CBL's musical categories, part 2

Welcome to my second thread! This year's categories reflect my current reading aspirations for the year. I haven't set a numerical goal for each category, though. If I end up with a fairly balanced list at the end of the year I will be happy. I've chosen song titles for this year's categories:

Born in the USA - American Authors Challenge (75 Book group)
Penny Lane - British Isles Challenge (75 Book group)
Never Been to Spain - International authors/books set outside the US & UK
I Shot the Sheriff - Crime & mystery
I'm My Own Grandpa - Family history/Genealogy
Paperback Writer - Reading projects
Tell It Like It Is - Nonfiction
I Write the Songs - Poetry
Listen to What the Man Said - Audiobooks
Carefree Highway - Whatever I feel like reading

Born in the USA - American Authors

1. The Chosen by Chaim Potok (5) - completed 1/29/19
2. Hospital Sketches by Louisa May Alcott (4) - completed 3/18/19
3. The Thief of Auschwitz by Jon Clinch (5) - completed 3/23/19
4. Promised Land: Thirteen Books That Changed America by Jay Parini (4) - completed 5/27/19
5. Revolutionary Brothers: Thomas Jefferson, the Marquis de Lafayette, and the Friendship that Helped Forge Two Nations by Tom Chaffin (3) - completed 7/31/19
6. The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman by Ernest J. Gaines (3.5) - completed 8/20/19

Penny Lane - British Isles

1. Rain: Four Walks in English Weather by Melissa Harrison (4.5) - completed 1/5/19
2. The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker (4) - completed 2/17/19
3. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle (4) - completed 3/26/19
4. The Grave Tattoo by Val McDermid (3.5) - completed 3/31/19
5. The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro (5) - completed 5/3/19
6. Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie (4) - completed 5/31/19
7. The Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aiken (4) - completed 7/3/19
8. Man and Wife by Wilkie Collins (4) - completed 7/5/19
9. Harvest by Jim Crace (3) - completed 8/11/19
10. Hotel du Lac by Anita Brookner (3.5) - completed 8/19/19

Never Been to Spain - International authors/books set outside the US/UK

1. The Ice Princess by Camilla Lackberg (3) - completed 1/4/19
2. The Preacher by Camilla Lackberg (3.5) - completed 3/12/19
3. Homes: A Refugee Story by Abu Bakr al Rabeeah with Winnie Yeung (4) - completed 4/13/19
4. Unmarriageable by Soniah Kamal (3.5) - completed 4/21/19
5. The Lily Pond by Annika Thor (3.5) - completed 4/30/19
6. The Stonecutter by Camilla Lackberg (4) - completed 5/18/19
7. The Stranger by Camilla Lackberg (4) - completed 7/9/19
8. Willful Behavior by Donna Leon (4) - completed 8/12/19
9. Pieces of Happiness by Anne Ostby (2.5) - completed 9/2/19
10. The Hidden Child by Camilla Lackberg (4) - completed 9/12/19

I Shot the Sheriff - Crime & mystery

1. Nerve by Dick Francis (4.5) - completed 1/13/19
2. Fatal Remedies by Donna Leon (4) - completed 2/9/19
3. Forfeit by Dick Francis (3.5) - completed 3/4/19
4. They Do It with Mirrors by Agatha Christie (4) - completed 4/19/19
5. Reflex by Dick Francis (4) - completed 5/5/19
6. Clue written by Paul Allor, art by Nelson Daniel, letters by Neil Uyetake & Gilberto Lascano (4) - completed 5/24/19
7. Big Sky by Kate Atkinson (4) - completed 6/3/19
8. Kingdom of the Blind by Louise Penny (3.5) - completed 6/21/19
9. The Drowning Spool by Monica Ferris (3) - completed 7/19/19
10. The Case of Madeleine Smith by Rick Geary (4) - completed 8/2/19
11. Murder at the ABA by Isaac Asimov (3) - completed 8/17/19
12. Rat Race by Dick Francis (4) - completed 8/18/19
13. Break In by Dick Francis (4.5) - completed 9/16/19
14. Land of Wolves by Craig Johnson (3.5) - completed 9/23/19
15. Silesian Station by David Downing (4) - completed 10/13/19
16. Through the Wall by Patricia Wentworth (3.5) - completed 10/19/
17. The Fever Cabinet by Frankie Bow (3.5) - completed 10/26/19

I'm My Own Grandpa - Family history/genealogy

1. She's My Dad: A Father's Transition and a Son's Redemption by Jonathan S. Williams with Paula Stone Williams (2.5) - completed 2/3/19
2. Cheaper by the Dozen by Frank B. Gilbreth Jr. & Ernestine Gilbreth Carey (4.5) - completed 4/7/19
3. Men We Reaped by Jesmyn Ward (3.5) - completed 4/10/19
4. Digest of the Laws of Indiana of Special Application to Women and Children (5) - completed 6/15/19

Paperback Writer - Reading projects
1. The Bafut Beagles by Gerald Durrell (3.5) - completed 1/11/19 - Commonwealth Challenge
2. The Children of Willesden Lane by Mona Golabek and Lee Cohen (4.5) - completed 2/20/19 - Holocaust literature
3. The Kellys and the O'Kellys by Anthony Trollope (3) - completed 3/25/19 (Trollope's novels)
4. Island Exiles by Jemima Garrett (3.5) - completed 4/29/19 - Commonwealth Challenge
5. Singapore Sapphire by A. M. Stuart (4.5) - completed 6/23/19 - Commonwealth Challenge
6. The Complete Maus by Art Spiegelman (4.5) - completed 6/29/19 - Holocaust literature
7. A Pocket Full of Rye by Agatha Christie (4) - completed 7/12/19 - Agatha Christie in publication order
8. Ayesha At Last by Uzma Jalaluddin (4) - completed 7/13/19 - Jane Austen retelling
9. The Three Clerks by Anthony Trollope (3.5) - completed 7/22/19 (Trollope's novels)
10. Jane Austen: A Life by Claire Tomalin (4.5) - completed 9/30/19 (Jane Austen)

Tell It Like It Is - Nonfiction

1. Dog Tales & Pup Parables: 31 Devotions for a Dog Lover's Heart by Janet DeCaster Perrin (4) - competed 1/31/19
2. Conan Doyle, Detective by Peter Costello (2) - completed 3/29/19
3. The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper by Hallie Rubenhold (4) - completed 5/13/19
4. A Jane Austen Devotional by Steffany Woolsey (4.5) - completed 5/19/19
5. Art of the State: Illinois by Joanne Trestrail (3) - completed 6/4/19
6. The Call to Holiness: Pursuing the Heart of God for the Love of the World by Timothy C. Tennent (3) - completed 7/19/19
7. The Truth about Fat by Anthony Warner (4) - completed 8/21/19
8. Vegetables: A Biography by Evelyne Bloch-Dano (3.5) - completed 9/20/19
9. The Book of Kells by Ben Mackworth-Praed (3.5) - completed 10/2/19

I Write the Songs - Poetry

1. Poems of Robert Burns by Robert Burns; selected & introduced by Ian Rankin (4.5) - completed 1/15/19
2. When Poets Pray by Marilyn McEntyre (5) - completed 6/22/19
3. Further Still by Beth Moore (2.5) - completed 8/7/19
4. Holy Sonnets by John Donne (4) - completed 10/22/19

Listen to What the Man Said - Audiobooks

1. Something Rotten by Jasper Fforde (4) - completed 1/17/19
2. Friends in High Places by Donna Leon (3.5) - completed 4/11/19
3. Tramp for the Lord by Corrie ten Boom (3.5) - completed 5/6/19
4. Some Buried Caesar by Rex Stout (3.5) - completed 5/13/19
5. To Die but Once by Jacqueline Winspear (3.5) - completed 5/22/19
7. A Sea of Troubles by Donna Leon (3) - completed 6/16/19
8. The Just Men of Cordova by Edgar Wallace (3) - completed 6/27/19
9. Coffee, Tea, or Murder? by Jessica Fletcher & Donald Bain (3) - completed 7/26/19
10. The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson (4.5) - completed 8/3/19
11. A Useful Woman by Darcie Wilde (3.5) - completed 9/10/19
12. Untimely Death by Elizabeth J. Duncan (3.5) - completed 9/16/19
13. Uniform Justice by Donna Leon (3) - completed 10/11/19

Carefree Highway - Whatever I feel like reading!

