Book a Week in 2012 - Week 10

[laughing lioness]

I just read your review. Wow - can you ever write good reviews that make a person want to read.that.book.now! Mysteries are a genre that I lost interest in long years ago - sometime after reading a bunch of Agatha Christie's back around middle school. Your enthusiasm for the Lord Wimsey books sent me scurrying to the library's website to see what they have - they have five mysteries and one non-fiction. The mysteries include The Nine Taylors. So maybe - just maybe - I'll try one oh - sometime between now and then - if I ever get some real reading time again!

 

. .

Awww! This so made my day! Thanks:001_smile:

[eaglei]

What? Books aren't a need???

 

I am *slapping* my head, asking myself, "WHAT were you thinking? Books are like oxygen! I must breathe; I must read; I must write. :001_smile:

 

And it was only 12.5 cents! Bet they would've charged me a dime . . . for a thick hardback! And, on top of it all, the library has nothing by Jo Goodman . . .

 

I think it could be valuable for a library because it does't just deal with the author's faith, but also with the state of homelessness in America. It reads like a novel, making it read faster than some non-fiction. The author doesn't shove his Christianity down the reader's throat, so I think it could also resonate with those who are seeking because it's really about his journey of self and where he is with his belief system. The simplicity of the writing makes it accessible to a variety of readers as well - it's not like reading a classic or non-fiction that may be heavy with technical terms which would only appeal to certain readers. HTH! :)

 

Thank you! I think I'll go ahead and request this in a couple months - the book I am currently reading is one I requested, so I'll leave a little time before asking for another . . .:001_smile:

 

Awww! This so made my day! Thanks:001_smile:

 

You're welcome! :)

[Robin M]

I am still working on Moby Dick, not quite half way through. At times I quite like it, at others I find the long descriptions quite tedious.

 

Keep plugging away. I am. We can do it!

 

This week I thought I would get no reading done due to distraction (good distraction, though -- DH getting a job).

 

Yeah!

 

 

I just finished The 9 Tailors- the 4th Sayers mystery I've read in the past couple of weeks. One of the most beautiful books I've ever read. I've reviewed it here.

 

I have Sayers on the shelves - 3 in one book with Strong Poison and don't remember the other two. Making me want to move it up the stack and read soon. :)

 

I'm still reading Moby Dick. I now know more about a sperm whale's head than I ever thought possible.

 

LOL! Keep plugging away. We'll get through it.

 

This week I am still reading:

 

#10 - Bird By Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life, by Anne Lamott. Though hers is a much earthier style of writing than I generally read or that I suspect mine will ever be, I am enjoying this. While I don't see myself as a page-turning fiction writer, many of her ideas and comments have encouraged me, particularly since I realized that some of her thoughts mirror the changes that my writing style has been naturally undergoing for at least two years now.

 

Stephen King's On Writing is next up.

 

I've already read both and with all the mentions makes me want to revisit.

 

May I join in? I used to read so much but have fallen off the past few years. Here is what I have for 2012:

 

Welcome, Welcome. Jump right in. Glad to have you!

 

 

 

 

 

I'm in the middle of Diane Emley's The First Cut. Took me about 3 tries to get into it. Has all the makings of a good story, but no emotional punch so not really getting attached to the characters or wrenched by the victim's plight. Plus she keeps diving into back story too too much.

[joannqn]

I just finished The Line, a debut novel by Teri Hall. It's not challenging material and not the best book I've read, but it kept me interested. I have the sequel on my hold list at the library.

 

From Amazon:

For as long as she can remember, Rachel has lived a quiet life on The Property. Following her father's disappearance and assumed death in a war, her mother has been working as a live-in domestic for Ms. Moore, an orchid grower. But now that she's older, Rachel is consumed with questions about the Line, an invisible border that runs near the greenhouse at the back of The Property, separating the Unified States from Away. It is only when she receives a mysterious message from beyond the border that she begins to learn about her country's true history and the parts her parents played during the War.

 

I found the book interesting because the author seems to be giving her opinion on where things in today's world could be heading. The Line is "for the protection of the people." Genids, or DNA based IDs recorded at birth, are to simply life for everyone. The Bill of Rights has been replaced with the New Rights Bill that gives the government complete control. The country is run like a police state. You hope you are able to buy your kids a spot into college to gain a profession. The next best option is to own a private enterprise. If neither of those work out, hopefully you can prove that you are gainfully employed or you'll end up in the labor pools where no one wants to go. At worst, the government can make you disappear.

 

The main character is even homeschooled (which I think is unrealistic as this type of government would never allow that), pulled out by her mother when it becomes obvious that school is meant to ensure the students learn the government's version of things.

[Lizzie in Ma]

I've been so stressed I've no idea what I've read. Started a couple of new ones and ended up rereading Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. Comfort food for my head. :001_smile:

[Paisley Hedgehog]

.

[Mom-ninja.]

 

 

I found the book interesting because the author seems to be giving her opinion on where things in today's world could be heading. The Line is "for the protection of the people." Genids, or DNA based IDs recorded at birth, are to simply life for everyone. The Bill of Rights has been replaced with the New Rights Bill that gives the government complete control. The country is run like a police state. You hope you are able to buy your kids a spot into college to gain a profession. The next best option is to own a private enterprise. If neither of those work out, hopefully you can prove that you are gainfully employed or you'll end up in the labor pools where no one wants to go. At worst, the government can make you disappear.

