My Last 20 Books, First Edition

Sometimes there are certain topics that just won't go away. Where book bloggers get their books to review is one of them. Too many skeptics say that, if a person received a free copy of a book, there's no way that reviewer can post an objective review. For the most part, I think that's a load of hogwash, but everyone's entitled to his own opinion.

Several book bloggers have posted the origins of the last twenty books they reviewed. Since I post three reviews per week, I knew this wouldn't take me long to research. Besides, the whole thing made me curious about my own methods.

Without further ado, here is a list of the last twenty books reviewed on Kittling: Books and where I obtained them:

1. Among the Mad by Jacqueline Winspear. Obtained through Paperback Swap.
   
2. Eat This Not That! by David Zinczenko. Purchased at Target.
   
3. Cactus Heart by Jon Talton. Purchased at local indie The Poisoned Pen.
   
4. An English Murder by Louise Doughty. Obtained through Paperback Swap.
   
5. Frozen in Time: The Enduring Legacy of the 1961 U.S. Figure Skating Team by Nikki Nichols. Obtained through LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program.
   
6. Cold Kill by David Lawrence. Purchased through Book Closeouts.
   
7. The Cruellest Month by Louise Penny. Purchased through Book Closeouts.
   
8. Borderline by Nevada Barr. Obtained through Paperback Swap.
   
9. Excursion to Tindari by Andrea Camilleri. Purchased at a local Barnes & Noble.
   
10. The Second Death of Goodluck Tinubu by Michael Stanley. Purchased through Amazon.
    
11. Black Dog by Stephen Booth. Obtained through Paperback Swap.
    
12. The Picasso Scam by Stuart Pawson. Purchased through Book Depository.
    
13. The Calling by Inger Ash Wolfe. Purchased through Amazon.
    
14. Retirement Homes Are Murder by Mike Befeler. Obtained through Paperback Swap.
    
15. The Broken Shore by Peter Temple. Purchased through Book Depository.
    
16. The Keeper of Secrets by Judith Cutler. Purchased through Book Depository.
    
17. Body Count by P.D. Martin. Obtained through Paperback Swap.
    
18. Extras by Scott Westerfeld. Purchased at Target.
    
19. Gold Digger by Vicki Delany. Purchased through Amazon.
    
20. Organize Your Corpses by Mary Jane Maffini. Obtained through Paperback Swap.

What's the breakdown?

• 12 out of 20 were purchased with my hard-earned money from various sources.
• 7 out of the 20 were obtained through a book swapping site.
• 1 out of 20 was an Advanced Reader's Copy obtained through LibraryThing.

This is a fairly normal breakdown for me. There will be some months where the breakdowns will vary a bit. For example, I have a few ARCs coming up in the next few weeks, but I don't accept unsolicited ARCs and I'm very choosy about the ones I do accept, so this number should always be low. I am definitely not a blogger someone can point the fickle finger of fate at and exclaim, "She's only in it for the free books!" I would estimate that the number of books I've purchased over the years would fill a branch of the local library system.

This whole topic does have me curious enough where I'm likely to post periodic breakdowns of how I get my hands on the books I review. Hopefully, you'll find it interesting as well-- perhaps to the point of writing your own post about it.

If you'd like to read what other book bloggers have to say about this, check out the following links:

Hey Lady! Whatcha Readin'?
Presenting Lenore
The Boston Bibliophile
Write Meg!
Bloody Bad a Book Blog
The Story Siren
Falling Off the Shelf
Fresh Ink Books
Birdbrain(ed) Book Blog
Confessions of a Book Habitue
Tutu's Two Cents
The 3 R's: Reading, 'Riting, and Randomness
Mysteries in Paradise
Reading Adventures
Word Lily
Books Please
1 More Chapter
Library Queue
Lost in Books
Books and Movies
Ms. Bookish


How about you? Where did your last twenty reviewed books come from? If you've already posted about this and your link isn't in the list above, please leave a link in the comment section so I can add you.

It's Time for...Friday Feud!

It's a miracle that I'm not blown over by the jet stream as these weeks fly by!

It's time for another edition of Friday Feud here at Kittling: Books. The rules are few and simple:

--Do not duplicate answers.

--Please leave all your answers in the comments section of this post.

Now that all the legalities are out of the way............


Let's play The Feud!

Everyone loves to laugh. Name your favorite comedian.

Among the Mad by Jacqueline Winspear

Title: Among the Mad
Author: Jacqueline Winspear
ISBN: 9780805082166, Henry Holt, 2009
Genre: Historical Mystery, Private Investigator, #6 Maisie Dobbs
Rating: A

First Line: Maisie Dobbs, Psychologist and Investigator, picked up her fountain pen to sign her name at the end of a final report that she and her associate, Billy Beale, had worked late to complete the night before.

It is Christmas Eve, 1931, in London, and Maisie Dobbs is walking down a city street. She sees a dirty, physically handicapped man sitting on the pavement, and there's something about the look on his face that makes her walk toward him to see if she can help.

The man detonates a bomb, killing himself and slightly wounding several others--including Maisie. In no time at all Maisie finds herself working with a special team out of Scotland Yard to discover the identity of a man who's sending very threatening letters to the Prime Minister. In a city filled with veterans of World War I who have been mentally disabled by their service but put out of hospitals with no pensions and no hopes of employment, Maisie is looking for a needle in a haystack. Somehow she manages to piece together a profile of the man sending the letters, but will they be able to find him before he carries out his threat?

The only writer outside of Jacqueline Winspear who I've found capable of putting me body and soul into this time period is Lyn Macdonald. Among the Mad can oftentimes be an upsetting book to read as Winspear describes a government which was completely comfortable using an entire generation of men as nothing but cannon fodder and then denying them the help, the employment and the pensions they so desperately needed--and earned. To a government that would say doing so would bankrupt the country, I would reply: hadn't the killing and maiming of hundreds of thousands of men already achieved that? As you can see, this book touched a nerve because history just keeps on repeating itself.

