Ronny

I would be in trouble if my library started charging for reserved titles, but so far I don't think it's in the plans. I did like my prior library's online system (I could reserve up to 100 items at a time, keep track of when they would be in, suspend items if I was going out of town and didn't want to lose my hold spot, renew items all from home) better than my current library's system (it is a much smaller library and you must go in to reserve or renew and often have no idea when your reserved copies may arrive).

I visit my library weekly, I also volunteer there, I do story time for the preschoolers and sometimes shelf, stamp new books, discuss and plan activities for the kids. I love the staff and they have a good selection, I do occasionally have to order something from other branches.

Wow, I've been slacking on this, I guess it's been a busy few weeks Liars' Club, was ok, it was very much like 'person of dubious parentage' Out of Carolina and Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood, it was a memoir of a horrible childhood survived with some humor intact. I may have just read a few too many of these but it was not bad just too much like the others.

I'll have to read, The History of Love, soon. I have it here but had no idea they had anything in common.

I just finished East of Eden by John Steinbeck (really liked it 9/10), my paperback edition was 691 pages.

I picked this up off my library swap shelf, I remembered the author's name from here

I just finished, the Lovely Bones, and I did enjoy it. I came close to loving it but there was a chapter towards the end with Ray, Ruth & Susie that threw the book off a bit for me, it didn't ruin it but it almost did. I think that I preferred Lucky as well. I would definitely read more by her, does anyone know of any future books by her?

I think I may have to read this, I loved the movie and yet I've never tried the book:blush:

My husband loved them and got me to read them and I really enjoyed them, I'm not a big fan of sci-fi or series like him but they were really good and it was nice sharing a series with him.

I have this on my TBR shelf, I hope it's good. It was an impulse buy for me

England's Mistress, the Infamous Life of Emma Hamilton by Kate Williams I really enjoyed the first part of this book but somewhere about midway I started to lose interest. I found myself skimming through paragraphs and by the end through some whole pages. I think the book had some very interesting parts and I did enjoy the glimpses of everyday London for the rich & the poor of the time but wish that the middle had been trimmed up a bit.

A Short History of Tractors in the Ukrainian by Marina Lewycka I was a bit late getting around to this one, I just finished it last night, I enjoyed it. Like others have mentioned I thought it was an amusing, quick, easy read. I enjoyed the characters and snickered at several of the scenes of family drama. I don't know if I'd read it again or consider it a favorite but I was not disappointed by it at all, it was just as I had expected it to be.

When We Were Orphans by Kazuo Ishiguro I did not like this book as much as I liked the Remains of the Day and Never Let Me Go, I did not feel interested in the story until I was nearing the end, I don't think I would have continued on had I not enjoyed his previous books I'd read. I really didn't care for the main character, Christopher. at all (I don't think you were supposed to) seemed he wasn't as well liked by the other characters either but they more or less humored/tolerated him and he did not see it this way (there were hints at his mistaken perception of himself and his relatiionships with others) and so while I do think Ishiguro intended for the characters and story not to be liked in the traditional sense, I don't think that it worked for me and the whole thing dragged and slightly annoyed me.

Yes, I like the sound of that, it gives me some mystery, like there's a story there

Yes, trade size are larger and usually resemble the hardcover edition, they are released sooner than the mass paperbacks as well, I think.

I prefer the trade paper backs, I like the size, look & feel of them and try to buy only trade size but will pick up a regular paperback or a hardcover if the price is right.

I read Secret Life of Bees, last year for my library book club (oh, how I miss it) and really enjoyed it. I agree that it was a very easy story to picture in your head. The descriptions were perfect, not too much but just enough. I have the Mermaid Chair on my TBR list, has anyone read it?

I will definitely give him another try, as I did like the style of the writing. I was thinking of the Wind Up Bird Chronicles or Norwegian Wood, do you have a favorite of his?

Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami It came close but didn't quite to it for me. I can't put my finger on exactly what put me off, there was much about the book I did like but somehow I did finish not caring much for the book. Maybe I should have started with a different Murakami book, I've heard so much about him and was very curious about his books. I did not have any issue with the writing itself, I think mostly I didn't care for the main character Kafka Tamura, although I really enjoyed many of the other characters, Oshima & Nakata were really the ones that captured my attention and pulled me through the story. I will definitely try more Murakami books but was less than thrilled with this one.

The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly It is a dark, sometimes gory adventure through many familiar fairy tales with new twists. Although it was somewhat predictable I enjoyed it and it was a quick, easy read.

There is a forum area on Listal if you click on the Groups link in the top right corner and it can be very helpful for getting started and fixing gliches. BTW, I go by Chuckmuck at Listal:)

Tempting , what is the book you'd recommend to start with?

It started purely by accident:)

I collect postcards and match them up with a book (by theme, color, setting) everybook has it's own card/mark. Weird I know but so fun.

I use someting similar, I had more than the 200 books allowed for free membership and so I found - Listal - List the stuff you love! Movies, TV, music, games and books It is much like Librarything but is new, still in developement and is completely free. Tom, the developer, is very good & open to suggestions.