Dudes22 Makes Alphabet Soup in 2013

I’ve been studying my TBR pile and I’d like to make a serious dent in it next year. (I know – I say that every year). I made a list of a number of books I’d like to read next year(series I want to start, next in the series, stuff I probably won’t get to this year) and tried to put them in some categories, but I couldn’t get things to fit. So I’m making my challenge really loose so I can fit in as many as I can. So I’m going to use 2 letters of the alphabet for each category, based on author’s last names and try a step challenge. It’s a lot more books than I usually read, but maybe the push will really get me serious.




Category 1: A-B - 13 Books - 5 of 13 read
Category 2: C-D - 12 Books - 6 of 12 read
Category 3: E-F - 11 Books - 6 of 11 read
Category 4: G-H - 10 Books - 5 of 10 read
Category 5: I-J - 9 Books - 3 of 9 read
Category 6: K-L - 8 Books - 3 of 8 read
Category 7: M-N - 7 Books - 6 of 7 read
Category 8: O-P - 6 Books - 4 of 6 read
Category 9: Q-R - 5 Books - 4 of 5 read
Category 10: S-T - 4 Books - 2 of 4 read
Category 11: U-V - 3 Books - 0 of 3 read
Category 13: W-X - 2 Books - 1 of 2 read
Category 14: Y-Z - 1 Books - 0 of 1 read

Book Read:
Jan - 9
Feb - 8
Mar - 8
Apr - 8
May - 6
Jun - 6
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Paper: 41
Nook: 4

CATS Read:
JAN:
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
Alpha M; Orange Award: 2012 long list; Random: new-to-me author
The Shape Shifter by Tony Hillerman - Spur Award: 2007 Best Western Short Novel
Witch's Bane by Susan Wittig Albert; Alpha A
The Beach Street Knitting Society and Yarn Club by Gil McNeil; Alpha M; Random: new-to-me author
Death by Darjeeling by Laura Childs; Random: new-to-me author

Feb:
The Scarlet Thread by Francine Rivers
Rita Award: Best Inspirational Romance - 1997
Cold Granite by Stuart MacBride Random: Frosty Feb
Murder is Binding by Lorna Barrest; Alpha B
Riding The Bus With My Sister by Rachel Simon American Book Award 2003
The Lost Art of Mixing by Erica Bauermeister; Alpha B
The Hunt by Jan Neurharth; Alpha N

Mar
The Cove by Catherine Coulter; Alpha C
The Long Quiche Goodbye by Avery AAmes; Agatha First Novel Award 2010
An Arsonist's Guide to Writers' Homes in New England by Brock Clarke; Morning News Tournament First Round 2008; Aplha C
Wesley the Owl by Stacey O'Brien; Alpha O
Running in the Family by Michael Ondaatje; Alpha O

Apr:
A Fatal Grace by Louise Penny; Alpha P
Day After Night by Anita Diamant; Alpha D
A Can of Peas by Traci DePree; Alpha D
A Clue for the Puzzle Lady by Parnell Hall; Alpha P
A Cat Was Involved by Spencer Quinn; Alpha Q

May
Finger Lickin' Fifteen by Janet Evanovich; Alpha E
Ironweed by William Kennedy; Awards: Pulitzer - Best Fiction Novel 1984
State of the Onion by Julie Hyzy; Random CAT
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson; Random CAT
The Butter Did It by Phyllis Richman; Alpha R
The Magicians by Lev Grossman; Awards - Kitschie - 2009 shortlist

Jun
The Secret of the Nightingale Palace by Dana Sachs; Alpha S
Full Dark House by Christopher Fowler; Alpha F
The Witch Doctor's Wife by Tamar Myers; Random Cat
The Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke; Alpha F
Strawberry Shortcake Murder by Joanne Fluke; Alpha F
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Category 1: A-B: 13 Books



1. Witch's Bane by Susan WIttig Albert (finished 1/13)
2. Murder is Binding by Lorna Barrett (finished 2/13)
3. The Lost Art of Mixing by Erica Bauermeister (finished 2/13)
4. The Long Quiche Goodbye by Avery AAmes (finished 3/13)
5. Bookmarked for Death by Lorna Barrett (finished 4/13)

Category 2: C-D: 12 Books



1. The Cross Country Quilters by Jennifer Chiaverini (finished 1/13)
2. Death by Darjeeling by Laura Childs (finished 1/13)
3. The Cove by Catherine Coulter (finished 3/13)
4. An Arsonist's Guide to Writer's Homes in New England by Brock Clarke (abandoned 3/13)
5. Day After Night by Anita Diamant (finished 4/2013)
6. A Can of Peas by Traci DePree (finished 4/13)

Category 3: E-F: 11 Books



1. The Fleet Street Murders by Charles Finch (finished 1/13)
2. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn (finished 2/13)
3. Finger Lickin' Fifteen by Janet Evanovich (finished 5/13)
4. Full Dark House by Christopher Fowler (finished 6/13)
5. The Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke (finished 6/13)
6. Strawberry Shortcake Murder by Joanne Fluke (finished 6/13)

Category 4: G-H: 10 Books



1. Love Anthony by Lisa Genova (finished 1/13)
2. The Shape Shifter by Tony Hillerman (finished 1/13)
3. A Clue for the Puzzle Lady by Parnell Hall (finished 4/13)
4. State of the Onion by Julie Hyzy (finished 5/13)
5. The Magicians by Lev Grossman (finished 5/13)

Category 5: I-J: 9 Books



1. Knit Two by Kate Jacobs (finished 3/13)
2. The Necklace by Cheryl Jarvis (finished 4/13)
3. The Messenger of Magnolia Street by River Jordan (finished 6/13)

Category 6: K-L: 8 Books



1. Die in Plain Sight by Elizabeth Lowell (finished 3/13)
2. Ironweed by William Kennedy (finished 5/13)
3. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson (finished 5/13)

Category 7: M-N: 7 Books



1. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (finished 1/13)
2. The Beach Street Knitting Society and Yarn Club by Gil McNeil (finished 1/13)
3. Cold Granite by Stuart MacBride (finished 2/13)
4. The Hunt by Jan Neuharth (finished 2/13)
5. The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton (finished 2/13)
6. The Witch Doctor's Wife by Tamar Myers (finished 6/13)
7.

Category 8: O-P: 6 Books



1. The 6th Target by James Patterson (finished 1/13)
2. Wesley the Owl by Stacey O'Brien (finished 3/13)
3. Running in the Family by Michael Ondaatje (finished 3/13)
4. A Fatal Grace by Louise Penny (finished 4/13)

Category 9: Q-R: 5 Books



1. The Scarlet Thread by Francine Rivers (finished 2/13)
2. The Sunday List of Dreams by Kris Radish (finished 3/13)
3. A Cat Was Involved by Spencer Quinn (finished 4/13)
4. The Butter Did It by Phyllis Richman (finished 5/13)

Category 10: S-T: 4 Books



1. Riding The Bus With My Sister by Rachel Simon (finished 2/13)
2. The Secret of the Nightingale Palace by Dana Sachs (finished 6/13)

Category 11: U-V: 3 Books



1.
2.

