Carmenere gives her ROOTS the boot in 2016

I've pulled approximately 90 books off my shelf as books I'd really like to read in 2016. Yet, since my ROOT numbers were so dismal in 2015, my goal is a bit conservative. 25 sounds very doable.

ROOTS Read

Books read in JANUARY:
Captain Alatriste
House on Mango Street
Amsterdam

Books read in FEBRUARY:
War and Peace
That Old Cape Magic
11/22/63
Evil Under the Sun

Books read in MARCH
Beautiful Ruins
In the Garden of Beasts
Encyclopedia of a life in Russia
In the Heart of the Sea

Books read in APRIL
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency
Thunderstruck
The Never-Open Desert Diner

Books read in MAY
Krakatoa
Living Dead in Dallas
The Shape of Water
Palestinian Walks
Club Dead

Books read in JUNE
Portuguese Irregular Verbs
Things Fall Apart
The Things They Carried

Books read in JULY
A Thousand Splendid Suns
We Were Liars
Shifting Sands

Hee hee! I like the thread topper. Good luck with your challenge! :)

Good Luck, Lynda! Kick those books out of the house.

Nice to see you are back again! Good luck with your ROOTing!

I'm a firm believer in making goals reachable. Good luck!

Welcome back!

Good luck and welcome back@

>1 Carmenere: heh heh I like that pic ;)
Good luck & Happy Rooting!

Good luck with your ROOT reading, Lynda!

Thanks for the good wishes Rabbitprincess, Connie, MsWatson, majkia, cyderry, Tess, Avanders, Lori and again to Connie and Tess! Happy New Year to all you you too!!!

This thread is like the forgotten child and I must remember to check in occasionally and nourish it.

I'm reading my first ROOT of the year Captain Alatriste. Hope to get a big chuck done today or even, gasp, complete it today!

>13 Carmenere: That could be a New Years resolution, Lynda

1. Check and nourish my forgotten child. ;-)

>14 connie53: lol! Ok, here's a little nourishment for my thread!

I finished my first ROOT of the year. Captain Alatriste. I've been collecting books by Perez-Reverte for the last couple of years and this is the first one I've read.

>15 Carmenere: Same here. I managed the first in the Alatriste series last year, and I am resolved to tackle more this year.

>15 Carmenere: Hm, I thought I had Captain Alatriste on my to-read list but it turns out I was thinking of The Club Dumas. How was Captain Alatriste anyway? I think I've debated putting it on my to-read list before.

>16 MissWatson: I've got a few more books by Perez-Reverte but only 1 more (out of order) in the Alatriste series. I'll keep my eyes open for more.

>17 rabbitprincess: Here's my short Captain Alatriste review: 17th century tale involving sword for hire, Captain Alatriste. He agrees to a job involving British travelers. When the job falls apart, the Captain is on the run and in a little bit of trouble. A decent first novel in this series. Reminds me, for some reason, of the Clint Eastwood Spaghetti Westerns where the lead actor is a good guy at heart who kills when it's necessary.
I own The Club Dumas and have it on my 2016 reading list.

ooooooh... I've only read 1 book by Perez-Reverte, but I REALLY enjoyed it! (The Flanders Panel) I've therefore also begun collecting his works.. hope to get to another one soon! :)

And also...


:)

>18 Carmenere: Sounds like it's worth picking up at the library! Thanks for the review. I will also look forward to your thoughts on The Club Dumas.

I really enjoyed Captain Alatriste when I read it! I read somewhere that the author wrote the series because he was so disgusted with the Spanish history his daughter was learning in school, or something along those lines.

>19 avanders: I've recently realized just how many books P-R wrote. My collecting continues too.

>20 rabbitprincess: It'll take me a little while to get to Club Dumas but it will be sometime this year.

>21 lkernagh: I've heard that, Lori. How nice to be able to do that for your kids.

