Terri (tymfos) runs her 2014 Reading Race #6: June Journeys

Hi! Welcome to the 6th thread of my 75 Books Challenge for 2014. I consider this my primary challenge, and all the books I read will be posted here. I tend to be most active in discussion in this group, too.

My name is Terri, and I work in a library in Pennsylvania. I live with my husband, teenage son, and a kitten named Sig that adopted us on the coldest day of the year. I read a wide variety of books, though I'm partial to mysteries. All visitors are welcome, and comments are encouraged. Part of the joy of reading is sharing the journey!

We're moving into summer this month, and there's a song that says these are lazy, hazy, crazy days -- which would imply that there's more time for reading. I don't always find that to be the case, but one can always hope.

COVERS OF BOOKS I'M CURRENTLY READING
FICTION NON-FICTION E-BOOK FICTION

AUDIO FICTION & HARDCOPY FICTION from this three-novel volume:

FIRST QUARTER BOOKS

Books completed in JANUARY
1. Blood Land by R. S. Guthrie e-book (1-2-14)
2. A Comedy of Heirs by Rett MacPherson (1-3-14)
3. 58 Degrees North: The Mysterious Sinking of the Arctic Rose by Hugo Kugiya (1-6-14)
4. Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather (1-11-14)
5. Case Histories by Kate Atkinson (1-13-14)
6. How the Light Gets In by Louise Penny (1-20-14)
7. One Good Turn by Kate Atkinson e-book (1-26-14)
8. Southern Lady, Yankee Spy by Elizabeth Varon (1-26-14)
9. North of Nowhere by Steve Hamilton (1-30-14)
10. Firewall by Henning Mankell AUDIO (1-30-14)
10a Divorce Horse by Craig Johnson e-book short (1-31-14)

abandoned:
Murder on the Mind by L. L. Bartlett. (Just not my cup of tea)
Huntress Moon by Alexandra Sokoloff (may try again later when in different mood)

Books completed in FEBRUARY
11. The Round House by Louise Erdrich (2-1-14)
12. The Risk of Darkness by Susan Hill (2-3-14)
13. Blood is the Sky by Steve Hamilton (2-10-14)
14. Faith Under Fire by Roger Benimoff (2-17-14)
15. As the Crow Flies by Craig Johnson e-book (2-18-14)
16. Real Men Work in the Pits by Jeff Hammond (2-22-14)
17. Ice Run by Steve Hamilton e book (2-27-14)
18. A Necessary End by Peter Robinson (2-28-14)

abandoned this month:
The Godwulf Manuscript by Robert Parker AUDIO

Books completed in MARCH
19. Pardonable Lies by Jacqueline Winspear AUDIO and paper book (3-9-14)
20. I Was Right On Time by Buck O'Neil with Steve Wulf & David Conrads (3-16-14)
21. The Watcher in the Shadows By Carlos Ruiz Zafon e-book (3-16-14)
22. All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy (3-18-14)
23. No Nest for the Wicket by Donna Andrews (3-21-14)
24. A Stolen Season by Steve Hamilton e-book (3-25-14)

SECOND QUARTER BOOKS:

Books finished in APRIL
25. Not Even Wrong: Adventures in Autism by Paul Collins (4-8-14)
26. Silence of the Grave by Arnaldur Indriðason e-book (4-11-14)
27. Where's Your Jesus Now?: Examining How Fear Erodes Our Faith by Karen Spears Zacharias (4-15-14)
28. Jazz by Toni Morrison (American Author Challenge) (4-18-14)
29. The Pyramid: And Four Other Kurt Wallander Mysteries by Henning Mankell AUDIO (4-22-14)
30. Sun Storm by Asa Larsson e-book (4-22-14)
31. Not Flesh Nor Feathers by Cheri Priest (4-24-14)

Books finished in MAY
32. Embracing the Wide Sky by Daniel Tammet (5-2-14)
33. Dead Wood by Dani Amore e-book (5-3-14)
34. Foolish Undertaking by Mark de Castrique (5-5-14)
35. Farewell, My Lovely by Raymond Chandler - AUDIO (5-10-14)
36. Taken by Kathleen George e-book (5-12-14)
37. Operating Instructions by Anne Lamott (5-14-14)
38. The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett (5-18-14)
39. A Serpent's Tooth by Craig Johnson AUDIO (5-20-14)
40. A Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Donald Miller (5-21-14)
41. The Dain Curse by Dashiell Hammett (5-26-14)
42. Eggsecutive Orders by Julie Hyzy (5-27-14)
43. The Stranger You Seek by Amanda Kyle Williams e-book (5-28-14)
44. Any Other Name by Craig Johnson AUDIO (5-29-14)

Books finished in JUNE
45. Dead Water by Ann Cleeves (6-5-14)
46. Happy Cat, Happy You by Arden Moore (6-7-14)
47. Q Road by Bonnie Jo Campbell (6-8-14)
48. Rolling Thunder by Chris Grabenstein (6-13-14)
49. Misery Bay by Steve Hamilton e-book (6-17-14)
50. Nightmares and Dreamscapes by Stephen King AUDIO (6-17-14)
51. The Vows of Silence by Susan Hill (6-18-14)
52. So Terrible a Storm: A Tale of Fury on Lake Superior by Curt Brown e-book (6-19-14)
53. A Day in the Death of Dorothea Cassidy by Ann Cleeves
54. Safe From the Sea by Peter Geye (6-26-14)
55. Cocaine Blues by Kerry Greenwod e-book (6-27-14)
56. Bone by Bone by Carroll O'Connor AUDIO (6-30-14)

THIRD QUARTER BOOKS:

Books finished in JULY
57. Dead Angler by Victoria Houston e-book and paperback fiction

Currently reading:
Last Car to Elysian Fields by James Lee Burke (fiction)
Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain by Oliver Sacks (non-fiction)
Blood on the Moon by James Ellroy (AUDIO and hardcover fiction)
No Doors, No Windows by Joe Schreiber (e-book fiction)

I'm participating in Mark's American Author Challenge: I'm using the list on this thread to also notate reading for my next thread's time period.


glitter-graphics.com
My (very) tentative list for the American Author Challenge

January Willa Cather -- Death Comes for the Archbishop (I've wanted to read this for some time, at local library)COMPLETED
February William Faulkner -- As I Lay Dying, library Louise Erdrich The Round House COMPLETED
March Cormac McCarthy -- All the Pretty Horses COMPLETED
April Toni Morrison -- Jazz (owned) COMPLETED
May Eudora Welty substitute Dashiell Hammett -- The Maltese Falcon and The Dain Curse (owned) COMPLETED
June Kurt Vonnegut -- SKIPPED
July Mark Twain -- SKIPPED
August Philip Roth The Ghost Writer (owned) CURRENTLY READING
September: James Baldwin
October Edith Wharton
November John Updike
December Larry Watson Let Him Go (I really want to read this, e-book available through library)

All titles subject to change. In fact, they will PROBABLY change, more than once!

I'm also doing the 2014 Category Challenge:


glitter-graphics.com

I struggled to decide on a theme for this year -- or whether to even have an overall theme for my categories. I considered using the titles of hit songs from 1974 (40 years ago) as my category titles. But I think I've settled on themes loosely based on a number of famous folks born in the great state of New Jersey.

I pretty much consider myself a Pennsylvanian now, but my formative years were spent in the Garden State, and my old home has shaped my sensibilities somewhat. (Its certainly affected my musical tastes, as anyone can attest whose heard how frequently I blast Springsteen and Bon Jovi songs.) So this challenge is my tribute to my old "home state." I was listing my categories, but I keep editing them, so I've decided to now omit them from this thread.

I'm doing the ROOT (Read Our Own Tomes) challenge again in 2014, "trimming" neglected books that have taken root on my TBR shelf:

I'm also doing the Book Bingo thing so many people are doing:



I'm not sure how to define "a book at the bottom of your to be read pile." Maybe pull one from the bottom shelf of the TBR bookcase?

A book with more than 500 pages
A Forgotten Classic
A book that became a movie Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather
A book published this year Any Other Name by Craig Johnson
A book with a number in the title 58 Degrees North by Hugo Kugiya
A book written by someone under Thirty
A book with non-human characters
A Funny book No Nest for the Wicket by Donna Andrews
A book by a female author How the Light Gets In by Louise Penny
A book with a mystery North of Nowhere by Steve Hamilton
A book with a one-word title Firewall by Henning Mankell
A book of short stories Nightmares & Dreamscapes by Stephen King (in progress)
FREE SQUARE
A book set on a different continent Pardonable Lies by Jacqueline Winspear
A book of non-fiction Southern Lady, Yankee Spy by Elizabeth R. Varon
The first book by a favorite author
A book you heard about online Faith Under Fire by Roger Benimoff with Eve Conant
A best-selling book
A book based on a true story
A book at the bottom of your to-be-read pile A Comedy of Heirs by Rett MacPherson (the M's are on the bottom of my first TBR case)
A book your friend loves
A book that scares you
A book that is more than 10 years old
The second book in a series One Good Turn by Kate Atkinson
A book with a blue cover Case Histories by Kate Atkinson

THE STATS: I always try to keep these kinds of stats, and I always mess them up sometime in the course of the year so that the totals don't add up properly.

total books READ 2014: 56

ROOT books -- off my (real or virtual) TBR shelf: 26 (including one that's not part of this challenge)

Paper books: 33 1/2
E-books: 15
Audio books: 7 1/2

Fiction: 44
Non-Fiction: 12

male author(s): 28
female author: 26
male/female team author: 1

US authors: 40
authors from other countries: 16
NO IDEA:

living author (as far as I know): 51
deceased author: 5
unsure:

THE POSTING FORMAT:

This is my template for ease of posting the books I read:

Title:
Author:
Genre or subject information:
Copyright/Year of original publication:
Series?:
Date finished:
Off the Shelf?
My Rating:
Notes:

THE SERIES I'M READING

As you can see, I'm reading a lot of series! I'm trying to keep track of which installment is next; also, I'm trying to track how many are in each series, though that's hard to keep up with! These lists are as much for my reference as for visitors to see what I'm working on!

