Mom-ninja. Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 So remember in my last post from last night that I said it was my bedtime. Ha! Life had other plans for me. At midnight my youngest came to me because he had thrown up on his bed, the floor, and the bathroom. So I spent my night up with a very sick child. He's vomiting at least every hour (if not more) and he can't keep anything down. Doctor said to go ahead and take him in now before his dehydration gets worse. I leave in about 40 minutes. Isn't it awful when you see your 6 yr old's small, sallow, and unhappy face laying listlessly on the pillow? Breaks my mommy heart. So to distract myself until I have to leave I'll answer the questions. Mom-Ninja, how was the Joan Rivers book? I can't wait to read that one. It was funny. Some parts were eery as she talks about death, both hers and other people. At one point she says that we were in need of a great gossipy death of a celebrity. She also says that she doesn't want to die in some boring "natural cause" way such as heart attack or stroke. She wants her death to be eventful. So it was weird reading that. I think if Joan had planned her death she would have been happy with it. Nothing like a good gossip due to a celebrity death from cosmetic surgery. I think she would have been oddly proud. It's like her death fit her personality. I hope I don't sound morbid. Although Joan would tell me to not care if others think I'm morbid. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 How many books did you read and did you meet your own personal goal? 53 so far. Hope to squeeze in another or two. Yes, I met my goal. Most thrilling, oh my goodness, I want to read it again, unputdownable book?Number the Stars by Lois Lowery Top 5 favorite stories?The Host The Graveyard Book Jeeves and the Wedding Bells The Little Nugget Mrs. Dalloway Least favorite book? I also have to say the Bible New author discovery? New genre discovery?After years of reading some of you talking about Terry Pratchett I finally read one of his books. So, both new author and new genre. What countries or centuries did you explore? Share a favorite character, story, quote or cover One book that touched you - made you laugh, cry, sing or dance. Favorite mini challenges? Are you ready to do it all over again? Do you have any goals to check out different genres or authors, read translated books or stories in another language for 2015? oops, vomiting child......finish later Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 Mom-ninja: my sympathies! Stomach bugs for little people are horrible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 •What countries or centuries did you explore? I wasn't very particularly aiming for diversity this year but I did get in quite a few centuries and countries anyway. I even read some Russian lit. :p There was also, Korea, Italy, England, Antarctica, Australia, Germany, Spain, France, Burma, The Netherlands, Mexico, and Mars. The centuries were from the 12th to the 20th. I love that you included Mars on your list! :laugh: I also went off-Earth for one of my books (Ubik), but it was to the moon. New author/new genre: My pick fits both: Mr. Fox by Helen Oyeymi. I don't know what genre you would slot Oyeymi's books in but I have never read any like this before. This was the craziest book I have ever read but Oyeymi's writing style kept me reading to the finish and I will be reading more of hers in the next year. <snip> I appreciate this group so much. There were many times in the past year when my heart was hurting, I would come here and just read your thoughts on your reading and other little rabbit trails you would travel on. I wouldn't post, I just read. Your words as well caused me to think, laugh and cry. Thank you for coming here every week to talk about books. This group has been one of the saving graces I have encountered during this year. :hurray: re: Mr. Fox. One of my all-time favorites.... :grouphug: on your 2014. Hoping 2015 is a better year.... There is no proper rate of reading for this thread. Reading is part of our personalities and our lives, and there shouldn't be a wrong way to do it. I think of this thread as a place of encouragement. There are weeks and even months I don't read much, if anything. Other weeks it seems all I'm doing is reading, reading, reading. Both parts of me love seeing what the rest of you are doing, and how you think perceive and think about things. :iagree: oops, vomiting child......finish later :grouphug: Hope your little one feels better quickly & that the rest of you avoid the bug. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 And I am grateful to Robin for continuing to host this program. Robin, many thanks for another year of your gracious hosting. Hear, hear! Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 Doctor says Norovirus. He got it from my dad who got it on the cruise he just came back from. :sad: I need to go pick up his Rx for zofran, and about 20 cans of Lysol spray, 50 containers of Lysol wipes, and 15 bottles of hand gel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali in OR Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 Doctor says Norovirus. He got it from my dad who got it on the cruise he just came back from. :sad: I need to go pick up his Rx for zofran, and about 20 cans of Lysol spray, 50 containers of Lysol wipes, and 15 bottles of hand gel. I'm so sorry! This ran through our entire family at Christmas 2 years ago. No one escaped. Good news--each person was actively sick for a relatively short time--maybe 12-16 hours. Decreased appetites and lethargy for a few days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted December 22, 2014 Author Share Posted December 22, 2014 Almost forgot! History of the Ancient World - Chapters 80 -86 In order to finish by year end! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 Doctor says Norovirus. He got it from my dad who got it on the cruise he just came back from. :sad: I need to go pick up his Rx for zofran, and about 20 cans of Lysol spray, 50 containers of Lysol wipes, and 15 bottles of hand gel. Isn't it awful when you see your 6 yr old's small, sallow, and unhappy face laying listlessly on the pillow? Breaks my mommy heart. :grouphug: Speedy recovery for you little guy... and wishing the rest of you robust immune systems... ...and, oh, yes, it hurts so much to see a little one miserable and uncomfortable and not to be able to fix things. I was pretty evenly split with male/female authors (61/60). More fiction than non-fiction (77/35), but a good mix. ************************ I wanted to do the century challenge, but found myself stuck on Heloise and Abelard because it was on-shelf (why does Abelard have to be such a jerk?). I meandered a bit. 16th-21st century done. 13th. 7th. Then I started to work on clearing shelves. I did enjoy it, especially the historical aspects of the 7th century. I hope to do older things this year. ************ No particulars this year but I seemed unconsciously drawn to women's relationships and struggles. The Grandmother and Sophia in The Summer Book. The sisters in The Bread Givers. The roommates in Tam Lin. Aunts. Mentors. Friends. I'm not sure I chose the books purposefully, but I felt the most connection there. You have much better male/female distribution than I do. ...though I realized as I was counting up #s, my comfort reads, not just this past year, but in general, are almost all by women... **************** I ended up completing it, but I had planned to spend more time on each century rather than having most of reading clustered in a few periods. Maybe I'll try again next year... ********* I've been finding myself more attuned to depictions of women's relationships lately too. I'm rereading Sunshine right now (speaking of comfort reading) and the, very non-central, mother-daughter relationship in it is catching a lot of my attention this time around. ...if it were just the mother-daughter relationships I'd think it was about becoming a grandmother, but its female friendships as well... Best and worst: There were some, like Boswell's Life of Johnson, that I did love and the reading of which will have a more lasting effect on me than most of the other books I read; some, like The Theory of the Leisure Class, that I think are terribly important but not necessary to read more than judicious selections from. But I will limit this to well-written books that I think my friends would enjoy, but which do not show up on anyone's 500 Best Books Ever list. Books that I wish I had extra copies of, so I could press them into people's hands and say, Try this! That is a nice way to think about how to choose a top 5... I was more narcissistic in my selections - which things had the greatest impact on me this year... and I love that your list gives me things I've not only never read, but know almost nothing about (I've read the JS Mill, of course, but none of the others) There is no proper rate of reading for this thread. Reading is part of our personalities and our lives, and there shouldn't be a wrong way to do it. I think of this thread as a place of encouragement. There are weeks and even months I don't read much, if anything. Other weeks it seems all I'm doing is reading, reading, reading. Both parts of me love seeing what the rest of you are doing, and how you think perceive and think about things. :hurray: :hurray: When I start feeling a little abashed at my own absurd rate of reading, I also have to remind myself that the way I read is okay. It is part of who I am and how I live... and our little space here isn't about how much or which kind of books we read or how we process them... its about coming together as people who love to read and want to share some of our journey with fellow readers. In fact, I think we are a better group by virtue of our diversity - we have such a range of perspectives and experiences to share, and that makes all of our experiences richer. Negin, ChrisB, and NoseInaBook, I think we must be pleased with ourselves for whatever reading we get done. When I joined this lovely group, I had to force myself to think of it, for me, as the "Book of the Month Club"; if I could manage a book a month, that was fine. I was excited to find at the end of the first year I had read twenty-six books. I'm thrilled to have gotten up to 52 books this year! Robin, many thanks for another year of your gracious hosting. I think the value of the counting isn't to reach a certain number, its that when we count something we're paying attention to it, we're labeling it as important... and then when we add to that having a group of enthusiastic friends who want to heart about it, it adds another layer of positive reinforcement for something we want to be doing anyway! I'm so glad you are all here. ...and Robin I want to join in the expressions of gratitude... I didn't know how much I needed this space, but now that I have it, it is something I treasure. Thank you for creating such a special place. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 Doctor says Norovirus. He got it from my dad who got it on the cruise he just came back from. :sad: I need to go pick up his Rx for zofran, and about 20 cans of Lysol spray, 50 containers of Lysol wipes, and 15 bottles of hand gel. :grouphug: Dh had that a few months ago. It was probably that most worried I have ever been about him. On the plus side no one else caught it so I will think positive thoughts that the lysol will work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 Okay, coming back to answer the question of which book touched me. I would say City of Women as that book drew me in and I didn't come up for air until it was over. It also made me think of how things might have been for my family during the Nazi regime. I don't know much as my grandparents were children, but I've heard a few things. I know, for example, that my great grandmother was given the Mother's Cross. She had 12 children total. She died giving birth to the 12th, and the baby died as well. My grandmother still has the cross. Weird to read about the Mother's Cross in a book and know that my grandmother has the one given to her mother. Anyway, just a weird feeling to know that one's family was on the wrong side or at least did nothing to help the right side. On the bright side, my little one has perked up now that I gave him his medicine. He's actually sitting up, is talking, and drinking his juice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted December 22, 2014 Author Share Posted December 22, 2014 When I start feeling a little abashed at my own absurd rate of reading, I also have to remind myself that the way I read is okay. It is part of who I am and how I live... and our little space here isn't about how much or which kind of books we read or how we process them... its about coming together as people who love to read and want to share some of our journey with fellow readers. In fact, I think we are a better group by virtue of our diversity - we have such a range of perspectives and experiences to share, and that makes all of our experiences richer. I think the value of the counting isn't to reach a certain number, its that when we count something we're paying attention to it, we're labeling it as important... and then when we add to that having a group of enthusiastic friends who want to heart about it, it adds another layer of positive reinforcement for something we want to be doing anyway! I'm so glad you are all here. ...and Robin I want to join in the expressions of gratitude... I didn't know how much I needed this space, but now that I have it, it is something I treasure. Thank you for creating such a special place. :grouphug: :grouphug: Brava Eliana! She took the words out of my mouth. A goal is necessary in order to achieve, as a means to grab for the golden ticket, the ring on the carousel, the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. What you make of that goal is entirely up to you. The joy of the challenge has been that no one has felt constricted to that number. Because it is just a number, It's become more of a guideline than anything else. As Winnie the Pooh says: "Rivers know this, there is no hurry, we shall get there some day." Whether one can manage one book a month versus one a day or somewhere in between; whether one is a promiscuous or one book at a time gal; whether one is a speed reader or has to absorb each word at a time; we are all joined in the joyful, pleasurable, educational, intellectual pursuit of reading. And having fun along the way sharing in that joy. Each one of you has helped create this special place. Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 As for my female/male author ratio: 15/72. Probably about a typical number for me. As for Violet Crown's mention of which books would you press into friends' hands, I'd likely choose... The Book of Embraces by Eduardo Galeano The Book of Chameleons by José Eduardo Agualusa A set: Mink River by Brian Doyle and Galore by Michael Crummey Another set: Sunjata by Bamba Susa & Banna Kanute, A Dream in Polar Fog by Yuri Rytkheu, and The Painted Alphabet by Diana Darling Another set: The Ways of White Folks by Langston Hughes and Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut A few book covers I loved this year... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LostSurprise Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 I knew you'd have book covers, Stacia. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 Sending a hello & a thank you to my secret Santa, Amy! I'm sitting here sipping my mouth-watering Flufferton-worthy fancy Hot Cinnamon Spice Tea while contemplating the titles on my cool, funky Banned Books Mug. (Hmmm. I may have to add some of these books to my 2015 to-read list!) What a lovely treat today & a perfect way to wrap-up my day! Thank you, thank you, Amy! I love them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shukriyya Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 I'm sitting here sipping my mouth-watering Flufferton-worthy fancy Hot Cinnamon Spice Tea while contemplating the titles on my cool, funky Banned Books Mug. (Hmmm. I may have to add some of these books to my 2015 to-read list!) What a lovely treat today & a perfect way to wrap-up my day! Thank you, thank you, Amy! I love them. This is what is so wonderful about being part of this thread! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennW in SoCal Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 Aargh. Typing this out on an iPad is difficult! Lost all I had just written. 65 books read here, many of which were titles in a series. I read less serious literature than in past years, but there are some really good books in my list. In no particular order, the books I want to press into other people's hands are The Last Unicorn Tigerman A Town Like Alice I Capture the Castle (which I'm already re-reading) Hare With the Amber Eyes Krakatoa and because it is so much fun The Martian The book that was unexpectedly enjoyable was Ivanhoe! This is the first year in a while that I haven't read more older classics, so Ivanhoe is it from the dead white male author category this year. It is interesting in looking at my favorites as none of them except Last Unicorn are genre fiction, and the majority of my list is mystery or sci fi or Master and Commander. I love My genre books, but none rocked my world. I'm going to have to make a list of titles to explore from this thread! I am pro-Watership Down, though on a recent re-read I didn't want to continue after a certain point. Did any of you watch that tv show "Lost"? Sawyer was reading it at one point and my then 13yo son and I had fun trying to tie the plot of Watership Down with that of Lost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 Almost forgot! History of the Ancient World - Chapters 80 -86 In order to finish by year end! :willy_nilly: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 Jenn, I was surprised how much I loved A Town Like Alice when I read it last year. And, I have Tigerman on my to-read list, thanks to you & mumto2. All the mentions of The Martian are pretty much ensuring that I'm going to have to have it on my 2015 list.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shukriyya Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 Jenn, I remember months ago when you read The Last Unicorn and posted about it. At the time I thought it might go into one of my 5/5s so it's still on my tbr list. And we actually have a copy in the shelves here, too. Hare with the Amber Eyes is another one I put on my list thanks to several folks here. And finally I Capture the Castle was my favorite book from child/teen hood. I reread it many times through the years but haven't visited it in decades. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamaraby Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 How many books did you read and did you meet your own personal goal? I read 107 books plus 7 re-reads for 114. I'm hoping to read another book or so. I'd also like to get some quilting done. It's a toss-up really. It was fun to keep track and I know by keeping track I read more than I would have otherwise. I keep track of read alouds separately from my own reading. We switched to audiobooks when the free Sirius trial ended so we doubled our usual total. We're at 51 right now, but I'm hoping to read through one more before the end of the year. Top 5 favorite stories? "Cutting for Stone," "The Snow Child," "Letters from Skye," "Marshlands," and "And the Mountains Echoed." Least favorite book? "The Goldfinch" - I still can't believe I finished it. It was dogged determination on my part because I was far too many pages in for the book not to count. Are you ready to do it all over again? Definitely! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted December 23, 2014 Author Share Posted December 23, 2014 Just for you gals, I did a selfie. Merry Christmas. My secret, but not so secret Santa, Ms Jane sent me a pair of personally knitted fingerless gloves made from hand painted wooll from Wisconsin. They fit perfectly and match my sweater. Enjoyed a glass of wine, while listening to Christmas music and wrapping Christmas gifts. All kinds of packages arrived from online shopping in the past couple days (thank you for amazon for saving me) and came across the package from Jane and just had to open it. Thank you Jane, I love them. So sweet and special. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Negin Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 I would say City of Women as that book drew me in and I didn't come up for air until it was over. It also made me think of how things might have been for my family during the Nazi regime. On the bright side, my little one has perked up now that I gave him his medicine. He's actually sitting up, is talking, and drinking his juice. Added City of Women to my wish list. I can't find the thread where you answered my question re: the Joan Rivers book. I read it yesterday. Yes, I'm sure it must feel weird to read where she writes about death. One of the many things that I love about her is her closeness with her daughter (the limited info that I have). I love it when mothers and daughters are close, something I touched upon a bit in the fashion thread. One of my favorite authors, Isabel Allende, was always close to her mother and wrote one letter to her every single day! I'm assuming that her mother is no longer alive. I remember reading that and thinking that it's so sweet. I know that sadly, not all have that close of a relationship, or any at all. Happy to hear that your son is doing better. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Negin Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 Just for you gals, I did a selfie. Robin, I really love this picture of you and those are such cute gloves. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tress Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 :willy_nilly: Yeah, that's how I'm feeling too! 7 chapters of HotAW in *this* week of the year.... :svengo: All the mentions of The Martian are pretty much ensuring that I'm going to have to have it on my 2015 list.... My idea :D. I was so suprised to see that my library carries it, in a Dutch translation no less, that I immediately put it on hold. Looking forward to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawneinfl Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 Jenn, I was surprised how much I loved A Town Like Alice when I read it last year. And, I have Tigerman on my to-read list, thanks to you & mumto2. All the mentions of The Martian are pretty much ensuring that I'm going to have to have it on my 2015 list.... The Martian was a great book and I'm pretty sure you'd enjoy it more with some astronaut ice cream ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawneinfl Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 How many books did you read and did you meet your own personal goal? I read 107 books plus 7 re-reads for 114. I'm hoping to read another book or so. I'd also like to get some quilting done. It's a toss-up really. It was fun to keep track and I know by keeping track I read more than I would have otherwise. I keep track of read alouds separately from my own reading. We switched to audiobooks when the free Sirius trial ended so we doubled our usual total. We're at 51 right now, but I'm hoping to read through one more before the end of the year. Top 5 favorite stories? "Cutting for Stone," "The Snow Child," "Letters from Skye," "Marshlands," and "And the Mountains Echoed." Least favorite book? "The Goldfinch" - I still can't believe I finished it. It was dogged determination on my part because I was far too many pages in for the book not to count. Are you ready to do it all over again? Definitely! The Snow Child is on sale today on Audible. I keep looking at it mainly because I like to say the author's name. I had the same response to The Goldfinch btw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 one the discussion of the five best books.....I only allowed myself to pick from my five stars on Goodreads. I am sure you will be amazed to know I only gave roughly 10 percent of my books that rating. :lol: I reserved 5 stars for books that I felt achieved all the elements that the genre they represented really well. Because of those requirements a couple of chic lit romances even made it on. The next test was how memorable the story was.....chic lit has been basically forgotten. Anyway when I finished those tests I was literally left with my five and several of the books in my top five series. Someone mentioned Lost upthread....the dcs and I are currently watching the series. I watched occasional episodes back when it first was shown. I keep hoping to understand by watching it again, not sure it is ever going to happen. I finished the Christmas Blackshear family book https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23303983-a-christmas-gone-perfectly-wrong yesterday. This one was free for kindles and PG rated. I also finished the first in a new Amish cozy series. Falling to Pieceshttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10631698-falling-to-pieceswas an entertaining book. Light and fluffy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 Robin, love your selfie! How fun with wrapping gifts, wine, & warm wooly warmers for your hands. The Martian was a great book and I'm pretty sure you'd enjoy it more with some astronaut ice cream ;) :lol: Well, now, that's a good idea. ;) I may have to try that. I haven't had that stuff since I was a kid living in the D.C. area & Air & Space was my favorite Smithsonian museum. I did always think being a pilot or an astronaut would be a very cool job. :D Hey, for those planning out their 2015 reading, I got a heads-up about a reading group on Goodreads: 2015: The Year of Reading Women. Figured it might be of interest to some of you. I'm floundering around here with deciding on another book to start. On one hand, there's not much time to read right now (too busy, company in town, etc...), but otoh, I would like to find something fun to dig into when I have a few minutes. What to read? What to read? ETA: I've decided to pull a dusty steampunk book off my shelves; I'm now reading The Affinity Bridge by George Mann. Welcome to the bizarre and dangerous world of Victorian London, a city teetering on the edge of revolution. Its people are ushering in a new era of technology, dazzled each day by unfamiliar inventions. Airships soar in the skies over the city, while ground trains rumble through the streets and clockwork automatons are programmed to carry out menial tasks in the offices of lawyers, policemen, and journalists.But beneath this shiny veneer of progress lurks a sinister side.Queen Victoria is kept alive by a primitive life-support system, while her agents, Sir Maurice Newbury and his delectable assistant Miss Veronica Hobbes, do battle with enemies of the crown, physical and supernatural. This time Newbury and Hobbes are called to investigate the wreckage of a crashed airship and its missing automaton pilot, while attempting to solve a string of strangulations attributed to a mysterious glowing policeman, and dealing with a zombie plague that is ravaging the slums of the capital.Get ready to follow dazzling young writer George Mann to a London unlike any you’ve ever seen and into an adventure you will never forget… Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uff Da! Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 · How many books did you read and did you meet your own personal goal? I read 44 books and did not have a goal. · Most thrilling, oh my goodness, I want to read it again, unputdownable book? I really enjoyed The Language of Baklava and I Capture the Castle · Top 5 favorite stories? Jane Eyre, The Language of Baklava, I Capture the Castle, All Rivers Run to the Sea, One Thousand Gifts · Least favorite book? Gulliver’s Travels- My sense of humor does not align at all with the author’s. · New author discovery? New genre discovery? C.S. Lewis was a discovery and I have now read six of his books. · What countries or centuries did you explore? I was all over the place for centuries due to drawing from the WEM list. I was surprised by how entertaining and funny Herodotus was. Share a favorite character, story, quote or cover: I really enjoyed the stepmother in a “I Capture the Castle†running around in the rain with just her boots on. The woman made me laugh. And I like this quote by C.S. Lewis “The Prodigal Son at least walked home on his own feet. But who can duly adore that Love which will open the high gates to a prodigal who is brought in kicking, struggling, resentful, and darting his eyes in every direction for a chance of escape?†· One book that touched you - made you laugh, cry, sing or dance.- All Rivers Run to the Sea is eloquent and like a long walk through a life. · Favorite mini challenges? I didn’t do these. Maybe next year? · Are you ready to do it all over again? Yes! · Do you have any goals to check out different genres or authors, read translated books or stories in another language for 2015? More WEM books, more food novels, and more books that make me laugh (so those are my mini challenges!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Robyn Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 Sorry if someone has already posted this. I came across this list of 2014's Best Indie Fiction and Poetry Books and added some books to my TBR list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 Sorry if someone has already posted this. I came across this list of 2014's Best Indie Fiction and Poetry Books and added some books to my TBR list. Thanks. I have some from this list on my want-to-read list too. And, in case any of you want more books over the holidays, Verso has all their books 50% off + free shipping through the end of December. (Noticed this because I want to read Tristano, published by Verso, which is also on the list that crstarlette linked.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shukriyya Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 After a full day of learning I'm sitting here with my tea and chocolate reading along and enjoying you all so much! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennW in SoCal Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 Anyone want a postcard from Hawaii? I thought I had a complete list of postcard exchange addresses, but realized when I sat to write them that I'm missing several. PM me with your addresses and I'll endeavor to get them out in the next 3 days. I am having a hard time concentrating on a book what with the strong trade winds and large surf crashing on the shore, the children frolicking on the lagoon below me. Neither Masie Dobbs nor Brigadier Gerard can hold my interest for long! I know your collective hearts are breaking for my suffering. I'm joining the womenfolk of my extended family for high tea in a few hours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 The boys went off to Hobbitize this afternoon. In the quiet, I finished wrapping gifts, wrote two paper letters, and did some knitting while listening to a BBC Radio 4 dramatization. Quite blissful. Assorted roots are roasting in the oven. My husband can grill the salmon when he returns. This morning I started reading American Catch: the Fight for our Local Seafood. I suspect he'll be preaching to the choir. On that note, we usually eat local seafood so Alaskan sockeye salmon is quite a treat. Jenn--your post reminds me that I need to try Hawaiian applique quilting sometime. Another thing on the list! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shukriyya Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 Anyone want a postcard from Hawaii? I thought I had a complete list of postcard exchange addresses, but realized when I sat to write them that I'm missing several. PM me with your addresses and I'll endeavor to get them out in the next 3 days. I am having a hard time concentrating on a book what with the strong trade winds and large surf crashing on the shore, the children frolicking on the lagoon below me. Neither Masie Dobbs nor Brigadier Gerard can hold my interest for long! I know your collective hearts are breaking for my suffering. I'm joining the womenfolk of my extended family for high tea in a few hours. :seeya: Mele Kalikimaka, Jenn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uff Da! Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 I appreciate this group so much. There were many times in the past year when my heart was hurting, I would come here and just read your thoughts on your reading and other little rabbit trails you would travel on. I wouldn't post, I just read. Your words as well caused me to think, laugh and cry. Thank you for coming here every week to talk about books. This group has been one of the saving graces I have encountered during this year. This. My online stalker remains a well respected church member and the slander, deception and IRL harassment that I dealt with was and remains very stressful. Since slander is usually a projection of the slander's dysfunction, I also learned some horrible things about people. This group has been a real blessing as I walk through this mess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 We just got home from the Bell Ringing Team's Christmas meal. They had their meal late in the season because of school. We had http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-30576982crackers. Anyway each cracker contains a paper crown, a joke, and a small cracker jack type prize. I thought I would share my joke with you all...... What does a hedgehog eat for lunch? Just wait for it...... Prickled onions!!!!! Really bad jokes are traditional apparently. We had a lovely evening with nice people but so good to be home laying down. We finally bought a real dining room table that all four of us fit around comfortably and it was delivered today. This led to rearranging dd's room because the really small table is now her craft table. I started a new book called Blast From the Past by Ben Elton. I was doing a mass return of ebooks and decided to read a few pages of this before returning it and was hooked. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8831.Blast_from_the_Past. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 Many hugs for my BaW friends who have had a rough year. And many wishes for a better, more peaceful, & happier 2015. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uff Da! Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 We just got home from the Bell Ringing Team's Christmas meal. They had their meal late in the season because of school. We had http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-30576982crackers. Anyway each cracker contains a paper crown, a joke, and a small cracker jack type prize. I thought I would share my joke with you all...... What does a hedgehog eat for lunch? Just wait for it...... Prickled onions!!!!! Really bad jokes are traditional apparently. We had a lovely evening with nice people but so good to be home laying down. We finally bought a real dining room table that all four of us fit around comfortably and it was delivered today. This led to rearranging dd's room because the really small table is now her craft table. I started a new book called Blast From the Past by Ben Elton. I was doing a mass return of ebooks and decided to read a few pages of this before returning it and was hooked. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8831.Blast_from_the_Past. I forgot all about crackers! Oh how I miss Nottingham.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 It would not be Christmas without crackers and the silly paper crowns and jokes! At least in our home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6packofun Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 I did it! I hit 52 books. But my challenge for myself was to make half of them non-fiction since those take me longer to read and I hit that mark, too. So I'm pretty satisfied with my progress (even though technically in years past I read more books). Finished reading: 1. The Curiosity by Stephen Kiernan (AVERAGE) 2. The Last Time I Saw Paris by Lynn Sheene (GOOD) 3. Unwind by Neal Shusterman (EXCELLENT)... I think everyone should be compelled to do the little parenthetical mini-review like you do! I agreed on so many, too, which was interesting! (Such as "Worst Ending Ever!") :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6packofun Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 I read 61 this year, but started nearly a dozen that I didn't finish. Favorite Fiction: Station Eleven The Rook Bird Box The Golem and the Jinni Kristin Lavransdatter The Rosie Project The Martian Favorite Non-Fiction: Good God, Lousy World & Me by Holly Burkhalter In Cold Blood There were a lot of disappointing follow-up novels or ends of trilogies, etc. this year for me! :( Next year I hope to be more selective, while still enjoying authors/series that I *know* I enjoy. Life is too short to waste on literary crap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6packofun Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 Sorry, made a boo boo posting! . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shukriyya Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 It would not be Christmas without crackers and the silly paper crowns and jokes! At least in our home. This was par for the course with us growing up, we wouldn't think of having Christmas or New Year's dinner without them but once I moved to the US that stopped. No one had ever heard of the tradition and when I did bring them out folks weren't really too keen on sitting through the entire meal wearing their flimsy, colorful crown. Oh well. I still remember one joke from childhood that we all thought rather clever in a groany kind of way... What do a comma and a leopard have in common? One has claws at the end of his paws and the other has a pause at the end of a clause :smilielol5: Bring on the dark fruitcake, mince pies, brandy snaps, plum pudding and ginger shortbread! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted December 24, 2014 Author Share Posted December 24, 2014 We just got home from the Bell Ringing Team's Christmas meal. They had their meal late in the season because of school. We had http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-30576982crackers. Anyway each cracker contains a paper crown, a joke, and a small cracker jack type prize. I thought I would share my joke with you all...... What does a hedgehog eat for lunch? Just wait for it...... Prickled onions!!!!! Oh my gosh! My In laws had those at the family party this weekend - it was hilarious. B-I-L posted a couple pictures of us all wearing the paper crowns. I got a slide whistle and was the envy of all. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 Slide whistle and a decent joke? Did you buy crackers from the special Millionaire's shop or something? :glare: We haven't bought any crackers because we don't want to wear the hats. :hat: Now, after reading this thread, I'm feeling like a total jerk, as though I'm depriving dd of an important childhood magic or something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 I just finished a book that I enjoyed; I see it is described as military science fiction. It does have a romance component as well so romantic military science fiction? romantic science fiction? romance with guns in space? (I favor the latter!) It's Fortune's Pawn (Paradox Book 1) by Rachel Bach. "Devi Morris isn't your average mercenary. She has plans. Big ones. And a ton of ambition. It's a combination that's going to get her killed one day - but not just yet. That is, until she just gets a job on a tiny trade ship with a nasty reputation for surprises. The Glorious Fool isn't misnamed: it likes to get into trouble, so much so that one year of security work under its captain is equal to five years everywhere else. With odds like that, Devi knows she's found the perfect way to get the jump on the next part of her Plan. But the Fool doesn't give up its secrets without a fight, and one year on this ship might be more than even Devi can handle. If Sigouney Weaver in Alien met Starbuck in Battlestar Galactica, you'd get Deviana Morris -- a hot new mercenary earning her stripes to join an elite fighting force. Until one alien bite throws her whole future into jeopardy." Now I want to read the next two books in the series .... Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawneinfl Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 We just got home from the Bell Ringing Team's Christmas meal. They had their meal late in the season because of school. We had http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-30576982crackers. Anyway each cracker contains a paper crown, a joke, and a small cracker jack type prize. I thought I would share my joke with you all...... What does a hedgehog eat for lunch? Just wait for it...... Prickled onions!!!!! Really bad jokes are traditional apparently. We had a lovely evening with nice people but so good to be home laying down. We finally bought a real dining room table that all four of us fit around comfortably and it was delivered today. This led to rearranging dd's room because the really small table is now her craft table. I started a new book called Blast From the Past by Ben Elton. I was doing a mass return of ebooks and decided to read a few pages of this before returning it and was hooked. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8831.Blast_from_the_Past. We bought a box of those crackers. I thought they were just like pretty ornaments. I had no idea what we were supposed to do with them. Well...now I know, lol. They will totally love the silly jokes and they may even wear the paper crowns. I'll let you know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 Robin, am I correct in thinking that you're a fan of Jennifer Estep? I see she has a free Kindle book: Karma Girl (Bigtime superheroes Book 1) "Investigative reporter Carmen Cole gets the surprise of her life on her wedding day when she discovers that her fiancé and best friend are sleeping together—and that the two of them are her town's resident superhero and ubervillain. Shocked and hurt, Carmen reveals their secret identities and then decides to devote her life to unmasking every superhero and ubervillain who crosses her path.A series of successful unmaskings lands Carmen a job at The Exposé, one of the biggest newspapers in Bigtime, New York, a city that's full of superheroes and ubervillains. Carmen is in her element—until she gets kidnapped by the Terrible Triad, Bigtime’s most dangerous ubervillain team.The Triad orders Carmen to uncover the secret identity of Striker, the leader of the Fearless Five, Bigtime's most popular superhero team—or else they’ll drop her in a vat of radioactive goo. With that threat hanging over her, Carmen sets out to unmask Striker, but what she doesn’t count on is falling for the sexy superhero. But with the Terrible Triad lurking around, this is one story that just might be the death of her...." Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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