WOW- Meme

Copied from Robin of The Knittin Coup.





Happy Thanksgiving!

On the Nightstand- November

Books Read this month:

Murder on the Down Low by Pamela Samuels Young (review will be posted on Dec 10th)
Untamed by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast (nov)
Shadow Kiss by Richelle Mead (nov)
Into thin Air by Jon Krakauer (nov)
Dubliners by James Joyce (nov)
The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly (nov)
The Book of Names by D Barkley Briggs (nov)
Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan (nov)
An Adundance of Katherines by John Green (oct)

Now reading:

6th Target by James Patterson
Sweethearts by Sara Zarr (prize)

On the Nightstand:

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khalid Housseini
Toxin by Robin Cook
The Eyes of Darkness by Dean Koontz
Harsh Cry of the Heron by Lian Heron
The Book of the Dead by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin
Violet In Private by Melissa Walker
Courage in Patience by Beth Fehlbaum (prize)
The Monster of Florence by Douglas Preston and Mario Spezi (prize)
Bel Canto by Ann Pratchet (Book Mooched)
Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay (prize)
The Gifted Gabaldon Sisters by Lorraine Lopez(gift)
The Best Place to Be by Lesley Dormen(prize)
Alive in Necropolis by Doug Dorst.(prize)

Teaser Tuesdays-11/25/08

Grab your current read.
Let the book fall open to a random page.
Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.

You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!
Please avoid spoilers!

"When she opened the study door, a scream loud enough to wake the entire neighborhood pierced the air. It took a second for Marcia to realize the sound was coming from her mouth." pg 119, Murder on the Down Low by Pamela Samuels Young.

Pamela Samuels Young's blog tour is stopping here in December promoting her book, Murder on the Down Low. Be sure to mark it on your calendars!
Sponsered by Pump Up Your Book Promotions.

YA quick reviews (Untamed and Shadow Kiss)

Untamed by P.C. Cast
Another fun, fast paced story about Zoey Redbird and her fledgling vampire friends at the House of Night. This book takes place just a few days after the end of Chosen, and this book covers only 2-3 days. What a great way to make this series go on and on. It definitely ended with a bit of a cliffhanger.

When does the next one come out?

Overall, a very enjoyable, hard to put down read. There were just a few things that bugged me...the characters kept saying "ugh". "Ugh" this, "ugh" that. Ugh. It got a bit annoying after awhile. Also, I still can't get used to "brown pop". Is this a regional thing? Why not soda or cola? Anyway, that's it. I am ready for the next book.

3/5


Shadow Kiss (Vampire Academy, Book 3) by Richelle Mead
I am not going to say too much about this one since I would hate to give anything away. This has to be my favorite of the three books. So much going on. Lots of action and suspense and romance. A perfect mixture of all three. I really wasn't expecting the ending. Such a surprise that, I must say, made me a bit angry. Still, I like that I wasn't expecting that. Can't wait to see what happens in the next book.

4/5

Mailbox Monday-11/24/08

Monday: 6th Target by James Patterson and Into Thin Air by Krakauer through BookMooch.

Tuesday: Bel Canto by Anne Pratchett through BookMooch.

Saturday: Shadow Kiss by Richelle Mead and Untamed by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast. I made a trip to Target and couldn't resist these new books in the series.

Sunday Salon (11/23/08)

I am so tired. I just woke up at noon. I stayed up until 4:30am reading Shadow Kiss by Richelle Mead. I bought it yesterday while I was out shopping for a baby shower gift. I started reading it while I ate my turkey reuben at the deli across the street from Target. After getting home, wrapping the gifts and watching the Bourne Ultimatum on HBO I got into bed and started reading again. I read until it was done. I had no clue of the time until I put the book down and looked at the clock. I set my alarm for noon to make sure I didn't sleep through the baby shower.

So, that is what I have planned for today. Once I finish typing this up I have to take a shower, get dressed, put on some makeup to hide the bags under my eyes and drive on over.

I do have another addictive, can't put it down book that I bought along with the Vampire Academy book. The new House of Night book is waiting patiently on my nightstand with the other books I need/have to read. It may have to be read when I get home. I will not be starting it at 10pm! I do have to get up early tomorrow for work.