1. Good Dog, McTavish by Meg Rosoff, illustrated by Grace Easton (3.5) - completed 2/9/19
2. Betsy-Tacy and Tib by Maud Hart Lovelace (4) - completed 2/10/19
3. Belinda by Maria Edgeworth (4) - completed 2/19/19
4. A Piglet Named Mercy by Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by Chris Van Dusen (3.5) - completed 4/4/19
5. Emmeline, the Orphan of the Castle by Charlotte Turner Smith (2.5) - completed 6/20/19
6. The Labours of Mrs Stella Ryman by Mel Anastasiou (3.5) - completed 7/27/19
7. Campusland by Scott Johnston (3.5) completed 8/27/19
8. Elizabeth Gaskell Illuminated by The Message compiled by Patricia A. Lynch (2.5) - completed 9/29/19
9. The Dog Who Lost His Bark by Eoin Colfer; illustrated by P. J. Lynch (3.5) - completed 10/27/19

Penny Lane #7: The Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aiken

Young Bonnie Green of Willoughby Chase has a new governess. Her mother, Lady Green, is very ill, so Sir Willoughby is taking her on a journey to recover her health. While they are away, Sir Willoughby’s distant cousin, Miss Slighcarp, will do double duty as governess and caretaker of Willoughby Chase. Bonnie’s cousin, Sylvia, is coming from London to be a playmate for Bonnie while her parents are away. As soon as Sir Willoughby and Lady Green are gone, Miss Slighcarp reveals her true character. With the assistance of some faithful friends, Bonnie and Sylvia must escape from Miss Slighcarp and her cronies and prevent her from stealing Sir Willoughby’s home and his fortune.

This story shares many characteristics with the fairy tales I loved as a child, as well as a few things from the mystery and adventure stories I loved. If I had read it in my childhood, it’s likely to have been a favorite. The audio version I listened to was read by the author’s daughter, who also wrote the introduction for this version. The daughter’s memories of her mother as author and of being one of the first to hear this book made me appreciate it even more.

4 stars

Penny Lane #8: Man and Wife by Wilkie Collins

Scottish marriage law forms the basis for the plot of Man and Wife. Apparently in the 19th century all one had to do to be married in Scotland was to claim to be married in front of witnesses, no civil or church ceremonies required. Collins spins an entertaining tale around a young woman on the brink of ruin and a chivalrous young man doing a favor for a friend who may have unwittingly tied the knot. This leads to all sorts of complications. The book’s tone and the relationship between the young lovers, Blanche and Arnold, remind me a lot of The Moonstone. Readers who loved that book should give this one a try.

4 stars

Never Been to Spain #7: The Stranger by Camilla Lackberg

Patrik Hedstrom and the station’s new hire, Hanna Kruse, answer an emergency call on Hanna’s first day of work. A woman is dead in a tragic car accident after an argument with her lover. Some things don’t look quite right, and eventually it’s ruled as murder. Before the police are able to make much progress in the investigation, they have another murder on their hands. Tanumshede is hosting a Big Brother-like reality show, and the body of one of the contestants is discovered after she was last seen (and filmed!) arguing violently with several of the other cast members. Meanwhile, Patrik and Erica are preparing for their wedding. Can Patrik wrap up both murders before his wedding date with Erica?

After a shaky start, this has become a solid series. The writing is formulaic, but the formula works. I didn’t even mind that I figured out the solution to the murders fairly early on. I was in suspense as I waited for Patrik and his team to figure out what I already knew. A cliffhanger ending will leave most readers eager to start the next book in the series.

4 stars

Happy new thread!

>15 thornton37814: Thank you!

Happy new thread, Carrie!

Happy new thread! BB taken for Man and Wife. I think Wilkie Collins must be fascinated by Scottish law...I remember another of his books, The Law and the Lady, which centered around the Scottish verdict of "not proven" in a criminal trial. Basically it meant that the prosecutor didn't bring enough evidence to prove guilt, but everybody thinks the defendant did it.

Happy new thread, Carrie. I have been meaning to read Camilla Lackberg's series, and even have the first two on my shelves - but, I'm also trying to catch up on so many of my other series that I keep putting this one off. Oh well, if one must have dilemmas then bookish ones are the way to go!

Hurray, new thread! Glad to see you had three 4-star reads in a row :D

>17 MissWatson: Thank you!

>18 christina_reads: I thought that Man and Wife was better than The Law and the Lady. I'll be curious to see what you think!

>19 DeltaQueen50: Hi Judy! The first two have awkward spots as the author finds her voice (or maybe as the translator finds the author's voice in English). The series gets better after that.

>20 rabbitprincess: Thanks, RP! I'm happy about that trend. :-)

Paperback Writer #7: A Pocket Full of Rye by Agatha Christie

Sing a song of sixpence, a pocket full of rye...

Businessman Rex Fortescue is found dead in his office after drinking his morning tea. It doesn’t take long to determine that he’s been poisoned. But the really puzzling thing is the handful of rye that was found in his pocket. What purpose did it serve? Inspector Neele is on the case, and of course he’s interested in finding out who would gain by Fortescue’s death. His much younger widow, who doesn’t play golf yet has lots of golf dates with a handsome young man? His son and junior business partner? His daughter, who is in love with a young man with socialist views? Or his estranged son who has just reappeared on the scene from exile in Africa? Or maybe the murderer will be found among the household help, including the secretive housekeeper, Miss Dove, the butler, Crump, the cook, Mrs. Crump, or the young maid, Gladys? More deaths make it even more urgent to find the killer. Inspector Neele finally gets the breakthrough he needs once Miss Marple arrives on the scene.

This is one of my favorite Miss Marple novels. I had read it years ago and still remembered the solution. What I didn’t remember is that Miss Marple doesn’t show up until about halfway through the book. As usual, she makes the most of her limited page time. Her insights into human nature from decades of village life help her spot individuals with character flaws that just might lead to murder under the right circumstances.

