BBAW Bookish Meme

Holy Crap! I've posted 4 days in a row. I usually hate doing this because then I feel like my book reviews get passed over, but unfortunately I'm guessing people are skipping over book reviews this week, so why not post again! It's BBAW after all. Although it wouldn't hurt my feelings if you did decide to read my review of The Lace Reader. Hmmm--sorry for the shameless plug, but I was so excited about the book that I'm getting our book club to read it next month so we can then go see the author in person!!

Back on topic: a bookish meme. We've been asked to keep our answers short, so I'll bite my tongue and show you just how concise I can be!

Do you snack while you read?

Ice cream

(edited note: caught in a lie...see comments)

Do you tend to mark your books as you read, or does the idea horrify you?

Sometimes if neccesary

How do you keep your place while reading a book?

Bookmark

Fiction, Non-fiction, or both?

Both (mostly fiction)

Hard copy or audiobooks?

Hard copy (always)

Do you read to the end of chapters, or can you put a book down at any point?

Chapter breaks if possible

If you come across an unfamiliar word, do you stop to look it up right away?

Nope!

What are you currently reading?

Yellowknife; Animal, Vegetable, Miracle

What is the last book you bought?

Hunger Games and Catching Fire

One book at a time or can you read more than one at a time?

Mostly one at a time

Do you have a favorite time of day and/or place to read?

Any time I can

Do you prefer series books or stand alone books?

Stand alone

Is there a specific book or author that you recommend over and over?

Margaret Atwood

How do you organize your books?
Read versus Unread (and then some)

How's that for concise? I'm feeling anxious not giving you longer answers, but I'll get over it.

Ok, so don't look at this picture and think I'm abusing my cat. Maggie has her own water--she just wanted mine! It was too funny to pass up. If I know how to write on the picture, it'd say something like "Iz thursty Mom!" See how Miss Spoon is there watching? Haha! I amuse myself.

Honest Scrap and TBR Shelves Fun

I was going to share this picture with my trip pictures, but since this entire post is pretty much because of Lisa, I thought I'd share here. When Scott and I went to South Dakota the other week I had the opportunity to meet Lisa from Books.Lists.Life. Over the past two years, Lisa and I have become good friends. I've really clicked with her and love the laughs we have over this and that. If you haven't met Lisa yet, head over to her blog. She's a lot of fun, and I'm so glad we could meet. Despite my chatty nature online I'm actually pretty quiet in real life, but I thought we got along great.

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Lisa of Books.Lists.Life. tagged me for the Honest Scrap meme. According to Lisa, "The "Honest Scrap" award requires me to tell my readers 10 true things about me and then pass it on to 10 more blogs."

10 Things:

1. My house is the cleanest it’s ever been with the exception of my office which is an absolute wreck. For some reason this doesn’t bother me.

2. I make coffee every weekday at 6:15 am. I pour my cup of coffee at 7:00 when I leave the house. I don’t drink it until I get to work at 8:30. I usually don’t finish my cup until 10:30 when it is stone cold. The same cup, 4 hours. I love it.

3. One of my favorite things in the entire world is a freshly made bed. Absolute heaven.

4. Cat hair does not bother me [most of the time]. Dog hair does [all of the time].

5. I have major minor road rage and I might yell speak loudly to other drivers from my own car—or something. I am not proud of this.

6. I sometimes start drafting my reviews in my head before I’m even halfway done with my book.

7. I cannot have both feet uncovered while I sleep. The trolls might eat my toes. I’m 28 and still believe this.

8. I have clothes in my closet that I haven’t worn for years. Some because I hope to fit into them again one day (physically impossible!) but mostly just because I’m afraid if I clear them out my closet will be pathetically bare.

9. Because I’ve never been able to find the right shade of lipstick or foundation, I don’t wear them at all.

10. Even though I have had foot surgery and still have a bunion on my other foot, I wear impossibly uncomfortable shoes.

I'm not tagging anyone (boo!! No fun!!), but I'd still love to hear your honest scrap!!

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Lisa is also have a little TBR contest on her blog. She is daring bloggers to show at least part of their TBR library. She wants to know which ones are important and how they're organized. Head over to her post to leave your link--you have until September 1st and there are prizes.

My TBR? Other than random places on the floor and desk, there are three "shelves" where I keep my TBR books. The first harbors all of my hardbacks and my supposed challenge books (and some school books on the bottom). The middle pictured shelf is more or less alphabetized, except I ran out of room at R, so S-Z is on the fourth shelf of the first picture. The last picture is of my paper boxes. I've run out of shelf room and this is my solution. Even still I've run out of box room. I don't have my books in any order of importance. Theoretically the top corner of Shelf 1 has my challenge books/review books, but I haven't been good about reorganizing lately.

What's your TBR look like? Please tell me you have them shelved better than my boxes!

*By the way! I've only received one email in response to my plea for Eclipse "interview" questions. :( If you feel like throwing in a question or two, email me at trishsreadingnook at gmail dot com. Anything goes. I'll probably finish Eclipse tomorrow and if no more questions, I'll take the ones I have and do another self-interview.

What's on Your Desk? (aka Picture Overload)

First and Foremost: Happy Canada Day!

Although I was born in the states and moved to Texas 19 years ago, Canada will always have a rather large part of my heart.

Second, Becky from One Nut Literature and Linda Ellen from Bambi Reads tagged me for the What's on your Desk Wednesday meme hosted by Sassy Brit.


So what's on my desk? Please please assure me your desk is messier than mine is!

Here's what you do:
1. Grab a camera and take a photo of your desk! Or anywhere you stack your books/TBR pile. And no tidying!
2. Add this photo to your blog. Tag at least 5 people! Come back here and leave a link back to your photo in the comments section.That's it.

Maggie and Ms. Poppet (she's new and doesn't have a name yet--suggestions?)

List at least 5 BOOKISH things

*Um, books, books, and books. Mostly new/recent additions

*In the bottom picture you can see my book thong I've yet to use

*1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die

*Spiral to write down wishlist books

*Several more bookmarks not shown in pictures (mixed in with bills--didn't think you wanted to see my bills)

List at least 5 NON BOOK things

*Maggie the cat (Meow)

*Texas A&M lamp (Whoop!)

*Gorilla pod (that pink and black thingy)

*Canadian Maple Syrup

*Cards and stationary

*Stamps!

What's on YOUR desk?

*It's taking 3-4 hours for my posts to load in Google Reader and my scheduled posting isn't working--any ideas why this is happening??

Bookshelf and Shakespeare Memes

I've been feeling rather scattered lately, like my head has been up in the air for some reason. Not really blogging a whole lot, not really reading a whole lot. Just whatever. So, I thought I'd share a Maggie picture and a few memes that I was tagged for a while back.


