Lauri’s Comments (group member since Jan 23, 2016)

Lauri’s comments from the Nothing But Reading Challenges group.

Prior to 2016


1. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
2. Life of Pi
3. The Poisonwood Bible
4. The God of Small Things
5. Memoirs of a Geisha
6. Love in the Time of Cholera
7. The Handmaid's Tale
8. The Color Purple
9. The House of the Spirits
10. A Confederacy of Dunces
11. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
12. Song of Solomon
13. Sula
14. The Bluest Eye
15. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
16. One Hundred Years of Solitude
17. The Magus
18. The Bell Jar
19. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
20. To Kill a Mockingbird
21. Things Fall Apart
22. The Lord of the Rings
23. Lord of the FliesCasino Royale
24. The Catcher in the Rye
25. The Old Man and the Sea
26. The Little Prince
27. The Grapes of Wrath

Back to life, back to reality, back to the here and now...
Yeah, back to work today. Sigh*
Do you ever sit at your desk and just wish you were reading a BOOK? That was my day today.
The saving grace is that I got to go to the library! Yaaayyyy!

Aloha everyone! I'm Lauri from Hawaii and I don't think I've formally introduced myself yet. I'm in a bunch of different challenges and having a great time so far.
Birthdate: October 11
Favorite books: the Earth's Children series by Jean Auel - particularly The Mammoth Hunters and Daughter of Fortune by Isabel Allende, The Bonesetter's Daughter by Amy Tan, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See and thousands more!
Favorite genre: historical fiction, mystery
Favorite author: all the ones listed above plus Leslie Meier, JK Rowling, Peter Tremayne, Christopher Moore, Charlaine Harris...
Favorite color: pink and turquoise
Favorite food: pizza and chocolate
No pets at this time, but I had everything while growing up and would still love to have a couple dogs and cats
If I could live anywhere in the world? Well duh, I'm already in Hawaii! I would love to travel the world, though...
I know I'm a book addict because I need to read like people need food and air. I read between 5 to 12 (or more) books simultaneously. Book addiction?

Hope everyone is doing great... I am extremely happy today! Got a much-needed haircut this week and tonite am gonna get it colored. Hope to take at least 10 years off myself!! Also got a bunch of clearance tops for under $50!
It's nice and quiet and cozy here. Hope to finish off a couple more books by tomorrow. I'm torn between reading and the Harry Potter weekend.

I have finished
Could someone add it to the spreadsheet, please?

So there's the castle detour... Am reading The Abbey for an A book... Do we need any other letters for a spell out?

Also reading Red Rising and An Ember in the Ashes
Either of those should be good for a rebellion, right?

Castle detour? I'm almost done with The Queen of the Tearling

I am so swamped at work, I'm brain dead! But Im still alive!!

I am 300 pages in on The Queen of the Tearling

The MC lives in the Keep which is just another word for castle, right? Does it count, Karen?

If so, I should finish by Wednesday! I'm also starting 'The Abbey' which will give us another A for Salalah. Are we still doing the detour for rebellion? Got one for that, too. :)

Yeah, I know what you mean, Jess. I had a horse as a child, but now it's just too expensive. I still dream about puppies, though...

I finished my book! So now we can depart Canada, right?

Could someone add it to the spreadsheet for me, please?

The Dark and Hollow Places

You are all making me jealous now! First desserts, now dogs. I grew up surrounded by all kinds of animals for pets. Now I live in a tiny apartment and we aren't allowed any pets! Not even a cat... Sigh. Someday I'd like at least 2 dogs and a cat. Medium-sized mutts are my personal weakness.
Bassett hounds are adorable!

What kind do you have, Jess? And how many? I believe you need at least a dozen to qualify for crazy dog lady...

You guys are all pretty hilarious! I was married in Hawaii (big surprise there!) Not at all exotic for me... I got married in 1989! Yes, I am OLD! HAHAHAHA!! We did the whole Catholic church thing with a ginormous reception in a Waikiki hotel. My mom offered to pay for the whole thing IF we'd agree to go to Vegas. We were too dumb to take her up on her offer & went into debt for years. I don't know what I was thinking....

But I really should finish my book by tomorrow. Promise!

I actually had to slap one bride because she was having a meltdown. What's worse was she's my friend (still is) and I was the matron of honor!
Laila Jane, I hope that your big day will be hassle-free and perfect!

Laila Jane wrote: "Cathy M. wrote: "That looks/sounds so good Karen!!

Hahaha that's how you do it Laila Jane! Congrats on your upcoming wedding :) Hope you're not getting too stressed with the prep for it!"

I just ..."
I did a brief stint as a wedding coordinator -- less than 2 years. I cranked out about a dozen weddings and a few smaller parties/events. My husband said I was too bossy:). Imagine that...
I stopped because I couldn't handle the mothers of the brides!

I'm about halfway through my D book for CANADA spellout.
Should finish by Saturday at the latest.

The Dark and Hollow Places

320 pgs.
276 pgs.

Current Total: 379,552

Well, after I've obsessed over it and printed it out and posted it up, I don't have to think about it anymore. I'm set upon my charted course. Then if I get sick, or if I'm just not feelin' it any day, the disclaimer takes care of it all.

Told ya, selectively OCD

I obsess over meal planning/recipes almost as much as I do books and reading. I do monthly menus (months in advance) and post them on the fridge. All menus are subject to change without advance notice. If you don't care for that night's selection, please make other arrangements for yourself. My family is used to this already. I do LOCUN and EMFHN every week, too. That's leftover clean-up night and every man for himself night. My 2 favorites! :)

I LOVE brownies! Well, actually chocolate in any form... Laila Jane, caramel swirl brownies sound divine! Now I'm thinking cream cheese, cherry or maybe double chocolate brownies. Yum!

Oh, and I went to the library again today. But, seriously, just yum.
AND Walking Dead Tonight!

I love my life!

Right now I have 40+ books borrowed from the library. Luckily my state system allows unlimited books out at a time. Unfortunately, I don't have unlimited reading time!
Some of my books out are:
The Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir Who Got Trapped in an IKEA Wardrobe: A novel, All the Bright Places, A Holly, Jolly Murder for a challenge, Muffin But Murder, The Dark and Hollow Places, My Life on the Road, An Ember in the Ashes and The Queen of the Tearling. And the craziest thing is tomorrow is library day and I'm going to go get more!

289 pgs.
261 pgs.
321 pgs.
352 pgs.

2/20/16

Current group total: 370,079

Laila Jane wrote: "I've got 5 days off including this weekend. All I've done so far is read and bake and read and bake. My perfect weekend =)"

Laila Jane, I forgot to ask you -- what did you bake? I was seriously considering baking, but my laziness kicked in & I just bought chocolate muffins from the store... I just did a navy bean soup with ham & bacon. Now I'm thinking of peanut butter cookies. Sigh*