Copperskye (Joanne) Reads in 2021

Hi and welcome! 2020 was really something else and I’m happy to see it gone. The changing calendar won’t magically fix everything or anything but here’s hoping each new day of 2021 brings renewed hope for the future.

Anyway, welcome to my first reading thread of the year! I’m Joanne, and this is my 13th year on LT and my 12th year of tracking my reading in this wonderful 75ers group. I live in Colorado (a NJ transplant, but I’ve lived most of my life here on the front range, south of Denver) with my husband, a golden retriever named Skye, and a grey tuxedo cat called Boomer. I also have a son who is pursuing a creative writing MFA, remotely at the moment, but fingers crossed for the fall semester. We are all readers, except for the dog and cat.

I read mostly fiction, lots of mysteries, some narrative non-fiction, and memoirs. I more or less (sadly) read about 75 books a year. After reading only 62 books last year, I’m hoping 2020 was truly an anomaly on the reading front (well on all fronts, quite frankly). I don’t have any other reading goals except to try to read off my own shelves. I did pretty well with that last year. About half of the books I read were my own and hope to do as well in 2021. The more books I buy, the easier that’s become so it seems a bit like cheating. I need to stop buying books. Lol, who am I kidding. Since I don’t like writing reviews, I don’t plan on saying much about the books I read. I keep a fairly quiet thread here, but all are welcome to stop by and comment or not.

Cheers to a new year of reading and reaching new heights!
From near the top of Mt Evans

My 10 Favorite Books of 2020, in the order I read them:

In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado
A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
Writers & Lovers by Lily King
The Dutch House by Ann Patchett
Hiding in Plain Sight by Sarah Kendzior
The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai
All the Devils Are Here by Louise Penny
Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell
Valentine by Elizabeth Wetmore
The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

And my two favorite girls, Skye and Boomer:

Books read in 2021

January 2021
1. Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear, OTS #1, 4 stars
2. Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano, OTS #2, 3.25 stars
3. The Book Case by Nelson DeMille, OTS#3, 3 stars
4. Kopp Sisters on the March by Amy Stewart, OTS #4 (ARC), 4 stars
5. Agnes Grey by Anne Bronte, OTS #5, 4 stars
6. What It’s Like to be a Bird by David Allen Sibley, 4.25 stars
7. Dear Miss Kopp by Amy Stewart, OTS #6, 4.25 stars

February 2021
8. Banker by Dick Francis, OTS (K) #7, 3.5 stars
9. The Hour Of Land by Terry Tempest Williams, OTS #8, 4.25 stars
10. Midwinter Murder by Agatha Christie, OTS #9, 3 stars
11. Multiple Choice by Alejandro Zambra, 3 stars
12. Air Mail by Pam Houston and Amy Irvine, 4.25 star
13. The Last Detective by Peter Lovesey, OTS #10, 3.25 stars
14. Death Of a Dustman by M C Beaton, OTS #11, 3 stars

March 2021
15. A Highland Christmas by M C Beaton, 3 stars
16. The Sea Gate by Jane Johnson, 4.25 stars
17. Speculative Los Angeles edited by Denise Hamilton, 3.5 stars
18. Death of a Gossip by M C Beaton, 2 stars
19. The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro, OTS #12, 4.25 stars
20. A Pale Horse by Charles Todd, OTS #13, 3 stars
21. The Postscript Murders by Elly Griffiths, 3 stars
22. The Haunted Heart Of Denver by Kevin Pharris, OTS #14, 2.5 stars

April 2021
23. Diamond Solitaire by Peter Lovesey, 2.5 stars
24. The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly, OTS #15, 4 stars
25. Say Nothing: A True Story Of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden Keefe, OTS #16, 4.5 stars
26. Birds of a Feather by Jacqueline Winspear, OTS #17, 2.75 stars
27. Blackout by Ragnar Jonasson, OTS #18, 4 stars

Best wishes for a better 2021!

Thank you, Diana. Welcome!

Happy New Year, Joanne! Love the photos.

Welcome back!

>7 Crazymamie: Thanks Mamie! Same to you!

>8 drneutron: Thanks Jim!

The annual meme with books read in 2020:

Describe yourself: The Zig Zag Girl

Describe how you feel: Hiding in Plain Sight

Describe where you currently live: Crooked House

If you could go anywhere, where would you go: Elevation

Your favorite form of transportation is: Take Me With You

Your favorite food is: Everything Inside

Your favorite time of day is: The Story Hour

Your best friend is: The Daughter Of Time

You and your friends are: The Great Believers

What’s the weather like: Snowblind

You fear: Little Fires Everywhere

What is the best advice you have to give: You Can Only Yell at Me For One Thing at a Time

Thought for the day: All the Devils Are Here

What is life for you: Summertime, All the Cats Are Bored

How you would like to die: The Death Of Kings

Your soul’s present condition: Mister Blue

What was 2020 like for you? Our Malady

What do you want from 2021? Sense and Sensibility

LOL - Especially love your favorite time of day and what is life for you answers.

Hi Joanne! I hope 2020 was an anomaly as well. I've never been so glad to put up a new calendar! I would not know what to do without your best-of list! I always appreciate your recommendations, quiet thread or not!

What is life for you: Summertime, All the Cats Are Bored That title cracks me up, and if that's true, there's a picture book that might be able to help called The Summer Nick Taught His Cats to Read. It checks out pretty regularly in my library:)

And yes - Sense and Sensibility, please!!

Happy New Year.

Happy reading in 2021, Joanne!

Except for The Thursday Murder Club I could've written your list of favorites Joanne. Wasn't Sarah Kendzior's book eye-opening? Happy New Year and happy reading.

>11 thornton37814: Hi Lori, Yeah, they both seemed to fit pretty well!

>12 AMQS: Lol! And suddenly, the cats are no longer bored since they know how to read! :)

>13 FAMeulstee: You too, Anita!

>14 brenzi: Hi Bonnie! Yes, absolutely eye-opening! And scary. Very scary.

Happy New Year, Joanne. Skye and Boomer are so cute.

Great "best of" list; we have some in common. At least 2020 was a good year for reading. I hope 2021 is even better.

Hi Joanne, and Happy New Year!

>2 Copperskye: I just started Hamnet and am encouraged by how many folks rated it a top read of 2020. Aww, Boomer – helping with the puzzle.

Happy New Thread, Joanne. Happy New Year! Love the topper. Looking forward to sharing another year of books, with one of my very favorite LTers.

Hope 2021 is kind to you!

Happy New Year Joanne!

And keep up with my friends here, Joanne. Have a great 2021.

>16 BLBera: Hi Beth, If nothing else, I’m looking forward to some good books in the next few months!

>17 karenmarie: Hi Karen, I hope you love Hamnet as much as I did! And yes, Boomer’s a great little “helper”. She mouths the puzzle pieces when she wants my attention and insists that it isn’t her fault that the pieces stick to her paws and so she has to shake them off.

>18 msf59:, >19 ChelleBearss:, >20 norabelle414: Thanks Mark, Chelle, and Nora! Happy New Year!

>21 PaulCranswick: Yes to all of those, Paul! Happy 2021 to you!

Hi Joanne, Happy reading for 2021. I copied your 'best of" list for 2020. Looks like some very good ones there!

Hi Joanne, I sincerely wish you a Happy New Year filled with health, confidence, joy and many good books.

Happy new year, Joanne!

Particularly taken with "What do you want from 2021? Sense and Sensibility."

Here's to your wishes coming true. Great reads all year, Joanne!

>23 mdoris: Hi Mary, Happy reading to you!

>24 Ameise1: Hi Barbara, Wishing you a happy 2021, too!

>25 katiekrug: Same to you, Katie!

>26 richardderus: Happy New Year to you, Richard! So far, no sense and sensibility, but I guess it’s early days.

1. Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear

This one’s been languishing on my shelf for 10 years or so and I’m so glad I finally read it. I was expecting a straightforward female detective mystery but it was so much more than that with Maisie’s backstory and the WWI storyline. Happily, I’ve collected several other books in the series and look forward to continuing. 4 stars

>28 Copperskye: Congrats on finally getting around to Maisie.