The time period isn't the real reason why I love these books, however. In fact, I have a friend who is also hooked on this series, and she doesn't care for the time period at all. You see, we both love Maisie Dobbs. In Among the Mad, the man writing those threatening letters explains it best:

She showed care. That is all I have asked for, these many years, that people are concerned, and that in their actions, they demonstrate care. It occurred to me that the woman did not wait for someone else to approach Ian. She did not ignore him. She walked toward him without looking in another direction. I noticed that. I have come to notice that people do not look at the Ians of this world, but instead turn their heads here and there.

If you want to be immersed in another time, read Winspear's series. If you want to solve intriguing mysteries, read Winspear's series. If you want to read about a woman who cares deeply...read Winspear's series.

Eat This Not That! by David Zinczenko

Title: Eat This Not That! Supermarket Survival Guide
Author: David Zinczenko with Matt Goulding
ISBN: 9781605298382, Rodale, 2009
Genre: Diet/Health
Rating: A

First Line: It can be a place of wonder and excitement, of bright shiny colors, delectable scents, and enticingly sweet delights.

I have to admit that I'd never heard of this book. Grocery shopping is one of my least favorite chores, and there's no way that I would agree with the first line I typed in above. Perhaps it's because I hate to cook. Perhaps it's because I've been in retail too long and I know too many marketing strategies aimed at having consumers do the wrong thing. However, after a visit to his doctor, my husband came home rabidly against carbonated soft drinks, and when I saw Eat This Not That! on a shelf in Target's book department, I opened it and immediately saw that it was packed full of things that I could use, not only to my husband's advantage, but to mine as well.

I think one of the reasons why I hate to grocery shop is that, in order to buy the right things, I have to spend an inordinate amount of time reading the blasted labels on everything. The Food and Drug Administration does very little to curb misleading information on food packaging. Ever read portion sizes? Hah! Do you believe labels when they tell you "Zero Trans Fat!"? Hah! Do you know the difference between "whole grain" and "multi grain"? (They both sound healthy, don't they?)

Eat This Not That and its author, David Zinczenko, will take a lot of guess work out of grocery shopping for you. The first part of the book explains what's happened to our food over the years. In many ways, it's not nearly as healthy as it used to be, and explanations are given. It doesn't make for comfortable reading, but it's certainly necessary reading.

The main part of the book is divided into sections just like a supermarket. One side of the page will show common items that are healthier to eat:


...and give the reasons why they are, while the opposite side of the page will show more common items in the same category that are not healthy eating:


...as well as why they aren't the best items to choose to eat. (If it's as hot where you live as it is here in Phoenix, you'll understand why I chose the pages on ice cream!)

Although the entire book wasn't eye-opening, many pages were, and I took several notes while I read. I've now passed the book on to Denis, so he can read it and understand why a few things are forever disappearing from the menu.

Eat This Not That is touted as a No Diet weight loss solution, and if you only have a couple of pounds to lose, have been eating healthy to begin with and get regular exercise, making the substitutions suggested in this book will help you to lose weight. (Denis and I have already lost a few pounds.) If you have a lot of weight to lose, it's going to take more than the substitutions this book suggests. But you knew that already, didn't you?

After reading Zinczenko's book, the major thing I took from it was how the companies that give us such a wide variety of food to put on our tables are allowed to lie...and it's all perfectly legal. It made me angry--almost to the point where I wanted to be a modern-day Carrie Nation and stomp into the nearest grocery store carrying a hatchet. Since I'd probably do myself a mischief with the hatchet, I'll make my point with my wallet while I try to see what can be done about forcing companies to put the truth on their packaging instead of lies that can kill us.

No matter how much you think you know about the food in your local grocery store, you owe it to yourself and your family to read this book. You can also click on the author's name at the top of this post to visit the Eat This website to sign up for newsletters and to read more information.

Scene of the Blog-- Kelly of The Novel Bookworm

If you're looking for a blog with humor, an eclectic mix of books, giveaways, and features on beloved (and under-appreciated) books, you definitely need to stop by and see Kelly at The Novel Bookworm!

I have to admit that I love her header photo. Yes, on the surface it may appear to be the usual shelf of books, but several of those books look well-loved. This isn't a picture postcard book shelf; these books have been read. They're friends. I look at that photo and stories immediately start popping into my head, so that's why I like it. Don't bother telling me that I'm strange. That's old news, folks!

Let's pop on over to Kelly's house in California and see where she does all that creative blogging! I think Kelly might have some birthday cake ready for us because this is a special Scene of the Blog. You'll see why!

(Don't forget...you can click on the photos to view them full size.)

I used to have this whole little setup in the closet of my "guest room", which was really turning into my library. I'd removed the closet doors and put oak shelves above the desk. I now have a house guest, and I've had to move my poor little desk, etc. into the living room and put my printer on an end table. Since I had to move out of my little room, my books are now stacked all over the place; some under a table in the upstairs hall, some spread out among 3 bedrooms, in the family room and living room. (Okay...with a few migrating to the kitchen and laundry room!) I'm looking forward to getting my space back, but in the mean time, I'm coping very well!

The reason I love my wee little desk may not be apparent in the pictures. I found it sitting on an elderly lady's front porch. It had been holding pots of plants and getting rained on for years. She put it up for sale for $25. She had purchased it from an old library that was being torn down 40 years before. When I pulled out the writing table, you might notice in the back a round hole and a little cutout groove. The groove was for pens and the round hole which looks like a cup holder is actually an inkwell. The little gold plaque read July 27, '09, The Burkhardt Furniture Co., Dayton, O. The table isn't probably worth anything to anyone but me. It was in pretty rough shape cosmetically, and I did have to sand it and refinish it. I didn't have to do anything else though, and it remains as sturdy as when it was built.

I love the idea of writing on a library table that is just a hair shy of 100 years old. But then, I love older useable stuff: I also sew quilts, and all the machines I use were built between 1948-1956. (I think it's a family thing; my hubby also restores vintage motorcycles and has an old Autocycle from 1946 built by the Norman company in England. It's the kind of old bike you pedaled like a bicycle to start the engine.)

When Kelly told me that her desk was going to be 100 years old at the end of July, I just had to schedule her feature so that we could all celebrate its birthday. I think it is soooooo cool that she cleaned that desk up, refinished it, and brought it in off a porch so it could be used as it was originally intended, don't you? It's lovely! Happy Birthday, Kelly's desk!

