frankie

I was just in your reading log realizing I'm a nimwit. It's a fine balance we have here And we know how pleased punch can be, and how merry one can get after enjoying it I know I shouldn't worry about reading gift books. And I promise to try not to. But I do want to be more aware of them all, which is why I made a separate list of them in the reading plans post on my reading log. Thanks! Another thing that threw me off earlier this week is that my new smartphone jammed and got stuck and I couldn't even turn it off, just had to wait till the battery run out So that stressed me to no end, because it's brand freaking new and I haven't dropped it or anything or let a raccoon wash it for me or anything! I was worried I'd have to take it for 'restoration' So I was mighty grumpy this week. More stress!! But then I figured maybe it's all due to me not doing all the updates the phone has tried to alert me to do, and once I did those, I havent' had any problems again... So now I'm happy again and no stress But it's made me definitely realize that the amount of stress is _always_ the same: if you get rid of one stress factor, another one will come along. I guess one just has to learn to cope with stress! Easier said than done.... (For your viewing pleasure... This is the raccoon that did not wash my phone. Poor raccoon... Raccoon only trying to help with the chores.... )

I got bored with Due South after Ray left, so I stopped watching it... And had to find something to replace it... So I've started watching Monk from season 1. I'm onto season 2 at the moment, starting Mr Monk and the 12th Man next (I watched Mr Monk Goes to the Theater yesterday... it was hilarious! Just as good as the first time I watched it )

I confess: I didn't remember at first what this was in connection to, and first thought was 'boobs?'. Had to go and re-read some stuff I'm so sorry to have bugged you into writing the whole thing down. To make you break it down to me as if I was five I'm not sure I still get it. I feel like I'm taking the SATs or something and it's maths! I mean this could easily be one of those really tricky math problems!! Going back to the older post... "I bought 47 books in total, and managed to read 42 of them so that's pretty decent. At the beginning of 2015, my TBR was 232 books, and at the end of the year, it's 209 .. whoopee doo!! I've fiendishly managed to knock it down to 188 though .. just by a bit of judicious pruning" You see, I thought you were left with 5 unread TBR books, and so at the beginning, with 232 books... you'd have to add that 5 books and then it should've been 237. But now I realized, that you were only talking about the books you bought that particular year and that you read. You were also reading books off the previous years' purchases list but I didn't take that into account! I'm such a nitwit. Sorry to have troubled you Just remember next year that if I ask the same thing, just post a link to this particular conversation I undertand how the descriptions of landscapes were all the rage back in the day, but by jolly, there's a limit as to how much a person can take!!! I wonder if it's a case of the people having more vivid imaginations in those days. What with not having all the modern technology doing things for them. They had the time to imagine all things, and they never had the talkies to spend their time on. I wonder if one spent two months in isolation, could one then easily read Udolpho? (I feel like borrowing a Finnish copy... But that would feel like cheating, because I bought an English copy so many years ago. It was actually one of the very first books I ordered online, ever!!) I'm sure Alan's antennae would've notified him of such attempt and he would've come to the rescue I think maybe he's bashed you in the head with it a few too many times! Great review! I agree with it 100%. All the book talk was great, and I liked learning about the different people, but the romance stuff was just boring and useless. Personally I would've preferred to read more about the recovering alcoholic and his books and future life (I loved it that he was given BJ to read and he enjoyed it ) Oh lord have mercy!!

Let's not get started on Trump.... I still can't believe that he's seriously running for president. I thought it was a joke when I first heard of it!!! Oh Franken, the shoe's now on the other foot... Or what was it... But if he's doing a good job then he need not fear! I wonder if peacefield would keep us posted Remember how you and I met the two Americans and talked about Schwarzenegger? I'm not sure about mean humor, it's a very relative subject in my humble opinion. But when it's about politicians? Bring it They have it coming!! Calling politicians out for lying? It's a neverending task!!! Good to hear you've been making a brilliant start to your reading year! What does Scout think about all your books? Is she treating them with more consideration than Jasper? I'm so happy that the shelter people helped you with her medications when she got in. Shelter people do a great job, props to them! I'm happy that you're now able to give her the meds yourself, it'll make life easier. Is she still having to take meds? I'm super happy to hear she was walking around you and rubbing up against you! She seems like one to love cuddles? Yay! How did the reading time in the bath tub go with her? I'm a bit surprised by Jasper's initial reaction to her. But I'm also pleased! It could've gone a lot worse! Oi! That wasn't very nice... It's not like I've not finished the novel, on purpose, the two ealier times. I did finish it this time, as you know by now