ROOT #2 is in the books! It is The House On Mango Street 4.5/5 stars from me.
Here's my little review: Author presents vignettes of people populating the neighborhood of Esperanza Cordero just when she was coming of age and confused about whether she is a young adult or a child.
Lovely, lively and visual descriptions make this small book a keeper. Her writing is poetic with memorable lines you'll want to jot down and return to again and again.

>22 Carmenere: I've read that one too! It's weird hearing about all these people from all over the world reading the same books that you do :)
Glad you enjoyed it! & congrats on ROOT 2!

>23 avanders: I'm still getting over the fact that I'm conversing with book lovers in New Mexico and the Philippines, ava! It makes my head spin out of control

I've finished my third ROOT! Amsterdam by Ian McEwan For me it was a 5 star read. Short synopsis: Molly is dead but the lives of her ex-lovers, Composer Clive, Journalist Vernon, Politician Julian and Caregiver George are entwined and layered in emotion. Ugh! I want to say more but I fear it will give too much away.

>24 Carmenere: lol so true! ;)
& congrats on your 3rd ROOT! I've read nothing by McEwan, but I am told I must...

>24 Carmenere: is a BB for me!

>24 Carmenere:

And now you can add Japan!

When I was living in Argentina I picked up an Alatriste book and was excited to read it but didn't get to it until I went back to the US. It was then I realized it wasn't the first of the series and since I wanted to read it in it's orginal Spanish I'd have to wait till I could buy it. And well, that never ended up happening.

But I loved his Captain Pantoja and the Secret Service which had me laughing so much and then was enthralled when it took a more serious tone.

After seeing Antonement which I disliked and reading On Chesil Beach which I also very much disliked, I've had no desire to go back to McEwan. But great job on ROOT number 3!

>24 Carmenere: And Holland!

>25 avanders: Yes, Ava, you must! Not all are to my liking so it may be hit or miss but at least you'll have tried McEwan on.

>26 Tess_W: Alright, Tess! Happy Dance! Hope you like it too.

>27 lilisin: Awesome, Lilisin! Totally, understand your feelings about McEwan. I disliked Atonement and did not look forward to any more of him. Thing was I had bought several of his at my library book sale so I feel obligated to read them. Glad Amsterdam turned out to be a winner for me.

>28 connie53: Woo Hoo, Connie! I'm just flabbergasted the way this cyber thing works! Bringing so many people together that would have never, ever met! I love it!

>29 Carmenere: It's great fun, isn't it!

>29 Carmenere: interesting.. good to know. If an author is hit-or-miss and you hate a book... it's worth trying another.. whereas if they're all the same and you hate it... well, you can safely stay away ;)

>30 connie53: yes, it is, Connie :0D
>31 avanders: Exactly, Ava!!!!

I'm working on two huge ROOTs 11/22/63 by Stephen King and also War & Peace so if I'm not heard from for awhile it's just because they've got me all tangled up.

>32 Carmenere: Have read both and love them both!

I'm baaaack! I just pulled out a mighty big ROOT and I'm exhausted. Finished #4 War and Peace.
Here are my thoughts on it.
Tolstoy's iconic tome is partly an historical rendering of three major Napoleonic battles leading up to the climax at Borodino in 1812 and partly a story of love, family and death with a smattering of philosophical thought for good measure.
The readers attention is drawn to the families Rostov and Bolkonsky and the estranged son and inheritor, Pierre Bezukhov. Through the instability of the times the characters lives cross and connect. Though their spirits are sometimes crushed and defeated, they begin anew and grow in love and understanding.
I'd say this story gobsmacked me! Never, in my wildest dreams, did I think it would be so readable, so enjoyable and so enriching.
Not a 5 star simply because the length of the story and the size of the book turn people away before they even give it a chance. Yet, when I look back I can't see where Tolstoy could have made it shorter. The battles are just as necessary as the gaiety, the vulgar as necessary as the innocence. I highly recommend readers cut a portion of time from their schedules to consume Tolstoy's masterwork.