Although Kelly might not have the ideal blogging situation at the moment, you wouldn't notice it from the quality of her posts. She's making the best of a slightly uncomfortable situation. I do have to admit that I was sitting here staring at that wallpaper border. I keep wanting to walk over that little bridge and go sit in the gazebo! (Why are you looking at me like that? And why are you leading me into this little room with the upholstery all over the walls??)

Thank you so much for sharing your space with us, Kelly...and for sharing the story about your very special desk. We really appreciate it!

Don't forget to stop by next week when another book blogger's creative space will be featured here on Kittling: Books!

Wordless Wednesday

Vine Maple
Hoh Rainforest, Washington

More Wordless Wednesday.

Cactus Heart by Jon Talton

Title: Cactus Heart
Author: Jon Talton
ISBN: 9781590585849, Poisoned Pen Press, 2008
Genre: Police Procedural, #5 David Mapstone mystery
Rating: B-

First Line: Throughout history, the desert has been a place of trial, penance, and hard-won revelation.

In the fifth mystery involving Maricopa County sheriff's deputy David Mapstone, we're taken back to Phoenix, Arizona in 1999. Christmas is only a few weeks away, and the subject on most people's lips is Y2K.

Recently hired by the Sheriff's Office, things don't start out well for Mapstone. He chases a robber into an abandoned warehouse and stumbles across the bodies of two young children-- the remains of a sixty-year-old crime.

Just before the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, Arizona and the nation were shocked by the kidnapping of a cattle baron's grandsons. The bodies of the children had never been found, and although the kidnapper was caught and executed, Mapstone begins digging up evidence that shows justice was far from being served. When the evidence starts coming to light, people begin to die once more.

This is a favorite series of mine that almost wasn't. When I read the first book, I was so irritated with Mapstone's whining about the heat that I almost didn't pick up the next book. Fortunately for me, I gave him another chance and haven't looked back since.

Talton is a former Phoenix resident who remembers what the place was like Before and isn't a fan of After. Having his main character be an historian lets Talton share his love of a younger Phoenix and the things that made it unique. He can even wax poetic about the weather from time to time:

When the winter rains come, the sidewalk restaurants move inside. The Fiesta Bowl promoters worry. The resorts cover up the pool furniture, and the snowbirds grumble. But we Phoenicians quietly exult-- that after all the punishing months of sun and heat, the sky brings back the healing water. That, after all, the desert is God's chosen, sacred place.

Although I enjoyed another visit with Mapstone and his complicated personal life as well as another glimpse into Phoenix's past, I did have some problems with the plot. It was too easy to piece together the facts to identify the real culprit, and the entire subplot concerning a hot babe from the city archaeologist's office just had too many coincidences. I couldn't swallow it without the aid of a glass of water.

Cactus Heart was still an involving read that I would've devoured in a single sitting if left to my own devices. Talton has created living, breathing characters who inhabit a place that I love. I may have a quibble here and there about a subplot or a character whining about the heat, but as long as Talton writes, I'll continue to read.

What's Your Ideal Island Vacation?

Your Ideal Island Vacation is Fiji

On an island vacation, you prefer to get the full beach experience. And for you, that means staying somewhere with few people and lots of beach. With over 300 islands, you can find your own private spot in Fiji. Relax by the crystal clear water, or venture off to find a waterfall.

What's Your Ideal Island Vacation?

Roses from Down Under

My favorite Aussie curmudgeon was recently awarded the One Lovely Blog Award, and he's graciously given it to me. Thank you, Archie! I'll cherish it always, even though I've never been much for ribbons and roses.

(I have to admit that part of the fun of accepting this award is picturing Archie holding a ribbon-trimmed teacup filled with pink roses!)

Mailbox Monday-- Just How Long Can I Be Good??

This past week, I sent 7 books to new foster homes via Paperback Swap, and I received 5 books from other members. I'm beginning to wonder just how long I can stay being "good". I'm not jonesing to go on a book buying spree...I'm just curious. Perhaps I'd better stop being curious; I'll probably only get myself into trouble!

Here are the books that were in my mailbox last week:

--How to Be a Pirate by Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, translated from the Old Norse by Cressida Cowell. (PBS) I can't remember whose blog mentioned this entire series of children's books, but the titles made me grin, so I had to get my hands on at least one of them!

--The Tortilla Curtain, by T.C. Boyle (PBS). "Topanga Canyon is home to two couples on a collision course. Los Angeles liberals Delaney and Kyra Mossbacher lead an ordered sushi-and-recycling existence in a newly gated hilltop community....Mexican illegals Candido and America Rincon desperately cling to their vision of the American Dream as they fight off starvation in a makeshift camp deep in the ravine."

--The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher, or The Murder at Road Hill House, by Kate Summerscale (PBS). I've heard nothing but good about this true crime tale of murder in Victorian England.

--The End of Mr. Y by Scarlett Thomas (PBS). "Strange things keep happening to British university lecturer Ariel Manto. First her supervisor disappears; then she discovers the rarest of rare books, The End of Mr. Y, at a secondhand bookshop. The tome was penned by Thomas Lumas, a nineteenth-century scientist who, as luck would have it, is the subject of Ariel's dissertation. (The book tells the tale of a man who swallows a tincture, stares into a black dot, and winds up in a place called the Troposphere, where he travels space and time through others' minds.) Bored and befuddled by real life, Ariel mimics the author's eerie experiment, with mixed results. (On her first trip, she melds minds with a randy rodent and a psychotic cat.)" This seems to be one of those love-it-or-hate-it books. I'll have to see which side I'm on when I turn the last page.

--The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie (PBS). "Exploring Indian identity, both self and tribal, Alexie's first young adult novel is a semi-autobiographical chronicle of Arnold Spirit, aka Junior, a Spokane Indian from Wellpinit, WA. The bright 14-year-old was born with water on the brain, is regularly the target of bullies, and loves to draw. He says, "I think the world is a series of broken dams and floods, and my cartoons are tiny little lifeboats." He expects disaster when he transfers from the reservation school to the rich, white school in Reardan, but soon finds himself making friends with both geeky and popular students and starting on the basketball team." Alexie is one of my favorite writers, and I have high hopes for this book!

