I just finished Love In the Present Tense. It was a very good book--yet another book with each character having a chapter. I seem to choose those a lot!

Hmm...maybe I should start reading this...

Meanwhile, I am reading The Guardian by Nicholas Sparks...is this book any good? It certainly doesn't follow Sparks' usual trend of a love story...it seems more like a romance-novel-turned-questionable thriller...

I just finished re-reading A Prayer for Owen Meany.I read it in high school and I wanted to read it again because I didn't fully remember it. It is a very good book, although very wordy at times. He probably could have cut the book down and still had the same effect. Anyway, Owen Meany is one of the great characters of literature, in my opinion.

Another Jodi Picoult book--- Keeping Faith.

I keep telling you guys how much her books annoy me, yet I keep reading them. This one didn't suck as much, but I didn't like it.

Anything by John Irving is amazing. My two favorite of his are The World According to Garp and The Cider House Rules.

I just started reading The Body Artist by Don DeLillo. It's got a funky style to it and I'm still trying to adjust. We'll see if I can figure out the little game he's playing with language.

Bought four more books for $1 each at the thrift shop--nothing spectacular. I'll give my reviews as they are done. One of them was a Jodi Picoult book.

The Rules of Attraction was one of the $1 books I picked up yesterday. I read about 25 pages on the bus and then threw it out when I got off the bus. I have never done that before. I was just so disinterested. I also hated the writing style--it just really annoyed me.

I'm kind of shocked at myself, but I'm sure if I had paid more than $1 for it, I wouldn't have done that!

Reading A Thousand Splendid Suns for a class right now. I like it better than I liked Kite Runner (and that one was great). Of course, that could be because of the class I'm reading it for (knowing the history of that area helps to understand and enjoy the book; I may go back and reread Kite Runner now that I know more).

I liked this one because it wasn't a criminal court case. She does too many criminal cases and they get boring after a while. Have you read Harvesting the Heart? After My Sister's Keeper it's my favorite by Picoult (no real trial at all).

^^^No--the one I picked up at the thrift shop was Plain Truth.

I figure eventually I'll get around to them all. If I'm not busy at work tomorrow I will see how many more I still have to read!

I loved A Thousand Splendid Suns. It was a such tragic, yet beautiful story on so many different levels. Fair word of warning, have a box of Kleenex ready.

I'm ordering this from Amazon now since it seems to be well liked/loved.

I liked Plain Truth but if you read them all one right after the other they do become a bit formulaic (at least with the court cases). My Sister's Keeper will always be my favorite though. It was so tragic and the ending was such a surprise.



Looks like we might have a pick for December/January on the Book Club thread.

"Blaze" by Stephen King....

As promised, my Jodi Picoult status:

11 books read (this includes the one I just started)
3 to read

Also, there is a new one being released in March-- Handle With Care can be pre-ordered at Amazon.

I ordered a used hardback edition of A Thousand Splendid Suns from Amazon for 3 dollars I think, should be here next week.

A good read is what I need now to occupy myself.

It moves pretty quickly. I think I read 80 pages the first day (I haven't had time to read any more but I have to finish it for next Wednesday so I'll probably fly through it this weekend). I'll probably be making posts about it on the Book Club Thread as soon as I'm done so be sure to join us when you start.

A Writer's Space by Eric Maisel, PH.D. This may be a book to motivate writers, but I think it's a great book for anyone who needs a cheerleader in the background to push them to achieve a dream. He does a great job of providing ways to keep your mind centered and to stay positive even when things seem out of reach.

- - -

Earlier this week I read The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling. It was so nice to go back to the world of Harry Potter, even if by way of a few short stories. However, Dumbledore's commentary on each story was the real prize.

My roommate and I have this debate constantly: Paperback or hardcover? I'm curious to see what other people think.

I for one love paperbacks. I loved them even more before they were made slightly bigger for an inflated profit, but I will still wait for paperback except in extremely urgent circumstances (where the question of when it will be available is too scary). This semester, A Thousand Splendid Suns was assigned in a class and I heard when inquiring at Barnes and Noble that it was scheduled for release in paperback for late fall. I looked at the syllabus and danced when I found out the paperback would be available before we actually had to have the book read. I am a big believer in economy and paperbacks tend to be smaller, so I can fit more of them in a bag when traveling, and they're cheaper (even at the inflated price). And I always find myself heartbroken when a hard cover's binding breaks (paperbacks are more forgiving there).

