DaBookLady's Reading Life

2012-01-13T14:46:00.000-08:00

I am starting a New Book that I got in the mail from a gal at the
"The Book Report Network" to review...Looks like a real THRILLER and anyone that knows me knows that I love THRILLERS!!!

The author Raymond Khoury, part of the "Authors on the Web" is a New York Times Bestseller author of his previous best seller, "The Templar Salvation" I will have to read that one after this one.

This one is called "The Devil's Elixir" and was just released in hardcover and
ebook editions on December 22nd. The book features again FBI agent Sean Reilly and archaeologist Tess Chaykin, who were first introduced in the New York Times bestseller "THE LAST TEMPLAR." However, Khoury's latest novel will appeal to new readers because it stands alone.

"The Devil's Elixir" is written in the first person from Reilly's point of view.
This is a historical thriller and will be enjoyed by many who love to be kept on the edges of their seats! I know I read with my throw so I can hide under it when the parts get too thrilling! lol

"The Devil's Elixir" is about the thought that there is a drug lost in Central America'a jungles capable of inducing an experience so momentous and so unsettling that it might just shake the very foundations of Western Civilization! And both sides of the law gets wind of this and both are fighting to to get their hands on it first!! Whoa.....

mond Khoury's million-copy-selling Templar novels, Reilly and Tess traveled the globe to unravel ancient mysteries with present-day ramifications. In
"THE DEVIL'S ELIXIR", they find themselves dragged into a race-against the clock, against a brutal drug kingpin known as "El Brujo"-the sorcerer-and even against government authorities-to merge two divergent trails, one several hundred years old, the other as current as a heartbeat, that could drag humanity down a whirlpool of pain and destruction.

I haven't started read "The Devil's Elixir" yet, but starting it this weekend and looking forward to reading read more about this intriguing thriller...so stay tuned for a review real soon...

and I will also be hosting a contest coming up this next week to win

2 e-books

Happy New Year

2011-12-31T09:46:00.001-08:00

Christmas Reading

2011-12-16T19:52:00.000-08:00

Christmas is always a great time of the year to curl up in front of the fireplace with a good book, your "snuggie" and some hot tea or cocoa. The warmth of the fire always makes the book reading more enjoyable especially with the cooler evenings. A few years ago I read "The Christmas Jar" it is an excellent book of giving and saving and the joys of Christmas cheer...if you get a chance I highly recommend it. I know I have a Christmas jar now every year...

One of my other favorite authors is of course, Debbie Macomber and this year she has out her latest and final [sad to say] Cedar Cove series book, "1225 Christmas Tree Lane" it's on my Christmas list for sure!!!

A brief take: Debbie Macomber’s Cedar Cove series. 1225 Christmas Tree Lane is book 12 and the final novel in the series. You will get to know Beth Morehouse, her daughters, and her ex-husband. There are puppies that will bring back characters from previous books in the series. They adopt the puppies and the reader will learn what’s new in their lives.

You’ll have to read the book Debbie Macomber gives all of the Cedar Cove residents a fond farewell in this satisfying series finale. You will love it and feel bound to this warm neighborhood with all its characters and you might even feel the need to start all over again with the 1st one in the series, "16 Lighthouse Road"

Here are some other good reads:

A Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts

The Perfect Holiday Gift

A Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts is a heartfelt book of inspirational stories, fun family traditions, yummy recipes and so much more! This book is the perfect holiday gift for that very special someone on your list, a gift they will treasure for a lifetime.

"This book took will take your breath away. Truly beautiful, unique, heartwarming. It's one of those books you'll treasure from year to year, reading and re-reading the stories within until you know them by heart. It has a hodgepodge of everything - recipes, inspirational stories, Christmas tips, poetry, projects. There are 160 pages, and it's an overflowing chest full of treasures!"

A Simple Christmas

Twelve Stories That Celebrate The True Holiday Spirit

If you're looking for a little clarity, sanity, and inspiration at this insane time of year, you're sure to enjoy A Simple Christmas. Mick Huckabee tells the stories of twelve of his own Christmas memories, some funny, some deeply moving, that will make you take a deep breath and appreciate the magic of Christmas. You will laugh and cry it is a touching book not about politics..

The Christmas List - A Novel

A Story To Warm Your Heart

A beautiful story of the love between a husband and wife that will have you in tears of joy and sadness, and leave you feeling inspired, uplifted and grateful. Be warned - you won't be able to put it down!

Letters From Father Christmas

A Stunningly Beautiful Book

A beautiful collection of the letters that the children of J R Tolkein received from Father Christmas over the years from 1920 to 1943. Each letter tells a wonderful story and the illustrations are absolutely spellbinding.

"Tolkein wrote these letters to his own children as if they were coming from Santa Claus at the North Pole. They are sweet, funny, obviously done with great love. There are sketches to illustrate. you'll have this one around for many years and give them as Christmas presents and continue to make rereading it a part of getting into the Christmas spirit."

What's A Good Fall Reading?

2011-10-26T23:30:00.000-07:00

What do you like to read when the winds kick up and the temps begin to drop? It's time to take out your snuggies, wrap up in that big easy chair in front of the fireplace and grab your favorite fall read!

What is your idea of a great fall read? Nobody said that the fun has to end. because summer reading season is over. You can still read all the books you purchased over the summer. Autumn’s an even better time to read outside. Beach reading gets a lot of promotion, but the weather’s hot and sticky, and the blazing sun doesn’t make the best reading lamp. The softer light of fall, and the cooler weather, can make an autumn afternoon on the patio with a good book a great joy. With fall, the books can get longer. In summer, we like compact, breezy reading, but in autumn, we’re more comfortable with books that don’t have to fit so easily into a beach bag. So enjoy a much longer book.

I particularly like to get into a new series. Starting one with lots of mystery and light romance... that way I look forward to curling up monthly with the next book in the series.
One of my favorite athors is Joann Fluke I love her mystery series. I am now starting the "Apple Turnover Murder? I look forward to trudging through this new one...

Computer of the Future

2011-09-28T11:29:00.000-07:00

Wow is this too cool or what? I love it ...thank you Chatty Crone

I just love to read but have a hard time fitting it into my busy days as I grow older with more on my plate...so I think that the MP3 is a lifesaver. I can listen to my favorite book and be on my computer or still crochet.

When we read we lots of time "skip? over words...

ALZHEIMERS' EYE TEST

(Its absolutely amazing!)

Count every " F " in the following text:

FINISHED FILES ARE THE RESULT OF YEARS OF SCIENTI

FIC STUDY COMBINED WITH THE EXPERIENCE OF YEARS.

(SEE BELOW)

HOW MANY ? Answer below.

-----------------------------------

Ohhh I want to read this one...I love thrillers and this one has it all....

Thrillers and What Role Do You Play ??????

2011-08-20T09:45:00.000-07:00

"Only a good story has a character in the end different than it was in the beginning" I love this phrase that I borrowed froma blogging friend "Vickie" over at Victory Road Blog.... How true it is...I love reading a good book and won where the character's goals and personna actually changes in the the end tends to make it the best...

Think of a great thriller, wasn't your perception of the killer completely changed by the end of the book? Think of the greats...Stephen King... Mary Higgins Clark....Dean Koontz...James Patterson.. to name a few don't they write about the main character that turns out to be the killer in the end??? And did we guess it? Not always... One of my favorite thrillers was "Whispers" by Koontz....it is a real thriller that made me a bit afraid of the dark after I read it...and Mary Higgens Clark's "Loves Music Loves to Dance" another favorite of mine....that one really stumped me...and who cannot forget Stephen King's "Misery" Kathy Bates did a wonderful protrayal of the main insane character in that thriller...

Yes, thrillers are my thing, mainly I think, because of the "rush" I get from the heart pounding suspense and thoughts I have to put into the "who done it" guessing game. It's a complex mind that thinks up the novels of thrillers and sometimes I wonder if all of us who love them so much, just needs that type of fiction rush to make it through our daily lives.

I sit on the edge of my chair when I read my thrillers with anticipation and excitment itching to turn the pages or click I should say click the pages for most, but I can't seem to put the books down! I crave more and more and the more challenging the more I love it....hmmmm ... I wonder????? Does this put me on the same level with the killers or am I working with the detectives who solve the crimes????? Which one are you realtine to???? Scary thoughts aren't they???? Just food for thought.....................................

And of all the videos "Thriller" witht the late Michael Jackson was an all time favorite of mine!!! What role do you play in a good thriller? Care to share?????

take a thriller home and enjoy

Off On Vacation Book in Hand

2011-08-01T17:17:00.000-07:00

WOW~~~~ it's been a little bit since I posted last...I have been hearing so much about Harry Potter's new movie but I don't want to see it till I read the book...so I am off to get it onto my IPod so I can listen to it while I am on vacation...

One of my favorite reading books are the mystery ones with cats!!! They are mysterious creatures and fasinate me with their uncanny ability to do what ever they want and be so independent cats are a true mystery themselves.....

I am also taking one of Lillian Bran's books, " The Cat Who Talked to Ghosts"

I love love the Lillian Braun's books...she writes with such a flare of realistic characters making them appear real and appealing to all her readers...sadly she died this past June of natural causes at the young age of 97. She had lived in Tryon, North Carolina, for the past 23 years. Lillian wrote 31 books over her lifetime, including two short story collections, and worked 30 years at "The Detroit Free Press."

Braun's books were popular because her characters weren't mean and the cats didn't do anything that a cat wouldn't do in real life. Readers could relate to her stories and felt like the characters were so real that they sometimes wanted to meet them. She actually wrote all her books in longhand and then typed them out herself. Now that is a task and one not heard of these days with the computer age..

The truth was that the woman who wrote about cats didn't even own any in the last years of her life. She was losing her sight, and a kitten kept getting underfoot, Bettinger said. She nearly fell three times so the kitten was sent back to the woman in Atlanta who had given the cat to Braun; the older cat had to be euthanized. The couple had about five cats over the years, all Siamese and all named Koko and Yum Yum.

I also brought with me a few I had started and laid down since I had been so busy these past two months with other obligations and summer... also taking "The Chocolate Cat Capers" by Joann Carl...

I'd like to read "The Chocolate Puppy Puzzle" next.. what fun these two cat books will be to read...I have not read any by this author so it will be interesting to see how they differ in writing styles. :))' I know that this series takes place where she summers in Michigan...

2011-06-16T15:08:00.000-07:00

I joined in on the Handmade Wednesday Hop!!

Join in the fun!!!

Hosted by Crocheted Little Things, Bebe Chat , and Blue Eyed Blessings

What's New on teh Reading Scene?

2011-06-13T18:02:00.000-07:00

Oh my goodness it has been quite awhile since I posted last and I do apologize. I have been swarmed with other obligations and family matters, so back to reading. I have so many books that I want to read and there are so many in my library now that I am not sure when I will have time.

So I have decided, since I joined a gym and I am now exercising daily that I will get a lot of them on audio.com, which by the way is wonderful. Have you all been there and bought audio books? Well if you have not go there and check it out. Its a great way to get your reading in with our busy lives. Especially if you have a communte daily to your jobs. :) They have a monthly fee of $14.95 with the 1st 3 months at $7.95 a month.

But there is one that is the KING of FREE audio books! What you say free? Yes FREE....its Librivox check them out it is wonderful!!! Pick Your Brain did some research on this and came up with these ideas. I love that place...

AudioBooksForFree also has a big catalog to sort through, with an emphasis on classic works, but a decent amount of mystery, sci-fi, and thriller as well. The only catch here is that you’ll have to pay for quality: the lowest quality downloads are free but anything better than 8 Kbps costs $5-8.

If you’re looking specifically for classics, FreeClassicAudioBooks is a nice little resource. Although the library isn’t huge, there are a lot of big names. They also offer the convenience of downloading in an iPod-ready format.

And who knew that on top of all that print content, ProjectGutenberg also has a huge audio section? They’ve got everything from A to Z, including a decent number of works in French, German, and other languages.

LearnOutLoud has over 500 educational titles and offers a lot of video as well.

If you don't mind older classics you can probably find them for free online all over just "Google" it. But if you want some new ones then you will have to pay a little. But there are a ton of Podcasts out there now too that are free.

Now here is another great source its called Simply Audio Books What I like about this place is that you can rent your books at a lower rate and gain credits towards purchasing books too! A subscription gives you download credits which you can redeem towards books on the site. Audio book prices can vary greatly, but with the download club, you get access to more than 6,000 for one flat subscription rate. One credit = one audio book (Note: a small number of titles, approximately 5%, will require 2 credits to download).

This a place that is sort of like NetFlex. They ship the audio books to you, there are no due dates and no late fees. You listen at your leisure and then return it back to them to get another. Plus they have two ways to use your audio books available in MP3 or M4B format. They charge $14.95 a month too.

Well what am I reading....????? I started Beach Road by James Patterson. I love it so far.. :) lots of suspense and thrills when a triple murder starts the book off....and it moves into a legal battle of evil and innocense to be proven in the courtroom. His books never disappoint me. :)
My next book is the Nortorious Mrs Winston by Mary Macey. This is a bit on the history side but Mackey makes it a suberb story with immagination and crsip style. :) Lots of historial detail that sparks the interest and aset of vibrant chacters. A love story to bring tears and rememberence forever.

So read on gals and let me know which place that you get your books from, whether it is audio, e-books or just plain old paperbacks.....till the next paragraph...

Happy Easter

2011-04-24T20:16:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter To All!!!

