poppyshake

I like the Tuesday option best? Steve!?! .. you are spending for the rest of us Nearly everybody else is saying 'no book buying/spending/licking/drooling over books this year' and you are just shovelling them into your basket You're out of control .. I think they sell patches for it at the chemist Happy Reading!! *seek help*

Aww .. so sweet Happy Reading in 2014 tunn .. both you and your precious little one

Thanks Kate Dad is doing okay thanks .. my BIL is still in hospital though but he's had a CT scan and no nasties have been found thank goodness. They think the blockage is being caused by scar tissue from when he had his appendix removed. My poor sister had a terrible New Year's Eve .. very worried of course and disappointed not to see us as we had been planning it for months She got lots of food in etc which she subsequently had to give away as she didn't fancy it and it was prawns etc so needed using up. Ah well .. we'll meet up soon hopefully. The main thing is BIL is okay (though hating being in hospital ) I got them from The Book People Claire just before Christmas (though Alan confiscated them on arrival ) but I can't see the set on their website now .. only the individual books. Perhaps they've sold out for the time being. Sari's great reviews have made me want to get on with them too .. they sound brilliant!

You too Deborah xx I received a book prezzie from frankie today It is the marvellously titled Beyond the Great Indoors by Ingvar Ambjørnsen The blurb says it's 'arrestingly eccentric' so straightaway I know it'll be right up my alley Thank you dear frankie .. I'm looking forward to it already I actually bought a book today (Mrs Bridge - Evan S. Connell) I know I said I wouldn't but Alan gave me a Waterstone's voucher so I can hardly exchange it for a bag of spuds can I? Now we're on the subject I may as well confess that I bought two books (A Red Herring Without Mustard - Alan Bradley.) The problem was that there was still £1 or so left over on the voucher and I knew I'd forget all about it if I didn't spend it now and though I could have bought some half price wrapping paper or something .. this is a bookshop!! and it's full of books so I thought it was only fair of me to relieve them of another one because they are stacked out in there! I did stick rigorously to my wishlist (well done me!) and I didn't look at the spines (it's entirely co-incidental that the Alan Bradley one is pink ) so I'm not entirely ashamed. However, I now see .. with regards to the Alan Bradley book .. that I have bought 'Flavia de Luce 3' and I've only read 'Flavia de Luce 1' so obviously there's still 2 to think about and possibly get before I can embark.

Aha .. good My nose has gone flat from pressing it against your window Look at all those lovely Dickens? what treats you have in store. I love your TBR .. it's long but manageable Happy Reading lovely Janet and a very happy New year to you and your lovely family Thanks for the cookie *munch munch* .. I'll try not to drop crumbs

Thank you very much Hayley Molly was born on a farm and was used to dogs as a littlie .. so she's not as worried by them as I'd like her to be (too inquisitive by half .. and next door's dog isn't keen )

All the viewers are me Janet .. and most of the comments too It's what's known as the waffle factor .. I have it apparently

You too LP It's good to get another recommendation That book was definitely bought because of its lovely cover I'm glad to know that the contents are worthy of such a gorgeous wrapping If I read it and enjoy it then the others are bound to follow I don't like to use the word 'force' .. I prefer 'encourage' Brilliant .. I love it Yes I've collected quite a few ... one of my faves is .. A wise man wants for only nourishing cabbage soup; seek not other things. Except perhaps a toaster - from the teachings of St. Zvlkx™ The wisdom of St. Zvlkx™ is wholly owned by the toast marketing board

Well this is an encouraging start I was going to ask for some suggestions on what to read from my TBR so excellent. At the moment all the new books are looking shiny and tempting but that never lasts long. That is very kind of you Hayley .. I've heard lots of good things about it Coming from a catty household (and why does that not sound so comforting? ) I am more than at home with a few pet hairs

Awww .. bless you Are you sure it wouldn't be restful? You too Ben Your seat is reserved .. hope to see your derrière in it quite often Actually nice book covers do cheer me up even if I can't buy them so .. as I don't want to be plunged into a gloom .. I won't mind too much if I see some tempting books on the shelves. I will just say to myself 'get your TBR down to under 100 and maybe you'll be entitled to a reward' .. then I will laugh myself sick and be instantly cheered up