That's it for this edition of Mailbox Monday. Hopefully when you tune in next week, I'll still be on the straight and narrow!

A big thank you to Marcia of The Printed Page for hosting this meme. If you'd like to see more answers, just click on the graphic at the top of this post!

Musing Mondays-- Online Book Databases

Do you have an account with an online book database such as LibraryThing, Shelfari or GoodReads? If so, do you have a preference? Do you use it for - your own record keeping? finding new books to read? social networking?


I arrived at LibraryThing first, primarily as a way to make a physical catalog of all my books. When I began dipping into the social aspect of it, I heard about Shelfari and GoodReads. For some reason that I can't remember, Shelfari just didn't appeal to me. I did give GoodReads a try, but other than occasionally spending time I didn't have in playing trivia quizzes there, I realized that I just couldn't do justice to both LibraryThing and GoodReads. I dropped my GoodReads account sometime this past spring and have been at LibraryThing exclusively ever since.

LibraryThing's interface is a good fit for me. I've been sitting in the evenings watching TV and going through the pages of my library, editing mistakes in entries, and making a list of books that I need to scan covers for.

One thing that I've never used LibraryThing for is to look for new titles to read. I've never needed help in that regard, and as I've said before, I joined primarily to keep records of my books. In the future I would like to get back into the social aspect more. Checking out the various groups there is what started me in book blogging!

A big vote of thanks to Rebecca for hosting this meme. If you'd like to see other answers to this week's question, just click on the Musing Monday logo at the top of this post!

A Day to Be Thankful

It's a day to take stock of blessings, like the friendships I continue to make in the book blogosphere. I've been given two awards by fellow bloggers this week:


Natalie of The Book Inn bestowed upon me the Let's Be Friends award. Thank you so much, Natalie. The feeling is mutual!

If you haven't checked out her blog yet, please take the time to do so.



Fellow Arizonan, Charlie of Professor B. Worm, surprised me with the Straight Shooter award which is given to bloggers who are:

Direct.
Honest.
When you like a book, you say why.
When you don’t like a book, you don’t mince words or sugarcoat it.
That’s why you get the Straight Shooter award.

This award from a man who's straighter than a ruler when it comes to the opinions on his blog! More than once, his direct, honest style has caused me to wipe a tear, laugh till I choked or clean the tea off my monitor. Thank you, Charlie! (You folks out there don't forget to check out his blog!)

Weekly Link Round-Up

The major way I keep track of posts and websites that I want to share with all of you is a FireFox extension called "Read It Later". I just took a look at the top of my screen and saw the number 106 by the Read It Later icon. Yikes! Don't worry-- I'm not going to post all 106 links here. Just let me rev up my Weed eater, and we'll see what happens!

Bookish News

• Are you a Twilight fan? Perhaps you'll like this version of the Google screen.
• Michelle Kerns tells us how not to choose books for long journeys, and ten books you definitely shouldn't read while traveling.
• Have you heard of Alltop? It's a self-proclaimed "online magazine rack" of popular topics. After creating an account, you can set it up to send you all the latest book news!
• It was nice to see this article in the New York Times about Target's book section. (I work for Target.)
• The Book Wish Foundation provides "reading relief for people in crisis." Check out their website and see how you can help.
• Bibliotarian is another way book lovers can help others.
• Entertainment Weekly now has an online web magazine for books called Shelf Life.
• For anyone like me who's been enjoying the crime fiction written by Stieg Larson, Mail Online has a wonderful article about Stockholm, where much of the books' action takes place. Great photos!
• The Wall Street Journal calls Hong Kong "China's Bookstore". Why? Because books that have been banned on the main land are readily available there.

Social Media, Blogging and Techie Tips

• TwitMaps is a web application that has you supply your Twitter name and then shows you the location of all your Twitter friends.
• Twitter Power: Tweets from people exiting the theater after watching Bruno are blamed for killing ticket sales. Hey...if the movie stinks, it stinks!
• The Blog Herald has a post about 18 Core Blogging Skills You Can Always Improve.
• My Free Copyright
• Browsershots lets you check to see how your blog page displays in many different browsers.

Around the Water Cooler in the Book Blogosphere

• Have you heard about the Literary Road Trip at Galley Smith? It is a project in which bloggers are showcasing local authors. Don't be surprised if you see an Arizona author or two pop up!
• Natalie at Book, Line, and Sinker wants to know: Travel Guides...Use Them or Lose Them?
• Carrie of Books and Movies has been pondering sexual content in books.
• Debbie of Wrighty's Reads talks about something almost all book bloggers are familiar with: how do you make time for everything?
• Between the Covers has two wonderful posts: 26 Neologisms for Booklovers and 26 More Neologisms for Booklovers. You just gotta read them!
• Belle of Ms. Bookish wants to know Are You a Re-Reader?
• Today's Adventure wants our opinions on commenting.
• Have you registered for Book Blogger Appreciation Week???
  

New Blogs on My Radar

• Your Shelves
• Kimbooktu
• Kyusi Reader
• Corner of the Library

Th-th-that's all, folks! Come back next week for another heapin' helpin' of bookish links!

Saturday Soliloquy-- Book Blogger Appreciation Week

Last year, I'd barely begun blogging when I started to see Book Blogger Appreciation Week mentioned. I think that was back in the day when I actually had time to spend on LibraryThing! The more I read about this brainchild of Amy's (My Friend Amy), the more I liked the sound of it. I was just beginning to know some of the book bloggers out there, and I thought this would be an excellent way to become acquainted with more. I was right, and I have the Google Reader to prove it!

For the uninitiated, let me go over some Book Blogger Appreciation Week facts:

• WHO: Anyone who blogs about books is invited to participate. In fact, we want everyone who blogs about books and reading to be a part of this week!
• WHAT: A week where we come together, celebrate the contribution and hard work of book bloggers in promoting a culture of literacy, connecting readers to books and authors, and recognizing the best among us with the Second Annual BBAW Awards. There will be special guest posts, daily blogging themes, and giveaways.
• WHEN: September 14-18, 2009
• WHERE: Here at the new Book Blogger Appreciation Week Blog! (Please note that this year there are three separate blogs and feeds—one for the main event, one for giveaways, and one for awards.)
• WHY: Because books matter. In a world full of options, the people talking about books pour hard work, time, energy, and money into creating a community around the written word. I, Amy, the founder of Book Blogger Appreciation Week love this community of bloggers and want to shower my appreciation on you!

