Członek: 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

wysłany przez bibliojim o 9:21 pm (EST) dnia 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

wysłany przez Kirconnell o 11:24 pm (EST) dnia Nov 25, 2009

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

wysłany przez Kirconnell o 3:58 am (EST) dnia 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

wysłany przez bibliojim o 7:57 pm (EST) dnia 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

wysłany przez bibliojim o 11:22 pm (EST) dnia 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

wysłany przez Rubbah o 7:16 am (EST) dnia 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

wysłany przez Teresa40 o 8:06 am (EST) dnia 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

wysłany przez Teresa40 o 5:04 am (EST) dnia 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

wysłany przez Teresa40 o 9:15 am (EST) dnia 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.

wysłany przez muumi o 10:45 pm (EST) dnia 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

wysłany przez Rubbah o 2:30 am (EST) dnia Jul 15, 2009

Thank you Aunty Karen :)

wysłany przez BabySmith o 12:54 am (EST) dnia 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.

wysłany przez Hobbitlass o 3:36 am (EST) dnia 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!

wysłany przez Mellifica o 2:35 pm (EST) dnia 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 :-)

wysłany przez Jenson_AKA_DL o 3:23 pm (EST) dnia Mar 30, 2009

Thanks everso. You are too kind.

David

wysłany przez DavidBurrows o 3:41 pm (EST) dnia Mar 26, 2009

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

wysłany przez muumi o 11:36 am (EST) dnia Feb 26, 2009

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

wysłany przez ghefferon o 10:31 pm (EST) dnia 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.

wysłany przez faither o 11:27 am (EST) dnia Feb 1, 2009