Jennifer3141 Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 1. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children I live there! :D Excellent, excellent facility! :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 I love mystery if anyone has suggestions! Wilkie Collins books. :D I am now roughly 3/7 of the way through War and Peace. It's awesome. It's like getting impress-your-friends points for watching a soap opera. Oh, will Nikolai marry his beloved but penniless Sonya, or instead the heiress Julie Karagin, thus saving his family from destitution? Can the good-hearted but hapless Pierre escape the clutches of the freemasons? And will Prince Andrei still love beautiful Natasha when their extended engagement ends? And how will Napoleon's imminent invasion affect all their plans? Stay tuned.... Does it count if I watch the Hepburn movie? ;) Hi everyone! I'm reading Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury Love that book. I might reread it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 In addition to reading Rumo & His Miraculous Adventures this week, I've also started Mozarts' Last Aria by Matt Rees. I saw it mentioned somewhere as being a Da Vinci Code for the music world. I actually never realized that Mozart belonged to the Masonic order. I'm not too far into it yet, but I'm enjoying it so far. I like the cover art too. :001_smile: Btw, here's a short interview w/ author Matt Rees. Book description from amazon.com: "The news arrives in a letter to his sister, Nannerl, in December 1791. But the message carries more than word of Nannerl’s brother’s demise. Two months earlier, Mozart confided to his wife that his life was rapidly drawing to a close . . . and that he knew he had been poisoned. In Vienna to pay her final respects, Nannerl soon finds herself ensnared in a web of suspicion and intrigue—as the actions of jealous lovers, sinister creditors, rival composers, and Mozart’s Masonic brothers suggest that dark secrets hastened the genius to his grave. As Nannerl digs deeper into the mystery surrounding her brother’s passing, Mozart’s black fate threatens to overtake her as well. Transporting readers to the salons and concert halls of eighteenth-century Austria, Mozart’s Last Aria is a magnificent historical mystery that pulls back the curtain on a world of soaring music, burning passion, and powerful secrets." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Negin Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 I've also started Mozarts' Last Aria by Matt Rees. I saw it mentioned somewhere as being a Da Vinci Code for the music world. I actually never realized that Mozart belonged to the Masonic order. Okay, this I really would like to read. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angel Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 In addition to reading Rumo & His Miraculous Adventures this week, I've also started Mozarts' Last Aria by Matt Rees. I saw it mentioned somewhere as being a Da Vinci Code for the music world. I actually never realized that Mozart belonged to the Masonic order. I'm not too far into it yet, but I'm enjoying it so far. I like the cover art too. :001_smile: Btw, here's a short interview w/ author Matt Rees. This is the kind of book that I would choose if we did the "Choose a Book by it's Cover Challenge" again. Beautiful!! I really need to finish my book...I'm spending way too much time reading this thread and not enough with my book. I need to choose a page turner next! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Elf Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 I didn't post a review about the book I finished. Using the questions someone provided, I tried to write up my feelings about this book. It makes sense to me but I'm not sure it would influence someone else to choose or not choose to read it. :tongue_smilie: But I'm keeping a log of the books I read with short reviews so I can review it at the end of the year to see if I met my expectations. Drowning Ruth by Christina Schwarz: While I liked the loyalty aspect of the family members, I did not like how it was pushed too far. The way the aunt acted towards her niece, and also the aunt’s sister before she died, was definitely unhealthy. The niece, for whom the book title refers to, really got the short end of the stick her entire life because of how the aunt was dealing with the death of her sister (the niece’s motherâ€. The aunt was possessive and had an overall bitter attitude. I didn’t care for the ending because it just reinforced the aunt’s behavior. In the end, she got just what she wanted and the heck with what the other family members wanted. I do recommend this book to people who enjoy a gripping drama with a mystery element. It was very well written, IMHO, and I couldn’t put it down while reading it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunD Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 In addition to reading Rumo & His Miraculous Adventures this week, I've also started Mozarts' Last Aria by Matt Rees. I saw it mentioned somewhere as being a Da Vinci Code for the music world. I actually never realized that Mozart belonged to the Masonic order. I'm not too far into it yet, but I'm enjoying it so far. I like the cover art too. :001_smile: Btw, here's a short interview w/ author Matt Rees. Book description from amazon.com: "The news arrives in a letter to his sister, Nannerl, in December 1791. But the message carries more than word of Nannerl’s brother’s demise. Two months earlier, Mozart confided to his wife that his life was rapidly drawing to a close . . . and that he knew he had been poisoned. In Vienna to