foggidawn reads and stuff in 2020, thread 1

Welcome! I'm foggi, and this is my thirteenth year on LibraryThing and my tenth year in this group! I'm a collection development librarian/youth materials selector (means I buy all the kids' and teen books) for the public library system in a medium-sized Ohio town, and a voracious reader.

I'll read anything that catches my fancy, but here are some of the kinds of books I particularly like:

Books for kids and teens

Fantasy for any age -- plus the occasional work of science fiction

Inspirational fiction, if the writing is good

Mysteries, particularly cozies and golden age British detective stories

The occasional memoir or biography

Here are some of the other things I like, which can distract me from reading, but which I may occasionally post about here:

Theatre -- both viewing live theatre and participating in community theatre. I was in a show at my local community theatre during 2019; here's hoping for good audition luck in 2020!

Sewing -- it's a love/hate relationship, really. I'm only barely proficient at it, so it's slow going when I get on a sewing kick, but when it goes right, I love the results.

Gardening -- I've been trying container gardening lately. I had a pretty good season in 2019. Looking forward to this year's efforts!

Gaming -- I love board games when I can find people to play them with (which is not as often as I like) and I occasionally play video games, but most often I waste my time playing games on my phone. Right now, Harry Potter: Wizards Unite and Pokemon Go.

Dogs -- My Sophie passed away on April 12th of 2019. I have been very lonely without a dog, but I've just adopted a darling Springer Spaniel puppy pictured above -- Lottie!

Family and friends -- I recently became a first-time aunt! I'm always looking forward to my next chance to see the baby, and I'm working on building up his library. Also, my parents recently retired and moved to their newly-built cabin in rural Pennsylvania, so I foresee many visits there, as well. At home, I've recently had a college friend move in with me, proving that I can still surprise myself sometimes. Our weird platonic house-sharing arrangement may occasionally be something I mention in my posts.

Thanks for visiting my thread!

I read 152 books in 2019 -- here are my top five (plus a couple of honorable mentions:

       

1. The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary
2. The Light Between Worlds by Laura E. Weymouth
3. A Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan
4. Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes
5. Nevermoor by Jessica Townsend

Honorable mentions: A Winter's Promise by Christelle Dabos, Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

End-of-Year Book Meme 2019!

Note: I always have enough answers to do the meme at least twice, so this year I'm including alternate answers. Feel free to let me know which you like better!

Describe yourself: The Undateable alternately, A Useful Woman

Describe how you feel: Kind of Coping alternately, Awkward

Describe where you currently live: The Flatshare alternately, A Bachelor Establishment

If you could go anywhere, where would you go: Within the Sanctuary of Wings alternately, A Place to Belong

Your favorite time of day is: Sunsets alternately, Gmorning, Gnight

Your favorite form of transportation: Last Bus to Everland alternately, The Vanishing Stair

Your best friend is: New Kid alternately, Friend or Fiction

You and your friends are: The Good, the Bad, and the Bossy alternately, Pumpkinheads

What’s the weather like: A Winter's Promise alternately, Clouds

You fear: Tooth and Claw alternately, How to Date Men When You Hate Men

What is the best advice you have to give: Maybe You Should Talk to Someone alternately, Look Both Ways

Thought for the day: Sorry I'm Late, I Didn't Want to Come alternately, I'm Judging You

How you would like to die: Stargazing alternately, The Light Between Worlds

Your soul’s present condition: Thornbound alternately, The Great Alone

What is life for you: The Bookish Life of Nina Hill alternately, A Conspiracy of Kings

2020 Reading Resolution


For the past few years, I've made a book-based reading resolution: longstanding TBR books, unread classics, overdue Early Reviewers. This year, I'm going to make a list of 20 books from my TBR shelves that I'd like to finish, with the reason why. They may fall into the categories above, or I may have other reasons for wanting to read them. This feels a little ambitious, but it's a new decade and I'm thinking big! (My non-book-related resolution is to find a way to like myself better, so in comparison 20 books doesn't sound so extreme.) As with last year's resolution, I'm giving myself full permission to DNF any book that doesn't grab me, if I've given it a fair shot. Here they are, listed in the order they appear in the photo above:

1. Over Sea, Under Stone by Susan Cooper -- Longstanding TBR Read 1/12/20
2. The Black Cauldron by Lloyd Alexander — Unread children’s classic
3. You Can’t Take It With You by Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman — longstanding TBR
4. A Wish in the Dark by Christina Soontornvat -- Early Reviewer (2019)
5. The Color of Magic by Terry Pratchett — longstanding TBR
6. The Key to Rondo by Emily Rodda — longstanding TBR
7. The Book of Pearl by Timothee de Fombelle -- Early Reviewer (2017)
8. Curse of the Evil Librarian by Michelle Knudsen -- Early Reviewer (2019)
9. Light Beyond Light: Beauty, Transformation, and the Kingdom of God by Patrick Adams -- Written by a friend
10. Far from the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy -- Unread classic
11. Unspoken by Dee Henderson -- Early Reviewer (2013)
12. Inside Prince Caspian by Devin Brown — Written by a friend
13. Broken Strings by Eric Walters -- Early Reviewer (2019)Read 2/16/20
14. The Various by Steve Augarde — longstanding TBR
15. The Time Traveler’s Guide to Elizabethan England by Ian Mortimer — recommended by Rob
16. Jim Henson by Brian Jay Jones -- Early Reviewer (2013)
17. Mythos by Stephen Fry -- Early Reviewer (2019)
18. Queen of the Sea by Dylan Meconis -- Early Reviewer (2019) Read 1/8/20
19. Good Masters! Sweet Ladies by Laura Amy Schlitz -- Award winner, longstanding TBR
20. Wren, Journeymage by Sherwood Smith -- Early Reviewer (2010) (Ebook, not pictured)

Best wishes for 2020!

Happy new thread, Foggi! As I always I look forward to the BBs we'll swap. :D

Happy New Year and happy reading!

Happy reading in 2020, Foggi!

Another resolution is to keep up in 2020 with all my friends on LT. Happy New Year!

Welcome back!

Aha, here you be!

Starred...

Marking my place!

Wishing you 12 months of success
52 weeks of laughter
366 days of fun (leap year!)
8,784 hours of joy
527,040 minutes of good luck
and 31,622,400 seconds of happiness!!

Hi Foggi!
*starred* your thread! My 2020 75-book challenge thread is here

Happy New Year! That is one cute puppy indeed!

Happy New Year Foggi!

Happy New Year, foggi!

Happy New Year, foggi!

Happy New Year!

Thanks for visiting, Diana, Micky, Compski, Anita, Paul, Jim, fuzzi, Lori, Kim, Sandy, sibylline, Rachel, Joe, Susan, and Leah! Happy new year to you all!

Mine's off to a slow start, reading-wise, I'm hoping to make it to a double-75 again this year, but I suspect it's going to be a struggle.

I did go out and watch Frozen 2 last night -- I have opinions, if anyone wants them: First of all, I thought the soundtrack wasn't nearly as good as the first one, though Kristoff's love song with the reindeer backup singers and the 90's music video styling was hilarious. It was supposed to be funny, right? I mean, I was the only person in the theater laughing, so I wondered. I thought the plot was weak sauce, and I don't know that I like abdication as a solution for non-existent problems. (What problems were there? Because it read to me like Elsa wasn't a good queen because she's introverted, so she's going to go ride water horses in the frozen North instead? Which I find problematic.) And, wait, is it saying that Elsa isn't human now? The spirit of love, except instead of staying with the people she loves, she's going off to live in the forest because some lady she just met says that she could be useful (how?) there? The little salamander was hands-down the best thing about the movie.

Happy New Year! Dropping off my star and looking forward to your books and adventures :-)

Happy new year! Starred, and looking forward to both book reviews and many photos of Lottie in 2020 :)

Happy New Year, Foggi!

Glad to see you, Kathy, Natalie, and Roni! Hope your new year is off to a good start.

