mathgirl40's 2017 Category Challenge, Part 2

Here are my categories for 2017:

1. Tournament of Books
2. Evergreen Award
3. Hugo and Aurora Awards
4. Other Science Fiction and Fantasy
5. Doorstoppers
6. 1001 Books
7. Virago Books
8. Non-fiction
9. Cross-Canada Journey
10. Canada's 150th Birthday
11. Mysteries Around the World
12. Golden Age Mysteries
13. Other Mysteries
14. Dust Collectors
15. Short Stories
16. Graphic Novels
17. Horror

My goal is to read at least 5 books in each category.




I'll also be tracking again the books off my shelves, which are those books acquired before Jan. 1, 2017, and I hope to read at least 70.

Category 1: The Tournament of Books



This category will include books from the 2017 Tournament of Books, held in March.

1. The Throwback Special by Chris Bachelder (Jan. 21)
2. Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi (Feb. 4)
3. Sweet Lamb of Heaven by Lydia Millet (Feb. 8)
4. The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead (Feb. 9)
5. Moonglow by Michael Chabon (Feb. 17)
6. All the Birds in the Sky by Charlie Jane Anders (Feb. 21)
7. The Vegetarian by Han Kang (Mar. 3)
8. The Mothers by Brit Bennett (Mar. 6)
9. The Nix by Nathan Hill (Mar. 7)

Category 2: The Evergreen Award



This category will include nominees for the 2017 Evergreen Award, given by the Ontario Library Association. The nominees are announced in February.

1. The Name Therapist by Duana Taha (May 16)
2. The Hidden Keys by André Alexis (June 19)
3. Serial Monogamy by Kate Taylor (Sept. 5)
4. Five Roses by Alice Zorn (Oct. 12)
5. The Break by Katherena Vermette (Nov. 3)

Category 3: The Hugo and Aurora Science Fiction and Fantasy Awards



This category will include nominees for and winners of the Hugo and Aurora SFF Awards. This year, I plan to rejoin as a voting member and read from the Voter Packet for each of these awards.

1. Drowning in Amber by E. C. Bell (Jan. 2)
2. The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin (Feb. 9)
3. Moon Over Soho by Ben Aaronovitch (Apr. 9)
4. His Majesty's Dragon by Naomi Novik (Apr. 14)
5. Penric and the Shaman by Lois McMaster Bujold (Apr. 22)
6. Whispers Under Ground by Ben Aaronovitch (May 2)
7. Leviathan Wakes bu James S. A. Corey (May 5)
8. Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire (May 8)
9. A Local Habitation by Seanan McGuire (May 31)
10. Pattern Recognition by William Gibson (June 5)
11. Caliban's War by James S. A. Corey (June 16)
12. Too Like the Lightning by Ada Palmer (June 27)
13. An Artificial Night by Seanan McGuire (July 3)
14. A Closed and Common Orbit by Becky Chambers (July 6)
15. Spook Country by William Gibson (July 12)
16. Ninefox Gambit by Yoon Ha Lee (July 13)
17. Throne of Jade by Naomi Novik (July 16)
18. Two Serpents Rise by Max Gladstone (July 19)
19. Blind Lake by Robert Charles Wilson (August 7)
20. Hominids by Robert Sawyer (August 11)
21. Icarus Down by James Bow (August 13)
22. Late Eclipses by Seanan McGuire (August 15)
23. The Nature of a Pirate by A. M. Dellamonica (August 20)
24. Zero History by William Gibson (August 24)
25. Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson (Sept. 25)

Category 4: Other Science Fiction and Fantasy



1. MaddAddam by Margaret Atwood (Jan. 7)
2. Last Year by Robert Charles Wilson (Jan. 13)
3. Deaths of Tao by Wesley Chu (Jan. 17)
4. The Dispatcher by John Scalzi (Jan. 23)
5. Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorafor (Jan. 25)
6. Three Parts Dead by Max Gladstone (Jan. 31)
7. The Restaurant at the End of the Universe by Douglas Adams (Feb. 3)
8. The Iron Tactician by Alistair Reynolds (Feb. 11)
9. Midnight Riot by Ben Aaronovitch (Feb. 19)
10. Axis by Robert Charles Wilson (Feb. 28)
11. The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman (Mar. 5)
12. Quantum Night by Robert Sawyer (Mar. 10)
13. Company Town by Madeline Ashby (Mar. 12)
14. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by J. K. Rowling (May 17)
15. A Woman of the Iron People by Eleanor Arnason (May 23)
16. The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers (June 14)
17. The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch (July 25)
18. Six Wakes by Mur Lafferty (August 29)
19. Iron Council by China Mieville (Oct. 6)
20. Walkaway by Cory Doctorow (Oct. 3)
21. Chain of Events by Fredrik T. Olsson (Oct. 7)
22. The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary Pearson (Oct. 11)
23. Scout's Progress by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (Oct. 13)
24. Penric's Mission by Lois McMaster Bujold (Oct. 23)
25. A Darker Shade of Magic by V. E. Schwab (Oct. 26)
26. 1636: The Devil's Opera by Eric Flint and David Carrico (Nov. 10)
27. The Stone Sky by N. K. Jemisin (Dec. 13)

Category 5: Doorstoppers



1. Earth by David Brin (Jan. 28)
2. The Shadow Rising by Robert Jordan (May 9)
3. A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth (July 2)
4. Quicksilver by Neal Stephenson (Nov. 21)
5. A Turn of Light by Julie Czerneda (Dec. 3)
6. The Fires of Heaven by Robert Jordan (Dec. 4)

Category 6: 1001 Books



1. The Return of the Soldier by Rebecca West (Feb. 13)
2. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood (Apr. 10)
3. In a Glass Darkly by Sheridan Le Fanu (May 19)
4. The Grass is Singing by Doris Lessing (Oct. 28)
5. The Wars by Timothy Findley (Nov. 28)
6. Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys (Dec. 5)

Category 7: Virago Books



1. High Rising by Angela Thirkell (Jan. 4)
2. Wild Strawberries by Angela Thirkell (Jan. 30)
3. The Birth of Venus by Sarah Dunant (Aug. 4)
4. I Call Myself a Feminist (August 18)
5. Frost in May by Antonia White (Oct. 21)

Category 8: Non-fiction



1. Weapons of Math Destruction by Cathy O'Neil (Jan. 16)
2. How Can I Help? A Week in My Life as a Psychiatrist (Feb. 27)
3. The Meaning of Everything by Simon Winchester (Mar. 24)
4. The Princess Diarist by Carrie Fisher (Apr. 19)
5. The Geek Feminist Revolution by Kameron Hurley (May 14)
6. The View from the Cheap Seats by Neil Gaiman (July 8)
7. Missoula by Jon Krakauer (July 24)
8. Into the Silence by Wade Davis (Sept. 23)
9. A History of Reading by Alberto Manguel (Dec. 7)

Category 9: Cross-Canada Journey



Inspired by lkernagh, I started a virtual walk across Canada late last year using the World Walking app. My position on Jan. 1, 2017 was about 400km east of Vancouver. I expect the entire walk will take me approximately 4 years and I plan to read books related to the places I pass on my journey.

1. Klee Wyck by Emily Carr (Jan. 9)
2. Hey Nostradamus by Douglas Coupland (Mar. 10)
3. In the Shadow of the Glacier by Vicki Delany (Mar. 23)
4. The Spawning Grounds by Gail Anderson-Dargatz (Apr. 5)
5. Obasan by Joy Kogawa (Apr. 12)
6. Tomboy Survival Guide by Ivan Coyote (Sept. 6)
7. The Morningside Years by Peter Gzowski (Sept. 30)
8. Dark Inside by Jeyn Roberts (Oct. 17)
9. Wild Orchid by Beverley Brenna (Oct. 30)

Category 10: Canada's 150th Birthday

To celebrate Canada's 150th anniversary, which will occur on July 1 of this year, I am doing a BookCrossing challenge. This involves reading, registering, and releasing (passing the book to someone else or leaving it "in the wild" to be found) a number of Canadian books. Some of these I'll be mailing to fellow BC members around the world.



1. The Secret Fruit of Peter Paddington by Brian Francis (Feb. 14)
2. Where Nests the Water Hen by Gabrielle Roy (Apr. 6)
3. Lives of Girls and Women by Alice Munro (May 28)
4. Roses for a Diva by Rick Blechta (June 4)
5. The Stone Angel by Margaret Laurence (June 13)
6. Paper Shadows: A Chinatown Childhood by Wayson Choy (July 2)
7. Burning Paradise by Robert Charles Wilson (Nov. 8)
8. Commitment Hour by James Alan Gardner (Nov. 15)

Category 11: Mysteries From Around the World



1. Death's Golden Whisper by R. J. Harlick -- Canada (Jan. 6)
2. A Great Deliverance by Elizabeth George -- England (Feb. 6)
3. Phantom by Jo Nesbo -- Norway (Feb. 25)
4. The Drowning by Camilla Lackberg -- Sweden (Mar. 15)
5. In the Woods by Tana French -- Ireland (May 29)
6. The Patience of the Spider by Andrea Camilleri -- Sicily (July 18)
7. Aunty Lee's Delights by Ovidia Yu -- Singapore (July 20)
8. Madame Maigret's Friend by Georges Simenon -- France (Nov. 7)
9. Strange Shores by Arnaldur Indridason -- Iceland (Dec. 18)

Category 12: Golden Age Mysteries



1. The Case of the Late Pig by Margery Allingham (Jan. 24)
2. The Moving Finger by Agatha Christie (Mar. 11)
3. The Franchise Affair by Josephine Tey (July 23)
4. The Man in the Queue by Josephine Tey (Sept. 9)
5. Appointment with Death by Agatha Christie (Nov. 24)
6. Murder for Christmas by Francis Duncan (Dec. 9)
7. Miss Pym Disposes by Josephine Tey

Category 13: Other Mysteries



1. A Letter of Mary by Laurie R. King (Mar. 19)
2. The Lost Boy by Camilla Läckberg (Apr. 3)
3. Speaking from Among the Bones by Alan Bradley (Apr. 7)
4. Stranglehold by Robert Rotenberg (Apr. 24)
5. The Moor by Laurie R. King (May 30)
6. Bones of the Lost by Kathy Reichs (July 4)
7. Buried Angels by Camilla Läckberg (Sept. 11)
8. Except the Dying by Maureen Jennings (Sept. 15)
9. A Caribbean Mystery by Agatha Christie (Sept. 29)
10. Glass Houses by Louise Penny (Oct. 14)
11. The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches by Alan Bradley (Oct. 17)
12. Red Ice for a Shroud by R. J. Harlick (Nov. 12)
13. The Best Man to Die by Ruth Rendell (Nov. 13)
14. Winter of Secrets by Vicki Delany (Dec. 16)
15. The Paper Moon by Andrea Camilleri (Dec. 18)

Category 14: Dust Collectors



1. The Element of Fire by Brendan Graham (Mar. 27)
2. Dune by Frank Herbert (Apr. 17)
3. Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides (Apr. 27)
4. The Scapegoat by Daphne Du Maurier (May 10)
5. American Woman by Susan Choi (August 5)
6. Rainbow Valley by L. M. Montgomery (August 27)
7. Agent to the Stars by John Scalzi (August 31)
8. Rilla of Ingleside by L. M. Montgomery (Sept. 12)
9. Life, the Universe and Everything by Douglas Adams (Oct. 25)
10. Hellhole by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson (Dec. 9)

Category 15: Short Stories


Artwork by Tom Gauld for The Guardian

1. Darkest Powers Bonus Pack by Kelley Armstrong (Mar. 17)
2. Hugo Short Stories and Novelettes (July 9)
3. Compostela (Tesseracts 20) edited by Spider Robinson and James Alan Gardner
4. Ghost Stories of an Antiquary by M. R. James (Nov. 1)
5. The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding by Agatha Christie (Dec. 2)
6. Ars Historica by Marie Brennan (Dec. 12)

Category 16: Graphic Novels


Artwork by Gabriel Rodriguez, from Locke & Key series.

1. Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life by Bryan Lee O'Malley (Apr. 29)
2. Monstress, Volume 1 by Marjorie M. Liu and Sana Takeda (June 11)
3. Vision, Volume 1: Little Worse Than a Man by Tom King and Gabriel Hernandez Walta (July 7)
4. Paper Girls Volume 1 by Brian K. Vaughan and Cliff Chiang (July 10)
5. Black Panther: A Nation Under Our Feet, Book 1 by Ta-Nehisi Coates and Brian Stelfreeze (July 13)
6. Ms. Marvel Volume 5: Super Famous by G. Willow Wilson (July 17)
7. Angel Catbird, Volume 1 by Margaret Atwood, Johnnie Christmas and Tamra Bonvillain (July 22)
8. Lumberjanes, Volume 2: Friendship to the Max by Noelle Stevenson, Grace Ellis, Shannon Watters and Brooke A. Allen (Sept. 18)
9. Bee and PuppyCat, Volume 1 by Natasha Allegri (Nov. 26)
10. Escape to Gold Mountain by David H. T. Wong (Nov. 26)
11. Lumberjanes, Volume 3: A Terrible Plan by Noelle Stevenson, Grace Ellis, Shannon Watters and Brooke A. Allen (Nov. 26)
12. Destination Moon by Hergé (Nov. 26)
13. Explorers on the Moon by Hergé (Nov. 26)
14. Chew, Volume 3: Just Desserts by John Layman and Rob Guillory (Nov. 26)

Category 17: Horror



1. Cujo by Stephen King (Jan. 19)
2. The Lottery and Other Stories by Shirley Jackson (Feb. 2)
3. The Girl with All the Gifts by M. R. Carey (Apr. 25)
4. The Ballad of Black Tom by Victor Lavalle (June 22)
5. Maplecroft by Cherie Priest (August 3)
6. I'll Be Watching You by Charles de Lint (Oct. 21)
7. Strange Weather by Joe Hill (Dec. 15)
8. Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire (Dec. 21)

Books that don't fit the other categories:

1. Hag-Seed by Margaret Atwood (Jan. 12)
2. Nostalgia by M. G. Vassanji (Mar. 16)
3. The Light Between the Oceans by M. L. Stedman (Apr. 19)
4. Love Anthony by Lisa Genova (Apr. 29)
5. Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan (May 28)
6. Cousin Kate by Georgette Heyer (June 9)
7. The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker (June 29)
8. The Best Laid Plans by Terry Fallis (August 30)
9. Exit West by Mohsin Hamid (Sept. 3)
10. Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders (Sept. 17)
11. Crow Lake by Mary Lawson (Oct. 4)
12. No Great Mischief by Alistair Macleod (Oct. 15)
13. Us Conductors by Sean Michaels (Oct. 19)
14. Carry On by Coningsby Dawson (Nov. 6)
15. Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple (Nov. 16)
16. Never Cry Wolf by Farley Mowat (Dec. 1)
17. The Substitute by Nicole Lundrigan (Dec. 23)

Time for a new thread to cover the second part of 2017!

Happy new thread!

Happy new thread! Looking forward to seeing what you read in the second half of the year!

Happy new thread!

Happy new thread! Sounds like you had quite a lot of material to choose from when voting for the Hugos :)

>12 MissWatson: >13 christina_reads: >14 lkernagh: Thanks for stopping by!

98. A Closed and Common Orbit by Becky Chambers (4.5 stars)
Category: Hugo Awards
Challenges: SFFKIT

This sequel to A Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet is a nominee for the Hugo Best Novel award. It tells the story of Jane, a clone raised for slave labour, and Sidra, an artificial intelligence inhabiting a human body. This book ended up pretty low on my Hugo ballot but at the same time, it was possibly the book I most enjoyed reading. That is not as contradictory as it sounds. To me, the most worthy Hugo winners feature exceptional writing, push the genre in new directions or challenge my preconceptions in some way. This novel doesn't really do any of those things, but nevertheless, it is a solid, page-turning and heartwarming story with characters I wish I could spend more time with.

99. Vision Volume 1: Little Worse Than a Man by Tom King and Gabriel Hernandez Walta (4.5 stars)
Category: Graphic Novels
Challenges: SFFKIT

This work ended up high on my Hugo Awards ballot, just after Monstress, Volume 1. I've never read any of the earlier Vision comics, so this was my introduction to the super-hero. The story is about how the android Vision, his wife and his two children try desperately to create a normal human-like life for themselves. It was interesting reading this immediately after A Closed and Common Orbit which covers the same theme. The characters in this Vision volume do some rather frightening things but something about them really appealed to me. I found this work fresh and different and look forward to continuing the series.

The 2018 Group Read of the Forsyte Saga is going to be hosted by Roberta (luvamystery65) and will certainly be posted about when we start our Group Reads planning thread for 2018. I'm looking forward to it.

>19 DeltaQueen50: That's great! I've been wanting to continue the Forsyte Chronicles with The White Monkey, and it'll be nice to reread the Forsyte Saga as part of a group before I do that. Maybe I'll make the Forsyte Chronicles a category of its own for my 2018 challenge. :)

100. The View from the Cheap Seats by Neil Gaiman (3.5 stars)
Category: Non-fiction
Challenges: SFFKIT

This is a collection of Gaiman's speeches, essays, introductions to other people's works and other assorted writings. I've always been a fan of Gaiman's work. He is a good writer and also a great audiobook narrator, so listening to this collection was, on the whole, very enjoyable. However, there was a lot of repetition, often with 2 or even 3 pieces devoted to the same topic. Many of the pieces, such as his "Make Good Art" speech, are inspirational, encouraging writers, artists and readers to persevere in their passions. While the words were nice to hear, it didn't really do much for me, as it's not as if I need encouragement to keep using the library or buying books! I would have liked to hear more about Gaiman's writing process or his analysis of works that influenced him. Still, there are some real gems in this collection, such as his description of an interview with Lou Reed.

101. Hugo Short Stories and Novelettes
Category: Short Stories

I managed to finish all the Hugo short story and novelette nominees (with one abandoned after a few pages) before the voting deadline! Here are my brief comments about them.

Short stories, in order of preference:

1. "Seasons of Glass and Iron" by Amal El-Mohtar. This is a different take on the classic princess/hero fairy tale, well-written and very satisfying despite the shorter format.


2. "That Game We Played During the War" by Carrie Vaughn. This story was a nice surprise, as I hadn't read anything by Vaughn before. It features appealing characters and offers a nice commentary on war and peace.


3. "The City Born Great" by N. K. Jemisin. As a lover of cities, I adore the idea of a living city. It's not a new idea but Jemisin does a great job with the worldbuilding. The plot is a little meager though.


4. "A Fist of Permutations in Lightning and Wildflowers" by Alyssa Wong. Wong is undoubted a skilled writer but this story didn't do much for me.


5. "Our Talons Can Crush Galaxies" by Brooke Bolander - This alien revenge story is not bad, but it is just too short to have much plot or development.


6. "An Unimaginable Light" by John C. Wright - I found this story somewhat disturbing and I don't think I got the point.

Novelettes, in order of preference:

1. "You'll Surely Drown if You Stay Here" by Alyssa Wong. This novelette, which I liked much more than her short-story entry, showcases Wong's great writing. The slightly longer format allowed for fully-fleshed characters and a creepy, disturbing story in a Wild West setting about a boy who can manipulate dead bodies.


2. "Touring with the Alien" by Carolyn Ives Gilman. I have a weakness for good road-trip stories and I really enjoyed this one. It involves a woman who drives a bus containing an alien and its human companion, and it explores interesting ideas about consciousness and human behaviour.


3. "The Art of Space Travel" by Nina Allan. This story, about a woman who discovers some truths about herself as she prepares to greet astronauts bound for Mars, is well-written and satisfying. It doesn't get first spot in my ballot only because the science-fiction element is minor. The story is set in the future and includes some discussion of an upcoming Mars mission, but it really could be set anywhere.


4. "The Tomato Thief" by Ursula Vernon. This is a fun and captivating fantasy story, as I'd expect from Ursula Vernon. It probably doesn't deserve to be this low on my Hugo ballot, but there was tough competition in this category.


5. "The Jewel and the Lapidary"by Fran Wilde. I found this fantasy story slow with lots of repetitive descriptions. However, I did like the author's use of travel-guide excerpts to frame the story.


6. "Alien Stripper Boned From Behind by the T-Rex" by Stix Hiscock. This story got onto the ballot through the machinations of the Rabid Puppies. I read 5 pages and decided it wasn't worth my time.

That last novelette...what a title!

>23 christina_reads: The title does look like an attempt to grab some of Chuck Tingle's audience.

>22 mathgirl40: I met Alyssa Wong after a reading of "A Fist of Permutations in Lightning and Wildflowers", and I hadn't realized she was on the Hugo list -- it's really great to see her there, and to see nice words written about her! I really liked the ending of that story, though I struggled to follow it when read aloud. She was extremely engaging, a bit nerdy, clearly very smart and with big ideas to share -- I really liked her. (I also picked up Octavia Butler's "Bloodchild" on her recommendation -- which was excellent.) So, clearly I have to see if I can find "You'll Surely Drown if You Stay Here" now!

>23 christina_reads: >24 RidgewayGirl: Yes, that novelette from the Rabid Puppy slate seemed a poor imitation of Chuck Tingle's work, and really, Tingle is inimitable. Actually, I've not read any of his work except the story nominated for the 2016 Hugo Awards but his satirical social-media commentary is pretty awesome.

>25 pammab: That's great that you had the chance to meet Alyssa Wong. She's made a big splash in the past few years and has a very promising career ahead of her.

102. Paper Girls Volume 1 by Brian K. Vaughan and Cliff Chiang (4 stars)
Category: Graphic Novels
Challenges: SFFKIT, AwardsKIT

This was one of the Hugo Best Graphic Novel nominees. It wasn't at the top of my ballot, but there was tough competition in the category this year! The story is about four 12-year-old newspaper delivery girls who encounter alien invaders and other strange events in their town. This first volume seems a promising start to the series.

103. Spook Country by William Gibson (3 stars)
Category: Hugo/Aurora Awards
Challenges: SFFKIT, AwardsKIT

Now that I've gotten through my Hugo Awards reading, I'm turning my attention to the nominees for the Aurora Awards (the Canadian equivalent of the Hugos). Spook Country is the second book in Gibson's Blue Ant trilogy, nominated for the Aurora Best of the Decade award. This cyberpunk thriller has some references to and characters from the previous novel, Pattern Recognition, but is essentially a standalone story with new main characters. I like Gibson's writing but this story was not especially memorable.

>19 DeltaQueen50: - Wow, I did a double take when you mentioned the Group Reads planning thread for 2018.... Sheesh, time is flying by!

>23 christina_reads: - LOL, what Christina said!

wishing you a happy weekend, Paulina.

>29 lkernagh: It's tempting to think about 2018 plans, but I still have a long way to go to finish up my 2017 categories!

104. Ninefox Gambit by Yoon Ha Lee (4 stars)
Category: Hugo/Aurora Awards
Challenges: SFFKIT, AwardsKIT

I found the first half of this Hugo Best Novel nominee a challenge to read. There was a large amount of information thrown at the reader, about characters, cultures and technologies and it took much effort to follow the narrative. However, I'm glad I persevered as the payoff is worthwhile. This is a very different take on military science-fiction with some fascinating ideas.

105. Black Panther: A Nation Under Our Feet by Ta-Nehisi Coates and Brian Stelfreeze (3.5 stars)
Category: Graphic Novels
Challenges: SFFKIT, AwardsKIT

This book was one of the 2017 Hugo Best Graphic Novel nominees and I'd been looking forward to it, as I loved Ta-Nehisi Coates's Between the World and Me and I was interested in seeing what he'd do with the comic/graphic-novel format. It turned out to be a little disappointing as there wasn't much substance in the plot. This first collection of issues seemed to be solely focused on setting up the characters and conflicts for later Black Panther issues. On the other hand, Brian Stelfreeze's artwork is absolutely stunning. Here is an example:

106. Throne of Jade by Naomi Novik (4.5 stars)
Category: Hugo/Aurora Awards
Challenges: SFFKIT, AwardsKIT

This is the second book from Novik's Temeraire series, one of the 2017 Hugo Best Series nominees. It continues the story of Captain Lawrence and the dragon Temeraire, and in this installment, they travel to China at the insistence of the Chinese government who wishes to reclaim Temeraire. I liked this installment perhaps a tiny bit less than the first but I still found a lot to love: terrific characters (especially the dragons!), an exotic setting, and plenty of intrigue.

