I keep planning to do a reread of the Lily Bard series because some of them are not at all familiar. I suspect I missed a couple. I am not wondering if I should stay on the hold list or add it to the end of the other series whenever. At least it is a little problem.;) Stacia -- Now for the update on how Tell No One the book compares to the French movie. Oddly enough it matches almost totally for about the ninety percent point unless you want to be really picky then the ending diverges big time. Far more twists and turns with a different "who"in the " who done it" although the ending scene is basically the same. The cleaner movie ending is actually my preferred one. Highly doubt I will ever be saying that again anytime soon! :lol: FYI the same character takes the blame though. LOTR-- I am a fan of the books, especially The Hobbit and The Fellowship.....Don't care for the movies and really dislike what they did to The Hobbit. I read the Fellowship of the Ring as a 11yo and enjoyed it, my SIL told me the rest of the story in a marvellous all night girly marathon. She was probably just trying to keep her books on her shelves as opposed to my taking them home with me(250 miles away) but I loved it and enjoyed the story greatly. I didn't read the rest until after Ds was born. A neighbour was hooked on the movies and was convinced I needed to see them. He actually gave me all three for my bday to tempt me. I rarely am willing to watch first so bought the books and had a reading marathon starting with the Hobbit. After a month or so I had the neighbour reading the books because I told him how superior they were to the movies. According to his wife he still rereads periodically which makes me laugh because I don't think he even knew that there were books before I told him!

Mr. Penumbra is waiting to be read. Just requested Wide Sargasso Sea. I am trying to build up a stack for Dd and I to share while traveling. Both of these look like possibilities. Could I ask for a warning if these end up not being Dd appropriate? Basically that means no really explicit scenes. ;) I did go through and like.posts. A my likes are missing now. I have a message saying that there is a problem storing my likes. Consider yourselves liked.

Sounds interesting. Waiting to hear how you like it. The read along handbook was not a favourite of mine. Pretty sure it went in the great book purge. I just remember it as full of things that were not going to work! I need to go back and finish both of those series. Enjoy your rereads! Monuments Men is not getting finished very quickly for me either. I had decided to purposely go slow, a little bit each day. Don't seem to be accomplishing that. Plan to just read it through in a few days because I am enjoying it. Phoenix -- missed the quote I think. I hope your neck is much better today. :grouphug: I am on a wait list for Midnight Crossing. Looking forward to you review. Somehow it sounds different then her others, should be interesting. Great job catching up! I find it amazingly hard when I fall behind to make myself catch up. Yet I seem to be in that situation weekly with Not AS.

I just finished One Night in Winter by Simon Sebag Montefiore. It ended up being very good. Rather multilayered. At first (when I posted yesterday) it appeared to be a story about a group of students who were the children of the Soviet elite who were involved in an incident gone very wrong. It was well written and a bit intriguing but I remember the list it was on being very intimidating. There just didn't seem to be enough information to be on that list at first, then the book took off and wow. It packed a whole lot in the last half of the book. It was fiction with real incidents and people weaved in. I don't want to do spoilers because I know a couple of you are considering reading this. Not sure what I am going to read next. I have Tell No One going on the Kindle. It is amazingly like the movie other than the setting is not France. :lol: We were supposed to go on a mini vacation tomorrow but unsure because of weather if we will go anywhere since the hotel can be cancelled until 1 and driving. Weather at home is forecasted as sunny. Not sure what to start because if we are traveling I read something that Dd would like also. Cuts baggage. I am also behind on History of the Ancient World. Maybe this week I will catch up. ;)

Beautiful!

I used to be a serious book keeper also. Dh would say I still am but my collection had to be greatly reduced when we moved. Quite frankly it broke my heart, silly but one of the hardest bits. Bf tried to take as many as she could -- we also got rid of duplicates between us and she just has the best copy. Countless boxes still ended up at library book sales. Somehow this has really made me think before I buy, I never want to have to do that again! I try really hard to get library books a majority of the time. I love e-books but have realized I am better off checking them out from the library if I actually want to read them. Somehow the pressure of a return date makes me finish books that would otherwise sit on a shelf. The library books here all have a clear thick rubbery plastic cover placed on them. I will admit I usually wipe them down when I get them but overall I think people treat them with a bit more respect then I have encountered in past systems. Anything too yucky or smelly gets returned and looked for elsewhere. At a previous library there was obviously someone with my taste who was a bit more efficient and managed to read most books before me. I always knew because she pencilled in spelling and grammar corrections as she read. :lol: Since I don't crack spines it should come as no surprise that I don't turn pages down either. Neither do the dc's. Lots of bookmarks lying around. I always pick up the free ones at libraries etc. I tend to lose them so prefer the freebies.