>28 Copperskye: How much fun is that...a good read, a good new series. the next few already shelved!

>29 thornton37814: Thanks Lori! Took me long enough! :)

>30 richardderus: I know, right, Richard?! Something to look forward to is always a good thing.

>28 Copperskye: Oh, I like this series. But it's always a bit tricky to find a copy here.

>28 Copperskye: I still haven't read Maisie Dobbs despite seeing praise all over LT, Joanne. What is wrong with me?! Nothing except a reluctance to keep starting new series, I reckon.

Hi, Joanne!

I read that first Maisie Dobbs a couple of years ago and loved it, too. I need to get back to the series soon.

You are in for a treat with the Maisie Dobbs series. I'm a couple behind, but it's one of the series that I think has mostly kept up its high standards over the years.

Morning, Joanne! Like Julia, I still have not read any Maisie Dobbs either.

Happy New Year, Joanne.

I read the first few Maisie Dobbs books and liked them, but then for some reason fell off the boat. I'll look forward to hearing your reactions as you go along.

I'll be the contrarian here and say I read the first Maisie Dobbs and found her annoying so didn't continue with the series!

>32 Ameise1: That's too bad, Barbara!

>33 rosalita: I have a multitude of series I keep meaning to try, Julia. Perhaps there are too many? :)

>34 scaifea: >36 BLBera: I'm happy to hear that, Amber and Beth!

>37 Crazymamie: >38 jnwelch: Hi Mamie and Joe, yeah...too many series

>39 katiekrug: Contraire away, Katie! I can see that. She is a little bit too perfect.

>2 Copperskye: Boomer looks like there is movement toward placing a piece of puzzle.
All good wishes for a stress-free 2020.

>41 Whisper1: Nice to see you, Linda, happy 2021 to you. If she stays up there long enough, Boomer’s paws stick to the puzzle pieces and so they go flying when she jumps down. And to get my attention, she’ll pick up pieces in her mouth. What a helper! :)

Just a quick stop to wish you a wonderful weekend.

Joanne, a few years ago, Lilly was watching my grandchildren play a board game, she picked up a game piece and dropped it on the board elsewhere. We are laughed so hard!

>43 Ameise1: Thank you, Barbara, I hope your weekend is going well!

>44 Whisper1: Lol! Was it her turn? Also, there's nothing like a golden retriever tail to seriously interrupt a game of Bananagrams.

2. Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano

This was fine. Well written book about grief and healing and coming of age. It wasn't a book I had planned on reading - I'd rather avoid children and plane crashes and grief and healing. But it was a gift and I knew I'd never read it if I didn't do it soon.

Really a silly thing to bug me, but a paramedic in Greeley, CO could not also work part-time at a Shop-Rite. We don't have Shop-Rites here. But it was my grocery store of choice when I lived in NJ, where the bulk of the book takes place. Someone should have caught that.* 3.25 stars

eta: *They did in the ebook.

>46 Copperskye: I read that one in an ARC last year, and I felt much the same. I found the segments exploring the lives of some of the other people on the plane to be more compelling than Edward's story. I also thought the "big picture" stuff about how people become famous through tragedy and how that affects them was an interesting angle that wasn't really developed enough.

And good catch on the Shop-Rite faux pas. That passed right over my Midwestern head.

>47 rosalita: I totally agree with you, Julia. Edward's story was the least compelling part. I wanted to know more about Benjamin and Florida, and Linda. Edward's story had a bit of a YA feel.

Also, funny thing, I had, in addition to the hard cover edition, borrowed an e-copy from the library, and I just now used my Kindle to look up the name "Linda" for my comment above. Seems like they fixed, there at least, the Shop-Rite issue I mentioned. The paramedic now works at a much more believable Safeway. Glad it was eventually corrected!

3. The Book Case by Nelson DeMille

Before Christmas, I did some online book buying - Powell's, The Boulder Bookstore, The Bookies, and The Mysterious Bookshop, and one or two others. From The Mysterious Bookshop in NY, I bought some of their little bibliomysteries, including this one. It's been a while since I've read Nelson DeMille and great fun to spend some time with his very irreverent John Corey character.

The John Corey books are a guilty pleasure of mine. I think I've grown uncomfortable with reading for pleasure books that paint Islamic terrorism with a broad brush. Anyway, this little short story/novella didn't have any of the baggage that the books about terrorism have for me, and I really liked it. Maybe DeMille will write more "from the past" books about Corey's pre-terror task force police career.

>50 rosalita: My favorite John Corey books were Plum Island and Night Fall. I haven't read the later ones, probably for the same reason.

The first John Corey I read was The Lion's Game which I devoured, then Night Fall and Plum Island. The later ones made me uncomfortable, in ways similar to Julia's reaction, so I stopped reading them.

>52 katiekrug: Those are the three I read, too, Katie, along with Wild Fire. I don't want to read about anti-terrorist task forces but I'd love, as Julia said, to revisit Corey again as a snarky police detective.

Happy Sunday, Joanne. I hope you could find some solace in the books this weekend. I did. I had Dear Edward on my radar, but it may have been nudged off.

Hi Joanne. I enjoyed your comments about >46 Copperskye:. It's not a book I think I could pick up, and the grocery detail would bug me also!

>54 msf59: Happy Monday almost a Tuesday, Mark! Dear Edward isn’t a book I would recommend to you. I’m not sure it’d be your cuppa as it had a bit of a YA vibe.

>55 AMQS: Hi Anne! I was happy to see that they fixed the grocery store issue in later editions. Safeway makes so much more sense.

Hi, Joanne! So, three books already! Well done. I'm deep in a reading slump and haven't even started my first book of 2021 yet. I think it's all the craziness that's happening that's keeping me from wanting to read (other than the Murderbot books, which I dip into whenever I am feeling particularly stressed, i.e., a lot). I hope when you get a chance to read them you enjoy them as much as I do.

I think I liked Dear Edward more than you did, but my expectations were pretty low. And I didn't catch the grocery store issue! It's interesting that they fixed it. Who knew that editing gets done after a book is published?

I don't think I've read any DeMille, not sure he sounds like an author I would like.

>57 Storeetllr: Hi Mary!

Don't be too impressed - the first book I started before Christmas and the second was barely 72 pages! :)

I'm sorry you're slumping! I'm desperately trying to pick up the pace this year, not because the numbers mean anything but because I have so many books that I want to read. I'm finding it really hard to keep my attention in one place though.

Speaking of which, crazy scary times with the nutty new representative in your old Colorado congressional district. She makes Scott Tipton seem moderate in comparison. So glad to have Jason Crow here in CD6. And I'll take the 2nd impeachment today as a happy birthday gift, but still, scary times.

>58 BLBera: Hi Beth! I haven't read DeMille in a long time but I did really like Plum Island if you're ever looking for a good page-turner of a beach read. And the little bibliomystery, The Book Case, was fun and short! I was so surprised to see the change in the ebook of Dear Edward (I kept looking at the print and the screen to be sure I wasn't seeing things), but I guess that'd be an easy thing to change digitally and in future printings. I wonder who noticed it?

>59 Copperskye: Oh! Is it your birthday? Happy happy happy birthday! And yes, what a nice birthday gift. Although I could have gone the rest of my life without seeing a president impeached again. It's a terrible thing when a president has done something egregious enough to necessitate impeachment. As far as that Boebert bitch goes - sorry, but she is. A nutty, scary, arrogant, obnoxious bitch. I hope she is expelled for what she did during the insurrection. As for D3 - there are a LOT of gun crazies living around the district, especially in the south. Xenophobic gun crazies who are big Cult 45 fanatics. I miss Pueblo (a lot), but not that aspect of it. I heard D3 is going to be broken up so we may not see this kind of whackadoodle getting in again. (Jason Crowe is a HERO.)

Merry approach pattern to oldness!

And, of course, many many more returns of the day.

Happy belated birthday Joanne. I'm wondering why that didn't pop up on FB.

