Connie ROOTS again in 2020; part 1

Hello ROOTers

I'm so happy to be back for another year of ROOTs reading

I'm known to most of you, but here is a small introduction.
I'm Connie (67) and I live in the Netherlands (which might explain my English being a bit off sometimes). I recently retired from my job and now I have time to read a lot.

I've been reading ROOTs when they were called BOMBs in 2012 so this is my ninth year. And I'm loving to be among all the people I got to know here.

Since I can't rehome books (I just can't part with them) they just move to another room in the house. My favorite genres are Fantasy and Thrillers, but I like novels too. Especially in summer when it's warm and sultry.

I'm married to Peet (69) and we have one son Jeroen (36) and one daughter Eveline (33)
Jeroen lives with his girlfriend Rianne (32) near by and they have a daughter Lonne (1,5 year old)
Eveline lives with her boyfriend Cyrille (37) in another town, Maastricht, half an hour from us by car.
They have a little girl, Fiene (3,5 years old) and a newborn baby-girl named Marie (4,5 months old).

Fiene



Lonne



Marie

This is where I will keep a list of the ROOTs I read in 2020.
My rules are simple: A book counts as a ROOT when it has been on my shelves for more than 6 months.

My To-read list is now (2020/01/01) 441 books long.




01. De wereld vergaat niet - Kate Atkinson - book -
02. Het spel van de engel - Carlos Ruiz Zafón - book -
03. Vlucht uit New York - Guillaume Musso - book -
04. De gevangene van de hemel - Carlos Ruiz Zafón - book -
05. Het labyrint der geesten - Carlos Ruiz Zafón - book -
06. Wit - Ted Dekker - book -
07. De Steen des Afscheids - Tad Williams - book -
08. De belegering - Tad Williams - book -
09. De eeuwige tijd - Deborah Harkness - book -
10. Matched - Ally Condie - book -
11. Jongen verslindt heelal - Trent Dalton - book -
12. Gebroken - B.A. Paris - book -
13. Koud bloed - Robert Bryndza - book -
14. Gevangen - Kelley Armstrong - book -
15. De Darkest Powers trilogie - Kelley Armstrong - book -
16. Het eerste boek - Harman Nielsen - book -
17. Vergeet haar niet - Nora Roberts - book -
18. De snijkamer - Jilliane Hoffman - book -
19. Drakenmeester - Margaret Weis - book -
20. Staartjagers zang - Tad Willams - book -
21. Schadevolle jaren - Richard Russo - book -

This is where I will keep track of all books read in 2020: ROOTs, new and shiny treebooks, ebooks.

This first post is for January, February and March.




001. De wereld vergaat niet - Kate Atkinson - book - ROOT # 01 -
002. Het spel van de engel - Carlos Ruiz Zafón - book - ROOT # 02 - BFB # 1 - FF-challenge # 1 -
003. Vlucht uit New York - Guillaume Musso - book - ROOT # 03 -
004. De gevangene van de hemel - Carlos Ruiz Zafón - book - ROOT # 04 - FF-challenge # 2 -
005. Het labyrint der geesten - Carlos Ruiz Zafón - book - ROOT # 05 - BFB # 2 -
006. Wit - Ted Dekker - book - ROOT # 6 - FF-challenge # 3 -
007. Een onmogelijke keuze - Clare Mackintosh - ebook - FF-challenge # 4 -
008. De Steen des Afscheids - Tad Williams - book - ROOT # 7 - BFB # 3 - FF-Challenge # 5 -
009. De zevenvoudige dood van Evelyn Hardcastle - Stuart Turton - book - FF-Challenge # 6 -
010. Het meisje met alle gaven - M.R. Carey - ebook -
011. De belegering - Tad Williams - book - ROOT # 8 - BFB # 4 - FF-Challenge # 7 -
012. Zon - Lucinda Riley - book - BFB # 5 - FF-Challenge # 8 -
013. De eeuwige tijd - Deborah Harkness - book - ROOT # 9 -
014. Matched - Ally Condie - book - ROOT # 10 - FF-Challenge # 9 -
015. Crossed - Ally Condie - ebook -
016. Reached - Ally Condie - ebook -
017. Jongen verslindt heelal - Trent Dalton - book - ROOT # 11 -
018. Gebroken - B.A. Paris - book - ROOT # 12 - FF-challenge # 10 -
019. Koud bloed - Robert Bryndza - book - ROOT # 13 -
020. Wild - Harlan Coben - book - FF-challenge # 11 -
021. Gevangen - Kelley Armstrong - book - ROOT/LOT # 14 - FF-challenge # 12 -

This is where I will keep track of all books read in 2020: ROOTs, new and shiny treebooks, ebooks.

This post is for April, May and June.




022. De Darkest Powers trilogie - Kelley Armstrong - book - ROOT/LOT # 15 - BFB # 6 - FF-challenge # 13 -
023. Het eerste boek - Harman Nielsen - book - ROOT/LOT # 16 - FF-challenge # 14 -
024. Vergeet haar niet - Nora Roberts - book - ROOT/LOT # 17 - FF-challenge # 15 -
025. De snijkamer - Jilliane Hoffman - book - ROOT/LOT # 18 -
026. De dood van Harriet Monckton - Elizabeth Haynes - book - BFB # 7 -
027. Het stenen matras - Margaret Atwood - book -
028. Drakenmeester - Margaret Weis - book - ROOT/LOT # 19 - FF-Challenge # 16 -
029. Stille schreeuw - Angela Marsons - book -
030. Staartjagers zang - Tad Williams - book - ROOT/LOT # 20 - FF-Challenge # 17 -
031. The Boy on the Bridge - M.R. Carey - ebook -
032. De oude magie - Mariëtte Aerts - ebook -
033. Schadevolle jaren - Richard Russo - book - ROOT/LOT # 21 - FF-challenge # 18 - BFB # 8 -

This is where I will keep track of all books read in 2020: ROOTs, new and shiny treebooks, ebooks.

This post is for July, August and September.

This is where I will keep track of all books read in 2020: ROOTs, new and shiny treebooks, ebooks.

This post is for October, November and December.

This is where I will keep track of Chunksters, books with more than 500 pages




01. Het spel van de engel by Carlos Ruiz Zafón, 552 pages
02. Het labyrint der geesten by Carlos Ruiz Zafón, 845 pages
03. De Steen des Afscheids by Tad Williams, 679 pages (without the Appendix)
04. De groene Engeltoren, de belegering - Tad Williams, 672 pages (without Appendix)
05. Zon - Lucinda Riley - 728 pages
06. De Darkest Powers trilogie - Kelley Armstrong - 952 pages
07. De dood van Harriet Monckton - Elizabeth Haynes - 505 pages
08. Schadevolle jaren - Richard Russo - 563 pages

This is where I will keep track of all my bought books in 2020 (excluding ebooks)




January

No books bought

February

01. De zevenvoudige dood van Evelyn Hardcastle - Stuart Turton
02. Boven water - Margaret Atwood
03. Koning van Katoren - Jan Terlouw
04. Zon - Lucinda Riley

March

05. De dood van Harriet Monckton - Elizabeth Haynes
06. Stille Schreeuw - Angela Marsons
07. Drie uur - Rosamund Lupton

April

08. Het stenen matras - Margaret Atwood
09. In hechtenis - Nicci French

Boekenweekgeschenk Leon & Juliette by Annejet van der Zijl
Verjaardagscadeau van Peet Wild by Harlan Coben en Als laatste het hart by Margaret Atwood

Cursive is read

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And for Book Bullets that hit me here.




01. De zevenvoudige dood van Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton - BB by Karenmarie
02. The ten thousand doors of January by Alix E. Harrow - BB by This-n-That
03. Starworld by Audrey Coulthurst - BB by Curioussquared

Cursive is on the shelves

Welcome to all visitors!

Happy ROOTing, Connie. I love the photos of your grandchildren. So beautiful.

Happy ROOTing. Such cuties.

Your grandchildren just keep getting cuter and cuter the older they get!

Happy ROOTing, Connie!

Welcome back for another year. It must be difficult finding time to read with such wonderful grandchildren!

Welcome back! I love all of the photos! I agree with Jackie, the kids just keep getting cuter!

Love the pictures of the girls, Connie!

I think I won't be finishing any other books today so here are the stats for 2019

Total books/ebooks read: 110
Tree Books: 93
Ebooks: 17
Roots: 51/36
Books read for FF-challenges: 33
Bought or gifts: 57

TBR-list 2019-01-01 = 474
TBR-list 2020-01-01 = 447

TBR down by 27 books.

Hi Connie, love your stats!It's nice to know that I'm not the only one who seems to "not make a dent in the TBR pile" lol.
Best of luck for 2020.
Love the photos.
Happy reading!

Here's to a great reading year in 2020! And your grandchildren are adorable :)

Happy ROOTing! Your grandchildren are darling!

Have a Happy New Year, Connie!

Thanks, Jennifer!