Speaking as a newbie book blogger last year, I was flabbergasted to learn there were so many like-minded people out there. I visited all the nominated blogs, saw how other bloggers were doing things, got tons of ideas, and began forming friendships that are thriving today. I got more out of that inaugural week than if I'd been nominated in each category.

I expect to gain even more from the Second Annual Book Bloggers Appreciation Week. I've been around long enough to actually be nominated for things, and I'd be thrilled to bits if I were, but that's not really the point.

The point is to come together for a week of celebration and sharing. If you're new to book blogging, don't let that stop you from registering. Again, if you're new, don't let that stop you from nominating your favorite book blogs. (You don't have to nominate a blog for every single category, ya know!)

Are you so new that you really don't know of that many book blogs? No problem! Do what I did last year: visit all the blogs that you'll see listed. You're going to find several that are your perfect cups of tea. (Over 400 blogs last year, and I'm hoping for 1,000 this year. Hey-- it's entirely possible if folks spread the word!)

Part of this week of celebration involves giveaways. If you like free stuff, there's another reason for you to register. However, the free stuff doesn't drift gently to the ground from the free stuff tree. If you'd like to donate prizes, let Amy and her team know!

Once you've registered for Book Blogger Appreciation Week, and you've clicked on the Awards and Nominations tab, keep in mind that nominations are open until August 15, 2009. And those items that you think would make great prizes? Don't forget to donate them. Please, please, please don't snooze and lose!

(One thing that I'd better make perfectly clear: You do not have to be a blogger in order to nominate your favorite book blogs!)

I know y'all are observant, and you've noticed that I've given the registration, awards and giveaway links more than once. That's just a sign of how much I want every book blogger who reads Kittling: Books to participate in this fun event.

Book Blogger Appreciation Week is more than nominations, awards, and free stuff. It's all about books. It's all about the people who live and talk books. It's all about joining in with folks who feel the exact same way you do about books so all of us can have a whole lot of fun.

I'll see you there, won't I? Of course I will!

I Keep Coming Back For More!

Just what the world needs-- another blogging award-- right? There are several book blogs that I want to show my brand of appreciation to, and this is why I've come up with my very own award.

The I Keep Coming Back for More! Award is for a blog you just can't stay away from. If you've been busier than a one-armed paperhanger with the hives and your Google reader is over 1,000 unread posts, these are the blogs that you single out to read. These are the ones that are never victims to the dreaded Mark All As Read. There may be many different reasons why you can't stay away: a taste in books that mirrors your own, the same sense of humor, always knowing the latest in the book world... for whatever the reason, these blogs are flat out addictive and you have no wish to be cured!

The blogs I'm giving this virgin award to are:

• Jenclair of A Garden Carried in the Pocket
• Natalie of Book, Line, and Sinker
• Margaret of BooksPlease
• Jackie of Farm Lane Books Blog
• Belle of Ms. Bookish
• Bernadette of Reactions to Reading
• Kerrie of Mysteries in Paradise

The rules for the recipients are simple. (I'm a believer in the KISS method.) What are the rules?

• Enjoy the award. If you don't want to put it on your blog, don't. Just get the warm, fuzzy feeling that I'm sending your way!
• You don't have to reveal any deep, dark secrets about yourself or answer any sort of questions. You've already earned it!
  
• You don't have to link back to me.
• You don't have to give it to anyone else.
  

Simple, huh? Now, if you do want to give this award to someone else, that's a whole 'nuther kettle of fish.

If you do want to pass it along to some of those addictive book blogs in your reader, just follow the same four rules I outlined above. This is a pay-it-forward award. Nothing is to be expected in return!

(In case you're wondering, this isn't a one-time only award ceremony. It will appear again in future because...I'm a blog junkie!)

It's Time for...Friday Feud!

It's time for another edition of Friday Feud here at Kittling: Books, and this week we're going to do something a bit different. One rule is disappearing!

This week, only rule that remains is:

--Leave all your answers in the comments section of this post.

I left off the duplicating bit because I'm going to be nosy!

Let's play the Feud!


This week's question:

Name a favorite piece of jewelry that would break your heart if it were lost or damaged. Be as descriptive as you like!

An English Murder by Louise Doughty

Title: An English Murder
Author: Louise Doughty
ISBN: 0440236878, Dell Publishing, 2001
Genre: Cozy Mystery, Amateur Sleuth
Rating: B+

First Line: It was four days before the bodies were discovered, by which time Mr. Cowper had begun to mottle.

I'm not quite sure what I expected when I began reading this book. A cozy little mystery involving an amateur sleuth in a picture postcard English village, I think.

I got a lot more than I bargained for.

Alison Akenside is the chief reporter for the Rutland Record. Unfortunately she lives in Nether Bowston, a village in which nothing ever happens. At the beginning of An English Murder, Alison is a compassionate young woman who wants her "big break" into the dailies of London. She feels sad when she realizes that she was in her garden tending her flowers while the bodies of her neighbors, Thomas and Edith Cowper, were lying in their home a few doors down.

Not only were the Cowpers murdered, but their teen aged daughter Gemma has gone missing, and Alison begins to think that this murder case is her ticket to London. If she can scoop everyone else, find Gemma and learn the identity of the murderer, she's a shoo-in for bigger and better things.

While Alison ponders how to win her brass ring, we learn about her background and that of the missing girl. We're also treated to a little history about Rutland, which in the 1970s had lost its county status and become a part of Leicestershire, only to regain it in the late 1990s:

It was mentioned in the Domesday Book, she discovered-- which seemed very fin de siecle-- although at that time it was little more than a ditch on the way to Northumbria. It was always being bequeathed to people-- queens, dukes, mistresses-- as if the county and its people were an expensive lapdog.

But as we're learning more about Rutland and as we're learning about Gemma and Alison, the tone of the book subtly begins to shift. Something nasty, unpleasant and psychologically unbalanced begins to stir in Nether Bowston, and An English Murder turns into Cozy Noir.

