2009- On the nightstand/in the bookbag

2005=40 books / 2006=15 books
2007=27 books / 2008 Goal=43

2009=Goal 40

our library's closed (our librarian PCS'd and we're in the middle of getting another) so I can only read through Vicenza/online.

1. Pope Joan-Donna Woolfolk Cross (19Jan09) This was for our local bookclub. What a good story. It had so many themes that I enjoy reading about. 1)Medieval times 2)Strong women overcoming life's difficulties 3)Conspiracy theories.

2. Money and the Law of Attraction-Esther/Jerry Hicks (Jan25) I believe that what you think about...is what you get. Might as well control what your thinking about.

3. Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe- Fanny Flagg (03Feb09) I loved this movie. And the book didn't disappoint. I know why hollywood glossed over certain themes...but, overall, they did a helluva good job bringing it to the big screen. Huzzah!

4. Twilight Eyes-Dean Koontz (05Feb09) Papabear got this book from the library. (AND HE READ IT!!!) I, normally, don't read Dean Koontz (I O.Ded on him back in the 90's) This one filled the literary void...but it wasn't that good. I'd rather read a cereal box. But then again, it came after FGTatWSC so it may be just "good book letdown" that I'm feeling. I doubt it though.

5. The Knitting Sutra- I zoomed through this in an evening. I'm so glad I didn't buy this book. It's basically find the divine in daily life. Using knitting to connect with the spirit. There! I ruined the whole book for you. LOL I AM glad I read it.

6. Ask and It is Given- Esther/Jerry Hicks (18Feb09) ++

7 Pride and Prejudice- Jane Austen (01Mar09) The unabridged audio book. NINE CD's of joy! I need to get more of her audiobooks. They're so much fun to knit with!

8 Knitting w/o Tears- Elizabeth Zimmermann(15Mar09) I usually don't include non-fiction on this list. But her knitting patterns are woven inbetween folksy, homey stories. So here she is.

9 Last Days of Dogtown-Anita Diamant (30Mar09) I loved her "Red Tent" so I decided to read this one too. Very good! Reminds me of Maeve Binchy's Whitethorn woods.

10 Snow Falling on Cedars-David Guterson (05May09) Very good! Lots of fun pulling out the themes of the book. I'll look for the movie next time I'm at the library.

11 The Whale Caller- Zakes Mda (10May09) It was too "artsy" for me. I'm sure some literary genius loved it...but I just didn't "get" it.

12 Twilight- Stephanie Meyer (11May09) This was a 24 hour book. I am SUCH a sucker for a vampire book. My girlfriend, Dawn, had the whole series and loaned them to me. Loved it! I just hope the movie doesn't drive me insane (like Eragon)

13 New Moon - Stephanie Meyer (15May09) These didn't take that long to read. I've been doing alot more gifting knitting and "Stuff" I just spaced them out five days apart.

14 Eclipse - Stephanie Meyer (20May09)-The movie was ok. They're never as good as the book, but at least you get something.

15 Breaking Dawn - Stephanie Meyer (25May09)-Can't wait for New Moon to come out. They're shooting scenes in Italy (4hrs away) right now. I wanted to go down and be an extra or somthing (wink) but the whole town is in lock down. I don't want to drive for 8hours (Gas/toll roads) just to sit and not see anything. I'd rather go to Venice.

(LOL I didn't realize how much I'm knitting until I see the lack of books on my list!)

Books that sound dirty...but aren't.

There's something wrong with this book title/art, but I can't put my finger on it.

Barbie- The Legend of the Pink Pearl

And what's up with that creepy Captain Ahab in the background? *shudder*

Love, Ang

Water for Elephants

Wow! I devoured this in two days. I think it was my Dad (or Aunt Jeanne) that suggested it to me. What a good, quick read.

As usual, I'm going to rely on Amazon to give you the "dish" on it.