This one is also going around the threads (I stole it from Lori), and I thought it was kind of fun:

Did you have guests during the holidays? Answer the questions with titles of books you read in 2019

What would you call the event? A Rather Charming Invitation

How did they find their way? In the Labyrinth of Drakes

How did they know they'd arrived? Manfried Saves the Day

Any special activities? Lessons from Lucy

Did your guests stay over? Camp

Were there servants to help? Best Babysitters Ever

Was there turn down service? Maid: Hard Work Low Pay, and a Mother's Will to Survive

How were the guests greeted? Dog Songs

Was dinner held for late comers? Waiting for Tom Hanks

And dinner was? Last Night at the Lobster

Afterward? Awards for Good Boys

>25 foggidawn: Good meme answers!

>26 thornton37814: Thanks! I have so much fun with that sort of thing.

>20 foggidawn: the little salamander/dragon/meerkat/crab sidekick is generally the best thing in any of the Disney animated movies.

I like those meme answers, too, foggi. I’d attend just to hear those Dog Songs. And to meet Tom Hanks, of course.

>20 foggidawn: I saw Frozen 2 yesterday and found it overall enjoyable if I didn't think too hard. I think my favorite parts were Olaf's reenactment scene and Kristoff's 90s song! I'm surprised nobody was laughing in your theater :) my boyfriend had chosen that moment to take a bathroom break and missed 90% of it so I made him watch it on YouTube when we got home because it was so great.

>28 fuzzi: That is the truth!

>29 jnwelch: Right? I was liking the sound of this party more and more as I put my answers together.

>30 curioussquared: Well, it was mostly families with kids, so maybe the kids weren’t catching the humor?

(1 book read)



Old Toffer's Book of Consequential Dogs by Christopher Reid
(Note: I always try to review poetry in my own bad verse. Apologies.)

Eliot's volume of feline-themed verse
Spawned a Broadway musical first
And a movie you might not pay to see
(But the reviews are entertaining for free).

In the spirit of that nonsensical book,
Author Reid chose to take a look
At the canine side of the equation
Finding in their quirks his inspiration.

In penning this sort of companion work,
Unfortunate comparisons always lurk:
I found these poems much less memorable,
I fear the book's not quite as venerable.

Eliot this fellow never will be,
His verse never rises to true poetry.
Or he may have been hampered by one simple fact:
Dogs are just not as poetic as cats.

(2 books read)



The Apprentices by Maile Meloy -- It's been a couple years since Janie and Benjamin's adventure together. Benjamin is in the jungle with his father, who seems to have gotten sidetracked from his original mission, while Janie is at an American boarding school, slowly regaining some of her memories and working hard on a science project that, if completed, could be a means of desalinization that would make ocean water drinkable. When her project comes to the attention of an unscrupulous millionaire, Janie finds herself caught up in another adventure, but this time she's on her own... or is she?

I enjoyed this book just as much as its predecessor, for all that it took me years to get around to reading it. The characterization continues to be strong (though the bad guys are not particularly nuanced), and the pacing is well done. Readers who enjoyed The Apothecary should certainly seek out this volume.

Happy New Year, foggi! Dropping my star. I love your meme answers. Particularly The Good, the Bad, and the Bossy. Snerk!

>34 AMQS: Thanks! I thought that just about covered it. ;-)

Also meant to say that your Lottie is the cutest! Is she a puppy?

>36 AMQS: Yes, just four months old! She has so much energy...

>32 foggidawn: Dogs are just not as poetic as cats.

Definitely not! Meow! Meow! Meow!

Finally starring your thread, and looking forward to all the book bullets I'll get from you this year!

>32 foggidawn: bravo!

>38 thornton37814: I mean, I'm a dog person and I say this. Dogs have many fine qualities, but they are more suited to prose, I think.

>39 aktakukac: Thanks!

>40 fuzzi: *curtsies*

>32 foggidawn: Huzzah! Great doggerel there, foggi!

I may have taken a BB for this series.

>42 ronincats: Thanks!

I’ve finalized my ambitious list for my annual reading resolution in post >4 foggidawn: above. I decided to make a list of 20 books for 2020. I’d love to power through more of my oldest TBR books, but this list incorporates a variety of things, rather than just books I’ve owned for a long time that have never grabbed me.

While making up this list, I thought about doing a purge of my shelves. There are many there that I won’t read (or reread). If I do, I’m sure I will make note of it here.

I see The Black Cauldron on your resolution list. Just checking that you read The Book of Three first. The Disney movie can throw people off. I loved the entire series (maybe not Taran Wanderer as much) as a kid. I might need to do a reread.

>45 compskibook: I read The Book of Three a few years ago, but never picked up the next book. I'm hoping I remember enough of it!

(3 books read)



Queen of the Sea by Dylan Meconis -- Margaret has spent her whole life on a lonely island off the coast of Albion, raised by the sisters at the convent there. When a mysterious prisoner arrives with the biannual supply delivery, it will change Margaret's peaceful life forever. Has the island always been a prison? Is Margaret herself a captive? Why?

This graphic novel is loosely based on history, specifically the relationship between Mary I and Elizabeth I of England. The artwork is just lovely, done in glowing earth tones. Margaret is a great character, and all of the secondary characters are fascinating and complex. Eleanor, in particular, is not very likable, but boy, is she interesting! The ending leaves me hoping for a sequel. Recommended.

(This is one of the books in my 2020 Reading Resolution.)

>47 foggidawn: That one looks interesting.

Hi foggi! Glad you're enjoying your first week of reading!

>32 foggidawn: Love it! I suspect your review poem is better than any in the reviewed book.

Queen of the Sea has made a lot of Best GNs of 2019 lists. I wanted to like it more than I did, but its apparent historical veracity is a plus.

>48 thornton37814: It's getting a lot of raves, for sure.

>49 The_Hibernator: Hi! Thanks!

>50 jnwelch: That is certainly not the case, but thank you.

I'm not a poetry person but I got a kick out of your poem review, Foggi.

>47 foggidawn: I keep seeing this one on the shelves and thinking I should pick it up...

>52 MickyFine: Thanks! I started doing verse reviews of poetry when I read Forgive Me, I Meant to Do It: False Apology Poems, and have kept it up ever since. It helps that I don't read a whole lot of poetry, or no doubt I'd get tired of the shtick.

>53 scaifea: I think you might enjoy it...

>45 compskibook: I noticed that book on the list as well (Black Cauldron) and had the exact same thought. I loved that set of novels when they came out. Recently I saw the Disney-fied Black-C movie and it was awful (IMHO).

I also see that Foggi has two other of my fave older reads on her list, notably 1 (Over Sea, Under Stone - hope you read the series, Foggi) ), and 5 (The Colour of Magic). Pratchett's books can be very philosophical as well as amusing.

I read (10) Far From The Madding Crowd in high school. You have to allow Thomas Hardy's sweeping panoramic descriptions carry the story, I think. It wasn't until I saw the movie a few years later that I really understood the story. Those were the days of 4-hour epics with an intermission! I wish the library DVDs had the original!

>55 SandyAMcPherson: Oh, dear... I have a copy of the Disney movie, which I’ve never watched, meaning to read the book first. The fact that the movie seems to have been widely forgotten doesn’t speak well for it! I’ve read The Dark is Rising and a couple of Discworld books (notably the Tiffany Aching ones), and I read Tess of the d’Urbervilles a year or so ago, so I feel like I have some context for the books you mention.

(4 books read)



Unworthy: How to Stop Hating Yourself by Anneli Rufus — Rufus, who has clawed her own way out of low self-esteem, reaches a hand back to her fellow sufferers. While she acknowledges that self-hatred can come from many sources, we do hear an uncomfortable amount about her difficult relationship with her mother. Inspired, perhaps, by Buddhist philosophy, Rufus encourages her readers to aim for a middle path between self-hatred and narcissism.

I found a few useful ideas and strategies in this book. My best takeaway relates to negative self-talk. The author recommends acknowledging that the negative voice is trying to protect you, and then gently redirecting. I’m going to try to do this in future. However, I listened to the audiobook, and did not think that the narrator was a good fit, vocally. Her phrasing was awkward in spots. She also mispronounced a few words and names, which a good producer should have caught and corrected. I feel badly for criticizing the narrator of a work about self-esteem, but there you have it. Read the print version if you think this book might be useful to you.

