tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29299584610717128332011-12-31T11:32:07.854-06:00I've always been a writer, but I haven't always been in a position to publish. My writing is scattered amongst several websites (BookCrossing and allconsuming, amongst others), and I've finally decided to establish a "home" for my pseudo-babies. Also looking forward to centralizing my reading lists and literary websites.Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.comBlogger1701100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-36349847607883455992009-11-11T23:33:00.004-06:002009-11-28T21:39:14.481-06:00

*in honor of it's 40th birthday this week. I'm turning 43 in a few months, and was so the target audience when it came out*OK, so it's been a while since I've done a Thursday 13, and the site actually no longer exists.Here it is anyway, because it's been over 3 months since my last post, and it is also only the third one for this year.Pathetic.Frustrating.1. Super Grover, because he's "...cute,

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-86709041998357334072009-08-05T06:51:00.005-06:002009-08-06T17:30:19.298-06:00

Which do you prefer? (Quick answers–we’ll do more detail at some later date) * Reading something frivolous? Or something serious? Serious * Paperbacks? Or hardcovers? Paperbacks * Fiction? Or Nonfiction? Nonfiction * Poetry? Or Prose? Prose * Biographies? Or Autobiographies? Autobiographies * History? Or Historical Fiction? History * Series? Or Stand-alones? Series

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-66226837053830466732009-01-03T21:52:00.005-06:002009-01-03T22:57:46.013-06:00

"...love which did not build a foundation on good sense was doomed."This is a story of a young writer, her imagination, and where her creativity and need to order her world took her. It is also a love story between "unequals," and it is, finally, a story of survival, of life, love, truth, and the last word. In three parts, Atonement unfolds during pre-WWII England, then during the Allies' rout

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-87412480583733826352008-12-12T14:00:00.002-06:002008-12-12T18:07:59.752-06:00

Unfortunately, I didn't get to post what I'd found last week, so this one's a double-shot...Bookopolis reviewedAn Exact Replica of A Figment of My Imagination by Elizabeth McCracken - This memoir talks of the loss of her child in her ninth month of pregnancy and how she dealt with her grief.Bookopolis also recommended In the Land of Invisible Women by Qanta A. Ahmed, MD, who spent two years

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-27981092195578834092008-12-10T16:45:00.006-06:002008-12-10T18:50:04.821-06:00

1. Mail cards (I haven't done this for a few years, I think I'll shock people into falling over if it happens now)2. Buy tree (we usually wait until the last minute for this anyway)3. Decorate house (all the decorations are packed together, so it just makes sense to do it all at once)4. Take kids to have pictures with Santa (since A's in school midday, this will be tricky to do during the week)5.

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-61552099273552555612008-12-04T15:06:00.003-06:002008-12-04T15:34:24.637-06:00

1. Do you have a favorite author?Of all the authors I revisit, I can narrow this down to two: Neil Gaiman and Mercedes Lackey, with Anne McCaffrey running a strong third.2. Have you read everything he or she has written?Unfortunately, not yet; both are almost obscenely prolific, and Gaiman has a blog (if that counts, Ill probably never catch up!)A few of Lackey's series don't interest me right

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-11426107097354068062008-12-03T23:37:00.002-06:002008-12-04T00:21:11.557-06:00

My son's school hosted a book swap/cake walk event tonight, and I spent part of today gathering books that we didn't need to have around anymore (DH would likely say "that would be ALL of them."). I registered them on BookCrossing, and was reminded that I'm coming up on my 6th anniversary of being a member (not that I've been a great member, mind you) on Saturday. Not sure if I want to do

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-29093108132235108462008-12-02T17:14:00.003-06:002008-12-02T17:19:52.933-06:00

or, anyone shopping for a new mom...Win a Free Organic Embroidered Ergo Baby Carrier Hands Free System from Along for the RideRead the details for getting bonus entries...

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-22554927519107106672008-12-02T12:57:00.006-06:002009-08-05T07:15:35.739-06:00

J. Kaye is hosting quite a few challenges this coming year, and this is just one of the ones I'm signing up for. What follows is a list of books that I'm hoping to read in 2009, and are mostly from my other challenge lists. For the most part, those that are yet to be published won't be listed here, but the few that I've been able to find, I'll italicize those. As I review the books, I'll hotlink

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-35163143628246651972008-12-01T16:29:00.003-06:002008-12-01T17:48:02.907-06:00

From Rebecca at Just One More Page:With the holiday season now upon us, how does it affect your reading? Do you have more, or less, time to read at Christmas? Do you read Christmas themed/related books?In years past, when I've tried to do too much (and made myself thoroughly insane), the winter holidays definitely had an effect on my reading (for the worse). This year, I'm hoping that the family

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-76431398263532511102008-11-30T22:09:00.002-06:002008-11-30T22:49:02.931-06:00

Sure has been fun blogging every day. I certainly had no problem generating content, with all the events and reading challenges I've found. Haven't managed to get all of them squared away online yet, but have spent a few days roughing them out on paper. I definitely have my work cut out for me this coming year; I think I've have 15 books/month to read if i want to complete them all.I suppose I'll

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-35747445098881711032008-11-29T22:49:00.000-06:002008-11-30T23:12:15.871-06:00

I started and finished Brokeback Mountain the day before yesterday, and I finished America (The Book) today. Not sure what I'll put up next (need to consult my list), but what I just finished needs writing up. I have notes on Brokeback, and America should be an easy one to summarize and critique.

