Lisa's 2022 Category Challenge Reads #2

I found the previous thread to be just a little long for me because well, I am impatient! The beginning of a new month seemed a perfect time to start a new one.

Welcome to my 2022 Category Challenge thread. My name is Lisa, and I’ve been a member of LibraryThing for 15 years and have been doing some form of the Category Challenge for 14. I pretty much read from the same genres each year, with mysteries and thriller being my favorite. I do occasionally read a book not in my usual genre and am so proud of myself when I do so. When I’m not reading, I enjoy the NYT crossword puzzles (not Saturday’s puzzle so much), the Spelling Bee and watching classic movies. This year I’m going to read from 12 categories, attempt to participate in the various KITS and CATS, and try to complete the Bingo Dog.

I'll be hosting the April Author CAT ( Debut Authors) and the December CATWoman (Prize Winners)



December Reading Plans
Hamnet
See Them Run
The Lives of Edie Pritchard
Antarctica
Broken Ground
Still Life
Murder for Christmas
All The Forgivenesses
Living Proof

1 Author Debut Books



Possibilities will include not only recent debut works, but debut works of established authors.

1 The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du bois January 4.5*
2 Black CakeFebruary 4.5
3 Such a Fun Age April 4*
4 Peach Blossom Spring April 4.5*
5 Memphis April 4*
6 Queenie June 3.5*
7 Of Women and Salt June 4*
8 The Maid July 3.5*
9 The Hate U Give August 5*
10 If Morning Ever Comes October 3*
11 Brown Girls October 4*
12 Conversations with Friends November 3*
13 A Million Things November 4*
14 Fifty Words for Rain November 3*
15 All The Forgivenesses December 4*

2 Historical Fiction



1 The Book Of Harlan January 3.5*
2 Still Life March 4.5*
3 A Sunlit Weapon March 4*
4 Glorious April 4*
5 Lady Clementine May 3*
6 Plum Bun June 3*
7White Houses June 4*
8Miss Kopp's Midnight Confessions June 3.5*
9 Woman of Light June 4*
10Violeta September 3.5*
11 The Marriage Portrait September 3.5*
12 The Shrines of Gaiety October 4.5*
13 The Pull of the Stars November 4.5*
14 In the Face of the Sun November 3*

3 Short Stories



1 A Common Person and Other Stories January 4.5*
2 Seasonal Work March 4*
3 An Elderly Lady Must Not Be Crossed March 3.5 *
4 Where the God of Love Hangs Out March 4*
5 The Ordeal of Mrs. Snow and Other Stories April 3.5*
6 News from Heaven April 3.5*
7 Walk the Blue Fields May 3*
8 You Have a Friend in 10A June 4*
9 The Angel of Rome July 4.5*
10 Today a Woman Went Mad in the Supermarket July 4*
11 The Beggar Maid August 4*
12 Nine Inches September 4*
13 The Last Suspicious Holdout September 3.5*
14 Marple Twelve New Mysteries October
15 Antarctica December 4*

4 Fiction



1 Six Wicked Reasons January 3*
2 Ocean State March 5*
3 The Family Chao March 3.5*
4 The Last Romantics March 3*
5 Father of the Rain April 4*
6 Chorus April 4.5*
7 What's Mine and Yours May 3.5*
8 Small Things Like These August 4*
9 Shelter August 4*
10The Fell August 4*
11 The Hero of This Book October 3*
12 Mrs. Bridge October 4*
13 Demon Copperhead October 4.5*
14 American Boy November 4*
15 Bleeding Heart Yard November 4*
16 The Lives of Edie Pritchard December 4*

5 Series Reading



1 Even The Dead Janauary 3.5*
2 Out of Bounds February 4 *
3 I Hear The Sirens in the Street February 4*
4 Caramel Pecan Roll Murder March 3*
5 Red Bones May 4*
6 Blue Lightning June 4*
7 For Batter or Worse June 4*
8 Strawberried Alive June 3*
9 Dead Water June 4*
10 The Locked RoomJune 4*
11 Wasted Years August 4*
12 The Bullet That Missed October 4*
13 Detective Inspector Huss Octobr 3*
14 You Are DeadSeries Reading November 4*
15A Change of Circumstance November 3*
16 Still Life December 3.5*
17 Bury Your Dead December 4.5*

6 Nonfiction



1 Just As I Am January 4*
2 Lorraine Hansberry: The Life Behind A Raisin in the Sun March 4*
3 The Window Seat April 4*
4 This is the Story of a Happy Marriage April 4*
5 These Precious Days May 5*
6 EDDIE: The Life and Times of America's Preeminent Bad Boy June 3*
7 Three Girls from Bronzeville July 4.5*
8 I am, I am, I am July 4.5*
9 The Color of Water July 5*
10 Educated August 4.5*
11 Enough Already September 3*
12 The Extraordinary Life of an Ordinary Man: A Memoir October 3.5*
13 Did Ye Hear Mammy Died? October 4.5*

7 New To Me Authors



1 Halsey Street January 4*
2 The Fortune Men February 4.5 *
3 Very Cold People March 3*
4 The Bread the Devil Knead March 4*
5 Baker Towers April 4*
6 Magpie Lane May 3.5*
7 What We Keep May 3.5*
8 I Couldn’t Love You More June 3.5 *
9 At Weddings and Wakes July 3.5*
10Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance October 4*
11 A Virtuous Woman November 4*
12 Mecca November 4.5*
13 Flight November 3.5*
14 See Them Run December 3*

8 Mysteries and Crime



1 Buried in Secret January 3.5*
2 In The Morning I’ll Be Gone March 4.5 *
3 The Getaway April 2*
4 Rubbernecker April 4*
5 The Drowning PoolApril 4*
6 What Happened to the Bennetts May 3*
7 The Girl Who Died May 3*
8 The Mystery of the Blue Train July 3*
9 The Beautiful Dead July 4*
10 Remain Silent July 3*
11 Thin Air July 4*
12 The Last Temptation September 3.5*
13 The Torment of Others October 4*
14 A Heart Full of Headstones November 4*
15 Bedelia November 4.5*
16 Broken Ground December 4*
17 Murder for Christmas December 3*
18 A Rule Against Murder December 4*

9 Books I Own



1 Before the Poison March 3.5*
2 Burnt SugarMarch 2.5*
3 Rainbow’s End April 3*
4 Gentlemen and Players May 4*
5 The Balloon Man June 3*
6 Cutting Edge July 4*
7 Off Minor July 4*
8 A Painted House August 3*
9 Never Look Away August 3*
10 When Winter Returns September 3*
11 Cold Light September 4*