Amazon.com says:
Jacob Jankowski says: "I am ninety. Or ninety-three. One or the other." At the beginning of Water for Elephants, he is living out his days in a nursing home, hating every second of it. His life wasn't always like this, however, because Jacob ran away and joined the circus when he was twenty-one. It wasn't a romantic, carefree decision, to be sure. His parents were killed in an auto accident one week before he was to sit for his veterinary medicine exams at Cornell. He buried his parents, learned that they left him nothing because they had mortgaged everything to pay his tuition, returned to school, went to the exams, and didn't write a single word. He walked out without completing the test and wound up on a circus train. The circus he joins, in Depression-era America, is second-rate at best. With Ringling Brothers as the standard, Benzini Brothers is far down the scale and pale by comparison.

Water for Elephants is the story of Jacob's life with this circus. Sara Gruen spares no detail in chronicling the squalid, filthy, brutish circumstances in which he finds himself. The animals are mangy, underfed or fed rotten food, and abused. Jacob, once it becomes known that he has veterinary skills, is put in charge of the "menagerie" and all its ills. Uncle Al, the circus impresario, is a self-serving, venal creep who slaps people around because he can. August, the animal trainer, is a certified paranoid schizophrenic whose occasional flights into madness and brutality often have Jacob as their object. Jacob is the only person in the book who has a handle on a moral compass and as his reward he spends most of the novel beaten, broken, concussed, bleeding, swollen and hungover. He is the self-appointed Protector of the Downtrodden, and... he falls in love with Marlena, crazy August's wife. Not his best idea.

The most interesting aspect of the book is all the circus lore that Gruen has so carefully researched. She has all the right vocabulary: grifters, roustabouts, workers, cooch tent, rubes, First of May, what the band plays when there's trouble, Jamaican ginger paralysis, life on a circus train, set-up and take-down, being run out of town by the "revenooers" or the cops, and losing all your hooch. There is one glorious passage about Marlena and Rosie, the bull elephant, that truly evokes the magic a circus can create. It is easy to see Marlena's and Rosie's pink sequins under the Big Top and to imagine their perfect choreography as they perform unbelievable stunts. The crowd loves it--and so will the reader. The ending is absolutely ludicrous and really quite lovely.
--Valerie Ryan --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Love, Ang

On the Nightstand/In the Bookbag-2008

2005=40 books / 2006=15 books

2007=27 books / 2008 Goal=40

I signed up for the Dear Reader service again. I used it in 2005 when I was in my bookclub, but quit when I left Europe (2006). I read a lot of doggy books last year and I don't want to repeat that mistake.

Text Books

1. Servant of the Bones-Anne Rice (05Jan08) I love this book. I think this is my fourth or fifth reading of it. I needed something to read until my next book came through innerlibrary loan.

2. The Golden Compass- Philip Pullman (15Jan08)- Wow! Interesting book. I wanted to read this before I saw the movie. Hopefully they won't botch it like Eragon. Some really interesting themes here. I can see why the Church has heartburn over this book. I L.O.V.E. controversial books. It makes everyone think, discuss, and question.

3. Peony in Love-Lisa See (23Jan08) Very interesting book. This book (like Snowflower and the Secret Fan) was set in the same Manchu (China) period. It's heavily based on women's writings from this era. But, be warned, there's alot of "afterlife" story. The main character spends 90% of the book as a ghost. It's definitely worth a second read.

4. Chicken Soup for the Dieter's Soul-(03Feb08)-A sweet read. I've been keeping it beside my diet journal. I'd read a story every night when I "blogged" about diet/exercise.

5. Water for Elephants (06Feb07)-Great story. Sortof a cross between the HBO show "Carnival" and Nicholas Spark's "The Notebook."

6. The Lost Life of Eva Braun-Angela Lambert (16Mar08) I have been literally reading this book since Nov. I kept renewing it. It was fascinating reading, but very dry. In the end, I just scanned the last two chapters and read the last one. Very sad. What a terrible time in history.

7. Skylark- Patricia MacLachlan (18Mar08) This is a Junior Fiction book that I just had to read. (in four hours) It's the sequel to Sarah, Plain and Tall. That was one of my favorite books as a kidlet. This was a sweet story. I just wish I had read it when I was younger. It was a little too simplistic for me. I wanted more! My Grandma Carol instilled a love for Pioneer life in me. She was always giving me Willa Cather/Laura Ingles Wilder books to read.

