Bibliotecara's 2008 list

I know I'm getting started late (give me a break, though - I just discovered LibraryThing today!) but since I'm a book addict, I think I can do this. Anyway, I'm going to give it a try!
I'd have to say that "Eternity in Their Hearts" is one of the best!

Here's some of what I've read thus far this year:

1. Dancing Eagle - Joseph Bruchac
2. Van Gogh: The Touch of Yellow - J. Loumaye
3. Lady on the Hill: How Biltmore Estate Became an American Icon - Howard Covington
4. Shelter Mountain - Robyn Carr
5. Whispering Rock- Robyn Carr
6. Deep in the Valley - Robyn Carr
7. Just Over the Mountain - Robyn Carr
8. Down by the River - Robyn Carr
9. Eternity in Their Hearts - Don Richardson
10. The Shack - William P. Young
11. Laced - Carol Higgins Clark
12. Decked - Carol Higgins Clark
13. Daddy's Little Girl - Mary Higgins Clark
14. Where Are You Now? - Mary Higgins Clark
15. The Silver Chair - C.S. Lewis
16. The Last Battle - C.S. Lewis
17. Voyage of the Dawn Treader - C.S. Lewis
18. The Horse and His Boy - C.S. Lewis
19. The Magician's Nephew - C.S. Lewis
20. The Horse and His Boy - C.S. Lewis

Welcome, welcome, welcome. The ladies and gents here are lovely, friendly and very, very knowledgeable(did I spell that right?). Isn't this website exciting? Believe me, you are in for some wonderful times. There are book giveaways, chatting with other book lovers and discovery of wonderful books that you may never have heard of. Its amazing!!! Can't wait to see what you are reading.

Thanks! Who cares about spelling on a fun site like this? I'm looking forward to sharing a bit and seeing what others are reading. I'm always on the lookout for great book recommendations!!! BTW, how do I set my "list" to indicate the read/unread figures?

Welcome to our group, bibliotecara! It is never too late to start.

Be prepared for questions, comments and conversations. Also be prepared to start a huge TBR stack!

As to your question, I do not think I can answer that one. Hopefully, someone who knows more about it than I do can.

Welcome! I haven't done it yet, but there are websites where you can set up the progress bar, then paste a link to it in an LT message and on your profile page. If you look at some of the bars in peoples' messages, there's usually a website given where it was made.

Also, keep an eye out for the 2009 group when we start it up at the end of the year. Most of us are going to stay with the 75 book challenge, I think.

Love the handle!!!! Welcome, and the doc is right, keep with us when we migrate to the new year in a couple of months.

Welcome to the challenge. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have--I joined in August. You'll get lots of good recommendations of new things to read--TBR piles really flourish on this site!

Please add my voice to the chorus of those who welcome you here. There is always lots of room. And, I look forward to reading yoru posts!

The Updated List:

1. Dancing Eagle - Joseph Bruchac
2. Van Gogh: The Touch of Yellow - J. Loumaye
3. Lady on the Hill: How Biltmore Estate Became an American Icon - Howard Covington
4. Covenant, The - Beverly Lewis
5. Betrayal, The - Beverly Lewis
6. Sacrifice, The - Beverly Lewis
7. Prodigal, The - Beverly Lewis
8. Revelation, The - Beverly Lewis
9. Preacher’s Daughter, The - Beverly Lewis
10. Englisher, The - Beverly Lewis
11. Brethren, The - Beverly Lewis
12. Shelter Mountain - Robyn Carr
13. Whispering Rock- Robyn Carr
14. Deep in the Valley - Robyn Carr
15. Just Over the Mountain - Robyn Carr
16. Down by the River - Robyn Carr
17. Laced - Carol Higgins Clark
18. Decked - Carol Higgins Clark
19. Daddy's Little Girl - Mary Higgins Clark
20. Where Are You Now? - Mary Higgins Clark
21. The Silver Chair - C.S. Lewis
22. The Last Battle - C.S. Lewis
23. Voyage of the Dawn Treader - C.S. Lewis
24. The Horse and His Boy - C.S. Lewis
25. The Magician's Nephew - C.S. Lewis
26. The Horse and His Boy - C.S. Lewis
27. Fear Nothing - Dean Koontz
28. Eternity in Their Hearts - Don Richardson
29. The Shack - William P. Young
30. Left Behind - Jerry Jenkins & Tim LaHaye
31. Tribulation Force - Jenkins & LaHaye
32. Nicolae - Jenkins & LaHaye
33. Soul Harvest - Jenkins & LaHaye
34. Apollyon - Jenkins & LaHaye
35. Assassins - Jenkins & LaHaye
36. The Indwelling - Jenkins & LaHaye
37. The Mark - Jenkins & LaHaye
38. Desecration - Jenkins & LaHaye
39. The Remnant - Jenkins & LaHaye
40. Armageddon - Jenkins & LaHaye
41. Fireproof - Eric Wilson, Alex & Steven Kendrick
42. Twilight - Stephenie Meyer
43. Eclipse - Stephenie Meyer
44. Laura Bush: An Intimate Portrait of the First Lady - Ronald Kessler
45. No Place Like Home - Mary Higgins Clark
46. The Spy Who Came for Christmas - David Morrell
47. The Street Lawyer - John Grisham