Some people may not like Doughty's book, thinking that the plot is insubstantial and meanders off into nothingness. I was delighted by the shift and the unexpected depth toward the end. I was so concerned with looking for the crocodiles on the sandbanks that I felt completely safe wading into the water...where Doughty grabbed me with one snap of her jaws.

I am now looking for other books by Louise Doughty. I want to see if she can lead me astray once more.

Frozen in Time by Nikki Nichols

Title: Frozen in Time: The Enduring Legacy of the 1961 U.S. Figure Skating Team
Author: Nikki Nichols
ISBN: 9781578603343, Clerisy Press, 2009
Genre: Non-Fiction
Rating: A

First Line: Laurence Owen bounded through the hallways of the Broadmoor Ice Palace sporting a luminous grin as she shook the fresh coating of snow off her boots.

The U.S. Figure Skating team was at the pinnacle of the sport in 1961 as 18 skaters, their family members and coaches boarded the plane for Prague and the World Championships. They never reached their destination. The plane crashed, and all on board were killed.

This book is a reverential look back by competitive figure skater and journalist Nikki Nichols. The focus is on the top two women skaters, Laurence Owen and her rival, Stephanie Westerfeld. Both faced a tremendous amount of pressure. Owen's mother, Olympic skater Maribel Owen was the most famous woman skater of her day. Maribel worked both her daughters (Laurence's sister Mara was a pairs skater) endlessly in order for them to achieve glory. Far from the Owens' turf in New England, Myra Westerfeld was doing the same thing with her daughters, Sherri and Stephanie, at the Broadmoor in Colorado. Laurence and Stephanie finished first and second in the U.S. Championships and were expected to do great things in the World Championships. Laurence graced the cover of Sports Illustrated on the day she died.

Nichols also goes into the history of the sport. Maribel's nemesis was Sonja Henie, the most famous figure skater in the world, who won many championships and starred in Hollywood movies. My mother fell in love with figure skating watching those movies, and she passed her love of the sport on to me. Nichols' overview of the sport's history was an important part of the book, and I needed the refresher course, not only on the history, but on those dreaded school figures and the partisan judging that seems to have always been a part of who wins and who loses.

Anyone who reads this book looking for juicy scandals will find none. What they will find is history, rivalry, and a national sport that was brought to its knees by a terrible tragedy. That the USFSA was back on top in 1968 when Peggy Fleming won the Olympic gold is an amazing feat.

Any fan who loves the sport of figure skating should enjoy this book.

Scene of the Blog-- Anastasia of Birdbrain(ed) Book Blog

This week, it's time to take a look at where Anastasia of Birdbrain(ed) Book Blog creates her posts. Anastasia is an English major in her fourth year of college, and although she grew up in Maryland, she's now living in New Mexico. (Quite a change of scene there!)

Anastasia's blog focuses on fiction, especially Young Adult, fantasy, adventure and sci-fi, and she's been known to make the occasional foray into non-fiction. If you haven't visited, please take some time to do so. You'll be glad you did!

Anastasia and I have a few things in common, although one of them isn't age. (Woe is me!) We're both living in the Southwest, although I'm where I want to be and she wants to live in New York City. (You're a braver soul than I, Gunga Din.) I, too, was an English major. We both recently got netbooks. I like YA, adventure and sci-fi, and since Anastasia's taking part in the Seafaring Challenge, it looks as though we like the smell of salt in the air...and we both just might like to swash the unwary buckle from time to time.

The thing I enjoy the most about Anastasia's blog is her "voice". Not everyone can carry off a conversational tone well, but she certainly can. As I read her posts, I feel as though we're facing each other on a comfy couch having a fun conversation about the books we're reading.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know. Shut up, Cathy, and cut to the chase! Well this time, folks, you're going to see a very different blogging space than you've ever seen before here on Scene of the Blog. Don't forget that you can click on the photo to view it full size.


(I hope the photo's not too horrible; the light here is crap.)

I do all my work in my bedroom, on my bed. Technically I have a desk but it faces the wall and is a little too short for me, so I abandoned it (now I use it to hold my Pokemon collection). I also have an actual computer desk, but it's a little awkward to use with a laptop and so now I just use my bed.

There's my computer, my, er, pillow-with-arms (what are those things called?), various piles of books, and my iPod Touch. Also my box of tissues, which helps combat my horrible allergies. There's actually more books at the very end of the bed, but I couldn't fit them in the shot, sadly enough. And of course there's more books piled up to either side of my bed, and in my bookshelves on the other side of the room (one of which is tilting rather worryingly), and in my two closets, and in my brother's old room, etc. etc. It's cluttered, but I like it!


I can't tell you how tickled I am that someone was brave enough to show that she blogs in bed! Perhaps that will bring a few more of you out of the woodwork, hmmm?

Having had horrendous allergies in the past myself, I know how important that large economy size box of Kleenex is. I googled "reading in bed pillows" and found exactly what you have, Anastasia. It seems as though sellers call them whatever they want. Some places refer to them as "bedrest pillows" and other places call them "The Bed Lounge", which sounds rather fancy. Let me check something out here...just as I thought! If it's called "bedrest", it sells for anywhere from $16 to $60. If it's "The Bed Lounge" it retails for $130. Gotta love those retailers!

Anastasia's creative space may not be as fancy as some of the others we've seen in previous weeks, but it's comfortable and it works for her. That's what it's all about, isn't it? It's too bad that she couldn't fit some of her books in the shot as well. Nosy thing that I am, I wouldn't have minded taking a look at those, too.

Thanks so much for letting us take a look at your creative space, Anastasia. We really appreciate it!

See, folks? Scene of the Blog can take you anywhere-- from the library to the living room to the kitchen to the boudoir...all within the blink of an eye! Whose creative space will we see next Wednesday? Come back and see!

Wordless Wednesday

Cape Disappointment Lighthouse, Washington

More Wordless Wednesday.

Cold Kill by David Lawrence

Title: Cold Kill
Author: David Lawrence
ISBN: 0312347413, Thomas Dunne Books, 2006
Genre: Police Procedural, #3 Stella Mooney mystery
Rating: B

First Line: The sky is darkening but not yet dark; it shows a vibrant, unbroken blue, so deep that if you stare at it long you might take it to be the onset of blindness....