Category 12: W-X: 2 Books



1. I'll Take What She Has by Samantha Wilde (finished 4/13)
2.

Category 13: Y-Z: 1 Book



1.

I have some pictures to add, but I'm having a little trouble re-sizing. I'm going to keep trying stuff till I can get them on here. Not a very interesting theme, but hopefully one that will get some stuff off my shelves. Now to finish 12. Ok - I figured it out finally.

Looks like a fun year! I'll look forward to seeing what ends up in YZ!

Hi Betty, glad to see you all set up and ready. I made the same vow - you know, going to read more off my own shelves - we'll see how that works out!

Good luck with the TBR pile! It's a losing battle for me.

Great setup Betty! I also have a losing battle with my TBR pile....

This looks like a good set-up for conquering Mount TBR. Good luck!

Well the TBR mount wouldnt be so bad if I would just stop adding to it all the time.

Doesn't every bibliophile have this problem with their TBR mountain? I know mine grows larger every month.

Descending scale, nice touch. And your categories are nice and open, so you can fit a lot of things in. Have fun with it.

I hope to, Beth. I had to do something open enough that I could start a number of series that I've been collecting because of recommendations here on LT.
I'm not mentioning any names

I try to stop here every couple of weeks to see what's going on. I've finally thought of a theme, only I don't feel like starting over so I guess I'll save it for next year. That will leave me plenty of time for tweaking. For now, I need to concentrate on finishing this year.

Well I've gotten my first gift card for books for the holiday from a co-worker. Yahoo! I've got a little list going of things I'd really like to get to next year that I don't own. I'll wait untile after Christmas, just in case I get some more.

I've realized that I left no extra space for the CATS at the beginning of my thread. I'll need to think about what to do about that.

I didn't leave any room for the CATS at the start of my thread either - the group wasn't discussing the CATS when it went up so I will probably just flag the books I read for the CATS as I read my way through 2013.

28. That's how I'll do it too. I'm not going to add any books for the CATs, I'll just see if any of my planned books for the month fit the CATs and then add them. I was lucky with January and got books to fit with all three challenges.

Well I was thinking I could move my statistics from message 2 into message 1 which would leave me one extra space to use for the CATS. I just noticed my ticker seems to be gone. I wonder if it left when people were talking about not being able to adjust their tickers earlier this month. I'll have to check on that when I can use the laptop. Much easier.

Did you have more than one ticker? I can see one (with a turtle) in the first message. Could just be your browser acting up.

Ok - you're right. It seems to be ok now.

I'm getting excited to start. I can't decide between a book I borrowed by an author I love and one of my books for the CATS.

Book 1: Love Anthony by Lisa Genova

Another book by one of my favorite authors. This one revolves around two women. Olivia, who has lost her autistic son and is separated from her husband, has moved to their house in Nantucket. Beth has discovered that her husband is having an affair and has realized that she has sublimated herself as a wife and mother from the person she used to be and the desires she used to have.

Beth finds a box in the attic containing some of her attempts at writing and she decides to begin writing again. Starting with a short story she had previously written she gradually channels the voice of an autistic boy named Anthony.

This book is a story within a story as chapters from the book Beth writes are part of the story. As with her other two books, the author shows great sensitivity to the subjects she chooses to write about.

Very happy to see your positive review for Love Anthony, Betty! I have that one on hold with my local library.... hoping to see it soon! Genova writes some great stories while leveraging her medical/science background.

I think her first book Still Alice is one of my most favorite books. I think her background in medicine adds a lot to her books.

Good to know... I will keep that in mind!

Hmmm, I hadn't heard of Love Anthony. I usually hate writers writing fiction about writing, but it sounds like this one might be better than most of those - and I'm sure parents with children with autism often lose track of themselves because they are spending so much time taking care of others. I'll keep an eye out for it. I've been hearing about Still Alice for awhile.

I absolutely adored Still Alice --- it was prior to my LT days, but after I read it I purchased copies for my boss and co-workers (we work with the elderly). I have another Genova sitting on my shelf, but haven't gotten around to it or Love Anthony yet. Maybe I should push it up the pile!! :)

Waiting to take a look at people's threads until the new year was, perhaps, a big mistake on my part. in any case, I've got you starred and am looking forward to seeing what you read this year. The AlphaCAT was made for you, eh?

>39 TinaV95: - You probably have Left Neglected on your shelf then, since she's only written 3 novels. That one was also very good.

>Kay - nice to see you! I was going to try any at least look at each persons thread before I decided who to star, but there are just too many, so I'm kind of sticking with those I followed last year and maybe I'll dip into others here and there. Yes - it does seem like I will be successful with the Alpha CAT. You were very busy getting all those CATS organized.

39 & 41 - THAT'S the one! I couldn't remember the name of it last night for anything! Thanks for helping!

Welcome back! I love the illustrations for the categories!

Thanks Eva - glad you're back too.

Just dropping by to catch up. A good, no-nonsense setup! Wishing you all luck with reducing the TBR - I'm aiming for denting my mountain by at least 35 books this year.

Thanks for stopping by Anders. At least I haven't added to it yet this year :)

Still Alice was such an amazing book. One of my favorites.

here's what happens when I sound smug like in post #46: I went to the nail salon and found a book from the take it/leave it box and then came home and mooched a book from BM. So when I finish the book I'm now reading I'll be exactly even for the year. No will-power.

looks slightly ashamed

I think that really you are secretly very pleased to have come across two such irresistable books on the same day. And you should be.

48. Will-power is highly overrated. Indulgence is much more fun.

If it is any conciliation, I have only finished one book and acquired two so far this year. ;-)

I'm thinking of lending one of them to my sister so it's out of sight for a while and not count it as added to the pile until it comes back.

Don't feel bad! I have read two books from my TBR shelves so far, both of which I plan to keep (so not reducing my total # of books), and I just ordered five new ones from Amazon!

Book 2: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
Cat-Trick:
Alpha: M
Random: New-to-me Author
Orange Award: 2012 long list

This book lived up to all the raves I've read about it. A magical circus which is, in reality, the venue for a competition which has been going on for a long time, in many places. This time the competition is between Celia and Marcos although for much of the book only Marcos knows that Celia is his opponent while she remains ignorant of the fact.

Each individual creates new theme tents that are more fantastical, elaborate, and magical. There are acrobats, illusionists, fortune tellers, a bonfire that never goes out, and a wonderful, magical clock that keeps track of the time. The circus is open only from dusk to dawn and moves to a new location without prior notice.