NOTE: I'm using this list on this thread to continue to track titles read on my next thread, rather than copy the whole deal over there.


glitter-graphics.com

RACING TO READ MY SERIES!

A. CHECKERED FLAG: Series that I'm actually caught up/finished with those which have been published!!! (as far as I know, anyway!)
Blood Detective/Nigel Barnes series by Dan Waddell (have read both)
Eden Moore series by Cherie Priest. (have read all three)
Elm Haven series by Dan Simmons (read both)
Fever Devilin series by Philip DePoy. (have read all seven)
Flap Tucker series by Philip DePoy (have read all 5)
John Ceepak series by Chris Grabenstein. (have read all 8)
Kenzie/Gennaro series by Dennis Lehane. (have read all six)
Lake Superior Mysteries by Matthew Williams. (have read all three)
Lincoln Perry series by Michael Koryta (have read all four)
Mallory series by Carol O'Connell (have read all 11)
Shetland Series by Ann Cleeves. (have read all 5)
Three Pines/Inspector Gamache series by Louise Penny. (have read all 9)
Trilogy of Fog by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. (have read all three)
Walt Longmire series by Craig Johnson. (have read all 10, not counting minis)

B. WHITE FLAG LAP -- ONE TO GO!: Series that I am reading, only one left to read that has been published (As far as I'm aware)
Christopher Miller Holiday Thrillers by Chris Grabenstein. Next up: Hell for the Holidays #2 of 2
Cork O'Connor series by William Kent Krueger. Next up: Windigo Island, #14 of 14
Dave Gurney series by John Verdon. Next up: Next up: Peter Pan Must Die, #4 of 4
Dublin Murder Squad series by Tana French. Next up: The Secret Place, #5 of 5
Jackson Brodie series by Kate Atkinson. Next up: Started Early, Took My Dog , #4 of 4
Rev. Claire Ferguson series by Julia Spencer Fleming. Next up: Through the Evil Days, #8 of 8 (library)
Sam Blackman series by Mark deCastrique. Next up: A Murder in Passing, #4 of 4 (owned)
Samantha Kincade series by Alafair Burke. Next: Close Case, #3 of 3
Kurt Wallander series by Henning Mankell. Next: The Troubled Man, #10 of 10* (Note: some sources count Before The Frost as part of this series, and some consider it a separate Linda Wallander series. I tried it but decided not to finish it. currently reading The Troubled Man

C. GREEN FLAG LAPS: Favorite Series that I am very actively reading -- not as far along
Alex McKnight series by Steve Hamilton. Next up:Die a Stranger, #9 of 10
Anna Pigeon series by Nevada Barr. First up: Superior Dilemma, #2 of 18 (library)
Buryin' Barry mysteries by Mark deCastrique. Next up: Final Undertaking, #4 of 5 (ordered)
Dave Robicheaux series by James Lee Burke. Next: Crusader's Cross, #14 of 20 (local library & One Click)
Inspector Banks series by Peter Robinson. Next up: The Hanging Valley, #4 of 21 (owned)
Simon Serrailler series by Susan Hill. Next: Shadows in the Street, #5 of 7 (owned)
Torie O'Shea series by Rett MacPherson. Next up: A Misty Mourning, #4 of 11 (owned)

D. YELLOW FLAG: Other series to continue, but I've slowed down for now:
Alexandra Cooper series by Linda Fairstein. Next:Hell Gate, #12 of 15 (library)
Border Trilogy by Cormac McCarthy: The Crossing by Cormac McCarthy, #2 of 3
Crumley mysteries by Ray Bradbury. Next: Graveyard for Lunatics, #2 of 3 (owned)
David Ash series by James Herbert. Next: Ghosts of Sleath, #2 of 3 (at library)
Dr. Siri series by Colin Cotterill. Next up: Curse of the Pogo Stick, #5 of 8 (library download, I think?)
Emma Fielding series by Dana Cameron. Next: Grave Consequences, #2 of 6 (download FLP)
Genevieve Lenard mysteries by Estelle Ryan. Next: The Braque Connection, #3 of 4
Harry Hole series by Jo Nesbo. Next: The Redeemer (FLP download)
Home Repair is Homicide series by Sarah Graves. Next up: Wicked Fix, #3 of 16 (owned)
Inspector Alan Grant series by Josephine Tey. Next: A Shilling for Candles, #2 of 6?
Inspector Erlendur (UK publication order) by Arnaldur Indrudason. Next: Voices, #3 of 10 (CLP Overdrive)
Inspector Sejir series by Karin Fossum (English Publication Order). Next: The Water's Edge, #6 of 10 (local library)
Joe Pickett mysteries by C.J. Box. Next up: Savage Run, #2 of 14 (owned)
John Cardinal series by Giles Blunt. Next up: The Delicate Storm, #2 of 6 (owned)
John Madden series by Rennie Airth. Next up: The Blood-Dimmed Tide, #2 of 4 (owned)
Lamb/Holly series by Belinda Bauer. Next: Darkside, #2 of 3 (owned) CURRENTLY READING
Maisie Dobbs series by Jacqueline Winspear. Next: Messenger of Truth, #4 of 10 (borrowed)
Max Tudor by G.M. Malliet. Next up: A Fatal Winter, #2 of 4
Meg Langslow series by Donna Andrews. Next: The Penguin Who Knew Too Much, #8 of 13 (county library)
Merrily Watkins series by Phil Rickman. Next: The Cure of Souls, #4 of 12 (owned)
Mistress of the Art of Death, by Ariana Franklin. Next: The Serpent's Tale, #2 of 4 (owned)
Richard Christie series by Kathleen George (read 4th of 4 from library before I realized it was a series) next to read: #2, Fallen, #2 of 4 (owned)
Temperence Brennan series by Kathy Reichs. Next: Spider Bones #13 of 17 (library)
Tess Monaghan series by Laura Lippman. Next: Another Thing to Fall, #10 of 11 (library)
White House Chef series by Julie Hyzy. Next: Buffalo West Wing, #4 of 7 (owned)

E. ONE-OFF DEALS: Series I started reading out-of-order once in a while over the years as I came upon volumes:
(I'm not sure which books I've read in some of these series!)
Ballad novels by Sharyn McCrumb (ten in series)
D.D. Warren series by Lisa Gardner.
Elizabeth MacPherson series by Sharyn McCrumb
Faith Fairchild mysteries by Katherine Hall Page (I own some unread)
Harmony series by Philip Gulley (first in County Library & One Click)
Kate Shugak series by Dana Stabenow (recently went back and read #1 in series)
Michael Kelley series by Michael Harvey (read 2nd; own 1st)
Mickey Rawlings series by Tron Soos
Penn Dutch Inn mysteries by Tamar Myers (I own some unread; library has some I've not read)
Skip Langdon series by Julie Smith

