What are you reading?

[Sonja, (Da-Sonja)]

It doesn't matter how much you wanted to spend...buy the large jar! And then something else because each customer has to spend more than $25, but the large jar is only $24.99!

[Jen, Super Spunky!]

I wonder if they've raised the ads now that the large jar is just one cent shy of the magic $25?

[Sonja, (Da-Sonja)]

I don't know. I don't get may coupons these days. It seems like there's a sale every other day though. I wonder if they still have the employee sales goals instead of just a store goal. That always annoyed me... If I got to my number, I would put extra sales on for other people...

[Sonja, (Da-Sonja)]

Have you ever read anything by Joan Holub? She has written a series of books (Aphrodite the Beauty, Athena the Brain, Persephone the Phony, and Artemis the Brave) described as "chapter books for girls 8-12". I wonder if these are anything that Anja would like...

[Jen, Super Spunky!]

Yes, but we haven't read any of the specific books that you listed... I might have to check them out! :)

[Jen, Super Spunky!]

I just finished The Street of a Thousand Blossoms, and don't know what to read next! Argh!

[Sonja, (Da-Sonja)]

It's always hard to pick the next book when you enjoyed the last one so much. Everything else seems like it's probably going to disappoint.

[Sonja, (Da-Sonja)]

Check the second paragraph of your review...I think you used hat when you meant to use had.

[Jen, Super Spunky!]

Ohhhh, I'll check it out, thanks!

[Sonja, (Da-Sonja)]

I started The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo this weekend and am really liking it. It is reading faster than I expected, though it's not a book you can just breeze through... I would love to watch the movie with you once you get it.

I'm also still working on Les Misérables. I've got a lot of it backed up in my e-mail. I intend to get back to it this week.

I started Autumn Bridge last week. I'm thinking it might have been better to read it more closely after reading Cloud of Sparrows since there is such a large cast of characters that I have to become familiar with again.

[Jen, Super Spunky!]

I'm back to working on The Fiery Cross, after reading Catching Fire over the weekend. The ICPL has The Forgotten Garden on hold for me, so I'll go pick it up today, and hope to start reading it this weekend.

I really am enjoying the Outlander series, but I am trying to take my time, and don't want to burn out on it.

I've been listening to Horns - and I think it's interesting. Neat idea, and easy to listen while driving... nothing epic though. Once this book is done, I'll probably jump back into The Yiddish Policemen's Union. :)

Let me know when you finish The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo!!!

[Sonja, (Da-Sonja)]

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - At 11:30 I was going to quit reading... "But the next chapter is a short one!" At 3:30 I finished it.

I'm still reeling a little bit from this one. I feel like it knocked me over the head. I got so engrossed in the characters, that I didn't see the twists coming. I definitely want to see how they managed to put all of this into a movie. I've ordered the other two from Amazon and should have them this weekend.

[Jen, Super Spunky!]

Sonja wrote: "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - At 11:30 I was going to quit reading... "But the next chapter is a short one!" At 3:30 I finished it.

I'm still reeling a little bit from this ..."

Me too! I've got the movie - Wimmie found a copy to download - so let me know when you want to watch it! I LOVED this trilogy!!! :)

On a side note, I just got my first bookswap!

[Sonja, (Da-Sonja)]

Yay! I'm starting to do a lot more with bookswap. I've already sent out 4 books and received 5 (2 of the Philippa Gregory ones). It's a relatively inexpensive way to get books and I've been using it to get rid of books that I didn't like all that much, and duplicates. I hope this way they're going to good homes. I like the idea of sharing books with others this way better than just taking them to Goodwill where I don't know where they're going (or getting tossed)...

I'm up for the movie whenever you are. A weekend might be best since I understand it's a longer (2.5 hour ish) movie.

[Jen, Super Spunky!]

Sounds good! I actually plan to make you read the book that I'm getting from swap... It's one that's probably worth the $3.44 in shipping, but there's no way I'm going to pay $13.50 for it. The best part is that it's an advanced reader copy of a book that won't be out until the end of August!!!!

Oh - the book is The Auschwitz Violin!

[Sonja, (Da-Sonja)]

I've heard about that one! I want to borrow it! That one was one of many first reads that I didn't win...

[Jen, Super Spunky!]

Niiiice! I realllly want to read it too!

[Sonja, (Da-Sonja)]

I'm going out to see Silvia over Labor Day weekend, and was wondering if you had any new audiobooks that you really liked. I'll have about 20 hours in the car to listen, so I'm thinking I'll need at least 2.

[Jen, Super Spunky!]

Yeah! Let me see what I have! I'm listening to The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, and like it. I also have Cutting for Stone - which I haven't listened to yet... Lots of others too!

[Nicole]

I just started the Pillars of the Earth. So far its really good. The author really has a way of telling the story that is just captivating.

