frankie Posted April 10, 2016 Author Share Posted April 10, 2016 Awww . I hope April will be a nicer reading month for you . Thank Athena! I'm really enjoying my current read and even if I don't read any other books this month, it'll still be a better month than March Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted April 10, 2016 Share Posted April 10, 2016 Thank Athena! I'm really enjoying my current read and even if I don't read any other books this month, it'll still be a better month than March That sounds good . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexander the Great Posted April 10, 2016 Share Posted April 10, 2016 frankie - thanks for the link! "The Dinner" and "Summerhouse with swimming pool" are definitely on my TBR pile. At the moment, I'm reading books my sister owns and I have nothing from the library, so I hope to be reading some of my own books soon! The problem with books I own on my TBR is that I'm forever in the library and when I bring back books, I see another one I want to read and I don't ever get around to reading the books I actually own. Do I post the books I bought in my reading log or is there a separate topic for that? Athena - It was Het Boekenfestijn! I saw "Zomerhuis met zwembad" at the last Boekenfestijn I attended in December, but didn't buy it because it was more expensive then and there were too many other books I wanted as well. I usually go when it's in Kortrijk and Gent, but I admit I've skipped a few editions because I've noticed that if I go in April (Kortrijk) and June (Gent) and December (Gent), there's not enough of a change in what is offered. Which is no complaint, they can hardly be expected to have new or different things all the time! But I love the Boekenfestijn - I went on Friday after a busy work week and it's so calming to just walk around really cheap books in good condition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted April 10, 2016 Share Posted April 10, 2016 I agree! It's nice to be there surrounded by all the books. I usually go to Eindhoven (October / November), and sometimes to Utrecht (September) and Maastricht (February or May). You could post the books you bought, in your own reading log if you want to (some of us do this, including me), you could also post them in the Your Book Activity - April 2016 thread (some people do that). Either one is fine . We don't have a seperate topic 'Books You Just Bought'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted April 10, 2016 Author Share Posted April 10, 2016 (edited) frankie - thanks for the link! "The Dinner" and "Summerhouse with swimming pool" are definitely on my TBR pile. At the moment, I'm reading books my sister owns and I have nothing from the library, so I hope to be reading some of my own books soon! The problem with books I own on my TBR is that I'm forever in the library and when I bring back books, I see another one I want to read and I don't ever get around to reading the books I actually own. You're welcome, nice to be of service! I totally know what you mean about going to the library and coming back with a bunch of books and then never getting to reading your own TBR books It's so awful!! One wants to get to one's own books and reduce the number of TBR books, but then again one likes to support local libraries so they'll stay in 'business' and instead of having to buy all the great new books, one can save money by borrowing the books from the library, but then again one's reading too many library books... Oftentimes one goes to the library to take two books back, and then comes home with more than two new books that one's borrowed. It's a vicious circle!! I hope you will enjoy The Dinner and Summerhouse with Swimming Pool Do I post the books I bought in my reading log or is there a separate topic for that? When I suggested you could post about your new acquired books I was thinking you could make a post on it in your own reading log But like Athena said, you can also post in the Book Activity thread... I think we do have a thread for books one has bought recently, but I think it's buried somewhere deep in the forum... Maybe people were more happy posting in the Book Activity thread. Or maybe I remember wrong and there's no such thread to begin with Edit: I think it was years and years ago when we did have a Books You Bought Today -sort of thread, but then it was combined with what one's reading today, and so it became the current Book Activity Today -thread. Edited April 10, 2016 by frankie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaliepud Posted April 10, 2016 Share Posted April 10, 2016 Wow, I don't think I knew you've also read Confess! I still think about how engrossing it was. Have you read any other books by the author? I don't know if I should give them a go... She seems to have some massive fans, CoHo fanatics... Noticed it when I was reading some reviews on GR or somewhere. Weren't you annoyed by the end of ItO though? Yes, I read it in January, and I agree, it was thoroughly engrossing! What didn't you like about the ending? I have read Hopeless and Losing Hope, both the same story from different perspectives, I really liked Hopeless but didn't really see the point of Losing Hope, it was a bit unnecessary...I should look up another one of hers though as she does seem pretty consistent, I need to be in the mood for YA though. I'll head over to Goodreads now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted April 18, 2016 Author Share Posted April 18, 2016 Yes, I read it in January, and I agree, it was thoroughly engrossing! What didn't you like about the ending? About the ending of Inside the O'Briens: I just thought it was a cop-out that we weren't told if the