Date Finished: 6/8/2007
Pages: 300
Category: paranormal
Rated: A
Cover: paperback
From: fig1178
Reason for Reading: bookcrossing bookring

Brilliant fun! I have nothing more to say.

Date Finished:  5/16/2007
Pages:  269
Category:  Fiction
Rated:  A
Cover:  Quality Paperback
From:  bookcrossing rabck
Reason for Reading:  desire

I've heard many good things about this book and they were all true.  It was a great read.  I can't wait to read the others in the series!

Date Finished: 3/29/2007
Pages:  79
Category: Humor
Rated: A
Cover: Hardback
From: ilovethehutch
Reason for Reading:  desire

"Go to hell, you carnivorous, imperialistic oppressor!"

I found this book extremely amusing.  I haven't seen the spelling womyn in quite sometime and it made me giggle.  Thankfully, "womyn" is no longer something I have to see daily.  I love the mocking he does of politically correctness as I loath and despise the whole "politically correct" world.  It is a quick and easy read that is quite entertaining as well.

Date Finished: 3/18/2007
Pages:  456
Category: Classic
Rated: B
Cover: Quality Paperback
From: sudokris
Reason for Reading:  classic ring

"She was wise enough to hold her tongue. As this is the only instance known of a Woman's ever having done so, it was judged worthy to be recorded here."

"...I saw that you were virtuous from vanity, not principle..."

A pregnant nun...a girl (???) poses as a novice monk...rape...murder...incest...All in the name of religion.  The Monk is a fabulous tale about religious hypocrisy.  I never knew what was going to happen from moment to moment.  A classic gothic tale!  Romance, lust, crime, death...a real feel good story.

Perhaps most fascinating thing about The Monk is he wrote it in ten weeks and he was only 19!! 

Date Finished: 2/20/2007
Pages:  199
Category: Classic
Rated: B
Cover: Paperback
From: sudokris
Reason for Reading:  classic ring

"Now," cried I, holding up my children, "now let the flames burn on, and all my possessions perish. Here they are, I have saved my treasure. Here, my dearest, here are our treasures, and we shall yet be happy."

I thoroughly enjoyed this book.  It is a wonderful quick read about a man (family) over coming adversities in life, yet continuing to hold on to and cherish what is important in life.  Dr. Primrose never becomes jaded after all that is thrown at him.  Just when you think he can take no more, more is piled onto him.  In the end, of course, all is well.  While I wouldn't call the book exciting itself, there are exciting elements...kidnappings, death, cheating, and more.  I enjoyed it so much because Dr. Primrose is truly a stand up guy and one we can all learn lessons from.

Date Finished: 2/17/2007
Pages:  115
Category: Humor
Rated: C
Cover: Paperback
From: tireddeb
Reason for Reading:  desire

I chuckled a few times, but it wasn't nearly as good as his other stuff.  It was, aptly, Pure Drivel.

Date Finished: 1/24/2007
Pages:  282
Category: Fiction
Rated: C
Cover: Quality Paperback
From: bookcrossing bookring
Reason for Reading: bookcrossing bookring

I found this book quite interesting. In the beginning though, I felt as though Ishiguro just kept dragging and dragging things on and I wondered if it was going to be worth finishing. Towards the middle, I noticed I just had to know what was going on, even though there really wasn't anything going on. The ending was a little flat I thought.

I've heard many wonderful things about Ishiguro, but based on this novel alone, I wouldn't care to read anything else by him. The concept was very interesting though.

Date Finished: 1/18/2007
Pages: 180
Category: Fiction
Rated: C
Cover: Quality Paperback
From: bookcrossing bookring
Reason for Reading: bookcrossing bookring

This book was an ok book.  Nothing really to write home about as it just didn't thrill me.  It pretty much just told about the daily life of the villagers over a three year period. On the front cover of the book it reads, "A thrilling tale of murder and retribution set on the wild seacoast of medieval Japan."  It is kind of comical actually to see the difference between thrilling tales of murder and retribution of the western world compared to the eastern world.

My take
This is an extremely touching book about two friends, laotong, and the many struggles they have.  It was slow at the beginning, but then I was unable to put it down.  It makes me feel extremely grateful I have the wonderful friends that I have today.