4 stars

Paperback Writer #8: Ayesha At Last by Uzma Jalaluddin

There’s something about Jane Austen that transcends time and culture. This sweet romance set among Toronto’s Muslim community isn’t a strict retelling of Pride and Prejudice, but P&P fans will recognize the nods to Austen’s novel. Ayesha is a twenty-something Indian immigrant who has just started her first job as a substitute high school teacher after completing teacher’s college. 26-year-old Khalid works in corporate IT and lives with his mother. He’s a conservative Muslim, but not fundamentalist. Ayesha and Khalid have a mutual friend who initially brings them together. Their participation in a mosque committee to plan a youth conference keeps them in contact with each other. Although Khalid intends to let his family (i.e., his mother) find a suitable girl and arrange his marriage, he finds himself attracted to Ayesha. There’s just one problem. He thinks Ayesha is her cousin, Hafsa.

Khalid’s awkward shyness and kind nature are endearing, as are Ayesha’s intelligence and honesty. I liked this book better than Soniah Kamal’s Pride and Prejudice retelling set in early 21st century Pakistan. Kamal followed Austen’s plot much more closely, to the point that situations and interactions between characters seemed forced. In contrast, Jalaluddin’s characters seem to have an existence of their own, and the novel may be equally enjoyed by readers who’ve never read Austen’s original as well as Austen’s biggest fans.

This review is based on an electronic advance reading copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley.

4 stars

I Shot the Sheriff #9: The Drowning Spool by Monica Ferris

Regular readers of the Crewel World series know that store owner and amateur sleuth Betsy Devonshire is a dedicated water aerobics participant. While her regular pool is closed for repairs, Betsy is able to join a class that meets in the therapy pool of an assisted living center. When the drowned body of a young woman is found in the pool one morning, Betsy gets involved at the request of one of the Monday Bunch group members. Her nephew works security at Watered Silk, and he is in danger of being accused of the murder as well as of losing his job because of the unauthorized entry to the pool on his watch.

The plot isn’t as tight as some of the other books in the series. Betsy doesn’t seem to spend as much time in the shop; just long enough for random customers to offer important bits of information. Betsy also ends up with two different “clients” from the Monday Bunch as suspicion moves away from Bershada’s nephew to a relative of other Monday Bunch members. This strains credulity just a bit too much. I was surprised that Lars agreed to participate in Betsy’s stakeout of the three main suspects. He’s a police officer and I would think that he could get in trouble doing this without official sanction.

3 stars

Tell It Like It Is #6: The Call to Holiness: Pursuing the Heart of God for the Love of the World by Timothy C. Tennent

This book by the president of Asbury Theological Seminary was a conference freebie. It’s about the Wesleyan doctrine of holiness. I am not Wesleyan so the book didn’t have as much to offer me as it would to adherents of that denomination. Chapter 8, “Holiness as the Church Bearing Fruit,” made it worth the read for me, as did the hymn that concludes the book, “Make Us Holy,” written by Tennent’s wife, Julie.

3 stars

>23 cbl_tn: Thanks for this review! As a diehard P&P fan, this book was on my radar, but I was hesitant to pick it up because I also didn't particularly like Unmarriageable. Good to know you liked this one better!

>23 cbl_tn: I've added Ayesha at Last to my wishlist. Thanks for the excellent review, Carrie!

>23 cbl_tn: I’ve been patiently waiting for this to be available at the library. Can’t wait!

>26 christina_reads: >27 RidgewayGirl: >28 LittleTaiko: I hope you all enjoy it whenever you get hold of a copy!

I've been away at a conference this week. Adrian has been staying with his friend Stella. Stella's "mom" had a death in her family, so before she left yesterday she dropped both dogs off at our vet's office, where they have boarding. She booked the VIP room for them so that they could stay together. The office closes early today so I won't get home until after they have closed. I'll have to pick them up in the morning.

Those little beds are adorable! Hope they enjoyed the VIP treatment.

>31 LittleTaiko: The word from the vet's office is that they seem to be enjoying their stay. I hope Adrian doesn't expect the same kind of treatment when he gets home!

>30 cbl_tn: What nice accommodations! He'll be excited to see you though and expecting his favorite treats I'm sure.

>33 clue: I picked up both dogs when they opened this morning. Stella's "parents" were there to greet her on their way out of town on a planned trip. (She was always going to spend Saturday night with me. Their overnight trip Thursday for the funeral was unplanned.) Adrian can be a picky eater in a new environment, but they said he ate well. All three of us have been napping this afternoon!

Paperback Writer #9: The Three Clerks by Anthony Trollope

The three clerks of the title are young men starting out on civil service careers in London. Harry Norman and the slightly older Alaric Tudor get positions in the office of Weights and Measures, while Alaric’s younger cousin, Charley Tudor, gets a position in Internal Navigation. Harry is an honest and generous young man with an unforgiving streak. The ambitious Alaric always has an eye out for the next opportunity for advancement, and despite Harry’s warnings, he allows the end to justify the means. Charley is a happy-go-lucky young man who drifts along with the tide. Charley doesn’t have the strength of character to withstand the temptations of city life, yet he has enough of a sense of morality to be troubled by his dissolute behavior. Harry has a widowed cousin in Hampton who has three young daughters, Gertrude, Linda, and Katie. Harry introduces first Alaric and then Charley into the family circle, giving rise to unforeseen jealousies and heartaches.

The pace of the novel is somewhat uneven, with a focus on Harry at the beginning of the novel, Alaric in the middle, and Charley at the end. Their stories overlap but don’t intertwine as well as they might. The comic passages stand out, with Charley’s stab at novel-writing (Crinoline and Macassar) being the highlight of the book for me. Katie’s first ball also had me laughing out loud.

3.5 stars

Listen to What the Man Said #9: Coffee, Tea, or Murder? by Jessica Fletcher & Donald Bain

Jessica Fletcher, her friend Seth Hazlitt, Sheriff Metzger and his wife, and other Cabot Cove denizens travel from Boston to London Stansted on the inaugural flight of Cabot Cove native Wayne Silverton’s new airline. Jessica is looking forward to spending time with her friend and potential romantic interest, Scotland Yard inspector George Sutherland. She just doesn’t expect their time together to be dominated by a murder investigation after Wayne Silverton’s body is discovered in the cockpit of his plane. There is no shortage of motives for murder among the crew and passengers. As usual, Jessica gets to the bottom of things and solves the murder.

I always loved the television episodes that took Jessica to tourist destinations like London. I was disappointed that the author didn’t take full advantage of the location in this series installment. The characters spent most of their time in England in hotels and restaurants. The number of weapons – knives and guns – on the flight seemed out of place in a book written and set after 9/11. I have a pilot friend and I have the impression that the rules against weapons on flights apply to the flight crew as well as to passengers. I was a bit leery of listening to an audio version narrated by anyone not named Angela Lansbury. Reader Cynthia Darlow exceeded my expectations, and her voice wasn’t a distraction.

3 stars

I'm glad Adrian's kennel adventure went well. It's always good to know of good places just in case.

>37 RidgewayGirl: We've had this as a backup plan ever since our vet started offering boarding services. I'm glad they had an opening at the last minute! I think I could have found several friends willing to take in Adrian on short notice, but Stella is a little standoffish with people and animals she doesn't know well.

Carefree Highway #6: The Labours of Mrs Stella Ryman by Mel Anastasiou

Octogenarian and retired school librarian Stella Ryman lives in Fairmount Manor, a care home like many with overworked and underpaid assistants. Stella hasn’t been there long, but she’s already earned a reputation for solving mysteries. The kind of mysteries that occur in a care home, like what happened to her friend Thelma Hu’s mah-jongg box. You might say it’s a cold case, since the box disappeared shortly after Thelma moved in ten years ago.

