I know I am way late in the game on this one, but I just finished The True and Outstanding Adventures of the Hunt Sisters by Elisabeth Robinson. I thought it was very sweet and a good page-turner.

Lately I find myself starting at my TBR shelves thinking, "I want a book that's not too easy. But fiction. But not historical. But not trashy. Or ______." I can't seem to decided what I'm in the mood for. I started The Concubine's Children by Denise Chong yesterday and while I think it is something I would usually be interested in, I couldn't get into it. Maybe it's because I just read a China book. Who knows. Anyone have a good get-out-of-the-slump suggestion? I've only read 5 books since the beginning of the year, and that is unheard of for me (even if I do have a baby!).

By the way, Laurie, we recently got this book from Paperbackswap for Libbie. It is amazing!! For some reason it makes me think of you. :) Maybe just the whimsy and sweetness of it. It has pop-ups, things to spin, and a girl on a ribbon who sleeps in the different beds. So cute!

Almost done with Wicked...still haven't made up my mind if I want to read Son of a Witch.

Laurie...My screen name has to do with my moving to Scotland. Would you believe they DONT have koolaid over here?! I ask my mom to send me some whenever she sends packages, but it remains elusive over here in the supermarket!!! xo

JUST put down Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly by Anthony Bourdain a few minutes ago. I LOVED it! I was never employed as a line cook anywhere, but I did work the bakery at a faux-French restaurant and I definitely know what he's talking about when he says "underbelly". It was a fascinating glimpse into his life and the trials he went through to get where he is today. I just adore his delivery. He's such a captivating writer. I can't wait to get my hands on more of his books!

After doing a bit of blogging, I'm going to start Girl With A Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier. I've heard nothing about it and just bought it on a whim at the local resale book store. I hope it's good! I'm purposely avoiding reading reviews on it so that I can formulate my own opinion.

I'm reading Now The Drum Of War by Robert Roper. It's about the poet Walt Whitman and his brothers in the Civil War. It's a good read if you like history or the Civil War.

Kim, I read Girl With a Pearl Earring a few years ago. I won't comment, but let us know how you like it. You know there was a move made from that book, with Colin Firth and Scarlett Johannsen. You might want to check it out if you like the book. I also read Girl in Hyacinth Blue, which I really liked. It's by a different author, but similar idea.

Jessie, I have a weakness for pop-up books. We have a large collection of Robert Sabudah's books. They are works of art. I still buy them even though the kids are a little old now.

I am reading Uglies by Scott Westerfield. DD convinced me to try it and it's really good. It's the first in a trilogy, and she wants the box set for her birthday, so I'll probably read them all eventually.
13 Moons was disappointing to me. It was beautifully written, of course, but I never did really get pulled in by the story. As much as I loved Cold Mountain, maybe my expectations were too high.

Kim, I haven't read Girl with a Pearl Earring, but I have seen the movie. It was OK. I've read other things by Chevalier though--The Lady and the Unicorn, The Virgin Blue, and Falling Angels (which is apparently all her other books except her latest) and I really liked them all.

Jenny, that's too funny! I was thinking that you were originally from Scotland and was wondering how you even knew about Koolaid, since I didn't think they had it over there! :lol: Glad you have a Koolaid supplier. ;)

Oh, Kim, Girl with a Pearl Earring is magnificent!!! However, I have to say that I love it most of all because it introduced me to Tracy Chevalier, an author I really admire. The Virgin Blue is fascinating, but The Lady and the Unicorn was a major favorite of mine. I became so entranced by the Unicorn Tapestries that I nearly had a religious experience when I finally got to see them at the Musee de Moyen Age in Paris. :love: I took a million photos of them and just plopped myself on the floor in front of them for what felt like hours. The guard was chuckling at me, but I didn't care--they were just amazing! Plus, you wouldn't believe how many bunnies there are on those things! ;)

Susan Vreeland, the author of Girl in Hyacinth Blue (I'm sorry, I'm on the next page and don't remember who mentioned it...), is fantastic as well. I liked Girl in Hyacinth Blue just as much as I liked Pearl Earring. Similarly, I've found I like her other books even more. The Forest Lover, about an amazing female painter from Canada, was my favorite of hers until I read Luncheon of the Boating Party, about the painting of one of my favorite paintings from my all-time favorite painter, Renoir. It was divine! :drool: Passion of Artemesia is excellent, as well. I read Galileo's Daughter by Dava Sobel a couple years after that. I think it would work well, however, as a companion novel to Artemesia.