From the Publisher

Lily is haunted by memories-of who she once was, and of a person, long gone, who defined her existence. She has nothing but time now, as she recounts the tale of Snow Flower, and asks the gods for forgiveness.

In nineteenth-century China, when wives and daughters were foot-bound and lived in almost total seclusion, the women in one remote Hunan county developed their own secret code for communication: nu shu ("women's writing"). Some girls were paired with laotongs, "old sames," in emotional matches that lasted throughout their lives. They painted letters on fans, embroidered messages on handkerchiefs, and composed stories, thereby reaching out of their isolation to share their hopes, dreams, and accomplishments.

With the arrival of a silk fan on which Snow Flower has composed for Lily a poem of introduction in nu shu, their friendship is sealed and they become "old sames" at the tender age of seven. As the years pass, through famine and rebellion, they reflect upon their arranged marriages, loneliness, and the joys and tragedies of motherhood. The two find solace, developing a bond that keeps their spirits alive. But when a misunderstanding arises, their lifelong friendship suddenly threatens to tear apart.

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan is a brilliantly realistic journey back to an era of Chinese history that is as deeply moving as it is sorrowful. With the period detail and deep resonance of Memoirs of a Geisha, this lyrical and emotionally charged novel delves into one of the most mysterious of human relationships: female friendship.

My take
Excellent quick read.  Makes me wish the pods would show up and replace some people I know LOL

Annotation

This classic science fiction thriller tells the story of the residents of a small town who are being imperceptibly taken over by alien creatures without individual personalities or feelings.

My take
I found this book amusing.  Not as funny as I would have thought and there was way too much repetition.  But a good book for light, entertaining reading.

From the Publisher

How do you spot a robot mimicking a human? How do you recognize and then deactivate a rebel servant robot? How do you escape a murderous "smart" house, or evade a swarm of marauding robotic flies? In this dryly hilarious survival guide, roboticist Daniel H. Wilson teaches worried humans the keys to quashing a robot mutiny.

From treating laser wounds to fooling face and speech recognition, besting robot logic to engaging in hand-to-pincer combat, How to Survive a Robot Uprising covers every possible doomsday scenario facing the newest endangered species: humans. And with its thorough overview of current robot prototypes—including giant walkers, insect, gecko, and snake robots—How to Survive a Robot Uprising is also a witty yet legitimate introduction to contemporary robotics. Full of cool illustrations, and referencing some of the most famous robots in pop-culture, How to Survive a Robot Uprising is a one-of-a-kind book that is sure to be a hit with all ages.

My take on the book
A cute little story about two boys sent away for "re-education."  They find a clandestine stash of books from Four-Eyes which they steal and their love of reading blossoms.  Very enjoyable, quick read.

From the Publisher

In 1971 Mao's campaign against the intellectuals is at its height. Our narrator and his best friend, Luo, distinctly unintellectual but guilty of being the sons of doctors, have been sent to a remote mountain village to be 're-educated'. The kind of education that takes place among the peasants of Phoenix Mountain involves carting buckets of excrement up and down preciptous, foggy paths, but the two seventeen-year-olds have a violin and their sense of humour to keep them going. Further distraction is provided by the attractive daughter of the local tailor, possessor of a particularly fine pair of feet.

Their true re-education starts, however, when they discover a comrade's hidden stash of classics of great nineteenth-century Western literature - Balzac, Dickens, Dumas, Tolstoy and others, in Chinese translation. They need all their ingenuity to get their hands on the forbidden books, but when they do their lives are turned upside down. And not only their lives; after listening to their dangerously seductive retellings of Balzac, the Little Seamstress will never be the same again.

Once I got used to the dialect (Scottish), this book was quite easy to read.  The story is about several generations obsessed with money and inheritances.  It is an interesting study of human nature and how obsessed we can become.  It still sends a message today.  At times, the book was extremely comical.

I just got my package from Tammychi and I was so thoroughly shocked.  I'm pretty much speechless and I'm overwhelmed with gratitude.  Thank you so much Tammychi!!!  I'm pretty sure she knows me better than my own family.  I'm in Hello Kitty overload and I almost wet myself upon seeing all the Hawaiiana.  I'm OBSESSED with Hawaii, and not just Hello Kitty Hawaii style.  I'm so obsessed, I wrote my Master's thesis on Hula.  I have been fortunate enough to go to Maui twice (both times FREE!!!).  Thus began my obsession.  Go figure.  THANK YOU TAMMY!!!!!!