If anyone wants to read a couple of books that will really make you think about God, people, the world and your own spiritual life and beliefs, I'd highly recommend "Eternity in Their Hearts" and "The Shack." Deep and interesting!

I just read the passage from Ecclesiastes 3:11 about God setting eternity in the hearts of men at a funeral. How strange. I will be looking that one up now. Thanks

bibliotecara...
I think I need to move The Shack higher up on the TBR pile. This books is mentioned often.

Thanks for your recommedations.

#11 bibliotecara: I will look for both of them. Thanks for the recommendations!

Ooh I didn't have The Shack -- thanks. Guess you read Peace Child? I read that years and years ago, and the central conflict (the key that led to Eternity in their Hearts) comes to mind very often.

Glad to have you here amongst us. Keep going! :)

Hi suslyn

Thanks for mentioned Peace Child. I've never heard of this book and I"m adding it to my tbr mountain.

Whoa some very interesting books that I will add to my ever growing mountain of books. I had never heard of The Shack or any of the other books mentioned but they all sound like stuff that I would want to read.

I am adding Peace Child along with the others mentioned to Continent TBR as well. I think I will send everyone in the group shovels for Christmas so that you can dig me out from under the Continent!

Stasia
Have no fear, we will find you under the continent...Your light shines ever so brightly!

Nobody needs to dig her out......she's the only one I know who could actually read her way out!!!

blackdogbooks.......
Thanks for making me laugh right out loud at the end of a very long and stressful work day!

#20: Thanks for the vote of confidence (I think), blackdogbooks. The problem is I keep adding to the continent so it keeps getting higher - I cannot catch up!

Msg 21 -- I did the same thing! Too true.

of course it was a vote of confidence......your reading is of the true superhuman variety!!!

#24 Thanks again, BDB. Makes me wonder, though, how Superman does any reading . . . I mean if he has X-ray vision and all, would he not read right through the book to the back cover?

> 25: Very witty thought Alcot - why not all the way past the back cover!

- TT

Well, if you're not squeamish, find Niven's short story "Man of Steel, Woman of Kleenex" for more discussion of how Superman's abilities would cause him problems in life. *smile*

TadAd
I will read the short story, Man of Steel, Woman of Kleenex I'm heading to the library afterwork...I'll see if they have this by Larry Niven

> Thanks Tad, I will pass on squeamish stories. I like my stories nice and neat and clean!

- TT

I like my stories printed in books.

The Niven story can be found in his collections All the Myriad Ways and N-Space, as well as online at
http://www.larryniven.org/stories/Man_of_Steel_Woman_of_Kleenex.shtml

but the latter won't meet Susan's criteria. ;-)

Hey, blackdogbooks! I think I might be in the same category as alcottacre. All my students and colleagues joke with me about how much I read. Right now, I have TBR books sitting on my desk at work. I'm glad I'm not alone! BTW, have any of you read the "Twilight" books? I started them because many of my students are reading them. Now I think I'm hooked! I read the first two (1000+ pages total) in 3 days. If you like vampire/fantasy creature lit, you should try them.

hey, alcottacre, if you do get buried, we'll come looking for you!