Did I miss your birthday? If so, it is never too late- Happy Birthday, Joanne! It is also your Thingaversary too, right?

Happy belated birthday, Joanne!

Happy belated birthday, Joanne. Many happy returns!

>61 Storeetllr: Thanks, Mary! Oh, and don’t apologize for calling her like she is. This morning, I read the perfect description of her from Josh Marshall of Talking Points Memo. He referred to Boebert as “this feral terror gimbus”. Is that not just perfect? I hope she is, at a minimum, expelled.

>62 richardderus: Ha! Pull up! Pull up! How did I get this old? But thank you!

>63 brenzi:, >64 msf59:, >65 katiekrug:, >66 BLBera: And thank you all for the good wishes! (Nope, my Thingaversary is in May, although I seem to be buying books as if it is!)

>67 Copperskye: this feral terror gimbus Oh, yes! Perfect!

4.Kopp Sisters on the March by Amy Stewart

This is the 5th book in a charming series based on real life sisters in NJ, one of whom was the first female deputy sheriff in Bergen County. In this installment, the sisters are participating in a National Service Camp in Chevy Chase, Md, as the US is preparing to enter WWI. While the action is mostly fiction, the book is based actual events and people. I initially missed the northern New Jersey setting but quickly warmed to the alternating stories, including that of Beulah Binford, in this entertaining book.

>69 Copperskye: I attended the launch for book #6 in the series earlier this week. I really like the author. She came to our online book club in December when we discussed that book. Then I got to see her again after reading an ARC of #6. Definitely fun.

>70 thornton37814: Amy Stewart is definitely a fun person! She (and her publisher) put together a Kopp Sister Literary Society of which I am a member. :) This ARC came with a cute little package of goodies and I’m sorry that I only got to it now. I have an ARC of book 6 which I’m really looking forward to since I love epistolary novels. I knew there was a Zoom launch party which I missed (sadly). I’m sure it was a blast!

Belated Happy Birthday, and happy (let's hope) 2021. My birthday is next week, and the number is pretty weird!

Maisie Dobbs is definitely too perfect, but sometimes you just need that kind of fluffy mystery. I've read a few, and might get back to the series when in that mood.

Happy Belated Birthday Joanne!

>72 ffortsa: Hi Judy, Thanks and a very happy birthday to you!! I draw the line at very fluffy, cozy mystery series - they just aren't for me - but Maisie certainly doesn't go that far. These days, I need a little dependability and goodness.

>73 Whisper1: Thank you, Linda!!

I've been having a hard time all year starting a new book. I'll finish something and then start and stop 5 or 6 books, books I've been looking forward to reading, before something finally clicks. This week's clicker was Agnes Grey. I've read books by her sisters but this is my first by Anne Bronte.

Joanne, I went through the same thing at the beginning of the year, I picked up at least six-seven books, started to read them, and put them down. I think I am back on track now.

>75 Whisper1: I'm glad to hear you're back on track, Linda. It's discouraging, thinking I won't find something, so I hope I get back on track soon, too!

>74 Copperskye: I've felt like that since last year, Joanne. Right now, I've got two books on the go — one is a history of black soldiers during the American Revolution, and is interesting but a bit dry and academic. The other is historical fiction about a Jewish family in Germany before and during World War II. It's also interesting, and well-written, but the subject matter isn't exactly cheerful. So I took a break and read Mother Night, also not a laugh-a-minute. Hmm, maybe my book choices have something to do with my reading malaise?

Greetings from sunny Long Island!

>77 rosalita: Hmm, yes, they all sound pretty bleak, Julia. The WWII one might interest me. Vonnegut does have some levity, usually, if you like your levity dark.

>78 richardderus: Well, heck, Richard, that's where all the sun is today! It's grey and damp and kind of gloomy here today, not at all what we're used to. :( I hope you're enjoying it, even in January!

Happy belated birthday, Joanne! It seems that two of our representatives have had their profiles raised in recent weeks - Boebert is absolutely horrifying and Crow is heroic. I'm grateful that my rep is Perlmutter!

>79 Copperskye: *Especially* in January! It's my favorite winter weather: Sunny, cold, lightest breeze. *bliss*

>74 Copperskye: Joanne, I went through a stage like that, too, when I couldn't settle with a book. I'm happy that it seems to have passed. Good luck. I hope you find something that works soon.

>80 AMQS: Hi Anne, Thanks! Ed Perlmutter is a good guy. We went to some union events he attended back when he was first running. This was when Tom Tancredo was our rep. I was jealous.

>81 richardderus: You left out the ocean, Richard. I love walking on the beach in the winter. *sigh*

>82 BLBera: There’s probably a lot of that going around, Beth. I’m really glad that I eventually find something. I didn’t expect it to be Agnes Grey but maybe I just needed to step out of this country and century for a while. :)

>84 Copperskye: I LOVE IT! I may have to snag that one.

27 hours and counting...

>86 msf59: Hi Mark, My print edition of the NYer arrived yesterday and I see the cover is titled “A Weight Lifted”. Ain’t that the truth.



5. Agnes Grey by Anne Bronte

I loved this story of a young woman who goes off to work as a governess to help support her family. Told in first person, Bronte had a lot to say, in not too many pages, about the roles of women, cruelty to animals, and some pretty horrible children. There’s a love story thrown in as well, but, as a whole, much more realistic than her sisters’ more romantic Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre.

I’m looking forward to reading The Tenant Of Wildfell Hall

6. What It’s Like to be a Bird by David Allen Sibley

Big, coffee table book, beautifully illustrated, and fun to leaf through with fascinating little bird facts. I’ll be looking for distinctive Bushtit nests on my walks this spring and paying extra attention to the Mallard nest at our little local pond.

>87 Copperskye: I really need to up my Brontë game, Joanne. I've only read Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights. This seems like it could be a good one to start with.

I've been wanting to read Agnes Grey, Joanne. I think generally The Tennant of Wildfell Hall is considered to be a better book. It is a good one.

>89 rosalita: Hi Julia! Up until this week, that’s all I had read, too. The Tenant Of Wildfell Hall is supposed to be much better, but I thought Agnes Grey was great. I wish they had written more.

>90 BLBera: Hi Beth, I know Wildfell Hall is considered her best, but Agnes Grey is certainly a worthwhile read.

I spent the day a bit under the weather having gotten my second Covid vaccine yesterday. Fever, body aches (which mountain did I climb?), and a splitting headache made for a rough evening and night but other than fatigue, I’m feeling much better now. Also very thankful to have some protection now so the short term effects were well worth it!

>91 Copperskye: You got your second vaccine shot! I’m delighted to hear that. Here in Iowa, if the current deplorable vaccination rate continues, my risk group won’t even be eligible until mid-July. I hope now that the grownups are in charge (in DC, not Iowa) things will improve.

>92 rosalita: I really hope the vaccination rate picks up, Julia. That would have been me, too, waiting until late summer for my group. The hospital where I volunteer, after first telling us that they wouldn’t be vaccinating volunteers, suddenly reversed course. When I called about it, I was able to get an appointment for that same day (it was Christmas Eve so that might have had something to do with it). I felt funny getting it so soon, my boys had to talk me into it, but I’m happy that I took the opportunity when it presented itself. I hope you get yours sooner rather than later!

>93 Copperskye: You did the right thing! I was just reading an article that said if you are offered the vaccine you should not decline so someone who “needs it more” will get it. There’s no guarantee that will actually be what happens and it’s more important to get people vaccinated in high numbers than be too precise about who gets it when. It was really eye-opening because I had been thinking I should wait since I have a job I can do remotely but I guess that’s not how to look at it.

>93 Copperskye: Glad you have been able to get your shots already, Joanne. No sign of them arriving here in Malaysia other than for all the corrupt politicians. I am told that they won't even make them available to foreigners here and I will travel back to the UK as soon as I can for a variety of reasons.

>94 rosalita: I've heard some commentators say the same thing since I got my first shot. I know I would have been kicking myself if I had passed up the chance. Fingers crossed for you!

>95 PaulCranswick: Hi Paul, But you've lived and worked there for ages! That seems to be a pretty short-sided policy.