It’s obvious that the author has spent time in real care homes. The characters are so well-developed that I wouldn’t be surprised to see them in the next facility I visit. They form friendships, make enemies, and push the boundaries of the facility rules in order to hold onto as much dignity and independence as they can under the circumstances. The inter-generational relationships that develop in the book may draw in some younger readers.

This review is based on an electronic advance reading copy provided by the publisher through LibraryThing’s Early Reviewers program.

3.5 stars

>36 cbl_tn: - I've started watching the TV show again and just finished the first season. I vaguely remember some of them from the first time around but I definitely didn't watch all twelve seasons. It's been a fun bit of escapism and I just adore Jessica. Glad that the books are fun too.

>40 LittleTaiko: I watched a lot of reruns back when I had cable and it was on the Hallmark Channel, I think, but it's been a while since I've seen any episodes. I think there are a few seasons on Amazon Prime now. I may have to watch an episode or two this weekend!

Born in the USA #5: Revolutionary Brothers: Thomas Jefferson, the Marquis de Lafayette, and the Friendship that Helped Forge Two Nations by Tom Chaffin

The author’s intent for this book is to tell the story of the friendship between Thomas Jefferson and the Marquis de Lafayette and how their collaboration influenced the American and French Revolutions. However, it reads more like a parallel biography. Jefferson and Lafayette spent more time with other people than with each other. And Lafayette named his son after George Washington, not Thomas Jefferson. I will note that I do not believe that the electronic ARC I received from NetGalley included the entire text. It seemed to end in the middle of chapter thirty-six. Perhaps I’m missing the part that would have tied the two men together more closely.

This review is based on an electronic advance reading copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley.

3 stars

July Recap

Born in the USA - American Authors Challenge (75 Book group)
Revolutionary Brothers: Thomas Jefferson, the Marquis de Lafayette, and the Friendship that Helped Forge Two Nations by Tom Chaffin (3)

Penny Lane - British Isles Challenge (75 Book group)
The Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aiken (4)
Man and Wife by Wilkie Collins (4)

Never Been to Spain - International authors/books set outside the US & UK
The Stranger by Camilla Lackberg (4)

I Shot the Sheriff - Crime & mystery
The Drowning Spool by Monica Ferris (3)

I'm My Own Grandpa - Family history/Genealogy

Paperback Writer - Reading projects
A Pocket Full of Rye by Agatha Christie (4)
Ayesha at Last by Uzma Jalaluddin (4)
The Three Clerks by Anthony Trollope (3.5)

Tell It Like It Is – Nonfiction
The Call to Holiness: Pursuing the Heart of God for the Love of the World by Timothy C. Tennent (3)

I Write the Songs – Poetry

Listen to What the Man Said – Audiobooks
Coffee, Tea, or Murder? by Jessica Fletcher & Donald Bain (3)

Carefree Highway - Whatever I feel like reading
The Labours of Mrs Stella Ryman by Mel Anastasiou (3.5)

Books owned – 1
Ebooks owned - 3
Ebooks borrowed – 3
E-audiobooks borrowed – 4
ARCs - 3

Best of the month: The Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aiken

I Shot the Sheriff #10: The Case of Madeleine Smith by Rick Geary

Madeleine Smith became notorious in 1850s Scotland when she stood trial for murdering her lover, Emile L’Anglier. The two had been corresponding and meeting in secret for nearly two years at the time of L’Anglier’s death. However, there were signs that Smith was tiring of the affair and planned to marry another man. Geary’s graphic novel succinctly presents the facts of the case, the details of the affair leading up to L’Anglier’s death, the trial and verdict, and Smith’s life after the trial. The illustrations and the text work well together. Some of the lurid details are mentioned in the text, but the drawings are tasteful.

4 stars

Listen to What the Man Said #10: The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson

Cussy Mary is one of the blue Carters, a Kentucky family with blue skin. Cussy Mary and her father, a coal miner, receive the same treatment as African Americans since they’re not white. Cussy Mary’s mother died a few months before the story begins. Mining is taking a toll on her father’s lungs, and he wants to see his daughter married before he dies so that he knows she’ll be taken care of. Cussy Mary has a different idea. She has a job as a pack horse librarian for the WPA, delivering books and other reading material to folk in the hills and hollows of the Kentucky backwoods. As the story progresses, readers get to know the patrons on Cussy Mary’s route and share her joys and heartaches as hunger and despair steal the weak and vulnerable among them. Cussy Mary is wise for her years, and she has a generous heart that hasn’t been broken by the ill treatment she receives from so many.

This book reminded me of one of my all-time favorite books, Catherine Marshall’s Christy. Both books are about young women fighting against ignorance and prejudice to provide educational opportunities for the poor of Appalachia. The audiobook is beautifully narrated by Katie Schorr, who gets the Appalachian accent just right. And if you’re wondering, Troublesome Creek is a real place, the Pack Horse Library Project was a real WPA project during the depression, and there really was a blue-skinned family in this part of Kentucky.

4.5 stars

>45 cbl_tn: That is a BB for me for sure! My grandfather worked for the WPA chopping down trees and loading them on trucks to be taken to a lumberyard. He was paid $1 per day which kept potatoes on the table during the Depression.

>45 cbl_tn: An explanation of the blue skin is here for the curious: https://owlcation.com/humanities/Blue-People-in-Kentucky-A-True-Story-of-a-Famil...

>46 Tess_W: I think you will like it. I hope so, anyway!

>47 clue: Thanks for the link!

>47 clue: Thanks for that explanation, but the best part of that link was the clearly hand-tinted photograph.

>49 RidgewayGirl: Yes, I think that whole photograph is weird. The background appears to have been "improved" too.

>49 RidgewayGirl: >50 clue: It's very strange, isn't it? I think the medical evidence is credible enough that photographic evidence isn't necessary, especially when it's obviously doctored.

I Write the Songs #3: Further Still by Beth Moore

Beth Moore is a popular Bible study leader and speaker in some Christian circles. I had never read any of her books or participated in any of her Bible studies, but I downloaded several of the books a while back when they were Kindle freebies. I finally got around to reading one and I’ve discovered that she’s not for me. Even though the book didn’t work overall for me, I did find a couple of gems that touched my spirit in the poem “Lord, Make Me a Student” and vignette that follows, “Lesson with a Hairbrush” about an incident that happened in the Knoxville airport. (And was I ever surprised to learn that people have connecting flights in and out of Knoxville, which couldn’t by any stretch of the imagination be called a hub.)

2.5 stars

Adrian and I went to an outdoor music program at the local public library branch last night. The Friends group is raising money to expand the building, which is really too small for our community. A little girl was there with her grandparents and she had brought a book with her. She "read" to Adrian for a while. It was sweet to watch.

>52 cbl_tn: I didn't know Knoxville had connecting flights except maybe to a smaller airport on one of those puddle-jumper type flights. I have several of the Beth Moore books from the Kindle freebie event also. I didn't really connect with her style either. I tried a novel she wrote awhile back, and I didn't really like that any better. I'd purchased it for our library because "all Baptist women love Beth Moore." (For those who don't know, my institution is affiliated with the Southern Baptists.) It checked out well because of her name--and I gave it a try. I tried her other books later, thinking perhaps her non-fiction was better, but I didn't really like it that much. I may look at the ones remaining and see if I can find one that looks different to give her a second chance, but I haven't been in a hurry to do so.