F. START YOUR ENGINES: New-to-me series that I'm currently reading first book:

G. START-AND-PARKS: Series I started at the beginning and don't necessarily feel like going the distance with, though I may try one now and then:
Alex Cross series by James Patterson. Next:Alex Cross' Trial, #15 of 21 (library)
Benjamin January by Barbara Hambly. Next: Sold Down the River, #4 of 12 (owned)
Bryant & May by Christopher Fowler. Next: The Water Room, #2 of 10 (CLP/FLP download)
Charles Lenox series by Charles Finch. Next: The September Society, #2 of 7 (CLP/FLP Download)
Claire DeWitt by Sara Gran. Next Up: Claire DeWitt and the Bohemian Highway, #2 of 2
Commissario Brunetti series by Donna Leon. Next: Death in a Strange Country, #2 of 23 (at library; I own #3)
Death on Demand series by Carolyn Hart. Next up: Design for Murder, #2 of 23 (owned)
Emily Locke series by Rachel Brady. Next: Dead Lift, #2 of 2 (CLP download)
Ian Rutledge series by Charles Todd. Next: Wings of Fire, #2 of 16 (library)
Inspector Ramsay by Ann Cleeves. Next: Killjoy, #4 of 6
Julie O'Hara series by Lee Hanson. Next: Swan Song, #2 of 3
Keye Street series by Amanda Kyle Williams. Next up: #2 of 3
Lloyd Hopkins trilogy (LA Noir) by James Ellroy. Next: Because the Night, #2 of 3 (owned)
Loon Lake fishing mysteries, by Victoria Houston. Next: Dead Creek, #2 of 13
Marty Singer series by Matthew Iden, Next: Blueblood, #2 of 3 (owned)
Ravynne Sisters Paranormal Mysteries by Merabeth James. I'm definitely skipping #2, the vampire one. Next up: A Haunting at Storm House (owned, e-book)
Ray Elkins series by Aaron Stander. Next up: Color Tour, #2 of 5 (I own #3 & 4 of series)
Rebecka Martinsson series by Asa Larsson. Next up: Blood Split, #2 of 5 (own #4 in series)
Wine Country Mysteries by Ellen Crosby: Chardonnay Charade, #2 of 6 (download FLP) CURRENTLY READING

glitter-graphics.com
Series I'm thinking of starting

A. Series to start; own (or was loaned) FIRST book in series
Agent Smoky Barrett series by Cody McFadyen. First up: Shadow Man, #1 of 5 (owned)
Books by the Bay Mysteries by Ellery Adams. First up: A Killer Plot, #1 of 6 (owned)
Booktown mysteries by Lorna Barrett. First up: Murder is Binding, #1 of 6 (owned)
Bruno series by Martin Walker. First up: Bruno, Chief of Police, #1 of 5 (borrowed)
Coffeehouse mysteries by Cleo Coyle. First up: On What Grounds, #1 of 11 (owned)
Det. Ellie Hatcher series by Alafair Burke. First up: Dead Connection, #1 of 4 (owned)
Emmanuel Cooper series by Malla Nunn. First up: A Beautiful Place to Die, #1 of 2 (owned)
Hackberry Holland by James Lee Burke. First up: Lay Down my Sword and Shield, #1 of 3 (owned)
Hannah Swenson series by Joanne Fluke. First up: Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder, #1 of 15 (owned)
Huntress Moon/FBI thrillers by Alexandra Sokoloff. First up: Huntress Moon, #1 of 2 (Kindle book)
Inspector Matt Minogue Mysteries by John Brady. First up: A Stone of the Heart, #1 of 10 (owned)
Lacey Flint series by S. J. Bolton. First up: Now you See Me, #1 of 2 (owned)
Lady Julia Grey series by Deanna Raybourn. First up: Silent in the Grave, #1 of 7 (borrowed)
Lake Champlain mysteries by William Kritlow. First up: Crimson Snow, #1 of 3 (owned)
Laszlo Kreizler series by Caleb Carr. First up: The Alienist, #1 of 2 (owned)
Library Lovers series by Jenn McKinlay. First up: Books Can Be Deceiving by Jenn McKinlay (owned)
Madeline Dare series by Cornelia Read. First Up: Field of Darkness, #1 of 3 (owned)
Mark Tartaglia series by Elena Forbes. First up: Die With Me, #1 of 3 (owned)
Missing Pieces mysteries by Joyce & Jim Laverne. First up: A Timely Vision, #1 of 5 (owned)
Novel Ideas series by Lucy Arlington. First up: Buried in a Book, #1 of 3 (owned)
Quirke series by Benjamin Black. First up: Christine Falls, #1 of 6 (owned)
Rosa Thorn series by Vena Cork. First up: Thorn, #1 of 3 (owned)
Shadows series by Cege Smith. First up: Edge of Shadows, #1 of 3 (own Kindle book)
Sigrid Harald by Margaret Maron. First up: One Coffee With, #1 of 10 (owned)
Sister Agnes series by Alison Joseph. First up: Sacred Hearts, #1 of 9 (own)
Underhill/Maiden series by Will Kingdom. The Cold Calling (owned)

B. Series to start; own (or was loaned) later book in series
Body Farm series by Jefferson Bass. First up: Carved in Bone, #1 of 7+ (FLP download -- own #2 e-book)
Gin Palace Trilogy by Daniel Judson. (Own #2 in series as Kindle Book -- I understand that it's a "prequel" so may work to read first.
Tony Boudreaux Mysteries by Kent Conwell. First up: Galveston (no touchstone), #1 of ? (own 6th in series)

C. Series I'm eager to start; none owned, but at least first book available at library:
Bess Crawford series by Charles Todd. First up: A Duty to the Dead, #1 of 4 (library)
Cemetery of Forgotton Books by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. The Shadow of the Wind, #1 of 3 (FLP downloads)
Deborah Knott series by Margaret Maron. First up: Bootlegger's Daughter, #1 of 18 (library)
Donut Shop mysteries by Jessica Beck. First up: Glazed Murder (CLP Overdrive download)
DS Alex Morrow by Denise Mina. First up: Still Midnight
Guido Guerrieri series by Gianrico Carfiglio. Involuntary Witness, #1 of 4 (CLP download)
Harry Bosch series by Michael Connelly. First up: The Black Echo, #1 of 18 (library, library downhload)
Homer Kelley series by Jane Langton. First up: The Transcendental Murder, #1 of 18 (FLP download)
Inspector Silva series by Leighton Gage. First up: Blood of the Wicked, #1 of 4 (CLP download)
Jack Reacher series by Lee Child. First up: Killing Floor
Jack Sawyer series by Stephen King. First up: The Talisman (library, downloads)
Jack Taylor series by Ken Bruen. First up: The Guards (CLP Overdrive download)
Kathryn Dance series by Jeffery Deaver. First up: The Sleeping Doll
Lynley/Havers series by Elizabeth George. First up: A Great Deliverance (library paperback)
Matthew Shardlake series by C.J. Samson. First up: Dissolution, #1 of 5 (FLP download)
Mike Bowditch by Paul Doiron. First up: The Poacher's Son (CLP Overdrive download)
Millenium Trilogy by Steig Larsson. First up: Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, #1 of 3
Odd Thomas series by Dean Koontz. First up: Odd Thomas, #1 of 6 + novellas
Rizolli/Isles by Tess Gerritsen. First up: The Surgeon: A Rizzoli, #1 of 10
Shakespeare Secret series by Jennifer Lee Carrell. First up: Interred With Their Bones
Steve Vail series by Noah Boyd. First up: The Bricklayer, #1 of 2
Strange & Quinn series by George Pelicanos. First up: Right as Rain
Tea Shop mysteries by Laura Childs. First up: Death by Darjeeling
The Sparrow series by Mary Doria Russell. First up: The Sparrow
Thora Gudmundsdottier series by Yrsa Sigurdardottir. First up: Last Rituals
Tom Thorne series by Mark Billingham. First up: Sleepyhead (CLP Overdrive audio)
Tradd Street series by Karen White. First up: The House on Tradd Street, #1 of 3
Women's Murder Club by James Patterson. First up: 1st to Die

D. Series to start where first book is at county library
Anna Travis series by Lynda LaPlante. First up: Above Suspicion, #1 of 7
Barker & Llewellyn series by Will Thomas. First up: Some Danger Involved, #1 of 5 (county library)
Cackleberry Club by Laura Childs. First up: Eggs in purgatory
Duncan Kincade series by Deborah Crombie. First up: A Share in Death
Evelyn James series by Elizabeth Becca. First up: Trace Evidence
Gregor Demarkian mystery by Jane Haddam. First up: Not a Creature was Stirring
Inspector Rebus series by Ian Rankin. First up: Knots & Crosses, #1 of 17
Jack Daniels series by Joe Konrath. First up: Whiskey Sour
Jason Kolarich series by David Ellis. First up: The Hidden Man
Jemima Shore series by Antonia Fraser. First up: Quiet as a Nun
Joona Linna sereis by Lars Kepler. First up: The Hypnotist, #1 (only one in English so far)
LA Quartet by James Elroy. First up: The Black Dahlia
Leaphorn series by Tony Hillerman. First up: The Blessing Way
Lincoln Ryme series by Jeffery Deaver. First up: The Bone Collector
Nobody Nowhere series by Donna Williams. First up: Nobody Nowhere
Nora Gavin series by Erin Hart. First up: Haunted Ground
Ray Dudgeon series by Sean Chercover. First up: Big City, Bad Blood
Sister Agatha mysteries by Aimee Thurlo. First up: Bad Faith
Virgil Tibbs series by John Ball. First up: In the Heat of the Night, #1 of 7

C. Recommended series, not readily available:
Antique Print Mysteries by Lea Wait. Shadows at the Fair
Chief Inspecter Adamsburg by Fred Vargas. The Chalk Circle Man
Emily Tempest series by Adrian Hyland. Moonlight downs
Inspector Challis by Hal Disher. The Dragon Man
Jack Frost by R.D. Wingfield. Frost at Christmas
Joe Faraday series by Graham Hurley. Turnstone
Joe Plantagenet by Kate Ellis. Seeking the Dead
Kyle Murchison Booth by Sarah Monette The Bone Key
Logan McRae by Stuart MacBride. Cold Granite
Matthew Bartholomew series by Susanna Gregory. A Plague on Both Your Houses
Nathan Active series by Stan Jones. White sky, Black ice
Sam Turner mysteries by John F. Baker. Poet in the Gutter

For the summer, I'm going to slack off from some of my goal-setting. I'm not going to do TIOLI challenges, but I may do some of the CATs and KITs challenges from the 2014 Category Challenge. So I'll note those themes:

MysteryCAT: Police Procedurals
GeoCAT: Islands and bodies of water
RandomCAT: Roses
AlphaKIT: A & Q
GastroKIT: Meat or red wine

And I think it was decided that our monthly theme here on the 75 Challenge would be Jocularity, Jollity, Jests, or something fun like that.