I picked up a book on CD at the library on Tuesday, after finishing Change of Heart (I loved it, especially the ending). I was intrigued by the title, Size 12 is Not Fat (by Meg Cabot), and the info on the back was interesting, but I didn't think I'd love it. I was wrong! It is extremely engaging and very funny--plus, I think we can all relate to the main character's frustrations with weight! It's the beginning of a mystery series featuring a former pop star (a la Tiffany, back in the 80s) who is now working as a residence hall director in NYC. The characters are really well drawn and the witty asides have me laughing out loud. I'm loving it!

I'm still working on The Story of Edgar Sawtelle and I think I might have the disturbing beginning somewhat figured out. It's getting more intriguing.

I loved Girl with a Pearl Earring, but I was holding off from even saying that much since I didn't want to interfere with you forming your own opinion even one little bit, Kim. ;)

And Schmoodle, The Uglies trilogy is great. There's actually a fourth, not exactly a sequel but a book set in the same world. Good book, that introduced me to Scott Westerfeld. I really couldn't get into Peeps, a vampire book. I wonder if the current vampire rage will make make this gain in popularity. (though it got rave reviews from others and I may be the only person who didn't like it.) His Midnighters trilogy is also great - not quite as dark as the Uglies trilogy.

I just read a really compelling but really very dark book, The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness. Very good, but I think I need a break from dystopian fiction, need to read a light fluffy book. (though at the same time, if the sequel to this was already out then I'd call in sick to work and read read read it straight through!)

Don't worry, ladies, I purposely stayed away from this thread until I finished the book. I wasn't going to stay up late to read anymore, but I couldn't help it! Lol! I finished it last night and I loved it! I'm definitely going to look for Tracy Chevalier's other books when we go out of town this weekend. I'm glad I picked it up. It was a great story!

I'm moving on to Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver tonight. I'm going to do my best to alternate between fiction and nonfiction this year.

Laurie: Size 12 is Not Fat sounds interesting. I'll have to go check into it!

Right now I'm reading Diary by Chuck Pahlaniuk. The first 50 pages were kind of slow, but now I'm on page 150 and intrigued. The author is also the author of Fight Club.

rebel, you're so good! :lol: You know me and my big mouth...I couldn't keep it closed!

Kim, I'm so glad you liked it!!! She's such a fabulous writer. Hope you love the others, too.

she came to the correct conclusion about it! Yay!

Well, I'm a little frustrated with Size 12 is Not Fat right now...the main character is acting a little dumb. I'm used to female characters who are strong and independent. This one is relying a little too much on men and seems too willing to let men in positions of power tell her that she's dumb and her hunches are stupid. I'm going to give her a chance, though...maybe she's going to "come of age" in the beginning of the book. I'm on the 3rd disk of 8, so we'll see...

Have any of you read I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith? It was written in the 40s and apparently went out of print for awhile. It's back in print now. I am maybe 30 or 40 pages in and very interested! My best friend sent it to me for Christmas and said it was one of those books she missed out on when she was younger, and expected I did too.

Jessie, is it a young adult book? It sounds familiar...

I stumbled into the library used book sale this weekend. :o I have to say I picked up quite a few books! One of them was the first book in Anne Rice's Christ series. Did anyone read those? I'm intrigued, but haven't been a fan of any of her other books, so am not sure what I'll think...