Hi, Joanne.

I loved The Tenant of Wildfell Hall after a goddaughter suggested it. I hope it works for you. You've convinced me to give Agnes Grey a go.

I will be interested to see what you think about The Tenant of Wildfell Hall when you get to it, Joanne. That one did not work for me, though I know others have loved it.

>97 jnwelch: Hi Joe, Oh good, both that you loved The Tenant of Wildfell Hall and that you plan to read Agnes Grey!

>98 Crazymamie: Hi Mamie, I'm sorry to hear that! I really hope I like it. I know I have to be in the right mood to enjoy the classics.

We're having a beautiful bluebird sky kind of day here after a day of snow yesterday. Only a few inches collected so the shoveling I just did was minimal - now it's time for a dog walk to enjoy the outdoors some more.

It started off great and went directly downhill for me.

I got my first Pfizer dose today and so far Bill Gates has used the nanochip in the antifreeze to transreverse my brain patterns, I've had anaphylactic shock, suffered from malarial agues, and developed a full-blown case of COVID.

In less than 12 hours! Stuff's a miracle!

(Not even a sore arm to report, actually, though I'm promised one will come by tomorrow.)

Hi Joanne, I'll wait to see how you like The Tenant of Wildfell Hall because it's one I haven't gotten to yet. We've had very little snow here so far. Who knows what February will bring though.

>100 Crazymamie: I hope it’s all uphill for me, Mamie, whenever I get to it. (“Downhill” works here but I’m not so sure about “uphill”. Hmm.)

>101 richardderus: Whoot! Whoot! And sadly, yes, that may be the case. But maybe not, and the relief I’m sure you feel makes the sore arm a non-issue!

>102 brenzi: Not sure when I’ll get to it, Bonnie, but one of these days it’ll land on my lap. January was a very dry month for us. We really need whatever we can get!

Bark softly...

Morning, Joanne!

>104 Copperskye: Unlurking to say that I *love* this photo!

>104 Copperskye: It looks like the Skye's the limit, Joanne!

And your caption made me think, isn't it lovely to have dog people back in the White House?!

Hi Joanne!

A VERY belated Happy Birthday.

>91 Copperskye: Glad that you’re double dosed and over the side effects.

>104 Copperskye: Good reference, sweet pic.

>104 Copperskye: - Awwww.....

>104 Copperskye: Love it.

I'm glad you have gotten your shot. Still waiting here although my parents did get their first one, a relief.

>104 Copperskye: I love this post!!!

>105 scaifea: Good morning, Amber, Nice to see you!

>106 rosalita: HaHa! And yes, Julia, it's so nice to have dogs and dog people back in the WH. Loved the photo of them in the snow.

>107 karenmarie: Thank you, Karen! And yes, I'm glad, too!

>108 katiekrug: Hi Katie, I bet Nuala is loving the snow! (It's 63 and sunny here today. We could use the snow.)

>110 BLBera: Me too, Beth. That's good news about your folks!

>111 Crazymamie: Thanks Mamie!

7. Dear Miss Kopp by Amy Stewart

This is the sixth book in the Kopp Sisters series and is my new favorite. Constance and her sisters were real people and Amy Stewart has done an excellent job of fleshing out their lives and adding new adventures. The first book took place in 1914 when Constance Kopp was hired as the first female deputy sheriff in Bergen County, NJ. It’s now 1918 and the US has entered the war. Written as a series of letters, Stewart fully fleshes out the personalities of each sister as they assist in the war effort. Little is known about the Kopps’ activities during WWI, but here, Fleurette is traveling throughout the US with a vaudeville troupe, Norma is in France working with her pigeons in the Army Signal Corp, and Constance is chasing spies with the Bureau of Investigation. Their adventures and activities, although manufactured, are based on actual historical events and, especially in the epistolary format, make for a fun, entertaining read. I’m so glad there will be more to come!

8. Banker by Dick Francis

I enjoyed this latest pick for the Dick Francis group read. I liked how the action took place over a number of years. I didn't like the absolute cruelty that was at the heart of the crime. Overall, a gripping read though.

Glad you got your shots! I'm still waiting. There aren't enough appointments here. Love the pic of Skye!

>113 Copperskye: I'm so pleased to see you, six books in, thoroughly excited by this series. Always a good sign!

>7 Crazymamie: Glad you enjoyed it! I've read #5 and #6; now I need to read #1-4.

>115 Storeetllr: Fingers crossed that you get yours soon, Mary!!

>116 richardderus: Absolutely, Richard. I think they're getting better!

>117 thornton37814: Great, Lori! You'll get some interesting info from the earlier books.

Yes, until I do, though, I'll be down here in the basement. :)

Saw your post about Chris's featured article and read it. Very well done. Congrats to him! I hadn't even known that place existed when I lived in the Denver area, and now I'm mad at myself for not doing more exploring while I was there. It sounds like it was a hoot!

>119 Storeetllr: Thanks for reading, Mary! He had fun with it and has signed on as a freelancer with Westword. I’ve never been to Casa Bonita either so don’t feel bad!

Just catching up and wishing you a happy weekend, Joanne.

Nice to see some Mary sightings! >115 Storeetllr: etc.

>121 PaulCranswick: Hi, Paul! I keep meaning to visit your thread and say hi. Soon. I've got a thread over at the Green Dragon pub this year.

>120 Copperskye: For some reason that doesn't make me feel any better, Joanne. There are so many things I wish I'd done/seen while I lived in Colorado and had the chance because I doubt I'll be getting back there anytime soon. Or ever. Now, with Covid, I'm similarly not doing much exploring here in NY. Once spring is sprung (soon, please) I'm going to try to get out at least once a week to see something new in the area.

>121 PaulCranswick: Hello Paul, Always nice to have you drop by, as well as Mary! I hope your week is a good one!

>122 Storeetllr: If nothing else, this stupid pandemic is making us all realize that we need to get out and experience the world while we can. Easier said than done, though, especially for those of us prone to introversion. That sounds like a good plan!

Hi, Joanne. I looks like I may have to own What It’s Like to be a Bird one of these days. I am glad to hear that the Kopp Sister series is still going strong. I may have to return to those.

>124 msf59: Hi Mark!! It's a fun series and I love the location!

Hi Joanne! Happy new week's reads.

Well, that doesn't happen very often any more...duplicate posts!

>126 richardderus: >127 richardderus: Hi Richard! LT weirdness strikes again. I thought I double posted earlier but it didn't, after all. I'm enjoying this week's reads - an Agatha Christie collection, Midwinter Murder and I picked up a book to finish that I was halfway through but couldn't stomach after drump was elected, The Hour of Land. Hope is renewed.

The Hour of Land? OMG, one of my favorites! I love TTW. I am glad you returned to it.

Hi Joanne, every time I come here I'm reminded that I want to get back to the Kopp sisters. I've only read the first one but you always make me wish I could continue. Well, I can but I have to make a point of it I guess lol.

>129 msf59: One and the same, Mark!

>130 brenzi: I have too many books that I keep saying I want to read, too, Bonnie, as if they are out of print and unavailable to a commoner and not under a pile of other books somewhere in my house. It is a fun little series, though.

9. The Hour Of Land by Terry Tempest Williams

Part memoir, part nature study, part environmental critique. Goodreads tells me I started reading it on Aug 12, 2016. When Election Day 2016 happened, I had about 150 pages to go but no appetite to read it. I was finally able to pick it up last week and finish it. I love Williams’ writing and enjoyed most of the essays. There’s a lot going wrong in our wild places but she still gives me hope for the future.

>122 Storeetllr: & >123 Copperskye: Will go and seek Mary out there just as I seek you out here, Joanne!

>133 PaulCranswick: Happy to be sought after, Paul! Have a great week! :)

10. Midwinter Murder by Agatha Christie

A good mix of Christie stories, although not all are winter or murder related. But Christie is always reliably entertaining. My favorite story was the first and longest, Three Blind Mice.

>132 Copperskye: I also love TTW, Joanne. I thought this was beautiful.