pay her final respects, Nannerl soon finds herself ensnared in a web of suspicion and intrigue—as the actions of jealous lovers, sinister creditors, rival composers, and Mozart’s Masonic brothers suggest that dark secrets hastened the genius to his grave. As Nannerl digs deeper into the mystery surrounding her brother’s passing, Mozart’s black fate threatens to overtake her as well. Transporting readers to the salons and concert halls of eighteenth-century Austria, Mozart’s Last Aria is a magnificent historical mystery that pulls back the curtain on a world of soaring music, burning passion, and powerful secrets." I've read one called Mozart's Sister (at one point the Kindle version was free) and thoroughly enjoyed it. It's about Nannerl's life. The contrast with Wolfgang's experience was pretty sad. I didn't come away with a good impression of her brother or father. I also picked up Mozart's Wife (same deal, limited-time Kindle freebie) but haven't read it yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shannanlee Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 I am reading Created to Be His Helpmeet by Debi Pearl of the imfamous pearls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeacefulChaos Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 I have a ? regarding the blog - If I read the book and reviewed it on my blog, am I supposed to link to the 52 books blog? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abeille Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 I discovered the challenge late last year, but didn't participate consistently - I read a lot, but am not good about remembering to post about it. I hope to be more diligent this year. :001_smile: I don't have a blog, but will be using Pinterest to keep track of what I've read. My first book of the year is Dawn of the Dreadfuls, the prequel to Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. It's been a while since I read the other, but this one seems darker to me. Still a light romp though, and the premise of zombies in Austen's world makes me smile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 A few of us use Goodreads to keep track of our books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LostSurprise Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 Finished The Children's Book by AS Byatt yesterday. I started it in early December when I got it from Paperbackswap. Working on The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton. I got that for Christmas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeacefulChaos Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 Well, here's a copy of my review of the book I read first, Radical Together by David Platt. (CC) So the first book that I read this year – my book 1 for week 1 – is Radical Together by David Platt. It wasn’t necessarily my first choice for my first week – however, the library was closed Saturday-Monday, and we had this one laying around and I hadn’t read it yet, so… Radical Together seems to build on the principles in Radical, same author. Granted, I have not read Radical. I’ve always meant to get around to it. But our library is short on books of this type, anyway, and while I know several people who own the book, it just never really crossed my mind to bother trying to borrow it. Radical Together is geared toward reshaping churches – the subtitle seems to be ‘Unleashing the people of God for the purpose of God’. In general, it isn’t all that ground breaking. While the book has good points, there is much of it that seems to be the norm in Christian lit nowadays – its all about being ‘radical’ (no pun intended) for God – not worrying about material possessions, but instead giving up some of the material possessions we have in order to do more for God. Downsizing in houses. Moving to a neighborhood that is more in need of the Gospel. Adopting children. You see the point. This seems to be a new ‘norm’ amongst Christian circles, to embrace this sort of thinking in how to reach people. I don’t necessarily find it to be a bad thing, but I have noticed a definite trend in this direction. While not bad, so many books on it seem…unnecessary. Then again, I guess it’s always that way, really. The things that I found most interesting in this book in particular were, in general, directed toward being ‘radical’ as a church. First off, not far into the book Platt says that as a church, ‘all things should be on the table’. Meaning that we (the church) shouldn’t be too set in our ways…we want to use what God has given us wisely. I found his examples interesting – of not adding more classrooms with money they had saved up, but instead to use that money for missions, both locally and globally. They trimmed their budget as much as possible in order to use as much money as possible for missions. The focus was on really making a difference to those who need Christ, as opposed to building more mega churches or making sure that our church body is comfortable. I liked it. I think we see SO much selfishness in churches. So many people who want everything to be done their way. They want all the little conveniences – comfy seats, nice big classrooms, etc. When involved in ministries within the church, they still want it to be convenient for them – they want to not have to walk too far, do too much, or try too hard to help out. That would just be…wrong. After all, the mindset of much of the church at large right now is that the purpose of the church is to serve them – the members of the church! Surely not. Oh, but yes! So, needless to say, the emphasis Platt put on making sure that we have an outward focus as a church appealed to me. :) At the