To Buy or Not Buy a Kindle??? And My 2011 Reads Wish List!!

2011-03-26T16:30:00.000-07:00

Its 2011 and I am not off to a very good start on my reading agenda...so I thought I would list a few of my projected reads and some that I wish to read and some that I hope to read and some that I want to buy so I can read...phew.....April and Easter month of the egg....it is also my "B" day month and I have asked for a Kindle ....I do hope I get one.
I have done some research on the Kindle:

The Amazon Kindle is a portable e-book reader. More precisely, it is a software, hardware and network platform developed by Amazon.com and uses wireless connectivity to enable users to shop for, download, browse, and read e-books, newspapers, magazines, blogs, and other digital media.
I have also asked for an IPod to listen to some books off Audio.com. Has anyone used that?? It is a wonderful place to get those books you want to read but just don't have the time.
For its basic function, reading, after purchasing a book it should be a very pleasant and comfortable experience. It's compact, lightweight, and easy to use at a moment's notice. You should be able to take it with you anywhere. :)

There are some flaws. As many people have reported, it's extremely easy to accidentally push the "next page" bar, which runs nearly the length of the right side of the device. You may also accidentally hit the "Previous" and "Next" page bars on the left as well.
Buying books will be easy and they upload within seconds. In fact, in a stroke of marketing genius, buying books is almost too easy. To be fair, Amazon does a good job of not only presenting detailed information prior to purchase, but you can download the first chapter of most books for free. This is a great way to quickly and easily either get hooked on a book or decide it's not for you. I love that feature... :)

Amazon is smart: your Kindle will come pre-programmed with your name and and your Amazon account. In other words when it arrives you won't need to do anything like configure or "log in" to the device or the Amazon store. It will be set-up ready to go! How cool is that? Some might also argue that its a bit of a security risk, as anyone who can lay hands on your Kindle can start spending your money??? The good news here is that your Kindle's relationship to your Amazon account can be managed via the web without the device. In other words, if you lose your Kindle, you can disassociate it from your account quickly.

Kindle offers subscriptions to major magazines and newspapers. For people who are religious readers of publications like The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and others, this could be a very lucrative way of having the latest issues with you automatically and at all times
Remember, there's no monthly fee. Once you have a Kindle, you have a basic web browser that you can use for free. While at the airport, at the coffee shop, at your friends house, at the park or just about anywhere for FREE. did I mention that already? WOW!!!

A big fear is that "Experimental" means that Amazon may take it away some day. Another fear is that they'll start charging a subscription fee for access. With a v2 browser, though, it might well be worth it.

Kindle also has the ability to play music while you are reading so you can use as an MP3 too, but there are a lot of limitations so don't throw your MP3 away just yet... my consensus is A+ buy it.....

For April: Scrambled Eggs by Doris Riskin

Jake Wanderman's life is spinning out of control. The retired, Shakespeare-loving English teacher's wife leaves him without an explanation. Then his best friend asks him to help an attractive widow whose late husband was a member of the Russian Mafia. It seems there are stolen Faberge eggs hidden in the widow's home, and various people want them. Jake suddenly finds himself dealing with the New York police, the FBI, the KGB, and assorted mobsters. This fast-moving caper takes Jake from Sag Harbor to Moscow and back again. With a colorful cast of characters and enough action to keep readers on their toes, Riskin has all the ingredients for a very entertaining series.

For May: Black Flowers by E. F. Watkins

When a former employee of her husband's genetic engineering firm, Genesis, dies of a drug overdose on her front lawn, Allison Constantine is horrified. She can't forget the young man's final threats that "people like her" will soon "get what's coming to them."

In the days to come, Allie suspects she's being followed, and fears someone might try to kidnap her or her two small children. But who? A rival firm, hoping to extort technical secrets from her husband, David? A protest group that has accused Genesis of reckless experiments? Or a former Genesis president who supposedly killed himself two years earlier?

Probing the company's activities, Allie discovers a pattern of mysterious deaths by electrocution. She begins to fear that the greatest threat to her family may be Genesis, itself, if she dares to interfere with its terrifying secret plans for its executives, for society...and even for Allie's own children...

For June: Twilight Eyes...by Dean Koontz

I already have this book and I want to get this one read before the summer months....it is about Carl Stanfeuss who was born with "Twilight Eyes," a color his grandmother said foretold of psychic abilities. After murdering his uncle Denton at the tender age of seventeen, Carl flees Oregon, shedding his name to become Slim MacKenzie, and join up with the Sombra Brothers Carnival. Of course, it wasn't bad that he murdered his uncle ... because his uncle was one of Them. The goblins.

From his psychic abilities, Slim can see the piggish, doggish faces of the goblins hiding underneath the façade of normal humans. They live off the pain and suffering of others, gathering with glee at fires, accidents, shootings, and disasters.

The book has an explosive culmination that is suppose to keep you on the edge of your set??? We shall see. Koontz is one of my favorite authors alongside of King... One of the scarriest books I have read was "Whispers"

Since Koontz doesn't usually write in first person, which makes this a unique novel among all the others he's done. Its also an earlier novel of his, written before he developed a 'Stephen King' plot theme line. I am told that 'Twilight Eyes' is an adventuresome novel with a unique storyline and is well written enough to keep you up all night long. It came highly recommend. so if you are reading along with me..... Enjoy, but be sure to keep the lights on!

I'm Reading Debbie Macomber's "Summer on Blossom Street"

2010-12-08T21:29:00.000-08:00

I love Debbie Macomber's books!! She writes in a style that I can relate to and also enjoy any time of the year. I get so involved in her stories that I feel let down when they end, which is why I love her Cedar Cove series the best as it keeps on going!! :)

Summer on Blossom Street, is back at the yarn shop with Lydia and her sister Margaret and some of the other characters from Back on Blossom Street, I so enjoy the characters and each of their side stories and can't wait to see what happens next as this one has a man joining in on the yarn group's meetings should be interesting. The meetings are called, "Knit to Quit" geared for people who want to quit something, like smoking, a boyfriend, any bad habit...

A Review of Darkness Falls

2010-11-11T20:02:00.000-08:00

Don Summers gave a review of Darkness Falls and I thought I would add my "two cents" too!! Since I am a big fan of scary and thriller type movies this one "takes the cake" as mom always used to say....It's a real scary one and one that will leave you questioning the Tooth Fairy and maybe convince you to keep that closet door closed all night long!!!
Release: 2003
Directed by: Jonathan Liebesman
Starring:
Chaney Kley as Kyle Walsh
Emma Caulfield as Caitlin 'Cat' Greene
Lee Cormie as Michael Greene
Grant Piro as Larry Fleishman

Remember when you were a kid? Alone, in bed at night. Can’t sleep (because your mom probably made you go to bed at 8:00 PM) and so you peer around your room in the dark. What’s that shadow on the floor from moonlight spilling in from the window? A scarecrow? And what IS that I see through the closet door that’s open a crack? An eye? Oh no…under the bed…what’s that noise?!?

Once in a while there is a movie that captures the fears constructed in a child’s vivid imagination that never completely leave us even into adulthood. Darkness Falls is such a movie.

Darkness Falls begins with a boy, Kyle Walsh (Chaney Kley), who has lost his last tooth. He puts it under his pillow as any good lad should. He knows, however, that the town lore in (the cheerily named) Darkness Falls reports that the tooth fairy is actually the spirit of a woman that was persecuted and generally treated badly by those that lived 150 years ago, and that this “fairy” will do her job correctly and replace the tooth with silver unless…you have the NERVE to see her face while she’s replacing your tooth for money.

If you do see her, it is told, you will be killed horribly. (She is, it would seem, a bit sensitive about her burned up mess of a face) Talk about having trouble sleeping…who could sleep knowing that some frightful frauen is going to come in your room and dare you to take a peek…..

So, of course he can’t sleep, and of course he does see her…and because of that his poor mother is killed when she comes in his bedroom to and checks out his closet to prove to him that everything is alright.

Then Kyle is sent to a mental institution because of rumors that he brutally murdered his mother…only he is wrought with terror of the dark. It seems that the tooth fairy will not rest until she punishes Kyle for peeking, but she can only attack in the dark.

12 years later Kyle is still living in fear and trying to keep his world brightly lit, always holding a flashlight to fend off the attacker of the darkness. He comes back to town when his childhood sweetheart is concerned that her little brother is afraid of the dark and is apparently being stalked by the same spooky specter. I know why would he? But remember its a movie and you have to have the dumb decisions to make it more scary...

Is Darkness Falls a "B" movie? Sure. Does it use a lot of the horror tactics we have seen before to startle and scare the audience? Definitely. Does this mean that you should not see this flick? Absolutely not!

Sometimes I want to see a scary movie simply because I want to sit on the edge of my seat and feel that sensation in my stomach that makes me want to to hold my breath in anticipation. The tooth fairy monster is a scary movie. She comes out at dark time to snatch people up and carry them away – and she is very creepy and very well done through the special effects. The monster herself is original and very believable. The scenes are interestingly constructed and promote the "throwing of popcorn in the air" when the music and the tooth fairy jumps out. The one thing that I did like was that Darkness Falls was extremely light on the gore. I peronally do not care for a lot of gore as others might, I just want to be scared! Which is why I always read thrillers...

If your looking for an excellent Acadamy award movie, then don't watch this one, but if you want some scary, hands over your eyes, movie then rent this one and enjoy. You'll be sure to be checking your closet all night long.....Be sure to put this on your "must see" lists but be sure that you have someone with you when you watch it!!!

I am Reading Again

2010-11-04T17:38:00.000-07:00

So Sorry I have been aay for so long, such is life!!! You know what they say.... "Fill what's empty. Empty what's full. Scratch where it itches." So to scratch my itch....I am reading a real THRILLER....ohhh...and I am thinking that is why my BP rises...really, I read that when you watch happy-funny-laugh out loud flicks your BP actually lowers, but when you watch horror-scary-thriller flicks it rises, and since that is all I watch, wellllllll????????????????? Get the drift?

Anywho....on with this books' little critique......... I love it ....

John Saul's ....."Perfect Nightmare"

This is about a girl that vanishes from her bedroom and how her mom and the next store neighbor collaborate to try and draw out the monster that is taking people and doing unspeakable things to them....it is a book to make one's skin crawl, and one of suspense and chills to make you want to sleep with the light on at night! The Prologue sets the pace of thrills and the story keeps you on the edge of your seat. Not a book to read when you're home alone but one to read on a cold winter evening with a nice hot cup of tea!! You won't want to put this one down, or will you? It may scare you so much that you will want to put it in the freezer. ??? {Remember that episode with Friends, when Joey and Rachel read scary books and Joey kept it in the freezer?}

Whiter Than Snow Book Review author Sandra Dallas

2010-06-09T12:40:00.000-07:00

Whiter Than Snow was a really great read. It has an intriging feel of historical fiction put into the story about a tiny town in Colorado and it's townsfolks. It starts out with a tragic Avalanche that destroys not only some of its residents lives, but it also begins to mend relationships and reveal some hidden secrets.

I found it to be interesting and a hard to put down read. I kept wanting to read more to know what was going to happen next with the town. I especially wanted to know about two of it's main characters, who were sisters, and how their lives from high school age through adulthood would end.

Set back in 1920, the reader is thrown into a whirlwind drama of the towns reactions and emotions from this tragic occurance, and how it effects the people that there. I liked the stories twists and turns of how fate and chance are reveled through the Avalanche's aftermath and how no one's life is without sin nor is it "whiter than snow." A wonderful play on words!

Sandra Dallas has nine other novels and lives in Denver.

Guest House by Barbara K Richardson, Discussion

2010-04-28T15:31:00.000-07:00

I finished reading "Guest House " by Barbara K. Richardson. I found this novel to be fast paced and have very true to life characters. Ricahardson depics the thoughts and actions of one of the main characters, an eleven year old boy, with great detail and precise adolescence behavior. It kept me onthe edge of my seat in anticipation of his next experience. I liked how the scenes were not so over indulged on, bringing the main focus of the characters feelings and demeanor as the life line of the stories plot.

The people who lodged at "Guest House" are brought to the reader's attention by their strange and "unfantasized" relationships, which is so true in any real life scenario. Stepping into the minds of these characters and learning about their desires and sorrows is invigorating and makes you want to jump in and help them out or tell them to shut-up? Not sure which I felt at times?

It begins when Melba, one of the best real estate agents in Oregon, witnesses a tragic accident involving a large truck and a bicyclist. It ends in the cyclist's death. Melba, so torn up inside by this experience, swears off her vehicle, leaving it right there on the side of the road, quits her job, and declares to never drive again for fear of killing somone with her car and also to help stop air polution. She finds "Guest House in major need of repair and purchases the place in hopes of gaining peace in a more simpler life.

The "guest" that ends up living with her, Jolee, has her own twisted agenda, which does not always coincide with Melbas. Between that, and Jolees visitors, Melba gets entangled on a long roller coaster ride of daring lifestyle choices, which has her facing her own maternal instincts, and more than she had bargained for. I liked this novel and if you get a chance to read it you won't be disappointed.

This is Barbara K. Richardson's debut novel. She comes from a background of part comedian, part landscape designer, and zen master. She has portrayed her characters to accentuate their despair and ambition allowing the reader to experience hope and salvation through the natural nuturing of a woman who meshes with a child in need of love. She entangles family obligations with her character's actual magnetic inclinations and depicts it all in the landscaping of the country and a sparce little "blink of the eye" town in the desert. An excellent read!! :)

A New Guest Reader Book by Barbara Richarson

2010-04-07T19:55:00.000-07:00

I just received today a copy of this book, "Guest House" by Barbara Richardson, to read for them. I can't wait to get started and see what it is all about...I just wanted to post that I am starting it and will be posting what I think soon...What a fun sounding book....