daughter, whose name I've forgotten by now, had the Huntington's gene or not. Such a stupid and boring way to end the book. I have read Hopeless and Losing Hope, both the same story from different perspectives, I really liked Hopeless but didn't really see the point of Losing Hope, it was a bit unnecessary...I should look up another one of hers though as she does seem pretty consistent, I need to be in the mood for YA though. I'll head over to Goodreads now! Did you find anything you want to read? I think I'll check if they have copies of her other books at the library I wouldn't mind reading another truly captivating book of hers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted April 18, 2016 Author Share Posted April 18, 2016 #18. Broken Promise by Linwood Barclay From Adlibris: The morning it all started, newspaper reporter David Harwood had plenty to worry about. A single parent with no job, forced to return with his young son to the small town of Promise Falls to live with his parents, the future wasn't looking too rosy. So when his mother asked him to look in on his cousin Marla, who was still not quite right after losing her baby, it was almost a relief to put the disaster his own life had become to one side. The relief wouldn't last long. [...] Thoughts: My mojo's been really bad these days, so I turned to Linwood Barclay. My go-to author when I'm in a bad way. I wasn't disappointed! Oddly enough, or rather unprecedentedly enough, this book starts a Promise Falls trilogy. And even then, this isn't the first novel where we come across these characters: a lot of them have been featured in Barclay's previous thrillers. It's like how Stephen King used to do cameos for his main characters in other novels. I like it! The book was very entertaining and like always, I got into it pretty much from the get-go. However, after 180 pages I realized what would be the big twist and reveal towards the end of the novel, and I was right. It didn't bother me too much, because I wanted to see how it all played out and I was just happy to be reading a book that I wanted to continue with, not losing my fickle mojo. Looking forward to the next installment in the series. 4/5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted April 19, 2016 Share Posted April 19, 2016 I'm glad reading this book helped you with your mojo . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted April 21, 2016 Author Share Posted April 21, 2016 Thanks Athena, me too! Feels so good to be enjoying reading again... I'm reading a new book at the moment and enjoying that one, too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted April 22, 2016 Author Share Posted April 22, 2016 I'm torn... I think I told you guys when I started working for my current boss that she was getting rid of a lot of books, and I helped her by taking bagfuls of books to the library's free book swap bookcase. If there were books that I fancied myself, I would take them home with me. Then there were some of which I wasn't sure, and took them home, to ponder whether to keep them or not. There are 5 such books. I just can't decide whether to keep them or take them to the library for someone else to have them. I've had them for over 2 months, probably, and I've not recorded them as acquired books nor have I added them to my TBR pile And because of this, I've not added the books I've found at the library's book swap bookcase and that I've taken home with me. There are 7 such books This would mean 12 books altogether. One of them is a cook book, so that wouldn't go towards my number of TBR books. My signature says Read books 3 / Acquired books 6, and my main goal this year is to read more books off my TBR pile than I will acquire. 3/6 seems like a tolerable ratio at the moment, but if I added the 12 books, it would crush my spirit :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobblybear Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 Sounds like a conundrum! Mind you, there are over 8 months left in the year, so even if you do add them, you still have ages to read them (or at least 12 books off your TBR). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted April 22, 2016 Author Share Posted April 22, 2016 It truly is a conundrum I'm just so stubbornly refusing to add them to my TBR pile... First because I thought I could resist the books. But by now, it's the case of me having to type the titles down in the specific posts for 'acquired books' and 'TBR books'. I'm too lazy!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted April 22, 2016 Author Share Posted April 22, 2016 (edited) Oh and yeah, one would think I do have time to read 12 books... But the way my mojo's been acting in the recent past, and the way I'm always going for library loans before my TBR books (thinking, "I'll just read the library loans and take them all back and then I'll get back to my own books". Not admitting to having a problem with always looking for the new titles on the library's website and reserving at least one book a week... It's getting out of hand!! ), I might actually not be able to read one single TBR book again this year! Edited April 22, 2016 by frankie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobblybear Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 Oh and yeah, one would think I do have time to read 12 books... But the way my mojo's been acting in the recent past, and the way I'm always going for library loans before my TBR books (thinking, "I'll just read the library loans and take them all back and then I'll get back to my own books". Not admitting to having a problem with always looking for the new titles on the library's website and reserving at least one book a week... It's getting out of hand!! ), I might actually not be able to read one single TBR book again this year! I know what you mean. I'm borrowing all sorts of books from the library, ones that weren't even on my wishlist. And every time I return one, I don't plan on borrowing any more, but somehow I find myself at the checkout kiosk scanning more out. I currently have 9 library books on my shelf waiting to be read. Nine!!! I can't cope! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peacefield Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 Time to live a little, Frankie! Let that TBR pile be quadruple *gasp* the size of your books read pile! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted April 22, 2016 Author Share Posted April 22, 2016 (edited) I know what you mean. I'm borrowing all sorts of books from the library, ones that weren't even on my wishlist. And every time I return one, I don't plan on borrowing any more, but somehow I find myself at the checkout kiosk scanning more out. I currently have 9 library books on my shelf waiting to be read. Nine!!! I can't cope! Yeah I'd noticed in your other post somewhere that you've become a victim of the local library system I totally know what you mean!! I have 25 books and of course I totally intend to read them all... As if it's gonna happen!! I'd say more than 3 library loans is just mad, pure and simple Time to live a little, Frankie! Let that TBR pile be quadruple *gasp* the size of your books read pile! Maybe so... That reminds me of one of my favorite sayings: "What a time to be alive!" Edit: Bobbly, I can't help but ask: I don't think you were as bad with the library before as you are now, so what has actually happened to you? Did they start a new branch library next door to where you live? Edited April 22, 2016 by frankie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted April 22, 2016 Author Share Posted April 22, 2016 (edited) Okay, I'm doing it. I'm throwing caution to the wind and adding the following books to my 'acquired in 2016' list and TBR list as well. The books are as follows: - White Oleander by Janet Fitch (from Boss. This is a Rory Gilmore reading challenge book, I believe) - Boys by Neil Gaiman (from the library book swap bookcase. This is an English original ) - Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman (from the library book swap bookcase. This is an English original ) - Vanhempieni romaani by Arvid Järnefelt (from lib. I didn't know what this is about, but knew the name Järnefelt and thought this was a memoir about some famous people. But apparently Arvid himself was famous as he was an author. The book is about his parents. Arvid's siblings were all very artistic His brother Eino became a painter and Armas a composer, and his sister Aino married Jean Sibelius, the great Finnish composer, and she was very supportive of Jean and helped him make a name for himself. And another Finnish author, Juhani Aho, apparently was in love with Aino but she didn't respond to his advances Wow, the more I read on this stuff on wikipedia, the happier I am that I decided to keep the book, even though I didn't know any of this beforehand!) - Kotitalous 8+9 (from lib. This is actually a cook book that was written for high school students and we had this very same edition in our class when I went to high school I've been thinking about starting to learn a bit of cooking on my own and I've kind of dreamed about coming across an old home economics book and perhaps borrowing it from the library, and so I was thrilled to find this one for free!) - Kutsumushuora by Torsti Lehtinen (from Boss. I remember seeing this book years and years ago. It's a novel about a Finnish prostitute whom, I think, Lehtinen interviewed himself. It's therefore based on a real person and real life experiences. - Edit: What makes this more fascinating is that the people he's interviewed were, in one way or another, based in Kallio and Sörnäinen, which are two areas right next to where I live.) - On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan (from lib. How could I resist?! Even though I know this is not why chesilbeach is chesilbeach... But I am still curious, and I've had a few friends recommend Ian McEwan to me. This is an English original and really, I had not choice but to snatch the copy!) - Andien mainingit by Pablo Neruda (from lib. I actually got this for my Boss because I know she loves poetry and Neruda in particular, but it turned out she already had a copy of this very particular collection. I knew she had one book by Neruda but didn't remember which one it was... When I found out about it, I decided I'd try it myself, as Boss has 'made' me read her some poems a few times and I'm getting curious again.) - Ernest Hemingway by David Sandison (from lib. This one was totally sure to make my TBR pile at least!! )- Paholaisen haarukka by Juha Seppälä (from Boss. Finnish author. Should read more Finnish lit) - Jumala oli mies by Juha Seppälä (from Boss. Finnish author. Should read more Finnish lit) - Tuulikaappimaa by Jari Tervo (from lib. Jari Tervo is one of the dozen or so authors in Finland who can probably make his living by writing books alone. I've only read one book by him before but loved it. Must read more.) - Kalevan tyttäret by Kaari Utrio (from Boss. I'm still not quite sure what this book is about as it's missing the jacket... But I've gathered that the book is an introduction to the history of the Finnish woman. Non-fiction.) Edit: Took me ages to write the titles and descriptions down in this post... Can I really be bothered to list all the books in the specific posts on the first page of my thread, too?! Edit: Okay, it's done! Wohoo! No stress over this anymore Edited