Stuff about two friends' books recently, and I should share, promising no impartiality:

1) sogwife picked up my copy of pameladean's Tam Lin the other day, and said, "Huh," which I was unable to interpret. She likes fairy tales, so I asked her if she knew the legend. "Oh, yeah, and I'm pretty sure I've read this one. It's the one set in a college, right? I liked this one." (I know it makes no sense for ME to be proud that someone liked someone else's book, but I am anyway.)

2) Finished Farthing this morning. As is the case with Pamela, I've liked papersky's writing since before I knew she was an author. (I *think* I knew her before her first book was published. Let me go look. Yes, probably so, as I was posting on our then-shared newsgroups for a couple years by then.) Anyway, I have always liked her writing, and this book is no exception. ( The type of spoiler I hate, which gives an idea of how the book ends, but not enough of an idea, so that you are waiting for it to happen and it ruins the rest. ) Overall, I loved the book, though, and found it to be the perfect combination of ease of reading, fresh story, interesting and sufficiently complex plot, and talented characterization.

A friend is catching cold, and I want chicken soup, so you know I gotta make soup. Any local friends who want a quart of homemade chicken soup, raise your hands and I'll save you some if you can come pick it up within 2-3 days of tomorrow.