Ugly Sweater Party Prize Books

2010-03-31T17:19:00.000-07:00

I recently hosted an "Ugly Sweater" parter for my LYG Spring Fling party and the prizes for the 3 best sweaters were books. I did some research and found some pretty interesting books about sweaters that I felt were appropriate for the winners.

The 1st prize was for the "Ugliest Sweater"....and the prize book was called "The Sweater Book" and it is a really cool book about how people's personalities relate to their sweaters. They had all the subjects put on the same sweater and then watching how they wore it, the author Mosher, was able to capture on film a really remarkable phenomenon - when given a common item with which to express themselves, each person's distinctive personality came shining through, and the sweater becomes a symbol of what each considers to be most unique about themselves.

The resulting collection of over 500 stunning black-and-white photographs proves to be a touching and exhilarating ride from New York to Dallas, from Hollywood to London, as Mosher explores the creativity of celebrities and humbles alike - in their homes and workplaces, with their families and pets, in any way they chose. The people featured includes top names from the world of theater, film, TV, fashion, music, dance, and literature, such as Michael Bolton, Dominick Dunne, Matthew Broderick, Ted Danson, Tim Allen, Noah Wyle, Quentin Crisp, Josh Hartnett, Ryan Phillipe, and many more. I loved the book and want to order one just for myself now!!

The 2nd prize was for the "weirdest, funniest, strangest" sweater and the book given was none other than the "king" of sweater wearing himself, Bill Cosby's book...called "Cosbyology" it consists of essays and observations from Bill Cosby himself... and a little trivia "Awhile back it seems his daughter was going through a closet can came across a ton of his famous "sweaters" he wore on all his TV shows and they ended up donated them to an auction to help out needy children and they raised over $5000 from them." wow...

Our 3rd prize was for the sweater "that would never see the light of day again" and it was a funny book by Debbie Macomber called, "The Truly Terrible, Horrible Sweater ...that Grandma knit..."
It is a fun little story of how this little boy was knit a sweater by his grandma that he felt was awful and the book even comes with the pattern!!! There’s probably not a knitter alive who hasn’t presented a handmade gift and wondered whether the recipient would use it or throw it in the closet. Cameron’s sweater from Grandma Susan gets the closet treatment—and worse. But there's a twist when she tells him why she chose the special colors she knit it with..... another must have book for any knitter or child's library....

Reading When it Rains Outside

2010-02-06T15:51:00.000-08:00

Do you like to read when it rains outside? I do...I especially like to get my favorite "lapghan" and curl up next to the fireplace and grab a good book and read. The only problem is making sure DH stays away long enough to get me through more than a few chapters. LOL.....

I am just starting A Veiled Deception by Annette Blair, and love it...If you love cozies, get this first-person paranormal mystery. This is a new series and this being the 1st one is one not to be missexd. The main character is a dress designer/vintage clothes collector with paranormal gifts inherited from her late mother. New York designer Madeira Cutler who returns to Connecticut for the wedding of her younger sister Sherry, who she virtually raised when their mother died. Their father can't deal with the details of the wedding and the hostility of the groom's wealthy mother. Then the groom's former flame shows up, obviously planning to replace Sherry as bride.

When she's strangled at the shower with her antique bridal veil, Maddie has to not only redesign the dress but also make sure neither bride nor groom is jailed for the murder. Helping her -- and vying for her affections -- are her hot FBI sometimes-boyfriend and a local police detective she's fought with since high school. yummy....be sure to grab a copy of this short paperback and curl up by your fireplace to enjoy another wonderful read like I am doing, opps here comes more rain...ta ta for now I am off to read some more.. :)

Dogs and the Miricles they Create for Us and Mitford Series

2010-01-28T15:28:00.000-08:00

Hello 2010...I just found out that Jan Karon's "Mitford" series has like 9 books in it... WOW I thought there were only 4....so I am back to excitingly reading the 3 I have and the Bedside Companion one too!

I wanted to share this video I found on A Knitting Junkie blog with you. It is so inspiring that I had to add it here. :)

Back From a Long Break

2009-11-12T14:30:00.000-08:00

I have been away from blogging here for some time. But I am back, had the flu and just "life" got in the way of my visits here.

So what am I reading? Well....I am on book #3 of Debbie Macomber's "Cedar Cove" series. I just love them and in this one we are talking about 311 Pelican Court where Rosie lives. Will her and hubby be divorced forever, or will they get back together? And what is happening with the dead guy in the B&B? Who was he?

I cannot wait to read more to find out what's going on in Cedar Cove...I think the next thing should be some good recipes and knitting patterns, will have to get the companion crafting book next. :)

Too Funny Animals

2009-03-23T19:07:00.000-07:00

Another Type of Reading???

2009-03-08T10:10:00.000-07:00

I went to the library last week and was amazed at the improvements of library borrowing... you can now borrow books on CD's and books on MP3...wow....for $1 I got "Twenty Wishes" by Debbie Macomber, I am listening to it now...I put the CDs in my computer CD drive and listen while I surf the net.. :) and next week I will rent a MP3 of James Patterson's "Beach" now I do not have to try and get the time to sit and read a book I really want to read, all I have to do is stick an ear piece in my ear and do or go where I have to go and "voila" I am getting to finish a book along with my chores or crocheting too!! What a wonderful concept!!!.. I am hooked....And since I have run out of room on my bookshelves, I don't have to purchase the book, the library is free...what a great way to save in these "tight" economical times! Now DH is happy too!!

Advise and a Weird New Kind of Bookshelf

2009-02-22T20:31:00.000-08:00

Some good advise? Take it or leave it, but remember that most of it is quite true and could make you a happier person from this day forward!

Your career is not nearly as important as your life. Don't sacrifice the latter for the former.
Hug your Mom. Someday she'll be very old, very loving, very concerned, 1200 miles away, and too frail to travel. And someday after that, she'll be gone.
I think the best advice I have heard was to try to never let someone ruin your day by their actions.
Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. (Mark Twain)
Enjoy your kids now, but remember that your job is to make yourself unnecessary to them eventually so they can live their own life happily and independently.

An unusual bookshelf design and is one that you can "roll" up with a good book. Here’s a circular bookshelf by designer Zhdanova Irina. Her design also comes with a set of sofas that can be stored as a matching ring: Link - via Cribcandy and Yanko Design

What's Happening to the Novel's Future?

2009-02-19T14:31:00.000-08:00

The news is saying that the novel is DEAD!!

I read reports that say the novel is dead. What? How can that be? I am still buying them and racking up the $$ on my Visa; aren't you? I mean any "readoholic" is doing the same. And who doesn't love book stores? It just is not the same to use a cell phone to read a book or download it onto the computer. I need that warm and fuzzy feeling I get in a book store. I also need the scones they have there!!

It's no secret that the number of independent bookstores is on the wane. And even big chain stores like Borders are having trouble. Scott Karp, who writes the Publishing 2.0 blog, predicted bookstores would be obsolete in 10 years. That was last year, so we apparently have just nine years left.

Is it time to write the novel's obituary?
More recently, author Richard Laermer wrote that book publishing is dead because editors are too young (oh, please), books are too expensive (maybe), and the publishing industry publishes too many books and spends too much marketing books that don't need it, and not enough on books that do (I'm inclined to agree). Also, the industry generally moves too slowly (I'd second that).

With dying bookstores and publishers, what future is there for the novel?

I predict it will be around for a long time, although maybe not necessarily in the form we're used to.

Though publishers might have to find new ways to make money and structure deals, people have loved novels far too long for them to vanish.A Scholastic project called "The 39 Clues" is already out. This is a 10-book mystery series about the powerful Cahill family; each book is said to unlock one clue (I'm a little worried about the math, given that there aren't 39 books in the series). "Book 1: The Maze of Bones" was written by Rick Riordan, the author of the wildly popular Percy Jackson series. It's likely this will be big with kids. I sure want to read them.

In the most important ways, the future of the novel looks great. People still love writing them, even if they're doing it in their spare time on cell phones, as did the best-selling Japanese novelist. People also still love reading them, as evidenced by the bake sales they'll hold to buy more.

If publishers can't figure out how to make a profit on the novel, that's their problem -- and another story entirely.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

2008-12-24T14:38:00.000-08:00

What's in a Bookstore?

2008-12-15T19:25:00.000-08:00

I went to my local Barnes and Nobles today to get a gift certificate for a family member and I spent most of the time leafing thru the new arrivals. I love the Christmas themed books put out for the holiday season and the cutesy ones for the whole family. One was about a cat and why they feel the way they do, another was a whole list of favorite YouTube links to the best of the best videos. I mean who wouldn't be interested in checking that out? And Donna VanLiere has a new one out that is suppose to be another book turned into holiday classic....I wanted to purchase so many of the books that I almost forgot why I went in there....sheesh.....I love book stores, theres no doubt about it...I just cannot wait to see if anyone bought me any of the ones I was googling over....but of course we all know unless we list them on our "wish list" that the ones chosen for us may not be the ones we wanted, but then that could be a good thing, as we may find a new author just that way....

As you all know I am a Mary Higgins Clark fan and absolutely love her books and she has not disappointed us and has come out with a new one for the holidays that I sure hope I find under my tree...and it is written with her daughter Carol Higgins...

It is about a group of employees who go in together to purchase a lotto ticket that wins, but them find out the person who was suppose to but it never did..or did he? Mary Higgins Clark's favorite characters Alvirah Meehan, the amateur sleuth, and private investigator Regan Reilly are visiting the town where the mystery is at....its a fast-paced holiday caper that will keep you glued to your chair in front of the fireplace on these cold winter nights....I sure plan on doing that as soon as I get the book! :)

Now back to what's in a book store? Well books of course.......now you already knew that one didn't you???

Happy Thanksgiving

2008-11-26T15:28:00.000-08:00

My Christmas Gift-Along List

2008-11-13T15:12:00.000-08:00

I got this idea from over at Niki's blog to list my URL with her to get more traffic and also keep track of my projects....since it requires reading I thought I would add it on this blog for some good reading...

What this “along” project is: Gift-Along is a blogroll collected with fellow gift-making bloggers. Blogrolls help blogs gain exposure and many times new regular readers. Every week, or few weeks, blog a post with your up-to-date gift-making list and photos of finished projects. Of course, some gifts will be top secret I imagine if you would prefer to keep something on your list hidden from possible recipients. Feel free to snag my image (right click–> copy image location) to use in your ‘08 GAL posts, and don’t forget to link back to this post so other may find this GAL as well!Your gift list can be of anything handmade; felt crafts, knit/crochet, sewing, you name it! The purpose of this gift-along is to get blogging crafters in general together.

My current gift-making list:

a book crochet ....J
crochet wine bottle......Lori
sew apron western........Mary
sew apron pig......Sandy
kids apron set sew.....Ashley
crochet birthday hat......group
crochet apron for red hats gift
sew bag for corvette club gift
sew cat apron ....Gail
sew apron cat......Alane
sew apron bird houses....Lori
crochet veg and fruit with flowers basket....Alane
crochet small ????....for crochet group
?????????????? for red hats group members [something small]
?????????????? for Amanda

If you’d like to join this gift-along and want to register your blog URL, please do so in a comment over at the A-Team. 2008 GAL blogroll:

Happy Crafting great idea Niki

We Have A Winner

2008-11-03T10:27:00.000-08:00

Congratulations goes out to fbartlett!!!

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers: 27
Timestamp: 2008-11-01 17:22:54 UTC

She was out lucky winner ....

unfortunately we had to exclude "4cope" as there was no email or blog to follow, sorry!

Confirmed:

fbartlett.................. yes and mailed

Songs The Wizard of Oz and Thanksgiving Memories

2008-11-02T13:06:00.000-08:00

Almost immediately after the Halloween, we turn our thoughts to Thanksgiving. The chill is even in the air here in So. CA with a little rain. Boy did we need that. One of my earliest recollections of childhood Thanksgivings comes from watching the Wizard of Oz on an old TV, black and white, in the parlor area of my favorite Aunt's house. My mom and dad and Aunt Mary and Uncle Harry would be in the kitchen laughing and yelling playing cards. It was a Sat night ritual for them and for me it was watching the the WOZ. In grade school we were making pilgrim hats and learning holiday songs to sing at one of our usual assemblys we had for the holidays.

A couple songs I remember - occasionally fragments will pop into my head - are Over the River and Through the Woods, which always reminds me of feasting, and We Gather Together, the quintessential “pilgrim” hymn.

Over the River is the newer of the two, written by Lydia Maria Child, remember her? She was kind of the Martha Stewart in her day. It originally appeared in a book of poetry, Flowers for Children, Vol. 2, in 1844.

Over the River, and Through the Woods:

Over the river and through the woods,

to Grandfather’s house we go;

the horse knows the way to carry the sleigh,

through the white and drifted snow.
Over the river, and through the woods,

to Grandfather’s house away!

We would not stop for doll or top,

for ’tis Thanksgiving Day.
Over the river, and through the woods-

oh, how the wind does blow!

It stings the toes and bites the nose,

as over the ground we go.
Over the river, and through the woods

and straight through the barnyard gate.

