18, nineteen, 20, ventuno

In no particular order, and it should be noted that my house is a mess, my kid is watching tv and she didn't get to bed last night until after 10. (courtesy of mummy and daddy wanting to eat in a nice restaurant. I seriously have the best behaved child ever).

Cocktails for Three by Madeleine Wickham (Sophie Kinsella's other name), this is a quick read. I read most of it while C. had her nap. Overall I found it engaging, though I would have liked slightly more background on the characters. I did identify with one characters struggle between work and motherhood. I think the blurb on the front "Deliciously funny ... witty and wicked" is misplaced as I found this much more emotional than most of her Sophie Kinsella books and she did not "go for the laugh" but tried to be true to her characters which are much more developed than the Shopaholic. Recommended.

Object of Virtue by Nicholas B.A. Nicholson. I totally scored at the 4 books for $10 table. I liked this book. Granted I love books about art but for a debut, I found this book quite engaging, the characters people I would like to have a drink with and the plot compelling.

A Venetian Affair by Andrea Di Robilant. I'll admit it, I bought this book for two reasons: the cover and Venice. This is a non-ficition account of an actual affair of one of the ancestors of the author. He uses letters of the lovers and other contemporary sources to flesh out the circumstances and society. This is not a quick read but a very interesting account of a structured and rigid society long past. For my own visual reference I used the Venice found in the movie Dangerous Beauty - which is nothing like the title suggests.

Augustus by John Williams. Ten years ago I could have written a thesis analyzing this book. Unfortunately my Augustan scholarship is not current and I content myself with Rome on DVD and novels for enjoyment. I found the authors imagined conversations and motivations very intriguing. I loved the glimpse into Augustus' personal relationships, which is an area where greater fictional liberty can be taken. All in all, I read this book for pleasure and it did not disappoint.

15 through 17

ahhh... I have a feeling my pace is going to slow down a lot. I am officially a stay-at-home-mom, sans nanny. No more afternoons hanging out at the library reading alone, no more movie matinees preceded by hours of browsing at the book shop... but Gymboree and Sesame Street are fun :)

15. The Flirt by Kathleen Tessaro. I loved her first book, Elegance and Innocence was OK. This novel was a little bit more edgy than Elegance and reminded me of Innocence but I enjoyed it more. I found the story line easier less convoluted and loved the characters. I recommend it but don't compare it to Elegance.

16. True Confessions by Rachel Gibson. A silly romp about a kooky small town, a tabloid reporter and a sheriff. Not literature per se, but deserved more than the 4 books for $10 table.

17. Breaking Dawn by Stephanie Meyer. In my opinion the second best book of the series. There were parts of this story that really spoke to me that I will not discuss here because of spoilers. I enjoyed the character arcs immensely in this book and finally felt that Bella finally showed some growth.

fourteen

The Charlemagne Pursuit by Steve Berry. This was a bit of a first for me. The first time I read one of his books instead of listening to it. I am a huge fan of Scott Brick and Paul Michael's narrations. For some reason, even though I heard the voice in my head, I did not enjoy this as much as the others. I think I will have to listen to it. I found much of the details frustrating and the action stilted. It is hard to compare the experience, as I have not read a hard copy of his other books. I also found the premise of this book more contrived than the others. I would not recommend this one, but highly recommend The Templar Legacy.

Lucky 13

I went with vampires and werewolves for lucky number 13, ok not really, but it's a funny coincidence. Eclipse by Stephanie Meyer. I have noticed that the writing seems to be improving as the story moves along. I am enjoying the way all the characters are evolving (except Bella, who doesn't seem to grow). I am also very grateful that KG put me onto the leaked partial novel from Edward's point of view. I have much more understanding and sympathy for his character.

And I am excited because I found a copy of The Charlemagne Pursuit by Steve Berry at the library. It just jumped the queue.