What inspired this question? Well, my roommate has recently started reading the Twilight books (we dragged her to see the movie and she'd had Twilight waiting on her shelf; she was finally inspired to start by Carlisle's perfect hair, in fact, over Thanksgiving break she texted me about how she'd gotten to the part where he first appeared and she had a moment remembering his halo of hair). Anyway, she was frustrated that my copy of New Moon that she'll be borrowing is paperback (I was too impatient and Eclipse and Breaking Dawn are in hardcover).

I'll probably be finishing A Thousand Splendid Suns tomorrow. I'm kicking myself for having brought most of my books home in anticipation for winter break. I won't have much to read until I go home (of course, I'll have homework to keep me more than occupied).

My best friend and I had the very same conversation last night!

For everyday fiction reading, I'm a paperback fan. They aren't as heavy to carry around and are less expensive. Usually, I only read a book once and very quickly so it's not worth it to blow $20 or more on a new hardcover book. However, when it's a book from a favorite author or a favorite book in general I'll go with hardcover. I know they are going to be read many, many times and therefore need to be durable! Plus, I can't wait for a favorite author's new book to come out in paperback. I'm too impatient! Typically, I will also buy hardcovers from a used book store. They are cheaper (than new) and in much better shape than paperbacks.

In terms of a series, I want them to be all one or the other. My Harry Potter set is all hardcover, (from a used book store). It's driving me crazy that my Twilight series is half and half. I didn't expect to love the first book so much and therefore started the series in paperback. I will be fixing that as soon as hardcovers of Twilight and New Moon trickle into used book stores (although it'll be tough to find one that isn't beat up --- Ooooo, a mission!). It's a favorite series so it falls into the hardcover category.

Hmmmm . . . my little system is kind of complicated. I never dissected it before!

Me too, I do almost the same thing exactly (but I get paperbacks at used book stores and the annual library book sale because they're about a quarter apiece as opposed to a dollar and are easier to carry walking home with 10 or 15 books).

Mostly this bugs me because I have separate bookshelves for hardcover and paperback (well, ones a hung shelf and it can't take the weight of the hardcover regardless of the fact that they don't really fit). I'm not sure what I'm going to do with my Twilight set. I may wait and give the paperbacks to my cousin when she gets old enough to read them and go find hardcovers to replace them (not the first time I've done this ). My roommate found Twilight in hardcover over the summer so they've started rereleasing hardcover copies which will trickle down to used book stores soon.

If I have enough to read (which is usually the case) I can be more patient. I waited for each of the Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants books to come out in paperback, I can wait for Jodi Picoult to come out in paperback, but Harry Potter, Breaking Dawn, and for my dad, the Eragon books, hardcover was a must (and release day or the day after purchases, or pre-orders).

We have a big used book sale that comes once a year to our state fairgrounds. If I get there early enough I can get hardcover books on my list for $2 and paperbacks for 50 cents. It's not for another couple of months, but I'm already hoping for luck that I'll find plenty of treasure!



Oooo, that does make things a little tricky. My shelves are organized by genre: non-fiction, reference, crafts, fiction, favorites, and the "to read" section (where I keep my steady pile of books waiting to be read). Paperbacks and hardcovers mingle together and it usually doesn't bother me. I'm only annoyed when a series doesn't match. Twilight and New Moon sit next to Eclipse and Breaking Dawn on the favorites shelf. The first part of the series is shorter (height-wise) and doesn't look the same as the second part. My favorites shelf looks all lopsided! It's stupid, but it bugs me! Those two books deserve to be in hardcover! Especially, since they share the shelf with an all hardcover Harry Potter. All the other favorite books are hardcover, too. Twilight and New Moon are the only paperbacks!



I don't know what I'm going to do with mine, either. I'm a little attached to my paperback Twilight, seeing as it's that particular copy that lead me to love the series. I may have to keep it just for sentimental reasons, (I am such a dork ). However, New Moon will probably end up in my classroom library for my students to borrow.



I just picked up a paperback edition of Eragon at a used book store. It's next in line to read. If it ends up being a hardcover must, at least it'll be easy to find!

