Book a Week in 2012 - Week 23

[Robin M]

Good Morning, my lovelies! Today is the start of week 23 in our quest to read 52 books in 52 weeks. Welcome back to all our readers, welcome to all those just joining in and to all who are following our progress. Mr. Linky is all set up on the 52 books blog to link to your reviews.

 

52 Books Blog - Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee. What is on everyone's mind this week no doubt. All hail to the queen as she celebrates her 60th anniversary as queen. Highlighted some biographical books and sites for more info about her.

 

June is Audiobook Month so be sure to check out Audiobook Jukebox where you'll find link to audiobook reviews and Audible.com for books to download. (my favorite resource for stories to listen to on my iphone.)

 

What are you reading this week?

 

 

 

 

Link to week 22

[Robin M]

I finished reading:

 

Robin Burcell's Face of a Killer and thoroughly enjoyed it. Looking forward to reading more of her stories.

 

The Great Gatsby - Meh! Good writing but no redeeming moral value to the story.

 

The Inquisitors Key - Jefferson Bass (review book from William Morrow) Part historical fiction / part present day mystery. All blended together in the end. The only issue I had was the two writers and their voices were so completely different it was kind of jarring going from present to past then back again.

 

 

 

On tap for this week is Steven James The Bishop and a light romance by suspense author Roxanne St Claire Barefoot in the Sand.

 

 

Exciting new arrivals just received for reviewing:

[Just Robyn]

Progress toward goals:

I hit the 52 benchmark earlier this month, but the more important goal for me this year is to increase my non-fiction reading. Early on, I thought I could finish 52 non-fiction titles, but I'm not sure that's realistic. At. All. I've only reached 19 on Week 22 and have already committed to a dozen fiction books for "The Shelf Discovery Project." I plan to keep trying, though.

 

Congrats! So many people have hit 52 before we're even half way through the year! I guess maybe that's normal, but I wouldn't know because I didn't join in until July last year.

 

Here's what I have finished for this week:

 

42.) Goblin Market and Other Poems by Christina Rossetti - I have read a few poems by Christina Rossetti here and there, but I had never read Goblin Market. And it seems to me I had the unfortunate luck of reading poems I didn't much like and forming a "meh" opinion of her work, an opinion I couldn't possibly hold after reading these works, especially Goblin Market. Her poetry is clever and passionate. Love it!

 

43.) Boneshaker by Cherie Priest - This was a fun "steampunk-zombie-airship adventure" (like it says on the cover) set in Seattle during the Civil War. I'd love to see this as a movie with Kathy Bates as Lucy O'Gunning.

 

44.) The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid - The man can write a fantastic sentence, and I'd consider reading his other novel, but I hated all the characters in this book, except the aunt of the narrator who is mentioned for a couple of sentences.

[Pink and Green Mom]

I haven't posted in a while, but since my last posting I've finished:

 

#31 - I Want My MTV: The Uncensored Story of the Music Revolution, by Craig Marks and Robert Tannenbaum. I enjoyed the parts about the beginnings of the station in the '80s, and the parts about '80s music - from the Madonnas/Michael Jacksons of the world, and the transition to heavy metal, and the transition to rap, and then the transition to grunge. I enjoyed all the quotes from popular and obscure musicians from that time period.

 

# 32 - History of a Pleasure Seeker, by Richard Mason. This was a very fast read. Didn't particularly care for it. I'm not sure how I even found out about this book.

 

I'm currently reading Why We Get Fat and What To Do About It. Not sure I am liking this one either. Something just doesn't "feel" right about it. It has to go back to the library in 2 days and I'm not sure whether I will even finish it.

 

I finally received Dragonfly in Amber (Book 2 of Outlander series) so I'm looking forward to starting that. I'm trying desparately to finish up school and do some decluttering around here so reading is sort of taking a backseat.

 

Looking forward to checking in to see what everyone is reading and getting some inspiration!

[Storm Bay]

IF you're wondering, I haven't quit, but haven't been on the forum for a few weeks (I had no idea just how long until I logged on to come to this thread). Here are my responses to some things from last week. Then I'll read this one & post what I've been reading.

 

. I'm leaning toward raiding my teen's bookshelves for some YA, possibly the first in the Scott Westerfield series. Pretties. Uglies, something like that.

 

Dd & I read these. She really enjoyed them, and I read the 4 main ones to see what happened...

 

True Confessions; I'm obsessed. Reading Thrones, Dominations by Dorothy Sayers. The last Lord Peter, Harriet Vane mystery. Only 2 left, and I'm already grieving the end of this fabulous jaunt. sniff. sniff.

 

So, what are your favourites in the series? I like them, but not enough to read the entire series (guess I'm not obsessed ;))

 

I read The Giver this week. I was pretty unhappy with the ending but was happy to learn that my interpretation of the ending was wrong, per the author.

 

Could you PM me the author's interpretation of the end (or put it at the bottom of a reply & label it spoiler)? I hope my interpretation was wrong.

 

 

 

through a Glass Darkly" by Karleen Koen. Check out the excerpt and see if it tickles your fancy. It did mine. Amazon excerpt if you prefer

 

My sil liked this novel. I can't remember now if I read the whole thing & posted it or skipped part of it. Isn't that terrible? I can't even remember if I liked it or not, but I at least read a lot of it.

[Storm Bay]

I've read a few things in the past few weeks. The last book I finished (I'm most of the way through the Jane Austen mystery I'm reading) was a flashback to middle & high school when one of my regular genres was SciFi. I hadn't read this one before, but it was Rendevous with Rama http://www.amazon.com/Rendezvous-Rama-Arthur-C-Clarke/dp/0553287893

 

It's amazing just how dated this is, with all of the colonies on planets in our solar system, including Mercury, but it was interesting to see the kinds of things that were written in 1970s scifi, and Clarke is one of the top sci fi writers of all time, apparently.

 

I found a book of his lying around the library. I do remember reading Childhood's End at that time, and when I found the summary it's actually one of the novels I remember a few things about.

 

Now if I could just get myself back on track with some of the nonfiction books I planned to read this year.

