April 2015 Book Haul - Part Two

                            Yes, I am back with another book haul for this month ...

The first is the complete Sherlock Holmes series in single novel form. My older sister found them for me at a local library book sale for $0.50 a book. That is $4.50 for the entire set, folks!

My sister in law gave these three books to me. Now these have seen some better days, but they are very old. We have "The Return of Tarzan" on the far left, published in 1915. "Rip Van Winkle" in the middle, published in 1908. And on the right is "The Princess and the Goblin", published in 1913.

This one was purchased by me. I bought this gorgeous Easton Press edition of "Little Women" (left) to replace my inferior Reader's Digest edition (right). Purchased through e-bay.

New Books Vs. Used Books

I just discussed the hardcover vs. paperback debate, so I thought that this was the perfect time to also discuss the new books vs. used books debate.

Do you prefer reading and owing new books, or used books?

There is something so magical about a new book, being the first person to open that book up, the first person to read the printed words on those pages. And the smell, oh the smell of a newly printed book is so delicious. A new book and you have a special relationship.

But there is also something special about a used book. They whisper the secrets of their past lives to you. They have history. Their covers and pages sometimes show traces of their previous owners, covers caressed by one, or many a reader, pages lovingly turned as their words were eagerly taken in. Sometimes those pages being worn to a softness by the frequent times that it had been read.

I think that ultimately, I do enjoy owning and reading new books over used, but I am not prejudiced against used books, and a large part of my library is made up of them. Used books also happen to be cheaper books after all!

Hardcover Vs. Paperback

Do you prefer reading a book in hardcover form, or in paperback form? And when collecting or purchasing books do you ultimately desire to own hardcovers, or paperbacks?

I don't really have a preference when reading a book, as far as it being a hardcover or a paperback. Paperbacks are light weight, therefore typically a little easier, and a little more comfortable, to read, but nothing compares to reading a finely crafted leather bound hardcover. They both have their advantages and disadvantages.

As far as collecting books, or my book purchases go, it is definitely hardcover. There isn't even a competition between the two. I can understand why people purchase and own paperbacks, as they are cheaper. Especially people who aren't exactly *cough* choosy *cough* about the books that they choose to own. I however, am choosy, picky, and snobbish, all rolled into one little ball of crazy. For starters, I just do not like how the paperbacks look. There are some really pretty paperback cover designs, but on the shelf they all just tend to look alike. I also do not like how paperbacks just were not designed to last. They fray, they tear, their spines crack and show noticeable wear. They do not hold re-sell value either. I do own some paperbacks, but am slowly trying to replace them with hardcovers. Some don't seem to be feasibly replaceable at this time in a hardcover version however, some of them probably never will be replaced due to the rarity of the hardcover editions, and some I don't like enough to want to replace. Now, I prefer hardcovers over paperbacks, but what I really prefer over the two are leather bound books. They look gorgeous on the shelves, finely crafted so you know that they will last through the test of time, they hold their re-sell value, and overall they are just a joy to own, collect, handle, and read. A lot of people will object that they can't afford to purchase these editions, but honestly, most of mine are second hand. Second hand they typically cost about the price of a new hardcover or paperback, sometimes even less. Other people aren't as serious about the books that they own and purchase, so see these as a unnecessary expense. And to those readers, that very well might be.

The world is full of paperback enthusiasts, as well as hardcover enthusiasts. Which are you?

The Princess Bride by William Goldman

"The Princess Bride" S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure: The "Good Parts" Version Abridged by William Goldman.

"What happens when the most beautiful girl in the world marries the handsomest prince of all time and he turns out to be a son of a b****"

Fencing, fighting, torture, poison, true love, hate, revenge, giants, hunters, bad men, good men, beautifulest ladies, snakes, spiders, beasts, chases, escapes, lies, truths, passion and miracles.
_______________________________________________________