The chapters move back and forth thru time which can make it a little confusing sometimes. As others have said, the characters can seem a little flat. There are also a number of lesser characters to keep track of. But the authors descriptions of the tents in the circus were very imaginative and the clock description was fabulous.

Gosh, your description makes me want to read it again!! :)

That's it. I'm going to have to read the night circus. Thanks for a good review!

As for new books, I'm at zero for the year. Then again, it's only been eight days.

Good review of The Night Circus I have got that one on my TBR pile for this year.

It didn't really matter in the end that the characters and their emotions were flat, when the descriptions were so three-dimensional.

@ 54 -- I definitely agree with you! Loved the gorgeous setting, but the jumping back and forth did confuse me a little. I wanted more development in the characters, too, especially Celia and Marco.

And then I went and bought a book.

Only one? I'm already up to 5. Sigh.

I may have purchased a couple in a book binge recently too....

Great review. I read the The Night Circus last year and felt much the same way. The descriptions were fabulous--I especially liked the clock and the ice tent--but I felt the plot and characters were a little flat.

With everybody reading/reviewing Morgenstern's book right now, I wonder if I read it at the wrong time. ;) Maybe I should have waited so I could be a part of this.

Actually, I was feeling rather left out last year when quite a few people we reading it, so I got it but never got around to reading it last year. The awards cat seemed like a good reason to move it up.

#64, I know what you mean. I'm planning to read it later this year under a category "Books everyone seems to have read but me"

LOL Bjace - That's a great category. I'd steal it if I had room to!

It should go right up there with "Books everyone but me loved".

Nice review of The Night Circus, Betty! Glad to see you enjoyed it, even with the back and forth.

Oooo, no. I wouldn't like that Books everyone but Betty loved category at all! That would be filled even more slowly than my books in language I don't speak well yet category.

>61 majkia: I'm up to six now. But but but two were GN's I need for this challenge, two were presents and two were REALLY cheap! Honestly!

well if your going to include presents I'm well into double figures (probably closer to 20 than 10 too) for additional books coming into the house this year...

Seriously, gifts and books obtained from giftcards do not count!

Of course they don't. They don't take up ANY shelf space. And they magically read themselves ;)

I'm only in such "good" shape because I added everything I ordered the last week in Dec when I ordered it instead of waiting till it came. That way I can also read them this year and count them for my ROOT challenge as "old" books. (technicality I know, but it works for me)

Book 3: The Shape Shifter by Tony Hillerman
SPUR AWARD: 2007 Best Western Short Novel

Book number 12 in the Joe Leaphorn series. After he has retired, Navajo Tribal Police Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn is drawn back into a cold case which centers around a woven Navajo rug which was supposed to have been destroyed in a fire. I didn't find it anything special, but I don't read a lot of western mysteries.

The best part about the Hillermans for me is the information you get about Native American life, not necessarily the mysteries themselves. Don't remember if this is one of the better ones or nort, though, since it's been ages since I read any. Another series onto the reread list - sigh. :)

I have Hillerman's Dance Hall of the Dead due up later for my M is for Murder category.

I definitely picked this up at a library sale and I'm not sure why. I looked at his list of books and I don't see any titles that look familiar, so either someone here talked about one of his books and I thought it sounded good and wanted to start the series or I confused him with someone else. Who knows? I did find some of the Native American information interesting though, you're right about that even though I didn't say so. Now to decide whether to try any others. Maybe if I see another one at a library sale ;)

Thanks for the review of The Night Circus. I'll have to re-prioritize it on my wishlist as I'm seeing so many positive reviews!

Book 4: Witch's Bane by Susan Wittig Albert
ALPHA CAT: A

This is the 2nd book in a cozy mystery series about a lawyer who has left the practice of law to open an herb store. Her knowledge of law comes in handy as she gets involved in mysteries and murders that happen in town. I especially like the tidbits of information about herbs that are included in the story.

I don't know why I haven't read more in Albert's series because I've enjoyed the ones I've read. I have a few in TBR boxes.

Book 5: The 6th Target by James Patterson

This was a reread for me as I catch up with the Women's Murder Club series. Two main stories in this book - a shooting on a ferry that kills several people and injures Claire, one of the four women who call themselves the Women's Murder club, and a kidnapping of a little girl and her nanny. And in Lindsay Boxer's personal life, some depictions need to be made.

I'm still ok with Patterson's writing in this book, unlike the last Cross book of his I read where the story read more like an outline with no details. Still, this series is up to something like 11 books, so we'll see if the writing keeps up.

ETA: No CATS on this one.

Book 6: The Fleet Street Murders by Charles Finch

I think I enjoy this series more with each book. There's something about communicating by note or telegram, traveling by hansom cab or train, no DNA or fingerprints, that makes these mysteries all the more interesting to me.

In book 3, Lenox is finally getting a chance to run for Parliament and two journalists have been killed which are both keeping him busy. Plus a few things in his personal life, enough to keep things interesting.

I'm going to have to give the Lenox series a try as well. Have you read The Alienist? It takes place at the end of the 19th century and hints at the starts of psychological profiling and forensic testing, but there are a lot of telegrams, hansom cabs, and trains as well.

No I haven't. I'm going to add that to my "recommended by LT" collection before I forget.

Book 7: The Beach Street Knitting Society and Yarn Club by Gil McNeil
Alpha CAT: M Random CAT: new-to-me author

In this chick-lit book, Jo is taking over her grandmother's yarn shop and moving. Her husband was killed in a car crash after telling her that he had been having an affair and wanted a divorce. Then she finds out he took outa second mortgage on the house which forced her to sell. So the story's about her first year in the seaside town where her Gran's yarn shop is. It took me a long while to come round to the story and I still have a few issues with it. There are many run-on sentences and quite a bit of one particular swear word which I'm not a fan of. But there were also some fairly cute conversations which made me smile, so I'll probably read some more of this series, especially since they are already on the shelf.

Book 8: The Cross Country Quilters by Jennifer Chiaverini

Book 3 in the Elm Creek Quilters series, this time a group of friends challenge each other to use part of the same fabric to create a quilt block, but only after each has taken steps to solve a particular problem in each of their lives.

Hi Betty, just catching up with you over here too! :)

The historical books in the Elm Creek Quilts series are my favorites. Cross Country Quilters is my favorite of the books with a contemporary setting.

I did really like this book. I don't know if any of the characters in this book will appear in future books, but there are a couple of stories that I wouldn't mind if they were at least mentioned again.