April 22, 2016 by frankie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobblybear Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 Edit: Bobbly, I can't help but ask: I don't think you were as bad with the library before as you are now, so what has actually happened to you? Did they start a new branch library next door to where you live? It's all started because I want to get more fit. Our local library has been there for years but since I got a Kindle I stopped going. Then this year, I got a pedometer and decided I need to do my 10,000 steps a day, so every Saturday I go for a walk into town. Our town is kind of boring, with nothing much to do (half the shops are closed, and the rest are charity and arcade stores ), so I figured going to the library will give me a reason for going into town each week. It has worked so far....I don't think I've skipped a week at all this year. Problem is, I just have so many library books to read that I'm ignoring my massive TBR pile on my Kindle. Okay, I'm doing it. I'm throwing caution to the wind and adding the following books to my 'acquired in 2016' list and TBR list as well. The books are as follows: - White Oleander by Janet Fitch (from Boss. This is a Rory Gilmore reading challenge book, I believe) - On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan (from lib. How could I resist?! Even though I know this is not why chesilbeach is chesilbeach... But I am still curious, and I've had a few friends recommend Ian McEwan to me. This is an English original and really, I had not choice but to snatch the copy!) I think White Oleander is on my wishlist or TBR pile. I haven't read On Chesil Beach yet. I loved Atonement and Saturday but hated Sweet Tooth so I've been a bit put off McEwan at the moment! Hope you enjoy it, though! Oh and congratulations on adding them all to your TBR list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted April 23, 2016 Share Posted April 23, 2016 I hope you enjoy your new books, Frankie ! When I go to my library, I usually return too with more books than I planned to borrow . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted April 29, 2016 Share Posted April 29, 2016 Hi Ya Frankie ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted May 3, 2016 Author Share Posted May 3, 2016 It's all started because I want to get more fit. Our local library has been there for years but since I got a Kindle I stopped going. Then this year, I got a pedometer and decided I need to do my 10,000 steps a day, so every Saturday I go for a walk into town. Our town is kind of boring, with nothing much to do (half the shops are closed, and the rest are charity and arcade stores ), so I figured going to the library will give me a reason for going into town each week. It has worked so far....I don't think I've skipped a week at all this year. Problem is, I just have so many library books to read that I'm ignoring my massive TBR pile on my Kindle. I take my hat off to you! I should get fit, too... I like the idea of a pedometer. It seems to have worked for you very well? I like it that you are using the library as an 'excuse' to do your walk It's as good a destination as any, and better than most The downside, of course, is that you have way too many library loans now... You should ask them to set a limit to the amount of books you can loan per week I think White Oleander is on my wishlist or TBR pile. I haven't read On Chesil Beach yet. I loved Atonement and Saturday but hated Sweet Tooth so I've been a bit put off McEwan at the moment! Hope you enjoy it, though! Oh and congratulations on adding them all to your TBR list. So McEwan isn't pure gold then is he? I can't remember which books were suggested to me in the past. Probably Atonement at least. At least his books are short? And thanks for the congrats, it was no mean feat! I hope you enjoy your new books, Frankie! When I go to my library, I usually return too with more books than I planned to borrow Thanks! Yep, you could probably single handedly keep your libraries in full function even if the other patrons stopped going Hi Ya Frankie ! Well hello there Julie, long time no see! What's shaking? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted May 3, 2016 Author Share Posted May 3, 2016 April 17 The Mystery of the Clockwork Sparrow by Katherine Woodfine - library loan 18 Broken Promise by Linwood Barclay - library loan The Last of the Bowmans by J. Paul Henderson - library loan - currently reading So, that's pretty much what happened in April, reading-wise... At least I liked the books that I read! 3/5 for The Mystery of the Clockwork Sparrow (am going to read the sequel soon as I have a copy from the library) and 4/5 for Broken Promise. I'm also enjoying The Last of the Bowmans but I'm just not feeling like reading at the moment... My mind's otherwise engaged. It's the spring that's troubling me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted May 6, 2016 Author Share Posted May 6, 2016 (edited) I've been reading the same old book for at least 2 weeks now... I've had to start it over once And this is so weird, but I've not been feeling like buying books for a while. I mean I do look at books and would definitely go for a bargain book, but I've not gone on BookDepo in ages to look at books. I guess it's partly due to me trying to reduce my TBR pile, but also it's to do with money. I wasn't made of it last year, and had no money to buy books, and so I'm kind of used to not buying books (even though I now have a job and could afford to buy a few books every now and then). Also, the library is stacked with books I want to read... No need for me to buy any of my own. But today I got an odd feeling... I wanted to go on