Lori (thornton37814) Simplifies Categories in 2023 - thread 2

I have too much on my plate at the moment to come up with a new topper, so I'll just use the same one! In fall 2022 our faculty book club read The Book Eaters by Sunyi Dean. At the last session one member brought these cookies she found for sale on Etsy. Each cookie featured a different book. I picked Paddington.

I used "plain vanilla" category names this year. Here are the categories:

1. Mt. TBR Bingo
2. Benita's Mystery Group Read
3. Gena's Book Club
4. Christmas All Year
5. Cooking & Crafting
6. Christian Books
7. Keeping the Series Current
8. History, Genealogy, and Historical & Genealogical Fiction
9. Other Fiction & Creative Literature
10. Other Non-Fiction

Reserved 1

Category 1. Mt. TBR Bingo

All of us a huge list of books we want to get around to reading. Although this doesn't begin to make a dent in Mt. TBR, it will help get a few into the read pile. It will even complete one or two discontinued series. I will use the calls Jessie Marie makes for the cross stitcher's WIPGO as my monthly calls. (The month she calls 13, she picks 3.) If I've read something before it is called, I will substitute the next book in the series. If I've finished the series, I'll substitute another book on my list that didn't make it on here.



1. Dark Chocolate Demise by Jenn McKinlay (#10) - completed 9 Jan 2023
2. Shunned and Dangerous by Laura Bradford (#6) - completed 14 Jan 2023
3. Blood Hollow by William Kent Krueger (#11) - completed 7 Feb 2023
4. Death in a Darkening Mist by Iona Whishaw (#7) - completed 8 Feb 2023
5. Thread and Gone by Lea Wait (#22) - completed 9 March 2023
6. Read or Alive by Nora Page (#2) - completed 18 March 2023
7. The Glass Room by Ann Cleeves (#5) - completed 11 April 2023
8. Cat with a Clue by Laurie Cass (#17) - completed 17 April 2023
9. The Black Tower by P. D. James (#25) - completed 16 May 2023
10. The Paper Moon by Andrea Camilleri (#23) - completed 30 May 2023
11. Bobbins and Bodies by ACF Bookens (#4) - completed 27 June 2023
12. The Farm Stand by Amy Clipston (#16) - completed 30 June 2023
13. Winter Study by Nevada Barr (#13) - completed 13 July 2023
14. The Drowning Sea by Sarah Stewart Taylor (#21) - completed 21 July 2023
15. In a Dry Season by Peter Robinson (#9) - completed 24 July 2023
16. Killing Raven by Margaret Coel (#18) - completed 4 August 2023
17. Rupture by Ragnar Jonasson (#24) - completed 21 August 2023
18. Lady Cop Makes Trouble by Amy Stewart (#1) - completed 2 September 2023
19. Copycat Killing by Sofie Kelly (#15) - completed 14 September 2023
20. Murder on the Vine by Camilla Trinchieri (#19) - completed 8 November 2023
21. Murder Freshly Baked by Vannetta Chapman (#3) - completed 10 November 2023
22. Death on Tap by Ellie Alexander (#8) - completed 18 November 2023
23. Gone Missing by Linda Castillo (#12) - completed 6 December 2023
24. Blood Atonement by Dan Waddell (#14) - completed 13 December 2023
25. The Lost Ancestor by Nathan Dylan Goodwin (#20) - completed 23 December 2023

Category 2. Benita's Mystery Group Read

Over on the 75 group, Benita organizes a mystery group read-along. In 2023, we want to finish the Martin Walker Bruno series, read the new Donna Leon Brunetti book that is coming out, and begin two new series. Those are the Detective Inspector Huss series by Helene Tursten and the Marcus Didius Falco series by Lindsey Davis.

1. Detective Inspector Huss by Helene Tursten - completed 28 January 2023
2. The Silver Pigs by Lindsey Davis - completed 13 February 2023
3. The Coldest Case by Martin Walker - completed 8 March 2023
4. Night Rounds by Helene Tursten - completed 9 April 2023
5. To Kill a Troubadour by Martin Walker - completed 11 June 2023
6. Torso by Helene Tursten - completed 31 July 2023
7. Shadows in Bronze by Lindsey Davis - completed 17 Aug 2023
8. A Chateau Under Siege by Martin Walker - completed 28 Oct 2023
9. So Shall You Reap by Donna Leon - completed 29 December 2023

Category 3. Gena's Book Club

Gena hosts a book club for women genealogists. The books generally deal with women's social history in some way or another. Some are biographies; some are histories; some are memoirs; and once in a while, there's a fiction book thrown in. We only know the first four selections at this point. Hopefully I'll keep up better than I did last year by making it a category.

1. The Ride of Her Life: The True Story of a Woman, Her Horse, and Their Last-Chance Journey Across America by Elizabeth Letts - completed 7 January 2023
2. For Her Own Good: Two Centuries of the Experts' Advice to Women by Barbara Ehrenreich and Deirdre English - completed 8 February 2023
3. Wise Gals: The Spies Who Built the CIA and Changed the Future of Espionage by Nathalia Holt - completed 11 March 2023
4. The Pirate's Wife: The Remarkable True Story of Sarah Kidd by Daphne Palmer Geanacopoulos - completed 8 April 2023
5. Women in White Coats: How the First Women Doctors Changed the World of Medicine by Olivia Campbell - completed 21 May 2023
6. Grandma Gatewood's Walk: The Inspiring Story of the Woman Who Saved the Appalachian Trail by Ben Montgomery - completed 5 August 2023
7. What She Ate: Six Remarkable Women and the Food That Tells Their Stories by Laura Shapiro - completed 11 November 2023

Category 4. Christmas All Year

I love Christmas books. Most serve as brain candy. I have a lot on my Kindle and can find lots of others. My goal is to read one each month although I suspect I'll read more than one per month as Christmas approaches.

1. Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan - completed 19 April 2023
2. Her Amish Holiday Suitor by Carrie Lighte - completed 3 August 2023
3. Premeditated Peppermint by Amanda Flower - completed 12 August 2023
4. A Quilt for Christmas by Melody Carlson - completed 4 September 2023
5. The Christmas Quilt by Jennifer Chiaverini - completed 25 November 2023
6. Naomi's Gift by Amy Clipston - completed 26 November 2023
7. There's No Such Thing as a Chanukah Bush, Sandy Goldstein by Susan Sussman; pictures by Charles Robinson - completed 5 December 2023
8. The Littlest Angel by Charles Tazewell; illustrated by Katherine Evans - completed 5 December 2023
9. For Every Child a Star: A Christmas Story by Thomas Yeomans; illustrated by Tomie dePaola - completed 5 December 2023
10. Santa's Crash-Bang Christmas by Steven Kroll; illustrated by Tomie dePaola - completed 5 December 2023
11. Peter Spier's Christmas by Peter Spier - completed 5 December 2023
12. Miss Flora McFlimsey's Christmas Eve by Mariana - completed 5 December 2023
13. Silver Packages: An Appalachian Christmas Story by Cynthia Rylant; illustrated by Chris K. Soentpiet - completed 5 December 2023
14. Baboushka and the Three Kings by Ruth Robbins; illustrated by Nicolas Sidjakov - completed 5 December 2023
15. The Year without a Santa Claus by Phyllis McGinley; illustrated by Kurt Werth - completed 5 December 2023
16. The Little Match Girl by Hans Christian Andersen; illustrated by Rachel Isadora - completed 6 December 2023
17. The Christmas Lamb by Anne Baird - completed 6 December 2023
18. Pigs at Christmas by Arlene Dubanevich - completed 6 December 2023
19. Carl's Christmas by Alexandra Day - completed 6 December 2023
20. Christmas in the Stable by Astrid Lindgren; pictures by Harald Wiberg - completed 6 December 2023
21. America's First Christmas by Hertha Pauli; pictures by Fritz Kredel - completed 6 December 2023
22. A Child Is Born: The Christmas Story by Elizabeth Winthrop; illustrated by Charles Mikolaycak - completed 6 December 2023
23. Lark! the Herald Angels Sing by Donna Andrews - completed 27 December 2023

Category 5. Cooking and Crafting

Both fiction and non-fiction books will appear in this category. Many books that didn't make it to the BINGO card fall into this category.