Book 9: Death by Darjeeling by Laura Chile
Random CAT: New-to-me author

First in another cozy series, which this time centers around a tea shop in Charleston, SC. There are at least one or two cliff-hangers relationship-wise so I'll have to keep reading to see if they were intentional or not. Lots of interesting teas mentioned also although the recipe at the end of the book wasn't my cup of tea.... :P (I think that's tongue in cheek)

Thanks for reminding me I wanted a cup of tea! (Off to make a cup of Jasmine)

WOW! January gone already. Summary time

Books Read: 9/91
Categories: 6/13

Best Reads: Love Anthony by Lisa Genova
The Fleet Street Murders by Charles Finch

Worst Read: Not really anything terribly bad enough to put here, yet.

Managed one in each award category, 3 alpha books, and 3 new-to-me authors.

Now off to read.

Loved Still Alice by Lisa Genova and am really looking forward to Love Anthony. Happy to know you enjoyed it b

Still Alice is a book I recommend to almost everyone that I have a book discussion with.

Me too! It really made me see what losing your memory could be like.

Book 10: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

There are plenty of reviews of this book, so I'll just say that on Nick and Amy's 5th wedding anniversary, Amy goes missing and Nick is suspected of murdering her. That said - I really, really disliked all the characters in this book - all! There was a time or two, I almost threw the book against the wall I disliked them so much. Still, it was compelling enough that I had to finish it.

@ 97 -- Yup, that reaction to Gone Girl sounds about right. :) I did find one of the main characters more likable than the other, though... but I feel like I can't even say which one without spoilers!

I don't generally read new stuff, but I may have to investigate Gone girl It's not that so many people liked it or disliked it; it seems to have raised a lot of strong feelings both ways.

Hoping to get in some major reading time this weekend between shoveling. For RI, which has a lot of coastline to mitigate colde weather and precipitation, they're predicting up to 2 ft of snow in my area. I realize a lot of you see this often, but it's a real novelty/panic situation here. On the news: Everyone in stores getting bread and milk - happens every suggestion of a storm. My mother felt being prepared was wine and cigarettes, but that was a different time and place. And I feel you can never have enough ice cream!

Beth - The book does seem to prevoke strong feelings. I hadn't even intended to read it until someone lent it to me so I felt I had to. And it was quite clever the way the author fit everything together. So I guess on some levels it was very well done. Someone (I can't remember who) mentioned that she had tried another of her books and didn't like it as well.

ETA: Why do I never find my mistakes until I hit "post"?

Bread and milk is a thing here, too. Enjoy a planned quiet weekend spent reading. Is your husband going to wander along the beach like he did during the hurricane?

2 ft. of snow seems like a lot to me, too. We hardly ever get more than a few inches here. I hope you stay warm and dry and that any transportation disruptions don't last very long.

Having grown up in the tropics I found it a unique experience walking on a beach in the snow!

We're not close enough to walk to the beach and its going to be too bad for driving so no walking on the beach, but the dog will still want her 2 walks every day, so just around the neighborhood. Lots of businesses already posting on Facebook that they're closed until Sun or Mon.

Happy reading! Living in Texas, 2 feet of snow is a fantasy. Hope you have plenty of books and ice cream to pass the time!

Book 11: The Scarlet Thread by Francine Rivers
Award CAT: Rita Award: Best Inspirational Romance - 1997

Book Blurb: "Two women, centuries apart, are joined through a tattered journal as they contend with God, husbands - even themselves...."

I'm not a big fan of romance novels but, after a slow start, this book was pretty good. I preferred the part of the story that was the journal of Sierra's great-great (many greats) grandmother's journey to California at the time when people were just beginning to travel west.

I loved Francine Rivers's romance novels when I was in high school and her books weren't inspirational.

Hope you are nicely snuggled up indoors with books - in between shoveling!

Yes, a couple of long bouts of shoveling/snow blowing yesterday, but at least we never lost electricity like a lot of people, some just down the road. They lifted the driving ban yesterday at 4, but I'm pretty sure I'm staying in today too. Cooking, quilting and reading are all I intend to do ( well -maybe a little laundry). Official total at the airport was 17", but with wind a lot of deeper places - hubby seemed to think we had around 18" here.

Book 12: Cold Granite by Stuart MacBride
Random Cat: Frosty February

A gritty, dark, damp book about a serial killer of children in Aberdeen, Scotland. DS Logan McRae is returning to work after a year off because he was stabbed almost to death. With no time to settle back not the job, he's soon trying to catch the serial killer, find out who the mole to the local newspaper is, and who killed a man who is pulled from the water with his knees "matcheted" off.

Still I do like a flawed hero and will continue with this series. (I just hope it's not raining in the next book.)

@97 Love your comments on Gone Girl. Yup, characters I hope to never meet in real life! I've come close enough, thank you.

I really like Logan. His personality as well as his self-doubts.

There will be more rain in Aberdeen, I'm sorry to say. MacBride keeps apologizing to the Aberdeen Tourist Board for it. :)

Book 13: Murder is Binding by Lorna Barrest
Alpha Cat: B

Start of another cozy series for me. Tricia opened a mystery bookstore 6 months ago in the town of Stoneham, NH, a town which has fashioned itself after Hay-on-Wie with bookstores up and down Main Street. When Tricia finds the owner of the cookbook store next door murdered, she becomes the main suspect. Of course she needs to clear herself and starts poking around to see if she can figure out who the real murderer is. Meanwhile, her sister has arrived in town, and is threatening to stay, something Tricia is not too crazy about.

It's a pretty good beginning for a cozy series; lots of characters being introduced which takes up a lot of time,but a decent enough start.

I've enjoyed this series, mainly because I love the idea of a town full of bookstores! Complex characters too - no one is completely likeable.

I am a huge fan of the Logan McRae series, and after reading the first book I had to go and google Aberdeen to see if it was as bleak and dreary as it comes across in his books. Of course, I ended up mostly looking at sunny tourist pictures and to my surprise it looks like a lovely city!

Well - no place that wants to attract tourist is going to show pictures of rainy days.

And no dark, gritty police procedural can be set in a sunny, pleasant place.

That's true. I did like this enough to continue - and I have #2 already in the TBR.

Book 14: Riding the Bus with My Sister by Rachel Simon
Feb Award CAT: 2003 American Book Award

I had been undecided whether or not to read this for the award cat this month. But after I read Lori's (ikernagh) review, I decided now was the time. For those who don't want to rush over to her thread to read her review, this is a memoir about the year that Rachel Simon spent riding buses with her sister Beth who is mentally challenged. She learns more about how her sister manages living on her own. She also learns about the various drivers and their stories on the buses her sister rides and gradually tries to change her own life.

I've only been in Aberdeen once, but it was actually sunny! I have, however, spent loads of time in Edinburgh and the rain is rarely far away there, so I'm thinking the same should be true about Aberdeen. :)

the rain's never far away in Scotland ;-)

122/123 - Well as long as you go prepared and know that's what it's likely to be, I guess you can only be pleasantly surprised when it isn't rainy. My brother and sister-in-law went a few years ago - I'll have to ask them what kind of weather they had.