>33 Tess_W: Hi Tess! I can see now why you love W&P. I did too. I'm still working on 11/22/63 but I'm liking it and will finish it up this week, hopefully!

Great job, Lynda!!

>35 connie53: Thanks, Connie!

>34 Carmenere: wow that *is* a big ROOT! Congrats!

>34 Carmenere: Congratulations!!

wonderful! I loved the book as well.

>37 avanders: >38 rabbitprincess: >39 ipsoivan: Wow! Thanks for the kind posts! I really appreciate it.
My next tome is a real hole maker too! I'm almost 1/2 way through 11/22/63. It's a fast read and I hope to have it finished this weekend.

Oooh that's on my shortlist this year too! Glad to hear it's a fast read.. Tho it's King so I also expected that ;)

>34 Carmenere:
That sounds really good, actually. I read Anna Karenina not too long ago and also found it very readable (until the last hundred pages which suddenly seemed to drag for me), and now that I'm enjoying the BBC adaptation, I may have to add this one to the list...

Finished my fifth ROOT - That Old Cape Magic I so wanted to read this book, really wanted to like it, but it was a bit of a let down. Every year, as a young boy, Jack Griffin's parents would drive to Cape Cod from the "Mid-f**king-west" for a month long vacation. The vacations don't seem to be all that enjoyable, yet they return year after year. Usually, a batch of bickering. Jack, now in his mid 50's, is returning to disperse the ashes of his father. His annoying mother tags along by way of telephone. Jack can't let go of the past and is just as annoying as his mother. The family dramas were tedious. Only Russo's use of humor allowed me to give this book 3 stars. I never thought I'd say it but I was really happy to have The Cape and Griffin's past in my rear view mirror.

>41 avanders: I think you'll like that chunkster, Ava, the only problem is, it takes so long to get to that fateful day.

>42 Caramellunacy: Are you enjoying the adaption? I like it but the book is far better, in my humble opinion.

>44 Carmenere: funny - he has a way of dragging out those beginnings, doesn't he!

>44 Carmenere:, I'm very much behind (just finished episode 2), but I am enjoying it. It may even be enough to convince me to pick up the book - it certainly won't hurt having the attractive actors in my head for Andrei and Nikolai particularly!

>45 avanders: Indeed he does! I guess he wants to give us a feel for a time long gone and sympathy towards the characters, maybe. My 21st century hurry up attitude is kicking in and want to move on!

>46 Caramellunacy: I think you'd find that Tolstoy actually had a sense of humor which the mini-series ignored. Hope you read it some day.

>46 Caramellunacy: Oh yes, Andrei is very easy on the eye, isn't he?! I have just finished episode 3, am looking forward to the rest.

>47 Carmenere: yeah, that makes sense... fortunately his writing doesn't generally drag too much while he's doing all that set up :)
but I know the feeling... sometimes there's an adjustment period when I go back to those books that take their time... :)

>48 Jackie_K: Andrei in episode one, I did not like. I thought he was rather short with his wife. He definitely grew on my in Episode 2 & 3. I haven't watched the 4th yet.

>49 avanders: I'm going to start power reading after I do tonight's dishes. I want to get to the good stuff!!

>50 Carmenere: lol good luck! :)

Yeah! I have finished my 6th ROOT 11/22/63, another Root with long legs.
Here's my thoughts: Would the world have been a better place had President Kennedy not been assassinated? Al Templeton, owner of Al's Diner seems to think so and he has the ability to find out. He's got a "rabbit hole" to the past within his restaurant. Problem is, he's dying and he can't make the journey. He enlists his frequent customer, English Teacher, Jake Epping to keep Lee Harvey Oswald from accomplishing what he sets out to do. Jake lands in 1958 and till 1963, he has time to right wrongs, make friends, make enemies and make love and change the course of the future.
Three quarters of the 849 pages take place before 11/22/63 and King fills those pages with his usual good story-telling and page turning suspense but without scary, gory and nightmare inducing images.

