I second this!!!!! And we also randomly quote the one hump poop quote🤣

(((Hugs))) Stacia and Faith! I'm so sorry for the loss of your kitties. It's so hard to lose a member of your family.

Welcome home Jenn! I've been reading Robert Jordan since the 90's, so I couldn't let this pass :P and I just couldn't agree :DThere are plenty of strong female characters throughout the series portrayed with a wide range of personalities. Not all are stubborn and shrewish. I was thinking of who you've met in the first book. Moiraine is neither. And she is a large part of the first book. Nynaeve, um, yeah she is pretty stubborn, and shrewish. Egwene is just a young girl in the first book, growing up trying to imitate one of her female mentors. I'm trying to think of who else you meet in the first book. Elayne is the daughter of a queen. I guess I only see Nynaeve as the stubborn/shrewish one. So I'm really interested in your statement ;) In fact, one of the things that annoyed me throughout the whole entire series is how the women put the men down. I'm pretty sure Jordan was trying to funny there but that was grating on my nerves. It's cool that you are reading them for your boy. I love some of the books, really disliked a few. Will you continue on with the series? Can't wait to see pictures of your trip!

Hi All! I finally finished a couple books I've been working on. Yeah me! I am still kind of shocked at my audio book listening this year. I'm kind of getting used to listening before bed because I've been SO tired I just can't pick up a physical book and read. Of course, it would help if I could listen to a book that I am not familiar with, but hey, I'm getting better at this audio book thing so I'm going with it. It IS hard to find books on audio that I've read before that I would want to listen to. My library doesn't have all of David Eddings books on audio and the wait for Harry Potter is ridiculous. But I'm muddling through. Ok, so that was a bit of a ramble. :rolleyes: I finished listening to Talking to Dragons by Patricia Wrede. It was fun revisiting this series. The first two books were definitely my favorite though. I did love the last line of the last book, however, where the character says "...and I followed happily after." All throughout the series there are little mentions and cameos by numerous fairy tale characters. I thought the last line was a clever twist on the Happily Ever After. I finally finished reading Dragons of Autumn Twilight by Margaret Weiss and Tracey Hickman. This is the first in the Dragonlance Chronicles. This is one of my husband's favorite series, and I've read it so many times. Aly read the first book over vacation in February for the first time so I wanted to revisit it as well. I love it when a book can make me laugh out loud, and a couple characters in this book make me do just that. I would like to read the series along with Aly as she reads but I have so many other books on my tbr list that I don't know if that will happen. I am halfway through Anne of Windy Poplars for co-op class. I started Hidden Figures which was our Book Club pick for March. I'm enjoying it but it is a lot of information here at the beginning and I would really rather just get on with the story. I'm hoping it picks up a bit. I finally settled on Twilight as my audio. Every time I revisit these, I remember why I love them. I know that really bothers some people, but I think they are good fluff. Those should last me for a while. Though I really want to find the Harry Potter books on audio somehow because we will be visiting the parks twice this year with friends and family. It just gets us in the right frame of mind :laugh: Maybe I'll have to get the audio cd's from the library. I'm hoping to do some spring cleaning and painting next week before Aly's Singing in the Rain dress rehearsals ramp up and it gets really crazy around here. So there may not be much in the way of reading over the next couple weeks. Happy St. Patrick's Day and Happy March Madness :hurray:

I am SO thrilled that they've made a classroom version of The Martian!! I have been wanting to read it, and I'm fairly certain Aly will love it. Thanks for this info! I'm going to use it next year in science.

Aly has been reading through history this year with a variety of classics and historical fiction. We've not made it through as many books as I hoped for but that's ok. Anyway, quite a few of you recommended Jospehine Tey's Daughter of Time. Aly finished it last night, and it was her favorite so far. So thanks for the rec everyone! Her top three so far are The Daughter Of Time, The Shadow Spinner, and The Odyssey. Definitely a weird grouping of favorites! I'm not finishing much lately, which is annoying. Currently reading... Dragons of Autumn Twilight Hidden Figures Anne of Windy Poplars And listening to Talking to a Dragons What I'm really in the mood for is a fluffy, light, quick read. Sigh.

So I was off to look up The Very Hungry Zombie, and I was laughing out loud at the excerpt. I need someone to buy this for 😃

Oooh! Thanks! A couple new to me authors! I would have loved to have known about the Blaize Clement one before traveling. I added it to my long TBR pile ;) ETA: Do the animals die???