Hubby and I are on vacation this week in Mexico. I brought my iPad with my e-reader app, 3 paper books, and yet, when we went up to check the take one/leave one shelves, I still managed to come away with 2 books that sounded interesting - a Jacqueline Winspear and a book about Africa, both of which I'll end up taking home. I'm an addict no matter what country I'm in. But I hope to get a lot of reading done this week. Almost done with one of my ER books that I'm really enjoying. Great way to start a vacation.

Sounds like a good vacation, especially the unexpected new books! ;) Have a great time!

Yes- but one of my goals this year is to bring in less books than I get rid of.

Have a nice vacation, Betty.

Thanks Judi - lots of reading time.

Book 15: The Lost Art of Mixing by Erica Bauermeister
Alpha CAT: B
ER Book

The Lost Art of Mixing is a sequel to Erica Bauermeister's book The School of Essential Ingredients, continuing the lives of some of the characters from the first book a year later and introducing a few new ones. The quote at the beginning of the book, "Every truth has two sides - Aesop" reflects the overall theme of the book as the reader is shown how each of two people react to the same circumstances and the author skillfully blends all the characters into one story.

Lillian's restaurant from the first book doesn't play as big a part in the story as the last book, and Lillian herself is more of a minor character although still the nucleus of the characters. Chloe, her sous-chef, has broken up with her boyfriend and is finding it hard to trust herself and others, especially Finnegan who has issues of his own. Isabelle knows that her memories are slowly beng taken from her by Alzheimer's and the story of her and her daughter's relationship forms two more sides of one truth. And Lillian has her own issue to deal with.

The author's prose is so delicious and sensuous that I wanted to sink into the words and savor every one.
"She let the silence unfold in the car, curl around the steering wheel, slip through Finnegan' s long fingers and stretch out in the back seat."
She seamlessly blends the stories of each of the characters making the reader see that stories have two sides and what we may think we know, may only be one side of the truth.

I have The School of Essential Ingredients on Mt. TBR - sounds like I should get to it sooner rather than later!

So glad that you like it too! It was so nice to revisit this world.

I read The School of Essential Ingredients. Somehow, I had not caught that The Lost Art of Mixing was a sequel. We have it on the shelf here at the library. I'll have to consider reading it.

Book 16: The Hunt by Jan Neuharth
Alpha CAT: N

A mystery set around the fox hunting area of Virginia, there was just too much contrived idiocy by the main character to make it enjoyable. Obvious from the ending that this must be a series - one I won't continue.

Book 17: The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton

Cassandra's grandmother Nell leaves her a cottage in Cornwall, England when she dies along with the mystery of why she even had a cottage there that Cassandra had never heard about. Once again, the author has woven together a story from the past and the present and even in-between.

Book 18: The Sunday List of Dreams by Kris Radish

Another of her novels dealing with women's issues. This one revolves around a woman and her three daughters and also a list of dreams she has had for many years of things she wants to do when she retires. Although I generally like her books, this one is my least favorite so far. By the last 1/4 of the book, I thought she was repeating herself over and over and I just wanted to finish already.

I have only read one of Kate Morton's books so far, so I am looking forward to reading The Forgotten Garden!

Lori - I thought it as just as good as The House at Riverton, the only other one of hers that I've read.

Book 19: The Cove by Catherine Coulter
Alpha CAT: C

The is the first book in her FBI series. I had read one of them many years ago and always wanted to start them from the beginning. The mystery was not too gruesome and there were a few twists and turns and a little bit of levity as well.

In this first one, Sally turns up at her aunt's house in a town called The Cove. She's not sure whether or not she has murdered her father. Meanwhile she's being chased by FBI agent James Quinlan. I'm assuming these two and maybe a few others will be continuing in future books.

Book 20: The Long Quiche Goodbye by Avery AAmes
Award CAT: Agatha Best First Novel 2010

Decided to start another cozy series because this book fit the Award CAT for the Agatha Best First Novel of 2010. The book starts off very busily with lots of characters to introduce and relationships to establish. When a much disliked man is killed with a knife from her cheese shop and her grandmother is found standing over the body covered with blood, of course it's up to Cheese Shop owner Charlotte Bessette to get involved and solve the mystery.

The best part for me was all the mentions of cheese and how to eat it. I love cheese and am going to try a number that were mentioned in the book. Even a few recipes included at the back of the book.

Book 21: An Arsonist's Guide to Writers' Homes in New England by Brock Clarke
Award CAT: Morning News Tournament First Round 2008
Alpha CAT: C

I just couldn't finish this book. I read the first 50 pages, skimmed through the next 12 to a major break in the book, and then quit. The book is the story of Sam Pulsifer who burned down Emily Dickinson's house and killed two people who were inside at the time, supposedly accidentally. (Since I only read 50 pages, I have to base that on what the main character says. I'm not sure if that story is actually told later in the book.) Sam spent ten years in prison and is now out and it's around ten years later. That's about as far as I got. Supposedly, more writers' homes in New England start burning down and Sam is suspected.

I just couldn't like the main character. His voice had a whiny, self indulgent, condescending quality that I could never take to. I thought the idea of the book was good, but just couldn't get past the main character to get to the story.

As a separate thought - I was looking through past winners and losers of the MNT and noticed that quite a few of the books would also make great books for the March Random "Judge a Book by it's Cover" CAT.

Hmm, I have An Arsonist's Guide to Writers' Homes in New England on my TBR. I'll have to get to it soon to see if I can finish it!

>141 dudes22: - I abandoned it for the same reason when I tried to read it

Yes Kay - I'd be interested to hear what you think of it.

Thanks Pete - I saw your comment on the other thread.

I've enjoyed a few of Radish's novels. Haven't read Sunday List of Dreams yet.

I have Forgotten Garden and Murder is Binding on my bookshelves!

I have to say that Sunday List of Dreams is probably the one I liked the least of the ones I've read,

Book 22: Wesley the Owl by Stacey O'Brien
Alpha Cat: O

A heart-warming book about a biologist who takes in a barn owl with an injured wing who is only 4 days old and cares for it over the next 20 years. I learned a lot of intersting facts about owls while reading this and recommend it for any animal lovers.

Book 23: Running in the Family byMichael Ondaatje
Alpha CAT: O

The story of Michael Ondaatje's journey back to his native land of Ceylon in the 1970's to learn more of his family history. Told as a series of vingettes, I found it hard to follow the stories of his family, many of which sounded exaggerated to me.

Book 24: Knit Two by Kate Jacobs

A sequel to Kate Jacob's book The Friday Night Knitting Club, this book starts 5 years after the end of the first and follows the original characters and their relationships.