 

24. Once

25. A Friend at Midnight

26. Winter’s Child

27. Beauty Sleep

28. Rendevous with Rama Arthur C Clarke

[Stacia]

The Great Gatsby - Meh! Good writing but no redeeming moral value.

I'd have to debate w/ you there, Robin! :001_smile: I think there is some redeeming moral value w/ Nick Carraway (kind of in a role like a Greek chorus) holding up the other characters as examples of, ultimately, how not to behave. I think there's also a lot of reflection of so-called 'American' values there -- being a self-made man, pulling yourself up by the bootstraps, take charge attitudes, capitalist society, etc....

 

I have a similar comment to yours, but in relation to Wuthering Heights. I could find no redeeming moral values there, nor romance or love -- just a cast of despicable characters :ack2:, imo. I found it entirely stressful to read. I really disliked the book & when I finished, I was angry because I felt as if I had wasted my time. (Otoh, Bronte's writing is nice, so I give the book two stars -- a generous rating, imo. :lol:)

 

If nothing else, you can say that at least the characters in Gatsby were happy (some of the time) while trampling others, while Wuthering Heights was filled w/ a miserable bunch who wallowed in hate & anger while trampling others. :tongue_smilie: (I think I'll opt for the happier bunch. :lol:)

 

43.) Boneshaker by Cherie Priest - This was a fun "steampunk-zombie-airship adventure" (like it says on the cover) set in Seattle during the Civil War. I'd love to see this as a movie with Kathy Bates as Lucy O'Gunning.

I enjoyed that one for the steampunk-ish-ness of it. (Zombies aren't really my genre of choice....) I want to read Priest's other books in that series.

 

I'm working on less stressful reading this week....

 

Napoleon's Pyramids, which is turning out to be a fun summer read -- a mix of Indiana Jones, The Da Vinci Code, and a dash of James Bond. Perfectly frivolous & entirely entertaining. :D

 

Also, still working on The Dancing Wu Li Masters, a 'simplistic' explanation of quantum physics.

 

----------------------------

My Goodreads Page

Completed the Europa Challenge Cappuccino Level (at least 6 Europa books: #s 4, 9, 10, 11, 14, 19, & 21 on my list).

Completed Robin's Read a Russian Author in April Challenge (#24 & #26 on my list).

 

My rating system: 5 = Love; 4 = Pretty awesome; 3 = Decently good; 2 = Ok; 1 = Don't bother (I shouldn't have any 1s on my list as I would ditch them before finishing)...

 

2012 Books Read:

01. Mozart's Last Aria by Matt Rees (3 stars)

02. Oh No She Didn't by Clinton Kelly (2 stars, if you're in the right mood, lol)

03. The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt (4 stars)

04. In a Strange Room by Damon Galgut (4 stars)

05. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling (5 stars)

06. The Infernals by John Connolly (3 stars)

07. Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto (2 stars)

08. The Coral Thief by Rebecca Stott (3 stars)

09. Zeroville by Steve Erickson (4.5 stars)

10. Broken Glass Park by Alina Bronsky (4 stars)

 

11. Hygiene and the Assassin by Amélie Nothomb (2 stars)

12. The Geography of Bliss by Eric Weiner (3 stars)

13. The Raw Shark Texts by Steven Hall (4 stars)

14. The Nun by Simonetta Agnello Hornby (4 stars)

15. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (5 stars)

16. The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim (3 stars)

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

18. The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt by Caroline Preston (3 stars)

19. Cooking with Fernet Branca by James Hamilton-Paterson (4 stars)

20. Stone Junction by Jim Dodge (3 stars)

 

21. Clash of Civilizations Over an Elevator in Piazza Vittorio by Amara Lakhous (3 stars)

22. Colony by Hugo Wilcken (5 stars)

23. Swimming to Antarctica by Lynne Cox (3 stars)

24. The Master & Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov (4.5 stars)

25. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs (3 stars)

26. The Dream Life of Sukhanov by Olga Grushin (4 stars)

27. Vanishing Point by David Markson (3 stars)

28. I Am Half-Sick of Shadows by Alan Bradley (4 stars)

29. The Curious Case of the Clockwork Man by Mark Hodder (4 stars)

30. Unclutter Your Life in One Week by Erin Rooney Doland (2 stars)

 

31. Hounded by Kevin Hearne (4 stars)

32. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (5 stars)

33. The Bookman by Lavie Tidhar (2 stars)

34. Anthem by Ayn Rand (3 stars)

35. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte (2 stars)

[Storm Bay]

 

I enjoyed that one for the steampunk-ish-ness of it. (Zombies aren't really my genre of choice....) I want to read Priest's other books in that series.

 

 

 

Today I finally googled "steampunk"--I've read books that are close, but if it has to include a horror component I'm not sure if I could read true steampunk. I cheated & only read Wikipedia, so if horror isn't part & parcel of it, are there any good steampunk novels? I abhor horror. (ooo-those last 2 words must share a root...)

[Stacia]

Today I finally googled "steampunk"--I've read books that are close, but if it has to include a horror component I'm not sure if I could read true steampunk. I cheated & only read Wikipedia, so if horror isn't part & parcel of it, are there any good steampunk novels? I abhor horror. (ooo-those last 2 words must share a root...)

 

I highly recommend The Strange Affair of Spring Heeled Jack by Mark Hodder. I don't consider that it has 'horror' elements (though it does have some werewolves) & does have some strange elements based off the folklore/legend of Spring Heeled Jack from Victorian times. I guess I don't think of steampunk as necessarily having a horror component, rather it often has a supernatural component of some sort (some being more horrific than others, I think). I'm not a fan of horror, though I enjoy steampunk & some of the classics like Dracula & Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde.

[Just Robyn]

Today I finally googled "steampunk"--I've read books that are close, but if it has to include a horror component I'm not sure if I could read true steampunk. I cheated & only read Wikipedia, so if horror isn't part & parcel of it, are there any good steampunk novels? I abhor horror. (ooo-those last 2 words must share a root...)

 

Gail Carriger's Parasol Protectorate series is a fun and humorous mix of paranormal romance, steampunk and mystery.

 

Leviathan by Scott Westerfield is the first in a YA steampunk trilogy (with no horror component). I can't say I particularly enjoyed it, and I did not read the next books. My ds loved it.