11. Multiple Choice by Alejandro Zambra

Experimental fiction, dealing with family, politics, and society, written in the form of a Chilean aptitude test. Unique but won’t appeal to all.

My son was having printer issues and asked me to scan a section for him. I had no idea what it was as I scanned it, and thinking that it really was some sort of aptitude test, I thought it an odd choice for him to be using in the classroom. So I took a closer look and realized what it was. Lol, perfect for a unit on experimental form.

>136 BLBera: Hi Beth, Me too! And I’m so glad I was able to enjoy it again!

12. Air Mail, Letters Of Politics, Pandemics, and Place by Pam Houston and Amy Irvine

Air Mail consists of early Covid lockdown letters between two Colorado authors, begun as part of an Orion Magazine series. It was interesting to look back at late March to May 2020 through their emailed letters, and compare and contrast that time to what we’ve been through and where we are today. I’m familiar with Houston and her writing but Irvine is new to me. I enjoyed reading of the thoughts, fears, and rage of these two fierce women. My only complaint is that I would have liked a longer time span.

Hi Joanne. I'm dropping by to see what you are reading, and how you are!

Hi Joanne - I was surprised to see Multiple Choice here. It is a great example of experimental writing, but I didn't love it. It sounded too much like an MFA assignment. I would like to try other work by Zambra.

>140 Whisper1: Hi Linda! Nice to see you! I'm okay, reading is a struggle, though. Mysteries seem to be working well for me though.

>141 BLBera: Not as surprised as I was that I actually read it through, Beth. It had its good moments which I appreciated. I'm struggling to get fully engaged with my reading and picking up short odd little books seem to agree with me. But it's not very satisfying. I'm longing to pick up something that I can get lost in.

My current reads (among others) are Peter Lovesey's The Last Detective and The Haunted Heart of Denver which is fun and the author doesn't take himself seriously at all and makes me want to do a Denver walking tour.

This handsome spotted towhee visits once or twice a day, scratching at the ground like a little chicken. Check out that red eye and those long claws.

>143 Copperskye: What a handsome bird (except for the weird red eye)! I've never seen one of those before. I sympathize with your reading restlessness, Joanne. I've been feeling much the same for far too long now, with only brief respites. Here's hoping this too shall pass.

>144 rosalita: Fingers crossed for all of us having the same problem (slight that it may be), Julia. I think I just need to relearn sustained attention.

Hi Joanne!

>114 Copperskye: So glad you liked Banker. I, too, loved that the action took place over a number of years. I need to put on my SHARED read administrator’s hat and set up the thread for the March – April read soon.

>143 Copperskye: Beautiful photo of a striking bird.

>146 karenmarie: Hi Karen, I hope all is well with you!

I have to go check which Francis book is next and see if I can track it down.

I never realized how long the towhee’s claws (are they called claws? Not talons, I’m pretty sure) were until I saw them pictured against the snow. It certainly explains how they manage to move so much ground cover with each kick.

The second book is Odds Against, and here's the thread: March - April, Odds Against

>148 karenmarie: Thanks, Karen! The search is on.

Well, we finally got some snow! 15” in our driveway. Most snow in Denver metro in 5 years.


Makes for happy dogs. I’m a little sore.

Aw, yay for the snow and the happy dog!

Glad your pooch is enjoying your snow!

>151 scaifea: >152 ChelleBearss: Hi Amber!, Hi Chelle! Dogs and snow, almost as much fun as kids and snow! And we're at that sweet spot now between dry grass and mud being brought into the house.

>139 Copperskye: Love that book cover and Pam Houston so that is good enough for me.

>143 Copperskye: I LOVE this Spotted Towhee! Such beautiful birds. I got very lucky to see one in a Chicago suburb this past year. We do have Eastern Towhees in this part of the country.

>150 Copperskye: Wow! Lovely winter photos. At least your snow doesn't stick around long. Ours will linger for awhile. Sighs...

>150 Copperskye: She does look pretty happy. Too bad you had to get so much at once. We have gotten little snow here this year. I'm not complaining.

>143 Copperskye: What a beautiful bird. Red eyes! How special!!!

Happy New Year and Happy Belated Birthday! I found you again!

>10 Copperskye: I love the prompts you added! Thank you for playing and sharing!
>91 Copperskye: I got my 2nd vaccine on Friday and was in bed all day yesterday with your same issues, plus nausea. I kept telling myself, this means it's working! But ugh. I woke up feeling so much better this morning, a little achy and headachy but nothing Tylenol can't fix. What a relief to be vaccinated though, and hopefully this is the beginning of the end of the pandemic.
>104 Copperskye: SO cute!!

>154 msf59: Hi Mark! Isn’t that cover great! It’s a slight book, and I wish there was a continuing dialogue between the two writers, but I’ll take what I can get. I’m always happy to have it snow and then have it melt. There’s still plenty on the grass but it will be near 60 this week so not for long.

>155 BLBera: Hi Beth, We’ve been light on snow as well, but March is our snowiest month so we’ll see!

>156 Whisper1: They are very cute, Linda, and their eyes don’t always look quite so red!

>157 PaperbackPirate: Hi Pirate! I’m sorry you had similar symptoms but happy to hear you also got both shots! It’s a wonderful feeling (well after the side effects go away) to be protected. Glad they are taking care of teachers there!

Hi, Joanne!

>150 Copperskye: Wow, that's a lot of snow all at once! Is it still around or has it melted in the fierce Colorado sun yet? I just posted some pics from this morning showing what's left of our snow after a week of 40-some degree days and a day of rain.

>139 Copperskye: I'll have to look for this one.

Hi Mary, Yes, for the most part, the sun has done its work. Skye can still find patches of snow to roll around in though, thank goodness (she loves to roll in the snow).

My hips are still sore though, from overdoing the shoveling bit. :(

13. The Last Detective by Peter Lovesey

A pretty good start for a series I’ve been meaning to try. I didn’t find Det. Diamond particularly likable, but he did start to grow on me by the end. I’ll continue.

I had picked up this copy, remaindered, if I remember correctly, several years ago at my local bookstore. I was racing through to the end, as the killer was telling his story, when I realized that the second to last page was missing. Just blank. What?? I frantically searched for an available copy and finally found an audio loan on Hoopla and finished it that way. Dilemma as to what to do with the book now.

14. Death of a Dustman by M C Beaton

A mystery that’s a bit cozier than I generally read but so much fun, I’ll read more of the Hamish Macbeth series.

15. A Highland Christmas by M C Beaton

A couldn’t resist a return to the Scottish Highlands and Hamish Macbeth. There’s a lost cat, stolen Christmas lights, and some Holiday spirit gone amiss. This was a very charming and quick holiday read, really perfect.

I would've Sworn.An.Oath. that I commented on >137 Copperskye:! I enjoyed that little bagatelle, and I confess I'm more than a little in awe of the translator Megan McDowell for her bravura performance in Englishing it. What a feat.

Anyway. Onward through the fog, eh what?

Hi Richard! It was different, that’s for sure. I do tend to forget about the person doing the translating and what a job that must be - particularly with a book such as this. Thanks for the reminder!

Skye found a patch of snow in the shade of the fence.



And a good roll in another shady spot.

Aww, Skye looks pretty happy rolling in the snow!

Happy Friday, Joanne! Love the Skye photos! Finding the joy wherever it is. How are feeders? Seeing any early migrants?

>167 ChelleBearss: Hi Chelle! She loves it!

>168 msf59: Hi Mark, Feeders are still pretty quiet, but we have a good variety - nuthatches, chickadees, finches, some juncos, a towhee, the occasional downy and flicker. And small flocks of bushtits. No early migrants that I'm aware of. I think a pair of collared doves were thinking of nesting in our spruce tree but they seem to have gone missing. We have a lot of magpies in the area and I think they have a chilling effect on the song birds. I saw a rare bird alert last week for a summer tanager in a yard in Aurora, 20 or so miles east of here. Apparently it overwintered here even though we are out of its range, summer or winter. Poor lost thing. I did go out to see a snow goose that was with some Canada geese on a nearby pond. Lifer for me.