Book 25: Die in Plain Sight by Elizabeth Lowell

I enjoyed this 3rd book in Elizabeth Lowell’s Rarities series the best so far. Lacey Quinn believes that her grandfather was a magnificent painter after she inherits a number of landscapes he painted and some others that are very disturbing which she calls the Death Series. When a prominent artist comes to town and offers to appraise paintings that people in the community bring her (rather like an “Antiques Roadshow”), Lacey decides to bring 3 of her grandfather’s paintings. Susa (the artist) loves the paintings which are very similar to the style of an artist who died many years ago and wants to know more. She also has a bodyguard Ian who would like to get to know Lacey. The mystery of the paintings (and what they are about) develops gradually in the book. There is some cute repartee between Ian and Lacey which had me smiling. If I had a disappointment in the book, it was in how fast the author seemed to wrap things up at the end. I thought it could have had a few more details – almost like there was a page quota and she ran out of room and had to jam everything in.

Am going to work on my 1st quarter summary.

A Fatal Grace by Louise Penny
Alpha Cat: P

In this second in the Three Pines mystery series, a new character is introduced so she can be killed off. Once again Inspector Gamache is sent to Three Pines to solve the mystery and spend some more time with the inhabitants there. For those of you who are inclined to read the end of the book first - DON'T DO IT!!! Wait and be surprised at the twists at the end. Setting up book 3 I'm sure.

I'm missing the 3rd one in the series and will need to track it down at a library sale this summer or break down and buy it so I can keep going.

ETA: Why do I never see my mistakes, even though I read it a few times before I post?

#152 by dudes22>

It's a Law. Like Gravity.

I hope you manage to find book #3 in the Inspector Gamache series. I really love these books and I think each new book is better than the last.

>154 mathgirl40: - yes - most of the remarks I've seen are very positive. I'm looking forward to them.

Book 27: I'll Take What She Has by Samantha Wilde

“It’s not gut-wrenching. It’s not tear-jerking. It’s not catastrophic. It’s simply life.”

Nora and Annie have been best friends since they were 5 years old. And when a position opened up at Dixbie Academy, Annie had helped Nora get hired. Nora is an English teacher and her husband Alfie is a lawyer. Annie is a stay-at-home mom with 2 little girls and her husband Ted teaches at Dixbie. But when Nora’s ex-boyfriend and his new wife move back to Dixbie and get the largest house on campus, which Annie thought would be theirs because they now had the largest family, she takes an instant dislike to Cynthia. And although Nora tries to avoid Cynthia so that she doesn’t run into her ex-boyfriend, eventually they become friends and Nora begins to spend more and more time with her and less with Annie. Nora has always wanted to have children but her ex-boyfriend David never did which was why they split. So when Cynthia becomes pregnant, Nora questions if that was really the reason he left.

Told in alternating chapters between Nora and Annie, this could have been a better book. I usually enjoy books about friendships between women; their confidences, their jealousies, their fights, their make-ups. But I found this one annoying. Both women are constantly whining over one thing or another. And I never formed an attachment to the characters; I found them one-dimensional. And I didn’t really find the ending all that satisfactory.

Oh- thanks for taking the bullet on I'll Take What She Has. That does sound annoying.

Book 28: Day After Night by Anita Diamant
Alpha CAT: D

In Ann Diamant’s books, she takes a small piece of history and builds a fictional story around it. In this book, the piece of history is the breakout of over 200 detainees at the Atlit internment camp which was near Haifa in 1945. This camp was run by the British for “illegal” immigrants trying to get to Palestine after WW II. She tells the story of four young women at the camp and gradually reveals what happened to them during the war. I didn’t find this one as good as others of hers that I have read. I couldn’t feel as involved with the characters; they seemed somewhat flat. Still it was a bit of history I didn’t know about and so was interesting.

Book 29: A Can of Peas by Traci Depree
Alpha CAT: D

After Peter and Mae go to Lake Emily from St Paul for his grandfather’s funeral, they learn that Peter’s grandmother is planning to sell the farm where they lived and worked. Peter has been out of work and suggests to Mae that they buy the farm. So they move to Lake Emily and take up farming. This is a story very similar in tone to either Jan Karon’s Mitford series or the Gail Fraser Lumby series. So if you liked those, you’ll probably like this. It’s also the first book in a series of three.

She did have a different way of introducing new characters in the book. Before they appear in the story, there’s a short 2 ½ page look back at something that happened in the character’s life. So when the character is mentioned you already know something of their past. I have to say I really enjoyed this book and I have the other 2 already in my TBR pile.

Pet Peeve for the Day: Why do stores put price stickers on the front of kid's books that are so hard to get off without ruining the cover if you want to give it as a gift? At least a sticker on the back could be covered with a cute kid's sticker.

OK - rant over.

Hi, Betty - thanks for encouraging me to stop by. Somehow I'd lost track of you along the way. I was interested in your comments about Day After Night. I think it made a bigger impression on me, but thinking back, I think it was more the timing of the read than the book. Just a few weeks before reading the book I made my first visit to the Holocaust Museum in Washington DC. Up to then, I'd avoided anything that dealt too much with the holocaust and the Jewish experience in WWII. The museum opened my eyes, and I was predisposed to welcome the more positive story told by Diamant. The only other book of hers I've read is The Red Tent, which I also enjoyed more than other people I'd talked to about it.

I think I've been to Lake Emily??? If I have, the only farm left near it belongs to the Agricultural program at the University of MN. Day after Night does sound interesting, but hmmmm... flat characters doesn't sound good. Perhaps she tried to follow too many characters.

>159 dudes22: I get frustrated with this too, all stickers come off all of my books. Working in a bookshop I learnt that eucalyptus oil works very well, and my flatmate suggested using a hair dryer which also does the trick.

hm, I didn't feel that the characters in Day After Night were flat. I thought it was a pretty good book.

Sandi - I can see how that might affect your perspective of the book.

Katie - I didn't realize Lake Emily is a real place. I assumed it was fictional.

Alana - Eucalyptus oil - good to know. I would have thought any kind of liquid would make a mark on the cover. I'm definitely trying the hair dryer thing.

Mel - Could have been just the way it struck me now. Maybe another time would have been different. It was mostly in comparison to the way I enjoyed her other books that I found it a little weaker. I still enjoyed the book and learned a lot actually.

I haven't read any others of hers yet, so I can't compare. It's possible; the way she presented it might have been more challenging and thus her "usual" style didn't shine through as much, or something.

UnDu is available in craft stores. I use it to remove stickers and labels from our library books. It is alcohol based so it doesn't leave anything behind. It's stinky but effective.

Thanks mamzel - I'll keep that in mind.