It was amazing!! Skye and I debated the whole way back to the condo about whether or not it meant to dive all the way in the water. I looked it up finally 😀We love seeing wildlife. I finished listening to Calling on Dragons by Patricia Wrede last night before bed. It was ok. Part of that may have been the voices, because the donkey about drove me bonkers! Though on thinking about it, I never really liked the storyline at the end. Between a sore back and a tornado watch last night, I slept very little. So far we seem to have fared ok weather wise.

We had a lovely and relaxing vacation at Siesta Key! Not a lot of reading got done by me, but dh and the girls knocked out some books! I am trying to share a couple pictures but since I'm new to both my iPad and Flickr they may come across as links. (Jane, if it shows up, is the bird an osprey??) As far as reading, I can't remember what I posted last so here are the last few books I've read... Searching for Dragons A Fine Romance: Falling in Love with the English Countryside- I LOVED this book Anne of Avonlea and Anne of the Island - enjoyed this almost as much as Anne of Green Gables and Aly and her friend found lots to discuss in this book! https://flic.kr/p/Sh2GEL https://flic.kr/p/RYn4us https://flic.kr/p/Shh7G4 https://flic.kr/p/ShhKX7 https://flic.kr/p/R6WR1D

Poppin in to say a quick Hi! I've been keeping up with the thread but life is a little busy now. I, too, have yet to find my reading groove. Sigh. We are headed to Siesta Key on vacation soon so I hope the groove is found there lol! Of non-reading news...Aly got her driver's license this weekðŸ˜ðŸš˜. I'm pretty excited for her. A weird thing has happened in January, I've listened to more books than I have read! January books... Jotham's Journey - leftover from 2016 Etiquette and Espionage - audio - leftover from 2016 Arctic Drift by Clive Cussler - interesting but a bit too much of the plot focused on the end of the world global warming The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien - audio Dealing with Dragons by Patricia Wrede - also audio, and a great one at that! It's been years since I've visited these stories and they are so good! Rose and Amy your girls might like these!

I am having trouble settling in to a new year of reading. I'm not sure why. I finished only two books this year, both carry overs from 2016. Jotham's Journey - a Christmas devotional for kids which I really didn't enjoy as much the second time around and obviously didn't finish around Christmas! And Etiquette and Espionage - my audio book after Christmas. I thought the reader was great, but I realized that my audio skills are still not great. I've only read this book once and found myself not able to follow along well. I'm in the middle of two books now.

From last week... a fun "E" book would be Etiquette and Espionage by Gail Carriger. A fun YA book!

Oops...double post! Still getting used to posting from iPad 😯

Your book club sounds wonderful!

I read Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead almost immediately after reading Hamlet. I pretty much had the same reaction as you! It left me scratching my head and wondering what kind of stupid I was for not "getting" this book. I not only didn't get it but also had a hard time following the story. Ugh! I was only glad I had not assigned it to my dd along with Hamlet. I just don't feel the love.

Since you love Georgette Heyer, can I recommend Judith McNaught's historical books aka bodice rippers. I don't read them anymore...too much everything lol...but they are still some of my favorite stories (minus the bodice ripping lol). My very favorite is Almost Heaven. Another one that I loved was Kathleen Woodweiss's Shanna, though that is not a regency.

Don't know if this will get buried but what is the best Wodehouse to begin with? Is there a specific order? Thanks!!