 

The main character is even homeschooled (which I think is unrealistic as this type of government would never allow that), pulled out by her mother when it becomes obvious that school is meant to ensure the students learn the government's version of things.

 

 

See what I mean? This is the type of thing that drives me crazy. It makes me want to stop reading a book when I come across such blazing inconsistencies like that. That's why I ranted about the darn honey.

[luvnlattes]

17. The Devotion of Suspect X by Keigo Higashino (3 stars)

 

Bummer it was only worth 3 stars :glare:. I guess I won't get my hopes up then. I still plan to read it because I want to compare it with Gone which was another book from the Poe Award list. I thought that Gone was really good.

 

The second book was Under the Overpass: A Journey of Faith on the Streets of America by Michael Yankoski.

 

It made me rethink how I am helping those in need within my city. I like books that challenge who I am as a Christian, and this book did that.

 

 

 

I read that book a couple of years ago and remember liking it. If you like books that challenge, you might be interested in Not a Fan by Kyle Idleman (the book, not the study). I finished it a couple of weeks ago and it opened my eyes to a few things.

[scholarly]

Last week I finished When She Woke by Hillary Jordan, which I really enjoyed, although I am ashamed of how long it took me to figure out it is a retelling of The Scarlet Letter.

 

This week I am reading Below Stairs by Margaret Langley, Nothing to Envy by Barbara Demick, and A Love That Multiplies by Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar.

[Stacia]

Bummer it was only worth 3 stars :glare:. I guess I won't get my hopes up then. I still plan to read it because I want to compare it with Gone which was another book from the Poe Award list. I thought that Gone was really good.

 

Well, maybe I'm a harsh critic? :tongue_smilie: :lol: I give 4 stars only to books that I really, really love & I rarely give 5 stars to anything. (In fact, I think it's amazing I've rated 2 books this year as 5 stars -- not sure I had any [out of 62 books] last year that I rated as 5 stars.)

 

To some (many?), the book may be worth more than 3 stars, esp. if you read that genre often. I used to read mysteries quite a bit (about 25 years ago or so), but really haven't read many mysteries at all in the last 25 years. So, I don't have lots of current experience in rating it against others of the same genre, kwim?

 

I'd say my rating of a 3 means "quite good, I enjoyed it, worth reading". There are probably only a handful of mysteries I'd ever rate higher than 3 stars ("Curtain" by Agatha Christie & some of Alan Bradley's Flavia books get a 4); I consider mysteries fun, 'pulp' fiction type reads -- entertaining, one-time reads -- many of which fall into a solid '3' rating for me. I tend to reserve 4 stars more for the hard, challenging, lyrical 'literary' type books &/or books that just really wow me, if that makes sense.

[CAMom]

Last night I finished Left to Tell. Pretty amazing story of survival during the Rwandan holocaust! Anyone else read this one?

[Stacia]

I've just started a fun book that I think some of you might like: The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt by Caroline Preston.

 

The entire book looks like it is a scrapbook from the 1920s. There is a continuous story told throughout & so far, I'm enjoying the pages & the touches of humor. Neat idea & fun for a light read....

[Negin]

I've just started a fun book that I think some of you might like: The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt by Caroline Preston.

Looks absolutely gorgeous, Stacia :). Guess I won't be getting the Kindle version of this. :lol:

[The Governess]

Sigh. I'm going to have to start counting read-alouds to get my count up to a respectable number. :tongue_smilie:

 

I finished Marva Collins' Way this week. I appreciate her approach and came away with a few ideas I would like to try out. And her belief that a child's failure to learn is ultimately the failure of the teacher was something I needed to hear.

 

 

Books I've read (by myself) so far this year:

 

1. The Book that Made Your World: How the Bible Created the Soul of Western Civilization by Vishal Mangalwadi

2. The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

3. Crossed by Ally Condie

4. Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger

5. Elizabeth and Mary: Cousins, Rivals, Queens by Jane Dunn

6. Rex Barks by Phyllis Davenport

7. Climbing Parnassus by Tracy Lee Simmons

8. Marva Collins' Way by Marva Collins

 

2012 read-alouds completed:

 

1. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

2. Homer Price by Robert McCloskey

3. The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White

4. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl

5. The Wanderings of Odysseus by Rosemary Sutcliff

 

Worked on:

1. The Trivium by Sister Miriam Joseph

2. The Twenty-One Balloons by William Pene du Bois

3. Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick

4. The Story of the World Volume 3 by Susan Wise Bauer

5. Scotland's Story by H.E. Marshall

[ariasmommy]

#9 My Antonia by Willa Cather (audiobook)

 

#10 The Great Turkey Walk by Kathleen Karr (read-aloud) - quite funny, though I skipped over a few parts I didn't think were appropriate for my kids.