1. We're Going to the Farmers' Market by Stefan Page - read 17 January 2023
2. Wound Up in Murder by Betty Hechtman - completed 26 January 2023
3. Stitched & Sewn: The Life-Saving Art of Holocaust Survivor Trudie Strobel by Jody Savin; photographs by Ann Elliott Cutting - completed 18 July 2023
4. Dangling by a Thread by Lea Wait - completed 26 August 2023

Category 6. Christian Books

I will read through the Bible in a year, use a daily devotional book, and read books by Christian authors--both fiction and non-fiction.

1. When Poets Pray by Marilyn Chandler McEntyre - completed 15 Jan 2023
2. The Return of the Gods by Jonathan Cahn - completed 25 June 2023
3. On Moonberry Lake by Holly Varni - completed 27 August 2023
4. Martin Luther: A Man Who Changed the World by Paul L. Maier; illustrated by Gregory Copeland - completed 17 September 2023
5. New American Standard Bible (1995 edition) - completed 31 December 2023
6. Morning by Morning: Or, Daily Readings for the Family or the Closet by C. H. Spurgeon - completed 31 December 2023
7. Evening by Evening: Or, Readings at Eventide for the Family or the Closet by C. H. Spurgeon - completed 31 December 2023
8. God Sees Her: 365 Devotions for Women by Women by Our Daily Bread Ministries - completed 31 December 2023

Category 7. Keeping the Series Current

This is the place for those books where I only need to read the latest installment to stay current. A few authors you can expect to see here are Louise Penny, Deborah Crombie, Vicki Delany, Laura Childs, Eva Gates, and Erica Ruth Neubauer. I may discover a new book in a few other series or perhaps I'll get caught up with a series otherwise so one falls here.

1. A Birthday Lunch by Martin Walker - completed 1 Jan 2023
2. On Borrowed Time by Jenn McKinlay - completed 14 Jan 2023
3. Murder at the Blueberry Festival by Darci Hannah - completed 1 May 2023
4. A Killing of Innocents by Deborah Crombie - completed 16 May 2023
5. Lemon Curd Killer by Laura Childs - completed 6 Jul 2023
6. Missing in the Snow by Ann Cleeves - completed 6 Jul 2023
7. Intrigue in Istanbul by Erica Ruth Neubauer - completed 9 August 2023
8. Death Knells and Wedding Bells by Eva Gates - completed October 2023

Category 8. History, Genealogy, and Historical & Genealogical Fiction

Most non-fiction I read falls into this category. I suspect you'll see several books about migration or early roads that I'll use to prepare for a new genealogical lecture. I hope I get around to reading some of the historical and genealogical fiction on my list too.

1. The Librarian Spy by Madeline Martin - completed 7 January 2023
2. Embroidering Her Truth: Mary, Queen of Scots and the Language of Power by Clare Hunter - completed 22 January 2023
3. Murder on Black Swan Lane by Andrea Penrose - completed 17 February 2023
4. The Light Over London by Julia Kelly - completed 15 March 2023
5. The Taking of Jemima Boone: Colonial Settlers, Tribal Nations, and the Kidnap that Shaped America by Matthew Pearl - completed 29 March 2023
6. MASH: A Novel about Three Army Doctors by Richard Hooker - completed 29 April 2023
7. The Watchmaker's Daughter: The True Story of World War II Heroine Corrie Ten Boom by Larry Loftis - completed 20 July 2023
8. 1794: The City Between the Bridges by Niklas Natt Och Dag - completed 16 August 2023
9. A Historical Album of Ohio by Charles A. Wills - completed 11 September 2023
10. September 11, 2001 by Andrew Santella - completed 11 September 2023
11. Florence Nightingale: Mother of Modern Nursing by Carol Alexander - completed 14 September 2023
12. Eleanor Everywhere: The Life of Eleanor Roosevelt by Monica Kulling; illustrated by Cliff Spohn - completed 15 September 2023
13. Taking Flight: The Story of the Wright Brothers by Stephen Krensky; illustrated by Larry Day - completed 15 September 2023
14. Handel, Who Knew What He Liked by M. T. Anderson; illustrated by Kevin Hawkes - completed 15 September 2023

Category 9. Other Fiction and Creative Literature

This is for non-series fiction, literary fiction, other genres than those mentioned, etc. as well as plays, poetry, short stories (that don't fit a genre above), and other forms of creative literature.

1. Foster by Claire Keegan - completed 2 January 2023
2. Five Little Kittens by Nancy Jewell; illustrated by Elizabeth Sayles - completed 17 January 2023
3. Nini Lost and Found by Anita Lobel - completed 17 January 2023
4. The Dead Man in the Garden by Marthe Jocelyn - completed 19 February 2023
5. Murder in the Mystery Suite by Ellery Adams - completed 27 February 2023
6. The Birdwatcher by William Shaw - completed 1 March 2023
7. The Bookstore Sisters by Alice Hoffman - completed 21 March 2023
8. A Colourful Death by Carola Dunn - completed 23 March 2023
9. Death Below Stairs by Jennifer Ashley - completed 21 April 2023
10. The Sentence by Louise Erdrich - completed 26 April 2023
11. Murder at Archly Manor by Sara Rosett - completed 3 June 2023
12. Farm to Trouble by Amanda Flower - completed 18 August 2023
13. The Square Root of Murder by Ada Madison - completed 14 September 2023
14. Dead Letters by Sheila Connolly - completed September 2023
15. Plainly Murder by Isabella Alan - completed September 2023
16. The Man in the Queue by Josephine Tey - completed September 2023
17. The Body in the Garden by Katharine Schellman - completed October 2023
18. The Seaside Corpse by Marthe Jocelyn - completed 24 November 2023
19. Harbour Street by Ann Cleeves - completed 24 November 2023
20. The Cat of the Baskervilles by Vicki Delany - completed 13 December 2023
21. Murder in the Paperback Parlor by Ellery Adams - completed 18 December 2023

Category 10. Other Non-Fiction

This category is for categories of non-fiction that didn't make it via one of the other categories. I see books on language and travel near my desk that could fit this category. I do, however, expect it to be the smallest of my categories (except Abandoned Reads) at year's end.

