Kylie

Thanks Little Pixie. Yeah, she's adorable. I'd like to read the Carbonel sequels one day. It was a lovely book. Thanks Kay! I thought you'd be pleased with those ones. I was particularly happy to find Arthur & George, and it's a really nice edition too. I must have missed (or forgotten) that piece of trivia about JK Rowling and Decca! How cool! I'm very pleased indeed with the Christies. I have enough to keep me going for quite a while now! I've been needing to do a big clean up and reshuffle of my books for a while (more so since the bookfair), so I finally got things going last night. I went around the house and gathered up any strays, then emptied a few shelves so I can shuffle everything along. Unfortunately we're having quite hot weather at the moment and it's not pleasant being upstairs (where the books are) for very long, so I'll just be doing a bit here and there. I'm a night owl and was doing all this in the coolest part of the night, but it was still very warm, so I retired to bed as the sun was coming up and read a few chapters of The ABC Murders. It's 41 degrees outside today, and I usually wouldn't even consider walking out the front door in such weather, but I missed a book delivery so of course I had to go out and rescue them from the post office. I received Chris Hadfield's An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth and John Hersey's Hiroshima. Then I came home to an email saying the other part of my order has been dispatched, so tomorrow I should receive Millie Marotta's new colouring book, Wild Savannah.

I'm hoping to watch the Scorch Trials soon. I didn't think much of the books, but I'm still curious to see how they translate to the screen. Ooh, it's been ages since I watched Romy and Michelle! It's a good one. I remember a bit of Cowboys and Aliens. I think I quite enjoyed it, although I wasn't expecting to. I'll have to watch that one again one day.

Aw, come on, you can't both say that and not provide a link to the cover so we can see it too! Pretty please? It's 41 degrees outside today, and I usually wouldn't even consider walking out the front door in such weather, but I missed a book delivery so of course I had to go out and rescue them from the post office. I received Chris Hadfield's An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth and John Hersey's Hiroshima.

Oops! I have very few items of white clothing, underwear, towels etc that have not been discoloured in the wash. I'm terrible! You'd think I'd learn my lesson, but no...I keep doing it!

This thread has been quiet recently. Am I the only one still watching TV? I've been watching season 3 of Orange is the New Black. I was desperate for the new season to start last year, and then I just forgot all about watching it! It's a good show for booklovers. In one episode some library books are burnt in a bid to get rid of bed bugs in the jail. Some of the inmates hold a funeral for the books. It's a great scene! This is the only YouTube video I could find of it (it isn't great quality because someone filmed it from their TV):

Good call. It was all downhill after Inkheart.

Thanks for letting me know your thoughts on it. I almost hope that I dislike it; that way I can remove it quickly from my TBR pile and move on to something else.

Three years later, I've only read Donna Tartt's The Secret History and Jed Rubenfeld's The Interpretation of Murder. I loved them both (especially the former). I believe I ended up dumping Irving's A Prayer for Owen Meany and Mosse's Labyrinth. I thought I had dumped Mr Toppit too, but it's still listed on my TBR pile. I think that book has received a lot of reprieves! I don't even know what it's about, off the top of my head. It really should go. I still have the Brandreth, Brookmyre, Gold, (other) Irving and Summerscale books to read. And there's probably now quite a few others I should be adding. I'll have to go through all of my shelves again at some point! I just bought Les Miserables. Goodness knows how long it will be on my TBR pile for, but I'm quite keen to read it, so fingers crossed! I have the Game of Thrones series and 1Q84 (three different editions!) on my TBR pile as well, but there are quite a few books in front of them on this list!

Seeing Alexi's review of North and South reminded me that it has been on my TBR pile for many years. The reviews on the English counties challenge thread are all very positive, so I shouldn't keep putting it off I suppose!

Having a hot few days here. Getting up to 41 C in the next couple of days. I'll be staying inside with the aircon on! And probably sleeping on the lounge, because it's too hot to sleep upstairs (broken aircon up there ).

I've started reading The ABC Murders by Agatha Christie.

I just saw an ad for 10 Cloverfield Lane, which is apparently a 'blood relative' of Cloverfield, which I really enjoyed. This one looks like it might be good too. The adaptation of Stephen King's 11.22.63 also looks good.