10 E Books



1 The Girls in the Garden January 3.5*
2 The Skeleton Road January 3*
3 Whiteout March 4*
4 Winterkill March 4*
5 The Sisters of Glass Ferry May 3*
6 The Warmest December June 3*
7 Nowhere is a Place August 4*
8 The Hired Man September 4.5*
9 The Wolf Wants In October 4*
10 Criminal Crumbs October 3*
11 Vanilla Vices October 3*
12 Too Good To Be True November 2*
13 The House of Ashes November 3.5*
14 The Dilemma November 2*
15 The Other Passenger November 3*
16 Living Proof December 4*
17 The Brutal Telling December 4.5*

11 New Books



1 The Last House on the Street February 3*
2 One Step Too FarFebruary 3.5*
3 Abandoned in Death February 4*
4 French Braid March 4*
5 The Book of Cold Cases March 3*
6 The Accomplice April 4*
7 The Younger Wife April 3*
8 The Latecomer June 4*
9 It All Comes Down to This June 3.5*
10 Marrying the KetchupsAugust 3.5*
11 An Honest Living August 2*
12 The Family Remains August 4*
13 A Dark and Stormy Tea September 3*
14 Girl, Forgotten September 4*
15 Fox Creek September 3*
16 Daisy Darker September 4*
17 Desperation in Death September 4*
18 On the Rooftop September 3*
19 Lucy by the Sea October 3*
20 Foster November 3.5*

12 Award Winners



1 The Gathering January 2* Booker Prize
2 A Visit From the Goon Squad March 3.5* Pulitzer
3 Waiting March 3* PEN/Faulkner
4 Song of Solomon May 4.5* National Book Critics Circle Award
5 She Rides Shotgun May 4* Edgar Award
6 ImprovementNational Book Critics Circle Award June 3*
7 Know My Name June 4.5* National Book Critics Circle Award
8 Elizabeth is Missing July 5* Costa Award
9 Death of a Red Heroine July 3 *Anthony Award
10 Mrs. Kimble August 4* Hemingway Foundation/Pen Award
11 Five Decembers September 5* Edgar Award
12 Red Leaves September 3.5* Barry Award
13 Hamnet December 5* Bailey’s Women’s Prize

1. An Award Winning book A Visit From the Goon Squad
2. Published in a year ending 2 Black Cake 2022
3. A modern retelling of an older story The Family Chao
4. A book you'd love to see as a movie Still Life (maybe starring your favourite actor)
5. A book that features a dog A Million Things
6. The title contains the letter Z Elizabeth is Missing
7. Published the year you joined LT The Gathering 2007
8. A book by a favourite author Ocean State
9. A long book (long for you)The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du bois
10. A book you received as a gift Hamnet
11. The title contains a month The Warmest December
12. A weather word in the title Whiteout
13. Read a CAT Such A Fun Age April AuthorCAT
14. Contains travel or a journey The Mystery of the Blue Train
15. A book about sisters or brothers The Last Romantics
16. A book club read (real or online) Demon Copperhead Oprah
17. A book with flowers on the cover Chorus
18. A book in translation Buried in Secret
19. A work of non-fiction Just As I Am
20. A book where a character shares a name of a friend The Bullet that Missed
21. A book set in a capital city Queenie
22. A children's or YA book The Hate U Give
23. A book set in a country other than the one you live Still Life
24. A book by an LGBTQ+ author Out of Bounds
25. A book with silver or gold on the cover Waiting

All done, and ready for visitors. Can you tell I'm tired of the heat and am ready for Fall? I should actually do some work lol, but I'll be back!

Oops, I just saw where this thread reads #3, I meant to type #2. Oh well.

Happy new thread! I too am longing for autumn and its cooler temps!

Happy new thread, Lisa. You can add me to the list of people who are impatiently waiting for autumn!

>16 lsh63: I can fix it if you like! As group admin I can edit thread titles :)

>17 christina_reads: Hi Christina!
>18 DeltaQueen50: Hi Judy!
>19 rabbitprincess: Hi RP, I would appreciate that thank you!

Happy new thread!

105 Mrs. Kimble A story about three women who marry opportunist and not very likeable Ken Kimble. He preys on all the vulnerabilities of each of his wives; his first wife Birdie is emotionally fragile, his second wife Joan is fighting breast cancer, and his third wife Dinah has a large facial birthmark. Ken is selfish and greedy and could care less about his three children, yet each woman fell for his charms so to speak. Each section of the book focuses on how each woman met Ken, their lives together, and how he eventually left all of them. I found this to be a very satisfying read, and I am glad I have more of this author's books to look forward to.

106 Educated I was absolutely riveted with author's story about how she became a Cambridge university PhD, after spending her formative years, working in her father's scrapyard, instead of a classroom. Parts of her memoir were tough to read, as she struggled with the principles of her upbringing constrasting with her search for a different life.

>20 lsh63: Done :)

Happy new thread!

>21 MissWatson: Thank you Birgit!
>24 rabbitprincess: Thank you RP!
>25 thornton37814: Thank you Lori!

107 Marrying the Ketchups This was a nice light read about three generations of a Chicago restaurant family. The main characters are Gretchen, lead singer for a 90's cover band, Jane, Gretchen's older sister, who suspects that her marriage may be in trouble, and Teddy, the restaurant manager whose engaged ex-boyfriend keeps showing up at the restaurant. The three cousins all try to make sense of their lives after their grandfather's death, while the 2016 presidential election looms, and their obsession with the Cubs during the playoffs.

108 An Honest Living I was looking forward to this "noir style" release, as I am a big noir fan, but I didn't enjoy the book at all. I hung in there because it wasn't a long book, hoping that if I kept reading, something might happen.

The book begins with a Brooklyn lawyer, recounting various events in first person. The reader never learns his name, which I thought was rather odd. The basic premise is that a woman, Ann Reddick, hires him to investigate her husband, then he finds that the woman who hired him is impersonating the real Anna Reddick. There were various reference to various books and films, and the noir style was evident, but there were too many random things thrown in that overall, made the book a little messy.

109 A Painted House I've had this book on my bookshelf for a very long time, probably since 2004 when it was published. I used to faithfully devour the author's early legal thrillers, amassing others until I could get to them and never did. This book ,is not a legal thriller, rather it's the story of 7 year old Luke Chandler, a farm boy who lives with his parents and grandparents in a house that's never been painted. The family works the cotton fields, 80 acres that they rent and try their best to break even. When the cotton is ready to be picked, Luke's family goes to town and hires a group of Mexican and hill workers to help harvest it. Luke has to be the most mature and precocious 7 year old ever, which detracted from the plot just a bit, as his actions were more like that of a 12 year old. Overall, it was a decent read.

I did not realize that the book was based on Grisham's own childhood in rural Arkansas.

110 Small Things Like These I read this book in about an hour an half one afternoon when I had some quiet time. It's the quiet story of Bill Furlong, who live in Ireland with his wife and five daughters. Furlong delivers fuel to the town, and one day near Christmas, he makes a delivery at a convent where he discovers something odd, that doesn't quite sit right with him.