We seem to go extremely slow-

it is so hard to wait!
Over the river, and through the woods-

when Grandmother sees us come,

She will say, “O, dear, the children are here,

bring a pie for every one.”
Over the river, and through the woods-

now Grandmothers cap I spy!

Hurrah for the fun!

Is the pudding done?

Hurrah for the pumpkin pie!

How many of you remember that one?

How about We Gather Together it is considerably older, written in the 17th century, but translated into English only in 1894.

We gather together to ask the Lord’s blessing;

he chastens and hastens his will to make known;

the wicked oppressing now cease from distressing:

sing praise to his Name, he forgets not his own.
Beside us to guide us, our God with us joining,

ordaining, maintaining his kingdom divine;

so from the beginning the fight we were winning:

thou, Lord, wast at our side:

all glory be thine!
We all do extol thee, thou leader triumphant,

and pray that thou still our defender wilt be.

Let thy congregation escape tribulation:

thy Name be ever praised!

O Lord, make us free!

Some Book Reviews:

I searched over at Goodreads and found a critque on this book "Thanksgiving" book by Janet Evanovich

October 31st 2006 (first published 1988) by HarperTorch
256 pages
isbn 0060598808 (isbn13: 9780060598808)

What is it about:
When Megan Murphy discovered a floppy-eared rabbit gnawing on the hem of her skirt, she meant to give its careless owner a piece of her mind, but Dr. Patrick Hunter was too attractive to stay mad at for long. Soon the two are making Thanksgiving dinner for their families.

Since I love Thanksgiving and I like Evanowich's book I may get this one.

This next one is a real interesting one. I have not read anything by this author before either.

published 2006 by HarperCollins
416 pages
isbn 0060094435 (isbn13: 9780060094430)

What is it about:

Richard Bausch calls this, his tenth novel, "a love comedy with sorrows." The story is set in the small Virginia valley town of Point Royal, where several of Bausch's other novels and many of his stories take place. It is 1999; predictions of catastrophe blare on the radio, and religious fanaticism is everywhere on the rise. The millennium is approaching.
Oliver Ward and his divorced daughter, a young policewoman named Alison, and Oliver's two grandchildren become involved with Holly Grey and Holly's aunt Fiona, elderly ladies with a marked propensity for outlandish behavior. Holly's son, Will Butterfield, and Elizabeth, Will's second wife by that name, have been happily married for ten years but are about to discover how fragile happiness is.
And in the middle of all of them is an old priest, Father John Fire, who is a good man, thinking of leaving the priesthood. He is called "Brother Fire" by everyone who knows him, after the famous words of Saint Francis when confronted with the burning brand with which he would be martyred. Close to both Holly and Fiona, Brother Fire also has a part to play in the rapidly unfolding family drama.
Thanksgiving Night is a touching and empathetic portrayal of family$#8212;the one we have, and the ones we make. The people who populate these pages are flawed, wounded, stubborn, willful, scarred, often wildly eccentric, and all searching, in one way or another, for love. 1006

Bloggy Givaways Carnival Contest Scary Readers Bloggy Giveaway

2008-10-28T13:56:00.000-07:00

This is "Carnival" week for the "Scary Readers Bloggy Giveaway". I will be giving away "3" yes "3" scary books this week in honor of Halloween. Remember, you don't have to be a blogger to win.

So, how can you win these Scary books? You must enter the giveaway in three ways

These are "3" scary books, Terry Brooks, Running with the Demons, and Jay Brandon's, Predator's Waltz, and the 3rd one Marissa Piesman's, Unorthodox Practices. Each one a little has some mystery, thrills, and scare tactics involved in the plot. You will love them or be scared by them...

3 ways to win......You MUST do #1 to be eligible to win the prize. After that, #2 and #3 are optional ways to gain extra entries. Please leave a separate comment for each entry. Each person can earn up to 3 entries.

Leave a comment below and tell me if you are going to go out "Trick or Treating" this year and what your costume will be or was? Then leave a comment with your name, link, and/or email.
You may also leave a comment below about one of the most scariest books you ever read and why you liked it and who is your favorite scariest author. Be sure and leave a link to you or your email. Feel free to grab one of "DaBookLady's" buttons from the sidebar if you like.

You may enter a second time by posting about this giveaway on your blog by linking to DaBookLady's Reading Life and be sure to leave a comment below with the link

Good Luck! Giveaways open all week till October 31st 12:01 PST.

Random Drawing:
This contest will be closed on Friday, October 31st, 2008 at 11:59pm EST. A random number drawing will be held shortly after. The winner will be announced here and will be contact via email or through their blog. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new number will be drawn.

For even more fun giveaways this week, visit the Bloggy Giveaways Canival.

Limitations: This giveaway is for anyone with a mailing address within the U.S. and Canada. You do not need to be a blogger to enter, but you must have a valid email address. If you enter anonymously and do not include a valid email address in your comment entries, I will not be able to notify you should you win this random drawing.

If you'd like to receive reminders about our giveaways, you can subscribe to DaBookLady (for free!) in the right sidebar or via e-mail. You can also learn more about the DaBookLady here.

Have fun!

Where to Find it All???

2008-10-27T12:42:00.000-07:00

What a great site..IndieBound is a site to talk about your favorite bookstore and give it your support...do check out this wonderful place of voicing about your book stores....

Be sure to check out the wonderful artwork here.

And if you want to find a book or anything about them be sure to visit "BookDaddy" a wonderful place with a wealth of info....

And to find out what's happening in So CA book world be sure to check out The Book Scene

Creepy Cute Crochet Review

2008-10-13T16:31:00.001-07:00

I was sent this wonderful crochet book to review. It is by Quirk Books' "Creepy Cute Crochet" and it was released last spring. I loved it....It has so many [20] cute "creepy"designs especially for the Amigurumi lover. The patterns are easy to follow with loads of pictures and you can tell the amount of experience it takes to make each one as they are rated. Since I love Halloween it was a perfect little treat for me. If you are interested in some cute little monsters, nijas or little spooky crochet beings, then this is the book you'll "die" for. [no pun intended]

The animals are really cute just like the title portrays with a little "creepyness" to them. :) very small and I especially liked the vampires...yeeks!! There is even some humorous writings listed.

I highly recommend it for any crochet creepy animal lover as a "must have" pattern book for your crochet library...I know I love it !! Around $14.95

Craft Books and More

2008-09-23T14:13:00.000-07:00

I have seen a lot of Japanese felt books posted on blogs, like Suzie Can Stitch, be sure and scroll down and see the cute magnets of the tea pot and eggs. they are adorable and my fav! Flickr is alway a good place to find these books to look like a lot of fun, especially since the projects seem to be quick, easy, and inexpensive. :) You can purchase many of them right from Ebay.

I have also seen many cute projects that I want to try. I have so been not only an avid reader but also a crocheter, but lately have gotten interested in crafting in other areas. My friend "P" has been showing me her MANY crafting "WIP" and also finished ones and I am hooked! I loved some of her ideas, like Tea Bag Folding.....wow is that a great one for making and using on your cards. There are quite a few blogs out there with the "tell how" and also lots of books like,

These craft books interested me since I am married to a dutchman. :) from the Netherlands. They were published sometime in the 1970s and are very similar to a lot of the American vintage craft books. I love just about everything about them and it all seems very current.
Looks like one of the books is on dolls and the other two, Nieuwe Borduur Ideeen and Borduur Met Plezier have lots of embroidery projects and a few patchworks, pincushions, and butterflies
and even some kids' artwork to textile transformation with the cutest squirrel! Stuff for babies too!
I just love using felt and the books are numerous to give you some great ideas. Just Google and have fun!

Walking with Dinosaurs

2008-08-24T20:32:00.001-07:00

I went to see them and WOW....

Happy 4th to all my Online Friends

2008-07-02T11:50:00.000-07:00

DaBookLady will be taking the summer off and will be returning in September, however please leave any comments here and I will be periodically checking in. Or email DabookLady

So Many Books and Not Enough Time

2008-06-27T17:13:00.000-07:00

Today and all week I have been going down to the grassy area over looking the beach and sitting in my lawn chair an reading. I am reading Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen I am really enjoying this enchanting book about 2 sisters and a small town with lots of history and a special garden.

The weather has been perfect. In the 80s and the beach is thriving with families since school is out. I love it there as I can not olny read with the sound of the ocena in the background but I also get to people watch, another "fav" thing of mine to do. :)

The chattering of the kids playing and frolicking in the water and the water pounding on the pilings of the pier are a great back drop of noise level while reading.

It is peaceful and yet populated with scattered faces of sheer happiness of the summer month's fun to be had.

I do so love this time of year.

I have so many good books that are intriging me at the moment and looking over them I see there is not enough time to actually read them all. So I decided to list some of here in the sidebar and then read them in that order. I have such a time trying to decide which one to read and then I find another in the store or get one as a gift and "poof" my whole decision is interrupted and I am confused once again as to which to choose.. :(

Lets see if this little organized list helps me go through some of my books that are piling up everywhere. Now to try and stay out of the book stores!!!! hmmmmmm

What's in a Story?

2008-06-05T12:09:00.000-07:00

Every novel is a long, involved, fictitious story that is intended to entertain or instruct the reader. In order to better understand a novel one should understand that it starets with a setting adds charachters and then gets into a plot.

One viewer has decided that women are the readers. A couple of years ago, British author Ian McEwan conducted an admittedly unscientific experiment. He and his son waded into the lunch-time crowds at a London park and began handing out free books. Within a few minutes, they had given away 30 novels.

Nearly all of the takers were women, who were "eager and grateful" for the freebies while the men "frowned in suspicion, or distaste." The inevitable conclusion, wrote McEwan in The Guardian newspaper: "When women stop reading, the novel will be dead."

McEwan's prognosis is surely hyperbole, but only slightly. Surveys consistently find that women read more books than men, especially fiction. Explanations abound, from the biological differences between the male and female brains, to the way that boys and girls are introduced to reading at a young age.

One thing is certain: Americans—of either gender—are reading fewer books today than in the past. A poll released by The Associated Press and Ipsos, a market-research firm, found that the typical American read only four books last year, and one in four adults read no books at all.
A National Endowment for the Arts report found that only 57 percent of Americans had read a book in 2002 a four percentage-point drop in a decade. Book sales have been flat in recent years and are expected to stay that way for the foreseeable future.

Among avid readers surveyed by the AP, the typical woman read nine books in a year, compared with only five for men. Women read more than men in all categories except for history and biography.

"Reading requires incredible patience, and the ability to 'feel into' the characters. That is something women are both more interested in and also better at than men," says Brizendine.
Rekindling the Reading Magic.

There are exceptions to the fiction gap. More boys than girls have read The Harry Potter series, according to its U.S. publisher, Scholastic. What's more, Harry Potter made more of an impact on boys' reading habits. Sixty-one percent agreed with the statement "I didn't read books for fun before reading Harry Potter," compared with 41 percent of girls.

I believe with my own reading that I can drift into a new world of any book I am reading giving me the escape I may need for that particular moment. I relate to all my charachters and feel either their joy or sadness. Books warm the heart and ecery story being told can be as complex or simple as the next with still a point to made across each page the reader.

New Books On the Shelf

2008-05-29T18:07:00.000-07:00

I got some new books to brag about...1st my wonderful swapping friend over at BABEs DaBookLady Swap sent me this great read, "Anna Katrina" by Leo Tolstoy. It is about a russian girl in the 19th century I cannot wait to dive into it. Opera's Book Club special...

Then i got from Amazon 2 ordered books I have been wanting "A is for Apron" and "The Apron Book" both excellent reads about the history of aprons and how to make them and love them. And as an apron lover I am I am diving into each of them with a fine tooth comb. They have so much info that I can not digest it all....

The other find I have is called "Black Cat, Black Dog" by John Creed....this book is another one of those spy reads, but beware this is brutal and complex and a real thriller, my favorites!!!!

Monday's Simple Woman's Daybook

2008-05-19T20:43:00.001-07:00

Outside My Window... I see the squirrel scampering up the front tree, that I have named "Chi-chidee" and watch the neighbor's walking their cute white lab on one of its daily walks. Molly's owner walks her everyday and since my computer is in front of my office window I am able to watch as the dog friendly neighbors walk by with their dogs.

I am thinking... of going to the post office and mailing some letters and finishing the lining in my bags and cutting out my apon for the Apronista swap I am in this month, I am also thinking about whether I should plant the grass seed in the yard today or not?

I am thankful for... my family, friends, and my health. I am glad to have such a wonderful hubby who is so handy that he put up our new back door on Sunday in such a jiffy and it looks beautiful

From the kitchen...hot tea, oatmeal with cinnamom and toast and sugarless jelly

I am wearing... a pair of blue flowered shorts and tourquois top with flip flops, my hair is pulled back with a lobster clip and wearing my favorite "Adias" spray cologne that my DH gave me for my "B" day. :)

I am creating... several new bags for my online store, my Etsy shop, and also for Christmas presents. Yes I am already thinking about Christmas. Am I organized or what...

I am going... to be home most of the week and plan on working more of finishing all the loose ends on my bags and aprons.

I am reading... Phillip Margonlin's "Lost Lake" a true suspenseful book that I started on my trip to the mid-west last week. It is a real thriller.

I am hoping... to start a walking regime to increase my daily exercise

I am hearing... the birds chirping as it is feeding time for them....and Bob on his computer typing up his newsletter, and Lifetime channel is drumming away in the background

Around the house... it is like a symphony with the birds and the evening crickets beginning their nightly song. The moon flowers are beginning to open up for the evening and the water lilys on the pond are starting to close. Foxy is jumping around wanting me to take her for a walk and the phone is ringing.

