Stacy's (LittleTaiko) It's All About Me Challenge - Part 2

Time for another thread to get me through the end of the year.

This year I'm returning to a more focused challenge, though not too focused as I need to feel free to read what I want most of the time. This year this challenge is all about the things I love. The categories represent 16 things that I love and 1 thing that I hate (for those pesky DNF's).

I'll be tracking the various CAT's and BingoDog's that I participate in as well. No specific reading target for the year other than reading at least three in each category which will leave plenty of space for other books.

Ratings:

1 Star - Didn't like at all or did not finish
2 Stars - It's okay but not something I would recommend.
3 Stars - I liked it but may or may not recommend it
4 Stars - Really liked it and am happy that I spent time reading it
5 Stars - Loved it and the whole world should read it too

Sushi - Short stories/plays/poems

If I had to pick a last meal, sushi would definitely have a starring role. Looking forward to stretching my reading with this category.

1. Paris for One and Other Stories by JoJo Moyes (3 stars)
2. The Refugees by Viet Thanh Nguyen (5 stars)
3. Upstream by Mary Oliver (3 stars)
4. Trajectory by Richard Russo (4 stars)

Wine - Books bought before 2014

Like a nice aged wine, there are some books that need to be consumed soon.

1. The Man Who Was Thursday by G.K. Chesteron (4 stars)
2. The Lives of Tao by Wesley Chu (4 stars)
3. The Restaurant at the End of the Universe by Douglas Adams (4 stars)
4. Lincoln's Dreams by Connie Willis (3 stars)
5. City of Women by David R. Gillham (3 stars)
6. American Ghost by Janis Owens (4 stars)
7. Gentleman and Players by Joanne Harris (4 stars)
8. Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe (4 stars)

IndoRowing - historical non-fiction

One of my favorite forms of exercise is the indorow classes at the local gym. Since one of my favorite historical non-fiction books is about rowing (Boys in the Boat), it seemed like the perfect place to track this category.

1. Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly (4 stars)
2. Revolutionary Summer by Joseph J. Ellis (4 stars)
3. Ten Days a Madwoman by Deborah Noyes (4 stars)
4. The Day the World Came to Town by Jim Defede (4 stars)
5. Nurse and Spy in the Union Army by Sarah Emma Edmonds (3 stars)
6. Innocent Man by John Grisham (2 stars)

Walking - comfort reads (especially Agatha Christie rereads)

Walking is another form of exercise that I love, my weekday 2 mile walks help keep me sane. What better place for comfort reads?

1. Sad Cypress by Agatha Christie (3 stars)
2. Mrs. Jeffries Rights a Wrong by Emily Brightwell (3 stars)
3. One, Two, Buckle My Shoe by Agatha Christie (4 stars)
4. Murder on Cue by Jane Dentinger (4 stars)
5. On Her Majesty's Frightfully Secret Service by Rhys Bowen (4 stars)
6. Emily of New Moon by L. M. Montgomery (4 stars)

Martini - Classics

Classic drink for classic books.

1. The Elusive Pimpernel by Emmuska, Baroness Orczy (3 stars)
2. Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky (3 stars)
3. Agnes Gray by Anne Bronte (3 stars)
4. The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway (3 stars)
5. Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe (4 stars)
6. The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte (4 stars)
7. The Way of All Flesh by Samuel Butler (3 stars)
8. Moll Flanders by Daniel Defoe (2 stars)

Quilts - Cozy Mysteries

Snuggling up in a cozy quilt is wonderful, even better with a cozy mystery.

1. The Secrets of Wishtide by Kate Saunders (4 stars)
2. On Borrowed Time by Jenn McKinlay (3 stars)
3. Guilty as Cinnamon by Leslie Budewitz (3 stars)
4. Crime and Poetry by Amanda Flower (4 stars)
5. The Deep End by Julie Mulhern (4 stars)
6. A Just Clause by Lorna Barrett (4 stars)
7. Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz (4 stars)
8. Murder in G Major by Alexia Gordon (4 stars)
9. Aunt Bessie Assumes by Diana Xarissa (4 stars)
10. Aunt Bessie Believes by Diana Xarissa (4 stars)
11. Aunt Bessie Considers by Diana Xarissa (4 stars)
12. Prose and Cons by Amanda Flower (3 stars)
13. Spouse on Haunted Hill by E.J. Copperman (4 stars)
14. Aunt Bessie Decides by Diana Xarissa (3 stars)
15. Assault and Pepper by Leslie Budewitz (3 stars)
16. Killing Thyme by Leslie Budewitz (3 stars)
17. Clammed Up by Barbara Ross (4 stars)
18. The Skeleton Haunts a House by Leigh Perry (4 stars)
19. The Skeleton Paints a Picture by Leigh Perry (4 stars)
20. A Skeleton in the Family by Leigh Perry (4 stars)
21. The Skeleton Takes a Bow by Leigh Perry (4 stars)
22. Mrs. Jeffries and the Three Wise Women by Emily Brightwell (4 stars)
23. Twelve Slays of Christmas by Jacqueline Frost (4 stars)
24. The Crime at the Noah's Ark by Molly Thynne (4 stars)
25. Guaranteed to Bleed by Julie Mulhern (4 stars)
26. Eggs in Purgatory by Laura Childs (3 stars)

"

The Moon - Thrillers/Non-cozy Mysteries

Oh I do love seeing the moon, especially a full one. Who knows what can happen with a full moon? Since strange things seem to happen then, it seemed the best place for tracking thrillers.

1. Japantown by Barry Lancet (3 stars)
2. A Great Deliverance by Elizabeth George (4 stars)
3. Broken Promise by Linwood Barclay (4 stars)
4. Bad Luck and Whiskey by Molly Vandever (2 stars)
5. The Second Life of Nick Mason by Steve Hamilton (2 stars)
6. Dangerous to Know by Renee Patrick (3 stars)
7. The Beekeeper's Apprentice by Laurie R. King (2 stars)
8. Fer-de-lance by Rex Stout (2 stars)
9. Lies She Told by Cate Holahan (1 star)
10. The Absent One by Jussi Adler-Olsen (3 stars)
11. Quick Curtain by Alan Melville (4 stars)
12. Hypothermia by Arnaldur Indriaason (4 stars)
13. An East Murder by Charles Finch (3 stars)
14. The Poisoned Chocolates Case by Anthony Berkeley (3 stars)

Fast Cars - books under 250 pages

A category for those books that can be read pretty quickly, similar to how I prefer to get around. (Though keep in mind that I actually drive a Mazda CX5 and not a sports car.)