Edited March 7, 2012 by ariasmommy

[RainySunday]

I am working on a few different books this week, but I have 2 sick kids and 4 goats due to kid any day now, so we'll see how much i get done. Here is my completed list:

 

 

14. Yankee Doodle Dixie- Lisa Patton

13. The Boy in the Suitcase- Lene Kaaberbol and Agnete Friis

12. The Handmaid's Tale- Margaret Atwood

11. Whistlin' Dixie in a Nor'easter- Lisa Patton

10. Relentless- Dean Koontz

9. Demon Seed- Dean Koontz (newer version)

8. Demon Seed- Dean Koontz (1973)

7. Protecting the Gift- Gavin de Becker

6. Beastchild-Dean Koontz

5. We Bought a Zoo-Benjamin Mee

4. The Hunger Games -Suzanne Collins

3. Ahab's Wife -Sena Jeter Naslund

2. When Will There Be Good News -Kate Atkinson

1. 77 Shadow Street -Dean Koontz

[amyable]

Ack, I'm falling behind! :chillpill:

 

I just finished Dracula by Bram Stoker. Loved it! Not sure what I'm doing next. I just got Bonhoeffer for my kindle, but I have a few library books waiting to be read too...

 

Here's my list:

 

8. Dracula by Bram Stoker

7. The Secret Holocaust Diaries: The Untold Story of Nonna Bannister

6. Organized Simplicity: The Clutter Free Approach to Intentional Living by Tsh Oxenreider

5. Extreme Makeover by Teresa Tomeo

4. Living Gluten Free for Dummies by Danna Korn

3. Made To Crave by Lysa TerKeurst

2. Gluten Free, Hassle Free by Marlisa Brown

1. The Everything Guide to Cooking for Children with Autism by Megan Hart

[aggieamy]

I really am loving the Agatha Christie Miss Marple books but I'm going to force myself to take a hiatus and read something else for a change. I'm about a quarter of the way through The Housekeeper and the Professor and am loving it. I hope it doesn't turn out to be really sad.

 

Finished this week:

 

19. A Murder is Announced by Agatha Christie (****)

 

In progress:

 

Ginger Pye by Elanor Estes YA (our current read aloud)

The Stainless Steel Rat by Harry Harrison (my current audiobook)

The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa (recommended here - going to read for my ladies book club)

The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemmingway

The Pleasure of Reading in the Age of Distraction by Alan Jacobs (suggested here)

 

 

2012 finished books:

 

18. All Quiet on the Western Front by Enrich Maria Remarque (*****)

17. Arabella by Georgette Heyer (****)

16. The Thirteen Problems by Agatha Christie (***)

15. The Corinthian by Georgette Heyer (***)

14. Nim's Island by Wendy Orr YA (***)

13. Abandon in Old Tokyo by Yoshihiro Tatsumi (*)

12. The Moving Finger: A Miss Marple Mystery by Agatha Christie (***)

11. All-of-a-Kind Family by Sydney Taylor YA (****)

10. The High Window by Raymond Chandler (****)

9. Island of the Aunts by Eva Ibbotson (**)

8. The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie (****)

7. Farewell, My Lovely by Raymond Chandler (****)

6. What I Wore by Jessica Quirk (**)

5. How Not to Look Old by Charla Krupp (*)

4. The Georgraphy of Bliss by Eric Weiner (***)

3. The Inquisitor's Apprentice by Chris Moriarty YA (*)

2. The Anybodies by NE Bode YA (**)

1. The Little World of Don Camillo by Giovanni Guareschi (****)

 

 

Read alouds 2012:

 

The Twenty One Balloons by William Pene du Bois YA (****)

[Enough]

My at-least-one-book-a-week reading streak ended last week! :tongue_smilie:

This week, though, I finished The Happiness Project (#19) and I'm currently reading Wayward Saints and Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and Its Consequences.

 

I enjoyed The Happiness Project- it wasn't rocket science, but it was inspiring and easy to read and had lots of useful, baby-step tips.

[Stacia]

I finished The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt this afternoon while sitting out in the sun. (Nice way to recuperate from being ill. :001_smile:)

 

I thought it was a very cute & entertaining 'girly' book that looks like a scrapbook made in the 1920s. Really enjoyed the scrapbook style & 'Frankie's' sense of humor. No huge surprises as far as storyline, but that's ok. If you enjoyed the movie "Midnight in Paris", you would probably enjoy this book. It was a fun, fascinating book to read & pore over while sitting in the sun... nothing too mind-taxing, mostly fun & sweet w/ touches of humor. A delightful diversion.

[TravelingChris]

I finished #20 this afternoon, and that was really good since I only started reading it yesterday when I suddenly realized that my mystery book club meeting is this Thursday night and not next week like I had mistakenly thought. Anyway

 

#20. The Day of the Jackal by Frederick Forsyth. I am fairly sure I read this book about 25 years ago but I also think I was feverish at the time so I didn't remember it all that well. ( I know when I read it because it was when my dh was down in San Antonio going through Officer Training School and I kept getting bronchitis and only worked 25 hours a week so with no hubby, little money, and not much occupying my time, I ended up reading lots and lots of mysteries and thrillers). Anyway, I do know I wasn't very happy with the book back then but not only have I changed in 25 years, so has the world. That was what interested me about the book so much more this time- the fact that I have now lived in Europe for three years and also the huge changes in security both earlier with skyjackings in the late 60s and early 70s and then even more with 9/11. I also now appreciate how well researched this book was, something I don't think I fully realized as a young 2o something year old.

