Books …
30 Dec 2009 6 Comments
Reading has always been my guilty pleasure…I could easily curl up in a chair or under a warm blanket in bed and let the world go by while I engrossed myself in a book.
This year I joined two groups – Read Your Own Books and 52 Books in 52 Weeks.
So, how did I do you ask?
80 Books – of which 33 were my own – and I have donated those (with an exception of a few) that were my own that were read.
Bold denotes books I own…others borrowed from library.
January
1) The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook – Ina Garten
2) Estefan Kitchen – Emilio and Gloria Estefan
3) Remember My Touch (Harlequin Intrigue 469) – Gayle Wilson
4) Change We Can Believe In: Barack Obama’s Plan to Renew America’s Promise – Obama for America
5) Michelle Obama: Meet The First Lady by David Bergen Brophy
February:
1) Judas Kiss by J. T. Ellison
2) Portsmouth: Photographs by Nancy Grace Horton; Text by Laura Pope
3) Chance of A Lifetime by Barbara Kaye (Harlequin Superromance 449)
4) Flashback by Justine Davis (Silhouette Bombshell 86)
March
1) The Mommy Bride by Shelley Galloway (Harlequin American Romance 1212)
2) The Jim and Dan Stories: A Journey of Grief and Faith by Colleen Redman
3) Muses Like Moonlight: A Closet Poet Comes Out by Colleen Redman
4) Casting Spells by Barbara Bretton
5) Double Minds by Terri Blackstock
6) Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched The World by Vicki Myron with Bret Witter
April
1) Today’s Kitchen Cookbook by the Today Show Cast
2) Tempest in Eden by Sandra Brown
3) All The Pretty Girls by J. T. Ellison
4) The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs
5) Pint Size Traditions II by Lynette Jensen
6) Knit Two by Kate Jacobs
7) 1st to Die by James Patterson
8) 2nd Chance by James Patterson w/Andrew Gross
9) 3rd Degree by James Patterson w/Andrew Gross
May
1) 4th of July by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
2) 5th Horseman by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
3) The Sixth Target by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
4) 7th Heaven by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
5) Lucky Man by Michael J. Fox
6) The 8th Confession by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
7) Why Cats Do That: A Collection of Curious Kitty Quirks by Karen Anderson
8) Winter Games by John Cacombe
9) A Doctor’s Secret by Marie Ferrarella
June
1) 14 by J. T. Ellison
2) Mortal Remains by Henry Scammell
3) Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen
4) Resilience: Reflections on the Burdens and Gifts of Facing Life’s Adversities by Elizabeth Edwards
5) The Thomas Berryman Number by James Patterson
6) Season of the Machette by James Patterson
July
1) See How They Run by James Patterson
2) Always Looking Up: The Adventures of an Incurable Optimist by Micheal J. Fox
3) Hush Little Darlings by Judith Kelman
4) The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen
5) Black Friday by James Patterson
6) The Midnight Club by James Patterson
7) Hide and Seek by James Patterson
8) When the Wind Blows by James Patterson
August
1) Cradle and All by James Patterson
2) Might As Well Laugh About it Now by Marie Osmond with Marcia Wilkie
3) A Lion Called Christian by Anthony Bourke and John Rendall
4) Miracle on the 17th Green by James Patterson and Peter deJonge
5) The Beach House by James Patterson and Peter deJonge
6) Suzanne’s Diary for Nicholas by James Patterson
7) The Bone Collector by Jeffery Deaver
8) Too Late to Say Goodbye by Ann Rule
September
1) The Coffin Dancer by Jeffery Deaver
2) The Lake House by James Patterson
3) Sam’s Letters to Jennifer by James Patterson
4) 13 Bullets by David Wellington
October
1) The Secret by Rhonda Byrne
2) 99 Coffins by David Wellington
3) Vampire Zero by David Wellington
4) 23 Hours by David Wellington
5) Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
6) The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides
7) Diner’s Drive-Ins, and Dives: An All-American Road Trip by Guy Fieri with Ann Volkwein
November
1) The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown
2) The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
3) Bad Blood: Freedon and Death in the White Mountains by Casey Sherman
4) Laced with Magic by Barbara Bretton
December
1) Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
2) Honeymoon by James Patterson and Howard Roughan
3) Knit the Season: A Friday Night Knitting Club Novel by Kate Jacobs
4) Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
5) Grave Sight by Charlaine Harris
6) Grave Surprise by Charlaine Harris
7) An Ice Cold Grave by Charlaine Harris
I plan on doing the same thing next year!!!
Reading…
31 Oct 2009 7 Comments
in Books
This has been a year of reading for me…and this week-end doesn’t seem to be any different.
Picked up Dan Brown’s The Lost Symbol at the library. The reserve list is huge – over 100 people – and the library has three copies. I put myself on the list before the book even came out and I had to wait until now. So, it is going to be started tonight.
Just finished reading The Virgin Suicidesby Jeffrey Eugenides. Okay, I have to tell you, I’m not sure what all the hype about this guy is. There was little to no dialogue in the book…which at times made the book so damn boring! And, at 243 pages that can get old quick!
But, in defense of the book – the story line was mesmerizing! And the ending blew me away…go figure! Would I read more of his stuff? Don’t know – although I do have his second book Middlesex and it is 529 pages…
Also, in the last month I read four novels about vampires by David Wellington. Yes, I know…all the kids are reading vampires lately.