Woo hoo, your TBR went down by 27! That's amazing! :D

Thanks, Jennifer. I was amazed by it too.

Wishing you a happy year of ROOTing in 2020! :)

>26 This-n-That: Thank you, TnT. Always nice to start the new day with such a lovely image.

>25 Ameise1: Thanks, Barbara!

On Reading!!

ROOT # 1 Bought 2019-04-03

Taken with me from 2019 De wereld vergaat niet by Kate Atkinson. Short stories by one of my favorite writers.
This is the translation of Not the End of the World, 269 pages, only 66 pages to go.



The blurb:

What is the real world? Does it exist, or is it merely a means of keeping another reality at bay? Not the End of the Worldis Kate Atkinson's first collection of short stories. Playful and profound, they explore the world we think we know whilst offering a vision of another world which lurks just beneath the surface of our consciousness, a world where the myths we have banished from our lives are startlingly present and where imagination has the power to transform reality. From Charlene and Trudi, obsessively making lists while bombs explode softly in the streets outside, to gormless Eddie, maniacal cataloguer of fish, and Meredith Zane who may just have discovered the secret to eternal life, each of these stories shows that when the worlds of material existence and imagination collide, anything is possible.

Congrats on your first ROOT.

You're straight out of the blocks! Well done on getting your first ROOT under your belt! Happy new year.

>29 Ameise1:, >30 Jackie_K: I just finished this book. I had a few more pages to go.

De wereld vergaat niet by Kate Atkinson,

My review:

I am never that fond of the story bundles but this is definitely an exception to that rule. All stories are connected in small beautifully detailed ways. Some characters play the lead role in one story and are only mentioned in the other story. The first story and the last story are clearly the cornerstones of the entire book. Very well done as can be expected from Kate Atkinson.

No finding a new book to read.

And I found 2 ROOTS and started in both.

ROOT # 2, BFB # 1 bought 2010-11-21



Het spel van de engel by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
Original Spanish: This is the translation of El Juego del Ángel or The Angel's Game, 552 pages

The Blurb:

In an abandoned mansion at the heart of Barcelona, a young man, David Martin, makes his living by writing sensationalist novels under a pseudonym. The survivor of a troubled childhood, he has taken refuge in the world of books and spends his nights spinning baroque tales about the city's underworld. But perhaps his dark imaginings are not as strange as they seem, for in a locked room deep within the house lie photographs and letters hinting at the mysterious death of the previous owner. Like a slow poison, the history of the place seeps into his bones as he struggles with an impossible love. Close to despair, David receives a letter from a reclusive French editor, Andreas Corelli, who makes him the offer of a lifetime. He is to write a book unlike anything that has ever existed -- a book with the power to change hearts and minds. In return, he will receive a fortune, and perhaps more. But as David begins the work, he realizes that there is a connection between his haunting book and the shadows that surround his home.

ROOT # 3 bought 2017-07-08



Vlucht uit New York by Guillaume Musso
Original French: This is the translation of Sept ans après or Seven Years After, 278 pages

The Blurb:

When Nikki's fifteen-year-old son Jeremy has disappeared, she contacts her ex-husband Sebastian, who has shown little interest in his son since the divorce seven years ago and has taken care of their twin daughter Camille. Looking for clues, they find a kilo of cocaine and an address of a poker club in Jeremy's room. And then Nikki also receives a video showing how Jeremy is abducted in a Paris metro.

Nikki and Sebastian are rushing from New York to Paris to look for their son. But when they arrive there nothing is what it appears to be...

Happy new year, Connie, and happy ROOTing in 2020
- you're off to a flying start!

Love the pictures of your grandchildren - very sweet!

Hi Connie! So glad to be with you on your 2020 ROOTs journey.

Happy New Year and happy ROOTing!

Faces to names! Sometimes it's nice to know a face.

So here I am.



left to right: sister Hetty, Me, brother Martin, sister Ineke

Hihi and happy reading! Your grands are all so very gorgeous and full of life. Your night out pic is lovely as well. Hope you enjoyed yourselves!

I gave myself a conservative goal because blasting through it felt so good last year. hee hee!

Happy ROOTing in 2020, Connie!

Love all the pictures of grandchildren and siblings :-)

>35 connie53: Lovely photo, thanks for sharing it.

> 32 I like both authors. Enjoy the reading.

Happy New Year, Connie

Thanks, Robert.

Happy 2020 reading, Connie! Beautiful new pics of your grandchildren! - and love you with your siblings

Happy New Year, Connie! Two ROOTs read already, congrats. Enjoy your time with the girls, they are lovely!

Happy New Year Connie! Look at those cutie pie babies!

>42 MissWatson: Only one finished and 2 on the go, Birgit.

>43 Miss_Moneypenny: Thanks, Caity. They are adorable.

Happy new year, Connie! Looking forward to seeing what you read this year.

I finished my second ROOT for this year

Het spel van de engel by Carlos Ruiz Zafón -

My (very small) review

Beautifully written, sometimes with a touch of humor, but a very complicated story. It is set in Barcelona at the start of the 20th century. Occasionally I would have liked it go a bit faster. That did happen eventually, but only in the last 150 pages. I got a bit of a 'Faust and the devil' story idea. I don't want to tell much more about it because I don't want to spoiler.

I finished my third ROOT for the year

Vlucht uit New York by Guillaume Musso -

My very small review

Nice reading thriller. Sebastian and Nikki have been divorced for some time and each raise one of their children (twins). Then the son Jeremy disappears and the parents have to work together to find their missing child again. Story with a twist.

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ROOT # 4 bought 2012-09-17

Just started in De gevangene van de hemel by Carlos Ruiz Zafón



The blurb;

Barcelona, 1957. It is Christmas, and Daniel Sempere and his wife, Bea, have much to celebrate. They have a beautiful new baby son named Julian, and their close friend Fermin Romero de Torres is about to be wed. But their joy is eclipsed when a mysterious stranger visits the Sempere bookshop and threatens to divulge a terrible secret that has been buried for two decades in the city's dark past. His appearance plunges Fermin and Daniel into a dangerous adventure that will take them back to the 1940's and the early days of Franco's dictatorship. The terrifying events of that time launch them on a search for the truth that will put into peril everything they love and ultimately transform their lives.

Hi Connie! Congrats on 3 ROOTs already.

>35 connie53: What a lovely picture! Nice to see you and your siblings.

>48 karenmarie: Thank you, Karen.

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Yesterday I started reading an ebook For the challenge of my RL bookclub.



Een onmogelijke keuze by Clare Mackintosh

The blurb

Max and Pip are best friends, lovers, soul mates. They are unshakable, the strongest couple you know. But then their only son, Dylan, gets sick and they are faced with making a decision—that no parent should ever have to make—based on recommendations from the doctors that care for their son. For the first time in their relationship, they are not in agreement and each wants a different future for their son. Max doesn’t want to give up on Dylan, he wants to seek alternative treatments to prolong Dylan's life, whereas Pip doesn't want to give up on Dylan, but she doesn't want him to be in pain for the rest of his days.

What if they could have both?

I finished De gevangene van de hemel by Carlos Ruiz Zafón,

My review;

Well written third part in which we go back to part 1 and to Daniel and Fermin. Things are clarified and connected. And of course it is beautifully written. With a nice clifhanger for part 4.

Started in the last part of the series

ROOT # 5, BFB # 2 Bought 2017-12-26

Het Labyrint der geesten by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
Original Spanish. This is the translation of El Labertino de los Espíritus. English: The Labyrinth of the Spirits, 845 pages.



The Blurb

In spoiler font because this is the final book and I don't want to spoil anything to those who still have to start in book 1.

As a child, Daniel Sempere discovered among the passageways of the Cemetery of Forgotten Books an extraordinary novel that would change the course of his life. Now a young man in the Barcelona of the late 1950s, Daniel runs the Sempere & Sons bookshop and enjoys a seemingly fulfilling life with his loving wife and son. Yet the mystery surrounding the death of his mother continues to plague his soul despite the moving efforts of his wife Bea and his faithful friend Fermin to save him. Just when Daniel believes he is close to solving this enigma, a conspiracy more sinister than he could have imagined spreads its tentacles from the hellish regime. That is when Alicia Gris appears, a soul born out of the nightmare of the war. She is the one who will lead Daniel to the edge of the abyss and reveal the secret history of his family, although at a terrifying price.,

I love Ruiz Zafon's books.

Wishing you a lovely Sunday, Connie.

Hi Connie!

I hope you're doing well.

>51 connie53: I have the first two on my shelves and may read The Shadow of the Wind as part of the ROOT's challenge for my fiction read from books added in 2016.

Shadow of the Wind was one of my favourite books but the sequel failed to live up to the first. One day I may reread them in one run to see if they connect better. I listened to Carlos Ruiz Zafon speak some years ago and he was very disappointing. He had quite a big ego and was very boring. The first time I have experienced this with an author.