111 The Hate U Give I loved this debut novel which tells the story of 16 year old Starr Carter, who witnesses the shooting of her best friend Khalil by a police officer. Starr lives in two worlds, the poor neighborhood where she lives and the private school she attends in the suburbs. Starr finds the courage to speak out about what happened that night even though it could mean danger to herself and her family. While this was an emotional read, I also loved the family dynamic prevalent in this book, Starr's parents love each other and have a healthy relationship, and she has a normal playful interaction with her two brothers.

112 Shelter I thought this was a well written story about Kyung Cho, and his wife Gillian and son Ethan. The family is struggling with financial problems and plan to rent their home and move in with Kyung's parents in the next town. When a horrible act of violence traumatizes Kyung's mother Mae and father Jin, Kyung is forced to revisit his terrible childhood.

113 The Fell Set in November 2020 when mostly everyone was on lockdown due to the COVID pandemic, this book goes deep into the feelings that isolation can cause. Kate is furloughed from her job, and is at home with her son Matt, due to her potential COVID exposure. Feeling a little stir crazy, Kate decides to go for a walk close to her home, falls, and sustains a serious injury. The book alternates between various POV's; Kate's, her son Matt, neighbor Alice, who has to be especially careful due her cancer treatments and Rob, a volunteer mountain rescuer who is looking for Kate. There have been a few books that touched on the COVID lockdown, but this is the first one I read that was thought provoking for me, characterizing the financial insecurity, loneliness and depression that many people experienced.

114 Wasted Years This is the fifth book in the Charlie Resnick series. Resnick works on the case of a series of brutal robberies while he also reflects back 10 years ago, when similar crimes caused his life to be in danger, and when his wife Elaine left him. I love the jazz music references and the description of his deli sandwiches, which always make me hungry! I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

>33 lsh63: I thought it was well done too.

>35 thornton37814: Hi Lori, yes it really made me stop and think. The author accomplished a lot in a short book.

115 Beggar Maid The stories of Flo (stepmother) and Rose (stepdaughter) are told over the course of forty years. Flo and Rose have a difficult relationship, but as time passes, Rose begins to understand why Flo treated her the way she did.

116 The Family Remains This book is a sequel to The Family Upstairs, which I wish had reread just to refresh my memory. I read it two years ago, but that's a long time when you read a lot of books! Although the author included several reminders of previous plot points, there were a few minor details that I couldn't remember. At any rate, it was an enjoyable read with the continuation of Lucy, Henry and Libby after the events in the first book. My favorite character is the unpredictale Henry because you just never know what he is going to do next. His obsession with the character Finn was the best part of the book.

117 Nowhere is a Place I enjoyed this sotry of a woman and her mother travelling together to attend a family reunion where they explore family history and secrets. They don't have the best relationship, but as they discuss various events of the past, explanations are provided that give insight into why the mother acts the way she does with her daughter.

118 Never Look Away This was a so-so thriller about a man who goes on a pleasant family outing with his wife and young son, when his wife vanishes into thin air and he becomes the primary suspect in her disappearance.

AUGUST RECAP

This month was especially taxing as my mother took ill at the beginning of the month and is recuperating at my house for at least another month or so. She is determined to go to her own house and I don't think I can stop her lol. It continues to amaze me what dehydration and a UTI can do to the mind and body when you're older. That combined with a massive kidney cyst and other issues have made her pretty weak, but I see signs of improvement.

Taking an hour or so to read early in the morning and in the evening have worked wonders for my sanity as there have been difficult days to say the least. We do what we have to for those we love, but work and caregiving have taxed my brain some days where I think I fell asleep when it was still light outside!

14 books read
3 male authors
11 female authors
2 books from my sheles
6 library books
6 Kindle books

As I look back over my reads, I rated An Honest Living a paltry 2 stars, it was supposed to be a "noirish" book, but I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would. For some reason, most of the books I read this month were rated 4 stars, how can that be? My best reads, or the books that were most thought provoking for me were:Educated, Small Things Like These, and The Fell.

Glad your mother is doing well. Glad you've had reading to keep you sane. (It does seem to work in stressful situations for me too.)

Glad your mum's doing better and that you're taking care of yourself with some good books.

>41 lsh63: It's not easy taking care of a parent, no matter how much you love them. Glad you are able to keep reading.

>42 dudes22: Thanks Betty.
>43 rabbitprincess: Thank you RP!
>44 RidgewayGirl: Thanks Kay, you are absolutely right, I need to carve out some me time, and so far it's been working.

119 Enough Already Valerie Bertinelli reflects on turning 60, her struggles with weight gain and loss, and finally becoming comfortable with herself.

120 A Dark and Stormy Tea This is the 24th book in this series, and although some plot aspects are predictable, I always enjoy this series. As always, I enjoy reading Hayley's delicious menu descriptions, and Theo getting herself into one predicament after another as she investigates the possibility of a serial killer on the loose.

121 Girl, Forgotten I love Karin Slaughter, and I was a bit surprised to find that her latest book features the character of Andrea Oliver, first introduced in Pieces of Her. I was expecting to see another Sara and Will installment, but I think she's working on it. Andrea is now a US Marshal and is thrown into the 40 year old case of 17 year old Emily Vaughn who was murdered in 1982. At the time of her murder, Emily was 7 months pregnant, determined to attend her high school prom, and confront whoever impregnated her, because she can't remember what happened after a party, where she took acid, and where all of her friends were present.

Andrea believe that aspects of the case lead to her psychopath birth father Clayton Morrow, who is up for parole in 6 months. As usual for Slaughter, this book was a compulsive read.

122 Five Decembers I took advantage of having the day off yesterday to finish reading this gem. I initially sought this book out because it won the Edgar award, which is well deserved in my opinion. The book begins in late November of 1941 in Honolulu. Joe McGrady is an ex-army Captain, now a homicide detective. When he is called in to investigate a double homicide, his leads take him to Hong Kong on December 7, 1941.

When Joe is arrested on a bogus rape charge, he has no idea what has happened back home. He resigns himself to being locked away in a cell forever with no one to help him. Eventually Joe makes it out of jail, and continues his pursuit of the killer . I absolutely loved everything about this book, it was part historical fiction, mystery and a little romance.

>48 lsh63: I still read that series although I don't enjoy it quite as much as I once did. Maybe it's been too long since I've made a trip to Charleston? I just wish the Indigo Tea Shop were a real place.

123 The Last Temptation Dr. Tony Hill and Chief Inspector Carol Jordan are working together again, Carol goes undercover to try to trap a crime syndicate, while Tony profiles a serial killer. I thought it took a while to get to the conclusion, but overall, I found this to be a satisfying read.

>51 thornton37814: Hi Lori, I agree with you, I'm not enjoying them as much as I used to either. I do love reading about the various tea combinations and Hayley's menus though.

>50 lsh63: Luckily, my library has Five Decembers so I will have to order it sometime soon - it sounds like something I would really like!