Welcome! Find a cozy spot to settle, and we'll talk about books!

O.K. I waited and waited, and by GEORGE!, I'm going to be first to wish you a happy new month of reading and a lovely new thread! Love that covered bridge!

>13 LizzieD: Perfect timing, Peggy! Thank you! Your message appeared as I submitted the last of my opening posts.

The bridge is in Bedford County, Pennsylvania. When I was there last, it was still open to car traffic, although with strict weight limits.

Happy new thread Terri! Keep the Sig photos coming! I always enjoy reading about Sig's adventures.

Happy New Thread, Terri!

Great covered bridge photo, very calm photo of Sig; happy new thread, Terri.

Lovely new thread, Terri! I'm looking forward to reading all about your book adventures and Sig's life adventures. :-)

Hi Terri--Happy New Thread!! Keep the books coming!

Happy New Thread! I love covered bridges and that is a beautiful picture of one. Covered bridges like that on make me think of simpler times, away from the hustle and bustle of our crazy busy technology connected world. I now want to go for a horse a buggy ride!

I see you have made great progress with your Bingo challenge!

Love the new pic of Sig.... what a sweetie he is.

Happy New Thread, Terri!

>15 cbl_tn: Hi, Carrie! Glad you like the Sig tales.

>16 connie53: Thanks, Connie!

>17 Familyhistorian: hi, Meg, Thanks!

>18 rosalita: Thanks, Julia! Stay tuned for more. ;-)

>19 Berly: Hi, Kim!

>20 lkernagh: A buggy ride sounds like fun, Lori. Sig pic in post 12 is not really new. It's an older photo I picked to go with the "comfy" message, I confess.

Sig is in "clown mode" right now. He gets kind of silly this time of night.

Thanks, Amber! We cross-posted.

Nice opening photo, Terri!

Oh, I love the covered bridge and the comfy cat pictures. Happy new thread!

Happy new thread, Terri!

Just dropping in to claim a seat near enough to Sig to scratch an ear from time to time, if he'll let me.

>24 kidzdoc: Thanks, Darryl!

>25 Morphidae: Thanks, Morphy!

>26 jolerie: Thanks, Valerie!

>27 laytonwoman3rd: He may let you, from time to time, Linda; he's moody about those things!

Today was a busy day. Tomorrow is my day off, and I'm trying to decide how to spend it. I know it will end with a visit to my son's pediatrician for his periodic asthma check. Knock on wood, his asthma has been amazingly well-controlled by his maintenance medication; he hasn't needed his rescue inhaler at all this year!!! :)

Today is Tuesday, June 3, 2014. It's my day off from work. My son is counting down the last few days of the school year.

And five years ago today, I investigated a mysterious link on our library's homepage and discovered a wonderful community of book lovers called Library Thing! It's been an amazing five years, and I've had a blast interacting with some wonderful people here.

So I'm entitled to five books for five years, plus one to grow on. I suppose I should count the three books that were mine out of our BWB Memorial Day Sale purchase, since they just arrived, and just get three more. I'm not sure if I'm going to, since they were such bargains. Next week is a big used book sale in a nearby city. I could get Thingaversary books there. But I usually give myself an amnesty from even the strictest personal book-buying bans for that sale.

I can't help thinking that Thingaversary books should be specially bought just for the occasion. (It's amazing how we rationalize our book-buying, isn't it?) So I'm thinking of making a special trip to the paperback exchange and using the credit slip I just got from all the books I took there last weekend, and looking for SIX books. (That seems fair, doesn't it? ;-)

ETA to add: I suppose I should list the books I got from the Better World Books sale.

City of Dust: Illness, Arrogance, and 9/11 by Anthony DePalma
City on Fire: The Forgotten Disaster That Devastated a Town and Ignited a Landmark Legal Battle by Bill Minutaglio
Fatal Undertaking by Mark de Castrique

Since I'm talking about book acquisitions, I suppose this is a good time to take stock of what I've acquired this year.

Based on my LT catalog, I've only acquired 22 26 books this year! And that includes gifts and e-books, even a freebie or two downloaded from Project Gutenberg.

Now I'm wondering if I forgot to catalog something (at least maybe a few of the e-books) or forgot to fill out the "date acquired" field for something I got . . .

ETA to add Oh, I had my collections set on unread books. There were 4 more that I already read or have in progress. I can't find anything else that I missed.

Happy Thingamy Terri. Time does fly in the group as you so eloquently put it in >29 tymfos:.

Congratulations on thread 6 for 2014. xx

Happy Thingaversary! I love to hear how people "stumbled" on to this site. My daughter told me about it, and I didn't think it sounded like my kind of thing...why would I want to catalog my books? (I can't believe I EVER thought that!) This was in the days before the talk features amounted to much if anything. I certainly can't imagine living without it now. (Kind of like having a cat, that way, isn't it?) In any case, I totally agree with you that the Thingaversary book buying should be special, and not governed by any other rules, no matter how reasonable and necessary they are the rest of the time.

>31 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul!

>32 laytonwoman3rd: I certainly can't imagine living without it now. (Kind of like having a cat, that way, isn't it?) LOL, Linda!

Happy Thingaversary, Terri!

Happy Thingaversary, Terri! You are so right that Thingaversary books should be bought specially for the occasion, so you *have* to go buy six books today or soon. :-)

Happy Thingaversary Terri! You don't need excuses nor need to feel guilt. It is the one time of the year where we should be able to buy books. Period. I say buy the 6 books and enjoy them! We are a group of enablers and that's just fine. :D

Happy Thingaversary Terri!! No guilt, no rules on the 6 books. How fun!

Happy Thingading, Terri!!

Thanks, Lori, Julia, Valerie, Kim, and Amber! So glad you all stopped by to visit my thread with Thingaversary greetings!

I didn't go to the bookstore yesterday, as the weather was icky and it would not have been a pleasant drive. Tonight I had a meeting to attend half an hour or so away.

Driving home, alone, on dark roads, with fog rising up in places, listening to a Stephen King audio. Maybe not the best idea.
Get home, and the back light is out. Great. Get in the house, and the cat is hugging my legs and startling at seemingly nothing . . . that I can see.
OK, I've got lights on all over the house now like electricity was cheap. :) Maybe I'll listen to more of the audio tomorrow . . . when it's light out.

Mr. King will do that to you every time, Terri! Which book were you listening to?

>40 tymfos: Is that black thing askew, or is it meant to be that way? I can't make out what I'm looking at...Sig, do you know something about this? (Gosh I love his tail!)

So not caught up...

Love the Sig pic, as usual....

Glad I found you :) so I can say a better late than never Happy Thing-a-ma-jigger

Happy New Thread, Cat, and Thingaversary!

King can really get you going can't he? Bwooo-ha-ha!! I remember reading The Shining as a kid, in my bedroom, way too late at night, and it was stormy outside, the branches were scraping the window, it was a ground floor room....So scary!!

I've had a few good reads lately....

Working today... kicking off summer reading ( early) then a birthday party.
I hope your day is a good one!

I'll post responses to above posts sometime tomorrow. I just want to get these two books posted before I go to bed:

75 Challenge Book #45
Title: Dead Water
Author: Ann Cleeves
Genre or subject information: police procedural
Copyright/Year of original publication: 2013 (Britain; released 2014 in US)
Series?: Shetland Islands #5
Date finished: 6-5-14
Off the Shelf? No (not officially; owned too short a time)
Category for 2014 Category Challenge: The River
How does it fit the category? (if not obvious): Sea, not river, but -- Hey! -- it's water.
Alternate category
My Rating: 4 stars
Notes: I read a used UK edition; it was released last year, while the US edition wasn't released until this spring

Very good police procedural. Jimmy Perez is back on part-time duty after the tragic events of the previous novel in the series. This book introduces a new Supervising Officer, and I'm not sure I like her. But this was another good installment in the series. I like how Cleeves gets into her characters minds and shows how they fail to understand each other.

75 Challenge Book #46
Title: Happy Cat, Happy You: Quick Tips for Building a Bond with Your Feline Friend
Author: Arden Moore
Genre or subject information: non-fiction; pet care
Copyright/Year of original publication: 2009
Series?:
Date finished: 6-7-14
Off the Shelf? No, Library copy
Category for 2014 Category Challenge: Misc.
How does it fit the category? (if not obvious):
Alternate category
My Rating: 3 1/2 stars
Notes:

It is what the subtitle says it is. Most of the advice sounds good. There are sections for general tips as well as for kittens, older cats, travel, health, etc.