>52 Carmenere: I need to read that book soon! It had been on my TBR-pile for ages.

>52 Carmenere: 11/22/63 is one of the top 10 books I think I read in 2014. Just loved it! It was very "un" Kingish!

>53 connie53: I'm so glad I finally read it, Connie! Not only because it's a good story but it leaves a big whole on my bookshelf which I look forward to filling.

>54 Tess_W: Yeah, that's the thing Tess, it was so "un"Kingish! People who have been apprehensive to search out Kings milder books are missing out on a lot.

>52 Carmenere: and >53 connie53: me too! :D
>54 Tess_W: Although I enjoy some of King's Kingish books... I really appreciate his un-Kingish ones too! ;)

Finished my 7th ROOT of the year, Evil Under the Sun. I honestly believed I knew who the murder was in this book, but I was wrong. How does Christie do that every time?!

I've been intending to post this but always forget. So here it is....Thoughts on Evil Under the Sun. I enjoy traveling with Hercule Poirot, he finds such interesting places to go and travels with such well healed people. Unfortunately, murder and mayhem also travel with him so his relaxing holiday is disrupted by the murder of a fellow traveler. The misty moors and disappearing land bridge make the atmosphere ripe for death and betrayal. I was fairly certain I figured out who the murder was yet Christie had me fooled! (Lynda 0 Agatha 1) There were a few things about the story that bugged me but I had to remind myself of the context in which it was written. Good, quick, thought provoking read.

I've still never read any Poirot.. it's on the list and I'm sure I'll get there some day!

Here are thought on my 8th ROOT! Beautiful Ruins Wow! What a great book! I never expected it to be as good as the photo on the cover but it turned out to be humorous, bittersweet, a look to the past and a bit of celebrity.
Without giving to much away, I'll say, The story begins in 1962. Dee Moray is a no name actress on the set of Cleopatra. During the filming she has a run in with an actor and is sent to the "Whore's Crack" of the Cinque Terre. The story then takes you to present day Hollywood. A young man, Dee met in 1962, drops in to see the director of Cleopatra. He want to know where Ms. Moray is as it is very important for him to see her again. At this point, the story takes off in different directions and slowly reveals the paths the lives of the characters over the past 50 years. I've really got to give the author credit for bouncing through five decades /2 centuries with numerous characters all while keeping the story interesting and consistent. I'm definitely putting Jess Walter on my watchlist
------------------------

I'm reading an ER book right now that I rec'd last month, are there rools for ROOTS that have very short roots?

>60 Carmenere: You make your own rules! I count everything that is in my house, including books belonging to my other half, and I count them no matter how recently they've arrived.

>60 Carmenere: Sounds like an excellent book!

>61 rabbitprincess: That's right. You can even count the books you bought yesterday, if that's your rule!

>61 rabbitprincess: >63 connie53: Great! I was thinking along the same lines but it feels better knowing that others confirm them. Thanks

>62 Tess_W: I normally don't read a cover's sleeves and I hadn't read any reviews so I was really surprised where the book was taking me. Maybe you'll give it a try some day.

>60 Carmenere: >61 rabbitprincess: >63 connie53: I'm the same, I count them as soon as they're on the (real/e-) shelves. Others count them if they were bought in the previous calendar year, or previous 6 months, or whatever. I count them as I figure (a) they're tomes, and they're TBR; and (b) I was feeling guilty being distracted by new and shiny over the longer-rooted TBRs, and guilt isn't something I need in my life (well, not about that anyway!!). As I put the titles in a jar and pull out a title at random the chances are I won't get to read it for ages anyway, but if I do feel like something needs reading RIGHT NOW after I've acquired it, I'm still going to count it!

>61 rabbitprincess: I mostly don't count my other half's books, but there have been a handful (that I've bought him, mostly!) that I have added into the jar as I want to read them as much as my own books.

