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Jessica
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Feb 01, 2012 07:48PM
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HA! eta is just "edited to add" - it means I hit POST and then remembered I needed to say more, so I edited my original to add it. ;)I can't read romances (well, enjoy them I mean) unless they ARE steamy (steamy probably isn't the word... I know the word but I'm not going to use it LOL). Yeah I know, I have issues. So, I just stay away from them all together these days. ;) Don't need the thought line tripping me up in real life, know what I mean... maybe? :)
And Thalia - I added quite a few Arthurians to my tbr this week, in case you're interested. You should let me in on any great ones you know about that aren't on my list also! We're studying middle ages in our homeschool history this year and I'm all about making sure we get as much of this as we can. :)
Jessica, who is this Eddings man? I must get to know him immediately!Ohhhh, edited to add! Aha!
Dalynn, I'd love to hear them ALL, if you don't mind listing them off. (; I try to add any Arthurian book I can find, though I'm sad to say I've only read just a few. Avalon High was kind of fun if you're looking for something light, that doesn't necessarily add up to the original stories (the only unforgivable thing Cabot did here was pair up her Arthur with the Lady of the Lake *dies*).
The Lost Years of Merlin, I thought, wasn't that great, and actually pretty bad, but I'll have to read the rest of the series and see.
And of course, the book I'll be reading after TLB is Tris & Izzie, a modern retelling of Tristan and Isuelt!
Other than those, I have all the original books/legends, etc. and any spin off series' I can find here on GR. I've also seen all four seasons of BBC's "Merlin", and I am just about dying for season five to come out. OTL
Last year we had the shortest of Arthurian units in my English class. :[ We didn't even read anything, except for brief excerpts from "The Adventures of Sir Lancelot" and the like. The only classes at least got to read Sir Gawaine and the Green Knight! I feel royally ripped off, hahah.
Yes Dalynn..please share! I have to go through your lists, ladies...so I can see what I'm missin'!Looking forward to reading The Winter King It's his King Arthur series...but he is more historical fiction..and he's very detailed. I read a couple of his saxon books and I liked them, but they usually have more details as to the wars and such, so not sure if it's something that would intrest you Thalia...but it is Arthurian! :)
Oh...and Jessica! YES...thanks for the reminder on David Eddings!!!! I've read one or two..a long time ago and I loved them! Will have to go add more:) I love adding more books, it's like shopping without guilt!
Oh yes, The Winter King is on my list! (: Oh dear me, I wish I had more Arthur books on my dusty bookshelf challenge than just the one! The problem here is that I don't own anyyyy.
Ya! I hear ya...my motivation was ...If I make it through these 20 that have been giving me problems (like...oooo I'll start that some other time, which turns into never!)...then the rest of the list will be a cake walk!...and I hear ya...all my stuff comes in at the library at the SAME time...I can't read 33 books in 4 weeks! Yikes!
I'm totally counting some things as "dusty bookshelf" if they have been on my "I want to (or should) read that" list even if I haven't ever owned it. ;) As frugal as I am, my bookshelf continues virtually in my head....And okie doke, maybe this weekend I can get together the Arthurians on my list and list them.
Maybe we should do a member of the week/month/something in here!??
I love abbreviations and emoticons. :D Did you know there's the Preiodic table of Texting? With all the abbreviated words commonly used? LOL.
Goodness me! I should totally go look at that...but then that could possibly stop me from making up my own! LOL!!! :)Maybe Jessica will make it a mini-challange to read an Arthurian book :) hint*hint* :)
...and that's why I LOVE Goodreads so much..I'm telling you it's like shopping but you don't have to pay anything!!! Then it's my personal challenge to find any and all at the library (or my free sites for e-books!)
Mod
Let's read an Arhturian book as a group read. Dalynn was suggesting we do group reads!! I can even make a poll to pick which one! The fun is ENDLESS :) (I'm totally serious. Nominate arthurian books by emailing them to me through Goodreads and I will make a poll. When would everyone want to read it?)
Dalynn - this challenge is for literal and figurative dusty bookshelves! When I get through these 20 on my list, I'm going to start with a to-read list that I started writing in 2005 (none of which I own:)
Hannah - I had to look up a lot of texting abbreviations when I got on twitter. I didn't know any of them!
