Little Pixie

Good to see you back, Julie. What a rotten time you`ve had. Hugs and Best Wishes, and I hope you`re feeling a bit better now.

*Faints* Well done ! Just catching up with your posts, love the Xmas reads. Congrats on joining your Library.

Hope you feel better soon, Steve. Thank you for the Christmas card ; it arrived today ( my UK ones just went off today ).

Talking of buying books, I didn`t go to the recent Abbey Fair myself, `cos it turned out to be a general fair with one book stall ( not as good as the one they did over the Summer with the whole Abbey `bookified` ). So, I saved money there.

Glad to help. Also, if you want a cake-free diet, you can eat pies instead. Well, I`ve read the first 3 and liked `em ; good to know that they`ve all got a good reputation.

That`s great ; I think the joy I get from buying books has made me happy too.

I tidied away my copy of Nine Coaches Waiting last night - the book which gave away so much in the blurb - and had a good look at the cover this time ( I`d only glanced at it before ) - guess what, it gives away something which happens in the last 15 pages of the book. Cover.

You`ve had a big reading year, that`s wonderful.

Thank you. Good Luck for next year ( 30`s still better than some years I had ).

Thank you ! Whee, you`ve done really well with your Mighty Tomes ; I`ve just not been that keen on the ones I listed at the start of the year ( though I read a few Isabel Allende books which were pretty long ).

I might have bought it... Thanks for the reminder.

Things just mysteriously appear, don`t they.

Hope the Library idea pans out.

This is my ` readingest` year ever. I`ve broken 100 a couple of times before, but never got close to 200. I did a Donna Andrews re-read this year, which helped to get through those Winter blahs, and helped to keep me reading. I`m going to do a re-read for next year too, maybe of Joanne Fluke ( something fun and light ). I think I`ll get to 205. Maybe. I`ve managed 1 of 12 of my Mighty Tomes, am close to finishing another, and around 20% of the way through a third, so I`d like to concentrate on some of those longer books to round off the year. What do you think your yearly total will be, and is this your best year too ?

Better to be a one-off than follow the crowd. She makes me think of Miriam Margoyles ; it must be the hair.

Thank you ! I shall have an occasional look at those prices and pounce when there`s a bargain.

That`s exactly the same here but in reverse - if you get my drift ! I buy lots of books for £2.81 ( $4.40) from US used booksellers, `cos often they`re cheaper in the US . Bizarre indeed.

It`s strange, isn`t it. You`d think the publisher would try to shift a few copies now, rather than putting UK people off a purchase. Looks like the same edition in the US as the UK, too. I see the book you`ve just bought - 3 novellas - is cheaper here and has a ` Nobel Prize Wimnner` sticker. Shall watch out for the Missing Person book ( which seems to be a 2004 edition ). Mebbe they`ll publish a new edition.

I have a few left to read, which I`m rationing now. Rookie mistake - I should`ve learnt by now .

She does come across as a `one-off`. I find I`m able to pay more attention to her in written interviews ; when I watch her talk, I find I`m paying more attention to her rather arresting look.

Yes and yes. There are some newer purchases which I`m especially excited about reading ( Duck the Halls, the latest Meg Langslow mystery - I`ll wait till Xmas, `cos its a festive book / The River of no Return, a big fantasy book and Raising Steam, the latest Terry Pratchett ) . Of the long term inmates of my TBR, there are so many books which I have to be in the right mood for ( I haven`t tried Jo Nesbo yet, or Paul Theroux`s travel writing).

Ooh, lots of goodies on your list there.

I`m going to pass on Missing Person for the time being - this is why - fingers crossed that there`ll be cheaper editions in the future. I was really enchanted by the first few lines, too. Hurray for your lovely warm temps and new books !

Ooh, thanks for the link. I`d missed that altogether. The latest count is 764. Still, it`s not as bad as I thought it might be.

190 Mary Stewart - Nine Coaches Waiting I normally love Mary Stewart books, but I made the mistake of reading the blurb on the back of this one, not realising that it refers to an exciting event... which doesn`t take place until 2/3 of the way through the book. Grr. So, most of the book was a bit tedious, then there was a thrilling final third. Anyway, an English Girl goes to France to work as a governess to a small French boy in an isolated chateau, and there would`ve been lots of tension if I hadn`t spoiled. << Shakes little fist at publisher >>.