One of my favorite things... is to sit out by the pond and feed the Koi and watch the mosquito fish jumping around trying to catch an insect that dares to land on the water top. The waterfalls sound is soothing and the relaxing atmosphere sets a tranquil moment in the yet busy day of life.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: Tuesday I need to go and pick up some more top soil for my plants, and then finish my seeding the back yard bare spots, Wednesday, I need to read a little and change the sheets on my bed and get Bob to help me add the new dust ruffle, Thursday I have a lunch date with my good friend Terri, and Friday we will be leaving for the weekend for the cabin in the mountains for a long deserving restful weekend.
Here is picture thought I am sharing...

The pond in my yard where I spend so many happy hours.

And one of my friendly squirrels getting one of his previously buried peanuts to munch on!

If you would like to join in on th efun of the "Simple Woman's" blog. Go there and join in on the Monday fun! Visit her at http://thesimplewoman.blogspot.com/

Friday Fill Ins

2008-05-16T12:32:00.000-07:00

1. There is absolutely NO way you can get me to go on a roller coaster, go into a cave, or jam into a crowed room! I am too clostrophobic for any of these feats.

2. Watching all the sparrows splashing in my pond reminds me that summer is almost here!

3. I cannot live without my yarn, a good book, and my computer. Sad I know, but I am an online junkie, then I crochet or knit a bit, and then I settle outside on my favorite chair with a good book.

4. Taking a cake decorating class and ballroom dancing are two things I'd like to try.

5. When life hands you lemons squeeze them out and move forward to find the apples.

6. Helping my Dad build our summer cabin when I was 9 yr old, actually I just carried him the nails, but it was the closness with him I enjoyed the most as my favorite childhood memory.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to dinner out, tomorrow my plans include planting my new assylums and Sunday, I want to go down to the beach after church!

I got New Reading from Nashville

2008-05-15T16:49:00.000-07:00

I can't wait to read the Red Hats book, and the Polar Shift I hav ebeen wanting for some time now. Can you believe that Krogers had these beautiful hard cover books for only $1.50. WOW....

I wanted to share some of my Mom's day surprises...Bob took me away of course, and then bought me yarn at Hobby Lobby and also earrings and a T-shirt to match at Grand Ole Opry. John, my son, got me a beautiful card and a chimes glass ball statute holder for my garden.....Lori my daughter is coming over Sat to see me..... :)

Booking Through Thursday on Friday

2008-04-25T21:22:00.001-07:00

I was late.. :(

Do your reading habits change in the Spring? somewhat I guess, I usually like lighter fun books and ones with happier endings.

Do you read gardening books? oh yes indeed and I have a greenhouse [small one]Even if you don’t have a garden? More light fiction than during the Winter? yes yes Less? Travel books? yes Light paperbacks you can stick in a knapsack? I always have them in the car and in my bags and in the trunk so I can go to the beach with them
Or do you pretty much read the same kinds of things in the Spring as you do the rest of the year? no but I do still read a good thriller to keep me tingling with excitment...hmmm I think I may be a bit strange???

Look What Came Walking Down my Street?

2008-04-25T11:05:00.000-07:00

I had to post this cute little mama and her chicks. I was sitting in my office and glanced out the window and tada...there she was just a waddling down the sidewalk..lol....

Now I here are some future reads..I just got the two "eat, pray, and love" and Anne Lamott's "Blue Shoe" from a book swap and I am excited to start. Plus I got the "Not your mama's Crochet" book and I want to read that one too as it has a lot of hints and ideas.

Then in my Apron swap I got the "Chocolate for a Women's Dreams" book another one to read while nibbling on some dark chocolate...yummy!!

"Sew U" New Sewing Book

2008-04-21T11:03:00.001-07:00

I was visiting my firend over on Angry Chicken and she had a review on a great book called; Sew U; Home Stretch. I don't usually comment here about books like this but I am a sewer so I had to read up on this book and loved it!!! I agree that it has some wonderful ideas about what to do and not to do with knits and stretchy materials. I am one that has a little difficulty when sewing with them, don't you? It is a joy to see a very "reader friendly" book for us sewers..

Thursday And What are You Reading?

2008-04-17T12:34:00.000-07:00

Okay so I am not reading a lot of new novels now...I know I know...but I have been so on the go, [I hate the word busy] that I just plum ran out of time. But I am reading a little, does that count???

I went away for the weekend , last weekend I should say, and I started Rita Mae's "Rest in Peace" I just love her novels they are light and amusing and loads of interesting page turners. This one is about:
Mrs. Murphy thinks the new man in town is the cat's meow.... Maybe she should think again. Small towns don't take kindly to strangers—unless the stranger happens to be a drop-dead gorgeous and seemingly unattached male. When Blair Bainbridge comes to Crozet, Virginia, the local matchmakers lose no time in declaring him perfect for their newly divorced postmistress, Marry Minor "Harry Haristeen." Even Harry's tiger cat, Ms. Murphy, and her Welsh Corgi, Tee Tucker, believe he smells A-okay. Could his one little imperfection be that he's a killer? Blair becomes the most likely suspect when the pieces of a dismembered corpse begin tuming up around Crozet. No one knows who the dead man is, but when a grisly clue makes a spectacular appearance in the middle of the fall festivities, more than an early winter snow begins chilling the blood of Crozet's very best people. That's when Ms. Murphy, her friend Tucker, and her human companion Harry begin to sort throughout the clues . . . only to find themselves a whisker away from becoming the killer's next victims.
Anyone else out there a fan of her?

I also started another in my library...."The Middle Ages" by Jennie Fields. Its a birdseye view into the single woman in her later 40s. I love this theme. Being a bit past that age and happily married I can still relate to the age changes it brings us. I am finding this book quite enjoyable.

Now onto some other stuff, DH and I went to Palm Springs over the weekend and it was really warm, but the best part was that he took me on a horse drawn carriage ride around town. That was really nice. :) And romantic in the evening hours...

Read-on

What Should I Read Next????

2008-04-08T16:13:00.000-07:00

I have an enormous selection to choose from, but I still want to go to B&N and get more????? Am I sick???? Almost as bad as my yarn collection addiction. But I am finishing up Debbie Macomber's 2nd Cedar Cove series books. I love them and also love Jan Karon. My friend got me her new one. I also wanted to work on the Maggie Sefton series as I have only read the 1st one, "Knit One, Kill Two" and I have 2 more of hers. I also wanted to continue with James Patterson's book that I got for Chritmas from a friend, "The Darkest Evening of the Year"....and Joann Flukes, "Banana Split Murder Mystery" oh whats a reader to do....?????

I did watch "I am Legend" with Will Smith...it was terrific... or I might read one of my Christmas books????? Oh decisions decisions... hmmmmm....

Happy Birthday to Me!!!!!

2008-04-04T15:38:00.001-07:00

Happy Birthday to DaBookLady!!! Today!

April's Contest "Read it and Comment"

2008-04-01T17:44:00.000-07:00

Here's April's "Read It and Comment" contest. This one is a simple one. All you need to do is read the posted story, comment here about it, and then post on your blog linking to this contest. That's all!!! The winner will be picked by the Random Selector. Each comment will be considered a number and then entered into the generator and the number selected will be the winner. But remember only those that follow the rules will be entered.

The contest ends April 30th at 12:00pm.

The winner will be announced sometime during the 1st week in May.

So, hurry up ......Here are the rules;

read the story below
comment here on it
and post a link on your blog to this contest
And be sure and add your blog or name link to the comment here

That's it.....Simple......fun....and easy ......

The Story:

"Pawnshop owner Daniel Greer is losing everything. In the seedy and rapidly changing Houston neighborhood where he built a solid business, a new Vietnamese competitor is stealing his customers. Desperate and too trusting, Greer and his wife Carol are thrust into the thick of a bloody Asian gang war-- a clach that's seeping into the city's corridors of power and wealth. But not until Carol is kidnapped does Greer guess the scope of the dark, vicious game he has entered, and the frightening prize he must pay for victory. Trapped between warring factions, terrified by the senseless violence exploding around him, Greer reluctently prepares himself for battle. He'll risk anything to save his wife--and exact a very personal revenge."

The prize will be a new book called "Predator's Waltz" by Jay Brandon.

Now comment and post on your blog....good luck!!

Winner of the Books in the Tub Contest

2008-04-01T17:06:00.000-07:00

The winner guessed exactly the tight # ...it was 32 books in the tub....the winner is

Jayne D Hip Hip Horray!!!!!!

Your prize will be sent in the mail within 10 days...thanks for guessing.,,,

And thank you everyone for trying out...be sure to try out for the next contest and you could be DaBookLady's next winner!!!!!

March Contest "Books in the Tub"

2008-03-05T09:28:00.000-08:00

New Contest for the month of March,

"Books in the Tub"

starting now. Win this fantastic Mystery book! "Malice Domestic" by Nancy Pickard. It is an anthology of original traditional mystery stories. Nancy Pickard is an acclaimed "Agatha Christie" type award-winning writer of wonderful mystery stories. This is a brand new paperback book.

Its fun and easy! All you have to do is leave a comment here and post a link on your blog to this contest.

This month is another guessing contest.......

Guess how many books are in the tub????

That is an easy one...look at the photo and take your guess, the last 2 contests we have had guesses that were exact. Now I will give you a couple hints.....

The tub is 12" square
There are probably less books in there than you would think
They are all paperback books, but they are different sizes

So hurry now and post those comments and DO NOT FORGET to leave your blog addy so I can find you and also post a link to this contest on your blog.

Contest ends 12:01am April 1st!!!

The winner will be chosen by the closest guess to not go over the # of books that are actually in the tub. If there is a tie then names will be drawn out of a hat.

So what are you waiting for take a guess, what do you have to lose? You could be the next winner of "Books in the Tub" contest!!!

We Have a Winner!!!!!

2008-03-05T09:04:00.001-08:00

Congratulations to

Tasha

who won our Bookmarks Contest!!!!

Remember that you could be our next winner by commenting here at our monthly contests!!!

Reading on a Rainey Day

2008-02-22T13:36:00.000-08:00

I love to read on a rainy day, actually any day, but especially on a cold wintery rainy day, when the wind is blowing and it is best to stay indoors wrapped in your favorite afghan, with the fireplace blazing and the kitty and doggy sleeping next to you...

Problem is the dang phone keeps ringing..so mute it I say...and waht about the TV...don't want to miss the old soap opera or Lifetime??? Well put it on and mute it...you'd be surprised how much you can get out of a TV without the nosie...

And then there is the guilt that you are just sitting there and reading and not doing any housework??? Nope not me....I say "So what" it can wait!!

Now back to reading...Opps there goes the door bell...should I answer it?? nooooo I say...

Back to my book, "Christmas Jars" I am so close to being done...I just love it...ahhh.. I have to run to the little girls room.. stopped by the door...hmmmm my friend next door left me a book....nope haven't read that one...looks interesting... "The Mermaid Chair" by Sue Monk Kidd....a mythivcal adventure concerning a chair and the wonders it has to bring....about family ties and the true meaning of being in a family....

Well back to read my book,,,come on over and join me...oh can you bring some tea... too???

Valentines New Books

2008-02-18T10:29:00.000-08:00

Always can count on the Dh getting me some new books to read. For Valentine's day he got me these two wonders. I didn't have either so it was a thrill, no pun intended there...hee hee as I love thrillers like Dean Koontz and the "Twilight Eyes" and Danielle Steeles newer one .. these little kissing guys I always put for th eholiday..they make kissing sounds..so cute..

Then he got me the most beautiful vase and flowers ...ooohhh I am spolied...

Friendship Meme

2008-02-13T17:29:00.000-08:00

I wasn't tagged for this, but found it over at Any Apples and she found it on Jenn's, enjoying the ride, and I too wanted to post it!

"Anger is only one letter short of danger

If someone betrays you once, it is his fault;

If he betrays you twice, it is your fault.

Great minds discuss ideas;

Average minds discuss events;

Small minds discuss people.

He, who loses money, loses much;

He, who loses a friend, loses much more;

He, who loses faith, loses all.

Beautiful young people are accidents of nature,

But beautiful old people are works of art.

Learn from the mistakes of others

You can’t live long enough to make them all yourself."

Friends, you and me…

You brought another friend…

And then there were 3…

We started our group…

Our circle of friends…

And like that circle…

There is no beginning or end…

Yesterday is history.

Tomorrow is mystery.

Today is a gift.

So now, let’s see how many circle’s of friends we can make by simply adding your link on this Friendship Meme!

1-Catsy Carpe Diem, 2- Catsy Downloads, 3-Out of the Blue, 4- A Day to Savor and Relish 5- A Piece of Idea 6- Write Shy 7- Stupid Wise 8- onlinememorylane 9- See Me For What You Will 10- Michelle’s Small World 11. Chez Francine 12. La Place de Cherie 13. Le bric à brac de Cherie 14- Life 15- Foster Me Up 16- enjoying the ride 17- Any Apples 18-DaBookLadysreadinglife

Anyone And Everyone is welcome to take this and post it to their own blog!!

Heads and Tails Theme is "Love"

2008-02-13T16:55:00.000-08:00

Love is the theme this week for the Heads orTails I can only think of my DH and the love we have for each other. Do I believe in love at first sight? Yes I guess I do, but I also believe it is the time put into a relationship the years of enduring the trials and tribulations of life that make love grow and become stronger. We have that and much more. Her we are going to our annual Awards Dinner with our car club!!