[TravelingChris]

I have finished another one and am well into the reading club book.

 

No. 33. Pusher by Ed Bain - This is sort of a pulp crime fiction book from the 1950's. Short, plenty of deaths, but while I didn't really like the book that much, one thing that was interesting to me was how much into forensic science they were into back then. Considering they knew nothing of DNA even and most chemical markers hadn't been discovered, it just surprised me.

 

Now I am reading Red on Red but I haven't finished so no review yet.

[Mothersweets]

Last week I read The House at Riverton by Kate Morton.

 

*spoiler*

 

I was very moved by Hannah and her crappy marriage. Not surprised with Grace being the daughter of what's his name - I saw that coming a mile off - was I supposed to realize it before Grace did? The ending left me...angry but I'm not sure why. She SHOT him? Really?!! Well, maybe it didn't really leave me angry but snappish. I thought Grace was pretty clueless but liked her otherwise.

[Jen in PA]

This week I finished:

 

#67. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie (yes, aggieamy, I finally got around to it!). I knew the ending before reading it, so it was an interesting experience, more like studying the structure as I went through it.

 

#68. Who Killed Roger Ackroyd? by Pierre Bayard. This is an examination of the Christie novel, imagining an alternate conclusion about the identity of the murderer. Bayard uses a combo of traditional textual analysis and a sort of literary psychoanalysis (of both author and characters).

 

I enjoyed the Christie novel, but I enjoyed the Bayard analysis even more.

[dangermom]

This week I started a really long book, so I feel like I haven't finished much. I've joined a couple of read-alongs, so I'm 1/3 through Warbreaker and 1/5 through A Farewell to Arms. It turns out I don't like Hemingway.

 

The Birds, by Aristophanes--ancient Greek comedy

Midnight in Austenland, by Shannon Hale--I really like these Austenland books. This one is not only funny, it has a mystery! I liked the protagonist, Charlotte, a lot; she's my age and has been blindsided by her husband's infidelity and desertion. She shut down and is now learning to come back to life.

Manning Up, by Kay Hymowitz--analysis of current American culture, extension of young adulthood with education and delay of marriage, effects on men and women. Very interesting.

[Onceuponatime]

The Narnian is still a work in progress. I put it aside temporarily. I've read a lot about and by C. S. Lewis, but this is new stuff to me. I know that noone is perfect, but sometimes you wish somebody was.

 

I decided to read Stone's Fall by Ian Pears. It started out great, very intriguing. The middle was slightly less so, the end was just awful. I was very disgusted. Oh well.

 

Next I read Putting Away Childish Things by Marcus Borg. I understand what he was trying to do, but I think it could have been better. The college material was great, the relationship stuff was cheesy.

 

Now I am reading The Rise and Fall of the Bible by Timothy Beal. So far so good.

[Guest]

Leviathan by Scott Westerfield is the first in a YA steampunk trilogy (with no horror component). I can't say I particularly enjoyed it, and I did not read the next books. My ds loved it.

 

I read that last summer (?) and I didn't particularly care for it, either.

[Guest]

 

I'm working on less stressful reading this week....

 

Napoleon's Pyramids, which is turning out to be a fun summer read -- a mix of Indiana Jones, The Da Vinci Code, and a dash of James Bond. Perfectly frivolous & entirely entertaining. :D

 

 

 

Everytime you have posted about this book, I keep thinking it's a book that I tried to read earlier this year, but haven't been able to remember the title. When you post, your book sounds so much more interesting! I just remembered the title today - Mirage: Napoleon's Scientists and the Unveiling of Egypt. This book you are reading sounds so much better than that one, so I think I may try to read it. I didn't care for Mirage.

[Ali in OR]

Number 39 was Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins which I enjoyed more than I thought I would (I cheated and read Amazon reviews of that and Mockingjay and haven't been looking forward to where they go). Now I'm number 106 on the hold list for Mockingjay. Anna Karenina continues as does The Vitamin D Solution and I have a couple of mysteries waiting.

 

Books Read in 2012 (* = contenders for my 2012 Top Ten)

39. Catching Fire-Suzanne Collins

38. Pride and Prescience-Carrie Bebris

37. The Night Circus-Erin Morgenstern*

36. Houskeeping-Marilynne Robinson

35. Death Comes to Pemberley-P.D. James

34. The Language of Flowers-Vanessa Diffenbaugh*

33. The Peach Keeper-Sarah Addison Allen

32. 11/22/63-Stephen King*

31. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer-Mark Twain

30. Quiet-Susan Cain*

29. The Paris Wife-Paula McLain

28. The Girl Who Chased the Moon-Sarah Addison Allen

27. The Feast Nearby-Robin Mather

26. The Sugar Queen-Sarah Addison Allen

25. The Invention of Hugo Cabret-Brian Selznick

24. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks-Rebecca Skloot*

23. The Hunger Games-Suzanne Collins

22. Not a Fan-Kyle Idleman

21. Wildwood-Colin Meloy

20. Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children-Ransom Riggs

19. The Mysterious Affair at Styles-Agatha Christie

18. A String in the Harp-Nancy Bond

17. The Art of Hearing Heartbeats-Jan-Philipp Sendker*

16. The Lacuna-Barbara Kingsolver*

15. I Am Half-Sick of Shadows-Alan Bradley

14. Garden Spells-Sarah Addison Allen

13. The Prince and the Pauper-Mark Twain

12. Romeo and Juliet-William Shakespeare

11. The Shallows-Nicholas Carr

10. The Handmaid’s Tale-Margaret Atwood

9. Mudbound-Hillary Jordan*

8. The Other Wind-Ursula Le Guin

7. What the Dog Saw-Malcolm Gladwell

6. The Tenant of Wildfell Hall-Anne Bronte

5. Tehanu-Ursula Le Guin

4. The Scarlet Pimpernel-Baroness Orczy

3. The Paleo Diet-Loren Cordain

2. Peter Pan-James Barrie

1. The Farthest Shore-Ursula Le Guin

[eaglei]

I finished these two books this week:

 

#25 - No Longer a Slumdog: Bringing Hope to Children in Crisis, by K.P. Yohannan. I unexpectedly received this from a new *acquaintance* so thought I'd go ahead and read it right away. Nonfiction about the suffering in India and the success of one Christian organization in attempting to help. Sad and motivating.

