Book Blogger Hop

I must take my hat off to Jennifer at Crazy for Books for hosting the Book Blogger Hop. If you are new to this meme, now's your chance to discover all the varied book blogs that are out there. Oh the places you will go! You'll find YA, mystery, classics, historical romance, chicklit and if you like your books with a little bite, there are the paranormals! All genres are brilliantly represented, simply follow the link to enter your info and join in the fun. I am number 299 this week! You are bound to find a blog or two or 299 that you will enjoy!

This week's question: How many blogs do you follow? Contributed by Librarys Cat Blog List.

My answer: OMG - about 109 - I'm astounded I follow so many blogs! BUT, after doing a brief and thoroughly unscientific survey, it seems like there are a few people that follow 300-400 blogs! Wowzer!

And on another note!

Last month I won a contest sponsored by

Cheryl at CMash Loves to Read. Can I just tell you how excited I was, I really was! About two weeks ago the book arrived at my doorstep delivered by a very gorgeous UPS guy I might add! And here it is...

The Imposter's Daughter is a memoir by Laurie Sandell a contributing editor at Glamour magazine. She asks: if the man whose identity is the basis of my own is a fraud, then who am I? What I didn't realize was that this is a graphic memoir, an intriguing way to tell her amazing story.

A heap of praise:

Sandell's wit shines through her clever illustrations and honest prose. ( USA Today)

An eloquent graphic novel. (Time )

The Impostor's Daughter is funny, frank, and absolutely engaging. It's about truth and consequences and families and men and women and fame and, well, life itself. It's wonderful. (Susan Orlean, author of The Orchid Thief )

I can only say the gato and I are looking forward to a great read!

Enjoy the weekend everyone.

Lucy, you got some readin' to do!

A recent trip to the Friends of the Library yielded these fab finds...

1. The First Time: Cher as told to Jeff Coplon. A compilation of first times i.e. first time meeting her real father, first public performance, etc. Lots of great photos! I love Cher!
2. Mrs. Dalloway: Virginia Woolf. details a day in the life of Clarissa Dalloway in post-World War I England.
3. Do It! Let's Get Off Our Buts: Peter McWilliams. You can probably guess what this self help book is all about, get off our buts and butts!
4. The Year of Magical Thinking: Joan Didion. The author explores the portrait of a marriage in good times and bad.
5. Epilogue: Anne Rolphe. Anne is not quite 70 when her husband of nearly 40 years unexpectedly passes away. This is a jouney into the unknown world of life after love.
6. The Thrifty Decorator: Jocasta Innes. Lots of great DIY projects
7. Living Well: Edited by Carrie Donovan. A collection of noteworth spaces singled out by The NY Times' editors, reporters, critics and contributors.

Looks like the gato and I have a lot of interesting reading ahead of us!

Hope you have an interesting week!

Book Blogger Hop

Jennifer at Crazy for Books hosts the Book Bloggers Hop each Friday. Follow her link to join up with other book bloggers for some fun.

This week's question: How many books do you have on your To Be Read shelf? (submitted by Michelle at Michelle's Book Blog.

Answer: I'm not really sure as I don't store my books in any one place. They are all over the house but I'm sure I've got a few here....

Max in the Stacks by Charles Wysocki

Have a great weekend!

book Blogger Hop

Just for fun, why don't you consider joining in the Book Blogger Hop started by Jennifer at Crazy for Books! It's a fun way to meet people with similar interests, namely BOOKS! This week I am number 179 on a list of, so far, 223 book bloggers. While there, submit a link to your blog and see how many people you can meet and support! You'll enjoy yourself.

This week's question: Do you listen to music when you read? If so, what are your favorite reading tunes?

By the way: This week's question was submitted by Chelle at The Prairie Library.

My answer: No, I really do prefer peace and quiet when I read. In just taking a quick glance around the hop, most people seem to prefer the quiet too so I am not alone!

The Literary Gato and I wish you a fun and fabulous weekend!

PS - if you know any bookish felines who would like to join the Book Fiends Gallery on the right, let us know!

The Ape Who Guards the Balance

A Little Background: I only recently discovered that Elizabeth Peters also writes as Barbara Michaels whose books I have read in the past and enjoyed. As Elizabeth Peters I have seen her books but for some reason, and I am remiss to say, never picked them up. I will have a grand time now discovering the Amelia Peabody series.

Book Description: The Ape Who Guards the Balance by Elizabeth Peters

This adventure, the tenth in the series, starts with Amelia becoming involved with the suffragette movement. Amelia, not one to hold back, is an advocate of the equality of women but there is something vaguely wrong with the protest she has joined in front of No. 10 Downing Street. Amelia soon receives a jolt as she recognizes a nefarious someone from her past in the crowd. Is this sighting a portent of things to come?

With her beloved husband (and esteemed archeologist) Emerson by her side, Amelia and family embark on their journey to Egypt in what is hoped to be a successful archeological season. Husband and wife are accompanied by their children, Ramses, Nefret and David who each have interesting background stories of their own.

Unfortunately, trouble seems to have found the Emerson family beginning with a mutilated body found in the Nile as they cruise towards their compound. This is only the first of many unsettling incidents. While the clan struggles to solve the mystery, the story deepens and a few of the characters will find themselves mere inches from death.

By the way, the ape in the title refers to Thoth, one of the more important deities of the Egyptian pantheon. He was often depicted as a man with the head of an ibis or a baboon as these animals were sacred to him. Thoth was the divine scribe who waited for the heart of the dead to be weighed on a scale so that he may record their fate.

My Take: Reading this book was like watching a first rate episode of Mystery or Masterpiece Theatre on PBS where I long ago became accustomed to viewing some fine acting, grand period costuming and of course a great story. There is a good deal to like about this book. It’s at once suspenseful, full of intrigue, contains a good deal of humor and there is romance.

Although I started midway through the series, it was still very easy to follow along and in fact merely serves to whet your appetite to start at the beginning and follow through to the latest edition. Yes, I really do highly recommend this book. Can't you see me smiling?

About the Author:


Barbara G. Mertz (aka Elizabeth Peters and no relation to Ethel!) was born and raised in Illinois in 1927 and received her Ph.D from the University of Chicago in Egyptology at the age of 23.

She has written a plethora of books but most would fall under the category of mystery and suspense novels. She has been a published writer since 1964.