8. The Storyteller's Daughter-Cameron Dokey (30Mar08) The "backstory" of Shahrazad from Arabian Nights (1001 Arabian Nights) Very good story. It's young adult fiction, so it's a very easy/quick read. I read it out camping.

9. The Miracle Life of Edgar Mint- Brady Udall (12Apr08)- The heartbreaking life story life of a little biracial boy (Native American/White) on an Arizona reservation. My Branch Manager suggested it to me. Edgar always seems to take one step forward....two steps back. It does end on a happy note...so it's worth your time (if you're an emotional sap) :o)

10 The Coconut Oil Miracle (nonfiction) Bruce Fife (20Apr08)- Made me a believer. I now use it as a food source/moisturizer.

11 Escape-Carolyn Jessop (24Apr08) Amazing what this woman went through to escape the Polygamist cult (FLDS) she was in. I devoured this book. So sad.

12 The Diamond Throne- David Eddings (10May08) Recommended by a co-worker of mine. It's good. Knights and damsels-in-distress...It's good enough to read the other two in the trilogy. Just not the best thing I've read.

13 The Ruby Knight - David Eddings (15May08) We went camping and I left my book three at home....never again will I be book less. The whole time I was wondering what was "going on" back in Elenia

14 The Sapphire Rose -David Eddings (24May08) What a satisfying trilogy. I'm tempted to read more of his "Sparhawk" books...but not yet. I have a few others already in line.

15 In the Company of the Courtesan-Sarah Dunant (06June) Wow! I burned through this book quickly. It's about a courtesan during the time of Rome's sacking .(1550's) She, and her dwarf handler, swallow all their gems and flee to Venice to start over. Well worth another read.

16 Birth of Venus- Sarah Dunant (15June) She wins again, this time in Florence. I'm going to try more of her books. I'll let you know if they're any good.

17 Stolen Innocence- Elissa Wall (07Jul08) I was reading The Kite Runner but my girlfriend said:"here's that book I was telling you about...it's due Monday" So I read this over my birthday/camping weekend.

18 The Kite Runner- Khaled Hosseini (15Jul08) OH! What a good story. I think this is the best book I've read this year. It's about two boys in Pre-Taliban Afghanistan....Betrayal.... Redemption..and the power of the human spirit. "There is a way to be good again." I also sent away to netflix for the movie. It's not as good as the book, but when are they ever as good as the book?

19 Anne of Green Gables- L.M. Montgomery (19July08) I needed a break from the dark books...so I ran away to childhood. My Grandmother gave me these books to read....and I loved them. I DO find them a little too "wholesome" and unrealistic as an adult, but then I remember that they WERE written for children. *shrug* I still love that whole Avonlea world. Too bad I won't get Littlebear to read them. (PS-I still cry when Matthew dies.)

20 Anne of Avonlea- L.M. Montgomery (21Jul08)-I know I should love Paul Irving...but sometimes he's really just too good. (eyeroll)

21 Shattered Dreams- Irene Spencer (25Jul08) I finally gotten over my "I was a wife of a polygamist" fascination. It's just too hard to read these books. I just can't believe people would treat each other so poorly for "eternal glory." I don't believe God would charge that much for salvation. *shakes head*

22 Sabriel- Garth Nix (06Aug08) Picked this up off the shelf for a quick book fix and actually found myself enjoying it. It's part of a trilogy...so I'll be able to enjoy the world a little more.

23 Lirael- Garth Nix (10Aug08) Just as good.

24 Abhorsen- Garth Nix (18Aug08) There's supposed to be a fourth book in this series due in 2010, I'll make sure to keep an eye out for it. Great series.

25 Anne of Windy Poplars- L.M. Montgomery (25Aug08) Great, as usual, but I'm going to take a break from this series...I've got a few others I want to read.