107. Ms. Marvel, Vol. 5: Super Famous by G. Willow Wilson (4 stars)
Category: Graphic Novels
Challenges: SFFKIT, AwardsKIT, CATWoman

I'd read Volume 1 of the Ms. Marvel comics some time ago and enjoyed it. I jumped to Volume 5 because I wanted to read it before voting for the Hugo Awards; this work had been nominated in the 2017 Best Graphic Novel category. I didn't have any trouble following the story, but seeing the progression of the main character (in both her Kamala and Ms. Marvel personas), I did have regrets about not reading volumes 2 through 4 first. Ms. Marvel a wonderful superhero and to me, Kamala is a very realistic portrayal of a teenage girl dealing with common issues. I realize that her character had sparked some controversy over "diversity for diversity's sake", but she just seems to be an average teen to me, not unlike my daughters' friends, some of whom are Muslim like Ms. Marvel though lacking in the superpowers.

108. The Patience of the Spider by Andrea Camilleri (4 stars)
Category: Mysteries Around the World (Sicily)

I thoroughly enjoyed this installment of the Inspector Montalbano series, in which the gourmand inspector investigates the apparent kidnapping of a young woman. In addition to the twists and turns of the mystery, I liked the interplay between Montalbano and his long-time love Livia. My only complaint is that the plot was somewhat predictable and so the resolution came as no surprise to me.

109. Two Serpents Rise by Max Gladstone (3.5 stars)
Category: Hugo/Aurora Awards
Challenges: SFFKIT, AwardsKIT

This is the second book in Max Gladstone's Craft Sequence, nominated for the 2017 Hugo Best Series award. It can be read as a standalone, as it features new characters and new storylines but in the same world as that introduced in the first book, Three Parts Dead. In this urban fantasy, gods and civil engineering mix in unusual ways. I liked the fascinating world and fast-moving plot, but I just couldn't connect to any of the characters. The main character, Caleb, especially seems to lack personality. However, that won't stop me from continuing on with this series, which does have a lot going for it.

110. Aunty Lee's Delights by Ovidia Yu (3 stars)
Category: Mysteries Around the World (Singapore)
Challenges: CATWoman

This is the first book in the Aunty Lee series, about a Singaporean cafe owner that also likes to do some amateur sleuthing. It's a charming cozy mystery with likable characters. The writing is mediocre and the plot not especially complex but I really enjoyed the setting and the mouth-watering food descriptions. My brother moved to Singapore and I had the chance to visit a few years ago. The food was undoubtedly the highlight of the vacation, apart from seeing my brother and his family, of course. :)

111. Angel Catbird, Volume 1 by Margaret Atwood, Johnnie Christmas and Tamra Bonvillain (3 stars)
Category: Graphic Novels
Challenges: SFFKIT, AwardsKIT

This Margaret Atwood work, nominated for the Aurora Best Graphic Novel Award, was somewhat disappointing. It seems to be intended for a younger audience, as suggested by the extra "cat facts" sprinkled throughout the book. It really doesn't have the depth, complexity or humour present in most of Atwood's books. As a superhero comic, it's fairly mediocre. I'll still give it 3 stars because I think it would be enjoyed by younger readers and I have a weakness for fantasy stories featuring cats.

112. The Franchise Affair by Josephine Tey (4 stars)
Category: Golden Age Mysteries, RandomCAT

Reading this book was occasionally an uncomfortable experience. In this mystery, a girl accuses two women of abducting and physically abusing her. I was reading Missoula, Jon Krakauer's book about rape and the justice system, at the same time (and I'll be writing a review for that one soon). So when the characters of Tey's books immediately question the accuser's motives and starts talking about girls who are "oversexed", I couldn't help cringing. However, once I reminded myself that this book was written in a very different time, I found it really enjoyable. I liked the characters, Tey's writing style and the suspenseful plot. This novel is billed as one of Tey's Alan Grant mysteries, but Grant actually plays a negligible part in in.

>38 mathgirl40: "I have a weakness for fantasy stories featuring cats"

Have you read The Book of Night with Moon by Diane Duane? I read it ages ago and loved the fantasy aspects, which are a continuation of her YA series -- cats have magic and (of course) save the world. (At the time, I was unfortunately lost with regard to the cat lover parts, not knowing many cats -- though it did result in a much better understanding of cat culture on my end!)

>40 pammab: I haven't read The Book of Night with Moon but it looks like a series I'd like! I'll definitely keep it in mind.

113. Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town by Jon Krakauer (4.5 stars)
Category: Non-fiction
Challenges: CultureCAT

Reading this book was a difficult and uncomfortable experience from beginning to end, but a worthwhile one nonetheless. Krakauer examines several rape cases from the University of Montana's Missoula campus and shows the great weaknesses in the current justice system as well as the cultural attitudes that contribute to the under-reporting of rape.

I encouraged my daughters (one who is in the university system and one who will be entering in the fall) to read this book. They seemed squeamish about the idea, as rape is definitely an unpleasant topic, but said they would consider it. I'd definitely recommend this book to all university/college students, both men and women.

>42 mathgirl40: That is exactly how I felt when I read the book. It makes for a very uneasy read and I don't have college age daughters to worry about.

>43 DeltaQueen50: Yes, it's a tough read but here's hoping that books like Missoula bring greater awareness of these difficult issues to everyone.

114. The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch (4 stars)
Category: Other SFF

This is the first in the Gentleman Bastards series, about a group of highly sophisticated thieves who prey on the elite of a Venice-like fictional city. It's a mix of fantasy and adventure that starts off in a light and humorous way but soon turns dark. Mostly, it's a coming-of-age story showing how the young, gifted and confident Locke Lamora learns some very hard lessons in life.

Here's a quick summary for July:

Books read: 17 (out of 114 in all)
Books off my shelves: 3 (out of 38 in all)

I didn't list my favourite book, as I usually do, because I couldn't choose one. None stood out as outstanding, but there were many really good ones, so it was a great reading month overall.

I finally finished all my Hugo reading, or at least as much of the Voter Packet as I could reasonably manage. Overall, the ballot was very, very good this year. I especially enjoyed the graphic-novel nominees.

In August, I'm going to try to work through my Aurora Awards Voter Packet, though I find myself tempted by the recently announced Booker Prize nominees. I also need to get back to reading from my shelves.

>45 mathgirl40: I do like that series so it's good to see you enjoy the first book. Just a shame that there's still only three of them released so far.

I am impressed by all the reading you do for the awards! I can't focus on one genre like that for too long. Have to keep changing it up.

I just realized that Bouchercon is in two months!! :O

>34 mathgirl40: "not unlike my daughters' friends, some of whom are Muslim like Ms. Marvel though lacking in the superpowers." What? Your daughters friends are lacking in superpowers??? LOL

Making a small attempt to catch up on some threads...

From your last thread I picked up a couple of BBs for Every Heart a Doorway and In a Glass Darkly. Also enjoyed your nice memory related to The Scapegoat; I recently picked that book up. I have quite a few more du Mauriers to get to!

>45 mathgirl40: - So glad to see you enjoyed the Lynch novel! Such a fun read.

>47 AHS-Wolfy: >50 lkernagh: The Lies of Locke Lamora was definitely a fun read! I'm going to try to get to the next one eventually, once I get through my current stack of books.

>48 rabbitprincess: I had planned to go to Bouchercon but there is a possibility I might be making a trip to Europe instead. Plans should be settled within the next week. I'll definitely let you know if I can make it to Bouchercon.

>49 LisaMorr: Thanks. I hope you enjoy your du Maurier reading. I too recently picked up another du Maurier, My Cousin Rachel.

Yikes, I don't know where August and the first half of September went! How did I get so behind in updating my LT thread and visiting my LT friends' threads?

Well, I actually do know how I got so far behind. A lot of things happened in the past month. First, we had a very fun family vacation, consisting of a long road-trip through parts of Ontario and Quebec. To celebrate Canada's 150th birthday, we tried to do as many Canadian things as we could fit in, including:
- eating Nanaimo Bar ice cream (the best flavour ever!)
- hiking and canoeing at Tobermory and Manitoulin Island
- seeing the homes and/or museum exhibits of 4 Prime Ministers (Macdonald, Laurier, King, Pearson)
- taking selfies at the Whiarton Willie groundhog's monument
- touring the Science North museum and seeing exhibits about SNOLAB (Sudbury Neutrino Observatory)
- enjoying local craft beers, Niagara wines and Quebec cheeses
- celebrating the marriage of friends, with a multicultural wedding conducted in English, French and Cambodian (so very Canadian!)

After that, we said goodbye to my older daughter who returned to Europe to continue her studies after a few weeks back home. Then we moved the younger daughter to Toronto to start her studies. After another short trip to enjoy the Toronto International Film Festival, I am finally back home and starting life as an "empty nester" with my husband. While I do miss my kids, the upside is that now I should have more time to devote to reading and LT activities. Now onto catching up with my book reviews ....

115. Maplecroft by Cherie Priest (3.5 stars)
Category: Horror

This is a horror/fantasy/alternative-history story that presents an unusual motive for Lizzie Borden's killing her parents. I've read several of Cherie Priest's other novels and I generally like her steampunk work better than her horror. This one had some interesting twists and a creepy gothic feel to it, but I found the story slow and drawn out in places.

116. The Birth of Venus by Sarah Dunant (4 stars)
Category: Virago Books
Challenges: August CATWoman

I greatly enjoyed this historical novel set in late 15th century Florence. In telling the story of Alessandra, the author describes the challenges faced by women, even ones in moderately wealthy families, at that time and place. We see the trials of marriage and motherhood as well as the suppression of Alessandra's artistic gifts. The backdrop for this story is the most appealing part of the book to me. I loved the author's detailed descriptions of art, architecture, customs and politics of the time. I have fond memories of the few days I spent in Florence on a family vacation and would love to revisit the city one day.

117. American Woman by Susan Choi (3.5 stars)
Category: Dust Collector

American Woman is a fictionalized account of the Patty Hearst kidnapping, seen mostly through the point-of-view of Japanese American Jenny Shimada (based on Wendy Yoshimura, an associate of the kidnappers). Choi explores a number of themes, including radicalism, terrorism and racism as she examines the thoughts, feelings and actions of both the kidnappers and the victim. I found that the story dragged in places, but otherwise I liked Choi's writing and would definitely consider reading more of her work.

Congrats on becoming an empty nester! Good luck to the youngest as she starts her studies, and I hope the oldest continues to enjoy her time in Europe!

>53 mathgirl40: that sounds good. On the TBR list it goes!

>55 rabbitprincess: Thanks for your good wishes!

>56 japaul22: I hope you'll enjoy it. I'm definitely going to seek out more of Dunant's books.

118. Blind Lake by Robert Charles Wilson (4.5 stars)
Category: Hugo/Aurora Awards

In Blind Lake, a facility that is doing research into alien life is suddenly put under quarantine and completely cut off from the rest of the world. A journalist and one of the researchers try to make sense of mysterious events that subsequently take place. This book was one of the nominees for the Aurora (Canadian SFF) Best of Decade award. While this story is not Wilson's best, it is very typical Wilson: a well-written exploration of interesting SF ideas matched with a gripping plot and superbly drawn characters.

119. Hominids by Robert Sawyer (3.5 stars)
Category: Hugo/Aurora Awards

Another Aurora Best of the Decade nominee, this novel is set at SNOLAB (Sudbury Neutrino Observatory) and explores what happens when a physicist suddenly appears from a parallel universe in which Neanderthals became the dominant species. This novel is a lot like the other Sawyer books I've read, with fascinating ideas and fast-paced action but weak writing otherwise. I'm not persuaded yet to read the other two books in this trilogy.

