CynWetzel's 12 in 12

Slipping over here from the 100 in 2011 group -- in which I had hoped truly to read 111 -- for a new challenge in 2012. I cannot imagine I can read 144 books in one year without skimping on meaty stuff, but I like the idea of 12 categories.
My original thought was to only read short stories or short story collections in 2012, but I know I won't be able to keep to just that. I have too many novels and non-fiction in Mt. TBR. So, categories seems a good idea.

Although still under revision,

1. short story collections
2. favorite author(s), re-reads, off-the-shelves (BOMBS -- thanks, tymfos!)
3. fantasy/magical realism (perhaps a re-read of Marion Zimmer Bradley's Darkover series)
4. a catch-all category (ARC, ER, other reviewer selections, such as titles read for the Mississippi Library Association's 2012 Author Award Committee)
5. non-fiction
6. classic Southern literature
7. non US/UK Authors
8. 2012 fiction, all genres
9. audiobooks
10. books in progress/on hold from 2011 or earlier
11. young adult (i.e., getting my CC/JC students to read beyond class assignments)
12. cozy mysteries & chick lit


As for how many...
In 2010 I read 85 books (and surprised myself).
In 2011 I read 105 books (and shocked myself).
That's about a 20% increase, so...
I'll set the goal for 120 (averaging, but not committing to, 10 books per category).

1. short story collections

1. Snow white, blood red / Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling, eds. 2012-03-13
2. Beyond Grimm: tales newly twisted / Deborah J. Ross, et al. 2012-05-13
3. METAtropolis: Cascadia / Jay Lake, et al. 2012-05-24 (audio)

Lineup:
A yuletide universe: sixteen fantastical tales / Brian M. Thomsen, ed. (Started: 12/25/2011 -
My mother she killed me, my father he ate me: forty new fairy tales / Kate Bernheimer, ed.
Black thorn, white rose / Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling, eds.
Casefile / Bill Pronzini

2. favorite author(s), re-reads, BOMBS

1. M is for magic / Neil Gaiman 2012-02-09, audio

Lineup:
The wood wife / Terri Windling

3. fantasy/magical realism (perhaps a re-read of Marion Zimmer Bradley's Darkover series)

1. The sugar queen / Sarah Addison Allen 2012-01-07
2. White as snow / Tanith Lee 2012-01-21
3. The peach keeper / Sarah Addison Allen 2012-02-02
4. Godmother: the secret Cinderella story / Carolyn Turgeon 2012-08-29
5. Jack, the Giant Killer / Charles de Lint 2012-09-04
6. Drink down the moon / Charles de Lint
7. The game of thrones / George R. R. Martin 2012-11-01
8. A clash of kings / George R. R. Martin 2012-11-04
9. A discovery of witches / Deborah Harkness 2012-11-13 (audio)
10. A storm of swords / George R. R. Martin 2012-11-14
11. A feast for crows / George R. R. Martin 2012-11-26
12. A dance with dragons / George R. R. Martin 2012-12-24

Lineup:

ETA: Took a look at my Darkover collection tonight.
Oh.My.
I.Forgot.How.Big.That.Series.Is.

4. a catch-all category

1. Back story / Robert B. Parker 2012-01-08
2. Stone cold / Robert B. Parker 2012-01-21
3. Sea change / Robert B. Parker 2012-02-18
4. High profile / Robert B. Parker 2012-02-19
5. Blue screen / Robert B. Parker 2012-02-26
6. Spare change / Robert B. Parker 2012-02-26
7. Stranger in Paradise / Robert B. Parker 2012-03-03
8. Night and day / Robert B. Parker 2012-03-07
9. Split image / Robert B. Parker 2012-03-09
10. The book of lies / Brad Meltzer 2012-05-23
11. The inner circle / Brad Meltzer 2012-05-26
12. The Book of Fate / Brad Metzler 2012-07-19
13. Heat rises / Richard Castle 2012-08-31

5. non-fiction

1. Eat, pray, love / Elizabeth Gilbert 2012/04/27; audio
2. The Barefoot Sisters: southbound / Lucy Letcher & Susan Letcher 2012-06-06; Kindle
3. The American Community College 2012-08-09
4. ASHE Reader on Community Colleges 2012-08-09
5. All gone: a memoir of my mother's dementia. With refreshments / Alex Witchel 2012-09-23

6. classic Southern literature

7. non US/UK authors

1. Balzac and the little chinese seamstress / Dai Sijie (Chinese-French) 2012-04-01
2. Sophie's world: a novel about the history of philosophy / Jostein Gaarder (Norwegian) 2012-04-17, audio
3. Heart of darkness / Joseph Conrad (Polish) 2012-09-21

Lineup:
One hundred years of solitude / Gabriel García Márquez
Beautiful Maria of my soul / Oscar Hijuelos

8. 2012 fiction, all genres

1. The fault in our stars / John Green 2012-01-30
2. The Columbus affair / Steve Berry 2012-05-19
3. The replacement wife / Eileen Goudge 2012-05-20 (LTER)
4. The house of velvet and glass / Katherine Howe 2012-05-29
5. The shoemaker's wife / Adriana Trigiani 2012-05-14
6. Frozen Heat / Richard Castle 2012-10-02
7. Fool me twice / Michael Brandman 2012-10-24
8. Last to die / Tess Gerritsen 2012-10-26
9. Cold days / Jim Butcher 2012-12-31

9. audiobooks

1. I feel bad about my neck / Nora Ephron 2012-01-09
2. I remember nothing and other reflections / Nora Ephron 2012-01-11
3. The Dante Club / Matthew Pearl 2012-01-26
4. Deal breaker: the first Myron Bolitar novel / Harlan Coben 2012-01-29
5. The laughter of dead kings / Elizabeth Peters 2012-02-03
6. The adventures of Sherlock Holmes / Sir Arthur Conan Doyle 2012-02-27
7. The Valley of Fear & The final problem / Sir Arthur Conan Doyle 2012-03-??
8. The Winter Ghosts / Kate Mosse 2012-03-08
9. Confederacy of dunces / John Kennedy Toole 2012-03-29
10. A darkness more than night / Michael Connelly 2012-05-09
11. Executive privilege / Phillip Margolin 2012-06-28
12. Wives and daughters / Elizabeth Gaskell 2012-08-10
13. The Expected One / Kathleen McGowan
14. The Book of Love / Kathleen McGowan

*I listen to maybe 15-20 audiobooks a year as I drive back and forth to work each day, so not all my audiobooks will end up here.