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-23741234576665872942008-11-28T23:22:00.000-06:002008-11-28T23:26:34.015-06:00

A little bit of everything this week! Part of me says that I really need to stop torturing myself by finding more books to add to a growing-faster-than-I-can-whittle-it wishlist. The other part says "shut up and code it pretty." Meet my evil twin, y'all...A Dog Named Christmas by Greg Kincaid from mizb17Digging to America by Anne Tyler and Company of Liars by Karen Maitland from Beth FThe Rose

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-54936362003726515852008-11-27T23:50:00.000-06:002008-11-29T00:00:28.289-06:00

Hosted by Kristi1. The White Raven (Diana Paxson)2. Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff (Christopher Moore)3. Finding Fish (Antwone Q. Fisher)4. Fifty Acres and a Poodle (Jeane Marie Laskas)5. Dragon Queen (Alice Borchardt)6. The Daisy Sutra (Helen Weaver)4 of these are crossing over with other challenges.I'll hotlink these to their respective review posts as I publish them.

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-83534534220524798462008-11-26T23:35:00.001-06:002008-12-03T00:11:10.282-06:00

Hosted by Pour of TorThese are six authors (and the titles I'll read) I keep passing over, and ought to have read by now (IMO):Joan Didion (Year of Magical Thinking)Larry Niven (Integral Trees)Orson Scott Card (Enchantment)Kathy Reichs (Deja Dead)Sparkle Hayter (Nice Girls Finish Last) [finished 12/2]Annie Proulx (Brokeback Mountain) [finished 11/28]I'll hotlink these as I publish the reviews.

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-3510234938937240282008-11-25T17:36:00.001-06:002008-11-28T23:31:07.677-06:00

Hosted by Joanna.bold= already readitalic= chosen for challenge1. The Road , Cormac McCarthy (2006)2. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, J.K. Rowling (2000)3. Beloved, Toni Morrison (1987)4. The Liars' Club, Mary Karr (1995)5. American Pastoral, Philip Roth (1997)6. Mystic River, Dennis Lehane (2001)7. Maus, Art Spiegelman (1986/1991)8. Selected Stories, Alice Munro (1996)9. Cold Mountain,

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-78659002773676428842008-11-24T12:09:00.001-06:002008-11-24T23:45:29.727-06:00

How do you feel about wide-spread reading phenomenons - Harry Potter, for instance, or the more current Twilight Saga? Are these books so widely read for a reason, or merely fads or crazes? Do you feel compelled to read - or NOT to read - these books because everyone else is?Early on, I take it with a grain of salt, and ask "who is doing the hyping?" As more of my friends and other people whose

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-84133345409852921852008-11-23T10:25:00.007-06:002008-11-25T00:35:15.707-06:00

Monday 11/24- Speech and Occupational Therapy for Anthony, then his only day of school this week. I'll bring review-writing material to work on while we're waiting in the car. Sitter comes after school to watch boy; girl and I take off to run Town (=Austin) errands. Mail last round of bills for the month. Make sure donkey-sale check gets deposited. Mail sister the disc from photo shoot (from a

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-61783535574123552022008-11-22T23:12:00.000-06:002008-11-23T01:16:29.458-06:00

Slept in and had a nap. Sold Sombrea (the momma donkey); sounds like her kids are missing her. Read a little bit of The Perfect Storm. Wanted to get more writing done, but I guess that will have to wait until tomorrow.

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-83068699283067772662008-11-21T01:30:00.004-06:002008-11-21T13:01:52.848-06:00

The wishlist took a bit of a hit (as in upwards) this week, but I can't help browsing!Honeymoon in Tehran by Azadeh Moaveni from Callista33 Things Every Girl Should Know About Women's History: From Suffragettes to Skirt Lengths to the E.R.A. by Tonya Bolden (Editor) from KyleeDating da Vinci by Malena Lott and The Uncommon Reader: A Novella by Alan Bennett from gautami Madeleine Is Sleeping by

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-77652095023659922802008-11-20T23:00:00.001-06:002008-11-21T00:31:32.191-06:00

This short story was a nice break from her better-known "Cat Who..." mystery series. It isn't so much a whodunit, but leans more to the mystery of the preternatural.The basics: setting-- a port town on the East Coast, possibly NY characters-- SuSu (cat), Mr Van (disabled antiques dealer), Gertrude (librarian) Unnnamed sister (narrator), Frank (Van's aide) conflict-- vengeance, greed

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-8506345857275715972008-11-20T11:00:00.001-06:002008-11-21T01:21:55.017-06:00

This audio collection takes it title from the first story read by Alexander Spencer, and also includes the following:The Inferiority Complex of Old Sippy (Bertie "helps" old school chum get rid of unwanted writer, and acquire a fiancee)The Kid Clementina (Bertie "helps" to smuggle a boarding school student back in to school)Indian Summer of an Uncle (Bertie "helps"--see a pattern?-- uncle avoid a

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-21348798517476211992008-11-19T23:21:00.006-06:002008-11-20T22:49:46.786-06:00

A Chinese student in America copes with the death of her brother during the Tianamen Square Massacre. While having lunch, she overhears a conversation that spurs her to action; she can't do anything for her brother, but perhaps she can save other innocents. She does this even while she admits that her understanding of spoken English is poor.The basics:setting-- New York Citymain character-- Fan,

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-48954301287488032008-11-19T07:00:00.004-06:002008-11-20T22:58:18.389-06:00

Here is one of Johnson’s suggestions to get the writing muscles warmed up: Spend five minutes listing everything you can think of that’s the color blue; tomorrow, green, and so on…Wednesday, 11/12: bluesky, water, kids' and husband's eyes, jeans, house, bird, roses, cloak, college colors, dragon, crayon, dress, feelings, comedy, diapersThursday, 11/13: greenleaves, traffic light, my eyes, diaper