>60 Carmenere: yes, I agree! I was also very impressed with Walter's ability to write from such varied perspectives convincingly. :)

>61 rabbitprincess: >65 Jackie_K: funny.. I do not count my husband's books as mine, unless I really think of them as mine. But of course he doesn't have the same penchant for collecting books that I do....

>66 avanders: Well I really only count the books of his that *I* want to read as ROOTs... ;) His engineering textbooks can stay his!!

Hey all! I do not read my husbands books and he does not read mine. He's into flat out history, not even historical fiction, just academically geared history. I'm, usually, fiction all the way unless some current non-fiction strikes my interest. That said, I wouldn't count his books, I have enough of my own babies to tend to. LOL

I'm reading that ER ROOT and at first a slow go but I think it's peaked my interest enough to keep going. Thanks to all for your input!

>67 rabbitprincess: that's fair.. ;)

>68 Carmenere: no crossover at all! Wow I wonder if that's common or rare. My husband and I have both separate interests and interests in common :)
lol yep, no need to add to the numbers ;)

Hope your ROOT continues to improve!

>68 Carmenere: No reading husband! That's making things easy!

>69 avanders: When we got together my husband and I worked out we only had 6 or 7 books in common (both of us had a LOT of books!). We had a bit more music in common, and a handful of films, but also introduced each other to a lot of music we both ended up liking, whereas I am not remotely interested in reading most of his books (also lots of engineering books, >67 rabbitprincess:! No thanks!) or watching his films, and likewise vice versa! I have occasionally bought him books which I really fancy, so have added a few of them to my jar and will count them as ROOTS (my first ROOT of this year, North by Seamus Heaney was one of them).

I don't think my husband and I have even one book in common! He reads only hunting magazines, books. He also watches a lot of sports on TV and sports movies, over and over again---I don't watch TV! They say opposites attract?

>71 Jackie_K: wow! that's impressive :)
Yeah - the introduction of new things to and from your sig. other is nice :)

>72 Tess_W: another wow! funny :)

My husband introduced me to certain classics and to Umberto Eco, and I've shown him some good sci fi and authors like Carols Ruiz Zafon and John Harwood... we each still have our own preferences (his are a bit more non-fiction than mine), but we enjoy finding common ground too :)

>69 avanders: >70 connie53: >71 Jackie_K: >71 Jackie_K: >72 Tess_W: >73 avanders: I'm loving all of your comments! Let me throw one more thing into the mix. Kids! The only books my son and I have shared are the Harry Potters. He's a non fiction fan and usually chooses what interests him. So even though my husband is also a history geek - lol - they have their own areas of interest and rarely read each others. (I think we each need our own library)

>74 Carmenere: oh yes, other family members! We don't have kids yet, but my sister and I (she currently lives with us) have a bunch of duplicates and lend and borrow freely... Our tastes aren't quite the same, but there's a lot of crossover. Fortunately, she also likes the speculative, magical realism, and sci-fi that top my lists.. and I can tolerate some of the drama/real-life that top hers. ;)
She has her own library, though... I think she actually owns more books than I do!

Just to add to the conversation about me and my husband not sharing the same book tastes - he is just sorting through some books to take to the charity shop, and I dug out just the one that I've always thought "what on earth was I thinking?" and added it to the pile. And he took it straight off the pile again and took it, as he really wants to read it! (it's We need to talk about Kevin which is spectacularly not my kind of book!).

>76 Jackie_K: LOL. I guess that book won't leave the house any time soon.

>76 Jackie_K: I gave the Kevin book to a charity shop without reading it, and I too wondered why I had it in the first place. I think I bought it cheap before I'd heard enough about it to realise I really didn't want to read it.

No-one in my family stopped me!

>76 Jackie_K: lol that's awesome
I've actually heard good things about that book, but after reading Big Brother by the same author, I have permanently sworn off Lionel Shriver. permanently. ;p

>75 avanders: It's nice to have someone so close to you with a similar taste in books, Ava. I have no siblings to lend and borrow my books however I do belong to a neighborhood book swap of well read ladies. Through them I've discovered great authors and books I would have not otherwise picked up. I feel obligated to read them as we meet at the end of the year to discuss and feel the need to give an opinion.