Lineup:

10. books in progress/on hold from 2011 or earlier

1. The ligitators / John Grisham 2012-04-21
2. 13 little blue envelopes / Maureen Johnson 2012-05-06

Lineup:
The family Fang / Kevin Wilson
Robert B. Parker's killing the blues / Michael Brandman (audio) Finished 2011-12-31
The lacuna / Barbara Kingsolver
The lollipop shoes (or The girl with no shadow) / Joanne Harris

11. young adult (i.e., getting my CC/JC students to read beyond class assignments)

1. Daughter of smoke and bone / Laini Taylor (audio) 2012-10-22
2. Days of blood and starlight / Laini Taylor (audio) 2012-12-05

Lineup:
The madness underneath (Shades of London, Book 2) / Maureen Johnson

12. cozy mysteries & chick lit

1. The Beach Street Knitting Society and Yarn Club / Gil McNeil 2012-01-02
2. Needles and pearls / Gil McNeil 2012-01-06
3. Knit one pearl one / Gil McNeil (LT ER, Dec 2011) 2012-01-22
4. Butter safe than sorry / Tamar Myers 2012-02-12
5. Lost in a Good Book / Jasper Fforde 2012-02-20
6. Gingerbread cookie murder / Joanne Fluke 2012-02-24
7. Devil's food cake murder / Joanne Fluke 2012-02-25
8. Death by cashmere / Sally Goldenbaum 2012-02-26
9. The pumpkin muffin murder / Livia J. Washburn 2012-03-15
10. The well of lost plots / Jasper Fforde 2012-03-23
11. Something rotten / Jasper Fforde 2012-03-31
12. Carrots / Colleen Helme 2012-06-30
13. Bookmarked to die / Jo Dereske 2012-07-12 (ebook)
14. Life from scratch / Melissa Ford 2012-07-15 (ebook)
15. In her shoes / Jennifer Weiner 2012-07-27 (ebook)
16. Saints preserve us / L. K. Ellwood 2012-07-22 (ebook)
17. The sister mafia / Jeff Hagkull 2012-08-10
18. The Lady in the Attic / Tara Randel 2012-09-01
19. Dead pan / Gayle Trent
20. A slice of murder / Chris Cavender 2012-12-18

Lineup:
Cinnamon roll murder / Joanne Fluke
The gingerbread bump-off / Livia J. Washburn
Murder by mocha; A brew to kill; Holiday buzz / Cleo Coyle
Queen without a crown / Fiona Buckley
First among sequels / Jasper FForde

"fidn't dit" or "not sure where to put this right now"

Labyrinth / Kate Mosse 2012-02-08
The booktaker / Bill Pronzini 2012-02-15 (one story in Casefile), audio
The last Dickens / Matthew Pearl 2012-04-11
Dream Room / Chet Nicholson 2012-04-24
Safe from the neighbors / Steve Yarbrough 2012-04-29
Quiver River: a novel / Paul Henderson 2012-04-29
Penumbra / Carolyn Haines 2012-05-15
Bright young things / Anna Godbersen 2012-06-28
The witch doctor's wife / Tamar Myers

Lineup:

I realized I didn't read a single short story collection this past year and I intend to rectify that! I have a collection of sea stories that has been on my shelf for a while.

Looking forward to seeing what other categories develop.

Good Luck in 2012!

Playing with food-themed categories, given the number of cookbooks in my physical library and how many food- and recipe-themed books I read. Still tinkering...

this first time at this category-thing, I may just stay 'plain-jane' about it.

What an awesome list! I'll be sure to continue to check back and follow your progress. I hadn't heard of Sarah Addison Ellen before, have you read any of her other books? Now I'm considering reading Garden Spells. I'm very interested.

I'm a huge cozy mystery fan. Have you read any of the Coffeehouse Mysteries series by Cleo Coyle?

Garden spells is a wonderful little book, and I enjoyed The girl who chased the moon just as much. If I recall correctly, there are some excerpts at her website (maybe that is just Peach Keeper, though).

Yes, have read all the Coffeehouse Mysteries up to Murder by mocha, listed above. Most of them I got through PaperbackSwap, though I did pick up a couple as bargain books and then passed all of them along back through PBS. Loved learning all about the ins and outs of coffee industry. Holiday grind, in particular is full of information and great recipes.

Thanks for stopping by my thread! :D

Thanks CynWetzel, both Sarah Addison Allen books are going on my list. I'm really looking forward to testing out her work. She sounds like a really gifted writer.

Wow, you've really moved along with the Coffeehouse Mysteries series! I think they're really cute, but after the third one I wasn't really sure yet if I loved her writing, so I'm taking a little break. I'm on a Janet Evanovich Stephanie Plum kick right now.

InfectiousOptimist, Most of the cozies, to me, leave at least a little something to be desired in the writing. But they are usually fun/entertaining, and because I trade them back and forth, all they cost me is postage (or a trip to the library if I'm lucky). I would never have bought many of the books I have read (not for full price -- I do some damage at the used books stores, though).

Never tried Evanovich yet. Probably will. We have a lot of them in the local libraries.

I see in your 12 in 12 thread you will be starting Sue Grafton's series; many of our faculty/staff love her books. We buy both the print and the audio of most of them.

Have you tried Terri Gerritsen's Rizzoli and Isles books? They are good reads, imo.

(oh, how cool! the "@personsname" works on LT)

TIOLI Cookbook Challenge (1)

Originally posted 12/24/2011:
Today I worked out of two Emeril Lagasse cookbooks to make gumbo. It has been ages since I made gumbo, and then it was usually seafood. I wanted a more rustic, homestyle type today, so I went to my Louisiana/Cajun/Creole shelf (okay, there are two shelves). I found two very similar recipes that looked like just what I wanted.

First, from Every day's a party: Louisiana recipes for celebrating with family and friends, "Duck and Andouille Sausage Gumbo" (p. 252). Second, in Louisiana real and rustic, "Chicken and Smoked Sausage Gumbo" (p. 67).

I was *really* worried about making the roux (equal parts of oil and flour, stirred constantly for 20-25 minutes -- for a dark brown roux). There is a very small window between perfect and burnt! I stopped short of the darkest brown the recipes both called for, but still have a nice brown gumbo for Christmas Eve supper.

My daughter-in-law does not eat pork, so Andouille or other pork sausage was not an option. Instead, I went to a small local butcher and got some smoked deer sausage. I didn't use duck, since I have roasted chicken on hand.

It's now nicely simmering for the afternoon in my new slow cooker.