>53 karenmarie: Schaduw van de wind is also one of my favourite books too, Karen

>54 HelenBaker: Hi Helen, I've read part 2 and 3 and are currently reading part 4 and think they all connect. In part 4 everything comes together. So even part 2 is important.

>51 connie53:, Past the halfway point in this book. It's beautifully written, but the long sentences make it not easy to read faster.

And finished! Het labyrint der geesten by Carlos Ruiz Zafón

My review

Last part of the series. This book is again so beautifully written, but sometimes a bit complicated by the long sentences. You have to reread them a few times to understand them. All storylines come together here and are neatly knotted. Although I could have missed the last chapter, it was also nice to know what happens to the main characters after the story. I will not tell much about the book itself. I do not want to reveal anything, but rather make sure that people still think that they should also read this last part.

And starting another ROOT

ROOT # 6 bought 2009-12-06



The Blurb

Time Is Running Out In Two Realities. In one world, a lethal virus threatens to destroy all life as scientists and governments scramble to find an antidote. In the other, a forbidden love could forever destroy the ragtag resistance known as The Circle. Thomas can bridge both worlds, but he is quickly realizing that he may not be able to save either. In this mind-bending adventure, Thomas must find a way to rewrite history as he navigates a whirlwind of emotions and events surrounding a pending apocalypse. The fate of two worlds comes down to one man's choice--and it is a most unlikely choice indeed. Life. Death. Love. Nothing is as it seems. Yet all will forever be transformed by the decisions of one man in the final hours of the Great Pursuit.

I didn't care for the Zafon -- my local book group choice. I wanted to like it, but I couldn't stay "in" the story.

Don't you love Kate Atkinson?!

>59 sibylline: Yes, I love her books!

Found one of my BB's The the Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow BB by This-n-That

And an other one too, thanks to my brother. Starworld by Audrey Coulthurst and Paula Garner BB by Curioussquared

>62 connie53: enjoy! :)

Started ROOT # 7, BFB # 3

De steen des Afscheids by Tad Williams.
This is the translation of The Stone of Farewell, 679 pages (without the appendixes)
Reading the paper version with a very small font so I also read the ebook alongside for when my eyes get weary.



The blurb Bought before 2009

As the very land is blighted by the power of Ineluki's wrath, the tattered remnants of a once-proud human army flee in search of a last sanctuary and rallying point —THE Stone of Farewell, a place shrouded in mystery and ancient sorrow. And the widely scattered surviving members of the League of the Scroll desperately struggle to fulfill missions which will take them from the fallen citadels of humans to the hidden mountain caves of the Qanuc...across storm-tormented waters to discover the truth behind an almost-forgotten legend...through a forest alive with dangers no human could hope to brave...to the secret heartland of the Sithi, where the near-immortals must at last decide whether to ally with the race of men in a final war against those of their own blood....

I finished an ebook today, NO Root. But a very good book

Een onmogelijke keuze by Clare Mackintosh -

My Review

What an amazingly impressive book. The writing style is pleasant to read, but the subject is certainly not everyday and very heavy. Clare Mackintosh has undoubtedly written this book with her own experience with the dead of her very young son in her head, whereby she and her husband had to make the same choice as the Max and Pip in this book.
Their nearly 3 year old son Dylan has an inoperable brain tumor. But the case of Max and Pip is different. They do not both opt for the same treatment. Pip wants to stop the medical procedures and let Dylan die without all the treatments and make it as easy as possible for Dylan. Max wants to try a therapy in America in which Dylan may possibly continue to live but where it is impossible to predict what quality of life he still has.
The first part of the book is about the court case and what preceded it.
The second part alternates between Max and Pip and describes what would happen if Max or Pip won the case. That can sometimes be a bit confusing, but once you realize what is happening, this approach is fascinating. I am very impressed.

Started another ebook for those times a tree-book is not very easy to take with me.

Het meisje met alle gaven by M.R. Carey



The Blurb:

Melanie is a very special girl. Dr. Caldwell calls her "our little genius." Every morning, Melanie waits in her cell to be taken to class. When they come for her, Sergeant keeps his gun pointing at her while two of his people strap her into the wheelchair. She thinks they don't like her. She jokes that she won't bite, but they don't laugh. Melanie loves school. She loves learning about spelling and sums and the world outside the classroom and the children's cells. She tells her favorite teacher all the things she'll do when she grows up. Melanie doesn't know why this makes Miss Justineau look sad.

>66 connie53: I read this one last year for my real-life book club. Eager to see your thoughts!

>67 curioussquared: You will find out about my thoughts about the book. I heard it's quit horror-like, so I'm prepared for that. I will let you know.

Hi Connie, looks like you're on target with your ROOTing and still managing to get other reading done. I imagine you as a very fast reader, you get through so many big fat books!

>69 floremolla: I'm a fast reader but since I retired I have lots of time too. And when I get lost in a book I can postpone any other activity. So my house gets a bit neglected sometimes. ;-))

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I finally did it! I bought 2 books yesterday.

Boven water by Margaret Atwood
This is the translation of Surfacing, 239 pages.



The blurb:

A young woman returns to northern Quebec to the remote island of her childhood, with her lover and two friends, to investigate the mysterious disappearance of her father. Flooded with memories, she begins to realise that going home means entering not only another place but another time. As the wild island exerts its elemental hold and she is submerged in the language of the wilderness, she sees that what she is really looking for is her own past.

De zevenvoudige dood van Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton
This is the translation is of The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle BB by Karenmarie, 413 pages



The Blurb

Evelyn Hardcastle will be murdered at 11:00 p.m. There are eight days, and eight witnesses for you to inhabit. We will only let you escape once you tell us the name of the killer. Understood? Then let's begin ... Evelyn Hardcastle will die. Every day until Aiden Bishop can identify her killer and break the cycle. But every time the day begins again, Aiden wakes up in the body of a different guest. And some of his hosts are more helpful than others ... The most inventive debut of the year twists together a mystery of such unexpected creativity it will leave readers guessing until the very last page.

And Finished De steen des afscheids by Tad Williams - ROOT # 7, BFB # 3, 679 pages (without the appendixes)

My Review:

After some initial problems, this book became more and more fascinating. The starting problems were mainly due to the fact that I had a digital version for reading in the train and that sort of things. And that was one with quite a few disturbing errors. After I decided to continue only at home in the paper version, things went a lot better.
I read this book for the ff-challenge 2020 "neglected series" on the ff-leesclub.nl (FF stands for Fantasy Fan). And it was certainly a neglected series because I read the first part in 2012.
It is the story of Simon, the kitchen boy, who has become a hero against will and is now on his way with his traveling companions to the Stone of Farewell. His traveling companions include Prince Joshua and Miriamele. Nice book to read if you like epic fantasy.

And started in De zevenvoudige dood van Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton >70 connie53:

I finished De zevenvoudige dood van Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton -

My review;

This book is so close to a 10 that I am just giving the 10 although I don't do that very often. I enjoyed it so much, but I also read it in some state of confusion. Because just keeping track of all the little clues is quit a job (If you can spot them).
A man wakes up in a forest and has no idea who he is, where he is and what he is doing there. He is also injured. Then he hears a girl scream and he sees her running with someone after her. A shot sounds and the girl disappears from view. The man is paralyzed by fear and then he feels there is someone closing in on him. He drops something into the pocket of his coat and whispers 'East'. When the stranger leaves, the man finds a compass in his pocket and sets off for the east. When he arrives at an abandoned and derelict country house, he knocks on the door and then the story really begins. And that is a wonderful and intricate story. The man, Aiden Bishop appears later, wakes up every day in the body of one of the other guests at the manor. And by making use of the knowledge, the temperament and the intellect of the body he is in, he can ensure he finds pieces of the puzzle that every day that should lead him to the murderer of Evelyn Hardcastle, the daughter of the house. I'm not going to say more about it. Read the book yourself. Keep a booklet for notes handy.

This is one book I want to reread sometimes this summer, just to enjoy it one more time.

>72 connie53: I saw someone reading this on the bus today! :) I borrowed it from the library but didn't have time to read it. May have to buy it secondhand to give it the time it needs.

Started ROOT # 8, BFB # 4



De belegering by Tad Williams
This is the translation of To Green Angel Tower part 3 in Memory, Sorrow and Thorn. in Dutch this is divided into 2 book, this is part 1, 672 pages (without the appendix)

In order for the Storm King to cement his power over Osten Ard, he must find and defeat the rebel forces massing against him. But the rebels, led by the exiled Prince Josua, have rallied at the Stone of Farewell and are ready to fight the Storm King with every power they can muster. The key to their victory lies in finding the third sword of legend, Memory; but the sword has been lost for ages. Lost, that is, until Simon Snowlock realises that he knows exactly where the sword is and how to recover it. The only problem: an undead army, bolstered by powerful magic, lies between him and his destination. It will take every ounce of Simon's courage and intelligence to journey to and then recover the great sword Memory and bring peace to Osten Ard. If Simon's quest is to have any hope, Josua must move against the Storm King himself; a journey that will take him across endless seas, through ancient forests and into the stronghold of the Storm King himself.