26 The Midwife's Apprentice- Karen Cushman (25Aug08) More of a tale than a book. I found it while putting away a cart of Young Adult fiction. It took an hour to read. Good story....but I wanted more depth. *shrug*

27 Seized- Jaid Black (28Aug08) Erotic Romance. Um...LOL! I'll admit, these books were donated to the library and were going straight into the recycling box (The library doesn't circulate THESE types of books.) This one wasn't really worth my time. Gah!

28 Lucavarious- Stephanie Burke (01Sept08) Here's another Erotic Romance. The difference is that this one was TOTALLY worth my time. It was similar to the movie "Underworld" (werewolves and vampires.)

29 Anne of Ingleside-LM Montgomery (10Sept08) It was as good as I remember, but I really need a break from these. There are only two more left. I'll finish the series, but not quite yet.

30 Caleb's Story- Patricia MacLachlan (11Sept08) This is the third of the "Sarah:Plain and Tall" and book #7. I know they're written for 3-5th graders...but I still love them. I found this story today at work and read it in an hour. *happy grin*

31 A Thousand Splendid Suns- Khaled Hosseini (15Sept08) Women in Afghanistan during the rise/fall of the Russians and Taliban. Achingly beautiful. Well worth another read.

32 Chicken Soup for the Military Spouse's Soul- Jack Canfield (21Sept08) Went through a box of Kleenex. Good stuff, maynard!

33 Annie Freeman's Fabulous Traveling Funeral- Kris Radish (17Oct08) I really enjoyed this one. It took me a while to get through it though. Life is a little crazy now. It was totally a "chick book" about girlfriends and celebrating life (and death)

34 Be the Pack Leader-Cesar Millan (26Oct08) I've been mainlining Cesar for about two weeks. I now feel confident dealing with Pugly.

35 The Last Unicorn-Peter Beagle (31Oct08) Just as good as the movie, but I keep having this feeling that it's an allegory that I'm not completely understanding. Let's go Wikipedia it and find out......

36 Juniper Tree Burning-Goldberry Long (06Dec08)

37 Whitethorn Woods-Maeve Binchy (20Dec08) Loved it!

38 Brissinger- Christopher Paolini (31Dec08) This series keeps getting better!

Well, that's the end of 2008 reading. I surpassed my goal! (43 total)

Graphic Novels (LOL because I'm not considering them "real" books....yet)

1. Star Wars-Bounty Hunters-Various Authors(01Jan08) A Graphic novel with four short stories in it. I usually don't choose to read Graphic novels, but this one intrigued me. I love the whole Star Wars world.
2. Dragonlance Chronicles- Dragons of Autumn Twilight-Book I & II-(06Jan08)-Graphic Novels. I read books one and two, but I'm only counting them as one book. Somehow I just don't see "comic books" as real books. But they are gorgeous to read.
3. InuYasha Book 2 (07Feb08) I was given the 1st DVD by Betsy (lady I work with) and was HOOKED! But then again, I love Japanime.
4. InuYasha Book 3 (08Feb08) Addicted!
5. InuYasha Book 4-(11Feb07) This is the first non color book. It was missing QUITE a few pages. (Side note) I know that a parent was upset last week about some nudity in the books (a shot of a cartoon breast from a beast woman) so the "offending page" might have been taken out. I wish they would have just colored in the image instead of ripping the whole page out. Graphic novels have ALOT of info packed into each cell. Missing 4 or 5 cells is disasterous.

The Soldier's Night Before Christmas

I found this book yesterday for Littlebear. What a sweet story. I want to buy one for every military family I know. So go find it in your library.

Love, Ang

Amazon sez:

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 3–This version of the Clement Moore poem takes place on a U.S. Army base in the desert. The narrator wakes up when he hears a crash, and sees a Blackhawk helicopter giving the all clear to nine Humvees and a jeep, all loaded with gifts. Sergeant McClaus calls the drivers by name: Now, Cohen! Mendoza! Woslowski! McCord! Now, Li! Watts! Donetti! And Specialist Ford! When the caravan leaves, the sergeant calls out, HAPPY CHRISTMAS, BRAVE SOLDIERS! MAY PEACE COME TO ALL! Cartoon illustrations help to make this a lighthearted, even humorous, retelling that will probably be most appreciated by military families who already know the original version.