Where did your reading take you this year? the Arctic, Switzerland, Germany, England, Scotland, Norway, Nigeria, Zanzibar, Tanzania, USA, Madagascar, Indonesia, Italy, Costa Rica, Pacific Ocean, Egypt, Brazil, Antarctica, Iraq & Afghanistan (children's books w/Stacia), Christmas Island, Turkey, Iran, Cambodia, China, Japan, Canada, Russia, Mexico, and Albania How many books did you read and did you meet or beat your own personal goal? Or did you get caught up in reading and forget to keep track like me? *grin* I read 58 books! That exceeded my goal of 52! What countries and time periods did you visit? Well, countries see above. Time periods 1st, 8th, and 18th-21st century, a lot of time spent in the 18th and 19th centuries, but I was surprised to realize I read quite a few modern time period books as well. What were your most favorite stories? Any stories that stayed with you a long time, left you wanting more or needed to digest for a while before starting another? Which books became comfort reads. Beauty, The Belgariad (reread), Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (reread), The 6th Extinction, Squashed, Venetia (reread), Anne of Green Gables (reread), The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (reread), and Pride and Prejudice (reread) were probably my favorite stories of the year! I really enjoyed discovering James Rollins. What is the one book or the one author you thought you'd never read and found yourself pleasantly surprised that you liked it? I don't know that I had any of these this year. Did you read any books that touched you and made you laugh, cry, sing or dance. Anne of Green Gables and The Best Christmas Pageant Ever made me laugh and cry. Squashed really touched me, too. I can't put my finger on why, but it was such a lovely young adult story. Any that made you want to toss it across the room in disgust? The Pearl definitely made me want to throw it across the room in disgust. Non-fiction would probably be Women's Ministry in the Local Church which I read because my Pastor's wife asked me to. Frankenstein and Mansfield Park both had characters that I wanted to toss across the room in disgust :laugh: Please share a favorite cover or quote. "The things we respond to at twenty are not necessarily the same things we will respond to at forty and vice versa. This is true in books and also in life." from The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry. I didn't love this book but it had some great quotes. Also, "As you contemplate the days schedule, be sure that nothing you have planned robs you of the joy God wants you to have." from Be Joyful. Each year I enjoy this thread more and more. I am happy to have participated a bit more this year and glad to call you all friends.

I'm a little late on getting my wrap-up done!! Dh was home a lot over the holidays so we spent many hours watching tv. Here's my final list of books for 2016... *01. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (classic - the Arctic, Switzerland, Germany, England, Scotland - 18th century) *02. Snow Treasure by Marie McSwigan (children's book - historical fiction - Norway - 20th century) *03. Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe (BaW rec - Nigeria - 19th century) *04. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson (classic - reread - England - 18th century) *05. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling (fantasy - reread - England) *06. Lost Empire by Clive Cussler (Zanzibar, Tanzania, USA, Madagascar, Indonesia - 21st century) *07. The Original Miss Honeyford by M.C. Beaton (BaW rec - England - 19th century) *08. Bab: A Sub-Deb by Mary Roberts Rineheart (BaW rec - dusty - USA - 20th century) *09. A Room with a View by E.M. Forster (classic - BaW Feb. author - Italy and England - 20th century) *10. Beauty by Robin McKinley (fairy tale) *11. The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry Gabrielle Zevin (USA - 21st century) *12. The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale (fairy tale) *13. The Bobbsey Twins Toy Shop by Laura Lee Hope (children's book - USA - 20th century) *14. Death by Darjeeling by Laura Childs (BaW rec - USA - 21st century) *15. Be Joyful by Warren Wiersbe (non-fiction) *16. Queen of Sorcery by David Eddings (fantasy - reread - audio) *17. The Hawk and the Jewel by Lori Wick (reread - England - 19th century) *18. The Night Villa by Carol Goodman (dusty book - England & Italy - 1st & 21st century) *19. Magician's Gambit by David Eddings (fantasy - reread - audio) *20. Castle of Wizardry by David Eddings (fantasy - reread - audio) *21. Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis (non-fiction) *22. The Darling Dahlias and the Cucumber Tree by Susan Wittig Albert (USA - 20th century) *23. The Willow Valley Kids: The Treasure Hunt by Jean Pennington (children's book - USA - 20th century) *24. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling (fantasy - reread - England) *25. Over Sea, Under Stone by Susan Cooper (fantasy - England - 20th century) *26. Enchanter's End Game by David Eddings (fantasy - reread - audio) *27. Jaws by Peter Benchley (reread - USA - 20th century) *28. Jackaby by William Ritter (BaW rec - USA - 19th century) *29. The Lost World by Michael Crichton (reread - USA, Costa Rica - 20th century) *30. Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen (classic - reread - audio - England - 19th century) *31. Meg by Steve Alten (reread - Pacific Ocean & USA - 20th century) *32. The Cursed Child by J.K. Rowling (fantasy - England) *33. Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey by The Countess of Carnarvon (non-fiction - England & Egypt - 19th & 20th centuries) *34. Sense & Sensibility by Jane Austen (classic - reread - audio - England - 19th century) *35. The Mystery of History Volume 4 by Linda Lacour Hobar (non-fiction - 18th, 19th, 20th, 21st century) *36. The 6th Extinction by James Rollins (USA, Brazil, Antarctica - 21st century) *37. Women's Ministry in the Local Church by J. Ligon Duncan and Susan Hunt (non-fiction) *38. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle (reread - USA - 20th century) *39. Nasreen's Secret School & The Librarian of Basra by Jeanette Winter and Walter the Farting Dog by William Kotzwinkle (children's picture book - Iraq & Afghanistan - 20th & 21st century ) *40. The Judas Strain by James Rollins (USA, Italy, Christmas Island, Turkey, Iran, Cambodia - 21st century) *41. Mansfield Park by Jane Austen (classic - reread - audio - England - 19th century) *42. Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew'd by Alan Bradley (England - 20th century) *43. World War Z by Max Brooks (China, USA, Japan, Canada, Russia - 21st century) *44. Squashed by Joan Bauer (YA - USA - 20th century) *45. New Spring by Robert Jordan (fantasy - reread - audio) *46. For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund (YA - England(?)) *47. Persuasion by Jane Austen (classic - reread - audio - England - 19th century) *48. Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff (sci-fi - YA) *49. Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery (classic - reread - Canada - 19th century) *50. The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax by Dorothy Gilman (Mexico, USA, Albania - 20th century) *51. Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen (classic - reread - audio - England - 19th cent.) *52. Venetia by Georgette Heyer (reread - England - 19th century) *53. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson (reread - USA - 20th cent.) *54. King Lear by Shakespeare (classic - England - 8th cent (?)) *55. The Strange Library by Haruki Murakami (reread - Japan) *56. Emma by Jane Austen (classic - reread - audio - England - 19th century) *57. The Pearl by John Steinbeck (classic - Mexico) *58. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by J.K. Rowling (fantasy - New York - 20th century)