Came looking for Sig pictures (and was not disappointed)...
Is he hanging his head due to knocking a little shelf askew??? Or is he innocently picking out his next book? I see a story here.

Happy belated Thingaversary! Isn't this place wonderful??? Have fun celebrating with book purchases ;-)

I'm doing the same thing I did last night -- posting my books, and promising to get back later with responses to all my wonderful visitors. This week and weekend have been rather busy and very stressful and tiring. I've been finding time to read somehow, but not spending time on the computer.

75 Challenge Book #47
Title: Q Road
Author: Bonnie Jo Campbell
Genre or subject information: literary fiction
Copyright/Year of original publication: 2002
Series?: is related to her later book Once Upon a River through references to character Margo Crane
Date finished: 6-8-14
Off the Shelf? Yes!
My Rating: 3.8 stars
Notes:

I met Bonnie Jo Campbell at a book signing, where I bought this book. (She happened to be at a bookstore in Traverse City, Michigan, when we were vacationing in the area.) It's the first book I've read by the author. It's a tale about an odd assortment of people in an area of Michigan near Kalamazoo that's transitioning from farmland to development. I've never seen such an odd cast of characters, but Campbell drew me into the story. There is tragedy and there is humor, and there is a lot of human frailty. Even though some (most) of the characters seemed a little over-the-top, there was a lot to think about as to how real-life people behave. And she left me once again pondering the question: why do city people move to the country, presumably to get away from the city, and then set about trying to turn the country into city?

I read it through quickly wanting to know what happened to the people; after reading the discussion guide in the back of my edition, I think I should read it again more slowly to get the full benefit of what the author was doing. But I rarely do rereads . . .

Hi Terri, Happy new thread! I was so glad Cleeves decided to continue the Shetland trilogy beyond four books. I liked Dead Water quite a bit.

Yeah, well, after the way she finished the 4th, she better write another good one... :)

By the way, I hear there's a sixth too.

Did Happy Cat Happy You give you any ideas to help with you and Sig or Sig and your son?

OK, it's my day off and I have a little time to try and catch up with LT, at least to answer messages from my cherished visitors!

>41 rosalita: Julia, the King audio is a short-story collection Nightmares and Dreamscapes.

>42 laytonwoman3rd: Linda, the black thing is a small decorative shelf that was hanging on the wall over my short bookcase with seashells on it, and Mr. Sig definitely was responsible for it being askew! I think one small shell is slightly visible at the lower end of the black shelf -- the rest fell behind the bookcase. One of these days I'll retrieve those. (And I adore Sig's tail!)

>43 mckait: >46 mckait: Hi, Kath, and thanks! Our Summer Reading program doesn't start until July.

>44 thornton37814: Thanks, Lori!

>45 Berly: Kim, King can really, seriously creep me out!

>48 -Cee-: Cee, I think you've got the story . . . I don't know if he's hanging his head over that, but he definitely is responsible for the shelf being askew! Thanks for the well-wishes!

>50 Copperskye: Hi, Joanne! I really like that Shetland series.

>51 drneutron: Jim, I think that ending to Number 4 upped the suspense in her novels because you know now that no character is safe.

>52 Morphidae: Morphy, a lot of the ideas I got were just things to keep the cat happy and entertained, and thus less likely to be (shall we say) unpleasant? Bored cats (especially kittens) make much mischief and are more likely to engage in rough play with people, because they're not getting their energy used in other ways. I already knew that fact, but the book added a few new ideas for cat play; also ideas for making my house more cat-friendly. Surprisingly, it also showed me a lot of areas where I instinctively did the right thing.

More adventures of Sig:

Sig disappeared for a while one day last week, and we went looking for him. Finally, we found about an inch of his tail sticking out from under the closet door in the laundry room. Somehow, he'd managed to sneak into the closet and hide himself while the door was open, and got closed in. He was remarkably calm when we opened the door, but he did stick close by me for a while.

Lately he's been diving into the washer as I've been loading it. It's a front loader, and he wants to use it like a hamster's wheel, then the clothes tumble onto him. (That's not good for the washer motor gears, either, I don't think.) I am always careful to know WHERE he is before I shut the door and turn it on. I have a friend who had a very bad experience with her cat and a clothes dryer . . . enough said. :(

Oh, mercy, I am so far behind on threads. I want to get to more of them, but I need to do something besides LT today . . . maybe even read a bit.

We started our Summer Reading early because Laura is leaving.....the kickoff was very successful.
I am not sure how the rest of it will go.

>57 mckait: Glad you got a good start with your Summer Reading Program, Kath!

I just popped back onto LT to post this pic I snapped this morning of our Golden Boy:

awwww

Okay, 10 days late, missed Thingaversary, and failed to applaud Q Road review until now...but still sending smooches!

Waving good morning!

Terri, I love the pictures of Sig. I'm glad his closet adventure ended well, and hope that you never have an absent-minded moment with the tumble dryer while he's in the exploring mood...

I enjoyed the first in the Shetland series, but have not yet got myself a copy of book 2 - I'm glad to hear the series continues well.

As you enjoy this one, you may also like the short series - just a trilogy (unless he changes his mind like Anne Cleves with her quartet) - by Peter May, set on the Isle of Lewis in the outer Hebrides: The Blackhouse, The Lewis Man and The Chessmen. I scanned your various lists of series but could not spot it there. I read all three earlier this year and thought them very good.

Because of course you need more series recommendations!

A little late, but Happy 5th Thingaversary, Terri. :)

>59 mckait: Ain't he adorable? :)

>60 richardderus: Thanks for the smooches, Richard. And it's OK to be fashionably late . . .

>61 Berly: Waving back, Kim!

>62 gennyt: He definitely won't tumble into the dryer, Genny, as it is stacked on top of the washer. Even Acrobat Sig would have a hard time getting up there! Thanks (I think) for the recommendation . . . yeah, I need more books on my list.

>63 DeltaQueen50: Thanks, Judy!

I was off work this morning, and my son and I headed to a used book sale being held about an hour away. I left empty-handed. That's really weird. I saw books that I knew I could easily get from the library. I saw books that I'd bought elsewhere thinking I was getting a bargain, but now wish I'd waited. . . I saw lots of books I'd already read. I found one mystery grievously misfiled in the religion section due to its title, Pray for Silence, and suggested that it be moved.

Despite having some good books going, I'm in a bit of a reading funk and maybe it's extending to a book-buying funk.

>65 tymfos: I admire you for simply making a suggestion that the book be moved. I have been known to surreptitiously re-organize the books when appropriate (but only at the library where I work - I am a member of the Friends so I feel somewhat justified in doing so).

>66 bell7: Well, Mary, I actually had it in my hand ready to move when I approached the sale workers!

I re-organize books in book stores all the time. Making neat piles and putting series in order!

Sig is such a darling although sometimes a naughty one. ;-))

>68 connie53: LOL, Connie! I think many of us LTers can't help but organize books wherever we go . . .

I picked up my new eyeglasses today. Big improvement! Maybe I'll start enjoying reading more again.

Terri--Hope the glasses do the trick! I still use the cheaters found at the grocery store, but I bought a new pair today because my old pair lost one of the arms, so they kinda hung crooked on my nose. So nice to be balanced again, lol!

Hi, Kim! The new glasses work great! I actually finished a book today without eyestrain.

75 Challenge book #48
Title: Rolling Thunder
Author: Chris Grabenstein
Genre or subject information: police procedural
Copyright/Year of original publication: 2010
Series?: John Ceepak #6
Date finished: 6/13/14
Off the Shelf? no, ILL
My Rating: 4.2 stars
Notes:

I love this series set at the New Jersey shore! This was one of the better ones in the series, too. Straight-arrow Iraq war vet John Ceepak of the Sea Haven PD is back with his sidekick Officer Danny Boyle, whose irreverent first-person narration makes for great reading.

As a new roller-coaster opens on Pier 4, the wife of the coaster's developer has a heart attack on the first run. Or is it a heart attack? Then a beautiful woman is brutally killed (no doubt that this one is murder) and Ceepak & Danny must find out what's going on.

The atmosphere of the Jersey Shore permeates the whole book, from the putt-putt miniature golf to the tacky boardwalk eateries. Love it!

Hi Terri, I'm glad to hear that the Ceepak series continues to entertain. I plan on reading one (at least) this summer, because, well, the Jersey Shore! Next one up for me is #4, Hell Hole.

Have a great weekend!

>73 Copperskye: They are perfect summer reads, aren't they, Joanne? Wishing a great weekend to you, too!

I started another Simon Serrailler mystery last night, The Vows of Silence (#4 in the series), and I'm already hooked and 1/4 of the way through. The new glasses are making reading a pleasure again, combined with an excellent book, of course. (I'm finding it easier to see my computer screen, too.) I just came up on the hold list for the e-book of Steve Hamilton's Misery Bay, so I'll be revisiting Alex McKnight in his UP locale over the next few weeks, too.

I stopped that series at 2 I think... not because I didn't like it, but because it wasn't written yet, and I never got back to it . I liked it... one day maybe...