I don't know who here posted a link to FictFact, but what an eye-opener it was to discover I've been reading over 30 difference series in just the last couple of years! Fortunately, about half are either ended or ones I just happen to read one book. I'm sure many of you read more series than that, but I only thought I'd be looking at 6 or 8 series via that site -- which is a much better way to keep track than the Word document I've been using, so... thanks to whomever posted the link!

Just wanted to stop by and say thanks to you for stopping by my thread.\

21 I, too, read a lot of books I'd never spend the money to buy, at least at full price. I'm a serious used book store fan, and borrow often from the library!

>24 tymfos: This is a really prolific group! I don't know how I'll keep up once I go back to work on the 3rd.

The Beach Street Knitting Society & Yarn Club / Gil McNeil

First off, this book loses one whole star for *not* having a knitting pattern included. Bad enough that they have lots of lucious sounding food and no recipes, but the book is about knitters, knitting and a knitting shop, for Pete's sake!

About 100 pages into the book, I checked the book's reviews (21) here on LT. IT has a 3.75 star rating with only one review that was anywhere near negative. I can only believe that no one finds run-on writing as irritating as do I. It's like a very long conversation with that friend who calls you and just goes on and on and on and on and on about the mundane things/thoughts in her life/head never taking a breath or giving anyone else a chance to speak. One reviewer complained of long dialogs where the reader can't tell who is speaking. To my view, it really doesn't matter who is speaking sometimes. When it matters (mostly) the speaker is identified.

I've set myself up to read the two additional titles in this series by McNeil (3rd one coming via ER). I can only hope the writing (editing?) gets better.

However, I did come to care about the characters, and I enjoy the relationships McNeil set up in the town. Nothing particularly horrible or particularly amazing happens in this book. I might enjoy the book more if I was still raising small children, so I could commiserate (or feel I was being commiserated with) -- at this point in my life, I simply think, "Thank god that's over!"

Question for any UK'rs: did the library closings problem begin as long ago as 2007/2008? It is used as a means to 'liberate' one of the characters in this book, and seemed more like a statement than a well-fitted part of the story. (... and wouldn't reading be a more fitting demonstration against a library closing than knitting???)

First off, this book loses one whole star for *not* having a knitting pattern included.

Agreed. While I knit (when the mood strikes me) I can't read a knitting pattern if my life depended on it but I agree with the logic that a book about knitters, knitting and a knitting shop should have one pattern for the readers.

Great review!

It's a sacrilege that there was no pattern in the book. That's a luscious looking scarf on the cover. I love the colors!

So, fellow 12in12'rs ... into which of my categories shall the Sandman volumes go?
Do they fit anywhere at all, or shall they go in the "Fidn't dit" category?
Gaiman *is* one of my favorite authors ...
... they could be considered short story collections ...
... they are fantasy ...

Opinions?

@ 29 -- Personally, I have a complex system of priorities with my categories. For example, nothing can go in my "books off the shelf" category if it can also fit into another category. If you don't want to impose crazy additional rules on yourself, though, just put Sandman into whichever category you think will be hardest to fill. Or you can move it around at will!

If you don't want to impose crazy additional rules on yourself, though, just put Sandman into whichever category you think will be hardest to fill.

This is my general strategy.

That's how I place my books, too.

30, 31, 32 Ditto! (And I always reserve the right to move the book to another category where it fits if I need to balance things out differently later!

LOL @ all of you! :) So, nothing's written in stone.
Sounds like a plan to me.
Thanks!

(Seriously, though, with all the rules we have in our lives that we absolutely cannot change or do anything about, it is wonderfully comforting that here we can make the rules, avoid most all the rules, or change the rules... a truly magical land is LibraryThing!)

Rules?! I move mine all over the place too. Later in the year I tend to put them in whichever has the least books, but I'd have to, you know, plan or something to make it work right from January on. I do confess to a desire (not an obsession, really) to keep my categories even within a book or two. I guess that's a rule. Or maybe it's just the impetus behind all the recategorizing :)

Needles and pearls / Gil McNeil
Follow up to The Beach Street Knitting Society & Yarn Club

It seems to me that there is a lot less in this book about knitting here than in the first book (and still no knitting pattern). All the relationships and characters are further developed, and that's what I enjoyed about the first book. There is somewhat less running-on in the sentences, but it's still there, and I still don't care for that style. YMMV I did notice a reduction in the use of semi-colons in the dialogue, thank heavens.

These two books have been a nice break from the mysteries and crime novels I've been devouring the last year; neither a bodice ripper nor a tragic tale...

now... what next?

The sugar queen / Sarah Addison Allen

Allen writes magical realism -- and does so pretty well, imo -- usually set in western North Carolina. I've had this book a while. I remember reading the first couple of pages and putting it down. Reading it now, I realize I completely misjudged what the book was about.

I've enjoyed all Allen's books and am looking forward to more.

I am a big fan of Sarah Addison Allen's books as well. I tend to plow through them as fast as she can produce them!

I'd put the Sandman books in whichever category I still needed to fill slots on. It could move depending on the need. What a good choice for your 12 in 12. They could fit in several categories.

Back story / Robert B. Parker

I realized today that I still had this library book to read. Parker's books are fast reads, so I knew I could likely finish it today and return it to the library when I go tomorrow.

I had this one because it is listed with other Jesse Stone novels. In truth, it is a Spenser novel with a small portion taking place in Paradise, with Spenser having some contact with and assistance from Stone. This was not a problem, because I also like the Spenser character, though I've only read two other Spenser novels (the first two). I have to say, I found the characterizations in this book more similar to the television series portrayals than the first two books. Maybe I'll add the Spenser titles into my series reading. My public library has loads of them, if not all.

I feel bad about my neck / Nora Ephron

If you know When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle, and You've Got Mail, you know Nora Ephron: she wrote them (and others). This audio book is read by her, and it is always a treat to hear an author read their own work. I wasn't sure in the begining, however, but I came to realize that her personality comes shining through her reading. Or at least the personality she wants to reveal.

This book (as well as the next one I'll listen to, I remember nothing), will be lost on any woman younger than 40 and all men. With some sections I literally laughed and giggled out loud, much of it I nodded along with, and some was completely foreign to this non-city girl. Then there's the next to last section about death and her dear friend... I fought hard not to cry. I was driving home at night in the rain.

I would definitely recommend the audio rather then the printed versions of her essay collections, just to enjoy her 'storytelling.'

It can be dangerous to listen to a tear jerker while driving. Some moons ago I took my kids on a road trip and found a copy of Call of the Wild to listen to. I had to stop it and change to another books since I always tear up with dog stories.