Thanks! I appreciate knowing that if I am ever "booked" under someone will come searching.

Sure thing! I kind of feel the same way. It seems that my TBR list grows exponentially by the day! I'm absolutely addicted to good books! Of course, out of all the things to which I could be addicted, I suppose that's one of the best!

Hey, suslyn, I've actually only read an excerpt from "Peace Child" previously. After reading "Eternity in Their Hearts," though, I've decided that I really need to read the whole book. It's now on my ever-growing TBR list, near the top. I'd say "The Shack" should be a definite at the top of your TBR list. It really made me think...

Whisper1 and blackdogbooks...
"The Shack" is DEFINITELY a worthwhile read! It was recommended to me by several of my students and a couple of other acquaintances. Once I started, I couldn't put it down!

Hi bibliotecara. I really enjoyed the Twilight series. Not Pulitzer material by any means, but enjoyable if you like vampires and werewolves and Bella does grow up. My 15-year old stopped after book two because she couldn't get past Bella's whininess and "OCD" behavior as she puts it. I want to see the movie. I'll probably have to go myself -husband went "blech" and daughter isn't interested enough to make the time.

You've read some interesting books so far.

Message 37:
Thanks for your comments re. The Shack This must be a very popular book. I'm on a long waiting list at my local library. And, since I have way overspent my book budget these last few months, I'll simply wait until I can obtain it from the library.

Bibliotecara, yes, yes, I am going to read the Twilight series. Someone recommended them to me knowing that I like such stories. I went to see the movie for fun and thought it enjoyable. Looking forward to reading them.

Hey, karenmarie! I enjoyed the "Twilight" series too. A friend went to see the movie and said she was very disappointed b/c it didn't live up to the quality of the books. I may go see it anyway, just to judge for myself! Thanks for the compliment about my book list. I'm trying to vary my reading even more, but I confess that I DO like the fiction and fantasy/science fiction genres!

Hi Whisper1!
Don't give up on The Shack. Even though the wait is long, it's worth it. It really made me think about what I believe and why. I can't say all of the introspection was totally easy, but it was definitely good!

Most recent additions to the list:

48. The Christmas Child - Max Lucado
49. The Guardian's Mission - Shirlee McCoy
50. New Moon - Stephenie Meyer
51. Breaking Dawn - Stephenie Meyer
52. The Dark is Rising - Susan Cooper
53. Greenwitch - Susan Cooper
54. Silver on the Tree - Susan Cooper
55. The Grey King - Susan Cooper
56. Snagged - Carol Higgins Clark
57. Kite Rider - Geraldine McCaughrean
58. I've Heard That Song Before - Mary Higgins Clark
59. Megan's Miracle - Karen Kingsbury.

What did you think of the Dark is Rising series? Did you omit the first book on purpose? Was this your first read of them?

>42 bibliotecara: cara, I recently bought The Shack as everyone on LT is recommending it, so I am really looking forward to reading it in 2009.

- TT

Hey, blackdogbooks: Have you gotten to "Eternity in Their Hearts" yet? If so, what did you think?

Hey, Tortoise! When you read The Shack, let me know what you think of it. I'm looking at all the recommended reads on the list here and starting my "must read" list for 2009. Looks like I'll be adding a few from your list too. You've got some very interesting-sounding ones!

ronincats- I very much enjoyed the Dark is Rising series. I like the description of the battle between good and evil. I differ with the theology considerably, but still enjoy the writing and storyline. No, this was not my first time reading them, but it was the first time in a while (about 15 years, I think). I didn't omit the first one on purpose, it just wasn't available at my local library when I decided to re-read the series. I might go back to it, though. Have you read them? What did you think?

>>57 bibliotecara: Cara, I will be posting my 2009 reading list on my profile at the end of December, actually I think I will post it this week! Many of them are LT recommendations.

- TT

#46, no, let me explain. I am a rummager. Once I get a recommendation I want to take action on, I begin looking for a used copy, usually a hard cover used. So, sometimes it takes a bit to get to these kinds of recommendations!

The series is one of my classics. I've also read them many times. The second book, The Dark is Rising, is one of my "perfect" books--superbly crafted, every time I read it, I put it down at the end with a totally contented sigh of repletion--now THAT is a story. I last reread them when that travesty of a movie was in production.