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-38654442730349519222008-11-18T22:44:00.003-06:002008-11-18T23:57:09.835-06:00

I'm still learning my way around the blogosphere, and I've managed to catch someone's (Alice!) attention long enough that I now have some sort of writing assignment:Ok, so... 7 random/weird facts about me (I leave it to the reader to decide which are weird and which are random):1. I was reading books on my own before I was 4. Kindergarten was a disappointment, I'd hoped they would have new books

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-1262709639579371532008-11-18T09:06:00.007-06:002008-11-18T09:57:35.061-06:00

Mom is here for a few more days, Anthony is doing well in school, and the holidays are looming (I did manage to get 3 presents yesterday, so that was actually a big chunk). Luckily, I have blocks of time when I can't do much more than read or write, so my reading goals are moving along well.As of this morning, I was in a bar in 1930's London, listening to "Sonny Boy," which the crowd is getting

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-69292641276538308042008-11-17T23:23:00.006-06:002008-11-20T00:00:08.224-06:00

If I can see a full novel coming from a short story, I can get more entertainment value from it, as I can imagine which plot points and characters would be developed and how. This is important because when I can figure out who is going to die (and how AND why) by the time I've finished the first page (as I did with this story), my motivation to care about the characters loses a lot of steam. This

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-80246069613870759092008-11-17T22:54:00.002-06:002008-11-17T23:03:55.158-06:00

WHAT ARE YOU READING RIGHT NOW?Sisters in Crime 3, edited by Marilyn Wallace WHAT DID YOU RECENTLY FINISH READING, and WHAT DID YOU THINK OF IT?Arts and Crafts by Mary Jo Adamson (first story in the above-named collection)It was an enjoyable short story. The bad guy "got his" all on his own, and blamed everyone else to the very end. [will link to longer review once I get it posted]Last night,

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-4793826785667936172008-11-17T07:00:00.002-06:002008-11-17T22:51:31.697-06:00

I didn't bring many books into the house, which is just as well, but there were two surprises I was happy to receive:InterLibraryLoan: Cerulean Sins from Tallahassee, Florida--technically, it didn't arrive in my mailbox, but it did come through the mail to my local library. I've been wanting to make better progress with this series (this is book 11), and only just found the company that records

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-42094589039978830242008-11-16T10:00:00.005-06:002008-11-16T23:21:59.034-06:00

These are the ways in which I'm able to steal time away from my family, and my regular routine of housework and child juggling (not quite literally):Listened to The Awakening while I nursed and pumped today. While I was hoping for a different ending, the one I got did not surprise me.If I finish that today, I'll break into one of the short story collections I've set aside for the challenge I'd

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-87679852639593506642008-11-15T18:11:00.005-06:002008-11-15T23:52:00.230-06:00

The main reason I don't have much to show for book-related output today:I was here.Not sure what the rest of the evening has in store, but I will try to make progress on reviews and read The Awakening.I'm giving up on Heart of Darkness; I'm just not finding the time for it.

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-84355401449952471172008-11-14T11:02:00.004-06:002008-11-14T12:25:00.147-06:00

I haven't been browsing my book blogs, or checking my Google reader lately, so I had to resort to checking my amazon "recommends" list. Here are a few new releases I didn't have on my TBR list yet:Mother Warriors, by Jenny McCarthyLook Me in the Eye, by John Elder RobisonBrisingr (Inheritance, Book 3) by Christopher Paolini Cat in a Sapphire Slipper: A Midnight Louie Mystery, by Carole Nelson

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-71198993167440603842008-11-13T17:50:00.004-06:002008-11-13T21:30:30.047-06:00

I’ve asked, in the past, about whether you more often buy your books, or get them from libraries. What I want to know today, is, WHY BUY?Even if you are a die-hard fan of the public library system, I’m betting you have at least ONE permanent resident of your bookshelves in your house. I’m betting that no real book-lover can go through life without owning at least one book. So … why that one? What

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-67082597775031637402008-11-12T07:00:00.000-06:002008-11-12T07:00:02.911-06:00

Do you do writing exercises or warm ups? Do you think they could be valuable? Have you found warm up exercises helpful in some other area of your life, e.g. art, music, athletics? Extra Credit: Try one of Johnson’s exercises above, and post about your experiences. Or create an exercise of your own and share it.I've been wanting to start the Artist's Pages on and off for a few years now. A

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-27492704400193771072008-11-11T13:28:00.005-06:002008-11-11T14:22:38.238-06:00

In real life, we're honoring veterans. There was a parade in Austin, and our high school is sponsoring and event tonight.I'm at home, figuring out which chore I should do first, before I register some books for the MeetUp tonight.In my book (Dearly Devoted Dexter), I'm sitting in a stakeout car, listening to a federal agent talk about the meth lab he just found while looking for a serial killer.