Finished Het meisje met alle gaven by M.R. Carey

My review

What a great and original book this is. Some would call it horror, because terrible things are happening, especially to children. But not the things that can happen in real life. What happens to these children is that they get infected with one thing that encourages them to eat the people who are not infected. These are the Hungers, Melanie is such a girl/hungry. But she was caught by the military and put in a kind of school. She thinks so herself, but in reality she is trapped on a base and is being prepared to be sacrificed to scientific research conducted by Caroline Caldwell. Helen Justineau is one of the teachers in the school, but she treats her pupils with kindness and gets a special bond with Melanie, who is extremely clever. Eddie Parks is the soldier who must protect the base with his soldiers, including Kieran Gallagher. Then the base is attacked by a group of occupied people, the junks, who attack all the Hungers they can find. This foursome can barely escape taking Melanie with them. And then follows a journey full of dangers through the England from after the Breakdown.
Despite the horror part of the story, it is also a story of loyalty, love and the feeling that you have to protect each other from the rest of the world.

Now starting in the next installment of this series The Boy on the Bridge by M.R. Carey

IN ENGLISH!!!!!



A kind of blurb

Once upon a time, in a land blighted by terror, there was a very clever boy.
The people thought the boy could save them, so they opened their gates and sent him out into the world.
To where the monsters lived.

Hi Connie!

>72 connie53: I am absolutely thrilled that you loved The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, Connie. Giving someone a BB is a responsibility, and this book was challenging and confusing. Touhstone doesn't seem to be working.

>76 karenmarie: Try the title as "The Seven Deaths ...": The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle. That was its British title; I have no idea where the "half" came from.

ETA I thought it was terrific too.

>76 karenmarie: The touchstone brings me to the Dutch version of the book.

>77 haydninvienna: Thanks, Richard. It worked on my thread in January, so am puzzled that it won't work now. However, I just took out the 1/2 and now it points to the Dutch version, as Connie mentions below. Curious. It was published as The Seven 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle in the US.

>78 connie53: Strange, and I give up. *smile*

>79 karenmarie: Weird. The one I put in #77 worked (and still works) perfectly. Just one of Life's Little Mysteries, I suppose.

>79 karenmarie: There was something with the UK and the US version and a book that had a similar title. I read that somewhere on Goodreads (I think).

>72 connie53: I read the Evelyn Hardcastle book last year, Connie. It was confusing but good.

>77 haydninvienna:, >81 connie53:

Yep. The US title changes because there was another popular book out at the same time called The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. The two titles were too similar so the US edition changes the title.

Bought a new book today. My fourth book for this year so I'm doing real good.

I bought these ones in February

01. Boven water by Margaret Atwood
02. De zevenvoudige dood van Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton
03. Koning van Katoren by Jan Terlouw
04. Zon by Lucinda Riley

Beautiful grandchildren and thank you for your own photo as well. It's nice to have faces with names.

>85 ritacate: Thanks, Ritacate.

Finished De belegering by Tad Williams

My very short review

I finally finished this BFB. It was a slow read but it is quite a good book. A sort of in-between book. Many preparations for the grand finale in the next book. All main characters gradually come together from all corners of the world in which this book takes place.

No ROOT but BFB # 5

Zon by Lucinda Riley, 728 pages



The Blurb

To the outside world, Electra D'Aplièse seems to be the woman with everything: as one of the world's top models, she is beautiful, rich and famous. Yet beneath the veneer, and fuelled by the pressure of the life she leads, Electra's already tenuous control over her state of mind has been rocked by the death of her father, Pa Salt, the elusive billionaire who adopted his six daughters from across the globe. Struggling to cope, she turns to alcohol and drugs to ease the pain, and as those around her fear for her health, Electra receives a letter from a complete stranger who claims to be her grandmother... In 1939, Cecily Huntley-Morgan arrives in Kenya from New York to nurse a broken heart. Staying with her godmother, a member of the infamous Happy Valley set, on the shores of beautiful Lake Naivasha, she meets Bill Forsythe, a notorious bachelor and cattle farmer with close connections to the proud Maasai tribe. When disaster strikes and war is imminent, Cecily decides she has no choice but to accept Bill's proposal. Moving up into the Wanjohi Valley, and with Bill away, Cecily finds herself isolated and alone. Until she discovers a new-born baby abandoned in the woods next to her farmhouse

I'm just catching up on reading your updates, Connie. What a great year of ROOTing for you so far. I've been curious about The 7 ½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle but still on the fence if I want to read it. I'm glad you enjoyed it and also hope you also like The Thousand Doors of January when you get to it. :-)

Hi Connie!

Just a quick hello and hope that you're doing well.

>89 This-n-That: >90 karenmarie: Thanks for the visit, TnT and Karen. We are doing all right here. Spring is slowly showing itself and that is real nice. Because I like reading in the garden. We will get another stormy weekend. So I will be inside and read. We are trying to stay inside as much as we can because of Corona. Only going to the stores for groceries. In this part of the Netherlands we just celebrated Carnaval. Schools are closed till next Monday. Than normal live will begin again.

>91 connie53: I am enjoying the tentative signs of spring too! It's too cold for garden reading yet, but I am undertaking a whole-year writing challenge to do some writing in (and about) the garden, so I go out for about 20 minutes twice a week, and I'm really enjoying that. It's nice to feel the sun rays on my face, even if it's only very weak sun still!

>91 connie53:. >92 Jackie_K:. and here in New Zealand we are experiencing the last of the summer heat wave which has provided drought conditions for much of the North Island. I am looking forward to autumn, my favourite season, bringing cooler nights and some respite from the heat of summer and hopefully rain for the garden. The best part of the day, at present, is sitting on my deck in the cooler evening air with a book and a cup of tea.

>92 Jackie_K: Same here, Jackie. Sometimes when the wind dies down and the sun is shining I just stand in the sun and feel the warmth on my face.

>93 HelenBaker: Hi Helen, I can imagine how nice it must be to sit there in the evening with your book and your tea. Spring and summer are my favorite seasons.

In Phoenix, we're showing definite signs of Spring. Our weather has been 75F one day, then up to 82F the next. Desert flowers are blooming and we have nice breezes. I do think that our city must have been settled in the Spring when our weather is so mild.

>88 connie53: I finished Zon by Lucinda Riley and give this book

My review

The story of the sixth sister, Electra, is, as usual, a search for her origin. Just like her sisters, she has received a letter from Pa with instructions, but she has not done anything with the letter yet. Her life as a supermodel is too busy and hectic and she has little interest in her origins. Moreover, she is addicted to alcohol and drugs. After a very violent trip, she finally decides to go to a rehab clinic and if she can leave the clinic clean, she has to make a few decisions. Then she receives a letter from Stella Jackson, who claims to be her grandmother and she gets interested in the story of her grandmother and mother. That search leads through the stories to Kenya and the Masai.

Now for a new tree-book

ROOT # 9



De Eeuwige tijd by Deborah Harkness

The blurb

From human to vampire ... Marcus Whitmore was made a vampire in the eighteenth century. Over two hundred years later, he finds himself in love with Phoebe Taylor, a human who decides to become a vampire herself. But her transformation will prove as challenging now as it was for Marcus when he first encountered Matthew de Clermont, his sire. While Phoebe is secreted away, Marcus relives his own journey from the battlefields of the American Revolutionary War, through the treachery of the French Revolution to a bloody finale in New Orleans. His belief in liberty, equality and brotherhood challenged at every stage by the patriarchy of the de Clermonts. What will he and Phoebe discover in one another when they are finally reunited at Les Revenants, beneath the watchful gaze of Matthew and his wife, Diana Bishop?

And finished.

My Review

I didn't enjoy this book as much as the other parts in this series. And I heard that this is actually the start of a new trilogy. In this book we learn more about the life of Marcus and his relationship with Phoebe and that is enlightening

It's boekenweek in The Netherlands (The week of books) and I háve to buy some books in that week.
When you buy books for more than € 15.00 you get a Novella for free.

So The gift book was

Leon & Juliette by Annejet van der Zijl



The Blurb

The place was Charleston, the year was 1820. He was a young Dutchman who had fled his impoverished homeland to make a fortune in the New World. She was a black girl in a society where someone like her was worth no more than a inept piece of cattle that could be bought and used at will.

That he bought her was not so strange. Did white men not do that more often with slaves they liked? What happened after that, however, was so outrageous and even illegal in the eyes of the world around them that it endangered everything - even their lives and those of their children. Then they only had one choice ...

Books bought



De Dood van Harriet Monckton by Elizabeth Hayes

The Blurb

On 7th November 1843 Harriet Monckton, 23 years old and a woman of respectable parentage and religious habits, was found murdered behind the chapel she had regularly attended in Bromley, Kent. The community was appalled by her death, apparently as a result of swallowing a fatal dose of prussic acid, and even more so when the autopsy revealed that Harriet was six months pregnant. Drawing on coroner's reports and witness testimonies, the novel unfolds from the viewpoints of each of the main characters, each of whom have a reason to want her dead. Based on a true story that shocked and fascinated the nation.