I am starting to panic as the work hours start to look more and more daunting. eek!

Another John Ceepak fan chiming in. I'd probably like them even if there weren't so much Springsteen references, but there they are. :-)

>40 tymfos: The perfect thread: http://www.librarything.com/topic/140017 .

>75 mckait: Hang in there, Kath!

>76 rosalita: Yeah, Julia, I know what you mean!

>77 qebo: Love it, Katherine!

75 Challenge Book #49
Title: Misery Bay
Author: Steve Hamilton
Genre or subject information: mystery/suspense
Copyright/Year of original publication: 2011
Series?: Alex McKnight #8
Date finished: 6-17-14
Off the Shelf? No, library download
My Rating: 4.5 stars
Notes:

I've been reading this series in order since last summer, and this 8th installment is the best yet, IMO. It all begins when an old adversary asks McKnight's help investigating the suicide of a friend's son in an isolated spot called Misery Bay. Before long, the body count starts piling up.

As always in this series, the sense of place -- and of the Michigan Upper Peninsula weather -- is rich.

I was in the middle of a good mystery when my name came up on the library hold list for this book. I just started looking at it, and I couldn't put it down.

75 Challenge Book #50
Title: Nightmares & Dreamscapes Vol. 1-3 AUDIO
Author: Stephen King
Genre or subject information: Short Stories
Copyright/Year of original publication:
Series?: N/A
Date finished: 6/17/14
Off the Shelf? No, audio download
My Rating: 3.5 stars
Notes:

I listened to this over two library loan periods separated by several months, so I'm having a hard time rating & commenting on it in its entirety. I'd call it a mixed bag, with some stories I really enjoyed, a few that scared me, some others that I just didn't particularly like. I'm giving it a middle-of-the-road 3.5 star rating.

Rating collections and anthologies is so hard! Hats off to you for even trying. I think I've read that one but to be honest they all run together in my head a little. I might be confusing it with Skeleton Crew, another King collection that I know I've read.

Hey Terri! how are you? I am looking forward to getting to some reading tonight, last night was a wash... not a word! I am intentionally ignoring your books... yours always look too interesting and the stack I have now is too high at the minute!

>80 rosalita: to be honest they all run together in my head a little.

I know what you mean, Julia! This one seemed to be kind of a dumping ground for a lot of stories King wrote over the years that hadn't been published, or were published in magazines or limited edition books before. There was almost an hour of notes King gave at the end about the background of some of the stories. On thing that also set this collection apart is that it included his non-fiction account of the Maine Little-League championship when his son was on the team. (It was very good sports writing.)

>81 mckait: Hi, Kath! I'm fine, how are you? Yesterday was my usual day off, and I got some reading done, and also a lot of audio book listening while doing chores.

I woke up during the night and couldn't sleep, so I read for a while and finished this book.

75 Challenge Book #51
Title: The Vows of Silence
Author: Susan Hill
Genre or subject information: police procedural
Copyright/Year of original publication: 2008
Series?: Simon Serrailler #4
Date finished: 6-18-14
Off the Shelf? Yes
My Rating: 3.7 stars
Notes:

A gunman is terrorizing Lafferton, and the police are on high alert. Throw in a dose of family tragedy, and Simon Serrailler has his hands full. I was a bit put off by the way author Hill made one character (the born-again Christian boy Tom) too simplistic and stereotyped (not normally Hill's style) but overall the book caught the complexities of life and death and faith and love -- along with the nitty-gritty of solid police work -- in Hill's usual striking way.

Today I am home because contractors are here working. I've put a skittish Sig in the back room with his food, water, litter box, cat bed, and the older cat tree.

Last night he did a high-wire act on the living room curtain rod, chasing a bug. I had a heck of a time getting him down.

Last night he did a high-wire act on the living room curtain rod, chasing a bug. I had a heck of a time getting him down.

LOL! The antics that Sig gets up to always puts a smile on my face. ;-)

Terri--I just got King's Doctor Sleep. It is the sequel to The Shining, which has to be the scariest book I ever read. I hope it is half as good as the first one! In any case, it will fill one of my reading Bingo squares. : )

What are the contractors working on?

They way you handle things with Sig, anyone would think you had cats for years!

He sounds like such a hoot, on the other hand, I would not want another kitten... too much trouble! But then I have so many, it makes it hard to keep up with them all, sigh. Someone always seems to find something to get into. Still, harder when they're kittens.

My Dunkers is slowing down a lot, scary that.

>85 lkernagh: Lori, I laugh at him even as I'm shaking my head.

>86 Berly: I must get to that one, Kim!

>87 Morphidae: Some roof work, Morphy.

>88 mckait: He's not too much trouble, Kath. And he gives us lots of smiles. Sorry Dunkers is slowing so much. I know someday it will happen to Sig.

Well, we hadn't gotten done with the hammering on the roof when the gas company showed up on our street with jackhammers and backhoes that beep, beep, beep while they crash-clatter-dig. I know those beeps are to let people behind them know they're there when they back up. But after the first half hour or so WE KNOW THEY ARE THERE . . . WE REALLY DO . . . Honest . . .

I've been nibbling away at this book for the better part of a month, or maybe more. I finally finished it.


Title: So Terrible a Storm: A Tale of Fury on Lake Superior
Author: Curt Brown
Genre or subject information: non-fiction
Copyright/Year of original publication:
Series?: n/a
Date finished: 6/19/14
Off the Shelf? not officially (recent purchase)
Category for 2014 Category Challenge: How's the Weather?
How does it fit the category? (if not obvious):
Alternate category
My Rating: 3.2 stars
Notes:

This book is about the massive November 1905 gale on Lake Superior which wrecked 30 ships to some degree, and led to the building of Split Rock Lighthouse, north of Duluth, MN. It's generally acknowledged as one of the worst storms (likely THE worst storm) in Great Lakes history.

This book was on a topic of interest to me. The writing was OK -- the author is a professional journalist. There was a lot of good information. So I'm not quite sure why it often felt like a bit of a slog. Sometimes it felt like it was sort of all over the place -- maybe because the shipwrecks that day were all over the lake, and then the follow-up threads that came out of the storm really went all over the place. Maybe the author tried to do too much, included a few too many bits of arcane info that weren't particularly helpful.

Don't get me wrong, it wasn't a bad read, and it was very thorough. If you are interested in extreme weather phenomena and/or in maritime disasters, you may enjoy this.

FYI, the book had a great list of sources and an extensive index, but no footnotes. I read the Kindle edition.

Split Rock Lighthouse. (I took the picture during our trip to the Great Lakes last summer.)

>90 tymfos: looks good.

Kath, the Split Rock Lighthouse was one of the highlights of our trip last summer. We went many miles out of our way just to see it. It's very impressive.

The book I just read raises the idea that building it was a knee-jerk reaction to the storm and that even if it had been there in 1905, it wouldn't have made much difference in terms of preventing any of the shipwrecks. Who knows?

75 Challenge Book #53
Title: A Day in the Death of Dorothea Cassidy
Author: Ann Cleeves
Genre or subject information: police procedural / village mystery
Copyright/Year of original publication: 1992
Series?: Inspector Ramsay #3
Date finished: 6-20-14
Off the Shelf? Yes!
My Rating: 3.5 stars
Notes:

Dorothea Cassidy, the middle-aged vicar's much-younger wife, has been murdered. Everyone loved her -- well, almost everyone -- so who would want to kill her? She had interacted with a wide variety of people that day. Every Thursday was "her" day to tend to her projects. Trained as a social worker and filled with altruism, she got involved in lots of causes and cases and ruffled quite a few feathers. Which of them made someone mad enough to kill her? And what does it mean when another body is found?

This short (215 page) book was a nice nuts-and-bolts whodunit. The characters are less developed than in the more recent Shetland Island novels by the author, but the plot was clever. There were lots of possible suspects who clearly had secrets -- the question being "is it the big secret?" as in being the murderer -- and a fair number of red herrings were thrown into the mix. I did not guess whodunit until the actual moment of the arrest.

Cleeves also captures the atmosphere of the village carnival quite splendidly, and it makes a marvelous backdrop for some of the action.

I must say, the basic premise is a lot like the previous book in this series: a woman who everyone supposedly loves is murdered, but it turns out she's a bit of a busybody. Mrs. Cassidy's involvement in other people's affairs is more professional than nosy, but the same kind of dynamic appears to be in operation.

Busy weekend. Lots of church stuff going on.

We dropped our son off late this afternoon for a week at camp. He's so excited! Then hubby and I ran some errands -- I had a coupon for Ollie's that ran out today, and we wanted to get cat litter from Petco. Then hubby took me out to dinner at Red Lobster. Yum.

Wow! A whirlwind day with a great ending :)

Camp! A week of fun for him and a breather for you = pretty darn good!

Mysteries at the library this week..

>95 mckait: Camp! A week of fun for him and a breather for you = pretty darn good!

Yup. Very darn good! He starts looking forward to camp around, oh, January maybe? He absolutely loves it -- by late spring, he's counting the days till he can go. Folks at the camp have gotten to know him and his special needs. They always put him in a cabin with an extra-high staff-to camper ratio, so he's well looked after.

