Welcome, Kathy7450 & Lenvt -- You've found a lively, intelligent place for talking about books -- light / deep; funny / poignant; fiction / non-f. -- all kinds! +++++++++++++++++++++++ Have spent the past week reading (for the 2nd time in years) 2 of the James Herriot books. They're so warm to curl up with on long winter nights. Am also reading another book I read a long time ago -- "They Do It With Mirrors" - Agatha Christie. +++++++++++++++++++++++ Hi Veer - Yes, I finished "The Birthday Present" (Barbara Vine). It held me all the way through -- But it wasn't killer-diller great like some of her books. And I *did* notice (as you did) that the "voice" of the two different 1st-person characters narrating the story were similar - even tho' they were sooooo different -- gender; social level; marital status; economic level; etc., etc. ++++++++++++++++++++++ Sarah Canary -- Of all the Terry Pratchett books I've read, "Nightwatch" is my favourite. It's funny, dark, macabre, adventurous -- just a Delightful story! "Mansfield Park" is the 1st or 2nd book that I read by Jane Austen. It has what many people think of as an irritating main heroine. . . . But I liked her in spite of her "grizzling" -- crying or tearing up easily. I thought she had very good qualities -- conscientious about the rights and sensibilities of others; a sweet disposition; wasn't catty; thoroughly appreciated her good luck in life (where other girls might have resented living in a tiny room) and was very grateful to the family who'd taken her in. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Lemonhead101 -- That domesticity book sounds very cozy -- intrigues me! I've put it on my "To Be Bought List". +++++++++++++++++++++++++ TimA -- I read "Peyton Place" a long time after it came out (my mother wouldn't let me read it). Some years later, read it again. I liked it a lot. But for me, then, it was the mother who intrigued me, and her man friend...both such glamourous "grown-ups" w/ exciting lives, even tho' lived in a small town. And the town itself sounded so lovely! The daughter was drab, to me. Don't know what I'd think of "Peyton Place" if I read it now.

I picked up a book from "New Arrivals" shelf titled Palace Circle by Rebecca Dean (I confess because I liked the cover and the setting --pre WWI) and it is rather awful. One-dimensional characters and plots that seem inspired by daytime soaps. I stopped reading around half-way. On a happier note I discovered a new (to me) historical author: Jude Morgan. Very impressed with her writing and comand of the period. Just read Indiscretion and An Accomplished Woman which are both obviously Austen-inspired, and I'm starting on Passion, which seems like a "heavier" book, the main characters being the women in Byron, Shelley, & Keats' lives.

I seem to be doing my Hallowe'en reading early this year, having this month finished two rather large books, both dealing with supernatural themes. I absolutely lovedThe Little Stranger by Sarah Waters, and recommend it to anyone interested in "haunted house" stories. The book also paints a very interesting picture of how life in rural England changed after World War II. A few days ago I finished Peter Straub's sprawling (and quite gruesome) Floating Dragon. I am sorry to report I found it a bit disappointing, especially compared to his earlier novel Ghost Story, which is one of my favorite scary books. I prefer quiet, unnerving scares to gore. Also, the two books were very similar in their themes, which makes a comparison of the two inevitable. Hopefully my next reading choice will be a bit more suitable for summer. The brutal heat has settled on us, unfortunately. I am being a stubborn goat and not turning on my air conditioner until June.

I have a friend that does that kind of stuff but she's really busy lately, new computer and learning Windows 10! She uses PSP7 to clean up things like these. If you can find someone that uses PSP and has time, it can be done! I'm not the one, I don't have the patience to do this type of work. But there are many out there that do. Hope the info helps to refine your search! BTW, there are much newer versions of PSP!