Jessica ~ you're awesome...that sounds like uber fun! Next order of business...to find an Arthurian book to nominate! :) The fun is totally endless...kinda wish the reading time was too! I vote for May/June...we have to get through Paradise Lost! Eekk..!Dalynn...yup..I just listed 20 for this challenge (which I own 2, but the rest have been on my figurative list for a long time!)...and If, yes IF..I'm lucky enough to make it through the 20 I have listed...I'll keep going, and add more then:) I didn't want to overwhelm myself too early!
Hmm...off to read the figurative jackets of some Arthurian books!
I second the Arthurian group read! (; I'd love to read ANYTHING Arthurian, but I might have to nominate the one by John Steinbeck; it's on my 2012 classics challenge. (: (The Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights)
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Ugh. Grapes of Wrath...Finally read Oliver twist! So happy right now (:
Took me THREE WEEKS! to read it.
It was good it's just the language I think.
Mod
I've got 2 long breaks in my train journey today so will hopefully get close to finishing my book, if not finish it (can't read on trains D: ) It's just a bit odd really, but it will be read :)
If finished today then my next book is... DRACULA :D Oh how exciting is that!! I can't wait to read this again!
Second the Ugh! on Grapes of Wrath. I just remember really dreading reading it all during English in 9th grade...honestly...I'm not sure I even remember what it was about...but the name always brings a bad taste! Maybe I should re-read someday and see if my mind has changed any! Ever read a book when you were younger and hated/loved it then read it again...say 10 (or 20) years later...and had a totally different opinion???..and Hayley...you'll have to let us know what you think of Dracula...I've read LOTS of vampire books (can't believe I've never gone through Anne Rices', so I'm moving there for my next vamp books...but I've never read Dracula! Bram Stokers, right? Looking forward to hearing your thoughts!
@Jessica: Arthurian Legend! Nice. I will so PM you one.
I haven't read GoW yet, but it's on my list. I did, however, read Of Mice and Men and didn't enjoy it very much at all. I think I ended up giving it two stars on here. It just didn't really interest me and it was so short, I couldn't get to know the characters.But Steinbeck and Arthurian? It is impossible to go wrong!
Okay, I am now reading:
!Which is ON my challenge shelf here!
And btw, The Lovely Bones = less than thrilled. >< I reeeeeally wish it had been better.
Mod
Just read Lovely Bones and liked it. The end was stupid though.
I mostly didn't like The Lovely Bones because of...all the content, I suppose. Lots of sex, not to mention (view spoiler) Ewwwww. Tris and Izzie I finished in literally, four hours. I was so excited, especially because Harrison is an LDS author and she had a really successful series that almost everyone I know liked! But...again, less than thrilled. It got two stars, because it wasn't THAT awful, but the writing was just downright bad, and then Tristan and Izzie didn't even feel like they were the main plot point, but rather the serpent Gurmun. I just loved the story of Tristan and Isolde, too, and I wanted so badly for this to be better than it was. 3
Like, Tris and Izzie = most awkward love ever. OTL And the King Mark character ended up falling in love with the Bragane character, and when that happened, all accuracy ended. XD
So, when I see my friend later today, she's going to give me "Demonglass" by Rachel Hawkins (which I'm literally splitting at the seams to read), and then once that's done, I'll off to Eragon! (:
Should be getting Demonglass soon!So excited!!
I know, right?! I already know part of the plot (because my friend was dying to tell me), and I...I just about died on the spot. I couldn't eat lunch that day. I couldn't focus in class anymore. I'm going to die waiting for her.Even so, I had preordered the paperback copy, which comes out/I'll get on Tuesday...but I can't wait that long anymore. OTL
Thanks girls! No idea what Demonglass is...but you've successfully made it sound interesting enough that it got added! :)So far WH...seriously Heathcliff...is he the devil? (view spoiler)
I hope to finish it up this weekend (providng the kids can keep from puking!)...and mama gets in some reading time! I need to get off here and go read now..because tonight is more LotR movies with the oldest! . . . golly, watching those just makes you feel like you want to go do something spectacular...even if you are only a hobbit (which I am!):)
I'm totally up for starting Eragon with you Thalia!
Oh dear..who knew it was a series (well duh, you guys..but me!)...so now Hex Hall has to go first! :) Ahh..the love of adding more books! It's seriously becoming a problem!