[aggieamy]

Thanks to whomever suggested the The Housekeeper and the Professor. I just finished it and I absolutely loved it. I would say that it was one of the best books I have read this year and if you haven't read it yet then get it from your library. It was my ladies book club choice for this month and I can't wait to discuss it with them and see if they loved it as much as I did.

 

Finished this week:

 

20. The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa (*****)

19. A Murder is Announced by Agatha Christie (****)

 

In progress:

 

Ginger Pye by Elanor Estes YA (our current read aloud)

The Stainless Steel Rat by Harry Harrison (my current audiobook)

The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemmingway

The Pleasure of Reading in the Age of Distraction by Alan Jacobs (suggested here)

Storm Front by Jim Butcher (DH is reading it and is insisting I read it also)

 

 

2012 finished books:

 

18. All Quiet on the Western Front by Enrich Maria Remarque (*****)

17. Arabella by Georgette Heyer (****)

16. The Thirteen Problems by Agatha Christie (***)

15. The Corinthian by Georgette Heyer (***)

14. Nim's Island by Wendy Orr YA (***)

13. Abandon in Old Tokyo by Yoshihiro Tatsumi (*)

12. The Moving Finger: A Miss Marple Mystery by Agatha Christie (***)

11. All-of-a-Kind Family by Sydney Taylor YA (****)

10. The High Window by Raymond Chandler (****)

9. Island of the Aunts by Eva Ibbotson (**)

8. The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie (****)

7. Farewell, My Lovely by Raymond Chandler (****)

6. What I Wore by Jessica Quirk (**)

5. How Not to Look Old by Charla Krupp (*)

4. The Georgraphy of Bliss by Eric Weiner (***)

3. The Inquisitor's Apprentice by Chris Moriarty YA (*)

2. The Anybodies by NE Bode YA (**)

1. The Little World of Don Camillo by Giovanni Guareschi (****)

 

 

Read alouds 2012:

 

The Twenty One Balloons by William Pene du Bois YA (****)

 

 

Amy's Rating System:

 

***** - Fantastic, couldn't put it down

**** - Very good

*** - Enjoyable but nothing special

** - Not recommended

* - Horrible

Edited March 7, 2012 by aggieamy

[TravelingChris]

Talking about books read ages ago, I know that I read 100 Days of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez more than 25 years ago and that I did like it then. I think I should reread it sometime soon and see how I like it now.

 

Oh, and I am going to tell you all that yes, some of us read these posts and do not comment directly but do find great suggestions of other books to read. From this week so far, I think I will be reading Death in the City of Light; I Can't Wait to Get to Heaven (since I do want to read some more current Southern Lit), and Extraordinary, Ordinary People. And a shoutout to Rosie, who gave me some new suggestions for mystery authors a few weeks ago. Thanks all even if you tell me that some book isn't good, I am sure that may be helpful to someone.

[Outdoorsy Type]

I finished Wool books 1-5 yesterday. The first few are short stories and the last one or two are full length. I read on my kindle, so they all blended together.

It's been a long time since I have enjoyed a series so much! It was thought provoking and interesting. :) I'm going to consider the series as one book, which would make it #14

 

Today I started reading Ashfall by Mike Mullen. It's a YA book that takes place during and after a super volcano erupts in the U.S. My sister recommended this one, and it's pretty good.

[Jane in NC]

 

#20. The Day of the Jackal by Frederick Forsyth. I am fairly sure I read this book about 25 years ago but I also think I was feverish at the time so I didn't remember it all that well. ( I know when I read it because it was when my dh was down in San Antonio going through Officer Training School and I kept getting bronchitis and only worked 25 hours a week so with no hubby, little money, and not much occupying my time, I ended up reading lots and lots of mysteries and thrillers). Anyway, I do know I wasn't very happy with the book back then but not only have I changed in 25 years, so has the world. That was what interested me about the book so much more this time- the fact that I have now lived in Europe for three years and also the huge changes in security both earlier with skyjackings in the late 60s and early 70s and then even more with 9/11. I also now appreciate how well researched this book was, something I don't think I fully realized as a young 2o something year old.

 

I read this book in January after rereading several John le Carre novels (and perhaps feeling nostalgic for simpler "Cold War" times). I too found Jackal to be well researched and intriguing, a book that has withstood the test of time. In my younger years I certainly had no clue regarding the impact of Charles de Gaulle's Algerian policy.

 

Agreeing with you that this "oldie but goodie" deserves a rousing thumbs up.

[Negin]

The Housekeeper and the Professor. I just finished it and I absolutely loved it. I would say that it was one of the best books I have read this year and if you haven't read it yet then get it from your library.

Amy's Rating System:

***** - Fantastic, couldn't put it down

**** - Very good

*** - Enjoyable but nothing special

** - Not recommended

* - Horrible

Amy, I loved The Housekeeper and the Professor. It's one of my favorites for the year also. :)

BTW, I like your rating system and, if you don't mind, I may use this also.

[Rosie_0801]

I finished The Tempest. Apart from our current read aloud, 'The Princess Bride,' I'm not sure what I feel like reading next. I had an Islamic flavoured series I wanted to read, but when you can only get your hands on the first and last book, you know you are courting irritation if you start.

 

Hmm.

Rosie

[Angel]

I just finished Dracula by Bram Stoker. Loved it!