I have a third bookcase for To Read books (but even on that it's divided between paperbacks and hardcover/larger paperbacks). The height discrepancy bugs me so much. The hanging shelf can only fit smaller paperbacks so the bigger paperbacks are on the same case as my hardcovers but I still have figured out a way to reconcile this. Right now the hardcovers are stacked on top (of course, the hardcovers are all different sizes too, but that's where my complete set of Shakespeare in it's case has been confined). All of my books are organized alphabetically by author's last name, then title (except in the case of series, like Twilight). The Harry Potter books are in my brother's room on his shelf (along with a lot of my castoffs; I have shelves for the books I'd liked when I was younger and hold on to for sentimental reasons but most of those got kicked out to other bookcases to make more room). I'll have to take a picture of my shelves cause they're organized and a mess at the same time (I have books stacked on top of books on the bigger book case).

One thing I love about growing up in my house with my parents was the sheer volume of books. There are at least seven book cases in my house (only three of which are mine). I loved/love organizing them when I get stressed. Plus we have boxes of books in the attic and out in the shed (my grandfather worked at an old printing company long before I was born and we have cast off copies, mostly minor misprints on a title page or something ridiculous like that). I'm determined to make myself a library when I get my own place even if I have to build my own bookcases from scratch.

I think the other thing about paperbacks is they let me feel less guilty about getting them when I really shouldn't be buying anything. I have the hardest time going into a bookstore and walking out empty handed (and yet I cannot make myself avoid them, especially when coupons or sales are involved). The smaller paperbacks are usually under ten dollars, some right around five and I cannot walk away from something like that when it's only about five dollars (the bargain bin of DVDs at WalMart or the under ten dollars shelves at Target are a very dangerous place for me to walk by.

I should have an entire bookshelf for "to read" books. There is a shelf, but there are also little piles scattered throughout the house. It drives my husband nuts. The end tables, coffee table, dining room table, night stand, computer desk, and even the kitchen counter all have books sitting on them. No matter where I am, there is something to read!



I shelve my books according to size within the genre and that helps. It goes largest to smallest. I'll forgo alphabetical order to maintain my system of organized shelves. If I ever need to find a particular book, I know what it looks like and therefore where it would fit in terms of size.



I'll have to take a pic, too. My ridiculous system looks like a mess to everyone else but me! I always argue that I've never lost a book, so obviously it works.



My grandmother always surrounded me with books and I will always be grateful for that. When I moved into my first apartment, the first thing I did was set up my bookshelves. In my current home, we have 6 bookshevles crammed with books. I wouldn't have it any other way. I'm trying to talk my husband into building bookshelves into one of the walls in our livingroom. How cool would it be to have wall of solid books?



So true. Of course, if you're going to spend money, it's never a waste if it's for a book.



I've given up staying out of bookstores or the book section of any store. Call me crazy if you want, but I just love being around books no matter where they are or if I can buy them. I hate walking out empty handed, but I enjoy any time I get to page through them. Hello, my name is SB and I am a book addict.

Witches of Eastwick by John Updike

I saw the movie a long time ago, but have forgotten exactly what happens. Updike's writing is amazing, but it's taking me forever to read because it's so full of imagery and details.

hey, SB, I'm reading this to my son right now. He's read it before, but he still likes me to read to him at night even though he's 12. It's pretty good, I find myself reading ahead after he falls asleep. It's just hard to pronounce all the weird names and magic words out loud.

I've heard it's pretty good. My students are on my case to read it.

I just finished Heart Shaped Box by Joe Hill. It was really good! It's a mystery/horror story about a heavy metal guitarist who buys a man's soul over the Internet. It turns out he knows the seller.

It was really very good--I usually don't seek out books like this, but it was at the thrift store for $1.00.

FYI--Joe Hill is Stephen King's son.

I just finished reading Plain Truth, one of the few Jodi Picoult books that did not make me want to bang my head into a wall when I was through. I didn't figure out the twist completely and it wasn't bogged down in too much coincidence.

I'm going to shock myself and say I actually liked it.

People keep recommending 'Atlas Shrugged' to me. Does anyone know anything about this book? I've read a few reviews, but they didn't tell me much.

I'm not even sure why people recommended this to me, but I've had 4 people suggest it.

Just kidding. That was one of the ones I preferred too.

I just found out that I get a $50 gift certificate to Barnes & Noble for winning that essay contest. Now I get to go get the books I wanted but didn't get for Christmas and not feel guilty about it. I'm also pretty sure I'll be getting a lot of other similar gift cards for Christmas. We'll see if I can break my record ($125 I think). Any ideas for books I should get?