A note on the picture above. While Scott was watching TV last night, I grabbed the laptop and did a little bit of blogging. Usually Maggie will come and cuddle with me, but instead she jumped up on Scott's legs and stretched out. Scott greatly dislikes Maggie and all other cats. And he definitely doesn't like her lying on his blanket because of the cat hair. Needless to say, they never cuddle as she generally knows better. The whole thing was too funny and I can't believe she cuddled with him for as long as she did (or that he allowed it for so long!).

Valentina tagged me for Eva's bookshelf meme:

The book that’s been on your shelves the longest:
While I’ve had many of my books for years and years, the ones that I’ve had the longest are the ones that I’ve had since I was a child. They are worn, the spines are broken, pages are colored on, but I treasure them still and can’t wait until I can share them with my own kids one day. My absolute favorite is The Princess and the Unicorn. It's the story of a Princess who doesn't like her unicorn being white, so she tries to change him by painting him purple (see right). Eventually she learns to love him just as he is.

A book that reminds you of something specific in your life (a person, a place, a time, etc.):

As book lovers don’t we all have books that remind us of different things? I may not be able to remember specific plots or even character names, but you can pick up any book on my shelf and I can tell you where I was when I read it and how it made me feel as a reader. I wonder how many times Wuthering Heights will be mentioned in this post, but I really attribute a lot of my current passions to that book. It will always remind me of the day that I stopped sleeping through English class (or passing notes to friends) and started paying attention to the actual language of writing rather than just the stories. I’ve always been a reader—but that book made me realize there is more to just reading the words on the page.

A book you acquired in some interesting way (gift, serendipity in a used bookstore, prize, etc.):

Books have always been a favorite birthday or holiday gift, I’ve certainly won my fair share of books, received ARCs from authors and publishers, found special finds at the bookstore, but the books that are the most special to me are the ones that came from my Great Aunt Fran’s library. I used to love going to her house and looking through all of her books. She had thousands and thousands of books in every nook and cranny of her house—and the most eclectic books one could imagine. Especially special to me are the editions of Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights that her first husband read while station in San Francisco during WWII. He died during the war, so I never met him, but these two books have a special place on my mantle.

The most recent addition to your shelves:

Watchmen because I couldn’t help it; The Glass Castle and The Woman in White for book club; and White Teeth because I need to read some Zadie Smith.

A book that’s been with you to the most places:
There isn’t a specific book that has been with me to more places than others. Because I’ve moved around so much in the past 10 years, until recently I only had certain boxes of books with me—mostly the ones that I had to read for school and recent purchases.

A bonus book that you want to talk about but doesn’t fit into the other questions:
Well, since I got in the obligatoryWuthering Heights mention I guess I’ll end it here. :P

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Gautami tagged me for the Shakespeare Meme:

What was your first introduction to William Shakespeare? Was it love or hate?
My first introduction was 9th grade English class—Romeo and Juliet. It wasn’t love or hate, just work. But that was the same year that the Baz Luhrmann movie came out, so that was fun.

Which Shakespeare plays have you been required to read?
Romeo and Juliet, Julius Caesar, Macbeth, Othello, Hamlet, King Lear, The Twelfth Night, Taming of the Shrew, Midsummer Night’s Dream—seems like I’m missing some. I’ve also been required to read a handful of sonnets.

Do you think Shakespeare is important? Do you feel you are a “better” person for having read the bard?
Yes I think Shakespeare is important; No, I don’t feel like a “better” person for having read his works.

Do you have a favorite Shakespeare play?
Definitely The Taming of the Shrew. There are a lot out there, though, that I haven’t read yet!

How do you feel about contemporary takes on Shakespeare? Adaptations of Shakespeare's works with a more modern feel? (For example, the new line of Manga Shakespeare graphic novels, or novels like Something Rotten, Something Wicked, Enter Three Witches, Ophelia, etc.) Do you have a favorite you'd recommend?

I don’t think I’ve really read any contemporary Shakespeare adaptations, but there are an awful lot of movies based on Shakespeare plays. I think they're a great idea to help make Shakespeare more accessible, but it defeats the purpose if people don’t realize the movies/adaptations are based on Shakespeare. I do think all of the adaptations show how timeless Shakespeare truly is.

What's your favorite movie version of a Shakespeare play?

I’m going to cheat and list a live theatre production of a Shakespeare play: Taming of the Shrew by American Conservatory Theater. Katherina and Petruchio have such great chemistry. I could watch this production over and over if it didn’t drive my husband nuts. Although, he will watch the 10 Things I Hate About You movie over and over with me. :)

I'm not going to tag anyone because these memes have been around the block a few times, but if you haven't done either, feel free to play along! What are your favorite books on your bookshelf? Do you have a favorite Shakespeare play?

Bookworm Award

Dar and Ramya both presented me with this Bookworm Award/Meme. Thank you guys for thinking about me!!

Rules:
Open the closest book to you, not your favorite or most intellectual book, but the book closest to you at the moment, to page 56. Write out the fifth sentence, as well as two to five sentences following.

From: A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian (which I just picked up at the used bookstore)

"Her two younger sisters, still at school, pelted her with rose petals, and burst into tears when she kissed the groom.
The Ocheretko men strode into the church in their riding boots, embroidered shirts, and outlandish baggy trousers. The women wore wide swinging skirts and boots with little heels and coloured ribbons in their hair. They stood together in a fierce bunch at the back of the church and left abruptly at the end without tripping the priest."

Finally, tag five people to pass on the award: Amanda, Laura, Lisa, Melody, Kim Feel free to join in on the meme if you'd like, but definitely take your bookworm award!

7 + 7 = 14 Things About Me AND a Video (of me)

RANDOM THINGS ABOUT ME! (aka Trish Overload)

Ok, Ok, I hear you tags! Well, I read your tags. I procrastinate. I don't know why. But since I'm reading Emma and won't be blogging about much else in the next few days, I finally have some quiet time to catch up. And instead of doing the list thing for the 7 random personal things, I made this little video. Yes, very scary. :P I'm getting a big giant pit in my stomach thinking about hitting that "publish post" button. I don't know why I'm so nervous!! LOL.



*note of clarification--shooting was during target practice. My husband, brother-in-law, and father-in-law participated. It was very safe--no animals around. :) Not a big fan of firearms.

And then the seven random book things:
1. Even though I have gone by Trish for 10 years, I still inscribe my "read" books with Tricia.

2. I got my library card revoked when I was in high school because of a book I failed to return (Joy Luck Club) and haven't gone back since except in college.

3. I keep multiple spreadsheets of the books I own and have read. Not sure why I don't consolidate.

4. I get to work 30 minutes early so that I can read in my car before work. I also do this to dodge rush-hour traffic, but my day just doesn't start right if I don't have those 30 minutes. Sometimes it's the only time of the day I get to read.

5. I collect copies of Wuthering Heights as it is my favorite (yes, I know...gag...).

6. I could talk about books 24/7, but since I can be a little overbearing when it comes to reading, I rarely talk about books/reading/blogging with non-readers.

