One Good Turn by Kate Atkinson.

I really enjoyed this book.

and I realized at the end that though I had taken her book Case Histories out of the library, I never actually read it.
It's not at all like her Behind the Scenes at the Museum (which was a good book, just very different from this one.) So now I have Case Histories on hold.

Sometimes I want to call in "sick" just to stay home and read. Not that I've ever done that.

Beachgal I finally finished Running with Scissors. The more I read the better it was, but I don't think I could recommend it.

I still can't get into Cell by Stephen King. I think I'm going to put it back on the shelf for a bit. Usually around Halloween is when I really get into reading his books.

I just started re-reading HP and the Order of the Phoenix. But, I think I'll keep that for bedtime reading. I think I'm going to buy He's Just Not That Into You today at lunch and start that.

I just saw the movie The Motorcycle Diaries and would like to read the book it is based on. I think I'm going to really challenge myself and read the original Spanish version. I haven't been fluent in Spanish since college (which was ummm..8 years ago), so it should be fun.

I'm about midway through the 2nd book in The Circle Trilogy, by Nora Roberts, but every now and then I have to put it down and take a little breather. It's pretty intense stuff, at least for me, but it's fascinating and so much "deeper" than her usual trilogies. I'm surprised it hasn't given me nightmares, though!

I finished two books this weekend: Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See and Reluctant Burglar by Jill Elizabeth Nelson. My review of Reluctant Burglar is on bookloons.com (I review for them regularly). As I expected, Snow Flower was a really good read, although not as emotional as I thought it might be!

Case Histories by Kate Atkinson.
Very very good. better than One Good Turn

And I read Nursery Crimes and The Big Nap by Ayelet Waldman. They are the first and second books of her Mommy-Track Mysteries. Funny light hearted mysteries with mommyhood reality thrown in.

Oh, Rebel, I was often tempted to call in sick just to read! Great idea!

Wow, annarenee...that's great about reading Motorcycle Diaries in Spanish! YGG! Let us know how it goes...I'd love to do something like that. I miss Spanish and there's no one here in NY to speak with, so it's hard to practice! I haven't spoken much since just after college either! Thanks for the info about Running with Scissors. I adored He's Just Not That Into You. I actually listened to it and substituted 'she' while thinking about it terms of a friend I have that I was frustrated with...and it helped a lot! So I recommend it to anyone, regardless of their relationship status! I think the book on tape/cd is great...it's narrated by the authors.


Wow, Cottage, what are the Circle Trilogies about? I have trouble thinking of Nora Roberts giving me nightmares or making me need a breather...sounds really different than her normal work! I'm intrigued...

Wow, Jessie, a published reviewer, eh? What a fun job! Glad you liked both books. What's up next?

I just finished a couple books:

Son of a Witch, the sequel to Wicked, was fabulous...very different than I expected with a lot of richness...and it obviously going to be the second book in a trilogy, rather than the sequel. Can't wait for the next one!!!!

I watched the BBC version of "Portrait of a Marriage" and really enjoyed it, so I read the Nigel Nicholson book on which it was based. That was so heartbreaking and touching...and I came away from it with a much better understanding of the depth of Vita and Harold's love for each other. It was really amazing! If anyone's not aware of the main storyline, let me know...the book is old (1973) and the movie is from the 80s I think, though it only recently came out on DVD.

I'm just starting the book for my book club and I really dislike it. It's called The Devil in the Junior League, and the main character is very shallow, spoilt, and hard to enjoy. It might get interesting, but it's just not doing it for me. The girl in our group who is dying to read it is pregnant and due any day, so we figured she got to pick...she's in the Junior League so this really appealed to her. I love the movie "It's In the Water" which was about funny happenings in a stuffy, southern Junior League so I thought I might enjoy this book, which also takes place in a southern JL, but so far it's not doing much for me. It's long and I'm only 40 or so pages in, so I really hope it gets better! I have another of Nicholson's biographies to read (this time on Virginia Woolf, who had a long friendship and sometimes affair with his mom), and finally got a couple of Rilke's poetry books from the library. I have had friends who are big fans of his work since I was in college, but I never read anything of his but quotes. Figured it was time!

Have a great weekend...hope everyone finds some time to cozy up with a good read!

I'm reading True Believer by Nicholas Sparks..it's a very good book I am just having trouble finding the time to read!
and I recently got Bob Greene's Best Life Diet...I'm kinda scanning it right now!
I want to get You on a Diet...I just love Dr. Oz
Happy reading!

Beachgal~ The Circle Trilogy, by Nora Roberts, was fantastic! To quote from the books, " It's an epic tale that breaks the boundaries between reality and the otherworldly, while forging together the passions of the men and women caught in a battle for the fate of humanity." The first book in the trilogy is Morrigan's Cross, followed by Dance of the Gods, and Valley of Silence. They were some somewhat similar, yet again, very different, from her usual stuff. Very good reading, and now that I'm finished, I wish there was more. I highly recommend!
Now for some light "fluff", I'm reading Darling Daughters by Debbie Macomber.