Aviatrix finished

I love this little hat. Warm and soft, I used the same yarn I used for my Tangled Yoke Cardigan. The buttons worked perfectly, too. It took me quite awhile at JoAnns to find ones I really liked. I also picked up the same in a bigger size to finally finish my Hey, Teach! This little guy is already in a cute little gift bag covered in polka dots. The baby shower is tomorrow afternoon

Heehee

The advantage of scheduling posts, make it look like you can blog from anywhere. :)

So, Twilight. I really don't want to say much about it except that it had my friends and I laughing and a bit disappointed. It could have been so much better. What is wrong with Jasper? Just not right. Other things, like direction and acting, were just not up to my standards, I guess. I really was hoping to enjoy the movie and am very thankful that I didn't go in with high expectations.

Twilight : The Movie

Right now, I am sitting in a movie theatre with some friends/fellow twilight fanatics eating chips and queso and enjoying a beverage while waiting for the lights to come down and the movie to start. Yay!

I am really hoping this is good.

I really should have reread the book this week.

Anybody else seen/seeing Twilight?

Into Thin Air-Book Review

Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster by Jon Krakauer

You have to give a book 5 stars if you finish it in less than 2 days right?

This book had me on the edge of my seat the entire way through until 1:30am this morning. My eyes are feeling it now. I was so engrossed in these people who risk their lives to reach the summit of Mount Everest. It takes a certain type of person to put themselves and their bodies through such torture for 5 minutes on top of the world.

The sad and terrible turn of events on the mountain in 1996 was not a new story to me. I remembered when it happened, I have watched numerous Discovery shows about it and seen the IMAX movie Everest. However, I had not read this true personal account of one of the team members before. Jon Krakauer does a wonderful job of sharing his experience and making you understand the conditions on the mountain that spring.

This book made me cry, it made me angry, and it made me very thankful that my rock climbing, backpacking husband has no interest in taking up high altitude mountaineering.

This book is getting past on to him next to further convince him that he has no desire to climb mountains.

5/5

New Classics Challenge

Booking Through Thursday-11/20/08

Do you think reviewers are obligated to put up a good review of a book, even if they don’t like it? Have we come to a point where reviewers *need* to put up disclaimers to (hopefully) save themselves from being harassed by unhappy authors who get negative reviews?

I am very new to book blogging and one of the reasons I hadn't started one earlier was the reviews. "How could I put up a unfavorable review?" and "would anyone care what I have to say about the books I read?" were my worries. Well, that is easy. There are readers who want to know the truth about a book before spending money on it. As a reviewer, you need to be sure of who you are reviewing for. The authors or the readers?

It makes me sad to hear that there are reviewers being harassed by authors for writing a negative review. I can understand having hurt feelings about it. A lot of themselves was put into their books, but we all have to understand that there are going to be differences in opinion. Not everyone is going to love your book. Not everyone loves Harry Potter or Twilight. There are actually people who have no interest in reading them.

I just came out of a facilitated meeting at work for our staff and there are a lot of hurt feelings there as well, and issues that need resolving and differing opinions to be understood. So, I am going to leave this topic, and work stress, with this... think of those who you are trying to serve/reach.

Tuesday Thingers-11/18/08

Popular this month on LT: Do you look at this list? Do you get ideas on what to read from it?
Have you read any of the books on the list right now? Feel free to link to any reviews you've done as well.

Here is the list:

1. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
2. Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World by Vicki Myron
3.Nation by Terry Pratchett
4.Brisingr by Christopher Paolini
5.Anathem by Neal Stephenson
6.American Wife: A Novel by Curtis Sittenfeld
7.The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer
8.The Story of Edgar Sawtelle: A Novel by David Wroblewski
9.Eclipse (The Twilight Saga, Book 3) by Stephenie Meyer
10.Any Given Doomsday by Lori Handeland

I have looked at it but not picked a book to read off it because it is on it. I have read only two of the books on the list. Eclipse and Any Given Doomsday which I received through Early Reviewers. You can find my review here.