There are three songs I absolutely can not listen to while I'm driving:
Patty Loveless's How Can I Help You Say Goodbye

Chet Atkins's I Still Can't Say Goodbye

and

Anybody singing I'll Be Home For Christmas

>41 CynWetzel: I read I Feel Bad About My Neck a few years ago for one of my book clubs and enjoyed it (and I'm still under 40). I think most women can relate to the general topics even if we haven't experienced all of them directly yet. From what I can remember, the biggest problem I had in relating to her was the class difference. She has experienced (and cares about) things I never will regardless of how old I get! Otherwise, it was a humorous book and I do love those movies!

I remember nothing / Nora Ephron

This is another collection of essays read by the author. Basically, I could 'ditto' the comments from 41 -- except that women younger than 40 might enjoy this one as well, _debbie_ :D

Now there's a book I can relate to! I can't see to remember anything these days! :o)

Now there's a book I can relate to! I can't see to remember anything these days! :o)

Ditto!

White as snow / Tanith Lee

I don't know why it too me so long to finish reading this book!

Lee weaves together in this "brutal, mysterious" "dark, sensual retelling of 'Snow White'" elements from the myth of Persephone and Demeter, and pagan forest religions. Both the Snow White and the Wicked Queen characters seem quite mad throughout the story and when in their POV one feels a bit that way, too.

The language is rich and the story is rather morbidly fascinating. It will be rather too vulgar for some readers, however.

For me the best portion of the book is Terri Windling's introduction discussing the history of Snow White tales. Oh, and Thomas Canty's cover art.

Stone cold / Robert B. Parker

#4 in Jesse Stone series... like spending the afternoon watching Tom Selleck.

@ 49 -- That made me laugh. :)

Good, christina. :) I like to make people laugh.

Knit one, pearl one / Gil McNeil

This is an LT ER, so I'll be posting a review, but not tonight. :)

The Dante Club / Matthew Pearl

I listened to Pearl's Poe's shadow last year, and was intrigued by the type of story he told; this one even more so. The story takes place in Boston, immediately following the end of the Civil War and its main characters include poets Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, James Russell Lowell, and Oliver Wendell Homes (senior), as well as their publisher J. T. Fields. The heart of the story is the group's ("The Dante Club") ongoing work to create the first American translation of Dante's The Divine Comedy, which is interrupted and endangered by a series of murders which match descriptions of punishments in the various circles of Hell.

There's a lot in this tale...backroom politics at Harvard, jealous academia, war-torn soldiers and societies, betrayal, loss, friendship, love of fellowman.

The descriptions both of the murders and the punishments Dante 'witnessed' were quite gruesome, such that I wished I was reading print so I could just skip ahead! But otherwise a very wonderful read (or, listen -- it occupied me for many days from home to work and back again).

I've got 3 of Matthew Pearl's books on the tbr including The Dante Club. I just have to find the time to fit it into the reading schedule. Glad to hear that you enjoyed it though as it's always good to see a positive review for a future read.

I am looking forward to reading Pearl's The Technologists this year - which will be my first Pearl book. Sounds like he has other books that I might enjoy as well!

I picked up The last Dickens recently off PaperbackSwap, so it will go onto this year's pile. Awaiting newest one so will look forward to hearing how you enjoy it.

Deal breaker: the first Myron Bolitar novel / Harlan Coben

Grabbed this for a weekend trip on recommendation of my boss. I don't expect to read more of Coben at this time. Maybe it was just the reader, but I didn't care for the writing and the story seemed unoriginal.

The fault in our stars / John Green

This arrived in new book shipment yesterday. It sat on my desk all afternoon. I finally gave in to temptation about 7pm; finished it just after midnight.
I don't often give 4-stars to books; even less often lately do I find a book I know I'll re-read. This, however is both. I suppose I could be prejudiced, having spent time with him when he was a guest author at the Fay B. Kaigler Children's Book Festival a few years ago...
The only other John Green writing I have read was his portion of Let it snow (with Lauren Myracle and Maureen Johnson), so I really came to this book a blank slate.
This is definitely one of those YA books that adults should read. The young adult characters in the book, well, if only all 16-18 year-olds were so intelligent and so mature. Unfortunately, we suspect it is their serious illnesses which have made them so. Thankfully, the adult in the story are not so very clueless, as is so common in YA works.

One element of the story really struck a chord with me: the expectation of readers to get more and more story from an author. I do like a series; but it doesn't bother me (too much) if there are unanswered questions... that is, if those unanswered questions are meant to be left to the reader to ponder, NOT if they are poor writing/plot development.

I would highly recommend this to 15 and up, teens and adults. I think younger teens would not understand the philosophical aspects which seem to me essential to Hazel's, Augustus's and Isaac's stories.

I've read several of Green's books (Will Grayson, Will Grayson, Looking for Alaska, and An Abundance of Katherines). He stands head and shoulders above most other YA authors.

>59 mamzel: And he's so CUTE, too!

*grin* The better to see him then.

The peach keeper / Sarah Addison Allen

I've thoroughly enjoyed each of Allen's four books, though I'm really not a fan of romance novels. It's the magical realism and mystery, I think, that makes the difference, AND the other elements beyond the love story. In this one it's friendship, secrets, expectations and misperceptions/misconceptions about people (and oneself).

Now, I think I'll re-read Garden spells, since a character from it makes an appearance in this one, and there's no new book on the horizon from her. :(

Have you read The Firefly Dance, a novella by Sarah Addison Allen? Can't seem to get a touchstone to work for it. I saw it on B&N the other day and am curious about it.

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-firefly-dance-sarah-addison-allen/1105027202

>63 VictoriaPL: No, I haven't, but I do remember seeing it on her website and in searches for her work.

To quote from her website: "My first published work was a 2003 paperback romance, titled Tried and True, written under the pen name Katie Gallagher, which is now out of print. I also have a novella of short stories in an anthology called Firefly Dance from BelleBridge Books (these are the same stories previously released only in audio under the title In My Dreams). These are all early works, no magic involved and not as polished as my recent work, so bear that in mind!"

The laughter of dead kings / Elizabeth Peters

I've not read any of her work before, but this was enjoyable to listen to as an audiobook. The reader was enthusiastic and the voices were fun. If I can find additional titles in this series as audiobooks, I'll probably listen to more. A friend says her other series, Amelia Peabody, is better, so I may try that first.

Oh, heck... thank you LT touchstones: She also writes as Barbara Michaels (Barbara Mertz) Guess I have read her before (Georgetown trilogy: Ammie, come home, Stitches in time & Shattered silk).

How wonderful it must be not only to be able to write, but to be able to write such various voices.