My photo for this weeks"love" theme!

A very Funny and Inspirational Read; At Knit's End

2008-02-11T08:48:00.000-08:00

I got a new book in a recent swap about another hobby of mine, knitting/crocheting. the book is called, "At Knit's End" by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee.

What a wonderful inspirational little jouranal of meditations for women who knit and want to add some laughter and joy to their experience. I find that she has a way of capturing some thoughts and "You Know Your a Knitter if..." quotes that make you stop and think, "OMG is that me?" Here is an example, "You know you knit too much when....you think a stitch or row counter with your feet is a really brillant idea.."

A real joy to read and laugh and sit back and ponder....whether your a knitter or a crocheter it will capture your attention and send you off with a smile and lets face it smiles give us not only joy in our life but they also give us "longer" lives!!! Enjoy....

February "The BookMarks" Contest

2008-02-04T14:51:00.000-08:00

Ok everyone February's Contest is here, its called "The Bookmarks"I usually post the contests on the Book swap site, but I decided to place it here instead. This will be a much easier contest than the last one, since not many of you wanted to take a guess and read the mystery, so this month we will make it one of romance.

The prize will be a romantic novel called "Where or When" by Anita Shreve. It is about a young woman who out of no where receives a letter from her first love. Should she write back? Win the book and find out!

Now I love bookmarks and I have several cups filled with them. In the photo just guess how many bookmarks there are? Now I will give you a hint, there are under 100.

The one who comes closest to the actual number of bookmarks wins the book! That's it! Easy....Fun.....

If there is more than 1 person who guesses it right then we will draw names out of a hat.

You could win...so take a guess and post your guesses here!!! The contest ends February 29th 2008 at 12 midnight Pacfic time. The winner will be announced the 1st week of March!

So go ahead and post your comments here!!

What's Narrow? The Photo Saturday Post

2008-02-02T09:44:00.000-08:00

PhotoHunt

Photo Hunt!!! "narrow"
Over at the Chick's blog she runs a photo contest where every Sat. she has a different theme. The theme this Sat is "Narrow" Here is my photo for the contest! The definition of "narrow" is as follows:

"Of small or limited width, especially in comparison with length.
Limited in area or scope; cramped.
Lacking flexibility; rigid: narrow opinions."

I decided to enter my crochet space where I sit and crochet, it is a cramped area with limited space and the tower of drawers where I store some of yarn is really a narrow tower... not very flexible . Below is a closer look at the drawers. My other Miz Allie Cat has one too!! for my Cat lover firends.

Phriday's Phavorite Photo Phun

2008-02-01T10:55:00.000-08:00

I decided to post one of my favorite photos for the Hootin Anni's

"Phriday's Phavorite Photo Phun!"

My entry is one that just makes me laugh everytime I see it. We were vacationing at our favorite annual family spot, Bass Lake, and we were getting ready to walk down to the beach and my daughter loaded up my grandaughter who wanted to help carry the stuff down to our spot on the sand. As you can see we put it all on her for a joke until she said, "but mom I can't see?" we all laughed our heads off and took the tube off her head of course, but the moment was precious. :)

Some of my Household Books

2008-02-01T10:07:00.000-08:00

While visiting a new online friends blog, Sweet Nothings, I loved her post on her bookends, so I decided that I will post some pics of mine, since I like her, collected many over the past years. Now her bookcase is much more pretty to look at, but I'm a "book-o-holic" and so I have way too many bunched on my shelves, I also got into snapping some of bookmark collection....IT was fun...then I went around the house and snapped other interesting spots, but you'll have to visit my Recipe blog, and my main PBDesigns blog to see them, so after browsing around here hop over there.. :)

Ok this bookend comes in a pair, but I use mine individually since I own so many books, it is my old world bookends I purchased at a garage sale while visiting my nephew in Seattle. I loved the old world detail and the look.

My old horse head was given to me as a gift by a friend when I lived in an equestrian town in the 90s. It has delicate detail and is really very heavy.

My glass cowboy I got at a shabby chic store and I couldn't resist him. He just reminds be of an old rodeo cowboy with a 10-gallon hat. As you can tell I tend to lean towards a Western theme, I owned horses for many years. this set is actually ceramic and it is a brown horse that reminded me of my horse "Mr. Ricky Keen" as he had the star on his brow too. :) I purchased on Ebay.

More glass ends, a large headed horse and I just love this one you can actually see through them and as they are hallow not like my solid cowboy guy...I got these from a store in Norco, the equestrian town I lived in that sold tack and odds and ends..

The Indian Head is very old, it was my dads and he used to have it sitting on his bar in his bar room. It says Iroquois on it standing for the old Iroquois beer that was made back east many years ago. I remember because I used to think it was scary when I was a child. When my dad passed I inheited it and use it as a bookend. I only have one of this one but he is a conversation piece. He is made of rubber and at least 50 years old.

A ceramic bookend of a horse's head. Done in a variety of colors. Another garage sale find. Lastly my black horses, in gold and black in ceramic and have a built in pencil holder on each one. A word of caution the bookends are dusty! My short comings on the cleaning end... :(

Heads or Tails

2008-01-30T21:32:00.000-08:00

I just started with Heads or Tails over at Skittles place. And I wasn't exactly sure how to play, so even though I was suppose to get this up yesterday, I am doing it today.

The Heads questions is? Who would you like to meet and why?

Well I had to think about this one...there are so many people I would love to meet. One would be John Travolta..and Nickolas Cage...Nickolas Cage grew up right down the street from me when he was Nickolas Decopela. I think he and John T are 2 of the sexiest men in show biz....I love his [Nick C] demeanor and the way he acts. He is very convincing and in Family Man he was great, one of my favorite movies. When he sng the birthday song to his wife it was a classic moment!!!! And the City of Angels he was so moving with his love for Meg Ryan, and then FaceOff with Travolta was awesome. John T is just a great actor with a wholesome look on life. He is cheerful and I love that he is so mucically inclined. He really has fun in most of his movies, especially the ones where dance is invovled. I saw him on Jay leno one time and he said that he loves to sing and dance and tried to put it in all his movies if he can. The other day I wated Phenomeon again for the 4th time and it was still great. And lets face it, who didn't love him in Greese? He is my personal best!!!

A Very Cute Story

2008-01-28T10:13:00.001-08:00

While visiting one of my favorite blogs I read this really cute post and had to share it here.

A successful man reached retirement age and was happy to have time for all the things he enjoyed. On the first morning of his retirement he got up and walked into the bathroom and looked in the mirror. He realized, as he picked up his razor, he had never liked to shave. "Now that I'm retired I think I'll let someone else shave me. That will be my one indulgence."

So he went to the local barber shop and ask for a shave. The barber told him that his wife did the shaving. "Grace", the barber said, "this man wants a shave."The man sat down and relaxed while Grace performed her magic. When she was finished the man asked the cost. "Twenty dollars," she said. He thought that was little high but it was the closest shave he had ever had. He assured her he would be back.

The next morning when he got up he went into the bathroom and looked in the mirror. He could not believe his eyes. His face was as smooth as it was the day before. It was unbelievable. This went on for several days. "I've got to find out what Grace's secret is. She must have some some special razor or shaving cream."

He went back to the barber shop and went straight to Grace. "Grace, I've got to know your secret. My face is as smooth today as it was a week ago. How is this possible?"

She smiled and answered, "The answer is simple. Once you have been shaved by Grace you never need shaving again"!!!!!!!!!!

What Your Reading Says About You?

2008-01-21T13:48:00.000-08:00

What does your reading say about you? I love a good mystery and lots of suspense. You know the kind that keeps you on the end of your seat and makes you want to put the book in the freezer? You remember that segment of Friends where Rachel and Joey exchanged books to out smart the other in "scary" books.

And the classic monalogue of the group in the coffee house where Joey says: Oh! All blank and no blank makes blank a blank blank. Oh no-no, no! The end, when Jack almost kills them all with that blank, but then at the last second they get away. And Rachel says: Joey! I can't believe you just did that! And then the classic where Chandler says: I can't believe she cracked your code!" Too funny....

The science fiction and fantasy is a bit of weird and wonderous People tend to come to science fiction and fantasy for the familiarity -- most children's fairy tales are deeply fantastical -- but they stay for reasons as varied as why people read at all.

The editor Teresa Nielsen-Hayden wisely says, "If you ask 20 different readers why they read, they will all be right." People read straight-out non-genre fiction to enjoy a world that is not their own, to live someone's life tangentially and vicariously. People read fiction to be informed, to be entertained, to escape, etc. there are million reasons from all readers, but I read to relax and escape into a world of mystery and challenge and work my mind trying to discover the plot.

Reading is an escapist hobby, but science fiction and fantasy reading even more so -- people escape out of their own worlds into places and times that do not exist nor ever will.

Genre stories are set in worlds that are unknown and disparate to us, and we automatically reorder them; at the same time, the main characters set fundamental wrongs to right. Readers of science fiction have the luxury of extrapolating a positive future or predicting and hopefully avoiding negative ones. But if one liked to read equations and logic puzzles, one would stick with non-fiction. Science fiction and fantasy also appeal to other temperaments, including readers of a "romantic" nature.

"SF is called the literature of ideas, and it really is, but the ideas aren't about fusion or nanotubules or seven schools of magic; they're the same ideas of love and anger and the human heart in conflict with itself (tm William Faulkner) that drive all other stories, but foregrounded and made new," says Maroney.

I like the natural fundamental pscotic killer mystery and the one that develops into a quesionable end. Stephen King is great at that. But it is the suspense of not knowing why that intriques many and I for one cannot get enough of the "high!"

Reading Habits and Book Stores??

2008-01-09T20:12:00.000-08:00

I have been posting about what I have been reading now I am going to talk about our habits...Most people who are as hooked on reading as much as I am have incorporated certain reading habits...I know I have. And they have certain "quirks" about their book buying and where they read.

So lets discuss a few...an article stated "How the Web changes your reading habits"
By Gregory M. Lamb Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor PALO ALTO, CALIF. –

He states in his article that the web has made tremendous changes because of the versitility and availability of information that is there at a click of your mouse. No more tedious searching the library or rummaging through pages and pages of books to gather info, just go to Google or any other search engine and click away.

He further states that and I quote him; "when Ed Chi wants to read, he turns to two of the six computer screens that surround his desk. One is devoted exclusively to e-mail; the other, to the rest of his reading material. The senior researcher is testing a theory: What if your "virtual desk" was as just big as your real desk? How would that change your behavior? Dr. Chi, of the Palo Alto Research Center (PARC) in California, has found out one thing already. Almost all his reading - text messages, e-mails, journal articles, even books - is done on-screen.

Analysts expect mobile phones to evolve into a multipurpose "third screen," along with televisions and computers displaying both pictures and text. But the small screen size has made reading cumbersome, as users scroll through tiny screen after screen."

Or you can try taking this Reading Habits Quiz to see where your habits lie???

Or do you have bad reading habits? This article suggests some ways to cope and change them.

But here are some simple questions....

Where do you do it?
At what times?
For how long?
How often?
How long did it take to get like that?
What do you usually read?

And then of course what about going into book stores??? How many of us can go into a book store and NOT buy books??? Not me... I cannot resist stopping and readin and filling my arms with more "must have" reads....I spend so much $$$$ and have so many books, but I have no time to read them all and my shelves are so full that I either have to start reading them and give them away or leave them around town, with "Bookcrossing"I love that group, or I need to buy more shelves...and unfortunately my DH says, "NO, more!!" So I must come up with a plan for 2008 that will put my reading habits in motion to reading some of my "stash" of books!!!

And having a Book Swap doesn't help lower my "stash" either????

What is Your New Year's Goals in Reading?

2008-01-07T10:13:00.000-08:00

I thought a lot about this new year and wondered what is it I want to read? Or do I just want to wander through the book stores and buy more books? I will tell you that I never go into a book store without leaving with at least 4 new novels and even a couple magazine's under my arms. I consider them a major "requisite" of my life's existence. How many of you find yourselves in this same predicament? Or how many of you actually know most of the people in your local bookstore by their first name? Be honest now!

The answer I came up with was that I have tons of books on my book shelves now; and I need to get some of these read; and then pass them on to others; so I ultimately have room for new ones. As you can see I have many many books that are still calling out to me to be read!

However, I cannot resist making my monthly stops at the local B&N!

What a delimma????? So... what shall I do? Well..... here are some suggestions for me and everyone else out there that needs to read what's on their shelves as much as I do.

Join BookCrossing and give those books away

Pledge to not buy another book till you have read at 10

Donate some books to a nearby library or school

Giving books away

Pay it Forward

Sell it on Amazon

Sell them to local book stores or get credit towards future purchases

Try some web based book exchanges/swaps

Christmas Books

2007-12-29T16:37:00.000-08:00

Ok I took a picture of all the books and movies I got and watched over Christmas. WOW.....now to read them that will be a chore. UnderDog was a disappointment as the movie was bad and when we went back to Hollywood Video he said they were all bad. :( So we got The Heartbreak Kid. That was hilarious!!! A must see, even though there were some really graphic sex scenes and language it was still great!!!!

Now Chuck and Larry was another funny one.

Even my sister sent me a Christmas novel!But then I love Kevin James!

And here is a Santa Dollar my sis sent me. You can actually use it, but I keep it for a decoration.