I hope you have a wonderful reading year in 2016! I see you're currently reading A Tale of Two Cities, I'm looking forward to your review on it! It's in my top 5 books, easy

Ah, you've read Stiff already! Sorry if I was supposed to know that and had forgotten It's such a great book! I don't mind more clinical reads, books don't have to be funny for me to enjoy them. It's going to be an interesting read, because as you say she seems to take her job seriously and I really enjoy seeing people being passionate about what they do. People need to have a passion for a certain something in their lives, in my opinion... Makes life a lot more enjoyable! Must've been hard on her what with her father committing suicide And her job will bring the memories back every now and then... She must be a tough cookie to be able to deal with it! In a good way, of course. I like the sound of 'rural drama' If it wasn't a classification, it sure is now I'm glad you enjoyed the novel! I'm curious, what did you think about the ending? Did you like it or dislike it? People seem to have rather mixed feelings about it. Or polarized views, more like it. She must have a very poor editor and publishing team with very poor sense of humor! I mean even if she's the one behind the poor jokes, somebody should've caught on and told her to knock it off! Poor Denmark, Denmark deserves better publicity! Or publicity that's not as poorly delivered!!

This is a very interesting question! A very difficult one, though. The things that come to mind can't be described in just one word... For example, 'a book about books' The only one word that comes to mind that will definitely pique my interest (but I'll read the rest of the blurb, I wouldn't buy just based on one particular word, whatever it was), is 'psychological'. If it's connected to the word 'thriller', great But it can be some other type of psychological thing, too. This is a really tricky question! I'd love to see if anyone can throw in some buzz words without any problems.

I hope you have a fantastic reading year in 2016! I do like the sound of A Little Life, it's going straight on my wishlist! Great review!

The Book Thief was a really wonderful book, I'm so happy you enjoyed it

Great review! I know of the book and I've been wondering about it... I can't remember if it's already on my wishlist or not, but your review has prompted me to check the sitch and add it there if it's not there already

I hope you have a great reading year in 2016, Laura! Looking through your TBR pile, I must say these are all great reads, I hope you enjoy them when you get to them! This was rather harrowing in a way. It feels kinda odd to have a notorious serial killer in a 'comic book'. Of course it's not a normal comic book, it's a graphic novel of sorts, but it just seems such a weird notion. But I think it worked. I don't remember much about the story itself, but I did like the book. Glad you rated it so highly!

Lovely bookcases and lovely bookshelves I also must say, I love the door in the room! I love the colors Very unique!!

I'll try and write my thoughts on it today. Won't be an all too favorable review, but I did like the book in general. Aww, you've finished Ove? I mean the book, not the man Yay! Glad you're enjoying The Pact. Oh you've read Ove, too, did you like it? Tried reading a few different books last night but couldn't get into any of them. I hope something will grab my attention today!

Thanks everyone for your input, it's been interesting reading how you view the 'situation' Like you, chesilbeach, I don't mind when a friend reads the book I've given them, because I know fully well what it's like to be a moody reader. And the friends I buy books for have huge TBR piles as it is so I could never be as brazen as to think my gift takes precedence It's just odd how one's harder on oneself, rather too frequently... I don't mind other people taking their time to read their gifts, but at the same time I feel like I might come across as an ingrate for not getting to my gifts sooner than later. And it's not really that I would honestly think my friends were particular about when I read their presents to me! I don't have that sort of friends. My friends are all awesome It's just all in my own head, unfortunately. One's own head can be one's worst enemy at times. What I left out of my previous post is that sometimes there will be moments when I've finished my previous read and I don't really know what to read next. I might just not know what I'm in the mood for. So what I initially meant was that for these moments I'd like to be more aware of all the book presents I've been given, and if I seriously don't know what I would like to go for next, I might give those books a chance, rather than some random books I've bought cheap at a library sale, not even knowing if they might be my cup of tea. There can also be times when I feel like I'm in the mood for whatever comes next, and this is also a time when I could take advantage of the fact that I have so many wonderful book pressies to dive into What's even more: getting into the mindset of possibly reading more book presents this year might make me more aware of all of those books and my mood might tap into that source and then I might just be more in the mood for those particular books. And last but not least: there have been times when I've been in the mood for a particular book gift I've been given, but I've still not picked it up because I've thought I'll leave the best till last. Now if I feel like I'd want to go for a gift book, I don't want to go back into that old habit, I just want to feel free to pick the particular book up and read it.