M is for magic / Neil Gaiman (author and performer)

The only disappointment here is that I'd already heard so many of the stories included (at least half). Still, I love to hear Neil Gaiman read/tell stories.

This collection is aimed at young people, but anyone can enjoy it.

Labyrinth / Kate Mosse

I wanted to read this because last December I listened Sepulchre, and there seemed to be carry-over characters/themes. I discovered they were two of a trilogy.

I think I prefer Sepulchre, but I didn't hate this one (some of the reviews are rough on her and her writing). I really appreciate authors who don't treat readers as stupid, spelling out every plot element repeatedly; however, perhaps because my reading time for this was chopped up and I lost track, or whatever, I always felt like there was something I missed. Then suddenly a new piece of the puzzle.

Regardless, I plan to read Citadel (3rd in the Labyrinth Trilogy) and The winter ghosts when I can find them.

I also plan on reading Citadel when it comes out. I read The Winter Ghosts when it came out..... it is a bit of a different story and I thought that Mosse did an excellent job giving voice to the male narrator of the story.

Butter Safe Than Sorry / Tamar Myers

This brings me up to date with this comedic cozy.

I dropped out of this series a few installments back, but as long as my mom was alive, she always wanted to read them. I probably have a few of those in a TBR pile around here. I can probably get the others at the public library. Maybe I'll get caught up eventually!

69 I like that series because it's set in a region not too far from where I live. It's fun to see references to familiar places -- though she occasionally gets things wrong (for instance, the month that a particular fair is held).

>70 thornton37814: She could easily make this one the last of the series. I had fun reading them. Guess I should pop over to fictfact.com and update my series reads.

>71 tymfos: That's probably part of the attraction for me, too: lived in the general area for many years (just over the border in Maryland -- without provisions!) and traveled a lot there, too.

The booktaker: a nameless detective story / Bill Pronzini (about an hour audio; 2012-02-15)

Got this as a free download from audiogo.com and they are supposed to do another Nameless Detective story freebie in February. It was published in Casefile, in 1983.

Sea change / Robert B. Parker

I sort of got side-tracked from reading the Jesse Stone novels by Parker, but I stopped in my local library yesterday and picked up a couple to read over the holiday weekend.

High profile / Robert B. Parker

I wish I'd had my list with me when I picked up the Jesse Stone novels yesterday. Perhaps I'd have seen that I should also have picked up Parker's Blue screen and Spare change, which are Sunny Randall books, but (at least the first one) contains chunks of Jesse Stone's story.

I'll pick them up on Tuesday I guess, and get filled in about Jesse/Jenn and Jesse/Sunny. :D

After that, there's only three more Jesse Stone novels by Parker.

Lost in a good book / Jasper Fforde

These tales make my head hurt! LOL Seriously, the creativity is amazing.

Gingerbread cookie murder / Joanne Fluke

Only read the title portion of this three-in-one.

All of the Fforde books everyone is reading is making me think I should pick one of his books up again.

Devil's food cake murder / Joanne Fluke

Death by cashmere / Sally Goldenbaum

I just finished reading all the reviews on this book on LT, and am amazed that no one mentions some of the glaring editing errors in this book! Most are niggly, that I could sort of pass over, but then we get to pages 222-224.

Nell has gone to visit Josie.

'"I've made us some tea," Josie said.'
...
'On the table was a tray with a plastic pitcher of tea, two tall glasses, and a bowl of sliced lemons.
'Josie poured Nell a tall glass of tea.'
...
'Josie sipped her tea and smiled over the curl of steam'...

What?
Then...

'Josie set her cup down on the saucer'

So, was it iced tea in tall glasses or hot tea in cups and saucers?? This is probably the most outstanding example, but there are background/movement errors* through the text.

These kinds of things put me off. Since none of my local library sources carry any of these, so I will most likely move on to another author. My copy will go up on PBS for the one person on this title's waiting list.

*And then there's "gauged" instead of "gouged" on page 260...

That kind of continuity error especially bothers me in mysteries. You're supposed to be looking for little things, clues, and all of a sudden your tea is both iced and hot? I threw aside a mystery because the sleuth received a concussion and the next day was shaking her head vigorously.

Blue screen / Robert B. Parker

Ah, the continuity errors. Is it just me or do they seem to be cropping up more and more frequently in books, or are we just keen observers? Some are enough to laugh off similar to the errors detected in some movies that people like to joke about but when it is something obvious, I start to question the editors, etc that review the manuscript prior to publication (I don't read many self published books).

Spare change / Robert B. Parker

Though a "Sunny Randall" novel, it was also listed in the "Jesse Stone" titles, but it was only their relationship mentioned. No appearance of Jesse in the flesh, so to speak. :D

The adventures of Sherlock Holmes / Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (audio)

I really enjoyed the narrator of this particular audio, Ralph Cosham. Am listening to another Sherlock Holmes now, and though the gentleman does a fine job, I sort of miss the 'voices' of Cosham.

Stranger in Paradise / Robert B. Parker

Sherlock Holmes on audio sounds like a good idea. They're pretty leisurely paced by modern standards, and I'm thinking a good reader could really capitalize on the quirkiness of the writing style.

83 - I think it's both. The more you read and the more you review, the more you pick up on errors but I think the publishing business has been squeezed for money (it always has been) and they've been compensating for this by pushing books through with less editing. Some of the small presses don't edit/proof at all! & I'm not even going to talk about the vanity presses. I know Borders closing has hurt the publishers since they've lost a huge source of pre-orders. Hopefully, if we keep pinging them for errors in our reviews, they'll notice that we appreciate good editing.

Night and day / Robert B. Parker
This one *was* a Sunny Randall novel. :) Perhaps someone just made an error on the list I was looking at before. Even though they know the culprit early on, the story is a good read. Only one more Jesse Stone novel to read. :(

The Valley of Fear and The final problem / Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (audio)

The Winter Ghosts / Kate Mosse

Split image / Robert B. Parker

Snow white, blood red / Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling, eds.

The pumpkin muffin murder / Livia J. Washburn

Even the covers of the Washburn books evoke coziness!

I always loved the cover art of the Datlow/Windling fairytale books. I have that one, but haven't gotten to it yet. I've read some of the others in the series though.

The well of lost plots / Jasper Fforde

Isn't the "thrice-read rule" interesting given what's happened with ebooks? (Wells was published in 2003.)