>166 Copperskye: I can't see myself rolling around in the snow these days, Joanne! Looks refreshing at least!

Have a lovely weekend.

Hi Paul, I'm afraid that if I tried to roll around in the snow, I wouldn't be able to get up again. I hope your week is going well!

Hi Joanne! I am catching up with your thread. I'm so glad you were able to be fully vaccinated. Callia is also because she works in a hospital, even though she doesn't really interact with patients. Its early for her - a healthy 22 year old, but I am grateful the hospital policy was to vaccinate all employees. Most of my colleagues are 1/2 vaccinated - me included. My 2nd shot is Friday. We felt relief and some questioning also. We're mostly young, mostly healthy... it feels somehow like we're taking something away, but we gave ourselves a similar pep talk: every person vaccinated gets us closer to "normal' and that's a GOOD thing. Vaccinations aren't even holding elementary schools back in Jeffco - we've been full-time in person (for families who choose that model) since August, but my school is now on it's 3rd quarantine situation for certain cohorts, and we definitely feel better about the exposure we get now that we have some protection. I teach between 75-100 students a day depending on the day.

LOVE your pics of sweet Skye in the snow. Dogs love snow. Whistler is a little too old to frolic, but he tries.

And you got me with two BBs: The Kopp Sisters series and the letters between Pam Houston and Amy Irvine.

>172 AMQS: Hi Anne, Good to see you here! I’m so glad Callia is fully vaccinated and you’re halfway there. I wouldn’t want to have to face so many kids without it. I’m very happy that CO is taking care of its teachers so don’t any of you feel bad!! All this angst about opening the schools - just vaccinate the teachers and staff! I felt funny getting my shot so early but I’m glad I did (my age group is eligible now). I’m hoping Chris can get his here when they open it up for higher ed instructors. He had mentioned maybe going back to campus in IL to get it but I hope he doesn’t have to do that.

The Kopp Sisters books are really fun!

Hi Joanne.

>150 Copperskye: Beautiful. We didn’t get much snow this winter, sad to say. Looks like you’ve got another serious storm heading your way.

>166 Copperskye: Absolutely adorable. Skye will have lots more snow soon.

Hi Karen! They've been hyping up our weekend storm all week and now it seems to be delayed a little bit. That usually means less snow, but we'll see. Springtime in the Rockies! It should start tonight and the bird feeders are full and the snow blower is ready. I went to the grocery store (such an amazing thing now!) for milk and the produce section was almost totally wiped out. A run on broccoli apparently.

>176 Copperskye: Hah. Never a truer cartoon.

>176 Copperskye: LOL Love this.

>175 Copperskye: Sold out of broccoli?! Is that an excuse to skip the veggies this weekend then? :)

>176 Copperskye: That is great, Joanne.

>177 Storeetllr: >178 AMQS: >179 ChelleBearss: >180 BLBera: :)

16. The Sea Gate by Jane Johnson

I was really hoping to come across a book that I could get thoroughly immersed in and The Sea Gate finally did it. I really liked this dual timeline mystery/romance. Rebecca, while going through her recently deceased mother’s papers, comes across a letter from an elderly cousin in Cornwall who is in dire need of some help. Looking for some change, Rebecca heads out and discovers her cousin in the hospital and a house in desperate need of repair. The book alternates between current day and 1943 and both timelines are equally interesting. Not perfect, but very, very entertaining and one of my favorites so far this year. 4.25 stars

That sounds like a good one, Joanne, and I've added it to my list. Did you get socked in? I heard it was lighter the further south you are. We probably have between 2 1/2 and 3 feet. Did Jeffco call a snow day? No, they did not.

Ugh to Jeffco! I like how DPS is doing snow days - if there’s just one day needed, it’s a true snow day, but if more than one day is needed, they are remote days. Seems fair. We got at least 2 feet here. And the town actually plowed our street which is extremely rare (I think >16 BLBera:” calls for one pass of the plow). It’s melting fast though. I just came back from a walk around the block and we were mostly walking through running water.

>176 Copperskye: Very very accurate.

>182 Copperskye: Thank goodness for a winning read at last!

Hi Richard! It was almost like the old days, allowing myself to get lost in a book. Good times! :)

>184 Copperskye: Jeffco's community (taxpayers) aren't too supportive of the school district (among other problems) so we run very close to minimum instructional minutes for budget reasons. Jeffco and other districts called another remote learning day tomorrow: apparently even with facilities crews working 12 hour shifts there are still 40 buildings that have not been cleared! I think we had 30 inches when it was all said and done.

>187 AMQS: Everything seem to come down to money, or the lack of it. We need to do better at funding our schools. Maybe more snow tomorrow. Fun, fun, fun.

17. Speculative Los Angeles edited by Denise Hamilton

Akashic moves on from city-based noir to speculative fiction with these 14 new stories set in Los Angeles. As is typical with most collections, I didn’t like them all but some really did stand out for me, particularly those by Ben Winters (I love a good twist), Aimee Bender, and a heartbreaker by Kathleen Kaufman. A solid collection.

18. Death Of a Gossip by M C Beaton

I’m glad this first book in the Hamish Macbeth series wasn’t the first one I read. If it had been, I wouldn’t have continued. Awful stereotypes, silly plot, and a protagonist who was barely included. A cozy mystery that makes me not want to read a cozy mystery.

>189 Copperskye: Sounds like an interesting collection, Joanne. Have you read Ben Winters' Golden State? It's really great spec fiction about California — it occurs to me to wonder whether the story in this collection is an excerpt or otherwise set in the same universe.

Hi, Joanne. I heard you guys were getting hit pretty hard with the snowstorm. Any problems? Knowing Colorado like I do, your snow can melt away fast. Good luck, my friend.

>189 Copperskye: That one was definitely a solid collection. These Akashic Books collections have been a surprise treat for me.

>191 rosalita: Hi Julia, I have not read Golden State (but I did read and love The Last Policeman trilogy). In looking at the synopsis, I don’t think it is related at all to the story in this collection. But I could be wrong.

>192 msf59: Hi Mark, our 4th worst storm on record. Funny, snowstorms don’t seem so bad when you don’t have to worry about getting to work or really going anywhere. It was pretty bad on the roads apparently. And yes, we had a lot of melting yesterday and today. It’s going to get green pretty fast here, I think, once it all melts!

>193 drneutron: It was a good one, Jim. I’m curious about which city will be next.

19. The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro

I’m so glad I finally read this. Initially, I couldn’t figure out why all the accolades for a book about a butler, but when it finally started to come together for me, I liked it a lot.

I had left the price tag on my copy - Boulder Bookstore shelved it, used, on 3/4/20, I bought it on 3/7/20. My last visit to a bookstore.

>195 Copperskye: I like Ishiguro, but I haven't read this one by him. On your recommendation, I will have to get it.

>196 Storeetllr: Hi Mary, It’s the first Ishiguro I’ve read but I know he’s popular and I have another on my shelf to get to.

Which one? I've read two or three of his: Never Let Me Go which I liked a lot, tho it was weird, When We Were Orphans which I also liked, tho it was weirder, and The Buried Giant, my least favorite of the three.

I loved The Remains of the Day, though it's been some years since I read it. I have it on my wishlist on Axis 360 on audio. I do love the wishlist feature - it's so easy to find my next read when I finish an audio. I enjoyed Never Let Me Go and like Mary, my least favorite was The Buried Giant.

>182 Copperskye: This sounds great, Joanne. I'm going to look for it.

>198 Storeetllr: I know I have When We Were Orphans and I may have given my copy of Never Let Me Go to Chris (which means it could be here in a box somewhere).

>199 AMQS: I think The Buried Giant may veer too far into fantasy to appeal to me. With the right narrator, The Remains of the Day would be great on audio.

>200 BLBera: Hi Beth, Oh good! I really think it was the right book at the right time for me!

I just saw that a film adaptation of News of the World was made, starring Tom Hanks. I watched the trailer, and it looked really good. I will need to read the book before I watch the film (yes, I know I must be the last person not to have read it) because if I don't, I never will. Anyway, I remember you really liked the book and thought I'd mention it, in case you weren't aware (tho you probably already knew - I am usually the last to find out about films and television shows).