1. Dear Librarian by Lydia M. Sigwarth; illustrated by Romina Galotta - completed 17 January 2023
2. Gracie, the Lighthouse Cat by Ruth Brown - completed 17 January 2023

Abandoned Reads

1. The Sewing Girl's Tale: A Story of Crime and Consequences in Revolutionary America by John Wood Sweet - abandoned 9 September 2023

Just thought I'd show off a few of my most recent needlework finishes.

   

Left: "Bless and Keep" by designed by Susan O'Bryant (Sweet Wing Studio); stitched on 36 count Flax linen; finishing fabric is the lavender "basics tweed" by Michael Miller Fabrics
Right: "Nordic Reindeer Ornament" designed by Summer House Stitche Workes; in 2022 Nashville Needlework Market Cookbook; I'll finish this one possibly on my fall or Thanksgiving break when I have time to do some ornament finishes.

   

Left: "Honey Faire" designed by Robin Sample (October House Fiber Arts); stitched on 36 count Colonial Parchment (Fabrics by Stephanie). I just got some fabric for the pillow backing so I hope to finish this one soon!
Right: "Summer," kit by Pine Mountain Designs. It came with everything I needed to complete it--and it was a quick finish!

Book 70. Lady Cop Makes Trouble by Amy Stewart

Date Completed: 2 September 2023

Category: Mt. TBR Bingo

Rating: 4 stars

Review: Constance, working as the lady's matron for the jail, awaits the promised badge from the sheriff. She relieves a deputy on duty with a male prisoner in a hospital room, but when the lights go out, the prisoner who was faking illness escaped. She's determined to prove she's capable of the work required and sets out to find the escaped prisoner. The sheriff could actually go to jail because the prisoner escaped under his watch. A story involving the sheriff's wife's societal aspirations and her jealousy of Constance adds an interesting element. The way they tracked down the person and some of the stories and characters along the way make this an interesting read or listen.

Book 71. A Quilt for Christmas by Melody Carlson

Date Completed: 4 September 2023

Category: Christmas All Year

Rating: 4 stars

Note: I read this last year for Early Reviewers. I'm reading it for a review to be published elsewhere this time. I'm posting the review I wrote for Early Reviewers (which will differ because of the requirements for the publication). I enjoyed the read just as much as I did last year.

This heartwarming novella relates the story of the widowed Vera Swanson who moves to Oregon to be near her daughter. About the time she moves, her daughter's husband transfers away. Now Vera must find her way in a new place on her own. The opportunity comes when a near five-year-old girl (Fiona) in the condo across the hall comes to Vera for help. Vera determines the woman needs medical help and gets her to the hospital, although the woman talks of no insurance. She learns two older siblings are at school and that the husband is working in California. The family moved to Oregon from Arizona, but lack of employment necessitated the husband's living away during the week. Fiona sees the quilt on Vera's bed and wants one for her mother for Christmas. Vera knows she cannot do it on her own. Fiona and her siblings suggest placing flyers with tear-off phone numbers at the market, the flower shop, and church they attend. When she arrives at the flower shop, Tasha, a lover of color, wants to learn to quilt. At the market, she meets Eleanor who used to sew and seeks a new hobby. After leaving the flyer at the church, Beverly responds. Her grandmother used to run the church's quilting circle, and Beverly always wanted to learn to quilt from her grandmother, but she died, and her death brought the demise of the circle. This women's circle brings some form of healing or happiness to each woman and to the lives each touches. This would make a great Hallmark Christmas movie. While Carlson is a Christian writer, the novel does not preach and mentions faith in appropriate and natural contexts. I received an advance reader's copy through LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program in exchange for an honest review.

Happy New Thread, Lori. Nice pictures of your recent projects. If you haven't tried Christian author Charles Martin, I would recommend him. Not that I want to add to your reading pile.

>13 thornton37814: Those are so beautiful! I don't think I'd have the patience to do such intricate needle work.

>16 dudes22: I'll have to see what he writes and see if our library offers anything.

>17 Jackie_K: One of the pieces in my fall rotation has a lot of "over one" stitching on a higher count fabric. I'll probably pull it out again toward the end of the month. That's where it gets really tiny. I'm stitching over 1 on 36, so there are 4 stitches for every one I'd normally make when stitching over 2.

>13 thornton37814: Wow, 36 count linen?! I'm impressed. I also love the lavender fabric you chose for this first one. And I can't wait to see the final ornament when you've completed it.

>15 thornton37814: What a heart-warming story, and nice to know that it talks about quilts and quilt circles, and the lives of the women who come together for them. Plus, discussing faith without the preaching is so much more enjoyable to read.

>19 threadnsong: I prefer stitching on 36- or 40-count linen. I have one project kitted that will be on 46-count linen. I'll probably start it in the new year sometime. It might be my new year new start project. About the book: I really didn't mind reading it twice. It was heart-warming.

>I can't imagine stitching on 40 count, much less 46! You may be shocked to know there are some of us out here that don't go above 18! I can't see well enough for stitching to be pleasant with higher counts though I think it looks better.

I've had a strange appointment recently with a new eye doctor. She said I didn't need readers which means no glasses at all, not that I'm complaining, but I've used readers for years and my previous eye doctor agreed with that. I've been thinking about it since then and realized there are many things, particularly packaging, I have to read during the day that are probably smaller than what we are meant to easily see. Maybe it's printing and not my eyes that need an adjustment!

>231 from Thread 1
Thank you Lori for recommending the Stitches in Crime series. I read the first one when I was in need of light entertainment...it was perfect.

https://www.librarything.com/topic/347793#8228366

>21 clue: There are a lot of Aida stitchers out there. Just remember that 18 count is kind of like 36 count (over 2) size-wise. Re: the eyes. The last time I went to the eye doctor, I was told I didn't need glasses for reading. I did need them in the mid-range and for distance. Although the bottom is clear, I usually just take my glasses off to read or cross-stitch.

>22 beebeereads: I'm glad you enjoyed that series. I picked up the first in the series at a discount on Amazon--either free or maybe 99 cents. I was pleasantly surprised at it. I don't think it will ever be my favorite series, but it is enjoyable.

Book 72. A Historical Album of Ohio by Charles A. Wills

Date Completed: 11 September 2023

Category: History, Genealogy, and Historical & Genealogical Fiction

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: A nice overview of Ohio's history written for children. It includes enough illustrations to keep it interesting for elementary readers. A gazetteer is defined as "a geographical dictionary." (Dictionary.com) What appears as an appendix and labeled a gazetteer is more of a compendium of facts about Ohio--basic statistics/quick facts, state symbols, chronologies, and brief biographical sketches. The only thing in that section that even comes close to being geographical is a list of places to see, but even then it is only the name of the attraction and the town.

Book 73. September 11, 2001 by Andrew Santella

Date Completed: 11 September 2023

Category: History, Genealogy, and Historical & Genealogical Fiction

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: Written in 2002, shortly after the attacks occurred, this book describes what went on that day etched in the memory of those of us who watched what unfolded before our eyes on television. I read this on the 22nd anniversary of the attacks. We know a lot more about some aspects of the attacks and how the war on terror played out, but the book still provides about the right level of detail about the immediate event for elementary readers.