Book 30: Bookmarked for Death by Lorna Barrett

This time a prominent author who is at Tricia's bookshop for a signing is murdered while at the signing. Once again Tricia must figure out who the murderer is and why the author is killed.

Book 31: A Clue for the Puzzle Lady by Parnell Hall
Alpha CAT: Double P

I had decided that I would try to start a number of the cozies that I've been collecting since I heard about them here on LT.

This time the series centers around a lady who creates crossword puzzles. When a body is found in the local cemetery and a piece of paper is found in her pocket that seems to be a crossword puzzle clue, the Puzzle Lady is asked to help solve the clue.

When I first started this book, I found the conversations sounded like a bad Abbott & Costello routine similar to "Who's on First" and rather annoying although some would probably find them clever/cute. But the book grew on me and I'm all least going to read book two just to see how the author works this into another murder.

Book 32: A Cat Was Involved by Spencer Quinn
Alpha CAT:Q

I almost feel bad counting this as a book read as it's only a 22 page short story/prequel to the Chet and Bernie series telling how they met. However, it does fulfill my "Q" for the Alpha Cat.

I'm home after having dental surgery this am and hoping to nurse it for a couple of days and hang out reading.

I've gotten quite a kick from Chet and Bernie. The story from the dog's POV is certainly different and Chet is the epitome of the loyal canine companion.

Yes - I have #1 also on my nook, but might wait until our next traveling vacation to read it.

Book 33: The Necklace by Cheryl Jarvis

"What the women didn't know was that over the next three years the necklace would animate their lives in ways they could never have imagined. More important, it would start a conversation. About materialism and conspicuous consumption, ownership and nonattachment. About what it means today to be a woman in her fifties, looking potentially at another thirty to forty years of life."

In 2004, 13 women combined their money to buy a $37,000 diamond necklace for $15,000. This book is about those women and how the necklace affected their lives. Each chapter talks about one of the women, telling a little of her background and her thoughts about the necklace and her thoughts about it. Beyond being just a pleasant story, I found myself really relating to some of the thoughts the women were expressing.

I can't see myself relating to any woman who'd spend that kind of money on a necklace.

>174 majkia: Same here. My engagement & wedding ring were $750 total, and that's the most precious piece of jewelry I'll ever care about. The idea of throwing away so insanely much money on such a small trivial object is just mind-boggling.

I thought that too, but I was very surprised. Each women spent $1,200. And they ended up doing some very interesting, altruistic things because of the necklace. And that's why I put in that quote. I'm not sure whether or not I'd spend that kind of money either, but it was interesting.

Well, I've certainly spent more than that on books over the years, so I can't criticize at all!

But books have actual value, and you don't spend that much on a single one, you spend that much on an entire wall full of them! Way different than some little knickknack!

Yes, but that's because we like books more than jewelry. People have different passions, and the world would be a bland place if we all liked the same thing! I can understand spending that much on a piece of art -- is a necklace that different?

I've put a few hundred dollars into our cat, what with the donation to the shelter, vet visits, food, collars, etc... and he is an entirely reprehensible character.

I just don't see how trinkets like that are the same. It's not passion, it's materialism.

I read The Necklace a few years back and had the same reaction you did, Betty. Some of stories of the women and their thoughts on the necklace were really good, and yes, altruistic in some cases. It is a hard book to explain to readers who haven't read it.

Yes, part of the reason I picked this up to read was because I couldn't see that there would be enough to write a whole book about a necklace.

I guess everyone has a different idea of what materialism means to them. Some might feel, Mel, that the $750 you spend for your rings was materialism. Everyone has things they would or would not consider spending money on. Would I spend $1200 on a necklace worth $37,000? I don't think so. But what I got from the book is that even if it started out that way, the women took it to a different level. They end up using it to raise money for different causes in their town - domestic violence, helped a homeless women find a job and get off the streets, and other things. I found the book was at least more interesting than I expected.

Sounds interesting - I agree with the argument that in some respects jewlery is a lot like art. There is a creative process to designing a really nice piece. Is it something everyone will want to purchase? No. But like art it can also increase in value and be a bit of an investment. I'm interested in how they were able to use the ring to rasie money for the various causes.

Book 34: Finger Lickin' Fifteen by Janet Evanovich
Alpha CAT: E

Another in the Stephanie Plum bounty hunter series. This time Lulu witnesses a man having his head machetes off which, of course, makes her a target. And there's barbecue! A lot of the usual stuff, but that's what one expects of these books.

Are you going to be reading more Evanovich this month? I'm up to #16 as well.

I'm not sure - I have 16-19 (?) in the TBR, but I think I had my reading for that category pretty much planned out and that was the only one of hers on it. Trying to spread out the Award and Apha CATS for the year and the randoms I don't know about yet between my categories. Still it would be a quick read and get another off the TBR. I'll need to think about that.

ETA - Don't wait for me if that was why you were asking.

Book 35: State of the Onion by Julie Hyzy
Random Cat for May

First in the cozy series about a White House chef. Despite the love for this series that others here have, the jury's still out on this one for me. Can't even say what was off for me. maybe just my mood as I was liking it a little better by the end. There was one loose end that I felt was not resolved at the end. I'll at least read book 2 to see if I like it better than book 1 before I give up on this series.

I'm curious to see what all the fuss is about this series. I'd like to get to State of the Onion this month, but realistically I don't think it will happen.

I've got #15 in the Evanovich sitting on my nightstand TBR pile! I love me some Lula!! :)

Book 36: Ironweed by William Kennedy
Awards CAT: Pulitzer Best Novel 1984

This short book (only 225 pages) takes place over 3 days in Albany NY in 1938 at the end of the Depression. After a tragic incident in his life 22 years before, Francis Phelan left his family and became a alcoholic bum. Now he is back in Albany and ruminating on what has happened through his life. Although I'm not a big fan of stream of conscienceless writing, I thought thought the writing was very powerful in this book.

Book 37: The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson
May Random CAT

This was my favorite book of the trilogy. It jumped right in where book 2 ended and then moved right along. (I'm trying not to say to much in case someone hasn't read them yet so there isn't a spoiler.) Even though it's been a year since I read book 2, the first few pages brought me right back into the story.

I think it's rather rare when you find a series of books that aren't just the same character in different situations, but is a complete story continuing from one book to the next. I can only wonder where the story would have gone from here. I think what would normally be expected to be the conclusion came 40-60 pages before the end of the book, and then the author in closing out some final details, could have continued into another book.

I thought that how the author explained how the government and police and judicial system was supposed to work in Sweden, was integrated into the story really well. Sometimes that type of thing just becomes a necessary evil to work your way through until you can get back to the story, but this time I found the information interesting. I PM'd Anders (GingerbreadMan) just to see if that was how it is because I didn't want to look like a gullible reader, but he said that, except for the "Secret Section", from what he remembered it was accurate - thank you.