There are definitely books here that are on my To-Read list.

knitting for baby

The stranded hat is coming along slowly, but i have stopped for a good reason. I have a baby shower to attend for one of my very good friends on Sunday. I have baby knits to make! They are not finding out the sex of their baby so that has limited my choices for patterns and colors. So, here is what I have so far. Anyone want to guess what this little guy is going to be? What pattern? It is tiny and soft. Very cozy. Loving the pattern so far. Will be back with a finished picture soon and the name of the pattern. :)

Dubliners-Book Review

Dubliners by James Joyce

A book filled with short stories about people. The Irish people in Dublin in the late 1800's. You get a glimpse into the lives of the young, the old, the poor and the well-to-do. No one is exempt from Joyce's words. Each story, whether it be about a boy's day spent skipping school, or a young girl trying to choose whether or not to sail away to Buenos Aires with her beau, is beautifully written and rich with atmosphere. Each character comes alive on the page and is given just enough words to make you want to know more about them when it is time to move on to the next story.

I am so happy I picked up this book to read, finally, having purchased it back in March. It amazes me how simply language can be used perfectly to tell a story. I kept wondering to myself if these were actual people he knew or saw in the streets around him, making up stories about the men walking down the street, or the kids on the ferry during school hours, or the lady at the quay staring at a ship setting sail.

I have not read Ulysses, but it will definitely be one of my next books to get a copy of. I have read A Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man back in high school and remember enjoying it. I should probably get a copy of that as well. refresh my memory.

4/5

Classics Challenge

Mailbox Monday-11/17/08

Only one book came into the house this week, but I am not complaining. There should be three more on the way thanks to some lovely people on BookMooch.

I received my winnings from Natasha of Mawbooks, Sweethearts by Sara Zarr.

Sunday Salon-Life Began Again (iTunes Shuffle Meme)

I have been seeing this make the rounds lately and just couldn't pass it up. Too much fun.
Best answer... My life's purpose=Jive Talkin'. Awesome!



Instructions:

1. Put Your iTunes, Windows Media Player, Winamp, etc on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS.
4. Put the artist after a dash following the song name.
5. Put any comments in brackets.
6. Tag some lucky people to spread the disease.

How would you describe yourself? Nobody But Me by Lou Rawls
How do you feel today? Double Trouble by John Williams (Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban soundtrack)
What is your life’s purpose? Jive Talkin' by The Bee Gees (Saturday Night Fever soundtrack)
What is your motto? An Honest Mistake by The Bravery
What do you think about very often? Mr. Pencil's ABC's by Stephen Fite <--too funny, you all know I teach preK, right?
What is your life story? This is How I Disappear by My Chemical Romance
What do you want to be when you grow up? Felitsa by Yanni
What will you dance to at your wedding? Even Better Than The Real Thing by U2
What will they play at your funeral? Don't Say A Word by Sonata Arctica
What is your hobby/interest? Man in the Moon by Erasure
If you could do anything right now, what would it be? You Don't Know How it Feels by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
What do you want most of all? Here We Come a Wassailing by The Night Heron Consort (A Celtic Celebration) <--I am ready for the holidays!
What is your greatest fear? The Mirror Conspiracy by Thievery Corporation
What is your darkest secret? I know Your Out There Somewhere by The Moody Blues
What is your favorite thing in the world? Persian Love Song by Dead Can Dance
If you could have one wish, what would you wish for? Slide by Dido
What is your theme song? Sometimes by My Bloody Valentine(Lost in Translation Soundtrack)
The next time you hear this song (aside from now, that is), you must dance: Marching Bands of Manahattan by Death Cab For Cutie
What will you post this as? Life Began Again by Afro Celt Sound System


I can't believe non of my Depeche Mode came up! Anyway, fun fun.
Time to listen to all my music now and maybe get some reading done. I am in the middle of reading the Dubliners by James Joyce for the Classics Challenge.

Happy Sunday!

The Book of Lost Things-Book Review

"What is this place?"
"Are we dead?"

The minute I read those lines I thought "LOST"! This is just like LOST.