7. I do this obsessive thing where I figure out when I want to finish a book I'm reading, divide the number of pages by how many days that is and try to read that many pages a day. Sometimes I read more, sometimes less, but it seems to keep me on track.

In case you're curious about the other memes I did pertaining to this, here is a short synopsis. Man--soon there won't be anything left to know!!

Six Random Things:
1. Texan but lived in Canada when little (born in Utah)
2. My husband was my next-door-neighbor when we met
3. Not good English student in high school--didn't even read assigned reading!
4. Aggie through and through, but Guns Up Red Raiders!
5. Bridget Jones is my hero(ine)
6. Two pets: Maggie (the cat) and Lexi (the dog)

Six Quirky Things:
1. Sing randomly, especially to Scott, Maggie, and food
2. Love musicals--listen to them at work!
3. Must have covers on while I sleep; one foot out is OK
4. Freshly made bed one of my favorite things
5. Deathly afraid of spiders--yes Bookfool--I know how ridiculous that is!!
6. Love love love food. LOVE food. :)

End of Trish Overload.

Why I Blog Meme and an Award :)

CJ at My Year of Reading Seriously tagged me for How Blogging Affects Me Meme. The rules:

1. Write about 5 specific ways blogging has affected you, either positively or negatively
2. Link back to the person who tagged you
3. Link back to this parent post
4. Tag a few friends or five, or none at all (and inform them about it)
5. Post these rules— or just have fun breaking them.

I started blogging when I lived in small-town Texas (Coleman) and didn't have much of anything else to do. I had just finished with grad school and really missed having constant book-talk with my friends. I joined a few Yahoo book clubs, but then I stumbled upon blogging--and challenges and I was immediately hooked. So, how has it affected me?

1. I am reading much more than I used to. By mid-October I will hit my 2007 total (58 books). I'm not sure how many I'll complete by December 31st, but it is certainly more than I could have ever imagined!

2. I have met amazing people who share the same passion that I do. You guys rock my world!!

3. My horizons have been broadened by incredible lengths. I am reading non-fiction, history, science fiction, fantasy, graphic novels, world literature, classics, etc etc. I LOVE it. It is a constant learning experience for me.

4. Keeping a blog helps me think about what I am reading in a more critical manner. And besides, it helps me remember the things that I have read and what I loved and disliked about each book.

5. I spend too much time on the blogosphere. And this is a negative that unfortunately is taking its toll of the aspects of my life outside of reading. I've realized recently that in addition to working on my personal development, I also need to work on personal relationships--namely my marriage. My husband doesn't quite understand this whole business. And while he is usually supportive, I've been spending too much time in front of the computer or my books and not enough time exploring/experiencing life with him. So, you may be seeing me less around until I can find the balance that keeps everyone happy. *Sigh*

I'm not tagging anyone this time, but I'd love to hear what you think!

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These lovely ladies awarded me with this cute little button this past week. Thank you so much ladies--I love visiting your blogs and reading everything you have to say!!

Chris from Book-a-Rama

Melody from Melody's Reading Corner

Corinne from The Book Nest

I usually am really bad about passing these back out--mostly because I can't award it to everyone otherwise it would be a big huge long list. :) The following are all special to me for different reasons. Some I've known for a short time, some since I started blogging. Some are blogging veterans, some are newer to the bookblogosphere. Go check them out and say hi!

Ramya from Ramya's Bookshelf
CJ from My Year of Reading Seriously
Laura from Reading Reflections
Kim L. From Bold. Blue. Adventure.
Michelle from Michelle's Reading Room
Dar from Peeking Between the Pages

The rules are simple--tag a handful of people whose blog you love!

Two Memes, and Award, and Giveaways!!!

Giveaways first since they are the most fun and easiest to write about:

***Trish from Hey Lady! Whatcha Readin? is giving away 14 books! Go check her out before July 19th!

***Literary Feline from Musings of a Bookish Kitty is celebrating her 2 year bloggiversary with a 14 book giveaway as well. You have until August 2 for hers.

I'm sure there are others but I'm still going through my google reader. When will life slow down!!
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TWO MEMES:

I've been tagged by Amanda at Life and Times of a "New" New Yorker for a Quirkiness Meme

Rules:

1. Link the person(s) who tagged you
2. Mention the rules on your blog
3. Tell about 6 unspectacular quirks of yours
4. Tag 6 fellow bloggers by linking them
5. Leave a comment on each of the tagged blogger’s blogs letting them know they’ve been tagged

Unspectacular quirks, endstop.

1. Like Amanda, I also make up ridiculous songs--not so much make them up as just sing at random. In particular, I sing to my cat, my husband, and my food. Or sometimes just a random word--"meme" is a word I can hear myself singing outloud. Most times (read: all times) it is pure nonsense. And, I'm a horrible singer. ;)

2. I LOVE musicals and listen to them often in the car and sing and cry along with the music. I even have soundtracks for plays I haven't seen yet! My favorites are Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables, and Miss Siagon (I have seen these three).

3. I have to sleep with covers on at all times no matter how scorchingly hot it is in my bedroom. It is OK to let one foot out of the covers but NEVER both!

4. One of my favorite things in the entire world is a freshly made bed. I LOVE it!!

5. I am deathly afraid of spiders--so much so that a few weeks ago when going to my car after work and seeing one on my roof by the driver door, I actually crawled in through the passanger seat to avoid the spider jumping on my back, biting me, and dying.

6. I'm a food junky and get really moody if I haven't eaten in a while. I have always thought that this was related to being hypoglycemic, which I don't really know that I am, but really, I think I just love to eat. I can tell, though, if I'm starting to get grumpy and always warn hubby--watch out, I'm about to get bitchy if we don't eat soon.

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FIVE THINGS MEME

I was also tagged by Jeane from Dog Ear Diary for the Five Things Meme

What was I doing 10 years ago?
The summer before my senior year of High School--probably at a family reunion in Southern California (Oceanside)

Five snacks I enjoy in a perfect, non weight-gaining world:
Ice cream, ice cream, ice cream, ice cream, double stuffed oreos. :)

Five snacks I enjoy in the real world:
Mints (the lifesaver ones!), hot tomales, crackers, gum (cinnamon at work, mint otherwise), BBQ Baked Lays

Five things I would do if I were a billionaire:
1. Quit work 2. Cook 3. Read 4. Cook 5. Read :) My life is pretty simple

Five jobs that I have had:
Old Navy Clothing, Carhop at Sonic, Office Manager at Fire Department, Teaching Freshman English at Texas Tech, Account Manager for Equine Event Insurance (not my current job but I am still in insurance)

Three of my habits (soon you will all be thinking I'm neurotic):
--see Quirkiness Meme above. In addition I keep multiple spreadsheets for the same thing--not entirely sure why. Two things I keep spreadsheets for are my books/reading and bills/finances.