Stille Schreeuw by Angela Marsons

The Blurb

Even the darkest secrets can't stay buried forever. Five figures gather round a shallow grave. They had all taken turns to dig. An adult-sized hole would have taken longer. An innocent life had been taken but the pact had been made. Their secrets would be buried, bound in blood. Years later, a headmistress is found brutally strangled, the first in a spate of gruesome murders which shock the Black Country. But when human remains are discovered at a former children's home, disturbing secrets are also unearthed. D.I. Kim Stone fast realises she's on the hunt for a twisted individual whose killing spree spans decades. As the body count rises, Kim needs to stop the murderer before they strike again. But to catch the killer, can Kim confront the demons of her own past before it's too late?

Now reading ROOT # 10



Matched by Ally Condie

The blurb

In the society, officials decide who you love, where you work and when you die. Cassia has always trusted their choices. It's hardly any price to pay for a long life, the perfect job, the ideal mate. So when her best friend appears on the Matching screen Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is the one, until she sees another face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black. Now Cassia is faced with impossible choices, between the only life she's known and a path no one else has ever dared follow, between perfection and passion.

And I finished this book this afternoon and give it

Matched by Ally Condie

My review:

Against all expectations, I think this was a good book. I really liked the writing and it was a very intriguing story, and now I want to know how it ends. So I have to read part 2 and 3 too.
Cassia lives in the Union, with her father, mother and brother Bram. Everything is arranged by the union. The food is personalized and delivered at home in bite-sized meals. And the year after you turn seventeen, you will be matched to the boy who suits you best and you will later form a family with him. Everything is organized. But when Cassia sees her match, it turns out to be her friend Xander. When she checks the data at home again on a USB stick, she sees another boy, Ky, who could also be a match to her. And contrary to normal, she knows both boys. That is the beginning of the story. Occasionally astonishing, but very interesting

And another book bought



Drie uur by Rosamund Lupton

The Blurb

In rural Somerset in the middle of a blizzard, the unthinkable happens: a school is under siege. Children and teachers barricade themselves into classrooms, the library, the theatre. The headmaster lies wounded in the library, unable to help his trapped students and staff. Outside, a police psychiatrist must identify the gunmen, while parents gather desperate for news. In three intense hours, all must find the courage to stand up to evil and save the people they love.

>100 connie53: I read Matched years ago, but I never got any further in the series, so I'll be interested in hearing your thoughts if you do read them all :). The Lupton book sounds good, too!

>101 readingtangent: I finished part 2 this afternoon.



My review

Ky and Cassia play the main roles in this second part. To get to the Uprising, they have to cross the Relief, which is a dangerous undertaking. Good middle part on the way to the end of the story.

And to finish the series I continued in part 3

Reached by Ally Condie



The blurb


After leaving the Society and desperately searching for each other - and the Rising - Cassia and Ky have found what they were looking for, but at the cost of losing each other yet again. But nothing is as predicted, and all too soon the veil lifts and things shift once again . . .

Reached by Ally Condie is finished and the book gets

My Review;

Although this book is a bit untidily written, I still liked to read it. We follow Ky, Cassia and Xander through all the developments that the Plague entails.

Because of Corona we stay indoors and everything we planned is cancelled. No visits from the kids or babysitting. So I have lots of free time for reading. I will concentrate on my tree-books.
And continue reading Jongen verslindt heelal by Trent Dalton. ROOT # 11
This is the translation of Boy swallows universe, 494 pages



The blurb

Eli Bell's life is complicated. His father is lost, his mother is in jail, and his stepdad is a heroin dealer. The most steadfast adult in Eli's life is Slim--a notorious felon and national record-holder for successful prison escapes--who watches over Eli and August, his silent genius of an older brother. Exiled far from the rest of the world in Darra, a seedy suburb populated by Polish and Vietnamese refugees, this twelve-year-old boy with an old soul and an adult mind is just trying to follow his heart, learn what it takes to be a good man, and train for a glamorous career in journalism. Life, however, insists on throwing obstacles in Eli's path--most notably Tytus Broz, Brisbane's legendary drug dealer. But the real trouble lies ahead. Eli is about to fall in love, face off against truly bad guys, and fight to save his mother from a certain doom--all before starting high school. A story of brotherhood, true love, family, and the most unlikely of friendships.

Hi Connie! I've noticed over the last few days that the Netherlands are barely mentioned in the current crisis, I hope you are doing fine!

We are doing fine. Not as a country, but as in Peet and me. The government decided that all schools are closed, from daycare to universities. You can't visit people in hospitals. Only the jobs that are vital to health care, distribution of goods and police and firemen can go out to work. So we all stay at home. We can go out for a walk or sit in the garden. So lots of people are gardening or doing things at home. Like wallpapering and painting window frames. No babysitting for me in the next few weeks. We are not in total lock-down, but that might change soon. How are you doing?

Your government is a lot stricter than ours, Connie. There are a lot of things closed like schools, universities, libraries and public buildings but restaurants are open at half capacity and some stores are still open while others are closed.

All restaurants and cafés are closed too. As are coffee-shops and other places were people can eat and drink. Theaters and movie theaters too.

That must be really hard for you to not see the grandchildren (hard for them too). Here our schools are closing after end of school tomorrow, so from next week I will be homeschooling. I've had to give up one of my jobs, and my research job has been put on hold so instead I am working on the ward for those two half days a week (to increase capacity in case the more experienced ward nurses are needed elsewhere). It's all so weird. I'm not sure how much time I will have for reading as it will be mainly me responsible for entertaining and educating. We'll see how that goes (I'll probably need the escape into books more than ever!). I'm glad to hear you and Peet are doing OK though - stay safe!

They are probably closing our beaches today. We have a ton of spring breakers, mostly college and high school kids who aren't following social distancing so I think our county will close it's beaches. Counties on either side have already done so, hoping to drive those kids home.

The state has closed bars and nightclubs. Restaurants are still open but told to only allow half the max capacity in at one time, and to set tables 6 feet apart.

Schools, universities, libraries and public buildings closed. Theaters and movie theaters I'm not sure about.

Thanks for sharing, Jackie and Jean. I find it very strange that measurements are so different in countries, let alone in counties, Jean. And yes I miss Fiene, Marie and Lonne a lot. But we make lots of video-calls and we can talk like that and see each other. Even Marie recognizes me if she sees me on a mobile phone.

On books.

> 103 I finished Jongen verslindt heelal - Trent Dalton ROOT # 11 -

My review;

This book reads very fast. Short sentences, but they are often very impressive. Eli Bell and his older brother August (Gus) grow up with an addicted mother, a heroin-dealing stepfather and a father who disappeared when the boys were 6 or 7 and a nanny, Slim, an ex-convict and criminal. The book begins as Eli is about 12 and ends when he is 19.
Brother Gus no longer speaks since he was 6, but writes his words with his finger in the air. Eli has grown used to this and he is very good at communicating with Gus. The story occasionally takes you to the past. That is sometimes not entirely clear if you do not read carefully enough.
Eli and Gus continue to encounter new problems because the world around them is full of criminal activities. And the worst of these is Tytus Broz.
But there is also a girl who steals Eli's heart ...

Now started in ROOT # 12

Gebroken by B.A. Paris
This is the translation of The Breakdown, 358 pages



The blurb;

If you can't trust yourself, who can you trust? Cass is having a hard time since the night she saw the car in the woods, on the winding rural road, in the middle of a downpour, with the woman sitting inside--the woman who was killed. She's been trying to put the crime out of her mind; what could she have done, really? It's a dangerous road to be on in the middle of a storm. Her husband would be furious if he knew she'd broken her promise not to take that shortcut home. And she probably would only have been hurt herself if she'd stopped. But since then, she's been forgetting every little thing: where she left the car, if she took her pills, the alarm code, why she ordered a pram when she doesn't have a baby. The only thing she can't forget is that woman, the woman she might have saved, and the terrible nagging guilt. Or the silent calls she's receiving, or the feeling that someone's watching her...

Hi Connie!

We're all trying to cope as well as we can, aren't we?, and I'm glad you can at least video call with the granddaughters. Stay safe!

Hi Connie! It's a good thing that you can at least see the girls on video! I'm glad to hear you and Peet are okay.

As of Tuesday, I'm working from home (like most other civil service employees in Schleswig-Holstein and I'm still surprised how smoothly our IT team managed to equip so many people with the necessary hard- and software. I'm still trying to settle into a work routine – we're ordered home until mid-April. It feels very eerie, with so many public institutions and shops closed. Let us hope it has the desired effects.

>112 MissWatson:. Hi Birgit. Yes it is an eerie and unreal feeling. We literally can't see a virus creeping up on us. And a long as you are feeling fine it seems unnecessary to take all these precautions. But if they work I'm happy to do so. We had a warning on TV for people working from home to take care of their working position so you won't get backache. So take care of that too. I hope you find your work routine soon. And you will be safe.