1. Parnassus on Wheels by Christopher Morley (4 stars)
2. Before We Visit the Goddess by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni (3 stars)
3. And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer by Fredrik Backman (5 stars)
4. The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery (4 stars)
5. Gone Before Christmas by Charles Finch (4 stars)
6. The Wandering Falcon by Jamil Ahmad (3 stars)
7. The Deal of a Lifetime by Fredrik Backman (4 stars)

Scotch - books over 400 pages

While I do enjoy scotch now and then, it's something to be savored and not consumed too often which is how I feel about those longer books out there.

1. Crosstalk by Connie Willis (3 stars)
2. Pachinko by Min Jin Lee (4 stars)
3. The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough (3 stars)
4. The Book of Strange New Things by Michael Faber (4 stars)
5. Dombey and Son by Charles Dickens (5 stars)
6. The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher (3 stars)

Tulips - Debut books or new to me Authors

Tulips signal the first of spring to me. I look forward to discovering new authors or a favorite authors first book here.

1. Three Wishes by Liane Moriarty (4 stars) - Debut book
2. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini (4 stars) - Debut book & new to me
3. The Invention of Wings by Susan Monk Kidd (3 stars) - New to me
4. Rules of Civility by Amor Towles (4 stars) - Debut book
5. This is How it Always Is by Laurie Frankel (3 stars) - New to me
6. The Sweetness of Forgetting by Kristin Harmel (3 stars) - New to me
7. The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon (4 stars) - New to me
8. Delicious! by Ruth Reichel (4 stars) - New to me
9. Goodbye, Vitamin by Rachel Khong (3 stars) - New to me
10. Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper by Phaedra Patrick (4 stars) - New to me
11. News of the World by Paulette Jiles (5 stars) - New to me
12. Autumn by Ali Smith (4 stars) - New to me
13. The Nakano Thrift Shop by Hiromi Kawakami (3 stars) - New to me

Gerber Daisies - Books published in 2017

Another favorite flower makes me think of new beginnings which means new books to buy this year.

1. Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney (3 stars)
2. Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough (3 stars)
3. Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders (4 stars)
4. Exit West by Mohsin Hamid (4 stars)
5. One Day We'll All Be Dead and None of This Will Matter by Scaachi Koul (2 stars)
6. Swimming Lessons by Claire Fuller (3 stars)
7. Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng (5 stars)
8. Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward (2 stars)

Swimming - Tournament of Books

Swimming is relaxing and makes me quite happy. It also makes me think back to the swimming competition during the Olympics. My favorite book "competition" is the Tournament of Books in March. Any books I read for that will go there.

1. Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi (3 stars)
2. Mister Monkey by Francine Prose (4 stars)
3. The Throwback Special by Chris Bachelor (4 stars)
4. We Love You Charlie Freeman by Kaitlyn Greenidge (2 stars)
5. Sudden Death by Alvaro Enrigue (2 stars)
6. Grief is the Thing With Feathers by Max Porter (5 stars)
7. The Nix by Nathan Hill (3 stars)
8. High Dive by Jonathan Lee (4 stars)
9. All the Birds in the Sky by Charlie Jane Anders (2 stars)
10. Sweet Lamb of Heaven by Lydia Millet (3 stars)

All About Eve - female authors

My all time favorite move is All About Eve - thought I'd use it to track some of the better female authors I read throughout the year.

Margo Channing - "Funny business, a woman's career - the things you drop on your way up the ladder so you can move faster. You forget you'll need them again when you get back to being a woman. That's one career all females have in common, whether we like it or not: being a woman."

1. Secrets of a Charmed Life by Susan Meissner (4 stars)
2. The One-In-A-Million Boy by Monica Wood (4 stars)
3. A Bridge Across the Ocean by Susan Meissner (3 stars)
4. The Sound of Glass by Karen White (3 stars)
5. Wonder Women by Sam Maggs (3 stars)
6. Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman (4 stars)
7. Cocoa Beach by Beatriz Williams (3 stars)
8. The Dollhouse by Fiona Davis (3 stars)
9. Lab Girl by Hope Jahren (3 stars)
10. Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly (3 stars)
11. Going into Town by Roz Chast (5 stars)
12. Ship of Brides by JoJo Moyes (3 stars)
13. White Picket Fences by Susan Meissner (4 stars)

Otters - Romps

According to wikipedia, a term for a group of otters is a romp. I'm going to use this category for books that I fly through because they are so good.

1. Riding the Bus with My Sister by Rachel Simon (4 stars)
2. In Farleigh Field by Rhys Bowen (4 stars)
3. In Such Good Company by Carol Burnett (4 stars)
4. The Impossible Fortress by Jason Rekulak (4 stars)
5. The Code of the Woosters by P.G. Wodehouse (5 stars)

Musicals - Favorite Authors

Absolutely love musicals and listening to the cast albums. Perfect place for my favorite authors.

1. Garden of Lamentations by Deborah Crombie (4 stars)
2. A Few Green Leaves by Barbara Pym (4 stars)
3. One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid (4 stars)
4. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid (3 stars)
5. Beartown by Fredrik Backman (4 stars)
6. Glass Houses by Louise Penny (5 stars)
7. The Last Anniversary by Liane Moriarty (2 stars)

Rainy Days and Nights

Rainy days make me incredibly happy, probably because it's a great reason to stay inside and read. This category is for all the books that don't fit elsewhere.

1. Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance (4 stars)
2. Humans of New York: Stories by Brandon Stanton (5 stars)
3. My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She's Sorry by Fredrik Backman (3 stars)
4. Britt-Marie Was Here by Fredrik Backman (4 stars)
5. Footnotes from the World's Greatest Bookstores by Bob Eckstein
6. The Prisoner of Heaven by Carlos Ruiz Zafon (4 stars)
7. Away With Words by Joe Berkowitz (3 stars)
8. The Sound of Gravel by Ruth Wariner (3 stars)
9. Reading People by Anne Bogel (3 stars)
10. Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut (3 stars)
11. I'll Have What She's Having by Erin Carlson (4 stars)
12. Smoke Gets in Your Eyes by Caitlin Doughty (4 stars)
13. The River Why by David James Duncan (5 stars)

Pink - DNF's

Pink is one of my least favorite things ever, such a waste of a color. Anyway, hopefully I won't need to use this category too many times to record any DNF's.