There was one passage at the beginning of the book that really annoyed me. Louise Benoit is a post-doc researching neutrinos, and she's sitting in the control room of SNOLAB reading Cosmopolitan. I've met many physicists and I've never seen one, male or female, bring Cosmo or anything similar to work.

American Woman sounds interesting.

What a lovely dilemma to have; Europe or Bouchercon.

>60 RidgewayGirl: Indeed! Unfortunately, the decision is not completely mine to make so I am waiting to find out where I will end up.

120. Late Eclipses by Seanan McGuire (4.5 stars)
Category: Hugo/Aurora Awards

This book is the fourth in the October Daye series, which was a Hugo Best Series nominee this year, and it's my favourite so far. Toby has to hunt down a murderer who has killed once and continues to threaten her friends in the Faerie world. Apart from the fast-moving plot, there are additional revelations of Toby's backstory and development of her relationships. I must say that I'm getting quite fond of Spike the Rose Goblin.

121. I Call Myself A Feminist: The View from Twenty-five Women Under Thirty
Category: Virago Books

This is a collection of short essays from a number of young women from diverse background, each presenting the writer's thoughts on feminism. The essays were a mixed bag; some were very insightful while others didn't add much at all to the collection. I enjoyed just as much and maybe more the many quotations from prominent women that are interspersed throughout the book. I'd originally picked this book up for my daughter. It makes a nice gift book for any young woman interested in feminist issues and looking for some inspiring words.

>51 mathgirl40: Where can one find Nanaimo Bar ice cream?? That sounds simply scrumptious -- a mix of two delicious things.

>64 pammab: I'm afraid it's not easy to get this particular brand of Nanaimo Bar ice cream. It's made by the London Ice Cream Company in London, Ontario, in Canada. Their ice cream is available in London as well as in selected ice cream shops around Ontario. Unfortunately, there are no shops selling it in my city, but as London is only 90 minutes away, I may have to plan a road trip with a large insulated cooler in my trunk.

This year, the company is offering a bunch of themed flavours to celebrate Canada's 150th birthday, like "Double Double" and "Bruce Trail Mix".

I think other companies have made Nanaimo Bar ice cream. I haven't tried other ones yet, but I'm sure that doing a taste test would be a fun experience. :)

122. Icarus Down by James Bow (4 stars)
Category: Hugo/Aurora Awards

James Bow is a writer who lives in my city but I didn't know about his work until this novel, nominated for the Best YA Novel award, arrived as part of my Aurora Voter Packet. It's about a boy, a descendent of human travellers who settled on a distant planet, who begins to discover uncomfortable truths about his family and the leaders of his world. I found a few aspects of the story implausible but otherwise it was well-paced and tackled some big ideas. James Bow's wife, Erin Bow, might be familiar to some, as she's won a number of YA awards for Plain Kate (which I loved!) and other books. I'm happy that now there are two members of the Bow family whose books I shall be seeking out.

123. The Nature of a Pirate by A. M. Dellamonica (3.5 stars)
Category: Hugo/Aurora Awards

This is the third book of the trilogy that started with Child of a Hidden Sea. I wouldn't recommend reading it as a standalone, but it was a good conclusion to the series, tying up loose ends and finishing with a reasonably satisfying ending. I found the books enjoyable but I didn't love them. There's excellent world-building and interesting characters but I found the plot slow at times. I'll definitely read more of Dellamonica's work, though.

124. Zero History by William Gibson (3.5 stars)
Category: Hugo/Aurora Awards

This is the final book of Gibson's Blue Ant trilogy, which was nominated for the Aurora Best of the Decade award. It has a lot of the interesting ideas and clever observations one would expect from Gibson and it is a nice conclusion to the trilogy, bringing back some characters from the earlier books. However, the whole futuristic fashion theme carried little appeal for me. Last year, I'd read Gibson's The Peripheral and I thought it was absolutely brilliant, but I couldn't muster the same enthusiasm for the Blue Ant trilogy.

125. Rainbow Valley by L. M. Montgomery (3.5 stars)
Category: Dust Collector

This installment from the Anne of Green Gables series features very little of Anne herself. Instead, it concerns her children, as well as the Meredith children whose father is their new minister. Though the story is charming and sprinkled with humorous episodes, it just did not have the same effect on me as the earlier books. Perhaps it's because there isn't any one particularly appealing character that dominates the book, as in the other ones. Still, it's worth reading if you're a Green Gables fan.

126. Six Wakes by Mur Lafferty (5 stars)
Category: Other Science Fiction and Fantasy

This novel by Mur Lafferty is a terrific mix of science-fiction, mystery and thriller featuring a generation ship and clones. There is plenty of suspense, as well as thought-provoking issues to mull over. I found this book very hard to put down and I will likely put it on my Hugo nomination ballot next year.

127. The Best Laid Plans by Terry Fallis (4 stars)
Category: Miscellaneous

This is Terry Fallis's first novel, which won the Stephen Leacock award for Humour and Canada Reads 2011. On our long summer roadtrip, my family listened to the original free podcast that he'd narrated himself and made available before the book got picked up by a major publisher. The novel has some flaws, but my family found the satirical examination of Canadian politics hilariously funny.

128. Agent to the Stars by John Scalzi (3.5 stars)
Category: Dust Collector
Challenges: August SFFKIT

John Scalzi's first novel, Agent to the Stars, is not as polished as his later works but it definitely showcases his brand of humour. This is a very entertaining and heartwarming story about the human race's first encounters with aliens, in a Hollywood setting.

129. Tomboy Survival Guide by Ivan Coyote (5 stars)
Category: Cross Canada Journey
Challenges: AwardsCAT

I've made really great progress on my virtual cross-Canada walk, having now entered Saskatchewan. (I am tracking progress in the World Walking app, on a route from the West coast to the East.) Unfortunately, other than reading Obasan, which takes place in both BC and Alberta, I zoomed through Alberta without having a chance to explore it properly. So I am going to mimic PM Justin Trudeau's infamous Canada Day speech, in which he gave a shout-out to all the provinces and territories, starting with BC, going north, then resuming with Saskatchewan. Only at the end did he realize his error and humbly apologized for missing Alberta. Likewise, I'm going to move to the north with Tomboy Survival Guide and then read a Saskatchewan book I have lined up for next month. At a later time, I promise to return to Alberta!

Tomboy Survival Guide is one of the books on the Ontario Library Association's Evergreen list. I am extremely glad to have discovered Ivan Coyote who is a transgender performance artist. The book consists of a collection of essays, most of which are memoirs about growing up in the Yukon and dealing with their gender identity. (Coyote has expressed a preference for the pronouns "they", "their" and "them".) While transgender issues are certainly prominent these days, I gave this book 5 stars mostly because Coyote is an exceptional storyteller with a warm sense of humour. It's a wonderful book, not just for people struggling with gender issues, but really for anyone who has ever felt like an outsider.

Embarrassing as it is to admit, I've only just finished reviewing my August books, so here is my August summary, quite late.

Number of books read: 15 (out of 129 in all)
Books off my shelves: 6 (out of 46 in all)
Favourite book: Tomboy Survival Guide by Ivan Coyote

Not embarrassing at all. I also am way behind on reviews. Nice to run across another science fiction fan - I just finished Scalzi's The Collapsing Empire and enjoyed it a lot.

>75 markon: That's good to know. I just bought The Collapsing Empire and am looking forward to it.

130. Exit West by Mohsin Hamid (4.5 stars)
Category: Miscellaneous
Challenges: AwardsCAT

I liked very much Hamid's earlier book, How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia, so I was happy to see this on the 2017 Booker shortlist. It's a short compact book, a love story of sorts involving refugees from the Middle East. I appreciated Hamid's beautiful writing and liked the very light touch of magical realism, which was reminiscent of that in The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead.

131. Serial Monogamy by Kate Taylor (4 stars)
Category: Evergreen Awards

This is one of the books on the 2017 Ontario Library Association's Evergreen list. There are parallel stories here, or more accurately, a novel within a novel. This first is about Charles Dickens's relationship with his mistress Ellen Ternan, presented in the form of a newspaper serial, while the second tells the story of the modern-day author who is writing this serial. This novel has gotten mixed reviews from others, but I really enjoyed Taylor's clever construction and her use of common themes in both stories.

Six wakes looks right up my alley -- thanks for drawing my attention to it! Anything that makes it onto your Hugo ballot gets a big dose of attention from me. I really like the idea of dealing with the ethical issues of cloning in another environment from our own, and mysteries are fun. Thanks for sharing!

>79 pammab: I hope you'll like Six Wakes as much as I did. The whole exploration of cloning technology and ethics was really interesting.

132. The Man in the Queue by Josephine Tey (3.5 stars)
Category: Golden Age Mysteries

This book is the first in the Inspector Alan Grant mysteries. In this novel, a man standing in a queue for a popular theatre production is stabbed while surrounded by a crowd of fellow theatre-goers. The search for the victim’s and assailant’s identities sends Grant first through the streets of London and then to the Highlands of Scotland. I didn't find this novel as gripping as some of the later ones Tey has written, but it's a decent mystery all the same.

133. Buried Angels by Camilla Läckberg (3.5 stars)
Category: Other Mysteries
Challenges: RandomCAT

This is the 8th book from Läckberg's Erica Falck and Patrik Hedström series. Like several of Lackberg's earlier novels, this one features two parallel narratives, one from a much earlier time that sets up the conditions for the present-day mystery, set in a former boarding school on an island. The books in this series are starting to feel formulaic, but that doesn't greatly diminish my enjoyment of them. The side stories about Erica and Patrik's family and friends add to the appeal.

>77 mathgirl40: Hit by a BB with Exit West.

>81 mathgirl40: Your assessment of The man in the queue matches mine. Not a bad Golden Age mystery though.

>81 mathgirl40: The ending of The Man in the Queue fell flat for me, as I recall.

>83 VivienneR: I hope you enjoy Exit West. I'm eager for the Booker winner announcement next week.

>84 rabbitprincess: I'd have to agree that the end didn't quite live up to the promise of the initial set-up.

134. Rilla of Ingleside by L. M. Montgomery (4.5 stars)
Category: CATWoman

This novel is a real tear-jerker and full of sentimentality, but I still enjoyed it immensely. The lightheartedness and humour that are usually found in the Anne books are offset by the horrific realities of World War I. I especially liked how Montgomery shows how deeply the war affected the residents of Prince Edward Island, especially the women. One often thinks of Montgomery's settings as quiet and charming places untouched by the harshness of the real world, but that's certainly not the case here. I also liked having Anne's daughter Rilla as the main character. She has an appealing and distinctive personality all her own.

135. Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders (4 stars)
Category: Miscellaneous
Challenges: AwardsCAT

This 2017 Booker nominee is a story that concerns the death of Abraham Lincoln's son. It has an unusual structure, being pieced together from many snippets, including first-person narratives, dialogues and quotations from historical works, some of which are fictional. There are a huge number of narrators, most of whom are ghosts living in the bardo, a world between the living and afterlife.

I loved George Saunder's collection of short stories, Tenth of December, but I'm not completely sure how I feel about this novel. It's brilliant in its way and certainly a legitimate contender for this year's Booker prize. Still, I found its experimental style rather overwhelming. I listened to the audiobook, which I suspect is a different experience from reading the book.

>84 rabbitprincess: If I remember rightly The Man in the Queue was the one where they got fingerprints off paper money. And so fast too! I'm sure the story took place before the ability to lift fingerprints off paper was discovered. Even modern forensic scientists take longer than Tey's.

>88 VivienneR: What I remember most about the ending was that it felt like a Perry Mason ending, with the killer giving themselves up and no possible way for the reader to have figured it out. I'm impressed by Tey's forensic science! ;)

>88 VivienneR: >89 rabbitprincess: I found a couple of Tey's other books also required some suspension of disbelief, but I enjoyed them anyhow. :)

136. Except the Dying by Maureen Jennings (4 stars)
Category: Other Mysteries

This is the first in the Detective Murdoch series, set in 1890's Toronto. In this story, Murdoch investigates the murder of a young woman, a servant of a wealthy family. I'm a big fan of the Murdoch Mysteries TV series and found it a little difficult to adjust to the minor but noticeable differences in the characters. I'm curious to see how they will develop in later books of this series.