My family, and I, were obsessed with The Princess Bride movie when I was growing up. I remember seeing it for the first time at the age of nine, and I kid you not when I say that we probably watched that movie at least once a week thereafter. It was a family ritual. We adored it, and could recite it quote for quote. I did not know that the movie was adapted from a book until I was into my late teens, upon which I promptly read it. I remember loving it at that time, and having the feeling that the book and the movie were very similar. I re-visited that magical world. Upon re-reading it, I was disappointed. Chapter one, The Bride, did not feel familiar to me. The story was still there, but it was ... different from the movie. As was chapter two, The Groom, chapter three, The Courtship, and chapter four, The Preparations. By chapter five, The Announcement, I was starting to see more of the movie emerging, and from there on out it was nearly my beloved movie coming through, word for word. I would have loved this book even if I had never seen the movie, but because I was first a fan of the movie, this book became even more magical for me. I could see the actors and actresses while reading, their facial expressions, their voices. It is amazing how closely the movie followed the book (Goldman did write the screenplay).

Vizzini, Ingio, and Fezzik would have to be my favorite characters in the book. Anyone who has read the book and/or watched the movie, will remember Vizzini repeatedly saying the phrase "Inconceivable!". Ingio eventually gets tired of this and tells Vizzini, "I don't think it means what you think it does". Classic. Another well known quote being, "My name is Ingio Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die". And I do not know why, but I literally cracked up when Fezzik screams in pure terror and says "HERE COME THE KING BATS!", followed by, "Rabies! Rabies!" (not in the movie). And who can forget the "Mawidge" ceremony?

Westley is of course the dashing hero, while Prince Humperdinck and Count Rugen the delightful villains. I have to say though, that I do not like Buttercup. She feels shallow and transparent as a character, and her proclaimed love for Westley feels false and weak.

Rarely do I read a book that contains such humor and witty writing.

Interesting fact. S. Morganstern does not exist, and there is no original version of the book. It is in fact written by William Goldman. Another interesting fact, the parts where the author seemly interrupts throughout the story? Also fictional. This is a story, within a story. It is pure, and utter genius.

My Rating : *****

Purchasing Books

I purged my bookshelves recently. Not in a attempt to downsize my library, but in a act of truthfulness. Will I re-read this book? Will I ever read this? Do I really need two separate copies of this title (In some cases, absolutely)? By the time that I came to the last book, on the last shelf of my two bookcases, I had about thirty books in my to sell stack.

I took in three bags of books to my local Half Price Books. Most were in excellent condition (a few had, admittedly, seen better days), all hardcovers, all classics. I was shocked when I received a offer of $14.00 for my assortment of books. I didn't want to haul them back to my house again, where they would just sit and collect dust, so I grudgingly accepted their offer, but not without a look of disgust upon my face that I seemed unable to hide. I was more disgusted with myself when minutes later I went past my $14.00 in credit at the cash register with the two books that I purchased (a Folio Society and a Easton Press). I walked out with less money then what I walked in with ...

It got me to reconsider my approach to purchasing books however. Up until now, when I came across a nice edition of a book that I wished to own I would purchase it, fully aware that when a better edition came along of the same title I would also purchase it to replace the other edition. No more. Value decreases as soon as you make that purchase, therefore I am taking my book pickiness to a whole new extreme of pickiness. I will not purchase a title unless it is in the edition that I ultimately desire to own. Easton Press, Franklin Library, and the Folio Society being three of my favorite versions in book form (top of the line when it comes to quality). I also really like the Barnes and Noble collectible leather bound editions. Quality doesn't necessary mean giving a arm and a leg however. I may not of been thrilled with Half Price Books when it came to selling, but I am pleased with them when it comes to purchasing. They often carry second hand Easton Press, Franklin Library, and the Folio Society, at reasonable prices. I have found many of my treasures through them. Barnes and Noble also offer their collectible leather bound editions at very reasonable prices, for decent quality, and they appear to hold a good re-sell value too. e-bay is another favorite for second hand books. I may be a book snob, but I have yet to actually purchase a brand new Easton Press, Franklin Library, or Folio Society book. Why would I when I can buy a second hand one, in like new condition, for half the price or even better?

This book snob is going to embrace the snob within. Being picky about purchases isn't about the value of the book, both in general price and in re-sell value, but it's about only purchasing that in which you don't plan on ever re-selling. One time purchases. That failed attempt at selling books, to earn more money for the book budget, actually helped teach me a valuable lesson in the book world.

