Medlem: kehs

Hi,
I'm glad you got The Seventh Heart. I know how the TBR pile goes!!! The chances of me ever getting to any particular book I have are darned low unless I commit to reading it next or next after that because I simply want to be absolutely certain I get to it for one reason or another. Otherwise it gets buried and is gone indefinitely - happens every time. :-) For that reason I only finish about 30-50% of all the books I start - if my interest flags, I'd rather try something else I already bought that has a greater chance of grabbing me. The Seventh Heart was one I never considered leaving unfinished, I thought it was great. Well anyway, if you read it, let me know what you think. Meanwhile, have a great holiday season.
Jim

inlägg gjort av bibliojim vid 9:21 pm (EST) Dec 11, 2009

Thanks! I'm glad that you are enjoying my library. Feel free to browse and I will do the same in yours if that's ok.
Velma

inlägg gjort av Kirconnell vid 11:24 pm (EST) Nov 25, 2009

You have an absolutely adorable profile pic! I love it! Where did you find it?
Velma

inlägg gjort av Kirconnell vid 3:58 am (EST) Nov 23, 2009

Hey, thanks for writing back!
I'm glad you could find a copy of Marina Fitch's books. I can't remember if I have a copy of 'The Border' or not. I probably do, in a box I haven't seen in a few years. If you get to it, please let me know if you like it. And let me know what you think of 'The Seventh Heart'. I'll be hoping I didn't lead you astray! :-)
Till later,
Jim

inlägg gjort av bibliojim vid 7:57 pm (EST) Nov 3, 2009

Hi Amber - I guess that's your name! :-) - I read your review of Sheri Tepper's 'Beauty' and wanted to tell you how much I liked it. I read it about ten years ago and still think it's one of the best books I ever read - definitely on my "top ten" list, if I were to make one. It's incredibly touching. I saw somebody else read it and gave it 1 or 1.5 stars. I couldn't believe it. I think if a person doesn't find something to love in a book of that sort, their own life must be pretty poor!

Well, I saw you say you wanted to read some other books by her. You also said you loved the way she pulled together so many different genres into one story. I've read that she's well-known for just that, so you can look forward to more of the same. I've read four of her books. Two others I read and loved were 'Raising the Stones' and 'A Plague of Angels'. They were both amazing books. 'Raising the Stones' is maybe more slanted towards science fiction, but there isn't any actual science in it; it's just that it takes place on a more cosmic scale. The themes are still very similar to 'Beauty'. 'A Plague of Angels' is an amazing blend of two stories that eventually come together as one. One story seems like pure fantasy. The other story seems like pure science fiction. But again it's very moving at the end.

Tepper's earlier books are primarily fantasy. I haven't read any of them. Her latest book is entitled 'The Margarets', and that's the fourth I've read. I didn't like it much. I didn't agree with its views or think the characters were written as well as the other books I read. I was surprised I disliked it so strongly, when I loved the others so much. I don't know if she gradually changed how she writes over the last 5-10 years, or if it's an outlier. The Locus review of 'The Family Tree', published in 1997, called that "The Perfect Book". The last date of publication for books of hers that I've read, besides 'The Margarets', was way back in 1993, so I just can't tell from the one book what her current writing is like. But I know for sure her earlier writing is consistently great, and probably that was just an exception. I know she's become fairly aged now, and that may have had an effect on her last book.

I heard Sheri Tepper speak once. She spent much of her adult life working in shelters for abused women, and has lots of opinions about the way things should be. She seems like a wonderful person, but she's seen a lot of crappy stuff in her background, and that shows through in her books. I think sometimes it hurts her books, but other times it's what makes them as powerful as they are.

You said you like Urban Fantasy. I was going to recommend Charles de Lint to you, but I see you have quite a few of his books! :-) I've read about four or five of his books. I loved Onion Girl, and I see you liked that one a lot, too. My favorite of his so far, though, was 'Someplace to be Flying.' You didn't list it in your library. If you haven't read it, be sure to, you'll love it too, I think.

Emma Bull also writes urban fantasy. 'The War for the Oaks' was one of her titles I read also about ten years ago, and it made a very strong impression. It's about a teenage girl who, if I remember correctly, finds herself in the company of a pookah. That creature introduces her to the world of faerie as it exists right there in the city, and it's is a totally captivating book.

'The War for the Oaks' is really pretty well-known. One of my favorite urban fantasy books is 'The Seventh Heart', by Marina Fitch. That's a pretty obscure book. I think Marina Fitch only published two novels, and then I don't know what happened to her. But if you can find a copy of 'The Seventh Heart', it's really just wonderful and unique, and I bet you'd enjoy the heck out of it.

