Mailbox Monday & What Are You Reading?

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week (checked out library books don’t count, eBooks & audio books do). Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

Ah, Bookmooch, it's certainly one of my favorite sites. Everything and the Moon by Julia Quinn was obtained by mooching it from someone, and I'm very happy it's here.



Christmas is also a very good holiday, bookwise. The theme was definitely quilting, with Runaway Quilt by Jennifer Chiaverini on the fiction side of things, and Silvia's Bridal Sampler by Jennifer Chiaverini on the non-fiction side. I'm very happy with both, but especially with the last, as it has patterns for 140 classic blocks.





It's Monday! What are you reading?

Books I completed this week:

None, I've been too busy with the holiday season.

Books to read this week:

I'm going to take a couple of books with me on holiday, and I hope to be able to read alot, but I'm not sure which ones I'll be starting with. I'm taking Nefertiti by Michelle Moran, To Romance a Charming Rogue by Nicole Jordan, Dancing at Midnight by Julia Quinn, The Chrysalis by Heather Terrell and Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon.

Sunday Salon: 2009 isn't over yet!

It's the last Sunday Salon in this year, and also the busy holiday season. However, just because I haven't had the time to read in awhile, doesn't mean my reading 2009 is over. I'm going on holiday, and I'm taking a bag full of books!

See you all in 2010, with lots of new things and new reviews!

Reading Western Europe - A 2010 Challenge

Januari 1 to December 31, 2010

This challenge is hosted by me, and can be found on this blog. For the assigned countries, you read one fiction book, three of which may have been read prior to the starting date of the challenge. Here's my list for this challenge:

1. Belgium - The Sorrow of Belgium by Hugo Claus (read prior to 1 Januari 2010)

2. France - Chocolat by Joanne Harris (read prior to 1 Januari 2010)

3. Ireland - The Gathering by Anne Enright

4. Luxembourg - Luxemborough & the Jenisch Connection by David Robinson

5. Monaco - Casino by Marja Brouwenberg (Dutch; English option: Anything Considered by Peter Mayle)

6. The Netherlands - Hans Brinker, or The Silver Skates by M. Dodge (read prior to 1 Januari 2010)

7. Switzerland - Beauregard by Maurice Denuziere (Dutch, English option: Hotel du Lac by Anita Brooker)

8. Northern Ireland - The Ballroom on Magnolia Street by Sharon Owens

9. England - The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella

10. Wales - All This Is Mine by Ray French

11. Scotland - Highland Fling by Katie Fforde

12. Channel Islands - Far Afield by Susanna Kaysen

I'm very excited about this challenge, as it will really push me to continue reading for the Book Around the World challenge, which slides by so easily because it's perpetual.

Secret Santa Present! Part 2

The second part of my secret santa present is here, and it's tea! And very good tea! I got English Breakfast Tea (very good to wake up to) and Cranberry, Raspberry & Elderflower Tea (very nice on a cold winter's eve!).




My secret santa also put a very nice note in the package, and signed it! So, thank you Jackie for these wonderful gifts! Go and visit Jackie at her blog.

Bookreview: Splendid

Author: Julia Quinn
Genre: Historical Romance
Published: 1995
Personal rating: 5/5
Yearly count: 30

Alexander Ridgely, the Duke of Ashbourne, is determined to avoid marriage. Unfortunately, his family is just as determined to see him wed.
Emma Dunster, in London for a season, is determined to return to Boston to run her father's shipping company. But Emma's British cousins are just as determined to see her settle in England.
Sparks— and laughter — fly when all these terribly determined people cross paths during one very splendid London spring.

I absolutely loved this book. It made me laugh out loud several times, and it's so full of humor and a dash of adventure. It's just the right mix of romance, humor and adventure. Definitely recommended!

Van steentijd tot stadsmuur

Author: Miranda de Wit et al.
Genre: Non-fiction, Archeology
Published: 2009
Personal rating: 4/5
Yearly count: 29

This a Dutch non-fiction book, from which the translated title is From Stone Age Until City Wall. It's a series of articles about archeaology in Twente, which is a part of the Netherlands.

I really liked reading about archeology this way. The articles were long enough to be interesting, but short enough not to get boring. Some where better than others of course, but that'll always be the case with several articles by different authors. There were two articles I didn't like very much, which is why I gave this book 4 points instead of 5. Otherwise, I really recommend it to anyone interested in arhceology. Unfortunately, it's only available in Dutch.