>54 DeltaQueen50: Hi Judy and welcome back! I think you will enjoy it.

>53 lsh63: Those are definitely the highlights!

124 Fox Creek I usually enjoy the Cork O'Connor series, and while this book was good, I found it to be rather slow moving at times. A woman named Delores sees Henry Meloux's spiritual help and puts Cork and Rainy in danger when the people tracking her track Henry, Cork and Rainy as well. I've enjoyed previous books in this series much more.

125 Daisy Darker This was a fun read in the same vein of And Then There Were None. The various members of the Darker family gather together right before Halloween to celebrate the 80th birthday of the grandmother. In attendance at the island gothic house are Daisy Darker, her sisters Rose and Lily, Lily's daughter Trixie, their parents, and childhood friend Conor. One by one various members of the family meet with a terrible fate, foreshadowed by various rhymes and video tapes left as clues by the killer. I wasn't sure how I felt about the ending, but it was an entertaining read.

126 Red Leaves The sad story of Eric Moore, who owns a thriving business, and a comfortable home life and finds his life turned upside down when the young 8 year old girl his son Keith was babysitting turns up missing. As evidence mounts against Keith, Eric begins to spiral downward and doubts everything he previously believed, as he wonders about his son's strange behavior. While trying to get to the truth about what happened, he is also haunted by long buried family secrets that come to light.

127 Violeta Violeta tells the story of her long full life to her grandson Camilo in the present, which in the story is 2020. Violeta was born in 1920 during the Spanish Flu epidemic the youngest child with five older brothers, and is currently not expected to surive after contracting COVID. She recounts her life experiences during war, love and loss, and her relationships with her children, family members and the men in her life. It was very well written, and if you didn't know better you would think you were reading the memoir of a real life person.

128 On the Rooftop The story revolves around Vivian and her three daughters Ruth, Esther and Chloe. Set in the 1950's in the historically black Fillmore district of San Francisco, Vivian manages her three daughters as a singing group known as the Salvations. Vivian dreams of a better life for herself and her children, but each daughter has different ideas about their future. At the same time that the family dynamics are changing, the neighborhood is undergoing the process of gentrification, displacing the neighborhood businesses and lives.

On the Rooftop didn't blow me away as much as the author's The Revisioners, but it was still a good read.

129 Nine Inches This was my first time reading anything by this author, and I have to say I enjoyed the majority of the ten short stories in this collection. These stories were about everyday people with at various stages of their lives. I enjoyed "Kiddie Pool", where a man enters his deceased neighbor's garage and reminisces about their early friendship and where it went wrong. I also really enjoyed "Backrub", where a recent high school graduate doesn't get into college and works as a pizza delivery man, who doesn't use good judgment, and getting into college becomes the least of his worries. I also have Little Children to read, and may move it up in the rotation.

130 Desperation in Death This is the 55th book in the long running Eve Dallas series, good as usual. In this one, Eve and her crew go after a place called the Pleasure Academy, where young girls are abducted and exploited. Even though Eve does her job as always, Roarke can see the effects that the case are taking on Eve as she recounts her own horrible childhood.

131 The Hired Man I greatly enjoyed this powerful book about Croatian resident Duro Kolak, who lives a quiet life with his two dogs, who walks through his deserted hometown, living a solitary life and haunted by the past. When he meets an English family who have moved into the blue house, the reader slowly learns the history of the house and its previous inhabitants. The family who have purchased the house, mother Laura and her two children Grace and Matt, learn not only about the history of the house, but also about the after effects of the War of Independence.

132 The Marriage Portrait I've enjoyed everything I've read by Maggie O'Farrell, and this book was no exception. Set in 1560 Florence, 15 year old Lucrezia de Medici leaves her family home to begin her married life with the Alfonso, the Duke of Ferrara. In the first few pages the reader is told that Lucrezia will be dead less that an year later, supposedly of "fever", but it was rumored that she was murdered by her husband. As the story unfolds, I kept wondering why is he going to kill her, what did she do, and how is he going to do it? It was an entertaining read. I will also be reading Hamnet later this year, and I am looking forward to it.

133 When Winter Returns This is the last book in the Rosie Winter series. Rosie and Jayne have returned from their South Pacific adventures touring with the USO show. Rosie finds that things have changed at home since she's been away. It's 1943, and everyone is struggling to find work, after a while Rosie and Jayne realize that they have been blackballed, but aren't sure by whom. The author does a good job of describing the predjudice that Germans, Italians, Jewish and Japanese people experienced during this time. Since this is the last book, certain plot developments that I was expecting did not take place, but overall this was a fine end to the series. I have had this book on my TBR since 2012!

134 Cold Light After collecting most of the books in this series many years ago, I'm starting to get further along in the series. This book is the 6th installment, set around the Christmas holidays. Resnick and his team investigate a missing woman who was kidnapped, a potenetial case of domestic abuse, and both Resnick and Lynn Kellogg make questionable decisions. I was very intrigued by the last line in the book.

135 The Last Suspicious Holdout This was my first time reading this author of The Talented Ribkins and The Rib King. I decided to take a chance on this short story collection, which for the most part I enjoyed. As with any collection of short stories, there were some I liked better than others. The twelve stories all take place in various year from 1992 through 2007. The author captures the life of everyday Black Americans in the same neighborhood with various family dynamics as well as the effects that social class disparity, systemic racism and bad decisions can have on generations. The stories that stood out for me were: Night Nurses, about a woman's experience with the nurses caring for her young daughter, and the title story about a hamburger franchise's dealings with the neighborhood.

SEPTEMBER RECAP:

17 books read
5 male authors
12 female authors
2 books from my sheles
10 library books
5 Kindle books

I won't complete any more books this month, as I am half way through Lucy by the Sea, and don't think I will finish it today. As my mother has been improving, I've been able to concentrate more on reading, taking time for myself in the morning before work and early in the evening. She is bound and determined to go home next weekend, which I don't think is a great idea, but she wants to remain as independent as possible and is not ready to say goodbye to her house. She has a-fib now which is concerning, but her appetite is great and she is not in pain which is a blessing. I hope if I live to 92, I'm as sharp as she is!

My best book of the month was Five Decembers, followed closely by The Hired Man.

>67 lsh63: I love the Charlie Resnick series! I do remember that I struggled a little with the first two books in the series, but then they just took off and each was was better than the previous one!

>70 DeltaQueen50: Hi Judy, your are absolutely correct in your assessment of the Resnick series. I picked up Lonely Hearts several times and didn’t get very far before I finally finished it last year.

136 Lucy by the Sea I'm a big fan of Elizabeth Strout, and have enjoyed everything I've read of hers. I found this latest Lucy Barton installment just okay. The book is set at the very beginning of the pandemic, with Lucy in New York and not sure what's happening. Her ex husband William, convinces her to leave New York and stay with him in Maine, to escape the virus. As they spend more and more time together, Lucy reflects on her early life, and her still raw grief over her husband's death. William is coming to terms with his family's secrets and what it means for the rest of his life.

