Friday Fill-ins #84

Here we go:

1. You know you're old when the music is too loud!!!

2. My heart is divided between loving Nick and hating Nick for choosing to leave us.

3. Understanding is what I need RIGHT NOW! (and maybe some chocolate...)

4. I have felt the pain, I have known the depths of sadness.

5. Gah, won't these people go away!?!

6. Laugh as soon as you can!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to spending time with friends, tomorrow my plans include work and Sunday, I want to hang out with my buddy Q!

The Miracle at Speedy Motors

LibraryThing review...
The Miracle at Speedy Motors
by Alexander McCall Smith

I always enjoy reading the next book in Alexander McCall Smith's #1 Ladies' Detective Agency series. The Miracle at Speedy Motors is another enjoyable story of Precious Ramotswe and her assistant, Grace Makutsi. At the agency, the ladies have a mysterious letter writer and a lady looking for relatives. At home, Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni meets a doctor who claims he might be able to heal their adompted daughter and Mma Makutsi has a little incident with a new bed. This series is always charming, warm, and feels like an old friend.

Tuesday Thingers

Today's question is only marginally about LibraryThing but I thought it might be a fun question anyway. It's more about blogging. Everyone who participates in Tuesday Thingers has a blog- some have a book blog, some have several, some have blogs that are more personal, etc.- and we've all chosen to participate in this particular way of networking to build traffic, get to know each other, etc. So my question is: what other weekly memes or round robins do you participate in? Is this the only one? Why Tuesday Thingers and not some other weekly Tuesday meme? Or do you do more than one?Also, if you feel like you don't have enough memes, you can visit The Daily Meme for even more blogging options for different days of the week. I know- like you don't have enough to do! :-)

My answer: In addition to Tuesday Thingers, I participate in Friday Fill-Ins. I have done Booking through Thursday one time. I also belong to the BooksANDBlogs RingSurf, which I think is a type of round robin, not sure, though. I enjoy Tuesday Thingers and Friday Fill-Ins the best. I am most faithful with Tuesday Thingers, I guess because it was the 1st one I joined. Friday Fill-Ins are lots of fun. Two a week is good for me and if I have more time, I add one more to my blog. This gives me plenty of days to do book reviews and a way to update my blog daily. I am glad to learn about The Daily Meme, will definitely check that out.

Chasing Harry Winston

LibraryThing review...

Chasing Harry Winston by Laren Weisberger

Chasing Harry Winston is about three New York ladies approaching the ripe old age of thirty and deciding that their lives aren't exactly what they want. It is about Emmy, faithful girlfriend, Leigh, book editor with the dream boyfriend, and Adriana, spoiled richgirl. They make a bet to change their lives in one year and do they ever! I enjoyed this book, a fun, light summer novel.

In the Woods

LibraryThing book review...

In the Woods by Tana French

The beginning of In the Woods was very interesting, but I got bogged down in the last half of the book. This is a a story about two missing children and it also the story of a murdered twelve-year-old girl. One happened twenty years ago and one happened recently, both in the same woods, both involving a boy/man named Adam Ryan. The best part of the book, for me, was the characters of detectives Rob and Cassie. Their relationship is complicated, real, and always intriguing. The worst part had to be the ending, resolution for one mystery, but not for the other. I did enjoy the book, the writing and will read the next book by Tana French.

Friday Fill-ins #83

Here we go:

1. If I could travel back in time, I'd go to my college days-super fun!

2. Give me a book or give me a magazine.

3. I am listening to some Nickelback.

4. Somewhere, someone is thinking about me:)

5. I'll always be an animal lover.

6. My idea of a good time includes a book, a beach, and a fancy drink.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to staying home & chilling, tomorrow my plans include working and Sunday, I want to do some chores! (need to, that is!)

Gilding Lily

LibraryThing book review...

Gilding Lily by Tatiana Boncompagni

Gilding Lily is the story of Lily Grace, a reporter, who is engaged to lawyer Robert Barthlomew. Lily and Robert get married, Lily becoming pregnant on their honeymoon. Lily has her baby boy, Will, and he brings her much joy. Things are going well, then Robert quits his job and everything starts to fall apart...

This is the story of how Lily finds her way through being a first-time mom, a new marriage, and finding her own place in the world. She struggles with her mother-in-law, Josephine, and tries to restart her career as a reporter. Her marriage to Robert is falling apart mainly because her husband is a spoiled mama's boy who doesn't have a backbone. Why she stays with him is beyond me.

I found this book an enjoyable, easy read. The story was good and the characters were interesting. I did get frustrated with Lily and with how much crap she put up with from her husband and her mother-in-law. She struck me as being very weak and I wanted to knock some sense into her more than once. I look forward to more from this first-time author…

Friday Fill-ins #82

Here we go:

1. I believe whatever doesn't kill you, of course, makes you stronger.

2. If you're good at something, share it with the world.

3. Why so many books, so little time???

4. Something is out there, it's gonna get me!

5. If my life were a sitcom, it would be titled Friends.

6. Sitting on my back porch I see beautiful trees, lovely roses, and my 2 little sweetie-pies...Hannah & Zoe!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to working, tomorrow my plans include working and Sunday, I want to chill at home! (but, I will probably be...working!!!)