Smiled at this, from pages 48-49:
"After all, reading is arguable a far more creative and imaginative process than writing; when the reader creates emotion in their head, or the colors of the sky during the setting sun, or the smell of a warm summer's breeze on their face, they should reserve as much praise for themselves as they do for the writer--perhaps more" ... "Surf pounding the shingle wouldn't bean diddly unless ou'd seen the waves cascade onto the foreshore, or felt the breakers tremble the beach beneath your fee, now would it?" ... "Books"--Snell smiled--"are a kind of magic."

>95 cammykitty: Thomas Canty does those covers, and I agree. They are all beautiful.

Cool! I didn't know we had artist pages on LT too. I clicked on your link and found tons of beautiful covers.

>98 cammykitty: Cammykitty, that's not an LT page; I just made a hyperlink to the webpage when I posted the message. Glad you enjoyed it. :D

Confederacy of dunces / John Kennedy Toole

In the words of Ignatius Jacques Reilly, "Oh, my God!"

If you're going to do an audio version of a book, you should at least be sure you know the *proper* way to pronounce the streets in the city! Mr. Whitener repeatedly mispronounced -- I guess we can be happy he was at least consistently wrong -- Poydras, Dauphine, Chartes, Tchoupitoulas; I swear he once said "Ignatius Jocko Reilly"!

Not long into reading, er, listening, I had to go our literature databases to verify the author was a real person. Between the introduction by the publisher and the text, I had a terrible feeling the whole thing was a setup. Guess I was wrong!

I can only say that I must just not appreciate the work properly. After all, it did win a Pulitzer.

Something rotten / Jasper Fforde

My favorite part (pg. 70):

"Who plays me?"
"Mel Gibson."
Hamlet stared at me, mouth open. "But that's incredible!" he said ecstatically. "I'm Mel's biggest fan!" He thought for a moment. "So . . . Horatio must be played by Danny Glover, yes?"

> 101 - LOL, now I want to re-watch Lethal Weapon just because of that quote!

I didn't really understand Confederacy of Dunces either. I'm not sure exactly what I was missing?

Balzac and the little chinese seamstress / Dai Sijie

Finally a selection for my non-US/UK author category!

I've been told you have to have lived in New Orleans to appreciate The Confederacy of Dunces but if you knew the street names were pronounced all wrong, you've got the background to "get" Confederacy. I thought it was funny at first, but after awhile, I loathed the main character and couldn't decide which I wanted to do more: Yell at him to get a life OR throw the book against the wall just when the neighbor was doing something annoying.

I live about 70 miles north-northeast of NOLA, so, yeah, I "got it" in that sense. I just don't see the 'genius' of it. But it's not the first time, nor will it be the last, that I haven't seen what others do in a book. Crooked letter, crooked letter is another example. I ran across a book written about Confederacy; I might try to find it to read: Butterfly in the typewriter: the tragic life of John Kennedy Toole and the remarkable story of A confederacy of dunces by Cory MacLauchlin.

The last Dickens / Matthew Pearl

I like his books more with each new title; am anxious to read The technologists (which I *think* he hinted at in this one).

I didn't have the book in hand when I posted #107, but there was a passage I wanted to quote...

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow is speaking to publisher, James Ripley Osgood, about Charles Dickens' uncompleted novel, The Mystery of Edwin Drood:

"I sometimes think, dear Mr. Osgood, that all proper books are unfinished. They simply have to feign completion for the convenience of the public. If not for publishers, no authors would ever reach the end. We would have all writers and no readers."

Sophie's world: a novel about the history of philosophy / Jostein Gaarder

I'm having a hard time placing this in a fiction category.* The largest percent of the book is history of philosophy. I think the idea was to create an 'interesting' textbook on philosophy for high school-aged students. I enjoyed the refresher (and learned some new stuff, too), but the novel part got a little annoying. Still, it could just have been me on a couple bad days, bored with the whole thing and wanted it to be over.

*Actually, I'll probably put this in my non-US/UK writers and avoid the whole fiction/non-fiction problem. :D

The ligitators / John Grisham

This is only my third Grisham (Playing for pizza & The confession being the other two). Each was different; each I enjoyed.

This is the story of David Zinc finding his way to his own place in the world. Not following in the legal footsteps of his father or grandfather, or remaining one of many in a huge firm doing uninspiring work. Even though he is the one falling apart at the beginning of the book, he is the eye of the hurricane otherwise. While his new employers bicker and connive, he calmly takes on more and more responsibility, proving to himself exactly who he is and what he can accomplish.

It's a pretty "feel good" story by the end. Nothing too tragic, though there is tragedy. Grisham pulls back the curtain on legal manipulations by all sides. One almost feels sorry for the prospective plaintiffs, except for their own greed.

I like Grisham's writing style. I never stumble over the grammar while reading. It's not overly simplified. I never feel like he's talking down to me or over my head. I'll probably start reading or listening to more of his backlist.

Dream Room / Chet Nicholson

Dramatization of true events (as told to the author by those he's writing about, Mike Gillith & Frances Salisbury Gillith). I plan to follow this (though not immediately) with Mississippi Mud by Edward Humes.

Places and names of people in this book are familiar to me, though my parents left Mississippi in mid-1950s, not to return until 1988. Lots of people here, of course, still remember all these events. It's interesting to listen to their memories about these times.

Eat, pray, love / Elizabeth Gilbert

I liked this book much more than I expected to like it. Often books that the masses go Ga-Ga over, I don't like. I listened to an unabridged audio version read by the author, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. As the number of 'beads' (chapters) grew, I hated to have the end so much nearer.

Two things, however. Some of her musings over the marriage/divorce/breakup got repetitive, but then, it was also very real. We beat ourselves up over and over and over again about things we think we've resolved and move forward from only to have to do it again.

The other thing is the movie. How did they make a movie of this book?? So much of it is internalization of thought and feelings, or the realizations of her experiences -- how can that possibly be conveyed in a film? And if all the film did was recreate the activities of the year, it missed the whole point of the book, imo.

I liked it well enough to request a hardback edition through Paperbackswap...which I rarely do. I want to be able to read and reread some of the insights Gilbert received from her travels and her seeking.

Safe from the neighbors / Steve Yarbrough

This is probably the best book I have read in a long time. It feels so real; like it's a non-fiction memoir.* I love the way Mr. Yarbrough has woven seemingly unrelated vignettes from history, family stories, and his childhood into the narrative -- which then become so obviously essential to the tale he is telling!

As soon as I read the last word, I wanted to right back to the beginning and read it again because I *KNOW* I missed a lot. And I *KNOW* all those odd little elements will be so revealing now that I know the whole story.

Unfortunately, I had to put the book in the mail to another reviewer this morning. It's on our list of nominees for the 2012 Mississippi Library Association's Author Award for Fiction.
It's definitely got my vote.