>113 connie53: Thanks Connie. I find, funnily enough, that I get up much more often from my chair than I used to. And every time I have to wait for a file to be saved to the server (which takes longer than usual) I get up and do a little exercise. Our employer offers classes for back exercises once every year and I am so glad I took them. They come in very useful now.
All my best for your and your loved ones.

>114 MissWatson: Good to hear that, Birgit. Glad you took those classes too.

Finished Gebroken by B.A. Paris. I give it

My review

I thought I was going to read an exciting thriller, but that was a bit disappointing because it was so completely predictable that I skimmed whole pieces. Still, the story had potential, but a pity it didn't work.

Started reading ROOT # 13



Koud bloed by Robert Bryndza
This is the translation of Cold Blood, 348 pages

The blurb

She fell in love with a killer, now she's one too..

The suitcase was badly rusted, and took Erika several attempts, but it yielded and sagged open as she unzipped it. Nothing could prepare her for what she would find inside... When a battered suitcase containing the dismembered body of a young man washes up on the shore of the river Thames, Detective Erika Foster is shocked. She's worked on some terrifying cases but never seen anything like this before. As Erika and her team set to work, she makes the link with another victim - the body of a young woman dumped in an identical suitcase two weeks ago. Erika quickly realizes she's on the trail of a serial killer who's already made their next move. Yet just as Erika starts to make headway with the investigation, she is the victim of a brutal attack. But nothing will stop Erika. As the body count rises, the twin daughters of her colleague Commander Marsh are abducted, and the stakes are higher than ever before. Can Erika save the lives of two innocent children before it's too late? She's running out of time and about to make a disturbing discovery...there's more than one killer

Finished Koud bloed by Robert Bryndza -

My review;

Super suspenseful book by one of my favorite thriller author. It is rather different to read the story from two sides. Because from the beginning you know who the perpetrators are, Max and Nina. The other side is the side of Erika Foster, a detective who has her own approach to solving things and also has a history that occasionally weighs on her. Read with great pleasure.

Now reading Wild by Harlan Coben A book Peet bought me for my birthday (tomorrow)



The blurb;

A young wild-hair boy, thought to be between the age of 6 to 8 was found living in the woods all alone. No one has any idea who the boy was or how long he had been there. That was thirty years ago. “Wilde” still prefers to live in those woods today. The woods are the air for his lungs. Now an adult, he still doesn’t know who he is, and another child has gone missing.

No one seems to take Naomi Pine’s disappearance seriously, not even her father-with one exception. Hester Crimstein, a television criminal attorney, knows through her grandson that Naomi was relentlessly bullied at school. Hester asks Wilde-with whom she shares a tragic connection-to use his unique skills to help find Naomi.

Wilde can’t ignore an outcast in trouble, but in order to find Naomi he must venture back into the community where he has never fit in, a place where the powerful are protected even when they harbor secrets that could destroy the lives of millions . . . secrets that Wilde must uncover before it’s too late.

Happy birthday, Connie!

Oh! Is it your birthday? Hope you have a lovely day, even if the current arrangements mean that it will be a bit weird!

Happy Birthday from me, too, Connie!

Thanks, Birgit, Jackie and Karen. 67 Years, pfffff. In fact my birthday was yesterday and it was really weird. My Facebook exploded with good wishes. Flowers from and a what's app talk with my brother, sisters and their spouses. A surprise visit from Eveline with Fiene, (Marie fell asleep in the car) and Fiene understands corona so we stayed apart with 2 meters distance and no kuddles or kisses. They just delivered flowers and went home again. But it was okay and I will celebrate my birthday in June when Peet has his if by that time everything is more normal.

On the reading:

Finished Wild by Harlan Coben and give it

My review:

Another great book by Harlan Coben. This is so full of unexpected twists that it made me dizzy every now and then and I had to flip back to previous bits. I love that. Wilde (as he is called) is a man who was found in the vast forests at the age of six / eight. The exact age has never been determined because he does not know his name or how he got into the forest. Now in his mid-30s, he lives quite lonely in an eco-capsule near the city. He does have contact with people, but also likes to isolate himself. In addition, he is very intelligent and a brilliant observer. When a young girl disappears, he is asked to help on by the mother of his best, but dead friend David, Hester Crimstein. From that moment on an exciting and intriguing story developed, with political flows, relationship flows and many other things. Read with great pleasure.

Now reading; Root # 14

Gevangen by Kelley Armstrong



The blurb;

Elena Michaels is back--and she has company. When a young witch tells Elena that a group of humans are kidnapping supernaturals, Elena ignores the warning. After all, everyone knows there's no such thing as witches. As for the thought of other 'supernaturals', well, she'd just rather not dwell on the possibility. Soon, however, she's confronted with the truth about her world, when she's kidnapped and thrown into a cell-block with witches, sorcerers, half-demons and other werewolves. As Elena soon discovers, dealing with her fellow captives is the least of her worries. In this prison, the real monsters carry the keys. Lending a mission of vampires, demons, shamans, and witches, Elena is lured into the net of ruthless Internet billionaire Tyrone Winsloe, who is well on his way to amassing a private collection of supernaturals. He plans to harness their powers for himself--even if it means killing them. For Elena, kidnapped and imprisoned deep underground, unable to tell her friends from her enemies, choosing the right allies is a matter of life and death.

A belated Happy Birthday, Connie.

Belated birthday greetings from me also. Sounds like you made the best of your day given the present situation. It feels very strange to talk to your children and grandchildren at a 2 metre distance. I had this experience today and left with a tear in my eye and this is only Day 2 here in New Zealand.

We are at the end of week 2 and I know the feeling, Helen. I have these crying moments too. I even thought to skip facetime with the grandkids for a while. But they want to see me too. So I'm laughing and talking with them and afterwards have a little breakdown.

Thanks for the good wishes, Robert and Helen.

Happy Birthday, Connie!

Thanks Jennifer.

I keep intending to try something by Harlan Coben...

Belated birthday cheers! I'm touched by your Facetime chats despite how difficult they are.

>126 detailmuse: You should definitely try them, MJ. Especially the later ones are very good and almost all Stand Alones.

Finished Gevangen by Kelley Armstrong -

My review;

Nice uncomplicated reading. Great reading for these days of Corona. We follow the werewolf Elena and her partner Clay. Elena is kidnapped by an organization that investigates how werewolves, witches and other manifestations of paranormal things function. Clay, Jeremy and the others must free her, of course.

Now on with ROOT # 15, BFB # 6

De Darkest Powers trilogie by Kelley Armstrong Bought as a thingaversary book in 2014. This omnibus contains 3 books. Bezwering , Ontwaken and Afrekening



The Blurb:

All Chloe Saunders want is a normal life. But when she has a panic attack at school and sees ghosts, she is diagnosed with schizophrenia. She ends up in Lyle House, an institute for children with behavioral problems.
At first there doesn't seem to be anything strange about Lyle House, but when she gets to know the other residents a little better - the charming Simon and his dark, taciturn brother Derek, the spoiled Tori, and Rae, who 'has a thing for fire' - Chloe strikes doubt. None of them have ordinary behavioral problems. Why are they really here?

Yesterday we had a virtual meet with my RL lees-club. We were with 14 people so it was a bit hectic but very nice to see each other. And also very doable with Zoom.

A belated happy birthday, Connie. Things have tightened up a lot more here. Restaurants are closed except for delivery and take out and most shops are closed except, of course, for grocery stores. It takes no time to drive anywhere because there are few cars on the road and the gas prices have dropped considerably. It remains to be seen how long this altered state will last.

Yesterday the prime minister announced a further (semi) lock down until April 28. So 4 more weeks of not seeing the grandchildren. Lonne has her second birthday on the 12 and my son Jeroen on the 26. We have to figure out a way to celebrate both. But that are not the biggest things for me. I have a greater struggle with Peet, who forgets things and is sometimes a bit aggressive about the whole situation of staying home and social distancing. I will be glad if we stay healthy.

>130 connie53: All my best for the weeks ahead, Connie.

>130 connie53: Thinking of you and hoping you all stay healthy!

>130 connie53: Hope you and yours keep safe and healthy, Connie.

Thanks, RP, Birgit and Robert. We are still holding on and are doing all right.

Best wishes for your health and patience in the weeks ahead, Connie.

>130 connie53: I hope the time flies by for you all and that this whole thing is history in the coming weeks. My co-worker's grandson had his 5th birthday yesterday. 10 of his classmates had a parade for him, their parents driving them past his house, posters in the windows wishing him a happy birthday and balloons tethered to the cars. My friend said that her grandson was so thrilled and that the gesture was so sweet that she and her daughter sobbed with happiness. I think this time is going to go down in history as one of the hardest times but one of the most caring and loving times too. I am sure that little boy will never forget his 5th birthday, nor will his friends.