[Sonja, (Da-Sonja)]

I'm glad you're enjoying it. Thomas really liked it too!

[Jen, Super Spunky!]

I liked it too! Do you remember if anyone got beheaded in that book?

[Sonja, (Da-Sonja)]

I don't think so... I remember various other forms of torture and death, but no beheadings. For beheadings (I'm assuming for your other group) there's always The Other Boleyn Girl...

[Jen, Super Spunky!]

Yeah, I couldn't remember a beheading in Pillars, so I actually did recommend The Other Boleyn Girl. We think so alike! :)

[Sonja, (Da-Sonja)]

I thought of it because I'm reading The Boleyn Inheritance and they keep talking about the beheading of Anne Boleyn.

[Jen, Super Spunky!]

I've actually started reading The Auschwitz Violin... I'm only one chapter in, but I like it so far! I'm over halfway through The Fiery Cross, and am enjoying it. Also halfway through my current audio - The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie. I think that this should be one of the books you take when you go wherever it is you're going that you need audio books for! :)

[Sonja, (Da-Sonja)]

It sounds good! I'd love to take it. You don't happen to have Phantom in audiobook, do you? Or Cutting for Stone?

[Sonja, (Da-Sonja)]

I think 2 should be just about right. It was last time.

[Jen, Super Spunky!]

Sonja, I think you'll like The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie. Prestidigitation is used several times! I think of you each time. :)

[Sonja, (Da-Sonja)]

lol... I've seen it in a couple of books since reading The Prestige, but I don't think I've found another one that used it as much.

[Sonja, (Da-Sonja)]

Do you still have the second Millenium book in the audio version? I think The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie and The Girl Who Played with Fire would be two good ones...

[Jen, Super Spunky!]

I believe I do! :)

[Jen, Super Spunky!]

So I just bought and have started reading Troll's Eye View: A Book of Villainous Tales. I bought it because one of the short stories was written by Neil Gaiman. I guess it just came out this month, but I just found it by chance! :)

[Sonja, (Da-Sonja)]

I'm reading the ARC of The Black Nile: One Man's Amazing Journey Through Peace and War on the World's Longest River that I won from firstreads. I like it so far it's written in a very conversational manner. I kind of feel like I'm listening to someone tell the story over a campfire. I understand that it's an unedited version, but I'm having a little bit of trouble with the typos I'm finding. Sometimes I really have to guess at what the word is supposed to be.

I'm also still working on Wuthering Heights, Autumn Bridge, and Les Miserables.

[Jen, Super Spunky!]

41 books! :) Okay, I think I'm going to buckle down on The Fiery Cross now... I want to get to the next book!

[Sonja, (Da-Sonja)]

I think I'll be able to start The Thirteenth Tale by this weekend.

[Jen, Super Spunky!]

Me too! I have about 40 pages left of The Fiery Cross! It's realllllly good right now!

[Jen, Super Spunky!]

I'm also halfway through the first cd of Linwood Barclay's Never Look Away: A Thriller. It's drawn me in, and I want to know what happens!

[Sonja, (Da-Sonja)]

It sounds good! I want that one as well as the second Flavia book. I'll bring a flash drive over tonight!

[Jen, Super Spunky!]

Sounds good! Do you want A Prisoner of Birth? I also have that one.

[Sonja, (Da-Sonja)]

That one sounds good too. I'll take any that you want to give me!

[Jen, Super Spunky!]

No problemo!

[Jen, Super Spunky!]

Uh oh... I only read two pages last night... :(

[Sonja, (Da-Sonja)]

I think I've heard you talk about it before, but do you use Audible?

[Jen, Super Spunky!]

I've thought about using audible, but I'm not sure that I'd really get my money worth out of it. I think it's $22/month, and that basically lets you borrow two books per month. On the average, one audio book takes me two to three (closer to three) weeks, so I wouldn't get to "read" two full credits worth of books. One credit is $11, and some books take two credits. Plus, I wouldn't be able to share the books with Sonja.

Are you thinking of getting it?

[Sonja, (Da-Sonja)]

Not really... I just kept getting pop ups from Amazon and wondered what it was all about.

[Jen, Super Spunky!]

The Yiddish Policemen's Union is much more tolerable when listened to at 2x speed! Seriously, I'm not missing anything, and the story moves a bit.

[Sonja, (Da-Sonja)]

Lol! I'm sure it is easier... I'm going to try to get back to it this weekend. I didn't read at all last night...

[Sonja, (Da-Sonja)]

Again, no reading last night... It was almost 11 before I got home. I refuse to stay too late tonight, so I might read a little bit, but I'm also going to bed early... Do you want to go to Williamsburg with me this weekend?

[Jen, Super Spunky!]

After practically killing myself with The Yiddish Policemen's Union, I didn't read anything else. The good news is that I'm done with that book. Ugh.

Which day are you planning on going?