*Forgive me if that seems redundant. To me the book is a memoir, albeit fiction.

Quiver River: a novel / Paul Henderson

A self-published (?or vanity press?) book -- which is not really a novel, but a series of events as if written/told by a 10-year old boy. Set in the Mississippi Delta, most of the events take place at the boy's grandfather's cotton farm.

Appealing in that reminiscent way of thinking about "good ol' days" and maybe useful as a teaching tool in schools to let children read about the time period and get a feel for life and speech of the time. Otherwise, not noteworthy except perhaps to family and friends of the author, a Mississippi native.

13 little blue envelopes / Maureen Johnson

Maureen is a wonderful storyteller. I'm glad I finally found time to read this book, which I've had on my ereader for over a year.

A darkness more than night / Michael Connelly (audio)

Beyond Grimm: tales newly twisted / Deborah J. Ross (ed.), et al.

A collection of 19 tales, some satirical, some hysterical, some just a bit scary. All were entertaining (although the over-t-ly political satire of "No Newt Taxes" was wearying to me). Settings in the collection range widely from modern to medieval (or older).

I would highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys retellings of fairy tales and folklore. Personally, I love to see what inventiveness an author can apply to a familiar story.

(Disclaimer: This item was provided to me by Library Thing's Early Reviewer program.)

I always loved the Windling/Datlow modern fairytale collections. Beyond Grimm sounds like those, but I'd skip a story named "No Newt Taxes" too. What a groaner of a pun.

The Columbus affair / Steve Berry

The replacement wife / Eileen Goudge

:sigh:
I really didn't like this book, though I'm sure that those who love to read romance novels will --

Don't read this if you don't want the story spoiled...

unless they have a problem with the adulterous living happily ever after. All I can say is, "Edward" is a bastard, and "Angie" should watch out: he did it once, he could do it again.

I don't expect to be reading Ms. Goudge again. The book could have been 100 pages shorter, or had more depth and less rambling about every person at every gathering. Then there's the decidedly female POV describing clothing worn by the women when supposedly the text is from a male POV.

(This was an LTER, and also from NetGalley.)

The book of lies / Brad Meltzer

I really liked this story! Hated to have to put it down to go to bed; read it in the middle of the night when I'd wake up and couldn't go back to sleep. I picked it up off a bargain table ages ago -- can never resist any book that looks like it is about books/libraries -- started it Sunday night and finished it this evening. Now husband will pick up Meltzer's The inner circle at the local library tomorrow -- yup, another with a library theme (National Archives, no less) -- and I'll have The book of fate (no relation to this one) sent from the main library to our branch for next week. Looks like most of his other titles have to do with politicians, lawyers, and such. If these next two are just as good, though, I'll probably read them, too.

If you go read the reviews for the plot line, be sure to go past the first couple pages to get to the positive reviews.

METAtropolis: Cascadia / Jay Lake, et al. (audio)

A collection of science fiction short stories read by actors from the Star Trek series: Levar Burton, Gates McFadden, Jonathan Frakes, Rene Auberjonois, Kate Mulgrew, Will Wheaton.

(For some reason, from the main page linked to above, I can not add the book to my library; it adds the original METAtropolis title.)

The inner circle / Brad Meltzer

The Book of Lies does look fun for a bookaholic - but you're right, those first reviews are pretty negative. Some people loved it though!

The house of velvet and glass / Katherine Howe

I was very excited to discover Howe had written another book, and was able to get a copy not long afterward. My eyes are burning and crossed, but I was determined to finish it tonight.

I realized fairly early in the book it was a different type of story than The physick book of Deliverance Dane, and while at first I think I was disappointed, it certainly shows that Howe is not trapped into a *type* of plot.

Again, she's inspired by events in her families' past, and again, she brings the period to life.

Wonder what will come next.

Hmmm, Howe sounds like she might be an author to watch.

I like her. The Deliverance Dane book was excellent. I listened to the audio and loved it.

I am not one that gravitates to books based in part on the Titanic but i have to say The House of Velvet and Glass and your review has caught my attention. I will probably give The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane a go first, given the positive comments here!

The Barefoot Sisters: southbound / Lucy Letcher & Susan Letcher

Finally finished this! I don't know if it was because it really is a long book (481 pgs), or if it was because I was reading it on my iPhone (several flicks per page??), but I thought I'd never finish it.

The book tells the story in alternating chapters written by the two sisters of their hike along the Appalachian Trail from Maine to Georgia in 2000. They had some wonderful adventures, met amazing people, and learned much about themselves. It isn't a white-washed telling, however; they are brutally honest about problems and frustrations with situations, other hikers, non-hikers, and each other. It was somewhat repetitive, and I have to admit, I think they were somewhat reckless at times with their health and well-being.

Many of the areas and even specific places were familiar, as we once lived very near the A.T. at the PA/MD border, and we've traveled the mountains of VA/NC/TN for many years. (Though always by car!)

If I can find a copy of The Barefoot Sisters: walking home I'll probably read it, but not too soon. I'm a little weary of the "Trail."

Is this the first time you've read a book on your cell? Are you going to try something else? Your finger must have gotten quite a workout flipping the pages!

Yes, it was the first time to read a book on my phone. I can hold it in my left hand and tap the right edge of the screen to forward the page. I especially like to read on the phone in bed: iPad is too heavy, and my Nook isn't backlit. I can turn out the lights, the phone backlight is dim, and when I'm sleepy, I just set the phone down. Just finished a second (much shorter) book on the phone.

The shoemakers wife / Adriana Trigiani

Nice, overly romantic and somewhat "Mary&Gary Sue" immigrant story, which is according to the author based on the lives of her grandparents. I might have enjoyed the print better then an audio. To me neither the actress or the author are great readers (not as bad as some, but not as good as many). It's also very long, very reflective. Just not my type book I guess. I have no doubt it will be loved by many.

Penumbra / Carolyn Haines

I've tried in the past to read Haines' Bones series and didn't get far. This is one that she lists on her website as being "dark." I found it just a good mystery where I wasn't quite sure what was going on now and then. Fortunately we have others of her "dark" stories in the library (this one was a free ebook), so I think I'll put them on my list.

RE reading books on phones - I have read a couple of books on my iPod Touch, which is almost the same size as a phone. I also like the back lighting and use it for my late night in bed reading. I tend to fall asleep rather quickly when I lie down to read, which is why it is taking me so long to catch up with the group read of Don Quixote. I find it is also really handy when I suddenly find myself stuck somewhere waiting for an appointment, etc.