It's Christmas season in London, and someone is going around taking a hammer to women, partially stripping them and then garroting them. Detective Sergeant Stella Mooney thinks Father Christmas may have appeared early when a creepy confessor, Robert Adrian Kimber, shows up at the station, knowing more about the latest killing than he should. Unfortunately, there is no concrete proof to link him to the crimes; he's just a serial killer wannabe. Stella has to let him go even though it's against her better judgment. And if she's not having enough trouble with this rash of killings, she's got trouble at home. John Delaney, her journalist lover, is using bits of her privileged information to help him with his own stories.

This is a mystery series I have enjoyed in the past. I liked the new wrinkles Lawrence puts in the serial killer oeuvre even though some of the resolution depended a bit too much on coincidence. No...I liked the plot-- what got up my nose this third time around was the character of Stella herself. She grew up in one of the roughest, most dangerous estates in London. She knows there are people living there who would just as soon kill you as look at you. What does she do? Repeatedly barge in after someone either solo or with just one other person. If she believes she's Super Woman, fine. But she shouldn't risk someone else's life due to her own personal notions of invincibility.

Her love life also grates on my nerves. She lived with a nice guy, but evidently the man was too nice because she became dissatisfied. Mr. Nice Guy headed to the States. She's taken up with a journalist now, and is completely surprised when he noses through her case notes and uses the gleanings to further some of the stories he's working on. She's dissatisfied again, and there's this really interesting sounding guy on the phone at Forensics.... Okay, Stella. Steer your own path, cut a swath through all the men in London. Just know that the wake's getting a bit high for me, and I'm going to row my little dinghy off into a different cove of mysteries.

Lawrence is excellent at portraying the seamier sections of London. When I read about the Harefield Estates my skin crawls and I want eyes in the back of my head. (300 Spartans to go in there with me would be fantastic as well.) I also enjoy Lawrence's gallows humor. The twists and turns of his plot in Cold Kill kept me guessing and kept me turning the pages. I simply had a very subjective reaction to the main character that was a carryover from the last book.

My subjective reaction isn't yours. Don't let me put you off this series because the writing is top notch!

The Road Trip Test

You Take the Road No One Travels

You see companionship and loyalty as what's most important in life. You live a life of leisure. You take your time in every aspect of life and enjoy it to the fullest. You are all about risk and randomness in your life. You travel off the beaten path... in fact, you're often the one carving the way! You are able to find a fairly healthy balance between work and play. You work when you need to, but you never let yourself burn out. In another life, you could have been a great novelist. You have a knack for describing things in an interesting way.

The Road Trip Test

Mailbox Monday-- Express Order for Extra Eyes and Hands, Please!

Last week I sent 6 books to new Paperback Swap foster homes, and received 7 from various sources. I also received an invitation for the Amazon Vine program which means that I've just gained another source for free books.

"Hello. My name is Cathy, and I'm a book addict."

Here's the rundown on the 7 books I received last week:

-- Eat This Not That! The Supermarket Survival Guide by David Zinczenko (Target). Ostensibly to tell people how to lose weight by making smarter choices when buying groceries, I'm finding it a very eye-opening reading experience.

--South of Broad by Pat Conroy (ARC). I almost jumped up and down and squealed like a little girl when I opened the package to this one. Pat Conroy is one of the authors whose books I will always get my hands on, one way or the other. I quite simply love the way he writes. As soon as I learned the title of the book, I knew where it took place because I spent a very magical day in Charleston, South Carolina several years ago.

--Wife of the Gods by Kwei Quartey (Amazon). This is a debut mystery set in Ghana that I can't wait to read!

--The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny (ARC), the latest of the marvelous Inspector Gamache mysteries set in Quebec.

--The Crazy School by Cornelia Read (PBS). I was quite impressed with the voice of character Madeline Dare in Read's first book, A Field of Darkness, and I can't wait to see what happens to her next.

--Public Enemies: America's Greatest Crime Wave and the Birth of the FBI, 1933-34 by Bryan Burrough (Target). Seeing Bonnie and Clyde when I was a teenager got me interested in the Depression and in gangsters. The Untouchables is one of my favorite movies. Sounds like this book is a natural for me, eh?

--Crow Stone by Jenni Mills (PBS) is about a young engineer working on shoring up the ancient quarries underneath Bath, England. She's spent most of her life trying to forget what happened when she was fourteen. But things are conspiring against her.

That's it! I've got some excellent reading ahead of me just in this stack of books. I wish I had about three more heads and pairs of hands!

If you'd like to see what arrived in other folks' mailboxes last week, click on that hungry-looking mailbox at the top of this post to be taken to The Printed Page, home of Marcia, the hostess extraordinaire!

Musing Mondays--Judging a Book by Its Cover

Do you feel disappointed when the covers don’t match the story? Have you ever been completely misled by a book cover?



I do very little book browsing anymore, and haven't done for quite some time. I get in enough trouble going into my favorite bookstores with my list; if I browsed as well, I'd be blogging from the Poor Farm... as along as they had Internet access.

In a very real sense, shopping with a list is freeing. I've never been a book cover junkie. One of only two things I've ever used them for is to give me that very first hint as to whether or not I might like the book.

I know there are books I've missed out on while browsing because they didn't have a cover that appealed to my roving eye. An example would be a book with a bodice ripper cover. You know the ones: steroidal hero with half his kilt missing standing out in a howling gale clutching a well-endowed young female who can't see a thing because her hair is whipping back and forth in front of her eyes. You'd think they'd both have enough sense to hie off into yon castle before said vixen gets a very serious chest cold. Anyway, I digress.

Those types of book covers don't do a thing for me. Never have. Therefore if I see one, I'm not going to pick it up, let alone take it home. So if anyone's written a witty whodunit and slapped McRoid and McVixen on it, I'm outta luck.

I honestly don't remember ever buying a book for the cover, then reading the book and being disappointed. I've been in retail too long, and my personal life only reinforces the truism that appearances can be deceiving. Nope. I'm one of these dull souls who only uses the cover to help her spot where she put down her latest read!

If you'd like to see more answers to this week's question, click the Musing Mondays graphic at the top of this post. Rebecca of Just One More Page does a fantastic job in hosting!