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-44046893436474837112008-11-10T22:00:00.000-06:002008-11-11T13:25:19.857-06:00

If you keep your books, where do you keep them? And, if you give them away, who do you give them to? Do you participate in Bookcrossing, BookMooch, PaperbackSwap, or the like? Do you give your old books to family & friends, or donate them? Are any of your books in storage due to not having enough space for them all? Or, are you one of the lucky ones who has their own “library”? Feel free to share

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-38003010769825609852008-11-09T14:43:00.003-06:002008-11-10T00:30:47.487-06:00

Quotes:"The aim of literature is to improve the understanding, not provide idle entertainment." (Amelia)[to be continued, autosave seems to be on the blink]

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-41023677706541568382008-11-09T10:16:00.003-06:002008-11-09T13:49:18.313-06:00

From: deweymonsterHow to: 1. Choose a writer you like. 2. Using resources such as Wikipedia, the author’s website, whatever you can find, make a list of interesting facts about the author. 3. Post your fun facts list in your blog, maybe with a photo of the writer, a collage of his or her books, whatever you want. 4. Come sign the Mr Linky with the url to your fun facts post. 5. As

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-15376485911223610202008-11-08T13:05:00.004-06:002008-11-08T23:42:26.269-06:00

The physical book has been sitting on Mt. TBR for quite a while now, long enough that I've forgotten exactly how I came to possess it. It hasn't been registered with BookCrossing, and it doesn't have any store tags, so maybe it was a library sale find. Anyway, I rented the audio of this title, and I took the last few days to give it a listen. I have to say that I'm glad I have a hard copy,

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-71313571214281691622008-11-07T23:23:00.002-06:002008-11-07T23:26:49.826-06:00

Have been busy all day, and have not done much related to books. I did start a new audiobook for pump/nursetime: Sisters Grimm, The Fairytale Detectives, and am about 1/3 of the way through the first disc.With any luck, I will have a little more breathing room tomorrow, and will have a little more substance to report.

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-12972104560742119592008-11-06T18:14:00.003-06:002008-11-06T18:30:02.948-06:00

What, if any, memorable or special book have you ever gotten as a present? Birthday or otherwise. What made it so notable? The person who gave it? The book itself? The “gift aura?”Growing up, I rarely received books as gifts (we made much use of our public library). It wasn't until amazon.com came into being that I had a good way to let people know what books I'd like to have. Despite this useful

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-56744260522410436382008-11-05T21:38:00.004-06:002008-11-05T23:25:24.629-06:00

Not that I need to add this many new blogs to my reading schedule, but these are the ones I found when I started with a fellow Stainless Steel Droppings fan. I've included their description (when applicable) for ease of perusal. My descriptions are italicized. It really was a coincidence that I ended with another Chris.1. Chris A guy from New Orleans examines all things Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Magical,

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-41364900042048370662008-11-04T23:08:00.001-06:002008-11-08T12:46:20.087-06:00

I started reading this book via the DearReader book club emails I've been receiving for years, and when I found it available through my audiobook rental club, I was glad to be able to finish the story.Talarigo tells the tale of a woman who spends the better part of her life in a Japanese leprosarium. Vignettes regarding different aspects of her ordeal are introduced by descriptions of artifacts (

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-894666317459242322008-11-03T23:13:00.003-06:002008-11-03T23:41:48.632-06:00

I used to receive books in the mail on a fairly regular basis, first from book "clubs" (when I felt OK about spending money on brand-new books... no longer), then from BookCrossing trades, and then from publishing companies and authors wanting me to review their books. All those sources have pretty much dried up (for now), but I do still receive rented audio books. These two came in the mail on

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-19093956347566221742008-11-03T16:38:00.003-06:002008-11-03T17:00:53.147-06:00

Do you know of any young boys who do not like to read? Why do you think boys so often don't? What can we do to encourage them to read more?My kids (and the few children in our peer group) are technically too young to be concerned about this issue--the oldest is a girl who will be 5 in May--so I don't have any current personal knowledge of reluctant readers. My son (who just turned 3) is well on

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-90705935558201981432008-11-02T22:21:00.003-06:002008-11-02T22:42:06.921-06:00

my brain, that is...It's been too long a weekend, and I'm really wiped out. I will report back on yesterday's book festival tomorrow. Here instead is a book review:The Blessing Way, by Tony Hillerman (first in the Joe Leaphorn series)finished 10/30/08I've been slowly acquiring the books of this series, and had planned to start reading them after I'd caught up with at least two more of the other

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-46521785503748753092008-11-01T00:50:00.000-06:002008-11-01T00:13:24.000-06:00

I'll be bringing Morgann to her first book festival later on in the morning, but have a lot of planning (and dishes) to do now, so this is a relatively short first post of NaBloPoMo. Our chosen sessions start at 11, I have a few errands to do beforehand (including a 'scrip pickup), and I've no idea what sort of parking will remain by the time we arrive. I'll be packing as much food as possible

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-73860999272599323032008-10-30T22:27:00.003-06:002008-10-31T11:16:19.317-06:00

From What I Have on Hand (and a Few Literary Characters)1. Catholic Schoolgirl--I never attended, but bought the uniform from hometown school.2. Cowgirl--Boots, jeans, t-shirt, denim duster, bullwhip (I'd better leave the donkey at home).3. Scheherezade--The pants, blouse, and velvet duster were actually my second wedding outfit.4. Peggy Cort (librarian, Giant's House)--Skirt, heels, hair in a

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-52594193506826762052008-10-30T18:34:00.000-06:002008-11-06T18:42:10.266-06:00

Are you a spine breaker? Or a dog-earer? Do you expect to keep your books in pristine condition even after you have read them? Does watching other readers bend the cover all the way round make you flinch or squeal in pain?Goodness no: at least, not on purpose. I don't get obsessive about keeping my books pristine (this term makes me think "shrink-wrapping"), but I won't subject them to purposeful

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-31837509810822012482008-10-28T15:58:00.003-06:002008-10-28T16:24:33.071-06:00

I'm on an Indian Reservation in Nevada in the early '70s, trying to avoid getting shot by a wolf. I started listening to The Blessing Way yesterday after I'd heard that Tony Hillerman had passed. I have a hard copy of the book (actually, a 3-title volume), but am finding that I can take more time for audiobooks (can listen while I pump, or am nursing my daughter to sleep).