 

#26 - Wear My Ring Again, by Mildred Woodford. This has been in my *to-read* stack for several years. It was ... okay. Better than I expected but nothing to write home about.

 

Currently reading a real departure for me, so the jury is still out on it - I'm only about a third of the way through:

 

#27 - The Elusive Flame, by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss.

[Rosie_0801]

I read 'Making Money' by Terry Pratchett.

 

:)

Rosie

[porque]

Well I didn't finish anything this week, we are having some sunshine and it so nice to work in the yard, but we did finish

 

Read-a-louds

#13 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

#14 The Mystery of the Periodic Table

 

DD10

#45 Harry's Mad

#46 Something Fishy at MacDonald Hall

[Stacia]

Everytime you have posted about this book, I keep thinking it's a book that I tried to read earlier this year, but haven't been able to remember the title. When you post, your book sounds so much more interesting! I just remembered the title today - Mirage: Napoleon's Scientists and the Unveiling of Egypt. This book you are reading sounds so much better than that one, so I think I may try to read it. I didn't care for Mirage.

 

The one I'm reading, I think, can be classed as an adventurous historical fiction. Reading the link you gave, a couple of Napoleon's savants covered in Mirage include Gaspard Monge and Claude-Louis Berthollet, both of whom have already appeared in Napoleon's Pyramids as characters. It would be interesting to know how historically accurate Napoleon's Pyramids is.... You'd probably recognize quite a few of the people mentioned in it based on your non-fiction reading. I'm finding it quite fun so far (& I may have to check out Mirage, just for comparison/contrast as to how much truth vs. fiction there is in the book).

[Just Robyn]

I finished these two books this week:

 

#25 - No Longer a Slumdog: Bringing Hope to Children in Crisis, by K.P. Yohannan. I unexpectedly received this from a new *acquaintance* so thought I'd go ahead and read it right away. Nonfiction about the suffering in India and the success of one Christian organization in attempting to help. Sad and motivating.

 

#26 - Wear My Ring Again, by Mildred Woodford. This has been in my *to-read* stack for several years. It was ... okay. Better than I expected but nothing to write home about.

 

Currently reading a real departure for me, so the jury is still out on it - I'm only about a third of the way through:

 

#27 - The Elusive Flame, by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss.

 

I read Beyond Heaving Bosoms earlier this year and then vowed to give romance novels a fair chance. I actually just checked The Flame and the Flower out from the library - also by Woodiwiss.

[Jen in PA]

 

The Birds, by Aristophanes--ancient Greek comedy

 

This is one of my all-time favorite plays.

[Shawneinfl]

I haven't posted for a while but I've been busy with graduations and such. Thanks to whoever recommended Swimming to Antarctica http://www.amazon.com/Swimming-Antarctica-Tales-Long-Distance-Swimmer/dp/0156031302/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1338767537&sr=1- last week. Just finished it last night.

 

I'm currently reading This Life is in Your Hands and read the sample chapter from Wild http://www.amazon.com/Wild-Found-Pacific-Crest-Oprahs/dp/0307592731/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1338767482&sr=1-1

which is the latest Oprah book club book.

Edited June 3, 2012 by Shawneinfl
Messed up links

[ladydusk]

We listened to two audio books: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and The Invention of Hugo Cabret. Thoroughly enjoyed them both with much to talk about in both.

 

I hope to get Invention out of the library to see all the pictures ...

 

 

2012 Books Reviews

1. Lit! by Tony Reinke

2. Loving the Little Years by Rachel Jankovic

3. Words to Eat By by Ina Lipkowitz

4. How to Tutor Your Own Child by Marina Koestler Ruben

5. Evening in the Palace of Reason by James R Gaines (spectacular)

6. The Cat of Bubastes by GA Henty (Audio from Librivox)

7. The Last Battle by C S Lewis (Audiobook)

8. A Praying Life by Paul E Miller

9. Emotional Intensity in Gifted Students by Christine Fonesca

10. Little Britches: Father and I Were Ranchers by Ralph Moody (fantastic read aloud)

11. The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare

12. The Abolition of Man by C.S. Lewis

13. How to Write a Sentence by Stanley Fish

14. The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion

15. The Rich Are Different by Susan Howatch

16. The Masqueraders by Georgette Heyer

17. Sylvester by Georgette Heyer

18. Understood Betsy by Dorothy Canfield Fisher (great read aloud)

19. Sins of the Fathers by Susan Howatch (wow!)

20. Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls (very good)

21. Mansfield Park by Jane Austen (favorite)

22. The Toll Gate by Georgette Heyer

23. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl (audio book)

24. The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick (audio book)

Edited June 4, 2012 by ladydusk

[VeganCupcake]

I am still reading The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver. I also picked up Blue Nights by Joan Didion from the library. It's about the death of her daughter. A little cheery reading, you know.

[Guest]

Just finished Gentlemen and Players by Joanne Harris. I have to say, the jury was out on this one until the end. I actually found it to be dragging, but I have a very satisfied feeling having finished it. Basically, the story is one of revenge and a who-dunnit at an all boys school in England. The point(s) of view that it was written from was somewhat confusing and some of the situations left me uncomfortable. But, in the end, the story was well-constructed and woven by an author I have come to really enjoy.

 

The one I'm reading, I think, can be classed as an adventurous historical fiction. Reading the link you gave, a couple of Napoleon's savants covered in Mirage include Gaspard Monge and Claude-Louis Berthollet, both of whom have already appeared in Napoleon's Pyramids as characters. It would be interesting to know how historically accurate Napoleon's Pyramids is.... You'd probably recognize quite a few of the people mentioned in it based on your non-fiction reading. I'm finding it quite fun so far (& I may have to check out Mirage, just for comparison/contrast as to how much truth vs. fiction there is in the book).

 

Maybe I would enjoy Mirage more if I read Napoleon's Pyramids first and familiarize myself with everyone. I just got lost.

[Paisley Hedgehog]

.