You too Julie Every year I swear I won't be buying books (though of course .. this year I'm extra determined ) but they will keep publishing them Julie Hmmm ... sunglasses in the winter?? I'm bound to be mistaken for someone famous I wouldn't need to worry about that as my sense of smell .. as regards toast or any of it's ingredients .. is second to none. If I am missing out on new books this year then I am definitely not missing out on toast. Poor Alan's life would be a misery Going on how things are going I'd better just take lettuce I wouldn't mind being up there too much .. though Alan would probably put the toaster on just to make it more of a punishment

You too Steve .. I will try and splash about in some more sci-fi/fantasy this year .. see if I can't get to grips with more contemporary stuff Thanks Marie .. I don't think I've ever been wished a Happy Toast Munching before If only the two things went together better (that is toast munching and reading .. not toast and munching which of course go together best of anything ) .. sadly toast crumbs and books are not best friends. If they ever become compatible then we will have good reason to say that progress has been made in our time

Thanks Gaia .. you too I suspect you may be right Happy reading bobbs And you Hayley wishing you lots of good doggy reads (doggy .. not dodgy ) Thank you lovely Janet Your blog is a WHOLE lot MORE interesting and one of my favourites .. and my taste is impeccable

You too Claire I know and I was hoping for more in the way of lilac/purple spines too. Bit much though .. when budget and space is tight .. to be prioritising in favour of spine colour preference Too long some of them were wanted yesterday. I do wish the library would know about my requirements before I do .. would save so much time Oh too true .. I like to throw at least one book down in disgust per year .. for continuity's sake I will do my best .. I think I'll be fine on the waffle aspect Happy 2014 Claire

Fabulous lists Ben Hope you're able to get around to One Hundred Years of Solitude soon and, more importantly, that you enjoy it .. not everybody does. I can't see that you've got any to avoid, though one or two are bound to be stinkers .. law of averages and all that Still .. luckily they're not advertising the fact so there's nothing to fear. Happy Reading in 2014 Ben! and Happy Last Few Months at University! .. what comes after? .. life? .. well good luck with that as well. I highly recommend life Hope time is kind to you

Yay!! .. throw the rule book away Perhaps if you had Laurel on one butt cheek and Hardy on the other .. they could chat to one another? Happy New Year and Happy Reading in 2014 Julie! Love the sound of The Book of Ebenezer LePage .. great review Julie

Happy Reading in 2014 Alexi! I love your TBR .. so many great books. I'll pick out a few for special recommendation (or the kiss of death .. depending on your view ) Ben Aaronovitch - Rivers of London Stephen Chbosky - The Perks of being a Wallflower Agatha Christie - And Then There Were None Mark Dunn - Ella Minnow Pea George Grossmith - Diary of a Nobody Victor Hugo - Les Miserables Eowyn Ivey - The Snow Child Hilary Mantel - Wolf Hall Patrick Ness - A Monster Calls Bram Stoker - Dracula Well done for finishing a book already .. what a great start

Ah well .. I loved Vanity Fair so possibly we're not singing from the same hymn sheet I know lots of ladies that like Madame Bovary ... dear Kylie for instance .. but I do think men are less ill disposed towards it.

Happy New Year Charles and Happy Reading in 2014!

Ah .. splitting your TBR into two columns to make it look less enormous .. why didn't I think of that? You haven't made it look less though .. it's an absolute beast I feel quite smug now about my minuscule collection Happy Reading in 2014 LP! Oh man you've already read a book .. it hasn't made a dent in that TBR though

Happy New Year and Happy Reading in 2014 Andrea! Your wishlist is vast but your TBR is totally under control which is just as it should be. I seem to have got it the other way around (though my wishlist isn't exactly under control )

Happy New Year and Happy Reading Kate! The Columbia University list looks challenging ... I'm struggling with the titles Best of luck

I haven't bought a thing yet .. but I do have some books waiting in a virtual basket I could always empty it though

Happy Reading in 2014 James Your TBR is rather alarming .. as is mine .. but you've got some great books on it though so plenty of pleasure to be got from reading your way through it. As people are putting good words in for various books .. I'll put mine in for Jasper Fforde It's a good idea actually to read his Thursday Next books in a lump as it's all about getting in the swing. I always find I need a good lie down for about 12 months after reading each one though (mostly just to reflect and marvel at it .. and to stop me from buzzing etc ) so it'd be quite an undertaking. I am putting .. another .. bad word in for Madame Bovary Good luck

What marvellous lists bobbs Happy Reading in 2014! .. I see you haven't yet bought a book this year .. well done If you ever find out How Not to Worry (or of course if worms have willies ) then please let me know