>56 foggidawn: I read all the Prydain books as a child, and reread them, and reread them...but I never watched the Disney movie, which was released after I'd become an adult. My son, who is a movie aficionado, said that Disney butchered the books, trying to cram them all into a muddled mess, so I never bothered to view it.

>58 fuzzi: Yeah, I will probably watch it after I've read the series, but with very low expectations!

(5 books read)



Over Sea, Under Stone by Susan Cooper -- Three children on holiday in Cornwall with their enigmatic great-uncle find a mysterious manuscript and are drawn into a hunt for a long-hidden artifact. Could it be the Grail?

Somehow, I missed this series as a child, which is a pity, as I would have loved it. Reading it as an adult is pleasant enough, but as a child I would have found the Drew siblings' adventures much more thrilling and compelling. I think it's held up well to the ravages of time -- it didn't feel terribly dated to me, apart from a couple of odd slang words (swizzle?). Recommended, especially to fantasy-loving young readers.

>60 foggidawn: Ooh, exciting! I hope you continue reading the quintet! And whatever you do, don't watch the terrible movie adaptation of the second book in the series (does anyone hear an echo in here?)

>60 foggidawn: Love!

An elementary school teacher did me a disservice when she had us read The Grey King and only The Grey King for class. I'm not sure why she chose ONLY the 4th book in the series -- I guess because it won the Newberry? -- but it annoyed me as an 8 year old (and annoys me now!) and discouraged me from reading the series in its proper, sense-making order for a few more years. I'm lucky I didn't wait too long!

>61 norabelle414: I read The Dark is Rising about 10 years ago (probably with the idea of watching the movie, but then everybody said it was horrible, so I never did). I might continue the series -- I own the books -- but I don't feel compelled to do so at present.

>62 curioussquared: That is an odd decision -- probably, as you say, because it won the Newbery. Maybe she thought it stood alone?

>63 foggidawn: If it pushes you toward continuing reading, I think Over Sea, Under Stone is an important introduction, but otherwise the weakest of the series -- it has something of a different feel than the other books.

I guess my teacher thought it stood alone, but I definitely didn't agree!

>64 curioussquared: I have other books that I want to get through, but maybe later this year I will read more in the series.

>60 foggidawn: Ahh, another series I have wanted to start/read for a while now. Maybe later this year? Maybe I'll listen to them?

>66 aktakukac: If you find a good audiobook version that you like, let me know -- that might be a better option for me. With the current demands on my time, I think audiobooks are going to be the only way I can possibly reach my reading goal this year, and I'll have to do a better job of seeking them out and remembering to listen to them.

Adding my Susan Cooper love to the pile! I came to the series as an adult, too, and feel the same way as you: I would have *loved* it as a child and still love it as an adult! I read the first one aloud to Charlie, but he didn't care for it much, which I admit broke my heart just a tiny bit, the the series is on his shelves and I hold out hope that he'll see his way back to it someday, maybe.

I'm happy seeing the Susan Cooper discussions. I also read it along with my young teens, as an adult (obviously!) since it didn't appear until I was nearly a twenty-year-old.

I hesitate to wade in because ~ spoilers!
So will say that I thoroughly admired the series The Dark is Rising. My favourite of the books is Greenwitch. Perhaps because it is from a girl's perspective.

I had a very big niggle about the ending though... I wonder if other readers will think the same. Stay tuned... discuss when I don't put up tempting clicky spoilers!

>68 scaifea: Too bad that it didn't grab Charlie immediately, but I know that sometimes when I was a kid I would come back to a book later and find that I had grown into it.

>69 SandyAMcPherson: Lots of love for the series here! If I do continue reading, I'll probably read Greenwitch next, as I've already read The Dark is Rising, albeit some years ago.

We're Susan Cooper fans in our house, too. The title book in that series. The Dark is Rising, is probably my favorite. She wrote a cool one set in Shakespeare's time called King of Shadows that we particularly liked.

>71 jnwelch: I feel like I've read King of Shadows, but if I did, it was in my pre-LT days, because I have no record of it on here.

>60 foggidawn: I should really read that series.

>71 jnwelch: I'd forgotten about King of Shadows .
I haven't seen a copy of that in ages. Our PL just had paperbacks so those have likely been discarded, since PBs don't last like hardcovers. IIRC, I loved that story.

I read it as an adult to my kids. We read out loud, even when they were reading books themselves. It was a sort of family-sharing thing that was very enjoyable. By the time they reached 12 or so, those days were done. But revisited with grandchildren!

>74 SandyAMcPherson: As you know, I'm a big fan of reading aloud. Rob and I are about 3/4ths of the way through The Fellowship of the Ring at present.

Hi foggi! I’m just trying to do the rounds and say hello to everyone (slowly).

Re dogs and cats, my sister’s Japanese spitz seems to think she’s a cat; she loves chasing reflections and my mum only has to open the kitchen drawer and rustle the foil for her to start barking madly. I’m not quite sure what our golden retriever (supposedly a water dog) thinks he is. He won’t be persuaded into our swimming pool and has no interest in retrieving balls we throw for him, though he’ll chase them a couple of times as a favour to us.

I have the Dark is Rising boxed set on my shelves and am halfway through a (re)read. I do remember that Grey King broke my heart as a child, so I’m not anxious to get to it.

>62 curioussquared: Maybe your teacher had got to that book in the series and couldn’t wait to read it, so she decided to kill two birds with one stone?

>76 humouress: My parents' dog gets obsessed with chasing reflections; a spot of light from a wristwatch accidentally cast on a wall can send her into hyper mode.

(6 books read)



Pat of Silver Bush by L.M. Montgomery -- Patricia Gardiner loves everything about her family home, Silver Bush, and longs to just stay there forever with her family, unchanging. But changes do come, some good, some bad.

I've read this book more times than I can count (as is true of most of Montgomery's oeuvre) -- it's not my very favorite, but it's toward the top of the list. Silver Bush is practically a character in its own right, and I can picture every dear, delightful corner of it. Plus, I have a bit of a literary crush on Pat's friend Jingle.

>78 foggidawn: Oh dear; that could be a book bullet.

>79 humouress: It's a good one, though a little bittersweet.

>76 humouress: No, I'm pretty sure it was something she had been teaching at least for a few years. Who knows what her reasoning was!

>78 foggidawn: I liked Pat, it's a good Montgomery.

Have you read Jane of Lantern Hill yet? That's one of my favorites, almost as much as Anne.

It's been a long while since I read Pat of Silver Bush, but I liked it.

>77 foggidawn: Yup, Lilly does that too.

>82 fuzzi: And another one. I did get the Emily series but I only got partway through the first book because I think I had to fit in another book before the end of that month and I haven’t got back to it yet. I could see the similarities in situation to Anne and even to Lucy Maud.

>78 foggidawn: Can't give me a L. M. Montgomery book bullet because I have, and have read, them all!!

>76 humouress: I love the Dark is Rising sequence--the eponymous book is one of my rare 5 star reads, but The Grey King always breaks my heart too!

Hi foggi, I have never read the Susan Cooper books either, though I have picked up Under Sea, Over Stone a time or two in recent years but never actually got to it.

Pat of Silver Bush looks like a good one, too! I had never read anything but the Anne of Green Gables books until I read The Blue Castle last year.

>81 curioussquared: Curious, indeed!

>82 fuzzi: Jane is my second favorite of hers, after The Blue Castle.

>83 thornton37814: I was surprised to find that it had been almost five years since my last reread.

>84 humouress: I don’t love the Emily books the way I love many of her others. They’re not ones I generally choose to reread. I tried them again a few years ago to see if I liked them better as an adult — nope.

>85 ronincats: But I might inspire a reread!

>86 AMQS: I’ve owned the Susan Cooper books for some time, but am just now picking them up (at least, the first one).

(7 books read)



Why We Can't Sleep: Women's New Midlife Crisis by Ada Calhoun -- The women of Generation X face a unique set of stressors, and we're really feeling it. In this book, Calhoun examines the conditions leading up to all of this misery, and offers a bit of gentle commiseration.