Bright young things / Anna Godbersen

Executive privilege / Phillip Margolin

Carrots / Colleen Helme

A funny little book. Light-hearted and a pleasure to read with my stressful days lately.

I'm sorry you've had stressful days but glad you're finding reading to alleviate the stress.

>138 mamzel:
Thanks, mamzel! Things are better now, and I'm off work for 3 weeks. :) Time to recuperate.

Bookmarked to die / Jo Dereske

What librarian can resist a cozy mystery about librarian-folk?

I love the Miss Zukas mysteries! I hate that the series has ended.

Life from scratch / Melissa Ford

Really enjoyed this one; I was sort of surprised by the ending. And looking forward to the sequel.

The Book of Fate / Brad Metzler

Saints preserve us / L. K. Ellwood (ebook)

In her shoes / Jennifer Weiner (ebook)

Missed these May reads...



The shoemaker's wife / Adriana Trigiani (audio)



Penumbra / Carolyn Haines (ebook)



Executive privilege / Phillip Margolin (audio)



Bright young things / Anna Godbersen (ebook)

Wives and daughters / Elizabeth Gaskell (audio)


The sister mafia / Jeff Hagkull (ebook)

I have heard a lot of our patrons say how much they enjoyed The Shoemaker's Wife.

The Expected One / Kathleen McGowan (audio)

The witch doctor's wife / Tamar Myers (ebook)

This is quite a change from her cozy mysteries, but a nice read.

Godmother: the secret Cinderella story / Carolyn Turgeon

Heat rises / Richard Castle
Calling all Firefly fans to page 244.

The Lady in the Attic / Tara Randel

Jack, the Giant Killer / Charles de Lint
Can't believe it took me so long to get around to reading this. Thoroughly enjoyed every word of it.

The American community college / Arthur M. Cohen & Florence B. Brawer


ASHE Reader on community colleges

Dead pan / Gayle Trent (ebook)

The Book of Love / Kathleen McGowan (audio)

Drink down the moon / Charles de Lint

Heart of darkness / Joseph Conrad (audio)

Oooo! Kenneth Branagh narrating? Sounds amazing.

All gone: a memoir of my mother's dementia, with refreshments / Alex Witchel

I've gotten quite lazy about doing even the slightest review/comment on my readings, but as this was an LT Early Reviewer ...

"Sometimes I dislike reading ARCs: I wonder what I'll miss by not reading it again to see what changed. Of course, not all, or even many, books do I reread. Not so much because I might not have like the book, but because my to-read list/pile is so large.

"Witchel's book is partially subtitled, 'A Memoir of My Mother's Dementia' but in truth it is about her own journey, facing and coming to terms with her mother's illness. As she is employed writing about food, it was natural to use that as an anchor through the book.

"There are 13 recipes in the book; one or two at the end of each chapter. One bit about the food/recipes was curious to me. In chapter six, she tells about a sort of kreplach cook-off with Arthur Schwartz. She made her grandmother's recipe for the meat pie, which was fried; his recipe called for the kreplach to be boiled, but they fried his too that day. Their tasting test preferred her grandmother's recipe, but in the book they printed his recipe for the boiled.

"It was a pleasure to read a well-written book (there is so much drek being published these days) even though the subject was rather heart-breaking. If you have had to deal at all with the declining health of a love one and the helpless, sometimes hopeless, feelings that come with it, you will appreciate this book. If you've been so far fortunate not to have to do so, read it anyway, because someday you will, and perhaps Witchel's thoughts will help you through it."

>160 mamzel:
mmmm.... yes, it was. He has done several that are available on Audible. Henry V is one of my favorites of his movies, but unfortunately he hasn't done an audiobook of it, though there are several other Shakespeare ones.

>161 CynWetzel: Anyone want this book who's on Paperbackswap? Save me the trouble of listing it on the boards. Send me a PM via Paperbackswap at http://cswetzel.paperbackswap.com/profile/

Frozen Heat / Richard Castle 2012-10-02
Fourth of the Nikki Heat novels, and just as entertaining.

Daughter of smoke and bone / Laini Taylor (audio) 2012-10-22

83/100 Fool me twice / Michael Brandman 2012-10-24

84/100 Last to die / Tess Gerritsen 2012-10-26

The Game of Thrones / George R. R. Martin 2012-11-01

A clash of kings / George R. R. Martin 2012-11-04

Another George R.R. Martin fan? I'm so sad that I've finished and am hoping for the next one soon...

You read ACoK in three days and your eyes didn't fall out of your head??? I'm impressed!

>170 ivyd: I do like his writing. Sometimes all the naming and descriptions of people and banners, etc., gets on my nerves, but it enriches that world even though it can be confusing.

>171 mamzel: Considering how long it took me to read Game of Thrones, I'm amazed! It was three VERY long days of reading! (I'm almost finished the next one now, too. It's all I've been reading. Usually I have a couple books going, but I'm trying to get all five read by year's end.)

A discovery of witches / Deborah Harkness 2012-11-13 (audio)

A storm of swords / George R. R. Martin 2012-11-14

3 down, 2 (for now) two go.

A feast for crows / George R. R. Martin 2012-11-26

Finally ready for the new book. Boy, do I feel for those of you who had to wait from 2005 to 2011 for his A dance with dragons!

Days of blood and starlight / Laini Taylor (audio) 2012-12-05

I would highly recommend one listen to the audio of Laini Taylor's books; Khristine Hvam is truly a wonderful reader for the characters and worlds created in these books. Now, to patiently wait for the third book ... Spring 2014!!

A slice of murder / Chris Cavender 2012-12-18

Popped in the local library today and found a couple of cozies with which to end the year's reading; recipes and patterns, of course.

A dance with dragons / George R. R. Martin 2012-12-24

Finally finished (all that are published so far).
On the recommendation of a colleague, I watched the HBO series. My family (all men) have enjoyed it more than I. There's really just *too* much missing. Son#2 keeps asking "Why ..." and I keep thinking, that didn't happen in the book. So I'm glad to have them as ebooks, so I can search my questions.
It's funny the things our mind will skip over -- like the probably relationship between Loras and Renly. But it's almost like I want to have the book open, following along.
I'm not sorry to be watching it, but I'm no one of those who just loves to see favorite books/characters 'come to life' on the screen.

93/100 Cold days / Jim Butcher 2012-12-31

This is the last book I'll finish in 2012. Only made it to 93 this year, but considering some of the books I did read were quite large, I'll be satisfied. Anything in progress I'll roll over to my 2013 challenge page(s).