1. Georgia by Dawn Tripp - gave up during the first half; I think historical fiction based real people is not my thing.
2. Ruth's Journey by Donald McCaig - not sure why but I just could never get into this book so I finally gave up
3. Artemis by Andy Weir - I really wanted to like this book since I enjoyed The Martian so much, but this was just bad.

BingoDOG



1. A satire - The Restaurant at the End of the Universe by Douglas Adams
2. Set in a country you've never been to - The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
3. Color in the title - A Few Green Leaves by Barbara Pym
4. Set in a place you want to visit - Three Wishes by Liane Moriarty
5. One-word title - Crosstalk by Connie Willis
6. Author uses initials - The Man Who Was Thursday by G.K. Chesteron
7. Appeals to the senses - Delicious! by Ruth Reichel
8. Published in the 1940s-1960s - Sad Cypress by Agatha Christie
9. Made into a movie - Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly
10. Collection of short stories - Paris For One and Other Stories by JoJo Moyes
11. Book about books - Footnotes from the World's Greatest Bookstores by Bob Eckstein
12. Title refers to another literary work (for example, the title is a quote from another book) - Crime and Poetry by Amanda Flower
13. Read a CAT - Sudden Death by Alvaro Enrigue
14. Author shares your first and last initials - Secrets of a Charmed Life by Susan Meissner
15. Owned for more than 5 years - Elusive Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy Emmuska
16. Science-related - Lab Girl by Hope Jahren
17. Author was born in 1930s - Upstream by Mary Oliver
18. Author abroad - Aunt Bessie Assumes by Diana Xarissa
19. Author born/book published in 1917 - Parnassus on Wheels by Christopher Morley
20. Debut work - Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
21. About an animal/animal in title - Mister Monkey by Francine Prose
22. Place name in title - Japantown by Barry Lancet
23. Set in a beach community/resort - Cocoa Beach by Beatriz Williams
24. Set in a time before you were born - Secrets of Wishtide by Kate Saunders
25. Next book in a series you've started - On Borrowed Time by Jenn McKinlay

RandomCAT

Jan - Secrets of Wishtide by Kate Saunders
Feb - Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough
Mar - A Few Green Leaves by Barbara Pym
Apr - In Farleigh Field by Rhys Bowen
May - Before We Visit the Goddess by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
Jun - The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough
Jul - The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway
Aug - The Beekeeper's Apprentice by Laurie R. King
Sep - Dombey and Son by Charles Dickens
Oct - The Skeleton Haunts the House by Leigh Perry
Nov - The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Dec - Gone Before Christmas by Charles Finch

CATWoman

Jan - Classics - Elusive Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy Emmuska
Feb - Debut Books - Three Wishes by Liane Moriarty
Mar - Genres - A Few Green Leaves by Barbara Pym
Apr - Biography/Autobiography/Memoir - In Such Good Company by Carol Burnett
May - Women in the Arts - Georgia by Dawn Tripp (DNF)
Jun - Professional Women - Wonder Women by Sam Maggs
Jul - Women of Color - Murder in G Major by Alexia Gordon
Aug - Nonfiction/Historical Fiction - The Dollhouse by Fiona Davis
Sep - Children's/YA/Graphic - Emily of New Moon by L.M. Montgomery
Oct - Regional - News of the World by Paulette Jiles
Nov - LGBT/Feminist Writing - The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte
Dec - Modern (post 1960) - The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher

AlphaKIT

Jan
M: Secrets of a Charmed Life by Susan Meissner
S: Secrets of Wishtide by Kate Saunders

Feb
W: Three Wishes by Liane Moriarty
H: Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly

Mar
E: Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance
K: The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

Apr
I: In Farleigh Field by Rhys Bowen
D: Restaurant at the end of the Universe by Douglas Adams

May
C: Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky
T: Rules of Civility by Amor Towles

Jun
Y: The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon
N: The Second Life of Nick Mason by Steve Hamilton

Jul
B: Aunt Bessie Believes by Diana Xarissa
G: Murder in G Major by Alexia Gordon

Aug
O: American Ghost by Janis Owens
F: The Dollhouse by Fiona Davis

Sep
U: Clammed Up by Barbara Ross
P: Glass Houses by Louise Penny

Oct
A: Reading People by Anne Bogel
V: Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut

Nov
L: The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exuprey
Q: Quick Curtain by Alan Melville

Dec
J: Mrs. Jeffries and the Three Wise Women by Emily Brightwell
R: The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher

Year Long
X: Aunt Bessie Assumes by Diana Xarissa
Z: The Prisoner of Heaven by Carlos Ruis Zafon

TBR Challenge

MAIN LIST:

1. The Prisoner of Heaven by Carlos Ruis Zafon (2013) - July
2. Revolutionary Summer by Joseph Ellis (2013) - April
3. The Wandering Falcon by Jamil Ahmad (2013) - December
4. Moll Flanders by Daniel Defoe (2013) - December
5. Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe (2013) - October
6. The Lives of Tao by Wesley Chu (2013) - February
7. American Ghost by Janis Owens (2013) - July
8. The Man Who Was Thursday by G. K. Chesterton (2013) - January
9. Dombey and Son by Charles Dickens (2013) - September
10. City of Women by David R. Gillham (2013) - June
11. The Elusive Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy Emmuska (pre-2013) - January
12. Delicious by Ruth Reichel (2014) - June

ALTERNATES:

1. The Innocent Man by John Grisham (pre-2013) - October
2. Gentleman and Players by JoAnne Harris (pre-2013) - August
3. The Way of All Flesh by Samuel Butler (pre-2013) - December
4. Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe (pre-2013) - October
5. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini (pre-2013) - March
6. The Black Count by Tom Reiss (pre-2013)
7. Lincoln's Dreams by Connie Willis (pre-2013) - June
8. Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin (pre-2013)
9. The Restaurant at the End of the Universe by Douglas Adams (pre-2013) - April
10. The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd (2014) - April
11. A Great Deliverance by Elizabeth George (2014) - February
12. The Book of Strange New Things by Michael Faber (2014) - August

# Read: 22
# Remaining: 2

I've been on a cozy mystery reading spree lately - guess that's what vacation reading is all about. All of them were enjoyable and a nice way to spend relaxing.