[Storm Bay]

I highly recommend The Strange Affair of Spring Heeled Jack by Mark Hodder. I don't consider that it has 'horror' elements (though it does have some werewolves) & does have some strange elements based off the folklore/legend of Spring Heeled Jack from Victorian times. I guess I don't think of steampunk as necessarily having a horror component, rather it often has a supernatural component of some sort (some being more horrific than others, I think). I'm not a fan of horror, though I enjoy steampunk & some of the classics like Dracula & Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde.

I looked at that, and think I'll read it in the future as dd, dh & I watched the entire season of the TV show Once Upon a Time & I'm taking a break from people turning into wolves (if you didn't see the series, I'll give you one spoiler--Red Riding Hood turns into a giant wolf on the full moon unless she wears a red hooded cape made by a wizard, but her granny hides the fact from her until...okay, no more spoilers).

 

Gail Carriger's Parasol Protectorate series is a fun and humorous mix of paranormal romance, steampunk and mystery.

 

Leviathan by Scott Westerfield is the first in a YA steampunk trilogy (with no horror component). I can't say I particularly enjoyed it, and I did not read the next books. My ds loved it.

My kids all read that series as did I. I was disappointed by it, too, but read to find out what happened in the end (another disappointment). My dc all enjoyed it.

 

I'm going to keep these titles from you two until I'm in the mood for paranormal again, because one of these days I will be.

[Jen in PA]

 

This week I am working on another highly anticipated ARC, Broken Harbor by Tana French, and finishing up Through the Narrow Gate by Karen Armstrong. I also need to get started pre-reading my high schoolers books for next year.

 

 

Ack! It is so hard waiting between Tana French novels! Keep us posted!

[Heather in Neverland]

This week...

 

Started Reading:

Faith of My Fathers by Lynn Austin

 

Still reading:

Desiring God

 

Completed:

24. A Good American

23. They Say/I Say:The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing

22. Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking

21. Insurgent

20. Stand: A Call for the Endurance of the Saints

19. The Strength of His Hands

18. The Meaning of Marriage

17. Funny in Farsi

16. The Constantine Codex

15. What the Dog Saw

14. What is the Mission of the Church?: Making Sense of Social Justice, Shalom, and the Great Commission

13. Gods and Kings

12. A Skeleton in God's Closet

11. My Hands Came Away Red

10. The Omnivore's Dilemma

9. Dead Heat

8. Redeeming Love

7. Family Driven Faith: What it Takes to Raise Sons and Daughters Who Walk with God

6. Organized Simplicity

5. Year of Wonders

4. The Holiness of God

3. The Paris Wife

2. The Peach Keeper

1. Relic

[luvnlattes]

My "T" book finally came in. I started Through My Eyes by Tim Tebow last night. It got mixed reviews but I wanted to see what this guy is like after all the hype about him earlier this year. I did the same thing with Sarah Palin a few years ago. I have a distinct opinion of her after reading that book!

 

This is book #22 for me so I might be a bit behind. I'm hoping to make up some ground over the summer.

[Mom-ninja.]

This week I started a really long book, so I feel like I haven't finished much. I've joined a couple of read-alongs, so I'm 1/3 through Warbreaker and 1/5 through A Farewell to Arms. It turns out I don't like Hemingway.

 

 

Midnight in Austenland, by Shannon Hale--I really like these Austenland books.

 

 

I'm not a Hemingway fan either. I've read three of his books and haven't liked any.

 

I have Austenland books on my to read list but haven't read them yet.

[Stacia]

I looked at that, and think I'll read it in the future as dd, dh & I watched the entire season of the TV show Once Upon a Time & I'm taking a break from people turning into wolves (if you didn't see the series, I'll give you one spoiler--Red Riding Hood turns into a giant wolf on the full moon unless she wears a red hooded cape made by a wizard, but her granny hides the fact from her until...okay, no more spoilers).

 

Ok, that description of the tv show made me :smilielol5:. I can just imagine the 'pitch' meeting for getting that show produced. ;)

 

Btw, about the werewolves in the book I mentioned -- imo, they're fairly minor characters. They show up once in awhile, but are not main players & are just part of a sideline story really.

 

I very briefly tried Leviathan a year or two ago (after high recommendation from a friend), but couldn't make it past the first few pages; I just found it too boring.

 

I keep wanting to try the Parasol Protectorate, but my library doesn't have them.

[Storm Bay]

Ok, that description of the tv show made me :smilielol5:. I can just imagine the 'pitch' meeting for getting that show produced. ;)

 

Btw, about the werewolves in the book I mentioned -- imo, they're fairly minor characters. They show up once in awhile, but are not main players & are just part of a sideline story really.

 

I very briefly tried Leviathan a year or two ago (after high recommendation from a friend), but couldn't make it past the first few pages; I just found it too boring.

 

I keep wanting to try the Parasol Protectorate, but my library doesn't have them.

 

:) For the record, that show isn't centred on Red Riding Hood--she's a minor character most of the time, but important sometimes. It's from the creators of Lost (I didn't watch Lost), and the central character is Emma, who is the daughter of Snow White & Prince Charming. She was sent by magic to our world to save hers after Snow's evil stepmother put a curse ending all happy endings & sending everyone to Maine. It's actually quite well done, but there is a lot of supernatural stuff as it's full of magic (in the flashbacks to the world they come from. The stories have all been modified, & it's not a show for young children, IMO.

 

What's most amazing is that dh enjoys watching it as he mainly watches sports, documentaries, educational TV, etc. It's going to be hard once we switch ISPs & we suddenly get more than local service (all to save money for the next couple of years) as we'll get things like ESPN & the History Channel. I think I can be strong as I've been good for most of the past number of years & am tired of so many kinds of shows.

 

I'll put those books on hold & then suspend them for a while so that I can read them later. To be honest, my other dd & I have been reading some modern spins on fairy tales by Cameron Dokey which do have some magic. I do try to read at least a bit of what my dds read, but it's hard with my eldest as I don't care much for teen fantasy.

[LostSurprise]

53. The Sea Gull by Anton Chekhov~Russian, play. I read this to catch up with the Russian challenge. I also pulled out a Mishima book I started before (the Golden Pavilion) for the Japanese challenge. I've read Chekhov before but its been a long time. I think I appreciated it a lot more this time. Not as deep as I was expecting, but very clear portraits of a variety of personalities/ages. I was drawn to Masha, with her doomed love and her bad habits, this time around.