David finds himself in a strange world. There is a lot of surreal things going on. Things out of place, his dead mother calling to him, an unseen beast in the woods. He doesn't know where he ended up when he went through the hole in the stone wall. Another dimension? Is he dreaming? Is he dead? Did he die when the bomber crashed? He doesn't know. We don't know.

Roland's answer:

"All of these things are real. You have endured pain here. If you can endure pain, then you can die. You can be killed here, and your own world will be lost to you forever. Never forget that. If you do, you are lost."

At this point the book got a whole lot more interesting to me. Up until then I was still having a hard time getting into the story. A slow start but strong second half made up for it. Not quite LOST, but still interesting and creepy in its own way.


3/5

Whiskers on Wednesday (11/12/08)

Joey has been so much more active lately. We call this being flippy-flippy. She used to greet us at the door when we got home and make her flippy-flips. She hadn't been doing it for a long time. We would come home and find her asleep on the bed instead. The last few days she has been back to her old self. I wonder of the meds are helping?

BookMooch

What a great concept. I don't know how I had missed this for so long.
I am now a Book Moocher. You can find my inventory by looking up marireads. Only ten books right now, but more will probably added. I know there are some of the hubby's books he might want to giveaway. I have to go through more of my books downstairs to see what else I can add, too.

Never mind...I am already down to 8 7 books. They are going fast. Now I have points to go and Mooch with! Fun, fun.

Teaser Tuesdays-11/11/08

Grab your current read.
Let the book fall open to a random page.
Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.

You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!
Please avoid spoilers!

"David took his sword and swung at the first of the ropes,cutting about halfway through.He struck again,and the rope shot away,causing the bridge to topple suddenly to the right and sending the two wolves into the canyon." page 119. The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly

Mailbox Monday-11/10/08

Monday- Four books from Jen of Devourer of Books! My winnings from her 100th comment giveaway. Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay, The Gifted Gabaldon Sisters by Lorraine Lopez, The Best Place to Be by Lesley Dormen, and Alive in Necropolis by Doug Dorst.

No buying this week. I was able to refrain myself from going to the bookstore. I went to the library on Friday but managed to walk out empty handed.

Still, lots of books! :)

The Book of Names-Book Review

Ewan and Hadyn Barlow have just moved to a farm in Missouri with their twin brothers and father after the death of their mother. While clearing away a briar patch they find a stone arch carved with ancient runes. They discover that the arch is a magical portal to another world, the world of Karak Tor. Here they learn that they have been called to be Champions and save the world from evil and darkness brought by The Devourer and the witch, Nemesia. The boys, on their journey to find a way home, meet friends and enemies, adventures and dangers.

It was an enjoyable read with lots of action and suspense. Very similar to the style of CS Lewis or JRR Tolkien. The book is published by a Christian Publisher so there are some parallels with Christian theology. I have to say that this is the first Christian Fiction book I have read and was pleasantly surprised. I admit, I was slightly apprehensive. Worried that the book would be preachy. With some Christian symbolism, the book is more about good conquering evil, and the boys' journey to find strength and purpose within themselves. A good fantasy book (which is the first in a planned series) for teens and middle school aged kids.

3/5

Received through Bostick Communications.

Selbu Modern in progress

fair isle
Originally uploaded by my_weezy

Here is what I got so far. As I get further along I am able to see how much stretch I have along the brim and it is looking promising. I may be able to get it over my head. It may be more of a fitted hat rather than beret-ish, but whatever. It is going to fit! Positive thinking. :)

Sunday Salon (11/9/08)

A week after Halloween and I finally have all the decorations down and put away in their boxes. Now, all I need to do is take the boxes dow stairs and put them in the closet under the stairs. I wish I had some fall decor, it would make the transition from Halloween to Christmas so much easier. :)

Well, this past week has seen slow reading. One book has been read all week. I haven't done that in a long time. It is over 300 pages long, though, so...

I am almost finished with The Book of Names. Just a few more chapters to go. I should have a review up later tonight or tomorrow. I find that writing my reviews as I read helps a lot. If I wait to the end, I forget what I felt when I started or in the middle of the action. I don't want then ending to cause me to forget things I liked/didn't like early on. Does that make sense?



