Anna Begins

Oh me neither! Will you/ have you seen the movie? I read Lord of the Flies later in life and hated it, tried it again and still hated it!

The Vampire Lestat (The Vampire Chronicles, Book 2)- Anne Rice (pages 174 of 480) I felt like reviewing this, even if I didn’t finish it. Pretty much because I was so disappointed in this book. I just don’t feel a sympathy or like Lestat enough to care about him and his story. The book’s pacing was slow, not much richness in detail that made Interview with a Vampire. I started to read this series to get to Queen of the Damned, which I am told is the best, but I can’t make it through Lestat to get to it. Not Recommended.

A Long Walk to Water: Based on a True Story by Linda Sue Park (116 pages + author note) Wow- I’ve been wanting to read this since I heard read about it last month and it was great! It is the story of Nya, who walks all day to a muddy stream to haul water for her family. Salva is fleeing violence from 1985 Sudan War. The two come together in a way you’d never guess, I was smiling a great deal. This book is not graphic at all, easy to read (I read it in an hour or so) and provides an interesting perspective (and writing) of the conflicts in Sudan. Based on a true story, the author talks about his desire (and accomplishment) of helping his beloved country. Highly recommended

Interview with a Vampire (The Vampire Chronicles, Book 1)- Anne Rice (341 pages). A friend of mine encouraged me to read this book, her zeal for this series rubbed off on me and I set out with Interview. Having only seen the movie, I couldn’t believe how different the movie was, from the book. But then it occurred to me: in the 90’s, there is no way two men could have been shown having a passionate love affair or a man fall in love with a woman in a child’s body. In that sense, I also realized, when Anne Rice wrote these books, there was a shortage of women in this genre, and especially ones that wrote “on the edge” as Rice did. Looking back, this book was something wonderful. And it still is. Highly Recommended.

I read A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park and started James Hankins The Prettiest One, it was free to Prime members a few months ago.

I found it way too depressing! Hopefully you will find it less so.

This is such a great idea! I'm with Frankie though, waiting for the next one...

Gone With the Wind *sigh* I just finished it for the fourth time last month. In 4 days.

I don't get Christmas gifts (really, we don't now that we are all old lol) and my birthday is January 8th... I usually end up with a nice gift card from Amazon for that Very nice, I never complain! I really want to try and read some Jodi Picoult this year and some longer books too, like from Barbara Kingsolver (Prodigal Summer). Roots by Alex Haley is another one I will probably use my gift card for. I will also be conning my mom out of a few of these for Christmas The Life of Elizabeth I- Alison Weir (I own the paper version, want to do a re read) Catherine the Great- Robert K. Massie The Boleyn Inheritance- Philippa Gregory (book 3 of The Tudor Court series)

Great idea!

Lee Child's Jack Reacher series (20 books) are great and stand alone. I also second Kell's recommendation for Philippa Gregory's The Cousins War series (6 books). Happy reading, there is a lot to choose from in here

Oh, not like me at all either I think I still owe Gaia for last year Wow- that took forever for them to arrive, I of course, will be eager to hear about the CRH. Do you like giving reviews this way better? Wait til you all get to the dark side and ditch ratings all together

I can do the 1st, 2nd and 3rd... but the next weekend I am away.

Yes, I am giving books too- the first Goosebumps book and a collection of Pete the Cat to my daughter and for my mom Great Women in Islam. I have one more gift to wrap (its going in a gift bag with tissue) and two more stocking stuffers and I am done!

I thought musicals weren't my thing either, but I really like Singin' in the Rain, Moulin Rouge, and all the Disney movies. I also did Into the Woods and Hello Dolly (the musicals) in high school. I'm glad you didn't mind it so much, although, I agree, the hype is ridiculous. Oh, Oh, Oh, I saw Mockingjay Part 2!!

Aw! Such a letdown! Did you ever get into BBC History magazine? Didn't I recommend that? I think so. They had a piece on Ian Fleming that month. They often have pieces on Rome and ancient history.

Did you like/ read Lord of the Flies?

That is great to know- she is pretty reliable, that's why I picked it! Well, and I've been wanting to read it for awhile now I'm with ya on your second book, as I struggle with The Vampire Lestat. I just don't think I care!

Have you ever read Dr. Seuss? I picked up Philippa Gregory's The Other Boleyn Girl (The Tudor Court Series Book 2) to read along Lestat. It's just too slow, I wanted something fun.

Thanks! It sounds like you're having fun with the tale also. Such a good story! oh my gosh yes! I hope you enjoy them, recommendations to make are always so I am only 100 pages in The Vampire Lestat as I took part in the read a thon. Yesterday was not a good reading day for me at all. I just got bored with the act of reading I don't know how that is possible!

Random Acts of Senseless Violence- Jack Womack (257 pages) This short novel, the diary of a 13 year old girl living in luxury turns bleak as the family rapidly loses their money and society continues to disintegrate around the world and especially their New York tenement. This diary reminded me a lot of Go Ask Alice (Anonymous), where both characters give in to their inner cravings and both live dangerously, describing the events in a journal. But there is more depth to Random Acts of Violence. And no real message. 13 year old Lola is beyond her age and gives lots of insight into her character. She meets up with two street girls that befriend her. They speak in a broken Caribbean- American slang that is difficult to understand and even Lola picks it up. Dealing with her sexuality and navigating through the scary street riots, Lola lives in slow poverty, finding out who her real friends are. But the most important question facing Lola is: Who am I? The book is slow in pacing except the last 50 pages or so, when it pays off. I wouldn't recommend it, just because the pacing is sooooo slow. I will remember this one for awhile though.

Oh! How beautiful! I had not even imagined! I saw that on BBC last night Oh, I am sure she will I almost broke down and gave her the new computer today after mine wouldn't work, but quickly came to my senses I think we are decorating our Christmas tree today, although we need batteries for the small strings of lights, we are putting up a very small tree this year, my daughter picked it out along with a new stocking for the fireplace- all in PINK! I guess its a pink Christmas around here this year...

I hope you like them- where do you get your recommendations? The only one I've heard of is Alone in Berlin. I do the audio of that while I wrap presents Love it each year, even though its only been a few years now. Its a good tradition, I've been looking forward to it this year. I have about 40 pages left in Random Acts of Senseless Violence. I'm glad I stuck with it. Maybe something shorter for the rest of today and then, back to Lestat on Monday.

Thanks- you are too sweet! Saturday 5th 172 pages in Random Acts of Senseless Violence

I think you'd really like it! You'd probably *get* the science too