Tuesday Thingers

Today's topic: Recommendations. Do you use LT's recommendations feature? Have you found any good books by using it? Do you use the anti-recommendations, or the "special sauce" recommendations? How do you find out about books you want to read?
My answer: I have to be honest, I really didn't know that LT had a recommendations feature, so I have not used it. I now definitely plan on checking it out and seeing if it gives me any good ideas for books. The anti-recommendations and special sauce recommendations sound very interesting-must take a look! I find out about books by readings reviews in magazines, friends, bookstores, websites, blogs, etc. The list does indeed go on and on...

Friday Fill-in #81

1. If I could be a fly on the wall I would learn alot!

2. Jealousy is so silly.

3. When I see a shooting star my wish would be that I could spend one more day with my nephew.

4. I'd rather be reading than working any day!

5. Certain songs when I hear them make me wanna cry or they make me wanna dance.

6. If time were in a bottle I think I would look much younger:)

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to chilling at home, tomorrow my plans include working at my part-time job and Sunday, I want to sleep!

Happy Friday:)

Booking through Thursday

Another question inspired by the Bunch of Grapes on Martha’s Vineyard having burned down on the Fourth of July.

Do you buy books while on vacation/holiday?
Do you have favorite bookstores that you only get to visit while away on a trip?
What/Where are they?

I have to be honest, when I am on vacation I like to be out doing stuff and having fun. If I happen to run into a wonderful book store, I would definitely look at books. But, I don't make it a point to buy books while vacationing. I really don't have any favorite bookstores that I visit while away on a trip. Maybe I need to do some more traveling! Believe me, I have enough books as it is. I agree with Jill @ http://breakingthespine.blogspot.com who said she would rather be on the beach reading than looking for a book to read on the beach!!!

Halfway House

LibraryThing book review...

Halfway House written by Katharine Noel
Halfway House is about Angie Voorster, a seventeen-year old teenager, who has a breakdown during a swim meet and eventually is diagnosed as being bipolar. The story is not only about how Angie deals with this, but also how her mother, father, and brother deal with it. We follow Angie's journey from hospitals, to halfway houses, to home, and back to hospitals. We also see her father distance himself from the family and turn inward. Her mother has an affair and her brother, Luke, finds comfort with girlfriends. He also struggles with wanting to take care of Angie and wanting to have his own life. I found the book interesting because the Katharine Noel takes us into life with mental illness from every family member's perspective. This is not only Angie's story, but that of her family, as well.
julyso Jul 17, 2008

Tuesday Thingers

Today's topic: Book-swapping. Do you do it? What site(s) do you use? How did you find out about them? What do you think of them? Do you use LT's book-swapping column feature for information on what to swap? Do you participate in any of the LT communities that discuss bookswapping, like the Bookmooch group for example?

I love to book-swap! It is so much fun & mostly free-a good deal for everyone. I started with Bookmooch, which I love & still use. I use Bookmooch the most. I joined PaperBackBookSwap about a month ago & also like it. I think book-swapping sites are great & provide a valuable service-recycling books & providing people with books who can't always afford to go out & buy books brand new. I also check out LT for books people want to swap or give away books & plan on giving some of my ARCs away on LT. I have so many books now, I really should stop, but WHO can stop???

Tuesday Thingers

Since we're past the Fourth of July and the summer season has officially started, what are your plans for the summer? Vacations, trips? Trips that involve reading? Reading plans? If you're going somewhere, do you do any reading to prepare? Do you read local literature as part of your trip? Have you thought about using the LT Local feature to help plan your book-buying?

I really don't have any big plans for the summer. I will be working part-time at a jewelry store at the mall and doing some scrapbooking for a friend. I also plan to do a lot of reading, need to get my piles down a bit! Last summer, I traveled to Alaska for my neice's graduation and that was great. IF, I was going somewhere special, I would definitely use the LT local feature to help with my planning and book-buying. Hope everyone has a great summer:)

Belong to Me

LibraryThing book review...

Belong to Me: a novel: written by Marisa De Los Santos

Belong to Me continues the story of Cornelia Brown and her husband, Teo, as they move to the suburbs. Cornelia struggles to find her way...she soon develops a friendship with her neighbor, Piper, and also meets Lake (and her son, Dev), who is also new in town. This is about all their lives, their relationships, and how they are all connected. I enjoyed the characters, I especially loved Cornelia and Teo. They story, however, seemed to go on and on, I was ready for the end. I didn't love this book as much as I thought I would, but I did like it.
William Morrow (2008), Edition: 1, Hardcover, 400 pages