–Virginia Walter, University of California, Los Angeles Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Book Description

"'Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the base

Only sentries were stirring--they guarded the place.

The soldiers were sleeping and snoring away

As they dreamed of 'back home' on good Christmas Day..."

One Christmas Eve at a military barracks in the Middle East, some homesick soldiers are paid a visit by Sergeant McClaus, the Santa of Soldiers. This lively and poignant tale is inspired by Clement C. Moore's classic yuletide poem.

Mistress of Spices

I've read a few good books this year, but I think this one's been my favorite. Make sure you're reading the original book by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni....not the Hollywoodized Screenplay novel.

I found the movie two weeks ago at the library and fell in love with it. I didn't QUITE believe the "Love connection," but felt it was a small price to pay for such a good movie.

But what an AWESOME book. It reminded me of the movie/book Chocolat. And if you enjoyed that, you'll love this one. Happy Reading.

Love, Ang

PS: Here's a "Proper" review of the book. I can never spit out what my brain is saying. Actually, I can spit it out...it just doesn't sound as good. *laugh*

A BOOK REVIEW: The Mistress of Spices
by Sandra Bowens

Enter the magic world of Tilo, Mistress of Spices, at her fragrant shop in Oakland. She can see into your heart and determine just what spice is needed to fulfill your desires. But what of her own desires? She hadn't given them a thought until the Lonely American stepped through the door at closing time one Friday evening.

In The Mistress of Spices, Chitra Divakaruni weaves an enchanting tale of mystery, human nature and risk punctuated by aromatic sorcery. Some may find it difficult reading at first. The unusual sentence structure requires us to slow down. Quickly the lyrical prose becomes a delight to savor like a meal so tasty we hope it never ends.

Tilo has taken a vow, given her life to the spices. The beautiful young woman resides in a tired, old body hurtled into this modern world only to help others. By obeying the rules, the spices will speak to her. As the story unfolds, the rules need to be broken and we can understand. Or, at other times, Tilo finds herself struggling because she wants to break the rules and again we understand.

Through it all, Divakaruni writes so that we can smell the spices and taste the foods prepared with them. We learn the secrets of the spices while relishing chapters with such titles as "Fennel," "Black Pepper," and "Fenugreek."

This is an exciting novel. The story takes twists and turns that cannot be anticipated. You'll find yourself smiling at the vivid descriptions and rooting for every character. By the end, you'll wish you could pay a visit to Tilo's exotic Spice Bazaar shop.

OH no they didn't.....yes they did!

Look at this AWESOME book I found last week. Of COURSE I took it home and read it to Littlebear.

Here's a sample of the text.

"Willy wasn't very good at Math, but he was VERY good at swimming."

(This ties in at the end with the little girl who's very good at swimming, but not very good with Math)

Go check it out...it's great fun!

Love, Ang

Goodbye Harry...

It's six twenty in the morning.....and I haven't been to bed yet.

I just finished Harry Potter and am completely overwhelmed.....

-Ang

9:43am (Still haven't been to bed)
This next comment you will totally understand...or you'll totally think I'm nuts:

I am in real mourning. I am so unbelievably sad.

And no...it's not for "who survived or who died." It's about saying goodbye to a world I've known and loved for almost a decade.

"But Ang, it's only a BOOK. Grow up...They're not REAL! "

Fact is...they were to me. And I'm very sad that I won't be able to "vist" with them anymore.

-Ang

There Goes My Weekend!

I'm heading out to the Commissary today and as I kiss Papabear goodbye he gets this twinkle in his eye and says "Your book is here. The UPS guy dropped it off. Bye! See you later."

Now he's holding it "hostage" until all my Saturday chores are done. Oh he's SOOOO going to get it.

Sorry if I don't blog for a few days. I'll be kinda busy.

Love, Angela

On the Nightstand; In the Bookbag

2007 Books

1. The Pull of the Moon-Darlene Graham(romance) (Jan07)

2. The Knitting Circle-Ann Hood (03Feb07) I really liked this book. Loved the way it was written and the story around it.