But, I gotta tell you – these aren’t your teen fiction vampires – not the handsome, sweet, loving vampires that are being written about for the 12 – whatever age. These vampires were gross and very different…and the books were interesting. And, they didn’t give me nightmares – even though in places they were rather graphic.
So, what have you been reading???
My Corner of the World…
17 May 2009 3 Comments
in Books, My Corner of the World..., Travel
This past Tuesday my local library, Fiske Free Library, invited a new author to talk about his book. His name is John Lacombe and he is the author of Winter Games.
John is a 1998 graduate of Lebanon High School which is the next town over. He currently lives, works and writes in Chicago…but, his parents live here in New Hampshire.
Now I have to admit I am not big on thrillers – rarely read them. (Unless you count Dan Brown’s books)! But, John changed my mind about his book. His reading of the Prologue got me…and I was wanting to hear or read more. This book moves – it is fast paced and the characters are believable…but his descriptions are what I really am enjoying. What begins in a fictional town that is a combination of Claremont (my city) and Lebanon, Lacombe paints an accurate picture of what the old mill towns were like…and then leads us on a roller coaster ride that ends up in North Korea.
If you like thrillers – you might want to try this one!
The Simple Woman's Daybook…April 20, 2009
20 Apr 2009 1 Comment
FOR TODAY … April 20, 2009
Outside my window… it is dusty…the sun is trying to come out from some grayish clouds …(or maybe that’s just dust clouds).
I am thinking… about the demo (small class) that I am giving tonight at my quilt guild. It is such fun to share with them.
I am thankful for… the blessing of health that I have. Even though my allergies have been bothering me a lot lately…I am still healthy..
From the learning rooms… learning how to say “no” to things that I really don’t feel like I want to do…or that no longer hold an interest.
From the kitchen… this week’s menu
Tonight: light dinner out on the way to quilt guild.
Tuesday: Chef’s salad
Wednesday: Pork chops, potatoes au gratin, and corn
Thursday: Liver and Onions, some type of veggie, and rice
Friday: Dinner out at Scoop City!
Saturday: Stuffed Pepper Casserole (make an extra for Sunday’s pot luck at church)
I am wearing… light lavender sweat suit and beige socks
I am creating… a new pair of socks
I am going… to learn how to applique this week. The challenge quilt I am working on has some applique. I’ve done a little before – but this is a new way that someone showed me and it is worth a try…especially with circles!
I am reading… 1st to Die by James Patterson. It is the first of a series. One of the things I tend to do is not read a series unless I have all the books! Finally got the first 7 – and now the 8th one will be out in a few weeks!
I am hoping… that spring will soon appear here. My friends in Massachusetts have lovely flowers blooming already and we still have nothing. It is amazing what a few hours north can have on when spring arrives.
I am hearing… the sounds of heavy machinery outside as they are tearing up the road and re-doing it. The noise is pretty loud and it shakes my building.
Around the house… the windows are closed because of all the dust the heavy machines are throwing around. I miss not having them open but don’t want to have to redo my Spring Cleaning.
A few plans for the rest of the week: set up my new bed; wash the living room window where a certain little cat has put a zillion nose prints; and clear off my desk.
Here is picture thought I am sharing…
This is the banana-raspberry bread I made the other night just coming out of the oven. Was having dinner with friends…so my table was all dressed up…
You can read other Daybooks or participate here.
52 Books in 52 Weeks…
18 Apr 2009 1 Comment
Like a lot of you – I belong to Ravelry…and in January they started a 52 Books in 52 Weeks group. Since I have been doing a lot of reading this year – thought the challenge would be good for me…Didn’t want to mention it – in case the results didn’t look promising… Thought you might like to see how it is going.
Bold denotes books I own…others borrowed from library.
January
1) The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook – Ina Garten
2) Estefan Kitchen – Emilio and Gloria Estefan
3) Remember My Touch (Harlequin Intrigue 469) – Gayle Wilson
4) Change We Can Believe In: Barack Obama’s Plan to Renew America’s Promise – Obama for America
5) Michelle Obama: Meet The First Lady by David Bergen Brophy
February:
1) Judas Kiss by J. T. Ellison
2) Portsmouth: Photographs by Nancy Grace Horton; Text by Laura Pope
3) Chance of A Lifetime by Barbara Kaye (Harlequin Superromance 449)
4) Flashback by Justine Davis (Silhouette Bombshell 86)
March
1) The Mommy Bride by Shelley Galloway (Harlequin American Romance 1212)
2) The Jim and Dan Stories: A Journey of Grief and Faith by Colleen Redman
3) Muses Like Moonlight: A Closet Poet Comes Out by Colleen Redman
4) Casting Spells by Barbara Bretton
5) Double Minds by Terri Blackstock
6) Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched The World by Vicki Myron with Bret Witter
April
1) Today’s Kitchen Cookbook by the Today Show Cast
2) Tempest in Eden by Sandra Brown
3) All The Pretty Girls by J. T. Ellison
4) The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs
5) Pint Size Traditions II by Lynette Jensen
6) Knit Two by Kate Jacobs
7) 1st To Die by James Patterson
8) 2nd Chance by James Patterson w/Andrew Gross
9) 3rd Degree by James Patterson w/Andrew Gross
May
1) 4th of July by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
2) 5th Horseman by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
3) The 6th Target by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
The Simple Woman's Daybook: April 13, 2009
13 Apr 2009 Comments Off
in Books
For Today: April 13, 2009
Outside my window… the weather is trying to make up its mind as to whether remain winter or allow spring to come on down!
Here is a picture thought I am sharing…