 

I read Dracula the year before last! It took me a bit to get the flow of the journals, but once I did I loved it. I had to read it because I had read the Twilight series and dh kept saying that "real" vampires didn't do that :lol: I had never been interested in "real" vampires. Dracula scared me more than any Twilight book or movie :D In fact, there were a couple times that I had to put it down at night. The whole reason I don't like "real" vampires ;) Give me sparkly ones any day!

[Angel]

I finished book #9 last night. Pride and Prescience by Carrie Bebris. It's a Jane Austen spin-off. I ran across a different book in this series in the library's new release shelf. Since I can't start in the middle of a series, I requested the first ;) I wasn't sure how I would like it. I've been kind of 50/50 on Austen spin-off's. It's mostly a mystery with a teensy bit of paranormal thrown in. I didn't think the author strayed too far from the original characters personalities. It kept me reading and wanting to figure out what happened at the end. Light and quick and clean (definitely PG)! I'm going to pick up the second one today.

 

I'm realizing that I may be behind until after June 16th. Older dd graduates this year and the next four months are just packed with stuff to do. I hope I can catch back up later.

 

I've got three books going and I'm getting ready to start two more and we have a read aloud going! I'm normally a one book at a time kind of gal! I'm feeling a little ADHD in my reading this year.

 

"Pride and Prescience" by Carrie Bebris

"Ophelia" by Lisa Klein

"Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead" by Tom Stoppard

"Hamlet" by William Shakespeare

"The Sisters Grimm" by Michael Buckley

"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" by J. K. Rowling

"The Lost Hero" by Rick Riordan

"Henry V" by William Shakespeare

"The Eyre Affair" by Jasper Fforde

[aggieamy]

Amy, I loved The Housekeeper and the Professor. It's one of my favorites for the year also. :)

BTW, I like your rating system and, if you don't mind, I may use this also.

 

Certainly, go ahead and use my rating system! I remember a discussion earlier on the thread about if a 3-star book was worth reading or not so I wanted my system to posted.

 

I just finished The Old Man and the Sea and it was the first Hemmingway book I read. Basically the entire book is about the old man fishing. It was a fast read but I don't know why because it was really pretty boring to me. The imagery was nice but that wasn't enough for me to love the story. I wonder if I need to try a different one of his books and see if I enjoy it more or if he's just not an author I enjoy.

 

Finished this week:

 

21. The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemmingway (**)

20. The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa (*****)

19. A Murder is Announced by Agatha Christie (****)

 

In progress:

 

Ginger Pye by Elanor Estes YA (our current read aloud)

The Stainless Steel Rat by Harry Harrison (my current audiobook)

The Pleasure of Reading in the Age of Distraction by Alan Jacobs (suggested here)

Storm Front by Jim Butcher (DH is reading it and is insisting I read it also)

 

 

2012 finished books:

 

18. All Quiet on the Western Front by Enrich Maria Remarque (*****)

17. Arabella by Georgette Heyer (****)

16. The Thirteen Problems by Agatha Christie (***)

15. The Corinthian by Georgette Heyer (***)

14. Nim's Island by Wendy Orr YA (***)

13. Abandon in Old Tokyo by Yoshihiro Tatsumi (*)

12. The Moving Finger: A Miss Marple Mystery by Agatha Christie (***)

11. All-of-a-Kind Family by Sydney Taylor YA (****)

10. The High Window by Raymond Chandler (****)

9. Island of the Aunts by Eva Ibbotson (**)

8. The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie (****)

7. Farewell, My Lovely by Raymond Chandler (****)

6. What I Wore by Jessica Quirk (**)

5. How Not to Look Old by Charla Krupp (*)

4. The Georgraphy of Bliss by Eric Weiner (***)

3. The Inquisitor's Apprentice by Chris Moriarty YA (*)

2. The Anybodies by NE Bode YA (**)

1. The Little World of Don Camillo by Giovanni Guareschi (****)

 

 

Read alouds 2012:

 

The Twenty One Balloons by William Pene du Bois YA (****)

 

 

Amy's Rating System:

 

***** - Fantastic, couldn't put it down

**** - Very good

*** - Enjoyable but nothing special

** - Not recommended

* - Horrible

[Mom-ninja.]

I just finished Dracula by Bram Stoker. Loved it!

 

My sister just read it and said she loved it. I have it on my Nook. I'll get to it....

 

 

 

Oh, and I am going to tell you all that yes, some of us read these posts and do not comment directly but do find great suggestions of other books to read. Thanks all even if you tell me that some book isn't good, I am sure that may be helpful to someone.

 

:iagree: I'm always adding books to my wish list. I can't comment on everyone's posts though. It's hard enough to keep up with just reading posts. :001_smile:

 

 

 

I just finished The Old Man and the Sea and it was the first Hemmingway book I read. Basically the entire book is about the old man fishing. It was a fast read but I don't know why because it was really pretty boring to me. The imagery was nice but that wasn't enough for me to love the story. I wonder if I need to try a different one of his books and see if I enjoy it more or if he's just not an author I enjoy.

 

 

 

I read Hemmingway when I'm in a dark and pensive mood.

 

 

I've started Home to Woefield and so far I really like it. I've already laughed several times. Thank you again anonymous book fairy! :hurray:

[Storm Bay]

I have Sayers on the shelves - 3 in one book with Strong Poison and don't remember the other two. Making me want to move it up the stack and read soon. :)

 

 

 

I just started Strong Poison yesterday :).