You guys take care and be safe. This virus is not to be trifled with. It is vicious.

Thanks Meg and EAM. Another day, another challenge. Peet is doing groceries and I'm reading and doing household things. Right now the washing-machine is running a load of towels and such. I refresh them every day so lots of washing.

Thinking about you, Connie and hoping that you stay healthy and that you can stay safe with Peet.

I bougth another book today.
I ordered a gift for Lonne yesterday and had to order something else in order to spare on shipping costs, so... A book!

Het stenen matras by Margaret Atwood



The blurb;

A Vintage Shorts "Short Story Month" Selection

The author of such towering novels as The Handmaid's Tale, The Blind Assassin, and Oryx and Crake, Margaret Atwood proves her imaginative prowess dazzles just as vividly in her short fiction. "Stone Mattress," from her collection of the same name is witty, grotesque, and utterly hilarious—an exemplar of Atwood's tremendous capacity for capturing our darkest impulses on the page.

Verna, aging widow, boards a cruise ship bound for the Arctic in search of her next husband. The last four had suffered regrettable tragedies and left Verna wickedly wealthy in their wake. But, instead of finding another wealthy suitor, Verna finds unwitting Bob, the first man to have ever wronged her. Single, reasonably near his grave, ordinary, and attracted to her like all the others—Bob is all-too-easy prey for Verna's merciless revenge.

And finished De Darkest Powers trilogie by Kelley Armstrong this afternoon.

My Review:

An omnibus that I count as one book because I added it here as one book. And it is very nice to read these 3 books one after the other. Then the story stays in your head more claerly. It's a wonderful story about werewolves, witches and wizards and necromancers. That is really nice for a change. Just put your head in the book and enjoy. and Not thinking about Corona (Covid-19)

I finished Het eerste boek by Harman Nielsen and give it



Original Dutch, the last part in a series of 7 books. Curiously this book is called The first book

I started this book yesterday and finished it today due to lovely weather and I just sat in the garden and read.

My Review;

Well written in a Fairy-talel ike and atmospheric yet simple language. This final concluding part of the 7-part series about The Hidden People, like the earlier parts, takes place in a world that was created after a major invasion from space that destroyed the world from earlier on. Now the peoples of the great cities live under the streets in the cellars or on boats sailing the rivers in tow or in wagons that march through the fields and the countryside. Only the cellar people speak because they live underground. The others speak a kind of sign language. In the earlier parts we have been able to follow many people in their lives and their deaths, but this time it is the last generation that brings the story to a successful conclusion. Cat en Bow, his wife and Star are their daughter. Dotter and her husband Valk. Ox and Brand. I am not going to tell you much about it because I don't want to spoil.

Now started in Vergeet haar niet by Nora Roberts part 3 in the Cousins O'Dwyer trilogy



The Blurb

County Mayo is rich in the traditions of Ireland, legends that Branna O'Dwyer fully embraces in her life and in her work as the proprietor of The Dark Witch shop, which carries soaps, lotions, and candles for tourists, made with Branna's special touch. Branna's strength and selflessness hold together a close circle of friends and family--along with their horses and hawks and her beloved hound. But there's a single missing link in the chain of her life: love... She had it once--for a moment--with Finbar Burke, but a shared future is forbidden by history and blood. Which is why Fin has spent his life traveling the world to fill the abyss left in him by Branna, focusing on work rather than passion. Branna and Fin's relationship offers them both comfort and torment. And though they succumb to the heat between them, there can be no promises for tomorrow. A storm of shadows threatens everything that their circle holds dear. It will be Fin's power, loyalty, and heart that will make all the difference in an age-old battle between the bonds that hold their friends together and the evil that has haunted their families for centuries

Finished Vergeet haar niet by Nora Roberts and I give it

My review:

Last part about the O'Dwyers. Branna, Connor and Iona are nieces and a cousin of each other (the three) and they are the Black Witches who must compete with their partners against the evil Cabhan and his demon. This battle started 600 years earlier with their ancestor Sorcha and her children. Those are the 3 they ask for help in the final destruction of Cabhan. Not very special but pleasant reading material.

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Yesterday I started another ROOT. De snijkamer by Jilliane Hoffman ROOT # 16
This is the translation of The Cutting Room, 363 pages



The blurb

The body of a student who went missing from a Florida nightclub is found in a dumpster. A horrifying scene, but nothing compared to what she had to endure before her murder. She was drugged and tortured – all broadcast live for the twisted pleasure of a snuff club. Detective Manny Alvarez works the homicide alongside young hotshot Assistant State Attorney Daria DeBianchi. The media spotlight shines on the accused, a privileged playboy seen leaving the club with the victim. But without cast-iron evidence, Daria and Manny must dig deeper to crack the case. The investigation exposes a terrifying connection between numerous unsolved murders and abductions stretching across the country. Their only lead is through notorious serial killer William Bantling, who knows the sinister society's secrets first-hand. But Bantling won't show his hand for free – he wants off Death Row. For Manny and Daria, the nightmare is just beginning. And the only thing more devastating than this case's past is what lies ahead…

I finished De snijkamer by Jilliane Hoffman and give it

My Review:

Exciting book in which a rather bizarre phenomenon occurs. The snuff club. Manny Alvarez and Daria Debianchi investigate the murder of a young woman who was found quite battered in a dumpster. Their search for the perpetrators exposes many more such murders. But there always is a different perpetrator. And then they are given a part of a video. Exciting until the end. Although that last spin was a bit unnecessary.

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Now reading a new and shiny one

De dood van Harriet Monckton by Elizabeth Haynes, BFB # 7



The blurb;

On 7th November 1843, Harriet Monckton, 23 years old and a woman of respectable parentage and religious habits, is found murdered in the privy behind the chapel she regularly attended in Bromley, Kent. The community is appalled by her death, apparently as a result of swallowing a fatal dose of prussic acid, and even more so when the surgeon reports that Harriet was around six months pregnant. Drawing on the coroner's reports and witness testimonies, Elizabeth Haynes builds a compelling picture of Harriet's final hours through the eyes of those closest to her and the last people to see her alive. Her fellow teacher and companion, her would-be fiance, her seducer, her former lover-all are suspects; each has a reason to want her dead. Brimming with lust, mistrust and guilt, The Murder of Harriet Monckton is a masterclass of suspense from one of our greatest crime writers.

Hi Connie, I wish you a lovely Easter weekend despite all the bad news and restrictions, and that you and all your family are safe.

Have a Happy Easter!

Happy Easter, Connie.

Thanks!

Finished De dood van Harriet Monckton by Elizabeth Haynes and give it

My review:

Well-crafted and excellently narrated story based on a historic event in Bromley, England. The story is made up of 5 parts, a prologue and an epilogue. In the first part, the story is told by 4 persons who chronologically report on the events per day in 1843 after the death of Harriet Monckton. After you have read this part, you might have changed your mind on who is your suspect several times. The second part is a long letter from one of the suspects to open by his / her lawyer after an arrest. Then the third part that again reports on the events, but then in 1846. The fourth part is the diary of Harriet that surfaced. After that a short part follows with the denouement and the epilogue. So it is very well put together, but I can not call it exciting. Occasionally I even felt sorry for Tom, one of the suspects. Harriet is also a naive, innocent young woman who, according to the custom of the time, is submissive to male society.

Now Reading Het stenen matras by Margaret Atwood. short story collection



The blurb;

A recently widowed fantasy writer is guided through a stormy winter evening by the voice of her late husband. An elderly lady with Charles Bonnet syndrome comes to terms with the little people she keeps seeing, while a newly formed populist group gathers to burn down her retirement residence. A woman born with a genetic abnormality is mistaken for a vampire, and a crime committed long ago is revenged in the Arctic via a 1.9 billion-year-old stromatolite.

In these nine tales, Margaret Atwood ventures into the shadowland earlier explored by fabulists and concoctors of dark yarns such as Robert Louis Stevenson, Daphne du Maurier and Arthur Conan Doyle - and also by herself, in her award-winning novel Alias Grace.

Finished Het stenen matras by Margaret Atwood and give it

My review:

A collection of stories always has good and not so good stories and these stories were generally good. I especially liked the first 3 stories, they had a kind of mutual connection and could easily have been the first 3 chapters of a book where 3 characters are speaking. So great reading.

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Now starting in Drakenmeester by Margaret Weis ROOT # 19.
This is the translation of Master of Dragons, 335 pages



The blurb;

They were twin brothers, the offspring of Dragon magic, one raised in court, the other in hiding. But, the link that exists between them will not be broken by mere distance, and in the very duality of their origin lies mankind's hope for peace and safety.
When two renegade dragons with an army of crazed demi-human/dragons devise a plan to enslave all mankind -- an act in direct contravention to all the precepts of the Dragon parliament -- it is up to the two brothers (separate and together) and Draconas, the special emissary of the Parliament to ensure mankind's survival. Even if by doing so, it will mean the eventual doom of the Dragonkind.