Bookdepo to check how much a copy of Amy Tan's The Hundred Secret Senses would cost. I've been watching Fresh Off the Boat which I'm totally loving, and it's reminded me of Amy Tan and her The Joy Luck Club we read as an RC book on here, and the book The Opposite of Faith by hers that I almost finished one summer, as we were reading it for the Rory Gilmore reading challenge... I had only maybe 40 pages left but something came along and I didn't get to finish it, even though I'd loved what I'd read so far. I really need to read it soon! I'm totally in the mood for Amy Tan and some Chinese-American cultural stuff! It feels kind of good to want to buy a book again I don't know if I will buy it, though, but it was a nice feeling, browsing the website.. Edited May 6, 2016 by frankie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted May 6, 2016 Author Share Posted May 6, 2016 Another one of my problems is that I have a lot of books that seem amazing borrowed from the library and I just don't feel like reading them, even though I really want to read them! This really sucks! I want to read but I am not in the mood. Here are the ones I'm totally keen on: The Butcher's Hook by Janet Ellis: The debut novel by actress and presenter Janet Ellis, The Butcher's Hook is the dark and unexpected tale of a young girl in 18th-century London determined to take her life in her own hands. No matter the cost. Anne Jaccob is coming of age in late 18th-century London. When she is taken advantage of by her tutor - and her father's great friend - her powerlessness in the world is brought home to her. And it joins several other formative experiences in her short life so far that will serve to dictate her future actions. Her saviour appears in the form of Fub, the butcher's boy. But will what she learns in his company actually be her salvation or her damnation? Anne's morality is certainly more than dubious, but the influences on her are no less so. And through Ellis' rich but deft storytelling and portrayal of Anne's strength of character, listeners will find themselves almost excusing her escalating crimes, even when self-defence becomes overridden by something darker. This is a book in which the panoramas and filthy streets of the city, the colour and bear-baiting of St Bartholomew's Fair, the nobility and the hypocrisy of learning and piety, the excitement and envy of love and obsession, and the visceral rites of passage of passion and death are all gloriously celebrated and scrutinised. A sweeping tale - but always an intimate one - told with the same intricate details as Sarah Waters' works and the compelling darkness of Hannah Kent's Burial Rites. The Book of Speculation by Erika Swyler: "As Simon, a lonely research librarian, searches frantically for the key to a curse that might be killing the women in his family, he learns strange and fascinating secrets about their past. A tale full of magic and family mystery, The Book of Speculation will keep you up all night reading."―Isaac Fitzgerald, BuzzFeed Simon Watson, a young librarian, lives alone in a house that is slowly crumbling toward the Long Island Sound. His parents are long dead. His mother, a circus mermaid who made her living by holding her breath, drowned in the very water his house overlooks. His younger sister, Enola, ran off six years ago and now reads tarot cards for a traveling carnival. One June day, an old book arrives on Simon's doorstep, sent by an antiquarian bookseller who purchased it on speculation. Fragile and water damaged, the book is a log from the owner of a traveling carnival in the 1700s, who reports strange and magical things, including the drowning death of a circus mermaid. Since then, generations of "mermaids" in Simon's family have drowned--always on July 24, which is only weeks away. As his friend Alice looks on with alarm, Simon becomes increasingly worried about his sister. Could there be a curse on Simon's family? What does it have to do with the book, and can he get to the heart of the mystery in time to save Enola? Sofia Khan Is Not Obliged by Ayisha Malik: 'Brilliant idea! Excellent! Muslim dating? Well, I had no idea you were allowed to date.' Then he leaned towards me and looked at me sympathetically. 'Are your parents quite disappointed?' Unlucky in love once again after her sort-of-boyfriend/possible-marriage-partner-to-be proves a little too close to his parents, Sofia Khan is ready to renounce men for good. Or at least she was, until her boss persuades her to write a tell-all expose about the Muslim dating scene.As her woes become her work, Sofia must lean on the support of her brilliant friends, baffled colleagues and baffling parents as she seeks stories for her book. But in amongst the marriage-crazy relatives, racist tube passengers and polygamy-inclined friends, could there be a lingering possibility that she might just be falling in love . . . ? Here's Looking at You by Mhairi McFarlane: Anna Alessi – history expert, possessor of a lot of hair and an occasionally filthy mouth – seeks nice man for intelligent conversation and Harlequin romance moments. Despite the oddballs that keep turning up on her dates, Anna couldn’t be happier. As a 30-something with a job she loves, life has turned out better than she dared dream. However, things weren’t always this way, and her years spent as the butt of schoolyard jokes are ones she’d rather forget. So when James Fraser – the architect of Anna’s final humiliation at school – walks back into her life, her world is turned upside down. But James seems a changed man. Polite. Mature. Funny, even. People can change, right? So why does Anna feel like she’s a fool to trust him? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.