12

The Temptation of the Night Jasmine by Lauren Willig is another amusing romp around her world of Napoleonic Era Spies. If you're a fan of the series, this will not disappoint (excepting the absence of the Pink Carnation). I would not start with this book though, the series needs to be read in order. I enjoyed the female lead, her matter-of-factness contrasted well with the other characters who were prone to dramatics. Plus, she was named Charlotte.

untitled

I don't mind that you forgot/didn't have time, but I won't feel guilty that I didn't.

eleven

Dogs and Goddesses by Jennifer Crusie, Anne Stuart, Lani Diane Rich. I was interested to read this not because of the subject matter (which is riduculous) but because Jennifer Crusie's books make me laugh out loud and her collaborations with Bob Mayer are superfun. I was concerned that with three authors the distinct voices would be jarring but it seems that they confined their voices to the three main characters and had a fantastic editor. The premise is ridiculous and the action moves along very quickly and not a thought is given to credibility. I liked it and will probably read another if they collaborate again.

dieci

Blood Ties Book One: The Turning by Jennifer Armintrout (audiobook from audible), this was enjoyable. I'm not sure how much patience I would have had if I had been reading a hardcopy. I'm sure I would have skipped significant portions. The characters were likeable, if some of their actions were ridiculous, and I found the motivations behind the conflicts credible.

I am of course now stuck because I will have to read the rest of the books. I cannot leave a series unfinished. February might have a decidedly otherworldly bent, since Eclipse is sitting on my shelf taunting me.

neuf

Card Sharks by Liz Maverick. I think there was a reason I got it from the 4 books for $10 table. Not great writing, not great characters but I really like poker and I really like fiction. It took about 2 hours to read. I did not read every page and do not feel like I missed anything. I did like the ending.

two years ago today

She was 6 days old and I had to leave her in the hospital all alone. It's hard to remember but I never want to forget.

eight and counting...

Number eight is Leonardo's Swans by Karen Essex. I have a decided preference for historical fiction, especially historical fiction that involves art and artists. Tracey Chevalier and Susan Vreeland are two of my favourite authors, probably because of this. I am immediately attracted to any cover that displays an actual work of art. Leonardo's Swans depicts events surrounding Ludovico Sforza's attempts to wrest the Duchy of Milan for himself from his ward from the point of view of his sister-in-law. The writing is good, and I can't speak for the research but it seemed thorough. My only issue was that there were several points in the book where I had to stop reading in order to do my own research to keep the personages straight and place them in context. The short biographies provided at the end of the book were insufficient. I will recommend this book, but only if you have google access.

#7

OK, so when I started this i had two rules for myself - first that I cold only include books I had not read before. I am very loyal to books I love and will read them over and over and over again. Second, that I had to include all the books I read. I love a cheesy romance, and while not ashamed, I do tend to keep my favourites in the one bookshelf I have that has doors. The Bride of Black Douglas is not a book I would keep with my favourites but it killed a couple of hours quite enjoyably.

# 6

6. Imperium by Robert Harris. I really liked this book. It is told from a slave's point of view and really captures the intrigues and maneouvering of Roman Republic politics. I found it especially interesting considering the political upheavals both we and our neighbours to the south have undergone in the last 6 months. I am hopeful that a sequel is in the works as this book ends with Cicero's election as consul in 64 BCE. I think there is a lot of literary potential in the later battles fought between Cicero and Marcus Antonius.

52 in 52

So I recently signed up to Ravelry.com which is a knitting themed social networking site. I was turned onto the site by a friend who is also not working at the moment and a much MUCH better knitter than me.

I was browsing their groups and there was one with a challenge to read 52 books in 52 weeks. Now if you know me at all, you know that this is a very easy challenge as I like to average 2 books per week. However, I have decided that I can only count books I have never read before.

So since the 1st of January I have finished reading:

1. Roma* by Steven Saylor.
I really liked this book. It follows two families from the founding of Rome through to the beginning of the Empire. Epic, well researched and well written.

2. New Moon by Stephanie Meyer
If you like teenage vampire novels you've probably already read New Moon, it's prequel and sequels. I will say nothing more. Probably only good if you're a girl.

3. Agnes and the Hitman by Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer **
Screwball, ridiculous modern romance with baking, a wedding, the mob and the CIA. Probably only good if you're a girl.

4. Fire and Ice by Julie Garwood
Forgettable way to spend a couple of mindless hours. Probably only good if you're a girl.

5. Vintage Furniture by Fay Sweet
I had to buy this because it has a picture of my beloved Nelson Marshmallow Sofa on the back cover. The book is really interesting, well illustrated and inspiring enough to make my husband nervous.

currently in progress:
Vintage Shoes by Caroline Cox (again, making my husband nervous)

Imperium by Robert Harris (I am really enjoying this book but worry it is making me sympathetic to Cicero.)

* I am including this book but I think I started reading it before January 1 2009 but since it is only the 13th of the month I don't think it will skew my 1 book per week goal too much.

** Audiobook