>53 cbl_tn: Let's hope the Friends raise lots of money! Sevier County should have enough tourism bucks to build a branch--even if you aren't in the "Big Three--Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg." Be a demanding taxpayer and encourage the rest of your neighbors to do the same!

>54 thornton37814: I understand the Friends have only raised about 10% of the needed funds. By the time they reach their goal, I'm afraid the cost will have doubled!

Penny Lane #9: Harvest by Jim Crace

It did not take many working days before I understood that the land itself, from sod to meadow, is inflexible and stern. It is impatient, in fact. It cannot wait. There’s not a season set aside for pondering and reveries. It will not let us hesitate or rest; it does not wish us to stand back and comment on its comeliness or devise a song for it. It has no time to listen to our song. It only asks us not to tire in our hard work. It wants to see us leathery, our necks and forearms burned as black as chimney oak; it wants to leave us thin and sinewy from work. It taxes us from dawn to dusk, and torments us at night; that is the taxing that the thrush complains about. Our great task each and every year is to defend ourselves against hunger and defeat with implements and tools. The clamor deafens us. But that is how we have to live our lives.

This apocalyptic novel tells the story of the last harvest of a remote English farming village. Its narrator, Walter Thirsk, is an incomer who married a village girl and adopted the rhythms of the village’s farming life. The arrival of strangers on the last day of the harvest heralds the coming changes. The biblical allusions are striking opposites. For instance, the village could be seen as the Garden of Eden from which Adam and Eve are finally exiled, yet it’s an Eden after the fall and the curse of the ground: “in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life...By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread” (Gen. 3:17, 19, ESV). It’s a well-written, well-structured novel that my head appreciated, but it didn’t speak to my heart.

3 stars

Never Been to Spain #8: Willful Behavior by Donna Leon

When one of the brightest of Paola’s students asks her a legal question she can’t answer, Paola agrees to ask her husband, Commissario Brunetti. The girl’s question has to do with the reputation of her grandfather, who was convicted for criminal behavior during World War II but died before serving his sentence. Brunetti isn’t able to give her an answer she wants to hear. Brunetti thinks no more about it, until the girl is found dead in her apartment from what was quite clearly murder.

I enjoyed this one a bit more than some of the other installments in the series because of Paola’s contribution. She knew the murder victim and her insights were helpful to her husband as he tried to make sense of the case. I’m also fond of mysteries that involve art or libraries, and this one had both. I wasn’t as fond of the new narrator for the audio version. He mispronounced Chiara’s name throughout the book. It looks like this might have been a one-off for this narrator. Maybe the regular narrator couldn’t fit this one into his schedule.

4 stars

>55 cbl_tn: Tell those county officials they need to pay attention to Seymour instead of dumping all the money into Sevierville, Gatlinburg, and Pigeon Forge. If you get enough Seymour residents to complain (or the right ones), they'll have to pay attention!

>58 thornton37814: I'm told that the county commission has earmarked $1 million for the library expansion but the Friends need to match it before they'll release the funds.

>59 cbl_tn: That's ridiculous!

I Shot the Sheriff #11: Murder at the ABA by Isaac Asimov

Author Darius Just is annoyed by the ingratitude of his former protege, up-and-coming author Giles Devore, but that doesn’t mean he wants to see him dead. When Just finds Devore’s body in his hotel room after failing to follow through on a favor he’d agreed to perform, he is determined to atone for his lapse by solving Devore’s murder. The trouble is, Just is the only person who believes Devore’s death was murder and not an accident. Just doggedly retraces Devore’s final hours in order to identify a motive and a murderer. He is assisted along the way by fellow author Isaac Asimov, who is under contract to write a book called Murder at the ABA and who just might be able to use Devore’s death as the plot for his novel.

This is a light mystery that doesn’t take itself too seriously, although it’s not a cozy mystery. It’s set during four days of the 1975 ABA Convention, which was also Memorial Day weekend. It’s a book of a different era, with a different sexual ethic. Just (and by extension, Asimov) spends a lot of time thinking about sex and he flirts with just about every female who crosses his path. I’m glad I tried one of Asimov’s mysteries, but if this is characteristic of his style, I doubt I’ll try another one. The mystery plot wasn’t good enough to outweigh the elements that I found distasteful.

One of the fun elements for me is that my birthday was on Memorial Day that year so it was one of the 4 days during which the events in the book supposedly occurred. I don't remember what I did that day, but I do know that I wasn't at the ABA convention. I was just finishing 5th grade!

3 stars

I Shot the Sheriff #12: Rat Race by Dick Francis

Matt Shore is a good pilot who’s had some bad breaks. His current gig is flying an air taxi service, and his passengers are often employed in the horse racing industry. A couple of near misses leave him wondering who and what I behind them, and most importantly of all, why it’s happening. Pilots don’t have much room for error.

The mystery plot isn’t as strong in this book as in some of Francis’s other books, but other aspects of the book made up for it somewhat. I really liked most of the characters in the book, especially the younger Matthew, nephew of the Duke of Wessex. I also liked the flying theme, although the technical details in a couple of passages were over my head. It was obvious to me that the accident insurance had to be the motive behind everything as soon as this element was introduced in the plot since it didn’t make financial sense. And someone needs to introduce Chanter to Honey.

4 stars

Dick Francis is one of my favourite authors, I think I've read all of his books and there were only a couple I didn't care for. For some reason his son Felix Francis doesn't have the same appeal.

Penny Lane #10: Hotel du Lac by Anita Brookner

Romance novelist Edith Hope has escaped from her life at a quiet Swiss hotel at the end of its season. Her life in London consists chiefly of making others happy – her publisher by writing not-quite-bestseller romances, and her friends by making up numbers at dinner parties and saying what’s expected of her. She is more isolated than ever in her retreat, and to occupy her mind she analyzes her fellow guests almost as if they are characters in one of her books. The only eligible male guest attaches himself to her and he seems to offer a permanent escape from the difficulties she left behind.

This novel appears to be a response to Barbara Pym’s Excellent Women. Brookner uses this phrase twice in the novel, and this seems deliberate. Pym’s Mildred Lathbury ends her loneliness through marriage to an anthropologist, to whom she can be useful. Brookner’s Edith Hope makes a different choice, rejecting marriage to a man she doesn’t love and who doesn’t love her to continue as mistress to a man she loves who will never leave his wife for her. She has realized just in time that marriage to such a man will not end her loneliness. It would be interesting to pair these novels in a reading group and see where the discussion goes.

3.5 stars

>63 VivienneR: Hi Vivienne! I haven't tried any of Felix Francis's books. I tend to steer away from books or series that another author tries to carry on after the original author's death. They tend to disappoint me.

Born in the USA #6: The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman by Ernest J. Gaines

At 110 years old, Jane Pittman’s life has taken her from slavery to the civil rights era. Her “autobiography” reads like an oral history recounted to an anonymous interviewer. After the Civil War leaves them free, Jane and several other former slaves set out for Ohio, but Jane never makes it out of Louisiana. She finds work that she knows, laboring in someone else’s fields to keep a roof over her head and food in her belly. Her long life is filled with losses of the people she loves most, yet she never loses the fire of her spirit. I found the writing uneven. (Or perhaps it was the pacing.) The first two thirds of the book were hard to put down, but by the last third I was ready to be finished with it and to move on to another read.