>76 Jackie_K: LOL They say charity begins at home, Jackie!

>77 connie53: >78 Soupdragon: >79 avanders: I read We Need to talk about Kevin several years ago. By no means a pleasant read but it is great for discussion on the nature vs nurture aspect of child rearing.

>80 Carmenere: Actually, I probably would find that interesting now. I think I rejected it when I was a newish mum and found the premise just too painful!

>80 Carmenere: >81 Soupdragon: I bought it several years before I had my baby, I think it was for a book group which I ended up not attending. I had misgivings even when I bought it, but thought I'd go for it, but then circumstances meant that I never got round to reading it anyway. A few years ago BBC Radio 4 had it as their 'book of the week' and I caught a handful of the episodes, which confirmed all my misgivings! I certainly didn't want to read it when I was pregnant/newly postnatal, and now I can't imagine ever wanting to.

>82 Jackie_K: Radio 4 has both saved me and led me to from/to buying and reading quite a few books!

Wow, it's interesting reading about the crossover among family members' libraries! My husband and I have about a 75% crossover in interest, I'd say (probably higher when it comes to music and movies -- that's a big part of why we started talking in the first place; we liked so many of the same things). It's cool being able to share so many of our books. Although of course I buy way more than he does because he, uh, actually has self-discipline in that area :(. Ha.

>81 Soupdragon: >82 Jackie_K: >83 Soupdragon: I can't remember why I chose to read WNTTAK because I too was a new mom, this was about 15 years ago, and I was horrified by it. For many years after that I refused to let my son watch Robin Hood starring Kevin Costner. Weird maybe but I wanted to avoid having him want a bow and arrow of his own.

>84 readingtangent: lol so good one of you has will power! 75% is quite a large amount. Congratulations!

This conversation made me think back, what was it that my husband and I had in common when we first met. Lol! It wasn't books nor movies nor music. I think it was our love of travel and , come to think of it, we both read books on destinations we'd like to visit. So we have that.

>80 Carmenere: a neighborhood book swap sounds fun! :) I think I get a little of that through my RL book group :)

>82 Jackie_K: interesting to think about the timing of reading the book. I will say that Lionel Shriver certainly seem to think she's "figured it all out" -- personally, an off-putting characteristic in an author...

>84 readingtangent: I bet your already having purchased books that he likes helps him w/ his own self-discipline ;)

>85 Carmenere: funny how relationships come in all shapes & sizes! What drew my husband and I together was not anything we had "in common"... I think we were just drawn together. We were actually quite different w/ very different interests, politics, religion, & even priorities at that point... of course, after 17 years, we find that we do happen to have a lot in common (though still not really politics and various other types of interests) :) We are now sort of in the same career, but for him, that developed after many years and was something he thought he would never do when we first met... It really is interesting to me how it all works .. some people are drawn together by similarities, some by differences, some by something else altogether!

My husband and I have very little in common. we met in 1969. i was 16, he was 19. Other times then. He saw me walking down the street. He was in a boys highschool and I in a girls highschool. During breaks the boys walked on one side of the street and the girls on the opposite side and just looked at each other. He had a friend and that boys girlfriend was my friend in college. So she pointed him out on night in a disco/bar. And I liked his looks. We started talking and that's how it started.

>87 connie53: I love it! This part is also really cute: "During breaks the boys walked on one side of the street and the girls on the opposite side and just looked at each other." :)

>88 avanders: Yes, it was very common in 1969! Separate schools too. Just after I finished highschool in 1971 things changed. The boys school moved to another location outside the town (very near my house and that made it easy for Peet to visit during the daytime. He had to skip classes to do that) and my highschool allowed boys to enter.
After highschool I became a stay-at-home-daugther, because my mother died in 1968. I wanted to go to college to study English, but my dad, the pastor and my aunt decided I had to stay home for a year to take care of my little sisters and brother and the house. Never went to college after the year past.