I'm at the tail end of Gen X, sometimes categorized as part of the "micro-generation" called Xennials, but I've always thought of myself as more X than not. Calhoun defines it like this: "Whether to identify as Gen X is a decision every woman must make for herself, but I believe that if, like me, you were a kid in the Reagan years, had a Koosh ball, or know what sound a dial-up modem makes, you count." Since I meet all three of those criteria, I think I'm in. I'm certainly experiencing the angst she describes, though "midlife crisis" sounds overly dramatic to me. (Calhoun points out that "the stereotypical male midlife crisis involves busting stuff up -- mostly marriages but also careers, norms, reputations. . . . Women's crises tend to be quieter than men's. . . . There has yet to be a blockbuster movie centered on a woman staring out her car's windshield and sighing.")

As Calhoun sees it, Gen X women feel an unusual amount of pressure to have it all: job, family, looks, money, house, etc. And, of course, nobody being perfect, we're all almost certainly failing on some measures. Boomer women who achieved career success were lauded for their accomplishments, but Gen X women grew up being told that we could do it all, so if we find that we can't (or don't want to), it feels like failure. And, of course, we're the first generation to hit midlife with social media as a means of constant comparison to the lives of others. Gen X is smaller than the generations on either side, so many of us are facing the pressure for caring for loved ones both older and younger, with fewer people to share the load.

Much of this book is spent defining the problem, looking at various aspects of life. There's a chapter on caregiving (both for children and for aging parents), one on divorce, one on being single and/or childless, one on job instability, one on perimenopause, and more.

The chapter on being single and childless particularly resonated with me. She talks about the concept of "ambiguous loss" -- a woman in midlife might still find a partner, or might still have or adopt children, but the possibility feels like it's decreasing. Calhoun relates the not particularly uplifting stat that, among the employed and college educated, there are 65 unmarried men to every 100 unmarried women. While some women enjoy a single life, for those who don't, this is the point at which it starts to feel painfully inevitable and permanent.

"The last thing we need at this stage of life is self-help. Everyone keeps telling us what to do, as if there is a quick fix for the human condition. What we need at this stage isn't more advice, but solace." Calhoun goes on to talk about shifts in thinking and behavior that might help, ending with the reminder that midlife isn't forever, and that unhappiness is a bell curve that peaks at midlife. If we wait long enough, we will find ourselves on the other side. I did find some solace in the confirmation that I am not alone in my weltschmerz.

Board Gaming Update:

I know there are several board gamers around here, so I thought I'd give an update when I have game night with my friends (which happens every six weeks or so, usually).

   

This time around, we played a good game of Catan, since one of my game night buddies got the expansion pack for Christmas and now can accommodate a larger number of players. I hadn't played in years, but remembered how much I liked it, so I was excited to play again. We also played a game called Say What You See, which is a set of cards with visual and word puzzles (I'm sure there is a name for them, but can't think of it at the moment) and the first person to call out the solution gets the point. I wasn't too impressed -- some of the phrases depicted were pretty obscure, and of course, with a game like that, once you've played through all of the cards, you will remember many of the solutions. Still, it was a moderately fun and quick diversion. Then we played a couple rounds of Sushi Go Party, which we all enjoyed very much. I think we'll play that one again often, as there are plenty of variations depending on the configuration, and it's more enjoyable once you figure out a strategy.

Lottie Pupdate:



She's getting so big! Last night, she lost her first baby tooth (that I'm aware of). I am not going to miss those razor-sharp baby fangs! We're taking a course of obedience classes at PetSmart; we've had two so far and they seem to be helping. At the very least, they give her some good exercise and socialization on Saturday afternoons! She wants to be a Very Good Girl, but sometimes she forgets.

>89 foggidawn: I like a good game of Catan every once in a while :) Sushi Go is one I haven't gotten around to but has been on my list.

>90 foggidawn: She looks huge in that picture!! Being a Very Good Girl is a lot of work.

>91 curioussquared: Yes, and sometimes I think she decides that being a Very Good Girl is not worth the effort! ;-)

>90 foggidawn: Oh my goodness, those ears!

Sorry I am so late checking in here, foggi!

I love both the book and board game updates!

>93 lycomayflower: She is definitely still growing into her paws and ears!

>94 alcottacre: I thought a board game update might draw you out! ;-)

>95 foggidawn: I am drawn! I am drawn!

I give ten stars for your acquisition of an English Springer Spaniel. My daughter, son in law and children have a wonderful springer spaniel. I had never heard of this breed before my daughter and family purchased one from a breeder. I love, love this breed. They are incredibly loving. Though, their dog seems to bark a lot.

>96 alcottacre: Huzzah!

>97 Whisper1: Thanks! Lottie is not much of a barker, for which I am thankful. My parents' Springer barks quite a bit, but she lives on a farm, so it's not like she is bothering the neighbors. All of the Springers I have known have been very affectionate dogs.

>90 foggidawn: Oh she's such a cutie pie!

(8 books read)



Mistress Pat by L.M. Montgomery — As she grows into womanhood, Pat continues to love Silver Bush more than she could possibly love any man... or so she thinks. But change is coming, and even Pat’s determination can’t hold it back.

Ugh, this book is so unnecessary. I’m heading into a spoiler-filled rant here: If Pat had just married Jingle at the end of the first book, it would have been lovely. But no, she has to be all stubborn about never leaving Silver Bush. So, in the second half of this book, we see the destruction of everything she loves. Gentleman Tom leaves, Sid marries Pat’s worst enemy, Rae goes off to China, Judy dies, and then the freaking house burns down and Jingle comes back and literally proposes to her in the ashes. No matter how much I want this couple to get together, I cannot feel good about that.

I’ve always been bothered by that to some extent, but on this read I was also irked at Montgomery’s casual fat-shaming, which unfortunately runs through many of her works, but is particularly egregious here. Fatness is always a character flaw when it’s mentioned, never a neutral descriptor. Fat characters are lazy or stupid or crass (Mrs. Binnie, for instance, is all three, and because she weighs over 200 pounds, there’s apparently not a chair in Silver Bush that can hold her), and they serve as comic relief. Fat characters are undeserving of love (one of Pat’s old flames is later described as — horrors! — having gotten plump and middle-aged, so of course Pat spurns him again, and Rae flippantly jokes that one of her suitors might get fat with age, and then she couldn’t love him anymore). And don’t get me started on Mrs. Merridew. I’m maybe a touch bitter and sensitive on the topic, but I had a hard time getting through this reread. I love the first book in this duology, but maybe next time I will pretend that this one never happened.

>100 foggidawn: I'm glad I didn't read that one.

>101 fuzzi: I mean, it still has its merits — the new hired man Tillytuck is great fun, and Montgomery’s descriptions of nature are always lovely. But they didn’t, on this reading, make up for the rest of it.

>100 foggidawn: I remember not liking that one as well as the others.

>103 thornton37814: Yep. To compound the issue, Montgomery likes to recycle plot points, so several of the situations the characters face are echoes of the Anne books, the Emily books, etc.

Hi Foggi! Slowly I'm making my way around the threads and placing stars. Looking forward to reading more about your reading :)

>104 foggidawn: That exact aspect puts me off an author to some degree. I culled most of those novels for that very reason. I still have Blue Castle, though.

>100 foggidawn: I find I cringe when reading or rereading older books for many of the same reasons. The casual racism, fat-shaming, etc is hard to read with our modern sensibilities. But I hope that's a sign of progress - so many aspects of today's world seem so coarse and hurtful. So when I do read an old book and come across language and attitudes that would not fly now I feel hopeful, too.

>106 SandyAMcPherson: The Blue Castle will always be a favorite of mine. I culled all of the short story collections for that reason, though — she often reworked a short story into a chapter in a novel, or vice versa.

>107 AMQS: That’s a great way of looking at it.

>100 foggidawn: Being of a, erm, certain size, I don't think that I would take too kindly to LM Montgomery's fatness tirades.

>110 PaulCranswick: It's not so much tirades, as it is casual mentions and attitudes that just don't line up with (some) modern sensibilities.

*sigh* I'm in a slump, folks. There are lots of books that I want to read, but when I find reading time (tricky, what with the puppy and all) I find myself either playing games on my phone, or rereading things that aren't very challenging or stimulating (in other words, all that I can deal with at present). Grumble, grumble.