Anyway, I have a couple hours then I am off to Town Lake for a walk. After that... green chili cheese fries. Kind of cancels out the walk, huh? Oh, well.

attempting fair isle

I have started a new project. I went to Gauge Thursday night for a knitting group. I bought yarn and started a hat. A very cute hat that requires me to do fair isle. I have only done this, kind of, on Knitty's Center Square.

So, this hat is knit on US2's and I am using 4 ply yarn. It may take me awhile. I am also worried that it will be small despite the fact that I got gauge. I have a big head and I seem to knit tight when knitting fair isle. I love the colors I am using and would hate to have to give this away. Is that wrong? :)

Anyway, question.

How do you hold your yarn when you knit fair isle? Do you pick up and drop the yarn with each color change? Do you hold both strands on one hand? Or do you knit English and continental with your two yarns?

Which is the best way to keep tension even?

Winners!!!

We have some winners!










The Wonder Spot goes to Staci.

The Chrismas Tree goes to Ginny.

Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging goes to Rebecca.

and

The Gifted Gabadon Sisters goes to Meredith.

Congratulations!

Thank you to everyone who stopped by the blog. I hope some of you will stick around. :)

USA TODAY Top Selling books Meme

Here are the rules:

Bold what you've read, italicize what you own, star* books on your TBR list!