ETA one reason I didn't read it before was because it wasn't available from the library as an audiobook. Well, now that there's a film adaptation, the library all of a sudden has the audiobook version. And I'm 182 in line for 3 copies. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

>195 Copperskye: I liked Remains of the Day a lot, and Never Let Me Go less so. At least when I finished it. I have thought about the latter more than the former in the years since, so maybe that says something.

I loved Remains of the Day but I could read it again because it's been ages Joanne. I read Never Let Me Go which left me scratching my head because...weird. I also loved When We Were Orphans but again, it's been awhile. I have An Artist of the Floating World on my shelf so maybe I'll pull that one out.

>202 Storeetllr: Thanks for the reminder, Mary. I haven’t seen the movie yet (in the before times, we’d have seen it in the theater) but I think it might be available On Demand somewhere. I need to look for it. I did love the book and I think you’ll like it, too. Isn’t that the way it always is when you’re trying to borrow something!? :)

>203 ursula: Hi Ursula, Interesting. I’m liking The Remains of the Day more as I think about it.

>204 brenzi: Hi Bonnie, The subject matter of his other books never seemed to interest me, but I may get to them eventually.

My reading has suffered the last couple days. I’m desperately trying to get into The Postscript Murders. I’m expecting to love it. It’s reminding me of The Thursday Murder Club.

I am so sorry to hear about the latest shooting in Boulder, Joanne. How awful for the people of your state. Lets at least hope, there are some gun controls passed, this time around. I sure wish Ted Cruz would have stayed in Cancun.

Joanne, I thought of you when I saw the news of the recent shooting in Boulder. I'm not sure where you live. It is sad and so very sorrowful that innocent people enter a grocery store and don't come out alive.

I send prayers to those impacted by this tragedy.

Mark, your comment about Ted Cruz made me laugh right out loud

Regarding News of the World, I think if you haven't read the book, watch the movie first. Almost everyone I know who read the book first, wasn't crazy about the movie. People who saw the movie and hadn't read the book, loved the movie. Just saying.

So sorry for the folks in Boulder.

I have lovely memories of Boulder and hate that a mass shooting took place there and ten innocent people were killed. Hate that six were killed a few dats earlier in Atlanta. This gun violence must end.

>206 msf59: >207 msf59: Hi Mark, Yes, let's hope so but I have many doubts. Ted Cruz is only one problem but yes, too bad they let him back across the border!

>208 Whisper1: Hi Linda, Thank you. It’s terribly sad. Boulder is about 35 miles from me.

>209 BLBera: Hi Beth, I think that’s why I haven’t been in a hurry to see the movie. I absolutely loved the book.

>210 Storeetllr: Hi Mary, I’m very fond of Boulder. In the before times we were up that way a couple times a month. And of course, we had that wonderful meet-up there at Booktopia several years ago. We still don’t know why he choose that Kings. I have to go to my store tomorrow and I’m dreading it.

Oh, and since I’m apparently a glutton for punishment, I got my first shingles vaccine yesterday. Not as bad a reaction as the second Covid vaccine, but I’m still sore and exhausted even after a two hour nap this afternoon!

>211 Copperskye: I have such fond memories of Boulder and that Booktopia where I first met you, Anne, Mary, and Katie. I saw on Twitter a photo of a memorial that was growing outside one of the victim's shops on Pearl Street Mall, and I think I might have browsed in there while on that trip. Such a senseless tragedy, the latest in a string of senseless tragedies in this country.

>212 rosalita: Hi Julia, Yes, one woman owned a shop right around the corner from the bookstore and the restaurant (Covid, RIP) where we ate. Another woman who was murdered worked in another shop on the mall, close by. I forget the Booktopia year 2012? 13?

Happy time with good people!

Oh! I was just going to post pics from that wonderful meetup! May 2014!

>214 Storeetllr: 2014 - that makes sense. Do you have other photos?

Oh, that was such a fun meet up! Mary, we drove together, didn't we? We have lots of friends in Boulder and the girls know so many people going to CU. I was so relieved that I didn't know any of the victims and so, so heartsick for each of them and their families.

Hi Anne, Same here. Between friends up there and friends here with kids at CU, it’s a lot. And I’m at the stage now where I can’t watch the local news anymore.

Seven years since that get-together. It was such fun!

Yay for our Boulder meet-up! I can't believe it was 7 years ago! I believe that was the evening we all were chatting so much we skipped the evening session of Booktopia to keep hanging out. A good decision :)

>218 katiekrug: I couldn't agree more, Katie!

20. A Pale Horse by Charles Todd

The 10th in the series is just ok with lots of dead ends. I know all detectives travel around but I don’t know why Ian Rutledge driving from one city to another is so noticeable to me. I should start highlighting the passages. I did enjoy googling The Pale Horse, though. Fascinating!

21. The Postscript Murders by Elly Griffiths

This had its moments but I was expecting to like it more. But it was still fun. I did love the characters. Very similar to The Thursday Murder Club which I loved. Also, I hate the cover, especially when compared to the UK cover.

22. The Haunted Heart Of Denver by Kevin Pharris

The author leads (led? The book is a few years old.) ghost tours around Denver. This is very light-hearted and fun and had some interesting moments that had me longing to walk around Capitol Hill. Google street view worked, too.

>222 Copperskye: That looks like a fun read!

>223 AMQS: Hi Anne, It was, and the author never took himself too seriously.

>213 Copperskye: What a great group!

>221 Copperskye: Hmm. I've been waiting to read this one. I guess I don't have to be in a hurry.

I got my first shingles vaccine in January, then had to put the second on hold because I got my COVID vaccine. I get my second COVID vaccine next week, and then two weeks after that my second shingles vaccine, and then I should be good for a while!

>225 BLBera: Oh my, Beth! But you should be all protected from the horribleness of shingles and Covid and that sure makes it all worthwhile! Good luck with your second Covid shot. What a relief! I find it so interesting that some people have no after-effects and others do. I was under the weather for about 24 hrs but my husband felt nothing.

Hi there, Joanne, have a lovely week ahead.

>227 richardderus: Good morning, Richard! Thanks for dropping by. We're having a new roof put on the house today so it's not exactly lovely, but it will be peaceful when they're done! :)

Oh, dear, that's a lot of hammering, Joanne, but think how nice it will be when it's done!

Such a fun memory!

>230 Donna828: I look like I'm about to lay my head on your shoulder for a quick nap, Donna! That was such a fun trip.

>229 AMQS: Hi Anne! It’s great to have that job finished - especially since it was a hail claim. It looks the same but we know it’s new!

>230 Donna828: Oh, I love that photo! Thanks for sharing it, Donna, and wonderful to see you, of course!

>231 rosalita: Ha, too much fun, Julia! I love how we can see the reflection of the kind waiter who snapped the pic.

Ah, the good old days of dining with friends without masks!

Nice to see Donna.

Donna! Hi there old friend. Thanks for popping up and sharing.

Hi Joanne.

>233 BLBera: Those were the days, Beth. And as it happens, my husband and I ate our second to last restaurant meal on that very same restaurant patio in Mar 2020.

>234 brenzi: Hi Bonnie!

https://crimereads.com/in-good-taste-marilyn-stasio-on-a-lifetime-of-book-review...

Interesting interview. I used to look forward to reading Marilyn Stasio’s crime column in the Sunday NYT Book Review and was sad when she supposedly retired a month or so ago.

>236 Copperskye: Thanks for the link, Joanne. Very interesting.

>237 rosalita: Hi Julia! I thought so, too.

>230 Donna828: That was a fun day! Thanks for posting, Donna!

23. Diamond Solitaire by Peter Lovesey

The plot seemed unlikely, at best, so I wasn't a fan of this second book in the Peter Diamond series.

24. The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly

And as expected, this first in a series was excellent. I can hardly wait to read the next one.

Current reads are This is Happiness and Say Nothing. Two wildly different books of Ireland.