I also label the backs of my pictures after I get them developed even if it is obvious when the picture was taken and who is in it (Yes, I have lots of pictures of hubby and myself labeled "Trish and Scott" I guess just in case one day I forget who we are).

I save EVERYTHING. Especially true when we are on trips--which sometimes includes silly things like receipts! so that one day when I decide to scrapbook, I will have plenty of things to include other than pictures. It is absolutely ridiculous!

Five Six places I have lived:
Provo, UT; Toronto, ON; Plano, TX; Rexburg, ID; College Station, TX; Lubbock, TX

Yay! Memes are fun so tag yourself and let me know if you do either/both of these!!!

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EXCELLENCE IN BLOGGING AWARD

There is nothing better than coming home from a trip, feeling bad about neglecting the blogworld, feeling overwhelmed with the housework/workwork that has piled up, feeling like you have to pull your hair out to stay sane to find that people are still thinking about you.

Two EXCELLENT bloggers have given me this award and it made my day(s). I'm cheating and returning the award back to these two. I've loved getting to know these two gals over the past couple of months and I hope that you'll go check them out.

First is Bethany from B&b ex libris. I found her personal blog a few months ago when looking for people's reactions to Salinger's Nine Stories. I started lurking a bit--as she did with my blog, and then one day she told me she was going to start a book blog! I was thrilled! And since then she's started her own challenge (Orbis Terranum), reviewed exciting and different books, and stayed up with me during the 24-hour-readathon. So glad you joined us in this bookblogging world, Bethany!!

Second is Corinne from The Book Nest. Corinne is a new-t0-me blogger (relatively), but she reads such a variety of books that I can always find something that we either have in common or that I want to add to my shelf! Her reviews are thoughtful and her comments are sincere and I look forward to getting to know her better. And, she's a challenge junky like myself!!

Thanks gals for the shoutout!! It really did make me feel great. :)

Tagged?!?!? Orbis Terrarum and 123 Page Memes

So, I guess I was only officially tagged for the 123 Page meme, but I wanted to participate in the Orbis Terrarum meme as well since I'm loving the challenge so much.

First, if you are participating in Bethany's Orbis Terrarum Challenge, pop over HERE to participate in her fun meme.

1.) What country do you always go back to in your travels (not just while reading for OT)?

It seems that the country I read most from (outside the US) is the United Kingdom--particularly England. Although last year I traveled a lot to the Middle East (Iran, Afghanistan, Turkey) and this year I've been to Africa and will continue to go back (Sierra Leone, Sudan, Nigeria). Maybe next year I'll focus on Asia and Russia!

2.) If you could visit 4 of the countries you have read about in your life (that you haven't been to yet), which would they be and why?

Holland - Anne Frank Remembered (Gies)
India - Midnight's Children (Rushdie); Eat, Pray, Love (Gilbert)
New Zealand - The Bone People (Hulme)
Eastern Europe - The Historian (Kostavos)

3.) Have you ever dreamed about a country you have read about, that you have never actually traveled to- except in your dreams?

I don't remember a whole lot of my dreams, but the other night, while in the middle of Anne Frank Remembered, I had horrible dreams about hiding people and being caught by the Nazi's. The only other thing is that while in grad school, I would fall asleep while reading but be dreaming that I was still reading--very freaky!

4.) In what ways has reading about different countries opened up your perspective about global issues?

I think that I haven't really ventured out of my comfort zone until recently, so I am just starting to discover these global issues through reading (versus other media like the news). Reading these books has certainly helped me not be so ethnocentric and has helped me be aware of some of the things that are happening in other cultures/countries. The thing that reading gives me to that the news doesn't, is for a minute (or few days), I can see what is really going on not just at the forefront, but also in individual people's lives--how these events are really affecting people.

5.) What countries have you felt your judgment was off about-after reading about that nation?

I can't claim to be completely judgment free, but I try try try not to be. If anything the books help me understand a little more.

6.) Which is your favourite book that you would recommend for this challenge (you don't have to have read it during the challenge)?

I really liked The House of the Spirits by Allende and The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Kundras.

7.) I am thinking about hosting again, for a full year next time starting in January, do you have any constructive criticism, is one book a month about right...more? less? Give me some thoughts.

I like the shorter challenges better. If I have 12 books on my list I tend to get a little bored and antsy. But for you, Bethany my dear, I will do a 12 month-12 book challenge if I have to. :)

8.) Anything else that you have been wanting to tell us all about? let us have it!

You've been a great hostess and I love your enthusiasm! AND I love the map you periodically put up showing our progress!
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I was tagged by Valentina for the 1 2 3 Pages Meme:

1. Pick up the nearest book.
2. Open to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the next three sentences.
5. Tag five people, and acknowledge who tagged you.

Anne Frank: The Diary of Young Girl (yay...picked it up yesterday! Can't wait to read)

"Still, I wouldn't dream of pointing out to Mummy that, in the case of her daughters, it isn't at all as she imagines, because she would be utterly amazed and wouldn't know how to change anyway; I want to save her the unhappiness it would cause her, especially as I know that for me everything would remain the same anyway.
Mummy certainly feels that Margot loves her much more than I do, but she thinks that this just goes in phases! Margot has grown so sweet; she seems quite different from what she used to be, isn't nearly so catty these days and is becoming a real friend."

Since I think I am the last person on the planet to actually do this meme, if you think YOU are the last person on the planet who hasn't...TAG YOU'RE IT! :)

Happy Sunday.

Four Things Meme

Bethany tagged me for this meme, and even though it is a little on the personal side I thought I'd play along. If you'd like to play as well--consider yourself tagged! :)

Four jobs I've had:
1. Sears: Women's Department - first job
2. Sonic Drive-In - paid for a lot of my college
3. 12th Man Foundation (Texas A&M) - will never do telemarketing again ever!
4. Little Elm Fire Department - wish I could write a book about that job...great fun!

Four movies I've watched more than once:
1. When Harry Met Sally
2. While You Were Sleeping
3. The Princess Bride
4. Under the Tuscan Sun

Four places I've lived:
1. Dallas, Texas (18 years)
2. Toronto, Ontario (7 years)
3. Salt Lake valley, Utah (2 years)
4. Lubbock, Coleman, College Station--all Texas

Four places I've been:
1. East: Europe (Italy, England, France, Germany, Austria)
2.North: NYC
3. South: Eastern Caribbean
4. West: Alaska (All the Western States except Montana)

Four TV shows I watch:
1. Grey's Anatomy
2. Brothers and Sisters
3. Law and Order: SVU
4. Desperate Housewives

Four people who email me regularly (doesn’t include blogging comments):
1. Scott (hubby)
2. Brooke (sister)
3. Mom
4. Coworkers

Four of my favorite foods:
1. Sushi
2. Mexican/Tex-Mex
3. Hamburgers
4. Ice Cream!!!