Book 74. Florence Nightingale: Mother of Modern Nursing by Carol Alexander

Date Completed: 14 September 2023

Category: History, Genealogy, and Historical & Genealogical Fiction

Rating: 4 stars

Review: This low reader level book is a perfect for introducing biographies to young readers. The author tells Florence Nightingale's story at a vocabulary level beginning readers can handle with a handful of vocabulary words thrown in, but well explained. A variety of illustrations are included--maps, photographs, drawings, and even a facsimile of Florence's book's title page.

Your needlework is beautiful, Lori. I can't believe that your boys are so well-behaved that they leave your embroidery threads alone.

>27 RidgewayGirl: They don't leave them alone. Barney loves to help me while I'm stitching by batting (perhaps he thinks he's untangling it) my floss. I sometimes find myself looking for the rest of the strands of something I cut off only to find them a room or two or three away!

Book 75. The Square Root of Murder by Ada Madison

Date Completed: 14 September 2023

Category: Other Fiction and Literature

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: Sophie Knowles, a mathematics professor at Henley College in Massachusetts, investigates the death of chemistry colleague Keith Appleton. Sophie's assistant Rachel seems to be the prime suspect, and circumstantial evidence certainly points in her direction. Can Sophie who is up for promotion to full professor manage to clear her assistant without losing her chances for promotion. Like most cozies nowadays, romance plays a part. Sophie's boyfriends pilots a helicopter for a medical unit. His best friend Virgil is one of two detectives working the case. The novel features interesting characters and a great setting, but I was a little disappointed math didn't figure a little more into the plot. The author emphasized Sophie's love of puzzles more than math.

Book 76. Copycat Killing by Sofie Kelly

Date Completed: 14 September 2023

Category: Mt. TBR Bingo

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: While feeding the cats out at Wisteria Hill, Kathleen feels the earth crumbling beneath her. The resulting land slide reveals skeletal remains where there should be none. They discover the remains belong to Roma's real father, and that leaves a lot of questions for Roma about what she's been told about him. At the artist's co-op, Maggie's vision is challenged by another artist's desire to bring in investors, but he turns up dead--floating in the basement. Was it natural death or murder? Kathleen's cats Owen and Hercules are there to lend a paw when she needs a clue. Usually when two cases are linked in a plot, they fit together in the end some way. These didn't. They remained separate. I spent a lot of mental time trying to figure out an angle where the two would work together. The historic investigation was more interesting than the current one because it included an interesting community group from the past. In the book's closing pages, readers learn the answer to why Marcus (the detective) doesn't have a library card--a question they've been asking since the first book in the series.

Book 77. Eleanor Everywhere: The Life of Eleanor Roosevelt by Monica Kulling; illustrated by Cliff Spohn

Date Completed: 15 September 2023

Category: History, Genealogy, and Historical & Genealogical Fiction

Rating: 4 stars

Review: The delightful biography of Eleanor Roosevelt introduces young readers to one of the most memorable first ladies of the United States. Beginning with her childhood, it continues throughout her life to her death. Educated at a boarding school in England where she spoke French, she came back to New York wanting to help those less fortunate than herself. This continued throughout her life and made her one of America's most beloved first ladies. Illustrations are a mix of mostly watercolors and photographs. The book is a step 4 book in the Step into Reading series.

Book 78. Taking Flight: The Story of the Wright Brothers by Stephen Krensky; illustrated by Larry Day

Date Completed: 15 September 2023

Category: History, Genealogy, and Historical & Genealogical Fiction

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: This level 3 "Reading Alone" book tells the story of Orville and Wilbur Wright's efforts to design a propelled plane capable of flying a man. The story begins with their fascination with a childhood toy and their work with kites and gliders. It shows how carefully the brothers planned each step in their efforts to build the machine and how successful their effort was. The illustrations appear to mostly be watercolors.

Book 79. Handel, Who Knew What He Liked by M. T. Anderson; illustrated by Kevin Hawkes

Date Completed: 15 September 2023

Category: History, Genealogy, and Historical & Genealogical Fiction

Rating: 4 stars

Review: Part of the Candlewick Biographies series, this book begins with Handel's smuggling a harpischord into his family home so he could learn to play besides his father's protests and ends with the outstanding success of his most famous work, "The Messiah." The illustrations by Kevin Hawkes are delightful, and the author adds a touch of humor throughout, especially when it comes to Handel's wig. Vocabulary words and other explanatory notes appear at the bottom of pages--resembling a footnote. Although Handel grew up on Germany and studied there and in Italy, he spent most of his adult life in England where he became a naturalized citizen. Handel loved Italian opera and wanted to make the people of England who really didn't like it that much, especially when it was not in their own language, come to enjoy it. He enjoyed a measure of success for a time because the royal family enjoyed it, but that support eventually waned. He'd almost given up when "The Messiah" met with resounding success.

I have one more children's biography to read for the KiddieCat, but I think I'll save it for Sunday. It's on Martin Luther.

I just realized I failed to report my first abandoned read of the year.



Abandoned read 1: The Sewing Girl's Tale: A Story of Crime and Consequences in Revolutionary America by John Wood Sweet - abandoned 9 September 2023

Comments: Lanah Sawyer, forced into a brothel and raped by a man claiming to be a lawyer, goes to court. The man Henry Bedlow came from an influential 18th century New York family. The book was chosen for a women's social history book club in which I participate. I could not continue to read it. There was too much graphic sexual violence. It's not the type of thing on which I wanted my mind to dwell. Most of the ones who read the book liked it.

>30 thornton37814: This is the next in the series for me to read.

I also enjoy reading biographies that are written for kids. You have some great choices here.

>37 LadyoftheLodge: I picked a variety of them. I had a couple of those and a few others on my options, but I found some as I was browsing that caught my interest so I grabbed some of them.

Book 80. Martin Luther: A Man Who Changed the World by Paul L. Maier; illustrated by Gregory Copeland

Date Completed: 17 September 2023

Category: 3.5 stars

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: Maier's biography of Martin Luther was beautifully illustrated by Greg Copeland. Although a brief mention is made of his life prior to his teenage years, the main story begins with his schooling in Magdeburg and Eisenach and then university studies. It discusses his decision to become a monk and the encouragement at his monastery to study the Scripture for himself. In the Scriptures he saw Christianity presented differently than he saw Catholic Church practice at the time. He posted his 95 theses and the Reformation was born. The book discusses how his differences with the Catholic Church endangered his life. It discusses his hymn writing, his marriage to Katie, and his teaching and writings. The vocabulary level probably exceeds that of children for whom this otherwise might be a good book. Perhaps it would work best as a read-aloud where the reader can explain some of the words.

>29 thornton37814: I'm taking a BB for the Professor Sophie Knowles series. Several of my friends are math professors, so this should be fun to read!

>40 mathgirl40: I just wish it had a little more math in it.

>41 thornton37814: I'll probably feel the same way, but I'm curious about it all the same!

Fascinating biographies for young readers. I think I read about Florence Nightingale, Clara Burton, and Helen Keller all about the same age (7).

>43 threadnsong: I think I did too back in the day. It was fun to just kind of explore and grab a few. I tried for a bit of variety.