The only thig that gave me a little trouble (besides some of the names) was that I was reading it on an e-reader and a few of the actual people references that had notes in the back of the book, weren't as easy to "flip" to as in a paper book.

Book 38: The Butter Did It by Phyllis Richman
Alpha Cat: R

Another first in a cozy mystery series about a restaurant critic who helps solve mysteries. There were some interesting secondary characters that I'm will be looking for in future books.

Book 39: The Magicians by Lev Grossman
Award CAT: Kitschie - 2009 shortlist

I'm not sure how this book ended up in my TBR pile - could be I saw a review or just grabbed it at a sale because the cover flap sounded interesting, and when I looked at the description of the Kitschie awards as speculative fiction I was suprised I had anything in the TBR that fit that description.

The book is a mix of Harry Potter and the Chronicals of Narnia but much darker and (for me) not as enjoyable. I just could never take to Quentin, the main character. At the beginning, Quentin ends up at a boarding school for magicians or magicians-to-be. The first half of the book is about him being in school and the friends he makes and some about the magic he learns. Then he and his friends graduate and eventually go off on an adventure based on a series of books they had all read before they even knew about magic school.

Quentin is never happy no matter what is happening and always expects that the next thing he wants is what will give him happiness and satisfaction, which it never does. The other thought I had when I first started reading it and realized that it was somewhat like Harry Potter was why the author couldn't think up a premise for a book on his own; I found copying the essence of two other books strangely unsatisfying.

I share your unlike of this book. Thanks for your comments. Glad I'm not the only one.

->191 dudes22:
Glad to hear you enjoyed it - it was one of those series that I just mowed through. Larsson was very aware of how the Swedish legal system works and I noticed very little that seemed "off."

->193 dudes22:
Agree - too much ennui and teenage angst and not enough magic.

Book 40: The Secret of the Nightingale Palace by Dana Sachs
Alpha Cat: S
Mar ER

“Each person becomes trapped by the experiences that form them…”

Anna and her grandmother Goldie have been estranged and not spoken for 5 years at the beginning of this story. It happened when Anna brought her then-fiance to visit for a weekend and Goldie expressed her opinion that she didn’t think Ford was right for Anna. Anna married Ford anyway. Now Anna has been a widow for 2 years and yet is still not speaking to her grandmother. So she is surprised when Goldie calls and asks Anna to drive her from New York to San Francisco in her Rolls Royce so she can return some Japanese prints that were left with her when friends were put into a Japanese internment camp at the beginning of World War II.

Although she still finds her grandmother and her pronouncements irritating, Anna begins to soften toward Goldie as they travel towards California. She also has time to think about her marriage and relationship with her husband and to question whether her grandmother was right all those years ago.

When Goldie takes an accidental fall partway across the country and stays in the hospital for a few days, the author uses that to focus on Goldie and her story of how she left Memphis and came to San Francisco as a naïve young girl and the factors that shaped her into the person she was. I thought this was the strongest part of the story and the one the author did most successfully. Then the author moves the story rather quickly to the conclusion which is a bit of a surprise itself.

>191 dudes22: - I'm in the middle of book 3 and it keeps getting better and better. I definitely agree that this might be my favorite as well.

Book 41: Full Dark House by Christopher Fowler
Alpha Cat: F

First book in the Bryant and May series which I had heard good things about here. I'm not sure about the others, but this one alternates between present and the period of the Blitz in London in World War II. A good British mystery with lots of unfamiliar terms for me, but non the less enjoyable. At first I didn't understand how it would be a series when one main character dies and the other is older than dirt, but that was explained and I look forward to others in the series. I have a couple more at least already in the TBR, so maybe later this year I'll get to #2 - we'll see.

Book 42: The Witch Doctor's Wife by Tamar Myers
Random CAT: June Brides

Although the back cover of the book implies that the book is mostly about Amanda Brown, an American called as a missionary to the Belgian Congo in 1958, in reality, the book introduces us to many characters in this first book of another series for Tamar Myers. This story is about a large diamond which is found and the many people who connive to obtain the diamond to get great wealth. Oh - and it's about the witch doctor's wife.

Book 43: The Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke
Alpha CAT: F

This is the first in another cozy series that I'm starting. A cookie shop owner finds her milk deliveryman shot in the alley behind the shop and agrees to help her brother-in-law who is a policeman with the case by listening to the gossip around town. Luckily no one minds her prying questions and gives her all the information she's looking for. The writing moves the story at a quick pace. I'm moving right into book 2.

Book 44: Strawberry Shortcake Murder by Joanne Fluke
Alpha CAT: F

The second in this series is just as quick a read as the first. Cozy series usually follow a formula in each book and in this series a cookie shop owner tries to help the police solve murders by asking questions to get information from people. (Ok - she occasionally breaks into places.) In this one, there were a couple of things that made me shake my head a little, but you do have to suspend belief a little for these, so still a good read which I've needed this week.

It's been the last week of the fiscal year for me and a hellish week. Can't say I've felt like posting and only barely keeping up with reading threads. But it's time to catch up, wind up the month and move along.

Book 45: The Messenger of Magnolia Street by River Jordan

I received River Jordan's book Saints in Limbo as my very first ER win on LT. And I liked the writing so much that I decided to read this book also. And although it took me a few pages to get into the rhythm of her writing in this book, her lyrical writing soon drew me into the story.

It's basically a story of good verses evil. The story is told by "the Recorder" and the implication is that he/she is an angel. The town of Shibboleth is slowly dying and three old friends must find a way to defeat the evil that is killing the town.

Wrap-up for first half of year:

Favorite Reads:
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson
Love Anthony by Lisa Genova
Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
Riding the Bus With My Sister by Rachel Simon
The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton
Wesley the Owl by Stacey O'Brien

"Worst" Reads:
An Arsonist's Guide to Writer's Homes in New England by Brock Clarke
The Hunt by Jan Neuharth
Running in the Family by Michael Ondaatje

Isn't it fantastic when taking a chance on an Early Reviewer book pays off with a new favorite author? That is the best.

Glad your fiscal year is ending! Will that mean that next month will be quiet?

Not usually - the state actually takes til around the middle of August to finish closing. So now we've got about 2 weeks to get final invoices in while we're trying to create new purchase orders for the new year and I set up new spreadsheets to track budgets and estimates. I'm also trying to get my SOPs (standard operating procedures) up to date so I can quit.

Well - at 45 books so far, I'm just about half-way to my goal. I know that Nov and Dec will probably be slow for me, so I need to pick up the pace so I meet my goals this year.

Hi Betty, half-way at the half-way mark sounds like good progress on your challenge. I know what you mean about the end of the year busy holiday time eating into reading time.

testing my picture adding ability - not very good.

YEAH!! - Finally - now I can start thread #2