Four places I would like to visit:
1. New York with Hubby
2. Austrailia
3. Eastern Canada (Maritimes)
4. Greece

Four things I'm looking forward to in the coming year:
1. Toronto in August
2. Getting our own house (out of this rent house)
3. New Experiences
4. The Unexpected

Classics Meme/Fill-In

I'm anxious anxious (wait, I think the correct word is eager) for the classics challenge to begin. Well, maybe not to begin but for it to be closer. I probably should have waited a little to do everything, but I couldn't hold my breath that long. Ha!

Anyway, so, I thought in the meantime I would stir the pot a little bit with a quick fill-in (click here for the meme post on the challenge site to join the fun)

1. My favorite classic is Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte--this book turned around my thoughts on "literature" when I was a senior in high school.

2. The classic I had the toughest time finishing is Um...there are several that I haven't finished yet. :) I really disliked Pamela and don't see myself ever finishing it. Another that I had a tough time with was Howards End.

3. I would recommend The Scarlet Pimpernel to someone who doesn't read a lot of classics or who doesn't generally like classics because it is fairly short and a fun, captivating read.

4. To me, a classic book is one that has defined/defines a generation/era, changed or challenged our way of thinking, something that is still relevant in today's age. I generally think about classics being written before 1950, but then again there are some from the 60s that I sort of think about as classics--I'm not sure that there is a good rule of thumb on this one.

5. The type of relationship I have with classics is love hate. I am an impatient reader because part of me is scared to death that I won't be able to read everything I want in this lifetime (yes, I'm 26...I know I have a lot of years ahead of me!). Because of my impatience, sometimes I find it difficult to take the time and effort to really really read a classic--give it my full attention and think about it instead of simply reading the words. I love the language and art I find in classic literature, which is the love part. For me there is nothing better than a book steeped in emotion--a book that brings those emotions out in me.

What d'you say, join me? I'd love to hear how other people feel about classics. In the meantime this is how I plan to spend the rest of my Saturday:

Yes, when I won't allow Maggie to lie on my stomach while reading, she usually settles down on my arm. Such a funny girl (see below post for another picture of Maggie Moo).

Six Random Things About Me and Weekly Geeks #1 Part 2

First, I want to thank everyone who responded to my last post about the challenge questions. I've got something going going and I hope to make my challenge annoucement in the next few days! I'm so excited (and a little scared). Eeeeks!

I was tagged earlier today by CJ and ThisRedHeadReads to provide six random things about me. So, here goes:

1. Although I am a Texan through and through, I wasn't born here (born in Utah) and I lived in Toronto from ages 2-9. When I moved I could sing the Canadian National Anthem in French!


2. My husband, Scott, and I met in College Station when we were next-door-neighbors. We only lived next-door to each other for two months before he moved away to Corpus, then Harlingen, then Tahoe. It was almost two years before we lived in the same town again (College Station), but I guess those first two months sealed the deal.


3. I was never a great student in English. I was good, but I didn't particularly care for it until Senior year when I read Wuthering Heights. I've always loved to read, though.


4. I am a Texas A&M Aggie--I bleed maroon. Scott is a Texas Tech Red Raider, so he bleeds red. I guess our kids will bleed a combination of red and maroon (hopefully more maroon! At least it won't be orange...). Whoop!


5. If you've been reading my blog long enough--I think there are a few of you--then you already know that Bridget Jones is a type of heroine in my eyes. Yup, it's true.


6. You've seen the pictures of Maggie, my cat, but we also have a dog, Lexi. She really didn't want me to take her picture and she has scary eyes in the photo, but otherwise isn't she sweet? I'm told she is an English Lab, so she is much smaller than regular labs. I like to think that her and Maggie are friends, but truthfully, Lexi is very scared of the cat. Silly dog!

Weekly Geeks #1 Part Two--yes, you read that right--I'm not onto Week #2 yet!

On Friday I was a little pressed for time, so I wanted to take a few minutes and talk a little more about my new discoveries:

Andi - Like many of the bloggers below, I've seen Andi's name a lot as it seems we read the same blogs. I had to laugh a little when I chose to visit her for weekly geeks and saw my name as one she selected (I had no idea!). I guess we Texas girls need to stick together!

Debi is an organizer like I am. She has a number of different blogs and I browsed through a lot of them amazed at her thoughtfulness that she puts into her daily routine.

Valentina - As soon as I visited Valentina's blog, I was thrilled to add another book to my wishlist--The Declaration. What can be better than that? She writes great reviews and reads a variety of different books.

Ravenous Reader - I enjoyed reading through her bookish ravings. In addition to reviews, she also speaks her mind on anything a bibliophile like me can think of. Definitely a great blog to browse.

Gautami Tripathy - as I browsed through Gautami's blog, I quickly realized that we have similar tastes in books. She's also a challenge addict like me. Strength in numbers?

*****Stay tuned for the challenge annoucement. I need to make a few final tweeks to my button (thanks to everyone who offered to make one for me! but I decided it is high time I figure it out!). I hope to have the post up soon.

The House on Mango Street - Sandra Cisneros and Negativity Meme

Title: The House on Mango Street
Author: Sandra Cisneros
Date Finished: March 14, 2008
Yearly Count: 13
Pages: 110
Rating: 3/5

Esperanza is a fourteen-year-old Latina whose family has just moved to a run-down flat on Mango Street in a Latino neighborhood of Chicago. The House on Mango Street is comprised of several short vignettes about Esperanza's coming of age and coming to terms with her place in society and how she yearns for change.

The book is a quick read, but it is filled with literary imagery that help explain the expectations of a poor Latina and the dreams that Esperanza has of overcoming those low expectations. I loved the ending of the book--and even pulled out my pencil to make a few notes, something I haven't done since grad school. The copy I have was marked up by a highschooler, so I didn't feel too bad about leaving my own mark. This is one that I could see myself revisiting in a few years.

NEGATIVITY MEME

Jeane at Dog Ear Diary tagged me for this meme (which I believe can originally be found at The Hidden Side of a Leaf)

1. When you dislike a book, do you say so in your blog? Why or why not?

My blog is my reading journal--I used to keep a hard copy, but I can type a lot faster than I can handwrite. Because of this, I wouldn't necessarily call what I do reviewing but rather creating a record of my thoughts for my personal use. It's just an added bonus that I've met all of you! Because of that, yes, I do say so in my blog if I don't like a book. I especially try to explain *why* I don't like a book.

2. Do you temper your feelings about books you didn’t like, so as not to completely slam them? Why or why not?

I try to be fair in my judgments. In the last review I wrote of a book I didn't like, I also explained that it was a book I didn't understand (The Left Hand of Darkness). I am not a book critic, so I am not qualified to determine whether a book is bad literature or not. So all I can do is talk about how the book made me feel and why I liked it or didn't.

3. What do you think is the best way to respond when you see a negative review about a book you enjoyed?

It happens! I would never lash out on the reviewer, though. People's opinions are so different.