I just finished The Pearl by John Steinbeck. This completed my Nobel Prize author for my Bingo card. My gut reaction here is - why write a book with no hope. Followed closely by what deranged people have decided that our teenage children should read so-called "classics" like this? From the beginning there was no hope that this would turn out well. I do not appreciate that in any story. There is always hope. I felt manipulated in some way that I can't even describe. And the logistics of a bullet going through that cave are ridiculous. Ugh. No need to go on about the value of a moral or some such. I'm kind of surprised I feel so strongly. I can't even express my feelings coherently. Maybe needs some reflection. :cursing: :p

:lol: Bravo! :hurray: I have presents to wrap, cards to address, a house to clean before my parents arrive, and presents still to shop for but I was at urgent care this morning for a sinus infection. I got a steroid shot and antibiotics and came home and got under the electric blanket and said who cares! I've not sent out cards before, my parents have seen my house messier and I have a few more days to shop when my nose isn't being bi-polar. ;) I acutally started laughing out loud and this and immediately shared with dh! This week he started ordering things and my older dd started ordering things and I'm still ordering things and we are not sure what we are going to do when all the boxes arrive. :lol: At least now you've given us an idea!!

This is the one I was thinking of too!

I've been busy with Christmas parties all week so not much time to read. I did manage to finish listening to Emma. I'm so excited about that! I listened to all 6 Austen novels this year! I was a little surprised by how snobby Emma was and surprised by my reaction to her. I have always enjoyed Emma but this time around I was mostly annoyed. Once again, listening gave it a different dimension! Emma does grow and reform during the course of the book and becomes properly contrite, but wow to her character at the beginning. I'm about halfway through The Pearl by John Steinbeck, which is the last book I'll read for Bingo. Now that I'm done with all the Austen's and my library doesn't have any more David Eddings books on audio so I need to find something else to listen to. For now I picked Etiquette and Espionage. I have read this once, so kind of familiar, and the reader is really great. I'm also reading Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Not getting much done today, though, as dh and Aly shared their colds with me. I've enjoyed seeing everyone's Goodreads lists. I'm more visual, and I love seeing the covers of the books! When I get to feeling better I'll try and figure out how to post mine.

I thought you were an only! It is not an easy place. I have a very large extended family, though, so that put me in a unique situation. I agree that it was a difficult play, though. Cotillion was the first GH I read! I haven't read Friday's Child, but I think I found it at a thrift store recently! I will need something lighter once Christmas is over :) I am definitely adding this to my TBR list! I have read Miniatures and Morals, which is about Jane Austen's novels, but it has a more Christian approach. I think literature has so much to teach us about life! I think that is one of the reason's I'm so particular about my girls coming to literature as it's own experience, without comprehension questions and essays but really connecting with the work - whether in a positive or negative way - because literature is so personal.