I totally understand that nervousness, BB! I feel the same way when recommending a book. But don't worry, I won't blame you (much) if I don't enjoy it.

Wow, I never heard any promotions about a character's death in HP4. Lucky us! Pontalba, how rude that that person took offence to what you said. I'd think it was quite a reasonable and understandable request!

Ooh, yes, I second The House of Leaves! A unique and terrifying book.

I'm so pleased that your new Kindle is working out for you. Knowing you're happy makes me happy.

The Watchmaker... looks and sounds fabulous! I've added it to my wishlist.

I loved Slade House when I read it earlier this year. I hadn't read The Bone Clocks first, but I didn't feel as though I missed anything (although of course I probably did—ignorance is bliss). I was really hoping to find The Bone Clocks at the bookfair last week, but no such luck. It's good knowing that you enjoyed it though. I love reading about your book-buying adventures.

Great succinct review, Ian. I'm so pleased you enjoyed it!

Happy reading, Little Pixie! That's quite a TBR pile! I love that you've added two extra posts for future TBR books. You mustn't be hoping/expecting to curb your book buying this year.

I'm pleased to hear you liked Carey's book. This was a bit of an unusual selection for me because I didn't really know anything about it before I picked it up. I thought I had perhaps heard of it somewhere before (probably from you! ) and the blurb sounded good. It appears to be dystopian, which clinched the deal. Nope, I've never read T100YOM. I'm always a bit behind the rest of the forum on popular books. I tend to read them years after everyone else! Yep, I've read and loved Atlas Shrugged. I have a paperback edition with teeny tiny writing, and the edition I found was a special hardcover centennial edition. It's gorgeous and was only a few dollars (The Book Depository is currently selling it for $56!) I decided to buy it and add it to my very small (but growing) collection of special edition hardbacks of the books I've loved most (including To Kill a Mockingbird, Go Set a Watchman, Catch-22, Gone with the Wind, The Grapes of Wrath and The Phantom Tollbooth). Thanks Athena. I'm glad it's not just me that doubles up on the same day! I was very happy with my Agatha Christie haul. They never have a huge selection of BSC books, and the last 2-3 times I've been they didn't have any new (to me) books at all, so I was really pleased to find 3 this time. I'm slowly completing my collection. I haven't read any of the ones I've bought in the past 5 or so years. I'm not sure yet whether I'll wait to complete the collection (which could take quite a few years at this rate!) Thanks Willoyd! Have you read the books you've mentioned, or are they TBR? I've flicked through the Garfield and Rosen books and they look like they'll be great to dip into.