>241 Copperskye: I have Say Nothing, Joanne, and I can't believe I haven't gotten to it yet. I saw the author has recently released a new book, Empire of Pain, detailing the horrible Sackler family and their role in the opioid crisis. I remember reading an LA Times series of articles several years ago that detailed how the company knew that Oxycontin was more addictive than they let on, and how they continued aggressively pushing it even so. All to make a buck. Shameful.

>242 rosalita: I’d been meaning to read Say Nothing for a while, too, Julia. It’s not an easy read but it’s very good. I hadn’t heard of his latest. He sure doesn’t shy away from tough subjects.

>230 Donna828: You know I love this photo! What a great looking group!

Happy Sunday, Joanne. Still cool temps here, which has stalled spring migration. We birders are an impatient bunch. I am still getting out regularly and had my FOY, Eastern Towhee the other day. They have been arriving and singing up a storm.

Hi Mark! Our weather has been a roller coaster ride lately and we’re expecting more snow tomorrow night and temps in the teens. My feeders have been busy and the birds seem to be arriving in pairs and doing a lot of singing so it must be spring, right? At least the snow melts especially fast this time of year.

25. Say Nothing: A True Story Of Murder And Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden Keefe

In 1972 Belfast, Jean McConville, a widow and mother of 10 young children, was abducted from her home and disappeared. Keefe uses this kidnapping as a springboard to tell the story of the conflict in Northern Ireland. It is a harrowing and unsettling account of The Troubles, the IRA, and the affect that the conflict had on ordinary civilians. My knowledge of the conflict, despite my Irish heritage (my paternal grandparents came over from Skerries in the early 1900s) is sketchy, at best, but this account was a very good explainer. I finished this last night, and frankly, it kept me awake. I’m thinking it’s the most emotionally draining book I’ve read in years, probably since I read Columbine.

>246 Copperskye: Ooof. You have in no way discouraged me from reading this one, but I appreciate the heads-up on being in the right head space for it.

>247 rosalita: Hi Julia, I in no way want to discourage you from reading it but you absolutely need to be prepared. It was excellent. I’m sure it doesn’t hit everyone the same, or this hard. I started to think about the divisions here in the US and it just spiraled from there.

>246 Copperskye: I wasn't ever going to read it, so I'm not blaming you, but there's nothing you've said that makes me feel impelled to break down my resistance!

Happy new week.

Hi Richard, happy snowy Tuesday to you!

Snowy! It was so warm and sunny today I regretted wearing a top with sleeves when I went out! Snow in April in Colorado, tho? Yes, I definitely remember that and just commented on another thread about that very thing.

So, I just had to stop by to tell you how much I enjoyed News of the World, which I just finished, and to thank you for recommending it over the years. It was wonderful! I'm sorry I waited so long to read it. I think I was a little fearful to read it because it got such rave reviews and I was afraid it might not live up to expectations. Needn't have worried. It exceeded them and then some. Loved the ending so much, even though it made me ugly cry. (My first 5/5 star book of the year!)

>251 Storeetllr: Oh Mary, I love that you loved News of the World!!!! I absolutely get what you mean about maybe not liking a book that everyone else seems to love. I always think there must be something wrong with me when that happens - it’s so disappointing. But you finally got to it and loved it! It was such a good story. Sorry about the ugly 😢. I need to read more Paulette Jiles. I own Color Of Lightning and Enemy Women. And Simon the Fiddler was good but not as good as NotW. I think Mark has read quite a few of her books.

And it’ll be in the 70s by the weekend so truly springtime in Colorado!

"I’m thinking it’s the most emotionally draining book I’ve read in years, probably since I read Columbine." Amen, Joanne! Say Nothing is a heck of a read! Glad you got to it.

Yes, I am big News of the World fan but found the film lacking. Color Of Lightning and Enemy Women were also solid reads.

>252 Copperskye: Thanks, Joanne! Yes, it was ugly while it was happening, very intense, but such a relieved feeling after. Sort of like a load lifted. I mean, it's a beautiful ending, which is why I cried so hard, I guess.

>253 msf59: I remember you loved NotW too, Mark! And I'm sorry the film adaptation isn't so good, but it's not surprising to me. I often find film adaptations disappointing. For me, only a couple of films lived up to the books on which they were based: Enchanted April, of course, and Princess Bride; Lonesome Dove is another, plus Green Mile and Shawshank Redemption. I can't bring any others to mind just now.

ETA the BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice is another.

I agree about Say Nothing, Joanne. It's an intense book. Still, I thought it made for fascinating reading.

Hi Joanne!

>228 Copperskye: We’ve just gotten two quotes on a new roof, $6K difference between them for the exact same shingles. We actually have a higher level of confidence with the less-expensive option - he's a friend of a friend. A different friend told us that we might be able to submit an insurance claim and at least get some of it back. It’s definitely worth a try.

>230 Donna828: Who’s who, LT usernames would be helpful. Enquiring minds and all that…

>241 Copperskye: I love this series. I just loaned The Lincoln Lawyer to a friend of mine, and I just finished the 6th in the series, The Law of Innocence.

>253 msf59: Hi Mark, I'm glad I got to it, too. It had been on my shelf for a while. I'll probably see the movie, New of the World, when it's readily available and I've definitely lowered my expectations.

>254 Storeetllr: I've seen all the adaptations you mentioned, Mary, except for Enchanted April (I think). I do have the book here though. I've heard people say that the movie Jaws was much better than the book but I never read it so I couldn't say. One of my favorite old movies is The Uninvited which is also based on a book I haven't read.

>255 BLBera: Yes, absolutely Beth! I'm curious about his new book.

>256 karenmarie: Hi Karen, Well, that makes your choice of roofer easy, doesn't it? Our roofing contractor came out when the insurance inspector was here and they looked at it together. I know that made a difference. I'm glad for the hail damage from last summer as our roof was getting up there in age and would have to have been replaced soon anyway. It's a lot of money for something that looks essentially the same .

I was afraid I wouldn't like the Lincoln Lawyer as much as the Bosch series but I thought the first one was great and I'm glad I've collected more in the series over the years!

I could wait and try to entice Donna to come back but I'll answer for her in the meantime. >230 Donna828: Clockwise from bottom left: Julia (rosalita), Donna (donna828), yours truly, Katie (katiekrug), Anne (AMQS), and Mary (storeetllr).

26. Birds of a Feather by Jacqueline Winspear

I didn’t like this nearly as much as I liked the first in the series. I still like the characters, but the author keeps having them discover things without clueing in the reader. For instance, Maisie would open a book and find something hidden which would be a great thing for the investigation but the reader wouldn’t know what it was until much later. So much kept being unsaid that I got impatient with the story. I’ll continue with the books I own, especially since I love the time period and historical elements but I don’t think I’ll go out of my way to read them all.

>246 Copperskye: Loved Say Nothing Joanne. And Keefe has a new book out Empire of Pain about the Sackler family of pain killer fame. I'll look for that one too.

Trying to catch up, Joanne.

Nice to see a Donna sighting @ >230 Donna828: and a reminder of the happy days of meet-ups.

Hi Joanne!

>257 Copperskye: Thank for names/usernames to faces.

Here’s the thread for the next Dick Francis SHARED Read, just created: Third Race at the LT Racetrack: Book 3, Bonecrack

>258 Copperskye: That's not fair play in my book. Grr.

Anyway, I hope your new week's reads are all good ones.

>259 brenzi: Hi Bonnie, Yes, Julia mentioned his new book, too. There was also a front page review in last Sunday's NYT book review. Sounds good.

>260 PaulCranswick: Hi Paul! You're much better at catching up then I am. My son borrowed my iPad and I've gotten terrible at typing on the laptop! Someday soon we'll be getting photos of LT meet-ups. I hope!

>261 karenmarie: Hi Karen, Thank you for the link. I'll see if I can get a copy of Bonecrack.

>262 richardderus: Hi Richard, I don't mind that happening once or twice but it just seemed pretty regular. I'm not even one to try to figure out whodunit. This week's read is great - Blackout by Ragnar Jonasson.