Cleaning, Purging, and Organizing The Bookshelves

I have made several new book purchases these past few weeks, so over the weekend I took it upon myself to empty out my bookshelves, and give the bookshelves and all of the books a good wiping down. During this process I also came across several books that I was willing to get rid of. That's where the purging came into place. I had a few duplicate copies, and although I still do own a select few duplicates, I was able to narrow it down and let go of some of them. I also decided that I owned some books that I just wasn't interested in reading, and doubted if I ever would read them, so they went into the purge pile too. And last, but not least, I had replaced some titles with nicer copies during this month, so I added these not so nice copies to the pile too. My purge pile was suddenly amounting to thirty five plus books. Now I didn't purge my shelves with the intention of downsizing my book collection, or in order to make more room for new books, as I love having large amounts of books surrounding me. No, I purged because I am also extremely picky about which books I choose to own. I don't just want to own books, for the sake of owning books. My collection contains either books that I have read and love, or books that I want to read. If I can't imagine myself ever actually wanting to pick a book up, and read it, then it's not going to stay on my bookshelf. So although my library now suddenly feels more bare, I was able to reorganize my shelves, and I feel more satisfied with the end results.

Now to build my library back up ...

Physical Book Review

I just completed the entire Sherlock Holmes series by Arthur Conan Doyle. My book is the Barnes and Noble collectible leather bound edition.

Brown leather bounded with gorgeous illustrations on the front cover, spine, and back cover. If you run your hand over the back cover, the illustrations have a slight embossing to them. The front endpaper and back endpaper are in a plaid design, a few illustrations on the introductory page, but otherwise no other illustrations within the book. The leather itself is not of a high quality like you would have with the Easton Press or Franklin Library editions. Where the Easton Press and Franklin Library have a hard leather, Barnes and Noble is a softer leather. Which I actually like, as it is nice to handle and read. It has a good overall feel to it. The pages are gold gilded, and the book has a attached gold silk-bookmark. Now the pages are thin. This book contains four full-length novels and fifty-six short stories (it reads as nine novels), 1096 pages total. For such a large book the pages have to be thin. Other, smaller, editions in this collection have thicker pages. I don't have any complaints about the paper being thinner, or the font size. The overall book feels sturdy and well made, but because of the massive size of this edition the spine may be weaker, and you might have to handle it a little more gently. My only complaint is that I happened upon a few spelling errors throughout the book ...

I highly recommend this edition. It is beautifully crafted, looks amazing on the book shelf, and is a joy to read. The quality may not be on the same scale as Easton Press, but you know what, neither is the price tag. My opinion is that this is very good quality for a very reasonable price.

You can get your own edition here : Barnes and Noble - The Complete Sherlock Holmes
This edition is still currently available for sale, but a lot of their other editions are no longer available.

April 2015 Shelfie

As promised, this is a updated shelfie since cleaning, purging, and reorganizing my bookshelves.

The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle

I have come to the conclusion of this magnificent series. It was a marvelous ride, and one that I will be taking again in the future. This will be on my to reread list.

That being said, I feel that this may have been one of the weaker books in the series. Although there were some note worthy stories in this one, as well as some interesting facts revealed throughout, I just felt that Doyle was tiring of his characters at this point and it had started to show through his writing.

There are a few cases in this book that are narrated by Sherlock Holmes himself. All other cases have been narrated by Dr. John Watson up until this point, so I found it to be both refreshing and a interesting prospective to see the case through his own eyes.

My Rating : ****

Would You Rather?

Would You Rather #1

Read only trilogies, or read only stand alone books?

This is a difficult one for me. I have my favorite trilogy series that I would hate to let go of, but at the same time I have more favorites that are stand alone books. I feel that in the end I would have a wider selection of reading material if choosing the latter. I would mourn The Lord of the Rings.

Would You Rather #2

Read only books written by female authors, or read only books written by male authors?

Honestly, because I read mostly classics I feel that I would choose male authors over female authors. Female authors weren't as common as male authors in this time period, and I feel that I would, once again, have a wider range of selection. I adore Jane Austin, The Bronte sisters, and Lousia May Alcott as authors, so I would be saddened to never read them again however.