same time, he addresses the new trend of churches being ‘seeker friendly’. I hate that term. I actually don’t like the entire idea – that as churches, we should do everything we possibly can to make unbelievers comfortable at church. I remember reading a quote some time ago that said that there is a time when seeker friendly becomes SO like the world that they have nothing left to offer. There is nothing discernibly different from anything else – they are no longer following God, they are just performing. Just putting on an act to ‘try to win people to the Lord’. But the thing is, God doesn’t need their help. An honest atmosphere in the church, where believers are comfortable, may not be as attractive at first glance to an unbeliever. But the Word of God is what does the work. (In fact, I believe that is the title of one of the chapters!) Expounding a little more on the Word of God being what does the work – I know I’ve read several Christian books. Done several Bible studies. And I don’t think there is anything wrong with those things. But Platt did address a little bit that we needn’t rely on those things too much. And I know that I have a problem with the idea that any man or woman – writing a book, writing a Bible study, etc – has THE one and only correct way to read the Bible. Every one of these things, while helpful, should be taken with a grain of salt. Nothing at all can replace the Word itself. Overall the book was good enough. I don’t know if it would be worth purchasing. It wasn’t a bad way to kick off the year, though, after all, with a book that focuses on missions in the way that it does. The ideas are familiar as always, but it doesn’t necessarily hurt to read them again. Last night I was able to go to the library and get some books I'm more interested in - I got Don Quixote, The Joyful Christian by CS Lewis, and... Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother by Amy Chua. Tiger mom is next, I just started it last night. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jumping In Puddles Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 This week I'm reading Water for Elephants on my Kindle and I'm going to start Ahab's Wife next week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather R Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 I'm new to the challenge. I don't know how much I'll post on here, but I'm excited to attempt to read 52 books this year. My 7 year old daughter is also doing her own version. We cut out a bunch of circles and made a "book caterpillar"... She colored the head, and she will add a circle (body segment) for each chapter book she reads. I'm trying to steer her towards slightly more challenging books than Magic Treehouse, which she reads in about 30 minutes, lol. She is also excited about reading 52 books in 52 weeks. I just finished my first book of the year, An Audience of Chairs by Joan Clark. I enjoyed the book, but it was also hard to read at times because the main character has Bi-Polar Disorder, which my sister-in-law was recently diagnosed with. So... 1. An Audience of Chairs by Joan Clark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abeth78 Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 I am reading Black by Ted Dekker. Its the first part of the Circle series. I would love to get through the whole series. I am also reading Frazzled Female by Cindi Wood. I'm glad to see I am not the only one who is reading more than one book at a time. Ahab's Wife sounds interesting I might try it, but I never have been able to stomach Moby Dick. maybe I could try listening to it instead. I have a friend who absolutely LOVES Ted Decker. These books are on my list for the year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thessa516 Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 (edited) My first review. :001_smile: Little Sugar Addicts by Kathleen DesMaisons -------- ETA: My review for those who don't read blogs. I'm not prepared to go sugar-free just yet, so it seems like an unusual book for me to pick up. However, I really appreciate this book. It is not just for those looking to go sugar-free. It is also for those wanting to incorporate healthier eating habits. What I like best about this book is the author's insistence on progress, not perfection. "Doing it imperfectly, doing baby steps, groping toward making it happen, everyone got the same results [what she calls the big kid equivalent of the easy baby]." The author includes recipes in the back of the book. I haven't tried any of them yet, but they don't look that appetizing. At this point in my life, I'd rather forgo desserts than to have one made without any sugar or sweetener. Right now, I'm pretty happy with all foods in moderation, with sugar falling in the "less moderate" category. Overall, thumbs up. I recommend the book. -------- Are we also supposed to link to the Book a Week blog? Edited January 4, 2012 by thessa516 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VeganCupcake Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 I just finished A Chicken in Every Yard! It was a quick read. I am both excited and intimidated by the idea of raising chickens now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragons in the flower bed Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 I am starting with Sex Wars by Marge Piercy. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted January 5, 2012 Author Share Posted January 5, 2012 My first review. :001_smile: Little Sugar Addicts by Kathleen DesMaisons -------- ETA: My review for those who don't read blogs. I'm not prepared to go sugar-free just yet, so it seems like an unusual book for me to pick up. However, I really appreciate this book. It is not just for those looking to go sugar-free. It is also for those wanting to incorporate healthier eating habits. What I like best about this book is the author's insistence on progress, not perfection. "Doing it imperfectly, doing baby steps, groping toward making it happen, everyone got the same results [what she calls the big kid equivalent of the easy baby]." The author includes recipes in the back of the book. I haven't tried any of them yet, but they don't look that appetizing. At this point in my life, I'd rather forgo desserts than to have one made without any sugar or sweetener. Right now, I'm pretty happy with all foods in moderation, with sugar falling in the "less moderate" category. Overall, thumbs up. I recommend the book. -------- Are we also supposed to link to the Book a Week blog? Yes, if you have a blog and write reviews, you can link your reviews. We have folks outside wtm who are involved as well and I'm sure they'll be by to read your reviews. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted January 5, 2012 Author Share Posted January 5, 2012 I really liked O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin books, which are a similar combination (though lighter in tone). So W&P is just to my taste. Thanks - I'll have to check him out. In addition to reading Rumo & His Miraculous Adventures this week, I've also started Mozarts' Last Aria by Matt Rees. I saw it mentioned somewhere as being a Da Vinci Code for the music world. I actually never realized that Mozart belonged to the Masonic order. I'm not too far into it yet, but I'm enjoying it so far. I like the cover art too. Yummy. Added it to my wishlist! I have a ? regarding the blog - If I read the book and reviewed it on my blog, am I supposed to link to the 52 books blog? No, you don't have to unless you want too. You do link to your review from the 52 books blog so other folks can read your review. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Robyn Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 I just finished A Chicken in Every Yard! It was a quick read. I am both excited and intimidated by the idea of raising chickens now. Whoa. Wishlisting that. That's perfect! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lauracolumbus Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 I am starting with Sex Wars by Marge Piercy. :001_smile: I love Marge Piercy and guilded age, early 20th century novels, so I'll have to check this out. I'm up for the challenge and plan to get my kids involved. However, I had just resolved to actually spend time watching TV. My only down time is spent on these boards, so I'm trying to make time for other outlets. I just watched the entire season 1 of Downton Abbey and am seriously looking forward to the first episode of season 2. If you can recommend any novels similar to DA, I'd be grateful. I read the House at Riverton and will be reading the Forgotten Garden soon. For those of you who liked Unbroken, I also highly recommend Matterhorn. It's possibly the best written novel on the Vietnam War, written by a former Rhodes Scholar who served in the war. Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tutor Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 Just picked up Ahab's Wife from the library. As for Moby Dick, I have already asked dh to give a presentation to the kids and I of his popular lecture (from his high school teaching days) "How To Pretend You've Read Moby Dick." :001_smile: I'll be happy with that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mama2Many4 Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 I'm participating this year and I'm more than halfway through "Catholicism" by Father Robert Barron. It's an excellent read and I am learning so much about my faith that I didn't know. Others that are Catholic (and some not) may like to give it a try. I'm making a list of new titles from this thread that I'd like to try. My newest Nook tablet and Kindle app are going to be worn out by next year! :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 I'm participating this year and I'm more than halfway through "Catholicism" by Father Robert Barron. It's an excellent read and I am learning so much about my faith that I didn't know. I may read that to follow the Orthodox book I'm reading now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meriwether Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 (edited) I read Household Cleaning from the Self-sufficiency series today. It was interesting, and I'm going to try some of the homemade recipes. Edited January 5, 2012 by Meriwether Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silliness7 Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 I just discovered the joy of audio books last night. I'm listening to To Kill A Mockingbird while I knit. It didn't take me long to figure out that if I am going to read enough to get a book a week read that I was going to have to multi-task. I've only listened to a handful of audio books, maybe 2 or 3 and never finished one in my entire life. I'm a visual learner and not auditory and have never liked the idea of being read to even though my dc love it. Maybe it's the knitting. Maybe it's Sissy Spacek (loving her accent). Maybe it's the book; it's just a plain good book. I'm re-"reading" it because my high schooler just finished it for a school assignment, and I thought it might be a good idea to brush up on it since it's been a few years. I think it's even better the 2nd time around. The kids pop in and listen to a bit with me on and off. And, I finished a dishcloth. WooHoo!! btw, I started reading Little Women out loud to the kids in December. Can I count it when we finish it or do you have to start *and* end the book in 2012? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*Inna* Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 Tenatively stepping in. This week I've read "Mockingjay" ( reread. Don't care what other people think. I like the series. So there. :tongue_smilie: "Wheat Belly"- read it in one evening. Thanks to whoever recommended it on WTM forum. Lots to think about. Slowly reading through "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" Started "The Reading Promise" by Alice Ozma and had to stop. Didn't quite expect that I'd have such a strong reaction on the whole mother leaving thing. Next- "North and South"!:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted January 5, 2012 Author Share Posted January 5, 2012 btw, I started reading Little Women out loud to the kids in December. Can I count it when we finish it or do you have to start *and* end the book in 2012? Just end the book in 2012 :001_smile: Tenatively stepping in. This week I've read "Mockingjay" ( reread. Don't care what other people think. I like the series. So there. :tongue_smilie: "Wheat Belly"- read it in one evening. Thanks to whoever recommended it on WTM forum. Lots to think about. Slowly reading through "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" Started "The Reading Promise" by Alice Ozma and had to stop. Didn't quite expect that I'd have such a strong reaction on the whole mother leaving thing. Next- "North and South"!:D Welcome to the challenge. Sounds like you are off to a good start! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FriedClams Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 I finished Week One! I read 5 Conversations You Must Have With Your Daughter by Vicki Courtney It was excellent. I plan on doing a review on my blog. It's s must read for Christians with tween girls. Very honest, very real, and I think it will be vey useful. Now on to One Thousand Gifts so I can mail both off to a friend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alice Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 If anyone's looking for a surprising and interesting read, try The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. I just wrapped it up a few days ago. My review is here. Fantastic book! This was one of my best for 2011 and one of the best books about the intersection of medicine and culture that I've read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ariasmommy Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 I finished book #1 yesterday: Kilmeny of the Orchard by L. M. Montgomery. It's been a long time since I read any of her books, and I had never read this one before. It was a delightful way to start the year.:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shannanlee Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 I forgot my second book I am reading this week it is called My So-Called Life as a Proverbs 31 Wife by Sara Horn. So I hope to complete those two books this week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WarriorMama Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 So far this week I've read: Little House on the Prairie and Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I decided to reread the series this year because I want to check out some of the cool nonfiction folks were talking about here a little while ago, and haven't read the books since I was 8 or so... I had fun, and they're super quick reads. I figure I'll intersperse them with more serious books for the next little while until I'm done. I also read Two Against the North and Never Cry Wolf, both by Farley Mowat. Two Against the North is a survival tale of two boys who get lost in the subarctic as winter is starting and have to figure out how to survive. It was interesting but a little dry. Never Cry Wolf is a semi-autobiographical book about Mowat's expedition to study wolves. There's a lot of controversy about how truthful the book actually is, but regardless I found it a fun, fast read. It's a first-person narrative, and Mowat has a tongue-in-cheek, self-deprecating humour that I really enjoyed. I know a lot of people who really dislike his writing, however. Now I'm reading Island of the Blue Dolphins, as a preread for my DD. So far I'm feeling pretty 'meh' about it, but I'm not too far in so we'll see how it goes. My husband is appalled that I've averaged a book a day so far this year. :lol: It's just because they were all short books! I haven't tackled anything really meaty yet... My DD, who is doing the challenge with me, is reading The Phantom Tollbooth and really loving it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer3141 Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 I read the entire Little House series last summer and had a blast. I hated them as kids. Go figure. I'm hating this Lionel Shriver book so far. It's slogging. I'm taking a break by reading a Star Trek novella along the way. Brain candy until I'm not so annoyed at LS any more. :D This thread inspired me to get back into contact with one of my old book clubs too. So I've got to read The Devil in the White City by the end of this month too. It's about a serial killed at the 1893 World's Fair so it sounds exciting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 I finished book #1 yesterday: Kilmeny of the Orchard by L. M. Montgomery. It's been a long time since I read any of her books, and I had never read this one before. It was a delightful way to start the year.:) Love Montgomery. I'm trying to squeeze in more reading time. This winter has been