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-8335583356193445032008-10-27T20:02:00.003-06:002008-10-28T09:46:45.785-06:00

Todays MUSING MONDAYS post is a question from “Scobberlotch” who asks: How has the economy impacted your book buying? Do you think it’ll change the reading and book-buying habits of the country? Will it increase your library visits? Will it make you wait for the paperback edition instead of buying the hardcover?It's been quite a while since I bought a new book for full price, and a few weeks

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-5457458738776596082008-10-24T11:49:00.008-06:002008-10-24T13:44:02.640-06:00

These are the books I've added to my TBR and wish lists this week:Atonement by Ian McEwan "We meet 13-year-old Briony Tallis in the summer of 1935, as she attempts to stage a production of her new drama "The Trials of Arabella" to welcome home her older, idolized brother Leon. But she soon discovers that her cousins, the glamorous Lola and the twin boys Jackson and Pierrot, aren't up to the task,

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-71892246138392430122008-10-23T14:32:00.015-06:002008-10-24T11:43:11.660-06:00

Thirteen Things about Marina1. Ability to read more books and2. reviewing them (quantity and quality).3. Going to book groups.4. Writing in general ("real" blogging and letters).5. Online conversations with other book lovers.6. Trading books with people from all over the U.S.A.7. Space I had for books and writing.8. Browsing for hours at the library,9. and in bookstores.10. Reading challenging/

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-12980384823452697062008-10-23T13:51:00.000-06:002008-10-24T14:30:26.955-06:00

[note: when I first saw the theme on Wednesday night, I sketched out my response, and it would appear that I completely misunderstood the intent, and I didn't look at the source link to see what sort of answers were generated. I've provided authors and not characters. If I have time this weekend, I may amend this to reflect a more accurate answer.]"Monica suggested this one:Got this idea from

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-12643182901083276362008-10-22T22:49:00.004-06:002008-11-29T00:34:59.715-06:00

RULES1. Challenge runs from September 1, 2008 to February 28, 2009.2. Read 5 books/pieces of literature that have been made into movies.3. Then watch at least 2 of the movie adaptations of the works you read.4. Your list may change at any time and may include overlaps with other challenges.5. Sign up after you’ve posted about this challenge using Mr. Linky below.6. Check in here around the first

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-67123380152125776322008-10-22T22:33:00.005-06:002008-11-29T00:56:43.870-06:00

About the challenge:The challenge is designed to “celebrate” author birthdays. Choose one author for each month of the year. Read at least one book a month. 12 authors. 12 birthdays. If you like, you can read MORE than that. If you’re really obsessive, you might want to “celebrate” all 52 weeks of the year. (But even I am not THAT zealous!) The challenge is designed to ‘celebrate’ the special

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-25320971536227737662008-10-22T22:19:00.003-06:002008-10-22T22:24:04.605-06:00

The rules:How many books? No fewer than four. No more than twelve. For example, you might want to read two books by authors from the eighteenth century (1700-1799) and two books by authors from the nineteenth century (1800-1899). Or you might want to read six books by authors from the 18th century, and six books by authors from the 19th century. You get the idea. Me being the *perfectionist* I am

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-6554667459188539552008-10-22T22:08:00.003-06:002008-10-22T22:10:42.403-06:00

[not sure what I'll read yet, but making the list sure will be fun]

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-11905418024280717102008-10-22T21:28:00.006-06:002008-10-25T09:54:31.567-06:00

General reminder of what you're signing up for:Option A: Read authors A to Z. Commit to reading 26 books theoretically speaking.Option E: Read 26 Alphabet books. Embrace your inner child and go visit the children's section!Here's what we have at home:1. Accidental Zuccini2. Dr. Seuss's ABC3. Alphabatics4. Halloween ABC5. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom [needs mending]So, we will have to find 21 more via

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-48038336688079252982008-10-22T21:09:00.003-06:002008-10-22T21:17:49.986-06:00

Rules:* review each book you read between January 1st and December 31st, 2009* PLEASE keep your reviews clean & respectful ~ these books we read are the hard work of an author, and we don’t need to be mean. Even if you didn’t like the book, please try to find something you can say that would be encouraging to the author. * reviews can be as short, or long, as you wish * you MAY overlap with

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-52057738061061449012008-10-22T21:00:00.003-06:002008-10-23T09:28:07.608-06:00

The Rules: 1. Choose how many Really Old Classics you’d like to read by the end of July 2009, from 1 to 100. 2. Read that number of Really Old Classics by the end of July 2009. If you finish, pat yourself on the back.I've settled on these 4 (TBR in no particular order):Tale of Genji hereAenid, by Virgil (on Bartleby.com)Song of Roland (on Bartleby.com)Faerie Queene, by Spenser (Book 1 on

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-23413678472889328152008-10-21T23:12:00.004-06:002008-11-29T00:37:33.788-06:00

This challenge is simple… * Read 4 “Classics” between January 1st and December 31st, 2009 * Overlaps with other challenges ARE allowed * eBooks and Audiobooks ARE allowed1. The Yellow Wallpaper, by Charlotte Perkins Gilman2. The Good Earth, by Pearl S. Buck3.4.