 

Thanks to whomever suggested the The Housekeeper and the Professor. I just finished it and I absolutely loved it.

 

I don't know if I loved it, but I really liked this book and recommended to an Algebra teacher (formerly an engineer) at my dd's Judo class.

 

I read this book in January after rereading several John le Carre novels (and perhaps feeling nostalgic for simpler "Cold War" times). I too found Jackal to be well researched and intriguing, a book that has withstood the test of time. In my younger years I certainly had no clue regarding the impact of Charles de Gaulle's Algerian policy.

 

Agreeing with you that this "oldie but goodie" deserves a rousing thumbs up.

 

Hi, Jane, since you're a math major, have you read The Housekeeper and the Professor? Math is in intergral part of this story.

 

I finished book #9 last night. Pride and Prescience by Carrie Bebris. It's a Jane Austen spin-off. I ran across a different book in this series in the library's new release shelf. Since I can't start in the middle of a series, I requested the first ;) I wasn't sure how I would like it. I've been kind of 50/50 on Austen spin-off's. It's mostly a mystery with a teensy bit of paranormal thrown in. I didn't think the author strayed too far from the original characters personalities. It kept me reading and wanting to figure out what happened at the end. Light and quick and clean (definitely PG)! I'm going to pick up the second one today.

 

 

Hmm, maybe I'll try this, although I didn't like the P & P sequel I read once since it's clean, even if it's PG. I only like one Jane Austen novel, P & P, and I am a bit of an uptight purist when it comes to that book, which is one of the reasons I like the David Rintoul P & P a lot better than the one with Colin Firth. The other reason is that the David Rintoul mini-series is why I read P & P in the first place.

[SJ.]

Hi everyone,

I haven't posted in a couple weeks due to being sick. I finished a few books though!

 

We finished HP as a read aloud. I wish we would have waited for this one, some of the darker parts disturbed DS1. It also disturbed me to be reading those parts to the boys. Overall I think the book had a good message and we focused on that in our discussions.

 

I finally finished King's Dark Tower Series. I have to admit that I was so frustrated when I finished book 6 that I took a few days to even start the last book. After finishing the last book I still did not agree with what frustrated me in book 6 - Steven King inserting himself in a major way in the story line. I was not completely happy with the fate of some of the characters that I had grown to love either. I did like the ending which from what I understand was pretty controversial. One big disappointment was the handling of the character Mordred. When you name a character Mordred and he is the son of the main character big things should happen, unfortunately Mordred was a dud.

 

This week I finished The Good Earth by Pearl S. Book. I needed to read something completely different and this fit the bill perfectly. It was a good book and a quick read. I felt the book was very circular which was fitting to the story.

 

I am unsure of what I will tackle next. I don't think I am ready for the great whale yet and I'm definitely not ready to tackle 11/22/63. I think I will choose one of the many books on my shelves (& piles!) that I haven't read yet.

 

Happy reading everyone!

 

 

Currently Reading:

Undecided

Finished:

1. The Waste Lands, Stephen King

2. Ahab's Wife, Sena Jeter Nasland

3. Wizard and Glass, Stephen King

4. Wolves of the Calla, Stephen King

5. Song of Susannah, Stephen King

6. The Dark Tower, Stephen King

7. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, JK Rowling

8. The Good Earth, Pearl S. Buck

[ariasmommy]

Just finished #11: The Innocence of Father Brown. I really didn't know much about either G. K. Chesterton or the character of Father Brown until I heard Jim Weiss's rendition of The Blue Cross live at the Cincinnati homeschool convention last year, and then I read a couple of the stories later that summer. I had a hankering for some more detective stories, and saw that it was free in Kindle format, so I downloaded it and read the remaining stories. Some of Chesterton's caricatures grate on me, but overall it was a very fun read. :)

[CAMom]

Finished Harvesting the Heart by Jodi Piccoult. I have one more of hers at home checked out from the library but I don't know if I'll read it. I'm finding myself irritated by her endings and not caring about the characters. Is House Rules any good?

 

Picked up a James Patterson Alex Cross book. Life is way too stressful right now and I need an Alex Cross escape for a day or two.:lol:

 

I'm also reading Oh No She Didn't by Clinton Kelly. That guy cracks me up!

[Stacia]

I'm also reading Oh No She Didn't by Clinton Kelly. That guy cracks me up!

 

I read that earlier this year (can't believe I'm admitting it ;)). That book is so 'politically incorrect' & mean, but in a lol way. What I really loved were the photos to go w/ each entry. :lol:

[Jane in NC]

Just finished book #12, The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt. I believe that this is the first Western novel that I have ever read and probably would have have skipped it if Stacia had not brought it to my attention. Further I noticed that it had been shortlisted for the Man Booker prize and was enticed by its cool cover art. :lol: A fine read.

 

I carry on with Balzac and am now in volume III of the Droll Stories.

 

My late night reading on the Kindle (when my husband is fast asleep) has been one my favorite P.G. Wodehouse novels, Love Among the Chickens. I have a weakness for all books set in Lyme Regis. OK--I only know of three books with settings in Lyme Regis: Persuasion, The French Lieutenant's Woman, and Love Among the Chickens. (Just thought of a fourth, Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier but I have not read it.)