1 Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - J.K. Rowling, art by Mary GrandPre
2 Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution - Robert C. Atkins
3 The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown
4 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - J.K. Rowling, art by Mary GrandPre
5 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - J.K. Rowling, art by Mary GrandPre
6 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - J.K. Rowling, art by Mary GrandPre
7 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - J.K. Rowling, art by Mary GrandPre
8 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - J.K. Rowling, art by Mary GrandPre
9 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - J.K. Rowling, art by Mary GrandPre
10 Who Moved My Cheese? - Spencer Johnson
11 The South Beach Diet - Arthur Agatston
12 Tuesdays With Morrie - Mitch Albom
13 Angels & Demons - Dan Brown
14 What to Expect When You're Expecting - Heidi Murkoff, Arlene Eisenberg, Sandee Hathaway
15 The Purpose-Driven Life - Rick Warren
16 The Five People You Meet in Heaven - Mitch Albom
17 The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People - Stephen R. Covey
18 The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
19 Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus - John Gray
20 The Secret - Rhonda Byrne
21 Rich Dad, Poor Dad - Robert T. Kiyosaki with Sharon L. Lechter
22 To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
23 Don't Sweat the Small Stuff ... And It's All Small Stuff - Richard Carlson
24 The Secret Life of Bees - Sue Monk Kidd
25 Eat, Pray, Love - Elizabeth Gilbert
26 Twilight - Stephenie Meyer
27 The Notebook - Nicholas Sparks
*28 The Memory Keeper's Daughter - Kim Edwards
29 The Catcher in the Rye - J.D. Salinger
30 Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden
31 A New Earth - Eckhart Tolle
32 Oh, the Places You'll Go! - Dr. Seuss
33 The Four Agreements - Don Miguel Ruiz
34 Angela's Ashes - Frank McCourt
35 The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
36 Body-for-Life - Bill Phillips, Michael D’Orso
37 New Moon - Stephenie Meyer
38 Night - Elie Wiesel, translations by Marion Wiesel and Stella Rodway
39 Chicken Soup for the Soul - Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen
40 The Greatest Generation - Tom Brokaw
41 Breaking Dawn - Stephenie Meyer
42 The Celestine Prophecy - James Redfield
43 Wicked - Gregory Maguire
44 Good to Great - Jim Collins
45 Eclipse - Stephenie Meyer
46 Eragon - Christopher Paolini
47 Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood - Rebecca Wells
48 Your Best Life Now - Joel Osteen
49 In the Kitchen With Rosie - Rosie Daley
50 Simple Abundance - Sarah Ban Breathnach
51 A Child Called It - Dave Pelzer
52 A Million Little Pieces - James Frey
53 The Testament - John Grisham
54 Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul - Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Kimberly Kirberger
55 Deception Point - Dan Brown
56 The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho
57 Marley & Me - John Grogan
58 Dr. Atkins' New Carbohydrate Gram Counter - Robert C. Atkins
59 Life of Pi - Yann Martel
60 The Brethren - John Grisham
61 The South Beach Diet Good Fats Good Carbs Guide - Arthur Agatston
62 The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town - John Grisham
63 For One More Day - Mitch Albom
64 The Polar Express - Chris Van Allsburg
65 The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald
66 The Last Lecture - Randy Pausch, Jeffrey Zaslow
67 What to Expect the First Year - Arlene Eisenberg, Heidi Murkoff, Sandee Hathaway
68 Love You Forever - Robert Munsch, art by Sheila McGraw
69 Green Eggs and Ham - Dr. Seuss
70 A Painted House - John Grisham
71 The Rainmaker - John Grisham
72 Skipping Christmas - John Grisham
73 Cold Mountain - Charles Frazier
74 The Curious Incident of the Dog In the Night-Time - Mark Haddon
75 Life Strategies - Phillip C. McGraw
76 Seabiscuit: An American Legend - Laura Hillenbrand
77 The Summons - John Grisham
*78 Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil - John Berendt
79 The Hobbit - J.R.R. Tolkien
80 The Runaway Jury - John Grisham
81 Goodnight Moon Board Book - Margaret Wise Brown, art by Clement Hurd
82 The Perfect Storm - Sebastian Junger
83 Snow Falling on Cedars - David Guterson
84 The Giver - Lois Lowry
85 Embraced by the Light - Betty J. Eadie
86 The Chamber - John Grisham
87 You: On A Diet - Michael F. Roizen, Mehmet C. Oz
88 The Prayer of Jabez - Bruce Wilkinson
89 Holes - Louis Sachar
90 Digital Fortress - Dan Brown
91 The Shack - William P. Young
92 The Devil Wears Prada - Lauren Weisberger
*93 Water for Elephants - Sara Gruen
*94 A Thousand Splendid Suns - Khaled Hosseini
95 The Seat of the Soul - Gary Zukav
96 Chicken Soup for the Woman's Soul - Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Jennifer Read Hawthorne, Marci Shimoff
97 The Partner - John Grisham
98 Lord of the Flies - William Golding
99 Eldest: Inheritance, Book II - Christopher Paolini
100 The Broker - John Grisham
101 The Street Lawyer - John Grisham
*102 A Series of Unfortunate Events No. 1: The Bad Beginning - Lemony Snicket
103 The Poisonwood Bible - Barbara Kingsolver
*104 Into the Wild - Jon Krakauer
105 The King of Torts - John Grisham
106 The Tipping Point - Malcolm Gladwell
107 The Horse Whisperer - Nicholas Evans
108 Hannibal - Thomas Harris
109 The Audacity of Hope - Barack Obama
110 Running With Scissors - Augusten Burroughs
111 The Glass Castle: A Memoir - Jeannette Walls
112 My Sister's Keeper - Jodi Picoult
113 The Last Juror - John Grisham
114 The Devil in the White City - Erik Larson
115 Left Behind - Tim LaHaye, Jerry B. Jenkins
116 America (The Book) - Jon Stewart and The Writers of The Daily Show
117 The Red Tent - Anita Diamant
118 John Adams - David McCullough
119 The Christmas Box - Richard Paul Evans
120 The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants - Ann Brashares
121 Sugar Busters! - H. Leighton Steward, Sam S. Andrews, Morrison C. Bethea, Luis A. Balart
122 Blink - Malcolm Gladwell
123 The Power of Now - Eckhart Tolle
124 90 Minutes in Heaven: A True Story of Death and Life - Don Piper, Cecil Murphey
125 The Fellowship of the Ring - J.R.R. Tolkien
126 1776 - David McCullough
127 The Bridges of Madison County - Robert James Waller
128 Where the Heart Is - Billie Letts
129 The Ultimate Weight Solution - Phillip C. McGraw
130 Protein Power - Michael R. Eades, Mary Dan Eades
131 Chicken Soup for the Mother's Soul - Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Jennifer Read Hawthorne, Marci Shimoff
*132 Into Thin Air - Jon Krakauer
133 Middlesex - Jeffrey Eugenides
134 Three Cups of Tea - Greg Mortenson, David Oliver Relin
135 You: The Owner's Manual - Michael F. Roizen, Mehmet C. Oz
136 1,000 Places to See Before You Die: A Traveler’s Life List - Patricia Schultz
137 Self Matters - Phillip C. McGraw
138 She's Come Undone - Wally Lamb
139 1984 - George Orwell
140 The Chronicles of Narnia - C.S. Lewis
141 The Millionaire Next Door - Thomas J. Stanley, William D. Danko
142 The Other Boleyn Girl - Philippa Gregory
143 The Zone - Barry Sears, Bill Lawren
144 The Pilot's Wife - Anita Shreve
145 The Lost World Michael Crichton
146 Atonement - Ian McEwan
147 He's Just Not That Into You - Greg Behrendt, Liz Tuccillo
148 Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury
149 The World Is Flat - Thomas L. Friedman
150 Cross - James Patterson