Would You Rather #3

Read your top 20 books over and over again, or never read the same book twice?

This is also difficult, since I do reread a lot of my favorite books multiple times, but in the end I think that I would choose never reading the same book twice. I would become extremely bored rereading the same books over and over again, and although I love returning to my favorite book worlds, I think that I would rather venture into new unexplored book worlds.

Would You Rather #4

Read only your favorite genre, or read everything but?

My favorite genre would have to be adult fiction, closely followed by fantasy and science fiction (the classics, not the modern works). I feel that reading everything but adult fiction would greatly limit my reading material, so as much as I would hate to give up the rest, I may have to go with reading only my favorite genre ...

Would You Rather #5

Read only physical books, or only Kindles?

Ha! This is a easy one. Physical books.

Would You Rather #6
Read only hardcovers, or read only paperbacks?

Another easy one. I prefer to, both read, and own hardcovers.

Speed Reading

Are you a speed reader?

While I don't consider myself as being a speed reader, I would say that I am probably slightly above average in the reading category.

I often find that I slow myself down while reading, in order to fully absorb the material that I am reading. I would rather that a book stay with me, then read more books that I am unable to recall the details of. At least that is my feeling when reading the classics. They should be looked upon as a work of art, and not something that should be rushed, or hurried through.

This is a fun test to see where you are at in your reading speed. I don't know how accurate it actually is : Reading Speed Test

Loaning out books

Do you loan out books from your personal library? If so, why? If not, why not?

I do not. I always hear people say that books are meant to be read, and enjoyed, and therefore shared. That's great for them, but not my books. The simple truth of it, is that people just aren't going to take as good of care of something that is not theirs (They may not even take care of things that are theirs). You are either never going to see that book again, or it is going to come back to you with some sign of wear and tear, minor or major. Maybe you aren't as anal about your books, as I am about mine, but even I myself try to handle my collection as gently as I can. I will remove dust jackets on older books when reading, to protect the fragile dust jacket from tearing while being handled. When reading my few paperbacks I try to keep the spine from cracking (one of the many reasons that I do not like paperbacks). And I will never lay one of my open books face down to mark my place. That is one of the quickest ways to break the spine.

You basically have to go through a whole interview process before being allowed to take one of my books out of my library, and even then you will be severely limited in what I will let you actually borrow. My mom has borrowed books from me before, and I do get them back in the same condition as when they left here (although I think that she is afraid to borrow books from me). Sadly I have not loaned out any books to my book loving older sister, due to the fact that she has little tykes. They don't understand that auntie Rachel has issues, and would be hurt and confused by the fact that I wasn't thrilled by the custom drawing that they did in my book for me.

Call me the scrooge of the book world.

My April 2015 Book Haul

 "The Wind in the Willows" by Kenneth Grahame. I purchased this 1960 edition through Half Price Books for $3.99 - Although I already own this title in my library, I couldn't resist this copy. The illustrations are gorgeous. The end papers consist of a beautiful, and detailed, colored map, while there are also many colored, and black and white illustrations throughout the book.

The rest of my book haul took place at Barnes and Noble. These are the Barnes and Noble collectible leather bound editions. While I normally collect these a few at a time, I became anxious that they may soon be out of print like many others now are, so I decided to purchase these certain ones while they are still available.

                                                   

Hans Christian Anderson "Classic Fairy Tales". Purple leather bounded with beautiful gold gilded artwork on the front cover, spine, and back cover. Gold gilded pages, and a silk-bookmark. Picture on the right is the front and back end papers, and there are also many illustrations throughout the book.

 "Grimm's Complete Fairy Tales" by the Brothers Grimm. Green leather bounded with beautiful gold gilded artwork on the front cover, spine, and back cover. Gold gilded pages, and a silk-bookmark. Picture seen slightly above is the front and back end papers, and there are also many illustrations throughout the book.

"Fairy Tales from around the World" by Andrew Lang. Red leather bounded with beautiful illustrations on the front cover, spine, and back cover. Gold gilded pages, and a silk-bookmark. Beautiful illustrations throughout the book.