101. On Her Majesty's Frightfully Secret Service by Rhys Bowen (4 stars)
102. Aunt Bessie Decides by Diana Xarissa (3 stars)
103. Assault and Pepper by Leslie Budewitz (3 stars)
104. Killing Thyme by Leslie Budewitz (3 stars)

Happy New Thread. :)

Happy new thread! I enjoy new threads as a quick review of the year so far. Glad you didn't have too many in "Pink". I agree, historical fiction based on real people just doesn't work.

Just realized you are in Texas. I hope you are staying safe and dry. My heart goes out to all of those affected.

Echoing >27 VivienneR: and hoping you're OK!

Happy new thread. Congrats on completed bingo. Enjoyed looking at your ratings on ToB. Hope all is well with you in Texas.

Thank you everyone! Yes, things are nice and dry here with cooler than usual temps so we're very lucky.

I've enjoyed the cooler temps too. We'll mostly be in the 70s this week. I think it is supposed to reach 81 one day, but I think I can handle that!

Happy new thread and look at the progress you have made with your challenge!

>31 thornton37814: - Those temps sound wonderful! We're heading down into the 80's this week which is October weather for us. Really looking forward to that.

>32 lkernagh: - Thank you! It's been quite the year for reading. I've been reading more, posting less...

105. Gentlemen and Players by Joanne Harris (4 stars)

This book hooked me with it's first sentence. "If there's one thing I've learned in the past fifteen years, it's this: that murder is really no big deal." It set's up a wonderful cat and mouse game that plays out at an English boys school. I found it very enthralling and kept turning the pages.

106. Dombey and Son by Charles Dickens (5 stars)

This is the latest in my slow moving quest to read all of Dickens novels. As soon as I started reading this one I realized how much I had missed his stories. This one is is one of his best with the usual assortment of colorful characters. I enjoyed all the various story lines and never found my attention wavering. It's not as good as my absolute favorite of his A Tale of Two Cities, but it's still a favorite.

>34 LittleTaiko:
I've never heard of Dombey and Son. Sounds like its worth checking out.

>34 LittleTaiko: - Well, kudos to you for deciding to read all of Dickens novels! Like Andrea, I have not heard of Dombey and Son.

>34 LittleTaiko: - I like Joanne Harris and will be putting this on my list.

Happy new thread! And congrats on your finished Bingo. I seem to have stalled on my own.

>35 andreablythe: & >36 lkernagh: - It wasn't one I was familiar with either until it came up next in the list of books to read of his. Obviously I think it's one of his underrated novels now.

>37 dudes22: - This was my first book of hers, but did by Blackberry Wine when I was on vacation. Any of hers that you would recommend?

>38 MissWatson: - Thank you! It's so hard to get those last few squares isn't it?

So, I had another book buying binge while on vacation in Minneapolis over Labor Day as well as a few purchases at our library sale today. Oh! Also went to the official grand opening of our local book store, so of course I had to buy something there too. It was packed which was a good sign. Ann Patchett came to help kick off the festivities. And then there are also the book of the month selections.

Scene of the Crime (Minneapolis)

Fer-De-Lance by Rex Stout
Murder on Astor Place by Victoria Thompson
Fundraising the Dead by Sheila Connolly
Death by Darjeeling by Laura Childs
Eggs in Purgatory by Laura Childs
Port Vila Blues by Garry Fisher
The Chalk Circle Man by Fred Vargas

Mager & Quinn (Minneapolis)

The Nakano Thrift Shop by Hiromi Kawakami
Blackberry Wine by Joanne Harris
The Shell Seekers by Rosamund Pilcher
The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey
The River Why by David James Duncan
The Ship of Brides by JoJo Moyes

Interabang Books (Dallas)

My Heart Hemmed In by Marie Ndiaye
The Age of Perpetual Light by Josh Weil

Lakewood Library Sale (Dallas)

Murder on Monday by Ann Purser
Captain Courageous by Rudyard Kipling
The Ambassadors by Henry James
A Gilded Grave by Shelley Freydont
The Shipping News by E. Annie Proulx

Book of the Month Club

Sourdough by Robin Sloan
Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

Really don't need to buy another book for a while....At least I have a couple of days off before starting my new job on Wednesday. Lots of time for reading. Super excited about my new job since it combines my accounting background with my love of theater. I'll be the accounting manager for the Dallas Theater Center. So excited! Did I mention that I'm excited?

ETA: Completely forgot about the $50 B&N gift card that I won and then promptly spent.

The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper by Phaedra Patrick
The Golden Son by Shilpi Somaya Gowda
Agatha Christie's Secret Notebooks by John Curran
The Chilbury Ladies' Choir by Jennifer Ryan

Great book haul and congrats on the new job!

Latest round of books read:

107. Glass Houses by Louise Penny (5 stars)

This was so good - definitely one of my favorites of hers. I liked how it started with Gamache testifying in court regarding the crime that takes up the book. It moves back and forth in time between the trial and remembering back to the events. The opiod problem is front and center which makes it very timely.

108. Nurse and Spy in the Union Army by Sarah Emma Edmonds (3 stars)

How can a book be so fascinating and boring at the same time? I first heard of Emma when reading Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy and though she was so amazing. This collection of her notes gives a vivid account of her escapades and the horrors of the war. However, since it's not a novel and in fact just her own remembrances it can be a bit clunky.

109. Emily of New Moon by L.M. Montgomery (4 stars)

I wish I had discovered Emily when I was a young girl as she's somebody I would have really loved. She's still charming, but my younger self would have adored her. There are a couple of incidents in the book that gave me pause, but we'll see how they play out in the rest of the series.

110. Clammed Up by Barbara Ross (4 stars)

I met the author last year at Bouchercon when we were both browsing the free book room and finally got around to reading one of her books. Really solid first book in a series set in Maine. Julia has moved home to help her family's struggling clam bake company. The season gets off to a bad start when the best man in the wedding party is found murdered on the island where the clam bakes are held. Likable characters and a good set up. I'll definitely read more in the series.