I looked at your author cloud. Wow, a lot of different names there! I've heard of only a small number of the authors. Maybe it's because you like to read authors' first books, and then they don't become famous? Anyway, that must make reading a lot of fun. You never know what you're going to get. I'd like to get ARCs too, but I've never been able to get an "in" for that. But I have way too much to read anyway. It's fine. :-)

Hope to hear from you sometime. Take care!
Jim

inlägg gjort av bibliojim vid 11:22 pm (EST) Nov 1, 2009

haha, theres not that many books-yet:) me and Robin from my course went down town yesterday and went to all the second hand bookshops, you'll be amazed at the restraint I showed:)
I have an english social tomorrow night where we have to dress up as children's book characters, and I'm going to go as the fairy godmother:)
loves youxxxx

inlägg gjort av Rubbah vid 7:16 am (EST) Oct 28, 2009

I love the new board Amber, I think it's great that it's back being run by TBP instead of the Mail. Look forward to seeing you. Hope your daughter settles in to uni OK, it must be a big step for both her and yourself.

Take care

Tess

inlägg gjort av Teresa40 vid 8:06 am (EST) Sep 30, 2009

Hi Amber,

That would be fantastic. I could do any Saturday so just let me know when you are free. I will send the magazine to when I've finished with it. Take care.

Tess

inlägg gjort av Teresa40 vid 5:04 am (EST) Sep 28, 2009

Hi Amber, it's lovely to hear from you after all this time. I was thinking of you the other day as I was reading an article in BBC History Magazine about the persecution of the gypsies over the last 100 years, it was very interesting (and sad) and I'm sure you would find it interesting as well, when I've finished with the mag I'll post it on to you if you'd like. My daughter found Green Angel in a charity shop yesterday and once she's got around to reading it I'll give it a go and let you know my thoughts. Hope you are all well, it would be great to get together in London sometime, I really enjoyed our last day out. Take Care

Tess

inlägg gjort av Teresa40 vid 9:15 am (EST) Sep 27, 2009

I tracked your G Bramwell Evens book to the Betsy Stanley memoir... and have more books on my wish list. Thanks for the reviews.

inlägg gjort av muumi vid 10:45 pm (EST) Aug 3, 2009

Hey mumsky, I'm in Berlin! its all good here, we got lost on the trams yesterday, and just stayed at the hostel bar last night. we wrote a postcard to our history teachers:) The hostel cocked up our room booking, so we've all been separated but I'm still with Louise. Loves you, and sees u tomorrow

inlägg gjort av Rubbah vid 2:30 am (EST) Jul 15, 2009

Thank you Aunty Karen :)

inlägg gjort av BabySmith vid 12:54 am (EST) Jul 5, 2009

What a shame you can't make it, I'm sure it's going to be so much fun! I am sad to miss it as well; had I been in England I'd definitely have gone. As it is, I'll miss the big meet in Lincoln as well. Never mind, there will be other chances!

Glad to hear your daughters are studying and doing well; I take it they are bookworms too? :)

I'm doing fine thanks, but looks like I'll be unemployed after the summer as I'm just temping at the moment, which is a bit worrying, but hopefully something will turn up. In the meantime, I'm having fun on Abe, good to see that Zolah has turned up again and is hard at work on her new book.

inlägg gjort av Hobbitlass vid 3:36 am (EST) May 27, 2009

Hi! I noticed that you are the only other person who has catalogued Honey Bees and Fairy Dust--one of my favorite childhood books!

inlägg gjort av Mellifica vid 2:35 pm (EST) May 13, 2009

Thanks so much for the info and the link! The magazine looks very interesting, I'll certainly be checking out their website. Nice review as well :-)

inlägg gjort av Jenson_AKA_DL vid 3:23 pm (EST) Mar 30, 2009

Thanks everso. You are too kind.

David

inlägg gjort av DavidBurrows vid 3:41 pm (EST) Mar 26, 2009

A Collector's Guide to Costume Jewelry -- now *that's* a Tolkien book I've never read!

inlägg gjort av muumi vid 11:36 am (EST) Feb 26, 2009

thank god there's someone else who doesn't get 2666!

inlägg gjort av ghefferon vid 10:31 pm (EST) Feb 25, 2009

Hey! It's actually not out till the middle of April. I lucked out and received an Advanced Readers Copy.

I loved the story and the way Marr tells it. Plus the ending totally leaves it set up for the sequel. It was wonderful. I hope that came across in my review. I didn't want to give away too much of the plot. But, wow, it was so good.

inlägg gjort av faither vid 11:27 am (EST) Feb 1, 2009