4. What is your own most common reaction when you see a negative review of a book you loved or a positive review of a book you hated?

A little bit of disappointment, but again, it happens--why dwell on it? A few weeks ago I read the same book as my sister: Water for Elephants. I didn't like the book, but she loved it. I told her how I felt, but I didn't try to convince her that my reasoning was better. I felt awful that I didn't like it as much as she did, but we tried another book last week and both really liked it.

5. What is your own most common reaction when you get a comment that disagrees with your opinion of a book?

Like Jeane says, I find it interesting to read everyone's different opinions. I only had one comment that was offensive--but I have a sneaking suspicious the commenter was a lot younger and wasn't taught manners. Also, they commented that the book that I didn't *love* was their favorite book by a particular author, but it is the only one they've read by the author. Take it with a grain of salt and move on. I appreciate diversity, but I also appreciate when it is done with respect.

6. What if you don’t like a book that was a free review copy?

It hasn't happened yet because I don't get ARCs. You can't like *every* book, though.

7. What do you do if you don’t finish a book? Do you review it or not? If you review it, do you mention that you didn’t finish it?

If I don't finish a book I won't review it. Typically, though, I will pick the book up later and finish it. I don't like to leave things lingering for too long (lingering half-read, that is).

Non-Fiction Meme

Gautami at My Own Little Reading Room has come up with a non-fiction meme and tagged CJ at My Year of Reading Seriously, and CJ urged me to do this one. Without further ado:

a) What issues/topic interests you most--non-fiction, i.e, cooking, knitting, stitching, there are infinite topics that has nothing to do with novels?

I don’t read a lot of non-fiction and what little I do read still feels novelish (memoir, autobiography, biography). I am interested in lots of different topics, but I usually just search the web. My coworkers joke around that all they have to do is express a little interest in a topic and a few minutes later I will come back to give them a full report of the topic. What can I say, I’m curious. But not curious enough to read a whole book—not now anyway.

However, I do own and have read a lot of non-fiction/essay books dealing with writing, teaching, and other literature/history related topics. One of the most interesting books I had to read for grad school was Governing the Tongue: The Politics of Early Speech in Early New England (link to amazon).

b) Would you like to review books concerning those topics?

Except for the odd memoir or biography that I’ve read since blogging, all the reviewing I’ve done has been for school.

c) Would you like to be paid or do it as interest or hobby?

What? Get paid? As far as I understand, if you get your review published in academia, it isn’t a paid thing but more of a CV thing…

d) Would you recommend those to your friends and how?

I am guessing that the books referred to above that I own are only interesting to those interested in teaching, writing, literature theory (e.g. Post-Colonialism, Post-Modernism, etc), and the history of literature/language/etc in general. And most of the writing books are based on theory (for teaching writing) or technical writing rather than fiction writing. Readers of my blog: believe it or not, I do know how to write decently. I tend to get a little lazy, though, when blogging. Ha ha!

e) If you have already done something like this, link it to your post.

I only have paper reviews written for school (well, they are saved on my computer but not in blog posts).

f) Please don’t forget to link back here or whoever tags you.

CJ urged me to do this, but I wasn’t officially tagged—so, I’m not officially tagging anyone. Easy as pie!

Reading Meme

Lisa tagged me for this fun meme a few weeks back. I'm just now getting to it, and I can see that many others have done it. So, if you read this, haven't done the meme, then tag yourself. :)

Which book do you irrationally cringe away from reading, despite seeing only positive reviews? Brothers Karamazov, although I’m not sure if that is an irrational cringe or not since it’s a hefty 800+ pages (which in my eyes makes it a rational cringe since I cringe at anything over 500 pages). I bought it last summer only to let it collect dust on the shelf, but I have heard great things about the book! One day…probably a long time from now.

If you could bring three characters to life for a social event (afternoon tea, a night of clubbing, perhaps a world cruise), who would they be and what would the event be? Bridget Jones from…well…the Bridget Jones books. So she’s a little whiney sometimes, but aren’t we all? I bet she’d be a blast to be with while knocking a few back! I’ve always had an irrational love for Heathcliff of Wuthering Heights. Yes, I know he’s no good—but in my eyes that makes him the perfect bad boy. Mmmmm. :) Oh way, is this the same social event? I’d enjoy spending an afternoon with Liz Gilbert (Eat, Pray, Love). So, maybe I could hang out with Liz—get some coffee and pastries, then head out to the bar with Bridge, and um…the rest with Heathcliff. Ha ha! Wow…

(Borrowing shamelessly from the Thursday Next series by Jasper Fforde): you are told you can’t die until you read the most boring novel on the planet. While this immortality is great for awhile, eventually you realise it’s past time to die. Which book would you expect to get you a nice grave? Angela’s Ashes (which I’m currently reading). :) Pamela, which I could not finish for a grad class, was pretty boring as well. Howards End is by far the most boring book I’ve ever read. I have my prejudices, but I hate to speculate about books I haven’t read yet!

Come on, we’ve all been there. Which book have you pretended, or at least hinted, that you’ve read, when in fact you’ve been nowhere near it? Underworld by Don DeLillo. We had to read it for a Post-Mod grad course and I read 200/800 pages of it. It was a good book, just an extremely busy week and there was no way I was going to finish 800 pages in a week (when I was also reading books for my Post-Colonial and 18th Century Brit Lit classes). I think it was pretty clear to my professor, but I lived through the three hour class. Eeeks! :)

As an addition to the last question, has there been a book that you really thought you had read, only to realise when you read a review about it/go to ‘reread’ it that you haven’t? Which book? I keep a pretty detailed list of the books that I’ve read, so I don’t get confused too often about that. But, I will get confused on which books I own and which ones I don’t.

You’re interviewing for the post of Official Book Advisor to some VIP (who’s not a big reader). What’s the first book you’d recommend and why? (if you feel like you’d have to know the person, go ahead of personalise the VIP) This is difficult not knowing the person and what interests them. I think never a bad thing to start with something lighter to test the waters and then move into some of the heavier things. I think about this a lot when I’m thinking about which books I would recommend to certain people.

A good fairy comes and grants you one wish: you will have perfect reading comprehension in the foreign language of your choice. Which language do you go with? French. Really no good reason other than I took a few classes in high school. And it seems like when I’m reading random books, French is the language that keeps popping up in little blurbs. Tender at the Bone, the last book I finished, had pieces of French—some of which I was able to decipher.

A mischievious fairy comes and says that you must choose one book that you will reread once a year for the rest of your life (you can read other books as well). Which book would you pick? There are a number of books that I would love to re-read, but I’m not sure about every year. Anyway, those that I would like to re-read include The Handmaid’s Tale, The Red Tent, The Time Traveler’s Wife, and The Poisonwood Bible.

I know that the book blogging community, and its various challenges, have pushed my reading borders. What’s one bookish thing you ‘discovered’ from book blogging (maybe a new genre, or author, or new appreciation for cover art-anything)? I discovered The Book Thief first and foremost. There have been a couple of other books out there, but The Book Thief has certainly been the most impactful. Also challenges—a great way to organize my reading.