Congratulations on the new job, it sounds great! And what a fabulous book haul!

Wow, so many books! I think I'd get looked at askance if I brought that many home -- I'm really happy you have so much nice reading ahead!

Congrats on the impressive book haul. Oh! And the new job too!

What a fabulous job! Congrats!

>40 LittleTaiko: I see several on your list I loved, several others I'm familiar with and would like to read, and several others on the TBR! There is one I've been thinking of rereading, The Shell Seekers. I was pleased awhile back to see this old favorite had been reissued. You've got some good reading ahead of you!

Congratulations on your new job!

I'm happy to see your enthusiastic review of the new Louise Penny novel. I'm on the library waiting list and I can't wait to read it, as I'm a huge fan of the Gamache books.

Congrats on the new job, it does sound exciting! Great book haul, I too, adored The Shell Seekers when I read it years ago and I highly recommend The Snow Child.

>40 LittleTaiko:
That's quite the book haul!

And congrats on your new job!

That was a nice book haul. I too loved The Shell Seekers when I read it long ago. And a few people have mentioned to me lately that they are reading Rosamende Pilcher. I may need to go back and reread it.

And glad you're happy about your new job.

What excellent bookish doings.

And congratulations on the job!

What a fabulous book haul! Hope you have sufficient shelf room. And congratulations on the new job! Very exciting!

I'm so behind on posting! Love the new job, but it definitely doesn't allow for time to update LT. :) Time for a quick recap.

111. Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng (5 stars) - I loved her debut novel and was eager to read her latest once it came out. It did not disappoint at all. She really writes about families and their various dynamics so well. Can't wait to see what she does next.

112. Away With Words by Joe Berkowitz (3 stars) - Until I got this book I was unaware that there was such a thing as pun competitions. It's a fun look at the rather odd world of pun competitions with the primary focus on the Brooklyn and Austin events. Seems like a fun way to spend an evening.

113. Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly (3 stars) - This book intrigued and frustrated me. It was intriguing since it was loosely based on a couple of real women from WWII and revolved around the "rabbit girls" from one of the concentration camps. I was unfamiliar with the term or the back story so I appreciated the educational aspect. It was frustrating to read though since it kept switching POV's with almost every chapter. It was hard to get a sense of what was driving the characters to do what they did. I would like to read more about the real life people who inspired the story.

114. The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper by Phaedra Patrick (4 stars) - What an absolutely sweet book! It was just what I needed to read and Arthur was just such a sweet man. His quest and how he handled setbacks was just delightful.

115. Fer-de-Lance by Rex Stout (2 stars) - Well, at least I can say I finally read a Nero Wolfe novel. Maybe if I had read this at another time I would have enjoyed it more. It was just too dated for my personal tastes.

116. News of the World by Paulette Jiles (5 stars) - Sat down last weekend with this book and never stopped reading until I had finished. Absolutely loved it and was pretty much captivated from the start. Set in Texas after the Civil War it's an intriguing look at what makes a family as well as what life would have been like in that rather chaotic time.

117. The Sound of Gravel by Ruth Wariner (3 stars) - My book club seems to have a pattern this year of reading books that feature appalling mothers. This was another one where you just wanted to climb through the pages and shake the poor girls mother and ask her what she's thinking. It's a memoir about her life growing up in a polygamist family that was eye-opening, a bit discouraging, and hopeful.

118. The Last Anniversary by Liane Moriarty (2 stars) - The more I think about this book the more I don't like it. It was fine overall but the characters were paper thin and never quite real. For the life of me I couldn't figure out why everybody loved Sophie so much as she was fairly annoying.

I haven't read anything by Celeste Ng yet (except a short story, maybe), but I've been meaning to. Her work sounds fantastic.

>55 andreablythe: It is fantastic! Hope you enjoy it when you get a chance to read one of hers.

Weekly roundup:

119. Lies She Told by Cate Holahan (1 star)

The positives first, it was a library book so at least I didn't spend any money on this book. It did keep me reading even though I was rolling my eyes quite frequently at the characters actions. The setup of this book was intriguing: a struggling author is working on her next novel and and the lines between fiction and reality start to become blurred. This would have worked if any of the characters actually acted in a way that made some semblance of sense. Instead, they jump to conclusions at an astounding rate and make really bad decisions.

120. Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward (2 stars)

This book is probably better than my rating, but I've read too many books lately involving bad mothers that I'm probably just fatigued by the whole concept. The ghost factor ended up bugging me too which is weird since I generally don't mind a ghost or two in a story.

121. The Skeleton Haunts a House by Leigh Perry (4 stars)

Fun cozy mystery that involves a sleuthing skeleton. I haven't read the first two books in the series so am a little unclear as to how he came to live with the family, but it didn't hinder my enjoyment of the story. Definitely want to read more in the series.

122. Reading People by Anne Bogel (3 stars)

The author's What Should I Read Next podcast is one of my favorites. Anyone who listens to her show knows she is really into personality profiles as well. This book is all about the various personality profiles out there and how to use them to get a better understanding of your own personality. I love a good personality quiz and all the deeper analysis of things like Meyers Briggs, etc...This was a fun look at all of those things.

>57 LittleTaiko: The Leigh Perry Skeleton in the family series sounds like a good choice for my Calendar category for Halloween. And fun too.

>58 VivienneR: - It is perfect for Halloween. I bought the book last year but didn't get to read it last October so ended up saving to read during October this year. It just seemed wrong to read about a skeleton in a haunted house at any other time of the year. :)

>59 LittleTaiko: I found the book at a library where I can borrow from, so I put a hold on it. I hope it comes in before the end of the month!

Week in review - finished two books from the TBR challenge and binged on the rest of the Leigh Perry - Family Skeleton series which was great fun.

123. Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe (4 stars)

African literature is not something I gravitate towards and my few attempts haven't been positive. This book started off a little slow for me but once I settled into the writing style I began to enjoy it more. This is a tale of one village prior to missionaries coming in to supposedly save them from themselves. The main focus on a rather pompous warrior type, his family, and the belief system for their village. The repetitiveness of the story telling was a bit trying at times, but his sly humor sort of won me over.

124 - 126 - Binged on the skeleton series and loved all of them with all getting 4 stars.