Poll Results Are In!

Not as many people took part in this last poll, and I don't blame them because it was rather ho-hum, even if I do say so myself. In it, I asked what the deciding factor was in purchasing a book by an author of whom you'd never heard.

The synopsis on the back or on the flaps of the dust jacket took the lead out of the gate and never looked back. Unfortunately I can't get more specific than that because, when doing my switch-over to a new blog template, I forgot that the poll wouldn't transfer over, too. Duh!

What was my answer? It's a combination of factors for me. I will admit that the cover is often the reason why I do or don't pick up a book. My answer to tomorrow's Musing Mondays post covers this topic in more detail. But when I make that final decision to put money on the counter for a book by a new-to-me author, I base my decision on the synopsis and a sampling here and there of the writer's style. Speaking of synopses, doesn't it really get up your nose when there isn't one? When all you can find are testimonials to how wonderful the book is? It really gets up my nose, and since my husband sometimes refers to me as "No Nose" (because it's so small), this is a big deal. The only time it wouldn't bother me is if one of the blurbs was mine, since that would mean I'd read the book. I don't foresee that happening any time soon!

And now for something that doesn't have a thing to do with the last poll! Have you taken my new blog template for a test drive? Clicked on things to see where they lead? Taken a good look at all the elements? What do you think? The jury is still out on my verdict, so any feedback (good or bad) is more than welcome. Chances are, if your feedback isn't entirely complimentary, you'll be giving voice to something that's bothering me a bit!

Okay...time for a new poll. Let's see what I can come up with this time!

An Early Saturday Soliloquy-- Take the Weekend Off!

I've been busy at my test blog working on a new template (and learning more HTML). I've made notes, I've got back-ups, I've got my graph paper with the front page all marked out...whew! I have two more things to complete, and I'll be ready to make the switch. When will this switch occur, you ask? This weekend!

In order to concentrate on making sure everything is right, I'm not working on new blog posts. If everything goes according to plan, I'll be up and running Sunday afternoon so I can post a slightly delayed new poll question, and the results of the current poll that's about to expire.

If you visit during the transition, don't be surprised if things look a bit wonky or if pages don't load correctly. It's just me behind the scenes, and hopefully I won't be sitting here ripping out my hair.

Have a great weekend everybody!

Yikes! It's Monsoon Season and It's Raining Awards!

It's monsoon season in the Sonoran Desert. So far we're getting wind and dust instead of rain, but here at Kittling: Books, it's raining awards!


Tina of Tutu's Two Cents has awarded me the True Fairy Tale Award because "the magic of her posts always gives me a positive feeling." What a wonderful thing to say, Tina. Thank you so much!

If any of you haven't checked out Tina's blog, I suggest that you click on the link above. It's excellent!





Suzanne of Chick with Books has given me the Let's Be Friends Award.

Thank you so much, Suzanne! If you're not familiar with Suzanne's blog, by all means click on that link!




And Missy of Missy's Book Nook has given me the Heartfelt Award. Thank you, Missy! Everyone...please make sure you visit her blog!

Speaking of heartfelt...my heartfelt thanks to all three of these bloggers as well as all the others who have given me awards.

It's Time for Friday Feud!

Another week has flown by, and it's time for another edition of Friday Feud here at Kittling: Books.

The rules are few and simple:

--Do not duplicate answers.

--Leave all your answers here in the comments section of this post.


Okay. That boring stuff's out of the way. Let's play The Feud!

This week's question:

Your house is on fire. All your loved ones, including pets, are safe. What is the first object you'd rescue from the fire?

The Cruellest Month by Louise Penny

Title: The Cruellest Month
Author: Louise Penny
ISBN: 9780755328956, Headline, 2007
Genre: Police Procedural, #3 Inspector Armand Gamache mystery
Rating: B+

First Line: Kneeling in the fragrant moist grass of the village green, Clara Morrow carefully hid the Easter egg and thought about raising the dead, which she planned to do right after supper.

It is Easter time in the small Quebec village of Three Pines, and the earth is beginning to come out of winter's long shadow. As a lark, several villagers enlist the aid of a visitor to hold a seance. The results are less than satisfactory, so they plan a second one-- to be held in the creepy old Hadley house. The second seance has deadly consequences. Madeleine Favreau is frightened to death, and many people feel that the Hadley house has claimed yet another victim. Forensics prove otherwise, and it's not long before Inspector Armand Gamache and his team are in Three Pines to solve the murder. Unfortunately Gamache has more on his plate than finding a killer. Five years before he put a bad cop behind bars, and there are members of the Surete du Quebec who want to make sure he pays for this.

It is always a pleasure to visit this small village in Quebec. It has some of the best characters in crime fiction living there. The old Hadley house ranks high on my list of creepy, spooky places that I wouldn't spend the night in-- a French Canadian version of Shirley Jackson's Hill House:

As he approached he was surprised to see peeling paint and jagged, broken windows. The 'For Sale' sign had fallen over and tiles were missing from the roof and even some bricks from the chimney. It was almost as though the house was casting parts of itself away.

Something in him felt the need to seal away whatever was in that room. He'd never admit it, of course, but Jean Guy Beauvoir had felt something growing. The longer he stayed the more it grew. Foreboding. No, not foreboding. Something else.

Even Gamache has a problem with the Hadley house:

What does that house want? Gamache wondered. Anything that went in alive came out either dead or different.

Mix a creepy old house with a group of marvelous characters, and you have the ingredients for an excellent read. The only part of this book that palled a bit for me was the secondary story line about the police officers in the Surete who were out to get Gamache. I was hopeful that Gamache would just round them all up and brick them in the basement of the Hadley house, but he's just too nice to do something like that!

If you like reading about a wonderful cast of characters, life in a Shangri-La-like village, and mysteries where the killers always have interesting motivations, Louise Penny's series is the one for you. I would suggest, however, that you do read the series in order because of the characters and their inter-relatedness.

I recently received the fourth book in the series, A Rule Against Murder, from a fellow Paperback Swap member. It won't be long before I read it because today I received an ARC of the fifth book, The Brutal Telling, in the mail. It's always good to know I have reading gems awaiting me!