Of course it's a thread on the MT books. I'm so sorry to have gone off topic. You are welcome to split the thread.

Of course you're welcome to join us! You just didn't mention before that you werr also interested in the series so I didn't want to assume I'll start a new thread for the group read tomorrow'ish

I think I'm off to bed with Finding Audrey and a few other books I feel like I might start after that. An early night! More reading...

Great! Seems like lauraloves and chesil might be getting their copies today/tomorrow. Poppyshake, where did you order your copy from? A bookstore or a library? Just wondering how long it might take you to get it Needing to hear from Alexi still... But the wheels are turning

The slow reveal in the first part of the book is the best thing! So skillfully done! Glad you enjoyed the novel Ove's the best There's a movie of the book, too, I really want to watch it I hope you will enjoy The Pact! It's my first Picoult and I really liked it Finished reading The Phantom Tollbooth yesterday, will be doing a review later today, hopefully. Started reading Finding Audrey by Sophie Kinsella which is going nicely and I should be able to finish it today.

Great stuff! I'm getting quite excited about it!

I'm glad that there are others who've been this way too, because I'm sometimes afraid that people don't understand the way I've been operating It's really not fair nor fun for the people who've been given me books when I haven't then gotten to reading them, and they may have gotten the wrong impression about it. It's most certainly not that I don't want to read them! It's just a long habit of saving the best till last. But this year I'm going to try and break that habit!! I wish you luck with breaking the very same habit! May the force be with us

Last year I read 7 books off my TBR. Only 7 books! This year I've already read 3 And it's only January! I'm feeling so good about this year and reading... I've read books off my TBR list and I've already read two books that have been given to me as presents from friends. I'm so bad at reading books that I got from friends because they know my tastes and they get me the best books and I tend to leave the best till last. I did a lot of thinking at the end of last year when I was planning my reading log and one thing I decided was that I wasn't going to wait till I'd read all the 'less deserving' books off my bookcase (because that would take years!) before getting to the better books, and instead I'd just go for whatever I really felt like reading And 2 out of the 6 books I've read this year have been book presents (What's more, now that I'll start a steady job, I don't have to stress about money and finding a job, and I'll be more relaxed about everything, and that will certainly help me with my mojo... I hope nothing drastic happens this year! Last year was a crazy year ) Edit: Also, all the ratings so far have been 3/5 - 5/5, so no bad reads for me so far this year!

5. Tyttö vailla nimeä by Gunnel Beckman This book is about Sara who is 9 years old and doesn't get to go and spend her summer holidays with her favorite relatives, and the strange girl who doesn't know her own name and who comes to live next door to Sara. The new girl is dark and pretty and an orphan, and she's from Iran... Thoughts: Such a lovely children's book I would have loved to read this sort of thing as a kid, and even though this was a new read for me, it made me nostalgic I only wish the book had been longer so there would have been more to read. 3/5

Glad you loved Joyland! And hurraaaaah for enjoying A Man Called Ove! Finished reading Tyttö vailla nimeä by Gunnel Beckman. I have 18 pages left of The Phantom Tollbooth.

Oh my giddy aunt, what a day! I thought I was supposed to supervise a 4H club, and so took the tram to the school, only to see that there were two girls there and they had it all under control I'd gotten the days wrong... I'm supposed to go tomorrow and Wednesday, not Monday and Wednesday... Well, as it meant that I had a free day, I thought I'd go and visit the library in Pasila, as it was close to where I lived and the tram I would take home would continue to Pasila and I could just stay on the tram. The library was bigger than the others I've been to in Helsinki! It was rather ugly on the outside, but very nice on the inside. I would definitely like to spend more time there! I'm somewhat tempted to change it into my 'home' library where I could get all my reservations... I knew that the big, communal old books library storage was in the Pasila library and so I took advantage of that, and got the first novel in the Just William series by Richmal Crompton. I also found an English copy of the first book in The Famous Five series which I've never read before, so I'm really happy about that! The library is close to a Lidl, so I did some grocery shopping on my way back home. Very convenient. The tram I wanted to take, though, was late... It was probably because of the snow or the cold or something. I stood there, waiting for the tram, for at least 30 minutes I knew there was a bus stop only two blocks away, and I could take a bus, but whenever I thought I'd go and take a bus instead, I feared that the tram would get to the stop right then and I'd miss it. But when I started to freeze my lower half, I decided I didn't care if the tram came in three minutes, I was taking the bus. Good choice! Crossing Pasila off the list, which means 5/37. Still long ways to go!