As I understand it Eternity in their hearts is a sort of sequel to Peace Child. Peace Child is really wonderful. Have you guys read it?

ETA: wonderful in a horrible, gut-wrenching sort of way -- I read it years and years ago and many scenes from that story intrude on my daily life even now.

#51 ronincats

The Dark Is Rising series is a fantasy series I read last year. One of my sons bought it for me several years ago, my other son (the one who lives here) borrowed it and read it and kept urging me to. First I lent it to some of my piano students who are great readers (yes, even my students are in danger of my urging books on people so I can talk about them!) and finally decided I should read it myself. I wasn't that enthusiastic about the first book because although I liked the story I found the children annoying. I wasn't in danger of not finishing it--my son kept saying the rest of the series was better. The second book was written 7 years after the first was published and is fantastic--the best of the series. The rest of the series held my interest and I found the ending satisfying even though I have heard complaints about it. All in all, it is a very good YA series that more people should be reading.

I bought the entire The Dark is Rising series and plan to get to them over the course of 2009. Based on comments here, I will definitely make it early in the year!

>54 alcottacre:: I don't think you'll regret them. I'm a bit of an iconoclast: I think The Dark is Rising should be read first and then Over Sea, Under Stone. I think the former gives the best introduction to the whole series and I had no problem going back and filling in the backstory about the secondary characters. However, most people read them in publication order, so I guess I'm just weird.

TadAD

I think maybe that would work! If I had come to the series cold with no encouragement and without already owing the entire series I might not have continued with it--That first book just didn't grab me at all. After the second book I was hooked--I really wanted to know what would happen in the rest of the story. You would already know about Uncle Merry, of course, but I figured that out before the end of the first book, anyway.

Too bad I didn't know about the groups on LT when I read it--I might have had a chance to talk about it while I was reading and enjoyed it even more!

ronincats:
Yeah, this series really are classics. I think I'd say that The Dark is Rising is my favorite, followed by The Grey King. I like the Welsh/Celtic emphasis in that one. I guess it's partly b/c of my own celtic heritage, along with the fact that it's superbly written!

#54 alcottacre: I agree with TadAD - you should start with The Dark is Rising, then Over Sea Under Stone, then finish the rest of the series in order. And do place them high on your list of Must Reads!

#55 TadAD: You're not weird at all! Or, if you are, then I am too! I really think Cooper started with a great idea in OSUS, but it really came to fruition or full bloom in all its glory with the publication of The Dark is Rising seven years later. Maybe it's just that her writing process and skills finally caught up to her imagination, or something like that!

Jumping in on Susan Cooper (ahem - pausing first to wave a hello to Bibliotecara since it's the first time I've posted on your thread!), I actually think Greenwitch is my favourite, mainly because of the way she handles Jane's growing up and her relationship with the Grenwitch. I'm a bit of a wimp about anything even remotely scary so for a long time I didn't like The Dark Is Rising as much as the others as I found some of the scenes really intense (the scene in the church leaps to mind) but (mumble) years later (I read it first when I was about 8) and a few reads, I get on with it better.

They are such great books. My husband's grandmother lives in north Cornwall too, so in the last few years I've also had the joy of 'rediscovering' a book with a real landscape in mind.

OK, since the experts (thank you, guys!) have chimed in, I will read The Dark is Rising first.

The latest update:
60. Burned - Carol Higgins Clark (I actually read it earlier, but left it out)
61. About the B'Nai Bagels - E.L. Konigsburg
62. Stand Tall - Joan Bauer
63. Skeleton Man - Joseph Bruchac

#60 Hi FlossieT! I also enjoyed Greenwitch. I found myself empathising along with Jane with the plight and "emotions" of the Greenwitch. I like the way that Cooper places the series geographically in the real landscape too. The next time I get back to the UK I'd like to visit Cornwall and Wales.

Almost there! Here are this week's additions thus far:

64. Sir Gibbie - George MacDonald
65. Home: A Memoir of My Early Years - Julie Andrews
66. I Dared to Call Him Father - Bilquis Sheikh

re book 64 -- Is this the rewrite? I have some of those in storage -- wish I could read the original!