>89 connie53: makes sense .. I think the thought of it is sweet :) 'Course I never experienced it myself...
Very interesting! Did you marry Peet in that year that you stayed home? Or get engaged?

>89 connie53: Connie, that is such a sweet story! You may have not attended college but it sounds like you received something a diploma isn't assured of giving you.

I've been on vacation so a little catching up is in order. I put my ER ROOT Shylock is my name aside. It just wasn't working for me. I finished In the Garden of Beasts wish was very very good. That's #9 ROOT. Root #10 was Encyclopedia of a Life in Russia I really didn't care for this one either. I'm really giving that one the boot while I plan on keeping In the Garden of Beasts

#11 is In the Heart of the Sea The tragedy of the whaleship Essex. I enjoyed this book quite a lot, not only, for the circumstances this band of sailors faced and the decisions made but for the sheer scope of what lay ahead of them everyday. Philbrick retells the tale of whale vs man with the respect and seriousness these men deserve.

>92 Carmenere: I'm slowly inching up the library holds list for this one! Glad you enjoyed it.

>93 rabbitprincess: I'm trying to get my hands on the movie version as I want to see how this book was depicted on the silver screen. Hope, when it finally reaches you, you find it as interesting as I.

>90 avanders:. No we got engaged in 1978, just before my father was killed in a car crash, and we married in 1979.

Oh! It must have been nice to have Pete's comfort when dealing with the tragedy with your father.
That's a long time to be together! I feel like my husband and I have been together "forever" ... but not yet as long as your forever! :)
(together 17 years this month; married 13 years this July)

I love hearing all these stories, we're all so romantic! :) I'm just playing catch-up - my husband and I will have been together 10 years this coming August, and married 9 years in December (we did meet a couple of years earlier before getting together, and both liked each other then, but it was all long distance and so we didn't do anything about it for quite a while!). We got engaged after 3 months, as we both figured we couldn't do the long-distance thing forever! Plus we were both in our mid-late 30s, so no spring chickens!

>95 connie53: Oh Connie! How tragic! Fortunate Pete proposed when he did and your father was able to share in your joy, if only for a short time.

>96 avanders: Congrats Ava! 17 years of togetherness is quite an accomplishment!!

>97 Jackie_K: Jackie, I can't imagine conducting a long-distance relationship. I tried once and it fizzled rather quickly.

My husband Bill and I met in 1979, his dad was my boss. I went out once with him and no more. 11 years later he asked me out again and I didn't bother playing hard to get as I was now 29 years old. I'd traveled some, spent money on what I wanted and was ready to take the plunge. We were married in October of '93 and the rest is history.

In other news, I chalked up my 12th ROOT #1 Ladies Detective Agency it was terrific!

>97 Jackie_K: hee hee so true! And 10 years is a long time! And yes, long-distance is hard! We've had our share of that and decided not to do it anymore... ;p

>98 Carmenere: thanks! There've been some real peaks and valleys.. but we finally started to figure it all out about 5 years ago... ;)
And so cute that he waited 11 years to ask you out again! Such a lovely story -- and congrats on 23 years married!

24 years yesterday for us! He literally fell at my feet the first time I laid eyes on him playing baseball in a casual group that used to meet weekly--a real blend of friends and friends-of-friends. I was playing catcher and he was up to bat. The pitch hit him... in a delicate place. I gazed down and thought, "Well, OK!" Took a few years before it came to fruition.

>100 ipsoivan: Awe, that's a very sweet story!

>100 ipsoivan: That made me laugh, Maggie. He literally fell for you! Nice.

>102 connie53: Well, it took him a couple of more years to confirm it, but it is a nice image, isn't it?

>101 Carmenere: He's a sweet guy!

>100 ipsoivan: Happy Anniversary! 24 years! lol I love your origin story ;)

>105 avanders: Thanks!