137. Lumberjanes, Volume 2: Friendship to the Max by Noelle Stevenson, Grace Ellis, Shannon Watters and Brooke A. Allen (4 stars)
Category: Graphic Novels
Challenges: CATWoman

This second Lumberjanes volume presents further adventures of 5 friends at a summer camp plagued by supernatural elements. The series is crazy, different and fun. One of the story arcs in this second collection involves Greek deities, which I especially liked. This is an excellent comic series that celebrates friendship and diversity in a (mostly) all-girl setting.

138. Into the Silence: The Great War, Mallory, and the Conquest of Everest by Wade Davis (5 stars)
Category: Non-fiction

This book tells the story of the 1921, 1922 and 1924 British expeditions to Mount Everest, the last of which ended in George Mallory's and Andrew Irvine's deaths as they attempted to reach the summit. The descriptions of the actual expeditions are exciting, though not nearly as gripping as Jon Krakauer's famous account of the 1996 expedition in Into Thin Air. However, for me, the real worth of this book is its examination of the broader picture. The subtitle of the book, "The Great War, Mallory, and the Conquest of Everest", sums up the book's intentions. Davis spends a good deal of the book setting the historical context and exploring the personalities of the most prominent people involved. The mountain itself is important but is only one part of the story. I found especially interesting the technical details and controversies surrounding the initial use of oxygen at that time, as well as Davis's descriptions of the Western attitudes toward the Nepalese and Tibetans. This book is full of rich detail and well worth reading.

>93 mathgirl40: Someday I may reread that. I got bogged down in the historical context and had too many other things on the go, so it had to go back to the library unfinished.

>93 mathgirl40: I have that one on the shelf but it's such a chunkster that I hesitate picking it up. Your review is very encouraging!

>94 rabbitprincess: >95 VivienneR: I did find the first quarter or so a bit of a slog to get through. Davis spends a lot of time setting the scene and describing the early lives of the mountaineers who eventually go on the expedition. However, I found the descriptions of the expeditions themselves extremely interesting.

139. Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erickson (3.5 stars)
Category: Hugo/Aurora

This is the first book in the huge Malazan Book of the Fallen series, which was nominated for the Aurora Best of the Decade award. As part of my Voter Packet, I received the entire 10-volume set, which was pretty exciting, but of course, there was no way I could get through much of it before the voting date!

I can see why this belongs in the epic fantasy genre, as "epic" describes the book perfectly. It's large and sprawling, with a huge number of ideas and characters (humans, supernatural beings and deities) to keep track of. Even though I have lukewarm feelings toward this first book, I can see that it holds a lot of promise and I'll be sure to read more in the series.

140. Compostela (Tesseracts 20) edited by Spider Robinson and James Alan Gardner (3 stars)
Category: Short Stories

This mixed-bag of science-fiction and fantasy stories seems more mixed than most anthologies of this kind. There were several stories I enjoyed very much but also a good number of very forgettable ones. The forward by James Alan Gardner mentioned that a great number of the stories showed a bleak future. While this is indeed the case, the most striking aspect of the stories to me was the large number that dealt with artificial intelligence and automation. My favourite stories were "In Memory Of" by Darryl Napier, "The Shadowed Forest" by Rati Mehotra and "Plot Device" by Eric Choi. I also liked Robert Sawyer's "The Shoulders of Giants", though it's an older republished story.

I spent a very enjoyable Saturday at Bouchercon in Toronto. Unfortunately, I couldn't go for the entire convention, but I did try to make the most of my one day there and I also had the pleasure of meeting up with rabbitprincess again.

I attended panels on standalone mysteries, Northern mysteries, police procedurals and the noir subgenre. I also discovered some new authors and of course, bought some new books, though I tried very hard to restrain myself.

One book I couldn't resist is a recent reprint of a 1953 novel, The Body on Mount Royal by David Montrose. I grew up in the suburbs of Montreal and made frequent visits to Mount Royal. Also, the cover was rather compelling:



I also bought Absolution by Caro Ramsay and The Mine by Antti Tuomainen, two of the panelists on the Northern mysteries panel.

At the end of the day, I had dinner with my husband and daughter at the Queen St. location of Kinton Ramen in Toronto. I'm a fan of the Expanse series, based on James S. A. Corey's series that starts with Leviathan Wakes. The scenes at Ceres Cafe were filmed at this restaurant so I'm glad I finally got to see it. The ramen was good too!

Ooh, how was the noir panel? Was that the one with Chris Brookmyre? I enjoyed his interview with Mark Billingham and could have listened to him on every single panel :)

>100 rabbitprincess: I enjoyed the noir panel and yes, Brookmyre was there. I've not read any Brookmyre and associated him with humour more than noir but after hearing him speak, I will definitely seek out some of his books. He and the other panelists spent some time discussing the role of humour in noir. Also, it was interesting that many of the panelists didn't think of themselves as noir writers, though they all use noir elements.

141. A Caribbean Mystery by Agatha Christie (3.5 stars)
Category: Other Mysteries

This was a typical Miss Marple mystery, notable in that it's set at a resort on a Caribbean island instead of in England. I enjoyed the cast of characters and the mystery itself. My one grievance is that, apart from some references to the steel bands and a couple of minor local characters, this story could have taken place at the usual English country house or Dover seaside resort. I guess every place really is like St. Mary Mead, as Miss Marple often asserts.

142. The Morningside Years by Peter Gzowski (4.5 stars)
Category: Cross-Canada Journey
Challenges: CultureCAT

I suppose someone not familiar with journalist Peter Gzowski might find this collection of essays based on his Morningside radio show a mixed bag, with some entries feeling dull and outdated. However, it was a glorious trip down memory lane for me. Gzowski was a part of the Canadian cultural landscape in my younger days, and for a few years, Morningside was part of my daily morning commute.

The book includes letters from readers, submitted recipes, a short play based on the Robert Latimer case, as well as essays by Gzowski and others. The best parts of the book are extensive interviews with 6 major Canadian literary figures: Margaret Laurence, Margaret Atwood, Timothy Findley, W. O. Mitchell, Robertson Davies and Alice Munro. The book also includes a CD with excerpts from the show and it was lovely listening to Gzowski's voice again.

I put this book in my Cross-Canada Journey category. I happen to be walking (on my virtual cross-Canada walk) through Saskatchewan right now and recently passed near Moose Jaw. Gzowski ends his book describing his final Morningside broadcast in Moose Jaw, where his career in journalism also started.

One final anecdote ... one of the recipes that looked appealing was "Elderberry Jam" and the introduction from the person who'd submitted it said she collected wild elderberries behind her house. I wondered whether one would find wild elderberries in this part of the country until I saw the name of the recipe's author. It was Elsie Herrle, the co-founder of the farm market (which has existed since 1964) near my home that I visit once a week in the summertime! This country really isn't as big as it seems. :)

>101 mathgirl40: Brookmyre has definitely turned his crime writing into more serious affairs. That's not to say there's none of his renowned dark humour in there but they are much more mainstream affairs than his earlier works. He now differentiates his less serious stuff by using the full version of his first name and using the diminutive for the others.

>104 AHS-Wolfy: Thanks for the information about Brookmyre. Do you (or other Brookmyre fans) have suggestions on where to start with his books? I'd probably enjoy either style of work.

I've only read one Brookmyre, but I loved it. It was a stand-alone called A Tale Etched in Blood and Hard Black Pencil.

>105 mathgirl40: There are a couple of stand-alone books that you could try which fall under the dark humour / thriller variety which are One Fine Day in the Middle of the Night or A Tale Etched in Blood and Hard Black Pencil. If you want to go for the more recent and more straight-edged mystery then Where the Bodies are Buried is the starter book for a trilogy although is fully self-contained.

I count myself a fan of Christopher Brookmyre even though I have only read 3 of his books. I've been reading the Jack Parlabane series but you have reminded me that it's been quite some time since I read one of his. The first book of the series is Quite Ugly One Morning and the opening chapter is a real doozy!

>108 DeltaQueen50: I didn't want to saddle someone with what is now an 8 book series. Hopefully Paulina can make that jump on her own :)

>107 AHS-Wolfy: Yes yes read Where the Bodies are Buried! I love Jasmine Sharp :D Glad I bought my own copy for a reread.

>106 RidgewayGirl: >107 AHS-Wolfy: >108 DeltaQueen50: >110 rabbitprincess: Thanks for all the recommendations! Where the Bodies are Buried sounds like a good place to start.

>109 AHS-Wolfy: Ha! I'm perfectly capable of saddling myself with long never-ending series. I seem to do that a lot. :)

143. Iron Council by China Miéville (3.5 stars)
Category: Other SFF
Challenges: SFFKIT

I always find it hard to describe Miéville's novels. This one, set in the Bas-Lag world, is a cross between fantasy and western with definite steampunk elements. As usual, the world that Miéville builds is incredibly rich, but there is so much detail it can be overwhelming. Sometimes it feels to me like the author cares more about showing readers the wonders of his world than in telling the story. This book is a good choice if you're already a Miéville fan but maybe not the best place to start if you're new to his work.

I've only just caught up with my September reviews, so here is a brief summary for that month:

Number of books read: 14 (out of 143 in all)
Books off my shelves: 5 (out of 51 in all)
Favourite books: Into the Silence by Wade Davis and The Morningside Years by Peter Gzowski

October has been going well, with lots of great reading so far. I just have to get around to writing the reviews!

I'm planning to participate in Dewey's 24-hour Readathon on Saturday and hoping that nothing unexpected comes up to derail my reading plans!

>113 mathgirl40: Ooh, have fun doing the readathon! Unfortunately I won't be able to participate this time, although I hope to sneak in a little reading here and there!

>114 christina_reads: Thanks! Sorry you couldn't participate and I hope you did manage to squeeze in some reading.

I ended up having a very enjoyable and successful readathon. I finished Frost in May by Antonia White and I'll be Watching You by Charles de Lint. I also listened to part of Life, the Universe and Everything by Douglas Adams on audiobook, with Martin Freeman as narrator.

144. Walkaway by Cory Doctorow (4 stars)
Category: Other SFF
Challenges: SFFKIT, CultureCAT

In Walkaway, Cory Doctorow follows the paths of several people who decide to turn their backs on a dystopian society where there is a growing divide between the elite and the unemployed poor. Doctorow gives the reader a lot to think about. There are plenty of conversations and musings on economics, politics and sociology. However, there are also pretty good plotlines, interesting characters, and even some suspenseful and action-packed scenes mixed in there too.

145. Crow Lake by Mary Lawson (5 stars)
Category: Miscellaneous
Challenges: CATWoman, CultureCAT

I loved this story set in Northern Ontario about four siblings trying to survive on their own after the accidental deaths of their parents. The writing is beautiful, the setting is impeccably drawn, and the story is deeply moving. Lawson is very good at the "slow reveal", and I consequently found the novel very hard to put down.

146. Chain of Events by Fredrik T Olsson (3.5 stars)
Category: Science Fiction
Challenges: SFFKIT

In this novel, scientists are kidnapped so they can help solve a puzzle related to a deadly virus spreading around the world. As near-future science-fiction, I found this book disappointing. I really had trouble accepting the premise and found some parts of the story quite implausible. However, as a thriller, it was pretty good. I liked the characters, the suspense, the setting and the pacing. I wouldn't mind reading more from the author, if the story were more believable.

>117 mathgirl40: That one sounds interesting. I won't get to it anytime soon, but maybe one day.

>117 mathgirl40: I remember Lori (Ikernaugh) really loved Crow Lake as well. I will have to it further up the TBR!

>119 thornton37814: >120 DeltaQueen50: I definitely recommend Crow Lake and hope you enjoy it if/when you get around to it.

147. The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson (4.5 stars)
Category: Other SFF
Challenges: SFFKIT

This YA novel about a teenager recovering from a serious car accident was a reread for me, as it was chosen as this month's selection for one of my local book clubs. The author explores the possibilities for biomedical technology in the near future and uses the story to examine the ethical issues that might arise from these. I don't want to say more, as part of the impact from this story comes from the slowly increasing understanding of the narrator as her recovery continues. This book ended up being a great book-club choice, as there were many interesting and controversial issues to discuss.