Christmas Movies

2007-12-23T16:55:00.001-08:00

I love the holiday season when all the great classic movies come out, don't you. I have to watch The Wizard of Oz every year right before T-giving and then of course The Christmas Story,

and last night I watched Chevy Chase in the funniest movie, I feel, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation!!! Just too much....

And I also watched Bing Crosby in White Christmas... There is just nothing like a great musical from the 50s to set off the Christmas spirit!!! I was really amazed at how the scenery has really changed over the years, I mean looking at the older movies when they actually hand painted teh back drops to all the computerized scenes of today. Take Elf when they used different angles and computer enhansed shots to make it look as though will Ferrell was a giant compared to the others like , Bob Newhart who was suppose to be an actual elf. Really clever...

Christmas Books

2007-12-19T15:51:00.000-08:00

Has anyone been to B&N or Boarders yet? I was there yesterday and I must say that there sure are a bunch of new books out with the "Christmas" theme. I couldn't decide which one to buy, naturally I had to to buy one...well maybe two...okay, three.... Well anywho I also had to buy A Christmas Story DVD, I mean that classic is just the best and I have been wanting my own copy so I spluged and got that too! The I got A Dropped Stitches Christmas by Janet Tronstad...It's about a women making changes in her life and she belongs to a kntting group...sounds intriging...and then I got a really inspiring one called... The Last Christmas Ride by Edie Hand. This one is based on a true life story of how a woman survies the death of her brother...It is a real learning experience and she teaches us how to let go and continue to live forward...Lastly and my favorite I got Christmas Jars...by Jason Wright. Now this is one I really wanted and is to be made into a 2008 movie so I am really excited about reading this one. Hmmm I say "this" way too much! But honestly, it is a Christmas upcoming classic and I cannot wait to sit in my favorite chair in front of the fireplace and read the book. I suppose I should tell you that they were bought from the $$$ I have received from my mother-n-law for Christmas. :) So I am even happier...Please do tell if you have read any of these books and chat about how you felt....

A new Contest and Swap

2007-11-30T20:50:00.000-08:00

Hey go on over to DaBookLady's Swap for the new contest # 3 "Between the Bushes" You could be the next winner. And be sure and sign up for the BABEs Book and Bookmark swap that starts up again in January. Its fun and you could learn about a new author and make a new "book" friend to boot! There's also a wonderful recipe contest over on DaBookLady's Recipe blog. Who couldn't use more recipes? And hop on over to PBDesigns blog for a "PAy it Forward" sign up and you could be one of the 1st three to post and get a free handmade item sent to you. A great contest on author Virginia Smith's blog and you could win a $500 shopping spree. Over on A Bookworm's Diary is a whole bunch of listing's on contests so be sure and visit her blog.

Oh...yes I almost forgot....I have entered a contest to win the cookbook I'm Dreaming of a Choclate Christmas by Marsel Desaulniers and Ron Manville for the Christmas Give-Away over at Baking Delights Blog contest running now through December 18th.

I entered a few book give aways for a Deceptively Delicious cookbook on Girl on a Mission's blog and another one on Lesa's blog for Hell for the Holidays.

I signed up for Mike's newsletter to get in on a chance to win Vanished a signed copy by Kathryn Mackel.

I just love contests!!!!

Sad News Good News!

2007-11-25T09:58:00.000-08:00

Our youngest son was in an awful motorcycle accident 9 days ago. He was on life support for the whole time and the good news is that they have just taken him off...and he is breathing on his own...thank you so much to all for your prayers....he has a long way to full recovery, but he will recover....it is just a rough time for our home so I will not be blogging a lot for next few weeks.

Merry Christmas
and
Happy New Year

to all of my blogging friends old and new!!!

When Did the Writing of Books Begin?

2007-11-21T09:38:00.000-08:00

In surfing the book scene I came across an article on the writing of books and found the information quite intriguing...

"In the year 1456, Johann Gutenberg and Peter Schoeffer printed their great Bible. Now the question?????

How many new books do you think had been printed by 1498, 42 years later, and just 500 years ago?

Some of you may know, but most people I talk with, even most librarians, are astonished when they hear the number.

Five hundred years ago, the new presses had spread like brushfire through Europe. The people had suddenly come into possession of some fifteen million new books. Scholars argue about the number. It could've been as few as eight million or as many as twenty four. But the output of new books had been staggering by any reasonable estimate. And those books reflected some thirty thousand titles. I find this to be astonishing!

Fifteen million books had been flung into a world where scholars would travel miles to visit a library stocked with twenty hand-written volumes. And it'd all happened in 42 years or a little more.

Let's see if we can put that in perspective. Where were we, you and I, 42 years ago? Let's see...??? I was living in a resort area near the beach in upstate NY, hmmm... I still live near the beach...just on the West coast this time instead of the East coast....but neither here nor there, let's continue....

Of course some of you hadn't been born yet. But let me give you a little time-line here:

The programmable computer, first conceived by Charles Babbage in the 1830s, wasn't finally built until the 1930s.
The computer of 1956 was a huge isolated machine.
In 1943 Thomas Watson, Chairman of IBM, had said, I think there's a world market for maybe five computers.
In July, 1958, a patent war was underway.
By 1969, complete central processing were added to units
Then Noyce formed a new company, INTEL, for INTegrated Electronics, and he started producing whole computer mother-boards.
Costs plunged.
Integrated circuits first really touched our lives a few years later when we all started carrying pocket calculators. But none of us yet had a clue where all this was going. Who could have guessed???
Even with a calculator in his pocket, the president of Digital Equipment Company could say, as late as 1977, "There's no reason people would want computers in their homes." Little did he know????
Then came a key invention -- the invention of modern software.
Software made it possible for you and me to use our computers without writing their programs.
At that point computers promptly did enter our homes, and they were soon entering the closest quarters of our daily lives as well. I got my 1st computer in 1995, and didn't have a clue how to use it. Wow look at me now!
Today we all can have a computer not only in our homes or on our laps, but in our hands ....
I remember back in the 1970s, later part, reading an article about the "future" where it said one day people would be able sit on the beach and receive phone calls and be able to shop everywhere with just a plastic card? That was absurd to think of at that time and I remember laughing at such a predidction...it further said that people would be able to shop with swiping their arms over a board that would read all your personal info as it would be a chip implanted beneath your skin??? Hmmmm I wonder when that little invention will come...no wait we already have that technology ...
But today the world changes so fast that to buy a new computer or phone is a challenge and frankly quite disturbing, because by the time you get it into your car; drive home; go into the house; read the directions; and figure out how to use it and set it up; it is already obsolete.... is that not the frustrating truth of it all?
I recently had to buy a camera and experienced that same type of choice...my gosh what do I get the varieties were overwhelming...which one????
So as far as books you can now; get them in book stores; on the web; on your palm pilot; cd; or even on your phones....reading a book is just a look down ....I for one love it, because I want to read them all...however, when it comes to sitting down for a relaxing hour or two, I want to curl up with a paper book. One I can touch and feel and enjoy the words in print in front of my eyes....I also enjoy the artwork of the illustrator and the excitment of the prelude....
Yes books have come a long way, but I still want the old fashion book, the one I can look at in print and color...collecting them is my passion and the room for them all has become my challenge!

Book Club Reading

2007-11-17T20:11:00.000-08:00

I am reading "Adventures in Thrift" a classic online book in a book club group over at Country Girls' blog. We read chapters each week and comment on our progress. It is an interesting book and one I probably would not have ordinarily read. It was written in 1916 by Richardson, Anna Steese

Some Interesting and Mind Boggling Facts

2007-11-14T09:05:00.000-08:00

I was surfing again, for interesting blogs on reading and came across Whats the Rumpus and loved it! As I scrolled down the blog I pondered on a post that I totally loved, it discussed one of my favorite movies with Bruce Willis in his Die Hard movies. Eric Lichtenfeld writes a "critique" article on the Die Harddoes a really cleaver and amusing riff on the "greatest one-liner in movie history." I've always been one to not condone the 4-letter word usage in any one's presence, but in this movie it is definitely a great one-liner masterpeice making the movie more memorable!

Willis' new movie this year Live and Let Die Hard and to know more and don't mind being told most of the plot then be sure to read the synopsis .

Then there is the thought about the names young couples are using to name their kids these days??? I mean what is it to name a child "Pepsi" anyways? I thought that was a drink? I also have met a women named America.... that is a place where we live...although it would probably be an honor to be named after such a great country, I still feel it is a bit much....Don't parents know that kids go to school and have to live with these names all their lives? And look at what the celebrities are naming their children??? Take a quiz and see if you are not as amazed as I was.....

I know this does not have a lot to do with books but these are some interesting and mind boggling facts of life.....

But really people here are some things that put a smile on my face and make me glad I live here in the USA:

I'm a Yankee Doodle Dandy "Lida Rose, I'm home again, Rose."
I love this old flick, The Music Man and who wouldn't, but then I'm a sucker for "oldies" Chaucer . . . Rabelais . . . Baaaaaaalzac!"
One of most favorite tunes was from the movie West Side Story, of course I loved Natilie Wood, but this movie hits you right in the heart even though its a musical [PS: I love musicals too!] "I like the island Manhattan.
Even though I cannot stand football, this one caught my eye and won my heart. "Rudy! Rudy! Rudy!"
And lastly who doesn't remember and love this great actor? I mean he is a legend in all times......The Duke. John Ford.

After all of that I did some research on the upcoming Thanksgiving Parade. I found "ASK JOE the DOORMAN's PARADE TIPS" to be really helpful if you are actually going to the parade, but what if your just watching???

Well it starts at 9am, of course that is New York time people so be sure to adjust for your area. And did you realize that Macy's parade is 75 years old! Wow.....for over 75 Years, Macy's has given us a tradition which both celebrates America and marks the official beginning of the Christmas holidays....my favorite time of the year....

A few years ago I made a Family Cookbook for my entire family, whew that was a real job, anywho I ended the book with the history of the lighting of the New York City's Rockefeller Christmas tree. It is quite a site and has some interesting facts like the # of lights on the tree and the size of the tree...in 2003 it was 79' high...wowooo...

And if you plan to attend this year, here are some tips..

When: Wednesday, November 28, 2007, 7PM-9PM
Where: Rockefeller Center, Rockefeller Plaza, From West 48th Street to West 51st Street between 5th and 6th Avenues
Directions:
Take the B,D,F,V to Rockefeller Center/47-50th Street station
Take the N,R,W to 49th Street and Seventh Avenue
Take the E to Fifth Avenue and 53rd Street
More Information: 212-632-3975

Tips For Attending The Tree Lighting Ceremony At Rockefeller Center:

First and foremost, leave your car at home

Mother May I? Monday Fun Game Day

2007-11-12T08:18:00.000-08:00

Ok Today's "Fun Monday" at Hootin Anni's Monday Game is called

Mother May I , and the answer is "Yes, you may!"

You're to take 30 GIANT steps away from your computer. 30 GIANT STEPS - IN ANY direction. You may have to make a few turns and pivots so you won't run into any walls or such...don't want any injuries today! WARNING: Avoid any obstacles in the way- if there's a door...open it & continue, if there is a wall...pivot AROUND it. You could end up outdoors in the hall....or upstairs if I decide to go in that directions!!! "Oh my, Then after the 30 giant steps, you must Stop!TAKE A PHOTO AND/OR NOTE WHAT YOU'RE SEEING!!Then, take 15 baby steps back and after the 15 baby steps, Stop!TAKE A PHOTO AND/OR NOTE WHAT YOU'RE SEEING and you can look in any direction -to your right, left, up not down ---that'd be your feet!!. What you see is what we get!! Stop! It's all about your first glance after the giant/baby steps!!! [You will have two photos/stories for us- the 30 giant steps then, the 15 baby steps going back] Don't forget---ask "Mother may I"!!Okay...go. "Mother may I?" "Yes, YOU MAY!!"

So here is my 1st photo that I took that was a picture of my flowers in my living room area. It's not real, but I love pink so I got this arrangement for that main purpose. It stands in the corner next to my TV away from any chance of it getting knocked down by any g-kiddies when they visit. :)

I then took my 15 "baby" steps back and looked a little up to my left and there was "George". Geaorge has been with me for many many years. I named him the minute I got him from a neighbor who said her Ganddad hunted him back in 1929. I had always wanted a Deer over my mantle, and since my hubby nor I hunt, it was the perfect fit as she no longer had a place to hang him. I named him George, because it was the first name that came to my mind when I saw him. [don't have a clue why???] Isn't he just too cute? Anywho, this is my 2nd photo for the Mother May I monday Fun Day game!