 

52. A few hundred pages of Hyperion and Farewell to Hyperion by Dan Simmons~science fiction, future worlds, pilgrim tales. I read Hyperion a few years ago and enjoyed its take on the Canterbury Tales (travelers on a dangerous mission to the time temples share their stories in an effort to understand their purpose) but was annoyed at its hanging ending (I didn't realize it was a series until I got the the end). Finally finished the second part. Really good for 'hard' science fiction. While the first book was segmented (and interesting) storytelling, this one was very complex.

 

51. North by Northanger by Carrie Bebis~Jane Austen, mystery~My favorite Mr. and Mrs. Darcy mystery so far. Not as much supernatural but more psychological depth. The Darcy's are expecting a child. Mr. Darcy has to deal with his fear of losing Elizabeth in childbirth (as he lost his mother when Georgiana was born). The Darcy's are pulled into some kind of plot at Northanger Abbey and they are forced to welcome Lady Catherine de Bourgh to Pemberley for months at a time.

 

50. The Essential Garden Design Workbook by Rosemary Alexander~non-fiction, gardening, landscape design.

49. The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt: a Novel in Pictures by Caroline Preston~fiction, '20s, NY, Paris, coming of age.

48. Q: a Novel by Evan Mandery~fiction, quirky, time travel.

47. The Monster of Florence by Douglas Preston and Mario Spezi~memoir, Italy, criminal case, serial killer.

46. Food Chaining by Fracker~non-fiction, food issues, picky eaters.

45. The Long Retreat by Andrew Krivak~memoir, Jesuit.

44. Exploring Garden Style by Tauton Press~non-fiction, gardening, design.

43. Homeschooling Children with ADD (and Other Special Needs) by Lenore Hayles~non-fiction, education, medical issues.

42. Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafrisi~non-fiction, memoir, Iran, literature.

41. Five Quarters of the Orange by Joanne Harris~fiction, France, WWII, food. *

40. Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller~memoir, stories, Christianity.

39. Just Take a Bite! by Lori Ernsberger~non-fiction, food issues, special needs.

38. Suspense and Sensibility by Carrie Bebris~Jane Austen, Mystery.

37. Pride and Prescience by Carrie Bebris~Jane Austen, Darcys, Mystery, supernatural.

36. Superfudge by Judy Blume~fiction, classic children's book.

35. The Explosive Child by Ross Greene~non-fiction, behavior, children

34. Cyteen 2: The Rebirth by CJ Cherryh~science fiction, cloning.

33. The Peace War by Vernor Vinge~science fiction, future, technology.

32. Whiskey Breakfast by Richard Lindberg~memoir, Swedish Immigration, Chicago.

31. Corvus: a Life with Birds by Esther Woolfson~non-fiction, birds.

30. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen~classic literature.

29. Cyteen: The Betrayal by CJ Cherryh~science fiction, future, space, cloning.

28. Divergent by Veronica Roth~youth fiction, dystopian.

27. The Help by Kathryn Stockett~fiction, '60s, race relations.

26. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs~youth, fiction.

25. Below Stairs: the Classic Kitchen Maid Memoir by Margaret Powell~non-fiction, memoir.

24. Ender in Exile by Orson Scott Card~fiction.

23. Uncle Tungsten: Memories of a Chemical Boyhood by Oliver Sacks~non-fiction, memoir.

22. The Garden Book of Wisconsin by Melinda Myers~non-fiction, gardening, flowers and landscaping.

21. Putting Down Roots: Gardening Insights from Wisconsin's Early Settlers by Marcia Carmichael~non-fiction, history, gardening.

20. Gudrun's Kitchen: Recipes from a Norwegian Family by Irene and Edward Sandvold~cookbook, biography.

19. Twelve Owls by Laura Erickson~non-fiction, birds.

18. A Thread of Grace by Mary Doria Russell~fiction, WWII **

17. A Fire Upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge~science fiction, space

16. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card~classic science fiction, read aloud.

15. Flour by Joanne Chung~cookbook, baking

14. Home to Woefield by Susan Juby~light fiction, humorous

13. Making the Most of Shade by Larry Hodgson~non-fiction/gardening

12. Growing Perennials in Cold Climates by Mike Heger~non-fiction/gardening

11. Case Histories by Kate Atkinson~mystery

10. Letters from Yellowstone by Diane Smith~historical fiction

9. The Circus in Winter by Cathy Day~fiction

8. The Alphabet in the Park by Adelia Prado~poetry

7. The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down by Anne Fadiman~non-fiction/medical *

6. One Thousand White Women by Jim Fergus~speculative fiction

5. The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: The Hidden Gallery by Maryrose Woods~juvenile

4. The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Jester~(read aloud) juvenile

3. The Alienist by Caleb Carr~Mystery

2. The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton~Fiction

1. The Children's Book by A.S. Byatt~Fiction *

 

Working on:

Blood Meridian (McCarthy)

The Sacred Journey (Beuchner)

Temple of the Golden Pavilion (Mishima)

 

 

*~top 5 books of the year (so far)

**~best book of the year (so far)

[Maus]

Completed:

Book #33 - "The Lightening Thief" by Rick Riordan. Most of the boys in our Bear Den have read this and have been talking about it, so I thought I'd read it to be in the know, and to preview for my son. For the first half, I kept thinking, "Isn't this just ripping off Harry Potter," but by the second half, I was enjoying it more as it's own story. I can see why the boys like it, but don't think I'll bother with the rest of the series unless or until my own kids read it. My son would not enjoy it. He has a difficult time with fiction at all, but the little fiction he enjoys is either for a much younger audience or only employs things that could really be real. (No fantasy, no superheroes, no magic, etc.)

 

Book #32 - "Thunder Dog: The True Story of a Blind Man, His Guide Dog, And the Triumph of Trust at Ground Zero" by Michael Hingson.

Book #31 - "America's Hidden History" by Kenneth C. Davis.

Book #30 - "The Diamond of Darkhold†by Jeanne DuPrau.

Book #29 - "The People of Sparks†by Jeanne DuPrau.

Book #28 -"Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins.