Found this over at J. Kaye's Book Blog.

I have read 47 books off this list.

An Abundance of Katherines-Book Review

An Abundance of Katherines by John Green

For some reason I have been unable to make myself write a review of this book. It's hard to put into words what made this book so enjoyable. I loved the relationship between Colin and Hassan. Hassan's humor is so refreshing and hilarious. I was laughing and reading quotes to my husband every ten minutes or so. The mathematical analysis of Colin's relationships with all 19 Katherine's was interesting and not too over my head. It was an added element to the story that gave insight to how Colin's mind works and his heart.

This is Colin's story and journey to discover how his life can matter in the great scheme of things and that a Katherine isn't needed. All that was required: a road trip with a friend to Gutshot, TN and a chance encounter with a non-Katherine, Lindey Lee Wells, her friends and mother and surprisingly, the Archduke Franz Ferdinand.

5/5

halloween cats (WOW)

halloween cats
Originally uploaded by my_weezy

The last bit of Halloween. Tomorrow it all goes bye-bye. All back into the boxes and into the closet under the stairs. :(

Until next year.

November Book Releases

These are the books I am looking forward to this month:

November 11th

Just After Sunset by Stephen King

a mercy by Toni Morrison

November 17th

Cross Country by James Patterson

November 25th

Your Heart Belongs To Me by Dean Koontz

Book recommendations and a Giveaway

These are the wonderful recommendations I have received so far from Monday's Giveaway. Some I have heard of, others are already in my want-to-read list or have been read, and for others this is the first time hearing about them. Thank you all for sharing your favorite books with me. I can't wait to get started reading some of these.

Septimus Heap series by Angie Sage and Mark Zug
Nights in Rodanthe by Nicholas Sparks
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen
Sisters of Misery by Megan Kelley Hall
The Magicians and Mrs. Quent by Galen M. Beckett
The Negotiator Trilogy by C.E. Murphy
An Elegant Gathering of White Snows by Kris Radish
Joe Pickett series by CJ Box
Me & Emma by Elizabeth Flock
The Stolen Child by Keith Donohue
Heartburn by Nora Ephron
Twilight Series by Stephenie Meyer
Just One of the Guys by Kristan Higgins
Roanoke by Lee Miller.
Happy Hour at Casa Dracula by Marta Acosta
Phenomenal Girl Five by A.J. Menden
The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson
Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld
ANYTHING by John Green
The Host by Stephanie Meyer
The Tenderness of Wolves by Stef Penney
Practical Demon-Keeping or The Stupidest Angel by Christopher Moore
The Killing Jar by Nicola Monaghan

So, how about another Giveaway?

I have another book for you.

The Gifted Gabaldón Sisters by Lorraine López



I got the book as a gift from my "Boo Buddy" on Friday at work and a surprise copy came in the mail on Monday as one of my prizes from Jen. So, I have two copies. One copy can be yours.

Do you want it?

To enter leave a comment. For an extra entry, "Follow My Blog". That's it! Easy.
You have until midnight (CST) on Friday, November 7th.
Winner will be announced over the weekend.