- The Skeleton Paints a Picture
- A Skeleton in the Family
- The Skeleton Takes a Bow

127. An Innocent Man by John Grisham (2 stars)

My rating is not based on the actual story but more on the way it was told. It is a heartbreaking, but I'm afraid not completely uncommon for that era, tale of two men wrongly convicted for the rape and murder of a young woman in their community. It was appalling as to how badly their case was mishandled. However, the way Grisham lays out the facts let you know how mad he is upfront without giving the reader a chance to get the whole picture to feel the anger along wth him. Thank goodness for the Innocent Project and their work to help reverse the bad convictions that have been made over the years.

128. Autumn by Ali Smith (4 stars)

First heard of this through Bookmarks magazine and thought it sounded interesting. Once it was nominated for the Booker prize I thought I'd give it a try. It's an odd little book with literary references sprinkled throughout and some passages that really struck a chord with me. I'm not completely sure I understood it but thought it was lovely and look forward to the next book in the quartet.

129. Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe (4 stars)

I'm not sure why I was so apprehensive about reading this book but had put it off for years. I'm so glad I finally decided to give it a try. It was a very moving story full of the horrors of slavery. The way the story unfolded was a bit uneven as at first it alternated between Eliza and Tom but then settled in with Tom for so long that I was starting to forget about Eliza.

I liked the way that she used the same character names to represent two different sides to the story. The hero of the story is Tom but there is also a Tom who is an slave catcher. There are two George's as well, one who is trying to break free from slavery and the other who is the son of a slave owner.

130. The Absent One by Jussi Adler-Olsen (3 stars)

Sort of split on how I feel about this book. I don't remember if the first book was quite so violent, but this one had violence and darkness in spades. So much so that it started to be a bit ridiculous and seemed like the author was just trying to put every single horrible thing that could happen to a person into one novel. On the other hand, I still love Carl, Assad, and now Rose. Not completely sure I'll continue reading the series though.

>62 LittleTaiko: I felt the same way about The Absent One. The absence of any story combined with an excess of gratuitous violence put me off reading any more by Jussi Adler-Olsen. Pity, because I really liked the characters.

Forgot to do my weekly recap yesterday.

131. Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut (3 stars)

Weirdly wacky story that amused and caused discomfort depending on what was happening or what drawing might have popped up. It felt very much of its time but yet there were parts that were sadly too relevant still today.

132. Quick Curtain by Alan Melville (4 stars)

I love a good classic murder mystery and if it involves the theater then that is even better. The humor here was so dry and wonderful that I couldn't help but enjoy this tale that pokes fun at the detective genre. There was one bit of dialogue that made me do a double take and then laugh out loud.

The set up is that the doctor has come to examine the dead body.

"Well? said Mr. Douglas
"Far from it." said Dr. Armitage. "In fact, he's dead."

133. Hypothermia by Arnaldur Indriaason (4 stars)

When you are sitting in a doctor's waiting room for over an hour and have left your book at home, what is a girl to do? Scroll through the ebooks to read on her phone and finally read one of them. I always seem to pick the Indriaason books to read and weird times like this and I'm never disappointed in them. This one in particular was probably the best in the series so far. It was a bit of a departure from the other books in that it was primarily about Erlendur and his interest in a death ruled as a suicide. There was a nice side story about a couple of cold cases as well. I have a couple more in the series lined up for the next time I find myself stuck somewhere without a book or else in need of something reliable.

>64 LittleTaiko: Haha, that is totally my favorite joke from Quick Curtain too!

>64 LittleTaiko: A++ joke. I'm looking forward to reading Quick Curtain!

>64 LittleTaiko: I enjoy the Erlendur books too, and I'd love to visit Iceland one day!

Stopping by to get caught up. Congratulations on the new job!

Catching up on everyone's reading. Glad to hear your new job is working out.

>65 christina_reads: & >66 rabbitprincess: - I think it was quite an entertaining book. Not sure why it doesn't get better ratings.

>67 mathgirl40: - I just saw an article today about how Iceland is the new vacation hot spot. Maybe someday soon I'll work it into my travel plans.

>68 lkernagh: & >69 mamzel: - Thank you! I'm loving the new job. It's such a nice change of pace from where I was.

I'm heading out of town on Saturday for a vacation to Tokyo for the week. Pretty sure I'm not going to finish any other books before I leave so wanted to post my book updates now. Too much laundry and other things to get done besides reading. On the bright side there will be many hours of reading time while on the plan. Hopefully I'm not too tired to read!

134. I'll Have What She's Having by Erin Carlson (4 stars)

This is about Nora Ephron and how with three great romantic comedies she was able to stake our her place in a predominately male world. If you're a fan of When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle, or You've Got Mail then I would recommend this book to you mainly for the wonderful behind the scenes stories about the making of the movies. It's really a miracle that movies get made at all - such a convoluted process with way too many egos involved.

135. Smoke Gets in Your Eyes by Caitlin Doughty (4 stars)

Saw Caitlin on the CBS Sunday morning show and realized that I either needed to read her books or start watching her You Tube channel. She runs a nonprofit funeral home and appears to be a rather interesting person. This book is about her experiences getting started in the funeral industry. It's an eye-opening behind the scenes look at a world most of us would choose to ignore. It definitely put death in a new perspective for me.

Glad you liked Smoke Gets in Your Eyes! It was one of those "accidentally read the whole thing on a Saturday afternoon" books for me :)

Have a great time in Tokyo and I hope you have comfortable flights!

I'm really looking forward to her current book From Here to Eternity. Right now I'm #9 in line at the library for it.

Have fun on your trip to Tokyo!

Enjoy your trip to Tokyo.

Have fun on your Tokyo trip!

Enjoy Tokyo! :)

Hope you have a wonderful time in Japan.

I'm back and the trip was awesome! I'll try to post a couple of pics later if I have time. We did a bike tour through the streets of Tokyo, toured the fish market and followed that up with a sushi making class, went to Kyoto for the day on the bullet train, and explored lots of gardens, shrines, and temples. Can't wait to go back! All the fun put a damper on my reading. I did read a bit on the plane but not as much as anticipated.

136. An East End Murder by Charles Finch (3 stars)

Short novella that features Lennox solving the murder of a well liked poor man found strangled on a street. Nice quick read.