Reading this book brought back the initial thoughts about the COVID 19 virus, the isolation some people felt, becoming adapted to Zoom, and not being able to see family members. As well written as Lucy by the Sea is, I felt like I was reading an hours long conversation instead of a book.

137 The Bullet That Missed I can only hope that in my golden years (which are coming up soon), I will have as much fun as this group from the Cooper Chase Retirement Village. This time the group tries to solve the murder of Bethany Waites, while also interfering with the actual police work being performed by Donna and Chris. I love everything about this series, but Joyce's diary entries are the best!

138 If Morning Ever Comes I decided to read Anne Tyler's first book, published when she was just 22 years old. I'm used to her books with quirky characters and sometimes strained family dynamics, ususally set in Baltimore. This book is set in North Carolina, with Ben Joe Hawkes leaving his law studies at Columbia, to travel home to visit his family of a mother, six sisters, and a grandmother. His older sister Joanne, has left her husband and moved back home with her 2 year old daughter.

The ending was a little odd, but overall, this was a good comfort read.

139 Brown Girls This was an interesting debut novel about a group of friends and their immigrant families and experiences in Queens, New York. The book was written in an unusual format, which read like a narrative poem, structured with a collection of vignettes in five parts, in first person plural narration.

Initially I wasn't sure about the format, but it quickly grew on me and I enjoyed it immensely.

140 Shrines of Gaiety I enjoyed this novel, which was set in 1920's London. At the beginning of the book, the reader is introduced to Nellie Coker, just released from jail and proprietress of several London clubs. In addition, the other character introduced are her six children, a police inspector, 2 runaway teens, and a woman who is looking for the runaways. The story jumps forward and backwards, sometimes without warning. There were a few minor details that I thought weren't fully explained, but eventually the story came together. There were several references to The Green Hat, which I now want to read.

141 The Hero of this Book I couldn't figure out if I was reading an autographical novel or a memoir. The narrator has recently lost her mother, and is reminiscing about their moments together while she is in London. Maybe it was too clever for me?

142 The Wolf Wants In Sadie Keller tries to find out the truth about her brother Shane's death in a small town in Kansas dealing with the opioid crisis. The story is told from two POV's Sadie's and a young girl named Henley, whose mother is struggling with addition, and is related to Sadie's brother's widow. In addition to Shane's death there is also a missing young girl that has everyone on edge. I found this book to be a compelling read.

143 Mrs. Bridge A series of vignettes about India Bridge, the wife of a successful lawyer in 1930's Kansas City. Mrs. Bridge raises two daughters and a son, but is dissatisfied with her life and isn't quite sure why.

I am glad your mother is doing better. I am 84 and live in a rural area. I know it will be hard but when I cannot drive anymore, I will have to make changes. My kids got me a Google Nest so I can call them when I cannot get to my phone. I know she appreciates the care you have given her.

>80 mnleona: Hi Leona, thank you so much. I wish I was just a little bit closer to retirement so I wouldn't have to worry about work, but everything falls into place somehow! Are your kids nearby?

>81 lsh63: Yes, they are less than an hour away and I talk to some of them daily. All will fall into place. Take care.

144 Marple Twelve New Mysteries I was very nervous but also curious about reading Miss Marple short stories written by other authors. Overall I found the collection to be a fun read. Authors who contributed to the collection include Val McDermid, Ruth Ware, Elly Griffiths, Natalie Haynes, and Alyssa Cole to name a few. I think that Ruth Ware's "Miss Marple's Christmas" best captured Ms. Christie's writing style and Miss Marple. The story features the theft of a valuable string of pearls, a closed room setting and mulitple suspects, and a big reveal at the end. Another story I greatly enjoyed was "The Disappearance" by Leigh Bardugo, where Miss Marple is called back from London to try and help her friend Dolly who is very upset about the disappearance of a young man has gone missing a week before his wedding , along with some missing jewels.

145 Detective Inspector Huss I thought I would try this series to see how I liked it since I enjoyed the An Elderly Lady is Up to No Good, and An Elderly Lady Must Not Be Crossed. As a police procedural it was ok, as Detective Inspector Huss and her team investigate a prominent citizen's plunge to his death from an apartment balcony. I think it was the dialogue with exclamation points after every sentence that bothered me! I was more interested in the detective's home life than I was with the actual murder investigation.

146 Criminal Crumbs This is the 21st book in this series, and I can't pinpoint exactly when, but something changed and the books are much different from when I first started reading them. I think I have amassed the rest of the series through book #46, and then I will stop there. The series protagonist Suzanne Hart is the owner of a small town donut shop in North Carolina. As with most cozy mysteries, Suzanne and her friend Grace, investigate murders in their town. In this one, Suzanne joins Grace on a corporate weekend retreat, where the boss is killed and someone is trying to kill an employee who was just promoted.

>79 lsh63: There are two things I love about this book--one is the absolutely perfect ending and the other is that entire part about the party hold up. I sometimes felt like the author was making fun of her, though, which seems unfair.

>86 RidgewayGirl: Hi Kay, yes the ending was great. Yes, I felt the author's mocking tone also. Have you read Mr. Bridge?

>87 lsh63: No, but I picked up a copy after reading Mrs. Bridge. I keep meaning to pull it off the shelf.

147 Notes on Your Sudden DisappearanceThe story is narrated by Sally as she communicates with her sister Kathy before, during, and after her death. Set over the course of approximately 15 years, the author details how Kathy's death affected the family, and her boyfriend at the time Billy, who bond over their survivor's guilt.

148 The Extraordinary Life of an Ordinary Man I'm a big fan of Paul Newman and his movies. I have good memories of watching a lot of movies with my dad in his last year of life and we could always agree on rewatching The Hustler, Hud, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof just to name a few. This posthumous memoir details his experiences with his two wives and six children, as well as his bout with alcoholism. There is a lot of the book that doesn't paint the late actor in a particulary good light, but at the same time, emphasizes that there was more to him than the blue eyes and the handsome face.

149 Vanilla Vices I don't have too much to say about this series. As indicated in >85 lsh63:, somewhere along the way these books changed. I plan to read what I've already purchased and stop there. There are still many of them to read, but they are short books. In this installment, Suzanne and Grace try to solve the murder of Crazt Dan the junk man, who is found murdered in his shop.

150 Did Ye Hear Mammy Died? This was a heartwarming and also funny family memoir of the author's experience being raised by his father after the death of his mother, along with his ten brothers and sisters. The author was only five when his mother died, during the time of the "troubles". I thought the book was a great tribute to his father.

You've had some excellent reading recently! I always get an abundance of BBs when I drop by your thread.