That good fairy is back for one final visit. Now, she’s granting you your dream library! Describe it. Is everything leatherbound? Is it full of first edition hardcovers? Pristine trade paperbacks? Perhaps a few favourite authors have inscribed their works? Go ahead-let your imagination run free. Lisa – your dream library sounds fantastic! I, too, would want somewhere really cushy. Right now I have the couch, which has a permanent imprint of my bottom; my car, which is not all that comfortable; and the bed, but the cat can’t cuddle with me on the bed. So a huge cozy couch or recliner where I could have a place for my beverage and still have room for the cat to snuggle up would be great. Someplace quiet so that if hubby is watching 300 or something equally scary and loud I can still have peace and quiet. I’m not picky about the books. I love all types of books. I actually don’t need any more books. :) but I would like to have matching bookshelves.

Eight Things I Love Meme

CJ posted a list of things that she loves on her site, so I thought I would follow suit since I've been very frustrated with my reading situation lately. Hubby and I are planning on moving to Dallas at the end of the month (yeah!!!), but that means that with all the traveling we've been doing and will be doing I haven't gotten much reading done. I'm halfway through both Little Women and Middlesex, and in the car trips I have been reading Harry Potter 6 aloud to hubby, but I really wanted to finish Vanity Fair this month...but its just too damn thick!! I know its only a week into the month, but I'm growing very anxious that I've only killed one book (stupid challenges!!).

Sorry for the rant, and without further ado - here are a few things I love--not in any order (CJ listed 8, so that's what I'm going to stick with):

* I love the caramel on top of a Starbucks Caramel Frappachino even though I know its sinfully bad for me.

* I love getting so immersed into a book that I lose myself to the emotions that the story pulls out of me. I love starting a brand new book and the anticipation of where the story will lead.

* I love perfectly sunny days, a great song on the radio, and driving with the windows down through the beautiful Texas country (yes, even here in West Texas) belting out the words to the song as loud as I can.

* I love that my hubby "gets" me and still loves me in spite of me. :) I love my hubby also, but I think that should go without saying. Maybe not...love love love him and am thankful everyday for him and his love (wow, that's a lot of love).

* I love that I can go months without seeing my best friends and still pick up exactly where we left off. One of my favorite things is laughing till my sides hurt with an old friend.

* I love driving north on I45, reaching the hill in Palmer and seeing the Dallas Skyline off in the distance. For some reason knowing that I am almost home always puts a huge smile on my face. I love that I am a Texan (no, not by birth but by choice). I love the Texas Hillcountry, I love my Texas Aggies, I love floating down the river on a hot sunny day with great friends and family, listening to Texas Country music and drinking an ice cold Miller Lite. Ahhhh...

* I love my wonderful family and how we understand each other without even having to say anything. I can't wait to be closer to them all in just a few weeks (Dallas here I come!!).

* and finally, I love my freedom to be who I want and do what I wish. Yeah!!

All this love is making me feel much better about my dismal reading prospects. Feel like spreading the love??

Desperation - Booking Throuh Thursday

Today’s question is suggested by Carrie.
What’s the most desperate thing you’ve read because it was the only available reading material?
If it was longer than a cereal box or an advertisement, did it turn out to be worth your while?

I must say that this is an interesting question. I don't think I've ever been that desperate. At home I have stacks and stacks of books that I haven't read. If I go to my parents' homes, they have stacks and stacks of books I could also devour, but most of the time I travel with the book I'm reading and an extra in case I finish (and sometimes two in case my back up turns out to be a dud).

Well, I guess the other day I was visiting Mom, and while I was eating my cereal I found myself reading the Victoria's Secret catalog sitting on the kitchen table. I say read, but I do find myself reading about the products instead of just looking at the pictures. Wow, I guess I was desperate! Most days I check email or such while eating breakfast. Sometimes while in the shower I read the shampoo/soap bottles, but mostly in french (which I don't speak), because I like to see if can understand what it says. I'll stick to my books, thank you.

Happy BTT everyone!

List of Randomness

Its Wednesday--a slow Wednesday. And this is an old meme, but I just found it so its new to me.

Anyway, I found it on Kimmie's Krap who apparently got it from Stephanie , who got it from Ms. Literary Feline ,who got it from Bookfool. Like I said, this is an old one...but the rules state that if you read MY list, then you are automatically tagged. So maybe this is a new meme to you as well...?

Look at the list of books below: * Bold the ones you’ve read * Mark in blue the ones you want to read * Cross out the ones that you wouldn't touch with a 10 foot pole (or use red coloring) * Finally, italicize the ones you've never heard of. * If you are reading this (and haven't participated yet), tag, you’re it!