Last night I read The Curious Case of Benjamin Button by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The upcoming movie of the same title made me wonder about the book so I picked up a copy this weekend. It was a great read! The story is still rolling through my head this morning. It's short and simple, yet very powerful.

The Patron Saint of Liars. I'm about halfway through it. It is about a woman who leaves her husband when she finds out she is pregnant and goes off to give the baby up. It's pretty decent so far--maybe we can consider this for next book club. There's definitely enough to discuss here, character wise. I'm not sure how I feel about her yet--it's probably going to depend on what happens next!

For all those fans of British or European royal history, or if you worship Alison Wier or Margaret George like I do . . . .

I am totally hooked by Alison Weir's Queen Isabella.

Nope, it's not Isabella of Spain, but Isabella of first France, then England. Apparently there's never been a full biography of this woman before. If you've seen the movie, Braveheart, you'll remember her as the French princess who married the son and heir of Edward II. Remember the guy who preferred the company of his favorite, Piers Gaveston rather than the beautiful French princess? Anyway, the subtitle is: "Treachery, Adultery, and Murder in Medieval England". How could I possibly pass up such a teaser?

Oooooo! That sounds good. Hopefully, Santa will bring me a gift certificate to Barnes & Noble so I can pick up a copy.

p.s. Margaret George is one of my favorite authors. The Memoirs of Cleopatra remains on my Top 10 list of favorite books, (I read it 12 years ago and pieces of it still pop into my mind every now and again).

Finishing up Lady Susan, The Watsons, and Sandition by Jane Austen. It's a compilation of works she started but never fully finished (or even came close to finishing really). There are notes about the texts and indicators about where the stories were headed too. They're really interesting and it's a fun thing to wonder about, how she would have finished them.

Recounted and my To Read Bookshelf has about 67 books on it. I got The Boleyn Inheritance and The Poe Shadow for Christmas.

I love you, Beth Cooper by Larry Doyle.

I have the week off from school, and im going to try to finish it up as quickly as possible, cause as soon as school starts i'll be too busy.

^^^I read that!!!

I'm looking for book suggestions, please!

Due to an overly stressfull and emotional holiday - heck, all of December - I'm in need of a light fun read. Mysteries, romances, adventure, history - anything just as long as it doesn't involve dealing with doctors, hospitals or nursing homes.

I'm reading two right now -

Ridin' High, Livin' Free - A Collection of Motorcycle Stories

I don't ride a motorcycle, but this is a fascinating book. It's light reading, but the stories are highly entertaining.

Secure Programming with Static Analysis

This is a textbook about software security practices in programming. It's actually more interesting then it sounds.

thanks....but, um, no thanks!

I'm not the motorcycle type, but I did love Wild Hogs.

I just noticed that my post made it seem like I was recommending those two books.

well, you're always so helpful, I just assumed....

MJ, have you read any of the Mary Kay Andrews books? They are set in the Savannah area and often laugh out loud funny. I re-read Blue Christmas earlier this month.

I'd stay away from software manuals, no matter what RC says.

thanks, ultra_temp! that sounds perfect. I can share them with my mom, too - she's from the South and has a great sense of humor. Win-win.

Sounds like a real bodice-ripper

I have another 11 days of pleasure-reading time before school starts again. I just finished Audacity of Hope by Barack Obama, and am now reading Dark of the Moon by John Sandford. It's a murder mystery, an easy but not necessarily light read. Very good so far.

I recently noticed that I am buying/re-reading books that were assigned in college. I don't know if I am recapturing my youth or whatever, but I seem to be drawn to those books.

I just finished Carrie by Stephen King. Love the movie, and the book gives an in depth look at the horror.

What is also horrid is the price of the book I linked! I guess it is a rare thing to find this book in hardcover, but I did not pay that price!!! I found the last paperback on the shelf at Borders, and if they didn't have it I was going to order from Borders.com. $7.99 either way!

I read the first 77 pages last night, and i really got into it. Its a great book. Feels good fantastic to read again.

The Brooklyn Follies by Paul Auster. I liked two previous books by this author so I have high hopes for this one.

In the story, was the main female character's name Daisy? Because it is the movie and I found it interesting that he would use that name in both this story and in The Great Gatsby. The name Tom was also used in both as well.