>93 tymfos: I need to try that earlier series by Cleeves. I love her Shetland Islands one.

>97 thornton37814: Lori, the Inspector Ramsay series has a lot less depth than the Shetland series. But they are short, fun mysteries that I've found enjoyable.

>98 tymfos: Sometimes short and fun is exactly what one needs!

*waves*

>99 thornton37814: Exactly, Lori!

>100 Berly: *waves back* Hi, Kim!

What a crazy week this has been! I don't think I've posted here since Monday. A co-worker is on vacation, and I'm doing part of her job while she's gone. At least my son didn't miss me if I stayed late at work, as he was at camp. We just picked him up and brought him home; he had a great time!

I'll be back a bit later to report on 2 books that I managed to finish despite the hectic week. I am determined to keep finding time to read!

Hi Terri! Just stopping by and checking in. I hope you are doing well and enjoying the books. Have a great weekend.

>101 tymfos: Thanks, Mark! Happy Weekend to you, too!

I just finished a book I think you may have recommended: Safe From the Sea by Peter Geye. Was that one you read?

Yes, I did read it and I hope it was me that recommended it. LOL. I have his Lighthouse Road on shelf, from my Michigan Booktopia. I really want to get to that one too.

I was pretty sure it was you, Mark!

75 Challenge Book #54
Title: Safe from the Sea
Author: Peter Geye
Genre or subject information: literary fiction
Copyright/Year of original publication: 2010
Series?: n/a
Date finished: 6/26/14
Off the Shelf? Yes
My Rating: 3.9 stars
Notes:

I really liked this story about an estranged son and his dying father. The father had been one of three survivors of a terrible shipwreck on Lake Superior, and it affected him for the rest of his life.

The characters were rich and complex, and I loved the shipwreck story that loomed so large in the father's life. I might have given this another half star, but I thought the end a bit too tidy for what preceded it.

75 Challenge Book #55
Title: Cocaine Blues e-book
Author: Kerry Greenwood
Genre or subject information: historical mystery fiction
Copyright/Year of original publication: 1989 (original Australian publication)
Series?: #1 Phrene Fisher
Date finished: 6/27/14
Off the Shelf? Yes (virtual)
My Rating: 2 1/2 stars
Notes:

Circa 1920's, worried father sends thoroughly modern Phrene Fisher to check on his daughter in Australia because he fears she's being poisoned by her husband. While there, Phrene also contends with cocaine dealers and an abortionist who kills his patients.

I thought a historical mystery set in Australia in the era of flappers would be nifty. Phrene was just not a character I could warm up to, or even believe in. She could drive like a race car driver, pilot a plane, smoke like a chimney, dress perfectly, look perfect (except when in disguise) with never a hair out of place even after driving an open car over the speed limit for miles . . . you get the idea. Too good to be true. I just found the whole thing very meh.

Hi Terri! Sorry to see your week has been crazy busy. I haven't read Greenwood's Phrene Fisher books but I am in love with the TV adaptation. Wonderful fun!

I am about to get much busier at work, sSo I'm taking advantage of my time off to read, read, read!

>106 lkernagh: Lori, that week wasn't really bad, just busy. Sometimes busy is good -- keeps me out of trouble! ;)

>107 mckait: Seems I've done a fair amount of reading this month, Kath. But I seem to be slipping into a bit of a book funk now.

75 Challenge Book #56
Title: Bone by Bone AUDIO
Author: Carol O'Connell
Genre or subject information: mystery/suspense
Copyright/Year of original publication: not sure (audio only gave year of their production copyright)
Series?: n/a
Date finished: 6-30-2014
Alternate category Honor Thy Father (father/son issues), Garden of Evil, or Wanted Dead or Alive
My Rating: 3.7 stars
Notes:

A letter from his family's faithful housekeeper Hannah draws former Army CID agent Oren to the family homestead, where he finds that human bones are being left on his father's doorstep. Years ago, he and his brother Josh had gone into the woods together and Josh never returned. Now Josh appears to be coming back a piece at a time.

There are plenty of odd and off-beat characters in this one. We learn about them bit by bit -- including knowledge of the missing Josh, who died so young but had antagonized so many people.

I have mixed feelings about this one. It did keep me reading, er, listening. Some of it felt a little forced, artificial. I've found that to be an issue in O'Connel's books sometimes -- in her eagerness to spin a plot, she often goes overboard in creating odd people and plot twists. But, as I said, it kept me wanting to know more and getting emotionally invested in the odd lot of folks. And as always, the actual writing is marvelous. Maybe I should give it a higher rating for its ability to pull me in despite my reservations.

Cautiously recommended.

OK, I've got a start on July reading. For my MysteryCAT book, with this month's noir theme, I'm reading Blood on the Moon by James Elroy. It's book one of a trilogy combined into the volume LA Noir, which I own. I'm doing it via audio download and my own battered ex-library hard-copy volume. I haven't really started it yet.

To balance out the hard edge of that, I'm reading Dead Angler by Victoria Houston, which seems to be a cozier read. I've had the book on my shelf for over a year, but it was recently offered as a free e-book download which I grabbed; it gives me more reading-time options. I've just gotten started on this one.

My non-fiction book is Musicophilia by Oliver Sacks. So far, that one's fascinating, though I'm not very far into it yet.

>109 tymfos: Standalone? Cuz I've lost track of where I am and what's happened in the Mallory series.

>111 qebo: Yes, Katherine! It's a standalone. Or at least it isn't a Mallory novel. The ending left the door open for O'Connell to do more with a main character in the book -- there was one phrase that especially made me wonder if she would -- but I'm not aware that she has done or plans to do any more with him.

Just flitting through to clear the unreads and say Happy July! I too love the Joe Ceepak series, and have enjoyed a couple of the Carroll O'Connor books. So Terrible a Storm sounds really good and it just landed in the pit of TBR's - I had to give up building a pile and just dug a great big bottomless pit instead.

Terri... any suggestions for a light non fiction I can read and review for the library?

Light non fiction . . . hmmm . . . let me think on that.

ETA to add Do you want something fairly recent or can it be older?

newer... for review for paper.
I brought home the Robin Roberts book, Everybody's Got Something, but need another one or two.

Honestly, I don't think I've read any of the recent non-fiction. I'm thinking the most recent (last year?) is Five Days at Memorial, and that's certainly not light in any sense of the word. So any recommendation I'd give is based on second-hand knowledge.

Let me ask my co-worker whose focus is more on non-fiction. She might have an idea.

'Tis the season for insects, and we've had a few in the house lately. Sig was chasing flies last night, and while occasionally knocking things over, he provided a bit of entertainment with his dashing about, jumping, climbing, etc.

Long day today. LOOOOONG. G'night, folks.

I'm thinking of taking on another part-time job for a small number of hours a week. I have an offer, and the prospective employer understands that my library job is my primary job. Adopting a kitty blew a hole in our budget, and this would allow me to bridge the gap a bit. I am worried about the logistics of it, though. I have an offer to come in and try it for a couple of mornings to see how it works out. Like the library, it is within walking distance of home.

Oh, I won an ER book this month! The Gone Dead Train is by Lisa Turner, whose debut (I think) novel A Little Death in Dixie was very good when I won it as an ER several years ago.

However, it's worth noting that I still have NOT received the ER books I was awarded from the April batch, and last November's batch!

Yay! I hope you will enjoy it :)

There is one book I didn't get...others have shown up eventually....
Hope you like the on you won :)
Just wishing you a Happy Independence day :)

Good luck with the new job - what will you be doing, if you don't mind my asking?

>121 mckait: Happy Independence Day back at you, Kath!

>122 scaifea: I'd be working in a coffee shop . . . still not sure it's a good job for me.

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY, EVERYONE!


glitter-graphics.comhref="http

Happy 4th of July Terri!

Thanks, Rachel!

Why not a good job? On your feet too much? Spending your earnings on the wares?

Both would probably apply, Morphy. :) I love coffee. I already have a lot of on-my-feet time with the library and church. Plus a big worry is all the hand-washing involved in food handling. I do have some skin issues that would likely be aggravated, and you can't have salve or lotions on your hands when you work handling food. You also can't have a rash or broken skin on your hand unless it's covered (in a way that would just aggravate the problem more). Plus there are the logistics of juggling essentially three part-time jobs and parental responsibilities with an autistic son. There are a few other situational issues I can't easily explain here.

Speaking of coffee . . . I made a cup of coffee and set it on my kitchen counter while I was preparing supper. After a while, I picked it up without looking to take a slurp . . . and felt something in my mouth that wasn't coffee . . . a fly had landed in my java. EEEWWWW!

>127 tymfos: YUCK

Yuck is right!

Other than that, though, it was a nice holiday today. I took an early morning walk, caught up some threads here on LT (but still behind on plenty) and hubby grilled steaks (on sale at the local market) while I made some cool side-dishes. We went for a very nice walk after supper. The weather was gorgeous today!