3.5 stars

Tell It Like It Is #7: The Truth about Fat by Anthony Warner

Professional chef turned blogger Anthony Warner examines the complex problem of obesity in modern society. Obesity rates have been rising throughout the world, and especially in Great Britain and the United States. Warner looks at the problem, addresses several plausible theories to explain obesity, and discusses potential solutions.

Warner has an undergraduate degree in science, and the bibliographic notes cite research journals rather than popular literature. Warner also interviewed experts such as nutritionists and endocrinologists. Warner engagingly addresses a non-specialist audience. Readers looking for a “magic bullet” to solve the problem of obesity won’t find it here. On the other hand, readers who want a better understanding of the complexity of the problem will find this book a good place to start.

This review is based on an advance reading copy provided by the publisher through LibraryThing’s Early Reviewers program.

4 stars

Carefree Highway #7: Campusland by Scott Johnston

American literature professor Eph Russell feels more at home at Devon University, an elite Northeastern institution, than he ever did in his native Alabama. However, he’s about to find out that, while you can take the man out of Alabama, you can’t take Alabama out of the man. Other major characters include first-year student Lulu Harris, who is more interested in enlarging her social media following than in earning a degree, and progressive activist “Red” Wheeler, a professional student whose trust fund income ensures he can postpone graduation indefinitely. The action takes place over the course of one academic year.

This novel satirizes many of the current hot topics in academia. There’s something in the book to offend almost any reader, whether it be someone on the liberal/progressive side of the spectrum whose favorite causes are satirized or someone on the religious right who may be turned off by the often coarse language and sexual content. Readers from both sides of the spectrum who are willing to set aside their biases, as well as everyone in between, will find an entertaining novel that reflects the current zeitgeist.

This review is based on an electronic advance reading copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley.

3.5 stars

Still enjoying the new swing!

>69 cbl_tn: I see there's not much room for you on that gorgeous swing, Carrie!

August Recap

Born in the USA - American Authors Challenge (75 Book group)
The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman by Ernest J. Gaines (3.5)

Penny Lane - British Isles Challenge (75 Book group)
Harvest by Jim Crace (3)
Hotel du Lac by Anita Brookner (3.5)

Never Been to Spain - International authors/books set outside the US & UK
Willful Behavior by Donna Leon (4)

I Shot the Sheriff - Crime & mystery
The Case of Madeleine Smith by Rick Geary (4)
Murder at the ABA by Isaac Asimov (3)
Rat Race by Dick Francis (4)

I'm My Own Grandpa - Family history/Genealogy

Paperback Writer - Reading projects

Tell It Like It Is – Nonfiction
The Truth about Fat by Anthony Warner (4)

I Write the Songs – Poetry
Further Still by Beth Moore (2.5)

Listen to What the Man Said – Audiobooks
The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson (4.5)

Carefree Highway - Whatever I feel like reading
Campusland by Scott Johnston (3.5)

Books owned – 4
Ebooks owned - 2
Ebooks borrowed – 2
E-audiobooks borrowed – 3
ARCs - 2

Best of the month: The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson
Worst of the month: Further Still by Beth Moore

>69 cbl_tn:

The dogs look like they are having a wonderful time.

>72 hailelib: They were! And I was, too!

Stopping by to get caught up. Loving the pictures of Adrian (and I see you have lost the swing to Adrian and his friend!).

>74 lkernagh: Hi Lori! Thankfully I bought q 3-seater so we each get our own cushion! :-)

Adrian had his annual checkup and shots last week. If his estimated age is correct, he is 8 this month. The vet's office says he has the bloodwork of a 2-year-old!

Never Been to Spain #9: Pieces of Happiness by Anne Ostby

Norwegian expat Kat has lived all over the world with her husband Niklas. She’s a widow now, and living on a cocoa plantation in Fiji. On impulse, she sends an invitation to four high school friends to join her in Fiji and live out their senior years caring for each other. Amazingly, Sina, Maya, Ingrid, and Lisbeth all agree to the proposal. Each one of the women brings psychological baggage with her, and this plays out over the course of the novel.

This book reminded me of all the reasons I usually avoid women’s fiction. I wanted to read a Hallmark movie and escape to a Pacific island for a few hours. I ended up with Dr. Phil instead. I kept thinking that it was going to get better but it never did. The women interacted in pairs, but never really as a group. Readers spend most of the time inside the womens’ heads as they think about past regrets and future worries. I found Ingrid especially disturbing as she seems to suffer from a dissociative disorder, with an alternate personality she calls “Wildrid.” I did enjoy the narration by Jilly Bond, whose voice reminded me very much of Orlagh Cassidy’s Maisie Dobbs.

2.5 stars

Listen to What the Man Said #11: A Useful Woman by Darcie Wilde

As the result of a family scandal, Rosalind Thorne supports herself by being a useful woman to society women in Regency England. She serves as a sort of private secretary, arranging guest lists and the like. The murder of Jasper Aimesworth could prove her undoing, as her efforts to either uncover the truth or to help her patrons conceal it may be equally disastrous for her. In the process, she is forced to renew her acquaintance with Devon Winterbourne, now Lord Casselmain, the man she once hoped to marry and whom she still loves. Rosalind works surprisingly well with Bow Street runner Adam Harkness.

This Regency-era mystery will appeal to many cozy mystery readers who enjoy historical settings. The series is a good read-alike for Anne Perry’s Thomas and Charlotte Pitt series and Victoria Thompson’s Gaslight series, since they all feature a partnership between a former society woman and a common policeman. I just hope the author doesn’t draw out the romantic triangle over as many books as Joanne Fluke’s Hannah Swensen series.

4 stars

Never Been to Spain #10: The Hidden Child by Camilla Lackberg

The last book in this series closed with Erica discovering a Nazi medal in a trunk in the attic in her parents’ former home, where she now lives with her husband and daughter. The medal will have a central role in this book, as Erica tries to learn more about the mother she never really knew or understood. She had taken the medal to a local expert in World War II history and Nazism, a man named Erik Frankel. Erik’s decaying body was discovered in the home that he shared with his brother, Axel, who spends much of his time traveling. Although Erica’s husband has just started paternity leave to allow true crime author Erica to work on her next book, Patrik can’t resist checking into the police station to find out how the investigation is going. Meanwhile, Erica can’t put down her mother’s wartime diaries long enough to make any headway on her book. The motive for the murder was evident as the novel neared its climax, but I had to wait for the reveal to find out which one of the remaining suspects was the murderer.

The English translation of this book has a different translator than the earlier books in the series, but it doesn’t suffer from the same awkwardness so evident in the first couple of books in the series. Lackberg has hit on a formula that works for her – a current crime investigation and a historical story told in alternating chapters, with Erica and Patrick’s personal life as an ongoing subplot across the series. The supporting characters like Patrick’s boss, Mellberg, and his mother, Kristina, assume more depth as the series continues.

4 stars

I'm glad Adrian is so healthy! My nine-year-old Ivy managed for the first time last night to achieve her life-long goal of tripping a person. Our middle-aged dogs have a lot of life left in them!