137. The Poisoned Chocolates Case by Anthony Berkeley (3 stars)

Fun mystery novel that presents an unsolved case to the members of a detective club. They all work independently to solve the case and present their solutions. The way each character took the facts and created a theory out of them was an interesting exercise. However, by the time the last chapter was underway, I was pretty sure I knew who did it. Great plane reading material!

138. The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte (4 stars)

This was my year for reading Anne Bronte. Based on what I've read, I like Charlotte a bit better but definitely prefer Anne's books to Emily's. It may be my modern sensibilities and today's climate of being hyper aware of men who can't seem to realize when there attentions aren't wanted, but initially I had a hard time reading the book through Gilbert's perspective. The book is supposed to be about Helen and for the longest time we only get to know her though his point of view. His reactions to her rebuffs and his sense of superiority to everyone around him are kind of hard to take. Fortunately we finally get to learn about Helen through her journals. While she's a bit too pious and saintly, the reader finally understands why we should care about her and her plight. Even with my complaints about Gilbert it was still an enjoyable book that I kept wanting to get back to.

139. The Nakano Thrift Shop by Hiromi Kawakami (3 stars)

I've been reading this book off and on for a few weeks now and decided that finishing it during my Japan trip was the perfect time to wrap it up. This was a quaint story where not much happens, but instead you spend a lovely bit of time with the owner of a thrift shop, his sister, his employees. Everyday stories about love and living.

Sounds like a fabulous trip! Can totally see why reading wasn't grabbing you, with all that you were doing.

Welcome back! Your trip sounds wonderful! I'll look forward to seeing the photos.

Regarding the Bronte sisters - I agree, I liked Charlotte's work best, then Anne's. I've tried to re-read Emily's Wuthering Heights but just couldn't get into it again, although I acknowledge her brilliance.

Anne is far and away my favorite Brontë. Glad you liked Wildfell Hall. Have you seen the BBC mini-series?

And the long list (72 books!) is out for the Tournament of Books.

No, I haven't seen the mini-series yet. I'll have to check it out.

I was excited that they released the long list early this year. I've read 5, have 4 that I own that are in my TBR pile, am in the middle of one, and have 2 out from the library. As always, I'm looking forward to seeing the final contenders.

Quick round of reviews.

140. The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupey (4 stars)

My mother-in-law bought this sweet little book for me when she was in Paris on vacation. Loved the little adventures the prince had.

141. Mrs. Jeffries and the Three Wise Women by Emily Brightwell (4 stars)

A really enjoyable installment in the series. This time giving three of the supporting characters more of a lead. All of the crew are eagerly anticipating Christmas and their various plans for celebrating when a murder cold case threatens to ruin Christmas for all of them. When Mrs. Jeffries and some of the others are too dispirited to really put much effort into solving the case, it's up to Mrs. Goodge, Ruth, and Luty to get them all back on track.

142. The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher (3 stars)

Read this for my book club. It's a nice, gentle family relationship novel where nothing really bad happens to anybody, or if it does it's kind of glossed over. There are tensions of course between various family members but you just know it will all work out somehow.

143. Twelve Slays of Christmas by Jacqueline Frost (4 stars)

For me this book got off to a slow start as it ventured a hair too closely to being too cutesy for words. Set in a town called Mistletoe during the days leading up to Christmas there is so much sweetness initially but eventually settles into a fairly standard cozy mystery with some characters that are fun to spend time with. Thanks to Lori for the book bullet on this one.

144. Gone Before Christmas by Charles Finch (4 stars)

Quick, novella set at Christmastime that has Lennox searching for a missing officer. Loved the opening with him and his brother Edmund arguing about Christmas trees. This was a nice fix while waiting for the latest in the series to come out next year.

145. The Wandering Falcon by Jamil Ahmad (3 stars)

This didn't feel like a novel, but instead felt more like slightly interconnected stories that all featured Tor Baz though he might only be referenced in passing. Set primarily in Pakistan and Afghanistan it shows the struggles of the people as their traditions and culture are threatened as new rules are put into place governing where they can and can't go.

Belatedly welcome back from Tokyo! That sounds like a fantastic trip.

I don't believe I've read any of the Brontes since early in high school, and I have a feeling they would read differently to me now. All this discussion makes me wonder if I'd like to engage. I haven't read anything not written in the last 50 years in quite a long time -- definite a bit of blindness there!

>85 pammab: I read Jane Eyre last year having not read it since I was at school, and I found it quite hard-going. It prompted me to put Wide Sargasso Sea on my wishlist, as the treatment of Bertha (by Bronte as well as by Mr Rochester, in my view) was quite upsetting.

I do have a copy of Wuthering Heights, which I also read at school and wasn't mad on then. I suspect I'd feel similarly to how I felt about Jane Eyre if I were to read it again.

The one Bronte sister I haven't read is Anne, and I'm thinking about getting hold of a copy of Agnes Grey to see if I get on better with her (I do have a grey book lined up for ColourCAT, but that would also work. Hmmm). Maybe I'm just a snowflake, but I think I'm more of an Austen than a Bronte type, in general!

>86 Jackie_K: I feel compelled to share this cartoon any time Anne Brontë is mentioned:

>87 christina_reads: Aw yiss!

>87 christina_reads: - Love it!! Anne was definitely ahead of her time.

>87 christina_reads: I love that - may have to steal it!

>90 Jackie_K: It's from here: http://www.harkavagrant.com. I love all her comics, especially the history- and literature-related ones!

Over the past few hours, every so often I have found myself thinking "If you like alcoholic dickbags" and chuckling to myself. I don't know what it is about it, but that has really tickled me.

>92 Jackie_K: That must have been where she got the idea for Helen's husband in Tenant of Wildfell Hall.

>87 christina_reads: My favorite Hark! A Vagrant! It never gets old.

Maybe my resolution for 2018 is to not get as behind in posting what I've read...

>146 - The Way of All Flesh by Samuel Butler (3 stars)

This poor book did not get the attention it probably deserved. I've been picking it up off and on for several months and finally finished this month. It's one of those books that I enjoyed while reading but never felt particularly called to pick up. Basically it's a coming of age story narrated by the heroes godfather. Lots of skimming on my part through some of the longer religious bits.