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-17138298110115358912008-10-21T22:35:00.010-06:002008-11-21T01:28:08.205-06:00

The challenge is a simple one - no time limit, no specific titles, just the goal of reading 100 self-picked short stories as and when possible.I'll keep a master list in this post (with links to individual reviews).Here's a list of my preliminary source books:Black Heart, Ivory Bones (fantasy)I Shudder at Your Touch (horror)Sisters in Crime 3 (mystery)1. Arts and Crafts, Mary Jo Adamson2. Listen

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-1535238702333269862008-10-19T22:54:00.003-06:002008-10-20T17:13:15.702-06:00

I'm hoping to blog regularly again soon(ish). Morgann is 2 months old (that's what I've been occupied with since I last wrote) and I'm finally trying to take back small bits of my life. I'll be participating in NaBloPoMo next month (because no, I'm still not ready to tackle a novel), so I hope to have something for y'all to read daily, be it a meme, a review, a blogroll, or an excuse for not

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-73224360639245385342008-05-03T13:58:00.004-06:002008-05-03T14:15:39.304-06:00

Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm were collectors of fairy tales (amongst other scholarly pursuits) and Middleton has created a novel telling the parts of their story where history has been lost to us. I’ve no idea what they would think of the Disney-fied versions of their people’s folklore, but from reading this novel, I have a feeling they’d shake their heads in despair for today’s society.Middleton

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-40083976597188330972008-05-03T11:56:00.002-06:002008-05-03T11:59:11.852-06:00

Lindberg and I are about the same age, but I missed out completely on the Punk movement. I’m sure it didn’t help that I grew up in a small town on the opposite end of the state (our musical influences were different), nor did my low social status with my peer group (the cooler people were such partly because they listened to the “right” music). I decided to review this for the Blogher virtual

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-65899546400974442182008-04-23T20:27:00.003-06:002008-04-23T23:17:17.168-06:00

Stephens collected inspirational, wise, and humorous quotes from a wide variety of women; here are my favorites..."The more articulate one is, the more dangerous words become." May Sarton"Nobody's interested in sweetness and light." Hedda Hopper"I don't have the time every day to put on makeup. I need that time to clean my rifle." Henriette Mantel"I never worry about diets. The only carrots that

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-84041216269903206632008-04-18T12:45:00.002-06:002008-04-18T13:01:42.586-06:00

Due to childcare issues, I wasn't able to attend the discussion for this book; unfortunately this was a meeting I really didn't want to miss because I wanted some feedback regarding readers' rights and how to combat book-hatred.I believe I read this in high school well over 20+ years ago (long enough to have neither memory of how I felt nor what I thought of it), so this reading wasn't tainted by

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-50534076920932701882008-04-16T23:38:00.004-06:002008-04-16T23:49:25.010-06:00

Thirteen Things about MarinaUnfortunately, I'm not doing a book-related one this week, but I really needed to get something up here... so, these are songs that I'm prone to sing along to whether listening to iTunes or to the radio. For now, only my son has to put up with actually listening to me, and I'll likely stop when there's no longer any joy in it for him.1. West Texas Lullaby--Toni Price2.

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-86197429360039415772008-04-02T22:39:00.002-06:002008-04-02T22:41:53.921-06:00

The rules:*Fill in each letter of the alphabet with a title of a book that you've read that begins with that letter (e.g. American Psycho for the letter A).*Articles (a, an, the) don't count in alphabetizing, so skip to the first letter of the next word (i.e. A Thousand Splendid Suns would count for the letter T, The Great Gatsby would count for the letter G, and so on).*Titles that start with or

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-54808105411116262842008-03-20T13:16:00.007-06:002008-03-20T18:37:49.527-06:00

Carl over at Stainless Steel Droppings has not disappointed his legions of blogging fans, and has challenged us again to explore the fantasy genre and to share our adventures with our readers.It's been a year since I joined my first reading challenge (this one), and I'm now set up to begin Quest 3 (6 books total, read by the Summer Solstice). Here are the paths I've mapped out for the next 12

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-59908637423093619662008-03-09T13:10:00.001-06:002008-03-09T13:14:02.738-06:00

I’m sure we didn’t mean to do this, but our book group mananged to choose 2 in a row that dealt with upper-class culture. Not only did we read The Great Gatsby last month, but Catcher actually refers to it. The last time I read this book (mumbledy-something) years ago in high school, I found Holden to be quite the angst-monkey (although I’m sure I used some other term for it), and my opinion didn

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-73937398422182234402008-03-09T13:06:00.003-06:002008-03-09T13:16:54.696-06:00

I first read this book back in 1978 or9, when I’d received it for Christmas. When our Canon book group chose this for our December read (because who wants to read something too complicated during such a busy month?), I came to find that my original copy could not be found. There’s a slim chance that there’s a box of unpacked books hiding somewhere, but I knew I couldn’t count on that. So, I

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-51719492656530627502008-03-09T13:03:00.002-06:002008-06-09T12:04:36.223-06:00

Ephron touches on several topics in this collection of essays: physical and mental aging, housing in New York, death, gourmet cooking, and JFK are a few. Her brand of humor is of the depressive sort, and some of the topics probably don’t garner much empathy from less-privleged[sp?] For example, she has to have her roots and highlights dome every 4 weeks? Oy, cry me a river, says I, who hasn’t had

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-16763433723586942102008-03-09T12:37:00.002-06:002008-03-09T12:53:24.715-06:00

Amazingly enough, I managed to finish 8 books, even though I slacked off terribly the last two weeks. I'm not going the thank the flu that waylaid me for several days (I'm not that forgiving), but all that reading was the best I could manage, productivity-wise. Of course, I haven't posted any reviews for any of these, I suppose I'll backdate them and try to get current somehow. If I think about

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-752750331710373382008-02-04T13:56:00.000-06:002008-02-04T14:37:56.834-06:00

In approximate order of date finished:Murder on a Bad Hair Day (Anne George) *counts toward Southern Sisters seriesEdge of the Sea (Rachel Carson)You On a Diet *will not count toward 2008 total, as was started in '07 (Roizen/Oz)Distant Blood (Jeff Abbott) *finishes the Jordan Poteet seriesFriends, Lovers, Chocolate (Alexander McCall Smith) *goes toward Isabel Dalhousie seriesThe Great Gatsby (F.