>93 VivienneR: Thank you Vivienne, I'll have to drop by your thread and see what you've been reading also.

151 The Torment of Others In this 4th book in the Hill and Jordan series, Tony and Carol work together to trap what appears to be a copycat killer. Carol thinks she's sufficiently recovered from the recent trauma of past events, while Tony realizes that he doesn't want to be in the academic world and instead, returns to working in a clinical setting. The ending left a few loose ends that I am looking forward to finding out if they are resolved in the next book. I did get a slight chill when I realized who the killer actually was.

152 Demon Copperhead This book was a big one, much in the same vein as a Dickens novel. Kinsolver's latest is of course, her modern retelling of David Copperfield. When my turn came for this book at the library, I thought that I wouldn't make it through the 550 plus pages to return it in time. It was a little slow in the beginning, but then picked up speed and I couldn't stop reading.

Set in southern Appalacia, Damon also known as "Demon", starts his journey in life born to a teen mother who tries and fails countless times to kick her drug habit. After things take a turn for the worse, Demon leaves the abuse of his stepfather and becomes a foster child. He never has the chance to live the life of a child and he endures hunger, being made to work instead of going to school and constantly looking for love and a family. This novel is heartbreaking yet so realistic. Demon makes many mistakes and suffers many losses, yet you can't help but root for the character and hope that he finally finds what he has missing in his life. It is a sad book, yet there is a glimmer of hope at the end.

OCTOBER RECAP
I was able to concentrate more on reading this month as my mother felt she was well enough to return to her house mid-month, and seems happy to be where she has been for the last 66 years. I'm keeping an eye on her but so far so good and things that we thought might not have a good outcome, have turned out to be benign, which is such a blessing, and I am incredibly grateful.

17 books read
4 male authors
13 female authors

10 library books
7 Kindle books

The standout reads for me were Shrines of Gaiety, Did Ye Hear Mammy Died?, and the book I finished at the end of the month Demon Copperhead. I read the first book in a series that I probably won't continue with Detective Inspector Huss, and decided to pick up the pace in working my way through the Hill and Jordan series. Making progress in a series is tricky for me, sometimes I read too many close together and need a break, then others I think I wait too long to read and forget a lot of detail. Plus there are so many!! I think I will make a series category for my challenge next year, some of them I haven't picked up in over ten years.

153 A Heart Full of Headstones I didn't think there would be too many more Rebus novels since the character's retirement, but in this 24th installment, Rebus is back and is on trial with the possibility of imprisonment for the rest of his life. There is a lot going on in this book, with Big Ger Cafferty, Malcolm Fox and Siobhan also making appearances. I'm hoping that the clffhanger at the end of the book will be resolved in one more Rebus story.

154 A Virtuous Woman This is a simple story of the love between a husband and wife, twenty years apart in age, who are from completely different backgrounds, but who find each other and enjoy a good marriage until one of them has to figure out how to move on with life after the death of the other.

155 Foster This is a quiet little book that I read in one afternoon about a small girl who is sent to live with relatives who live on a farm, while her mother gives birth to her baby brother. The unnamed girl experiences great kindness, along with plenty of love and more than enough to eat. It's a big change for the girl going from her cramped home to the farm and she enjoys her time there. Even though you know she is eventually going to have to go back to home to her parents, I was sad for her when she had to return.

156 You Are Dead This is the 11th installment of the author's Roy Grace series. Roy is juggling moving house, while also struggling with the tragic death of a colleague, and investigating what just may be a serial killer on the loose. He is also getting close to finding out what happened with a certain plot point that has been going on for a while now. I want to read the next book very soon!

157 Conversations with Friends Two college students, Frances an Bobbi ex girlfriends, who enter into a strange friendship with a married couple, Melissa and Nick.

158 A Million Things This story will tug at your heartstrings. Ten year old Rae lives with her mentally unstable mother and her dog Splinter. Rae functions as the adult, going to school, and taking care of the household when her mother is unable to function. One day Rae is left totally alone,when her mother doesn't come back. Rae knows that she can't keep up the way she is living forever, but takes one day at a time. Her nosy next door neighbor Lettie, who is a hoarder, becomes Rae's friend as they each try to help each other.

159 Mecca I mistakenly thought that this was the author's debut novel. I read a few reviews of it and decided to take the plunge. It took me a few tries to get into it, but I'm glad that I persevered. The story begins with Johhny Frias, who has been a California Highway Patrol officer for years and has been dealing with racism his whole life. There are other characters introduced who have a connection in some way. Most of the storylines involve multiple generations of families dealing with racism, love and loss, and drug addiction. When I finally got into it, I found the book to be a very compelling read about the overlooked portions of Southern California.

160 Too Good To Be True This book had an interesting premise told from three POV's, Skye, Burke, and Heather. Skye Starling is thrilled when her boyfriend of a few months, Burke Michaels, proposes after only knowing each other for a few months. Skye is wealthy, intelligent and beautiful, but also suffers from OCD since her mother's death when she was 11. Burke is harboring a big secret, that will destroy his marriage to Skye. Heather is Burke's wife and is out for revenge. I thought that the story was good, until the ending, which I just couldn't believe.

161 The Pull of the Stars Set in Ireland in 1918 tells the story of nurse Julia Power who cares for patients who are pregnant and also suffering from influenza. Over the course of just a few days, Julia works tirelessly to help women try to deliver healthy babies while also suffering from the effects of influenza. Reading this book reminds one of the early stages of the COVID pandemic, with a shortage of medical staff, overflowing hospitals, and the need for masks. It's a heartbreaking read, but it's also good to know that much has changed since 1918 in the field of infectious disease.

162 A Change of Circumstance This is the 11th book in the Simon Serrailler series. Simon and the rest of the police force deal with the rise and spread of druf traffic in his town, while also considering life altering personal choices. The ending was a bit odd, and even though this book was light on the crime element, I'm very committed to this series.

163 Fifty Words for Rain The story of 8 year old biracial Noriko Kamiza, started out very well but then I was a little unsatisfied with the ending, because I thought it just didn't ring true for the character. Noriko, known as "Nori" is abandoned by her mother to her grandparents house where she endures countless acts of abuse and cruelty, due to her being the child of a married Japanese woman and an African American GI. When her half brother Akira, comes to live with her grandparents, they immediately bond and form alliance against their formidable grandparents. I enjoyed the book immensely until the end when I was slightly stunned by Nori's actions.

164 American Boy Larry Watson is one of my go to authors, and this book did not disappoint. The story is a coming of age tale of 17 year old Matthew Garth set in Willow Falls, Minnesota in 1962. Matthew spends most of his time with the Dunbar family, almost becoming like a brother to his friend Johnny. Matthew's father is deceased, and his mother works as a waitress with long hours and too tired to pay much attention to much of anything. All heck breaks loose on Thanksgiving Day, when a woman named Louisa is shot by her boyfriend and eventually Matt becomes obsessed with her.