>112 foggidawn: keep reading the non-challenging and you'll eventually get back to the stronger stuff.

>112 foggidawn: No shame in re-reading! I've found when I'm in that particular kind of slump (set aside time for reading but end up just doing other things with it), it helps to read anything I can finish in one sitting - short story, comics, children's book. Knowing that I could finish the whole thing at once is motivating to me.

>113 fuzzi: Yeah. I'm just a little frustrated with my pace so far this year.

>114 norabelle414: Good thought. It seems like everything is taking me longer than I think it should, including graphic novels and children's books. But I will persevere.

>112 foggidawn: I went through a similar slump when we got Otter last year. Puppies are exhausting! I think I mostly reread Diana Wynne Jones, listened to audiobooks, and played video games.

>116 curioussquared: Yes, they are exhausting! I keep reminding myself that she will not be a puppy forever. Right now, we're working hard on training, attending weekly classes and trying to practice for a little while every day. That eats up a little time, but even more energy.

I use Goodreads as a secondary place to post my reviews, and I also put in 150 books as the reading challenge goal, since that's usually about what I read in a year. Right now, it's telling me that I am three books behind. I don't think I've ever been this far behind this early in the year. Rob and I are only a couple chapters away from finishing The Fellowship of the Ring, and I have an audiobook that I'm a few hours away from finishing, and if I polish off my current reread this evening and the graphic novel that I started and set aside weeks ago, I could be back on track. But I begin to understand why people sometimes find the GR reading challenge tracker on their homepage demoralizing!

>117 foggidawn: It definitely can be, Foggi. I dropped my goal to 100 this year just so the ticker wouldn't stress me out so much.

>118 MickyFine: I considered doing that. Maybe I will, if I don't get back on track soon.

>112 foggidawn: I hear you ~ re all the reading angst and the stress with not feeling engaged... I went through that last year, my first as a 75-challenge group member.

So here's what I learned worked for me (and I agree, everyone has to find their own coping strategies)
1) go for a walk. Especially if it is sunny.
2) leave the reading until later, maybe deliberately for several days.
2) meet a friend for coffee/tea. Discuss everything philosophical.
3) decide what what book(s) to put away and leave alone until you're feeling highly motivated. Then do it.
4) remind yourself that this is supposed to be fun. You're not in school. You don't *have* to read a certain number.

This worked for me because I was spending too much time as an isolated reader. It really helped that I have 2 friends who love discussing what they are/or just finished reading. We share liking for the same mix of genre and I discovered I felt 'ignited' to start an entirely new book.

And I had a few reassuring pep talks from Jim (drneutron) and others here on LT who said, you can make up your own rules about reading. In fact there doesn't have to be any rules.

So maybe that helped me. And besides, I discovered so many new authors here, reading became super compelling for those times.

HTH Be gentle with yourself!

>120 SandyAMcPherson: Thanks for the advice! It is rarely sunny in Ohio during the winter -- if we get a nice day, I will certainly take advantage of it. However, lately I'm trying to teach Lottie leash skills, and she is . . . resistant. It takes a lot of the joy out of going for walks! I'll have to see who among my friends wants to talk about books; I had a good book group where I used to live (we didn't always finish the book we had selected for our meetings, but we had great conversations about what we had been reading). I think your point #4 is probably the best one for me to take to heart right now. I just miss being able to immerse myself in a book. I'm hoping I can get back to doing that eventually.

(9 books read)



The Cat Who Wasn't There by Lilian Jackson Braun -- Qwilleran goes on a trip to the Scottish Highlands with a group from Moose County (but without, of course, his cats Koko and Yum Yum). Sixteen set out, but only fifteen return alive. Was the death foul play? And how can Koko solve this murder that happened thousands of miles away?

A few years ago, I read through this series to figure out where it jumped the shark. This is a solid entry, though not one of the best ones. If you're a fan of cozy mysteries and somehow haven't found this series yet, start at the beginning.

I went to Burns Night a few days ago, and it put me in the mood for something Scottish. This kind of hit the spot.

>122 foggidawn: I read a bunch of the Cat Who series when they were first out, late 80s. I stopped reading after they moved to the mansion.

I'd still recommend the first few, anyway, fun reads.

>123 fuzzi: Yeah, the earlier ones are my favorites. I think I like The Cat Who Turned On and Off best -- the one where they live in an apartment over an antique store. I do have a fondness for many of the Moose County ones, but there's a point at which the writing took a turn.

Have you tried reading out loud to Lottie? I find reading out loud helps me when I can't focus, and Lottie might like the attention :-)

>125 norabelle414: Lottie feels that she gets enough of me reading out loud, since I'm reading The Fellowship of the Ring aloud with Rob. (Sometimes she has to be confined to the kitchen while I read, because she likes to bounce on people who sit still for what she judges to be too long: approximately 2.5 seconds.) She's like a very energetic toddler at present, without the patience to sit still most of the time. But it's a good idea! I did read aloud to Sophie occasionally in her later years

>122 foggidawn: One of these days I'll re-read those! I enjoyed them up to a point the first time around. The last few weren't quite as good.

>127 thornton37814: On my last reread, I read up to #20 (The Cat Who Sang for the Birds), and kept up to #18 (The Cat Who Said Cheese) in my library -- I decided I would definitely not want to read beyond that point again.

Okay, folks, it's recommendation time!

In a few weeks, I'm going to visit one of my old college roommates who lives in Los Angeles. The main point of my visit is seeing her and her family, but I'm sure I'll have some time to fill with my own pursuits. Keeping in mind that I'm not super interested in TV or film-related attractions (don't really need to see the Walk of Fame or tour the homes of the stars or whatever), what do you think I should see or do while I'm there? Book stores? Libraries? Other quirky, offbeat things that I might enjoy?

>129 foggidawn: The Museum of Jurassic Technology not too far away from my daughter's favorite bookstore The Ripped Bodice in Culver City. You are, of course, invited to share some Kogi's Kimchi carnitas ooey-gooey fries, if you care to.

The Getty Museum is really outstanding! https://www.getty.edu/museum/

>130 quondame: Ooh, all of that sounds interesting (and, in the case of the fries, delicious)!

>131 ronincats: Great suggestion! I will put that high on my list.

(10 books read)



The Undefeated by Kwame Alexander, illustrated by Kadir Nelson -- An uplifting poem celebrating Black triumph, illustrated with Nelson's signature photo-realistic portraiture.

Normally I wouldn't include such a short book in my count, but this one won the Caldecott Medal, the Coretta Scott King Award for illustration, and a Newbery Honor. Its honors are well-deserved; I've been pulling for Kadir Nelson to win the Caldecott since his illustrated version of I Have a Dream came out in 2012, and this topic plays to his strengths. Alexander's powerful writing is no surprise to anyone who has read The Crossover. This is a book worth pouring over, worth savoring. Even if you don't usually pay much attention to picture books, my recommendation is: don't miss this one.

>131 ronincats: Totally agree with The Getty!

I also love The Huntington Library. It's more Pasadena area, but totally worth the trip. Beautiful house, collections, and gardens.

I did enjoy visiting the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

I have been reading The Undefeated to my classes since it was announced! The kids and I have loved it and had many great discussions.

>128 foggidawn: Good to know!

>134 curioussquared: Thanks for the suggestions! I think my friend's place is toward the northeastern side of the city, so the Pasadena area may be doable. I probably won't do the Wizarding World, since I went to the one in Florida a couple of years ago. It's tempting, though...

>135 compskibook: Great! Glad the kids are loving it. I had the same experience with Last Stop on Market Street back when it won the Newbery -- lots of good interactions with kids.

>136 thornton37814: :-)

I don't know that I *can* read The Undefeated out loud without breaking down. I'll try it with Charlie later in the week and we'll see how it goes, but for me it's really powerful; I was sobbing halfway through it!

Sounds like I would like The Undefeated too, Foggi.

Have a splendid Sunday.

>138 scaifea: Oh, definitely. That page without illustrations...

>139 PaulCranswick: Hope you enjoy it when you get a chance to read it!