1. The DaVinci Code (Dan Brown)
2. Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen)
3. To Kill A Mockingbird (Harper Lee)
4. Gone With The Wind (Margaret Mitchell)
5. The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (Tolkien)
6. The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring (Tolkien)
7. The Lord of the Rings: Two Towers (Tolkien)
8. Anne of Green Gables (L.M. Montgomery)
9. Outlander (Diana Gabaldon)
10. A Fine Balance (Rohinton Mistry)
11. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Rowling)
12. Angels and Demons (Dan Brown)
13. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Rowling)
14. A Prayer for Owen Meany (John Irving)
15. Memoirs of a Geisha (Arthur Golden)
16. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Rowling)
17. Fall on Your Knees (Ann-Marie MacDonald)
18. The Stand (Stephen King)
19. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Rowling)
20. Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte)
21. The Hobbit (Tolkien)
22. The Catcher in the Rye (J.D. Salinger)
23. Little Women (Louisa May Alcott)
24. The Lovely Bones (Alice Sebold)
25. Life of Pi (Yann Martel)
26. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Douglas Adams)
27. Wuthering Heights (Emily Bronte)
28. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (C. S. Lewis)
29. East of Eden (John Steinbeck)
30. Tuesdays with Morrie (Mitch Albom)
31. Dune (Frank Herbert)
32. The Notebook (Nicholas Sparks)
33. Atlas Shrugged (Ayn Rand)
34. 1984 (Orwell)
35. The Mists of Avalon (Marion Zimmer Bradley)
36. The Pillars of the Earth (Ken Follett)
37. The Power of One (Bryce Courtenay)
38. I Know This Much is True (Wally Lamb)
39. The Red Tent (Anita Diamant)
40. The Alchemist (Paulo Coelho)
41. The Clan of the Cave Bear (Jean M. Auel)
42. The Kite Runner (Khaled Hosseini)
43. Confessions of a Shopaholic (Sophie Kinsella)
44. The Five People You Meet In Heaven (Mitch Albom)
45. The Bible (I have read most, but not all)
46. Anna Karenina (Tolstoy)
47. The Count of Monte Cristo (Alexandre Dumas)
48. Angela’s Ashes (Frank McCourt)
49. The Grapes of Wrath (John Steinbeck)
50. She’s Come Undone (Wally Lamb)
51. The Poisonwood Bible (Barbara Kingsolver)
52. A Tale of Two Cities (Dickens)
53. Ender’s Game (Orson Scott Card)
54. Great Expectations (Dickens)
55. The Great Gatsby (Fitzgerald)
56. The Stone Angel (Margaret Laurence)
57. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Rowling)
58. The Thorn Birds (Colleen McCullough)
59. The Handmaid’s Tale (Margaret Atwood)
60. The Time Traveller’s Wife (Audrew Niffenegger)
61. Crime and Punishment (Fyodor Dostoyevsky)
62. The Fountainhead (Ayn Rand)
63. War and Peace (Tolstoy)
64. Interview With The Vampire (Anne Rice)
65. Fifth Business (Robertson Davis)
66. One Hundred Years Of Solitude (Gabriel Garcia Marquez)
67. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (Ann Brashares)
68. Catch-22 (Joseph Heller)
69. Les Miserables (Hugo)
70. The Little Prince (Antoine de Saint-Exupery)
71. Bridget Jones’ Diary (Fielding)
72. Love in the Time of Cholera (Marquez)
73. Shogun (James Clavell)
74. The English Patient (Michael Ondaatje)
75. The Secret Garden (Frances Hodgson Burnett)
76. The Summer Tree (Guy Gavriel Kay)
77. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (Betty Smith)
78. The World According to Garp (John Irving)
79. The Diviners (Margaret Laurence)
80. Charlotte's Web (E.B. White)
81. Not Wanted On The Voyage (Timothy Findley)
82. Of Mice And Men (Steinbeck)
83. Rebecca (Daphne DuMaurier)
84. Wizard’s First Rule (Terry Goodkind)
85. Emma (Jane Austen)
86. Watership Down(Richard Adams)
87. Brave New World (Aldous Huxley)
88. The Stone Diaries (Carol Shields)
89. Blindness (Jose Saramago)
90. Kane and Abel (Jeffrey Archer)
91. In The Skin Of A Lion (Ondaatje)
92. Lord of the Flies (Golding)
93. The Good Earth (Pearl S. Buck)
94. The Secret Life of Bees (Sue Monk Kidd)
95. The Bourne Identity (Robert Ludlum)
96. The Outsiders (S.E. Hinton)
97. White Oleander (Janet Fitch)
98. A Woman of Substance (Barbara Taylor Bradford)
99. The Celestine Prophecy (James Redfield)
100. Ulysses (James Joyce)

So, I've read 42/100 (about 40%). Not that that means anything since this is a totally arbitrary list. The italics part was a little difficult--if its a book, does that mean I want to read it? Eventually, right now? I guess the ones that are not in any type of special coloring or style are ones that I've heard of, but don't really care either way--don't NOT want to read them, but don't feel really compelled to add it to my list.

Maybe you can tell me otherwise??

These are a few of my favorite things...

When the dog barks, when the bee stings, when I'm feeling sad...you get the point. I think this is an old meme going around--but what the hey. I found this at nyssaneala and combined it with another similar meme from The Golden Strawberry and came up with this:

A book you've read more than once: There are many books I would love to read more than once, but right now I'm just trying to get through my TBR pile. *sigh* Other than books I've read more than once for papers and essays for school or for different courses, the only one that comes to mind is The Notebook.

A book you would take on a desert island: The whole darn Harry Potter series.

A book that made you cry: The Time Traveler's Wife. I was working out at the gym when I was reading this book. I must have looked pretty silly on the bike sobbing. My Sister's Keeper also had me going pretty good.

A book that scared you: I try to stay away from scary stuff since I easily enter into nightmare-land. I used to read RL Stine as a YA, but have since given up all things scary.

A book that made you laugh out loud: Bridget Jones's Diary. I read this one mostly on the bus too and from school (college) and had a many funny stares from lookers-on.

A book that disgusted you: I guess it depends on which way. Choke was pretty physically disgusting. But I've also read some books where the characters disgusted me.

A book you loved in preschool: The Princess and the Unicorn. I still have it and still cherish it.
A book you loved in elementary school: I don't remember how I came across it, but there was this book called Say Goodnight, Gracie that I loved. I've read that one more than once.

A book you loved in middle school: I loved the Fear Street Saga's by RL Stine

A book you loved in high school: When I was a senior I had to read Wuthering Heights. I had always been a reader, but this is what got me hooked to literature.

A book you hated in high school: I think this question should read which book didn't you hate. :) There were too many books that were assigned that I only half read--so to answer this question I think I would be cheating myself. Many I re-read later and really enjoyed.

A book you loved in college: I was never assigned it, but The Handmaid's Tale was probably my favorite read while in college.

A book that challenged your identity: To be honest, I'm not really sure any books challenged my identity.

A series that you love: Harry Potter, hands down.

Your favorite horror book: As I've said before, I can't read horror books. NO thank you!

Your favorite science fiction book: Does The Time Traveler's Wife count? Not a big SF fan.

Your favorite fantasy book: Harry Potter. Like SF, I'm not a big fantasy fan either.

Your favorite mystery: Wow, I guess I limit myself a lot when reading. I've never really read a lot of mystery books.

Your favorite biography: I think the most interesting biography I've read is Lewis Carroll: A Biography by Morton N. Cohen. Such a misunderstood man.

Your favorite classic: Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre.

Your favorite romance book: The Time Traveler's Wife - a very different kind of love story.

Your favorite book not on this list: The Pact by Jodi Picoult. Favorite author not mentioned above is Tom Robbins. I need to read something by him soon...

What book are you currently reading: The Portrait of a Lady and The Awakening

What book have you been meaning to read: Ohhh...where to begin. I guess there are simply too many to list here.

What are YOUR favorites?

Booking Through Thursday - Dessert First

There are so many fun blogging things that I had no idea about! Yeah for new discoveries--and I have Stephanie to thank for introducing me to Booking Through Thursday on her blog.

Today's Meme:

• Do you cheat and peek ahead at the end of your books? Or do you resolutely read in sequence, as the author intended?


• And, if you don’t peek, do you ever feel tempted?

It usually takes a really great book for me to want to look ahead to find out what happens--and unfortunately its been a while since I've read a book of that kind of caliber (please give me some suggestions!!

But even if I am tempted, I read the book as the author wanted it to be read (afterall, they are not "Choose Your Own Adventure"!). There have been times that I have been so eager to find out the ending of the book that I've had to cover all of the page except what I am reading so my eyes won't wander around looking for clue words. I often find myself doing this with Jodi Picoult books--slowly moving my hand down the page until I can be rewarded with the answer to the conflict. For me, part of the thrill in the book is NOT knowing what is going to happen. I don't think I would want it to be any other way.

God I love those books! Any suggestions?