>106 lsh63: I feel like after experiencing the Covid pandemic, reading about these things will never be the same. It all felt so distant and improbable before that, but now reading about the plague or the Spanish Flu feels so eerily familiar, despite all the differences and the progress in the field of medicine.

165 The House of Ashes I've only read one book by this author, but I enjoyed The Ghosts of Belfast, which was the first book in the Jack Lennon series. I decided to try this stand alone, and I enjoyed it. There are past and present storylines, ghosts, and a mystery that I found to be a compelling read. The present day storyline features Sara and her husband Damien, who have recently moved to Damien's hometown for a fresh start. Damien is cruel and controlling and bit by bit has taken Sara's happy life filled with her friends and satisfying work away from her. The past storyline features a woman named Mary, who used to live in Sara and Damien's house, and the violent past that she endured. The ending left a few things up in the air, but you can't help but hope that Sara and Mary finally found peace.

>110 MissBrangwen: You are so right, I never imagined having to wear a mask and even in the summer of 2019, when I asked to work from home when my mother was hospitalized, my request was met with a resounding "no way". Fast forward 8 months later, and just about everyone was doing it. Things changed so quickly!

166 The Dilemma A story that went on much too long about a woman, Livia, about to have a huge 40th birthday party that she apparently has been dreaming about for 20 years, to make up for the wedding she never had. Basically, the dilemma, is that she and her husband Adam are each keeping a secret from each other. This book is basically drawn out obsessive details about the party, a little family drama, and not much else.

>109 lsh63: I've only read one book by Larry Watson, but it left me wanting to read more by him.

>112 lsh63: Isn't it amazing how many things we were told were not feasible, only to find out that they were, in fact, utterly possible? I'm hoping that everyone who likes working from home gets to continue doing so.

>114 RidgewayGirl: Hi Kay! I have more of his to track down also. Yes, it's truly amazing what can happen when you're left with no choice. I have to say, with a handful of years left to work, I'm mostly glad to be able to work from home, I find that as I got older it was the every day commute that started to wipe me out.

>109 lsh63: In a reading coincidence, I have American Boy on my TBR for next month. I am a huge fan of Larry Watson!

>115 lsh63: Hi Judy, that is a coincidence. I'm amazed how many books I'm finding on my Kindle that aren't entered into LT, this was one of them. I am on the lookout for more Larry Watson, that's for sure.

167 Flight It's December 22nd, and siblings Martin, Henry and Kate are celebrating the holidays at Henry's house in New York. This is the first Christmas without their mother Helen, at her Florida home. At first I had a bit of trouble remembering which characters were which as their are the three siblings, their spouses, a side story which didn't really fit into the book in my opinion, and the five children of the siblings. Everyone is on edge as the various siblings try to come to an agreement about what to do with their mother's house. It was a good read, with lots of drama about money, entitlement, and the emotion after suffering a loss.

168 The Other Passenger When Kit Roper disappears on December 23rd, his friend and neighbor Jamie becomes a person of interest when two detectives question him about an argument the two of them had a few days before. The mystery unravels very slowly, with plenty of twists along the way. It was a decent read.

169 Bleeding Heart Yard This is the third book in the Harbinder Kaur series that I read in two days. Harbinder has been recently promoted to DI in the Homicide Unit in London. Her first big case involves a potential homicide at the 21st anniversary reunion of students from Manor Park School. Complicating matters is that one of the attendees at the reunion is Cassie Fitzherbert, a detective on Harbinder's team. The plot was excellent, and the ending was great!

170 In The Face of the Sun This was a fast paced read, told in alternating timelines, 1928 and 1968. In 1928, Daisy and Henrietta work as chambermaids at the Somerville Hotel, the first hotel built for Blacks only patronage. Daisy dreams of becoming a journalist, while her sister Henrietta dreams of stardom. In order to make extra money, Daisy collects gossip about the guests for a newspaper column. There is a tragic event which in occurs that causes friction between the two sisters who don't speak to each other for forty years. Fast forward to 1968, where the sassy Daisy is on a road trip with her niece Frankie to take care of some unfinished business in Los Angeles. Frankie, is fleeing from her abusive husband in Chicago and and hopes that she can start over in California with her mother's help. This book was a good mix of historical fiction with a little mystery.

171 Bedelia This was an enjoyable read by the author of Laura, among other works. Bedelia has buried at least four maybe five husbands, now married to her latest husband Charles, and seems to be the perfect wife and homemaker. Charles begins to realize that certain aspects of his new wife's past are inconsistent. The tension builds even further when the two are trapped during a long blizzard together and no one can come in or get out. Fun stuff!

November recap:
I started a new book last night that I won't finish today, so my reading for the month is complete. I had a few days off and medical appointments this month which allowed to read a bit more than I usually do.

19 books read
4 male authors
15 female authors

5 library books
14 Kindle books

My favorite reads this month were The Pull of the Stars, Mecca, and the book that I finished last night, Bedelia. I'm still mulling over my reads for December and hope to set up my 2023 thread very soon. One of my projects today will be checking to see which books on my Kindle haven't made their way to being entered into LT. I've discovered that I'm really bad about that. I will also be making notes on series that I am way behind in to try to read next year. At the moment, I'm avoiding work stress and focusing on books to make me happy!

>122 lsh63: I really need to read something by Vera Caspary, given my love of noir.

>122 lsh63: This one is very high on my list books I keep an eye out for at secondhand bookstores. I should re-read Laura.

>124 RidgewayGirl: Hi Kay, yes I didn't know of her other works since Laura is probably the most well-known.

>125 rabbitprincess: Hi RP, I hope you find a copy. There's nothing like the thrill of finding something you're looking for in a small secondhand bookstore. Sadly, there aren't many of them left anymore.

>120 lsh63: I am looking forward to starting that series one day, because I love the Ruth Galloway books. It looks like you had a great reading month! Not thinking about work stress and focusing on my books is my strategy, too!

172 Hamnet Five stars for this novel about the death of Shakespeare's 11 year old son Hamnet, combined with the backstory of how his parents met, and how the grief over his death affected the family. There are a few books that I haven't read by the author, but I can say I've enjoyed all that I've read so far.

173 See Them Run I'm not sure how I feel about continuing with this series. This first book was a decent read, which features DI Clare Mackay, who recently moved from Glasgow to St. Andrews following a shooting incident involving a teenage suspect. I have the second book also, so I'll see how I feel about reading the rest of the series.

174 The Lives of Edie Pritchard Edie Pritchard holds her own against twin brothers who both love her, and other men who try to objectify and define her, but fail to understand her. The reader learns about the various stages of her life, married to a man whose twin wants her, then through her remarriage to another man, and her relationship with her teenage daughter, then finally as a grandmother who desperately tries to help her teenage granddaughter from going down a dangerous path.