Currently reading One Night in Winter by Simon Sebag Montefiore. http://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/sep/21/night-winter-simon-sebag-montefiore-review Very interesting but going rather slowly partly because it is a brand new paperback which is rather stiff. Which made me think of my personal pet peeve of having the spine cracked on a paperback, especially one I own! So for a Saturday topic idea where do all you book lovers stand on the treatment of paperbacks -- do you crack the spines or not? I once new someone who cracked the book before even starting it.....obviously my books weren't loaned to them! :lol:

We did a huge mixture of WTM, Sonlight, and Veritas Press books. Looking back now that it's been awhile, the Good Times Travel Agency ones http://www.kidscanpress.com/us/Good-Times-Travel-Agency-C2534.aspx?section=5&series=2 were some of the very best. The dc's both loved the stories and information wise they honestly contained pretty much everything I was attempting to teach. ;) Our library had most of them (we never did ice age) but I ended up buying them. Still have them, so good I need to have them for the grandchildren someday! FWIW we loved Usbourne Greek myths so much we actually had an extra copy in the car for a couple of years for Ds. He loved that book dearly and constantly reread it! We owned D'Aulaires, Dd used it for the VP history unit but never picked it up again. That one Ds would not touch.

Dd and I were just talking about how good her books are this evening. So sad. Stacia, just finished watching Tell No One all by myself. It arrived this morning and I couldn't resist. The movie is very good. I know the start and finish are right just not sure about the middle. I now have a kindle version and will read it soon. Thank you for the recommendation! :)

Thank you, I added an edit to the original post. I stayed up way to late reading that book. Came up with my incorrect conclusion during the night and woke up and posted shortly after. I don't function well on 4 hours sleep a night obviously. One thing I learned after I posted was Cary Grant apparently spent quite a bit of time with his Dd and she remembers him very fondly. She frequently lived at his house while her mom was busy on films which was not mentioned in the book at all. I knew his grandson is named after him. One comment the Dd made in the interview was a simple she had read her mother's book. Nothing else. The interview pretty much put him totally back on my nice guy books. Rosie, just have to say lunch with Clarke Gable. What a dream contest to win! :)

Jenn, Just read the news updates and praying for all our friends in that area. :grouphug: Please check in with us when you can so we know you are alright. Late into the night I worked on my library book return project. My return book bag is stuffed full for my Thursday drive to the next village. Of course it will be full for the return trip but......Anyway in the process of deciding what to do about Dear Cary: My Life with Cary Grant by Dyan Cannon I ended up reading the book. Onceuponatime and I had a bit of a discussion several months ago on how by reading it our love of Cary could be ruined. While I don't recommend the book, I have to not ruined my love of his movies hopefully, because it was essentially her story not his. Plus really love his movies. Oddly their relationship was a bit like his role as Rhett Butler with Scarlett. He was high handed while she was self centered. Both had serious issues. When a baby and real life entered their story neither reacted well and their relationship collapsed pretty spectacularly. ETA Oops Rhett was Clarke Gable not Cary Grant. I plead exhaustion due to a really late night. The relationship comparison still exists, he just didn't play Rhett. Thanks Floridamom.

:grouphug: I am praying that everyone stays safe.

Wow, that's all I can say. I go on a picnic, do some gardening, check in and there are 50 or so fresh posts and a fascinating discussion. Just read through it all during the last hour or so. Requested several books. ;) I am rather in awe of the conversation that has taken place. No real deserving comments. Pam, I think we read the same version of Night Circus. I was very appreciative of your summary. I went back and looked it over once trying to figure out what I was missing and I still walked away with your basic summary. Sort of relieved someone else read it the same. ;)

That I get. When I checked in last night things here were confusing. Compared to some I am obviously a huge Fantasy fiction fan. Love Harry Potter the books and enjoy most of the "kid type" fantasy. Love Artemis Fowl, Lord of the Rings, Diane Wynne Jones.....well developed world's. I don't mind magical realism but need to know that it is going to be part of the book beforehand or I have a hard time with it. Loved 1Q84 but was prepared and to some degree I was able to make the elements line up, plus proper ending, imo. I had problems doing that with Wind Up Bird and wasn't as fond of it. I find things that don't really add up hard to accept and that takes the fun out. I was an accountant. Congratulations to Jane and her son. Love that he had the kilt on under the robe. Made me chuckle. I suspect the next couple of weeks will be very busy for you. :grouphug:

As someone who spent a portion of her day trying to get a firmer grasp on the legalities concerning my library it was a pleasure to read a book about a library with far bigger problems. The case of the Missing Books was very Irish and very funny. Not a great mystery but the poor bookless librarian...... :lol: A young man from London arrives in rural Ireland ready to start his first real librarian job only to discover the library permanently closed. Eventually he tracks down the council rep and is told that he is in charge of the mobile library which was decommissioned in a different budget cut. Currently a disgusting chicken filled mess. It just goes on......The reality is this was the right book at the right moment for me, and to think I was trying to return it unread. http://www.theguardian.com/books/2006/feb/25/featuresreviews.guardianreview16. This book had the bonus aspect of being set in Northern Ireland very close to where a new acquaintance of mine is from. She has told me a lot about home while trying to decide if her family wants to return there or stay in England.