Well, there's only three in the Hex Hall series at least. (: And I'll warn you, it's not the most mature of books, hahah. How much I enjoyed it outweighed the fact that the writing wasn't really that stupendous and I enjoyed the characters too much to not adore the book, hahah. LotR! I'd love to be you tonight. (;
Sweet! I'll probably be done with Demonglass by Monday, at the latest, so that's when I'll be starting. (:
Umm...because the Twilight books were soooo well written...NOT! But, I enjoyed the story (regardless of my age!):) Uhoh...Team Cal, huh???Yes, I know! I'm so happy he's old enough to watch it with us...then again in a couple of years it will be the 6 year olds turn...the movies never get old! I'll enjoy them each time:)
OK...I've got a goal now! Monday it is! (We should let Team Eragon know! Hehehe) :)
Well, I mean, I'm pretty sure I was the only one (besides one of my best friends, huzzah!) who really liked Cal. He was...in all of three scenes in the first book, but from what I hear, he's really important in the second one. (; Hence, why I'm super excited to read it!This day is dragging painfully on as I've nothing to read right now, hahah.
Mod
I thought that Edward Cullen's take on Wuthering Heights being a hate story and not a love story that was filled with awful characters was pretty accurate LOL. I really liked the ending though. :)
Oh, Jessica! He was sooooo right! I had no idea:) I do admit, it was totally fun coming in with NO idea what it was about or where it was going...I should finish up today...but they are just awful people! I think the only ones I can tolerate so far are Mr. Lockwood and Cathy (the daughter)! But they have a few chapters left to remedy that!It was hysterical...I tried to explain it to my husband (which cannot be done in 100 words or less)...and he was soooo confused~
I concur with Edward...it, IMHO, is a hate story! (but I'm still enjoying it...even though I despise most of the characters!) Ooo...and Heathcliff (either one) I do hope there is some vindication in the end!
Wuthering Heights is my favorite novel ever! When I was in 7th grade, I saw the old movie with Laurence Olivier and Merle Oberon and loved it so much I went to the bookstore the next day and bought it! I was really thrilled to find that the movie only covered the first half of the book, and the novel had a whole next generation's story. I wore out that first paperback copy!Over on the Victorians! group, they are reading Wuthering Heights by Emily, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne, and Villette by Charlotte, and comparing them. Someone I know on the Barnes & Noble book clubs told me, and that's why I joined Goodreads.
I finished Demonglass last night. The most glorious seven hours of my life. Started at 9:30pm when I got home from the school play and my friend passed it on to me, and closed it shut at 4:20am-ish.The second-to-last page just about killed me. But at least I know I wasn't hallucinating "Cal is awesome" through the whole first book. *waves Cal flag again*
So that means I'll be starting on
! Huzzah! But probably not until tomorrow, like planned, since I dumped all my homework for today, since I was so obsessed with finishing my book club books and tackling Demonglass like a rabid panther...(:
Well...now I'm looking forward to meeting Cal! But, that will all have to wait until after Eragon! (I may not get to starting until Tuesday...and I'm sure you'll finish first Thalia...especially if you can handle staying up till 4am!)...this mama doesn't have enough coffee to handle a day after THAT!:) But, looking forward to the chitchat about it during and after!
Denise wrote: "Wuthering Heights is my favorite novel ever! When I was in 7th grade, I saw the old movie with Laurence Olivier and Merle Oberon and loved it so much I went to the bookstore the next day and bough..."Oh, dear! I may have to go and rent the movie now! I'm almost finished...and I'm sure you read my comment! It is really a good book...but I certainly wouldn't call it a "love" story...at least not my kinda love!
..and yes... Big Hearts on Goodreads! Love this site! (it may be more addicting than fb, twitter and all the others combined!)
OKay, I've picked my 5 books. 
Born to Be Riled by Jeremey Clarkson. One of the oldest books I've added to Goodreads. Started it a couple years ago but have yet to finish it. It's time.
The Widow (FBI #1) by Carla Neggers. Oldest book on my GRs TBR list. Also a BOM from last year I never got to. So for the above reasons, time to get to it.
The Agony and the Ecstasy by Irving Stone. I actually have only ever been able to find a Reader's Digest condensed version of this but have been wanting to read it ever since I saw the Charlton Heston and Rex Harrison film of the same name. It's another "classic" to read this year. I read Pygmalion by George Bernhard Shaw in January and Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin (finally! lol) last year. 