175 Antarctica I'm a big fan of short story collections, as they are perfect for me at times when I can't seem to concentrate on a book with many characters or a complicated plot. The first story, Antarctica, is about a married woman who travels out of town to experience sleeping with another man, but he doesn't want to let her go! I think I read Close to the Water's Edge, about a young Harvard student who is verbally abused and humiliated by his homophobic stepfather. The strongest story to me was Passport Soup, about a woman who blames her husband for the disppearance of their daughter.

176 Broken Ground This is the fifth in the Karen Pirie series featuring a multilayered mystery and more than one crime being investigated at once. Karen is dealing with a buried body, a rape case, and a murder, which is more than enough to keep her busy while she is still dealing with her grief. The author excels at providing the reader with a well written police procedural while also adding historical details.

177 Still Life Once in a while, I enjoy a book in a series so much, that I immediately decide to read the next one. That was the case when I finished Broken Ground. In this installment, Karen investigatres a complicated missing persons case, art forgery, and secret identities. I enjoyed the addition of the new character Daisy, and it is good to see Jason growing more confidence under Karen's guidance. The book ends in March of 2020, when we were all starting to realize that the COVID virus was real, and would start to affect everyone. It would be very interesting to see how Karen deals with investigating cold cases working from home and not being able to follow up on leads and interact with her colleagues in person. I hope that there is another book!

>128 lsh63: - That will be one of our book club choices next year and I'm looking forward to reading it. Lots of people on LT have given it good reviews.

>133 dudes22: Hi Betty, I'm sure that you will love Hamnet. It was perfect.

178 Murder for Christmas I was having troubel focusing ona book, so I decided to give this a try. This book is one of those classic holiday mysteries where guests are invited to spend Christmas in a small village complete with a lot of snow, and a dead body under the tree. It was an ok read for me, as it took a little while for me to get into it. Maybe because I thought it took a while for the murder to actually happen and when the murderer was revealed, I really wasn't much interested any more.

179 All The Forgivenesses This debut novel is set in Appalachia and the Midwest early in the 20th century. The protagonist Albertine "Bertie" Winslow, is the eldest girl in a family of nine, who has been taught everything there is to know about keeping house and taking care of children. When a tragedy occurs, Bertie begins to feel as though she is damaged and unlovable throughtout her lifetime.I loved the message of the book that forgiveness of yourself is the hardest of all the forgivenesses, which is a slightly paraphrased quote by Joan Baez.

Year- End Meme

Describe yourself: Just As I Am

Describe how you feel: This Is the Story of a Happy Marriage

Describe where you currently live: The Last House on the Street

If you could go anywhere, where would you go: Memphis

Your favorite form of transportation is: The Mystery of the Blue Train

Your favorite food is: Black Cake

Your favorite time of day is: If Morning Ever Comes

Your best friend is: A Virtuous Woman

You and your friends are: The Girls in the Garden

What’s the weather like: The Warmest December

You fear: Wasted Years

What is the best advice you have to give: Never Look Away

Thought for the day: Such A Fun Age

What is life for you: These Precious Days

How you would like to die: In the Face of the Sun

Your soul’s present condition: The Dilemma

What was 2022 like for you? A Million Things

What do you want from 2023? A Change of Circumstance

Hi everyone!

I can't believe we're closing in on the end of the year! I don't think I will read anything else that will change my end of the year meme answers, so I've posted it above. I'm reading Living Proof at the moment and then I will read The Old Woman With the Knife, which I've started before and had to return to the library. I'm not sure what I will read after that.

I'm looking forward to next week when I am using up some vacation days that I do not intend to lose. I hope to spend the week visiting the grandchildren, doing some post holiday shopping for myself, and reading and relaxing.

I'll be back soon for a month and year end wrap up. Happy Holidays to everyone!

Happy Holidays to you!

Enjoy your holidays, Lisa, and your grandchildren!

>139 MissWatson: Thank you Birgit!
>140 DeltaQueen50: Thank you Judy. I can't believe how much they've grown!

180 Living Proof This is the 7th book in the Charlie Resnick series, and it was a lot of fun to read. Resnick and his team are assigned to protect a writer from a stalker, while a book and film festival takes place. At the same time, a prostitute is attacking her male clients, and eventually one of them is murdered.

I enjoyed the book and noir movie references, as well as the vivid descriptions of Resnick's sandwiches.

>138 lsh63: Happy Holidays, your plans for the week sound wonderful!

181 A Rule Against Murder
182 The Brutal Telling

I spent the last few days rereading this series. I read books 1-3 way back in 2009, so I was very fuzzy on the details. I decided to revisit because I kept reading about the Three Pine series, and I thought I would give them a try again. Well, not only did I reread books 1-3 I also read through book #6 and will be reading A Trick of the Light in January.

A Rule Against Murder finds Inspector Gamache and his wife celebrating their anniversary at an upscale inn located not too far from Three Pines. It was interesting when Peter's dislikable and very dysfunctional family showed up at the inn. I'm finding that I am enjoying the storylines and of course the descriptions of the food.
The Brutal Telling sets events in motion that left me wanting to read Bury Your Dead right after. In this book, a stranger in found murdered in the bistro and antiques store. No one seems to know who the man is, but secrets are revealed about one of the Three Pines residents. After the end, I just had to know what happened next!

183 Bury Your Dead

As mentioned above, I just had to know what happened next after the events in The Brutal Telling. Well Bury Your Dead was just heartbreaking. Inspector Gamache and Beauvoir are both on leave and struggling with tragic events that took place while also taking a second look at seemingly closed case in The Brutal Telling. I loved how there were three plotlines going on at the same time. Needless to say, I will be continuing with this series.

I think I will close my 2022 thread; I was trying to see if I could fit in one more book, which is The Frozen Thames. It's a short book, but today's our anniversary, so I probably should pay attention to my husband, meal plan for going back to work, and clean my house.

December recap

12 books read

12 Kindle books
3 male authors
9 female authors (3 books from Louise Penny), (2 books from Val McDermid) 4 others

My favorite read of the month was Hamnet, which was perfect.

My favorite reads of the year in no particular order, which were rated either 4.5 or 5 stars by me:

Hamnet
The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois
Still Life
These Precious Days
Five Decembers
Elizabeth is Missing
Small Things Like These
Shrines of Gaiety
Did Ye Hear Mammy Died
The Color of Water
The Hate U Give
Demon Copperhead

I'm happy to have read 183 books this year, about 15 books a month is my usual, with some months better than others. I'm also proud of myself for reading 14 non-fiction works, which is not my usual go to, I hope to find more nonfiction to read in the coming year.

I hope everyone has a good reading year in 2023, and for those who have had struggles, that 2023 is kinder to you.

My 2023 thread is here: https://www.librarything.com/topic/346190#n8011190

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year and happy anniversary, Lisa!

>Thank you, Kay, I'm off to find your 2023 thread!