#12 Thunderstruck good juxtaposition of modern invention and murder
#13 The Never-Open Desert Diner sure to be a series. Not a mystery, not a love story just a trucker and quirky residents of the road
#14 Krakatoa 5 star! loved loved loved this book because I love love love volcanoes
Pearl ruled Shylock is my Name - didn't work for me, at all.

Somehow I lost track of this thread, but now I'm catching up. I always love hearing people's stories of how they got together! So romantic :).

>86 avanders: Also, I'd never thought of that, Ava, but you're right: I'm probably helping his numbers while hurting mine. Lol.

>108 readingtangent: lol well, there's give & take ... ;p

Just finished my 15th ROOT, Living Dead in Dallas. I enjoy the Sookie Stackhouse series and anticipate reading the 3rd in the series, Club Dead, later this month.

Another great ROOT's been plucked. The Shape of Water, a short, fun read.

My 17th ROOT plucked is Palestinian Walks. Sheds a little light on the Israel/Palestine issue.

Past the half way point, Lynda! Congrats.

Yeah, Connie! I think I can do it this year!!

>114 Carmenere: I'm sure you can!

I've just finished my 23 out of 25 ROOTS I had planned for the year. What a tear jerker! A Thousand Splendid Suns was splendid indeed!

>116 Carmenere: That's a great book, I agree. You're so close to your goal now!

Woo hoo, very close to your goal! :)

Great progress!

>117 Jackie_K: Hey Jackie, I can't imagine why I had it sitting on my shelf for so long. I wonder if this author has anything new? Mmmm, must check.

>118 rabbitprincess: I think I'll even surpass my goal this year. I feel gitty!

>119 MissWatson: Thanks!!

Good job, Lynda! only 2 books to go before reaching your goal!

>121 connie53: wow, Connie, I completed my challenge in July and although I updated my ticker never mentioned it down here. We were liars and Shifting Sands were the last two ROOTS I read. I particularly loved We were liars and highly recommend it. I think it's a YA.

Congrats to all those who've worked so hard to clear there shelves!

>122 Carmenere: Well congrats!!

>123 avanders: Thanks, Ava!!!

Congrats!

>125 Tess_W: Thanks, Tess!

Missed your page - but offering a belated:

Thank you, Ava! I won't be in the ROOTS group in 2017. I've switched over to the TBR Challenge thread https://www.librarything.com/topic/243399. Smaller group and specific list of books which I've chosen off my shelf to read this year.
I'm also in the 75 Book Challenge https://www.librarything.com/topic/244460. It's a lofty goal which I've only attained once but a nice group of readers .

I'd love to follow you in 2017, a big big year for you. Let me know where I can find you!

>128 Carmenere: good luck w/ your TBR challenge! We'll miss you in the ROOTs group, but of course we understand!! My 2017 ROOT thread is: https://www.librarything.com/topic/245377
I'll be following you in your TBR thread... I'd never heard of it, but it actually does sound like a great challenge ... maybe something I'll consider for 2018 depending on how 2017 plays out ;)
I've never joined the 75 Book Challenge (though I have actually read 75 books the past two years.. but doesn't it require more than just # of books read?)

Have fun with the TBR challenge! That's a great way to focus on specific books to read. :)

>129 avanders: Hi Ava, sorry to respond so late! The 75ers require nothing, not even to read 75 books. Although, I've been a part of this group for 8 years, I've only read 75 books once. We are a chatty group with conversations ranging from the book you read yesterday to the recipe for the dinner you made last night to the surgery your dog or grandma requires. Fun and caring group.

>130 rabbitprincess: Hi rabbit princess! I've already read 2 ERs off my list, one from 2016 and another from 2014. I still need to read others as far back as 2011 and 2013! I'm not even going to try to win new ERs till these are done. Hahaha that's incentive enough!

>131 Carmenere: no worries at all! I have followed your thread, but haven't commented bc I have to join the group in order to do so :( Looks like you're doing great over there though!
Thanks for the info re the 75'ers :)