If you aren't familiar with Hands Across the Sea samplers, you might like to take a look. Patterns for historical samplers. When my cousin died she had one of their's partially stitched and I've worked on it some but have a hard time right now finding time. I don't like to stitch in bits and pieces of time!

https://hands-across-the-sea-samplers.com

>45 clue: I watch Nicola's flosstube faithfully. I love her stories about the history of the samplers. I have not tackled one of hers yet because most are really expensive here in the U.S., but I do hope to try one sometime!

I've gotten terribly behind in writing reviews and such. I've decided to list what I remember I've read since last time and add reviews for only the last two. If I remember others I read, I'll add them out of order later.

Book 81. Dead Letters by Sheila Connolly

Date completed: Sept 2023

Category: Other Fiction & Creative Literature

Rating: 3 stars

Book 82. Plainly Murder by Isabella Alan

Date Completed: Sept 2023

Category: Other Fiction & Creative Literature

Rating: 3 stars

Book 83. The Man in the Queue by Josephine Tey

Date Completed: September 2023

Category: Other Fiction & Creative Literature

Rating: 4 stars

Book 84. The Body in the Garden by Katharine Schellman

Date Completed: October 2023

Category: Other Fiction & Creative Literature

Rating: 3.5 stars

Book 85. Death Knells and Wedding Bells by Eva Gates

Date Completed: October 2023

Category: Keeping the Series Current

Rating: 4 stars

Review: Lucy and Conner's wedding day finally arrives. It, of course, cannot come without a little murder at the reception. A guest who accompanied Lucy's aunt is found stuffed in a closet. Lucy and Conner plan a trip to Paris for their delayed honeymoon, but they are staying in town until the timing works for their schedules. There's a new detective on the force working with Sam Watson, and he's not making many friends as he tries to take over from Sam because Sam is too close to the family. Fortunately Lucy's inquisitive nature leads to a few clues that show the murder might be related to the man's past in New York City. Although I correctly guessed pretty early what I thought might happen, it kept me engaged to the satisfying conclusion.

Book 86. A Chateau Under Siege by Martin Walker

Date Completed: 28 Oct 2023

Category: Benita's Mystery Group Read

Rating: 4 stars

Review: Once again Bruno becomes involved with a matter of national security when a man appears to be stabbed at a re-enactment. The man in question works in intelligence. Using routine police techniques, he realizes something is amiss and the man was likely whisked away, but for what reason and where? Bruno is placed in charge of guarding the high tech visitors who came for a meeting with the man as he, the military force who helped him in a previous installment, and the other French intelligence and security teams sort out where the real threat is. On the personal front, some of Bruno's friends try to intervene on Florence's behalf. Isabel was mostly absent from this installment.

Book 87. Murder on the Vine by Camilla Trinchieri

Date Completed: 8 November 2023

Category: Mt. TBR Bingo

Rating: 2.5 stars

Review: Former NYPD detective Nico Doyle once again helps with an investigation in Italy. A man was found in the trunk of cafe owner Jimmy's vehicle, discovered by Nico's dog One-Wag. The man had been stabbed multiple times. I felt the investigation got lost in the "community story" and made it hard to keep my attention. While the discussion of food reminds people of Martin Walker's Bruno series, the virtual aromas fail to draw me in as do Walker's descriptions. Although I do remember "whodunnit" a few days after completing the novel, I doubt I'll remember a single detail in a month.

Book 88. Murder Freshly Baked by Vannetta Chapman

Date Completed: 10 November 2023

Category: Mt. TBR Bingo

Rating: 3 stars

Review: Threatening notes left in the village bakery warn Amber, Hannah, and others that their goods may poison consumers. Amber receives threatening emails as well. Village employee Preston still suffers episodes of PTSD and fears his ability to become a husband without injuring Zoe. Can a dog solve that issue? Meantime Ryan is seeing three women at once. An incident at the race causes local investigators and Amber to look at the race incident and poison threats together. I knew the poisoner's identity early in the book and couldn't figure out why it was taking them so long to solve--except that they needed to make the book longer. I enjoy my visits with this Indiana "Amish" village because of the people.

Book 89. What She Ate: Six Remarkable Women and the Food That Tells Their Stories by Laura Shapiro

Date Completed: 11 November 2023

Category: Gena's Book Club

Rating: 3 stars

Review: The author examines the writings or memoirs of Dorothy Wordsworth, Rosa Lewis, Eleanor Roosevelt, Eva Braun, Barbara Pym, and Helen Gurley Brown. I feel sorry for anyone asked to dine with the Roosevelts, and I think I'd rather die of hunger than eat some of the things Helen ate to keep her figure. I don't think the book was particularly well-written. The prose did not always flow, and I lost interest quite often. I enjoyed Dorothy Wordsworth's chapter because we learn a lot about her care for her more famous brother William. Much of Pym's narrative was taken from her books--a treat for her fans. The book was definitely written for a popular audience, and it uses the "hidden endnotes" scheme where one doesn't know sources until they happen to look in the back. (Did I mention how much I detest this modern publisher practice?) I think the book will provide an interesting discussion for the book club for which I'm reading it.

>56 thornton37814: Do keep us in the loop about your book club's discussion on this book!

>57 threadnsong: Most of us would have preferred a book featuring regular women. We thought it was an odd mix of women selected and that the author didn't necessarily treat them evenly. That may have been based on what was available. Most people questioned Eva Braun's conclusion. We all pretty much did not want to be a White House guest of Eleanor Roosevelt. Helen Gurley Brown provided a lot of discussion too. Overall, the book just didn't quite meet our expectations.

Book 90. Death on Tap by Ellie Alexander

Date Completed: 18 November 2023

Category: Mt. TBR Bingo

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: After catching her husband with another woman, Sloane Krause goes to work for a nano-brewery in Leavenworth, Washington. When another brewer turns up drowned in the brewery's vat and her husband appears to be the leading suspect, she knows he is incapable of murder. She searches for clues that might eliminate the suspicion from him. The book contains many details on craft brewing. I'd read a short story in this series previously and liked the setting and characters, but the short story I'd read contained spoilers for this story, so I already knew some of what was going to happen. It's a good start to the series, and I probably would have enjoyed it more if I'd read this story before the short story!

>59 thornton37814: I just downloaded that title. I also read the short story in the series first.

>60 LadyoftheLodge: Well, the short story got me interested because I might not have read it otherwise. You'll just recognize some of the plot that was mentioned in the short story.

>61 thornton37814: I agree, I probably would not have picked it up if I hadn’t read the short story. I have read a lot of other books by the author though.

>62 LadyoftheLodge: I did read the first one in her other series after reading the short story though.

Book 91. The Seaside Corpse by Marthe Jocelyn

Date Completed: 24 November 2023

Category: Other Fiction and Creative Literature

Rating: 4 stars

Review: Aggie and Hector find themselves camping out to help with an archaeological excavation of some discovered fossils. When a man's bloated corpse washes ashore, and it's apparently he'd recently been shoved, Aggie and Hector can't help but conduct a parallel investigation with the local authority. It's a fun series, but I would have preferred it without the snake.

Book 92. Harbour Street by Ann Cleeves

Date Completed: 24 November 2023

Category: Other Fiction & Literature

Rating: 4 stars

Review:A woman is stabbed aboard a train in which Joe and his daughter are passengers. The deceased woman resided at a boarding house on Harbour Street. The woman loved doing good works for the unfortunate, particularly women with a less than savory past. The more they investigate, the more Vera is convinced the murder is tied to the woman's past. What is the woman's well-guarded secret? Other secrets might be uncovered during the investigation as well. The setting is in the days leading up to Christmas although it's not really a Christmas story.