 

Adding that and The Housekeeper and the Professor to my library list. Thanks Karin!

[Stacia]

Just finished book #12, The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt. I believe that this is the first Western novel that I have ever read and probably would have have skipped it if Stacia had not brought it to my attention. Further I noticed that it had been shortlisted for the Man Booker prize and was enticed by its cool cover art. :lol: A fine read.

 

Like you, Jane, I think The Sisters Brothers was the first Western I've read. Being shortlisted for the Man Booker & the cool cover art were the main reasons I started reading it in the first place! :D :thumbup1:

 

On a different note...

 

Remember that a couple of weeks ago, I was ready to whisk myself away to an Italian castle based on a lovely book I had read? Well, the new book I started today may have me rethinking that.... ;): Cooking with Fernet Branca by James Hamilton-Paterson. (Btw, this book is published by Europa -- my current publisher obsession -- and was also nominated for the 2004 Booker Prize.)

 

I had an hour alone at Starbucks today to start this book. (Ah, lovely!) Within a few minutes, I was sniggering so much that I actually snorted out loud. (This as I was trying so hard to keep my laughing to myself as I sat there alone -- you know, I didn't want to be tagged as the crazy lady at that table over there.... :tongue_smilie:) Oh well....

 

Obviously, so far, so good on this one!

 

From amazon.com:

"Usually writers taking a holiday from their serious work will use a pseudonym (DeLillo as Cleo Birdwell), but British novelist Hamilton-Paterson (

Gerontius

, etc.), who lives in Italy, bravely serves a very funny sendup of Italian-cooking-holiday-romance novels, without any camouflage. Written from the alternating perspectives of two foreigners who have bought neighboring Tuscan houses, the book has no plot to speak of beyond when-will-they-sleep-together. Gerald Samper is an effete British ghost writer of sportsperson biographies (such as skier Per Snoilsson's

Downhill All the Way!

); neighbor Marta is a native Voynovian (think mountainous eastern bloc) trying to escape her rich family's descent into postcommunist criminality—by writing a film score for a "famous" pornographer's latest project. Each downs copious amounts of the title swill and carps at the reader about the other's infuriating ways: Gerald sings to himself in a manner that Marta then parodies for the film; Gerald relentlessly dissects the Voyde cuisine Marta serves him, all the while sharing recipes for his own hilariously absurd cuisine. Rock stars, helicopters, the porn director and son, and Marta's mafia brother all make appearances. The fun is in Hamilton-Paterson's offhand observations and delicate touch in handling his two unreliable misfits as they find each other—and there's lots of it."

Edited March 9, 2012 by Stacia

[Pink and Green Mom]

I just finished Book #12, Both Ways Is the Only Way I Want It, by Maile Meloy. It is a collection of 11 short stories, none of which I wanted to end.

 

Not sure what is next. I should be reading The Year We Left Home by Jean Thompson for my book group in a couple of weeks, but I'm not feeling it.

[Mom-ninja.]

I read that earlier this year (can't believe I'm admitting it ;)). That book is so 'politically incorrect' & mean, but in a lol way. What I really loved were the photos to go w/ each entry. :lol:

 

I loved that book. So fun and full of tips.

[Kareni]

Still on my historical romance reading kick --

 

I finished As You Desire by Connie Brockway which I'd seen on several Top 100 romance lists. (See one such list from the Romance Reader here.) I enjoyed it but I preferred My Dearest Enemy by the same author which I also read recently.

 

Regards,

Kareni

Edited March 9, 2012 by Kareni

[Night Elf]

For the first time this year, I've read a book I want to recommend.

 

The Pact: Three Young Men Make a Promise and Fulfill a Dream. Drs. Sampson Davis, George Jenkins, and Rameck Hunt. The Three Doctors.

 

These three men came from the inner streets of Newark, NJ. Each of them lived in poverty condition, in neighborhoods with violence and drugs as a way of life. They met in a high school program for gifted teens (I think that is what it was). They wanted to do well in school but had to downplay it to friends because it looked bad on the streets. In the high school, they heard a talk by someone from Seton Hall University that had a program aimed at kids like them to bring them into college under pre-medical/pre-dental degrees. They made a pact to get through college, medical school, and residency to become doctors. Their story is an incredible inspiration because they faced many difficult obstacles, but they reached their goal. Just a fantastic story that I highly recommend if you're looking for something to read.

[Stacia]

Oh, wow! The book fairy visited me today (or maybe amazon just forgot to put in a note?).

 

Thank you, book fairy, for Colony by Hugo Wilcken and Clash of Civilizations Over An Elevator In Piazza Vittorio by Amara Lakhous. I'm really looking forward to starting both books!

 

Thanks again! :001_smile:

[SJ.]

I had a lot of time on my hands when DS2 was at the dr for some tests. During that time I read Hemingway's Old Man and the Sea. I was surprised that I enjoyed it as much as I did.