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-19540242150199050452008-01-06T16:18:00.000-06:002008-01-06T16:43:17.987-06:00

Well, I’d been shooting for 100, and I’d even had them all planned out on the calendar, but holiday preparations cut seriously into reading time. Here's the last 5:67. Tears of the Giraffe (audio)68. Cry of the Kalahari69. Lion in the Valley (audio)70. How to Eat Like a Hot Chick71. Orlando (audio)Total for the year: 71 7 Fantasy/Horror17 Mystery26 non-fiction10 general fiction1 science fiction9

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-6505829972636178972007-12-13T15:29:00.000-06:002007-12-15T17:58:23.491-06:00

(or, in a few cases, short stories)Now, many of these movies have not won awards nor received critical acclaim; they make my list because they told a good story, as presented. Since I’ve read only 6 of the original books, I can’t really speak to the authenticity of the screenplay in most of these cases. 1. Green Mile--I watched this at a friends’ house, and had to fight off ferret attacks to my

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-61098150812808689732007-12-12T17:40:00.000-06:002007-12-15T17:52:34.011-06:00

In this collection, science-fiction author Willis gives us 8 Christmas-themed stories, some of which build on traditional stories: A Christmas Carol, the Nativity, and Miracle on 34th Street. I enjoyed these very much (not a bad one in the bunch, IMO), as I've gotten a bit jaded over hearing the same old mushy tales over the years. A few of these had an actual science-fiction flavor, which I

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-36968724351463126252007-12-10T15:58:00.000-06:002007-12-15T16:37:23.220-06:00

By the time I was one-third of the way through this book, I realized that the title was a bit misleading. There is more about Beevor's adult years documented here than childhood ones, but the constant theme is more about the area, the land, and the people, so not quite living up to my primary expectation was easy to forgive.The travel descriptions, both in- and out-of-country were well-done; I

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-76974538866626458332007-12-08T22:16:00.000-06:002007-12-08T22:28:53.811-06:00

This book is the first I've read from this award-winning author, and I can see why her writing's been honored. Even though the clues to the mystery woman's identity are pretty clear early on, Lippman still manages to drive the plot so as to keep the reader second-guessing herself throughout the remainder of the story.Lippman also writes family dynamics very well. Her treatment reminds me of

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-21103241315129695232007-12-08T22:07:00.000-06:002007-12-15T17:55:02.067-06:00

It's been a few years since I finished Bluejay Shaman, so I thought I'd move along with this short series, and this on also helps me toward the Seconds Challenge, which ends soon.With this book, I learned a little about the art world (and again feel grateful I've nothing to do with it), and a little more about arson investigations (although I'm sure they come off better in real life). The mystery

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-74622244071236579532007-12-08T21:51:00.000-06:002007-12-08T22:06:45.807-06:00

Another self-imposed classic, listened to during housework, Baby Einstein dvds, and travel to and from various errands. I know that there have been 2 different movie releases of this (in 1996) the U.K. version being more true to the book than the U.S. version. And, of course, Netflix doesn't carry it, so it may be a good while before I can see this story played out onscreen. No matter.Defoe does

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-89529972766375008552007-12-03T23:05:00.000-06:002007-12-03T23:14:10.257-06:00

A short little book that chronicles a family's history (covering 5 generations) through yearly holiday-time (news)letters. A long with the good times and bad, the author also shows the progression of technology, religious adherence, and societal expectations.Far from being a perfect family, those portrayed here have very authentic problems, trials, and failings. Of course, we do not get to know

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-80023275802572059792007-12-02T22:52:00.000-06:002007-12-02T23:18:07.366-06:00

Having read the book (long) after I'd seen the movie, I can see why Irving might have had good reason to not give his full authorization/blessing to the screenplay of Simon Birch (based partly on A Prayer for Owen Meany). The two versions of CHR are pretty disparate. I definitely preferred the book for its bigger scope, its better-developed characters, and the historical context of women's rights

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-60566743214975753142007-12-02T00:15:00.000-06:002007-12-02T22:09:11.657-06:00

I am enjoying this series, especially the change in setting with each book. I feel as though I'm getting a little geography and flora/fauna lesson along with my attention-stretching. I am far enough in to care about Anna, especially when I think she needs a good shaking for not getting the medical attention she so obviously needs, and for taking her "lone ranger" persona way too seriously.I know

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-58448557740522114762007-11-30T23:08:00.000-06:002007-11-30T23:26:04.041-06:00

I am barely 2/3 of the way through my second of three books for the Book-to-Movie Challenge, ending today. I'll finish Cider House Rules for the sake of finishing it in 2007, but I will save Neverwhere for another challenge (perhaps the Fairy tale/Mythology one in the spring). I'm disappointed that I didn't push myself harder.Looking back on the month, I didn't write what I wanted to; I really

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-79171743265450398942007-11-29T23:16:00.000-06:002007-11-29T23:21:34.455-06:00