>79 RidgewayGirl: I'm glad that Ivy is happy, but I hope the person she tripped is OK! The vet tech asked me about any behavioral/personality changes, but Adrian still has his playful but laid-back personality. He's a wonderful companion!

>80 cbl_tn: Yes, she was fine, just surprised. Oddly enough, Ivy exempted my parents from her quest - she behaves differently towards older people - more protectively. She likes to escort them to and from the bathroom, as though they might get lost or need help.

>81 RidgewayGirl: I'm glad no one was hurt. And what a thoughtful dog Ivy is!

I have a neighbor with a beautiful but nosy Australian shepherd. When Gracie visits someone else's home, she makes an inspection tour of the whole house. It's hilarious to watch. I wonder if she's looking for potential hazards?

Listen to What the Man Said #12: Untimely Death by Elizabeth J. Duncan

British expat Charlotte Fairfax makes her living as the costume designer for a Shakespearean stage company based in a small Catskills hotel. In her spare time, she dates local police chief Ray. The theater company is rehearsing Romeo and Juliet when their preparations are interrupted by first the poisoning and then the stabbing of the young actress playing Juliet. When Charlotte realizes that her new apprentice, Aaron, is the favorite suspect, she takes an active interest in the investigation. Will her interference make her a hero or another murder victim?

The first book in Duncan’s new series follows a formula similar to that of her Penny Brannigan mysteries – an expat who dates the police chief and who has a job in the beauty/fashion industry that requires her to spend one-on-one time with clients in an atmosphere that facilitates the sharing of confidences. Duncan sets her series in interesting locations, she provides a sufficient variety of secondary characters, and she’s a competent plotter. These elements combine to provide a few hours of pleasure for cozy mystery fans.

3.5 stars

I Shot the Sheriff #13: Break In by Dick Francis

Steeplechase jockey Kit Fielding is at the peak of his career when his tranquility is disturbed by his twin Holly’s troubles. Holly is married to trainer Bobby Allardeck, and their business is under siege by an anonymous newspaper campaign aimed at their creditors. Under any other circumstances it would be unthinkable for a Fielding to come to the aid of an Allardeck since these families have been feuding for generations, but Kit’s love for his sister and his liking for his brother-in-law far outweigh inherited grudges. As Kit digs deeper into the conspiracy, he receives timely assistance from some unlikely sources.

I have a fondness for books about twins that probably stems from all the Bobbsey Twins mysteries I read in my childhood. Kit is a strong, intelligent, and moral hero with a circle of loyal friends who are interesting in their own right. I’m glad that this book is an exception to Francis’s stand-alone works, and that I have one more opportunity awaiting to immerse myself in Kit’s world.

4.5 stars

Tell It Like It Is #8: Vegetables: A Biography by Evelyne Bloch-Dano

In an era when most people buy their vegetables at a supermarket, too few of us stop to think about where they’ve come from. Bloch-Dano addresses this topic, not logistically, but historically. In just a few short paragraphs, she enlightens readers on the history of the cardoon and the artichoke, the Jerusalem artichoke, the cabbage, the parsnip, the carrot, the pea, the tomato, the bean, the pumpkin, and the chili pepper. She draws from the disciplines of history, archaeology, language, and literature to tell the story of these dietary staples. Recipes are sprinkled throughout the book, although not for every vegetable.

There are no photographs in the book, and I wished there had been a few to illustrate the rarer varieties discussed. I had to Google cardoons since I had never heard of them. (Neither has my spellchecker!) The chapters originated as lectures, and I wondered if the lectures had accompanying images that aren’t included in the book. The lectures/essays have been translated from the French, and some of the passages dealing with language (either the etymology of the vegetable name or idioms and figures of speech) don’t translate well into English.

3.5 stars

I Shot the Sheriff #14: Land of Wolves by Craig Johnson

Sheriff Walt Longmire is back in his home territory of Absaroka County after his Mexican adventures. He is not his usual self, as his mind and body are still healing from the injuries he sustained in Mexico. One thing that hasn’t changed is his stubborn drive to push his body past its limits despite the pleas of friends, family, coworkers, and even the odd stranger, to follow medical advice. The apparent suicide of a shepherd on a remote Basque ranch soon has Walt suspecting murder. He knows too much about the Basque family to stay on the sidelines and let his deputies handle the investigation. And what is the significance of the lone wolf that Walt keeps seeing?

This series entry checks off a lot of the usual boxes, with Walt battling the elements, snow, and awkwardness between Walt and his daughter. You’d think Cady would be more understanding of Walt’s taciturn personality after he almost single-handedly rescued her from a Mexican drug lord. Series fans will enjoy spending time with Walt and his supporting cast, but the plot doesn’t offer enough to make this one stand out from the pack.

This review is based on an electronic advance reading copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley.

3.5 stars

Carefree Highway #8: Elizabeth Gaskell Illuminated by The Message compiled by Patricia A. Lynch

This devotional book pairs short excerpts from Elizabeth Gaskell’s novels with Bible passages from The Message. It’s a rather bleak collection. The Gaskell selections center on hardship, suffering, and death, with little variety in theme. Readers suffering from depression or grief might find more to appreciate in this collection than I did, since the scripture passages could provide comfort. The collection may appeal to Catholic readers more than Protestant readers since some of the scripture selections are taken from the Apocrypha. I had no idea that the evangelical Eugene Peterson prepared a Catholic version of The Message.

2.5 stars

Paperback Writer #10: Jane Austen: A Life by Claire Tomalin

Early 19th century author Jane Austen might be as surprised as anyone to find that she has become one of the most beloved authors in the 21st century. This biography is everything a biography should be and everything a Janeite could wish for. Many of Jane Austen’s letters were destroyed by her sister Cassandra after Jane’s death, and this has frustrated Austen scholars for decades. Tomalin makes up for this gap in the record by mining the letters and papers of Austen’s extended family, friends, and neighbors. The well-selected illustrations, the map of Jane Austen’s Hampshire, her family tree, end notes, and bibliography make it useful for students and scholars. General readers will appreciate Tomalin’s engaging and highly readable prose.

4.5 stars

September Recap

Born in the USA - American Authors Challenge (75 Book group)

Penny Lane - British Isles Challenge (75 Book group)

Never Been to Spain - International authors/books set outside the US & UK
Pieces of Happiness by Anne Ostby (2.5)
The Hidden Child by Camilla Lackberg (4)

I Shot the Sheriff - Crime & mystery
Break In by Dick Francis (4.5)
Land of Wolves by Craig Johnson (3.5)

I'm My Own Grandpa - Family history/Genealogy

Paperback Writer - Reading projects
Jane Austen: A Life by Claire Tomalin (4.5)

Tell It Like It Is – Nonfiction
Vegetables: A Biography by Evelyne Bloch-Dano (3.5)

I Write the Songs – Poetry

Listen to What the Man Said – Audiobooks
A Useful Woman by Darcie Wilde (3.5)
Untimely Death by Elizabeth J. Duncan (3.5)

Carefree Highway - Whatever I feel like reading
Elizabeth Gaskell Illuminated by The Message compiled by Patricia A. Lynch (2.5)

Books owned – 2
Ebooks owned - 1
Ebooks borrowed – 3
E-audiobooks borrowed – 3
ARCs - 1

Best of the month: Jane Austen: A Life by Claire Tomalin
Worst of the month: Pieces of Happiness by Anne Ostby

Tell It Like It Is #9: The Book of Kells by Ben Mackworth-Praed

The Book of Kells is an early medieval illuminated manuscript that takes its name from the Abbey of Kells in Ireland. Trinity College Dublin is its present home. This small book includes a brief introduction followed by 24 plates with descriptive commentary on facing pages. Readers with less than perfect vision may have difficulty making out the details in the color plates without a magnifying glass. This book makes a nice souvenir, but academic readers will find it lacking.