 

 

Currently Reading:

Undecided

Finished:

1. The Waste Lands, Stephen King

2. Ahab's Wife, Sena Jeter Nasland

3. Wizard and Glass, Stephen King

4. Wolves of the Calla, Stephen King

5. Song of Susannah, Stephen King

6. The Dark Tower, Stephen King

7. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, JK Rowling

8. The Good Earth, Pearl S. Buck

9. Old Man and the Sea, Ernest Hemingway

[aggieamy]

I'm giving up on The Pleasure of Reading in the Age of Distraction by Alan Jacobs. It's too dry and slow moving for me. Sigh. Two rough books in a row. I'm hoping the next one is better.

 

Finished this week:

 

21. The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemmingway (**)

20. The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa (*****)

19. A Murder is Announced by Agatha Christie (****)

 

In progress:

 

Ginger Pye by Elanor Estes YA (our current read aloud)

The Stainless Steel Rat by Harry Harrison (my current audiobook)

Storm Front by Jim Butcher (DH is reading it and is insisting I read it also)

The Third Choice - A Woman's Guide to Placing a Child for Adoption by Leslie Foge (recommended by the lady helping with our adoption paperwork)

Home to Woefield by Susan Juby (recommended here)

 

2012 finished books:

 

18. All Quiet on the Western Front by Enrich Maria Remarque (*****)

17. Arabella by Georgette Heyer (****)

16. The Thirteen Problems by Agatha Christie (***)

15. The Corinthian by Georgette Heyer (***)

14. Nim's Island by Wendy Orr YA (***)

13. Abandon in Old Tokyo by Yoshihiro Tatsumi (*)

12. The Moving Finger: A Miss Marple Mystery by Agatha Christie (***)

11. All-of-a-Kind Family by Sydney Taylor YA (****)

10. The High Window by Raymond Chandler (****)

9. Island of the Aunts by Eva Ibbotson (**)

8. The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie (****)

7. Farewell, My Lovely by Raymond Chandler (****)

6. What I Wore by Jessica Quirk (**)

5. How Not to Look Old by Charla Krupp (*)

4. The Georgraphy of Bliss by Eric Weiner (***)

3. The Inquisitor's Apprentice by Chris Moriarty YA (*)

2. The Anybodies by NE Bode YA (**)

1. The Little World of Don Camillo by Giovanni Guareschi (****)

 

 

Read alouds 2012:

 

The Twenty One Balloons by William Pene du Bois YA (****)

 

 

Amy's Rating System:

 

***** - Fantastic, couldn't put it down

**** - Very good

*** - Enjoyable but nothing special

** - Not recommended

* - Horrible

[swellmomma]

Finished 3 more this week.

 

We finally finished out read aloud "The Secret of the Andes" it certainly was not a favorite and was hard for us to get through but I hate starting books and not finishing them

 

I also read The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan.

 

Lastly our Halo audio book wrapped up. While it is certianly not one I would have chosen to listen to, it certainly has made it easier for me to discuss the video games with my son as now I know the different wars/aliens/soldiers etc. He thinks it is great that I can discuss this stuff with him now.

 

I had to return Ahab's wife before I even started it so it has been put back on hold as has the book thief which I also had to return

 

Currently reading:

 

Twilight Eyes by Dean Koontz

Moby Dick (audio book)

Inheritance (audio book)

Little Sugar addicts

Playstation Nation

The Connected child

[Sparkle]

I didn't get a chance to post last week, so I'm catching up now.

 

I finished #23 The Maze Runner by James Dashner. I also read #24 Shucked: Life on a New England Oyster Farm by Erin Byers Murray, which is pretty much what it sounds like - a magazine writer/foodie decides to work for a year on an oyster farm, finding out how oysters get from the sea to the restaurant table. It was a an enjoyable read, definitely something different.

 

I also read #25 You Don't Sweat Much for a Fat Girl: Observations of Life from the Shallow End of the Pool by Celia Rivenbark - fluffy, funny, tell-it-like-it-is book. A bit uneven but overall OK.

 

And #26 Silly Woman, Big Rigs are for Men by Mary Ellen Dempsey. This was a good book, about how a single mom went from driving a school bus to driving big rigs long distance for 15 years, and how she did it in a male-dominated arena. She is a good story teller but she really needed an editor for this book though.

 

Currently reading Abbess Thaisia of Leuschino: An Autobiography of a Spiritual Daughter of St. John of Kronstadt - how's that for a long title? Good so far. My priest gave me this one to read for Lent.

 

Also reading Mightier Than the Sword: Uncle Tom's Cabin and the Fight for America by David Reynolds. Very interesting story of Harriet Beecher Stowe and the impact that her book had on society. A bit heavy-going at times though.

[Mom-ninja.]

I just turned wi-fi on my Nook, and two new books popped up. It's been awhile since I connected with my Nook because my ds has been reading on it.

 

I don't know who got me the two books, but thank you very much. :D

[VeganCupcake]

I finished Twyla Tharp's The Creative Habit last night. I found it quite motivating to take up a creative activity and do it regularly, but I have a bit of a time problem with all the other things I'm committed to do! I liked a lot of the ideas in the book. Some of the exercises seemed a bit silly or really only appropriate for dancers and choreographers, but I didn't try them all out to see if they worked, so maybe even if they were silly, they were still effective.

 

Today I have started Nothing to Envy. I had a hard time putting it down--it is very compelling.

[Negin]

Today I have started Nothing to Envy. I had a hard time putting it down--it is very compelling.

I absolutely loved this. I think that so far, it's been my favorite read of the year.