Had to cull some emoticons. Fiction (61) Boris Akunin Pelagia #1: Pelagia and the White Bulldog - Ooh! What is this? Another series? =O Never heard of it. It's part of a trilogy. Apparently it's about a crime-solving nun. Should be good. I found a second book from the trilogy on the same day and snapped that up too. I was so excited. Then I later realised I'd just bought two copies of the same book. In my defence they had different covers. If only I knew someone who liked Boris Akunin so I could send them the extra copy. Julilan Barnes Arthur & George - This is supposed to be good, but I've never gotten into it... Well I don't remember if I've ever really tried I added this to my wishlist because of Kay's recommendation (it's on her list of favourite books). I only added it recently, so I was super excited to find it. It's a really nice edition too! Do you mean you tried it but couldn't get into it? Stephen King Misery - Yay! This is a really good one There are always loads of SK books at the fair, but I usually resist buying them because I already have several unread SK books on my TBR pile, and I know I can get them any time at the bookfair. But this was a recent edition and looked brand new, and I knew it was a favourite of some members here (including you), so I couldn't pass it up. John Lanchester Capital - I've seen this at the library and I've been looking at it very longingly... Bobblybear's review made me add it to my wishlist some time ago. I hope it's good! It must have BB's review that also made me add it to my wishlist. I've always liked the look of the book because the cover reminds me of Ben Aaronovitch's covers. I'll have to remember not to expect a similar story though. Eimear McBride A Girl is a Half-Formed Thing - I've seen this at the library too, the title always catches my eye. I have no idea what it's about thought. Me neither. I think Marieke Hardy highly recommended this on an episode of The Book Club (although I don't think it was a featured book). -------------------- Oh my god I just realized that what with the new mini series of the Gilmore Girls... There will be new books added to the Rory challenge!!!!!!!! Oh wow, I never thought of that!! How exciting!! I've been seeing some articles floating around recently that include details about the new show but I'm not sure whether anyone else wants to know the details or whether they want to be completely surprised. Lauren posted a photo of her and Yanic (Michel) on the set. They looked so happy! ____________ Non-Fiction (28) Noel Riley Fitch Sylvia Beach and the Lost Generation - I'm sure you must've been absolutely giddy to see this one! =D Yay!!! I was! I had a hard time actually believing my good luck. I thought I must have already had the book for sure, so I checked all of my lists but it really wasn't there! It was one of the books that had been on my wishlist the longest, so I guess I was confusing my wishlist and TBR pile. Jack Kerouac Selected Letters 1940–1956 - Oh wow holy sh*t!! This was another one I thought I must have already had. I knew I had some letters by him and another Ginsberg, but I thought I also had some just by him. Turns out I didn't! Jessica Mitford Hons and Rebels - I'm curious about this and the next one! I hope you will enjoy them, and you'll have to let me know if you did! Jessica Mitford Decca: The Letters of Jessica Mitford (n/a) Thanks! I have loads of books by and about the Mitfords by now. I really need to start reading them! So far I've only read one of Nancy Mitford's fiction books, The Pursuit of Love, which was great. Ann Rule Green River, Running Red - I almost shrieked when I saw this The Ted Bundy book is by far Rule's best book, and I've read a few of hers that have been let-downs, but GR,RR was really, really good and very, very harrowing!! The prologue in itself was really shocking I hope you will enjoy! Ooh, I didn't know (or hadn't remembered) that you had read this. I saw a few of her books there, but I kept skipping past them in the hopes that I'd see GRRR. I was stoked when I found it! And it looks brand new. She mentioned the Green River killer quite a few times in TSBM, so since then I've quite fancied reading it. I knew you'd be pleased for me. Andrew Wilson Beautiful Shadow: A Life of Patricia Highsmith - Oooh, this ought to be interesting for you, as I know you've become a fan of her novels! Score!!! It was indeed a score! I have one bio of Highsmith on my TBR pile, but I think this one is supposed to be the best bio of her, and it's been on my wishlist for a while. Tom Wolfe The Pump House Gang (n/a) - Yay, Tom Wolfe! I must admit I already have this one, but the edition I bought is much nicer. Confession: Sometimes I see my favourite books at the book fair and I always touch them and/or pick them up just to look at them. I always want to buy them, even though I already own them. It's ridiculous! I get a bit sad when I keep walking around the tables and seeing the same awesome books sitting there, unloved and unchosen. I want to yell at people to take them, or I want to give them a loving home with me.

I think that's what we'll be doing too (wearing black to move things on and off stage). We've found out that there are two other productions of The 39 Steps taking place in the next few weeks: one about 50 minutes away and the other about an hour and a half to the south of us. We're going to go to both productions and take notes. We might even talk to the people involved about perhaps borrowing/hiring their props and costumes. That would save us so much work! It was a shop in Glenbrook, in the lower Blue Mountains, about 20 minutes from my house. I can't remember going there with you, but I'm not sure why we wouldn't have. I'm pretty sure I knew the shop existed back then. Their books can be a little pricey for secondhand books, so maybe we didn't go for that reason. It's quite a small shop set towards the back of an arcade. Does that ring any bells? I was totally excited about the LG book. I don't even mind too much that it's a big hardback. The Dexter book is the right size in paperback though. I never would have thought I'd find a copy of LMitE in a secondhand bookshop! I remember that look on your face too when you walked into that building. It was wonderful to see you so happy.

I finished Dead Wake by Erik Larson today. It was brilliant! I really love the way Larson researches his subject in such depth and brings the story to life. The book recounts the sinking of the Lusitania passenger ship during WWI. Even though I knew what was going to happen, I was literally sitting on the edge of my seat reading it as Larson built up to the moment U-20 fired its torpedo at the ship. Larson has become a definite favourite author. I can't wait to read more by him.

Another sad loss.