Oh, and one other cool thing today: I put on my "all American" blouse this morning -- it's red with a white collar and blue stars that I bought several years ago. Later today, I was doing a much-needed cleaning of a desk drawer and came upon some receipts and a little labeled envelope with an extra blouse button . . . the button and one of the receipts were for the blouse I was wearing today! What were the odds of that?? (I'd forgotten that I got it for 70% off!)

Happy Fourth of July (Squeaking this in in my time zone)!! Ugh about the fly. Good luck with the new part-time job. : )

Good job on the shirt :) I love a bargain..
I agree, library work is a lot of on your feet time. I will have to take a picture of the only chair that we have to sit on at work. I basically use it as a desk.. piling things on it that I need to get to, or that I am interrupted with while helping a patron. Goddess knows I don't want to sit in the thing. It's not only uncomfortable but wobbly.

I think you have enough on your plate.

I did nothing much yesterday. I plan on much the same today :) I hope you can do whatever you want, too!

Morning Terri- Hope you had a nice holiday. Glad to see you reading Mr. Ellroy. I haven't read him in a few years now. I am due. LA Confidential remains one of my favorite crime novels.

>127 tymfos: I understand. When MrMorphy was looking for a job, he had to turn down some that required gloves. Even with the non-latex ones he would break out in rashes and oozy, itchy stuff.

Hi Terri, sounds like you had a lovely 4th, here's hoping the rest of the weekend goes as well.

>131 Berly: Thanks, Kim!

>132 mckait: We get a bit more chair time than you do, but much time on feet all the same.

>133 msf59: Mark, hope your holiday was good, too.

>134 Morphidae: I hear you, Morphy.

>135 DeltaQueen50: Hope your weekend was good, too, Judy.

Busy day today at work. Then I came home and spilled water into my computer keyboard. I disconnected the USB, turned the keyboard upside down, smacked it to encourage the water to exit, and have left it upside down hoping it will dry with little or no damage. (Dream on, right?) I'm now using a backup (semi-discarded) keyboard that is not to my liking.

I'm sort of getting used to the cranky old keyboard. I'm half scared to try the one I spilled water into, for fear of will it damage my computer? Hubby was complaining the other day that the letters were worn off the keyboard surface. (He doesn't touch type, so seeing what letter is where actually matters more to him than to me). Maybe I should just invest in a new one.

It is my day off.

OK, call me crazy. I don't have time to keep up with the LT groups I already belong to. But I keep reading about this Fifty States group where you read something set in each state. Somehow, that really appeals to me. I don't know how social they are, if at all. Maybe I'll just go over there and (slowly) build a thread/list with what books I've read are set where. They suggest using books read since 2009 -- which is when I joined LT, so I have a record of those. I know a few of you 75ers are over there: Don't be surprised to see my fledgling thread pop up there and SLOWLY start to get books posted on it. Well, today I have time to brainstorm a little, so I may get a good start.

Hi Terri! I'm in the 50 States group but my thread is dormant. I finished the challenge a couple of years ago. I enjoyed it so much that I continued the next year with a book for each of the U.S. Territories. If you decide to join, I'll watch for your thread and cheer you on.

Hi, Carrie! Thanks for the encouragement. Maybe I'll look at your thread for suggestions.

I'm looking at the threads on that group, and it looks like there aren't many recent posts -- only 5 threads indicate posts since the start of June, though I imagine some editing has gone on with other folks adding books to lists in existing posts.

It sounds like just the thing for my list-making self, without adding much commitment on the social end. I just can't keep up with folks like I used to, but I love playing with book lists even when my brain isn't good for much anything else.

OK, my keyboard seems to have survived -- one piece of good news.

Hi Terri, glad your keyboard survived. Mine has many of the letters worn off as well, probably due to so much "conversation" here at LT!

I am also a member of the 50 State Challenge and have about 5 states to go, but have been spending more of my attention on the Commonwealth Challenge lately. I really should make the effort to finish up the 50 states!

Yes, mostly the 50 State Challenge is for reference. It was never really meant as a "chat" group. Er, you are talking about the Reading the States group right?

The one I joined is called the Fifty States Fiction (or Non-fiction) Challenge:

https://www.librarything.com/groups/fiftystatesfictionor

ETA to add OK, I see the "Reading the States" group -- looks more like a reference that could be used to help folks find books to fill all those state slots in the Fifty States Challenge!

>137 tymfos: >143 tymfos: Okay, yep... crazy . Good luck!
:) So glad tomorrow is Wed. Everything still way up in the air ar our place. Bedlam.

Terri, my old laptop had some of the letters worn away, too. This one seems to be holding up after having it for almost two years now. I use my iPad quite a lot, though, except when I write reviews and create new threads. I used to keep track of the states I visited on my thread but I got tired of fighting with the map. It didn't like me for some reason!

Wiley Cash will be promoting This Dark Road to Mercy
The Penguin Bookshop, Thursday, March 19, 2015 at 6pm
Wiley Cash will be promoting This Dark Road to Mercy (added from HarperCollins)

Hi Terri, I'm so far behind but wanted to see if you heard Ann Cleeves interviewed this morning on NPR? I know you're a fan of her Shetland series, too.

Glad you liked Safe From the Sea!

I'm also a member of the 50 states group and have been for an embarrassingly long time. Welcome!! It's not very chatty but it's a good spot to record your stately reading and maybe pick up some ideas for those troublesome states.

I'm not a member of the 50 states challenge, so I don't know if this is over there anywhere (it likely is), but you've reminded me of this, which I just saw the other day:

http://mentalfloss.com/article/56377/most-famous-book-set-each-state

Oh, yes. I have this one, too:

http://www.epicreads.com/blog/the-united-states-of-ya/

Terri, I've been a member of the Fifty States Challenge almost since the beginning. It's not a very chatty group, but it does serve as a great place to track the states we've been reading, and to get suggestions from others in the group. I'll be watching for you. My thread is here

Hi Terri, I remember visiting Split Rock Lighthouse many times. Among my favorites. That Great Lakes storm book sounds terrific.

Sorry to hear that you didn't like Phryne Fisher more. She is among my favorite sleuths these days. I liked the first three books, if I'm remembering right, and then started the fourth. Took me years and years (10?) to get back into the series but I did and I adore it.

I do admit that I love this series much better my second time around, including her cast of characters. I try to read one every other month or so. Also liked the TV adaptation but don't want to watch anymore of those until I've read a particular book.

Hi Terri!
Just popping in to let you know I can't catch up, but I haven't forgotten you ;-)

Yay! for your keyboard not being broken. :)

Overcommitted in almost every aspect of life. Reading must not follow...mumbles quietly to myself...nO, no, No, NO! But have fun you guys!

Hi. Internet down at home, too busy at work to post, almost at phone data limit and hate to post from phone anyway. I'll be back here eventually.

OK, I seem to have internet today. A few quick responses before I head out for the day:

>144 mckait: Bedlam, huh? :( That doesn't sound good. >146 mckait: Thanks for the info. So he's coming there in March again? It will probably snow. But I'll keep it in mind.

>145 Donna828: I'd never be ambitious enough to try tracking them on a map, Donna!

>147 Copperskye: I missed that interview, Joanne.

>148 scaifea: >149 Morphidae: Thanks, Amber and Morphy!

>150 tututhefirst: I get enough chatty here, so that part is fine. I'll be sure to check out your thread, Tina.

>151 lindapanzo: Linda, Phrene just seemed a little too perfect for me. Does she get a bit more human as it goes along?

>152 -Cee-: Thanks for popping in, Cee!

>153 The_Hibernator: It's working great, Rachel.

>154 Berly: I hear you, Kim!

I've finished one book a few days ago, Dead Angler, which I need to post when I get time.

75 Challenge book #57
Title: Dead Angler (read part e-book and part paperback)
Author: Victoria Houston
Genre or subject information: cozy mystery
Copyright/Year of original publication: 2000
Series?: Loon Lake Fishing Mysteries
Date finished: 7/8/14
ROOT? (owned before 2014) Yes (the paperback version)
My Rating: 3.5 stars
Notes:

This was a nice little cozy. (I needed something a bit on the light side to counter-balance with my noir read of Ellroy's Blood on the Moon.) The book had a nice feel for small-town life. (But did they really still have party lines in the Wisconsin woods in 2000?) The cast was fun and easy to like (except for the folks you weren't supposed to like) and the sense of place was strong. I even learned a little about fishing. I enjoyed the rather non-traditional style of the woman who was a sheriff and expert at fly fishing.

Bedlam.

>158 mckait: I hope the bedlam subsides soon, Kath!

Loooooong day at library. Now supper is on stove and in toaster oven. Shall eat soon. Maybe I'll find time to read a bit later.

Here to commiserate. Looooong day in general at my end! But leg is up now. Daughter is making dinner. (Yay!) May face plant in the book later on, but I am gonna try. ; )

Hi, Kim! Supper done, dishwasher running.

I am thinking of starting a new thread. The continuation link is there now, and halfway through July seems a good time for a second summer thread.

However, I don't think I'm going to transfer all the lists I have at the top of this thread. I can still keep track of the series stuff on this thread.

Here's where I'm hanging out now!

https://www.librarything.com/topic/177791
NEW THREAD!