(11 books read)



Landwhale: On Turning Insults Into Nicknames, Why Body Image Is Hard, and How Diets Can Kiss My Ass by Jes Baker -- Baker, a fat-positive activist, writes about her life, including many difficult topics such as love and intimacy, and being trolled online (and in person). She describes a near-identical experience to mine of visiting Universal's Harry Potter theme park and being unable to ride the main ride, though a friend of similar weight was able to. That made me feel vindicated, I'll admit. On the other hand, I think she's got "defensive" and "offensive" driving backwards, and I'm surprised her editor didn't catch that. Some parts of this book made me sad, some made me angry, and some made me laugh out loud. If you're looking for this sort of memoir, I'd recommend this book.

(12 books read)

The Mystery of the Masked Medalist by Maia and Alex Shibutani -- Reviewing elsewhere; just including it in my count here.

(13 books read)



Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me by Mariko Tamaki and Rosemary Valero-O’Connell — Laura Dean is amazing and cool, and Freddy is so lucky to be her girlfriend... except... well, Laura Dean is kind of a jerk. Everybody keeps telling Freddy that she needs to find a way out of the relationship, but it’s not that easy when one’s heart is still involved. But while Freddy is dealing with her relationship drama, her best friend Doodle really needs her. Distracted by Laura, Freddy isn’t being a great friend. Shouldn’t love make you a better person?

This graphic novel is just so good. The artwork is phenomenal; this artist does a particularly amazing job with hair and textiles. And the story is perfection; I think anyone who has been in this sort of toxic relationship, or observed it in a friend’s romance, will identify with Freddy and her struggles. Highly recommended.

(14 books read)



Brave by Svetlana Chmakova -- Jensen thinks of every day at Berrybrook Middle School like a video game. He has to pass each level, avoiding the monsters that lurk in the halls. Lucky for him, he has art club, plus some new friends at the school newspaper. Jensen wouldn't say he was being bullied -- sure, there are a couple of guys who like to call him names and shove him around a little, but he's usually able to avoid them. And yeah, some of the kids at art club make jokes about his hobbies and interests -- but it doesn't count as bullying if they're your friends, right? (Pro tip: it totally counts.) As Jensen starts to realize that there is a culture of bullying at Berrybrook, he begins to wonder: is there something that he could do to change the way things are?

Chmakova does a great job of capturing middle school in all of its messiness. Though this is the second book in a series, it stands alone just fine, making it perfect to recommend for those looking for books on the topic of bullying. However, if you're just looking for more great graphic novels for readers who have enjoyed Telgemeier, Jamieson, and others, I'd recommend all of Chmakova's books.

Great selection of books you've reviewed. I'm trying to dodge the book bullets...

>145 SandyAMcPherson: Thanks! As norabelle414 suggested above, reading some graphic novels and shorter works has helped jump-start my motivation just a little. (Also, finishing the book that I was assigned for review but had been dragging my feet about reading helped, too.) Maybe soon I will feel like tackling longer works again. In the meantime, I've gotten in a few good graphic novels, and I have at least one more at home that I'd like to finish.

(15 books read)



Unmarriageable by Soniah Kamal — A retelling of Pride and Prejudice set in early 21st century Pakistan.

This was a lot of fun, and even more so because I listened to the audiobook, so I got the accents and proper pronunciation of everything. The author sticks very close to the original plot, so it seemed strange to me that the original novel exists in the world of the book, and the characters discuss it periodically. Definitely recommended, especially for Austen fans who love a good retelling.

>143 foggidawn: This has been on my list since Rainbow Rowell recommended it. Glad to see you enjoyed it! I need to pick it up soon.

>147 foggidawn: Ooh, interesting...

>148 curioussquared: Yep, yep, yep.

Looks like you've had some solid reads going on. As I recall, you're a big fan of Cyrano de Bergerac so I thought I'd let you know that National Theatre Live is airing a production of the play with James McAvoy later this month. Hopefully a movie theatre near you is showing it. :)

>150 MickyFine: Oh, wow, I will have to look into that! Cyrano is my fave.

>150 MickyFine: I once saw Richard Chamberlain as Cyrano. He was large!

(16 books)



Crush by Svetlana Chmakova -- Jorge Ruiz has always been content to be the unofficial "sheriff" of Berrybrook Middle School, stopping bullies when he sees them, and not paying much attention to who is dating whom. Until he starts to notice Jazmine, a girl from drama club. When he's around her, he can't seem to form sentences, or even get any words to actually come out of his mouth. What is happening to him?

Another really cute and relatable graphic novel in the Berrybrook Middle School series. There's friendship drama in addition to the crush-related content. The art is adorable and the characters are such fun. I definitely recommend this entire series; because they share a setting but the characters only overlap in minor ways, you can read them in any order.

(17 books read)



The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien — The most unlikely of adventurers, a hobbit of the Shire, embarks on a quest to destroy the Ring of Power and save Middle Earth.

Having watched the movie many times since my last reread, I had forgotten the richness of detail in the book — not just in the parts that the movie doesn’t cover (Tom Bombadil, the Barrow Downs), but in the descriptions of the journey and everything they go through. I love the movies, and they got so much right, but it’s good to revisit the books every now and then.

Rob and I took a couple of months on this read aloud, so I imagine the next two books will take us into early summer — a pleasant thought for a snowy evening! And he’s agreed to Harry Potter next; he’s seen the movies but never read the books (I know, I know: and I let him live in my house?!?) so I’m looking forward to that.

>154 foggidawn: I'm one of the few who missed the Tom Bombadil and Barrow Wight episodes of the first LOTR book when it was translated into the movie.

>154 foggidawn: Well, at least he's agreed to try the books. Can't wait to hear about his reactions to all of the many excellent bits that were cut/changed in HP. After you finish your journey to Mordor. ;)

>155 fuzzi: Oh, I missed them, too! I can see why they might have cut them, but I do miss them when watching the movies. On the other hand, I found one point where I actually prefer the movies to the books: Boromir’s death. “I would have followed you, my brother, my captain, my king” are some excellent last words.

>156 MickyFine: Oh, I’m also excited to see what he thinks of the full story! But I imagine we’ll be some time on the road to Mordor — his work has him scheduled for a lot of evenings lately, which cuts into our reading time. (That’s work for you: always getting in the way of the fun stuff, right?)

That’s work for you: always getting in the way of the fun stuff, right?

Especially on a Monday. :P

>154 foggidawn: This makes me want to find someone to read LOTR and HP aloud with! I remember reading a few Harry Potters aloud to my younger brother, which we both enjoyed, but haven't really had a lot of chances otherwise. Maybe I should start reading aloud to my dogs.

>158 MickyFine: Oh, yeah. It's the Monday-est.

>159 curioussquared: I started out with the Queen's Thief series, shortly after Rob arrived. I felt so weird suggesting it: can I read this aloud to you? And I got a bit of an odd look, but he agreed, and now here we are, six months and five books later -- and he was the one who suggested LOTR. I read the entire Harry Potter series aloud to my parents and brother, back when they first came out (I remember having to wait for my brother to come home from summer camp to read the fourth one; agony), so I'm really excited to read them again.

Hi, foggi. I'm glad you enjoyed Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me so much. Me, too!

Svetlana Chmakova is new to me. Her books sound good; I'll put Brave on my WL.

>161 jnwelch: Awkward is actually the first in the series, but like I said, they stand alone well, so start with Brave if the topic interests you more.

Ah, I remember how wonderful it was to read the Harry Potter books aloud - you're both in for a treat!

>154 foggidawn: I do think that the first part of LOTR is the best thing that Tolkien ever wrote. Had me absolutely spellbound when I first read it at 11 or 12.

>163 AMQS: Yes, I'm looking forward to it!

>164 PaulCranswick: It is certainly engaging. I started out with The Hobbit, myself, at about that age.

(18 books read)



The Hand on the Wall by Maureen Johnson -- Stevie thinks she's solved the decades-old cold case that brought her to Ellingham Academy. She's still working on the murders (or were they accidents? Stevie doesn't think so) that have happened since her arrival. A third death cements her suspicions -- but when the school closes just as the storm of the century is about to roll in, Stevie may never have a chance to prove her theories. And then David shows up again...