I agree with Kareni, Rosie Project is a fun easy read. The Golem and the Jinni was a book I loved and is a pretty easy read. I would probably need to read the first 20 or so pages in peace before taking it on the road....the Golem was created in these pages which I enjoyed greatly. Wouldn't want to miss those bits by being distracted. After that part no problem reading it anywhere. Pam, forgot to quote but I requested most of you South American suggestions. Put them with the actually hope to read category! :lol: I did finish two books yesterday. Silence in the Sanctuary by Deanna Raybourne was a slow building historical mystery which is very series driven. Definitely need to be read in order but I plan to continue. Already have the next one. ;) Also read a Phyllis A Whitney, The Golden Unicorn. Not sure if I read that one in my teens, no memory twinges , but loved it. Totally teen girl appropriate and a pretty good gothic story too. Lots of seaside atmosphere! Sand dunes, No cliffs. :( ;) :lol:

We combined everything except math and grammar/spelling until Dd hit high school. Generally what was expected was different in terms of written work but content the same. It has been wonderful. I was able to teach using what I love best , tons of great books. We had a wonderful time filled with great stories, hands on science, and art and crafts. Together it worked well but if I had to do it independently I never would have. Repeating it for Ds never would have happened in most cases.

:lol: I had no clue there was a movie! The trailer looks great and pretty accurate too. And yes, man candy is good! I am right we are talking subtitles so no knitting while viewing? Anyway it is cheap used, just need to check Amazon Prime then I will order it. Dh doesn't do subtitles normally but I can get a friend to watch it with me. Brief report on my pathetic culling efforts. They are on my night stand. Halfway through the first. :lol: Yep, keeping to at least try.

I loved Bellwether. Never saw her as future me when I read that book but fast forward to April of last year when my librarian hinted rather strongly that she needed volume. I managed to keep at least 40 books running through all four cards for the remainder of the year with a pretty impressive assortment that was appropriate to all parties other than Dh --he got more than his fair share of feminine fluff. :lol: Our family was responsible for roughly 5 percent of last year's volume per my records. So I tried. I suspect our branches volume was higher than some that are being left open. Sigh Around September I realized there was a good chance we couldn't save it. I know that volunteer doesn't mean closure but I have huge concerns about the quality of the stock over time which eventually leads to ...... I have always used the next village's library which is a different system for the more educational books (i.e. they have several versions of classic books where I feel lucky if my system has one) and occasionally for myself. I started thinking long term and decided that my long term library use ability depends on this stronger system. Thus my role as book juggler at that branch also and plan to continue indefinitely there indefinitely. Apparently our volunteer library will be considered a huge success on less than one third it's current volume. I may take a vacation !

Here is my current book in house inventory: 16 on my shelves that I really would like to read soon 11 on my nightstand (5 are very fluffy emergency books) 15 on my kindle that I honestly intend to read soon 36 from the library that I can't deal with now -- at least 8 are 16th century which I requested for this month rather obsessively 5 that are in the process of being culled 5 that I have actually decided to return unread Yep, by quick count that is 88. I have several on hold. Pages of handwritten list. Really long wish lists all over the place. I just want to explain that this is not total greed. Due to the whole library closure issue in my area I have been actively increasing my volume. Two systems where I have been trying to run at least 10 books through each system each week. To keep one open(I failed) and make sure the other doesn't get marked for closure due to low volume. The big problem is I like what I check out so hard to return them. ;) Dh keeps suggesting that I just leave them in the bag and return the whole bag but I can't leave them alone. My village library is definitely being converted to volunteer. To say I am unhappy about that decision is a bit of an understatement. Some positive news is our librarian is staying as a volunteer.......personally joyful but infuriated that she will be doing her formerly paid job for free. Yes, I have also found myself with a volunteer role in all of this which will be taking up quite a bit of my time during the conversion to volunteer in late summer. Afterwards, hopefully, relatively little. Positive side Dd is looking forward to her volunteering which wasn't really possible before.

Just in case you decide to read the stand alones Tell No One, No Second Chances, and The Woods were probably my favourites. I have read Tell No One several times, I really like that one. :)

I managed to catch up on reading History of the Ancient World. It keeps being moved to th bottom of the nightstand stack...... Started Monument Men this morning and am really enjoying it thus far. Plan to try and read it slowly. I think it deserves it. :) I spent the rest of my reading time today on Silent in the Sanctuary by Deanna Raybourne. It has been a rather slow moving(no one died until after page 200) historical mystery. The characters are charming but I keep wondering if it will be like the first in the series and finish with a rather eye popping conclusion. Another book I finished this week was Harlan Cohen's Missing You. It was a stand alone that may be the first in a new series. I liked it. Some of the same momentum in the story that his first couple of books had. Rather hard to put down, I had to finish it in order to go to bed.

I didn't want to like a fail, but thank you for the review. Goodreads has recommended that series to me but couldn't find it. Anyway :grouphug:

Looking forward to your review of Winter of the World. I keep looking at it on the shelf at the library. Someday...... One of my projects this week is a minor pile clear out and return to the library. Apothecary's Daughter was in the return pile. Then I saw Robin was reading it and liked it, BF loved it which is why I had it. Moved it back to keep. Floridamom saved me, I have it on my kindle too! Back to the return pile ! :lol:

Negin--I hope you have a wonderful time on your travels looking forward to hearing (reading) about them when you return!