*doin' a book dance*

Life's good:) Feeling much better, and had my second day of orientation with the library (computer system and website) and got my placements; should get into an actual library soon for training:) Hotel's going along; i'm concentrating more on the good things (benefits, steady job, really actually pretty easy for most of it), which helps me deal with the not-so-good (baking, cranky boss, etc). J's still job hunting, which is frustrating, but we are getting into seasonal hiring time here, so that should come easier:) Buns are doing great:) Even when a bunch of J's friends come over for loud, long sessions of role-playing that happen in the same room the buns are in, jsut ab out every week, they're still comfortable and relaxed enough to just flop out until you come right up to their cage:) makes me a happy bunny momma to see them so well-adjusted and happy:) Princess esp. likes one of J's friends, one who's more frenetic and has a lot of hair, so i think she's found a kindred spirit:P (he's actually really sweetly calm with her, and she just lets him scoop her up:P)

i don't have a lot else going on. Pretty sleepy tonight coz i slept weird today. i covered for the other night auditor yesterday, and i don't usually work Thursday nights, so i think that's what threw it off. i'm sure i'll get back on track, and if not i'll jsut crash next thursday:P

i'm going with mom and aunt shirle to visit Rob, Jess and Willow tomorrow, so that Willow doesn't start thinking everytime she sees me or mom, Jess and/or Rob is gonna leave her:P I do love that just-turned-8-months-old girlie! and i miss my other niece:S and come to think of it, both my sisters and brother-in-laws;) I'll have to work on my travel fund again (i had to use the little i'd saved for bills):)


12 The Winter Helen Stopped By by W. P. Kinsella
To be honest, i forgot to put this in last time, didn't write anything as i was reading it, and don't remember much specific i wanted to say about it:P but i did like it- it felt...homey and quiet yet not boring or anything:)

13, 14 Changeless and Blameless by Gail Carriger
This is an enjoyable series. All books start slow but certainly pick up from middle to end. i still think the first one is best, but overall i'd give the series about a 3.75/5. I do really like the development of secondary characters into actual characters (as opposed to caricatures) in Blameless (namely Floot and Ivy):)

15 Must Love Hellhounds Harris, Singh, Andrews and Brook
Four quick stories with Hellhounds. To be honest, i was getting a little over saturated with this type of urban-paranormal fantasy, but i still liked the book, esp the Harris and Andrews stories. Only like 1.5 of the stories *liked* hellhounds though, and 2 very much didn't:P

16 A Lesson in Secrets by Jacqueline Winspear
ARC won from GoodReads' First Reads this was my first Maisie Dobbs story, and i really liked it:) I found it happily academic -set in a college, but i mean more in writing tone and style, and not in a bad way. it was easy reading, but smart- in my notes, i wrote it feels snappy:P I knew of fascist leanings in England pre-WWII (for a really good alterna-history about this, read Jo Walton's Small Change series), but i didn't realize the extent of women's involvement in WWI espionage, secret intelligence, etc:) and i like when i learn things, not jsut enjoy a good story:P I thought the ending was really good:) the whodunit was drawn out enough to keep me intrigued with out getting frustrated feelings of "just tell us already":P The epilogue ties up nicely without feeling rushed or contrived:) Favorite line: "You know, the propaganda men would have everyone believe that women agents were little more than Mata Haris who care their bodies for information. Now you know we gave our hearts- and we worked as hard and took as many chances as out men." (pg 271)

17 Gob's Grief by Chris Adrian
I thought this had really intriguing, neat ideas, and taight me/made me more interested in this time and place in history:) Some things (ex. Pickie's birth) felt too fantastical for the overall feeling though....

18 The Brave by Nicholas Evans
I really liked this, til the end:P I like how Evans' books have similar themes, but don't feel formulaic. they have well-developed characters and very believable storylines, even if they're not totally (or maybe because they aren't totally) happy. The ending however felt too "tie it up with a nice bow", exp. Tom's new romance....

19 Bloodletting and Miraculous Cures By Vincent Lam
I'm not usually a fan of short story collections, but i liked almost all of these (only didn't like Night Flight). It helped that they were all connected somehow, i think:) i also liked the progression in the seriousness (relationships and medical) as the characters progressed through med school and to being doctors. I was pleased with myself for how much of the medical terminology i knew, but the notes are worth reading for the author's humourous notes:P Just a note: if you're like me and can only read some books to fall asleep (others just keep you awake reading), this is not one of them! also a couple stories are sad or gross or morbid, as a lay person:P

phew, all caught up again:P