Book #27 - "Well-Educated Mind" by Susan Wise Bauer.

Book #26 - "The Prophet of Yonwood" by Jeanne Duprau.

Book #25 - "City of Ember" by Jeanne Duprau.

Book #24 - "The Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch.

Book #23 - "Who Moved My Cheese" by Spencer Johnson.

Book #22 - "Deconstructing Penguins" by Lawrence and Nancy Goldstone.

Book #21 - "Stargirl" by Jerry Spinelli.

Book #20 - "Catching Fire" by Suzanne Collins.

Book #19 -"Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins.

Book #18 - "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close" by Jonathan Safran Foer.

Book #17 - "Frozen Assets: Cook for a Day, Eat for a Month" by Deborah Taylor-Hough.

Book #16 - "Miserly Moms: Living Well on Less in a Tough Economy" by Jonni McCoy.

Book #15 - "The Highly Sensitive Person" by Elaine N. Aron, Ph.D.

Book #14 - "Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking" by Susan Cain.

Book #13 - "Chasing Vermeer" by Blue Balliett.

Book #12 - "The Highly Sensitive Person" by Elaine N. Aron, Ph.D.

Book #11 - "Extraordinary, Ordinary People" by Condoleezza Rice.

Book #10 - "The Pig in the Pantry" by Rose Godfrey.

Book #9 - "The Virgin in the Ice" by Ellis Peters.

Book #8 - "The Leper of St. Giles" by Ellis Peters.

Book #7 - "St. Peter's Fair" by Ellis Peters.

Book #6 - "Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother" by Amy Chua.

Book #5 - "Monk's Hood" by Ellis Peters.

Book #4 - "Flash and Bones" by Kathy Reichs.

Book #3 - "Spider Bones" by Kathy Reichs.

Book #2 - "One Corpse Too Many" by Ellis Peters.

Book #1 - "A Morbid Taste for Bones" by Ellis Peters

[VeganCupcake]

I just finished The Lacuna. Aaaaaaaah. Lovely.

 

On to Blue Nights by Joan Didion.

[aggieamy]

 

Napoleon's Pyramids, which is turning out to be a fun summer read -- a mix of Indiana Jones, The Da Vinci Code, and a dash of James Bond. Perfectly frivolous & entirely entertaining. :D

 

This looks interesting. I'll have to recommend it to my DH - sounds like the type of book he'd love.

 

This week I finished:

 

#67. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie (yes, aggieamy, I finally got around to it!). I knew the ending before reading it, so it was an interesting experience, more like studying the structure as I went through it.

 

#68. Who Killed Roger Ackroyd? by Pierre Bayard. This is an examination of the Christie novel, imagining an alternate conclusion about the identity of the murderer. Bayard uses a combo of traditional textual analysis and a sort of literary psychoanalysis (of both author and characters).

 

I enjoyed the Christie novel, but I enjoyed the Bayard analysis even more.

 

Ooh. I've got Pierre Bayard's book on my to-read list and haven't gotten to it yet. The reviews on amazon were pretty mixed so I'm glad to hear you liked it.

 

This week I started a really long book, so I feel like I haven't finished much. I've joined a couple of read-alongs, so I'm 1/3 through Warbreaker and 1/5 through A Farewell to Arms. It turns out I don't like Hemingway.

 

Me neither. I've read a few of his books and hated them. I don't think I'll attempt any more or his books.

 

Free-Range Kids by Lenore Skenazy - liked her message but didn't like the book. She came off as preachy and kind of silly.

 

Red Sails to Capri by Ann Weil (read aloud) - I read this to DD and my niece. Niece didn't like it and thought it was boring. DD and I enjoyed it but found that it was pretty slow moving. The dialog was rough to read aloud also.

 

In progress:

 

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

The Fellowship of the Ring by JRR Tolkien

The Third Policeman by Flann O'Brien (for bookclub)

Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome (audiobook)

 

2012 finished books:

 

66. Free-Range Kids by Lenore Skenazy (***)

65. Red Sails to Capri by Ann Weil -read aloud (***)

64. The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglass Adams (*****)

63. Death of a Cad by MC Beaton (**)

62. Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood (***)

61. The Year of Living Biblically by AJ Jacobs (***)

60. A Pocket Full of Rye by Agatha Christie (***)

59. The Secret Adversary (Tommy and Tuppence) by Agatha Christie (****)

58. Tales of Robin Hood by Tony Allan - read aloud (****)

57. Betsy-Tacy by Maud Hart Lovelace (*****)

56. The Beekeepers Apprentice by Laurie R. King (****)

55. Death of a Gossip by MC Beaton (***)

54. The Thin Man by Dashiell Hammett (**)

53. On Writing by Stephen King (*****)

52. Maus by Art Spiegelman (****)

51. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie (***)

50. The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins (****)

49. The Night Bookmobile by Audrey Niffinegger (*)

48. Notes from a Small Island by Bill Bryson (***)

47. Casino Royale - James Bond by Ian Fleming (**)

46. A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson - Audiobook (***)

45. The Lucky Shopping Manual by Kim Lenitt (*****)

44. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie (****)

43. Half Moon Investigations by Eoin Colfer - Audiobook (****)

42. Half Magic by Edward Eager (***)

41. Dealing with Dragons by Patricia Wrede - Read Aloud (****)

 

Books 1 - 40

 

Amy's Rating System:

 

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

**** - Very good

*** - Enjoyable but nothing special

** - Not recommended

* - Horrible

[Mom-ninja.]

I finished The Great Gatsby and I really liked it. I'll be thinking of it for awhile. So many messages in the book.

[Rosyl]

39) Love on the Line Deeann Gist

This is historical fiction about the Texas Rangers, telephone company w/ switchboard operators (aka hello girl/gal) and the fashionable use of birds and their parts on hats. Interesting, I have been learning about the fashion use of birds on hats and the actions taken to stop it, so this tied in with my personal education.

Gist does a really good job on her research.

 

38) Love Finds You in Sunset Beach, Hawii Robin Jones Gunn

37) Coming Attractions Robin Jones Gunn

36) On a whim Robin Jones Gunn

35) Peculiar treasures Robin Jones Gunn

34) Loving by Karen Kingsbury

33) Watch Over Me by Christa Parrish

32) The Core by Leigh Bortins

31) Breaking Intimidation by John Bevere This was a little charasmatic for my taste, but good.