This book makes a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy. The setting is a really strong feature in this series, and it's accompanied by great, quirky characters. I think that the pacing of the whole trilogy is a little strange; it might have been better as two books, rather than three. However, if you've been waiting for the conclusion of the series so you can binge all three without cliffhangers and the agonizing wait between books, now you can read the whole thing in a weekend, and I promise it will go down smoothly. I did find one part of the conclusion a little bit implausible (the part where Stevie and David got to spend the night together, unsupervised, in the ballroom), but all in all I enjoyed this, and if you like both YA and mysteries, you probably will, too.

This evening I set out on my Los Angeles adventure. As I was packing last night, I selected some books for the trip:



This is a ridiculous amount of books to carry along. I, of course, am concerned that it won't be enough, but I consoled myself with the thought that I can always download library ebooks to my phone if I get desperate!

>167 foggidawn: I've heard that they have book stores in Los Angeles, but I have not confirmed it myself ;-)

>168 norabelle414: Hahaha! I've also heard rumors to that effect!

Safe travels, hopefully this nasty storm we're supposed to get later today and overnight won't cause any delays for you! If you finish that stack of books, you deserve to buy something in a bookstore in Los Angeles!

>170 aktakukac: Yep, I'm driving to the airport earlier this afternoon than I normally would, in order to avoid as much of the nastiness as possible. I'm hoping for no delays...

>167 foggidawn: Enjoy! Looks like a great spread :)

Finally adding Truly Devious to The List now that I can avoid all cliffhangers.

Have a great time in La-La Land! Try and read a page or two. ;)

>166 foggidawn: That's a machine gun series BB!

>167 foggidawn: It's cool and lovely here just now, so you may just want to enjoy our crispy weather and not spend so much time indoors reading!

Don't forget the offer of fries if you are in the westside/Culver City area!

>167 foggidawn: I'm looking at the spine label on that top book. They must use the same label printer and font we use here! I recognize it. I think it's odd that I noticed it.

>172 curioussquared: Thanks!

>173 MickyFine: I think that’s the best way, really.

>174 quondame: I laughed a little bit at “cool and lovely,” because to me of course it feels warm and lovely! Now that I’m here, I can figure out if I can shoehorn a meetup into my schedule. I’ll message you.

>175 thornton37814: So funny! We get some things pre-processed, so it may be that we use the same vendor.

I made it to California despite some travel mishaps (a delayed flight leading to a missed connection in Dallas). The weather is lovely; the jet lag is disorienting. I didn’t get much sleep last night, so I’ve been napping and reading a lot today while my friend is at work. She’s off tomorrow, so I’ll do less napping and reading then.

(19 books read)



Rules for Visiting by Jessica Francis Kane — When May gets some extra time off from work, she sets out on a sort of odyssey to visit four of her closest friends. She ruminates on the meaning of friendship while trying not to think about certain family issues that she can’t seem to escape. Also, the mildest, most downplayed romance ever.

I wanted more from this book — it’s hard to articulate why. I read it as I set out to visit a “fortnight friend” (May’s term for the sort of friend you could impose upon for that length of time, if you were a character from Victorian literature who went visiting) of my own. I think I wanted more to come of May’s visits. It was... fine. A pleasant read, but I wasn’t left with a sense of the book’s purpose.

(20 books read)



Genesis Begins Again by Alicia D. Williams — When she comes home to find her family’s furniture and belongings in the front yard, Genesis knows what that means. It’s happened before, more than once: they’ve been evicted. They’ll go somewhere temporary while her father figures out another living arrangement, and he’ll promise that things will be better this time. “This time,” the family ends up in an upscale neighborhood where Genesis starts a new school, where she is one of few students of color. She’s self-conscious about how dark her skin is, and experiments with various concoctions to lighten her skin and straighten her natural hair. A sympathetic music teacher introduces her to the music of Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, and Etta James, and encourages her to audition for the school talent show. But will Genesis still be at the school when the talent show rolls around, or will her father’s drinking and gambling cause the family to have to move again?

This is one of this year’s Newbery Honor books, and it’s so well-deserved. The writing is phenomenal. I’d recommend this to anyone who enjoys a well-told story with great character development.

>176 foggidawn: The one in my office is a Zebra TLP 2824 Plus label printer. The font is Tahoma/10 pt/bold. Only our leased books come pre-processed. However, they goofed the other day and sent one where they'd forgotten to add a label and the red lease program sticker. Fortunately I had a red sticker I could use, and I just used a slightly larger font similar to the one they use. We had to add our own book jacket cover though.

>112 foggidawn: Move to Texas so we can game together! lol

I HATE slumps and often turn to comfort reads when I get into them.

>122 foggidawn: My mother is a HUGE fan of that particular series and I read them up to a certain point and just was not interested any more. I gave my entire collection of them to her.

>133 foggidawn: Yes, I agree. It is not a book to be missed, no matter how old you are.

>143 foggidawn: Into the BlackHole it goes! And, woot! My local library has a copy.

>144 foggidawn: My local library does not have that one, but has her Nightschool graphic novels, so I am going to give those a try.

>147 foggidawn: Another one that my local library has a copy of - will wonders never cease?

>154 foggidawn: Oh, that is such a good one. I really need to read Tolkien again.

>166 foggidawn: I already have Truly Devious in the BlackHole. I guess it is about time I get around to reading it.

>178 foggidawn: Adding that one to the BlackHole. Sounds like a great read!

Whew! I was only 80+ posts behind. Thanks for all the recommendations, foggi!

>179 thornton37814: Wow! Since I don’t do the processing myself, I don’t know the specific details of ours.

>180 alcottacre: Wish I could game with you! But not enough to consider moving to Texas. ;-)

(21 books read)



Broken Strings by Eric Walters and Kathy Kacer — Shirli dreams of playing the role of Hodel in her school’s production of Fiddler on the Roof, and is very disappointed to be cast instead as Golde, Tevye’s wife. In an attempt to get a better grasp on her part, she asks her grandfather, a Holocaust survivor, about their family history. Though he’s initially hesitant to open up, when Shirli discovers an old violin in his attic, he eventually tells her his story, which is more heartbreaking than she could have imagined.

This is a good story, and an important one. It’s well-plotted, but I found the writing to be rather pedestrian: the dialogue is stiff in places, the tone often didactic. I’d recommend it to kids learning about the Holocaust, and to those who love theatre. I probably wouldn’t recommend it to adults, though, unless those subjects are specifically appealing.

>182 foggidawn: Thanks for taking one for the team. :)

Did I miss that you were having an LA adventure? We're considering going for spring break - there's a college there Marina applied to but has not visited yet. Anything we should not miss?

>183 MickyFine: Ah, well. It was an ER win, so there’s that.

>184 AMQS: My experience has been pretty much out of the norm, in that I came to see my friend and have barely ventured out of her neighborhood, except for a trip to the Getty (which was excellent; if you want to do a museum, I recommend it). So I don’t feel qualified to make recommendations beyond that! I’ve done a lot of napping and a fair bit of reading. And I’ve really been enjoying the warmth and sunshine. It’s been lovely. But not the typical LA experience, I don’t think.

(22 books read)



The Dark Lord Clementine by Sarah Jean Horwitz — Clementine’s father, the Dark Lord, is not doing well. It appears that he has been cursed. He forbids Clementine from going after the witch who placed the curse, and demands that she remain at the castle, overseeing the farm and grounds. But it’s obvious that her father’s magic is failing, and she’s going to need some help around the farm. Plus, the Council of Evil Overlords is demanding evidence of a dastardly deed in order for her father to remain in good standing. What’s a girl to do?

This book is good fun, though it perhaps doesn’t rise to the level of Diana Wynne Jones or Patricia C. Wrede. The characters are great and there’s some nice humor, but I thought the plot meandered a bit in the middle. Still, recommended for readers who enjoy this sort of juvenile fantasy.

>185 foggidawn: Sounds like a great trip, though!

>186 foggidawn: Sounds like a cute premise but since you aren't crying full love for it, I'll probably pass on it as MG and YA have been more hit than miss for me lately.

>187 MickyFine: It was a great trip!

I updated my reviews above with cover images, for those who like that sort of thing.