"Bulfinch's Mythology" by Thomas Bulfinich. Black leather bounded with gold gilded illustrations on the front cover, the spine, and the back cover. Gold gilded pages, and a silk-bookmark. The below left picture is the front and back end papers. The below right picture is one of the absolutely gorgeous illustrations that this book contains.

 "Aesop's Illustrated Fables" by Aesop. Blue leather bounded with gorgeous illustrations on the front cover, the spine, and the back cover. Gold gilded pages, and a silk-bookmark. Some of the loveliest and most plentiful illustrations are found in this book.

"Anna Karenina" by Leo Tolstoy. White leather bounded with pretty designs on the front cover, spine, and back cover. Gold gilded pages, and a silk-bookmark. No illustrations, but still a beautiful book.                                                               

This will likely be my last book haul for the month of April. To say that I went past my book budget this month is a understatement. Stay tuned as a updated Shelfie will be posted as soon as I rearrange and organize my bookshelves to accommodate my new books.

The one that got away

As I have mentioned before, I collect the Barnes and Noble leather bound collectible edition books. Not all, only the ones that I wish to own, and have actually already read, or have a desire to read. I started to collect these books roughly two years ago, three years ago at the absolute most. So beginning in 2012 or 2013 is when I became aware of these books and slowly started to add them to my library.

Apparently in 2009 the complete "Chronicles of Narnia" was produced as a beautiful leather bound edition. At the time $20.00 in stores, and $18.00 online. It was discontinued, as some of these books tend to be as new titles are released. Now it is considered rare, and highly collectible. I have seen them selling on e-bay for anywhere in the price range of $200.00 - $300.00 and upwards. I missed out on this one.

I saw one at Half Price Books several weeks ago. It was in their display cabinet, and priced at $95.00 ... $95.00 is, all things considered, a good deal. But a little much for me. It was there on my second trip, still calling out to me. And it was there again on my third trip. I decided to ask if I could view it outside of the cabinet, since I was curious to look at one first hand anyway. I was actually relieved to see that the book was not nearly as pretty as it had appeared when it was behind glass due to flaws and wear. Blemishes, scratches, and smudges. What was once tempting, was no more. I was not going to pay full price, but was curious to see if they would lower their asking price. No. Couldn't hurt to ask.

I will probably never own this beautiful book. The one that got away.

                                          

Book Lust

The first thing is to admit that you have a problem, and I do not have a problem.

I may, or I may not, have been going book shopping once every week so far this month. My eyes bugging out as I desperately dash around from first Half Price Books, and then later Barnes and Noble on the way home. Possibly hyperventilating along the way. I may, or I may not, have gone home feeling defeated because I only found two books, rather then my preferred stack. I may, or I may not, have been seen salivating over a book that was a little out of my price range, talked myself out of it, left the store feeling okay with my decision, turned the car back around and dashed in and bought it anyway. I may, or I may not, have bypassed those Barnes and Noble collectible leather bound editions because I had already spent so much money at Half Price Books, and then continued to think about them until it nearly drives me mad with frustration and book lust  ...

I may, or I may not, have done all of the above, and am also currently thinking about those Barnes and Noble collectible leather bound editions at this very minute ...

I am thinking about those Barnes and Noble collectible leather bound editions.

Is there something wrong when you want a book, and you can't stop thinking about it until you have it in your hands? Is that bad? Is it bad that I am thinking about going back to Barnes and Noble later this week to get those Barnes and Noble collectible leather bound editions that I bypassed last week? And heck, since I will be right there I may as well go back to Half Price Books too, huh? Let's just realize that I will have no peace of mind until said books are in my possession, so I am doing this for my health, right?

I am a collector. Books are my passion, and books are what drives me.

My Goodreads Reading Challenge

Earlier today, while updating my Goodreads, I became aware that I have now slipped five books behind schedule in my Goodreads reading challenge. I set my challenge at the goal of reading sixty five books for the year of 2015, and have now to date only read twelve of that sixty five. While not a impressive number, I do tend to read mainly classics ... those thicker, smaller print, more tedious reads. I have no doubt in my mind that I could double my numbers by reading less of the classics, but that brings me to my question. Should you read books, just to increase your reading quota?