Some Great Book Group Ideas

2007-11-09T10:05:00.000-08:00

Today I was blog surfing and found a new way of reading and joining a book group. Country Girl at Heart has a Blogger Book CLub where you read 1-3 chapters a week from an online free book and then post about it... now its free no unnecessaryt shopping for MORE books to put onto our shelves, and its fun.. Go and try her out...
Some ideas if you want to start a reading group:

The size for a lively discussion is around six to ten people, and when thinking of how many members to include in your group, you need to take into account other factors, such as hectic schedules, children issues, likes and dislikes of the chosen books, unanticipated conflicts, or varying interest in topics chosen. This may mean that 3 or 4 people may be unable to attend any given meeting. Hence, the best strategy is to have enough people join the group so that at each meeting you are assured approximately 6 to 8 participants.
Consider having a total membership of 10 to 12 to insure optimum attendance at every meeting.
How Often Should You Meet? For most groups, meeting more than once a month would be a struggle, and if you meet less, the group will never get any momentum going. It is a good idea to meet on some predictable day, such as the first Wednesday of every month. Many work scedules play a heavy role in the time and day that is picked or church obligations.
Where Should You Meet? You could rotate among members' homes or use library rooms, coffee chops, book stores, local community centers, churches, etc. Of course, online discussions are a possibility for all types of groups.
How Much Will it Cost? There are various costs associated with having a reading group, depending on how you choose to do things. Obviously, the books cost money but there may be other costs and a club dues might be the way to cover some of these costs like; if you mail out reminders, there are the costs of printing and mailing, food at the meetings, [you can also do pot-luck style which is good for busy members who don't eat before the meetings] there might also be a cost for where you meet if it is at an outside facitlity. An e-mail list or phone tree can be fairly simple to set up and easy to administer, thus saving on paper and mailing costs. You could ask members for a one-time fee to cover six months of postage, snacks, etc. Or, have a monthly dues or ask each member to supply self-addressed-stamped envelopes.
Members' Responsibilities; Of course, the most obvious responsibility of members is to read the book. Other ground rules should be discussed among the group at the first meeting. The discussion might include issues of punctuality. At what time will meetings begin and end? What are the expectations of group members regarding level and consistency of participation (what if members have to miss a session? what if they miss several in a row? what if someone only comes once in a while?) How will we deal with the cost issues? Should members be allowed to bring their children? Are guests allowed?
It is a good idea to discuss all of these issues at the first meeting of the group and to make decisions, as a group, about such things as location, food, cost-sharing, how books will be chosen, whether there will be one facilitator or if the role will rotate among members, as well as the issues mentioned above.
The Role of the Facilitator; The facilitator may be the same person each time, or members may choose a rotation system for the role, depending on the needs and wants of the group. The facilitator is responsible for:

Monitoring start and stop times
Encouraging dialogue from all participants
Reviewing the book carefully for specific discussion topics
Identifying the next facilitator if the group uses a rotation for the facilitator role
Questions to ask at the first meeting
Where and when will we meet?
How will we notify people of meeting locations, times, and reading selections?
What are the costs involved and how will we divide them up?
What the dues will be to each member?
How will we choose books to read?
What are our basic ground rules?
Will we have a single facilitator or will the role rotate among members?
How will we purchase the books, individually or as a group?
Make sure the books are available at all times.
Plan accordingly, and order the books about 4 - 6 weeks before you actually need them.
Keep in mind that not everyone in the group needs to have read the book completely; often the discussion of the ideas in the book is robust enough on its own merits. In other words, don't cancel the reading group just because not everyone has had a chance nor the time to read the book.
Ask and encourage each participant to participate.
Maybe start a RR {Round Robin , going around the room asking questions or having that member discuss their likes and dislikes of the book
Determine the next book, and set the meeting time
It is often a good idea to set the meeting time up to three months in advance, on the same day of the week and time on the calendar for each month. Be sure to email a schedule to each member or snail mail it to them.

These are a few simple rules for groups in your local area, looking on the web is a good source for getting your questions and learning more about your group...Good luck and let me know how it goes, and your group name and place and I will post it here for others to see...

Who's Reading Books???

2007-11-05T17:30:00.000-08:00

Here's a scary thought. According an MSNBC poll, one in four Americans read no books last year. Read below what the poll learned:

One in four adults read no books at all in the past year, according to an Associated Press-Ipsos poll released Tuesday. Of those who did read, women and older people were most avid, and religious works and popular fiction were the top choices.
The survey reveals a nation whose book readers, on the whole, can hardly be called ravenous. The typical person claimed to have read four books in the last year — half read more and half read fewer. Excluding those who hadn’t read any, the usual number read was seven.

So what are Americans doing instead? Working? Playing video games? I know most children would rather play a video game than read, and in fact schools take the students to computer labs where they play games to learn about navigation on computers, well at least there is learning involved in that. So what are people doing? Watching TV? Talking on their cell phones?

How many books did you read last year?

I know I read at least a 2 dozen…

Onto a New Debbie Macomber Cedar Cove Series

2007-11-02T10:50:00.000-07:00

Hello there, I am onto another great book in the Cedar Cove Series. I am excited to get into this book that will maybe tell me what happeded to Gace's hubby Dan. "204 Rosewood Lane" sounds like another interesting read. It will get into more depth of the lives of Grace, Kelly her daughter, Olivia the judge, and her daughter who just married, and Jack Olivias new love. It will be a fun and interesting read.

On to another note I just purchased some other books that caught my eye at Boarders that I absolutly clould not resist while shopping. 1st is "Love Walked in" by Marish De Los Santos. It appears to be a really touching and romantic along with friendship and emotional substance.

Then there is "The Doctor's Wife" by Elizabeth Brundage. It is a debut novel and one of mystery and intrige of taking the forbibben and like the old saying, "Don't wish for something that you may find you don't really want when you get it!"

I also picked up the "The Magician's Nephew" by C.S. Lewis. The beginning to the story of "Nardia". I wanted to go back and see where it began. Just loved the fantasy story of the "The Chronicels".

The last book that I just picked up is "The Horse and his Boy" by C.S. Lewis. It is the 2nd story of the "Nardia" series. As you can tell I am hooked into this world of fantasy where animals talk and men are not really men but elves and 1/2 men and 1/2 horse. It is delightful and a bit like "Fantasia". I loved them too!!!!

October Reading Fun

2007-10-16T15:43:00.001-07:00

I started a new book this month and I think I have found a really funny and entertaining author. "Shopoholic & Sister" by Sophia Kinsella is a really fun book. I started it on the plane ride to NY when I went to visit my sister and I am almost done with it. It is aobut a young newly married spoiled women who loves to shop. As a matter of fact, she is obcessed with it. It takes place in the beginning on her honeymoon where her and her new hubby are taking an around-the-world trip for 1 year. She buys, buys, buys, and is overwhemed with the end result when it is delivered to her house when they get back. Then she finds out she has a long lost sister and the escapades of her with her new sister are hysterical. Her sister, an opposite who hates to shop, is hard for our herione to swallow. If you like humor and love to shop, this one will really suit your fancy, I can't wait to see how it's going to end.

The Grail King Is My Selection This Month

2007-10-01T18:43:00.000-07:00

This is a really thrilling book and one appropriate for the Halloween month! I decided to change my pace a bit and read a different type of book, a fantasy, but was pleasently surprised to find out it was alos a thriller with a touch of romance. So not really off much of what I desire to read after all.

It is my first time reading a Joy Nash novel and I am excited to see if she is as interesting as the cover portrays her to be. She has several books around this tale and offers more on her website if you wish to follow her theme.

This is the story of the Grail before Arthur and his knights and what transpired in the earlier years. It is a story of love, romance and fantasy all rolled into one thrilling historiacal and even paranormal appeal. I am off to read it....

I'm Still Reading HP and Now Reading "16 Lighthouse Road"

2007-08-31T11:08:00.000-07:00

Ok I am behind in my reading the HP book, but I did start another great book by Debbie Macomber, "16 Lighthouse Road". Oh I do like these Cedar Cove series. This is my 1st one and it is a page catcher already. I can forsee I will be reading them all. And did you see that Debbie has come out with knitting novels with patterns....ohhh I do love her books. If you haven't read any be sure to get a few...Now back to Cedar Cove, this is the 1st in the series and this one is about Olivia who is a court judge, divorced, single mom, and has a mom who is constantly taking her knitting into the court room to listen to all her daughter's cases. Its a place where you will never forget the characters. Oh and I am going to finish HP real soon I promise.....

Harry Potter of Course

2007-07-28T17:59:00.000-07:00

Ok what else would I be reading during the frenzie but HP Deathly Hallows book???? I cannot wait to find out the news of where HP will be? I mean will JKrowling keep us in the dark or tell us that she intends to continue the series? I just took the HP quiz and I am definitly spending too much time reading HP..LOL..And the quiz on books 1 & 2 I need to refresh my memory a bit! But the author has a great talent of portraying HP and his friends. It fascinate's me how she continues the friendship between Harry, Ron and Hermione and how well J.K. Rowling has captured the capriciousness of adolescents. These kids are constantly fiddling around where they shouldn’t — and getting busted for it repeatedly, which just makes me laugh. As "The Deathly Hallows" begins, Harry is about to turn 17 and would be starting his final year at Hogwarts, except that he has dropped out, along with best pals Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, to complete a mission left to them by Dumbledore.
Their secret mission is to destroy the four remaining Horcruxes hidden by Voldemort. A Horcrux is an object into which Voldemort has placed a portion of his soul. So long as even one Horcrux exists, Voldemort is immortal. Once all are destroyed, he can be killed like any mortal. Harry destroyed one in the second book, "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets": the diary that Voldemort kept when he was a student at Hogwarts named Tom Riddle. And Dumbledore destroyed one, a ring, in the sixth book. They also need to find one of the rare can destroy a Horcrux, such as venom from a basilisk (a magical snakelike creature) or the Sword of Gryffindor, which is impregnated with the venom.
So, for much of "Deathly Hallows," the three friends are on the run, looking for the sword and the Horcruxes whose form and whereabouts are unknown, while the Ministry and Hogwarts are taken over by Voldemort loyalists, with Purebloods (the offspring of a witch and wizard) rounding up those pejoratively called Mudbloods (who have one or more Muggle, or nonmagical, parent) and "blood traitors" (wizarding folk who help Muggle-borns). Harry's official Ministry status is relegated to "Undesirable Number One" with a 10,000 Galleon price on his head. As usual, the three must use a combination of instinct, daring and knowledge to elude their hunters and accomplish their quest. (What other desperados would haul textbooks around with them on the lam?)
Ron and Hermione are willing to die for Harry, but occasionally they question whether he knows what he's doing. They fear his getting distracted by his desire to learn more about his parents (risking exposure by visiting the village where they died and are buried) and his obsession with a children's fairy tale that Dumbledore left them to ponder about, in which they learn about three objects, or "Hallows," believed to make whoever possesses them the master of death.
It turns out the tale contains clues to Harry's connection to Voldemort, as well as the key to how Harry can defeat him. He finally seizes his destiny, while accepting the help of the brave friends, schoolmates, parents and teachers who make a valiant stand against the Death Eaters, Dementors and dark creatures aligned with Voldemort in an apocalyptic battle at Hogwarts.
Readers -- and Harry himself -- have waited years to know everything, to fit all the pieces to the puzzle of Harry's life. And now it has been satisfyingly delivered, complete with an epilogue indicating what happens years later. I can't wait to continue and see what will untangle in this tale of all tales! Happy reading all you HP fans!

A Good Yarn my Summer Book

2007-06-08T20:03:00.000-07:00

Hello I have now started to read "A Good Yarn" By Debbie Macomber. I cannot wait to finish this book. It is really getting interesting with bouncing back and forth with the lives of the characters that sign up for one of Lydia's knit classes. Lydia is the owner of the Blossom Street yarn shop that is the focal point of the books theme. It starts off with the first class, consisting of three women, and it is a disaster. One is irritable, another lacks basic confidence, and the third is a miserably unhappy teen. The story goes back and forth to each woman's story, A GOOD YARN takes the disparate threads and (okay, I can't resist) knits them together into one warm and snuggly shawl of a tale as the knitters form a supportive community. A truly enjoyable read that intertangle their lives which is still a mystery to me. But I am intrigued with it. I just got Back on Blossom Street, by Debbie Macomber from my good friend Jaynee in a book swap we were in together and so I will start that one right after I finish this book in the Blossom Street series. It centers around a yarn shop on Blossom Street, of course, in a small town in WA. I do so love Seattle, which is where Debbie Macomber is from. Be sure to read this one.

What am I Reading Now?

2007-05-15T09:24:00.000-07:00

Hello readers everywhere. Well I am reading "Two Little Girls in Blue" by Mary Higgins Clark and it is one that is hard to put down. It surrounds a kidnapping of the couple's twins and then they find the kidnapper and one twin was suppose to have died and the other keep saying she is talking to her. Spooky....but I love the suspense...Her books are usually good. So if you have read this one book lovers then please comment....

Welcome to my Reading Blog

2007-04-29T12:45:00.000-07:00

Hello and welcome to DaBookLady's Reading Life blog. I have a passion for reading and can never get enough books to read! I have books everywhere in my house complete with 3 ceiling to floor bookcases. I usually read about 5 of books at a time. That way I can change my thoughts from Mystery to Romance to Sci-Fi to Thriller when my mood suits me. My most favorite type of books are Thrillers. They make me sit at the edge of my seat; gritting my teeth antisipating the terror to come. I love it! Does that make me a little strange??? My hubby thinks so, but then again isn't it a matter of opinion? I like the challenge of trying to figure out "Who done it?" and "Why?" I mean the trickier the maze of characters and slueths entangled in a web of deceit and murder the more enticing it is to my mind! One of my favorite TV shows is Murder She Wrote. not that it is so mind boggling, but it is light and all about mystery in a non-sexual violent way. I also love Stephen King for his fantasy into the unknown weird and macabe. Well.... that is another posting. Now I have gotten into swapping books and bookmarks and so I started my own DaBookLady Book and Bookmarker Swap [BABEs] to learn about more authors from other book lovers, like myself, and to have fun swapping books. I still have tons to post here so I better read on and complete my posting swept up in a knotted path of books, authors, and recipes!