Anna Begins

Cornbread- Sean Hammer (23 pages) This Kindle Single was good, well edited and thought out. There were no twists, the plot is set out in the beginning of the first sentence They call me Cornbread because that’s what my husband was eatin’ when I shot him in the face. “Cornbread” goes on to tell the story of her relationship with her husband and the reasons behind this atrocious crime. It reminded me of Daniel Woodrell’s writing- poverty stricken and plain in the backwoods- of Arkansas.

Nine and a Half Weeks- Elizabeth McNeill (118 pages) The nights were palpable and fierce, razors, outlined so clearly as to be luminous. A different country, it’s landscape and currency plain and heat, fear, cold, pleasure, hunger glut, plain, desire, overwhelming lust. This is no 50 Shades of Grey, to be sure. Both the female and male characters in this novella are unnamed… and for a good reason. This sadomasochist relationship is a true story, written under a pen name to protect her then twelve year old daughter. I don’t quite know what to say about this piece of writing, that says almost nothing, but a great deal at the same time. It a short read, thankfully, but a toe curling one. It was good, but I must complain about the Kindle price at 8 or 9 dollars for a 118 page novel.

It was your suggestion

Thanks! I am looking forward it to, I've never read any Tracy Chevalier before. Me too! We will have a good year I love English history! Philippa Gregory's novels are so yummy. Thanks! I am still struggling if I want to continue reviewing all my books or just a few.

Of Mice and Men- John Steinbeck (110 pages) George and Lennie travel the California coast from job to job because Lenny usually gets them fired. Lenny is mentally disabled likes to “pet” things- be it a dead mouse on the side of the road or a woman’s dress. I liked this novella more the first time I read it, perhaps it was more shocking the first time, even though there were certain details I did not recall. The ending of the book reminds me of Candy and his dog’s side story. I am still in my head going over this parallel. Reading Of Mice and Men after The Pearl, I think I enjoyed The Pearl much more. However, this classic by Steinbeck will always be recommended. And it was a great way to end 2015!

That's so nice to be looking I hope you had a good holiday. Here it goes, short and sweet!

If "like" could be the right word, I hope you get to Uwem Akpan – Say You’re One of Them, it was one of my BCF awards this year... tremendously emotional and somewhat traumatizing, but totally worth it. Have a wonderful 2016

Hey Claire- have a great reading year and Happy New Year

Happy New Year! I wish you good reading in 2016

Oh Wow- another Philippa Gregory fan! I LOVED The Cousins War Series, and you have two of the best picked out! I plan on some Alison Weir this year as well, she has two books coming out in 2016, plus I want to re read The Life of Elizabeth I. Happy New Year and here's to a great year of books!

I totally forgot about Zen and the Motorcycle Man! We have a lot of books in common, I hope you have a good reading year and welcome BTW- Just noticed you were from the US- hello from California!

Hopefully, you will get on better with Devil in the White City than I did Girl With All the Gifts was great- I loved the twist. Interesting Phillip K Dick pick! I have never heard of that one, have you read any of his other work? Happy reading!

I can totally recommend Of Mice and Men, it was my last novel of 2015 (a re-read though). Good Luck with Oryx and Crake. It is definitely one of the strangest books I have read- did you read A Handmaids Tale? I hope to read The Crimson Petal... this year, I know you rated it highly Happy reading

Ha ha ha I have brought you to the dark side of no ratings!! We'll have lots of fun reading this year and I look forward to some good books with you

I'll be reading some Jodi Picoult and Allie Condie as well this year- I hope you enjoy your reading! Happy New Year and welcome back

Have a great reading year in 2016

That Under the Poppy of Koja's is quite the Sample I hope to read The Bees as well this year and I hope you enjoy Phillip K Dick. Happy New Year!

I'm scared of If On a Winter's Night a Traveler Think you might get to Pillars of the Earth this year? I have Water for Elephants on my list for 2016 too Happy New Year!

Friday January 1st Nine and a Half Weeks by Elizabeth McNeill (118 pages) Cornbread by Sean Hammer (23 pages) On Two Feet and Wings by Abbas Kazerooni (125 pages) Total= 266 pages

Open! Happy New Year and here's to great reads in 2016

New books for 2016 Grunt by Mary Roach (288 pages) My Planet by Mary Roach (210 pages) Packing for Mars by Mary Roach (336 pages) Spook by Mary Roach (313 pages) Gulp by Mary Roach (354 pages) Katherine of Aragon (Six Tudor Queens, book 1) by Alison Weir (624 pages) Leaving Blythe River by Catherine Ryan Hyde (322 pages) The Phillip K Dick Superpack (368 pages) The Second Philip K Dick Megapack (307 pages) Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? By Phillip K Dick (258 pages) The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch by Philip K Dick (243 pages) Martian Time- Slip by Phillip K Dick (290 pages) The Penultimate Truth by Phillip K Dick (259 pages) Touch by Claire North (443 pages) The Sudden Appearance of Hope by Claire North (472 pages) The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire North (443 pages) Fellside by MR Carey (485 pages) Queen of the Damned by Anne Rice (481 pages) Empress Dowager CIXI by Jung Chang (498 pages) The Girl Who Would Be King by Kelly Thompson (370 pages) Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys (384 pages) Everyone Brave is Forgiven by Chris Cleave (449 pages) The Fireman by Joe Hill (768 pages) Abundance: Marie Antoinette by Sena Jeter Naslund (592 pages) Tea on the Great Wall by Patricia Luce Chapman (346 pages) Consider Phlebus by Iain Banks (545 pages) Origins of Paradise by BC Chase (180 pages) Girl in the Blue Coat by Monica Hesse (311 pages) The Butterfly Garden by Dot Hutchinson (288 pages) Girl on the Moon by Jack McDonald Burnett (372 pages) Valiant Ambition by Nathaniel Philbrick (443 pages) Night School (Jack Reacher #21) by Lee Child (384 pages) Three Sisters, Three Queens by Philippe Gregory (560 pages) Storm Clouds Rolling In (book 1 of 9) by Ginny Dye (546/ 4,915 pages)

Abandoned: This Perfect Day by Ira Levin (51%) A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway (12%)

See posts 3 and 7

See posts #3 and 7.

Longer books for 2016 My Sisters Keeper- Jodi Picoult (448 pages) Nineteen Minutes- Jodi Picoult (468 pages) Prodigal Summer- Barbara Kingsolver (644 pages) Catherine the Great- Robert K. Massie (656 pages) The Life of Elizabeth I- Alison Weir- 're read (562 pages) A Strangeness in my Mind- Orhan Pamuk (624 pages) Out of Africa- Isak Dinesen (478 pages) Russka: A Novel of Russia- Edward Rutherfurd (961 pages) The Haj- Leon Uris (542 pages) She- Wolves: The Women Who Ruled England Before Elizabeth- Helen Castor (507 pages) The Godfather- Mario Puzo (468 pages)