148. Five Roses by Alice Zorn (3.5 stars)
Category: Evergreen Awards
Challenges: CATWoman

This is another of the books from the Ontario Library Association's Evergreen list. It follows the stories of several women who have connections to the Pointe St. Charles area of Montreal, and it examines several difficult issues including suicide. I liked the setting, as it's not too far away from where I grew up. Otherwise, I didn't find this novel particularly notable, but it wasn't bad either.

The title refers to the neon "Five Roses" sign, an iconic emblem of Montreal for many years. You couldn't miss seeing it if you were entering Montreal from the mainland on the Champlain Bridge. The photo below is from a Web site that features 500 photos of this famous sign.

149. Scout's Progress by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (4.5 stars)
Category: Other SFF

This novel from the Liaden Universe is a prequel to the first few published books in the series. It tells the story of how Aelliana Caylon and develops into a pilot and meets Daav yos'Phelium. This, for me, was one of the most enjoyable of the Liaden books I've read so far. However, I find the cover really unfortunate, as it makes one think of a Harlequin Romance. While romance is a part of this book, there are many other elements that could have appeared on the cover, like spacecraft or math equations (since Aelliana is a famous mathematician). For people interested in trying out the Liaden books, this one works well as a standalone and is not a bad entry point to the series.

150. Glass Houses by Louise Penny
Category: Other Mysteries

This is another excellent entry in the Inspector Gamache series, starting off in a court of law and working through a series of flashbacks. There are subplots involving a mysterious stranger dressed as a traditional Spanish figure and the drug-trafficking network near the US-Canada border. The novel features a new slate of characters as well as the beloved Three Pines residents. I listened on audiobook and enjoyed especially a conversation between Louise Penny and narrator Robert Bathurst that followed the novel itself. I still miss Ralph Cosham's narration but am getting used to Bathurst. I still have trouble "seeing" Gamache when listening to him because images of Sir Anthony Strallan from Downton Abbey occasionally get in the way. :)

151. No Great Mischief by Alistair Macleod (5 stars)
Category: Miscellaneous

This is a beautifully written family saga about Scottish settlers on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, and their descendants. We follow the narrator Alexander's recollections about his grandparents, working in Northern Ontario mines and dealing with his brother's alcoholism. This is a poignant story about the immigrant experience, one that celebrates Scottish heritage but is also very Canadian at its core. It's a little surprising to me that Macleod had written only this one novel and some short stories, given what a prominent place No Great Mischief holds in Canadian literature.

152. The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches by Alan Bradley (4 stars)
Category: Other Mysteries

A man is pushed in front of a train at the beginning of the book. However, that mystery is not nearly as interesting as the emerging revelations about Flavia's mother as her body is brought back home. This is not one of the installments I'd recommend to potential readers new to the series but it would definitely be interesting to those who have followed Flavia's development from book 1. This particular story seems to be more sombre and serious, with less of the charm and humour of earlier books. The end of the book has an unexpected twist that makes me very eager to see what will happen in the next book!

153. Dark Inside by Jeyn Roberts (3 stars)
Category: Cross-Canada Journey
Challenges: RandomCAT

This is a young-adult novel I picked off my kids' bookshelves about four teenagers trying to survive in a post-apocalyptic world filled with zombie-like killers. It's not bad, as it has some appealing characters and suspenseful moments, but there are a lot of unresolved questions left at the end, and I'm not sure I'm motivated enough to seek the sequel.

I put this in my Cross-Canada Journey category, as I'm still working through Saskatchewan on my virtual cross-Canada walk. The book starts off in Saskatoon, where the author grew up.

154. Us Conductors by Sean Michaels (4 stars)
Category: Miscellaneous
Challenges: AwardsCAT

This Giller Prize winner is a fictionalized account of inventor Lev Termen, also known as Leon Theremin. It took me most of the book to warm up to the main character, who is not always portrayed in a positive light. He is, at various times, insensitive, cowardly, philandering and dishonest, but Michaels does succeed in getting us to understand the motivations for his actions. Michaels declares outright that the book is full of inventions of his own (which seems appropriate for the story of an inventor). Now I'm eager to read a true biography of Termen. Michaels himself recommends Theremin: Ether Music and Espionage by Albert Glinsky.

155. I'll Be Watching You by Charles de Lint (3.5 stars)
Category: Horror
Challenges: RandomCAT

This is a horror novel set in the Newford world, originally published under de Lint's pseudonym Samuel Keys. I found it extremely disturbing, watching the world through the eyes of a stalker and serial killer. It was very suspenseful and hard to put down, but for me, it was not nearly as enjoyable as de Lint's fantasy books set in Newford.

>126 mathgirl40: I'm so glad you liked No Great Mischief! It is one of my favourite books.

>127 mathgirl40: This is probably the only book where I cried pretty much the whole way through. To be fair, I was recovering from the weirdest, hardest-hitting flu bug I've ever encountered, so perhaps my guard was down ;)

You've been getting through some great reading.

>125 mathgirl40: I didn't associate Louise Penny's new narrator, with an actor whose work I've always enjoyed (Cold Feet was one of my favourite shows). It will indeed be difficult to "see" Gamache while listening to Sir Anthony's voice (or David's).

>126 mathgirl40: Thank you, I've taken a bullet with Crow Lake by Mary Lawson.

>126 mathgirl40: & >131 rabbitprincess: - you both convinced me to add No Great Mischief to my wish list.

>117 mathgirl40: Crow Lake sounds wonderful too.

>128 mathgirl40: Zombies in Canada - I gotta read that one!

>131 rabbitprincess: Yup, the flu can do that to you, but I too found this installment quite moving.

>132 VivienneR: I've not seen Cold Feet but I'll have to keep it in mind for future viewing. I seem to get a lot of MTVBs (movie-and-television bullets) as well as BBs here on LT!

>133 LittleTaiko: I loved both books. I hope you do too!

>134 DeltaQueen50: Zombies in Canada is one thing, but zombies in Saskatoon is even stranger. :)

156. Frost in May by Antonia White (4 stars)
Category: Virago Modern Classics

This is the very first book published in the Virago Modern Classics series. It's a coming-of-age story about a young girl who enters a Catholic convent boarding school, after her father converts to Catholicism. The book encompasses several years of her life, as she moves into her teenage years and learns about religion and develops friendships within an exceedingly repressive environment.

157. Penric's Mission by Lois McMaster Bujold (4.5 stars)
Category: Other SFF

This is the third novella about sorcerer and healer Penric and his "inner demon", Desdemona, set in Bujold's World of the Five Gods. In this one, Penric goes on a diplomatic mission that ends up leading to unexpected adventures. I'm really enjoying these novellas. They are quick and fun reads but are long enough to showcase the complex plots and character development that Bujold excels at. This particular story is my favourite of the three I've read so far.

 

158. Life, the Universe and Everything by Douglas Adams (3.5 stars)
Category: Dust Collectors

This was another enjoyable romp through the Hitchhiker's universe but I probably would have found it much funnier and more entertaining if I were a cricket fan or even slightly knowledgeable about the sport.

I had somehow acquired two copies of this book, but I ended up listening to the audiobook version narrated by Martin Freeman that I borrowed from the library. I did flip through my two print versions and was surprised to see some obvious differences, such as the organization of the chapters. I discovered that I had both the original UK and the newer American editions. I then read on Wikipedia that the UK edition referred to an award for "The Most Gratuitous Use of the Word 'Fuck' in a Serious Screenplay," but the American edition changed the offending word to "Belgium". :)

>126 mathgirl40: I got hit by that book bullet. I enjoy reading about immigrant experiences when they include back story. That one sounds like a winner.

>126 mathgirl40: I got hit, too. Sounds indeed very good.

>139 thornton37814: >140 Chrischi_HH: Glad to send those BBs your way. I hope you both enjoy the book as much as I did.

159. A Darker Shade of Magic by V. E. Schwab (5 stars)
Category: Other SFF

I adored this book about a magician who has the ability to travel between parallel Londons. I really can't find anything I did not like about it. It featured an interesting fantasy world, great characters, witty dialogue and a fast-moving plot. I'm definitely looking forward to reading the sequel.

160. The Grass is Singing by Doris Lessing (4.5 stars)
Category:
Challenges: AwardsCAT, CultureCAT

This relatively short but very intense novel leaves quite an impact. Set in South Africa in the 1940's, it follows the life of a young woman through her unhappy marriage and the development of her mental illness. Lessing shows very disturbing scenes of racism and colonialism and the horrible effects of chronic poverty. There are few likable characters or moments of redemption in this novel, but like it is with the proverbial train wreck, I couldn't look away or stop reading.

161. Wild Orchid by Beverley Brenna (4.5 stars)
Category: Cross-Canada Journey

I wouldn't have come across this book if it hadn't been on CBC's 100 Young Adult Books list. I'm glad I did. I included it in my Cross-Canada Journey category, as I'm still working through Saskatchewan on my virtual walk. The book is set in Prince Albert National Park and the author is from Saskatoon.

The story describes the events that occur one summer in the life of an 18-year-old woman who has Asperger syndrome. She recounts in journal entries her difficulties in dealing with moving to a new town and meeting people and with her occasionally strained relationship with her mother, on whom she is dependent. The story is told simply, sensitively and with humour. I have two family friends with children of the same age, one with Aspergers syndrome and one with a rare condition that has some features in common with Autism. I think the author was very successful at creating a believable voice for her main character and at capturing some of the issues that young people with this condition and their parents deal with on a regular basis.

Here is my October summary. For once, I am actually caught up with my reviews!

Books read: 18 (out of 161 in all)
Books off my shelves: 7 (out of 58 in all)
Favourite books: No Great Mischief by Alistair Macleod and Crow Lake by Mary Lawson

It was a good reading month. I was able to get through so many books because several of them were shorter ones that I finished during Dewey's Readathon.

>143 mathgirl40: When novels keep you engaged in spite of a dislike of the characters, you know it's a great piece of literature.

I'm glad that you were as impressed as I was with The Grass Is Singing. :)

I am also excited that you gave 5 stars to A Darker Shade of Magic as I have all three of that trilogy on my Kindle.

>146 thornton37814: Indeed. I often find it hard to get invested in a book if I can't find a character I like.

>147 DeltaQueen50: Yes, I really must read more Doris Lessing, and I'm hoping I won't have to wait too long before I get to the sequels to A Darker Shade of Magic. I hope you enjoy the series.

162. Ghost Stories of an Antiquary by M. R. James (4 stars)
Category: Short Stories

This is a very nice collection of ghost stories, published in 1904, that I started reading, appropriately enough, on Hallowe'en night. The stories are not terribly scary but they are spooky enough and definitely fun to read, with some touches of humour mixed in with the macabre. There are several stories of the haunted-house variety, which I particularly like.

163. The Break by Katherena Vermette (5 stars)
Category: Evergreen list
Challenges: CATWoman, AwardsCAT

The Break is the 8th book I've read from the 2017 Ontario Library Association Evergreen list, and it's a very close second to my favourite from the list, Tomboy Survival Guide by Ivan Coyote. It was also one the 2017 Canada Reads finalists.

The story, which starts off with a violent assault and the police investigation associated with it, examines the relationships among the mostly female members of an Indigenous family in Manitoba, Canada. The novel looks at a number of First Nations issues but mostly at violence against women and the many challenges the victims face.

I found this book to be beautifully written with richly developed characters and moreover, it was very hard to put down. The author captured my interest from the first pages and kept it throughout.

I really liked The Break. It was such a unique perspective.

>151 RidgewayGirl: I agree! It was very impressive for a debut novel.

164. Carry On - Letters from Wartime by Dawson Coningsby (3.5 stars)
Category: Miscellaneous
Challenges: CultureCAT

This book is a collection of author Coningsby Dawson’s letters to his family, written during his time serving with the Canadian Army in France in World War I. It is edited and annotated by his father W. J. Dawson. In the introduction to this volume of letters, his father refers to them as a "record of how the dreadful yet heroic realities of war affect an unusually sensitive mind," and I think this is a particularly good description. Despite the horrific events and the hardships that Dawson describes, the letters show his very positive attitude and his deep appreciation of all that's still beautiful in the world.