Read Your Own Books Challenge

Januari 1 to December 31, 2010

This challenge is hosted by MizB, and has it's own page here.

I've decided I'm going to read 20 books that are on my shelves, and this is my reading list:

1. Artemis Fowl: The Time Paradox by Eoin Colfer

2. To Romance a Charming Rogue by Nicole Jordan

3. Magic Study by Maria V. Snyder

4. Back to Iverness by Diana Gabaldon

5. A Countess Below Stairs by Eva Ibbotson

6. Death at Gallows Green by Susan Wittig Albert

7. Luxembourg and the Jenisch Connexion by David Robinson

8. Dumb Witness by Agatha Christie

9. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle

10. Dancing at Midnight by Julia Quinn

11. Lord Edgware Dies by Agatha Christie

12. Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne

13. The Mystery of the Blue Train by Agatha Christie

14. Seven Ancient Wonders by Matthew Reilly

15. A Wizard Abroad by Diane Duane

16. The Darling Dalias and the Cucumber Tree by Susan Wittig Albert

17. The Wizard's Dilemma by Diane Duane

18. Persuasion by Jane Austen

19. The Labours of Hercules by Agatha Christie

20. Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie

Very excited about this challenge, as it fits so perfectly into my goal of getting through my TBR stack!

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:


Grab your current read

Open to a random page

Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!



This week's teaser comes from Splendid by Julia Quinn:

"Please," he choked. "Not the Ming vase."
Emma lowered her arms, inspected the artefact with a discerning look, and then placed it back on the table.

Bookreview: The Diaper Diaries

Author: Abby Gaines
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: 2008
Personal rating: 4/5
Yearly count: 28

Gorgeous single philanthropist Tyler Warrington doesn’t do empathy—he writes checks. Giving away millions is all part of a plan to schmooze into a big-shot government job. So when a baby is left at his doorstep, it’s the PR opportunity of a lifetime!

One problem: who’ll take care of the diapers and drool until Tyler can track down the kid’s mother? It could only be the do-gooder pediatrician who’s been hounding him for funding: Bethany Hart.

But the sizzling attraction between them causes cracks in Tyler’s armor. Is the so-called most caring man in the South actually starting to care?

I really liked this book, even with the slightly sugary ending. I loved the dynamics between the two main characters, and I absolutely loved the sideline story of Tyler's secretary and her lovelife. Definitely recommended if you're looking for a fun and funny read.

Mailbox Monday & What Are You Reading?

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week (checked out library books don’t count, eBooks & audio books do). Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

In the past two weeks I've gotten a lot of new books, so this is my rather huge Mailbox Monday post. First up is my Secret Santa present Rahab's Story by Ann Burton, and I'm very happy with it!



Then I also got the next book in the China Bayles series I'm reading (I'm a bit behind): Indigo Dying by Susan Wittig Albert.



Also from Susan Wittig Albert is The Tale of Holly How.



Death at Gallows Green by Robin Paige (the pseudonym of Susan Wittig Albert and her husband), a great historical mystery.



I also got the three books in Enid Blyton's Adventure series that I was still missing: The Valley of Adventure, The Sea of Adventure, and The Circus of Adventure.





I also got the two books I was missing in Annette Blair's Accidental Withc Trilogy: My Favorite Witch and The Scot, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.




And last, but certainly not least: Nefertiti by Michelle Moran!




It's Monday! What are you reading?

Books I completed this week:

None, but earlier I did complete The Diaper Diaries by Abby Gaines and a Dutch non-fiction book about archeology. I still need to review those two.

Books to read this week:

I'm working on Splendid by Julia Quinn right now. Not sure what I'll read afterwards, just whatever grabs my fancy at the time.

Sunday Salon: 2010 Book Coveting

I’m already looking forward to 2010, as there are several books that are coming out in 2010 that I really want to read. They are:

To Tame a Dangerous Lord by Nicole Jordan (coming out on 26 Januari 2010)
Naked Dragon by Annette Blair (coming out in January 2010)
The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan (coming out on 4 May 2010)
Artemis Fowl: The Atlantis Complex by Eoin Colfer (coming out on 13 July 2010)
The Darling Dahlias and the Cucumber Tree by Susan Wittig Albert (coming out in July 2010)
Bedeviled Angel by Annette Blair (coming out in August 2010)
To Desire a Wicked Duke by Nicole Jordan (coming out in late 2010)

So, it’s shaping up to be a fun reading year! What books are you looking forward to that are coming out in 2010?

