Anyone fancy joining me in a new swap club?

[artifarti]

I love reading and now that DS can entertain himself for a while trashing my lounge is 8 mo I am finally getting back into the swing of things. But I always read the same kind of books and so would love to have something different sprung on me!

Here's the basics of how it works (thank you Flamesparrow)

How it works

[ Arti sits back and waits for the flood of recruits, hoping that she doesn't end up looking like a no-mates...]

Bugger I hope I haven't messed things up? I'm not sure whether I put a note in with last month's books to explain that the slim one was April's book and the bigger one is May's book - just that I'd already read the one for May. Sorry if I forgot, things have been a little hectic recently.

I like the idea of reversing too

Oh, thank goodness for that PL! No, not messed up at all - I think I'm going to finish the slimmer one first, so that will go to SLF, and then the other one as soon as I can, so, wow, I might even be ahead of time for May....

book has gone today - should be there tomorrow. Sorry it's late (hopefully you have chocolate supplies in for such emergencies )

Lola - book and choc arrived today - thank you! Chocolate looks great - thank heavens I was on my own when I put it away until I start the book!

Books posted today. Not sure when they'll arrive though given that there are no flights out of Ireland at the moment.

Sorry PistachioLemon I have still not posted the book. DDs have been ill so not much reading and now I have got into it I want to finish it! SORRY - I promise it will be in the post by Saturday.

Note to self: Must try harder!

stickylittlefingers could you hop over to the meetup thread when you've a minute please? A night out is being plotted

slf thanks for book and chocolate. It arrived today. I was a bit worried when I saw the thinness of the envelope. I thought you'd forgotten the book or - worse - the chocolate! But all is well, and I look forward to reading it.

Itsjusta - I'm very impressed to think that you put the chocolate away until you start the book. Does everyone else do that?? Is it just me that usually has 'just a little taste' the day it arrives, even if I don't start the book for another week?!

On the subject of choc, that's a very good specimin you've sent this month AgentP! Had to shoo DH away as he was looking just a litte too interested!

I still haven't posted. Sorry.

but I have now finished it and will post tomorrow.

AgentProvocateur re forgetting the chocolate - not blardy likely!! And Lola - the chocolate rarely makes it to the next day with me. It just wants to fulfil its chocolate destiny, and it would be cruel to deny it...

I have learnt to put all yummy things away and out of the sight of anyone under the age of 5 in my house otherwise I never hear the end of it ! Usually comes out just after bedtime and just before DH walks in from work

lol have you no self control?

I have a square of chocolate for every chapter that I read.

NOT!

I tried the square per chapter rule but it seems to have gradually increased to a square per paragraph!

aristocat - sorry, sorry, but I am motoring through this book (Bugger's) and so hope to post it on Monday/Tuesday.

hello ladies

thanks arti for this months book and yummy chocolate. the book looks very interesting might have to start it immediately (thanks Bugger too!)

busy month for me this one DCs will be 8yo and 6yo in a few weeks. they are soooooooo excited.theres a new picture of them on my profile.

FWIW i usually eat the chocolate before the first chapters been read

Hope the chocolate is lovely - I wasn't sure whether it would be delicious or a bit revolting! I loved the book so get reading it, I say! Lovely picture - your son looks just like my best friend's little brother (well, he's 30 now so not so little anymore...)

Coo-ee, Maria - where's me book?

Dygsu have you had a chance to post the book yet? Please don't worry if you haven't, it's just that it hasn't arrived yet so I thought I should check. Honestly don't worry if you're still reading, I've been so busy I haven't had much reading time myself. Hope DDs are feeling better.

bugger thanks for choosing a super book, i have finished it and will post on your thread soon.

PistachioLemon book was finally posted on Saturday so I hope it is with you by now. Life in these parts seems to be running away with me and I seem to be chasing my tail just to keep up!

Anyway, I will post the next book on time - is half term week that week so more time to fill!

Arti regarding going round again, in reverse, are we sticking to the same guidelines for book choices - did we say no (auto)biography? Should I just check back 30-some pages?

bugger - also loved your book and also need to post on your thread...

Dysgu, the rules were:

No chicklit
No abuse memoir type stuff
No horror
No hardbacks

I think we let auto/biography stay in the end as long as it wasn't anything too obscure (or crap, obviously). Hopefully this last year has given us all a feel for the sort of books everyone likes to read. I've really liked practically all of them so I think we're all on the same wavelength.

I have chosen my book for the next round - just finished re-reading it. I ruled one out as it was too long and another was unremittingly filthy!

aristocat - I still haven't got a book this month and am going on holiday on Saturday. Will email to make sure it hasn't got lost somewhere but it might be a bit of a wait again...

No chicklit
No abuse memoir type stuff
No horror
No hardbacks

Dygsu I got the book and the yummy chocolate, thanks very much - I'm hooked already so I reckon I'll have it finished by the end of the month! Hope things are a little less hectic with you.

Arti thanks for the guidelines. I'm a bit scared now about choosing a book for the first time. I shall have to have a good think. Please can you remind me when they need to be chosen? Have we got a couple of months of the current cycle left?

dysgu i have already posted to you, so it should arrive soon
its a good one ........

PLemon arti is on holiday until saturday, but in answer to your question ..... yes there are 2 books left in the cycle (june + july).

the new cycle will be due to start august if we carry on immediately.
hope this helps

Pooter - I am meant to post the book next week, but somehow the month has slipped away and I would like to finish the book, so can I really be cheeky and ask if I can post it off later? (would some extra choc buy me some more time??)

Sorry ....

Back from a lovely holiday here and now recovering (funny how holidaying with toddlers isn't that refreshing!)

Yes, there are two more books in this cycle, June 1 and July 1. So the new cycle will start on August 1. Does everyone want to continue? It seems that most do.

As before, please email me at artifarti at hotmail dot co dot uk with the initials of your chosen book and author (e.g. ROTN by TH for Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy) PLemon - this is just so I can check there are no duplicates. I will assume all your name, address and chocolate details remain the same unless you tell me otherwise! Please do this by July 10th (then there's plenty of time if people forget, are busy etc. and I have to chase.) Then I will email you all with the name of the new person you are to post the books to (we are reversing, for anyone that hasn't picked that up.)

When we have posted out the last books of this cycle on July 1, I will post a complete list of all the books we have read on this thread as a reminder and then you can all vote for your favourite in the email that you send to me.

Oooh, the excitement is palpable!