165. Madame Maigret's Friend by Georges Simenon (3.5 stars)
Category: Mysteries Around the World (France)

My copy actually shows the title Madame Maigret's Own Case. The alternative title is probably better, as Madame Maigret actually plays a very small role in the story, and it's Maigret himself who is at the centre of the investigation. An anonymous tip leads Maigret to find human remains in the furnace of a bookbinder, while Madame Maigret has an abandoned boy temporarily and unexpectedly placed in her care. This is my first Simenon mystery and I expect it won't be my last. I found it quite entertaining and I liked the Paris setting.

166. Burning Paradise by Robert Charles Wilson (3.5 stars)
Category: Canada's 150th Birthday

This is perhaps a questionable choice for my Canada 150 challenge (to give away Canadian books via BookCrossing), as it is set in the US. However, Wilson is one of my very favourite Canadian writers. This book is not among his best. The alternate-history alien-invasion premise is just a little too much to accept. Nevertheless, Wilson writes a good suspenseful thriller, with his usual terrific exploration of characters' motives.

167. 1636: The Devil's Opera by Eric Flint and David Carrico (3.5 stars)
Category: Other SFF
Challenges: SFFKIT

This installment in Eric Flint's sprawling Ring of Fire series, co-written with David Carrico, combines a murder mystery with a story about the staging of an opera. The characters were introduced first in a collection of short stories, 1635: Music and Murder. I didn't find the story especially memorable but I do enjoy the exploration of how the time-travelling Americans interact with the 17th-century Germans. Other books I've read in this series tend to focus on politics and military history, so it's a nice change to look at other aspects of the society such as music and policing. I would not recommend reading this book unless you've read at least 1632, the starting point of the series.

Stopping by to get caught up and making note of your reading.

>52 mathgirl40: - I really liked that one!

>71 mathgirl40: - I have four of his books, including that one. Hoping to read them next year.

>117 mathgirl40: - So glad to see you loved Crow Lake!

>42 mathgirl40: I read and was appalled by this book. It was especially timely because of the accusations being thrown around now. It definitely ties in with the attitude that "boys will be boys" and that women's feelings don't count for anything. We surely aren't seeing men step up and admit to what they did and apologize before the accusations are made!

You've read a lot of interesting books! Lucky you!

>157 lkernagh: Maybe I'll join you in reading some more Terry Fallis next year. I'd like to read the sequel to The Best Laid Plans, The High Road, and I also have No Relation sitting on my shelves.

>158 mamzel: It really is a timely read, and I certainly agree it's appalling.

168. Red Ice for a Shroud by R. J. Harlick (4 stars)
Category: Other Mysteries

This is the second book in the Meg Harris series, set in the remote area of Western Quebec. In this one, a young woman is found dead in a cabin and an Algonquin native is the main suspect. As with the first book, the story explores, along with the mystery, the interactions and tensions among the English Canadian, French Canadian and First Nations people all living alongside one another. There were some aspects of the writing I found weak and I was close to giving the book a lower rating. However, the second half of the book was really page-turning and held a number of unexpected turns that made up for the plodding pace of the first half.

169. The Best Man to Die by Ruth Rendell (3.5 stars)
Category: Other Mysteries
Challenges: RandomCAT

In this early Inspector Wexford book, the death of a young woman in an automobile accident and the killing of a lorry driver seem to be unrelated at first, but Wexford soon starts finding connections. There are many aspects of this book that make it feel very dated to me, like Wexford's getting used to the lift that's newly installed at the police station. However, I do have to remind myself that this book was published almost 50 years ago!

170. Commitment Hour by James Alan Gardner (3.5 stars)
Category: Canada 150

This novel offers an interesting look at gender issues, from a futuristic sci-fi biological point-of-view. The residents of Tober Cove are unusual in that they alternate genders until they reach the age of 21, at which time they must choose a permanent one. The story started off very slowly and for a long time, I didn't really see where the author was going with it. However, the greater context started being revealed late in the book, and it made a lot more sense.

The author is from my area, and it took me a little while to realize that his setting of Tober Cove is actually nearby Tobermory, where I'd vacationed this past summer!

171. Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple (4.5 stars)
Category: Miscellaneous
Challenges: RandomCAT

This is a satirical story about a daughter and father dealing with their mother's eccentricities. Microsoft and the city of Seattle play big roles in this charming, hilarious and uplifting story. I know people who have worked at Microsoft so that makes it even funnier for me. I thought that the epistolary format worked very well and I'm sure I'll remember these quirky characters for a good long time. This was a thoroughly entertaining read!

172. Quicksilver by Neal Stephenson (4 stars)
Category: Doorstoppers
Challenges: SFFKIT

This historical fiction book by Stephenson deals with the development of mathematics and science amidst the political turmoil in England and other parts of Europe in the 17th century. It's more properly considered alternate history or historical fantasy as Stephenson takes some liberties with characters and events. He also uses a substantial amount of anachronistic language with some quite humorous results ("canal rage" in Venice, for example).

Stephenson is definitely not for everyone. While I greatly enjoyed this novel, it was far from an easy read. I loved the descriptions of the scientific endeavours but found it difficult to keep track of the complex politics. I especially liked the main character Daniel Waterhouse. I seem to be particularly fond of humble characters that play second-fiddle to but are loyal friends of geniuses (Isaac Newton, in Daniel's case). For example, Robert Charles Wilson's magnificent novel Spin has such a main character.

I definitely plan to read the other two books in this trilogy. However, with each book at 1000+ pages, it will take me some time to get to them. If I don't get to the next book Confusion earlier, I'll at least read it for next year's Neal Stephenson group read in October.

173. Tears in the Grass by Lynda A. Archer (4 stars)
Category: Cross-Country Journey
Challenges: CATWoman

This is in my Cross-Country Journey as the story is set in Saskatchewan (in and near Regina), which I'm still working through in my virtual walk across Canada.

The story is about an elderly Cree woman Elinor who attempts to find the daughter who had been stolen from her after she had been raped at a residential school. We also hear the stories of Elinor's other daughter and her granddaughter, who assist her in her search.

The themes of this novel are similar to those of Katherena Vermette's The Break. This book does not have the same complexity or impact as Vermette's book, but on the other hand, it's not nearly as bleak. It's a very promising debut novel from Archer.

There is a "comicthon" planned for tomorrow (Nov. 26) on Litsy. Fortunately, my day is mostly clear of obligations so it'll be a great time to get through some of my backlog of graphic novels! There are several series I'd like to continue (Lumberjanes, Chew, Fables) and a bunch of other digital comics that are part of various Humble Bundles that I'd purchased.

174. Appointment with Death by Agatha Christie (3.5 stars)

Hercule Poirot investigates the murder of an unpleasant and tyrannical woman while on a journey to Petra in Jordan. This is a decent Agatha Christie mystery, though not among her best. It kept my interest throughout but I found the ending not completely satisfying. The ethical question which her characters discuss about the justice in killing a thoroughly evil person is interesting.

175. Bee and PuppyCat, Volume 1 by Natasha Allegri
Category: Graphic Novels

Sunday's comicthon on Litsy encouraged me to go through the backlog of graphic novels and comics I'd acquired through several Humble Bundle purchases. Bee and PuppyCat was one of them. There is not much depth to the stories, but they were charming, very light and quick reads. I love the cheerful artwork. I've never watched the TV show but hear it's popular.

176. Escape to Gold Mountain by David H. T. Wong (3 stars)
Category: Graphic Novels

David Wong tells the story of Chinese immigration to North America in the late 19th century. I really wanted to like this book, partly because of my own Chinese-Canadian heritage, but mostly because it's an important and interesting story. Unfortunately, though the scope is ambitious, the execution is weak, with uninspired artwork and awkward dialogue. Still, I believe it's a story we ought to read, since the sort of racism exhibited toward the Chinese over a century ago is emerging again today toward other immigrant groups.

177. Lumberjanes Vol. 3: A Terrible Plan by Shannon Watters, Grace Ellis, Brooke A. Allen and Noelle Stevenson (4 stars)
Category: Graphic Novels
Challenges: CATWoman

This is another excellent installment in the Lumberjanes series. This one has the girls separated and follows two storylines. The first has Molly and Mal on an adventure with a "bear woman" and having encounters with prehistoric animals. The second has the remaining girls at camp trying their hardest to earn badges in their typical unconventional ways.

  

178. Destination Moon by Hergé (4 stars)

179. Explorers on the Moon Hergé (4.5 stars)

I decided to do a reread of these two favourites from my childhood and I'll have to review them together as they are essentially two parts of one story rather than two standalone stories.

Professor Calculus is part of a program to achieve the first landing on the moon by humans. Of course, the first lunar expedition turns out to include Tintin and his friends. In the meantime, spies from enemy organizations try to foil their plans. The first book in this pair sets everything up, while the second describes the expedition itself and has quite a lot of fast-paced action.

The books were written in the early 1950's and I have to remind myself that they were considered science-fiction at the time. Hergé did a great job in describing the scientific details. Apparently, he did a lot of research and spoke to scientists working in the relevant areas, so his vision is not so different from the actual first lunar expedition that occurred more than a decade later.

180. Chew, Volume 3: Just Desserts by John Layman and Rob Guillory (4 stars)
Category: Graphic Novels

Tony Chu is a cannibalistic detective investigating bizarre crimes, many to do with the illegal poultry series. In this third volume, Chu continues to hunt down the bad guys but we also see his relationship with Amelia develop. We also learn more about Chu's family as he makes a visit home for a big Thanksgiving dinner. There is a lot to love about this series. It is definitely different from any other comic series I've read!

181. The Wars by Timothy Findley (4.5 stars)
Category: 1001 Books
Challenges: CultureCAT, AwardsCAT

This novel describes the experiences of Robert Ross, a young man from an upper-class family, during World War I. We learn early on that he commits a "desperate act", and the remainder of the story reveals to us the conditions that led to this act. The structure of the novel is unusual in that there is a mixture of first, second and third-person narratives. Much of the story is being told as Robert experiences it, but there are also jumps to the present, in which it is told from the point-of-view of a historian attempting to reconstruct the events. Findley does not hold back in describing the horrors of the war, and some of the horrific episodes that Ross experiences are not necessarily ones that come to mind at first when we think of war. I liked some of Findley's other novels better, but I can appreciate why this one won the 1977 Governor General's Award and has a place on the 1001 list.

Here is my November summary:

Books read: 20 (out of 181 in all)
Books off my shelves: 10 (out of 68 in all)
Favourite book: The Break by Katherena Vermette

I had a pretty incredible November, finishing 20 books, including 10 off my shelves. However, I was able to accomplish that only because 6 of them were graphic novels that I finished during a Litsy comicthon event.

By coincidence, I ended up reading 3 books that featured First Nations people and issues: The Break by Katherena Vermette, which was superb, Tears in the Grass by Lynda A. Archer and Red Ice for a Shroud by R. J. Harlick.

High five for reading 20 books!

>175 rabbitprincess: Thanks! It definitely wasn't a normal reading month!

182. Never Cry Wolf by Farley Mowat (4 stars)
Category: Miscellaneous
Challenges: RandomCAT

There has been controversy over how much of this book is factual and how much is fictional. In any case, it's a good story, engaging and humorous. Even if there are exaggerations and inaccuracies, Mowat's main themes are hard to dispute: humans rather than animals are usually the cause of problems, the Native people have knowledge that most of us don't understand, and Canada suffers from government bureaucracy and ineptitude.

183. The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding by Agatha Christie (4 stars)
Category: Short Stories
Challenges: Christmas Mysteries

This is an anthology of short stories, all featuring Hercule Poirot except for one Miss Marple story. This is a solid collection, though only the first, having the same title as the collection, is Christmas-themed. My favourite is "Greenshaw's Folly", the Miss Marple story, possibly because I have a fondness for the her nephew, Raymond West, a minor character that shows up in many of her stories.