Book 93. The Christmas Quilt by Jennifer Chiaverini

Date Completed: 25 November 2023

Category: Christmas All Year

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: As Christmas approaches, Sarah wants to decorate Elm Creek Manor. When she and Sylvia retrieve the decorations from the attic, Sarah finds another box Sylvia did not expect. The box contains a quilt begun by Great Aunt Lucinda which had been worked on by generations of Bergstrom women but never completed. Sarah wants to finish it. Sylvia hopes Sarah can make amends with her mother this Christmas. The book is filled with lovely Christmas traditions and sadness as we read of the men lost in World War II. I'm not sure why I never read this installment, but I'm glad I did. It's a great way to start the holiday series--thinking of families and the traditions we share.

Book 94. Naomi's Gift by Amy Clipston

Date Completed: 26 November 2023

Category: Christmas All Year

Rating: 4 stars

Review: Caleb, a widower, takes his daughter Susie from their Ohio home to Pennsylvania to visit relatives during Christmas. The girl wants to stop at the farmer's market to get a pie to take with them, so they ask their driver to stop. She takes off, having seen a quilt that reminded her of her mother. She takes an instant like to Naomi, the one minding the booth. His sister Sadie wants to set him up with Irene, who seems to dislike children. She thinks Naomi is overly eager to wed, but when Caleb does some independent checking with the men, he discovers a different story altogether. The novel shows a blossoming romance in a situation where either of the parties could be hurt. It's a great story for the Christmas season although it could be read any time of the year.

I'm about to bombard my thread with lots of picture books that I'm reading for this month's KiddieCAT. The theme is holiday books. I have one Hanukkah title among them. I'll put all of them, including the Hanukkah one, in my "Christmas All Year Category." It will easily get me past 100 books for the year, although I think I'll get there even without these. However, a book is a book, even if it is mostly pictures and short! Many are older books.

Book 95. There's No Such Thing as a Chanukah Bush, Sandy Goldstein by Susan Sussman; pictures by Charles Robinson

Date Completed: 5 December 2023

Category: Christmas All Year

Rating: 4 stars

Review: Robin, a Jewish girl, sees all her friends celebrating and wishes she could have a tree because they are so beautiful. Her Jewish friend Sandy Goldstein has a Chanukah Bush, but her more devout family won't allow it. She learns that she can share her Jewish holidays with her Christian friends and that they can share theirs with her. Although there are a few black and white drawings, the illustrations are not the focal point of the book. I hope someone else decides to take the story and add some updated color illustrations throughout it to capture the attention of today's readers. It's still a great story!

Book 96. The Littlest Angel by Charles Tazewell; illustrated by Katherine Evans

Date Completed: 5 December 2023

Category: Christmas All Year

Rating: 3 stars

Review: I first read this book many years ago. I first saw this book performed as a play at another church in my area during childhood. While I like the story, it is not particularly reader-friendly for children. The illustrations in the 1946 edition are a bit dated. I would definitely suggest finding a more up-to-date version, as I know they exist. It would be a good read-aloud book. It's the story of a four and a half-year-old angel who creates quite the stir among the angels. Another angel is sent to earth to fetch a box the boy left under his bed, and the littlest angel is transformed. The Christ child is about to be born in Bethlehem, and all the angels prepare their gifts. What shall the littlest angel give the Christ child?

Book 97. For Every Child a Star: A Christmas Story by Thomas Yeomans; illustrated by Tomie dePaola

Date Completed: 5 December 2023

Category: Christmas All Year

Rating: 2.5 stars

Review: I love the DePaola's illustrations in this book, but the story deviates too much from the biblical story when a child fetches the old man who has heard shepherds and wise men (who probably didn't come until later) to say his mother is going into labor. Mary was a virgin. She did not have children before the Christ-child was born. In spite of the lovely illustrations, I cannot recommend this book.

Book 98. Santa's Crash-Bang Christmas by Steven Kroll; illustrated by Tomie dePaola

Date Completed: 5 December 2023

Category: Christmas All Year

Rating: 4 stars

Review: This imaginative story features a Santa Claus having one of those nights when everything goes wrong. Fortunately one of his elves came along for the ride and helps Santa make things merry and bright for all. DePaola's illustrations accompany the story beautifully. Today's readers will enjoy this one just as much as children did in 1977 when it was written. In fact, I think I'm going to take this one with me to read to my great nephews!

Book 99. Peter Spier's Christmas by Peter Spier

Date Completed: 5 December 2023

Category: Christmas All Year

Rating: 4 stars

Review: I'm surprised the illustrations in this pictureless book have aged as well as they did. The cars are a bit outdated. Most homes today would have a dishwasher full of dishes rather than a sink full. The old Electrolux barrel canister vacuum will be foreign to most youngsters. Still I think it would be fun to take this one to see what story my oldest great nephew tells as he looks at the illustrations.

Book 100. Miss Flora McFlimsey's Christmas Eve by Mariana

Date Completed: 5 December 2023

Category: Christmas All Year

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: Abandoned to the attic, a doll named Flora McFlimsey, converses nightly with a mouse who makes rounds around the house below. When she discovers it is Christmas eve, she longs to see the tree. She manages to get herself downstairs where Santa welcomes her because he's one doll short. The other dolls make fun of her, but the mouse along with the tree angel come to the rescue. Will the little girls love her? The illustrations in the 1949 are outdated. The story resonates with me as an older person who loved to play with dolls, but I don't see younger children playing with dolls as much, so I'm not sure how well it will resonate with 21st century readers.

Book 101. Silver Packages: An Appalachian Christmas Story by Cynthia Rylant; illustrated by Chris K. Soentpiet

Date Completed: 5 December 2023

Category: Christmas All Year

Rating: 4.5 stars

Review: Young Frankie wants a doctor kit each year as the rich man riding the Christmas train and tossing silver packages to children comes along. Each year he is disappointed to not receive the doctor kit. Instead he receives something he needs plus a toy. The rich man was trying to repay a debt. As an adult, Frank who had moved away returns to repay the debt he feels he owes. The illustrations are gorgeous! The book could be used to discuss all sorts of things such as thankfulness, poverty, giving back to the community, etc.

Book 102. Baboushka and the Three Kings by Ruth Robbins; illustrated by Nicolas Sidjakov

Date Completed: 5 December 2023

Category: Christmas All Year

Rating: 4 stars

Review: Baboushka, an old woman, is too busy with her household chores to go with the three kings in search of the child. She regrets and unsuccessfully tries to follow them. She continues to try to find the child each year, leaving gifts for children along her journey. The book won the Caldecott medal when it first came out, and the illustrations are surprisingly still lovely although probably in a different sort of way than they were in 1960. The book could be used to discuss the importance of seeking Christ before it is too late. Baboushka is somewhat like Santa Claus when it comes to leaving gifts for children. This Russian folk tale adaptation holds up well. The book includes the music and lyrics to a folk song about the woman.