Phins, True Believer is wonderful...I actually listened to it on CD and it was really good that way, if you still don't have a lot of time. There's a sequel to it, which is fun. Tell us what you think of Bob Greene...I have a very tiny excerpt from O mag and was impressed. I got You: On a Diet but am nowhere near cracking it open yet!

Cottage, that does sound good! Kind of like an epic version of the Irish ones she did with the gems...Tears of the Sun or something like that? Debbie does great books. Lots of fun!

Yes, Beachgal, kind of like her "Tears", "Keys" and "Sisters" trilogies; and, best of all, the story takes place in Ireland !

I am working on a Red Dress Ink book called A New Lu--it's very cute and probably the best RDI I've read! I'm almost done! I'm also reading Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers. Good so far--I've heard rave reviews about it. I'm maybe 1/3 of the way through. Last week was SO insane for me that I plan on doing nothing but relaxing this week after work. Should get a lot of reading done! Beachgal, I am moving Son of a Witch to the top of my list! It's been sitting at home for at least a month. Was it as dense as Wicked?

I just read Nursery Crimes, The Big Nap, and am almost finished with A Playdate With Death by Ayelet Waldman. The first three of her "Mommy-Track Mysteries", good enough that I've got the rest on hold at the library along with a novel of hers. Nice mindless murder mysteries with a little mommy humor thrown in.

Carpe Demon: Adventures of a Demon Hunting Soccer Mom. Pretty funny. Like what would happen if Buffy grew up and got married and moved to the 'burbs and had kids. I'm not sure if it was good enough that I'll bother to read the sequel, though.

I really loved the Circle Trilogy by Nora Roberts. I read it as soon as they came out and was glued to the books.

Right now I am reading Darknesses which is volume 2 of a L. E. Modesitt series. It's really good but I had to put it down to get Brian to bed and then get a little more work done. Now I need to head to bed.

Barb I loved the Circle Trilogy as well. Especially the last book. I'm not as in to Nora Roberts as I used to be, but I really like that trilogy. On that note, I just finished Born in Death today, and though I found it more predictable as far the mystery went, I enjoyed the book and was in tears by the end (though I completely blame that on TOM!! )

I'm on semester break right now so I'm trying to get in some leisure reading. I'm an English major, so reading IS college for me. I'm taking a Sci-Fi and Fantasy class this semester and we're finishing up 1984 and heading into The Giver. Also taking Lit of War and Combat. We're finishing Beowulf (4th time for me) and heading into The Red Badge of Courage (3rd time for me).

Typically I read anything by Alice Hoffman, James Patterson, JD Robb, and of course, the Harry Potter Books!

After reading this thread, I'm reserving books at the library online right now! Thanks ladies!

Jessie, what's RDI? I've never heard of those books before. You keep introducing me to all sorts of new things! What's Redeeming Love about? Do you like it so far? Love your plans for the evenings...sounds delicious!

Son of a Witch was even denser than Wicked...but there were small parts that were so incredibly simple and plain...stark, even...but they were absolutely amazing because of it. A little like the scene where Fiyero is oiling Elphaba in Wicked...you know? I really enjoyed it and can't wait for the next one. Wow!

Rebel, Carpe Demon sounds hilarious! What fun!

Okay, I obviously have to read the Circle Trilogy, huh? Especially with Ireland involved!

Barb, what's the book you're reading about? I've never heard of the author.

Adia, so glad to see you back in the book thread! I did my degree in English Lit and loved every minute...well except writing papers. I think The Giver is just beyond fabulous on every level. It's a YA book by Lois Lowry for those who don't know. You HAVE to read it if you haven't...it'll really make you think hard about life and society and everything! If you enjoy it, you should check out Gathering Blue by Lowry, too. It's a sort of companion book to The Giver. Your class sounds awesome, Adia!

I finished The Devil in the Junior League and ended up loving it, which totally shocked me! About 40 pages in I started to find some interest and halfway through I was really having a good time with it! It reallly was an interesting book and I was really excited to see a love story/romance in it. For some reason, that made it more fun for me. It had a bit of the Prince and the Pauper in it and a little bit of Emma or Cinderella, too. Plus a very hunky artist and a lot of French phrases. Fun! It's for book club, which meets next week. We haven't picked our next books yet...that should be interesting!

I need to read Obama's book soon...my friend and I will discuss it when we finish. I have it on hold at the library but don't think it came in yet. I have checked out a couple of Rilke's poems but wasn't that interested. Maybe they weren't translated well? I have that biography of Virginia Woolf, but I feel like reading a novel first. I have a ton of choices, but in the meantime, I started Breaking Free From Compulsive Eating by Geneen Roth. I've been eating a lot lately and it seemed like the right thing to do.