184. A Turn of Light by Julie E. Czerneda (4 stars)
Category: Doorstoppers
Challenges: SFFKIT

I'd never read any of Julie Czerneda's books but several people had recommended her science-fiction novels to me. Somehow, however, I ended up reading her first attempt in the fantasy genre instead and enjoyed it very much.

This book has the feel as well as the length of epic fantasy, but it's of a quieter sort, with a charming pastoral setting. The story's pace seemed slow at times, but the characters and creatures are wonderfully drawn. I intend to read the sequel, A Play of Shadow, but I might delve into one of Czerneda's SF series first, as had been my original intention.

185. The Fires of Heaven by Robert Jordan (3 stars)
Category: Doorstopper
Challenges: SFFKIT

This installment of The Wheel of Time Series has two major threads, one involving Rand leading his Aiel to battle and the other involving Nynaeve and Elayne looking for the rebel Aes Sedai. There are a number of interesting side stories going on, involving some new (or newly prominent) characters, that I enjoyed.

This is not a bad installment in the series but I just could not give it a higher rating because I got tired of the characters' constant whining about the opposite sex. I don't want to dismiss Jordan as sexist, as there are many strong female characters in the series, but they all seem alike and many of them fit outdated stereotypes. Given the perils that Nynaeve faces throughout the story, I found it extremely distracting that she'd spend so much time fussing about her dresses and her hair. One moment she fears that she'll be shot through with arrows and the next she thinks her neckline is too low. Ugh! To be fair, the male characters suffer just as much from terrible stereotypes. All of them complain constantly that they can't understand women.

Once I get past the disgust, I might actually get around to reading more books in the series. However, others have told me that it goes downhill from here, at least until Brandon Sanderson takes over the writing in the final books.

> 138 With regard to Douglas Adams' award for "The Most Gratuitous Use of 'Belgium'" -- that's fascinating! I do recall that joke in the American edition, and I definitely did not expect it to be quite so foul as that. I'm amused by the painting over as well. Thanks for sharing that finding!

>181 pammab: I too did not realize this the first time I'd read the book. At that time, Wikipedia did not exist. :)

186. Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys (4 stars)
Category: 1001 Books
Challenges: RandomCAT, CATWoman, CultureCAT

This is a compact novel about Antoinette Cosway, the first Mrs. Rochester and the mysterious woman in the attic of Jane Eyre. I first studied this in an English literature course several decades ago and had an urge to read it again, especially after rereading Jane Eyre fairly recently. Rhys's writing is beautiful and full of imagery and symbolism, much of which I would not have appreciated properly were it not for the editor's notes. In addition to the interesting perspective on the early life of Mrs. Rochester, Rhys examines colonialism, slavery and racism in this story.

187. A History of Reading by Alberto Manguel (4.5 stars)
Category: Non-fiction

George Steiner of The New Yorker described this book as "a love letter written to reading" and I can't think of a better description. It's a rambling book, touching on a number of diverse topics related to the history, philosophy and process of reading. It's also adorned with a great many photographs and illustrations. If you love books and reading, you will find Manguel a kindred spirit.

188. Murder for Christmas by Francis Duncan (4 stars)
Category: Golden Age Mysteries
Challenges: Christmas Murder Mystery

The Christmas Murder Mystery group read hosted by rabbitprincess inspired me to try this book by Francis Duncan. I found this traditional country-house mystery very entertaining. When the body of Father Christmas shows up under the tree, you know it's going to be an interesting Christmas Day! I'm very happy to have discovered another Golden Age mystery author to enjoy.

>184 mathgirl40: I have this one on my to-read list! Will have to make a note to request it in the new year.

>185 mathgirl40: I read that one back in the 1980s or early 1990s. I discovered Duncan and read several of his works. Maybe I'll re-read some of his works.

I have Murder for Christmas on my kindle but doubt that I will get to it this year so I will try to put it on top of the pile for next year!

>186 rabbitprincess: >187 thornton37814: >188 DeltaQueen50: Nice to see that there's so much interest in Francis Duncan! I'm happy to see that so many of these Golden Age authors are being rediscovered, though it looks like Lori discovered him long before the rest of us.

189. Hellhole by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson (3 stars)
Category: Dust Collectors

This is a space opera, the first of a trilogy, set mostly on a bleak and unwelcoming planet peopled with various outcasts and misfits. There is a vast array of characters but few of them exhibit any kind of depth. The good guys remain good and the bad guys are really evil. However, there are several interesting plot lines, involving political intrigue, murders and alien lifeforms, that kept me reading to the end. (Actually, if I were being honest, I was mostly motivated to read to the end because a fellow BookCrosser had given me this book.)

190. Ars Historica by Marie Brennan (4 stars)
Category: Short Stories
Challenges: RandomCAT

This is a small collection of previously published stories from Marie Brennan, most featuring elements of fantasy and references to significant events or characters in history. Though I am a fan of fantasy, the story I enjoyed the most was "False Colours", which had no fantastical element at all but it did have wonderful characters. While I did not find the other stories especially memorable, I did appreciate Brennan's writing and enjoyed her commentary on each story. I am definitely interested in trying out some of her longer works.

>191 mathgirl40: I've read two Marie Brennan books and quite liked them -- Midnight Never Come and A Natural History of Dragons.

Hi Paulina, stopping by to wish you and your loved ones peace, joy and happiness this holiday season and for 2018!

>193 lkernagh: >194 VivienneR: Thank you for your Christmas greetings!

I'd like to take this opportunity to say Merry Christmas to those who celebrate Christmas and to wish everyone on LT a happy and peaceful time with friends and family during the holiday season!

191. The Stone Sky by N. K. Jemisin (5 stars)
Category: Other Science Fiction and Fantasy
Challenges: CATWoman

The Stone Sky is a thoroughly satisfying conclusion to a brilliant trilogy. Jemisin is a genius at juggling the various plotlines and different voices. I found reading the narrative not straightforward at all, but Jemisin kept me just confused enough that the eventual "Aha" moments were really rewarding. Strangely enough, once all the connections were revealed to me, I wanted nothing more than to start the entire trilogy again from the beginning, so I could experience the story again. However, as I have an immense TBR pile in front of me (both physical and electronic), I will wait a while before rereading The Broken Earth trilogy. I do encourage all science-fiction and fantasy fans to try these books. Though the plot is somewhat complex, there are plenty of superbly drawn characters, exciting action scenes, and moments of humour to move the reader along at a good speed.

192. Strange Weather by Joe Hill (4.5 stars)
Category: Horror

The more of Joe Hill's books I read, the more I'm convinced he will eventually surpass his father Stephen King in popularity. This book is a collection of 4 novellas, each one quite different from the others. I really love a well written novella, as it's a quick intense read but long enough for full character development, and Hill does not disappoint. Three of the stories in this collection involve science-fiction or supernatural elements. The one that doesn't, "Loaded", is the best of the lot and the one I found the scariest. I also thoroughly enjoyed "Rain". It's a pretty conventional apocalyptic story but it's a great mix of tragedy and satire. It's also superbly narrated by Kate Mulgrew, who expresses the personality of the tough but warm-hearted lesbian main character perfectly. I did have a moment of confusion when she read a line that sounded a lot like, "cooking burgers on Dairy Queen brassieres", though it's possible I misheard and she did say "braziers". :)

193. Winter of Secrets by Vicki Delany (3.5 stars)
Category: Other Mysteries
Group reads: Christmas Mysteries

This was an enjoyable installment in the Constable Molly Smith series. It takes place near a ski resort in the fictional town of Trafalgar in British Columbia over the Christmas holidays, so it was a good choice for the annual Christmas Mystery group read hosted by rabbitprincess. It made me wish I was at a winter resort (without the corpses, of course) over the holidays. :)

194. The Paper Moon by Andrea Camilleri (4 stars)
Category: Other Mysteries

This installment in the Inspector Montalbano series doesn't feature Livia at all but instead has several other interesting and mysterious women connected to a murder that Montalbano is investigating. This novel, wonderfully narrated by Grover Gardner, features a good amount of very dark humour. There is a funny and touching scene where Montalbano writes a letter to himself, reflecting upon his aging self.

>198 mathgirl40: Hurray! Glad that the Christmas read helped you get to that book.

I assume you heard about the forthcoming TV adaptation of The Fionavar Tapestry? :)

>200 rabbitprincess: I did hear about that. I'm very excited! I love GGK, and have read most of his works, but I've not gotten around to The Fionavar Tapestry yet. I'll have to put that on my list for 2018.

195. Strange Shores by Arnaldur Indridason (4 stars)
Category: Mysteries Around the World (Iceland)
Challenges: AwardsCAT

This is the final book of the Inspector Erlendur series, not counting the prequels that were subsequently published. Erlendur investigates a decades-old disappearance while trying to come to terms with the loss of his brother during his childhood. I would not recommend this to anyone new to the Erlendur series, as it deals more with his personal journey than with the featured mystery. However, fans of the series will certainly not want to miss this conclusion.

196. Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire (3.5 stars)
Category:
Challenges: CATWoman

This story is a prequel to Every Heart a Doorway, the 2017 Hugo Best Novella award winner, and tells the story of Jack and Jill's childhood. I did not like this story as much as the first one but it is still a worthwhile installment in the Wayward Children series, which will have a third book early next year. The story is written very much in the style of a fairy tale, with a lot of repetition (a bit too much for my tastes) of the story's moral. McGuire gets a lot of acclaim for her work, and deservedly so, but I confess I like the fast-paced action novels she writes as Mira Grant better.

197. The Substitute by Nicole Lundrigan (4 stars)
Category: Miscellaneous
Challenges: CATWoman

I discovered this book after attending a book event in my community in which Lundrigan did a reading. The story starts with a substitute teacher discovering the body of one of his students hanging in his back yard. The point-of-view switches between that of the teacher and that of the actual killer. I liked Lundrigan's writing very much, though I can't say the book was especially enjoyable because it was so relentlessly dark and disturbing. The ending totally surprised me, which is always a good thing in a mystery/thriller.

198. Miss Pym Disposes by Josephine Tey (4 stars)
Category: Golden Age Mysteries

This mystery, set at a girls' boarding school that prepares candidates for positions related to physical training, is very slow in building up. Nothing especially unusual occurs until quite late in the novel, but by the time the action really kicks in, we have a full picture of all the personalities, histories and motivations. It was an interesting contrast to the typical Golden Age mystery, where the crime occurs early and then the pieces of the puzzle are slowly revealed.

I am finally caught up with all my reviews and will declare my 2017 challenge complete! For once, I've achieved every one of my goals (not just for this Category Challenge, but for other challenges such as my BookCrossing related ones), and I even have a couple of days to spare!

Here are some quick stats:
Number of books finished: 198
Number of books off my shelves: 73

Favourite books of the year:
The Nix by Nathan Hill
Hag-Seed by Margaret Atwood
Tomboy Survival Guide by Ivan Coyote
The Break by Katherena Vermette
The Stone Sky by N. K. Jemisin
A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth
Crow Lake by Mary Lawson
No Great Mischief by Alistair MacLeod
The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula LeGuin
Missoula by Jon Krakauer

Now my next tasks are to catch up on all my LT friends' 2017 threads and then to start my 2018 thread. I'd been purposely avoiding the 2018 threads, except for the CAT/KIT planning, until I'd finished with my 2017 challenge.

198 - so many books! Congrats on hitting all your targets and see you over in the 2018 group!

>207 Chrischi_HH: Thank you! I'll be heading over to the 2018 group shortly. :)

I think your review of The Nix prompted me to add that one to my TBR list. It doesn't seem to be wildly popular at our library because usually the ebook and audiobook are available when I check. I just haven't been in the mood for that type of book lately. I suspect I'll get to it before too long though. I'll be ready for a break from some of the seasonal fluff.

>209 thornton37814: I hope you enjoy it if/when you get around to it. I found that the audio production of The Nix by narrator Ari Fliakos greatly contributed to my love of that book.

>210 mathgirl40: I'll keep that in mind since the audio is available. It might be a good listen for my spring break trip which is going to take me a bit further away.

Excellent reviews of The Stone Sky and Strange Weather: Four Short Novels -- I'm taking notes!