30) Big Decisions Linda Byler

29) Mockingjay Collins

28) Catching Fire Collins

27) I walk in Dread the Diary of Deliverance Trembley A Dear America Book

26) A Hope For Hannah by Jerry Eicher

25) A Year of Living Biblically A.J. Jacobs

24) Through My Eyes by Tim Tebow on audio

23) A Dream For Hannah by Jerry Eicher.

22) Much Ado About Nothing Shakespeare on audio

21) A Love That Multiplies, Duggars on Audio

 

20) Ella Finds Love, Eicher

19) Hunger Games bySuzanne Collins

18) The Duggars 20 and counting by Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar

17) Emotionally Healthy Spiritually by Peter Scazarro

16) Organized Simplicity by Tsh Oxenreider

15) The Survivor by Beth Wiseman (yet another amish book)

14) The Art of Mingling by Jeanne Martinet audio book

13) Growing up Amish by Beth Wiseman

12) Ella's Wish By Jerry Eicher

11) Growing up Amish by Ira Wagler

 

10) The Healing by Wanda Brunstetter

9) Christmas in Sugarcreek by Shelley Shepard Gray

8) The Dark Tide

7) Little Men, Louisa May Alcott on Audio

6) Winter of the Red Snow.

5) The Daniel Fast by Susan Gregory.

4) A Wedding Quilt for Ella by Jerry Eicher

3) Longing by Karen Kingsbury.

2) Little Women by Alcott

1) Midummer Night's Dream by Shakespeare

[Rosyl]

My "T" book finally came in. I started Through My Eyes by Tim Tebow last night. It got mixed reviews but I wanted to see what this guy is like after all the hype about him earlier this year. I did the same thing with Sarah Palin a few years ago. I have a distinct opinion of her after reading that book!

 

This is book #22 for me so I might be a bit behind. I'm hoping to make up some ground over the summer.

 

I look forward to hearing what you think of this book. I listened to the audio and have wondered if I would not have enjoyed the book more.

[Guest]

I finished The Great Gatsby and I really liked it. I'll be thinking of it for awhile. So many messages in the book.

 

I just finished it this morning, as well. I really like that book. Lots to think about.

[Angel]

I read Beyond Heaving Bosoms earlier this year and then vowed to give romance novels a fair chance. I actually just checked The Flame and the Flower out from the library - also by Woodiwiss.

 

I used to read Woodiwiss. My favorite was Shanna. What an intricate story! My other favorite romance author was Judith McNaught. Almost Heaven was one of my favorite books!

 

 

51. North by Northanger by Carrie Bebis~Jane Austen, mystery~My favorite Mr. and Mrs. Darcy mystery so far. Not as much supernatural but more psychological depth. The Darcy's are expecting a child. Mr. Darcy has to deal with his fear of losing Elizabeth in childbirth (as he lost his mother when Georgiana was born). The Darcy's are pulled into some kind of plot at Northanger Abbey and they are forced to welcome Lady Catherine de Bourgh to Pemberley for months at a time.

 

 

 

I am a few ahead of you! I just finished (#23 for me) The Deception at Lyme which was about The Wentworth's/Elliot's. While I enjoyed the first two books in the series, I can say that I loved the last four! North by Northanger and The Intrigue at Highbury are my favorites, though The Deception at Lyme would be a close runner up. I love how she moved into more of the mystery and complicated plot and away from the supernatural. I am sad that I am at the end of them and hope she will be writing more.

[Night Elf]

I did some catching up with audio books during vacation. I am in need of a stellar book right now though.

 

40. The Cat Who Blew the Whistle by Lilian Jackson Braun

41. Doctor Who: The Last Voyage by Don Abnett

42. A Year Down Yonder by Richard Peck

[Negin]

I'm coming to the end of very, very long and extremely deep, as in make-you-think very deep, Baha'i book. Since I'm probably the only Baha'i on this thread, I won't bother sharing the title. After this, catching up on some National Geographics before heading back into fiction. My reading has been slow, but I think it's also to do with the heavy subject matter.

 

I'm currently reading Why We Get Fat and What To Do About It. Not sure I am liking this one either. Something just doesn't "feel" right about it.

When I read this book a few months ago, I loved it. Now, after a few minor efforts and considerable thought, something about it doesn't feel right with me with me either. I've just had it with diet books and dieting altogether. :tongue_smilie:

 

I haven't posted for a while but I've been busy with graduations and such.

I'm glad you've posted again, Shawne. We seem to have similar taste in books. :) I'd been thinking about you and missed hearing from you.

 

I just finished The Lacuna. Aaaaaaaah. Lovely.

This is on my book pile to read hopefully soon.

[-M-]

Late this week.

 

I'm nearly done with The Iceman Cometh. One word: WOW. The news of Bradbury's death switched up our reading plans a wee bit, so we're halfway through Fahrenheit 451 -- my fifth reading, the Misses' first. And I'm nearly through Tiger Eyes (Judy Blume) for "The Shelf Discovery Project."

[luvnlattes]

I've just had it with diet books and dieting altogether. :tongue_smilie:

 

I hear ya! Earlier this week I was so frustrated that I said the heck with it all and ate whatever I wanted that day. Then the next day, I went and pulled Atkins for Life off the shelf :confused: :lol: . I just glanced through it and haven't decided if I'm going to read it.

 

Oh, and Negin you changed your avatar! Love it!!!!

[Negin]

I hear ya! Earlier this week I was so frustrated that I said the heck with it all and ate whatever I wanted that day. Then the next day, I went and pulled Atkins for Life off the shelf :confused: :lol: . I just glanced through it and haven't decided if I'm going to read it.

Oh, and Negin you changed your avatar! Love it!!!!

Kelli, yes, I have the Atkins book also. By the time it arrived here and ever since, merely looking at it gets me annoyed. :lol: No diets for me for now. I'm having fun baking and cooking and just enjoying life. I really don't care for now. :tongue_smilie:

Thanks for your sweet words re: my avatar :grouphug:. I love Lisbeth Salander. :D