I apologize in advance for the quality of pictures.  I don't have a good camera, but a bad one is better than no camera at all, right!




OMG...I just ate one of the Hello Kitty candies and it is soooooooooooo good!



Participating in this was so much fun.  I had a blast shopping around for my partner and trying to figure out which books she might like.  I hope to participate in one of these again sometime.

Thankssafrolistics

I've been sick this week and did a bit of reading.

From the Publisher

Christopher John Francis Boone knows all the countries of the world and their capitals and every prime number up to 7,057. He relates well to animals but has no understanding of human emotions. He cannot stand to be touched. Although gifted with a superbly logical brain, Christopher is autistic. Everyday interactions and admonishments have little meaning for him. Routine, order and predictability shelter him from the messy, wider world. Then, at fifteen, Christopher’s carefully constructed world falls apart when he finds his neighbor’s dog, Wellington, impaled on a garden fork, and he is initially blamed for the killing.

Christopher decides that he will track down the real killer and turns to his favorite fictional character, the impeccably logical Sherlock Holmes, for inspiration. But the investigation leads him down some unexpected paths and ultimately brings him face to face with the dissolution of his parents’ marriage. As he tries to deal with the crisis within his own family, we are drawn into the workings of Christopher’s mind.
And herein lies the key to the brilliance of Mark Haddon’s choice of narrator: The most wrenching of emotional moments are chronicled by a boy who cannot fathom emotion. The effect is dazzling, making for a novel that is deeply funny, poignant, and fascinating in its portrayal of a person whose curse and blessing is a mind that perceives the world literally.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is one of the freshest debuts in years: a comedy, a heartbreaker, a mystery story, a novel of exceptional literary merit that is great fun to read.

My take

This is the story of an autistic and OCD teen who starts out trying to solve a murder mystery. Instead, he ends up making a journey of a lifetime and at the same time, learns something new about himself. This book is truly moving and sweet. I read it in an afternoon as I was completely drawn into the story. I would highly recommend this book. While it isn't your "ordinary, typical novel," it is a WONDERFUL read.

From the Publisher

Could the sudden death of Sir Charles Baskerville have been caused by the gigantic ghostly hound which is said to have haunted his family for generations? Arch-rationalist Sherlock Holmes characteristically dismisses the theory as nonsense. Claiming to be immersed in another case, he sends Watson to Devon to protect the Baskerville heir and to observe the suspects at close hand.

My take
Woot. Nancy Drew and Scooby-Doo all wrapped up in one. This is my first Sherlock Holmes adventure and I loved it. I can't wait to read some more.

I'm getting a wee bit miffed.  I ordered Anna Karenina several weeks ago for a read-along that starts TOMORROW and I still haven't received it.  I'm currently reading In Cold Blood (still), and am enjoying (if that is proper for such a book) it a lot.  Capote's style of writing is easy to read and quite picturesque.

I have also been spending my time watching these cute little pandas.  I'm pretty sure I would steal one if I could.

This sounds cool too...read a book set in every state...50 states, 50 books.  I just might try this next year.

I got this book as part of a bookray.  IT IS AWESOME.  I read it in about 3 or 4 hours.  It is such a delightful read (the end is somewhat predictable, yet it still made me cry like a little girl), I highly recommend it. 

Today I received in the mail The Pleasure of My Company by Steve Martin. I was so totally shocked because I hadn't ordered it, wasn't participating in a ray or ring, and yet, there is was :) THANK YOU CARIDAD for the wonderful surprise! 

Caridad's bookshelf

iamagirldork's bookshelf  This is my bookshelf ;O)  Not much action there yet as I'm still new.

I was stupid though and thought I was logged on when I registered the book.  Instead, I'm an anonymous finder LOL.

YOU ROCK CARIDAD!!!

I'm on vacation this week since I put in tons of overtime last week working at the county fair (blech).  I've spent this time wisely.  I've finally finished unpacking (after about 1.5 years) and I'm taking it slow so I don't kill myself.  I'm finishing up my home office now and will move into the living room after (to clean).  By this time tomorrow, I'll be able to spend my vacation lazy...lounging and reading.  And now I have a new book to read!!!!  Thanks again Caridad.