A to Z Challenge - Author Edition

January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2010

This challenge is hosted by Backy and his it's own blog here. There are 3 kinds op A to Z challenges, but I've decided to go with the author edition, in which you read alphabetically by author, which amounts to 26 books. Here are my possible authors:

A. Jean Auel

B. Marja Brouwenberg or Holly Black

C. Eoin Colfer

D. Maurice Denuziere

E. Anne Enright

F. Ray French or Katie Fforde

G. Diana Gabaldon

H. Khalid Hosseini

I. Eva Ibbotson

J. Nicole Jordan

K. Sophie Kinsella or Susanna Kaysen

L. Madeleine L'Engle

M. Marsha Mehran

N. Garth Nix

O. Sharon Owens

P. Robin Paige

Q. Julia Quinn

R. David Robinson or Rick Riordan

S. Maria V. Snyder

T. Heather Terrell

U. Barry Unsworth

V. Jules Verne

W. Lauren Willig

X. Xinran

Y. Sara Young

Z. Richard Zimler

Looking forward to this!

Secret Santa Present!

Some time ago, I got an e-mail from my secret santa (even though I still don't know who it is), asking me about my zip code. I told her which part of my address it was, and she told me one part of my present was on the way. She also said that she hoped to send something else personally soon. Well, the part that was on the way is here!



It's a book I have wanted for some time now, so I'm very happy with this gift. Maybe there'll be a part two, but I'm happy as is!

Booking Through Thursday

Copy the questions, paste them into your blog and answer them.

When you're done, come back here and post a quick comment or trackback letting everyone know so we can read your responses. Be sure to leave a link to your actual post!

This week's questiion: What’s your favorite part of Booking Through Thursday? Why do you participate (or not)?

My favorite part of Booking Through Thursday is answering the question, because they always make me think about my reading or related things. Sometimes I notice things about it that never would've occured to me if it wasn't for the question of that week. At the same time, that's also the reason I participate, together with the fact that it helps me connect with other book bloggers.

Year of the Historical Challenge

JANUARI 1 - DECEMBER 31, 2010

This challenge is hosted by KMont, and there is a special page for this challenge here. The purpose of this challenge is to read 12 historicals, which amounts to one each month. Here's my reading list with possibilities, there might be some changes to it during the year.

1. The Plains of Passage by Jean Auel

2. The Shelters of Stone by Jean Auel

3. Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon

4. Death at Gallows Green by Robin Paige

5. Dancing at midnight by Julia Quinn

6. My Enemy's Cradle by Sara Young

7. The Ruby in her Navel by Barry Unsworth

8. The Darling Dahlias and the Cucumber Tree by Susan Wittig Albert

9. The Last Kabbalist of London by Richard Zimler

10. Song of the River by Sue Harrison

11. Rahab's Story by Ann Burton

12. Not decided yet

I'm very excited by this challenge, and hope to complete it, including the three chunksters I have on this list!

What's in a Name? 3 Challenge

JANUARI 1 - DECEMBER 31, 2010

This challenge is hosted by Beth over at the special blog for this challenge. There are six categories, and here is my reading list:

1. Food: Pomegranate Soup by Marsha Mehran

2. Body of water: The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan

3. Title: A Countess Below Stairs by Eva Ibbotson

4. Plant: The Secret History of the Pink Carnation by Lauren Willig

5. Placename: Luxembourg & the Jenish Connection by Diana Gabaldon

6. Music term: Song of the River by Sue Harrison

I'm very excited about this challenge, and can't wait for Januari 1st to come so I can start all these lovely challenges!

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:


Grab your current read

Open to a random page

Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!



This week's teaser if from The Diaper Diaries by Abby Gaines:

"Let me help," he said, and was rewarded with a filthy look from flashing blue eyes.
He was fairly sure Bethany wouldn't actually throw the baby at him, but just in case, he kept a tight grip on Ben while she wriggled her arms free of the harness.

Bookreview: Five Go Off To Camp

Author: Enid Blyton
Genre: Adventure, Children's
Published: 1948
Personal rating: 4/5
Yearly count: 27


Spook trains in the middle of the night! And they seem to vanish into thin air—but where do they go? The Famous Five are on to it. But the discovery of an unusual underground tunnel system, and a train-service, has them puzzled. If they follow the tracks, will they solve the mystery?

A delightful read, fast paced and fun. Although not my favorite in the series, it is one of the better ones. Recommended for sure.