The Discovery of the Titanic by Robert D. Ballard. This is the account of finding titanic by the man who discovered her. As it's the 100th anniversary of her sinking this year, it's finally time to stop putting off reading this. 
Elizabeth by Sarah Bradford. This is a biography of Queen Elizabeth II of England. Seeing as this is her Diamond Jubilee year, celebrating 60 years on the throne, I thought it was finally time to read one of the two biographies of her I've bought and had sitting on my shelves collecting dust.
April, I haven't been this excited over a side character for like...forever. I'm thinking of making a t-shirt or something. (:
Ahhh..Cafepress...you can make your own if they don't have them already! You could start a trend!:)
Jessica wrote: "Cool picks Kate!"Thanks Jessica. I just read it's Charles Dickens 200th birthday this year, and although I have a leatherbound edition of Dicken's work that has 4 novels in it, I havn't felt compelled to read any of them yet. So that's maybe a bonus book if I get around to it.
I'd rather read the ones above. I'm a titanic history buff anyway, but have yet to read Ballard's own account of his search for Titanic and ultimately finding her. I'm an anglofile and England's royal family has always fascinated me, so since I've bought the Queen's biography (written on her 70th birthday) it's time to read it now that it's her Diamond Jubilee year.
AHhh...OK, I'm about 6 pages from being done with WH...and let me just say, I think I'll be please with it's end! FINALLY, phew:)I'm going to start Eragon tomorrow...and wouldn't you know it, another just popped in at the library that has been on my list (yet, I didn't put it on my challenge...for who knew when it would be in)...so now I have Saint, Sinner, Slumber of Christianity, Mere Christianity...and now...now Definately NOT Mr. Darcy is in...Gaahhhh...We need to really take a week of school and turn it into 6 hour silent reading time! Sheesh:)
Ooo...and Kate, I love books about the Titanic...(always wondered if I was weird...being so interested in such a horrible event~ sigh~ But, glad to hear someone else has a sort of interest in it too...I love getting my hands on the diaries of the ones who survived it:)
*sigh* You ladies are KILLING my tbr.
I know, right Dalynn! But I decided...I'm in it for the fun...and it'd be more fun to read Eragon with some people than finish all my books and ever win any prizes! I've already won...cause I found people who share my love of reading and grand books (and sometimes not so grand books!) :). . . I think one of the girls commented on someone drowning in books...ya, not a bad way to go:)
LOL Well you're right there for sure. ;)I'm trying to decide whether to power through Silmarillion in the time I have left to have it from the library, or just let it go back now and pick it back up later. I really DO want to finish it, but there's so much else I want to do also and it's kind of keeping me from my tbr! LOL
Ah well. I'll get around to it all one of these days.... ;)
April wrote: "Ooo...and Kate, I love books about the Titanic...(always wondered if I was weird...being so interested in such a horrible event~ sigh~ But, glad to hear someone else has a sort of interest in it too...I love getting my hands on the diaries of the ones who survived it:) "
No, you're not the only one. Check out my Titanic shelf. I've got over 20. lol This one fits what you said you liked:
Titanic Survivor: The Newly Discovered Memoirs of Violet Jessop Who Survived Both the Titanic and Britannic Disasters by Violet Jessop
It was very interesting and she was extremely lucky!
I got this today in the mail from PBS:
The Sinking of the Titanic by Bruce Caplan
"Logan Marshall's original 1912 classic - 1912 survivor accounts."
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Oh well, needless to say I am LOVING my current read! Next is The Day of the Triffids followed by The Pillars of the Earth - good books in the line up!
I didn't like Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde either.
I'm glad someone understands my Titanic fascination! (maybe I got that from my dad...but his is the Civil war!) :) Instant add on those mentioned up there, Thanks Kate!I didn't like Jekyll and Hyde, but I was in HS...so I didn't like anything I was MADE to read...?? :) On to Eragon!
Ahh.. Wuthering Heights! Finished..and the ends justified the means! I can say I liked the book...but mainly because of its end:) I won't spoil anything here, but off to put it on my READ shelf and review! Now...off to see where Eragon takes me today (and probably for the next two or so weeks!)
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