>147 - Going into Town by Roz Chast (5 stars)

This graphic art book hit all the right notes for me. Written as a mothers guide to her daughter on how to live in New York City, it's really a love letter to the city. It captured all of my favorite parts about visiting there and I learned a couple of things too. Need to reread it again before sending it back to the library.

>148 - The Crime at Noah's Ark by Molly Thynne (4 stars)

I can't believe that I had never heard of this author until someone here read and recommended the book. It's a golden age mystery that is just perfectly delightful. A group of people stranded at Christmas time in an inn, a murder, jewels, witty banter - what more could you ask for?

>149 - The Deal of a Lifetime by Fredrik Backman (4 stars)

A novella about a man at Christmas time assessing his life and the impact that it has had and could have. I really enjoyed it thought it's not necessarily a feel good book. Then again it's not a feel bad book either.

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

Stopping by to wish you the best of the end of 2017 and the start of 2018.

Stacy - My wish for you this year:

Thank you for all the holiday wishes!! I hope everyone had an enjoyable and peaceful Christmas and has a safe New Year!

The beauty of having the week off is that I've been able to do so many bookish things. I did a big purge of my library on Tuesday to make shelf space. I took those books to Half Price Books on Wednesday and received a nice sum for them. I bought a few books while there of course but at least now there is shelf space for them to sit on. I also went to Barnes & Noble to exchange a gift and went to Interabang to use a gift certificate. All in all a lovely bookish week in addition to the reading I've been able to do.

On a sad note though, I just read that Sue Grafton died. I've been a fan of hers since the beginning and will miss the Kinsey Millhone stories. My one comfort is that I still have Y on my shelf to read. Something to look forward to. Can't believe that the alphabet will end with Y.

Anyway, on to happier topics like completed books.

150. Moll Flanders by Daniel Dafoe (2 stars)

I don't think that Dafoe and I were meant to get on. I bailed on Robinson Crusoe and found Moll Flanders to be okay. At least this was more engaging than RC. I probably would have enjoyed the story more if it wasn't told in such a run on style with absolutely no chapter breaks. It just goes and goes through all of her misadventure and dubious choices. I could sympathize with her a bit since the options for women at that time were slim. Yet there was something about here that just made you shake your head - especially her relationship or lack there of with her numerous children who seemed to just disappear into thin air.

151. Ship of Brides by Jojo Moyes (3 stars)

This is an earlier work of Moyes and isn't quite as strong as her later work, but I found myself intrigued by the premise of the war brides from Australia being shipped to England to reunite with their soldier husbands. This was inspired by the author's grandmothers trip and it really is truly amazing to think about the sacrifices and risks that the women were taking in leaving everything behind and sailing towards someone they may have only spent a few weeks with.

152. Guaranteed to Bleed by Julie Mulhern (4 stars)

The second book in the country club series set in the 70's was just as good as I remember the first one being. Now if only my library had the rest I could get caught up on the series. Aggravating. Ellison finds a young boy dying and gets to him in time to hear his last words proclaiming his love for someone. She promises to let the girl know - the only problem is she has no idea who he's referring to and he dies before she can find out. Her quest to track down the girl sets off a series of events that threaten to expose secrets that other families would prefer kept quiet.

153. The River Why by David James Duncan (5 stars)

I first heard about this book when listening to the What Should I Read Next podcast when the guest inlaced this in his top three favorite books. While I'm not into fishing, I am into coming of age stories and this one is oh so good. The wry humor just sneaks up on you and you find yourself doing a double take at what you just read. This follows Gus's decision to strike out on his own to live a life spent fishing. What he gets instead is a better understanding of what it means to be a well rounded member of society.

154. White Picket Fences by Susan Meissner (4 stars)

So many things happening in this book - Tally's grandmother has died and her father is out of the country where she can't reach him, Amanda's family looks perfect but has a secret they are trying to keep buried, and there are two older Polish men who survived the concentration camps. The latter story was actually the most interesting, but I was connected enough to the other characters to care what was happening with them. Granted so much of the book could have been solved if people would only talk to each other. However, since the point was that communicating with loved ones is important, it made sense to show how not being open with each other can cause problems.

Oh! I did have two DNF's as well.

Ruth's Journey by Donald McCaig - not really sure why I never got into this book, but every time I picked it up I just didn't care about what was happening. Chalk it up to just not being the right book for me.

Artemis by Andy Weir - This was such a disappointment since I loved The Martian. However, all the things that worked in that book really didn't work here. It didn't help that the main character Jazz was absolutely annoying to spend any amount of time with, much less being exposed to all of her inner thoughts which seemed more in line with a teenage boy than a 20 something year old woman.

You were brave to finish Moll Flanders and Robinson Crusoe. I abandoned MF halfway through it because there was no hope in sight. Although I read Robinson Crusoe as a child, I abandoned it when re-reading as an adult. I absolutely hated the preachiness.

Nice that you can still trade in used books. Our nearest used book store is going out of business and not accepting any more because they are so easily found online, and at low prices.

I actually didn't finish Robinson Crusoe - just could not take it anymore.

Yes, we're really lucky to have Half Price Books. The main store is fairly near me but they have some smaller stores around the area. They don't give you that much for the books but it's better than nothing. Plus, the store is gigantic - lots of browsing/shopping while you wait for them to assess your books. Bummer that yours is closing.

Last book for 2017

155. Eggs in Purgatory by Laura Childs (3 stars)

Hadn't read any of her books before and picked up a couple at a mystery book store during a trip this summer. This is the first in one of many series that she writes. This series centers around three women who have lost their husbands and have started a restaurant/tea shop/book store (talk about wish fulfillment) as a way to carve out new lives for themselves. Not sure if this series is for me though. I enjoyed it but didn't love it, mainly due to the main character making some really questionable choices during her investigation that put her in harms way and just didn't make sense.

2017 Recap

Favorite Books (all five stars)

The Code of the Woosters
And Every Morning the Way Home gets Longer and Longer
News of the World
Grief is the Thing with Feathers
The Refugees
Little Fires Everywhere
Humans of New York
The River Why
Glass Houses
Dombey and Son
Going into Town

Least Favorite Book - finished it and gave it 1 star
Lies She Told

>104 LittleTaiko: You rated that one the same as I did. I still enjoy the series, but I don't think the last couple of installments have been as strong as earlier ones.