so hectic so far. One of the books I'm reading is The Price of Honor, and I have to read it in chunks because some the scenes are disturbing. I mentioned one in particular to my dh, who was in Desert Storm. I won't repeat what he said to me, but it's sad. Last year I read Baghdad Burning, and the events she describedshe saw the American soldiers doing or what she went through is absolutely nothing compared to this book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 I mentioned to Robin that along with our wish lists, we can state if we have an e-reader and which one. I also suggested that we can loan e-books to each other. So if someone had a loanable Nook book, and won't mind lending it, s/he could post it to the thread. Same for Kindle to Kindle. I think there's a limit to how many times a book can be loaned. Don't feel obligated to loan out e-books though. :) I can start. Right now I have 7 Steps to Raising a Bilingual Child that I can lend to another Nook. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KatA Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 I also suggested that we can loan e-books to each other. So if someone had a loanable Nook book, and won't mind lending it, s/he could post it to the thread. Same for Kindle to Kindle. I think there's a limit to how many times a book can be loaned. Don't feel obligated to loan out e-books though. :) I'm still reading through my first book, but I do have a few loanable Kindle books I'm not reading: Pagan Christianity? George Barna and Frank Viola The Storyteller's Start-Up Book by Margaret Read MacDonald A Passage to India by EM Forster Revolutionary Parenting by George Barna Son of Hamas by Mosab Hassan Yousef Great idea! :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeacefulChaos Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 I finished Week One! I read 5 Conversations You Must Have With Your Daughter by Vicki Courtney It was excellent. I plan on doing a review on my blog. It's s must read for Christians with tween girls. Very honest, very real, and I think it will be vey useful. Now on to One Thousand Gifts so I can mail both off to a friend. 5 Conversations is one of the books I really want to read! I have a long time before DD is that age, but I still would really like to read it. :) So far this week I've read: Little House on the Prairie and Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I decided to reread the series this year because I want to check out some of the cool nonfiction folks were talking about here a little while ago, and haven't read the books since I was 8 or so... I had fun, and they're super quick reads. I figure I'll intersperse them with more serious books for the next little while until I'm done. I also read Two Against the North and Never Cry Wolf, both by Farley Mowat. Two Against the North is a survival tale of two boys who get lost in the subarctic as winter is starting and have to figure out how to survive. It was interesting but a little dry. Never Cry Wolf is a semi-autobiographical book about Mowat's expedition to study wolves. There's a lot of controversy about how truthful the book actually is, but regardless I found it a fun, fast read. It's a first-person narrative, and Mowat has a tongue-in-cheek, self-deprecating humour that I really enjoyed. I know a lot of people who really dislike his writing, however. Now I'm reading Island of the Blue Dolphins, as a preread for my DD. So far I'm feeling pretty 'meh' about it, but I'm not too far in so we'll see how it goes. My husband is appalled that I've averaged a book a day so far this year. :lol: It's just because they were all short books! I haven't tackled anything really meaty yet... My DD, who is doing the challenge with me, is reading The Phantom Tollbooth and really loving it. I loved Island of the Blue Dolphins when I was younger. I read it multiple times. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMD Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 Late to this thread, but I'm in! I hope to finish up Anna Karenina (finally) this week. This book has been a marathon. I started Pride and Prejudice this week, I've never read it before - or any Austen - and I'm surprisingly enjoying it! I hope to finish it this week. Next week I'll be reading Candide by Voltaire - cos my DH read it and is bugging me to aswell! And it's short. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farouk Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 Started reading a book on the Life and Times of Charles Dickens, by Charles Mosley. I kind of dabble and dart to and fro, rather than always read a book cover to cover. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Robyn Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 If anyone would like to become "Nook Friends" so we can borrow/loan books feel free to PM me. I think I would just have to send you my email address or you send me yours. I will say there is not much loanable material on mine so far. I am upset with how many books I am not allowed to loan. I can loan out all my print books, as many times as I want, for as long as I want. :glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farouk Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 Yes, I think we should all use the library and loans opportunities more. For some people and places it's an under-used resource. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thescrappyhomeschooler Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 I'm already behind. I was going to start the 3rd Outlander book, since I got it for Christmas, but I keep falling asleep instead of reading. I did start HP and the Half Blood Prince with the kids, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TravelingChris Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 Book #5- Death of a Chimney Sweep by M.C. Beaton. She has two mystry series. This one is a Hamish MacBeth and he is a policeman in a small village in the Highlands of Scotland. I will be reading another one of her books with the other character she has a series sometime very soon and will describe that series then. Very enjoyable book. But if you think you would like to read these, don't start with this one but rather one of the first books in the series. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TravelingChris Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 Oh, I am sorry, that was book #4, not five. But I am sure I will have a book #5 soon. My dh travels a lot for work, I read fast, my only child I am homeschooling doesn't need me for much time and I don't have little ones to take care of and don't have farm animals either. Since my kids are older, they also do some of the work around here like cook some meals, go shopping for me, take the dog on a walk, etc, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farouk Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 Book #5- Death of a Chimney Sweep by M.C. Beaton. She has two mystry series. This one is a Hamish MacBeth and he is a policeman in a small village in the Highlands of Scotland. I will be reading another one of her books with the other character she has a series sometime very soon and will describe that series then. Very enjoyable book. But if you think you would like to read these, don't start with this one but rather one of the first books in the series. transientChris: Yes, some of the British detective stories have an atmosphere of their own, don't they? :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angel Posted January 6, 2012 Share Posted January 6, 2012 Well, I finally finished The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde. The last 74 pages were very well done. The first 300 not so much. From Amazon: "In Jasper Fforde's Great Britain, circa 1985, time travel is routine, cloning is a reality (dodos are the resurrected pet of choice), and literature is taken very, very seriously. England is a virtual police state where an aunt can get lost (literally) in a Wordsworth poem and forging Byronic verse is a punishable offense. All this is business as usual for Thursday Next, renowned Special Operative in literary detection. But when someone begins kidnapping characters from works of literature and plucks Jane Eyre from the pages of Brontë's novel, Thursday is faced with the challenge of her career. Fforde's ingenious fantasy-enhanced by a Web site that re-creates the world of the novel--unites intrigue with English literature in a delightfully witty mix." That all sounds well and good but much of it happens in the last quarter of the book. It took a long time getting there. Once the writer got around to Jane Eyre and Mr. Rochester, the plot moved quickly and kept me reading more. I found this part to be exactly what I had expected and watching it unfold was clever. If only the rest had been so good! I did enjoy all the literary banter throughout the books, there were many fun references to Shakespeare. I doubt I will read any more of the series. For anyone who might be interested, I'm going to give my books a rating because I would love this information myself. I rate this one overall an "R" for language because of multiple f-bombs in one section three to four pages long. The rest of the book had a lot of mild swearing. There was no s*x. 1. The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farouk Posted January 6, 2012 Share Posted January 6, 2012 Well, I finally finished The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde. The last 74 pages were very well done. The first 300 not so much. From Amazon: "In Jasper Fforde's Great Britain, circa 1985, time travel is routine, cloning is a reality (dodos are the resurrected pet of choice), and literature is taken very, very seriously. England is a virtual police state where an aunt can get lost (literally) in a Wordsworth poem and forging Byronic verse is a punishable offense. All this is business as usual for Thursday Next, renowned Special Operative in literary detection. But when someone begins kidnapping characters from works of literature and plucks Jane Eyre from the pages of Brontë's novel, Thursday is faced with the challenge of her career. Fforde's ingenious fantasy-enhanced by a Web site that re-creates the world of the novel--unites intrigue with English literature in a delightfully witty mix." That all sounds well and good but much of it happens in the last quarter of the book. It took a long time getting there. Once the writer got around to Jane Eyre and Mr. Rochester, the plot moved quickly and kept me reading more. I found this part to be exactly what I had expected and watching it unfold was clever. If only the rest had been so good! I did enjoy all the literary banter throughout the books, there were many fun references to Shakespeare. I doubt I will read any more of the series. For anyone who might be interested, I'm going to give my books a rating because I would love this information myself. I rate this one overall an "R" for language because of multiple f-bombs in one section three to four pages long. The rest of the book had a lot of mild swearing. There was no s*x. 1. The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde Angel: I like the double ff in Fforde! Rather olde worldey.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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