I have a impressive to read list on the classics, should I really bypass those books that I am eager to read, just to get caught up on a reading challenge? Forego the classics in favor of less appealing, but easier to read, modern books? I rarely read a modern book that leaves something with me, like the classics do. In fact I became so disgusted with them last year that I called it quits, and started to read only from my personal library of classics. I have not looked back, and I have not yet seen a newly released book that has sparked my interest. I doubt that I will run out of material from my personal collection either. Trying to read all of the books in my library truly is the metaphor of Pursuing the White Whale, as I not only own a large number of books, but I am always adding new ones to it. That's not to say that good books aren't being written today. They are just very hard to find.

The Classics may bog down my reading quota, but I get so much more from my reading experience.

His Last Bow by Arthur Conan Doyle

I had a difficult time being drawn into "His Last Bow" by Arthur Conan Doyle. The cases weren't pulling me in quite as easily as they did before. Perhaps I weary of Sherlock Holmes in my Sherlock Holmes reading binge, this being the eighth book with one more to go yet. But as I continued to read, I realized that these were actually some of the more interesting cases to date. I adore the ignorant, brilliant detective. I must beg his forgiveness at my unfaithfulness, in my moment of weakness.

Wisteria Lodge
Sherlock Holmes is approached by Scott Eccles, whom is being pursued by two Inspectors on the suspected murder of Mr. Aloysius Garcia, of Wisteria Lodge. Scott Eccles explains the situation to Holmes. Having just met Mr. Aloysius Garcia, he was promptly invited days later to spend a few days at Wisteria Lodge. His host behaving oddly during his visit the first night. Upon awakening Scott Eccles finds himself to be alone in the house. The Host, the footman, the cook, all having vanished during the night. He is furious, thinking that he was victim of a absurd practical joke, and storms out. He approaches Holmes first, shortly after his arrival at 221B Baker Street the two Inspectors catch up to him. He then learns from the two Inspectors that Mr. Aloysius Garcia was found murdered on the road nearly a mile from the house, his head having received repeated, and vicious blows. A letter from Scott Eccles being found on the body, put the Inspectors onto his trail.
I found this to be one of the duller cases to be portrayed in the book, although there were quite a few plot twists involved.

The Cardboard Box
Miss Susan Cushing receives a small packet, wrapped in brown paper, in the mail. Inside was filled with course salt. Upon emptying this, she is horrified to find two human ears, apparently quite freshly severed. Lestrade asks for Holmes assistance on the case. Holmes soon comes to the conclusion that a double murder has been committed after observing the ears and declaring that they both came from a different person, one being a woman's and the other a man's.
I loved this case, however seemly gruesome it may come across as.

The Red Circle
Holmes is consulted by Mrs. Warren, a landlady, who is uneasy about the upstairs lodger. She only meets him the first time, afterwards he demands his privacy and doesn't want to be disturbed under any circumstance.
Although not entirely a dull read, this wasn't as fascinating a case as some of the others.

The Bruce-Partington Plans
Holmes is approached by his older brother, Mycroft. I was interested to read that Mycroft was part of the British Government. Never before in the series was this mentioned, and I often wondered why he played that part in the BBC television series when not in the book. Mycroft requests Holmes assistance because Arthur Cadogan West was found murdered with seven out of ten pages of the Bruce-Partington submarine plans, one of the top guarded government secrets. Did Arthur intend to sell the submarine plans? And where are the missing three pages?
This was a highly entertaining case, and one that really gave Holmes the chance to dig for clues.

The Dying Detective
Mrs. Hudson, the landlady of Sherlock Holmes, seeks Watson's help when Holmes falls ill. Holmes refuses medical treatment, and when three days have passed he appears to be at deaths door. Mrs. Hudson, fearing that he is dying, insists upon getting help. Holmes will only allow her to go to Dr. Watson. Upon his arrival Holmes will not allow Watson to come within hands reach of him, telling him that he has contacted a coolie disease from Sumatra, highly contagious by touch, and deadly. He implores Watson to wait until 6:00 PM, before he will allow Watson to collect Mr. Culverton Smith, the man best versed in the disease, but also the man that Holmes accused of the murder of Mr. Culverton Smith's nephew.
This was a edge of the seat read, no doubt about it. I was both anxious and concerned, but also in denial. Possibly the best case in "His Last Bow".

