dtrpath27

Wow. Just wow. I just completed The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón. What a beautiful way to visit Spain. Haunting, mysterious and intense - simply mesmerizing.

Gloomy, just like my mood. I'm headed over to a friend's house to pout and have coffee, so hopefully that will turn things around.

Happy February! It really snuck up on me. I have about 100 pages left on The Shadow of the Wind. I really should have pushed through and finished it last night, but I suppose it will be my first read for February.

Interestingly, the book is based on a true story. It actually happened to a boy. The hospital where the exorcism really took place was the old Alexian Brothers mental hospital in St. Louis, Missouri. By calling you the exorcist, he was actually calling you the priest tasked with expelling the demon. So really, he didn't think up a a very good insult. You were being called the position of the good guy in the whole thing. Apparently, the bully wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed.

You're welcome! Garden District Bookshop and the coffee shop are just lovely, aren't they? I think that Garden District is just so well curated, you know? It's this tiny little space, but every selection is wonderful.

Yay! Another fan. I'm so glad you liked it. I was surprised to read that in his bio as well. Wasn't he an England fanatic, though, and studied a lot about it?

What a neat gift this would be for a book lover! Certain blends for certain authors.

I wasn't really motivated to pick up the sequel, so I'm glad to hear my instincts were correct. I liked Harold well enough, but a week or so after finishing the book, I find that it's all I remember fondly from it.

January 2015 The Girl Who Saved the King of Sweden By Jonas Jonasson Fiction 419 pages This is the story of Nombeko, a young South African girl who goes from a deplorable reality where wages earned collecting waste from the village latrines go to support her drug addicted mother to living an equally unbelievable existence as the savior of the King of Sweden. Inserting an unlikely and unwitting character into significant historical events, The Girl Who Saved the King of Sweden follows in the tradition of Jonasson's similarly titled first book, The Man Who Climbed Out a Window and Disappeared. I found the book to be enjoyable enough, just as I did the first one. The author has an interesting and enjoyable writing style. In comparing the two books, (which was esentially unavoidable) I enjoyed the storyline of the first more, but the main character of the second better. Like the first installment, I give it a 4 out of 5 rating -- enough to merit the $1.99 I spent on it at the Kindle store, but not enough to buy a hardback to take up space on my shelf and read over and over.

Fun! I'm glad to have more people interested. I'm going to have to add shopping for books 2-4 to my to-do list for the weekend.

Sounds good! There are several who said they would be interested; some have the books and some are working on getting them. I have the first one and am needing the rest. If others are interested, I'll work on getting the next one this weekend. Adding: Just post when you're ready, and when we've all got the first one (and a bit of time ) we'll begin.

I wholeheartedly concur!

Wow, Gaia! You really have it all mapped out. I hope it turns out to be a great weekend for reading. BSchultz, that sounds like fun! I think someone did that last read-a-thon. I thought about doing that with my Thursday Next books for the same reason. I still might. Hmm...good thing I have time to decide.

It really seems as though it should be a trilogy, doesn't it? Although I must say that the fact that it's a quartet makes it a bit more appealing to me. I'm glad you're interested. See you in the other thread!

I haven't checked out The Book Rack yet. I did get over to Maple Street a few weeks back; I love that place! Jefferson Parish library is having their big book sale March 26-29 at the Pontchartrain Center. We got a fair amount there last year.

Thanks! I can't wait to see what you have planned.

Wow, Kate! You really did have an impressive haul. I have to be a good girl and limit my book buying budget, so I went with a very specific list in mind. I swung by Blue Cypress on the way home, but wasn't able to cross anything off the list there either. :/ I suppose I just wasn't meant to expand my collection on Saturday!

Hello and welcome! It's wonderful that you've rediscovered the joy of reading; this is a great place to explore that. Your English is wonderful. Don't worry; most native speakers (myself included) wouldn't tackle Ulysses. I hope you have a wonderful time here. Happy reading!

I'm guilty as well. I already have a mental list going. I might as well make it official, though. I plan to tie up any loose ends from the two I'm currently reading, pick up the next Flavia de Luce mystery and try to get a hold of either The Rosie Effect or the next one in the Brilliance series. Failing those two, The Remains of the Day is sitting patiently on my shelf.

Very well said. It would be perfect for walking, wouldn't it?

Those are the same things I enjoyed about it. The descriptions of the countryside were quite interesting. I wouldn't say that I didn't enjoy the book, but like not love is very true for me as well.

January 2015 The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce Fiction 319 pages Retiree Harold Fry lives an ordinary life in an ordinary house with his wife Maureen. One day, a letter arrives from a person in Harold's past, setting him upon a journey that is anything but ordinary. Well, hmm...this was a mixed bag for me. I really enjoyed reading this book, but then I didn't. It was well-written with interesting, relatable characters. Very human. However, chunks of the plot seemed to be snagged from various movies; this thought stayed with me throughout. It was very bittersweet, as well, so much so that it bordered on depressing for me. I don't think I would re-read it, but it was enjoyable enough for $1.99. I would recommend getting it from the library, but not buying a hardback. Others might feel differently, but I just don't like the feeling I was left with. Unsettled, but not in a good way. Perhaps morose is the word I'm looking for?

Any thoughts on a book? Pick one, m'dear, and I'll jump right in with you!

Aww! No apologies necessary. Like I said, I don't have them yet either, but was wondering if anyone would like to join in when I do. You know, the more the merrier and all.

My brain was just uncertain. I'm back on track now, though. Thanks, ladies!