>178 foggidawn: That looks a tempting novel... sounds a bit like a Susin Nielsen theme (SN is a Vancouver, B.C. writer).
I'm a huge fan of Susin's writing. She's an especially effective YA author for the 12 to 15 y.o. group but I thoroughly enjoy her work as an adult reader.

Just catching up Foggi and unsurprisingly your reading has just about caught up my own.

>189 SandyAMcPherson: I’ve read some of her books, I think.

>190 PaulCranswick: Hi, Paul!

(23 books read)



Things No One Will Tell Fat Girls by Jes Baker — Having enjoyed Landwhale, I decided to try Baker’s earlier book on body positivity. It’s got some useful, interesting content, but I just can’t seem to get this sort of advice to really work for me. YMMV.

I thought it might be time for another Lottie picture:



She just completed her obedience course -- but she is still not super obedient...

>193 foggidawn: But she is super cute!

>194 MickyFine: I cannot argue with that!

Always time for a Lottie photo!!

>193 foggidawn: awwww...

>193 foggidawn: Lotti is still adorable!

>182 foggidawn: Too bad about that one as it sounds like one I might have liked had the writing not been so pedestrian.

>193 foggidawn: Love that picture!

>193 foggidawn: That is a lovely photo, Foggi. Looks more obedient than me anyway!

Aw, Lottie is such a cutie!!

>196 ronincats:, >197 fuzzi:, >198 FAMeulstee:, >199 alcottacre:, >200 PaulCranswick:, and >201 scaifea: -- Thanks! She certainly has her winsome ways, even if she doesn't always listen as well as I would like.

>202 foggidawn: she's a preteen, enjoy her for what she is. In my experience with dogs I will add that maturity will come, usually between 18 months and 2 years...!

>193 foggidawn: Total cutie! And troublemaker. I think the two usually go together.

>203 fuzzi: I have to constantly remind myself that we are making progress -- now that she has her "big girl" teeth, she's much less likely to hurt me with her teeth, and she's learning (from me yelping whenever she gets me with her claws) that her paws can hurt me, too. She goes in to be spayed next week, and I foresee that keeping her calm as she heals from her surgery is going to be a challenge.

>204 curioussquared: Oh, certainly!

Good luck in advance with keeping her mellow after her surgery!

>193 foggidawn: She looks lovely!

>206 MickyFine: Thanks... I'll need it!

>207 SandDune: Thank you!

Once again, my reading pace has slowed to a crawl. I'm about halfway through two books, A Wish in the Dark by Christina Soontornvat, and The Distance from Me to You by Marina Gessner. I've just downloaded, but not yet started, the audiobook version of Daisy Jones and the Six, which is the April pick for the book club I sometimes attend. I'm hoping I can get it read by then if I start now! I keep telling myself that I need to start listening to audiobooks while I cook (and play endless games of fetch with Lottie), but I am inconsistent about it.

In other entertainment news, we watched Knives Out yesterday, and neither Rob nor I were particularly impressed. I wasn't sure if it was a mystery trying to be a comedy, or a comedy trying to be a mystery, but it wasn't really successful on either count. A real-life friend had talked it up to me, so I was a little disappointed that I didn't love it more. But I checked it out from the library, so I was pleased that I didn't actually spend any money on it!

>208 foggidawn: I keep seeing Knives Out coming in and going out at the library and am tempted (mostly by Chris Evans), but I may put it in the back burner for now...

>208 foggidawn: Daisy Jones and the Six is on my list to get to. Listening to audiobooks while I cook and clean (and walk the dogs, of course) I swear has changed my life! I don't particularly enjoy cooking so it definitely encourages me to get more into it.

Sorry you didn't enjoy Knives Out -- Tim and I both loved.

>209 scaifea: Perhaps you will like it better than I did.

>210 curioussquared: My problem with listening to audiobooks while cooking is that occasionally I lose track of what's happening in the book while focusing on the recipe, or I do something that temporarily drowns out the book (running water in the sink, for instance) and then usually I don't want to touch my phone to rewind. But I will persevere!

(24 books read)



The Distance from Me to You by Marina Gessner -- McKenna is determined to hike the Appalachian Trail. She's just finished high school and has put off starting college for her epic trek. The plan was to hike the trail with her friend Courtney, but when Courtney backs out at the last minute, McKenna decides to make the journey alone. She just won't tell her parents that she's heading off into two thousand miles of wilderness on her own. And, eventually, she's not on her own -- she meets Sam, another thru-hiker from very different circumstances than hers. Their paths keep crossing, and eventually they become friends, and then more. But when they take a dangerous chance, they learn the true dangers of the wilderness. Will they survive? And if they do, what will happen to them at the end of the trail?

I love the idea of hiking the AT, though I don't think I would ever actually attempt the whole thing (so far, my AT experience has been limited to a few day hikes in the Smokies). So, I had expectations of enjoying this story set on the trail -- and I did, except for the entire romantic plot line. I thought the romance developed really fast, and I wasn't able to really get onboard with why she decided she liked him so quickly. (Teenagers, I guess? What do I know?) I didn't care for him as a character; I thought he was a jerk. And I also found our main character pretty spoiled and entitled. And then, contrarily, I didn't care for some aspects of the ending -- I loved that she finished her hike on her own, but I thought she put aside her relationship with Sam very quickly and easily, for something that they both asserted was the deepest love they'd ever experienced in their lives. And it's nice that she's keeping the dog, but basically that means her parents will be keeping the dog when she goes to college across the country, right? What I did like were the descriptions of life on the trail. So, if that appeals to you, I'd say you might want to take a look at this book -- otherwise, you can probably pass it up.

>212 foggidawn: Another hit taken for the team. Wishing you a much more enjoyable next read, Foggi!

>213 MickyFine: Thanks. I'm mid-book on another read that is good (though not fantastic at present -- we'll see how I feel about it when it's done). If I keep getting mediocre reads, I'll have to change up my haphazard means of selecting books and focus on either rereads or sure bets for a while.

>212 foggidawn: Ugh, I've had this one on my reading list for quite a while, but now I don't know if it'd be a worthwhile read. I would like to read about the descriptions of life on the trail, so maybe I'll still pick it up at some point. One of my coworkers is engaged to a man who has hiked most of(?) the AT, and he has also walked across the USA.

I haven't heard anything bad about Daisy Jones and the Six. I've read a couple of books by the author and will possibly read it eventually. Good luck getting it finished for your book club!

>215 aktakukac: You might enjoy it for the hiking stuff -- and some other reviewers liked the romance and characters better than I did. I find that my patience with YA is wearing thin of late. I've listened to a little of Daisy Jones, and it's good so far!

>212 foggidawn: Where have you been hiking in the Smokies foggi? The trail runs pretty close to my farm!

>212 foggidawn: I think I will give that one a pass. Sorry the book was not better for you, foggi! I hope the next read is a better one.

>212 foggidawn: The premise of the story sounds better than its execution, Foggi.

>217 leahbird: I know we did Clingman's Dome, and I'm afraid I'm not sure what other parts I've done, since a lot of my Smoky Mountains hiking was done with my parents as a child and teen, and I'm not sure which parts were on the AT, and which were on other trails. More of it was in North Carolina than in Tennessee, though. It's been a while since I've done much serious hiking.

>218 alcottacre: Thanks!

>219 PaulCranswick: I think that's fair to say, Paul.

(25 books read)



Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid -- You've got Daisy Jones, a headstrong wannabe songwriter. You've got The Six, an up-and-coming rock band from Pennsylvania, just starting to make it big in L.A. Put the two together, and you have something that is so much more than the sum of its parts. There's just one problem: Daisy Jones and Billy Dunne, lead singer for The Six, can't stand each other. This fictional oral history traces the band's rise, their short but meteoric stint as one of the hottest bands in the world, and their sudden implosion one night in Chicago.

I listened to the audiobook, and would definitely recommend that format for this book. Each character was voiced by a different actor, and I think that added a lot. I buzzed through this audiobook in a weekend because I was so absorbed in the story. If you're intrigued by the topic (sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll) or the format, I'd recommend this. It may end up as one of my favorite books of the year.

Join me over on my new thread!