Book 103. The Year without a Santa Claus by Phyllis McGinley; illustrated by Kurt Werth

Date Completed: 5 December 2023

Category: Christmas All Year

Rating: 3 stars

Review: Santa announces he's taking a vacation. Children are sad until Ignatius Thistlewhite unites the world's children to allow Santa to take a much-deserved rest. The children begin sending things to Santa, but then he doesn't have room for all the stuff they sent plus the stuff he should have been delivering. What will Santa do? This is a rhyming poem that is illustrated by Kurt Werth.

That's it for today. I'll have a few more tomorrow!

Looks like you're reading yourself into a Christmas spirit, Lori!

>79 RidgewayGirl: I guess I'm trying. The KiddieCAT is all about holiday books. I decided to be productive in my reading, because I really thought it might be fun to take a few books to read to Jonah and Silas at Christmas. I'm screening them to find things I think they'd enjoy. I have a stack to read tomorrow. I did actually put a few books back that were too wordy for me to tackle. I actually started reading one, but it had not aged well, so I put it up. It didn't have very many pictures either--which sort of defeated the purpose.

Book 104. The Little Match Girl by Hans Christian Andersen; illustrated by Rachel Isadora

Date Completed: 6 December 2023

Category: Christmas All Year

Rating: 4.5 stars

Review: Beautifully illustrated, this book tells the story of an abused and impoverished young girl. She was supposed to sell matches and knew if she returned home, she would be beaten for failing to sell any that day. She chose to stay on the streets that night. She saw visions as she tried to light matches to keep her warm. The book holds a sad ending. The story may not be for everyone, but there are lessons about death which can be taught.

Book 105. The Christmas Lamb by Anne Baird

Date Completed: 6 December 2023

Category: Christmas All Year

Rating: 4 stars

Review: Scruffy the lamb is feeling a little lonely because children prefer reindeer and Santa at Christmas to the sheep at the zoo. He tries to be a reindeer, but that doesn't last long. He borrows a Santa suit, but that turns out disastrous. He curls up outside a church where he becomes part of a nativity scene. This is a cute story with nice illustrations.

Book 106. Pigs at Christmas by Arlene Dubanevich

Date Completed: 6 December 2023

Category: Christmas All Year

Rating: 4 stars

Review: Pigs are just like children in this comic-strip style Christmas story. They write letters to Santa, bake cookies for him, and eagerly (and sleeplessly) await his arrival. While they don't quite get the big ticket items they wanted, they get things they enjoy.

Book 107. Carl's Christmas by Alexandra Day

Date Completed: 6 December 2023

Category: Christmas All Year

Rating: 4 stars

Review: This mostly wordless book pictures Carl the dog put in charge of babysitting the baby while the family goes to Grandma's and church. While I don't like the concept of the story, the illustrations and adventures of Carl and the baby are adorable and well-done.

Book 108. Christmas in the Stable by Astrid Lindgren; pictures by Harald Wiberg

Date Completed: 6 December 2023

Category: Christmas All Year

Rating: 4.5 stars

Review: A mother tells her daughter the story of Christmas. The daughter pictures it happening right in their own stable. The illustrations remain beautiful although a better paper quality would make them even more vibrant for today's readers.

Book 109. America's First Christmas by Hertha Pauli; pictures by Fritz Kredel

Date Completed: 6 December 2023

Category: Christmas All Year

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: Based on Christopher Columbus' journal account, this 1492 Christmas story tells of the Santa Maria's running aground on a coral reef off and island and the sharing of a meal with the Indians. They gifted the Indians with tinkling bells for their assistance with unloading the Santa Maria; the Indians gave them a mask with gold on it and access to a gold supply for the Spanish Queen. The illustrations are probably not colorful enough to attract today's readers although they are well-done.

Book 110. A Child Is Born: The Christmas Story by Elizabeth Winthrop; illustrated by Charles Mikolaycak

Date Completed: 6 December 2023

Category: Christmas All Year

Rating: 3 stars

Review: The text is taken from the King James Version of the Bible, but despite the claim it was "faithfully adapted," it just feels wrong for certain words such as "sore" to qualify "afraid" were omitted. Many words were omitted, and it just feels wrong. While the illustrations are beautiful, the omission of words from this well-known and much-recited passage weakens it.

You've brought back some fond memories of my childhood. We had The Little Match Girl and The Littlest Angel and read and reread them for years.

>88 clue: I wanted to re-read many of them to see how they held up. I just did a search on christmas and juvenile literature in our online catalog. I didn't write down everything to get, but I found a variety, including some of those older things, to explore. I ended up checking out 4 books to take to read to my great nephews.

I enjoyed reading your reviews of the children's stories for Christmas time. Some of those brought back memories of childhood favorites! Your descriptions of the Peter Spier's illustrations cracked me up with the vintage items, which of course I can remember.

>90 LadyoftheLodge: Thanks! I just saw things where I thought -- I bet a kid would have no idea what that is!

Book 111. Gone Missing by Linda Castillo

Date Completed: 6 December 2023

Category: Mt. TBR Bingo

Rating: 4 stars

Review: Kate Burkholder joins Tomasetti's group in investigating missing Amish teenage girls. When a girl with a connection to her own family goes missing in her own jurisdiction, it becomes even more personal. It's well-plotted with several viable suspects. Castillo knows how to plot a novel to keep readers engaged. Even the epilogue adds a new dimension to the novel. My biggest problem is with the Burkholder-Tomasetti relationship. I'm just tired of romance in my mysteries. Why do today's authors feel obligated to include both genres in their novels? The audiobook included an interview between the narrator and author which was interesting.

>92 thornton37814: I don't know why authors feel compelled to shoehorn a romance into a crime novel, but I only found out this week that there is an entire genre called "romantasy" and my goal is to never read one.

>93 RidgewayGirl: I wouldn't read one either, but it's the fantasy that put me off.

>92 thornton37814: I have no problem with a bit of romance in a crime novel, enjoy a "had-I-but-known", and am a big fan of Mignon G. Eberhart and Mary Roberts Rinehart. It's the sex scenes I don't like, and I'm annoyed by unappealing middle-aged detectives who have beautiful young women falling at their feet. Even more unacceptable are writers who kill women off, like James Lee Burke. Dave Robicheaux's women die at an alarming rate.

>93 RidgewayGirl: The "tasy" part would definitely put me off.

>94 pamelad: I don't like the sex scenes, but I also don't like it when the romance takes up 1/3 or more of the mystery (or feels like it does).

Book 112. The Cat of the Baskervilles by Vicki Delany

Date Completed: 13 December 2023

Category: Other Fiction & Creative Literature

Rating: 3 stars

Review: In West London, the locals always stage a play with outside actors. This year's play is "Hound of the Baskervilles," and the star is an aging actor named Sir Nigel Bellingham. Before the play begins, Gemma and Grant find his body over the cliff. While circumstantial evidence points to her friend's mother Jayne, Gemma really does not want to believe her friend's mother capable of such a thing. Who stands to benefit? A lot of folks benefitted in different ways. Gemma with her keen skill of observation is there to help the police. This is not the strongest of Delany's series, and the installment is mediocre.