3.5 stars

Listen to What the Man Said #13: Uniform Justice by Donna Leon

Venice’s Commissario Brunetti and his team are called to the scene of an apparent suicide at a military academy. Brunetti has enough doubts about the death that he is able to maneuver his boss, Vice-Questore Patta, into making sure that all the i’s are dotted and t’s crossed. It seems the young man’s father had been a rare honest politician who had made many enemies with an investigative report. Might his son have been killed to punish the father?

This book is one of my least favorite in the series thus far. There was little in this book to relieve the bleakness of a family’s grief over the death of a son and Brunetti’s quixotic effort to bring a murderer to justice. The return of the familiar voice of David Colacci was the only bright spot in my listening experience.

3 stars

Silesian Station #15: Silesian Station by David Downing

As the second book in the John Russell series opens, journalist Russell and his son, Paul, are returning from a trip to the United States to visit Russell’s parents and Paul’s grandparents. They arrive to a Berlin preparing for war. Everyone expects the Germans to declare war against Poland any day now. The only question is whether Britain and France will honor their defense pact with Poland, and which side the Russians will take. Russell’s circumstances are still precarious. He has exchanged his British passport for an American one, which will allow him to remain in Germany near his son and his actress girlfriend should Britain go to war with Germany. However, the new passport came with a price. The Americans expect him to act as a spy for them. The Germans held his girlfriend hostage until he agreed to spy on the Soviets for them, and the Soviets expect him to spy on the Germans for them in exchange for something that happened in the first book in the series. Meanwhile, Russell’s former brother-in-law, Thomas, enlists his assistance in finding a missing Jewish girl. The girl’s uncle, one of Thomas’s employees, arranged a job for his niece but died before she arrived in Berlin and then seemingly disappeared into thin air.

Downing proves adept at juggling multiple plot threads and stringing readers along with just enough danger and suspense to keep them turning pages. Russell and the well-developed cast of supporting characters are all realistically portrayed as decent people who hope that they’ll have the courage to do the right thing at a moment of decision.

4 stars

>84 cbl_tn: I'm another fan of Dick Francis and this was one of my favourites. Maybe time for a re-read.

>88 cbl_tn: This one goes on the wishlist right away! I was so disappointed in the biography by Carol Shields.

Glad I found you again, it appears I lost you for a while.

>92 cbl_tn: That's a series I should get back to sometime soon having really enjoyed the first book. It's good to see you think the 2nd holds up well.

>93 VivienneR: Hi Vivienne! I'm glad you found me! Julia (rosalita) has been hosting a group read of 6 Dick Francis novels this year in the 75 book group and I'm glad I joined in. I've never read Francis before, and I've found a new author to love! I really liked the first one we read, too - Nerve.

I liked the Shields bio of Jane Austen, but this one is definitely better. It's been a while since I read the Shields book, but I believe it focused more on Austen as a writer.

>94 AHS-Wolfy: Hi Wolfy! I may be going to Berlin in the not-too-distant future so I thought I'd get back to the series. If the rest of the books are as well-written the first two, I can see myself reading the four remaining books soonish.

I Shot the Sheriff #16: Through the Wall by Patricia Wentworth

Twenty-something Marian Brand is as surprised as anyone when she learns that she has inherited a house by the sea from an estranged uncle. The house is occupied by other relatives who had been passed over by the uncle. Rather than turn them out of their home, Marian returns it to its original semi-detached state. The current residents will live in one side, and Marian and her sister and brother-in-law will live in the other. No sooner has Marian moved in than someone from the other side is murdered. But who was the intended victim? The deceased, or Marian? It’s a good thing that Miss Silver is staying with relatives in the village. It will take her ingenuity to get to the bottom of things before the murderer strikes again.

This classic mystery has elements of both a country house mystery and a locked room mystery. The locked doors between the two sides of the house seem to limit the murder suspects to those on one side of the house. I was disappointed that readers know exactly how and when the door between the houses was unlocked. This seems to miss the point of a locked room plot.

3.5 stars

I Write the Songs #4: Holy Sonnets by John Donne

I first read Donne’s poetry in high school English and he instantly became one of my favorite poets. His Holy Sonnets include two of his most famous poems, Death, Be Not Proud and At the Round Earth’s Imagined Corners. These sonnets speak of sin, atonement, death, and immortality. Donne’s poetry is easy to understand for readers with even a little theological knowledge, yet their depth gives scholars plenty to ponder.

4 stars

I Shot the Sheriff #17: The Fever Cabinet by Frankie Bow

New mother Molly Barda Gonsalves is now a department chair. She’s not finding it easy to fulfill her dean’s request to help the department’s newest hire settle in. Molly finds British expat Fiona Spencer prickly and difficult to talk to. Molly begins to understand Fiona better as she learns more about her personal life. Fiona’s husband, Emmett, is the headmaster of an exclusive private school. Landing a faculty position at Mahina State University allowed Fiona to join her husband in Hawaii, but it isn’t the paradise Fiona had hoped for. When Emmett Spencer’s body is discovered, Fiona is at the top of the suspect list. Molly is determined to clear her colleague of murder since, if the department loses her, she’s sure they won’t be allowed to hire a full-time replacement. But what if Fiona is guilty?

I enjoy the Professor Molly mysteries for the setting more than for the mysteries. The academic politics and its attendant humor ring true, and the setting in a non-touristy part of Hawaii appeals to the armchair traveler in me.

This review is based on a complimentary electronic copy provided by the publisher through LibraryThing’s Early Reviewers program.

3.5 stars

Carefree Highway #9: The Dog Who Lost His Bark by Eion Colfer; illustrated by P. J. Lynch

A young puppy hopes for the good life his mother has told him of, but finds only bad instead. A young boy who misses his father finds a soulmate in the sad puppy at a local shelter. The puppy’s spirit has been broken, and he has lost his bark. Can Patrick help him find it? And can the puppy return the favor when Patrick is in need of a friend?

It was hard for me to start reading this book because of the puppy’s harsh environment at the beginning. I finally stuck with it and was rewarded with a bittersweet story of the bond between a boy and his dog. This story may resonate with children going through a divorce or parental separation. It will also appeal to budding musicians since music is a secondary theme in the story.

This review is based on an advance reading copy provided by the publisher through LibraryThing’s Early Reviewers program.

3.5 stars

Adrian went trick or treating in my neighborhood this evening. One of the neighbors took this photo of us. I think he has enough treats now to last until Christmas!

Adrian's vet was giving away promotional pens today. I think they're really cool!

>100 cbl_tn: Awwww, love the costume!

>102 rabbitprincess: Thanks, RP! We had fun visiting a few of his special friends in the neighborhood.

>100 cbl_tn: - Love that picture! What a cute costume!

>104 lkernagh: I didn't realize Adrian's collar was twisted when my neighbor took the picture. He's supposed to be a pilgrim, and I'm the turkey! ;-)