Contest closed. Winners announced here.

Teaser Tuesdays-11/04/08

Grab your current read.
Let the book fall open to a random page.
Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.

You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!
Please avoid spoilers!

" About midmorning, just for fun, Ewan began referring to the whole briar patch as the Hidden Lands, just like the scroll had said. Hadyn played along, even though Avalon or Camelot was superior in his mind." page 28,The Book of Names by D. Barkley Briggs

Tuesday Thingers-11/04/08

Do you own multiple copies of any books? Which ones? Why? Can you share your list?"



I have only one book in multiples. My husband and I were in Ireland the summer that Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix was released. We went and stood in line at midnight at a bookstore on Grafton Street in Dublin and waited to buy our first and only UK copy of any HP book. When we got home our US copy was waiting for us in the mail.

Election Day

Election Day

Mailbox Monday -11/3/08

I have been getting lots of books through the mail lately, so I thought I would go ahead and join in on Marcia's Mailbox Mondays over at The Printed Page. Now it will be in one place, on one day. Nice and neat. I will probably be mentioning the books I purchase as well. Just trying to tidy up a bit.

So what books did I get this past week?

Monday- An Abundance of Katherines by John Green (purchased at B&N)
Wednesday- Murder on the Down Low by Pamela Samuels-Young (from the author, through Pump Up Your Book Promotion for review)
Friday- The Gifted Gabaldón Sisters by Lorraine Lopez ( Halloween secret pal gift)
Sunday- Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn and david Levithan (purchased at Target)


What new books did you get this week?

Nick&Norah's Infinite Playlist- Book Review

Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

The first couple chapters almost had me giving up on it all together. It was a bit hard to get into the rhythm and style of the writing, a kind of stream of consciousness. But as I kept reading, I got more interested and invested in the lives of these two straight-laced kids in the very non straight-laced world of the New York Indie music scene.

This is a story of two good kids finding each other in an unorthodox way and discovering that they can both get what they want and deserve out of their relationships.

Despite a slow start, and the overuse of the F word (I am pretty sure there are other words that could have been used in many instances), I really enjoyed this book. Now I have to go and see the movie.

3/5

Book Giveaway

I mentioned awhile back that I would be having a giveaway as a thank you for all the great books I have been lucky to have won the past couple months. The Book Giveaway Carnival just happened to be going on this week as well so I thought I would make the giveaway a part of it.

So, here are all the details you will need:


The prizes: I have three books that I will be giving away. A hardcover copy of The Wonder Spot by Melissa Banks, a paperback copy of The Christmas Tree by Julie Salamon, and a gently read paperback of Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging: Confessions of Georgia Nicholson by Louise Rennison.





The deal: Just leave me a comment, say hello. Of course, I wouldn't mind some book recommendations. :) Also, let me know which book(s) you are interested in. Three books, three chances to win!

The timeline: You have until midnight (CST) on Friday, November 7th to enter. I will announce the winners that weekend. I will be randomly picking three winners from my comments for all three of the books.

Contest closed. Winners announced here.

*** Check back during the week, there just may be a surprise giveaway or two thrown in. :)

Good Luck!

And don't forget to go and check out all the other contests going on for the Carnival this week.

Sunday Salon (It's November!)

I can't believe it is already November. October flew by so quickly. It was a good month for reading, though. 14 books read last month! Hard to believe, I know. I am hoping for another month like that. Two months actually if I want to reach 100 books for the year. Anybody else with that goal?

This past week was spent more on knitting than reading, I must admit. I finished a pair of socks and am almost finished with some fingerless mitts for a friend.

So, I have some new books on the shelf that I need to get read for reviews this month and next. I have The Book of Names by D Barkley Briggs and Murder on the Down Low by Pamela Samuels-Young. Of course those aren't the only books on my to-read shelf at the moment. I will be reading Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer for the New Classics Challenge and The Dubliners by James Joyce for the Classics Challenge.

I will be having a book giveaway this coming week. Check back tomorrow for the details. I have three books to start and there may be more during the week. All winners will be announced next weekend. So, visit everyday next week and see what you can win.