Book 113. Blood Atonement by Dan Waddell

Date Completed: 13 December 2023

Category: Mt TBR Bingo

Rating: 2 stars

Review: Nigel Barnes helps the police investigate a current situation with roots deep in the past. Their biggest clue lies in mtDNA found at the scene. They want Nigel to trace the matrilineal line. A connection with the Mormon Church and a mysterious photo leads Nigel and a female detective to Salt Lake City where they uncover a tie to fundamentalist sect with strange ways of practicing their ordinances-- including the requirement of blood atonement. Although I am not Mormon, I was put off by the plot. I felt he was attacking the LDS church. I know the book was written many years ago when DNA was first being used in genealogy, but I'm not sure the author understood mtDNA enough to include it in the plot. He never really did anything with it. I think the author could have spent his words and pages better developing a mystery plot and less time discussing Mormon religious practices.

Just a quick note about the last read. I struggled to get through it. I only continued reading it because it was on my BINGO board. (It was called in October, and it took me this long to struggle my way through it because I just didn't want to pick it up.)

I'm glad I'll cleanse my palate with one of Nathan Dylan Goodwin's genealogical mysteries that I'm reading for the RandomKIT and for the Bingo Board.

Book 114. Murder in the Paperback Parlor by Ellery Adams

Date Completed: 18 December 2023

Category: Other Fiction and Creative Literature

Rating: 2.5 stars

Review: Storyton Hall hosts fans of romantic fiction as well as some popular authors. One of the authors dies. Suspects and motives abound, but publishers and fans are surprised to learn something about their beloved author. This book was not as strong as the first. I found a few moments comedic--such as the times Jane's caretaker training becomes useful. After two retreats and two deaths at Storyton Hall, I wonder if anyone would want to attend a retreat there again.

Book 115. The Lost Ancestor by Nathan Dylan Goodwin

Date Completed: 23 December 2023

Category: Mt TBR Bingo

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: Forensic genealogist Morton Farrier looks into a 1911 disappearance for a dying man who wants to know what happened to his grandmother's sister. While Farrier explores archival, online, and other resources such as interviews, someone is determined to make sure he doesn't find out. He fairly quickly determines his life is endangered, but he does not know the threat's source. Readers also learn the story of Mary, the woman who disappeared, along the way with the dual storyline of which I'm not a fan. It did work a little better in this book than in many.

Book 116. Lark! the Herald Angels Sing by Donna Andrews

Date Completed: 27 December 2023

Category: Christmas All Year

Review: The mystery in this installment is a little light, but it still provides fun and entertains. Meg is conducting the town's Christmas pageant. Then they find a baby in a manger that isn't the one they expected. No one recognizes the baby, but they want to locate the baby's parents. Something left with the baby makes them think her name is Lark. Of course, it turns out the birth mother is trying to flee neighboring Clay County where the corrupt law enforcement officials nabbed her husband. They shelter the mother in the women's shelter until it's no longer safe to do so. It's worth sticking this one out just because of the fun antics right before the situation is resolved.

I just finished listening to The Librarian Spy which I took as a BB from you earlier this year. I liked it a lot.

>102 dudes22: It was a good book.

Book 117. So Shall You Reap by Donna Leon

Date Completed: 29 December 2023

Category: Benita's Mystery Group Read

Rating: 4 stars

Review: Brunetti, Vianello, and Griffoni investigate the death of a Sri Lankan palazzo servant. The body was spotted and recovered in the canal one evening. The palazzo belonged to a university professor and his wife. The palazzo was situated adjacent to a convent. The adjoining gardens were as different as night and day. The convent's was well-kept by a Filipino nun; the palazzo's was neglected. The servant who lived in a building in the garden was denied the opportunity to tend it. When Brunetti inspected the man's dwelling, he was struck by the odd selection of books. I never suspected anyone other than the guilty party of the deed, and there weren't a lot of red herrings thrown into the mix. It's fairly straightforward with much of the time spent gathering enough evidence to present a case that might stick (while keeping the reader in the dark concerning the suspect's identity). Those who have read others in the series know justice is not always carried out in Italy, so they perhaps need better evidence than in other countries to even consider an arrest. While it is solid, it is not Leon's best work.

While I'm not done here, I'll go ahead and post the link to my 2024 challenge now. I'll post it again when I do officially finish posting for the year. My 2024 thread is here: https://www.librarything.com/topic/356363

2023 Year-End Meme:
Describe yourself: Read or Alive
Describe How Your Feel: Dangling by a Thread
Describe Where You Currently Live: The Glass Room
If You Could Go Anywhere, Where Would You go? Intrigue in Istanbul
Your Favorite Form of Transportation: Taking Flight
Your Favorite Food Is: Lemon Curd Killer
Your Favorite Time of Day: Morning by Morning
Your Best Friend Is: The Librarian Spy
You and Your Friends Are: The Bookstore Sisters
What's the Weather Like: In a Dry Season
You Fear: The Square Root of Murder
What Is the Best Advice You Have to Give? So Shall You Reap
Thought for the Day: There's No Such Thing as a Chanukah Bush
What Is Life for You? The Lost Ancestor
How You Would Like to Die: Dark Chocolate Demise
Your Soul's Present Condition: God Sees Her
What Was 2023 Like for You? Embroidering Her Truth
What Do You Want from 2024? Small Things Like These

2023 Party Meme

What would you call the event: Winter Study
How did the guests find their way? The Light Over London
How did they know they had arrived? Lark! The Herald Angels Sing
Any special activities? We're Going to the Farmer's Market
Did Your Guests Stay Over? The Black Tower
Were There Servants to Help? Death Below Stairs
Was There Turn-Down Service? Premeditated Peppermint
How Were the Guests Greeted? Five Little Kittens
Was Dinner Held for Latecomers? The Farm Stand
And Dinner Was? A Birthday Lunch
Afterwards? Santa's Crash-Bang Christmas

>106 thornton37814: Dark Chocolate Demise sounds like a good death.

>108 lowelibrary: I thought it was the best option among the ones from which I had to choose!

Book 118. 'Twas the Night Before Christmas in Cincinnati by Jo Parry

Date Completed: October 2023

Rating: 4 stars

Review: This is great fun for those who live in or formerly lived in the Queen City. It is more of an adult conversation book than one you would read to children, although it could be used that way.

Note: I discovered I did not report this one back when I purchased and read it. Just inserting it here to count toward my 2023 reads.

Happy holidays, Lori. I've starred your 2024 thread and look forward to seeing what you're up to over there. Don't forget to add pictures of your fine boys when you can!

>111 RidgewayGirl: I'll do my. best to post some. We're still at my brothers, and they do some of the cutest things when they are all together in a confined space such as the room in the shop where they stay. By the time, I get my camera out, the cute moment has passed. Sherlock was standing in the window with his full body extended the length of the window. Of course, when I hit the button on the camera, he was already half-way down to a sitting position.

These were my year-long devotional reads. I will not rate them, but all were completed today (31 December 2023) and all go in the Christian Books category.



Book 119. New American Standard Bible (1995 edition) - completed 31 December 2023



Book 120. Morning by Morning: Or, Daily Readings for the Family or the Closet by C. H. Spurgeon



Book 121. Evening by Evening: Or, Readings at Eventide for the Family or the Closet by C. H. Spurgeon



Book 122. God Sees Her: 365 Devotions for Women by Women by Our Daily Bread Ministries

I'm moving to my 2024 thread now:
https://www.librarything.com/topic/356363