appeal.  The Arthur legends aren't my favorites, but there are better versions than this, IMO.  I got a lot more satisfaction from the Mary Stewart series, and even from The Mists of Avalon.  This is a book I just can't be bothered to read, I don't think, unless somebody offers a compelling argument before I take it back to the library . . .   

[aggieamy]

I am hosting book club this on Sunday and we're reading The Picture of Dorian Gray.  Guess I better get started on it!

[Kareni]

This evening I finished Victoria Dahl's contemporary romance Flirting with Disaster (Girls' Night Out Series #2); I enjoyed it.  (Adult content.)

 

"There's no hiding from sizzling chemistry

 

Artist Isabelle West has good reasons for preferring a solitary life. Tucked away in a cabin in the woods, she has everything she needsexcept a red-hot love life. That is, until a hard-bodied US marshal threatens to unearth secrets she's spent years protecting. But giving in to the sparks flying between them can only lead to one thing ...disaster.

 

Tom Duncan lives by the letter of the law. But no one has tempted him—or confused him—more than free-spirited Isabelle, who arouses his suspicion and his desire. As their connection grows, and their nights get hotter, they find their wild attraction might shake everything he stands for—and expose everything she has to hide."

 

Regards,

Kareni