The Disappearance of Lady Frances Carfax 
Lady Frances has mysteriously disappeared. Holmes sends Watson in his stead, as he has pressing business elsewhere. Watson as usual, messes everything up, and Holmes has to swoop in to fix things.
While not a remarkable case, the end had me totally enthralled.

The Devils Foot
The Vicar draws Holmes attention to surely one of the most mysterious cases to date. The Vicar speaks for Mr. Mortimer Tregennis, whom has just discovered that the three siblings that he had only just visited the prior night have had a most unusual event occur after his departure. Something caused his sister to die of fright, and his two brothers to go insane from shock. Sherlock suspects Mortimer of foul play, but Mortimer is discovered the following morning also dead. Cause of death, fright.
This was the best case that I have read to date. It was just perfect in every single way.

His Last Bow
This truly is show cased around Sherlock Holmes last case. His last bow. I did not see it coming, and was pleasantly surprised with the results. It was odd to read of a older version of Sherlock, and Watson.

My Rating : *****

My Book Haul

 This is two weeks worth of book purchases. The first pictured is the recently released Barnes and Noble leather bound collectible edition that I bought through Barnes and Noble two weeks ago. "The Complete Peter Rabbit"  by Beatrix Potter. This book is absolutely, breathtakingly beautiful. Blue leather, with gold gilt edging, a blue satin book mark, and full color illustrations. You can get your own copy here : Barnes and Noble
I collect the Barnes and Noble collectible editions. I find them to be of a high quality, at a reasonably affordable price. I have been very impressed by them, and will continue to collect them.

 This next book was also purchased two weeks ago. I bought it from Half Price Books. "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller. While not necessary one of my finer finds, it is a book that I have been interested in reading for some time now.

 These two books were purchased earlier this week from Half Price Books. The larger red one on the left is "Barchester Towers" by Anthony Trollope, A Franklin Library edition. I found this book in the clearance for $3.00 so I figured that at that price I could take a gamble on it. The smaller, darker one on the right is "The Red House Mystery" by A.A. Milne, also a Franklin Library edition. I enjoy Milne as a author so I was excited to find this book. Prior to now, I did not realize that Milne wrote a mystery.

Now this was the real gem. I purchased this set earlier this week, also through Half Price Books. A Winnie-The-Pooh collectible set of four. "Winnie-The-Pooh", "The House at Pooh Corner", "When We Were Very Young", and "Now We are Six" by A.A. Milne, Easton Press collectible editions. Price will not be disclosed, but I will say that I feel that I got them at a very reasonable price after seeing what they are selling for online.

Sleep Deprived

Please tell me that I am not the only person that chooses to deprive myself of sleep in order to get some more reading time in. 

This will typically happen when I am reading a book that keeps me on the edge of my seat. I am either in the middle of something that is currently taking place, and I want to see it through, or I want to know what happens next. I watch the clock tick by in horror as I desperately glance from it, back to my book. It's a race that I have never been able to win. I swear that I have seen more then one sunrise because of being unable to set a book down. I once even tried to finish reading a book in the dark, by nightlight, when younger because I didn't want my parents to realize that I was still awake. Far too many nights as a teenager resulted in me tip toeing back to my bedroom after spending most of the night reading ... most nights actually.

Most nights however I simply just choose to continue to read rather then heading off to bed and getting my full eight hours of sleep. The power of reading.

                       

The Valley of Fear by Arthur Conan Doyle

Moriarty makes another appearance here. Prior to "The Valley of Fear", Moriarty only made a appearance in "The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes". Which I found shameful, considering that he is one of the most interesting criminals to date in the series. Granted that this book is supposed to date back before "The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes", but I am still trilled to be seeing more of him. I did hear that he only makes these two appearances however, so this may be the end of Moriarty for this series.

My Rating : *****