Finished >149 connie53: and give this book

my review:

A bit of an average dragon story. Not really very special.

Now starting in a new and shiny one.

Stille schreeuw by Angela Marsons
This is the translation of Silent Scream, 380 pages.



The blurb

Even the darkest secrets can't stay buried forever. Five figures gather round a shallow grave. They had all taken turns to dig. An adult-sized hole would have taken longer. An innocent life had been taken but the pact had been made.
Their secrets would be buried, bound in blood. Years later, a headmistress is found brutally strangled, the first in a spate of gruesome murders which shock the Black Country. But when human remains are discovered at a former children's home, disturbing secrets are also unearthed. D.I. Kim Stone fast realises she's on the hunt for a twisted individual whose killing spree spans decades. As the body count rises, Kim needs to stop the murderer before they strike again. But to catch the killer, can Kim confront the demons of her own past before it's too late?

Connie I've long admired your ability to read through difficult times!!

>151 detailmuse: It's my escape from reality. And on top of that not that much changed for me. I am used to stay at home since my retirement and we are not the kind of people to go down town or to a museum. The only thing that changed is not seeing the granddaughters and my babysitting day is canceled.
Peet is doing the groceries and I'm doing things in the house. I even do some gardening. ;-))

I'm glad that except for seeing your children/grandchildren 'not that much changed for me.' I'm somewhat the same except the thing I don't get to do is the every-Tuesday book sorting for the Friends of the Library. I do miss it, probably not as much as you miss your babysitting day!

Have a nice weekend in the garden, Connie!

>152 connie53:. Hi Connie, I, too am missing my grandchildren. They gave structure to my days as I had the three school age children after school every day and gave them afternoon tea and over saw their homework. Two days a week I also had my 10 month old grandson, Alex. He has gone from crawling to walking during the lockdown. The house is quiet and quite restful to the point that I feel I have frittered away this time, rather than having achieved a great deal. I certainly haven't read enough books.

Wishing you a good weekend, Connie - I hope the weather is good for your gardening and outdoor reading.

>155 HelenBaker: Oh Helen, I feel for you. That is such a big part of your normal week that it must be very hard to find a new normal. I know the feeling about missing 'the from crawling to walking' of Alex. Marie can now sit on her own, not needing cushions for safekeeping. I see them on video but every time my heart breaks afterwards. There is so much we miss when baby's are this age. We missed Lonne's second birthday but we saw her open our present. No need to say I was in tears afterwards.

>156 Jackie_K: Thanks, Jackie. We are doing all right and yes I've been reading in the garden although is was not that sunny today.

Here they are; Lonne, Fiene and Marie



I finished Stille schreeuw by Angela Marsons and give it

My review:

First part of the series about Kim Stone, detective. At first I thought it was a bit messy, but soon I realized how the structure of the book is put together and then the book reads very quick. Exciting (especially because you also read pieces from the perpetrator but have no idea who this might be). I will certainly read the following parts.

Now Reading Staartjagers zang by Tad Williams
This is the translation of Tailchaser's Song, ROOT # 20, 320 pages



The Blurb

Tailchaser was about 9 months old when the young female cat that he wanted to make his mate, Hushpad, disappeared with no trace. When he brought this to the attention of his elders he learned that many other cats had also disappeared lately and a delegation was being sent to the cat royals. Tailchaser was not chosen to be part of the delegation but he decided to go in search of Hushpad himself. He started off but was soon joined by the kitten Pouncequick who had met some terrible animals in the woods before he found Tailchaser. These animals were like a cross between a cat and a badger and they seemed to be hunting other cats. On their journey Tailchaser and Pouncequick met other animals who gave advice and help to the pair.

>157 connie53: What beautiful girls! Fiene is so very grown up, especially.

>158 Jackie_K: Thanks Jackie. She is quite a little lady.

Finished Staartjagers zang by Tad Williams an give it

My Review;

How funny that you can enjoy a book about cats. And I have that with this book about Fritti Staartjager. Strange disturbing things are happening in the Randbosje where Fritti was born. Many cats disappear from their family and one of them is Stilpoot with whom Fritti wants to marry. It is decided that a group of cats will travel to court to notify the Queen. At some point, Fritti decides to look for Stilpoot himself. Then follows a journey full of adventures in which Fritti is assisted by Grijpgraag, a young kitten that has followed him and Firsa Dakschaduw, a young female cat. Many inconveniences and dangers further Fritti knows what all the live lessons of the trip mean to him.

Now starting in Schadevolle jaren by Richard Russo.
This is the translation of The risk Pool, ROOT # 21, BFB # 8, 563 pages
Schadevolle jaren means Jears full of harm



The Blurb

A wonderfully funny, perceptive novel The Risk Pool is set in Mohawk, New York, where Ned Hall is doing his best to grow up, even though neither of his estranged parents can properly be called adult.

His father, Sam, cultivates bad habits so assiduously that he is stuck at the bottom of his auto insurance risk pool. His mother, Jenny, is slowly going crazy from resentment at a husband who refuses either to stay or to stay away. As Ned veers between allegiances to these grossly inadequate role models, Richard Russo gives us a book that overflows with outsized characters and outlandish predicaments and whose vision of family is at once irreverent and unexpectedly moving.

Finished The Boy on the Bridge by M.R. Carey and give it

My review;

I had lost sight of this book on my Kobo. Now that I am at home all day, I prefer to read paper books. But I thought I should just read my reader for an hour every day. And I'm glad I did that. This is a beautiful but fairly cruel book. The world in the future is plagued by a very contagious disease. People are infected by a bite from another person. A group of soldiers and scientists are sent to study this plague by killing and investigating the Hungries, as they are called. On board is also a boy, Stephen Greaves, who suffers from autism. He can analyze and solve problems very well. When a new group is found, it turns out to be second-generation Hungries. They are young children, but they have established a structure and also have a kind of leader. Stephen makes contact with this girl. And then the story continues to a beautiful ending. And the epilogue is also a surprise that I am very happy with.

Finished De oude magie by Mariëtte Aerts and give it

My review;

I think this is a wonderfully relaxing book to read. It ripples along, but not all the time. Raben and Calli have enough adventures to make it exciting at times. And the magic (Reading objects and being able to manipulate the weather) is quite well found.

Starting in the next book in the series Drakensteen by the same writer
Original Dutch.



The Blurb:

The lives of Raben and Calli are now closely entwined with those of pirates, power-hungry and magical creatures. Especially the Dwingers bother them. They are still trying to conquer power in the Seven Islands at their expense through the rulers of Kir. The army of mixed beings that Shintelle - the current Ruler - created with the monk Himmondar to fight them is not as strong and steadfast as hoped. When the bird-witches also claim their place, the chaos seems complete. Will the Kirs manage to maintain their Dominion and restore peace to the Seven Islands?

>157 connie53: What sweet little girls, Connie! I hope they ease your restrictions soon.

Thanks, Meg. I hope so too, but I fear we older people, above 60, will be restricted for a few weeks longer. That's the latest we have heard.

Finished Schadevolle jaren by Richard Russo and give it

My review:

This book leaves me with a double feeling. It's written great, but it's actually a sad subject. Ned is the son of Sam and Jenny. When Sam returns from WWII, he leaves his wife and young son alone and begins to live a life of gambling and alcohol. Ned is raised by his slightly nervous mother. Jenny wants to please everyone, but only to her own liking. When Ned is taken out of school by his father at some point, he goes on a fishing trip with a friend of his father Watje (Wussi?). 2 days later he is brought back home. Over time, Ned even lived with his father for 2 years. And then the differences between both parents become clear. Jenny is an overprotective patronizing mother, and Sam is a father who doesn't care much about fatherhood and often lets his son take care of himself for days. This book also provides an oppressive insight into the lives of rural Americans in the sixties. The men spend their days and nights in various cafes and snack bars, the women settle in their destinies and raise their children. We follow Ned until he becomes the father of a son when he is thirty-four.

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Now starting to read Het meisje met de vlechtjes by Wilma Geldof
Original Dutch book the title means: The girl with the braids, 324 pages, excluding lists and such.



The blurb.

Freddie is fifteen when the war breaks out. Her mother had been taking refugee Jews from Hitler Germany for several years. In 1942, Freddie and her older sister are asked to participate in the armed resistance. The girls seduce high-ranking Nazis and lure them into the forest, where they are killed by resistance comrades. Then the sisters get a gun themselves, and Freddie swings back and forth between fear and courage, doubt and pride. Danger of betrayal is imminent. Who can she trust? And why doesn't her boyfriend Peter join them?
The girl with the braids is a poignant story about betrayal and trust, loyalty and love. It is based on the life of the Dutch youngest resistance girl, Freddie Oversteegen, who worked for a resistance group with her sister Truus, of which Hannie Schaft was also a part.

Hi Connie!

Sweet pic of the granddaughters. Congrats on ROOTs read and over half-way-done on your 75 book goal.

Thanks, Karen.

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