I am only halfway through Cider House Rules, and that means I will not finish the Book-to-Movie Challenge on time. I'm really disappointed with myself, as it should have been easy enough to finish 3 books in one month (obviously, if I'd started the challenge on time, I wouldn't be having issues now). Well, I will see what I can do in terms of finishing CHR, and will make a new plan for December.I

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-35217632082392059892007-11-28T22:59:00.000-06:002007-11-28T23:08:51.233-06:00

so I'm going to hold off on any writeups for tonight (I finished Endangered Species last night). Maybe tomorrow will be less laundry-filled, and I'll be able to sit and concentrate.I decided to start Moll Flanders for my housework read; I'm somewhere on disc 4, which (I think) is a good beginning. I didn't get to read as much of Cider House Rules as I'd hoped. My son had a late dinner, and DH had

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-54869649548014666832007-11-27T22:51:00.000-06:002007-11-28T22:59:03.010-06:00

I made a lot of progress with my audiobook, but I miscounted the number of discs, so I still have to get through #9 tonight (for bedtime). Did not get to read much of Cider (I'm up to p. 125), but I plan to read much of that tomorrow (that is, while I'm not on a new audiobook (either Moll Flanders or Lion in the Valley while I'm taking care of dishes and laundry). I won't have any tv-viewing

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-84576619317445938182007-11-26T22:59:00.000-06:002007-11-26T23:22:59.296-06:00

This one's a little daunting, it's a pretty long book, but I'm glad I'm finally getting to read it. This is a much better story than what Hollywood gave us (no complaints about Tobey Maguire, though) several years ago. I'm making decent progress (I'm just over 100 pages in), and am having no trouble with the flow.I'm on disc 6 of 8 for Endangered Species; the plot is coming along nicely.Here's

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-935422732238779072007-11-25T22:20:00.000-06:002007-11-25T22:45:13.745-06:00

I finished Black Dahlia (review below) and The Fourth Trimester, so I'm up to 58 books for the year. I may listen to another disc's worth of Endangered Species for my bedtime story, but we'll see how I feel 'round midnight, and after I've written the review for Fourth TrimesterBlack Dahlia, James Ellroy:I'm not sure how I feel about my chosen reading sequence. I was originally going to read my

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-74492808058431602082007-11-24T23:17:00.000-06:002007-11-24T23:27:42.181-06:00

so not much has been done so far in terms of reading. I did manage to get to page 90 in Black Dahlia last night before I packed it in. The storyline is starting to pick up now that the "case" is open. I will probably get another 50+ pages read tonight before I fall asleep.I've dishes to take care of in the kitchen, but I'm really wiped out from having people over, so those, and the laundry will

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-7624260396218759332007-11-23T23:06:00.000-06:002007-11-23T23:14:45.423-06:00

I think I'm up to the 40's now (pagewise) in Black Dahlia. The writing style isn't getting any easier to slog through, but I'm determined to ride it out. I had a really hard time falling asleep last night, and so I could not drag myself out of bed until about 10 this morning. I had a bamillion errands to do today, so most of my day was actually spent away from home. I have so far managed only to

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-89363606174296004542007-11-22T23:36:00.000-06:002007-11-22T23:49:48.715-06:00

Well, that's what many U.S.ers do today as an outward display of life prosperity. I think I did pretty well at controlling my intake, but that was certainly helped by the fact that I'm neither a stuffing nor a sweet potato girl. Both proffered appetizers were gone before I knew it, and I got raves for them, so I can have a little warm glow from that success.My son had a good visit with everyone;

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-88216151024765354972007-11-21T23:00:00.000-06:002007-11-22T23:18:25.107-06:00

only to find out that the hosted "campout" for this weekend is essentially off. I'll still get to see one set of friends, and hopefully have a good afternoon and evening with them. I was so disappointed to hear that the "it's about time" winter weather conditions would be what's keeping our other friend away. And it's doubly frustrating because it's her birthday on Saturday, and we were going to

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-27003888518885119632007-11-20T15:04:00.000-06:002007-11-22T23:00:09.651-06:00

and I've a review for my "quick book" mostly written. DH is coming home early, so I will have to do my tv-watching during son's nap.Anyway, I finished Puss 'n' Cahoots last night. I'm enjoying the series less as mysteries, and I don't expect more than brain-candy at this point. Part of me wishes that RMB would just do some nonfiction work covering horses and farm life and get back to her

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-42202911905713613582007-11-19T23:27:00.000-06:002007-11-19T23:33:30.035-06:00

We've been meeting for well over a year now, and we're even getting the occasional new person. Tonight's selection was Edith Wharton's Age of Innocence, which seemed to go over pretty well with the group (two people had to leave early, unfortunately, for different reasons). It was, at least, a lively discussion! My review is pending.I'm now 5 tracks away from finishing Puss 'n' Cahoots, not sure

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-43922900591489083582007-11-18T22:32:00.000-06:002007-11-18T23:39:15.385-06:00

I may have come up with a solution to my severe reviewing backlog! Up until now, as I've read a book, I've taken notes, or at least marked pages to which I need to return (say, for quotes I want to discuss). However, I don't usually do this with much of my non-classic fiction. After I've finished reading, I draft my review on binder paper, thus setting up a (large) space to fill. I think that, in

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2929958461071712833.post-33416946012760295032007-11-17T21:43:00.000-06:002007-11-17T21:50:25.725-06:00

reading-wise.. am about 46 pages from my goal for tonight. That is, I'll have only 46 pages to make up tomorrow.Looks like we have our babysitter for tomorrow, and for Monday afternoon. Does she rock or what?Y'all might just get to see a real review tomorrow, because of her bestness.All hail the great R!

Marinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17903972911012447585noreply@blogger.com0