Hi suslyn - no, it's the original. It's great! Well worth looking up in your local library or bookstore!

Here's the Final List! (minus a stack of children's books)

1. Dancing Eagle - Joseph Bruchac
2. Van Gogh: The Touch of Yellow - J. Loumaye
3. Lady on the Hill: How Biltmore Estate Became an American Icon - Howard Covington
4. Covenant, The - Beverly Lewis
5. Betrayal, The - Beverly Lewis
6. Sacrifice, The - Beverly Lewis
7. Prodigal, The - Beverly Lewis
8. Revelation, The - Beverly Lewis
9. Preacher’s Daughter, The - Beverly Lewis
10. Englisher, The - Beverly Lewis
11. Brethren, The - Beverly Lewis
12. Shelter Mountain - Robyn Carr
13. Whispering Rock- Robyn Carr
14. Deep in the Valley - Robyn Carr
15. Just Over the Mountain - Robyn Carr
16. Down by the River - Robyn Carr
17. Laced - Carol Higgins Clark
18. Decked - Carol Higgins Clark
19. Daddy's Little Girl - Mary Higgins Clark
20. Where Are You Now? - Mary Higgins Clark
21. The Silver Chair - C.S. Lewis
22. The Last Battle - C.S. Lewis
23. Voyage of the Dawn Treader - C.S. Lewis
24. The Horse and His Boy - C.S. Lewis
25. The Magician's Nephew - C.S. Lewis
26. The Horse and His Boy - C.S. Lewis
27. Fear Nothing - Dean Koontz
28. Eternity in Their Hearts - Don Richardson
29. The Shack - William P. Young
30. Left Behind - Jerry Jenkins & Tim LaHaye
31. Tribulation Force - Jenkins & LaHaye
32. Nicolae - Jenkins & LaHaye
33. Soul Harvest - Jenkins & LaHaye
34. Apollyon - Jenkins & LaHaye
35. Assassins - Jenkins & LaHaye
36. The Indwelling - Jenkins & LaHaye
37. The Mark - Jenkins & LaHaye
38. Desecration - Jenkins & LaHaye
39. The Remnant - Jenkins & LaHaye
40. Armageddon - Jenkins & LaHaye
41. Fireproof - Eric Wilson, Alex & Steven Kendrick
42. Twilight - Stephenie Meyer
43. Eclipse - Stephenie Meyer
44. Laura Bush: An Intimate Portrait of the First Lady - Ronald Kessler
45. No Place Like Home - Mary Higgins Clark
46. The Spy Who Came for Christmas - David Morrell
47. The Street Lawyer - John Grisham
48. The Christmas Child - Max Lucado
49. The Guardian's Mission - Shirlee McCoy
50. New Moon - Stephenie Meyer
51. Breaking Dawn - Stephenie Meyer
52. The Dark is Rising - Susan Cooper
53. Greenwitch - Susan Cooper
54. Silver on the Tree - Susan Cooper
55. The Grey King - Susan Cooper
56. Snagged - Carol Higgins Clark
57. Kite Rider - Geraldine McCaughrean
58. I've Heard That Song Before - Mary Higgins Clark
59. Megan's Miracle - Karen Kingsbury
60. Burned - Carol Higgins Clark (I actually read it earlier, but left it out)
61. About the B'Nai Bagels - E.L. Konigsburg
62. Stand Tall - Joan Bauer
63. Skeleton Man - Joseph Bruchac
64. Sir Gibbie - George MacDonald
65. Home: A Memoir of My Early Years - Julie Andrews
66. I Dared to Call Him Father - Bilquis Sheikh
67. Brat Farrar - Josephine Tey (reread)
68. Popped - Carol Higgins Clark
69. Fleeced - Carol Higgins Clark
70. Jinxed - Carol Higgins Clark
71. Twanged - Carol Higgins Clark
72. Iced - Carol Higgins Clark
73. Santa Cruise - Carol Higgins Clark
74. Rekindled - Tamera Alexander
75. Over What Hill? (Notes from the pasture) - Effie Leland Wilder
76. The Oasis - Petru Popescu

congratulations Bibliotecara on reaching 75!
Anita

Woo Hoo!

and one to grow on! :)