3. The Shop on Blossom Street-Debbie Macomber (16Feb07) This book is basically the Hood book, but with a rosier ending. It's Romantic Fiction at its almost finest. (with some knitting thrown in there)

4. A Good Yarn-Debbie Macomber (20Feb07) Again, been there...done that...just with different problems to the characters. Great for a light, summer read. LOL Maybe three in a row of the same plot were too much. Moving on now.....

5. Lonesome Dove-Larry McMurtry-07Mar07- My Aunt has recommended this book several times. I'll take the hint and finally read it. LOL -Fantastic book...

6. The Gentleman Pirate- Janette Radcliffe (romance) 26Mar07

7. Forgotten Husband-Helen Bianchin(romance)02Apr07

8. The Child Bride-Suzanne Forster (romance) 06Apr07

9. I Thee Wed-Amanda Quick (Romance) 09Apr07-One of the better romance/intrigue novels I've read in a while.

10. A bunch of Non-Fiction books about Parrots/Knitting/Gardening/Parenting

11. Crow Lake-Mary Lawson (07May07) Very Good! Not an action packed tale, but a fascinating look at family dynamics and what it means to sacrifice. Couldn't put down.

12. The Bean Trees-Barbara Kingsolver (08May07)-Night Shifts = Mama gets to read her heart out. Good book!

13. Eragon-Christopher Paolini-(17May07)-What a tragedy that this wonderful book was turned into a very mediocre movie.

14. Eldest-Christopher Paolini-(26May07)-Sequel to Eragon. What a glorious Trilogy. All the critics are giving him grief for depending so heavily on Tolkien, McCaffery, Star Wars, etc...but screw them. What have they written? It's a great story. I've read my way through all the famous Fantasy writers and it's nice to enter that genre again with a competent author. (LOL he's only 20....so I'll expect to be a lifelong reader.) Is it somewhat juvenile? Yeah...but he was only FIFTEEN when he wrote it. Back off Haters!

15 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by JK Rowling (02Aug07) Oh. My. Gosh.

16 Extreme- Sharon Osborne (16Sept07) -She's alot of things....but she's not weak. More like snapshots of her life than a cohesive narrative.

17 Snow Flower and the Secret Fan- Lisa See - Review (19Sept07) Very moving!

18 Needled to Death by Maggie Sefton-(28 Sept 07) Knitting and murder....It was ok...but not excellent reading.

19 Isolde-Queen of the Western Isle by Rosalind Miles-(15Oct07) This was book 1 of a trilogy. But I wasn't impressed enough to finish the others. It was good...but not THAT good.

20 The Long, Hard Road Out of Hell- Marilyn Manson (27Oct07) Not for the faint of heart.

21 The Devil Wears Prada-Lauren Weisberger-(27Oct07) Yes, I read books two at a time. *rolls eyes*

22 Kazunomiya, Prisoner of Heaven, Japan 1858- Kathryn Lasky -This was Junior Historical fiction. It filled the need...but wasn't that wonderful. (I've started and stopped a few books this month....couldn't find anything I really wanted to read)

23 Dragon Rider- Cornelia Funke (2Dec07) Another JF (Juvenile Fiction) book....Very cute, I'll have to read it to LB when he gets bigger.

24 The Mistress of Spices- Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni- WOW!!! It reminded me of Chocolat...but with more.....um.....magic. Definitely worth another read!!

25 Inkheart- Cornelia Funke (17Dec07) I preread this for Littlebear. It's a little dark for him though. Maybe when he's +10.

26. Bound-Donna Jo Napoli- (18Dec07) A short paperback...easy read. It's bacially a retelling of Cinderella in a Chinese (Ming Dynasty) setting. The language is beautiful, but I've read better. LOL I need to start reading adult books again. These Young Adult books are so....*Yawn*

27. The Notebook-Nicholas Sparks (29Dec07) If you loved the movie, read the book. But make sure you have plenty of Kleenex. Worth a second read!!

LOL I think that's all for this year. I can't believe I read 27 FICTION books. I felt like I didn't read much. I guess I did.

See you next year.

Ang